Top 2026 recruit Xyanna Walton commits to Northwestern

Top 2026 recruit Xyanna Walton has committed to Northwestern, she told On3. The 5-10 guard from Chicago (IL) Butler College Prep chose the Wildcats over offers from Houston, Manhattan and more. 

Walton’s older sister, Xamiya Walton, just finished her freshman year on the Northwestern women’s basketball team. 

“Northwestern is just a great school overall,” Walton told On3. “It’s one of the best schools I had offers from. My sister goes there, so that was another big factor. It’s close to home. It’s still in the same state, so that was another big factor.” 

Northwestern is in a unique situation where head coach Joe McKeown has announced his intent to retire following the 2025-26 season. Even with this recent news, Walton knew Northwestern was the place for her. 

“Coach Joe [McKeown] is a great coach,” Walton said. “So that was definitely something that played a role and waivered my decision to see if I was still going to want to go there or not. But in the end, Northwestern is still a great school.”

Another major factor in Walton’s decision was the emphasis on academics. 

“That’s one of the biggest things my mom instilled in me at a young age – that having good academics goes a long way and takes you places that basketball may not be able to,” Walton said. “So academics were one of the biggest things along with my sister, the location and being in the Big Ten, which is a conference that I think will suit my style of play.”

Last season for Butler College Prep, Walton averaged 19.9 points, 13.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.9 steals per game. 

“I feel like I can fit into the Big Ten specifically because I like to play up and down with high energy,” Walton said. “I’m pretty athletic, I would say, so I feel like that’s something that the Big Ten can use and has in their conference.”

Although it’s still a year away, Walton is excited to become a Wildcat. 

“The community,” Walton said of what excites her most. “I feel like they’re very community based. Not just when you’re there, but also when you graduate, the people really stay connected from what I’ve seen.”