Shore Sports Insider Girls Basketball 2025-26 Preseason Top 10
2025-2026 Shore Sports Insider Girls Basketball Preseason Top 10
1. Red Bank Catholic (1-0) Last Season Final Ranking: 1
We are entering the final season for one of the best classes in recent memory. A highly-touted freshmen class enrolled at Red Bank Catholic four years ago with high expectations and won a Shore Conference Tournament and a Non-Public A title over their first three seasons. The Caseys return five important pieces from last year’s Shore Conference Tournament championship team, but they graduated two 1,000 point scorers in Christina Liggio and Tessa Carman. With all seven seniors committed already for next year, the senior class is looking to end their high school careers on top. Indiana commit Addy Nyemchek will be a heavy favorite to repeat as Shore Sports Insider Player of the Year. The Liggio sisters, Tessa and Katie, will both see their offensive usage rate increase with the graduation of Carman and the oldest Liggio sister. Harvard commit Sophie Smith will move into the starting role to replace Carman in the paint. Lola Giordano and Daniela Maletsky will continue to cause problems for opposing players on the defensive side of the floor. Scarlet LeVake, who transferred in last season, did not see consistent minutes last year but should be first player off the bench this season. Depth might be the only weakness this season for the Caseys with the uncertainty of what the incoming freshmen class can bring.
Red Bank Catholic junior Addy Nyemchek. (Photo: Tom Smith | tspimages.com)
2. St. John Vianney (0-0) Last Season Final Ranking: 4
The Lancers had a terrific season last year, finishing 22-7 overall, including 7-2 in the Class A Coastal division. St. John Vianney lost two key pieces to their puzzle from last year in graduating seniors Aleena Dinker and Brooklyn Taylor. Leading scorer, senior Madison Kocis returns, along with fellow seniors Stella Lockhart, Taylor Sofilkanich, and Charlotte Bradley. The combination of Lockhart and Sofilkanich can cause problems in the paint for opposing defenses. Bradley does all the small things that championship caliber teams need to reach their goals. Juniors Tatum Sharpe, Avery Barth, and Lissy Lions, along with sophomores Antonia Jackson and Gianna Sano, all made contributions last season and will look for bigger roles this year. Sano missed part of last season due to injury, but should help fill the void left by Dinker and Taylor. Incoming freshman Brooke Sofilkanich, Taylor’s sister, should make an impact early on and adds more size for the Lancers. The Lancers also have a transfer guard by way of IMG Academy in Florida in sophomore Gabriella Castellanos who could be an impact addition.
Madison Kocis finished with a game-high 19 points in SCT quarterfinal round at Holmdel High School on 2/15/25. Photo by Tom Smith
3. Trinity Hall (0-0) Last Season Final Ranking: 6
Coming off a 20-win season, Trinity Hall returns a ton of experienced talent with only one starter graduating. The Monarchs return their leading scorers Grace Feeney and Whitney Hobson. Feeney proved to be a consistent weapon on the offensive side of the floor being named to the All-Shore team and scoring at all three levels. Senior Teagan Drennan returns after missing all of last season due to an injury. Her return will help replace the scoring of Lilly Riggi who graduated and provide the Monarchs with another three-point shooter. Bridget Rigney also emerged on both ends of the floor, leading the team in steals. Niamh Stapleton does the dirty work inside and works hard to get Trinity Hall second chances. Trinity Hall also brings in several highly-touted freshmen including Elle Krayl that will look to make an impact.
Grace Feeney shooting a jump shot against Manasquan in the SCT Quarterfinal round at Holmdel. Photo by Tom Smith
4. Red Bank (0-0) Last Season Final Ranking: 8
The Bucs are coming off an 18-10 season, including a 5-4 record in the Class A Coastal division. Red Bank made a coaching change in the offseason after John Truhan resigned. Red Bank’s boys assistant Adam Merklinger takes over the girls program which made it all the way to the Central Jersey Group 3 final last season. The Bucs lose only one senior from last year’s squad, Caroline Polloway, but they return their leading scorer in Synai Blychanton, who averaged 14 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. The rest of the starting lineup should include seniors Kristen Connors, Zoe Gulley, Riley Joyce , and Riley Wheeler. With all that experience returning, Red Bank should be one of the favorites in Central Jersey Group 3 and one of the top public schools in the Shore Conference.
Synai Blychanton scored 17 points in the WOBM Final and was named MVP. (Photo by Tom Smith)
5. Colts Neck (0-0) Last Season Final Ranking: Unranked
Colts Neck comes into the season as one of the youngest teams in the Shore Conference for the second straight season. After graduating point guard Katie Dichter last year, this year’s only senior is Gabby Bryce. The core of the team are sophomores with reigning Shore Sports Insider Freshman of the Year Julianna Jasina returning in addition to Emily Donahue, Avery Wallace and Trinity Hall transfer Allison McAndrew. Juniors Jamie Lombardo, Mattilyn Caffiero and Julianna Camera will help provide leadership on the court along with Bryce. Last season, Colts Neck came up short in the Central Jersey Group 3 sectional playoffs, losing to eventual champion Neptune, 48-43. With Neptune graduating two of their leading scorers, Colts Neck will be one of the contenders this season.
Julianna Jasina shooting a free-throw against Neptune in the CJG3 quarterfinal on 3/1/25. Photo by Marco Mercurio
6. St. Rose (0-0) Last Season Final Ranking: 3
St. Rose enters the season with plenty of new faces after last year’s team came within a minute of winning a Shore Conference Tournament title. Last year’s leading two leading scorers need to be replaced in Shore Sports Insider Co-Player of the Year Jada Lynch who transferred out of the state and Cassidy Kruesi. Seniors Brooke Missry and Belle Alvarado are the Purple Roses two returning players from last year’s starting line-up. Junior Callie Decker saw more minutes as the season progressed and will step into a much bigger role this season. St. Rose had three junior transfers enroll before this season that should make an impact right from the start. Jackson Memorial’s leading scorer Cali Brown and Rumson-Fair Haven guard Brooke Jaenicke will replace Cassidy Kruesi on both ends of the floor. Natalie Bowes, another former Jackson Memorial player, will help replace the graduation of Caroline Conforti in the paint.
Belle Alvarado breaking SJV press in the SCT semifinal round at RW Barnabas Arena on 2/18/25. Photo by Tom Smith
7. Manasquan (0-0) Last Season Final Ranking: 2
Every time Manasquan loses a strong group of players to graduation people expect a rebuilding season, but that is never the case. Once again, Manasquan graduated five players who are all playing in college this season. Senior Jordyn Hollawell returns with the most experience as a three-year starter that was second in scoring last season for the Warriors. Senior Shannon Looney and sophomore Calista Vowteras return with the most experience off the bench last season and will be starters this year. Not only will Manasquan need players to step up to replace the scoring that graduated, but all five seniors were very strong defensive players which is a staple of Manasquan basketball. Last season Shea Donnelly stepped in as a first-year starter and led the team in scoring and steals, who will be that player this season?
Manasquan junior Jordyn Hollawell drives against Red Bank Catholic junior Lola Giordano. (Photo: Tom Smith | tspimages.com)
8. Brick (0-0) Last Season Final Ranking: Unranked
Brick had an up-and-down season last year, finishing with 15 wins with one of the youngest rosters in the Shore Conference. Six freshmen saw minutes last season with Ari Wissen leading the team in scoring. The young Dragons gained a ton of experience and played a lot of minutes, but will be lacking that senior leadership this season with the graduation of Riley Nausedas and CiCi Weatherspool. Junior AnnaClaire Staudt was one of Brick’s strongest players inside and led the team in rebounds. This year they will look to get more offense from Staudt and sophomore Julia Stephan. Wissen and classmate Kendall Fredricksen were dangerous from outside, knocking down 91 three-pointers last season. Brick enters the season as one of the top Ocean County teams and will have a chance to show the Shore Conference how much experience they gained last season off the bat in the Kevin Williams Christmas Classic.
9. Howell (0-0) Last Season Final Ranking: 10
Howell is a team that returnes several key players from last season. All-Shore center Kylee Beam led the team in scoring last season as a sophomore and will take over as one of the leaders on the floor. The graduation of Kiera McKown, will mean defenses will focus more on Beam who only needs 335 more points to become the fourth player in Howell’s history to reach 1,000 career points. BellaRose Marino went from a spot-up three-point shooter as a sophomore to an all-around scorer as a junior and will look to continue to improve on her offensive numbers as a senior. One big question for Howell will be at point guard with the graduation of Ashley Smith. Sophomore Olivia Quinones saw limited minutes last season, but is projected to be the starting point guard this season.
Kylee Beam driving to the basket against Manasquan on 2/4/25. Photo by Tom Smith
10. Neptune (0-0) Last Season Final Ranking: 7
Neptune shocked many people last year with a late season run to win Central Jersey Group 3, their first sectional title since 2011. The Scarlet Fliers’ season turned around when freshman Tyeera Howard returned from injury after missing the first part of the season. Howard averaged 13.9 PPG and 8.9 RPG over 15 games and gave Neptune a third option on the offense. The biggest question marks entering the season will be who takes over the leadership role and who handles the basketball with the graduation of Christa Ramos and Bre Evans. Not only were they the leaders on the floor, they led the team in scoring the last three seasons. Senior Majiah Quarles and junior Lana Ellington will look to be the leaders on the floor and both will have an increased role on the offensive side of the floor.
Bubble: Toms River East, Shore Regional, Middletown South
