Our Kentucky high school girls basketball preseason poll: Meet the top 25 teams in state
Here is The Courier Journal’s preseason girls basketball top 25, as voted by the state’s coaches. A total of 90 coaches returned ballots. First-place votes are in parentheses:
Team Region 2022-23 record
1. Sacred Heart (83) 7th 36-3
Led by ZaKiyah Johnson, Valkyries seek state’s first four-peat
2. George Rogers Clark (6) 10th 28-8
Ciara Byars back to lead 2023 Sweet 16 semifinalist
3. Bethlehem (1) 5th 28-8
Leah Macy’s transfer from Mercy makes Banshees contenders
4. Cooper 9th 29-4
Liz Friehofer (Eastern Kentucky commit) returns to lead Jaguars
5. McCracken County 1st 35-3
Claire Johnson, Mikee Buchanan back for state runner-up
6. Pikeville 15th 28-6
Trinity Rowe (Southern Miss commit) electric point guard
7. Frederick Douglass 11th 24-9
Ayanna-Sarai Darrington is a double-double machine
8. Owensboro Catholic 3rd 26-10
Top three scorers return for Sweet 16 quarterfinalist
9. Butler 6th 13-13
New coach Candyce Wheeler has UK signee Ramiya White
10. Franklin County 11th 26-8
Rachel Shropshire, Juliana Frazee provide 1-2 scoring punch
11. Ryle 9th 24-9
Quinn Eubank (Belmont), Sarah Baker (Youngstown State) lead
12. Manual 7th 28-3
New faces leads Crimsons after graduation of top three scorers
13. Ashland Blazer 16th 26-8
All five starters return for Sweet 16 quarterfinalist
14. Meade County 3rd 22-10
Junior Peyton Bradley one of state’s top 3-point shooters
15. Corbin 13th 22-10
Senior Kallie Housley, Kylie Clem form tough backcourt
16. Mercy 6th 25-10
Jaguars rebuilding after transfers of Leah Macy, Alyssa Murphy
17. Henderson County 2nd 28-5
Stephen Haile takes over after retirement of his father, Jeff
18. Christian Academy 7th 20-10
Savannah Gardner (Eastern Kentucky), Ella Daniels (Tampa) lead
19. North Laurel 13th 30-7
Junior Brooke Nichelson returns for Sweet 16 quarterfinalist
20. Boyd County 16th 21-10
Audrey Biggs (Pittsburgh) looks to have big senior season
21. Montgomery County 10th 22-13
Hayden Barrier (Youngstown State) can light up scoreboard
22. Covington Holy Cross 9th 26-8
Julia Hunt returns for defending All “A” state champions
23. Russell 16th 22-12
Shaelyn Steele (Penn State) is one of state’s top scorers
24. Pulaski County 12th 26-7
Maroons seeking first regional championship since 1996
25. Southwestern 12th 20-13
Payton Acey, Kinsley Molden versatile duo for Warriors
ZaKiyah Johnson: Sacred Heart basketball star lists Louisville among top college choices
Reach Jason Frakes at jfrakes@courier-journal.com and follow him on X @kyhighs.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA basketball rankings: Sacred Heart tops our girls preseason poll