After pouring through oodles of statistics, all-state, all-conference and all-area teams, last year's state tournament bracket and plenty of postseason rankings, we have uncovered our Heartland Athletic Conference projections for 2025-26.
Tommy Johnson returns senior Ani Leu to his lineup in 2025-26 after she posted a 14.5 -point scoring average last winter. One of the top players in the Cornhusker State, Leu earned First Team All-State honors as a junior after posting 6.9 rebounds a game and earning credit for 71 assists, 69 steals and six blocked shots on the year.
Senior Kendall Anderson, junior Joyce Johnson and senior McKenna Powell combined for an additional 19 points a contest for the 19-6 Navigators.
Lincoln Southwest will hit the court with junior Kaytee Irons-Buettner who posted 14.4 points a game of her own in 2024-25. Seniors Eleanor Griffin and Brenly Noerrlinger return as well after combining for 13.1 points a night during a 16-8 season last winter.
Kearney went 17-6 a year ago and brings back juniors Libby Province, Augusta Ganz and Kennedy Lee while Autumn Zenon will enlist the help of senior Haidyn Cae and juniors Gigi Owens, Aenaya Lucius, Ahmani Sulley and Zoey Long as Lincoln High tries to improve on its 13-9 record from a year ago.
Enough of my rambling. Enjoy!
Girls Heartland Athletic Conference
Lincoln North Star (19-6)
Lincoln Southwest (16-8)
Kearney (17-6)
Lincoln High (13-9)
Lincoln Northeast (10-13)
Lincoln East (7-17)
Lincoln Southeast (8-15)
Columbus (11-13)
Norfolk (7-16)
Fremont (7-18)
Lincoln North Star
2024-25 Record: 19-6
Record Over Past Decade: 97-145
2024-25 Postseason: 1-1 | Lost in Class A Semifinals
Head Coach: Tommy Johnson
Top Returning Players:
Senior Ani Leu
14.5 Points | 6.9 Rebounds | 71 Assists | 69 Steals | 6 Blocked Shots
First Team Class A Omaha World Herald | First Team Class A Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Kendall Anderson
8.3 Points | 2.4 Rebounds | 62 Assists | 51 Steals | 10 Blocked Shots
HM Class A Omaha World Herald | HM Class A Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Joyce Johnson
7.0 Points | 1.6 Rebounds | 43 Assists | 46 Steals | 11 Blocked Shots
HM Class A Omaha World Herald | HM Class A Lincoln Journal Star
Senior McKenna Powell
4.0 Points | 1.1 Rebounds | 16 Assists | 27 Steals | 6 Blocked Shots
Honorable Mention Class A Omaha World Herald
Lincoln Southwest
2024-25 Record: 16-8
Record Over Past Decade: 184-72
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Tim Barada
Top Returning Players:
Junior Kaytee Irons-Buettner
14.4 Points | 4.5 Rebounds | 49 Assists | 58 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
HM Class A Omaha World Herald | HM Class A Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Eleanor Griffin
10.6 Points | 4.4 Rebounds | 36 Assists | 14 Steals | 12 Blocked Shots
HM Class A Omaha World Herald | HM Class A Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Brenly Noerrlinger
2.5 Points | 3.0 Rebounds | 57 Assists | 31 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
Honorable Mention Class A Omaha World Herald
Kearney
2024-25 Record: 17-6
Record Over Past Decade: 128-112
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Drew Danielson
Top Returning Players:
Junior Libby Province | 5-foot-9 | Guard
HM Class A Omaha World Herald | HM Class A Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Augusta Ganz | 5-foot-8 | Guard
Junior Kennedy Lee | 5-foot-8 | Shooting Guard
Lincoln High
2024-25 Record: 13-9
Record Over Past Decade: 134-103
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Autumn Zenon
Top Returning Players:
Senior Haidyn Case
Junior Gigi Owens
Junior Aenaya Lucius
Junior Ahmani Sulley
Junior Zoey Long
Lincoln Northeast
2024-25 Record: 10-13
Record Over Past Decade: 150-93
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Matt VanEngen
Top Returning Players:
Sophomore Brynna Renard | 6-foot-2
11.9 Points | 11.6 Rebounds | 21 Assists | 27 Steals | 59 Blocked Shots
HM Class A Omaha World Herald | HM Class A Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Jayda Murrell | 5-foot-3 | Point Guard
6.1 Points | 3.1 Rebounds | 52 Assists | 29 Steals | 9 Blocked Shots
Senior Paige Perry | 5-foot-4 Point Guard | Shooting Guard
5.1 Points | 2.4 Rebounds | 29 Assists | 29 Steals | 0 Blocked Shots
Junior Nahla Sand | 5-foot-6
6.8 Points | 5.3 Rebounds | 19 Assists | 11 Steals | 3 Blocked Shots
Lincoln East
2024-25 Record: 7-17
Record Over Past Decade: 169-85
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Alex McCleary
Top Returning Players:
Senior Sadie McCleary | 6-foot
8.9 Points | 6.7 Rebounds | 7 Assists | 9 Steals | 3 Blocked Shots
HM Class A Omaha World Herald | HM Class A Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Neveah Coleman
6.7 Points | 5.8 Rebounds | 16 Assists | 33 Steals | 12 Blocked Shots
Honorable Mention Class A Omaha World Herald
Senior Emma Gottberg | 5-foot-7 | Small Forward | Shooting Guard
6.0 Points | 2.7 Rebounds | 46 Assists | 31 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
HM Class A Omaha World Herald | HM Class A Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Leighton Nyberg
7.5 Points | 3.2 Rebounds | 34 Assists | 21 Steals | 13 Blocked Shots
Lincoln Southeast
2024-25 Record: 8-15
Record Over Past Decade: 99-136
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Isaiah Dell
Top Returning Players:
Senior Avaerie Graves | Point Guard | Small Forward
HM Class A Omaha World Herald | HM Class A Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Lauryn Horn | Shooting Guard
Honorable Mention Class A Omaha World Herald
Columbus
2024-25 Record: 11-13
Record Over Past Decade: 69-158
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Scott Schaefer
Top Returning Players:
Senior Eastyn Luebbe | 5-foot-6 | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
6.4 Points | 1.4 Rebounds
Norfolk
2024-25 Record: 7-16
Record Over Past Decade: 93-143
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Brent Pollari
Top Returning Players:
Senior Bo Caskey | 5-foot-9 | Power Forward | Center
13.6 Points | 6.9 Rebounds | 20 Assists | 21 Steals | 3 Blocked Shots
HM Class A Omaha World Herald | HM Class A Lincoln Journal Star
Fremont
2024-25 Record: 7-18
Record Over Past Decade: 154-109
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Connor Lusso
Top Returning Players:
Sophomore Ari Vanbuskirk
2.7 Points | 1.8 Rebounds | 11 Assists | 19 Steals | 0 Blocked Shots
Junior Morgan Sintek | 5-foot-6
2.6 Points | 1.8 Rebounds | 11 Assists | 11 Steals | 3 Blocked Shots
