AAU Awards: Hard Hat All-Star Team

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Each summer, as the AAU season comes to a close, we save one award for the players who are difference makers both on and off the stat sheet. The Hard Hat All Star team is designed to recognize kids whose work ethic is endless and who always give each possession their all. These are the players who are the first to dive on the ground for a loose ball, the most active on the defensive end, and make winning plays game after game, all without ever demanding the spotlight.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While their teammates may light up the scoreboard or receive much of the fanfare, the Hard Hat All-Stars are players whose game is defined by their toughness, grit, and resilience. Whether their area of expertise is taking charges, winning 50-50 balls, generating deflections on the perimeter, or dominating the defensive glass, these players never back down from a challenge. Of course, there are players on this list who are more than capable of putting up big point totals, but the way we see it, there is a whole lot more to their game than scoring ability.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You may notice that there are some notable names missing from this list – higher profile players who have already been chosen for other categories in the PGH AAU Awards, and you would be right about that. In order to be eligible for the Hard Hat All-Star team, players cannot have been chosen for another one of our postseason accolades. That means that players like [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] guard [player_tooltip player_id='897060' first='Madeleine' last='Hamiel'], the [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury']'s [player_tooltip player_id='1244229' first='Lucy' last='Hilgert'], and [player_tooltip player_id='991231' first='Danika' last='Shindelar'] of the [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'], while they certainly fit the description, were not considered for the Hard Hat All-Star team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A total of 15 players were chosen for this year's award with five on each team. Of the selections, eight are 2027 grads about to enter their senior year of high school, three will graduate in 2028, another three are from the class of 2029, and one member of the list is a 2030 who will enter 9th grade this fall. As far as which AAU clubs are featured, a total of ten different clubs are represented. That list includes the [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'], [program_tooltip program_id='718403' first='Minnesota' last='Freeze'], [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] and [program_tooltip program_id='774605' first='Southern' last='MN Fury'], [program_tooltip program_id='767539' first='Minnesota' last='Comets'], [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'], [program_tooltip program_id='756457' first='Opportunity' last='Basketball'], [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'], [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'], [program_tooltip program_id='712700' first='Minnesota' last='Suns'], and [program_tooltip program_id='712697' first='MN' last='Crossfire']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now let's meet the 2026 Prep Girls Hoops Hard Hat All-Star teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":999733,"width":"684px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/09/386-Ava-Doherty-e1726519066885-crop-3356x2204-1726604074.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-999733" style="width:684px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='662003' first='Ava' last='Doherty']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FIRST TEAM</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='764185' first='Candice' last='Ndomb'] – [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'], Duluth Marshall 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='764180' first='Anna' last='Smelser'] – [program_tooltip program_id='718403' first='Minnesota' last='Freeze'], Robbinsdale Armstrong 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='662003' first='Ava' last='Doherty'] – [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'], Wayzata 2027 (Jamestown)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1145711' first='Reagan' last='Essig'] – [program_tooltip program_id='774605' first='Southern' last='MN Fury'], Triton 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='897050' first='Annabelle' last='Gothmann'] – [program_tooltip program_id='767539' first='Minnesota' last='Comets'], Milaca 2028</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1742668,"width":"384px","height":"auto","aspectRatio":"0.9853528628495339","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/02/150-Ava-Smith.jpg?w=1009" alt="" class="wp-image-1742668" style="aspect-ratio:0.9853528628495339;width:384px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='1209360' first='Ava' last='Smith']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SECOND TEAM</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='675954' first='Brooke' last='Mickolichek'] – [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'], Glencoe-Silver Lake 2027 (Concordia St. Paul)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1236881' first='Samantha' last='Konz'] – [program_tooltip program_id='756457' first='Opportunity' last='Basketball'], Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='675886' first='Ava' last='Klein'] – [program_tooltip program_id='718403' first='Minnesota' last='Freeze'], Elk River 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1209360' first='Ava' last='Smith'] – [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'], Hopkins 2028</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1353703' first='Kendall' last='Malmgren'] – [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'], St. James 2030</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1686309,"width":"638px","height":"auto","aspectRatio":"1.5014710358121133","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/01/282-Azalea-Tesch.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1686309" style="aspect-ratio:1.5014710358121133;width:638px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='1256822' first='Azalea' last='Tesch']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>HONORABLE MENTIONS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='657022' first='Ava' last='Brynteson'] – [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'], Prior Lake 2027 (Concordia St. Paul)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='992401' first='Drea' last='Fernholz'] – [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'], Brandon-Evansville 2028</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1246846' first='Nivaya' last='Koles'] – [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'], Lakeville North 2029</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1256822' first='Azalea' last='Tesch'] – [program_tooltip program_id='712700' first='Minnesota' last='Suns'], Milaca 2029</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1817333' first='Naomi' last='Corley'] – [program_tooltip program_id='712697' first='MN' last='Crossfire'], United Christian Academy 2029</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->