This year’s NEPSAC girls basketball season takes on a new look.
Following the fall’s reclassifications, there’s a new Class AAA at the top, where seven teams will vie for the first championship. That means Class AA is wide open for a new winner among 10 participating schools, and the dominoes cascade down to the lower classes.
Nobles dominated AA and NEPSAC at large the past two years, but this season, there appears to be parity throughout the top schools. Most of the best teams reside in AAA, but programs from AA down to B also make an appearance on our first preseason rankings.
Once most NEPSAC squads have begun their seasons, we'll regularly update these rankings to reflect the changes and trends of the winter. For now, let the discussion commence.
1. Tabor
Coach: Will Becker
Last season: 23-6, lost to Tilton in Class AA semifinals
Players to watch: Ava Black, G/F; Molly Corcoran, G; Kaelyn Carroll, F; Olivia Rodrigues, G/F
Outlook: The Seawolves start on top for three reasons. First, they have Carroll, the top college prospect in New England, as their centerpiece. Secondly, a healthy Ava Black (committed to Vanderbilt) might be the most notable addition to a lineup among any NEPSAC team. Tabor also added some big-name newcomers, including 2027 forward Corinne Lomax and 2028 guard Lily Davis. This team is stacked at the top with depth at most positions.
2. Nobles
Coach: Alex Gallagher
Last season: 29-1, won Class AA championship
Players to watch: Aliyah Allston-Pujols, F; Jasmyn Cooper, F; Ashley Dinges, F; Christina Pham, G
Outlook: Nobles could easily take the No. 1 ranking. The trio of Cooper, Dinges and Pham is as good a Big Three as any in the region, and they’ll be relied on to generate more offense this season. Allston-Pujols, though only a freshman, should make a significant impact in a larger role. Nobles has some questions to answer about the rest of its rotation, but the Bulldogs’ pedigree as back-to-back champions speaks for itself.
A CLOSER LOOK:Â How Nobles is preparing to defend its NEPSAC championships
3. Tilton
Coach: Tara Brisson
Last season: 30-3, lost to Nobles in Class AA championship
Players to watch: Bella Cucuta, G; Lindsay Lemay, G/F; Hannah Lynch, G; Colleen Phiri, F
Outlook: Sure, the graduation of Class AA Player of the year Ahnay Adams (Miami) is a significant loss, along with Sophia LeGoullon (William and Mary). But the Rams are loaded with shooting and defense. Phiri might be underrated as an alpha scorer after putting up 18.6 points per game last year. Cucuta, a transfer from Newington, Conn., with limitless range, will be an ideal scoring partner in crime.
A CLOSER LOOK:Â Why the Rams think they're being underrated this season
4. Dexter Southfield
Coach: Kristen Campopiano
Last season: 22-6, lost to Nobles in Class AA semifinals
Players to watch: Izzy Adams, G; Avery Bollin, F; Brooke Nunnally-Gardner, F; Ella Peper, F
Outlook: Dexter is the last in this four-team uber-elite tier, but it might possess the most upside. Peper, a uniquely talented 6-foot-4 freshman, looks ready for a leading role. Adams, a 2026 point guard transfer, will help replace the loss of Orlagh Gormley (now at Providence). Bollin reclassified to 2029 and will play major minutes as a stretch forward. There’s a ton of youth, but if things click, this is as exciting a rotation as any.
A CLOSER LOOK:Â Here's what makes Dexter's young team so exciting
5. Loomis Chaffee
Coach: Adrian Stewart
Last season: 23-5, won Class A championship
Players to watch: Catherine Chadwell, G/F; Abby Congdon, G; Aniyah Neal, F; Alicia Mitchell, C
Outlook: Despite graduating Ke’iara Odume, last winter’s Class A Player of the Year, Loomis is the clear favorite to four-peat. Mitchell is the top center in NEPSAC and headed to Columbia. She’s flanked by five more impact seniors, including the Quinnipiac-bound Neal, who Stewart believes will take a leap. Loomis boasts plus defenders throughout most of its roster.
A CLOSER LOOK:Â How Loomis is approaching the chase for four straight titles
6. New Hampton
Coach: Jamie Bavaro
Last season: 15-11, lost to Nobles in Class AA quarterfinals
Players to watch: Serenity Lancaster, F; Elysa Ngenda, G; Ava Perry, G/F; Casey Stores, G
Outlook: I’m buying in on New Hampton as a young team ready to step up. Adding Lancaster, a 2026 6-foot-1 forward with a near-complete offensive game, certainly helps. Ngenda and Stores pack a scoring punch together in the backcourt. Who else steps up is the question, but the Huskies have several young shooters and defenders to choose from.
A CLOSER LOOK:Â Why New Hampton is optimistic about its youth
7. Northfield Mount Hermon
Coach: Grace Rehnquist
Last season: 11-9, missed Class AA playoffs
Players to watch: Olivia Fleming, G; Ava Hoy, C; Grace Minihane, F; Zariah Ottley, G
Outlook: Even after graduating Dani Ceseretti (now at Villanova), NMH looks primed for improvement with a revamped roster that includes eight transfers. Minihane, a postgrad forward from Colorado, leads the newcomers and should be an immediate top contributor along with the sophomore Ottley. Fleming, a quick-twitch point guard, will likely be the team’s scoring leader as a junior captain and boasts a bunch of Division 1 mid-major offers.
A CLOSER LOOK:Â NMH's revamped roster has lots of upside
8. Wilbraham and Monson
Coach: Durelle Brown
Last season: 24-4, won Class C championship
Players to watch: Hannah Grudzien, F; Iyanna Hodge, G; Selah Prignano, G; Caterina Ravosa, F
Outlook: Moving from Class C to Class AA is a huge leap, but the Titans are capable of transitioning quickly. Juniors Prignano and Ravosa are a prolific 1-2 combo who can take over games, and Grudzien is the connecting piece as the lone senior. Keep an eye out for Hodge. She’s only 5-foot-1, but the 2027 point guard has a knack for big plays in big moments.
A CLOSER LOOK:Â How the Titans are prepping for a new challenge in Class AA
9. St. Andrew’s
Coach: Christina Batastini
Last season: 16-14, missed Class AA playoffs
Players to watch: Maysen Hill, G; Kiyla Fowler, G; Maddison Krug, F; Molly Sisson, F
Outlook: With 11 returners on the 12-player roster, St. Andrew’s hopes experience makes the difference as it moves up to the new Class AAA. Hill, a Fordham commit, was an All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention last winter despite playing out of position at point guard. She’ll slide over in the backcourt as newcomer Kiyla Fowler, from Hamilton, Ontario, takes the point and leads a group of exciting guards. Krug is 6-foot-4 and Sisson is 6-3, making them one of the largest frontcourts in NEPSAC. Keep an eye on Zoe Knight as an athletic sophomore wing.
A CLOSER LOOK:Â How Batastini plans to take an experienced roster in a new direction
10. Rivers
Coach: Kenny Small Jr.
Last season: 15-10, lost to Tabor in Class AA quarterfinals
Players to watch: Chase Anderson, F; Natalia Hall-Rosa, G/F; Grace O’Sullivan, G/F; Narissa Smith, G
Outlook: It might take some time for Rivers to settle in, especially after just hiring Small in mid-September. But the former Middlesex coach has NEPSAC experience and a strong core to work with. Hall-Rosa and O’Sullivan are interchangeable, versatile wings who can take over games, and they have a steady point guard to help them in the Stonehill-bound Smith. Now in Class B, Rivers is an immediate championship frontrunner.
A NEW VOICE:Â How Small is approaching his new position at Rivers
On the radar: Storm King, St. George’s, Austin Prep, Hoosac, St. Luke’s
