2026 Recruiting

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NateDawgUM

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BigTenGuy said:
Agreed, but battling for Vokusa is really jumping in to the deep end of the recruiting pool. An NYC kid who may be the most heavily recruited post in the ‘26 class.
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It's not like there's much cost involved, despite some time, by offering and staying in contact with a big time recruit.

Maybe you'll find one along the way who wants to pave their own way versus joining an established power.
 

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NateDawgUM said:
It's not like there's much cost involved, despite some time, by offering and staying in contact with a big time recruit.

Maybe you'll find one along the way who wants to pave their own way versus joining an established power.
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Nothing wrong with taking your home run swing early in the count. You never know.
 






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60's Guy

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MBIII_Fan said:
Looks like she has the potential to add a few inches yet, assuming the first photo is her mom and dad
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And, she has big hands. (I don't know if there is a connection to height but it's basketball helpful :) )
 


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Ignatius L Hoops

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fox4kc.com

Park Hill South’s Addison Bjorn wins gold medal with Team USA

Addison Bjorn has already accomplished so much at just 15 years old.
fox4kc.com fox4kc.com

June 24th article about Bjorn

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Addison Bjorn has already accomplished so much at just 15 years old.

Bjorn is going into her sophomore season at Park Hill South and already has a bevy of offers from big-time college basketball programs like Stanford, UCLA, Virginia Tech and Louisville.

FOX4 Sports: Read more Chiefs, Royals, Sporting, Current news
And this past week she got to go on a once-in-a-lifetime experience winning a gold medal with Team USA’s U16 team at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship in Mérida, Mexico.

“It was really fun,” Bjorn said on Saturday morning. “Obviously winning a gold medal was so fun, but the relationships that I built with all of the 11 players, those won’t be lost. And it was just a really fun experience.”

Bjorn played in four of the six games that USA dominated en route to their gold medal. The team full of college basketball prospects beat every opponent by at least 60 points until the championship. They beat Canada by 20 points.

Bjorn averaged 5.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in those four games while shooting 34.2% from the field. She is proud to join an exclusive club of recent young, local female hoopstars who have represented the nation in international play like KC native Jada Williams, Shawnee Mission West alum S’Mya Nichols and Grain Valley alum Grace Slaughter.


“It’s something different, honestly, especially as for how young I am,” Bjorn said. “I never would’ve thought, and I don’t think I’ve processed how important and special it is representing USA on my chest, but, I think the moment will hit and it kind of has hit ever since I got that gold medal.”

“It’s pretty cool to join all three of them cuz they’re all big time.”

Chiefs’ head trainer inducted into National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame
Now that her time with Team USA is done, for now, she goes back to her recruitment and playing summer ball with her club team Della Basketball.

“I never thought that my recruiting would start so early,” Bjorn said. She received her first offer from Louisville as an eighth grader. That was the moment she and her family knew that was just the beginning of all the attention to come from college programs.


“It was so surreal and I don’t even think I processed what just had happened, but that’s when we kind of figured out like surreal stuff like it’s gonna happen and stuff will come soon.”

Already rated as a five-star prospect in the class of 2026, Bjorn led Park Hill South to a Class 6 District 8 championship as a freshman and won district in track in 400m. She averaged 18.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game.

Her next set of goals: win a state championship for PHS and win the 3SSB circuit with Della Basketball.

And she already has some advice for younger athletes looking to get recognized.


“I started going to elite camps trying to get [college coaches’] attention more individually and I think that would probably be my biggest advice for all the youngins, I hit all the elite camps. Do not skip them. If you get invited, take advantage.”
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Belzx009

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MBIII_Fan said:
Looks like she has the potential to add a few inches yet, assuming the first photo is her mom and dad
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I saw Tori at a Breakdown event a couple of weeks ago. She wasn’t playing. (Didn’t look injured or anything, probably just resting) She was wearing a Gopher shirt that day. Hope that’s a good sign!
 

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60's Guy said:
And, she has big hands. (I don't know if there is a connection to height but it's basketball helpful :) )
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Her profile says she's 5' 11" and a point guard. Insert sound clip --> "You can't be serious" (slight exaggeration but that's not a common combination). She also gets listed as a shooting guard and small forward.


www.brainerddispatch.com

Girls Basketball: Oehrlein remains the queen of the court

Crosby-Ironton freshman earns Brainerd Dispatch All-Area Player of the Year for the third straight year
www.brainerddispatch.com www.brainerddispatch.com

2026'ers Maddyn Greenway and Tori Oehrlein are standouts.



Tori Oehrlein becomes fastest player in Minnesota to 2,000 career points​

"One day after Providence Academy freshman Maddyn Greenway became the fastest player in Minnesota history to score 2,000 career points, Crosby-Ironton freshman Tori Oehrlein became the new record holder, reaching the milestone in the Rangers' 59-58 victory over New London-Spicer on Saturday."

"In only 72 games as a freshman, Tori Oehrlein scored her 2,000th point in the victory."



 





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SHGopher

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gopher572 said:
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She's probably the #1 recruit from North Dakota for her year. North Dakota produces some good players.

Wow, look at her. Her description has her playing the range of PG, SG, SF (probably more the all-around SF). She's knocking down 3's and double double's in this video.

Leelee Bell's High School Career Home

Check out Leelee Bell's high school sports timeline including updates while playing basketball at Minot High School (ND).
www.maxpreps.com www.maxpreps.com
 

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bball_craz_31

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If you would like a chance to see her in person, On Dec 30th, her high school team will be in St. Cloud at St. Ben's college playing a game against Hopkins.

She is an elite level forward with guard-like handles. She is comfortable hitting step-back 3s, creating off the bounce as well as is a force down low when she posts up. She will be in HIGH demand for power five teams.
 
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SHGopher said:
She's probably the #1 recruit from North Dakota for her year. North Dakota produces some good players.

Wow, look at her. Her description has her playing the range of PG, SG, SF (probably more the all-around SF). She's knocking down 3's and double double's in this video.

Leelee Bell's High School Career Home

Check out Leelee Bell's high school sports timeline including updates while playing basketball at Minot High School (ND).
www.maxpreps.com www.maxpreps.com
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Leelee Bell is LEGIT. She played for the Minnesota Stars AAU program this past season on a 2026 team coached by PJ Hill and they pretty much swept everything they played in, including taking the 3SSB championship. They had a talented roster but she and Sinae Hill are a cut above the rest. I'd guess that team could beat any 2025 or 2026 AAU team in Minnesota.
 



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BigTenGuy

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MN GBB Fan said:
Presumably those teams are there to see Maddyn Greenway and her dad has blatantly said that NIL is a huge consideration for their family, so there may be mutual disinterest on both sides.
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I remember reading that Chad Greenway “joked” on KFAN about NIL and Maddyn. I didn’t hear Chad’s comments on KFAN myself, so hard for me to evaluate his comments and whether he was joking. When you talk about Chad’s “blatant” comments, are you referring to the KFAN interview? Anything else? Just curious. Thanks.
 
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SHGopher

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I like Chad Greenway a lot. He was a great player for years for the Vikings, on the radio a lot, and a good guy.

He said on KFAN NIL is a factor, and I like straight shooters. How much money they are giving, he said. I listened to it. Some may not like that, as though he's somehow different than other parents with ultra-elite kids. He's just different in he has the confidence to tell it like it is and not talk around it and hide. She's in a different rare category.

People complain he's trying to get the most for his daughter, and well he's her dad, he should. She landed on the jackpot spot -- UConn and the like.
 

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Okay let's clear up some things. That comment on KFAN was him joking. Chad and His wife have made it clear when it comes to recruiting, it is Maddyn's decision.

Yes those teams likely were there to see Maddyn but also could be there to see 2027 Emma Millerbernd and 2028 Ari Peterson (vikings fans know her father as well)

To confirm, I know on good authority The Gophers have constant contact with Maddyn (within NCAA guidelines) and there is mutual interest. Early playing time/possibly starting as a freshman is another thing I've gotten the vibe means a great deal to Maddyn...and reminder..she will coming in just as Amaya Battle and Mara Braun leave so a starting spot is right there for the taking and my money would be on her taking it if she does end up in Maroon and Gold.

Another thing that could go a long way in helping the Gophers case would be making the NCAA Tournament consistently in the next couple of years.
 

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Belzx009

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Minnesota has 2 major opportunities this season. Iowa and uconn will be the largest crowd that the Barn has seen in years. Pulling off an upset could help both recruiting and prompt NIL deals.

As Whalen said when she became a Lynx “win and they will come” she was referring to the fans. I believe it is everything. Recruits, NIL, fans.
 



PhiloVance

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MN GBB Fan said:
Sorry, didn't post. This is an Iowa player, out of Des Moines Dowling, which is a young, talented team. They came to Minnesota last year to play against Hopkins and only lost by 10, which is pretty amazing considering Dowling had a lot of freshmen and sophomores on their roster.
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Dowling is a private Catholic high school who year after year seems to have outstanding teams in all sports. Katlin Clark was a graduate of Dowling.
 

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Belzx009 said:
Minnesota has 2 major opportunities this season. Iowa and uconn will be the largest crowd that the Barn has seen in years. Pulling off an upset could help both recruiting and prompt NIL deals.

As Whalen said when she became a Lynx “win and they will come” she was referring to the fans. I believe it is everything. Recruits, NIL, fans.
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I think an upset vs either is out of the question, but keeping both within reach the whole way would go a long ways
 

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PhiloVance said:
Dowling is a private Catholic high school who year after year seems to have outstanding teams in all sports. Katlin Clark was a graduate of Dowling.
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I am an Iowa native and as a high schooler it was always a given to see Dowling at the top of pretty much every sport. Luckily, we were a smaller school in a different division so never had to play them ourselves! As an adult living in Des Moines, the Dowling-West Des Moines Valley rivalry was epic to witness, and a lot of fun as a neutral observer. Who would win? The rich kids or the other rich kids???
 

PhiloVance

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MN GBB Fan said:
I am an Iowa native and as a high schooler it was always a given to see Dowling at the top of pretty much every sport. Luckily, we were a smaller school in a different division so never had to play them ourselves! As an adult living in Des Moines, the Dowling-West Des Moines Valley rivalry was epic to witness, and a lot of fun as a neutral observer. Who would win? The rich kids or the other rich kids???
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It seemed that Dowling was not a fan favorite...but they seemed to enjoy it and it seemed to give them a little extra push.
 


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