2023 Rankings Update: Meet the newcomers

It's never too late to make a good first impression. That's the truth for the 20 Minnesota prospects who made the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2023 rankings for the first time this week heading into their senior year. Some of them truly are new to the scene. Others we have been watching for some time and their efforts over the past many months have now earned them this opportunity. In all there were four newcomers who made their way into the Top 100, another eight who landed between #101 and #200 and eight more who now find themselves on the south end of the list. Welcome to the party!   NEWCOMERS IN THE TOP 100   #78 [player_tooltip player_id='474481' first='Abby' last='Berge'] – forward/guard, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa   Our highest-ranked newcomer, the 5'10 Berge is one of the most well-rounded players in the class. She is a savvy veteran from West Central Wildcats who plays the game with poise and intelligence, has both physical strength and touch, and is not afraid of the big moment.   #81 [player_tooltip player_id='436088' first='Taylor' last='Shelstad'] – guard, Lac Qui Parle Valley   The crafty guard, also from West Central Wildcats, has length, athleticism and a strong set of skills. We love how she keeps her head on a swivel with eyes up as she brings the ball up the floor which enables her to make quality decisions on a consistent basis. Taylor has some very nice upside.   #95 [player_tooltip player_id='436099' first='Zhane' last='Singer'] – forward, St. Paul Como Park   A prototypical late bloomer, Zhane showed at the state high school tournament that she had the potential to big a big-time post player. That's what happened this summer with Minnesota Diamond Elite as Zhane saw her skill set expand, her experience level grow and her ability to dominate down low flourish.   #96 [player_tooltip player_id='436087' first='Lakesha' last='Thomas'] – guard, North St. Paul   We meant to add Lakesha the last time we upgraded the 2023 rankings in the spring but somehow she got missed. Our bad. The 5'10 forward/guard is super athletic, very agile and has great mobility. Her box of tools continues to grow, too, and this summer's experience with Crossfire Blue Star is clearly paying off.   WHO ELSE MADE THE LIST?   #104 [player_tooltip player_id='474510' first='Anna' last='Rynkiewich'] – forward, St. Paul Central   The rangy wing/forward from Minnesota Diamond Elite (top photo) was a joy to watch this summer. She's super long, gets up and down the court at pace, and plays the game with a ton of passion. We love her competitive spirit, and she can also put the ball in the basket.   #108 [player_tooltip player_id='436090' first='Marina' last='Lafreniere'] – forward, Blaine   The 5'10 forward from Minnesota Heat Gustafson is a bulldozer on the floor. With a big frame, an athletic build, and a take-no-prisoners mentality, Marina is a fierce competitor who will go through the wall to win. Her skills have come a long way over the past few months.   #112 [player_tooltip player_id='474478' first='Camryn' last='Lee'] – forward, Lac Qui Parle Valley   Cam is a late arrival on our radar, but at 6-foot-1 with a huge frame, you can bet coaches are paying attention to her potential. Lee has nice footwork, excellent touch around the basket, and the ability to take and hold space against anyone. Despite not playing AAU this summer, Lee's star is rising.   #113 [player_tooltip player_id='436091' first='Rayna' last='Klejeski'] – forward, Barnum   The 6-foot forward from Crossfire Vaughn has a sizeable frame, good length, plenty of strength and a strong physical presence on the floor. She does the little things well and consistently, and she can score. She's not fancy but Rayna is most definitely effective.   #115 [player_tooltip player_id='436089' first='Pauline' last='McCarthy'] – forward, Cooper   As you can see we've added a number of big power forwards to the Class of 2023 rankings this time around which is not surprising. Everyone's looking for bigs and they tend to bloom later. That includes the size-XL 6-footer from Robbinsdale Cooper and 43 Hoops whose progress is intriguing.   #152 [player_tooltip player_id='459568' first='Whitley' last='Ronn'] – guard/forward, Lakeville South   The 5'11 Crossfire forward is a multi-dimensional athlete who plays three sports very well. Ronn isn't going to wow you in any way, or light up the scoreboard at the highlight reel level, but she is a quality all-around player with no obvious weaknesses. If Ronn focuses only on basketball there's no telling how good she can be.   #154 [player_tooltip player_id='474477' first='Jess' last='Eischens'] – guard, Mounds View   Standing just 5'4, the Minnesota Heat prospect could turn out to be one of the sleepers of the class. She missed a year with an ACL injury but has returned to the kind of form that made her Mounds View's leading scorer prior to the injury, a player with great skills and a bulldog mentality. Jess is also an excellent soccer player.   #162 [player_tooltip player_id='436101' first='Lily' last='Peper'] – forward, Roseville   Speaking of sleepers, look out for the near 6-foot forward from the Minnesota Suns who is about to break through. Lily is long, smooth and athletic. She is an excellent three-pointer shooter, rebounds the ball very well, and has a nice calm demeanor on the floor. Inside there is a giant just waiting to be unleashed.   THE REST OF THE NEWCOMERS   #201 [player_tooltip player_id='461172' first='Cassandra' last='Ross'] – forward, Shakopee   #202 [player_tooltip player_id='457827' first='Alexis' last='Moberg'] – forward, Rogers   #203 [player_tooltip player_id='436100' first='Alexa' last='Snesrud'] – guard, Cloquet   #204 [player_tooltip player_id='436102' first='Abby' last='Lord'] – forward, Totino-Grace   #205 [player_tooltip player_id='436103' first='Sascha' last='Korpela'] – forward, Cromwell-Wright   #206 [player_tooltip player_id='339224' first='Marin' last='Blom'] – guard, Farmington   #207 [player_tooltip player_id='474479' first='Adella' last='Olesiak'] – guard, South Ridge   #208 [player_tooltip player_id='474480' first='Liv' last='Birkeland'] – guard, Hermantown

It's never too late to make a good first impression. That's the truth for the 20 Minnesota prospects who made the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2023 rankings for the first time this week heading into their senior year. Some of them truly are new to the scene. Others we have been watching for some time and their efforts over the past many months have now earned them this opportunity. In all there were four newcomers who made their way into the Top 100, another eight who landed between #101 and #200 and eight more who now find themselves on the south end of the list. Welcome to the party!