Top 25 Girls High School Basketball State Rankings - Feb. 17, 2026

Simon Kenton moves up to No. 1; George Rogers Clark and Assumption rise into the Top 3.

Holy Cross-Covington (No. 13) junior Riley Eberhard tries to avoid an inadvertent forearm from South Oldham freshman Hailey Hammer in a game Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. / Chris Adams

Sacred Heart Academy has had a tough go of it this season during the Kentucky girls high school basketball season. Falling, rising and falling. Continuity at the top ain’t easy. (Calloway County High School notwithstanding?) The Valkyries recently lost to ranked teams Frederick Douglass and Simon Kenton, and face George Rogers Clark Tuesday evening.

And one of those aforementioned programs now sits atop our rankings.

In the well-represented Ninth Region, teams have dropped down in the rankings or fallen out completely. It’s that time of year.

1. Simon Kenton (25-2) Independence

Previous ranking: 3

Last week: Defeated Cooper 61-50; lost to Spire Institute Academy (Geneva, Ohio) 57-55; def. Frederick Douglass 53-47; def. Sacred Heart 56-49.

The Lady Pioneers dispatched three top-10 teams in a handful of days. The favorites to win it all next month?

2. George Rogers Clark (22-2) Winchester

Previous ranking: 4

Last week: Defeated Rockcastle County 74-27; def. Portsmouth High School (Portsmouth, Ohio) 56-51; def. DuPont Manual 65-21; def. Notre Dame 55-32; def. Butler 73-34

Portsmouth is one of the top squads in Ohio. The Lady Cardinals have a showdown Tuesday with Sacred Heart. Is GRC another state frontrunner?

3. Assumption (17-5) Louisville

Previous ranking: 5

Last week: Defeated Brecksville (Broadview Heights, Ohio)

The Rockets have been a model of continuity this season…Brecksville is ranked No. 20 in the Buckeye State.

4. Calloway County (27-1) Murray

Previous ranking: 1

Last week: Defeated then No. 22 Marshall County 50-35 Feb. 6 and lost to then No. 24 Lyon County Feb. 7; def. Graves County 71-43.

5. North Laurel (18-6) London

Previous ranking: 16

Last week: Defeated Frederick Douglass 54-42; def. West Jessamine 66-57

The Lady Jaguars are powered by junior double-double threat Mariella Claybrook (18 ppg, 11 rpg).

6. Frederick Douglass (16-3) Lexington

Previous ranking: 7

Last week: Defeated Sacred Heart 83-63; lost to North Laurel 54-42; lost to Simon Kenton 53-47; def. Sayre 1-0 (forfeit)

7. Sacred Heart (20-5) Louisville

Previous ranking: 2

Last week: Lost Frederick Douglass 83-63; def. Henderson County 59-46; def. Elizabethtown 76-64; lost to Simon Kenton 56-49; def. Taylor County 75-69 (overtime)

8. Taylor County (21-4) Campbellsville

Previous ranking: 11

Last week: Defeated Adair County 75-40; def. Cooper 71-63; def. Southwestern 76-55; lost to Sacred Heart 75-69 (overtime)

9. Cooper (19-6) Union

Previous ranking: 6

Last week: Lost to Taylor County 71-63; def. Holy Cross-Covington 64-57; def. Dxiie Heights 72-58; def. Newport Central Catholic 58-37; def. Grant County 77-37

10. South Laurel (21-6) London

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Defeated Highlands 49-48; def. Pineville 60-27; def. Whitley County 67-46; def. Corbin 53-47; def. Ashland Blazer 59-52

Since losing to North Laurel Feb. 5, the Lady Cardinals have won five straight, including two ranked teams.

11. Henderson County (18-9) Henderson

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Defeated Union County 71-16; lost to Sacred Heart 59-46; def. McLean County 74-36; def. Lyon County 65-58; def. Crittenden County 48-39

12. Campbell County (20-4) Alexandria

Previous ranking: 13

Last week: Defeated Boyd County 83-76; def. Holy Cross-Covington 59-53; lost to Purcell Marian (Cincinnati, Ohio) 62-43; def. Dixie Heights 83-62; def. Montgomery County 75-63; def. St. Henry 56-36

13. Holy Cross-Covington (23-4)

Previous ranking: 9

Last week: Defeated Scott 67-40; lost to Campbell County 59-53; def. Ryle 63-45; lost to Cooper 64-57; def. Walton Verona 57-38; def. South Oldham 43-37

14. Crittenden County (20-5) Marion

Previous ranking: 22

Last week: Defeated Union County 51-19; def. Hopkins County Central 55-41; lost to Henderson County 48-39; def. Hopkinsville 77-22

15. Lyon County (22-6) Eddyville

Previous ranking: 24

Last week: Defeated Calloway County 64-53; lost to Henderson County 65-58; def. Hopkins County Central 57-54; def. Mayfield 59-32; def. Livingston Central 82-56

Convincingly knocking off the undefeated No. 1-ranked team will catapult a program nearly 10 spots forward in the rankings.

16. Ryle (17-8) Union

Previous ranking: 18

Last week: Defeated Notre Dame 57-51; def. Newport Central Catholic 54-35; lost to Holy Cross-Covington 63-45; def. Bishop Brossart 61-51

The Lady Raiders’ last four contests were played against ranked teams.

17. Marshall County (18-4) Benton

Previous ranking: 21

Last week: Lost to Calloway County 50-35; def. Madisonville-North Hopkins 63-23; def. Bowling Green 37-30

18. Notre Dame (17-7) Park Hills

Previous ranking: 8

Last week: Lost to Ryle 57-51; def. Bishop Brossart 63-53; def. Beechwood 76-32; def. St. Henry 45-27; lost to George Rogers Clark 55-32

19. Paul Dunbar (19-4) Lexington

Previous ranking: 10

Last week: Defeated Lexington Christian 51-47; def. Madison Southern 69-54; def. Great Crossing 71-42; def. Tates Creek 57-34; def. Madison Central 66-44

20. Owensboro Catholic (22-6) Owensboro

Previous ranking: 12

Last week: Defeated Owensboro 66-49; def. McCracken County 63-45; def. Bowling Green 48-45; def. Daviess County 55-35; def. North Hardin 64-48

21. Barren County (25-2) Glasgow

Previous ranking: 25

Last week: Defeated Allen County-Scottsville 75-45; def. Metcalfe County 68-44; def. Clinton County 62-23; def. Greenwood 88-54

22. Ashland Blazer (20-5) Ashland

Previous ranking: 15

Last week: Lost to Huntington Expression Prep (Huntington, West Virginia) 51-47; def. Rowan County 61-26; def. Portsmouth (Portsmouth, Ohio) 65-63; def. Paintsville 52-42; def. Russell 57-42; lost to South Laurel 59-52; lost to Pikeville 52-51

23. Montgomery County (19-8) Mt. Sterling

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Defeated Russell 62-45; def. Bourbon County 79-34; lost to Campbell County 75-63; def. Paris 62-31; def. Bishop Brossart 67-64

24. Bishop Brossart (24-5) Alexandria

Previous ranking: 14

Last week: Defeated St. Henry 63-55; lost to Notre Dame 63-53; def. Newport Central Catholic 59-50; lost to Ryle 61-51; def. Bracken County 68-26; lost to Montgomery County 67-64

25. Butler (15-6) Louisville

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Defeated Iroquois 55-25; def. Fern Creek 60-42; def. Pleasure Ridge Park 43-29; lost to George Rogers Clark 73-34; def. Valley 54-43