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Waukee Northwest closed the season still at the summit of Iowa high school softball, holding No. 1 from the opening poll through the final rankings after defending its state crown. The result cements the program’s standing and reshapes expectations for next spring as many contenders lose key players or return core talent.
Final High School On SI Iowa Softball Top 25 — July 27, 2026
The poll reflects results from the state tournament and the summer postseason. Below is the complete Top 25 with each team’s final record, previous ranking and a short note on how the season ended.
| Rank | Team | Record | Previous | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waukee Northwest | 37-4 | No. 1 | Defended the Class 5A title; decisive sixth-inning homer; key contributors return. |
| 2 | Ankeny Centennial | 38-4 | No. 2 | Runner-up in 5A after a late two-run homer; several seniors moving on to college programs. |
| 3 | ADM | 37-4 | No. 3 | Class 4A champions; shutout in the title game behind Lauren Hagedorn. |
| 4 | Carlisle | 36-7 | No. 8 | Reached the 4A final after a dramatic elimination-game victory; coach James Flaws keeps the program competitive. |
| 5 | Dubuque Wahlert Catholic | 36-6 | No. 9 | Won Class 3A thanks to four home runs in the final; Julia Roth homered twice and finished with two RBI. |
| 6 | Fort Dodge | 41-6 | No. 5 | Made a deep run to the 4A quarterfinals; lose just two seniors and project well for 2027. |
| 7 | Williamsburg | 41-7 | No. 12 | Fell in the 3A final to Dubuque Wahlert Catholic; missed chance at a fourth state title. |
| 8 | Western Dubuque | 34-10 | No. 6 | Tough draw at state—two losses to ADM ended the run in 4A. |
| 9 | West Des Moines Valley | 34-10 | No. 4 | Regular-season sweep of Southeast Polk didn’t translate at state; eliminated after two losses. |
| 10 | Dallas Center-Grimes | 31-8 | No. 7 | Solid first season in Class 5A, proved capable of competing with the state’s powerhouses. |
| 11 | Cedar Rapids Kennedy | 34-10 | No. 11 | Stable finish with similar placement to the preseason rank. |
| 12 | Mount Vernon | 35-9 | No. 14 | Moved up in the final poll after a strong regular season and postseason showing. |
| 13 | Grand View Christian | 32-4 | Unranked | Breakout season earns first appearance in the Top 25. |
| 14 | Clarksville | 28-8 | Unranked | Season marked by steady results and entry into the final poll. |
| 15 | Albia | 33-3 | No. 10 | Strong record but slipped a few slots in the closing rankings. |
| 16 | Southeast Polk | 26-18 | No. 18 | Experienced a tougher postseason despite regular-season success vs. some rivals. |
| 17 | Edgewood‑Colesburg | 28-11 | Unranked | Returns to the list after a season of notable wins. |
| 18 | Exira‑EHK/Audubon | 25-6 | No. 13 | Maintained a top-20 presence through consistent play. |
| 19 | Clear Creek‑Amana | 31-13 | No. 15 | Held steady in the middle of the poll after a long schedule. |
| 20 | PCM | 27-6 | No. 16 | Small slide but remains among the state’s top programs. |
| 21 | Pleasant Valley | 25-14 | No. 17 | Solid season that kept them inside the Top 25. |
| 22 | Winterset | 24-15 | No. 19 | Minor movement in the final poll after tournament play. |
| 23 | Burlington | 27-8 | No. 20 | Finished with a winning record and a small climb in the poll. |
| 24 | Dowling Catholic | 20-18 | No. 21 | Experienced a down year relative to recent seasons but stayed ranked. |
| 25 | Davenport Assumption | 30-9 | No. 22 | Closed the season with a strong overall ledger and re-entry into the Top 25. |
- Notable dropouts: Sergeant Bluff‑Luton, Missouri Valley and Atlantic fell out of the final Top 25.
- State champions: Waukee Northwest (5A), ADM (4A), Dubuque Wahlert Catholic (3A) — performances that shaped the final rankings.
- Rosters to watch: Several top teams return core players (Waukee Northwest’s Sophia Schlader among them), while others will rebuild after losing college‑bound seniors.
Why this matters going into 2027
Final rankings do more than honor results: they influence offseason recruiting attention, preseason expectations and the way programs schedule nonconference tests. Teams that return most contributors — and those that barely missed state — are often treated as favorites in next year’s polls.
For the reigning top programs, maintaining momentum is the challenge. For teams that climbed late or debuted in the poll, the task is to convert this season’s success into sustained depth and culture. Expect the Top 25 to look familiar but with fresh contenders when polls resume in spring.
