Stretch, Slash and Score: Must Know 2026 Forwards

The 2026 class is putting serious pressure on colleges to recruit early, with so much talent rising to the surface. As always, forwards are among the most sought-after, and this group of ladies is proving why—they can stretch the floor, slash to the rim, post up, and score in a variety of ways.    Cover Photo [player_tooltip player_id='515094' first='Dylande' last='Innocent'] plays with an “all gas, no brakes” mentality—there are very few players who compete as hard as she does for the entire game. Her back-to-the-basket moves are quick and aggressive, and her ability to drop step or jump stop and finish off two feet creates constant problems in the paint. She can also space the floor and knock down jumpers, but she doesn't settle—her explosive first step punishes closeouts, and she finishes along the baseline with ease. For Dylande, every possession is rent time—and she never misses a payment.     [player_tooltip player_id='1091383' first='Seanna' last='Crooks'] is a smooth baller who finishes around the rim with skill and plays at her own pace. She can catch the ball in the low post and get to her spot, or receive it at the elbow and either find her shot or set up an open teammate. Crooks is one of the better passing forwards, with the vision to pass her teammates open and the ability to read the floor in multiple ways.     [player_tooltip player_id='1215794' first='Isabella' last='Sangha']—if you didn't know her before the travel ball season, you definitely know her now. This two-sport athlete holds Division I offers in both basketball and volleyball. She runs the floor well, has great footwork, and is light on her feet, allowing her to cover the entire court quickly on both ends. She rebounds at the highest point and blocks shots like she's stuffing opponents at the volleyball net—often spiking them out of the air. And it takes a special athlete to block her shot, as she releases all her shots and layups at the peak of her jump. That's what makes her fadeaway jumper so smooth and tough to contest.     [player_tooltip player_id='514521' first='Brie' last='McCoy'] is relentless on the floor and simply outwills her opponents, breaking them down over the course of the game. Her strength and physicality are unmatched—and when combined with her footwork and graceful playing style, she becomes a serious problem. She's deadly with her left hand, consistently getting to her spots and finishing through contact, making it clear she's not letting up. Brie is one of the most polished players on both the offensive and defensive ends and already plays with the physicality required at the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='1215709' first='Miraldina' last='Buitchi'] is a true rim protector—if you enter the paint, you better get your shot off quickly, or there's a good chance it's getting sent into the crowd. Offensively, the 6'6" forward can finish over either shoulder, making her nearly unstoppable once she gets two feet in the paint. She consistently shoots over her matchups with ease, forcing defenders to do their work early if they hope to slow her down.

The 2026 class is putting serious pressure on colleges to recruit early, with so much talent rising to the surface. As always, forwards are among the most sought-after, and this group of ladies is proving why—they can stretch the floor, slash to the rim, post up, and score in a variety of ways.