De Soto was the biggest riser in the girls basketball seeds released today compared to the mid-season report

The WIAA has released the 2026 Girls' Basketball Playoff Brackets, which can be viewed below. This was the first year that the WIAA also released mid-season seeds, which was requested and proposed by the Basketball Coaches Advisory Committee to increase transparency and give teams an idea of where they stand heading into the latter part of the year, as well as increase discussion about the basketball season.

With final seeds now available, we can compare how teams moved, if at all, from the mid-season seeds released on January 30th to the final seeds released today.

Below are the final brackets for each division: The bracket is set up to show Sectional Matchups. i.e. 1 vs. 4. You will need to click on 2 vs. 3 at the top to see the other half of the bracket.

(You may need to refresh your browser to view the updated brackets)

Mid-Season vs Final Seed Comparison

There were just two weeks from when the WIAA released the mid-season report to the final seeds, and it was uncertain how much movement there would be around the state. We have broken things down, with the entire list of the 458 participating teams below, showing the change for every squad.

Overall, an evaluation of the numbers shows a relative lack of change over the last two weeks. 256 of the 458 teams (56%) did not change from the mid-season report to the final seeds. 76 improved their seed by one spot, while 65 dropped one position in their bracket. That means 397 of 458 teams (87%) had no change or moved just one position. There were 23 teams that went down two seeds, six that went down three seeds, and four that saw their seed move down four spots.

A total of 20 teams improved their seed by two, with four moving up three seeds, a trio of teams improving four spots, and one moving up five positions.

The biggest risers were:

  • De Soto (5 positions)

  • Providence Academy GB (4 positions)

  • Milwaukee Pulaski co-op (4 positions)

  • Markesan (4 positions)

The teams that saw their seed drop the most from the mid-season report to the finals were:

  • Niagara (4 positions)

  • Badger (4 positions)

  • Elk Mouond (4 positions)

  • Delavan-Darien (4 positions)

When looking at the number one seeds, 30 of the 36 top seeds stayed the same from the mid-season report to the final seeds. Blair-Taylor, Winneconne, Saint Thomas More, Neillsville, and Albany/Monticello slid one spot to second, while Elk Mound saw a big drop from a number one seed at the mid-season release to a five-seed in the final seeds.

Denmark and Regis rose from a three-seed in the mid-season report to a top-seed at the end of the year. Independence/Gilmanton, Saint Croix Central, Milwaukee Academy of Science, and Deerfield all moved up one spot to a top seed in the final release.

It should be noted that Holy Redeemer, Milwaukee Lifelong Learning, and Destiny dropped out of the playoffs after the mid-season seed report came out, though all were at the bottom of their bracket at that time.

Full Comparison

Team

Sectional

Final Seed

Mid-Season Seed

Change

Stevens Point

1

1

1

None

Notre Dame

1

2

2

None

Kimberly

1

3

4

Up 1

Eau Claire Memorial

1

4

3

Down 1

De Pere

1

5

5

None

Bay Port

1

6

6

None

Hudson

1

7

8

Up 1

Hortonville

1

8

9

Up 1

Holmen

1

9

7

Down 2

Appleton North

1

10

10

None

Green Bay Preble

1

11

11

None

D.C. Everest

1

12

12

None

Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln

1

13

13

None

Kaukauna

1

14

14

None

Eau Claire North

1

15

16

Up 1

Superior

1

16

18

Up 2

Chippewa Falls

1

17

15

Down 2

Wausau West

1

18

17

Down 1

Pewaukee

2

1

1

None

Appleton East

2

2

2

None

Hartford Union

2

3

3

None

Milwaukee King

2

4

4

None

Neenah

2

5

5

None

Divine Savior Holy Angels

2

6

6

None

Sheboygan North

2

7

7

None

Hamilton

2

8

8

None

Germantown

2

9

10

Up 1

Homestead

2

10

9

Down 1

Manitowoc Lincoln

2

11

11

None

Oshkosh West

2

12

12

None

Menomonee Falls

2

13

13

None

Oshkosh North

2

14

15

Up 1

Milwaukee Riverside

2

15

17

Up 2

Fond du Lac

2

16

14

Down 2

Waukesha North/Waukesha South

2

17

16

Down 1

Appleton West

2

18

18

None

Arrowhead

3

1

1

None

Waunakee

3

2

2

None

Brookfield East

3

3

3

None

Mukwonago

3

4

4

None

Verona

3

5

5

None

Madison La Follette

3

6

6

None

Madison Memorial

3

7

8

Up 1

Oconomowoc

3

8

7

Down 1

Janesville Craig

3

9

10

Up 1

Monona Grove

3

10

9

Down 1

Kettle Moraine

3

11

11

None

Middleton

3

12

14

Up 2

Oregon

3

13

12

Down 1

Sun Prairie East

3

14

13

Down 1

Beloit Memorial

3

15

16

Up 1

Sun Prairie West

3

16

15

Down 1

Janesville Parker

3

17

17

None

Madison East

3

18

18

None

Madison West

3

19

19

None

Wauwatosa East

4

1

1

None

Kenosha Indian Trail

4

2

2

None

Milwaukee Pulaski/Carmen South/Carmen Southeast

4

3

7

Up 4

Muskego

4

4

3

Down 1

Oak Creek

4

5

5

None

Kenosha Bradford

4

6

6

None

Franklin

4

7

9

Up 2

Badger

4

8

4

Down 4

Milwaukee Reagan

4

9

8

Down 1

Saint Joan Antida/Tenor/Veritas

4

10

11

Up 1

Racine Park

4

11

10

Down 1

Milwaukee Hamilton/Audubon Technology

4

12

13

Up 1

Westosha Central

4

13

14

Up 1

Racine Case

4

14

12

Down 2

Kenosha Tremper

4

15

15

None

West Allis Hale

4

16

16

None

Racine Horlick

4

17

17

None

Webster

1A

1

1

None

Rice Lake

1A

1

1

None

Colfax

1A

1

1

None

Saint Croix Central

1A

1

2

Up 1

Solon Springs

1A

2

2

None

La Crosse Central

1A

2

2

None

Cameron

1A

2

2

None

Prescott

1A

2

4

Up 2

Onalaska

1A

3

3

None

Baldwin-Woodville

1A

3

3

None

Shell Lake

1A

3

3

None

Northwood

1A

3

4

Up 1

Medford

1A

4

4

None

South Shore

1A

4

5

Up 1

Arcadia

1A

4

5

Up 1

Boyceville

1A

4

5

Up 1

Elk Mound

1A

5

1

Down 4

Ladysmith

1A

5

4

Down 1

Winter

1A

5

6

Up 1

Menomonie

1A

5

6

Up 1

Turtle Lake

1A

6

3

Down 3

River Falls

1A

6

5

Down 1

Amery

1A

6

6

None

Grantsburg

1A

6

6

None

Sparta

1A

7

7

None

Saint Croix Falls

1A

7

7

None

Prairie Farm/Clayton

1A

7

7

None

Bruce

1A

7

9

Up 2

Siren

1A

8

8

None

Osceola

1A

8

8

None

Phillips

1A

8

8

None

La Crosse Logan

1A

8

10

Up 2

Flambeau

1A

9

7

Down 2

New Richmond

1A

9

8

Down 1

Somerset

1A

9

9

None

Unity

1A

9

11

Up 2

Tomah

1A

10

9

Down 1

Chetek-Weyerhaeuser

1A

10

9

Down 1

Washburn

1A

10

10

None

Ellsworth

1A

10

10

None

Cumberland

1A

11

10

Down 1

Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau

1A

11

11

None

Bayfield

1A

11

12

Up 1

Black River Falls

1A

12

12

None

Ashland

1A

12

12

None

Frederic

1A

12

13

Up 1

Luck

1A

13

11

Down 2

Birchwood

1A

14

14

None

Drummond

1A

15

16

Up 1

Lac Courte Oreilles

1A

16

15

Down 1

Eleva-Strum

1B

1

1

None

Shawano

1B

1

1

None

Wittenberg-Birnamwood

1B

1

1

None

Regis

1B

1

3

Up 2

Neillsville

1B

2

1

Down 1

New Auburn

1B

2

2

None

Marinette

1B

2

2

None

Hayward

1B

2

2

None

McDonell Central Catholic

1B

3

2

Down 1

Owen-Withee

1B

3

3

None

Rhinelander

1B

3

3

None

Mosinee

1B

3

3

None

Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran

1B

4

4

None

Bloomer

1B

4

4

None

Fall Creek

1B

4

4

None

New London

1B

4

5

Up 1

Waupaca

1B

5

4

Down 1

Menominee Nation

1B

5

5

None

Durand-Arkansaw

1B

5

5

None

Gilman

1B

5

6

Up 1

Pulaski

1B

6

6

None

Altoona

1B

6

6

None

Cadott

1B

6

6

None

Loyal

1B

6

7

Up 1

Alma Center Lincoln

1B

7

5

Down 2

Marshfield

1B

7

7

None

Northwestern

1B

7

7

None

Spencer

1B

7

9

Up 2

Tomahawk

1B

8

8

None

Whitehall

1B

8

8

None

Spring Valley

1B

8

9

Up 1

Lakeland

1B

8

9

Up 1

Mondovi

1B

9

7

Down 2

Wausau East

1B

9

10

Up 1

Spooner

1B

9

10

Up 1

Augusta

1B

9

12

Up 3

Clear Lake

1B

10

8

Down 2

Merrill

1B

10

8

Down 2

Stanley-Boyd

1B

10

9

Down 1

Colby

1B

10

10

None

Lake Holcombe

1B

11

10

Down 1

Antigo

1B

11

11

None

Northland Pines

1B

11

11

None

Abbotsford

1B

11

11

None

Barron

1B

12

12

None

Osseo-Fairchild

1B

12

12

None

Glenwood City

1B

12

14

Up 2

Plum City/Elmwood

1B

13

11

Down 2

Greenwood/Granton

1B

14

13

Down 1

Thorp

1B

15

15

None

Cornell

1B

16

16

None

Edgewood

2A

1

1

None

Aquinas

2A

1

1

None

Saint Mary Catholic

2A

1

1

None

Independence/Gilmanton

2A

1

2

Up 1

Blair-Taylor

2A

2

1

Down 1

Milton

2A

2

2

None

Wisconsin Dells

2A

2

2

None

Marathon

2A

2

4

Up 2

DeForest

2A

3

3

None

Stratford

2A

3

3

None

Mauston

2A

3

4

Up 1

De Soto

2A

3

8

Up 5

Bonduel

2A

4

2

Down 2

Royall

2A

4

3

Down 1

Viroqua

2A

4

3

Down 1

Mount Horeb

2A

4

4

None

Alma/Pepin

2A

5

4

Down 1

Sauk Prairie

2A

5

5

None

West Salem

2A

5

5

None

Auburndale

2A

5

5

None

McFarland

2A

6

6

None

Omro

2A

6

6

None

Cochrane-Fountain City

2A

6

7

Up 1

Westfield

2A

6

7

Up 1

Cashton

2A

7

6

Down 1

Adams-Friendship

2A

7

6

Down 1

Stoughton

2A

7

7

None

Weyauwega-Fremont

2A

7

8

Up 1

Hillsboro

2A

8

5

Down 3

Iola-Scandinavia

2A

8

7

Down 1

Baraboo

2A

8

8

None

Amherst

2A

8

8

None

Brookwood

2A

9

9

None

Monroe

2A

9

9

None

Westby

2A

9

9

None

Marion/Tigerton

2A

9

11

Up 2

Shiocton

2A

10

9

Down 1

Reedsburg

2A

10

10

None

Lodi

2A

10

10

None

Kickapoo

2A

10

11

Up 1

New Lisbon

2A

11

10

Down 1

Portage

2A

11

11

None

Richland Center

2A

11

11

None

Crandon

2A

11

12

Up 1

Manawa

2A

12

10

Down 2

Weston/Ithaca

2A

12

12

None

Wautoma

2A

12

12

None

North Crawford

2A

13

14

Up 1

Wonewoc-Center

2A

14

15

Up 1

La Farge/Youth Initiative

2A

15

13

Down 2

Argyle/Pecatonica

2B

1

1

None

Elkhorn

2B

1

1

None

Edgerton

2B

1

1

None

Manitowoc Lutheran

2B

1

1

None

Catholic Memorial

2B

2

2

None

Lancaster

2B

2

2

None

Crivitz

2B

2

2

None

Shullsburg

2B

2

3

Up 1

Union Grove

2B

3

3

None

Platteville

2B

3

3

None

Kewaunee

2B

3

3

None

Barneveld

2B

3

4

Up 1

Wauzeka-Steuben

2B

4

2

Down 2

Waterford

2B

4

4

None

Cuba City

2B

4

4

None

Coleman

2B

4

5

Up 1

Algoma

2B

5

4

Down 1

Highland

2B

5

5

None

New Berlin West

2B

5

5

None

Turner

2B

5

5

None

Jefferson

2B

6

6

None

Valders

2B

6

6

None

New Glarus

2B

6

7

Up 1

River Ridge

2B

6

9

Up 3

Parkview

2B

7

7

None

Oconto

2B

7

7

None

Evansville

2B

7

8

Up 1

Wilmot Union

2B

7

9

Up 2

Belmont

2B

8

6

Down 2

Waukesha West

2B

8

7

Down 1

Mishicot

2B

8

8

None

River Valley

2B

8

9

Up 1

Potosi/Cassville

2B

9

8

Down 1

Fort Atkinson

2B

9

8

Down 1

Southern Door

2B

9

9

None

Big Foot

2B

9

10

Up 1

Delavan-Darien

2B

10

6

Down 4

Riverdale

2B

10

10

None

Burlington

2B

10

10

None

Sevastopol

2B

10

10

None

Seneca

2B

11

11

None

Dodgeville

2B

11

11

None

Roncalli

2B

11

11

None

Boscobel

2B

12

12

None

Whitewater

2B

12

12

None

Southwestern

2B

13

14

Up 1

Black Hawk

2B

14

13

Down 1

Juda

2B

15

15

None

Benton

2B

16

16

None

Florence

3A

1

1

None

Xavier

3A

1

1

None

Pardeeville

3A

1

1

None

Denmark

3A

1

3

Up 2

Winneconne

3A

2

1

Down 1

Lena

3A

2

2

None

Fox Valley Lutheran

3A

2

2

None

Luther

3A

2

4

Up 2

Little Chute

3A

3

2

Down 1

Bangor

3A

3

2

Down 1

Three Lakes/Phelps

3A

3

3

None

West De Pere

3A

3

3

None

Fennimore

3A

4

3

Down 1

Brillion

3A

4

4

None

Wabeno/Laona

3A

4

5

Up 1

Luxemburg-Casco

3A

4

5

Up 1

Seymour

3A

5

5

None

Melrose-Mindoro

3A

5

5

None

Butternut

3A

5

6

Up 1

Plymouth

3A

5

6

Up 1

Menasha

3A

6

4

Down 2

Poynette

3A

6

6

None

Oconto Falls

3A

6

7

Up 1

Suring

3A

6

8

Up 2

Wrightstown

3A

7

6

Down 1

Gillett

3A

7

7

None

Sheboygan South

3A

7

7

None

Necedah

3A

7

8

Up 1

Niagara

3A

8

4

Down 4

Prairie du Chien

3A

8

7

Down 1

Ashwaubenon

3A

8

8

None

Freedom

3A

8

8

None

Hurley

3A

9

9

None

Green Bay East

3A

9

9

None

Peshtigo

3A

9

9

None

Iowa-Grant

3A

9

9

None

Chequamegon

3A

10

10

None

Two Rivers

3A

10

10

None

Nekoosa

3A

10

10

None

Mellen

3A

11

11

None

Sturgeon Bay

3A

11

11

None

Wisconsin Heights

3A

11

12

Up 1

Montello

3A

12

11

Down 1

Elcho

3A

12

12

None

Clintonville

3A

12

12

None

Wausaukee

3A

13

14

Up 1

Saint Thomas Aquinas

3A

14

13

Down 1

Pacelli

3B

1

1

None

Milwaukee Vincent

3B

1

1

None

Oostburg

3B

1

1

None

Deerfield

3B

1

2

Up 1

Albany/Monticello

3B

2

1

Down 1

Grafton

3B

2

2

None

Laconia

3B

2

2

None

Almond-Bancroft

3B

2

4

Up 2

Assumption

3B

3

2

Down 1

Beaver Dam

3B

3

3

None

Kiel

3B

3

3

None

Mineral Point

3B

3

4

Up 1

Columbus Catholic

3B

4

3

Down 1

Port Washington

3B

4

4

None

North Fond du Lac

3B

4

4

None

Brodhead

3B

4

5

Up 1

Darlington

3B

5

3

Down 2

Kewaskum

3B

5

5

None

Edgar

3B

5

6

Up 1

Sheboygan Falls

3B

5

6

Up 1

Columbus

3B

6

5

Down 1

Cambridge

3B

6

6

None

Rib Lake

3B

6

7

Up 1

Slinger

3B

6

7

Up 1

Watertown

3B

7

6

Down 1

Waupun

3B

7

7

None

Abundant Life Christian/Saint Ambrose

3B

7

7

None

Newman Catholic

3B

7

8

Up 1

Pittsville

3B

8

5

Down 3

Cedarburg

3B

8

8

None

Belleville

3B

8

8

None

Berlin

3B

8

9

Up 1

Mayville

3B

9

8

Down 1

Clinton

3B

9

9

None

Athens

3B

9

10

Up 1

West Bend East

3B

9

10

Up 1

Prentice

3B

10

9

Down 1

West Bend West

3B

10

9

Down 1

Chilton

3B

10

10

None

Marshall

3B

10

10

None

Northland Lutheran

3B

11

11

None

The Lincoln Academy

3B

11

11

None

Ripon

3B

11

12

Up 1

Campbellsport

3B

12

11

Down 1

Gresham

3B

12

12

None

Port Edwards

3B

13

13

None

Rosholt

3B

14

14

None

Sheboygan Lutheran

4A

1

1

None

Whitefish Bay

4A

1

1

None

Kettle Moraine Lutheran

4A

1

1

None

Kohler

4A

1

1

None

Valley Christian (Oshkosh)

4A

2

2

None

Pius XI Catholic

4A

2

2

None

Lake Country Lutheran

4A

2

2

None

Howards Grove

4A

2

2

None

Lourdes Academy

4A

3

3

None

Wisconsin Lutheran

4A

3

3

None

Lakeside Lutheran

4A

3

3

None

Lomira

4A

3

3

None

Central Wisconsin Christian

4A

4

4

None

Brookfield Central

4A

4

4

None

Watertown Luther Prep

4A

4

4

None

Markesan

4A

4

8

Up 4

Sheboygan Christian

4A

5

5

None

Golda Meir

4A

5

5

None

University School of Milwaukee

4A

5

5

None

Horicon

4A

5

7

Up 2

Winnebago Lutheran

4A

6

4

Down 2

Princeton/Green Lake

4A

6

6

None

Lake Mills

4A

6

6

None

Wauwatosa West

4A

6

9

Up 3

Dodgeland

4A

7

6

Down 1

Nicolet

4A

7

7

None

Carmen Northwest

4A

7

7

None

Reedsville

4A

7

9

Up 2

Saint Mary's Springs

4A

8

5

Down 3

Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah

4A

8

7

Down 1

Milwaukee Lutheran

4A

8

8

None

East Troy

4A

8

8

None

Shorewood

4A

9

6

Down 3

Wild Rose

4A

9

8

Down 1

New Holstein

4A

9

9

None

Brown Deer

4A

9

10

Up 1

Milwaukee School of Languages

4A

10

9

Down 1

Wayland Academy

4A

10

10

None

Providence Academy (Green Bay)

4A

10

14

Up 4

Oneida Nation

4A

11

11

None

Hmong American Peace

4A

11

11

None

Cedar Grove-Belgium

4A

11

11

None

Hilbert

4A

12

10

Down 2

Random Lake

4A

12

12

None

Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran

4A

13

13

None

Gibraltar

4A

14

12

Down 2

Oakfield

4A

15

15

None

Stockbridge

4A

16

16

None

Chesterton Academy

4B

1

1

None

Whitnall

4B

1

1

None

Dominican

4B

1

1

None

Milwaukee Academy of Science

4B

1

2

Up 1

Saint Thomas More

4B

2

1

Down 1

Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic

4B

2

2

None

Fall River

4B

2

3

Up 1

Milwaukee Bay View

4B

2

5

Up 3

Randolph

4B

3

2

Down 1

Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy

4B

3

3

None

Living Word Lutheran

4B

3

3

None

Greenfield

4B

3

4

Up 1

New Berlin Eisenhower

4B

4

2

Down 2

Madison Country Day

4B

4

4

None

The Prairie School

4B

4

4

None

Racine St. Catherine's

4B

4

5

Up 1

Greendale

4B

5

3

Down 2

Milwaukee North

4B

5

4

Down 1

Faith Christian (Wms Bay)

4B

5

5

None

Salam

4B

5

5

None

Catholic Central

4B

6

6

None

South Milwaukee

4B

6

6

None

Shoreland Lutheran

4B

6

6

None

Ozaukee

4B

6

6

None

Cudahy

4B

7

7

None

Saint Anthony

4B

7

7

None

Brookfield Academy

4B

7

7

None

Cambria-Friesland

4B

7

8

Up 1

Martin Luther

4B

8

8

None

Racine Lutheran

4B

8

8

None

University Lake School/St. John's Northwestern/Trinity Academy

4B

8

8

None

Eastbrook Academy

4B

8

9

Up 1

West Allis Central

4B

9

9

None

Milwaukee Washington

4B

9

9

None

Johnson Creek

4B

9

10

Up 1

Kenosha Christian Life

4B

9

10

Up 1

Palmyra-Eagle

4B

10

7

Down 3

Heritage Christian

4B

10

9

Down 1

Augustine Prep South

4B

10

10

None

Messmer

4B

10

10

None

Cristo Rey Jesuit

4B

11

11

None

Rio

4B

11

12

Up 1

Williams Bay

4B

12

11

Down 1

Lake Country Classical Academy

4B

13

13

None

About the Author

Travis Wilson serves as the Bound Wisconsin Manager. Wilson was selected as part of the Sports 40 Under 40 list by Coach & AD Magazine and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association for 2019. The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) named Travis the 2015 recipient of the Dave McClain Distinguished Service Award. He currently serves on the WFCA Executive Board and is a member of the Executive Board of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. A graduate of Richland Center High School and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Travis was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, baseball, basketball), inducted to the Richland Center High School Hall of Fame in 2023, and currently resides in Reedsburg. You can follow him on Twitter at @travisBound or reach him at [email protected].

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