The Jr. Lady Huskies enter Wisconsin’s upcoming eighth-grade girls basketball season at No. 1, led by 6-foot-2 Kylee Campbell and the addition of Harper Rose Williams. They have the talent to be one of the state’s best teams, but several programs with championship experience have good reason to believe they belong at the top.
Germantown, De Pere, Aquinas and St. Mary Catholic occupy the next four spots after winning championships last season. Appleton North, led by Mikyla Hunt-Sutton, comes in at No. 6 with a championship of its own.
Reedsburg features standout guard Nadia Brown, who has gained experience competing against older players. Nichoops enters the top 10 after winning a championship, while Holmen and Mt. Horeb are among the teams that could challenge programs ranked ahead of them.
M365 Sports is releasing its preseason Top 25 as Wisconsin’s Class of 2031 prepares for its final middle school basketball season. We considered championship results, individual talent, returning players, roster additions and projected team strength.
Past results matter, but we’re also looking at what each team brings into eighth grade. A championship gives a program credibility, but it doesn’t guarantee where that team will finish this season.
Wisconsin Class of 2031 Preseason Top 25
Rank Team 1 Jr. Lady Huskies 2 Germantown 3 De Pere Redbirds 4 Aquinas 5 St. Mary Catholic 6 Appleton North 7 Reedsburg 8 Nichoops 9 Slinger Swish 10 Sheboygan North 11 Holmen 12 Mt. Horeb 13 Hortonville 14 Elk Mound 15 Tosa West 16 Oshkosh West 17 McDonell Central 18 Menominee Nation 19 DeForest 20 Hartland Arrowhead 21 Middleton 22 Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau 23 Sparta 24 Kimberly 25 McFarland
A closer look at the Top 25
1. Jr. Lady Huskies
The Jr. Lady Huskies enter at No. 1 with one of the most intriguing rosters in Wisconsin’s Class of 2031. At 6-foot-2, Kylee Campbell brings size and versatility that can create problems for opponents on both ends of the floor. She has also gained experience competing against older, highly regarded players.
The addition of Harper Rose Williams gives the Huskies another talented player heading into the season. Williams announced in September that she would be joining the program for fall basketball. With Campbell leading the way and Williams joining the roster, the Huskies have considerable potential. How quickly that talent comes together will be important.
2. Germantown
Germantown has perhaps the strongest argument for No. 1 after winning the large-school championship at the Wisconsin State Invitational Championship Tournament. Addisen Grayson and Keira Klippel earned all-tournament honors, giving Germantown two players who have already performed well in important games.
The championship gives Germantown something to point to when making its case for the top spot. Its players know what it takes to win a state tournament, and that experience should serve them well as expectations increase.
3. De Pere Redbirds
De Pere enters at No. 3 after winning the top competitive division at the Badgerland Girls State Basketball Tournament. The Redbirds have established themselves as one of Wisconsin’s stronger programs, and their championship gives them a legitimate place in the conversation with Germantown and the Jr. Lady Huskies.
The Redbirds enter eighth grade with high expectations. Their performances against other championship programs should help determine whether they belong even higher in the rankings.
4. Aquinas
Aquinas enters at No. 4 after winning the medium-school championship at the Wisconsin State Invitational Championship Tournament. Clare Eliason and Izzy Schelfhout earned all-tournament recognition, giving Aquinas two players who have already made an impact against quality competition.
Aquinas may not receive the same attention as some larger programs, but its championship deserves recognition. The team has proven it can win, and it will be interesting to see how that carries over against other highly ranked opponents.
5. St. Mary Catholic
St. Mary Catholic rounds out the top five after capturing the small-school championship at the Wisconsin State Invitational Championship Tournament. Addie Auth and Seneca Billings earned all-tournament honors and give the team a talented foundation heading into eighth grade.
St. Mary Catholic has shown that school size doesn’t determine how competitive a team can be. The program earned its place among Wisconsin’s best and will have opportunities to show how it measures up against larger schools.
6. Appleton North
Appleton North enters at No. 6, led by Mikyla Hunt-Sutton, one of the players M365 Sports will be watching closely this season. Hunt-Sutton gives Appleton North a talented presence as the team prepares to build on its Badgerland state championship.
Appleton North has already demonstrated that it can win against quality competition. With Hunt-Sutton leading the way, the team has an opportunity to challenge several programs ranked ahead of it, including those in the top five.
7. Reedsburg
Reedsburg is one of the more interesting teams in the rankings because of its experience competing against older players. That kind of competition can challenge young athletes in ways they don’t always experience against players their own age.
Nadia Brown is a big reason Reedsburg enters at No. 7. Brown is a talented guard who can create offense, defend and influence the game in several ways. Her experience against older competition could make her particularly difficult to handle as Reedsburg returns to facing teams in its own class.
8. Nichoops
Nichoops enters at No. 8 after winning the Gold Division championship at the Wisconsin Middle School Basketball Championship.
The title puts Nichoops among the programs that have already demonstrated they can perform when a championship is on the line. The team has earned its place in the top 10, and its results against other highly ranked opponents will be worth following.
9. Slinger Swish
Slinger Swish enters at No. 9 after reaching the Gold Division championship game at the Wisconsin Middle School Basketball Championship.
That tournament appearance places Slinger among the programs with experience competing at a high level. The Swish have shown they belong in the conversation, and eighth grade will provide another opportunity to establish themselves among Wisconsin’s best.
10. Sheboygan North
Sheboygan North rounds out the top 10 after winning a Badgerland Girls State Basketball Championship.
The title gives the program a significant accomplishment heading into eighth grade. Sheboygan North has shown it can finish a tournament on top, and the question now is how it compares with championship programs from other divisions and regions of Wisconsin.
11. Holmen
Holmen enters at No. 11 with Presley Popp among the players worth following. Popp earned all-tournament honors at the Wisconsin State Invitational Championship Tournament, where Holmen reached the large-school championship game.
Holmen also won the Great Northwest Basketball League championship. With Popp among its talented players and a successful season behind it, Holmen has a reasonable argument for being among the state’s top 10 teams.
12. Mt. Horeb
Mt. Horeb enters at No. 12 with Olivia Karcz among its players to watch. Karcz brings size and a developing game that makes her an interesting prospect heading into eighth grade.
Mt. Horeb also won the Badger Development League championship. The team has shown it can compete successfully in its league, and Karcz gives basketball fans another reason to follow its progress this season.
13. Hortonville
Hortonville enters at No. 13 after reaching the championship game in the top competitive division at the Badgerland Girls State Basketball Tournament.
That finish puts Hortonville among the stronger teams in the Fox Valley area, which also has Appleton North and Oshkosh West in the rankings. Hortonville has been close to the level of several teams ranked above it, making its upcoming season worth watching.
14. Elk Mound
Elk Mound enters at No. 14 with Brynn Salsbury among its players to watch. Salsbury earned all-tournament recognition at the Wisconsin State Invitational Championship Tournament, where Elk Mound reached the medium-school championship game.
Elk Mound has already competed successfully against strong programs. With Salsbury among its returning players, the team has the experience to be a difficult opponent in its final middle school season.
15. Tosa West
Tosa West enters at No. 15 after winning the Silver Division championship at the Wisconsin Middle School Basketball Championship.
The title gives Tosa West a meaningful accomplishment heading into eighth grade. It also creates an opportunity to see how the team compares with programs that competed in the tournament’s Gold Division and other highly regarded teams across Wisconsin.
16. Oshkosh West
Oshkosh West enters at No. 16 after reaching the championship game in its division at the Badgerland Girls State Basketball Tournament.
Oshkosh West has been part of a competitive group of Fox Valley teams, including Appleton North and Hortonville. Its ability to compete against those programs and other ranked opponents should provide a clearer picture of where it belongs this season.
17. McDonell Central
McDonell Central enters at No. 17 with Lennon Miller and Lydia Sullivan among its players to watch. Both earned all-tournament recognition at the Wisconsin State Invitational Championship Tournament, where McDonell Central reached the small-school championship game.
Having two recognized players gives McDonell Central a promising foundation. The team has already shown it can compete deep into a state tournament and will look to build on that experience.
18. Menominee Nation
Menominee Nation enters at No. 18 after reaching the championship game in its division at the Badgerland Girls State Basketball Tournament.
That finish earned the program a place in the Top 25. Menominee Nation has demonstrated that it can compete in a state tournament setting, and its upcoming schedule will provide a better picture of how it compares with other ranked teams.
19. DeForest
DeForest enters at No. 19 with Ali Pritzl among the players worth following. Pritzl gives the Norskies a talented player who could have an important role in the team’s success this season.
DeForest also put together a strong Badger Development League season. That consistency gives the Norskies something to build on as they prepare for eighth grade, particularly with several competitive programs in the Madison area.
20. Hartland Arrowhead
Hartland Arrowhead enters at No. 20 after putting together an impressive record in league competition.
Arrowhead’s consistency deserves attention, particularly in a class with so many successful tournament teams. The upcoming season will offer opportunities to see how its league success translates against other ranked programs.
21. Middleton
Middleton enters at No. 21 after a strong league season that included an impressive winning record.
Middleton has shown it can win consistently, and the upcoming season will provide opportunities to measure that success against some of the state’s better teams.
22. Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau
Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau enters at No. 22 with Jonnalyn Halderson among its players to watch. Halderson earned all-tournament honors at the Wisconsin State Invitational Championship Tournament, and the team also reached the Great Northwest Basketball League championship game.
Competing in a league that includes Holmen and Sparta has given Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau experience against other teams in the Top 25. Those familiar matchups should make for interesting competition this season.
23. Sparta
Sparta enters at No. 23 with Marley Preston among its players to watch. Preston earned all-tournament recognition at the Wisconsin State Invitational Championship Tournament, where Sparta finished third in the large-school division.
Sparta has also been competitive in Great Northwest Basketball League play. With Preston among its talented players, the team has experience against several programs that appear in these rankings.
24. Kimberly
Kimberly enters at No. 24 with Natalee Preder among its players to watch. Preder earned all-tournament honors at the Wisconsin State Invitational Championship Tournament, where Kimberly advanced to the large-school semifinals before falling to eventual champion Germantown.
That tournament performance showed Kimberly could compete against strong programs, including the team ranked No. 2 on this list. With Preder among its talented players, Kimberly may be one of the more interesting teams near the bottom of the rankings.
25. McFarland
McFarland rounds out the Top 25 after reaching the Badger Development League championship game.
That finish helped put McFarland among the programs worth following in southern Wisconsin. With several competitive teams in the Madison area, McFarland will have opportunities to test itself against quality opponents.
Now It’s Their Turn
Preseason rankings give us something to talk about, but the players will determine what happens next. Some teams will prove we underestimated them, and others will discover just how difficult it is to stay near the top.
That’s part of why we’re following this class. There are talented young athletes throughout Wisconsin who deserve recognition, including some whose names we haven’t learned yet.
Who should be ranked higher? Which team did we leave out? And who do you think will finish the season at No. 1?
M365 Sports will continue covering Wisconsin’s Class of 2031 throughout the middle school season. Coaches and families can send team results, schedules and player information to [email protected].
Follow @M365Sports on Instagram for rankings, player features and Wisconsin basketball coverage.
