Area Rankings: Top 10 2026 Prospects in Northeast Iowa

Gerdes is the type of forward that college coaches have been salivating over for the last several years now. He's a long, athletic forward who can certainly take advantage of matchups on the block, with advanced footwork and soft touch around the bucket with either hand. But he's also capable of creating his own looks off the dribble or stepping out and stretching the floor while also serving as a switchable, versatile defender. He averaged 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game as a sophomore for the Tigers on 70% shooting. He currently holds offers from Bryant, Northern Iowa, and Nebraska.     You'll notice a trend in this article - lots of Cedar Falls, and lots of Senior. Those two MVC schools have loaded 2026 classes, with Seniors's being led by Schultz. A mobile 6-7/6-8 big man with soft hands, good footwork and touch, and the ability to step out and knock down 3s in the pick-and-pop, he's a versatile three-level scoring threat who can also provide some toughness on the defensive end of the floor. He averaged 14.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists a game on 60.3% shooting as a sophomore for the Rams.     Wolf was a role player for a very good Cedar Falls team last season as a sophomore and will have a chance to step into a significantly bigger role this season. He's one of the highest upside prospects in the state's 2026 class with his blend of size, length, and ability to shoot it from 3-point range off both the dribble and the catch. He had a very productive summer with [program_tooltip program_id='2246861' first='Murray' last='Elite'] and should emerge as one of the best players in the MVC this season.     The son of former NBAer Raef LaFrentz, Cael is a young big man who put up huge numbers as a sophomore, but he may just be scratching the surface of his long-term potential. He's a mobile 6-11 big man with long arms, and he does a great job contesting without fouling, staying vertical and using his size to his advantage. He has soft touch around the rim, is becoming a more fluid athlete, and his 74% from the free-throw line suggests that he may be able to eventually add a little bit of range to his arsenal as well. He averaged 15.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game as a sophomore for the Vikings, shooting nearly 67% from the floor.     Medinger came off the bench largely last season, providing a scoring spark from all three levels. He's a good athlete who can play with or without the ball in his hands, creating good looks off the dribble or knocking down 3-pointers off the catch. He's an athlete who can finish above the rim in transition, and that athleticism allows him to compete on the glass on both ends of the floor as well.     While Medinger is the athletic, slashing guard, Porter is a bit more of a cerebral player. He's an elite shooter, knocking down 50% of his 3-point attempts as a sophomore, and he's also really skilled as a lead guard, getting his teammates involved and limiting turnovers. He's not going to blow you away with his athleticism, but he knows how to change speeds and get to his spots.     Kimbrough is a strong, physical guard who uses his strength to his advantage, bullying his way to the rim against smaller defenders. And while his strength is arguably his biggest asset, he's also skilled as a shooting threat off the dribble, knowing how to get to his spots, especially in the mid-range. He's a talented playmaker who sees the floor well, and he has the size, athleticism, and strength to defend bigger bodies in the paint if he gets switched.     Schauf emerged as a reliable three-level scoring threat as a sophomore for the Panthers, averaging 12.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game on 46-39-80 shooting splits. He's a high IQ wing who moves well without the ball in his hands, finding open spots in the defense to get his shot off or to cut backdoor for an easy layup. His length     Bergmann is a young big man who may just be starting to scratch the surface of his potential as a two-way player. He's a good athlete with size at 6-8, and his mobility allows him to defend multiple positions, holding his own on switches or contesting shots at the rim. He's a good rebounder on both ends of the floor and has soft touch around the bucket. He averaged 11.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game as a sophomore for the Warriors, and he should see those numbers skyrocket as a junior with a more experienced team around him.     Hoffman impressed as a sophomore for the Cougars as a knockdown shooter when he was playing without the ball in his hands, or as a skilled playmaker who can attack hard closeouts off the dribble and create quality looks for his himself and his teammates. He averaged 14.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists while shooting nearly 44% from 3-point range as a sophomore.