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. 27) 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)…14-3…249…1
2. Assumption (1)…14-5…228…2
3. George Rogers Clark (1)…14-2…221…3
4. Calloway County (3)…22-0…198…4
5. Simon Kenton…21-1…187…5
6. Cooper…15-3…180…6
7. Frederick Douglass…16-3…169…7
8. Taylor County…17-3…1218
9. Ashland Blazer…15-2…96…9
10. Notre Dame…12-5…87…11
11. Campbell County…13-3…80…10
12. North Laurel…13-5…79…12
13. South Laurel…15-5…77…13
14. Covington Holy Cross…16-2…54…15
15. Henderson County…13-7…52…14
16. Bishop Brossart…20-1…48…16
Others receiving votes: Butler 10, Daviess County 8, Barren County 7, Boyd County 7, Mercy 4, Ryle 4, Franklin County 3, Manual 3, Marshall County 3, McCracken County 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. Taylor County; 10. Notre Dame; 11. Bishop Brossart; 12. Holy Cross (Covington); 13. Ashland Blazer; 14. Daviess County; 15. Henderson County; 16. North Laurel.
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. Graves County.
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. Franklin-Simpson; 5. Metcalfe County.
5th Region (Josh Claywell, Bardstown Kentucky Standard/LaRue County Herald News): 1. Taylor County; 2. Bethlehem; 3. Campbellsville; 4. Bardstown; 5. John Hardin.
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. Woodford County; 3. Spencer County; 4. Owen County; 5. Grant 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. Boyle County; 3. Southwestern; 4. West Jessamine; 5. Pulaski County.
13th Region (Les Dixon, 13thRegionMediaNetwork.com): 1. South Laurel; 2. North Laurel; 3. Knox Central; 4. Corbin; 5. Bell County.
14th Region (Brendon Miller, Bluegrass Sports Nation): 1. Hazard; 2. Knott County Central; 3. Leslie County; 4. Letcher County Central; 5. Breathitt County.
15th Region (Randy White, Appalachian News-Express): 1. Johnson Central; 2. Pikeville; 3. Floyd Central; 4. Paintsville; 5. Martin County.
16th Region (James Collier, WLGC-FM): 1. Ashland Blazer; 2. Boyd County; 3. Russell; 4. Rowan County; 5. East Carter.
