Who’s No. 1 in the latest 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 latest (Jan. 21) 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 last week’s ranking.
Rank-school (FPV)…Record…Pts…LW
1. Sacred Heart (11)…12-3…246…3
2. Assumption (1)…11-5…228…1
3. George Rogers Clark (1)…13-2…221…2
4. Calloway County (3)…21-0…199…T4
5. Simon Kenton…19-1…189…T4
6. Cooper…13-3…182…6
7. Frederick Douglass…13-3…168…7
8. Taylor County…16-3…112…9
9. Ashland Blazer…13-1…103…10
10. Campbell County…12-2…95…12
11. Notre Dame…11-5…88…8
12. North Laurel…12-5…75…11
13. South Laurel…14-5…70…13
14. Henderson County…11-7…54…14
15. Covington Holy Cross…14-2…44…T15
16. Bishop Brossart…18-1…39…NR
Others receiving votes: Boyd County 14, Butler 9, Ryle 8, Barren County 7, Daviess County 7, Mercy 5, Franklin County 3, Manual 3, Marshall County 3, McCracken County 3, St. Henry 1.
How @HLpreps voted
1. Sacred Heart; 2. Assumption; 3. George Rogers Clark; 4. Calloway County; 5. Simon Kenton; 6. Cooper; 7. Frederick Douglass; 8. South Laurel; 9. Ashland Blazer; 10. Taylor County; 11. Notre Dame; 12. Campbell County; 13. Bishop Brossart; 14. Holy Cross (Covington); 15. Daviess County; 16. Henderson County.
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. Ballard Memorial.
2nd Region (Edward Marlowe, WKDZ-FM): 1. Henderson County; 2. Lyon County; 3. Crittenden County; 4. Hopkins County Central; 5. Christian County.
3rd Region (Mark Mathis, Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer): 1. Daviess County; 2. Owensboro Catholic; 3. Breckinridge County; 4. Meade County; 5. Edmonson County.
4th Region (Micheal Compton, Bowling Green Daily News): 1. Barren County; 2. Allen County-Scottsville; 3. Cumberland County; 4. Monroe County; 5. Franklin-Simpson.
5th Region (Josh Claywell, Bardstown Kentucky Standard/LaRue County Herald News): 1. Taylor County; 2. Bethlehem; 3. John Hardin; 4. Campbellsville; 5. Green County.
6th Region (Alyx White, Rise Up Sports Media): 1. Butler; 2. Bullitt East; 3. Mercy; 4. North Bullitt; 5. Bullitt Central.
7th Region (Jason Frakes, The Courier Journal): 1. Sacred Heart; 2. Assumption; 3. Central; 4. Manual; 5. Christian Academy-Louisville.
8th Region (James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer): 1. Simon Kenton; 2. Anderson County; 3. Woodford County; 4. Spencer County; 5. Owen County.
9th Region (Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer): 1. Cooper; 2. Covington Holy Cross; 3. Notre Dame; 4. Ryle; 5. Highlands.
10th Region (Evan Dennison, LinkNKY.com): 1. George Rogers Clark; 2. Campbell County; 3. Bishop Brossart; 4. Montgomery County; 5. Nicholas County.
11th Region (Jared Peck, Herald-Leader): 1. Frederick Douglass; 2. Lafayette; 3. Paul Dunbar; 4. Franklin County; 5. Madison Southern.
12th Region (Mike Marsee, Danville freelancer): 1. Rockcastle County; 2. West Jessamine; 3. Boyle County; 4. Southwestern; 5. Pulaski County.
13th Region (Les Dixon, 13thRegionMediaNetwork.com): 1. South Laurel; 2. North Laurel; 3. Knox Central; 4. Bell County; 5. Corbin.
14th Region (Brendon Miller, Bluegrass Sports Nation): 1. Hazard; 2. Letcher County Central; 3. Knott County Central; 4. Breathitt County; 5. Leslie County.
15th Region (Randy White, Appalachian News-Express): 1. Johnson Central; 2. Pikeville; 3. Paintsville; 4. Martin County; 5. Floyd Central.
16th Region (James Collier, WLGC-FM): 1. Ashland Blazer; 2. Boyd County; 3. Russell; 4. Rowan County; 5. East Carter.
This story was originally published January 21, 2026 at 6:01 AM.
