Season Wrap-Up: Class 2A Awards

The featured image is of Butler University commit [player_tooltip player_id='486521' first='Laniah' last='Wills'] (2026) from Lapel High School.   With the 2025-2026 season ending just a couple of weeks ago, and after already announcing the Prep Girls Hoops Indiana version of all-state teams, I wanted to finish off the season with a handful of specific awards in Class 2A. These postseason awards are an attempt at honoring ladies who stood out in Class 2A all Winter. There are going to be multiple candidates for each award who can be debated, but at the end of the day, I chose the individuals below because I felt like they best represented each category. Some awards are based solely on talent and skill, while others take into account statistical merit and team success. This is simply a fun activity for entertainment purposes, and while they can be debated, please appreciate and respect the individuals below for the seasons they have had.   .   TOP CLASS 2A AWARDS   Most Outstanding Player: [player_tooltip player_id='486521' first='Laniah' last='Wills'], 2026, 6-1 F, Lapel H.S. - The meaning of most outstanding player to me points to the best all-around basketball player, regardless of team quality, depth, etc. I guess the good news for all the underclassmen and all of her opponents is, Laniah will not be back at Lapel next season. She has been a dominant force in Class 3A for four years now, and she has amassed some impressive numbers. Whether it's the 2407 points, the 1402 rebounds, the 475 made free throws, or the 56% career field goal percentage, they are all impressive tallies. This season, to be specific, Laniah averaged 26.5 points, 12.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 2.4 steals per contest, helping the Lady Bulldogs to a 22-5 record and another Semi-State appearance. The long, athletic, versatile forward is headed to Butler University, where she should be able to help those Bulldogs at the defensive end immediately, while she adjusts to the speed and intricacies of the college game and college offenses.   Most Valuable Player: [player_tooltip player_id='567133' first='Brynn' last='Owens'], 2026, 5-7 G, Austin H.S. - As opposed to the most outstanding player award, to me at least, the most valuable player award leans more toward the idea of if you removed this player from their team, how would their team continue to perform. There were a few people who I looked at for this award this season, but at the end of the day, Austin was the only team in that group who won a Sectional title, and Brynn was a huge reason for that. Brynn is a savvy guard who does a really nice job of finding/creating open space at the offensive end of the floor. She is an aggressive attacker who can finish in a variety of ways, plus she is a capable perimeter shooter with deep range. Like Wills (above), she has put together an impressive 4-year career, scoring 2242 points, while handing out 360 assists and collecting 275 steals. This year, in addition to leading the Eagles to a Sectional title, she averaged 26.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 3.5 steals per game.   Most Outstanding Newcomer: Ava Mills, 2029, 5-10 F, Delphi Community H.S. - Sometimes this award goes to a transfer student, sometimes it goes to an injury returnee, but in this case, it goes to a Freshman. Delphi has a history of some good basketball teams over the years, but in 2024-2025 they were just 8-15. In came Freshman Ava Mills, and the Oracles finished with an 8 1/2 game improvement at 17-7, plus they rattled off a 9-game win streak and won 11 of 12 games at the end of the season before they were finally defeated in the state tournament. Ava was instrumental in their success, as the 5-10 forward nearly posted a double-double average with her 13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per outing. She also contributed 3.4 assists and 3.3 steals per game, plus she shot 52% from the field and even made 3 of the 5 3-point shots she attempted. Look for her to be even more impactful from the outset of next season, maybe even the focal point, and I would anticipate her reaching that double-double average as a Sophomore.   .   ADDITIONAL CLASS 2A AWARDS   Toughest Player: [player_tooltip player_id='756236' first='Kendal' last='Hill'], 2027, 5-8 G, South Knox H.S. Best Motor: [player_tooltip player_id='890886' first='Jayma' last='Stonebraker'], 2027, 5-4 G, Whitko H.S. Best Shooter: [player_tooltip player_id='486559' first='Maryrose' last='Felling'], 2026, 5-8 G, Triton Central H.S., committed to the University of Indianapolis Best Scorer: [player_tooltip player_id='750766' first='McKenzie' last='Koch'], 2027, 5-9 G, Eastern Hancock H.S., committed to Ball State University Best Passer: [player_tooltip player_id='756236' first='Kendal' last='Hill'], 2027, 5-8 G, South Knox H.S. Best Rebounder: [player_tooltip player_id='486521' first='Laniah' last='Wills'], 2026, 6-1 F, Lapel H.S., committed to Butler University Best Shot-Blocker: Sophie Eisenhut, 2027, 5-11 F/C, Bluffton H.S. Best On-Ball Defender: [player_tooltip player_id='756244' first='Courtney' last='Mathew'], 2027, 5-11 G, Rensselaer Central H.S., committed to Illinois State University Best Athlete: [player_tooltip player_id='486521' first='Laniah' last='Wills'], 2026, 6-1 F, Lapel H.S., committed to Butler University Most Versatile: [player_tooltip player_id='999443' first='Zoie' last='Walls'], 2028, 5-11 W, Monrovia H.S. Biggest Mismatch: [player_tooltip player_id='486521' first='Laniah' last='Wills'], 2026, 6-1 F, Lapel H.S., committed to Butler University

The featured image is of Butler University commit Laniah Wills Laniah Wills 6'1" | SF Lapel | 2026 State IN (2026) from Lapel High School.