Recent College Commits and their Successors

A lot of players from the 2027 class are committing to play college ball after this season. And with several commits over the last month or so, fans should get to know the players who will likely take their place on the depth chart. Several of these potential successors already have collegiate attention, so good news for those teams next year.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/tag/chezney-stone/" data-type="post_tag" data-id="13015">[player_tooltip player_id='1093342' first='Chezney' last='Stone']</a>-----> Central Baptist College   [player_tooltip player_id='1093342' first='Chezney' last='Stone'] recently committed to Central Baptist College, staying in Conway. She has been an outstanding two-way guard for Conway Christian, applying pressure along the perimeter on defense as well as attacking the defense and facilitating the offense. After this season, Conway Christian will have a new guard to run its offense, and she is already one of the best players in her class.    [player_tooltip player_id='877801' first='Jilliann' last='Loper'] has been hooping this summer with the [program_tooltip program_id='712392' first='Banshees' last=''], picking up some college offers along the way.   Loper can attack offenses in a variety of ways. She is great at slashing and getting to the basket, especially on the fastbreak. Loper can absorb contact and finish with ease.   As an offensive-minded guard, you need to have an expansive skillset. Loper has shown that she is more than capable of stepping outside and hitting shots along the perimeter. Whether it's off the dribble or the catch, Loper keeps defenses on their toes.   Jillian Loper is going to be a star for Conway Christian, and Henderson State and Ouachita Baptist already see it, extending her offers this summer.    <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/meara-russell/" data-type="players" data-id="1239652">[player_tooltip player_id='1239652' first='Meara' last='Russell']</a>-----> Sterling College   Russell has been a star for Gravette (duh, that's why she's going to hoop at Sterling College). Gravette is still an up-and-coming team, but with [player_tooltip player_id='874456' first='Palmer' last='Pittman'] set to enter her junior season, she will be an excellent pairing alongside Russell. And then next season, she will be even better, being the one expected to lead that team back to the playoffs.    After a solid freshman season, [player_tooltip player_id='874456' first='Palmer' last='Pittman']'s performance in her sophomore campaign stepped up a notch.   Pittman is a solid outside shooter who can get going after seeing just one shot fall in. Whether she is shooting off the catch or the dribble, it's cash, but as a combo guard, she makes a living by feeding her teammates. She has a good IQ and does a nice job facilitating the offense.   Pittman is an all-around threat, providing value on the defensive end as well. She hounds ball handlers and jumps onto every loose ball. From there, she starts the fastbreak, and Gravette can feast in transition with her making the decisions.   [player_tooltip player_id='874456' first='Palmer' last='Pittman'] is a solid all-around guard who can make plays up and down the floor. Keep an eye on her this coming season.    <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jacee-hoskins/" data-type="players" data-id="1055660">[player_tooltip player_id='1055660' first='Jacee' last='Hoskins']</a>-----> Sterling College   One of the best centers in the 2027 class is joining Russell at Sterling College in Kansas. And though Hoskins has been a key part of Elkins' offense for a long time, I think Shackelford could be the next Lady Elk to step up and be the #1 option.    [player_tooltip player_id='1884646' first='Abigayle' last='Shackelford'] had a great impact in 2025/26, and based on her consistent offensive performances, she is bound to be even better as a junior.   Shackelford led Elkins in assists, but she is perhaps known more for her scoring abilities. Throughout the year, Shackelford was scoring in double-digits with ease: 12 points against Thaden, 15 versus West Fork, 14 against Lincoln, and another 14 in the game against Lavaca.   Shackelford is going to get buckets in a variety of ways. Defenses need to respect her outside shot, in addition to her ability to attack the basket. Of course, she uses quick decision-making on her drives, able to kick out to an open teammate for an easy assist.   [player_tooltip player_id='1884646' first='Abigayle' last='Shackelford'] is already a consistent scorer, but her team will need her to do even more this year, and once Hoskins graduates.    <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/abigail-koenig/" data-type="players" data-id="593398">[player_tooltip player_id='593398' first='Abigail' last='Koenig']</a>-----> Bethel College   Koenig has been a solid all-around contributor for Fayetteville, which has been more than enough to catch the eye of colleges like Bethel. Of course, the Lady Bulldogs' star is Caudle, but she is next in line to be Fayetteville's next collegiate-bound star.    The list of things [player_tooltip player_id='1090910' first='Payton' last='Caudle'] can't do on the court is incredibly thin. In fact, it's non-existent.   When it comes to scoring, Caudle can get it done from anywhere. Deep threes, contested middys, finishes through traffic; it comes easy for her. Her shot release is quick, and she takes no time to rise over defenders and knock down shots. Her 6'0" frame also helps.   Besides scoring, Caudle knows how to run an offense to perfection. She is great in transition, keeping her eyes up at all times, surveying the defense, and identifying the gaps. If she has a cutting teammate, she can thread the needle and give her squad the scoring boost they need.   [player_tooltip player_id='1090910' first='Payton' last='Caudle'] has just about every school in the country after her; she will be a great star added to wherever she decides to go.    <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/haddi-hulse/" data-type="players" data-id="1807397">[player_tooltip player_id='1807397' first='Haddi' last='Hulse']</a>-----> North Arkansas College   The North Arkansas Lady Pioneers are pretty good about finding recruits in the state, and they found another one: [player_tooltip player_id='1807397' first='Haddi' last='Hulse']. She has been a great player at every stop, getting it done at South Side Bee Branch and now Clinton. Hulse pairs up with [player_tooltip player_id='1807461' first='Riley' last='Vann'] in the backcourt this season, but Vann could be next up when it comes to college recruiting.    [player_tooltip player_id='1807461' first='Riley' last='Vann'] is another strong shooter mentioned in this article, and she has all the tools to contribute at the next level.   Vann cannot be left open from the perimeter. Against Heber Springs last year, Vann showed out against a scrambling defense, scoring 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. 12 of her 21 points came from beyond the arc.   The Clinton guard can be lethal from three if given the opportunity, especially off the catch. She always makes sure her feet are set and squared when she takes a jumper, and it's always in.   [player_tooltip player_id='1807461' first='Riley' last='Vann'] is already a great shooter, but she will need to step up this season, and then again once Hulse moves on up North.    <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/mia-hopkins/" data-type="players" data-id="1180760">[player_tooltip player_id='1180760' first='Mia' last='Hopkins']</a>-----> University of Central Arkansas   One of Arkansas' best rim protectors is headed to UCA, which consistently puts together tough Sugar Bear squads. Now throw in Hopkins to the mix, and they have quite the frontcourt for the 2027/28 season. But another NLR big is earning Division I offers, and pushing for a larger role.    [player_tooltip player_id='1260334' first='Marley' last='Adebayo'] has recently picked up offers from UALR and Liberty as she enters her sophomore season.   Adebayo is great around the basket, able to post up defenders, back them down, and finish through contact. She is also a beast on the glass, no matter the end of the floor she's on. On one end, she is hustling and providing her team with second-chance scoring opportunities. On the other end, she is single-handedly ending offensive possessions for the other team.   Despite her low post presence, Adebayo has shown tremendous growth in her game along the perimeter. She can knock down triples off the catch, and she has a fundamentally-sound shooting form.   [player_tooltip player_id='1260334' first='Marley' last='Adebayo']'s game continues to expand, and colleges love that. Expect her to be another great NLR alum and a player who sees a spike in their overall stock.    <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/keirsten-baldwin-2/" data-type="players" data-id="1260743">Keirsten Baldwin</a>-----> John Brown University   Keirsten Baldwin wasn't with Bentonville for too long, but just long enough to catch the eyes of the staff at JBU. Next season, that's where she will be headed to hoop, with numerous players waiting to step up. One of them is [player_tooltip player_id='1806822' first='Rylee' last='Merritt'], who has already proven that she has what it takes.    [player_tooltip player_id='1806822' first='Rylee' last='Merritt'] had a great freshman season with the Lady Tigers, but her summer may have been even better.   In one of her games with the [program_tooltip program_id='715977' first='AAO' last='Flight'], Merritt put up 26 points, 7 boards, and 4 blocks at the Heart of Texas Showcase. Merritt was hitting big time shots off the catch while also attacking the basket with ferocity. And if a shot went up and the opposition wasn't in position, this young guard was exploiting the gaps and making her opponents pay.   Her defense was also special, blocking the shots of her defensive assignments and forcing turnovers along the perimeter. But let's go back to the offense for a second, because Merritt's facilitating was on point this summer. She has great IQ and reads the defense extremely well.   [player_tooltip player_id='1806822' first='Rylee' last='Merritt'] is going to be a star, and definitely not #22 in the 2029 class down the line.

A lot of players from the 2027 class are committing to play college ball after this season. And with several commits over the last month or so, fans should get to know the players who will likely take their place on the depth chart. Several of these potential successors already have collegiate attention, so good news for those teams next year.