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 Southwest Conference projections for 2025-26.
Minden outscored Gothenburg 56-50 in the Class C1 Consolation Championship contest in Lincoln last March, going 2-1 against the Swedes in 2024-25. But Minden graduated seven seniors that played a lot of basketball for head coach Allie Prososki. Gothenburg, on the other hand, returns a high majority of its roster.
Therefore, we are leaning towards the Swedes in this year's Southwest Conference race.
Tim Strauser says – Welcome Back! – to junior Zoe Beveridge who lit up Swede foes for 12.8 points and grabbed almost three rebounds a contest to go with 87 assists, 47 steals and 11 blocked shots and earned First Team All-Southwest Conference honors in 2024-25.
Senior Halsey Thomalla will try to improve on the 12.1 points and 4.4 boards she produced a year ago. The 5-foot-11 Forward also hounded Swede foes for 48 assists, 41 steals and 14 blocked shots last winter. Senior Lindly Anderson and Ellie Wyatt combined for 11 points and 7.7 rebounds as Gothenburg made its strong postseason push.
Prososki does return senior Myla Emery who averaged 14.4 points and 5.3 rebounds a contest a year ago. The 5-foot-10 small forward added 77 assists, 63 steals and 11 blocked shots to her stat line to garner First Team All-Southwest Conference honors as well a year ago.
Broken Bow and Ogallala are both capable of taking over the conference race themselves after going 18-7 and 16-10 respectively and returning plenty of talent in 2025-26.
Enough of my rambling. Enjoy!
Girls Southwest Conference
Gothenburg (21-5)
Minden (26-3)
Broken Bow (18-7)
Ogallala (16-10)
McCook (15-10)
Holdrege (14-10)
Cozad (6-19)
Gothenburg
2024-25 Record: 21-5
Record Over Past Decade: 144-102
2024-25 Postseason: 1-2 | Class C1 Fourth Place
Head Coach: Tim Strauser
Top Returning Players:
Junior Zoe Beveridge | 5-foot-6 | Guard
12.8 Points | 2.7 Rebounds | 87 Assists | 47 Steals | 11 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
First Team All-Southwest Conference
Senior Halsey Thomalla | 5-foot-11 | Forward
12.1 Points | 4.4 Rebounds | 48 Assists | 41 Steals | 14 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star | Third Team All-Southwest Conference
Senior Lindly Anderson | 6-foot | Forward
5.6 Points | 4.0 Rebounds | 31 Assists | 30 Steals | 8 Blocked Shots
Senior Ellie Wyatt | 5-foot-6 | Guard
5.4 Points | 3.7 Rebounds | 62 Assists | 55 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
Minden
2024-25 Record: 26-3
Record Over Past Decade: 160-87
2024-25 Postseason: 2-1 | Class C1 Third Place
Head Coach: Allie Prososki
Top Returning Players:
Senior Myla Emery | 5-foot-10 | Small Forward
14.4 Points | 5.3 Rebounds | 77 Assists | 63 Steals | 11 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
First Team All-Southwest Conference
Broken Bow
2024-25 Record: 18-7
Record Over Past Decade: 165-78
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Kelly Cooksley
Top Returning Players:
Senior Charlee Myers | 5-foot-6 | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
10.1 Points | 2.0 Rebounds | 42 Assists | 32 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Heartland Super Squad
Senior Halle Quinn | 5-foot-5 | Point Guard
5.5 Points | 2.8 Rebounds | 54 Assists | 38 Steals | 0 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Heartland Super Squad
Senior Jayden Gaffney | 5-foot-5
5.5 Points | 1.8 Rebounds | 11 Assists | 28 Steals | 0 Blocked Shots
Ogallala
2024-25 Record: 16-10
Record Over Past Decade: 127-112
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: John Pohlson
Top Returning Players:
Sophomore Shaydyn Rasby | 5-foot-10 | Power Forward
12.2 Points | 8.6 Rebounds | 37 Assists | 70 Steals | 12 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Second Team All-Southwest Conference
Junior Aniston O'Neil | 5-foot-9
10.7 Points | 5.2 Rebounds | 50 Assists | 38 Steals | 11 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald
Senior Laney Caskey | 6-foot-1 | Power Forward | Center
9.7 Points | 9.2 Rebounds | 66 Assists | 57 Steals | 14 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
First Team All-Southwest Conference
Senior Hayden Shaw | 5-foot-5 | Guard
8.1 Points | 3.8 Rebounds | 84 Assists | 59 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Addison Slama | 5-foot | Point Guard
5.2 Points | 1.3 Rebounds | 69 Assists | 72 Steals | 0 Blocked Shots
Honorable Mention0 Class C1 Omaha World Herald
McCook
2024-25 Record: 15-10
Record Over Past Decade: 97-135
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Amy Scheil
Top Returning Players:
Junior Cali Crawford | 5-foot-11
13.5 Points | 5.9 Rebounds | 34 Assists | 28 Steals | 23 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
Second Team All-Southwest Conference
Senior Jaylea Walgren | 5-foot-7
5.6 Points | 4.8 Rebounds | 26 Assists | 50 Steals | 12 Blocked Shots
Holdrege
2024-25 Record: 14-10
Record Over Past Decade: 92-140
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Derek Runcie
Top Returning Players:
Senior Emily Stutzman | 5-foot-6 | Point Guard
13.0 Points | 4.8 Rebounds | 93 Assists | 55 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Second Team All-Southwest Conference
Sophomore Gracie Johnson | 6-foot | Guard | Small Forward
6.1 Points | 3.2 Rebounds | 26 Assists | 30 Steals | 12 Blocked Shots
Cozad
2024-25 Record: 6-19
Record Over Past Decade: 69-167
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Kip Stephens
Top Returning Players:
Senior Lucha Olvera | 5-foot-5
Senior Taryn Chytka | 5-foot-7
