An eight-team shootout that began in 1995 evolved into a 14-team tournament in 1997, and soon became a full-fledged 32-team girls’ tournament, mirroring the boys’ tournament format.
Thousands of players have participated, and after 25 years of competition, nearly 10,000 fan ballots were cast for a total of 57 different athletes in a quest to name an All-Quarter Century Team.
Many are worthy, but the following six were recognized as the elite:
BREA BEAL
Rock Island
ALL-TOURNAMENT: 2015, 2016, 2018 (Rock Island didn’t participate in the Classic in 2017)
Brea is a current starter on the defending national champion and top-ranked University of South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team. A three-time Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll member, Beal had a decorated prep career: Ranked No. 11 recruit in the Class of 2019 and the No. 3 wing player in the class • Earned consensus All-America selection after her senior season (2018-19), during which she averaged 26.0 points, 14.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists • Named Illinois Ms. Basketball three times (2017, 2018, 2019), adding Illinois AP Class 4A Second-Team All-State honors as a freshman • Captured Illinois Player of the Year honors from Gatorade (2017, 2018, 2019) and USA Today (2019) • Played in the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic (2019) • Finished career as all-time leading scorer in Western Big 6 Conference history
REBEKAH EHRESMAN
El Paso-Gridley
ALL-TOURNAMENT: 2011, 2012, 2013
Rebekah played at Illinois Wesleyan , where she was one of the most highly decorated student-athletes in the program’s history. She was elected to the second team of the DIII women’s basketball Academic All-America® team and earned honorable mention All- American on the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association team. Ehresman was named “Player of the Year” and first team all- conference in the CCIW, earning three straight all-CCIW First-Team honors. As a sophomore, junior and senior, she was named to the Academic All-District® 7 DIII women’s basketball squad. She finished her career ranked No. 9 in scoring (1,236 points), No. 10 in rebounds (604), and No. 2 in assists (376). Her 330 free throws and 296 steals are school career records. As a senior in 2017-18, Ehresman was named “Player of the Year” in the CCIW. As a prep at El Paso-Gridley High School: Lettered four years in both basketball and volleyball for the Titans • Averaged 16.3 points as a senior and was chosen to 15-player Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Class 1A-2A all-state first team in 2013 and 2014 • Second team AP all-state, 2014 • Played for team that was third in state in 2013 • Played for four McLean County tournament champions, four regional champions, two-time Sectional champs and three-time Heart of Illinois Conference champions • Valedictorian of class, Illinois State Scholar, Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society • National finalist for 2014 Wendy’s High School Heisman award
MEGAN McCRACKEN
Rock Island Alleman
ALL-TOURNAMENT: 1999, 2000, 2001
Megan played at Iowa State University in 2002-03, where she played in 25 of 28 games, averaging 2.3 points and 0.6 assists per game. She later transferred to Illinois State University, earning State Farm Missouri Valley Conference All-Tournament honors in 2004-05. As a junior in 2005-06, she set a Redbird single-game record with seven 3-pointers while scoring a career-high 25 points. Appeared in all 33 games her senior season, finishing in seventh place in the three-point field goals with 148 for her career. Megan was a member of the AFNI Athletics Honor Roll in 2004 and 2005. During her prep career, McCracken: Led team to three state tournament appearances at Redbird Arena, including a third-place finish as a senior • Earmed three-time all-state honors in Illinois • McDonald’s and WBCA All-American nominee and Illinois Miss Basketball Finalist • MVP of Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-Star • All-tournament selection at IHSA State Finals • Averaged 19.8 points as a junior and 18.7 points as a senior • Four-time Moline Dispatch All-Metro and three-time All-Western Big Six Conference performer • Set school career records for points (1817), field goals (700), field goal attempts (1595), free throws (365), free throw attempts (467), free throw percentage (.782), assists (380) and steals (303)
CELINA VANHYFTE
Annawan
ALL-TOURNAMENT: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Celina attended and played basketball at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale, where she played in 117 games in four years. Older sister of fellow selection Jayde, she sat out the 2016-17 season with a medical redshirt but returned to appear in 61 games during her junior and senior season. She enjoyed a phenomenal prep career, including: Four-time All-State selection by the Associated Press • Three-time All-State selection by Illinois Basketball Services • Three-time first-team All-State selection by the Chicago Sun-Times • Three-time All-Western Illinois Player of the Year selection by the Quad City Dispatch • Posted 2,493 career points and 1,169 career rebounds for career averages of 20.3 points and 10.1 rebounds • Led Annawan to its first team state championship in school history in 2013-14 • Second most points (358) in Classic history tournament career, trailing only her sister Jayde.
JAYDE VANHYFTE
Annawan
ALL-TOURNAMENT: 2015, 2016, 2017
Jayde attended Arizona State University, where she played 76 games in her career, pulling down 226 rebounds. She started every game her sophomore season and was named to the Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll. She was limited to a single game her junior season due to injury. With three teammates, she participated in the USA Basketball Women’s 3×3 National Championships in May of 2019. A 2018 graduate of Annawan High School, VanHyfte’s career highlights include: All-time leader in scoring (2,775 points), rebounding (1,155 rebounds), double-doubles (114 in 119 career games) and free throws (627) at Annawan • Set the school’s single season record for points (961) • Four-time AP All-State selection, earning unanimous first-team honors her junior and senior seasons and second-team recognition after her sophomore and freshman seasons • Two-time captain of Quad-City Times All- Western Illinois team & eighth girl in IHSA history to surpass both 2,000-pt and 1,000- rebound career milestones • Four-time team MVP with career averages of 23.3 pts 10.0 rebounds per game • Helped Annawan achieve a 55-game winning streak during her junior & senior seasons • As a senior: averaged 27.5 points & 11.5 rebounds and shot 66%, ended season with 33 double-doubles in 35 games as Annawan finished 34-1, named Class 1A/2A first team all-state, Illinois AP Class 1A first team all-state, all-Lincoln Trail first team in addition to being a repeat all-Western Illinois selection
AMBER WISDOM
Geneseo
ALL-TOURNAMENT: 1999, 2000, 2001
Amber attended Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville, where she played four years for the Cougars, earning Academic All-Conference honors by the Great Lakes Valley Conference for the 2005-06 academic year. A three-year starter entering her senior season, her playing time was limited after suffering a torn achilles tendon. Wisdom currently ranks 12th in career assists for SIUE. A graduate of the SIU School of Medicine, Wisdom earned the following accolades in her high school career, among others: Was named to the third-team all-state team her senior year, leading J.D. Darnall High School (now Geneseo) to the State Farm Holiday Classic title in 2001 • Four-time letterwinner in both basketball and track … Ran the 400 meter and 800 meter for J.D. Darnall’s track team • Held the all-time scoring record at Geneseo for 20 years before Kammie Ludwig surpassed her during the 2021-22 season • Named to the Honor Roll and was an Illinois State Scholar • Inducted into the Geneseo Hall of Fame in 2015
