The 2025‑26 girls basketball season across Iowa delivered a blend of rebuilding narratives and standout performances, with several programs posting markedly different records.
Conference dynamics
WACO entered the SEISC‑North division with a 7‑14 overall record and a 4‑12 conference slate, reflecting a challenging year for the program. Four WACO players earned all‑conference honors: Brenna Graber made the first team, Madalyn Farmer secured a second‑team spot, while Carlee Lunsford and Drew Graber received honorable mentions. Graber averaged 11.5 points, 4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.1 steals per game, while Farmer contributed 7.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.
Lone Tree bucked the trend, finishing second in the North division with a 12‑4 conference record and 16‑8 overall despite a roster limited to eight players. Senior Finley Jacque was named Lone Tree Player of the Year, averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.3 steals and 3.5 assists per game. Jacque also earned third‑team all‑state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association and second‑team recognition from the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association. Teammates Ava Christofferson and Dalanie Graap were placed on the first‑ and second‑team All‑Conference selections, respectively.
Columbus settled in the middle of the pack with an 11‑11 overall mark and a 9‑7 conference record, showing modest consistency throughout the schedule. The team placed Kennedy Woepking and Ellie Sanders on the second‑team all‑conference list, with Woepking averaging 10.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
Winfield‑Mt. Union (WMU) managed a slight uptick, improving to a 3‑19 overall record and winning two of its last three games. Madisen Kellogg was the lone second‑team all‑conference selection for WMU, posting 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
Overall, the season illustrated how competitive balance can shift quickly, as teams like Lone Tree leveraged star power while others, such as WACO, focused on developing talent for future campaigns.