The Gazette’s preseason 2025-26 girls basketball rankings, first draft

Following are The Gazette’s first draft of preseason girls’ basketball rankings for 2025-26.

This list accounts for projected classification changes. It does not figure in any incoming/outgoing transfers or incoming freshmen.

An updated list will be posted in the late fall.

Class 5A

1. Johnston (26-0, 5A state champion)

2. Waukee Northwest (19-5, 5A state semifinalist)

3. West Des Moines Dowling (22-4, 5A state runner-up)

4. Iowa City Liberty (17-7, 5A state quarterfinalist)

5. Cedar Rapids Prairie (20-5, 5A state quarterfinalist)

6. Iowa City West (15-9, 5A regional finalist)

7. Cedar Rapids Washington (13-10, 5A regional finalist)

8. Waukee (13-11, 5A regional finalist)

9. Ankeny (10-13, 5A regional finalist)

10. Iowa City High (16-8, 5A regional finalist)

Next five (alphabetic order): Ankeny Centennial (17-8), Bettendorf (16-6), Pleasant Valley (19-5), Sioux City East (15-7), West Des Moines Valley (7-16).

Class 4A

1. Dallas Center-Grimes (20-5, 4A state semifinalist)

2. Norwalk (23-2, 4A state semifinalist)

3. Sioux City Heelan (21-3, 4A state quarterfinalist)

4. Cedar Rapids Xavier (22-4, 4A state champion)

5. Clear Creek Amana (15-8, 4A regional finalist)

6. Carlisle (18-5, 4A regional finalist)

7. Central DeWitt (20-5, 4A state quarterfinalist)

8. Sioux Center (21-3, 4A state quarterfinalist)

9. North Polk (24-3, 4A state runner-up)

10. Burlington (16-6, 4A regional semifinalist)

Next five (alphabetic order): Adel ADM (15-10), Decorah (11-12), Pella (16-8), Solon (12-11), Waverly-Shell Rock (19-3).

Class 3A

1. Maquoketa (21-3, 4A state quarterfinalist)

2. Williamsburg (24-3, 3A state semifinalist)

3. Cherokee (21-4, 3A state quarterfinalist)

4. Des Moines Christian (21-4, 3A state quarterfinalist)

5. Mount Vernon (26-1, 3A state champion)

6. Monroe PCM (21-4, 3A regional finalist)

7. Spirit Lake (17-8, 3A state quarterfinalist)

8. Mediapolis (21-3, 3A regional semifinalist)

9. Dubuque Wahlert (21-5, 3A state runner-up)

10. Tipton (16-7, 3A regional semifinalist)

Next five (alphabetic order): Atlantic (18-7), Clarinda (13-10), Davenport Assumption (9-13), Forest City (23-2), Mid-Prairie (16-6).

Class 2A

1. Hinton (26-0, 2A state champion)

2. Treynor (21-4, 2A state quarterfinalist)

3. Denver (22-3, 2A regional finalist)

4. Sioux Central (18-6, 2A regional semifinalist)

5. Guthrie Center ACGC (22-2, 2A regional finalist)

6. Grundy Center (15-8, 2A regional semifinalist)

7. Exira-EHK/Audubon (18-6, 2A regional finalist)

8. Rock Valley (20-4, 2A state quarterfinalist)

9. Maquoketa Valley (23-3, 2A state quarterfinalist)

10. Emmetsburg (14-10, 2A regional quarterfinalist)

Next five (alphabetic order): Central Lyon (21-5), Earlham (12-11), Iowa City Regina (24-2), Pocahontas Area (19-6), Woodward-Granger (13-10).

Class 1A

1. Council Bluffs St. Albert (25-1, 1A state champion)

2. Algona Garrigan (23-4, 1A state semifinalist)

3. Gladbrook-Reinbeck (21-4, 1A state quarterfinalist)

4. Springville (20-5, 1A state quarterfinalist)

5. Newell-Fonda (22-5, 1A state runner-up)

6. Dunkerton (17-8, 1A state quarterfinalist)

7. Lynnville-Sully (18-6, 1A regional finalist)

8. Coon Rapids-Bayard (18-5, 1A regional finalist)

9. Lansing Kee (19-7, 1A regional finalist)

10. Mason City Newman (15-9, 1A regional semifinalist)

Next five (alphabetic order): Harris-Lake Park (19-5), Kingsley-Pierson (12-10), Montezuma (19-6), Mount Ayr (21-2), Turkey Valley (17-6).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com