Minnesota ties run deep in NCAA, WNIT tournaments
When South Dakota State and Utah meet Saturday at 9 p.m. in the NCAA tournament, it’s going to be difficult to decide who to root for. I know we at Prep Girls Hoops are supposed to be Switzerland when it comes to player evaluations, but when we’re talking about the college postseason, neutrality be damned. I’ll be pulling for the team with most Minnesota players we have covered over the years.
In Saturday’s SDSU-Utah opener, both teams are loaded with talent from the Gopher state: five of them on the Jackets’ roster and two more for Utah. The Utes also have two players – Reese Ross (South Dakota) and Maty Wilke (Wisconsin) – from neighboring states who played their AAU basketball for Twin Cities-based North Tartan . Throughout the tournaments, you’ll be seeing Minnesotans at every level – more than 60 of them – including some of the most prominent players in the country.
Courtesy of some diligent research by PGH scout Ally McGinnis, here are the former PGH prospects vying for postseason success:
THE BIG DOGS
Paige Bueckers – UConn (Hopkins 2020)
Caitlin Clark of Iowa might be drawing the lion’s share of the headlines, but if I’m starting a team it would be built around Bueckers, who is the most complete player in NCAA basketball. Ranked #1 in Minnesota’s Class of 2020, Paige has overcome a series of injuries to return to the top at UConn. Against all odds, an injury-riddled Huskies lineup has clawed its way into the national championship conversation. They’re definitely my pick.
Ayoka Lee – Kansas State (Byron 2018)
The 6’6 post is a compelling story of the power of perseverance. Suffering a serious knee injury at the end of her high school career, the #4-rated prospect in the PGH Class of 2018 has risen like a Phoenix to become the most dominant post player in the country while setting an NCAA single-game record of 61 points. She leads 4th-seed Kansas State in points (20.1 per game), rebounding (8.4) and blocked shots (68).
Alyssa Ustby – North Carolina (Rochester Lourdes 2020)
Ranked #3 in in the Class of 2020, Ustby has been a warrior for the Tar Heels through four seasons in Carolina blue. She scores (12.4 ppg), she rebounds (9.3) and she shoots at a near-50 percent clip from the field. Ustby is a true leader who has excelled on the court for coach Courtney Banghart, in the locker room, in the classroom, and as a student leader on campus.
Liza Karlen – Marquette (Stillwater 2020)
The big power forward was ranked #6 in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2020. Since then Liza has grown her game every year. She is a versatile forward inside and outside, who has evolved into an all-conference player in the demanding Big East. She leads Marquette in points (17.6), rebounds (7.7) and blocked shots. Karlen is physically and mentally tough, is a terrific teammate, and is one of the nicest players we have scouted.
Lauren Jensen – Creighton (Lakeville North 2020)
Ranked #2 behind Bueckers in the Class of 2020, Lauren has had a lot of highlights in her career. Perhaps the biggest came early on. After starting college at Iowa, where she was overshadowed by the play of Caitlin Clark, Jensen transferred to Creighton. That spring she hit a dagger three at the buzzer to eliminate Iowa from the tournament. It was the ultimate karma moment! Jensen is a consummate leader for 7th-seeded Creighton.
Sara Scalia – Indiana (Stillwater 2019)
The 2nd-rated prospect in Minnesota’s Class of 2019, Scalia began her career at the University of Minnesota before transferring to Indiana. She has been one of the best 3-point bombers in the Big 10 throughout her career. This year, she’s averaging over 16 ppg on 43% shooting from beyond the arc. Sara might not say a whole lot, but the Stillwater graduate has let her game speak very loudly through five years of college basketball.
BY TEAM
Players are listed by team with the location of the university, along with their high school and graduation year.
South Dakota State in Brookings
- Tori Nelson – Two Rivers 2019
- Paige Meyer – Albany 2021
- Ellie Colbeck – Fergus Falls 2022
- Madison Mathiowetz – Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s 2022
- Kallie Theisen – Wayzata 2019 (injured)
Drake University in Des Moines, IA
- Anna Miller – Rochester Mayo 2021
- Taylor McAulay – Centennial 2019
- Shannon Fornshell – Wayzata 2023
- Emily Christenson – East Ridge 2023
Creighton University in Omaha, NE
- Lauren Jensen – Lakeville North 2020
- Molly Mogensen – Farmington 2020
- Mallory Brake – Hastings 2020
- Kiani Lockett – Minnetonka 2022
UW-Green Bay in Green Bay, WI
- Jenna Guyer – Centennial 2022
- Sophie Lahti – Pine City 2023
- Maren Westin – Becker 2023
University of Nebraska in Lincoln
- Annika Stewart – Wayzata, 2020
- Kendall Coley – St. Louis Park 2021
- Callin Hake – Chanhassen, 2022
University of Utah in Salt Lake City
- Jenna Johnson – Wayzata 2021
- Gianna Kneepkens – Duluth Marshall 2022 (injured)
Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI
- Liza Karlen – Stillwater 2020
- Frannie Hottinger – Cretin-Derham Hall 2019
University of Indiana in Bloomington, IN
- Sara Scalia – Stillwater 2019
- Lilly Meister – Rochester John Marshall, 2022
Other schools with one player each
- Alyssa Ustby – North Carolina (Rochester Lourdes 2020)
- Ayoka Lee – Kansas State (Byron 2018)
- Ella Hopkins – Gonzaga (Rochester Lourdes 2023)
- Kennedy Sanders – Colorado (Chaska 2023)
- Kierra Wheeler – Norfolk State (Cooper 2021)
- Nyamer Diew – Iowa State ( Worthington 2020?)
- Nunu Agara – Stanford (Hopkins 2023)
- Nneka Obiazor – Nevada Las Vegas (Eden Prairie 2020)
- Paige Bueckers – UConn (Hopkins 2020)
- Paige Kindseth – Presbyterian College (Farmington 2021)
- Taylor Woodson – Michigan (Hopkins 2023)
- Tessa Johnson – South Carolina (St. Michael-Albertville 2023)
- Vanessa Saidu – Texas A&M (Cooper 2023)
WNIT TOURNAMENT PARTICIPANTS
The WNIT is the secondary tournament to the NCAA. Teams that have not routinely qualified for the big dance are almost always happy to accept a WNIT opportunity. Programs that are in the rebuilding process – Minnesota and North Dakota State, for example – use the WNIT as a chance to get more court time and experience for their players in preparation for next season. Here are the Minnesotans in the WNIT.
University of Minnesota
- Mallory Heyer – Chaska 2022
- Nia Holloway – Eden Prairie 2022
- Sophie Hart – Farmington 2021
- Amaya Battle – Hopkins 2022
- Mara Braun – Wayzata 2022
- Maggie Czinano – Watertown-Mayer 2021
- Kennedy Klick – Maple Grove 2023 (injured)
- Brynn Senden – Wayzata 2023
North Dakota State University in Fargo
- Heaven Hamling – Grand Rapids 2018
- Abby Schulte – Maple Grove 2021
- Abby Krzewinski – Wayzata 2023
- Avery Koenen – Montevideo 2023
- Taryn Hamling – Grand Rapids 2023
University of South Dakota in Vermillion
- Sophie Haydon – Minnetonka 2021
- Natalie Mazurek – Eden Prairie 2020
- Cassidy Carson – Eastview 2021 (injured)
Illinois State University in Normal
- Savannah McGowan – Armstrong 2023
- Molly Lenz – Eden Prairie 2023
Others
- Anna Olson – Vermont (Monticello 2020)
- Desiree Ware – Alabama-Birmingham (Minnetonka 2022)
- Isabell West – South Carolina Upstate (Shakopee 2020)
- Kelly Boyle – UNC Greensboro (Hopkins 2023)
- Ronnie Porter – Wisconsin (Como Park 2022)
- Sophi Hall – Providence (Holy Family 2023)
Photo above: Long-time AAU teammates Lauren Jensen and Paige Bueckers are among the most-prominent names in this year’s NCAA tournament.
PGH scout Ally McGinnis did the research for this story.