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TopSports.news’ girls basketball players to watch in 2025-2026
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
BRYNN ANDERSON, Washburn Rural
A 5-foot-11 freshman guard/forward, Anderson has yet to take the basketball court for the Junior Blues, but made an immediate impact in volleyball, earning TopSports.news All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League first-team honors while also being named the county and league newcomer of the year as Washburn Rural won the Centennial League title and advanced to the Class 6A state tournament for the ninth straight season.
SAMI BAUM, Shawnee Heights
A 6-1 junior, Baum will make her high school basketball debut in the 2025-2026 season after joining the T-Birds. Baum, who has been home schooled, played for the Shawnee Heights volleyball team this fall and has extensive experience in club basketball, receiving interest from college recruiters.
NORA BURDIEK, Rossville
Burdiek, a 6-0 junior forward, missed 11 games of the 2024-2025 season with an injury, but still earned All-Shawnee County honorable mention and was a third-team All-Class 2A and All-Big-East League honoree after averaging 16.5 points and 12 rebounds for 10-12 Rossville. Burdiek was a first-team All-Shawnee County and 2A All-State pick in volleyball, helping lead the Bulldawgs to the state tournament.
Pearmella Carter, Shawnee Heights
PEARMELLA CARTER, Shawnee Heights
A 5-10 junior, Carter starred at Highland Park the past two seasons before transferring to Shawnee Heights for the 2025-2026 season. Carter was a Second 10 All-Shawnee County selection for the Scots last winter after averaging 19.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.7 steals and 2.1 assists and shooting 50 percent from 2-point field goal range while connecting on 14 3-pointers.
HAILEY CARYL, Topeka High
Caryl, a 5-10 sophomore, received All-Shawnee County Second 10 honors as a freshman after helping Topeka High post a 14-8 record and a nine-win improvement over the 2023-2024 season. Caryl averaged 10.5 points and 8.4 rebounds as a freshman while shooting 58 percent on 2-point field attempts and averaging 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals. Caryl is also a tennis and soccer standout for the Trojans.
KARYS DEITER, Silver Lake
A 5-7 sophomore guard, Deiter earned All-Shawnee County Second 10 recognition for the 23-3 Eagles as a freshman starter, averaging 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds as Silver Lake overcame big graduation losses from its 2024 Class 3A state championship team to post a runnerup state finish. Deiter was a first-team all-county pick in volleyball this fall after the Eagles won the state title with a 46-1 record, including 37 straight wins to end the season.
RYLEE DICK, Rossville
A 5-6 senior guard, Dick was a first-team All-2A and All-Big East League pick last season and was an All-Shawnee County second-team selection after averaging 20.4 points with 68 made 3-pointers and 89-percent shooting from the free throw line for the 10-12 Bulldawgs while eclipsing the 1,000-point mark for her career. Dick, who has received all-league, all-county and All-2A recognition three straight seasons, has signed a letter of intent with Division II Rockhurst.
KK EMMOT, Shawnee Heights
Emmot, a 5-8 junior, moved up to the All-Shawnee County Top 10 last season after earning second-team honors as a freshman. Emmot, who led the T-Birds to a 14-8 record, also earned first-team All-United Kansas Conference honors this past season after averaging 17.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 3.2 assists while connecting on 46 3-pointers.
MADDIE GRAGG, Seaman
A 5-10 senior, Gragg was an All-Shawnee County Top 10 selection for the third straight season after helping lead Seaman to a 24-1 record and a runnerup finish in Class 5A. Gragg, also a three-time All-United Kansas Conference first-team pick, averaged 13.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 57 percent on two-point field goal attempts and shooting 83 percent from the free throw line while hitting 39 3-pointers.
KAILYN HANNI, Silver Lake
Hanni, a 5-7 senior guard, led Silver Lake to a 23-3 record and a runnerup finish in the Class 3A state tournament this past season after helping the Eagles post a perfect 26-0 record en route to the 3A state championship in 2024. Hanni was a repeat All-Shawnee County Top 10 selection as well as a repeat first-team all-league pick. A Fort Hays State basketball signee, Hanni is a multi-sport standout, earning first-team all-county honors in golf this fall.
No. 7-ranked Washburn volleyball set to open MIAA Tournament bid in balanced field
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn is coming off a 3-1 win over then-No. 7-ranked UCO last Friday and a 3-0 win over Arkansas-Fort Smith on Saturday to earn a share of the MIAA regular-season championship along with Nebraska-Kearney and Missouri Western.
MIAA Player of the Year Austin Broadie said the Ichabods know they'll need to be at their best to win this week's tournament.
"A thousand percent,'' Broadie said. "Even playing UCM tomorrow, they're good, and just coming out strong against them I think would help set the tone for the tournament.''
Herron agreed.
"From now on you have to (play your best) and that's OK,'' Herron said. "That's just the progression of your team and it should be the progression of your team. You've just got to go play loose, have fun and enjoy what you've been doing and just keep doing what you've been doing, just do it with a tiny bit more focus.''
Broadie, a fifth-year senior, leads the Washburn offense with 298 kills (3.31 per set) while hitting .330, third best on the team. She has started all 27 matches and had 54 blocks with 55 digs. Broadie has 15 double-digit kill matches and ranks third in the MIAA. She is fifth among conference players in points per set and kills per set.
Senior Bella Limback, a first-team All-MIAA pick, is slashing a team-high .469 with 177 kills (2.01 per set) while starting in all 27 matches. She has also added 102 blocks (1.16 per set), also a team-high, and served 12 aces. She has hit over .400 in all but nine matches this season with three double-digit kill efforts. She leads the nation in hitting percentage and is fifth in the MIAA in blocks per set.
Rural, Hayden combine for six first-team spots on All-Centennial League volleyball team
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Centennial League champion and Class 6A state qualifier Washburn Rural and Class 4A state runnerup Hayden combined for six of eight spots on the All-Centennial League volleyball team, led by Wildcat sophomore player of the year Hailey Schmidtlein and Junior Blue freshman newcomer of the year Brynn Anderson.
Centennial League player of the Year: Hailey Schmidtlein, Hayden
Centennial League newcomer of the Year: Brynn Anderson, Washburn Rural
Schmidtlein is joined on the all-league first team by Hayden senior Ella Foster and sophomore Blakely Walter while Anderson is joined by Rural senior teammates Karsyn Horyna and Stella Kelly.
Manhattan junior Bailey Busch and Emporia senior Jade Xu round out the all-league team while Manhattan's Nicole Jones was voted the coach of the year.
Topeka High junior Campbell Dawson, Hayden junior Mallory Tanking and Washburn Rural senior Dayne Shriver were second-team picks while six city players received honorable mention.
ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL
First team
Brynn Anderson, fr., Washburn Rural; Bailey Busch, jr., Manhattan; Ella Foster, sr., Hayden; Karsyn Horyna, sr., Washburn Rural; Stella Kelly, sr., Washburn Rural; Hailey Schmidtlein, so., Hayden; Blakely Walter, so., Hayden; Jade Xu, sr., Emporia.
Second team
Campbell Dawson, jr., Topeka; Kaylee Dewitt, jr., Emporia; Aubree Hess, jr., Emporia; Janie Hilgers, sr., Manhattan; Dayne Shriver, sr., Washburn; Madison Stanard, jr., Manhattan; Mallory Tanking, jr., Hayden; Keeli Tepe, sr., Manhattan.
Honorable mention
Emporia -- Molly Williams, sr. Junction City -- Sophia Tomlinson, sr. Manhattan -- Ansley Becket jr., Sophia Peabody, jr.; Evie Ruliffson, jr. Hayden -- Reese Huscher, sr.; Sophia Wichman, so. Topeka High -- Jayana Washington, sr. Washburn Rural -- Gentry Coons, so.; Taylor Guffey, sr.; Molly Schuler, jr.
Player of the Year -- Hailey Schmidtlein, Hayden.
Newcomer of the Year -- Brynn Anderson, Washburn Rural.
Coach of the Year --Nicole Jones, Manhattan.











