There were a lot of players who enjoyed incredible success on the court this season in what is becoming a tradition in district girls basketball.
Several top players eclipsed 1,000 points in the career while a couple of others surpassed the rare 2,000 points scored plateau in 2026.
While we salute all of those who participated in a memorable girls high school basketball campaign, we have a special seat in the front of the classroom for those players who were just a tad better than the others.
The following standout performers will fill those seats after being named the Trib HSSN Head of the Class for the 2026 season in each of the six WPIAL classifications and the City League.
Class 6A
Madison Clair, Canon-McMillan
In a golden season for Canon-McMillan, the straw the stirred the Big Macs’ drink so often was senior swing Madison Clair. The 5-foot-10 guard/forward led the way to the finals for the blue and gold with a 15-point performance against Seneca Valley in the semis. In the title game at The Pete against traditional power Norwin, Clair scored a game-high 15 points and had eight rebounds, two assists and three blocks in a 50-38 triumph that gave the Big Macs their first WPIAL girls basketball championship. In the PIAA playoffs, Clair led the Big Macs with 47 points in three games, including 18 in a win over Allderdice.
Class 5A
Haylie Lamonde, Juliette Leroux, Ryan Oldaker, South Fayette
A golden shout out to the Lions’ three seniors Haylie Lamonde, Juliette Leroux and Ryan Oldaker, who reached the WPIAL finals four times, winning three titles, and playing in the PIAA title game three times with back-to-back state gold. Tough to pick one for this exercise, so we didn’t. Leroux was the team’s leading scorer in the regular season, averaging 15.7 points per game, Lamonde led the way in the WPIAL championship game win over Peters Township with a game-high 19 points, and Oldaker led the way with 15 points in the PIAA finals triumph over Archbishop Wood.
Class 4A
Aubree Hupp, Blackhawk
For a fourth straight season, Blackhawk enjoyed great regular season success and was the top seed in the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs only to reach the district title game and fall to a Catholic school power. In 2023 and 2024, it was North Catholic raising gold, and in 2025 and 2026, it was Oakland Catholic. The one link to all four silver seasons for the Cougars was the dominant play of senior Aubree Hupp. She finished in the top 10 in WPIAL scoring and led Blackhawk in points in the postseason, highlighted by a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds in the WPIAL 4A finals. She was Class 4A player of the year in 2025 as well.
Class 3A
Mimi Thiero, Quaker Valley
The Trib HSSN 2025 girls basketball player of the year did not disappoint in her senior season, finishing as the WPIAL’s leading scorer, 4.5 points per game ahead of her closest rival. She was the focus of every Quaker Valley opponent, yet she would not be denied her points while defending and rebounding as well in helping the Quakers to a 19-win season. She was brilliant in the postseason, scoring 30 in a WPIAL first-round win over Keystone Oaks and 27 points in a quarterfinal loss to Seton LaSalle. In consolation game wins over Avonworth and OLSH, she scored a combined 55 points. Thiero finished her career by scoring 15 of her team’s 22 points in a state playoff loss to Northwestern.
Class 2A
Payton Newman, Neshannock
Much like she did in the 2025 season, Payton Newman was a force in leading Neshannock. She followed up a strong regular season with an eye-popping postseason in which she scored 66 points in leading to Lancers back to the WPIAL Class 2A finals. At the Pete, she was dominant in registering a double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds. She added five steals and six blocked shots as the Lancers returned to the district winners circle with a nine-point win over Winchester Thurston. She continued to dominate in the state playoffs, highlighted by a 29-point performance in a quarterfinal win over Kennedy Catholic.
Class A
Emma Larkin, Geibel Catholic
One thing Emma Larkin did not have a problem with during her outstanding four years at Geibel Catholic was scoring the basketball. She finished in the top five in scoring in the district during the regular season, which saw the Gators only lose one game, and that was in their regular season finale. In the postseason, Larkin scored a combined 47 points in victories over St. Joseph and top-seeded Aquinas Academy. In the WPIAL Class A finals against Serra Catholic, Larkin had a game-high 22 points and registered 10 rebounds in a close loss to the Eagles.
City League
Bailey White, Allderdice
Bailey White not only led the City League in scoring this season, she was second in all local girls basketball in the regular season with 559 points for an average of 26.6 points per game, trailing only Mimi Thiero of Quaker Valley. Big Game Bailey won the City League championship and MVP honors for a third straight year by scoring 32 points in a victory over Obama Academy. In a PIAA first-round victory over 2025 runner-up Upper St. Clair, White scored 22 points in the Dragons’ seven-point win. She had 20 points in a season-ending loss to WPIAL Class 6A champion Canon-McMillan in the state second round.