College basketball is back with a Minnesota flavor

When the women's college basketball season opened on Monday night there was a distinctly Minnesota flavor to the proceedings. From one end of the country to the other, players who learned the game in these parts were already making an impact and it was only opening day.

By the time a D1 national champion is crowned on April 5 in Phoenix, nearly a hundred players who were ranked by Prep Girls Hoops in Minnesota while they were in high school will suit up this season in Division 1 basketball. The number includes such national standouts as Gianna Kneepkens of Duluth Marshall at UCLA; Tessa Johnson of St. Michael-Albertville at South Carolina; former Ms. Basketball Olivia Olson of Benilde-St. Margaret's at Michigan; Chanhassen's Calin Hake at Nebraska; Ronnie Porter of St. Paul Como Park at Wisconsin; Nunu Agara of Hopkins at Stanford; and former Hopkins star Liv McGill at the University of Florida. It's quite a list.

Here at home, eight of the 14 rostered players at the University of Minnesota are playing in the home state, including starters Mara Braun (Wayzata), Amaya Battle (Hopkins), Sophie Hart (Farmington) and Tori McKinney (Minnetonka). The others are Taylor Woodson (Hopkins),  Nia Holloway (Eden Prairie), Kennedy Klick (Maple Grove) and Brynn Senden (Wayzata).

The numbers are remarkable and speak to the incredible depth of talent produced in this state year after year. Now, more than ever, there are opportunities throughout the winter for young players still a ways off from college ball to watch the home-grown talent live.

WHO TO WATCH IN THE SUMMIT LEAGUE

For generations young Minnesotans have made the trek to Williams Arena to witness the Gophers do their thing in the Big 10. With the University of St. Thomas having made a successful transition to Division 1, college prospects wanting to get a better handle on what it takes to play at the next level should also make their way to St. Paul on a regular basis. In my opinion, the Summit League where the Tommies compete is the best place to do that. The more NIL money and the annual madness of the NCAA transfer portal play havoc with the women's game, the more relatable the regional circuit is.

More than two dozen Minnesotans will play in the Summit League this season, including nine freshmen. Eight athletes who played their high school basketball here have transferred into the league in the off-season. When St. Thomas opens its home season this Sunday, Nov. 8 against Army it will mark the debut of their new home court – the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena.

I toured the 5,300-seat facility a couple of weeks ago and I can tell you that it is as nice as any facility you'll find in mid-major D1 college basketball. It has every amenity the players, coaches and fans could ask for. It's big enough to feel like a legit D1 facility and small enough to support a fun atmosphere.

Tickets are affordable and the Tommies lineup includes six Minnesotans. Among UST's home non-conference opponents are Drake on Dec. 13, Northern Iowa on Dec. 21 and Northern Illinois Dec. 29. There will be eight Summit League home games beginning in January. It's a perfect group outing for high school and youth teams who will soon come to understand just how good you need to be to get to Division 1. For more information visit tommiesports.com.

Here are the Minnesota high school graduates to watch in the Summit League in 2025-26.

University of North Dakota – Grand Forks, ND

North Dakota State University – Fargo, ND

University of Nebraska-Omaha

Oral Roberts University – Tulsa, OK

University of South Dakota – Vermillion, SD

South Dakota State University – Brookings, SD

University of St. Thomas – St. Paul, MN