Riverdale was picked as the favorite to win a tight TRAC West girls basketball race in WRMJ’s preseason conference coaches poll.
The Rams finished two points ahead of second-place Sherrard in the poll. Riverdale tallied four first-place votes, and the Tigers picked up the other two first-place votes.
All six coaches in the TRAC West participated. They were asked to rank the teams in their division, excluding themselves, 1-5. A first-place vote received five points, a second-place vote received four points, and down the line to a fifth-place vote receiving one point.
The poll results are below, followed by a preview of each team in the conference. The number in parentheses represents how many first-place votes a team received.
2025-26 Preseason TRAC West Girls Basketball Coaches Poll
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riverdale (4) | 24 |
| 2 | Sherrard (2) | 22 |
| T3 | Mercer County | 14 |
| T3 | Monmouth-Roseville | 14 |
| T5 | Orion | 8 |
| T5 | Rockridge | 8 |
Riverdale Rams
Head Coach: Jay Hatch (30th season: 550-328, 8th season at Riverdale: 116-68)
2024-25 Record: 21-10, 7-3 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A sectional semifinal to Stillman Valley 57-32
Riverdale is coming off back-to-back seasons with 20+ wins and regional championships.
The Rams bring back their top three scorers, all of whom are juniors who earned all-conference selections as sophomores last season. First-team all-conference returner Cayleigh Hungate (12.9 points per game) leads a talented junior class that includes second-teamer Jillian Murray (7.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists per game) and Amarah Coleman (7.2 points per game). Riverdale has a fourth starter back from last year, senior Katie Cox, who averaged 5.8 points and a team-high 5.3 rebounds per game in 2024-25. Sophomore Brooklyn Peterson put together a strong freshman season on the basketball court last year, with averages of 4.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game off the bench.
With Riverdale’s volleyball program advancing to the IHSA State Finals this year, the Rams will get a late start with their full team together. Riverdale is scheduled to begin the season against Erie-Prophetstown at the Bureau Valley Thanksgiving Tournament on Tuesday. The Rams open conference play at Rockridge on Dec. 4.
Sherrard Tigers
Head Coach: Doug Swanson (16th season: 316-109)
2024-25 Record: 20-6, 9-1 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A regional final to Monmouth-Roseville 44-41
Sherrard enters the 2025-26 season as the defending TRAC West champions.
Senior guard Adalynn Elsbury (11.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists per game) earned first-team all-conference honors last season. Another senior, Grace Bohnert (4.7 points, 4.8 rebounds per game), is the other regular starter from last year’s team that returns. The Tigers have two more seniors – Ellie Swanson (3.5 points per game) and Teagan Nelson (3.8 points per game), who played large roles off the bench a year ago.
During head coach Doug Swanson’s tenure, Sherrard has won 10 regional titles and appeared in regional championship games in 13 of 14 full seasons.
Sherrard begins the season playing at Geneseo on Tuesday. The Tigers’ TRAC West opener is at Rockridge on Dec. 1.
Mercer County Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Brandon Hofmann (2nd season: 14-18)
2024-25 Record: 14-18, 4-6 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A regional quarterfinal to Rockridge
Mercer County’s 2025-26 girls basketball roster features 17 players, 10 of whom are sophomores.
The Golden Eagles’ top player back is sophomore guard Shadia Williams, the team’s leading returning scorer and three-point shooter (10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds per game, 28.3% 3-point percentage). Mercer County had two other sophomores play major minutes as freshmen last season – point guard Leah Collison (5.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists per game) and Ev Hofmann (2.8 points, 3.2 rebounds per game). The Golden Eagles have just one senior in the program, Whitney Collison (6.0 points per game).
Mercer County starts the season at the ROWVA-Williamsfield/Ridgewood Thanksgiving Tournament against Bushnell-Prairie City on Monday. The Golden Eagles open TRAC West play hosting Orion on Dec. 1.
Monmouth-Roseville Titans
Head Coach: Don Luper (1st season)
2024-25 Record: 23-11, 6-4 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A sectional semifinal to Deer Creek-Mackinaw 41-38
Monmouth-Roseville has won 20+ games in five straight seasons and claimed a regional title last year.
The Titans lost a pair of first-team all-conference players and 1,000-point scorers, Brianna Woodard and Tatianna Talivaa, to graduation last year. Monmouth-Roseville’s projected top returner, sophomore Layla Katile (10.1 points, 9.8 rebounds per game) will have to miss the 2025-26 season due to injury. With her absence, the Titans’ top scorer who is back from last season is senior Lilly Mahoney (3.9 points per game)
Monmouth-Roseville opens the season at the ROWVA-Williamsfield/Ridgewood Thanksgiving Tournament against Knoxville on Tuesday. The Titans’ conference opener is at Mercer County on Dec. 5.
Orion Chargers
Head Coach: Rick Cline (11th season: 121-174, 4th season at Orion: 29-65)
2024-25 Record: 10-21, 1-9 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A regional quarterfinal to Kewanee 61-35
Orion will continue to take steps forward after winning seven more games last season than the program did in 2023-24.
Senior Kamryn Brown was a second-team all-conference selection for the Chargers last season. As a sophomore two years ago, she earned an honorable mention all-conference nod. She’s projected to be the top scoring option for Orion again in 2025=26.
Orion’s season tips off at the ROWVA-Williamsfield/Ridgewood Thanksgiving Tournament against Galva on Tuesday. The Chargers open the conference slate at Mercer County on Dec. 1.
Rockridge Rockets
Head Coach: Kyle Chandler (1st season)
2024-25 Record: 13-18, 3-7 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A regional semifinal to Sherrard 36-33
Rockridge’s girls’ basketball program continues to face low numbers heading into the 2025-26 season. The Rockets have just 12 players in the program and a roster that includes just one senior and no juniors.
The lone senior for Rockridge is guard Leah DeCook (5.0 points, 3.8 rebounds per game), an honorable mention all-conference performer in 2024-25. The Rockets also bring back two sophomores who played consistent varsity minutes last year, with Amaya Ernat (2.6 points, 2.3 rebounds per game) and Tatum Lowe (1.9 points, 2.0 rebounds per game) in their freshman seasons.
Rockridge’s season gets underway on Monday against Galva at the ROWVA-Williamsfield/Ridgewood Thanksgiving Tournament. The Rockets’ conference schedule opens at home against Sherrard on Dec. 1.
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