Girls’ basketball 2025-26: Preseason area Super Ten and conference predictions

A preseason girls’ basketball area Super Ten for 2025-26:

1. Maquoketa

Head coach: Chad Specht (6th year, 91-19; 3rd year at Maquoketa, 41-7)

2024-25 record: 21-3 overall, 14-0 River Valley North (1st)

2024-25 postseason: Class 4A state quarterfinalist

Returning starters (5): Aubrey Kroymann (6-0, sr.), Maelyn Kluever (5-5, sr.), Kendall Kuhlman (5-7, sr.), Justice Armbruster (5-6, sr.), Cora Widel (6-1, sr.)

2. Iowa City Liberty

Head coach: Jaime Brandt (11th year, 111-108; 7th year at Liberty, 63-84)

2024-25 record: 17-7 overall, 9-5 Mississippi Valley (3rd, Mississippi Division)

2024-25 postseason: Class 5A state quarterfinalist

Returning starters (3): Ava Casey (5-5, jr.), Kennedy Goodheart (5-9, sr.), Natalie Ramsey (6-0, sr.)

3. Cedar Rapids Prairie

Head coach: Bruce Dall (31st year, 562-149; 2nd year at Prairie, 20-5)

2024-25 record: 20-5 overall, 12-2 Mississippi Valley (1st, Valley Division)

2024-25 postseason: Class 5A state quarterfinalist

Returning starters (3): Brynlie Hadenfeldt (5-10, sr.), Emily Larsen (5-11, sr.), KeaOnna Worley (5-3, jr.)

4. Iowa City West

Head coach: Nate Frese (4th year, 44-26)

2024-25 record: 15-9 overall, 10-4 Mississippi Valley (2nd, Mississippi Division)

2024-25 postseason: Class 5A regional finalist

Returning starters (5): Ava Frese (5-6, sr.), Kate Van Waning (5-9, sr.), Abby Neumiller (6-0, sr.), Grace Fincham (5-11, sr.), Sasha Baldwin (5-7, jr.)

5. Cedar Rapids Xavier

Head coach: John Gianforte (1st year as girls’ coach, 0-0)

2024-25 record: 22-4 overall, 12-2 Mississippi Valley (1st, Mississippi Division)

2024-25 postseason: Class 4A state champion

Returning starters (3): Madden Wilson (5-7, sr.), Jaselle Lang (5-4, sr.), Reese Komenda (5-8, sr.)

6. Clear Creek Amana

Head coach: Matt Hoeppner (1st year at CCA, 0-0; 9th year overall, 102-81)

2024-25 record: 15-8 overall, 8-2 Wamac West (2nd)

2024-25 postseason: Class 4A regional finalist

Returning starters (5): Averie Lower (6-0, sr.), Lena Evans (5-8, sr.), Kennedy Stratton (5-4, sr.), Nakia Tangang (5-10, sr.), Brooklyn Lee (5-5, sr.)

7. Cedar Rapids Washington

Head coach: Chris James (10th year, 102-93)

2024-25 record: 13-10 overall, 10-4 Mississippi Valley (T-2nd, Valley Division)

2024-25 postseason: Class 5A regional finalist

Returning starters (4): Samantha Becker (5-8, sr.), Lily Belle Barker (5-7, sr.), Sira Doumbia (6-3, jr.), Hailey Becker (5-7, sr.)

8. Williamsburg

Head coach: Stephanie Dacey (4th year, 43-29)

2024-25 record: 24-3 overall, 10-0 Wamac East Division (1st)

2024-25 postseason: Class 3A state semifinalist

Returning starters (3): Zoe Allen (6-1, sr.), Kennedy Skaggs (5-10, sr.), Ava Hocker (5-10, jr.)

9. Mount Vernon

Head coach: Jacob Misener (1st year, 0-0)

2024-25 record: 26-1 overall, 10-0 Wamac East Division (1st)

2024-25 postseason: Class 3A state champion

Returning starters (3): Taylor Franck (5-5, sr.), Courtney Franck (5-8, sr.), Savanna Wright (5-5, soph.)

10. Springville

Head coach: Christina Zaruba (9th year, 159-40)

2024-25 record: 20-5 overall, 8-4 Tri-Rivers West Division (3rd)

2024-25 postseason: Class 1A state quarterfinalist

Returning starters (3): Rowan Jacobi (6-2, sr.), Lexi Dietiker (5-7, sr.), Addison Merritt (5-5, jr.)

Class rankings

Class 5A: 1. Iowa City Liberty (17-7), 2. Iowa City West (15-9), 3. Cedar Rapids Prairie (20-5), 4. Cedar Rapids Washington (13-10), 5. Iowa City High (16-8).

Class 4A: 1. Cedar Rapids Xavier (22-4), 2. Clear Creek Amana (15-8), 3. Solon (12-11), 4. Decorah (11-12), 5. Marion (13-10).

Class 3A: 1. Maquoketa (21-3), 2. Williamsburg (24-3), 3. Mount Vernon (26-1), 4. Tipton (16-7), 5. Mid-Prairie (16-6).

Class 2A: 1. Maquoketa Valley (22-3), 2. Iowa City Regina (24-2), 3. Cascade (16-8), 4. Jesup (18-5), 5. MFL MarMac (15-9).

Class 1A: 1. Springville (20-5), 2. Lansing Kee (19-7), 3. Highland (17-8), 4. English Valleys (13-10), 5. Montezuma (19-6).

2025-26 conference predictions

MVC MISSISSIPPI DIVISION

1. Iowa City Liberty

2. Iowa City West

3. Cedar Rapids Xavier

4. Cedar Rapids Kennedy

5. Dubuque Senior

6. Linn-Mar

7. Western Dubuque

MVC VALLEY DIVISION

1. Cedar Rapids Prairie

2. Dubuque Wahlert

3. Cedar Rapids Washington

4. Iowa City High

5. Waterloo West

6. Cedar Falls

7. Dubuque Hempstead

8. Cedar Rapids Jefferson

WAMAC EAST DIVISION

1. Mount Vernon

2. Solon

3. Marion

4. Independence

5. Center Point-Urbana

WAMAC WEST DIVISION

1. Clear Creek Amana

2. Williamsburg

3. Grinnell

4. Benton Community

5. South Tama

6. Vinton-Shellsburg

RIVER VALLEY NORTH DIVISION

1. Maquoketa

2. Cascade

3. Camanche

4. Anamosa

5. Monticello

6. Bellevue

7. Dyersville Beckman

8. Northeast

RIVER VALLEY SOUTH DIVISION

1. Tipton

2. Iowa City Regina

3. Mid-Prairie

4. Alburnett

5. Durant

6. West Liberty

7. West Branch

8. Wilton

TRI-RIVERS EAST DIVISION

1. Calamus-Wheatland

2. Lisbon

3. Bellevue Marquette

4. Midland

5. Easton Valley

6. North Cedar

7. Clinton Prince of Peace

TRI-RIVERS WEST DIVISION

1. Springville

2. Maquoketa Valley

3. Edgewood-Colesburg

4. North Linn

5. East Buchanan

NORTH IOWA CEDAR EAST DIVISION

1. Jesup

2. Wapsie Valley

3. Oelwein

4. Sumner-Fredericksburg

5. Union Community

SOUTH IOWA CEDAR

1. Lynnville-Sully

2. English Valleys

3. Montezuma

4. Keota

5. Sigourney

6. North Mahaska

7. Colfax-Mingo

8. BGM

9. HLV-TC

10. Iowa Valley

11. Belle Plaine

UPPER IOWA LARGE DIVISION

1. MFL MarMac

2. North Fayette Valley

3. Crestwood

4. South Winneshiek

5. Waukon

6. New Hampton

UPPER IOWA SMALL DIVISION

1. Lansing Kee

2. Turkey Valley

3. Elkader Central

4. Clayton Ridge

5. West Central

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com