Miss Basketball Race - Class of 2026

One of the great debates in Indiana high school basketball each year is the Miss/Mr. Basketball race in each respective sport. There can be a lot of emotion involved in these conversations, so I wanted to offer an unbiased look at the top candidates in the Class of 2026. Before I get started, I wanted to offer a few quick facts that seem to get forgotten or "clouded" by emotion when people discuss the Miss Basketball award. These are not my opinions; they truly are facts about the process.   (1) There are typically 13 Seniors selected each season to the Indiana All-Star Team. So, it makes no sense to me to write about 20 candidates, especially if the odds of them making that team are slim to none. Usually anyone writing about more candidates than slots on the team are trying to appease the public and make everyone happy by listing everyone's favorite player, or they are just trying to get subscriptions/clicks/happy fans. I'm going to stick to names who I feel have made a strong case for this award and to make the all-star team in general. I want to be authentic in my choices, and I'm not doing this to "appease" anyone.   (2) This award is voted on throughout the state by a combination of 500+ high school head coaches and media members (sadly, not everyone votes, but that many nominations are sent out). Because it is an open voting process, there are times it doesn't always make sense. Over the years, on average (according to a conversation I've had with the Senior All-Star Director), about 10 to 12 boys receive at least one vote each year. That's fair, and I completely understand that. However, I have been told that on the girls' side, roughly 40 to 50 girls receive at least one vote each year. That means 25+ kids who won't even make the Indiana Senior All-Star Team receive at least one vote, usually because a local coach or media member wants to select someone from their "backyard" to show support, which is admirable I guess, but by not voting for the best candidates, it narrows the voting process between the top players to fewer votes and is a less valid process. What doesn't make sense to me in this case is, no one other than the Senior All-Star Director sees these votes (to the best of my knowledge), so to "show support" doesn't really matter. Additionally, we've had kids who have been McDonald's All-Americans, Gatorade Players of the Year, members of Team USA, etc., not only not win the award (which I can understand in talented classes), but they have at times finished 3rd, 4th, or even 5th in voting. That would be like naming Aari McDonald of the Indiana Fever the WNBA Player of the Year instead of Caitlin Clark (or Napheesa Collier, A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, etc.). Aari is a fine and entertaining player to watch who did a great job after joining the Fever midseason, but you get my point.   (3) Since the 2012 class, there hasn't been a Miss Basketball who wasn't committed to a high-major Division I program. That is not an opinion, and I'm not saying it can't happen; that is a fact (in Indiana boys, it has been since 1996, when Warsaw's Kevin Ault chose Southwest Missouri State to play for then Head Coach Steve Alford). In 2012, Jessica Rupright from Norwell was named Miss Basketball. She signed with Miami University (OH) out of high school. The next closest to being "high-major" in 2012 were Jocelyn Mousty of Eastern (Pekin) who went to Indiana, and Nariah Taylor of North Central (Indy) who went to Georgia Tech. For IU, that was pre-Teri Moren, and the Hoosiers were 6-24 in 2011-2012 and 9-20 in 2010-2011, so should they even be considered "high-major" at that time? Georgia Tech was 26-9 in 2011-2012 and 24-11 in 2010-2011, so they were good, but Nariah is 6-foot-5 and Georgia Tech's Coach at the time, MaChelle Joseph, has major Indiana ties, having graduated from DeKalb High School (1988) and Purdue University (1992). Here is a list of the Miss Basketballs since 2012: 2013 Stephanie Mavunga (Brownsburg; North Carolina/Ohio State), 2014 Whitney Jennings (Logansport; Iowa/Butler), 2015 Ali Patberg (Columbus North; Notre Dame/Indiana), 2016 Jackie Young (Princeton; Notre Dame), 2017 Karissa McLaughlin (Homestead; Purdue/Marquette), 2018 Amy Dilk (Carmel; Michigan), 2019 Jorie Allen (Bedford North Lawrence; Indiana/DePaul), 2020 Sydney Parrish (Hamilton Southeastern; Oregon/Indiana), 2021 Jayla Smith (Lawrence North; Purdue/Missouri), 2022 Ayanna Patterson (Homestead; Connecticut), 2023 Laila Hull (Zionsville; North Carolina), 2024 Chloe Spreen (Bedford North Lawrence; Alabama/Indiana), and 2025 Maya Makalusky (Hamilton Southeastern; Indiana). Additionally, if you look at all of the recent winners, they graduated from Class 3A or 4A schools.   With that said, below are my thoughts on the TOP 2026 candidates to compete for the Miss Basketball award. To be clear, I have arranged them alphabetically by last name, not by ranking, not by likelihood of them winning the award, and not by any other measure. However, I have mentioned why they would/should be considered, along with anything holding them back (if there is a reason). Not only is this an individual award, but a lot of voters take into consideration team success, in addition to on-court statistics and performances, off-court character, etc. If your favorite player doesn't appear here, I'm sorry, but I chose to go with who I felt were the odds-on favorites based on past voting results. A lot of this is about "checking boxes", and the ladies below check a lot of boxes.   .    While Lillian has suited up for the Vikings, Valparaiso is 84-11. She has helped them to 3 Sectional and 2 Regional titles, and they have been most impressive this season. Why her for Miss Basketball?? While she would likely agree she isn't the most physically talented prospect in the class, I would take her skillset and her basketball mind against anyone else in Indiana's 2026 group, and probably the entire state, regardless of class. She has scored 2000+ points, grabbed nearly 750 rebounds, handed out more than 500 assists and picked off more than 500 steals. Plus, in fairness, Ball State has typically been a Top 75 team in the NCAA's Net Rankings, if not higher some years. They might be in the MAC, but they could take on many "high-major" conference teams and win.     Joslyn has had a nice 4-year career, but she made a significant jump from her Sophomore to her Junior season, helping the Tigers to the State Finals last year. She has more than 1800 career points, but 1200 of them came over the past 2 years. In that same span, she has collected more than 300 rebounds and dished out more than 200 assists, and this year she shot a RIDICULOUS 53% (65-123) from 3-point range. How valuable is that state runner-up appearance? The Tigers didn't win a Sectional the other 3 years, and that will be a factor, like it or not. But she has the statistics to be considered, she improved each year, and she helped Warsaw to an 82-19 record during her time in high school.     Laniah has endeared herself to fans in Northwest Indiana, and the combination of her team's success and her individual prowess will force "Region" people to decide if they should vote for her or Barnes (above). Davis is on the favorite team to win the Class 1A North Semi-State this season, and the Blazers are 84-22 during her 4 years with 3 Sectional titles, 2 Regional titles, 2 Final Four appearances, and a State Runner-Up trophy. She has amazed with her 2000+ points, her 749 rebounds, and her 300+ steals, plus she has averaged 19.6 points per game for her career. Being from a Class 1A school, will some voters hold that against her, even though she has proven herself against big schools and has committed to a Division I program?     Myah is one of the most talented, most versatile guards in Indiana's Class of 2026, and she has put together an outstanding career for the Spartans. Homestead doesn't post their stats on MaxPreps, so those aren't readily available, however, she is a 4-year letter-winner for one of the state's best Class 4A programs, and she is committed to a regular Top 25 program in the Louisville Cardinals. The Homestead Spartans are 90-17 during her watch, and while they have won 3 Sectional titles, they lost to Norwell this year, and they've only advanced past the Regional game once...her Sophomore year when they lost to Lake Central in the Elite Eight. Has she had enough team success to win this award? She will also be battling [player_tooltip player_id='732354' first='Vanessa' last='Rosswurm'] (below) for Northeast Indiana votes.     Gracyn has had a fantastic Senior season, and she has helped the Trojans to a perfect 25-0 record thus far and a Sectional title. Her Freshman & Sophomore years, she spent at Munster, and the Mustangs didn't win a Sectional title. Last year as a Junior, Center Grove fell in the Sectional as well. She'll need a continued postseason run to really help her build that team resume most prospects have, plus she is up against 3 others on this list from Central Indiana who could all split a big portion of the vote. Regardless, she is a strong, tough-nosed, versatile wing who can play every role from point guard to power forward, and she has scored 1800+ points, hauled in 400+ rebounds, and collected 300+ steals throughout her career.     "K.K." has spent 4 years in a Varsity uniform, which is rare at Hamilton Southeastern. She has amassed over 1100 points, 500 rebounds, and 450 assists during her career, and she has been an absolute joy to watch because her game is just electric. She is a pure creator off the dribble, whether she's scoring it or finding teammates. She has always been a more-than-willing passer, and she has helped the Royals to success in the tune of an 89-12 record, a Final Four appearance last year, and a Sectional title already this year. She could still use a deep playoff run, especially without 2025 Miss Basketball Maya Makalusky on the roster. She is headed to Florida next year, and the SEC is no joke when it comes to competition.     Lola probably checks as many boxes as anyone. She has obvious talent, skill, and an understanding of the game. She is a member of Team USA, and she has been selected to the McDonald's All-American roster. She is ranked #1 on our 2026 list for a reason. The 6-3 forward is headed to LSU next season to play for Coach Kim Mulkey, and she has helped Lawrence Central to their 2nd and 3rd Sectional titles ever, their 1st Regional title, their 1st Semi-State title, and their 1st State Championship. They've also amassed an 88-15 record and played a number of talented teams from other states as well. Despite being in a lineup with several other Division I players throughout her career, she has still managed to contribute 1200+ points, 600+ rebounds, 300+ steals, and 200+ assists.     I would anticipate Brooklynn will win a lot of the Southern Indiana vote, especially South of Columbus and near the Ohio River/Louisville. She has had a name for some time, and she has produced throughout her career on a team who is 73-23 during that career, however, this season is the first season they have won a Sectional title under her watch. She definitely needs to help the Dragons win some additional postseason games this year, but there really isn't anyone in her immediate area to compete with her, and Southern coaches like to vote for Southern players more than any other group in the state votes for their backyard. Even though her stats on MaxPreps are incomplete, she is a walking double-double.     Vanessa has won the hearts of many in Northeast Indiana, and she could earn several votes from that part of the state. As a Sophomore, the Lady Knights were State Runners-Up. Last year, under her leadership, they took the Class 3A trophy home. Saturday night, now in Class 4A, they took out the Homestead Spartans. What's next from a team standpoint for her? And if you've ever taken the time to watch her play, Vanessa never stops moving...she has an outstanding motor. I don't have stats for her because Norwell's stats on MaxPreps are incomplete as well, but having looked at the State Finals programs the last 2 years, I know she does plenty of statistical work for the Knights. She still has more time to make a lasting impression on voters.     Simply put, Madalynn is the best player in the state's third biggest city, and she has produced year-in and year-out for the Lady Bears. Evansville Central has won 3 Sectional titles and a Regional title in her stead, so a deep tournament run in Class 3A this year could certainly help her case on a statewide platform. For her career, she has scored nearly 2100 points, grabbed more than 1000 rebounds, blocked more than 250 shots, while shooting 53% from the field, 44% from 3-point range, and 80% from the charity stripe. If you haven't seen her, she is the [player_tooltip player_id='419439' first='Lillian' last='Barnes'] (above) of front-liners...incredibly skilled, incredibly smart, hard-working, and if you can call a forward crafty...crafty. She will receive a lot of votes from area coaches.     I almost feel like Laniah will be penalized a bit for doing too much work too early, as she helped Lapel to a Class 2A State Runner-Up finish as a Freshman. Since then, they have won 2 Sectional titles and a Regional title, so if she can help keep the Bulldogs alive a couple more weekends this season, it could only help her profile. The other thing working against her are the other Central Indiana candidates on this list. Coaches can only vote for one person, and there are four to at least consider from Central Indiana/Indianapolis. But Wills has compiled quite the career stat sheet. She has scored more than 2300 points, grabbed more than 1300 rebounds, and stolen the ball 200+ times, plus she is a 57% field goal shooter for her career.

One of the great debates in Indiana high school basketball each year is the Miss/Mr. Basketball race in each respective sport. There can be a lot of emotion involved in these conversations, so I wanted to offer an unbiased look at the top candidates in the Class of 2026. Before I get started, I wanted to offer a few quick facts that seem to get forgotten or "clouded" by emotion when people discuss the Miss Basketball award. These are not my opinions; they truly are facts about the process.