CLASS 1A DIVISION II GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2025-26
 

EMERY ANDERSON, MOSCOW

The Wildcats have to replace three key players off last season’s 10-10 team but they returned a solid contributor in Anderson. She delivered a promising freshman season, earning first-team All-Santa Fe Trail League honors.
 

MARISSA BECKMAN, WHEATLAND-GRINNELL

The Thunderhawks are looking for big things this season from Beckman, who averaged 11.2 points, 3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.7 steals as a sophomore. The Thunderhawks will have to rely on Beckman and fellow junior Natalie Bixenman even more this season after junior forward Aliviah Ball suffered a knee injury in volleyball that will keep her out for the entire basketball season. The Thunderhawks swept the Western Kansas Liberty League regular season and tournament titles last season and finished with a 16-6 record. Beckman was a first-team all-league pick and earned honorable mention All-1A Division II honors. 

JERSI BENISCH, WALLACE COUNTY

Benisch helped lead the Wildcats to an 18-5 season and state tournament appearance last year. She averaged 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 4.8 steals as a junior. She had seven 20-plus point games last season including a season-high 32-point game. Benisch put up a 30-point effort against eventual champion Hanover in the state tournament. Benisch was a second-team All-Class 1A Division II selection and earned second-team All-Northwest Kansas League honors last season. Junior Kallie Richardson is another player to keep an eye on for the Wildcats. 
 

NATALIE BIXENMAN, WHEATLAND-GRINNELL

Bixenman was part of a strong trio of sophomore standouts last season for the Thunderhawks, who went 16-6 and won Western Kansas Liberty League regular season and tournament titles. She averaged 11.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 4 steals. Bixenman and fellow junior Marissa Beckman are primed for big seasons but the Thunderhawks will be without last season’s leading scorer Aliviah Ball, who suffered a knee injury in volleyball. Bixenman was a third-team All-1A Division II selection last season and earned first-team all-league honors.
 

 
DREW BRUNA, HANOVER
 
Bruna stepped into a starting role her freshman year, a big assignment given the Wildcats were coming off a Class Division II state championship the previous season. But she fit right in to Hanover’s rotation and was a key factor in the Wildcats defending that title in 2024. Last year, Bruna was the second-leading scorer on Hanover’s team that was able to pull off the three-peat. Bruna averaged 9.7 points and was the leading rebounder with 5 per game. With the graduation of last year’s leading scorer Anna Jueneman, Bruna will take over as Hanover’s go-to scorer as the Wildcats go for a four-peat. She was a second-team All-Twin Valley League selection last year and third-team All-Class 1A Division II pick.
 

AUTUMN COLEMAN, ARGONIA
 
Coleman and the Raiders came on strong toward the end of last season, finishing 14-8 after a 3-4 start. The 5-foot-6 senior was one of two All-South Central Border League selections, voted to the second team. She has helped Argonia to a 2-1 start this season, averaging 5.3 rebounds and 3 steals per game during that stretch. Coleman earned All-SCBL first-team volleyball honors in the fall.
 

KARLEE EVANS, BUCKLIN

A key contributor since her freshman season, Evans put up 13.7 points and 6.5 rebounds last season for the Red Aces, who went 19-4 and reached the state tournament before falling to Attica in the first round. The season included a 17-game winning streak. Evans scored in double-digits in all but three games last season. She scored a season-high 24 points against South Central. Evans earned second-team All-SPIAA honors and was honorable mention All-1A Division II.
 

 
LAURYN FINNERTY, HARTFORD
 
Finnerty enjoyed a solid freshman season for the Jaguars last year, stepping in and leading them in scoring with 13.5 points per game. She also averaged 6.7 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 2 assists per game from her point guard spot, earning second-team All-Lyon County League and honorable mention All-Class 1A Division II honors. She’ll have even more on her shoulders this year as Hartford graduated the top players around her from a year ago.
 

LYNELLE GENGLER, BELOIT-ST. JOHN’S

Gengler is one of four returning starters for the Blujays, who went 14-8 last season. Gengler averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds. She earned second-team All-Northern Plains League honors. Beloit-St. John’s will have to replace its top player from a year ago in Carlie Brummer.

 

ADELE HELSEL, SOUTH HAVEN
 
Helsel, a 5-foot-8 senior, helped the Cardinals earn their fourth consecutive state tournament berth last season. She averaged 8.5 points as South Haven finished 21-2, winning the South Central Border League title for the fourth straight year as well as the midseason league tournament and early-season Border Queen Tournament. Helsel was one of four Cardinals selected to the all-league team, earning second-team recognition.
  

AVERY KAUFFMAN, HUTCHINSON CENTRAL CHRISTIAN
 
Kauffman, a junior, joined teammates Belle Barnett and Jessa Losew on the All-Heart of the Plains League first team after the Cougars won the league championship and were sub-state runners-up in their 17-5 season. Barnett has graduated, but Kauffman, Losew and junior Reese Swanson, an all-league honorable mention selection, return to give Central Christian a solid nucleus for its title defense. Kauffman had 12 points in Central Christian’s season opener, a 52-21 victory over Hutchinson Trinity.
 

EMMERSON KIRK, BUCKLIN

Kirk has been one of the top players in the SPIAA since her freshman season. She averaged 18 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.2 steals last season as a junior, helping Bucklin go 19-4, win the SPIAA Tournament title and reach the state tournament. Kirk had nine games with 20 or more points last season with a season-high of 29. She was a first-team All-1A Division II selection and also earned first-team All-SPIAA honors.
 

MADELYN KRAUS, WESTERN PLAINS

Kraus is back to lead the Bobcats after putting up 15.9 points and 7.7 rebounds last season as a junior. Western Plains finished 10-9 a season ago. Kraus is nearing the 1,000-point milestone. She was a first-team All-Western Kansas Liberty League pick last season and was honorable mention All-1A Division II.
 

JESSA LOSEW, HUTCHINSON CENTRAL CHRISTIAN
 
Losew, a Wichita State track signee, helped Central Christian post a 17-5 record and win the Heart of the Plains League title last season. The 5-foot-9 senior averaged 11.7 points and 7.2 rebounds to earn first-team all-league honors. The Cougars fell one win shy of a Class 1A Division II state tournament berth, losing to Lebo in the sub-state title game. Losew, who won the 1A high jump title in May, scored 17 points to lead Central Christian over Hutchinson Trinity in its season opener.
 

 
TAYLOR MCCARTY, CHEYLIN

One of the most dynamic scorers in the state, McCarty already owns a handful of Division I offers. She averaged 22.9 points, 8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 4.9 steals last season as a sophomore. McCarty has already eclipsed the 1,000-point milestone. She had a 52-point game against Triplains-Brewster last season. The Cougars are looking to build off one of their best seasons in recent program history, going 16-6 last season and reaching the sub-state finals. McCarty was a second-team All-1A Division II selection last season and a first-team All-Western Kansas Liberty League pick.

 
TORI MORRISON, ARGONIA
 
Morrison, a senior, boosted Argonia to a 14-8 record and fourth-place finish in the South Central Border League last season. She averaged 11.2 points, 10 rebounds and 2.7 steals for the Raiders, who bowed out in the sub-state semifinals. The 5-foot-6 Morrison helped Argonia win two of its first three games this season, averaging 6 points, 5 rebounds and 3.7 steals. A first-team all-league selection in volleyball in the fall, Morrison earned the same honor in basketball last winter along with All-Class 1A Division II honorable mention. 
 

 
BAILEIGH PETERS, LINN
 
Peters helped Linn become the upset darling of the Class 1A Division II state tournament as the Bulldogs upset No. 1 seed South Haven in the quarterfinals and then topped Attica in the semifinals to reach the championship game for the first time in program history before falling to Twin Valley League rival Hanover. Peters is a three-year starter at point guard for the Bulldogs and averaged 12.3 points, 2.6 assists and 2.3 steals per game last year, earning first-team all-league honors. She’s averaging 10.1 points per game in her career and with the bulk of last year’s roster back, she could lead Linn to another deep run against this year. She also just helped the volleyball team to a runner-up state finish in the fall.
 

OLIVIA REZA, ROLLA

Reza will look to help the Pirates improve on last year’s one-win season. Coach Cassie Thrall is expecting big things from Reza, who was a first-team All-Santa Fe Trail League selection last season as a sophomore. She’s one of four returning all-league players for Rolla. 

LANI SPEER, DIGHTON
 
The Hornets return their top player in the 5-foot-11 senior forward Speer, who averaged 13.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.7 blocks last season. Speer ranked in the top five in the state in blocks per game last season. She’s received all-state recognition in each of the last two seasons, earning second-team All-Class 1A Division II honors last season. She was a first-team All-Northwest Kansas League pick. The Hornets will look to improve on last year’s 12-10 season.
 

 
MAGGIE STRATHMAN, AXTELL
 
Strathman teams with older sister Natalee to give Axtell a dominant twin-tower combination. The 6-foot-1 sophomore had a big freshman season last year, averaging a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds per game while Natalee added 10.8 points and 7.2 rebounds a game. Maggie also added 3 blocks per game and was a first-team All-Twin Valley League selection. After leading Axtell to its first state volleyball tournament appearance in years in the fall, the Strathmans will try to follow that up with a state trip in basketball this winter.
 

 
AKYRA TRAVER, MARAIS DES CYGNES VALLEY
 
By the time she’s finished with her career, Traver will go down as one of the most productive players in program history, getting the most out of her athleticism and 5-foot-6 frame. After averaging 17 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 5 steals per game her sophomore year, Traver somehow improved on those numbers across the board last year as a junior. Her scoring went up to 20.3 points per game while she increased her rebounds to 8 per game, assists to 5.3 per game and steals to 5.2 per game. Traver now has 1,121 career points, 424 career rebounds, 259 career assists and 262 career steals, climbing up the school record lists in all four categories. She was a unanimous All-Lyon County League selection last year after being a second-teamer her freshman and sophomore years. Traver is a softball Emporia State commit.
 

KAILEE WESSEL, GOLDEN PLAINS

Wessel is one of five returning starters for the Bulldogs, who went 13-9 last season, falling to Wheatland-Grinnell in the sub-state semifinals. Wessel averaged 10.5 points and 9.1 rebounds last season as a sophomore. She put up a season-best 24 points against Weskan. Wessel was a first-team All-Western Kansas Liberty League selection and received honorable mention All-1A Division II honors.