Names to Watch for the 2026 Gatorade Player of the Year 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='764935' first='Jada' last='Seubert']   The SPASH guard is the most dynamic ball handler in the state and is capable of posting 30 points or ten assists in almost any game she plays. Seubert led the Panthers to a Sectional Semifinal last season and has put her team in position to make another deep playoff run. The highly touted junior has had an excellent start to her junior season and will be a player who can push her team over the top.   [player_tooltip player_id='533060' first='Ady' last='Ketterhagen']   [player_tooltip player_id='533060' first='Ady' last='Ketterhagen'] has an outside chance of being a Ms. Basketball finalist in her senior season. Ketterhagen had a crucial 29-point performance in the D3 State Title game last season and is an integral part of the excellent start the Lady Dutch have had this season. The Lady Dutch guard has the skillset to handle the ball and create on the perimeter, utilize her physicality to play through contact around the basket, and play in the post. Ketterhagen is also on pace to be a top 25ish scorer all-time in girls' basketball in Wisconsin.   [player_tooltip player_id='874372' first='Nyajuacni' last='Riak']   The Madison native is among the most talented players in any sport our state has ever had at the high school level. Any game Riak plays for La Follette, she'll give her team a chance to win games because she's that talented. There is also a high likelihood that she is the first player, I know of, to throw down an in-game dunk on the girls' side. Riak also has an outside chance of finishing her high school career as the all-time leading scorer in girls' basketball history in Wisconsin. If she continues at this pace, she's on, even though she missed around half a dozen games in her first high school season.   [player_tooltip player_id='764918' first='Anna' last='Miller']   The Edgewood guard has been an excellent lead guard since she stepped foot on a high school floor. Each of Miller's first two seasons of high school basketball has led to her playing in a State Championship game and winning the D3 crown in 2024. The Wisconsin commit is a reliable lead guard in each of her first two seasons, and this season she's been more aggressive hunting her shot when I watched her play. She should be right around 1000 career points, if she hasn't already surpassed that milestone this season.   [player_tooltip player_id='751257' first='EllaMay' last='Cooper']   The Regis guard has been an excellent creator for a youthful Ramblers unit looking to make a deep postseason run this coming February and March. Cooper has been a more consistent scorer in her first year and change, since transferring to Regis after her first high school season. Cooper has helped the young talent in the Ramblers program find their footing at the high school level, which has helped her team be one of the premier threats to win in Division 4 this March. She's as crucial to any player in any division to their respective programs.   [player_tooltip player_id='874375' first='Aubryn' last='Clark']   After missing most of her sophomore season due to injury, Clark is back and playing with her sister in her junior campaign. Clark will be a player that Rhinelander will rely on to get the best results possible this season. Her ability to handle the ball, create off the dribble, and knock down perimeter shots will open the floor for her teammates and open the offense. Clark has already recorded standout performances this season, which will likely continue.   [player_tooltip player_id='751281' first='Rita' last='Kuepper']   The Hartford guard has been an excellent offensive threat in the early portion of the 2025-26 season. Kuepper has paired well with the talent in the Orioles program and posted outstanding lines against solid programs like Grafton and Slinger. The Milwaukee commit won't be a favorite by any means to win the Gatorade Player of the Year, but the way she's playing, she's earned the right to be a player to know for this award.   Seniors to Watch for the Gatorade Player of the Year: [player_tooltip player_id='533077' first='Adaline' last='Sheplee'], [player_tooltip player_id='400915' first='Mikaia' last='Litza'], [player_tooltip player_id='536013' first='Giselle' last='Janowski']

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.