North Dakota 2026 Watchlist

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br>The North Dakota 2026 watchlist is live on the site!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Though it is early to speculate on this class, I believe this is a very strong class. With teammates and D1 talents in [player_tooltip player_id='379041' first='Lee' last='Lee Bell'] and [player_tooltip player_id='342164' first='Maggie' last='Fricke'], automatically make it a strong class towards the top. But the intrigue of the class doesn't stop there. It is also a very deep class in terms of D2 talent that I see in-state and regional schools having on their recruiting boards. Though there are still at ton of prospects needing to be discovered and added to the list, you can mark down this class as being very strong and deep. Here's a list of 2026 prospects that I have seen the most of and have stood out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='379041' first='Lee' last='Lee Bell'] <strong>- 6'0 G/F 2026 - Minot - </strong>Lee Lee was one of the key cogs and main contributors for Minot in them winning a state championship last season. Mentioned many times on the site and will still be going forward, Lee Lee is a rare prospect in the state of North Dakota. Six-foot with guard skills and ability to shoot from range. Can put the ball on the floor with skillful moves and can finish with either hand when she gets to the hoop. D1 prospect without even thinking about it. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='342164' first='Maggie' last='Fricke'] <strong>- 5'7 PG 2026 - Minot - </strong>Another 2026 prospect for Minot that is D1-caliber. A true point guard that plays with toughness and skill. Handles the ball well and is a knockdown three-point shooter. Can create her own offense. Started varsity as a 7th grader for Minot and can already be considered an experienced player going into her freshman season. Point guard leader of state champion Minot, Maggie is on track to finish with one of the more impressive overall careers when it's all said and done.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='493728' first='Emma' last='Jones'] <strong>- 5'11 G/F 2026 - Glenburn - </strong>Emma is going to be a good one for Glenburn, already starting last season as an eighth grader for them. Has length, skills, and athleticism that translate to her being a defensive nightmare for her opponents. Can glide up and down the court with her length and movement. A legit defensive playmaker that makes plays with her length and elite instincts on the ball and opponents passes. Steals, deflections, and blocks occur quite frequently. Easily a D2 prospect in the future and will be rated highly in this class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/EmmaMJonessss/status/1523712410384805888?s=20u0026t=wPkhT9ACXh2rjbucXByOuw","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/EmmaMJonessss/status/1523712410384805888?s=20u0026t=wPkhT9ACXh2rjbucXByOuw </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='415002' first='Taya' last='Aufforth'] <strong>- 5'11 F/C 2026 - Kenmare - </strong>I think Taya is an impressive prospect, that will be talked about in the class quite often going forward. Though only 5'11, she's a next level interior prospect that has athletic ability to move away from the hoop comfortably. There's still a lot of time before her upper years but, an NAIA team would be getting a steal here in my opinion. Such a smart defender, that she's significantly advanced for an upcoming Freshman. Gives space on the perimeter, while being able to mirror and contend the ball. Near perfect positioning on the defensive side of the ball overall. Has go-to moves inside and will finish off the glass consistently against high hands. Runs from rim to rim with good speed and effort. Taya's effort and energy on the court is quite noticeable.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='379352' first='Laela' last='Eisenschenk'] <strong>- 5'8 G 2026 - Kindred - </strong>Laela received some varsity playing time for 25-0 class B powerhouse Kindred. A long 5'7-5'8 guard that is a college prospect. Has an offensive game where she can put the ball on the floor, shoot it, and has creative ways to score the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='410352' first='Ellee' last='McIntosh'] <strong>- 5'11 G 2026 - West Fargo - </strong>Ellee was a JV player for West Fargo in her eighth-grade season. A solid all-around game and possesses good size and length. Moves well and has the necessary skills to develop into a good prospect. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='487016' first='Cora' last='Metcalf'] <strong>- 6'4 PF 2026 - West Fargo Sheyenne - </strong>I have yet to see Cora play, but she's someone I'm aware of and will be a key component to this class. Standing in the 6'3-6'4 range immediately makes her someone to watch and talk about. Stay tuned for updates as we see her compete for Sheyenne this upcoming season. She's one I'm excited to see, to say the least. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='461314' first='Fallon' last='Passanante'] <strong>- 5'6 G 2026 - Fargo Davies - </strong>Fallon is and extremely long guard for her listed 5'6 height. Very long arms to her frame. I see some good upside with her due to this fact. Runs and moves well and has ball skills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='379035' first='Ella' last='Speidel'] <strong>- 5'11 PF/C 2026 - Grand Forks Red River - </strong>Ella was a starter for class A Grand Forks Red River last season. She was a contributor at 3.2 ppg. and 3.4 rpg. per the EDC website. She gives a ton of effort and energy on the court. Runs and sprints the floor and will play top-notch help and team defense. Flies around and will contend three-point shooters. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->