Meet the 2025-26 All Area Girls Basketball Team

2025-26 Dodgeville Chronicle All-Area Girls Basketball Team

If watching good to great girls basketball you do not have to leave SW Wisconsin.

This year saw Barneveld fight back from a rough start to finish behind co-champions Argyle/Pecatonica and Albany/Monticello in the power laden Six Rivers East then earn both D5 Regional and Sectional titles to return to state. Argyle/Pecatonica and Mineral Point earned conference championships and Highland, picked for the bottom, was in contention for the Six Rivers West crown for much of the season.

The talent was showcased every game. Barneveld’s Izzy Durst capped four impressive years with leading the Golden Eagles to two state tournaments. She is heading to Division 2 UW-Parkside in Kenosha.

Brooke Wellnitz and Kylie Butler led Argyle/Pecatonica to the state tournament three seasons ago and Six Rivers East championships along the way. Wellnitz will return for her senior season while Butler graduates and is heading to UW-Milwaukee as the only Division 1 player in the Six Rivers.

Durst, Wellnitz and Butler are all first team all-state in Division 5.

Maddy Kabathelped Mineral Point to the SWAL crown and established herself as one of the top posts in the state. She earned honorable mention all-state in Division 4.

Every team we covered had at least one player who was a standout.

And the coaching ….

Jim Myers, who has more wins than anyone in the state, got to state for the 12th time in his career. He had to overcome some personal tragedy and came back to help the Eagles fulfil both their potential and their dreams. He is a gem to the coaching profession and as a person.

First year coach Merill Brunson, a standout player in his own right from Richland Center and UW- Platteville, guided the Pointers to the SWAL title.

Argyle/Pecatonica has become a real force since Jen Wellnitz- Krogman assumed the head coaching spot. A former Black Hawk and UW-Green Bay star she has become a strong coach. Veteran mentor Josh Tarrell saw Highland picked for the bottom but had the Cardinals in contention in the Six Rivers West all season.

Add in up and coming coaches Joe Woodhouse at River Valley, Alan Seabrooke at Dodgeville and Jessica Schultz at Iowa-Grant and the future of girls basketball in the area is in good hands.

Here are the players who make up the 2025-26 Dodgeville Chronicle All-Area Girls Basketball team.

FIRST TEAM ALL-AREA GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM

Izabel Durst. Sr Guard 5’8

Coach Jim Myers-

“I think Iz should be considered for POTY for all she does for this team and how the team turned it around this year from an 8-7 start to 14 straight”

Hannah Esch Sr Guard 5-6

Erin Lasse Sr Forward 5-8

Aleea Norton Sr Forward 5-9

Rowan Valcheff Soph Guard 5-7

Eliza Gordon Jr Guard 5-2

Statistics

2.8 ppg
82 TP
61 Reb
22 Assist
41 steals

Coach Jim Myers-

“Her defense in the games Rowan was hurt was key for us to make it back to state.”

HIGHLAND

Cardinals

Sophia Tarrell Junior

Adilyn Esser Sophomore

Celia Oleson Sophomore

Addison Bedward Senior

Brinleigh Bollant Senior

MINERAL POINT

Pointers

Maddy Kabat 5′ 10″ Senior

Ava Ingwell 5′ 7″ Junior

Sadie Miller 5′ 6″ Junior

Sophie Miller 5′ 6″ Junior

Jayden Schultz 5’9″ Senior

ARGYLE/PECATONICA

Booke Wellnitz

5’10 SF Junior

Coach Jen Wellnitz-Krogman

“Everything we do runs through

Brooke. Everytime she touches the ball, 2-3 girls sink down to help! Super efficient and her most impressive part of her game is her rebounding.”

Kylie Butler 5-8 Guard Sr

Coach Jen Wellnitz-Krogman

“Only kid in the conference with a D1 scholarship and surpassed 2000 career points.”

Avari Steiner 5-8 SG Jr

Loretta Tisch 5-7 SG Sr

Aleah Harris 5-10 PF Jr

Statistics

3.9 ppg
141 rebounds
5.2 rpg
1 apg

RIVER VALLEY

Blackhawks

Brooklyn Stokes 5-8 Guard Sr

Coach Joe Woodhouse-

“Brooklyn was one of the key players to our success this season and one of the most athletic girls in the area playing basketball. She led the team in Points (15.7), Steals (3.7), and Assists (2.5) as well as had the best FT% (72.3%) and had the most 3’s (51). She really stepped forward as a leader on and off the court and had a great senior season. Brooklyn was also a terror in transition and also our best perimeter defender.”

Ella Myers 6-1 Post Junior

Coach Joe Woodhouse-

“Ella was one of the most dominating posts in the area on defense. She averaged 14 rebounds a game as well as four blocks. She changed so many shots as well just by her presence on the court. She also attracted a lot of attention on the offense as well because of her ability to finish around the basketball hoop and averaged almost 10 points a game as well. I can’t wait to see her continue to grow and take another step forward next year as a senior.”

Brooklyn White 5-10 Post Soph

Coach Joe Woodhouse-

“Brooklyn came on strong after missing her entire freshman year with a shoulder injury. She is one of the most athletic players in the area and has relentless hustle on the offense and defensive end of the courts. She was second on the team in points (11.6), rebounds (7.5), steals (2.4), and also shot al-most 50% from the field. I can’t wait to see her progress now with a full offseason.”

DODGEVILLLE

Dodgers

Abilene Bartz G/F Junior

Coach Alan Seabrooke

“Abilene played every position for us on offense, and often guarded the top player on the other team. She was our leading scorer as well.”

Marlie McGraw F Junior

Coach Alan Seabrooke-

“Marlie was a steady presence for us all season. She really improved on attacking the basket harder at the end of the season.”

Emma Dougherty

Coach Alan Seabroooke

“Emma ran the team as the point guard and led the team in assists and rebounds. “

Lydia Rielly PG/G Junior

Coach Alan Seabrooke-

“Lydia was our most improved player this year, as she became a strong threat from the outside.”

IOWA-GRANT

Panthers

Leah Nelson 5-6 PG/SG/F Fr

Coach Jessica Schultz-

“Leah has been a leader in this program starting as early as last year as an eighth grader. She was a manager for us all season and would also come to our varsity practices to help us out. This year as a freshman she stepped up for us big time. She was often the girl we looked to to make big plays and to guard the other team’s best player. She was always smiling even when things weren’t going well and had the best attitude all season long.”

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