2026 Rankings: New Talent Making The List

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Several players are making their debut in the 2026 rankings, and here are a few…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1208231' first='Blakeley' last='Nixon']&nbsp;</strong>(5'8/CG/'26/Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa)&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: #14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Blakeley is a talented combo guard who brings quite a few things to the floor on both ends. She has a scoring arsenal, playmaking skills, defensive tenacity, and the ability to change the momentum of a game with her two-way impact. She is very talented off the bounce as she can get buckets with dribble penetration, but she also has the ability to create space with the dribble and draw multiple defenders, opening up the floor for everyone around her. She has one of the best overall floor games in this class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1233414' first='Haley' last='Trotter']&nbsp;</strong>(6'0/G|F/2025/Chelsea HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: haley.trotter</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X/Twitter: @HaleyTrotter23</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: #24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Haley is one of the best scoring threats in this class. She has positional size and scoring versatility in her game that continues to evolve every time I see her. She led her team to the final four this year as she showed throughout the year that she can handle the scoring load inside and out, as well as handle ball-handling duties when needed. She efficiently scores well from all levels and gets it done in the flow of the offense. She has proven this year that she doesn't shy away from big moments.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1233427' first='Samantha' last='Kokoszka']</strong> (5'11/SG/'26/St. Michael)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: #25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Samantha is listed as an off-guard, and she plays on both ends of the floor. She is instinctive and reacts quickly when defending the passing lanes. She brings toughness to the floor and consistent scoring production. She has proven her ability to get to the rim, shoot the mid-range, and score from behind the arc. She is a heady backcourt talent who contributes to winning.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1233426' first='Abby' last='Johnson']</strong> (5'5/PG/'26/Daphne)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: #26</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Abby is a lead guard who led her team to the final four this past season. She carries a heavy load as the leader and floor general and is one of the primary reasons why Daphne had the success they did. She has bounce in her game and puts constant pressure on opponents on both ends of the floor. She is a high-volume shot-taker, has a game that gets her to the line, and is really good at making plays off the bounce. Her assist-to-turnover numbers for the season can deceive you if you do not know that she handles the ball 95% of the time she is on the floor. She is one player in this class who must make plays for herself and her teammates on every trip. She often saw defenses loaded up to defend her on every possession.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='939770' first='Ellis' last='McCool']</strong> (6'2/PF/2026/Homewood)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: ellismccool</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: #27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ellis is a versatile interior presence who can step out onto the perimeter and produce from behind the arc. She has a good combination of size and skill and impacts the game on both ends of the floor. She has exceptional instincts on the defensive end of the floor and good timing as a shot blocker. She has the ability to flirt with a double-double on every night as she scores it well from multiple levels and is very active on the glass.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1233397' first='Taniya' last='Smith']</strong> (5'6/PG/'26/McAdory)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: #28</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Taniya is a small lead guard who had to bring scoring and facilitating to the floor for her squad. She has a good feel and understanding of the game and has showcased her PG IQ throughout the season. She has a competitive drive and competes at a high level every time she steps onto the court. Despite her size, she is a three-level scorer and is not afraid of mixing it up on the inside with the bigs. She shoots the ball well from behind the arc, forcing defenders to play her for the drive and her perimeter shot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->