IMG Academy Girls Basketball Wins First-Ever Chipotle National Championship

BRADENTON, Fla. (April 5, 2025) – For the first time in program history, the IMG Academy Girls National Basketball Team has been crowned Chipotle National Champions, securing their place among the nation’s elite with a dominant performance in Indianapolis, Indiana, today.

After finishing as the national runner-up last season, the Ascenders entered this year’s tournament as the No. 3 seed, determined to make history. Under the leadership of second-year Head Coach Frank Oliver Jr., IMG Academy navigated a challenging bracket, defeating No.2 Westtown School (PA) in the semifinals with a buzzer-beater three and No.1 Montverde in the championship game to earn the coveted title.

“This championship is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and belief that these young women have shown all season,” said Director of Basketball Mike Gillian. “After finishing second last year, they came back and fought for this moment. I couldn’t be prouder of this team and their buy-in to our purpose of winning their future together. Champions like this are further examples of what makes IMG Academy truly one of one!”

IMG Academy’s 80-78 overtime victory in the final was fueled by standout performances from several student-athletes. Senior guard Kelis Fisher (Connecticut commit), senior small forward and McDonald’s All-American Lara Somfai (Stanford commit), senior guard Nylah Wilson (Pittsburgh commit), and senior small forward and McDonald’s All-American Deniya Prawl (Tennessee commit) all played pivotal roles in the championship run.

Championship Game Highlights:

• Kelis Fisher led the team with 23 points
• Kelsi Andrews dominated the boards with 13 rebounds
• Asia Keels facilitated the offense with five assists

The IMG Academy girls' national team closed the season with a 17-4 overall record. This title marks the first national championship in the history of the IMG Academy girls basketball program and the program’s first national title since the IMG Academy boys team won in 2019.

With their place in history now secured, the IMG Academy Girls National Basketball Team has set a new standard for excellence. They join a list of other female student-athletes and sports programs excelling at IMG Academy including:

• The girls' track and field 4x800m broke the U.S. High School National Record at an 8:46:04 mark.
• Tennis student-athlete Wakana Sonobe won the Australian Open Junior Championship.
• The girls lacrosse program made history by securing a spot in the Top-20 rankings of USA Lacrosse.

About IMG Academy

IMG Academy is the world’s leading sports education brand, providing a holistic education model that empowers student-athletes to win their future, preparing them for college and for life. IMG Academy provides growth opportunities for all student-athletes through an innovative suite of on-campus and online experiences:

• Boarding school and camps, via a state-of-the-art campus in Bradenton, Fla.
• Online coaching via the IMG Academy+ brand, with a focus on personal development through the lens of sport and performance
• Online college recruiting, via the NCSA brand, providing content, tools, coaching and access to a network of 40,000 college coaches

To learn more about IMG Academy and its on-campus and online experiences, visit www.imgacademy.com.