2027 rankings: Two dozen newcomers make the list

Over the years the process for rolling out and adding to the Prep Girls Hoops rankings of any particular class has become pretty straightforward: The Freshmen 50 is announced in the fall and good number of prospects are subsequently added each February, June and October until the players graduate. The number of additions can vary depending on how many players have distinguished themselves in a four-month period as well as the relative depth of talent in the class. Our minimum number of newcomers is 10 at a time; our maximum is 25. In the case of the Class of 2027, the summer update marks the second time we've added to the group and we have added a lot of them – 23 in all. That brings the total number of prospects on the 2027 list to 89.   It was not easy deciding who to add and who to leave off the list. In reality, the last 10 players added to the rankings are very close in potential and ability to the next 10 who were left out. The good news is, we'll do this again in the fall and chances are the missing 10 will become the latest 10 next time around. So who are the 23 newcomers? We'll highlight a handful of players and list the rest after that. Many of them have been written about in recent weeks. If you click on a player's name, that will take you to their player profile page where you'll find most of the articles they have been mentioned in.   Just one final reminder as we wrap up the summer update: the Prep Girls Hoops prospect rankings are designed to identify players who have the most potential to be successful in college basketball. They are NOT a ranking of current performance in high school or AAU. While there's certainly a lot of overlap between the two criteria, it's an important distinction to keep in mind as you review the rankings. Just because a player is putting up points and leading the way in high school it doesn't mean they'll be able to do the same in college. It's a different game requiring different skills and attributes. If you want to know more, visit the <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/how-we-rank/">How We Rank</a> page for all of the details on the rankings process.   5 NOTABLE NEWCOMERS   #41 [player_tooltip player_id='918612' first='Lexi' last='Lawrence'] – forward, EGF Sacred Heart   The newcomer from East Grand Forks exploded into our consciousness less than 30 days ago, but she announced her arrival in AAU basketball in a big way. Playing two years up for [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] North – a West Central Minnesota satellite team of the venerable Twin Cities AAU club – the 6-footer demonstrated elite level potential right out of the gate. With prodigious length, nice athleticism, and that certain ease of movement that strong prospects tend to have, Lexi gets around the court well. Her feet are light, her steps are quick, her instincts of where to be and how to get there are impressive. Not surprisingly, Lawrence's mom was a standout at the University of North Dakota and we think Lexi has the goods to do likewise in the years to come.   #43 [player_tooltip player_id='764215' first='Mariko' last='Lang'] – guard, Hill-Murray   Watching Mari last summer, it was clear that she had a chance to be pretty good. Fast forward to 2024 and Lang is one of the most-improved prospects in the state. The [program_tooltip program_id='712362' first='Legacy' last='Hoops'] standout has really filled out and grown so much stronger. That's important. More impactful, however, has been the growth in her confidence level which, when you watch her, is palpable. Mari has become a force. She's quick and athletic, has a motor that runs forever, and never stops battling. Lang has become a fierce competitor who might be ready to light the world on fire this winter at Hill-Murray. Watching her at Breakdown's Summer State event sharing the floor with [player_tooltip player_id='377583' first='Mya' last='Wilson'], [player_tooltip player_id='923286' first='Ashlee' last='Wilson'], [player_tooltip player_id='639702' first='Ellie' last='Drange'] and [player_tooltip player_id='396436' first='Elise' last='Groppoli'], it's clear that Lang is a player whose star is about to shine.   #62 [player_tooltip player_id='911448' first='Kylie' last='Olson'] – forward, New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva   The sizeable post from NRHEG is one of the most exciting young talents we've watched this summer. Playing two years up with [program_tooltip program_id='713291' first='Minnesota' last='Nice'], Olson is a big power forward from South Central Minnesota whose game is evolving at a rapid pace. As you can no doubt tell from her prospect ranking, we believe Kylie will be a scholarship-level college commit before it's all said and done. Why? Size for starters. It's not easy to find posts with the right dimensions to play at a high level. Combine that with light feet, high mobility, and a willingness to be physical and you're really onto something. Throw in a big motor, the willingness to defend hard and a strong desire to be great, the prospect becomes even more attractive. We think #62 is a conservative estimate for Kylie. If she continues on her current growth curve, Olson might be a top 30 prospect before it's all said and done.   #73 [player_tooltip player_id='835987' first='Harper' last='Hokenson'] – guard, Mayer Lutheran   There are plenty of talented guards who have been added to the 2027 rankings. Harper may not be as dynamic as the aforementioned [player_tooltip player_id='764215' first='Mariko' last='Lang']. She may not have the panache of #66 [player_tooltip player_id='764213' first='Madalynn' last='McLaughlin'] of Rochester Mayo or #74 [player_tooltip player_id='866106' first='Lola' last='Christianson'] of Goodhue, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a more fundamental, more reliable operator than Harper. Hailing from Mayer Lutheran, where she played a key role in a state tournament team last winter, Hokenson is having a terrific AAU season with [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] Lindahl. She is a consistent scorer, an excellent distributor and a solid defender of players big and small. Harper probably won't wow you with speed or athleticism, but she can be counted on to take care of all of the basketball nuts and bolts that will help her team win.   #79 [player_tooltip player_id='923678' first='Ahmani' last='Crump'] – guard, St. Paul Como Park   It's not easy being in the shadows of an uber-successful big sister, but Ahmani has done an excellent job of making her own case during the past year or so. Hailing from a quintessential basketball family in St. Paul, the [program_tooltip program_id='712362' first='Legacy' last='Hoops'] point guard has been well-schooled by parents and siblings alike. She has terrific fundamentals that keep getting better. She plays with a high-revving motor and a level of competitiveness that sets her apart. And she's tough. Crump leads by example, quietly establishing the tone and making everyone around her better. You know, nobody who has watched Big 10 standout Ronnie Porter at the University of Wisconsin will forget what they've seen. She's special. Fans and coaches would do well to remember Ahmani's name, too, because the little sister has a chance to be very good on her own merits.   THE REST OF THE NEW ADDITIONS   #66 [player_tooltip player_id='764213' first='Madalynn' last='McLaughlin'] – guard, Rochester Mayo   #67 [player_tooltip player_id='932009' first='Cara' last='Sarbacker'] – wing, Christ's Household of Faith   #72 [player_tooltip player_id='764173' first='Lexi' last='Nicolai'] – forward, Providence Academy   #74 [player_tooltip player_id='866106' first='Lola' last='Christianson'] – guard, Goodhue   #75 [player_tooltip player_id='630284' first='Maia' last='Richardson'] – guard, Northfield   #76 [player_tooltip player_id='675885' first='Lauren' last='Santy'] – guard, Eden Prairie   #77 [player_tooltip player_id='932011' first='Jade' last='Nguyen'] – guard, Eden Prairie   #78 [player_tooltip player_id='629645' first='Ellie' last='Pease'] – guard, Proctor   #80 [player_tooltip player_id='761285' first='Sami' last='Warwas'] – guard, Mountain Iron-Buhl   #81 [player_tooltip player_id='932012' first='Jenna' last='Riley'] – forward, Sauk Centre   #82 [player_tooltip player_id='932014' first='Ma'lon' last='McCoy'] – guard, St. Agnes   #83 [player_tooltip player_id='932015' first='Kennedy' last='Nicholson'] – guard, Hill-Murray   #84 [player_tooltip player_id='932016' first='Caroline' last='Sonstegard'] – forward, Minnehaha Academy   #85 [player_tooltip player_id='927514' first='Peyton' last='Lindahl'] – guard, Shakopee   #86 [player_tooltip player_id='922511' first='Anika' last='Wind'] – guard, Cass Lake-Bena   #87 [player_tooltip player_id='662406' first='Jenna' last='Christopherson'] – guard, Hayfield   #88 [player_tooltip player_id='675980' first='Jessa' last='Schultz'] – guard, Holy Angels   #89 [player_tooltip player_id='886959' first='Siri' last='Kirkeby'] – guard, Rochester Mayo

Over the years the process for rolling out and adding to the Prep Girls Hoops rankings of any particular class has become pretty straightforward: The Freshmen 50 is announced in the fall and good number of prospects are subsequently added each February, June and October until the players graduate. The number of additions can vary depending on how many players have distinguished themselves in a four-month period as well as the relative depth of talent in the class. Our minimum number of newcomers is 10 at a time; our maximum is 25. In the case of the Class of 2027, the summer update marks the second time we've added to the group and we have added a lot of them – 23 in all. That brings the total number of prospects on the 2027 list to 89.