This year, the NEPSAC girls Class AA postseason takes on a dramatic new look.
The departure of several teams who moved on to Class AAA leaves the championship door wide open. Top-seeded Northfield Mount Hermon and second-seeded Worcester Academy are class veterans, but the other four in the playoff bracket have moved up from other NEPSAC classes.
That's right — only six out of 10 Class AA schools qualified for the postseason. Part of NEPSAC's eligibility rules for classes AA-D include that playoff teams must finish .500 or better, either overall or specifically against in-class opponents "in contention" (also .500 or better). This may have contributed to some teams being ineligible and not making the bracket.
Here's a team-by-team breakdown of each squad in the hunt.
MORE CLASS BREAKDOWNS:Â Class AAA field |Â Class A field | Class B field
Video: Ethan and Steve analyze the brackets
1. Northfield Mount Hermon (16-8)
Record against Class AA field: 5-1
Despite bringing in eight transfers, Northfield Mount Hermon has been at the front of the Class AA title picture all season and will receive a first-round bye.
NMH opened the winter strong with wins against playoff foes Wilbraham and Monson, Darrow and Austin Prep in the first month, and it bookended the regular season by beating Darrow and Newman late. Its only loss against the playoff field was to Worcester Academy, 69-64, on Feb. 12. That was a rare occasion NMH's formidable defense got caught off-guard.
The offense runs through Olivia Fleming (Windham, N.H.), a quick-twitch 2026 point guard with a bunch of Division 1 college offers. Postgrad forward Grace Minihane has emerged as perhaps the team's best scorer with her hard-charging drives. But NMH is tough to contain because several players can get hot on a given night, such as Breena Hannon (East Providence, R.I.) and Zariah Ottley (Rockland, Mass.).
PLAYOFF SCHEDULES:Â Class AAAÂ |Â Class AAÂ |Â Class AÂ |Â Class B, C, D
2. Worcester Academy (20-10)
Record against Class AA field: 5-1
The Hilltoppers have rocketed to the forefront of this title race and a first-round bye under first-year coach Dan Sullivan.
After opening with a gauntlet of a schedule and starting the season 6-8, Worcester Academy finished it 14-2. And since dropping its season-opener against Wilbraham and Monson, the Hilltoppers have won every contest against a Class AA opponent, finishing 13-1 in-class during the regular season. No team in the class, and arguably NEPSAC as a whole, enters with more momentum.
This is a red-hot offense that thrives in transition, moves the ball with purpose and launches 3s at a high clip. It's built on an elite sharpshooter in St. Bonnie's commit Elyse MacDonough (South Burlington, Vt.) and versatile 2026 forward and UNH commit Ella Getz (Wayland, Mass.). But the guard depth pays significant dividends, and Worcester Academy makes up for a lack of imposing size with effort plays throughout the lineup. They're right with Northfield Mount Hermon as a championship frontrunner.
3. Wilbraham and Monson (20-9)
Record against Class AA field:Â 3-3
The reigning Class C champions have made a strong leap to Class AA.
The Titans have experienced ups and downs this season, but their peaks are significant, including taking down Worcester Academy back in the Nov. 20 season opener. They've also beaten Newman and Darrow, as well as AAA school Dexter Southfield and Class B contender Greens Farms. At the same time, this is a young team that has lost winnable contests, including at Austin Prep, who it will face in the quarterfinals.
Caterina Ravosa (East Longmeadow, Mass.) is a powerful, 6-foot-2 forward who can score inside and out. She's been one of the most dominant players in NEPSAC at large this season and surpassed 2,000 career points in the process. Classmate Selah Prignano (Newington, Conn.) adds a spark of transition energy and off-dribble playmaking, while 5-foot-1 2027 point guard Iyanna Hodge (Springfield, Mass.) makes up for her diminutive size with tenacity on defense. Hannah Grudzien (Brooklyn, Conn.), the lone senior, may not rack up buckets, but she brings much-needed defensive versatility and leadership.
4. Newman (14-10)
Record against Class AA field:Â 2-4
Talk about bursting onto the scene. Newman's first year in girls basketball has dramatically exceeded my expectations, as they've competed closely with the region's best and nabbed some impressive wins in the process. The playoffs will be the ultimate test for how the roster and coaching staff have meshed in a matter of months.
Like Northfield Mount Hermon, the Cardinals succeed because they can get several players involved on the scoreboard. Elliana Scalabrine (Dover, Mass.) and Gabby Middleton (Stoughton, Mass.) are bigger hybrid wings who can handle the ball and score themselves, but also defer to others. Shannon Welburn (Wellesley, Mass.) leads the guard position with her high motor and ability to score on and off the ball. This is an offense that's hard to completely shut down.
5. Darrow (18-9)
Record against Class AA field:Â 3-4
It's been a remarkable ascension from Class D for the Ducks, who have given some of NEPSAC's better teams legitimate frustration. First-year coach Abby Streeter has built one of the best defensive units in the class that dominates the paint and slows the game down. Darrow enters the postseason on a roll, having defeated playoff foes Newman, Austin Prep and WMA within the last two weeks.
Amanda Smith is the advantage creator and tone-setter at point guard, and the East Carolina commit blends tight ball-handling and mid-range scoring to open up lanes to attack. But watching how Darrow utilizes off-guard Jill Dingler (Storrs, Conn.) as a cutter and secondary creator is super fun. Darrow's ability to drag opponents into its game almost guarantees close contests, and it becomes a matter of if the Ducks can string together enough buckets.
6. Austin Prep (12-11)
Record against Class AA field:Â 1-4
Yet another Class AA newcomer, Austin Prep has taken its lumps against the elite teams in NEPSAC. But it also shows flashes of upside, highlighted by a 60-55 win Jan. 15 against Wilbraham and Monson.
More recently, Fope Ayo (Methuen, Mass.) has emerged as the dominant center many have waited for. The No. 40 national recruit in ESPN's 2026 class has logged some monster 30-point double-doubles in February. Ayo is aided by explosive 2027 point guard Tiffany Burns (Methuen, Mass.) and fast-rising, athletic wing Angel Efosa (Lawrence, Mass.). Depth is a question mark with this roster, but catch the stars on a good night and they're capable of leading an upset.
