(Des Moines) The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) released its fifth softball rankings of the 2026 season on Wednesday, with several area teams holding strong positions across the state’s five classes.
In Class 5A, Waukee, Northwest (25-1), holds its top spot in the latest poll. Ankeny Centennial (26-1) remains at N0.2, West Des Moines, Valley, (19-5) holds its spot at No.3. Dallas Center-Grimes (20-2) holds down the No. 4 ranking. Cedar Rapids, Kennedy, (23-7) and Southeast Polk (15-11) mirror the previous rankings, at sixth and seventh, respectively.
In Class 4A, ADM continues to hold the top spot in the rankings. The Tigers carry a 22-4 record and remain the team to beat in the class.
Class 3A saw no changes among the top five teams. Williamsburg (23-1) remains the No. 1 team, followed by Dubuque Wahlert (19-4) at No. 2, Albia (23-0) at No. 3, Mount Vernon (22-4) at No. 4, and Van Meter (22-4) at No. 5. Atlantic, sporting a 23-5 record, remains ranked 10th in the latest poll.
In Class 2A, Grand View Christian (16-1) climbed four spots to take over the No. 1 ranking. Interstate 35 (18-6) remains second, while Riverside (17-4) moved up two positions to fourth. Missouri Valley (19-2) slipped one spot to No. 5, and Logan-Magnolia (15-6) dropped to ninth.
Class 1A features two area teams among the top 15. Exira-EHK/Audubon (15-4) moved up one spot to No. 2 in the rankings. Wayne (13-6) remains ninth, while Griswold (14-4) joined the rankings this week, debuting at No. 14.
Class 5A
| School | Record | LW | |
| 1 | Waukee Northwest | 25-1 | 1 |
| 2 | Ankeny Centennial | 26-1 | 2 |
| 3 | West Des Moines Valley | 19-5 | 3 |
| 4 | Dallas Center-Grimes | 20-2 | 4 |
| 5 | Cedar Rapids Kennedy | 23-7 | 5 |
| 6 | Southeast Polk | 15-11 | 6 |
| 7 | Dowling Catholic | 14-9 | 8 |
| 8 | Waukee | 13-10 | 12 |
| 9 | Pleasant Valley | 13-10 | 7 |
| 10 | Linn-Mar | 14-8 | 10 |
| 11 | Cedar Rapids Prairie | 16-8 | 13 |
| 12 | Bettendorf | 21-8 | 11 |
| 13 | Des Moines Roosevelt | 17-7 | 14 |
| 14 | Cedar Falls | 16-7 | 15 |
| 15 | Muscatine | 14-9 | 9 |
Dropped Out: None
Class 4A
| School | Record | LW | |
| 1 | ADM | 22-4 | 1 |
| 2 | Carlisle | 22-4 | 2 |
| 3 | Fort Dodge | 24-3 | 3 |
| 4 | North Polk | 14-11 | 7 |
| 5 | Western Dubuque | 19-7 | 4 |
| 6 | North Scott | 10-12 | 6 |
| 7 | Clear Creek-Amana | 19-7 | 5 |
| 8 | Winterset | 15-11 | 9 |
| 9 | Cedar Rapids Xavier | 14-9 | 8 |
| 10 | Sergeant Bluff-Luton | 26-2 | 11 |
| 11 | Grinnell | 15-4 | 14 |
| 12 | Norwalk | 16-12 | 12 |
| 13 | Bishop Heelan | 21-7 | 10 |
| 14 | Boone | 12-9 | 13 |
| 15 | Newton | 15-9 | NR |
Dropped Out: Spencer (15)
Class 3A
| School | Record | LW | |
| 1 | Williamsburg | 23-3 | 1 |
| 2 | Dubuque Wahlert | 19-4 | 2 |
| 3 | Albia | 23-0 | 3 |
| 4 | Mount Vernon | 22-4 | 4 |
| 5 | Van Meter | 21-4 | 5 |
| 6 | PCM | 15-3 | 7 |
| 7 | Davenport Assumption | 19-6 | 9 |
| 8 | West Liberty | 13-5 | 6 |
| 9 | West Delaware | 17-7 | 8 |
| 10 | Atlantic | 23-5 | 10 |
| 11 | Algona | 16-4 | 15 |
| 12 | Clear Lake | 19-4 | 11 |
| 13 | Centerville | 13-5 | 13 |
| 14 | Charles City | 16-4 | 12 |
| 15 | Pella Christian | 9-9 | NR |
Dropped Out: Des Moines Christian (14)
Class 2A
| School | Record | LW | |
| 1 | Grand View Christian | 16-1 | 5 |
| 2 | Interstate 35 | 18-6 | 2 |
| 3 | Louisa-Muscatine | 15-3 | 1 |
| 4 | Riverside | 17-4 | 6 |
| 5 | Missouri Valley | 19-2 | 4 |
| 6 | West Lyon | 13-4 | 3 |
| 7 | Durant | 16-9 | 10 |
| 8 | Wapsie Valley | 13-6 | 8 |
| 9 | Logan-Magnolia | 15-6 | 7 |
| 10 | Hinton | 17-3 | 11 |
| 11 | Pleasantville | 13-7 | 12 |
| 12 | Iowa City Regina | 13-6 | 13 |
| 13 | East Marshall | 15-5 | 9 |
| 14 | Beckman Catholic | 16-6 | NR |
| 15 | Pocahontas Area | 18-7 | NR |
Dropped Out: Ridge View (14), Cardinal (15)
Class 1A
| School | Record | LW | |
| 1 | Clarksville | 16-4 | 1 |
| 2 | Exira-EHK/Audubon | 15-4 | 3 |
| 3 | Fort Dodge St. Edmond | 19-6 | 5 |
| 4 | West Monona | 17-4 | 4 |
| 5 | Mason City Newman Catholic | 18-4 | 2 |
| 6 | Newell-Fonda | 16-7 | 7 |
| 7 | North Linn | 22-6 | 8 |
| 8 | Southeast Warren | 13-3 | 10 |
| 9 | Wayne | 13-6 | 9 |
| 10 | North Butler | 19-3 | 11 |
| 11 | Remsen St. Mary’s | 15-3 | 14 |
| 12 | Highland | 11-3 | 13 |
| 13 | Edgewood-Colesburg | 18-8 | 6 |
| 14 | Griswold | 14-4 | NR |
| 15 | Martensdale-St. Marys | 10-11 | 15 |
Dropped Out: Fremont-Mills (12)
