2027 rankings: Two dozen newcomers make the list
![2027 rankings: Two dozen newcomers make the list](https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/03/2027-newcomers-graphic.png?w=1024)
In this article:
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…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingOver 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 How We Rank page for all of the details on the rankings process.
5 NOTABLE NEWCOMERS
#41
Lexi Lawrence
Lexi
Lawrence
6'0" | SF
EGF Sacred Heart | 2027
State
MN
– 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 North 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
Mariko Lang
Mariko
Lang
5'9" | CG
Hill Murray | 2027
State
MN
– 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
Legacy 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
Mya Wilson
Mya
Wilson
6'1" | CG
Hill-Murray | 2027
State
MN
,
Ashlee Wilson
Ashlee
Wilson
5'10" | CG
Hill-Murray | 2030
MN
,
Ellie Drange
Ellie
Drange
5'8" | CG
Hill-Murray | 2027
State
MN
and
Elise Groppoli
Elise
Groppoli
5'4" | CG
Hill-Murray | 2025
State
MN
, it’s clear that Lang is a player whose star is about to shine.
#62
Kylie Olson
Kylie
Olson
6'0" | PF
NRHEG | 2027
State
MN
– 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 Minnesota 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
Harper Hokenson
Harper
Hokenson
5'9" | CG
Mayer Lutheran | 2027
State
MN
– 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
Mariko Lang
Mariko
Lang
5'9" | CG
Hill Murray | 2027
State
MN
. She may not have the panache of #66
Madalynn McLaughlin
Madalynn
McLaughlin
5'6" | PG
Rochester Mayo | 2027
State
MN
of Rochester Mayo or #74
Lola Christianson
Lola
Christianson
5'4" | CG
Goodhue | 2027
State
MN
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
Minnesota 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
Ahmani Crump
Ahmani
Crump
5'5" | CG
St. Paul Como Park | 2027
State
MN
– 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 Legacy 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
Madalynn McLaughlin
Madalynn
McLaughlin
5'6" | PG
Rochester Mayo | 2027
State
MN
– guard, Rochester Mayo
#67 Cara Sarbacker Cara Sarbacker 6'0" | SF CHOF | 2027 State MN – wing, Christ’s Household of Faith
#72
Lexi Nicolai
Lexi
Nicolai
5'10" | PF
Providence Academy | 2027
State
MN
– forward, Providence Academy
#74 Lola Christianson Lola Christianson 5'4" | CG Goodhue | 2027 State MN – guard, Goodhue
#75
Maia Richardson
Maia
Richardson
5'7" | SG
Northfield | 2027
State
MN
– guard, Northfield
#76 Lauren Santy Lauren Santy 5'9" | CG Eden Prairie | 2027 State MN – guard, Eden Prairie
#77 Jade Nguyen Jade Nguyen 5'9" | CG Eden Prairie | 2027 State MN – guard, Eden Prairie
#78
Ellie Pease
Ellie
Pease
5'9" | PG
Proctor | 2027
State
MN
– guard, Proctor
#80
Sami Warwas
Sami
Warwas
5'9" | PF
Mountain Iron - Buhl | 2027
State
MN
– guard, Mountain Iron-Buhl
#81 Jenna Riley Jenna Riley 5'9" | PF Sauk Centre | 2027 State MN – forward, Sauk Centre
#82 Ma’lon McCoy Ma’lon McCoy 5'10" | SF St. Agnes | 2027 State MN – guard, St. Agnes
#83 Kennedy Nicholson Kennedy Nicholson 5'11" | SF Hill-Murray | 2027 State MN – guard, Hill-Murray
#84 Caroline Sonstegard Caroline Sonstegard 6'0" | SF Minnehaha Academy | 2027 State MN – forward, Minnehaha Academy
#85
Peyton Lindahl
Peyton
Lindahl
5'6" | PG
Shakopee | 2027
State
MN
– guard, Shakopee
#86 Anika Wind Anika Wind 5'7" | CG Cass Lake-Bena | 2027 State MN – guard, Cass Lake-Bena
#87
Jenna Christopherson
Jenna
Christopherson
5'7" | SG
Hayfield | 2027
State
MN
– guard, Hayfield
#88
Jessa Schultz
Jessa
Schultz
5'8" | SG
Academy Of Holy Angels | 2027
State
MN
– guard, Holy Angels
#89
Siri Kirkeby
Siri
Kirkeby
5'8" | CG
Rochester Mayo | 2027
State
MN
– 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.
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue Reading