For the eighth consecutive season, Outside the Huddle is proud to announce our EXCLUSIVE player All-Area basketball team for the girls as their seasons have concluded.
These are the 16 top players, as seen by OTH, during the 2024-2025 season. They are listed alphabetically by grade.
Below our official 16 player team are 14 more girls basketball players that make up our first ever OTH All-Area Honorable Mention group. Why Honorable Mention after seven years without one? Well there were a lot of players who deserved consideration and therefore some recognition. And OTH has never been afraid to change things up.
OTH ALL-AREA 2026
ALYSSA ANDERSON, WOODLAN, SENIOR
Anderson led the way for Woodlan, averaging 16.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.2 blocks. She was one of just two players in Northeast Indiana to average a double double this season. Anderson scored a career high 36 points against Bishop Luers while posting 11 double doubles this season. Her most notable double double game came with 20 points and 17 rebounds against Bluffton. She also had eight games with multiple blocked shots.
KONLEY AULT, BLUFFTON, SENIOR
Ault was the third highest scorer in Northeast Indiana this season and one of just three that scored over 20 points per game. Ault averaged 21.1 points per game to go with five rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.8 steals per game. Ault scored in double figures every game this season, including a program record 40 points against Southwood. Ault shot 40 percent from the field, led by a 14-of-17 (82%) game against Mississinewa. She also had eight steals against Southern Wells and seven against South Adams.
ALIVIA BOLINGER, CONCORDIA, SENIOR
Bolinger led the Cadets in most statistical categories with 19.3 points, 9 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 assists per game on the season. She scored her first of five games in the 30s in just the second game of the season and her last of those five with 32 points in the Sectional loss to DeKalb. Bolinger scored a career best 39 points against North Side. Bolinger had 10 double doubles on the season, including five straight from January 9-30. Bolinger will continue her playing career at PFW.
JOSLYN BRICKER, WARSAW, SENIOR
Bricker was named to the IBCA Supreme 15 as one of the best seniors in the state of Indiana. Her 24.8 points per game led all of Northeast Indiana, while she added 6.4 points, 4.6 assists and 2.4 steals per game. Not only did Bricker never score in single digits this season, she only scored under 20 on four occasions and was led by a 43 point game (on 17-of-23 shooting) against Peru. She also nabbed one double double on the season and had a season high in assists (9) against Wawasee and in steals (6) three times. She ended her career as Warsaw’s leading all-time scorer. Bricker was named an Indiana All-Star this season. She will continue her playing career at Butler.
MYAH EPPS, HOMESTEAD, SENIOR
Epps was named to the Supreme 15 by the IBCA as one of the top seniors in the state. Epps helped Homestead to another strong season, averaging 14 points to go with four rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game. Epps finished her senior season as one of the most decorated players in the area. Epps combined athleticism, poise and leadership to guide the Spartans while continuing to build on a standout career where she finished as Homestead’s third all-time scorer with 1,560 points. Epps was named an Indiana All-Star this season. She is committed to continue her basketball career at Louisville.
GABBY HELSOM, HOMESTEAD, SENIOR
Helsom led the Spartans with 14.2 points per game during her senior season, leading the Spartans to the SAC title and a Sectional final. She added 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game and was named to the IBCA’s Supreme 15 as one of the best 15 seniors in the state. Helsom remained a central piece of Homestead’s high-powered offense, helping lead a team widely regarded as one of the most dangerous shooting groups in the state. She will continue her playing career at Toledo.
VANESSA ROSSWURM, NORWELL, SENIOR
Rosswurm finished third in Miss Basketball voting and is an Indiana All-Star after taking Norwell to the Class 4A state finals, her third state finals in as many seasons. She finished her career as Norwell’s greatest scorer with records for most points in a game, season and career. During her senior season, Rosswurm led with a dynamic punch, averaging an area second best 23.3 points per game to go with 5.9 rebounds, 3.7 steals and 1.4 assists per game. She will continue her basketball career at Indiana Wesleyan.
MACIE SAALFRANK, NORWELL, SENIOR
Saalfrank had a stellar season to help lead the Knights back to the state finals, this time in Class 4A. Saalfrank averaged 15.5 points per game tp go with 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Perhaps most impressive was Saalfrank’s defensive prowess that helped create instant offense for Norwell, leading the way with 3.7 steals per game on the season; her 111 total steals in the most in a season for Norwell ever. Her 97 three point makes were also second in a season in Norwell history.
LEAH SHAPPELL, LEO, SENIOR
Shappell was one of just two players in Northeast Indian to average a double double this season with 17.3 points and an area best 11.1 rebounds per game. Shappell also added 3.6 assists, 3.5 steals and 3.5 blocks per game. She had 14 total double doubles with a season best 18 rebounds against Prairie Heights. Shappell had five or more steals on 8 occasions with a high of 9 against Churubusco and posted five or blocks also 8 times, led by 7 against South Adams. Shappell will go to college to play softball for Ferris State.
BROOKE ZARTMAN, WARSAW, SENIOR
One of the state’s best shooters in recent memory, Zartman was certainly the scariest threat behind the three point line. Zartman made 381 triples in her career, within breathing distance of the all-time record in the state of 406. She his 122 triples this year at a 42 percent success rate, while averaging 19.3 points, 2.6 steals, 2.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. She tied for the fifth best scoring season in Northeast Indiana and ended her career as Warsaw’s second all-time scorer and holds program records for threes made in a season and a career. Zartman was named an Indiana All-Star this season. Zartman will continue her playing career at Miami (OH).
TAYLOR MACK, EASTSIDE, JUNIOR
Mack stepped up in a big way for Eastside to lead the Blazers to a share of the NECC regular season title and a NECC Tournament crown. She averaged 16.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.4 assists per game for the Blazers. Mack’s season scoring the ball also placed her third all-time in Eastside single season scoring with 435 points.
GRACE SCHARLACH, FREMONT, JUNIOR
Leading Fremont to a share of the NECC title and a Class 1A state title game berth, Scharlach had the best season of her stellar career for the Eagles. She averaged 19.9 points per game, best for fourth in the area, to go with 3.7 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.4 assists per game. Scharlach broke four program records this season, with the most points in a season (619) as well as the highest field goal and free throw percentages in a season and most field goals made.
HALLIE SCHWIETERMAN, JAY COUNTY, JUNIOR
Continuing to up her level of play again this year, Schwieterman led the Patriots with 19.5 points per game, as the fourth highest scorer in Northeast Indiana. She added 4.8 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.7 assists per game on the season. She never had single digit scoring, but had two games in the 30s, with a season high 31 against New Castle. She had five games with five or more steals, including a season best 8 against Southern Wells, with a season best 7 assists against Muncie Central.
JAYMA STONEBRAKER, WHITKO, JUNIOR
Stonebraker was a massive part of pushing Whitko into being the top ranked team in Class 2A this season. She averaged 12.4 points, 4.2 steals, 4 assists and 3 rebounds per game for the Wildcats. She posted a season best 26 points (on 10-of-12 shooting) against Tippecanoe Valley. She had a single double double on the season with a season best 11 rebounds; she also had a game with 9 assists. A defensive strength for Whitko, Stonebraker had 11 games with five or more steals including a string of 6 – 7- 8 – 7 – 9 from January 10 through February 3.
ASHLEY BLEKE, BELLMONT, SOPHOMORE
Bellmont became the Class 3A state champions for the first time in their history, with Bleke helping to lead the way as an underclassman. She posted a team best 13.5 points per game this season to go with 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.7 steals as she helped effect the game in a multitude of ways for the Braves.
JANAYA COOPER, SNIDER, SOPHOMORE
Despite missing seven games this season, Cooper was a menace on both ends of the court when she played. She led the Panthers in scoring at 19.1 points per game and in steals with 3.2 per contest, while also adding 6.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Cooper posted a season best 33 points in a win over Norwell, while scoring 31 in the rematch; she was 27-of-36 in those two games and shot 54 percent from the field during the season. She had four double doubles on the season, going back-to-back twice against Norwell/Valpo and Carroll/Northrop while having five or more steals 5 times.
KENDALL VANDERWAL, ANGOLA, SOPHOMORE
Transferring to Angola from Ohio, VanderWal did not waste any time in making a major impact and putting the Hornets into a contendership role. She averaged 19.1 points and 9.7 rebounds to be one of the area’s best double double threats, adding 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals per game to her resume.
OTH ALL-AREA HONORABLE MENTION 2026
Averi Amstutz, East Noble, junior
Bri’Tanya Diedrich-Williams, South Side, sophomore
Emma Coffman, Garrett, sophomore
Karsyn Schwieterman, Jay County, freshman
Khala Williams-Thomas, Northrop, senior
Lily George, Carroll, senior
Lucy Kitchen, Eastside, junior
Madison Jones, Fairfield, junior
Marianne Bleke, Bellmont, sophomore
Mya Turner, Fremont, junior
Reese Stonebraker, Whitko, senior
Swynn Jackson, Northrop, senior
Whitney Ankenbruck, Homestead, senior
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