Who’s No. 1 in the first ‘Elite 16’ girls high school basketball media rankings?
Below are the Kentucky Media Elite 16 girls high school basketball teams for the 2025-26 season, according to the first (Jan. 6) poll of media members from each of Kentucky’s 16 regions as compiled by the Courier Journal’s Jason Frakes.
In addition, see how Herald-Leader high school sports writer Jared Peck (@HLpreps on X.com) voted and the media’s region-by-region top fives.
Girls Elite 16
Teams are listed with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sunday’s games, total rankings points and their Herald-Leader preseason ranking (H-L).
Rank-school (FPV)…Record…Pts…H-L
1. Assumption (8)…8-3…241…3
2. George Rogers Clark (5)…8-1…238…2
3. Sacred Heart (2)…7-3…193…1
4. Calloway County (1)…15-0…189…12
5. Simon Kenton…13-1…188…6
6. Cooper…10-3…187…4
7. Frederick Douglass…7-3…180…5
8. Notre Dame…9-2…131…10
9. North Laurel…9-2…129…9
10. Taylor County…11-2…111…8
11. Henderson County…7-6…68…7
12. Ashland Blazer…8-0…66…11
13. Campbell County…6-2…60…NR
14. South Laurel…9-5…44…15
15. (tie) Boyd County…7-3…23…NR
15. (tie) Campbellsville…9-2…23…NR
Others receiving votes: Bishop Brossart 19, Ryle 18, Covington Holy Cross 16, Mercy 14, Butler 8, Bethlehem 5, Manual 5, Barren County 4, Franklin County 3, Highlands 3, Pleasure Ridge Park 3, Marshall County 2, McCracken County 2, Johnson Central 1, Russell 1, St. Henry 1.
How @HLpreps voted
1. Assumption; 2. George Rogers Clark; 3. Calloway County; 4. Simon Kenton; 5. Cooper; 6. Sacred Heart; 7. Notre Dame; 8. Frederick Douglass; 9. Taylor County; 10. North Laurel; 11. Ashland Blazer; 12. South Laurel; 13. Bethlehem; 14. Henderson County; 15. Manual; 16. Campbellsville.
Girls region-by-region top fives
1st Region (Steve Springer, Murray Ledger & Times): 1. Calloway County; 2. Marshall County; 3. McCracken County; 4. Carlisle County; 5. St. Mary.
2nd Region (Edward Marlowe, WKDZ-FM): 1. Henderson County; 2. Crittenden County; 3. Lyon County; 4. Hopkins County Central; 5. Christian County.
3rd Region (Mark Mathis, Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer): 1. Daviess County; 2. Owensboro Catholic; 3. ; 4. Grayson County; 5. McLean County.
4th Region (Micheal Compton, Bowling Green Daily News): 1. Barren County; 2. Cumberland County; 3. Allen County-Scottsville; 4. Franklin-Simpson; 5. Metcalfe County.
5th Region (Josh Claywell, Bardstown Kentucky Standard/LaRue County Herald News): 1. Taylor County; 2. North Hardin; 3. Bethlehem; 4. Campbellsville; 5. John Hardin.
6th Region (Alyx White, Rise Up Sports Media): 1. Butler; 2. Mercy; 3. Bullitt East; 4. North Bullitt; 5. Valley.
7th Region (Jason Frakes, The Courier Journal): 1. Assumption; 2. Sacred Heart; 3. Central; 4. Manual; 5. Ballard.
8th Region (James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer): 1. Simon Kenton; 2. Anderson County; 3. Woodford County; 4. Collins; 5. Walton-Verona.
9th Region (Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer): 1. Notre Dame; 2. Cooper; 3. Covington Holy Cross; 4. Highlands; 5. Ryle.
10th Region (Evan Dennison, LinkNKY.com): 1. George Rogers Clark; 2. Campbell County; 3. Bishop Brossart; 4. Montgomery County; 5. Scott.
11th Region (Jared Peck, Herald-Leader): 1. Frederick Douglass; 2. Paul Laurence Dunbar; 3. Lafayette; 4. Franklin County; 5. Madison Southern.
12th Region (Mike Marsee, Danville freelancer): 1. West Jessamine; 2. Rockcastle County; 3. Pulaski County; 4. Boyle County; 5. Southwestern.
13th Region (Les Dixon, 13thRegionMediaNetwork.com): 1. North Laurel; 2. South Laurel; 3. Knox Central; 4. Corbin; 5. Clay County.
14th Region (Brendon Miller, Bluegrass Sports Nation): 1. Hazard; 2. Letcher County Central; 3. Perry County Central; 4. Knott County Central; 5. Breathitt County.
15th Region (Randy White, Appalachian News-Express): 1. Johnson Central; 2. Pikeville; 3. Martin County; 4. Paintsville; 5. Floyd Central.
16th Region (James Collier, WLGC-FM): 1. Ashland Blazer; 2. Boyd County; 3. Russell; 4. Rowan County; 5. East Carter.
