Who are the 10 best prospects down South?

One of the most striking trends in Minnesota girls basketball over the past few years has been the significant growth in the quantity of good college prospects from Greater Minnesota. There are a number of reasons for this, of course, but much of the credit has to go to outstate AAU clubs. These organizations have become much more proactive in pursuing excellence, recruiting top players in their region, providing numerous training opportunities, and helping prospects understand the importance of club basketball to their individual development. Case in point: the [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'].   Based in the Mankato region of Southern Minnesota, the club boasts most of the elite talent in their part of the state. That's why Rise players are featured prominently in part 3 of our look at top 10 prospects in Minnesota by region: The best of the South and Southwest. Led by club director Ryan Hulke, the Rise have more than 30 prospects in the Prep Girls Hoops rankings, and many players who got their start with the Rise have gone on to play for the most high-profile teams in the Twin Cites. Of the 15 players included on this list, a dozen either play for or have played for the Rise.   For the purpose of our selections, we're considering the South/Southwest region to include primarily territory west of Interstate 35 to the South Dakota border and south of Highway 212 to the Iowa line. Here they are:   #1 [player_tooltip player_id='280354' first='Tucker' last='Downs'] – 2026 guard, Mankato West   Tucker may have been out of sight this summer but she's hardly out of mind. We discovered her in 7th grade with [program_tooltip program_id='713291' first='Minnesota' last='Nice']. Then she went to the Rise before moving this year to the top [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] 2026 squad, Downs was sidelined by injury all season. That hasn't diminished the fact that she is a top 10 junior in the state who holds multiple Division 1 offers. Pictured above right, this uber-talented guard has a very bright future.   #2 [player_tooltip player_id='515673' first='Brielle' last='Janssen'] – 2026 forward, MACCRAY   Had Brielle focused her athletic pursuits around basketball over the past few seasons, there's no telling how good she might be. Janssen has gradually shifted her focus away from volleyball now and the results speak for themselves. She's tall, long and athletic with great instincts and a nice feel for the game. Brielle is bound for the top 15 in the Class of 2026.   #3 [player_tooltip player_id='498658' first='Morgan' last='Mathiowetz'] – 2027 guard, Sleepy Eye St. Mary's   It was obvious from the get-go that Morgan was going to be special, and not just because we had watched her sister Madison romp through high school and AAU to D1 South Dakota State. Morgan has established herself in the same way, earning a top 10 ranking among the 2027s and showing off skills, smarts and a motor that never quits.   #4 [player_tooltip player_id='339175' first='Brooklyn' last='Lewis'] – 2026 guard, New Ulm (MSU-Mankato)   I remember watching Brooklyn for the first time at the Fall Exclusive event when she was barely into junior high school. Let's just say she was super impressive. A natural athlete with tremendous handles, great court vision and a big-time engine, those early glimpses of Lewis' potential have proven correct. She's a top-15 junior with a D2 commitment already in hand.   #5 [player_tooltip player_id='339179' first='Brylee' last='Miller'] – 2026 guard, Fairmont (MSU-Mankato)   Miller and Lewis have formed a great one-two punch for the very strong Rise 2026 squad for several seasons now and they will be college teammates in Mankato, too. Pictured above left, Brylee is a disruptive force at both ends of the floor, a natural athlete who can run and jump with the best of them. She is a lengthy leaper with a big-time motor. That's why she's a top-25 prospect in the Class of 2026.   #6 [player_tooltip player_id='589276' first='Taleigha' last='Bigler'] – 2026 guard, Marshall   Bigler is a prospect on the rise (no pun intended). After earning recognition for her skills, on-court intelligence and defensive abilities early on, she was still pretty small which is always a cautionary tale when it comes to evaluating players. Well Taleigha is not small anymore and the coach's kid with the high IQ is rightfully sprinting up the Prep Girls Hoops rankings.   #7 [player_tooltip player_id='866655' first='Maggie' last='Joyce'] – 2028 guard/forward, New Ulm   When you combine size and strength with a burgeoning skillset and the willingness to do whatever it takes to win, you're bound to have a legit college basketball prospect on your hands. That's exactly what the incoming freshman is. We haven't published the Freshman 50 rankings just yet, but when we do you'll be able to look for Maggie's name near the north end of the list. This kid is going to be a player.   #8 [player_tooltip player_id='498662' first='Jadyn' last='Kor'] – 2026 guard, Pipestone   The big guard has very quietly forged herself into a quality prospect at the scholarship level. We say quietly because she has most recently played AAU ball for Sanford Sports out of Sioux Falls, which has limited her exposure in her home state. In 2025, Kor will join the top Rise unit where she'll have every opportunity to shine and improve on her top 40 ranking.   #9 [player_tooltip player_id='550001' first='Rylie' last='Cother'] – 2025 guard, Jackson County Central (Winona State)   All the world loves a scorer but few players in Minnesota have lit up the scoreboard more than Rylie. As a freshman she scored nearly 300 points. As a sophomore she topped 500. Last winter she was one point shy of 800, besting the 30-point mark 17 times! Her ability to make shots from all circumstances was equally as impressive in AAU. Of course there's a lot more the top-50 senior can do which is why she is a D2 commit.   #10 [player_tooltip player_id='766677' first='Sienna' last='Duininck'] – 2027 guard, Central MN Christian   Hailing from a tiny private school in Prinsburg, Sienna has already proven that she can hang with the big dogs while competing on a national level for the best [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] 2027s. She is a highly skilled, super-smart point guard who just makes things happen on the court. Already a 1,000-point scorer at the small-school level, Duininck is a top 25 talent with tremendous long-term potential.   OTHERS CONSIDERED   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='835982' first='Lilly' last='Henriksen'] – 2028 guard, BOLD</li>   <li>[player_tooltip player_id='773408' first='Lily' last='Hubin'] – 2026 guard, Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart</li>   <li>[player_tooltip player_id='396427' first='Madelyn' last='Malmgren'] – 2025 forward, St. James (Jamestown)</li>   <li>[player_tooltip player_id='911448' first='Kylie' last='Olson'] – 2027 forward, NRHEG</li>   <li>[player_tooltip player_id='208187' first='Annika' last='Southworth'] – 2025 guard, St. Peter</li> </ul>   One more player we need to make mention of is 2029 [player_tooltip player_id='981166' first='Leah' last='Brustad'] of New Ulm. The lengthy wing/guard is a very gifted athlete who is already earning substantial minutes on varsity. She's going to be very, very good.

One of the most striking trends in Minnesota girls basketball over the past few years has been the significant growth in the quantity of good college prospects from Greater Minnesota. There are a number of reasons for this, of course, but much of the credit has to go to outstate AAU clubs. These organizations have become much more proactive in pursuing excellence, recruiting top players in their region, providing numerous training opportunities, and helping prospects understand the importance of club basketball to their individual development. Case in point: the Minnesota Rise .