2026 Rankings Update: 25 newcomers join the fray

For younger players trying to make their mark on the road to college basketball it's an exciting milestone to see your name in the Prep Girls Hoops rankings for the first time. Not surprisingly there was a lot of buzz on social media Thursday night when we released the new Class of 2026 rankings with congratulations and best wishes making the rounds and lots of attention being paid to the newcomers. That's great. That's how we like it. With the 2026 rankings being updated for the first time, the list has grown from 50 to 75, and today we're pleased to welcome all 25 fresh faces.   The newbies are from all over the state with 14 playing their ball outside of the Twin Cities metropolitan region. This continues the trend from the first 50 prospects announced in the fall as the basketball gets better in outstate Minnesota, more and more kids are playing AAU and training outside of their school programs. From Marshall in the southwest to Breckenridge over by the North Dakota border to Lanesboro and Stewartville in the Southeast, the talent pool continues to grow. A half dozen kids from big Class 4A schools also made the grade and a couple of private school products, too. It's a little bit of everything and that's how it should be.   Let's start by highlighting the top five newcomers and then we'll list the other 20 for your consideration.   TOP 5 NEWCOMERS   #28 [player_tooltip player_id='589273' first='Ella' last='Theobald'] – forward, Stewartville   The folks in and around Stewartville told us Ella was going to be good so we were eagerly awaiting her return from an ACL injury this winter. Let's just say the wait has been worth it! Theobald has been outstanding for the Tigers and is one of the key reasons why the team was 16-2 heading into the weekend. The 6-foot power forward has a nose for the basketball and always seems to be in the right place at the right time to pull down a big rebound or prevent her opponent from doing the same. Her physical presence impacts the game immensely but she has also demonstrated the ability to put the ball in the basket on a consistent basis. It's pretty rare to make a rankings debut in the Top 30 but Ella is clearly a scholarship-level prospect with a ton of upside.   #35 [player_tooltip player_id='567377' first='Sadie' last='Hall'] – guard, Shakopee   Whenever we release the first ranking of a particular graduating class some players inevitably get missed. We're human and we make mistakes. That's on us. Clearly that is the case with Sadie, who has shown over the past few months that she is a scholarship-worthy candidate. Hall is athletic and quick with great mobility. She's got light feet and great anticipation. And her skillset is already well-developed. Sadie handles the ball at a high level, doesn't seem to get rattled by defensive pressure, and operates with the type of poise and patience coaches are looking for. Perhaps her best asset is terrific court vision. Hall seems to see it all which enables her to get the ball to the right place at the right time nearly every time. She is a skilled passer who make difficult plays look easy and makes everyone around her better. We may have forgotten her the first time around but rest assured Hall is a name to remember.   #46 [player_tooltip player_id='567387' first='Mira' last='Wismer'] – forward, Benilde-St. Margaret's   The reshaping of the BSM Red Knights is occurring before our very eyes on a week-to-week basis as coach Tim Ellefsen continues to mold and shape the team into what he wants them to be. Mira is playing a huge role in that process and has more than earned the opportunity. At 6'1, Wismer is long and lean. Perhaps ‘wiry' is the word we are looking for. She's not an imposing physical figure but her length, intelligence and basketball common sense have made her a reliable option already. It's what lies ahead that has us amped up. Wismer is playing about 20 minutes a game for Benilde. She is an outstanding rebounder and shot blocker who is a disruptive factor on defense. Offensively she knows how to elude defenders in tight spaces and uses her length and leverage to finish consistently. She can also shoot it. Wismer runs well and has good mobility. When she gets stronger look out!   #52 [player_tooltip player_id='589276' first='Taleigha' last='Bigler'] – guard, Marshall   Taleigha had a nice summer for the Minnesota Rise but it was difficult for her to get noticed. That's because Rise standouts [player_tooltip player_id='280354' first='Tucker' last='Downs'], [player_tooltip player_id='339175' first='Brooklyn' last='Lewis'] and [player_tooltip player_id='339179' first='Brylee' last='Miller'] were drawing so much attention that Bigler was often overlooked. We'll take some of the blame for that. To be fair though, Taleigha's game then wasn't quite the same as her game now. Let's just say this young point guard is trending in the right direction! It's the decision making that has improved the most. As a highly skilled, athletic player Bigler has long been able to beat kids one-on-one. That gets more difficult, as course, as players move up in the game. As the daughter of a college coach, she knows the game well and understands what needs to get done on the court if her team is going to be successful. That's an asset with immeasurable value. Now those two things are coming together which is what makes her a much more intriguing prospect. With a strong work ethic and a commitment to be great. Taleigha has earned her way into the #52 position.   #55 [player_tooltip player_id='589277' first='Greta' last='Schumann'] – guard, St. Anthony Village   Greta is a sleeping giant. Like many 9th graders, she hasn't quite put it all together yet. As a freshman she is a rotation player on varsity at St. Anthony and she has been a significant contributor. It's where she's headed three years from now that makes us bullish on Schumann's prospects. Defensively she uses her length as a weapon. She can block shots with the best of them, and often does it with significant flair. She closes gaps, plugs holes, reads her opponents well and seems to anticipate what's about to happen before it actually does. Those are valuable assets to have. Offensively she can score at all three levels and we have seen her light it up on occasion with a smooth shooting stroke and the ability to create space, get set and launch her shot effectively. It's a nice package but it's just the beginning.   THE REST OF THE NEW ARRIVALS   #56 [player_tooltip player_id='589274' first='Parker' last='Yaggie'] – guard, Breckenridge   #57 [player_tooltip player_id='502547' first='Hope' last='Stark']  – guard, Yellow Medicine East   #58 [player_tooltip player_id='589275' first='Sophia' last='Anderson'] – guard, Maple Grove   #59 [player_tooltip player_id='502541' first='Journey' last='Swanson'] – guard, St. James   #60 [player_tooltip player_id='502540' first='Jacey' last='Swanson'] – guard, St. James   #61 [player_tooltip player_id='482833' first='Johnica' last='Bernotas'] – guard, Breckenridge   #62 [player_tooltip player_id='502560' first='Leah' last='Passe'] – guard, Visitation   #63 [player_tooltip player_id='502532' first='Betsy' last='Joyce'] – forward, New Ulm   #64 [player_tooltip player_id='502533' first='Jensyn' last='Storhoff'] – guard, Lanesboro   #65 [player_tooltip player_id='589279' first='Ava' last='Wallaker'] – guard, Goodhue   #66 [player_tooltip player_id='502551' first='Brooklin' last='Hinze'] – guard, St. Clair   #67 [player_tooltip player_id='502564' first='Landis' last='Williamson-Andrews'] – guard, Eastview   #68 [player_tooltip player_id='589280' first='Lyric' last='Singleton'] – guard, Robbinsdale Cooper   #69 [player_tooltip player_id='502559' first='Amber' last='Mahal'] – forward, Northfield   #70 [player_tooltip player_id='502607' first='Amanda' last='Shero'] – forward, Prior Lake   #71 [player_tooltip player_id='502534' first='Riley' last='Wilson'] – guard, New Ulm   #72 [player_tooltip player_id='589281' first='Emma' last='Hanson'] – forward, Chaska   #73 [player_tooltip player_id='502539' first='Avery' last='Douglas'] – guard, Swanville   #74 [player_tooltip player_id='515690' first='Bella' last='Naples'] – guard, Chanhassen   #75 [player_tooltip player_id='589282' first='Cassie' last='Wegman'] – guard, Delano

For younger players trying to make their mark on the road to college basketball it's an exciting milestone to see your name in the Prep Girls Hoops rankings for the first time. Not surprisingly there was a lot of buzz on social media Thursday night when we released the new Class of 2026 rankings with congratulations and best wishes making the rounds and lots of attention being paid to the newcomers. That's great. That's how we like it. With the 2026 rankings being updated for the first time, the list has grown from 50 to 75, and today we're pleased to welcome all 25 fresh faces.