High School Coach of the Year: Tara Starks of Hopkins

Tara Starks' coaching reputation precedes her. From scores of success in AAU with the likes of Paige Bueckers and Liv McGill, to the integral role she played for many years in building the Hopkins juggernaut, to her first high school state title with the Royals in 2022, Coach Starks has forged an enviable record of success. It's not surprising then that her team won the Class 4A State Championship in 2024-25. It's how the Royals did it that matters most in a masterful feat of motivation, team-building and never-say-die resilience for which we are pleased to name Tara as our Prep Girls Hoops High School Coach of the Year.   Overcoming the loss of McGill to graduation was always going to be a challenge. Bringing a young group of fresh faces together over a short period of time wouldn't be easy. Then losing veteran [player_tooltip player_id='296531' first='Tatum' last='Woodson'] and rising star [player_tooltip player_id='377584' first='Ava' last='Cupito'] to season-ending injuries was another powerful blow. Maybe this was the year, the doubters whispered, that Hopkins would no longer be the team to beat.   “At the beginning of the year when we lost Tatum to a torn ACL, it felt like everyone was saying Hopkins isn't going to be that good now,” explained sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='659130' first='Jaliyah' last='Diggs']. “When Ava went down it was like, ‘Nah, they're not even going to make it to State.' After that we lost to Wayzata two times and we just felt like everybody was saying Hopkins is really down this year.”   All of that noise, it turned out, was just the motivation the group needed to propel them to new heights. The girls got mad. They got motivated. And, perhaps most importantly, their coach pulled all the right strings to produce results when it mattered most.   Jaliyah grew into her role as a starting point guard more quickly than expected. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='453753' first='Lauren' last='Hillesheim'] blossomed into a true offensive weapon. Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='558627' first='Erma' last='Walker'] went full beast mode after teasing us with greatness in previous seasons. Along with the defensive excellence of [player_tooltip player_id='215457' first='London' last='Harris'], the off-guard skills of [player_tooltip player_id='659118' first='Alivia' last='Bell'] and the veteran presence of [player_tooltip player_id='339206' first='Maliyah' last='White'], the Royals got their act together down the stretch. Hopkins won its final eight games of the season, defeating Maple Grove in the final to finish the year at 27-5.   In the middle of all of it was Coach Starks, just doing what she does in the way that she does it. How she brought Diggs along was especially impressive, transforming the talented youngster from a one-on-one dynamo to true point guard. “She was our secret weapon,” Walker said of Diggs. “I think she played her role really well. I think it took a minute for her to get the hang of it. She had been used to scoring it a lot in AAU and at Park Center. But she definitely figured out what the point guard has got to do.”   Coach Starks' coaching style is equal parts taskmaster and cheerleader, 50% military commander and 50% jovial big sister. Clearly, it's a methodology that has worked for her and many of the talented prospects who have worn the Hopkins uniform over the past five seasons.   “The first year I was there I was terrified of her to be honest,” Walker confessed. “Everyone said that she yells, she screams, all the running drills that she has. It's kind of insane. But she is low-key kind of funny, too. I'll give her that. She just jokes around. She loves making fun of us. We know she loves us. I think our relationship just grew over time. I became comfortable with her. She is somebody who you can talk to, you can reach out to. She is always there for you. She wants the best for you.”   Diggs agrees. “I was watching them last year play Providence at STMA. She was just screaming all over the place. I was like, ‘Wow, this coach is crazy,'” she said. “Then once I came to Hopkins and got to know her a little bit more, I learned that she's not really as bad as I thought she was….  She's not going to sugarcoat anything. She's going to be real with you. She's going to tell you what you need to work on to get better. She does that because she wants us to be great.'   HONORABLE MENTIONS   Tim Ellefson – The Benilde-St. Margaret's coach led the Red Knights to their third straight Class 3A state championship. Since coming over from Hutchinson, Ellefson has forged a culture of success on the campus in St. Louis Park, an environment where everyone is held accountable, where the team comes first and where players are willing to sacrifice their individual wants in order to be part of something special. Yes, BSM has talent but it takes a steady hand and the voice of experience to keep everyone moving in the same direction. That's exactly what Coach Ellefson has brought to BSM.   Tara Gunderson – In just her second season at Cretin-Derham Hall, Gunderson took the Raiders to new heights that included a section 3AAA title and the resulting trip to the State Tournament. On opening day, CDH knocked off Monticello to advance to the semifinals, playing with poise, precision and passion. Remarkably, Coach Gunderson made it all happen with a lineup led by 8th graders [player_tooltip player_id='939003' first='Isabella' last='Deleeuw'] and [player_tooltip player_id='897060' first='Madeleine' last='Hamiel'] and a supportive crew of veterans.  Gunderson previously won a Class 4A state championship at Chaska. We would not be surprised if she repeats at CDH.   Shaun Condon – The young coach of Class A MACCRAY ignited the passion in the tiny communities of Maynard, Clara City and Raymond as hundreds of fans loaded up the busses to come to Minneapolis for the State Tournament. Led by junior [player_tooltip player_id='515673' first='Brielle' last='Janssen'], MACCRAY knocked out longtime regional power Minneota before beating Central Minnesota Christian and Hills-Beaver Creek to win the Section. They made it all the way to the state final where West Central Area prevailed. Throughout their run, Coach Condon demonstrated exceptional skills in leadership, communication and strategy while ensuring that his players had the time of their lives.

Tara Starks' coaching reputation precedes her. From scores of success in AAU with the likes of Paige Bueckers and Liv McGill, to the integral role she played for many years in building the Hopkins juggernaut, to her first high school state title with the Royals in 2022, Coach Starks has forged an enviable record of success. It's not surprising then that her team won the Class 4A State Championship in 2024-25. It's how the Royals did it that matters most in a masterful feat of motivation, team-building and never-say-die resilience for which we are pleased to name Tara as our Prep Girls Hoops High School Coach of the Year.