2023 Rankings Update: Fine tuning the Top 20

The first time we ranked the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2023 back in the fall of 2019 we declared the top three to be a dead heat – [player_tooltip player_id='108299' first='Tessa' last='Johnson'], [player_tooltip player_id='108348' first='Nunu' last='Agara'] and [player_tooltip player_id='108298' first='Taylor' last='Woodson'] were that close in talent, tools and long-term potential. Here we are three years later and very little has changed other than the fact that two of the prospects are high-major college commits and the third is weighing a star-studded array of offers. Unfortunately our current web platform – and the duties of the office we hold – require us to choose a #1, a #2 and a #3. So that's what we've done, but not without a significant amount of lost sleep and a whole lot of internal debate. So without further ado, let's unveil the latest update of the Class of 2023 and tell you the same story told by the banner photo above:   <ul><li>#1 [player_tooltip player_id='108299' first='Tessa' last='Johnson'] – guard, St. Michael-Albertville-North Tartan (undecided)</li><li>#2 [player_tooltip player_id='108348' first='Nunu' last='Agara'] – forward, Hopkins-Metro Stars (Stanford)</li><li>#3 [player_tooltip player_id='108298' first='Taylor' last='Woodson'] – forward, Hopkins-North Tartan (Michigan)</li></ul>   Of course there is a little more to the story than that.   It has been a special year for Nunu. The Hopkins/Metro Stars forward made Team USA and represented her country for the first time. She committed to Stanford, the 2021 NCAA Division 1 national champions and one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the land. You could make a very strong case that Nunu should be #1 now, and that very topic was the subject of much debate among those who participated in this refresh of the 2023 rankings.   But with Tessa coming off a stellar summer, an AAU season in which many believe the North Tartan guard was the top performer on the EYBL circuit, and holding offers of the same stature as both Agara and Woodson, it was impossible to justify. So we left Johnson at #1, moved Agara up to #2 and have placed Woodson at #3. Truth be told, all three are deserving of the honor so we'll look at them realistically as 1a, 1b and 1c and consider ourselves lucky to have so much talent in the state. It's entirely possible that #4 [player_tooltip player_id='108301' first='Kennedy' last='Sanders'] of Chaska/Minnesota Fury, who has committed to Colorado, turns out to be the best collegiate player of the bunch.   OTHERS MOVING UP IN THE TOP 20   #5 – [player_tooltip player_id='108306' first='Kennedy' last='Klick'] – The Maple Grove guard had an exceptional summer for North Tartan and earned a scholarship offer from her dream school. It took just a day or two for Kennedy to say ‘yes' to Coach Lindsey Whalen at the University of Minnesota making her the fourth high-major commit in the class. She moves up one spot to #5.   #13 – [player_tooltip player_id='108316' first='Taryn' last='Hamling'] – The Grand Rapids/Minnesota Stars Hersch point guard moves up in the 2023 rankings for the fourth consecutive cycle. She continues to improve as her game ages like fine wine. The North Dakota State commit promises to be a stellar collegian. Hamling rises two positions to #13.   #17 – [player_tooltip player_id='302254' first='Vanessa' last='Saidu'] – The 6'2 forward from 43 Hoops continued to draw more and more collegiate interest as the summer wore on, culminating in a high-major offer from Clemson. There are many other suitors, as well, who recognize that Vanessa's upside is very high. She's moving to Robbinsdale Cooper this fall and is up two positions to #17.   #18 – [player_tooltip player_id='148340' first='Shannon' last='Fornshell'] – The Wayzata forward from the Metro Stars has shown steady improvement throughout her high school career. The potential has always been there, of course, as we predicted even before the Class of 2023 was ranked for the first time. This is the summer it all came together for Shannon. She committed to Drake and rises five positions to #18.   #19 – [player_tooltip player_id='108318' first='Sophie' last='Lahti'] – The Pine City guard didn't play a single minute this summer while she was rehabbing from injury but still made the biggest jump in the Top 20. How is that possible, you ask? It's possible because we made a mistake about 18 months ago that needed to be corrected. The Green Bay commit is now the #19 prospect in the class and deservedly so.   #20 – [player_tooltip player_id='108311' first='Zoey' last='Washington'] – The St. Croix Lutheran guard from the Minnesota Fury began her high school career at Mahtomedi and was initially ranked in the Top 20 when we first sorted this class three years ago. Somehow she has slipped down the list a few spots. That shouldn't have happened. Now the St. Thomas commit is back in the Top 20 where she belongs   THE ENTIRE TOP 20   #1 [player_tooltip player_id='108299' first='Tessa' last='Johnson'] – guard, St. Michael-Albertville-North Tartan (undecided)   #2 [player_tooltip player_id='108348' first='Nunu' last='Agara'] – forward, Hopkins-Metro Stars (Stanford)   #3 [player_tooltip player_id='108298' first='Taylor' last='Woodson'] – forward, Hopkins-North Tartan (Michigan)   #4 [player_tooltip player_id='108301' first='Kennedy' last='Sanders'] – guard, Chaska-Minnesota Fury (Colorado)   #5 [player_tooltip player_id='108306' first='Kennedy' last='Klick'] – guard, Maple Grove-North Tartan (Minnesota)   #6 [player_tooltip player_id='108302' first='Molly' last='Lenz'] – guard, Eden Prairie-North Tartan (Illinois State)   #7 [player_tooltip player_id='108321' first='Aby' last='Shubert'] – guard, Kasson-Mantorville-Minnesota Fury (Xavier)   #8 [player_tooltip player_id='108304' first='Maren' last='Westin'] – guard, Becker-Minnesota Comets (UW-Green Bay)   #9 [player_tooltip player_id='108307' first='Savannah' last='McGowan'] – forward, Armstrong-Minnesota Fury (Illinois State)   #10 [player_tooltip player_id='108300' first='Clara' last='Glad'] – guard, Rogers-North Tartan (UC-Davis)   #11 [player_tooltip player_id='108312' first='Abby' last='Krzewinski'] – forward, Wayzata-Minnesota Fury (East Tennessee)   #12 [player_tooltip player_id='108315' first='Sophi' last='Hall'] – guard, Holy Family-Minnesota Fury (Providence)   #13 [player_tooltip player_id='108316' first='Taryn' last='Hamling'] – guard, Grand Rapids-Minnesota Stars (North Dakota State)   #14 [player_tooltip player_id='108305' first='Teresa' last='Kiewiet'] – forward, Mankato West-Minnesota Fury (Lafayette)   #15 [player_tooltip player_id='108309' first='Ella' last='Johnson'] – forward, Elk River-North Tartan (Montana State)   #16 [player_tooltip player_id='302256' first='Avery' last='Koenen'] – forward, Montevideo-West Central Wildcats (North Dakota State)   #17 [player_tooltip player_id='302254' first='Vanessa' last='Saidu'] – forward, Park Center-43 Hoops (undecided)   #18 [player_tooltip player_id='148340' first='Shannon' last='Fornshell'] – forward, Wayzata-Metro Stars (Drake)   #19 Sophi Lahti – guard, Pine City-North Tartan (UW-Green Bay)   #20 [player_tooltip player_id='108311' first='Zoey' last='Washington'] – guard, St. Croix Lutheran-Minnesota Fury (St. Thomas)   OTHERS MOVING UP IN THE TOP 20   #5 – [player_tooltip player_id='108306' first='Kennedy' last='Klick'] – The Maple Grove guard had an exceptional summer for North Tartan and earned a scholarship offer from her dream school. It took just a day or two for Kennedy to say ‘yes' to Coach Lindsay Whalen at the University of Minnesota making her the fourth high-major commit in the class.   #13 – [player_tooltip player_id='108316' first='Taryn' last='Hamling'] – The Grand Rapids/Minnesota Stars Hersch point guard moves up in the 2023 rankings for the fourth consecutive cycle. She continues to improve as her game ages like fine wine. The North Dakota State commit promises to be a stellar collegian. Hamling rises two positions to #13.   #17 – [player_tooltip player_id='302254' first='Vanessa' last='Saidu'] – The Park Center forward from 43 Hoops continued to draw more and more collegiate interest as the summer wore on, culminating in a high-major offer from Clemson. There are other suitors, as well, who recognize that Vanessa's upside is very high. She moves up two positions to #17.   #18 – [player_tooltip player_id='148340' first='Shannon' last='Fornshell'] – The Wayzata forward has shown steady improvement throughout her high school career. The potential has always been there, of course, as we predicted even before the Class of 2023 was ranked for the first time. This is the summer it all came together for Shannon. She committed to Drake and rises five positions to #18.   #19 – [player_tooltip player_id='108318' first='Sophie' last='Lahti'] – The Pine City guard didn't play a single minute this summer while she was rehabbing from injury but still made the biggest jump in the Top 20. How is that possible, you ask? It's possible because we made a mistake about 18 months ago that needed to be corrected. The Green Bay commit now the #19 prospect in the class and deservedly so.   #20 – [player_tooltip player_id='108311' first='Zoey' last='Washington'] – The St. Croix Lutheran guard from the Minnesota Fury began her high school career at Mahtomedi and was initially ranked in the Top 20 when we first sorted this class three years ago. Somehow she has slipped down the list a few spots. That shouldn't have happened. Now the St. Thomas commit is back in the Top 20 where she belongs   THE ENTIRE TOP 20   #1 [player_tooltip player_id='108299' first='Tessa' last='Johnson'] – guard, St. Michael-Albertville-North Tartan (undecided)   #2 [player_tooltip player_id='108348' first='Nunu' last='Agara'] – forward, Hopkins-Metro Stars (Stanford)   #3 [player_tooltip player_id='108298' first='Taylor' last='Woodson'] – forward, Hopkins-North Tartan (Michigan)   #4 [player_tooltip player_id='108301' first='Kennedy' last='Sanders'] – guard, Chaska-Minnesota Fury (Colorado)   #5 [player_tooltip player_id='108306' first='Kennedy' last='Klick'] – guard, Maple Grove-North Tartan (Minnesota)   #6 [player_tooltip player_id='108302' first='Molly' last='Lenz'] – guard, Eden Prairie-North Tartan (Illinois State)   #7 [player_tooltip player_id='108321' first='Aby' last='Shubert'] – guard, Kasson-Mantorville-Minnesota Fury (Xavier)   #8 [player_tooltip player_id='108304' first='Maren' last='Westin'] – guard, Becker-Minnesota Comets (UW-Green Bay)   #9 [player_tooltip player_id='108307' first='Savannah' last='McGowan'] – forward, Armstrong-Minnesota Fury (Illinois State)   #10 [player_tooltip player_id='108300' first='Clara' last='Glad'] – guard, Rogers-North Tartan (UC-Davis)   #11 [player_tooltip player_id='108312' first='Abby' last='Krzewinski'] – forward, Wayzata-Minnesota Fury (East Tennessee)   #12 [player_tooltip player_id='108315' first='Sophi' last='Hall'] – guard, Holy Family-Minnesota Fury (Providence)   #13 [player_tooltip player_id='108316' first='Taryn' last='Hamling'] – guard, Grand Rapids-Minnesota Stars (North Dakota State)   #14 [player_tooltip player_id='108305' first='Teresa' last='Kiewiet'] – forward, Mankato West-Minnesota Fury (Lafayette)   #15 [player_tooltip player_id='108309' first='Ella' last='Johnson'] – forward, Elk River-North Tartan (Montana State)   #16 [player_tooltip player_id='302256' first='Avery' last='Koenen'] – forward, Montevideo-West Central Wildcats (North Dakota State)   #17 [player_tooltip player_id='302254' first='Vanessa' last='Saidu'] – forward, Park Center-43 Hoops (undecided)   #18 [player_tooltip player_id='148340' first='Shannon' last='Fornshell'] – forward, Wayzata-Metro Stars (Drake)   #19 [player_tooltip player_id='108318' first='Sophie' last='Lahti'] – guard, Pine City-North Tartan (UW-Green Bay)   #20 [player_tooltip player_id='108311' first='Zoey' last='Washington'] – guard, St. Croix Lutheran-Minnesota Fury (St. Thomas)

The first time we ranked the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2023 back in the fall of 2019 we declared the top three to be a dead heat – Tessa Johnson Tessa Johnson 5'11" | SG St. Michael-Albertville | 2023 State #36 Nation MN , Nunu Agara Nunu Agara 6'1" | PF Hopkins | 2023 State #32 Nation MN and Taylor Woodson Taylor Woodson 6'0" | PF Hopkins | 2023 State #28 Nation MN were that close in talent, tools and long-term potential. Here we are three years later and very little has changed other than the fact that two of the prospects are high-major college commits and the third is weighing a star-studded array of offers. Unfortunately our current web platform – and the duties of the office we hold – require us to choose a #1, a #2 and a #3. So that's what we've done, but not without a significant amount of lost sleep and a whole lot of internal debate. So without further ado, let's unveil the latest update of the Class of 2023 and tell you the same story told by the banner photo above: