(Based on a survey of coaches; first-place votes in parentheses)

School Last year's record Comment

1. Marion County (54) 34-5 Features Nos. 2 and 3 players in state, UK signees Makayla Epps and Kyvin Goodin-Rogers

2. Manual (5) 37-2 Finalists in 2011, Crimsons won it all last March, in Coach Stacy Pendleton's 14th season

3. Paul Laurence Dunbar 30-7 The Bulldogs return quick guards Kierra Muhammad and Jordin Fender from a Final Four team

4. Mercy (1) 27-6 Experienced guards (Whitney Hartlage, Kayla Richardson) and team speed are strengths

5. Owensboro Catholic (2) 18-15Even with No. 1-ranked player Becca Greenwell out all season due to an ACL injury, the Aces won 18 games

6. Assumption 17-14 Rockets lost only two seniors and return most of their point and rebound producers

7. Butler 24-10 Aareon Smith, Danielle Lawrence and Alexis Stallard (combined 30 ppg, 14.4 rpg) return

8. Madison Central 28-5Last year's 11th Region runner-up has two of the top players in the state in Larryn Brooks and Ashton Feldhaus

9. Elizabethtown 26-6 Panthers are strong inside with 6-1 freshman Erin Boley and 6-2 sophomore Reauna Cleaver

10. Lincoln County 26-10The Patriots, coming off a Final Four season, have the consensus best player in the region, Emily Fox

11. Ballard 22-10

12. Perry County Central 30-3

13. Montgomery County 29-7

14. Anderson County 24-6

15. Sacred Heart 19-13

16. Notre Dame 25-6

17. Clay County 31-6

18. Walton-Verona 29-7

19. Louisville Christian 21-13

20. Henderson County 25-4

21. Lexington Catholic 20-12

22. Ashland Blazer 29-7

23. Bowling Green 25-4

24. Scott County 13-20

t25. Marshall Co. 27-9/Shelby Valley 24-4