A Few Names to Watch for the 2026 WBCA Ms. Basketball Award

We're about a month into the season, so I want to name a few players who are in contention for the WBCA Ms. Basketball Award and the Gatorade Player of the Year. I'll have an article for both. The Gatorade Player of the Year article will be posted on Monday, but I wanted to clarify, as far as I understand them. The Ms. Basketball Award is given to the state's “most outstanding senior player”, so anyone who's not a senior will not be considered for that award. On the other hand, the Gatorade Player of the Year is given to the top player in the state, and all players are eligible. I'll highlight all the seniors in the article for potential Ms. Basketball award winners, and I will simply name them in the Gatorade Player of the Year article, just so I'm not writing the same thing twice. Let's look at some names to know as the season moves on for these awards.   [player_tooltip player_id='533057' first='Natalie' last='Kussow']   The Arrowhead wing has been one of the most impressive offensive talents in the state over the past four seasons, highlighted by her outstanding performance at the 2024 WIAA Division 1 State Tournament, where she led the Warhawks to a state crown. The lefty has been the focal point of the Warhawks' offense over the past three seasons, and has helped the Warhawks compete at the highest level, and has helped the program earn at least a share of the last three Classic Eight conference titles. The Minnesota commit is one of the top scorers in state history, and barring anything crazy, will be a top-ten scorer in state history, and potentially top-five all-time when it's all said and done.   [player_tooltip player_id='533077' first='Adaline' last='Sheplee']   The Rice Lake wing has improved each season she's played high school basketball and has had an excellent start to her final season as a Warrior. Sheplee has broken the single-game scoring record on a few occasions, including in last week's game against Eau Claire North, where she broke her previous career high of 43 points and poured in 47 in Eau Claire. The Wisconsin commit has also led her Warriors team to the state tournament for the first time in program history. Sheplee will likely finish within the top 50 in scoring in state history, and finish potentially as high as the top 25.   [player_tooltip player_id='400915' first='Mikaia' last='Litza']   There may not be a smoother player in recent memory around the state than the Wauwatosa East guard. Nobody has seemed as composed as Litza has in some of the highest-profile moments in her high school career. She is the same player you'll see in a 30-point win as you saw in the third overtime of a state championship game last March. Litza has been the most successful lead guard in the state since KK Arnold graduated in 2023. Her ability to control a game with the ball in her hands is matched by, at most, two other players since I've been around. There's a chance she reaches 2000 career points, but she is too talented a passer to be a consistent 30-point threat, so she may not quite get there, but everything she's done has led to historic success for the Red Raiders. I'd be stunned if the DePaul commit isn't on the final list of players for the Ms. Basketball award, and she's making a heck of a case to win that award.   [player_tooltip player_id='533085' first='Bella' last='Klages']   Klages will have an outside shot of making the final list for the Ms. Basketball award because of how she's started her senior season. She has been the most influential player for Hartford in their highest-profile games and was the reason the Orioles stayed in their game against Edgewood and won. Klages is one of the top back-to-the-basket players, and her ability to exploit mismatches as a perimeter threat, ball handler, or interior presence is something few players in Wisconsin do, not to mention how well she can create for others. The California Baptist commit may not have had the same individual success over the past three seasons as others in her class. However, Klages has been an integral part of a top-ten D1 team in her senior season, and for a Hartford team that reached the Division 1 State Tournament in 2024 for the first time since 2000.   [player_tooltip player_id='536013' first='Giselle' last='Janowski']   The Pewaukee senior has been a member of some of the best teams in state history over the past three years for the Pirates. She started her first game in high school and has continued to expand her game each season she's played at the high school level. Last season, a knee injury cut short what seemed to be a magical season for her and the Pirates, who were one of the top-25 teams in the country. The Wisconsin commit has been one of the premier defenders in each of her four years of high school basketball, and will be in the hunt for another state tournament appearance this March.   [player_tooltip player_id='474774' first='Leah' last='Nordin']   The Shawano native has quietly put together a historic career for the Hawks in her first three seasons. Nordin has been a premier wing in Wisconsin and has scored at all three levels since she stepped foot on a high school floor. The Hawks' senior has helped the program reach a Sectional Final last season, and helped earn high-profile wins in the Bay Conference over traditional powers like Xavier and West De Pere, when they were still in the conference. The Wisconsin commit, barring anything unexpected, will be a 2000-point scorer at the high school level and potentially finish in the top 15 on the all-time scoring list in Wisconsin history.   [player_tooltip player_id='533058' first='Samantha' last='Davis']   The Aquinas wing has been a member of the Blugolds program, which has continued its dominance in small-school basketball, and she has been an integral part of their success over the last few seasons. Davis is an athletic wing who has contributed to one of the most effective pressing teams in small-school basketball and helped the Blugolds reach the 2023 Division 4 State Championship game, where Aquinas came up short against a talented Laconia group. The Bradley commit will have an opportunity to be a 2000-point scorer and finish in the top 20 in the all-time scoring list in Wisconsin history.

We're about a month into the season, so I want to name a few players who are in contention for the WBCA Ms. Basketball Award and the Gatorade Player of the Year. I'll have an article for both. The Gatorade Player of the Year article will be posted on Monday, but I wanted to clarify, as far as I understand them. The Ms. Basketball Award is given to the state's “most outstanding senior player”, so anyone who's not a senior will not be considered for that award. On the other hand, the Gatorade Player of the Year is given to the top player in the state, and all players are eligible. I'll highlight all the seniors in the article for potential Ms. Basketball award winners, and I will simply name them in the Gatorade Player of the Year article, just so I'm not writing the same thing twice. Let's look at some names to know as the season moves on for these awards.