Montverde, Fla. (July 17, 2026) – Montverde Academy Athletics is excited to announce that its girls' basketball program has joined the Women's National Preparatory Association (WNPA) beginning with the 2026-27 season, marking another significant step in the continued growth of one of the nation's premier prep basketball programs.
Operated by North Pole Hoops, now entering its 16th year, the WNPA is North America's premier national prep league for girls' basketball. The league brings together many of the top academy and prep school programs from both the United States and Canada, providing elite competition, national exposure, and a postseason championship format designed specifically for high-level prep basketball.
The WNPA is expected to feature approximately twelve member programs during the 2026-27 season, with participating schools from both Canada and the United States. Following the regular season, qualifying teams will compete in a WNPA postseason tournament in March to determine the league champion.
League membership also includes postseason recognition through player and coach awards, which are selected through coaches' nominations and voting along with evaluations by the North Pole Hoops committee.
"We're excited to join the WNPA and compete against some of the best prep programs in North America," said Head Coach Anthony Jones. "The WNPA gives teams that don't play for traditional sanctioned state championships an opportunity to compete in an elite league with a championship playoff. Canada and the United States now have a chance to compete in a league that helps prepare our student-athletes for the different styles of play they'll experience at the collegiate and international levels."
Montverde Academy has established itself as one of the nation's premier girls basketball programs, having won the Chipotle High School National Championship in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and appearing in the championship game each year from 2022 to 2025.
The program has also produced numerous NCAA Division I student-athletes and professional players. Earlier this year, former Eagle Janiah Barker '22 became the first alumna in program history to be selected in the WNBA Draft, chosen 29th overall by the Las Vegas Aces. Recent standouts also include Jaloni Cambridge '24 (Ohio State), Vivian Iwuchukwu'24 (Florida), and Agot Makeer '25 (South Carolina).
"At Montverde Academy, we believe growth happens when talented student-athletes are challenged by the very best competition available while continuing to develop players who are prepared to succeed at the highest levels of the game," said Khrystal Phiri, Montverde Academy Director of Athletic Operations. "We're excited to represent our school on the international stage and contribute to the continued growth of girls basketball worldwide."
WNPA league games will feature live statistical coverage, and the games will be streamed through North Pole Hoops' YouTube channels, providing expanded exposure for the student-athletes.
Montverde Academy is coming off an impressive 18-4 overall record last season and was led by recent graduate Missy Odom'26 who was named the MaxPreps Florida State Athlete of the Year.
About Montverde Academy:
Montverde Academy is a private, independent college preparatory school for grades Pre-K3 through post-graduate studies, with a boarding program serving grades 7-12 representing 70+ nationalities. Our mission is to inspire students to become knowledgeable leaders with global vision and passion for learning, in a disciplined and diverse community that nurtures character development. For more information, visit us online at Montverde.org and at MVASports.com.
