COLUMBUS – The Ohio Prep Sports Media Association has announced the finalists for the 2026 Ohio Ms. Basketball Award. The winner will be announced next Thursday, March 12.
Voting is currently underway for the 229 registered OPSMA members and will end at noon on Monday, March 9.
The voting process for OPSMA members is the same as that used to determine the Heisman Trophy winner in college football. First place votes get three points, second-place votes get two points and third-place votes get one point.
Ohio’s Ms. Basketball was selected by the Associated Press from 1987-2016. Since 2017 it has been presented by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association.
The OPSMA All-Ohio teams will begin being released on Monday, March 23.
The finalists include:
Karsyn Erford, Ottawa-Glandorf
Guard averages 18.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists for the Titans, who were 25-0 entering a regional semifinal … is a two-time Western Buckeye League and OHSBCA District 8 Player of the Year, and a two-time Northwest District Player of the Year. The District 8 award is for divisions I-V. … Broke the O-G career scoring record on her 18th birthday on Jan. 22, and also owns a program record 10 three-pointers made in a single game … Will finish as a four-time All-Ohio selection, earning honorable and special mentions as a freshman and sophomore, and first team last season … O-G is 97-8 overall and 36-0 in the WBL with Erford in the lineup entering the regional tournament, which includes four district titles and a state runner-up … committed to NCAA Division II University of Findlay.
Tatiana Mason, Lyndhurst Brush
A Ms. Basketball finalist last season, Mason has filled it up for the Arcs (17-5) without fellow junior point guard Chaniyra McDowell-Isaacs in the lineup this season because of injury. Mason has picked up the slack by averaging 24.6 points with 11.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.3 steals for the Division III state-title hopefuls. Her productivity came against the second-most difficult RPI Division III schedule in the state (to Toledo Mount Notre Dame). Mason is committed to Ohio State, which offered her a scholarship as a sophomore during Brush’s run to the state semifinals. She is the daughter of 2000 Mr. Basketball winner Chet Mason.
Evelyn McKnight, Copley
Inland District POY and our Ms. Basketball nominee. 23.9 points, 5.9 steals, 5.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. Youngstown State University recruit. Has scored over 1,000 career points. Copley has another Division I college recruit in Audrey Parker (Central Michigan), but she suffered a season-ending injury in the first game of the season. McKnight had to step her game up and do more. Compiled a triple-double in a 61-39 win over Akron Ellet in district final with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Scored 31 points in 62-44 win over Walsh Jesuit in district semifinal. Ended regular season with 33 points in 66-59 win over Norton. She helped Copley earn share of Suburban League American Conference championship with Highland. Scored 17 points in a 58-45 win over Highland, and accounted for all but one point in a 48-44 loss to Highland by scoring 37 points and assisting Zoey Van Voorhis on two 3-pointers.
Nylah McShan, Steubenville
D-II Clarion (PA) signee and East District Division III player of the year was part of a Steubenville team that set the school record for single-season wins and reached D-III district finals. Averaged 20.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 2.5 assists.
Sydney Mobley, Sunbury Big Walnut
Forward is one of the most coveted recruits in the country (finalists are Ohio State, Florida, Notre Dame, Maryland, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Vanderbilt, Illinois, Michigan State, Virginia Tech), Mobley is seeking a third consecutive first-team All-Ohio selection (the first came with Division I Olentangy before transferring). Mobley is rated among the top 20 2027 recruits nationally by ESPN. Mobley averages 20.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks while shooting 58 percent from the field for a top-seeded 21-4 district championship team that advanced to the final four in 2025. A Ms. Basketball and Gatorade state player of the year nominee, Mobley is two-time District 11 coaches, All-Central District and Ohio Capital Conference Capital Division player of the year.
Kayla Thornton, Fairmont
Led the Firebirds to a 22-0 season, Greater Western Ohio Conference championship and a No. 1 seed in the Southwest District Division I tournament. She is the GWOC Player of the Year and the Southwest District Division I Player of the Year. Averaged a league-leading 18.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 4.2 steals. Shot 48.5% from the field, 28.4% from three and 72.7% from the free-throw line. Will play college basketball at Akron.
Whitney Stafford, Lewis Center Olentangy
Kent State signee, two-time Central District player of the year and Ms. Basketball nominee, Stafford averages 21.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals while shooting 45 percent from the field (34 percent from 3-point range with 60 made) and 83 percent at the line for a top-seeded 21-3 team that won its third consecutive district title. Stafford, a guard who made first-team All-Ohio as a sophomore and junior, is the school’s all-time leading scorer, regardless of gender, with roughly 1,700 points.
Ohio Ms. Basketball winners
2025 – Dee Alexander, Cincinnati Purcell Marian, senior
2024 – Dee Alexander, Cincinnati Purcell Marian, junior
2023 – Dee Alexander, Cincinnati Purcell Marian, sophomore
2022 – KK Bransford, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, senior
2021 – KK Bransford, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, junior
2020 – Madeline Westbeld, Kettering Fairmont, senior
2019 – Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley, senior
2018 – Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley, junior
2017 – Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley, sophomore
2016 – Jensen Caretti, Hannibal River, senior
2015 – Hallie Thome, Chagrin Falls, senior
2014 – Kelsey Mitchell, Cin. Princeton, senior
2013 – Ashley Morrissette, Twinsburg, senior
2012 – Ameryst Alston, Canton McKinley, senior
2011 – Ameryst Alston, Canton McKinley, junior
2010 – Natasha Howard, Tol. Waite, senior
2009 – Kendall Hackney, Cin. Mount Notre Dame, senior
2008 – Amber Gray, West Chester Lakota West, senior
2007 – Jantel Lavender, Cleveland Central Catholic, senior
2006 – Tyra Grant, Youngstown Ursuline, senior
2005 – Maria Getty, Dayton Chaminade-Julienne, senior
2004 – Mel Thomas, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, senior
2003 – Brittany Hunter, Columbus Brookhaven, senior
2002 – Barbara Turner, Cleveland East Tech, senior
2001 – Michelle Munoz, Mason, senior
2000 – Michelle Munoz, Mason, junior
1999 – (TIE) Kaayla Chones, Eastlake North, senior; LaToya Turner, Pickerington, senior
1998 – Tamika Williams, Dayton Chaminade-Julienne, senior
1997 – Semeka Randall, Garfield Hts. Trinity, senior
1996 – Semeka Randall, Garfield Hts. Trinity, junior
1995 – Beth Ostendorf, Pickerington, senior
1994 – Na’Sheema Hillmon, Garfield Hts. Trinity, senior
1993 – Marlene Stollings, Beaver Eastern, senior
1992 – Katie Smith, Logan, senior
1991 – Vonda Ward, Garfield Hts. Trinity, senior
1990 – Vonda Ward, Garfield Hts. Trinity, junior
1989 – Carol Madsen, Reading, senior
1988 – Janet Haneberg, Cincinnati Seton, senior