Our Kentucky high school girls basketball preseason poll: Meet the top 25 teams in state

Here is The Courier Journal’s preseason girls basketball top 25, as voted by the state’s coaches. A total of 90 coaches returned ballots. First-place votes are in parentheses:

Team Region 2022-23 record

1. Sacred Heart (83) 7^th 36-3

Led by ZaKiyah Johnson, Valkyries seek state’s first four-peat

2. George Rogers Clark (6) 10^th 28-8

Ciara Byars back to lead 2023 Sweet 16 semifinalist

3. Bethlehem (1) 5^th 28-8

Leah Macy’s transfer from Mercy makes Banshees contenders

4. Cooper 9^th 29-4

Liz Friehofer (Eastern Kentucky commit) returns to lead Jaguars

5. McCracken County 1st 35-3

Claire Johnson, Mikee Buchanan back for state runner-up

6. Pikeville 15^th 28-6

Trinity Rowe (Southern Miss commit) electric point guard

7. Frederick Douglass 11^th 24-9

Ayanna-Sarai Darrington is a double-double machine

8. Owensboro Catholic 3rd 26-10

Top three scorers return for Sweet 16 quarterfinalist

9. Butler 6^th 13-13

New coach Candyce Wheeler has UK signee Ramiya White

10. Franklin County 11^th 26-8

Rachel Shropshire, Juliana Frazee provide 1-2 scoring punch

11. Ryle 9^th 24-9

Quinn Eubank (Belmont), Sarah Baker (Youngstown State) lead

12. Manual 7^th 28-3

New faces leads Crimsons after graduation of top three scorers

13. Ashland Blazer 16^th 26-8

All five starters return for Sweet 16 quarterfinalist

14. Meade County 3^rd 22-10

Junior Peyton Bradley one of state’s top 3-point shooters

15. Corbin 13^th 22-10

Senior Kallie Housley, Kylie Clem form tough backcourt

16. Mercy 6^th 25-10

Jaguars rebuilding after transfers of Leah Macy, Alyssa Murphy

17. Henderson County 2^nd 28-5

Stephen Haile takes over after retirement of his father, Jeff

18. Christian Academy 7^th 20-10

Savannah Gardner (Eastern Kentucky), Ella Daniels (Tampa) lead

19. North Laurel 13^th 30-7

Junior Brooke Nichelson returns for Sweet 16 quarterfinalist

20. Boyd County 16^th 21-10

Audrey Biggs (Pittsburgh) looks to have big senior season

21. Montgomery County 10^th 22-13

Hayden Barrier (Youngstown State) can light up scoreboard

22. Covington Holy Cross 9^th 26-8

Julia Hunt returns for defending All “A” state champions

23. Russell 16^th 22-12

Shaelyn Steele (Penn State) is one of state’s top scorers

24. Pulaski County 12^th 26-7

Maroons seeking first regional championship since 1996

25. Southwestern 12^th 20-13

Payton Acey, Kinsley Molden versatile duo for Warriors

ZaKiyah Johnson: Sacred Heart basketball star lists Louisville among top college choices

Reach Jason Frakes at jfrakes@courier-journal.com and follow him on X @kyhighs.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA basketball rankings: Sacred Heart tops our girls preseason poll