From possible regional repeats for Ottawa, Seneca and Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland to new head coaches, programs poised for a bounce-back, and way-too-early Times Player of the Year candidates, here are five storylines we’re watching as the 2025-26 girls basketball season tips off Monday.

Can the area top last year’s number of regional champions?

Of the 12 girls basketball teams in The Times coverage area last season, three – Ottawa in Class 3A, Seneca in Class 2A and Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland in Class 1A – brought home regional championships. And while all three bring back a handful of key players from those regional championship rosters, each also suffered significant losses to graduation, including the leading scorer for each team.

Joining them as preseason regional championship candidates this winter?

Marquette brings back its top two scorers, Times All-Area first-teamer Kaitlyn Davis and second-teamer Hunter Hopkins, from a 21-11 team a year ago.

Last season’s junior-led Fieldcrest squad is this season’s senior-led team with a new head coach and a drop down in classification from 2A to 1A, a scary prospect for central Illinois’ smaller programs.

Serena won 23 games and the Little Ten Conference championship before falling by seven points in a 1A regional championship game to Yorkville Christian. More on the Huskers later.

And Dwight made it to a regional championship game before falling to eventual Class 1A third-place finisher Cissna Park.

How will Ottawa follow up its 24-win, regional championship season?

The Pirates captured the 15th regional title in program history and – shockingly given their success year after year – first in a dozen years last winter, capping off a 24-8 season that also saw them finish tied for second in the tough Interstate 8 Conference.

The 2024-25 Times Girls Basketball Player of the Year, Marlie Orlandi, is gone to Pomp and Circumstance, as are a few more of last year’s starters, but Ottawa, per usual, looks to be reloading instead of rebuilding, with multiple players expected to step into larger roles for a program that has posted a .500 or better record 22 of the past 23 seasons.

How will Season 1 go for the new head coaches across the area?

There are several first-year [or first-year-at-a-new-school] head coaches in The Times area.

Jacob Durdan, Streator’s former head coach, takes over a Fieldcrest program that appears to be in position for a bounce-back campaign. Durdan’s former assistant, Eric Gwaltney, steps into the head coaching role at Streator. And Ray Napientek takes over the Sandwich girls basketball program.

Of the three, only Fieldcrest (16-15) posted an above-average record last season, and even that was a significant step down from the program’s recent run of success. So all three new head coaches will be trying to build or rebuild winning cultures as they take the reins.

Can Serena maintain its Little Ten Conference dominance?

The Huskers have claimed the last five Little Ten championships and haven’t lost a regular-season LTC contest since Dec. 5, 2019, a lopsided loss to a Newark squad that ultimately eliminated that season’s Huskers from the postseason. Since then, it’s been 36 consecutive regular-season Little Ten victories.

Only one starter, forward Kendall Whiteaker, returns from last year’s team. The Huskers did utilize a deep bench last winter, however, and will have multiple girls with varsity experience stepping into larger roles with hopes of keeping their winning run going.

When it’s all said and done, who will be crowned the 2025-26 Times Girls Basketball Player of the Year?

With four of the five first-teamers from last year’s Times All-Area Team gone to graduation, the race appears to be wide open for this year’s top end-of-season honor.

Ten of the leading candidates based on last year’s performances and their expected roles this winter? Ottawa’s Mary Stisser, Fieldcrest’s Macy Gochanour and Pru Mangan, Streator’s Ava Gwaltney, Marquette’s Kaitlyn Davis and Hunter Hopkins, Somonauk/Leland’s Abby Hohmann, FCW’s Emma Palaschak, Seneca’s Grayson Provance and Serena’s Kendall Whiteaker.

Their paths begin Monday in gyms across Illinois.