The Freshman 50: Top 2030 prospects, 41 through 50

This is what we work towards all summer – the scouting, evaluating, and sorting of the incoming 9th graders. The process of developing this year's Prep Girls Hoops Freshman 50, featuring Minnesota's premier prospects in the class of 2030, has been a labor of love. We've watched as many incoming freshman play as is humanly possible. We've talked to college coaches and AAU directors and many others to reach this point. Given the depth of this class, some quality players definitely got left out. Fortunately we add new names and re-sort the list three times a year.   HOW THE RANKINGS WORK   In case you aren't familiar, allow us to remind you of how the Prep Girls Hoops evaluation process works.    The most important thing to remember is this: The rankings measure college potential, not current high school performance. Our goal isn't to identify the best 9th graders right now; it's to project who will be the best college freshmen four years from now. That's why some players who haven't yet played varsity appear in the upper half of the list and others who will lead their high school teams this winter may not appear at all.   The evaluation process considers traits that translate to the next level:   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Height, length, and athleticism</li>   <li>Skill development and shooting mechanics</li>   <li>Court vision and basketball IQ</li>   <li>Leadership, body language, and coachability</li> </ul>   Our evaluation team includes current and former AAU, high school, and college coaches. Everyone contributes under anonymity to keep the process objective. We know we won't get every ranking right, but the vast majority of legitimate college prospects eventually find their place on the list.    Here are the prospects ranked from 41st to 50th in the Class of 2030.    #41 – Already standing at 6 feet tall with a strong, solidly built frame, Olness (pictured above) has the build required to play in the frontcourt at the college level. Running the floor with relative ease, she also possesses a significant amount of mobility for a player of her size. From a skill standpoint, Harper is in the early stages of her development, but we're already seeing glimpses of a player who can create space for herself down low, hold her own in the paint, and finish shots around the rim. A freshman at New London-Spicer this season, Olness will provide depth for the Wildcats in the years to come.     #42 – Smith's potential to play at the college level is immediately obvious. Standing at an impressive 6-foot-4 with a well-muscled, powerfully built frame, she is easily the biggest player we've watched in the freshman class. On top of her sheer size, Annika runs the floor with ease, allowing her to do more than just play with her back to the basket. While the [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'] post just began her basketball career relatively recently, her skill development thus far has been impressive. Smith shows solid natural instincts and has great hands around the rim. There's definitely still a ways to go, but the potential here is massive.     #43 – Lippert is yet another example of the immense size and length that's present in the class of 2030. Already at 6'2 with plenty of growth still ahead of her, the [program_tooltip program_id='1229871' first='Southwest' last='Fury'] forward doesn't have a lot of high-level basketball experience, but the signs of a future college player are already there. Taylor is fairly quick, runs the floor well, and has a soft touch around the rim. In addition to the post player intangibles, she isn't afraid to handle the ball or extend her range outside of the paint. Lippert also shows promise in her rebounding, toughness, and ability to handle physicality on both ends of the floor.     #44 – We really can't say enough good things about Johnson's game. She's incredibly skilled in all areas, plays with a seemingly endless motor, and is one of the most poised and confident players we've seen in a long time. Already a standout performer at the varsity level, Kailoni is a high IQ floor general who plays with outstanding physicality and can score at all three levels. She may not necessarily be the tallest or the fastest player on the court, but the St. Louis Park freshman never steps on the floor without leaving her mark. Johnson's level as a future college player is somewhat difficult to project right now, but we can assure you that the grit, talent, and desire to be great are all there.     #45 – Sparks is one of the more intriguing prospects in this year's freshman class. At 5'11, the Minneapolis Roosevelt guard is lanky, light on her feet, and possesses a great deal of versatility. She plays hard on both ends of the court, using her length to block shots, snag rebounds, and be a disruptive presence in the passing lanes. On offense, Corrina's quickness, long strides, and crafty ball handling allow her to get to the rim with relative ease. Right now her game is a ways away from being a finished product, but there's undoubtedly a lot of potential there. Sparks will certainly be one of the biggest names to watch in the Minneapolis City conference in the coming years.     #46 – Schroeder's game left a lasting impression on our scouts back in June when we watched her play with the [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise']. With a level of effortless athleticism and a feel for the game that you can't teach, Mikaya has all the tools needed to succeed at the college level. She's quick with the ball in her hands, aggressive in all areas of the game, and has a natural ability for reading the game and reacting accordingly. Her shot is smooth with significant elevation, she's shifty and explosive on drives to the rim, and brings a scrappy, competitive edge on each possession. The Mountain Lake freshman is set to be one of the brightest young stars in Class A this season.     #47 – With wide shoulders and an impressively sized frame, Sodeman shows plenty of promise and a scholarship-level prospect. She's smooth going up and down the court, has a strong grasp of the fundamentals, and knows how to keep her game simple. The 5'11 power forward moves well off the ball, is skilled at setting screens, and is highly effective on the glass. With plenty of strength at her disposal, Jacey creates space for herself on the block, plays off two feet, and can finish in a variety of ways around the rim. Calm and composed at all times, Sodeman's style of play will translate well to the college game.     #48 – Nordvold's game certainly caught our eye during the AAU season, but our first real viewing wasn't until the PGH Freshman Showcase last month. At 6'2, the Maple Grove 9th grader stands out immediately thanks to her impressive height and long, lanky frame. Lucia is quick up and down the court, effective as a rebounder and shot blocker, and a vocal teammate on both ends of the floor. Offensively, she uses her size and strength to jockey for positioning on the low block, maintaining her balance even when facing contact from her opponents. Nordvold has steady hands for catching post-entry passes and finishes her shots with a soft touch at the rim.     #49 – Another promising power forward to make the Freshman 50, Dabout first caught our attention back in April with [program_tooltip program_id='712697' first='MN' last='Crossfire']. Standing at 5'11 with a well-muscled, powerful frame, Kaitlyn uses her size to her advantage in all areas of the game. The Spring Lake Park freshman handles the ball with confidence, gets downhill with a burst of speed, and maintains her balance around the rim, allowing her to finish through plenty of contact. Defensively, she makes for an imposing presence on the glass. With a well-honed set of fundamentals, Dabout's court vision, passing, and high-level decision making are bright spots in her game.     A high-tempo floor general who plays the game with a great deal of confidence, Lyons was a standout performer all summer with the [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars']. While she's not the biggest player on the court, the 5'4 guard athleticism, high basketball IQ, and elite skillset give her plenty of upside as a college prospect. A true three-level scorer, Jaeanna handles the ball like it's on a string, knows how to get to her spots, and has a silky-smooth release on her shot. Defensively, the Hopkins freshman is disciplined in all areas, allowing her to get stops, force turnovers, and play aggressively without ending up in foul trouble.

This is what we work towards all summer – the scouting, evaluating, and sorting of the incoming 9th graders. The process of developing this year's Prep Girls Hoops Freshman 50, featuring Minnesota's premier prospects in the class of 2030, has been a labor of love. We've watched as many incoming freshman play as is humanly possible. We've talked to college coaches and AAU directors and many others to reach this point. Given the depth of this class, some quality players definitely got left out. Fortunately we add new names and re-sort the list three times a year.

HOW THE RANKINGS WORK

In case you aren't familiar, allow us to remind you of how the Prep Girls Hoops evaluation process works.

The most important thing to remember is this: The rankings measure college potential, not current high school performance. Our goal isn't to identify the best 9th graders right now; it's to project who will be the best college freshmen four years from now. That's why some players who haven't yet played varsity appear in the upper half of the list and others who will lead their high school teams this winter may not appear at all.

The evaluation process considers traits that translate to the next level:

Height, length, and athleticism

Skill development and shooting mechanics

Court vision and basketball IQ

Leadership, body language, and coachability

Our evaluation team includes current and former AAU, high school, and college coaches. Everyone contributes under anonymity to keep the process objective. We know we won't get every ranking right, but the vast majority of legitimate college prospects eventually find their place on the list.

Here are the prospects ranked from 41st to 50th in the Class of 2030.

Harper Olness

PF/SF

HEIGHT 6'0"

POS PF/SF

CLASS 2030

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Harper Olness

State: Minnesota

School: New London-Spicer

Club: West Central United

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Annika Smith

C/PF

HEIGHT 6'4"

POS C/PF

CLASS 2030

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Annika Smith

State: Minnesota

School: St. Peter

Club: Minnesota Rise

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Taylor Lippert

MN #43

PF/C #11

HEIGHT 6'2"

POS PF/C

CLASS 2030

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Taylor Lippert

State: Minnesota

School: MACCRAY

Club: Southwest Fury

#43 – Lippert is yet another example of the immense size and length that's present in the class of 2030. Already at 6'2 with plenty of growth still ahead of her, the Southwest Fury forward doesn't have a lot of high-level basketball experience, but the signs of a future college player are already there. Taylor is fairly quick, runs the floor well, and has a soft touch around the rim. In addition to the post player intangibles, she isn't afraid to handle the ball or extend her range outside of the paint. Lippert also shows promise in her rebounding, toughness, and ability to handle physicality on both ends of the floor.

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Kailoni Johnson

HEIGHT 5'7"

POS CG

CLASS 2030

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Kailoni Johnson

State: Minnesota

School: St. Louis Park

Club: North Tartan

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Corrina Sparks

MN #45

CG/SF #16

HEIGHT 5'11"

POS CG/SF

CLASS 2030

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Corrina Sparks

State: Minnesota

School: Minneapolis Roosevelt

Club: Minnesota Suns

#45 – Sparks is one of the more intriguing prospects in this year's freshman class. At 5'11, the Minneapolis Roosevelt guard is lanky, light on her feet, and possesses a great deal of versatility. She plays hard on both ends of the court, using her length to block shots, snag rebounds, and be a disruptive presence in the passing lanes. On offense, Corrina's quickness, long strides, and crafty ball handling allow her to get to the rim with relative ease. Right now her game is a ways away from being a finished product, but there's undoubtedly a lot of potential there. Sparks will certainly be one of the biggest names to watch in the Minneapolis City conference in the coming years.

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Mikaya Schroeder

MN #46

PG/SG #9

HEIGHT 5'9"

POS PG/SG

CLASS 2030

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Mikaya Schroeder

State: Minnesota

School: Mountain Lake

Club: Minnesota Rise

#46 – Schroeder's game left a lasting impression on our scouts back in June when we watched her play with the Minnesota Rise . With a level of effortless athleticism and a feel for the game that you can't teach, Mikaya has all the tools needed to succeed at the college level. She's quick with the ball in her hands, aggressive in all areas of the game, and has a natural ability for reading the game and reacting accordingly. Her shot is smooth with significant elevation, she's shifty and explosive on drives to the rim, and brings a scrappy, competitive edge on each possession. The Mountain Lake freshman is set to be one of the brightest young stars in Class A this season.

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Jacey Sodeman

MN #47

PF/SF #12

HEIGHT 5'11"

POS PF/SF

CLASS 2030

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Jacey Sodeman

State: Minnesota

School: St. James

Club: Minnesota Rise

#47 – With wide shoulders and an impressively sized frame, Sodeman shows plenty of promise and a scholarship-level prospect. She's smooth going up and down the court, has a strong grasp of the fundamentals, and knows how to keep her game simple. The 5'11 power forward moves well off the ball, is skilled at setting screens, and is highly effective on the glass. With plenty of strength at her disposal, Jacey creates space for herself on the block, plays off two feet, and can finish in a variety of ways around the rim. Calm and composed at all times, Sodeman's style of play will translate well to the college game.

Highlights

Lucia Nordvold

MN #48

SF/PF #5

HEIGHT 6'2"

POS SF/PF

CLASS 2030

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Lucia Nordvold

State: Minnesota

School: Maple Grove

Club: Minnesota Fury

#48 – Nordvold's game certainly caught our eye during the AAU season, but our first real viewing wasn't until the PGH Freshman Showcase last month. At 6'2, the Maple Grove 9th grader stands out immediately thanks to her impressive height and long, lanky frame. Lucia is quick up and down the court, effective as a rebounder and shot blocker, and a vocal teammate on both ends of the floor. Offensively, she uses her size and strength to jockey for positioning on the low block, maintaining her balance even when facing contact from her opponents. Nordvold has steady hands for catching post-entry passes and finishes her shots with a soft touch at the rim.