MaxPreps 2016-17 Vermont preseason high school girls basketball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

Video: TOC Girls Basketball - Champlain Valley Union (VT)
See the fun and revelry from when MaxPreps and the Army National Guard honored one of Vermont's best last year.


1. Champlain Valley Union (Hinesburg)
Head coach: Ute Otley
2015-16 record: 25-2

Until Champlain Valley Union loses a game, it will be the top-ranked team in Vermont. The Redhawks have won four straight state championships and they have won 95 games in a row in state. Gone are 2015-16 State Player of the Year Sadie Otley and 2014-15 State Player of the Year Laurel Jaunich, each of whom graduated. One player who could step forward is Shannon Loiseau, who recently helped lead Champlain Valley Union to a state championship in volleyball.

See the Vermont girls basketball computer rankings, presented by the Army National Guard

2. Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans)
Head coach: Glenn Johnson
2015-16 record: 12-12

The Bobwhites were a bit of surprise last year, as they entered the playoffs as a No. 10 seed but bumped off No. 2 Rice Memorial en route to facing Champlain Valley Union in the championship game. BFA returns third team All-State guard Hannah Earl to the lineup.

See the MaxPreps Vermont girls basketball stat leaders

3. Rice Memorial (South Burlington)
Head coach: Tim Rice
2015-16 record: 15-7 The Green Knights entered the postseason as the No. 2 overall seed, but an upset loss to Bellows Free Academy ended their season. Rice should have one of the state's top players in junior guard Lisa Sulejmani. As a sophomore, she earned first team All-State honors while averaging 17 points and four assists per game.

See the MaxPreps national girls basketball photos

4. Middlebury
Head coach: Jen Heath
2015-16 record: 11-10

The Tigers advanced to the state tournament, but they fell to Mount Anthony in the first round. The good news is that Middlebury returns one of the state's best players in Keagan Dunbar. The 5-foot-4 junior guard averaged 23 points per game, along with 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 steals.

See the MaxPreps Vermont girls basketball playoff brackets

5. Burlington
Head coach: Doug Cheeseman
2015-16 record: 15-8

The Seahorses reached the semifinals of the Division I tournament last year, falling to eventual champion Champlain Valley Union. Honorable mention All-State guard Hien Thach has graduated, but Norah Mitchell, a senior forward who also earned honorable mention All-State honors, returns.