Class 3A Player of the Year and All-State Team

When we talk about the Prep Girls Hoops rankings and the evaluation of players in general, everything is focused on an athlete's potential for college basketball. Post-season awards are a whole different deal. When we look at what makes a most valuable player, we're dialed in on the here and now, on what players did this season in high school ball to help their team win. With that criteria firmly in mind, we are pleased to announce our Prep Girls Hoops Class 3A Player of the Year: [player_tooltip player_id='589276' first='Taleigha' last='Bigler'] of Marshall.   There were plenty of great candidates. Miss Basketball finalist [player_tooltip player_id='296523' first='Kendall' last='McGee'] of the championship squad from Benilde-St. Margaret's was great at State.  Her fellow nominee [player_tooltip player_id='296527' first='Aneisha' last='Scott'] of DeLaSalle is equally well-qualified. [player_tooltip player_id='471360' first='Mya' last='Moore'] of Orono had a great year as did Alexandria's [player_tooltip player_id='346165' first='Hadley' last='Thul']. But nobody meant more to their team's success than Bigler.   Marshall plays hard-nosed grinding basketball. Coach Dan Westby has a long history of winning old-school, but his players are traditionally known more for their physicality and toughness than their skill and next-level potential. Every so often a player like Bigler comes along and the Tigers have a shot at the big one. This was one of those years.   It's no coincidence that Bigler's game has grown appreciably in the last year and a half as she has grown taller, gained substantial strength, and honed her assets in summer ball with the [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise']. This year it all came together as Taleigha directed the Tigers to 29 victories. At the State Tournament they scored an opening round victory over Rock Ridge and followed that with a semifinal victory against Cretin-Derham Hall. Mighty BSM was a little too much for Marshall in the championship contest but by then Bigler had established herself as a force.   “She is a mentally tough competitor, relentless defender on and off the ball, and she rebounds extremely well from her point guard position,” said her former AAU coach Dan Wolfe, a long-time assistant at Gustavus-Adolphus College. ”She has made big strides in her skillset as well as physical strength. She attacks off the dribble with either hand, changes speeds, and finishes through contact… She has really improved her efficiency from the 3-point line so defenders have to respect her as a deep threat.”   We saw all of that this winter and more. Bigler's confidence level was up, her productivity was up and her Prep Girls Hoops prospect ranking was up, as well. In the fall rankings update, Bigler rose 8 positions to #26. In February she took another jump up to #22. When the 2026s are next re-ranked in June, Bigler will probably rise again given her performance down the stretch run of the high school season.   Taleigha is a Division 1 talent who signed early with Southwest Minnesota State, the D2 program in her home town where the men's team is coached by her dad Brad Bigler. Taleigha is a steal for SMSU coach Tom Webb, who has a habit of landing highly-rated talent that few expect him to get. None of Bigler's success is a surprise to Wolfe.   “Taleigha is a winner,” he said.. “She is as coachable a player as you will find. She wants feedback and will take it and put it into action immediately,” he said. “If you sat down and had a 10-minute conversation with her, you would instantly see she has a wonderful spirit about her. When she enters or exits the gym you will always see a big smile to match a big heart… She's confident in who she is, she's humble and a fantastic teammate.”   RUNNER-UP   [player_tooltip player_id='471360' first='Mya' last='Moore'] – 2026 guard, Orono (Creighton)   While Bigler has improved notably over the past year and a half, Moore has been near the top of the Class of 2026 for a very long time. She is highly skilled with elite ball-handling ability, tremendous outside shooting, really good feel for the game, and the type of inner strength you just can't teach. At 5'10, she's long and lean and has that certain spring in her step. Mya's performance this winter propelled Orono to new heights as the Spartans posted 25 wins before falling to Benilde-St. Margaret's in the Section 6AAA final. That hurt after beating BSM twice in the regular season, but it doesn't diminish what Mya and her team accomplished from start to finish. Moore led her team in scoring (23.6 points per game), assists (5.7) and steals (5.7). Her 60 made threes were the most on the team. She was second in rebounds at 5.1 per game. Mya was remarkably consistent, scoring in double digits every game and topping the 20-point mark 20 times. Ranked 4th among Minnesota juniors, Moore has committed to D1 Creighton University in Omaha.   CLASS 3A ALL-STATE TEAM   1st Team   [player_tooltip player_id='346165' first='Hadley' last='Thul'] – 2025 wing, Alexandria (South Dakota State)   [player_tooltip player_id='296523' first='Kendall' last='McGee'] – 2025 guard, Benilde St. Margaret's (Creighton)   [player_tooltip player_id='589276' first='Taleigha' last='Bigler'] – 2026 guard, Marshall (Southwest MN State)   [player_tooltip player_id='296527' first='Aneisha' last='Scott'] – 2025 guard, DeLaSalle (Richmond)   [player_tooltip player_id='471360' first='Mya' last='Moore'] – 2026 guard, Orono (Creighton)   2nd Team   [player_tooltip player_id='458302' first='Abbie' last='Pietila'] – 2026 guard, Delano (Michigan Tech)   [player_tooltip player_id='377583' first='Mya' last='Wilson'] – 2027 guard, Hill-Murray   [player_tooltip player_id='515676' first='Samantha' last='Voll'] – 2026 guard, Monticello   [player_tooltip player_id='458305' first='Audrey' last='Shindelar'] – 2026 guard, Stewartville (South Dakota State)   [player_tooltip player_id='208184' first='Zahara' last='Bishop'] – 2025 guard, Benilde-St. Margaret's (Seton Hall)   HONORABLE MENTIONS   [player_tooltip player_id='498661' first='Pressley' last='Watkins'] (Benilde-St. Margaret's)   [player_tooltip player_id='252380' first='Kendra' last='Harvey'] (Byron, North Dakota)   [player_tooltip player_id='396428' first='Allie' last='Haabala'] (Alexandria, Southwest MN State)   [player_tooltip player_id='346183' first='Chloe' last='Scholl'] (Alexandria, Gustavus)   [player_tooltip player_id='453771' first='Macee' last='Linow'] (Alexandria/Bemidji State)   [player_tooltip player_id='453728' first='Ajiem' last='Agwa'] (Austin, St. Kate's)   [player_tooltip player_id='567389' first='Sydney' last='Friedly'] (Benilde-. Margaret's)   [player_tooltip player_id='346180' first='Brandi' last='Washington'] (Fridley)   [player_tooltip player_id='396436' first='Elise' last='Groppoli'] (Hill-Murray, St. Cloud State)   [player_tooltip player_id='595553' first='Makenzie' last='Carrier'] (Kasson-Mantorville, Northern State)   [player_tooltip player_id='296747' first='Anna' last='Greene'] (Mahtomedi, Northern Iowa)   [player_tooltip player_id='1194474' first='Reese' last='Drake'] (Marshall)   [player_tooltip player_id='676690' first='Abby' last='Ruda'] (Monticello)   [player_tooltip player_id='339175' first='Brooklyn' last='Lewis'] (New Ulm, MSU-Mankato)   [player_tooltip player_id='205299' first='Ella' last='Kuhlman'] (North Branch, Concordia-St. Paul)   [player_tooltip player_id='918767' first='Anna' last='Westby'] (Rock Ridge, UM-Crookston)   [player_tooltip player_id='208187' first='Annika' last='Southworth'] (St. Peter, Trine)   [player_tooltip player_id='764182' first='Ava' last='Litecky'] (Totino-Grace)   [player_tooltip player_id='502586' first='Maria' last='Radabaugh'] (Totino-Grace)   [player_tooltip player_id='550024' first='Chloe' last='Nuss'] (Totino-Grace, Mary)

When we talk about the Prep Girls Hoops rankings and the evaluation of players in general, everything is focused on an athlete's potential for college basketball. Post-season awards are a whole different deal. When we look at what makes a most valuable player, we're dialed in on the here and now, on what players did this season in high school ball to help their team win. With that criteria firmly in mind, we are pleased to announce our Prep Girls Hoops Class 3A Player of the Year: Taleigha Bigler Taleigha Bigler 5'9" | PG Marshall | 2026 State MN of Marshall.