AAU State Prelims: Upperclassmen who stood out
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When a talented athlete emerges from a tiny town in rural Minnesota, we get excited about the possibilities ahead. Brielle Janssen Brielle Janssen 6'1" | SF MACCRAY | 2026 State MN of Clara City (population 1,372) certainly fits that description,…
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Continue ReadingWhen a talented athlete emerges from a tiny town in rural Minnesota, we get excited about the possibilities ahead. Brielle Janssen Brielle Janssen 6'1" | SF MACCRAY | 2026 State MN of Clara City (population 1,372) certainly fits that description, which is why the lengthy wing from the Minnesota Rise has earned a top 25 ranking in the Class of 2026. Until prospects like Brielle prove they can deliver against the best of the best, however, the skeptics will linger and the opportunities will be slower to show up. After her performance on Saturday at the State Prelims, however, the conversation about Janssen has undergone a dramatic shift in the past 48 hours. That’s why she leads the way here as we look at some upperclassmen who stood out at the Prelims.
Brielle Janssen Brielle Janssen 6'1" | SF MACCRAY | 2026 State MN – Minnesota Rise Wolfe 2026
Coach Dan Wolfe’s 2026 Rise group opened the weekend with a tough task facing a very strong Minnesota Stars 3SSB Hill squad that features one of the premier players in the country in Lee Lee Bell. The North Dakota talent is intimidating, and many players struggle physically and mentally to compete against the high-major prospect. Don’t tell that to Janssen. From the opening tip on Saturday she went right at Bell, attacking the basket, scoring through contact and demonstrating a potent combination of length, elevation and touch that is quite rare. We’ve seen Brielle perform at a high level in the past, but not like this and not against a high-major opponent.
We’re not hear to tell you that Brielle outplayed Lee Lee. That’s a near impossibility. What Janssen did was more than hold her own while proving that she, too, should be considered a Division 1 prospect in the making. Janssen had 19 points in the contest (Bell had 16) and averaged a dozen per game for the weekend. The thing that’s intriguing about Brielle is that she has always been considered a volleyball-first prospect. That has limited her basketball training and AAU participation to a degree. We weren’t even sure if she would play AAU in 2024. It hasn’t stopped her from being a dominant Class A high school player who has put up big numbers at that level. While scoring 40 points and grabbing 16 rebounds against Yellow Medicine East might be a lot of fun, it is performing against the likes of Bell and another dozen strong Division 1 prospects over the weekend that truly speak to her potential at the next level.
Mya Moore Mya Moore 5'10" | PG Orono | 2026 State MN – North Tartan 2025 EYBL
A top 10 prospect in the Class of 2026, Moore had a big role this weekend at the State Prelims. She jumped up to North Tartan ‘s 17U team to fill in for the Maryland commit Rainey Welson of Hortonville, Wisc., who was out due to injury. That’s no small ask. Just like she does at the 16U level, though, the Orono guard excelled playing among Minnesota’s best in the Class of 2025. She played with poise, distributed with precision and defended with passion. Over the course of four victories, Moore scored 52 points, including 16 against Minnesota Suns S40 and 17 versus Metro Stars 3SSB.
Cail Jahnke Cail Jahnke 6'2" | CG St. Michael-Albertville | 2026 State MN – North Tartan 2026 EBYL
Another North Tartan player who made a big splash at the Prelims was Jahnke, a top 5 prospect in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2026. In the contests we watched, Cail was simply dominant on both ends of the floor. We love how assertive the St. Michael-Albertville sophomore has become. When you combine that with her physical tools and stunning dimensions (she’s at least 6’2 and ultra-lengthy) there is little opponents can do to impede her progress now. Over four games, Cail averaged 16 points per game and was the team’s leading scorer in three of the four contests. It seems that every time we watch Jahnke, she takes her game up another step.
Sophie Hawkinson Sophie Hawkinson 5'8" | CG Wayzata | 2025 State MN – Minnesota Fury 2025 UAA
The long-time North Tartan athlete moved over the Fury this spring so it wasn’t surprising to see her always high motor revving even faster this weekend when we watched Hawkinson face her former teammates. Although she didn’t get the W, the North Dakota State commit did lead the Fury in scoring in a close game. With a few weeks of play under their belts, the latest version of the Fury 25s is coming together nicely and Hawkinson will be a big part of their success on the UAA circuit. One thing that continues to impress us is the Wayzata junior’s ability to distribute the basketball. Hawkinson sees the floor exceptionally well and can usually be counted on to drop a valuable dime at just the right time.
Samantha Voll Samantha Voll 5'9" | CG Monticello | 2026 State MN – Metro Stars 2026 3SSB
Voll has been an excellent prospect for a good while now – she’s top 25 in the Class of 2026 – but the past couple of weekends have been a coming out party of sorts for the crafty guard from Monticello. At the recent Adidas 3SSB Circuit event in Texas, Sammie lit up the scoreboard in front of a bevy of D1 coaches, finishing top three at the loaded event. Fast forward to this weekend and Voll was on fire once again. She scored 74 points in four games to spark the Metro Stars to three victories, enabling Ellen Wiese’s team to earn the #3 seed for the State Tournament. The All-State sophomore is a dynamic, athletic point guard who plays the game with panache, and knows how to make things happen when it matters most.
Chloe Carlson Chloe Carlson 5'8" | CG Proctor | 2026 State MN – Minnesota Suns 2026 S40
Carlson has emerged as one of the most consistent performers in Minnesota’s Class of 2026, where she currently holds the #25 ranking. The feisty guard from Proctor just keeps on bringing it game after game, weekend after weekend. The State Prelims was no exception as Carlson led her Suns squad with 15 points per game as Coach Abby Notch’s group earned a #13 seed in the D1 State Tournament coming up this weekend. Chloe is highly skilled, has a really nice feel for the game, and is blessed with quality athleticism and superior quickness. We love her relentless fight and team-first mentality, a combination that continues to deliver.
Lee Lee Bell – Minnesota Stars 2026 3SSB Hill
There is a reason that sophomore Lee Lee Bell is the top ranked player in North Dakota; she is downright dominant on just about every court she steps foot on. With guard skills and power forward dimensions, the 6’3 sophomore can score at all levels, and her physical presence in the paint is something to behold. Bell led the 16U division in scoring this weekend, averaging 19 points a game. Against the top 2026 Fury team, she scored 27 points, including three buckets from long distance and 6 made free throws. The opportunities continue to roll in for Bell who recently received offers from Michigan State and Maryland. Watch her even once and you’ll see why.
PGH scout Ally McGinnis contributed to these evaluations.