Angola has plenty of reasons to believe its next step can be a significant one. With five starters returning and nearly the entire roster back, the Hornets enter the 2026-27 season with an experienced core, established production and a clear goal of competing for an NECC championship. After finishing 15-8 last season, Angola has a foundation that allows it to focus on improving the details that can turn a competitive team into a conference contender under second year head coach Caela Walker.
The heart of that optimism is a five-player junior class featuring Kendall VanderWal, Kendall Holman, Stella Stockamp, Ella Savick and Hadleigh Pocock. Together, those returning starters averaged a combined 48.1 points per game last season, giving Angola substantial offensive production to build around. Their familiarity with one another should also create opportunities for better execution and communication. Experience is one of the program’s identified strengths, and the Hornets are looking to translate another year together into growth on both ends of the floor.
VanderWal will be central to those efforts after delivering an impressive first season at Angola. The junior guard averaged 19.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 74.4 percent at the foul line. Her ability to finish inside was especially productive, with a 57.8 percent mark on two-point attempts. VanderWal earned first-team All-NECC recognition and twice received IBCA Player of the Week honors, including a January stretch in which she averaged 27 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists across three victories. That week concluded with a 34-point, 11-rebound, six-assist performance against Bishop Dwenger.
Holman gives Angola an important interior complement to VanderWal’s perimeter production. The junior center averaged 8.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game, providing both a scoring presence around the basket and protection at the other end. Her 2.9 offensive rebounds per contest also created additional opportunities for the Hornets, an asset for a team seeking greater offensive consistency. An honorable mention All-NECC selection last season, Holman returns as a proven contributor whose rebounding and shot blocking can help support Angola’s athletic guards.
Stockamp is another established scoring option after averaging 9.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game. She made 1.3 three-pointers per contest while also contributing on the glass and defensively, giving the Hornets a player whose impact extends beyond scoring. Stockamp joined VanderWal on the All-NECC first team, meaning Angola brings back two players already recognized among the conference’s best. Continued development in her shooting efficiency and decision-making would give the Hornets another way to strengthen an offense with several familiar weapons.
Savick and Pocock complete the returning starting group and provide important support around Angola’s leading scorers. Savick averaged 7.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists, while her 1.7 steals and 2.3 deflections per game reflected her defensive activity. She also demonstrated her scoring upside with 19 points in a January victory over Westview. Pocock contributed 4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, averaging one made three-pointer per outing. With both guards back, Angola has opportunities to spread production throughout its lineup and capitalize on the speed and quickness the program identifies as another major strength.
The returning experience extends to the bench, where sophomore guards Brynlee Knox and Avery Judson join seniors Cali Houtz and Bri Resor. Knox and Judson each appeared in 13 games last season, giving them varsity exposure to build on as they pursue larger roles. Houtz and Resor add a senior presence to a roster whose starting core is still composed entirely of juniors. Developing dependable contributions throughout that group would give Angola more flexibility and help sustain its energy over the course of games.
Additional competition and depth will come from JV returners Kaylee Voigt and Mackenzie Tarbet, along with freshmen Stella Dilts, Natalee Stroud and Anna Keim. The program is looking forward to building with that blend of returning players and newcomers, creating opportunities for younger players to learn alongside an established varsity core. Their development will be part of Angola’s broader emphasis but with the ability to bring them along as needed due to the experienced depth at the front of the lineup.
For Angola, the challenge is to turn continuity into measurable improvement. The Hornets already have scoring, rebounding, rim protection and athleticism
“We are looking forward to the 26-27 season and are ready to get started and get to work,” says Walker.
WHY #8?
Angola bringing almost everyone back is massive for the Hornets. The top end of the NECC was and continues to be really heavy so to have so much back to contend with the top teams from last season not only is important, it helps make the NECC arguably the deepest conference at the top in the area.
Angola is a team that gets to be comfortable early and often and that is not a luxury that many teams get, especially with a second year head coach and a star who is just in her second season in the program as well. This is a team that will get comfortable but will not settle. They start at number eight in our preseason power poll, but may easily end up one of the fastest risers this season as a team.
CRITICAL GAME – NOVEMBER 28 vs. NORWELL
We skip over a conference game against Eastside, which will be very important, to get to this game in part because Norwell is the measuring stick for every program in the area. As Angola continues to improve the depth of their program – not just their varsity – team, this is a night that will be big for the program from top to bottom. But once the varsity game comes around, Angola will have to be at the top of their game to battle the reigning Class 4A runner up.
CRUCIAL PLAYER
It is a no brainer to say Kendall VanderWal, who wow’d early and oftern during her sophomore campaign after moving in to Angola. She is a D1 prospect who is among the best players in her class in the state so her impact is almost immeasurable as her game continues to grow. This past summer she was the MVP of the Futures Game.
VanderWal is a game changer and every team is going to have to plan and over plan for VanderWal, but what we’ve seen about her already is that her game is still evolving so what you may know about her in November is likely not the same situation you may find yourself under come January or the NECC Tournament.
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