There hasn’t been a single Division 1 coach set foot in a gymnasium this summer to watch potential recruits do their thing, but that hasn’t stopped the flow of college commitments. With an NCAA ban in place on in-person recruiting, coaches are watching a ton of games online, scrutinizing game videos, holding Zoom meetings with prospects and talking to other sources of information like the scouts of Prep Girls Hoops. The result for players from Minnesota’s class of 2021 has been remarkable. On Thursday, Anna MillerAnnaMiller
6'2" | C Rochester Mayo | 2021StateMN
of Rochester Mayo (Drake) and Johanna LangbehnJohannaLangbehn
6'2" | C Elk River | 2021StateMN
of Elk River (St. Thomas) became the 23rd and 24th members of the class of 2021 to make a Division 1 commitment.
To put that in perspective, last year at this time Abby SchulteAbbySchulte
5'10" | PG Maple Grove | 2020StateMN
of Maple Grove became the 10th Division 1 commit in the class of 2020 when she verballed to North Dakota State. The total number of D1 commits in 2020 was 20, although that number will rise because several D1-quality athletes took the JUCO route which will delay their progress to the top level of college basketball by a year or two. At least five more 2021s are expected to go D1 before it’s all over.
Among the top 10-ranked players in the class of 2021 only #9 Jade HillJadeHill
5'8" | PG Mpls. South | 2021StateMN
of Minneapolis South and Minnesota Fury 2021 UAA is still available. Some 17 of the top 20 have verbaled while #11 Paige KindsethPaigeKindseth
5'10" | CG Farmington | 2021StateMN
of Farmington (Minnesota Stars Hersch) and #19 Frankie VascellaroFrankieVascellaro
6'0" | SF Holy Angels | 2021StateMN
of Holy Angels (Fury 2021 UAA) remain available.
Among the Division 1 recruits eight are from the Minnesota Fury, eight are from North Tartan, three play for the Minnesota Stars while FBC North and the Minnesota Comets have two apiece and one is from 43 Hoops. Overall North Tartan has 12 commitments, the Fury have 10, the Stars have 6 and FBC North and 43 Hoops each have three, while the Rise and Comets have produced two apiece. One player from ND Pro in Fargo (Michaela DammannMichaelaDammann
6'2" | C Sauk Centre | 2021StateMN
of Sauk Centre) has committed while one player (Kendal CoxKendalCox
5'9" | CG St. Michael-Albertville | 2021StateMN
of St. Michael-Albertville) is not playing AAU this summer. She was a long-time North Tartan athlete prior to that.
D1 high major commitments to date
Last year Minnesota produced a total of four high-major commits. So far among the 2021s there are already nine:
Division 2 verbals to date
Also this week Briana StoltzmanBrianaStoltzman
5'8" | CG Mankato West | 2021StateMN
of Mankato West became the latest D2 commit when she verballed to Southwest Minnesota State. These are the 16 Division 2 recruits so far:
Finally we should also note that this week marked the first commitment from Minnesota’s class of 2022. That would be combo guard Desiree WareDesireeWare
5'8" | CG Minnetonka | 2022StateMN
of Minnetonka, the #10 rated prospect in the class, who announced her verbal commitment to the University of Alabama-Birmingham.