Rising Stars Girls Take Center Stage With Breakout Summer

The Rising Stars Girls Elite Teams stepped into the spotlight this summer with an incredible run of tournament victories across the country.

The girls took center stage on the prestigious Nike tournament circuit, competing in showcase events in Phoenix, Las Vegas, and finally Chicago, where they continued to prove that Rising Stars girls basketball belongs among the best.

Rising Stars founder Paul Savramis couldn't be prouder of how this group performed, but even more importantly, he is proud of how these girls have come together as a team both on and off the court.

Paul Savramis was also quick to point out that the team's success is a reflection of the Rising Stars girls program as a whole and the many people who have contributed to its growth.

The first person Savramis credits is Rising Stars Girls Program Director Bethany LeSueur.

"Bethany is, and always has been, one of the main reasons we've seen such a huge jump in interest from young girls looking to play basketball," said Savramis.

"Aside from being one of the most recognizable names in girls basketball on Long Island, Bethany has gone out and recruited other select coaches and trainers to help raise the level of Rising Stars girls training and coaching."

As a mother of three young girls who are part of Rising Stars, LeSueur also brings a unique perspective to the program.

"Bethany has the opportunity to be on the ground level of virtually every aspect of how our girls program is run, including doing much of the training personally," Savramis said.

"That's a huge plus for young girls who are looking to join a team or simply become part of a year-round basketball program."

LeSueur's 2026 coaching staff includes legendary high school coach Jill Cook, who also served as a USA women's Olympic coach.

For Paul Savramis, the growth of Rising Stars girls basketball is also part of a much larger movement taking place throughout women's sports.

Savramis points to the tremendous increase in popularity of girls sports, particularly basketball, and the impact WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark has had on how women's sports are viewed today.

"Women's basketball has never been more exciting," Savramis said. "And the timing of that resurgence couldn't be better for Rising Stars."

Savramis also points to the growing number of Rising Stars girls who have gone on to play basketball at the collegiate level. This year, the program reached another milestone when one of its former players even made the Olympics.

"It's incredibly rewarding for us to see our girls program reflecting all of the excitement that's happening in professional basketball today," Savramis said.

The success of the girls program represents something even bigger to Savramis.

"They have stepped out from any perceived shadows our boys’ teams may have cast in the past," he said. "That's a great accomplishment, and it helps every young girl who loves to play basketball see that they can be part of something they can be proud of."

"They should never have to take a back seat to anyone or anything."

For decades, women's basketball fought for the recognition it deserved. The WNBA has spent years proving that there is an enormous audience for elite women's basketball and that young girls deserve to see themselves represented at the highest levels of the sport.

Now, Rising Stars' girls are helping write their own chapter.

"The WNBA took a long time to show the world what was possible," Paul Savramis said.

"Rising Stars girls took one summer."