Iowa High School Girls Basketball Top 25 State Rankings - Jan. 12, 2026

Big Top 10 showdown awaits between 1A defending state champion, runner-up

Council Bluffs St. Albert and Newell-Fonda meet in a Class 1A championship rematch. / IGHSAU

Two of the top teams in Class 1A in Iowa girls high school basketball will square off this week when defending state champion Council Bluffs St. Albert takes on Newell-Fonda.

Council Bluffs St. Albert, who moved to third in the latest state rankings this week, won the championship a year ago over Newell-Fonda, who climbed into the Top 10. Both teams are undefeated on the season.

Johnston remained a firm No. 1, as the Dragons handled Valley and Ankeny Centennial.

Here is the High School on SI Iowa girls basketball Top 25 state rankings:

Iowa High School Girls Basketball Top 25 State Rankings - Jan. 12, 2026

1. Johnston (Class 5A, 11-0)

Previous Rank: No. 1

Last Week: Another unblemished week for the two-time defending 5A state champions, as they added wins over Valley and Ankeny Centennial to the resume.

2. Dowling Catholic  (5A, 11-1)

Previous Rank: No. 2

Last Week: The Maroons have reeled off four straight since a three-point loss to Johnston.

3. Council Bluffs St. Albert  (1A, 11-0)

Previous Rank: No. 4

Last Week: The stage is now set for a 1A championship rematch with Newell-Fonda after wins over West Monana and Harlan.

4. Sioux City Bishop Heelan (4A, 8-0)

Previous Rank: No. 5

Last Week: The Crusaders scored 87 and 77 in their first two games back out of the break. 

5. Waukee Northwest  (5A, 7-3)

Previous Rank: No. 7

Last Week: The Wolves handled Ankeny in a key showdown on the road, 63-39.

6. Maquoketa  (3A, 8-2)

Previous Rank: No. 8

Last Week: Seven straight for the Cardinals after getting past Cascade on the road.

7. Newell-Fonda  (1A, 9-0)

Previous Rank: No. 11

Last Week: The Mustangs will carry a perfect record into a meeting with Council Bluffs St. Albert.

8. Maquoketa Valley  (2A, 10-0)

Previous Rank: No. 12

Last Week: After getting by Saint Ansgar inside the McLeod Center, the Wildcats handled Lisbon.

9. West Des Moines Valley (5A, 7-3)

Previous Rank: No. 13

Last Week: Ankeny and Dowling Catholic loom on the horizon for the Tigers.

10. Mount Vernon (3A, 11-2)

Previous Rank: Unranked

Last Week: The Mustangs have been on a roll, knocking off Waverly-Shell Rock.

11. Dallas Center-Grimes  (4A, 9-2)

Previous Rank: No. 3

12. North Polk  (4A, 9-2)

Previous Rank: No. 14

13. Clear Creek-Amana (4A, 9-0)

Previous Rank: No. 15

14. Cherokee  (3A, 8-1)

Previous Rank: No. 16

15. Denver  (2A, 9-1)

Previous Rank: No. 17

16. Waverly-Shell Rock (4A, 9-1)

Previous Rank: No. 6

17. Iowa City West  (5A, 8-3)

Previous Rank: No. 18

18. Norwalk  (4A, 9-1)

Previous Rank: No. 20

19. Treynor  (2A, 9-1)

Previous Rank: No. 9

20. Bishop Garrigan  (1A, 8-2)

Previous Rank: No. 10

21. Des Moines Christian  (3A, 11-2)

Previous Rank: No. 21

22. Hinton  (2A, 9-1)

Previous Rank: No. 22

23. Cedar Falls (5A, 9-2)

Previous Rank: No. 24

24. Iowa City High (5A, 9-3)

Previous Rank: No. 19

25. Ankeny (5A, 8-2)

Previous Rank: Unranked

Dropped out: No. 23 Gladbrook-Reinbeck; No. 25 Cedar Rapids Prairie.

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