Summer recruiting update: Who’s heading where?
In this article:
Things are shaping up rather nicely in the recruiting department for Minnesota’s Class of 2024. With Thursday’s announcement from Morgan Miller Morgan Miller 6'2" | PF Andover | 2024 State MN of Andover, there are now 15 incoming seniors who have made Division 1 commitments to date. Miller verballed to Clemson University of the Atlantic Coast Conference becoming the 6th player in the Class to commit to a Power 5 program. Here’s a quick summary of who’s heading where (so far) among the 2024s as we enter the all-important July viewing period. The # designation is a player’s current position in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2024 prospect rankings.
HIGH-MAJORS
These are the six high-major recruits:
- #1 Olivia Olson Olivia Olson 6'1" | CG Benilde-SM | 2024 State MN – guard, Benilde-St. Margaret’s (Michigan)
- #2 Liv McGill Liv McGill 5'7" | CG Hopkins | 2024 State MN – guard, Hopkins (Florida)
- #3 Jordan Zubich Jordan Zubich 5'11" | SG Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2024 State MN – guard, Mountain Iron-Buhl (North Carolina)
- #5 Trinity Wilson Trinity Wilson 6'3" | PF Lakeville North | 2024 State MN – forward, Lakeville North (Vanderbilt)
- #8 Finley Ohnstad Finley Ohnstad 6'1" | SF Lakeville South | 2024 State MN – forward, Lakeville South (Kansas State)
- #16 Morgan Miller Morgan Miller 6'2" | PF Andover | 2024 State MN – forward, Andover (Clemson)
D1 MID-MAJORS
The most recent of the Division 1 mid-major commits is forward Karly Jusczak Karly Jusczak 6'1" | PF Pine City | 2024 State MN (photo above) of Pine City, who signed with Idaho. She is the 9th mid-major verbal and the 15th Division 1 recruit overall. Karly, who plays for North Tartan EYBL, had originally committed to play D2 ball at Nebraska-Kearney but when UNK coach Carrie Eighmey landed the Idaho job Jusczak decided to join her. These are the mid-major commits so far:
- #6 Claire Stern Claire Stern 6'0" | SF Maple Grove | 2024 State MN – forward, Maple Grove (North Dakota State)
- #7 Laura Hauge Laura Hauge 5'9" | SG St. Croix Lutheran | 2024 State MN – guard, St. Croix Lutheran (St. Thomas)
- #9 Marisa Frost Marisa Frost 5'8" | PG Centennial | 2024 State MN – guard, Centennial (North Dakota State)
- #10 Olivia Pawlicki Olivia Pawlicki 6'1" | SF Shakopee | 2024 State MN – forward, Shakopee (Colorado State)
- #11 Alyssa Sand Alyssa Sand 6'2" | PF Albany | 2024 State MN – forward, Albany (St. Thomas)
- #12 Jocelyn Land Jocelyn Land 6'0" | PF Holy Family | 2024 State MN – forward, Holy Family (Butler)
- #14 Gabby Betton Gabby Betton 5'9" | CG Lakeville North | 2024 State MN – guard, Lakeville North (Loyola Maryland)
- #15 Savanah Gardner Savanah Gardner 6'1" | SF Eastview | 2024 State MN – forward, Eastview (St. Thomas)
- #39 Karly Jusczak Karly Jusczak 6'1" | PF Pine City | 2024 State MN – forward, Pine City (Idaho)
DIVISION 2 COMMITS
This week Shakopee guard Nicole Maenke Nicole Maenke 5'10" | CG Shakopee | 2024 State MN announced her commitment to Southwest Minnesota State. The 37th-ranked prospect in the Class of 2024, who plays AAU for Metro Stars Szabla, is the 13th player in the Class to go D2. These are the D2 signees:
- #20 Rhyan Holmgren Rhyan Holmgren 5'9" | SG St. Peter | 2024 State MN – guard, St. Peter (MSU-Mankato)
- #21 Kadence Hesse Kadence Hesse 5'10" | PG Sleepy Eye | 2024 State MN – guard, Sleepy Eye (Southwest Minnesota State)
- #22 Elisabeth Gadient Elisabeth Gadient 5'10" | CG Goodhue | 2024 State MN – guard, Goodhue (MSU-Mankato)
- #24 Kylan Gerads Kylan Gerads 5'11" | SF Albany | 2024 State MN – forward, Albany (St. Cloud State)
- #26 Norah Danielson Norah Danielson 6'0" | SF Delano | 2024 State MN – guard, Delano (Wayne State)
- #30 Alexis Rose Alexis Rose 5'10" | CG Becker | 2024 State MN – guard, Becker (Sioux Falls)
- #37 Nicole Maenke Nicole Maenke 5'10" | CG Shakopee | 2024 State MN – guard, Shakopee (Southwest Minnesota State)
- #43 Emma Frost Emma Frost 5'11" | SF Andover | 2024 State MN – guard, Andover (Wayne State)
- #49 Rachel Kottke Rachel Kottke 5'8" | CG Buffalo Lake-H-S | 2024 State MN – guard, Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart (St. Cloud State)
- #50 Kristi Kottke Kristi Kottke 5'8" | CG Buffalo Lake-H-S | 2024 State MN – guard, Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart (St. Cloud State)
- #52 Aubrey Heyer Aubrey Heyer 5'10" | SG Chaska | 2024 State MN – guard, Chaska (Bemidji State)
- #54 Macy Birkholz Macy Birkholz 5'5" | CG Mankato East | 2024 State MN – guard, Mankato East (Wayne State)
- #63 Lydia Lakanen Lydia Lakanen 5'10" | PF Anoka | 2024 State MN – forward, Anoka (Winona State)
Although it’s very rare for players at the Division 3, NAIA and JUCO levels to commit this early we have seen two players make announcements of late. Guard Berkley Neubauer Berkley Neubauer 5'7" | CG Holy Family | 2024 State MN of Holy Family and Crossfire Schuck committed to NAIA school Olivet Nazarene of Illinois and guard Brooke Christianson Brooke Christianson 5'5" | CG Glencoe-Silver Lake | 2024 State MN of Glencoe-Silver Lake and the Minnesota Rise signed with D3 Concordia-Moorhead.
BEST 5 PLAYERS AVAILABLE
Although there’s plenty of room for debate, these are the five highest-rated prospects in the Prep Girls Hoops rankings who are still available:
- #4 Tori McKinney Tori McKinney 6'1" | CG Minnetonka | 2024 State MN – guard, Minnetonka (North Tartan EYBL)
- #13 Ja’Kahla Craft Ja’Kahla Craft 5'9" | CG STMA | 2024 State MN – guard, St. Michael-Albertville (Metro Stars 3SSB)
- #17 Amy Thompson Amy Thompson 5'10" | SG Stillwater | 2024 State MN – guard, Stillwater (Fury 2024 UAA)
- #18 Ava Cossette Ava Cossette 5'10" | CG Maple Grove | 2024 State MN – guard, Maple Grove (Fury 2024 UAA)
- #19 Piper Engelby Piper Engelby 5'11" | SG Andover | 2024 State MN – guard, Andover (Minnesota Suns S40)
5 MORE NAMES TO CONSIDER
These five names keep coming up in our conversations with college coaches:
- #23 Ava Holman Ava Holman 5'9" | CG Champlin Park | 2024 MN – guard, Champlin Park (North Tartan Elite)
- #25 Kendall Barnes Kendall Barnes 5'7" | CG Roseville | 2024 State MN – guard, Roseville (Minnesota Stars 3SSB)
- #27 Cece McNair Cece McNair 6'2" | PF Prior Lake | 2024 State MN – forward, Prior Lake (Minnesota Stars 3SSB)
- #28 Anna Vaaler Anna Vaaler 5'10" | SF Andover | 2024 State MN – guard, Andover (Fury Premier 2024)
- #29 Drew Buslee Drew Buslee 5'9" | PG Eagan | 2024 State MN – guard, Eagan (Metro Stars Szabla)
WRAPPING UP THE 2023s
Having walked across the stage this spring the Class of 2023 has moved on to college basketball now with more than 150 players that we know of making commitments to play at the next level. There were three late Division 1 signings, something that has been a rarity in the past but might be more of a regular occurrence in the transfer portal era.
- #18 Vanessa Saidu – forward, Robbinsdale Cooper (Texas A&M)
- #25 Emily Christianson – guard, East Ridge (Drake)
- #48 Kelly Boyle – guard, Hopkins (North Carolina-Greensboro)
Saidu was the 7th high major commit in the Class of 2023 which finished with 30 players going D1, at least 30 more going D2, and more than 150 total.
WHAT ABOUT THE 2025s?
We’re expecting some incoming juniors to take the plunge at the end of the summer once the dust settles from the July viewing period. So far, however, only one player in the Class of 2025 has announced: #11-ranked Autumn McCall Autumn McCall 6'2" | PF Centennial | 2025 State MN of Centennial (Fury 2025 UAA) who will sign with St. Thomas.