The Summit City (Fort Wayne, IN)

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='331784' first='Kaelyn' last='Ortiz-Vaudt'] (2024) of Fort Wayne's Concordia Lutheran High School.   Over the five years I have been with Prep Girls Hoops, I have taken a moment each year to introduce different areas of the state and their top prospects. I wanted to again work through that this Fall and offer you a much more detailed look at the Hoosier State's different regions and the prospects who should shine this Winter throughout those regions. With this first installment, I wanted to turn everyone's attention to the Northeast corner of the state and focus on the state's second biggest city, Fort Wayne, nicknamed "The Summit City". I also quickly wanted to recognize and thank the site www.visitfortwayne.com for some of the information I was able to gather and include below.   Fort Wayne is named after “Mad” Anthony Wayne, an American General who helped build the first fort where the Saint Mary's River, the Saint Joseph River, and the Maumee River all come together. Later, in the 1830s, construction began on the Erie and Wabash Canal in Fort Wayne, and because Fort Wayne was the highest point above sea level along the canal route, it was aptly later nicknamed “ The Summit City”.   Year after year, Fort Wayne turns out several high-quality basketball players and high school teams. 2022 Miss Basketball Ayanna Patterson (Homestead) and Indiana All-Star teammate Olivia.Smith (South Side 2022) come directly from the Summit City, as did prospects like Sydney Graber (Homestead 2020) and Carissa Garcia (Concordia Lutheran 2019). Even Sydney Freeman (Central Noble 2019), Grace Hunter (Bellmont 2019), and Hanna Knoll (Angola 2021) are from the Northeast corner of the state, though not actually "in" Fort Wayne. All of those ladies were Indiana All-Stars and/or have seen Division-I floors.   However, year after year there are many other quality players in the Fort Wayne area who often go underrecruited, so I encourage small colleges to make the trip up I-69 or across U.S. 30 a couple of times each high school season to check out the area teams. Below, I wanted to take the time to highlight a handful of girls who may not often grab the spotlight, but who deserve their share of recognition for their basketball abilities. Not all of these girls are technically in Fort Wayne, but they are all from the Northeast corner of Indiana.   .   [player_tooltip player_id='718312' first='Janiya' last='Johnson'], 2024, 5-7 SG, New Haven H.S. - Janiya doesn't have a huge reputation statewide on the basketball court, but this Spring & Summer was the most I've ever seen her out on the grassroots circuit. She had a really nice 2022-2023 season for New Haven, averaging 13.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.7 steals per game. She also knocked down 36 3-pointers in 21 games. She is a strong and athletic scoring guard who gets to the basket and can make athletic finishes in the lane or the mid-post area. She plays with a nice motor and a toughness, plus she'll sit down and defend with effort. I think she could develop into a really nice steal for a Midwest small college.   [player_tooltip player_id='331784' first='Kaelyn' last='Ortiz-Vaudt'], 2024, 5-6 CG, Concordia Lutheran H.S. - The best word to describe Kaelyn is simply 'solid'. She has always been a skillful, hard-working, invested ballplayer who figures out ways to contribute to whatever environment she is in. She can handle the ball, take care of it, and initiate/manage an offense like a point guard. She's also a solid perimeter shooter, and she can make a move and attack the basket North/South as a scoring guard. Defensively, she gives great effort, she understands angles, plus she'll come up with hustle plays like loose balls or taking charges, and she effectively rebounds her position. I think she could make for a well-balanced small college guard.   [player_tooltip player_id='455935' first='Tessa' last='Tonkel'], 2024, 5-6 CG, Columbia City H.S. - Tessa plays with a nonstop motor that could give the Energizer Bunny a run for his money. Whenever you look over at her court, she is flying around, trying to make a play. She has some length at her height, good all-around athleticism, and speed. Defensively, she can get into ball-handlers and disrupt them, or she can play the passing lanes and create turnovers. Offensively, she can get to the basket and change directions along the way, plus she's a capable perimeter shooter. If she could harness her raw energy a little better and learn how to change speeds and sense tone in a game, I think her burst could be that much more dangerous.   [player_tooltip player_id='692249' first='Layla' last='Williams'], 2025, 6-2 C, Fort Wayne Wayne H.S. - Layla is still in need of a lot of fundamental work, but she has grown, gotten noticeably stronger and more physical, and she is becoming a real presence on the block at both ends of the floor. Offensively, her hands and footwork are improving, so now it's just a matter of her developing a couple of consistent moves and countermoves. Defensively, she protects the paint with her great length, plus she will pursue rebounds. She'll need to keep strengthening her base so she can come out, sit down, and defend ball screens a bit better. But she has vast potential and continues to improve. She transferred to Wayne from Homestead over the Summer.   [player_tooltip player_id='462366' first='Alivia' last='Bolinger'], 2026, 6-1 PF, Concordia Lutheran H.S. - I first saw Alivia last year at a showcase event, and she continues to develop and improve. She has gotten another inch taller, a little stronger, plus she plays with some physicality in her wiry frame. Offensively, she can post smaller defenders and make moves around the block, but she is also comfortable facing the basket in the mid-post. As she gains strength and becomes a little more explosive, I think she'll be able to attack the basket from the perimeter, absorb contact better, and finish. Defensively, she uses her tremendous length and mobility to alter opponents' shots. Right now, she's a little more comfortable inside, but I think she'll be a face-up '4' long-term.   .   Additional Northeast Corner Prospects in Our Rankings for 2024-2026: [player_tooltip player_id='406435' first='Molly' last='Baker'], 2024, Columbia City H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='572811' first='Kelsey' last='Bergman'], 2024, Garrett H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='572795' first='Allie' last='Boyer'], 2024, Blackhawk Christian H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='177314' first='Alexis' last='Castator'], 2024, Fort Wayne Northrop H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='298265' first='Kylie' last='Caswell'], 2024, Angola H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='455940' first='Hailey' last='Cole'], 2024, Bellmont H.S., committed to Trine University [player_tooltip player_id='177317' first='Destini' last='Craig'], 2024, Fort Wayne Northrop H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='201869' first='Annika' last='Davis'], 2024, Bishop Luers H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='177321' first='Joh'nea' last='Donahue'], 2024, Fort Wayne Snider H.S., committed to Bowling Green State University [player_tooltip player_id='201870' first='Giselle' last='Eke'], 2024, Bishop Dwenger H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='455938' first='Gracie' last='Fields'], 2024, Huntington North H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='264113' first='Kennedy' last='Fuelling'], 2024, Norwell H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='331809' first='Makenzie' last='Fuess'], 2024, Norwell H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='298263' first='Sydney' last='Gorman'], 2024, Fort Wayne Wayne H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='718310' first='Dakota' last='Hubble'], 2024, Norwell H.S., committed to Huntington University [player_tooltip player_id='264114' first='Taylor' last='Kneubuhler'], 2024, Woodlan H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='201879' first='Macy' last='Oberlin'], 2024, Angola H.S., committed to Thomas More [player_tooltip player_id='239352' first='Olivia' last='Oman'], 2024, Lakeland H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='239353' first='Riley' last='Pepple'], 2024, Fort Wayne Northrop H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='298261' first='Tia' last='Phinezy'], 2024, Fort Wayne Snider H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='177351' first='Jordyn' last='Poole'], 2024, Fort Wayne Snider H.S., committed to Purdue University [player_tooltip player_id='572804' first='Macy' last='Pries'], 2024, South Adams H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='369834' first='Emma' last='Reust'], 2024, Homestead H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='298259' first='Addie' last='Shank'], 2024, Bishop Luers H.S., committed to Huntington University [player_tooltip player_id='177354' first='Kyndra' last='Sheets'], 2024, Columbia City H.S., committed to Huntington University [player_tooltip player_id='572796' first='Ciara' last='Sims'], 2024, Fort Wayne Snider H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='455937' first='Aniya' last='Woodson'], 2024, Fort Wayne North Side H.S.   [player_tooltip player_id='295754' first='Addison' last='Baxter'], 2025, Columbia City H.S., committed to Butler University [player_tooltip player_id='404107' first='Ashley' last='Cox'], 2025, DeKalb H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='692235' first='Lauren' last='Goodman'], 2025, Concordia Lutheran H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='295801' first='Jersey' last='Paul'], 2025, Carroll H.S. (Fort Wayne) [player_tooltip player_id='506023' first='Reese' last='Rhodehamel'], 2025, Bishop Luers H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='496072' first='Saniah' last='Sandlin'], 2025, Fort Wayne Snider H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='295792' first='Alexis' last='Stillman'], 2025, Angola H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='295794' first='Marissa' last='Trout'], 2025, Huntington North H.S.   [player_tooltip player_id='486540' first='Whitney' last='Ankenbruck'], 2026, Homestead H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='492319' first='Myah' last='Epps'], 2026, Homestead H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='486555' first='Lillian' last='George'], 2026, Carroll H.S. (Fort Wayne) [player_tooltip player_id='414465' first='Gabby' last='Helsom'], 2026, Homestead H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='486518' first='Swynn' last='Jackson'], 2026, Fort Wayne Northrop H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='486549' first='Ava' last='Myers'], 2026, Carroll H.S. (Fort Wayne) [player_tooltip player_id='624881' first='Leah' last='Shappell'], 2026, Leo H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='486514' first='Anisa' last='Tonkel'], 2026, Columbia City H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='624885' first='Miley' last='Wareing'], 2026, Bishop Luers H.S. [player_tooltip player_id='492326' first='Khala' last='Williams-Thomas'], 2026, Fort Wayne Northrop H.S.

The featured image is of Kaelyn Ortiz-Vaudt Kaelyn Ortiz-Vaudt 5'6" | CG Concordia Lutheran | 2024 IN (2024) of Fort Wayne's Concordia Lutheran High School.