Top HS player in MN Olivia Olson commits to Michigan

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Dang. That’s too bad to miss out on her.
 


In her top 10! That mean the Gophers had a chance? Don't think so!
 



Why, Michigan? Of all of the schools on her Top Ten, only Nebraska would have been more shocking to me. Family connections in MI?

She had some big names on the list. In a way, I am glad she didn't take the typical route but why another B1G team?!
 


Gopher68 said:
Maybe there is more NIL for her at Michigan.
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NIL certainly is a game changer. I am frustrated that it has strayed entirely from actual NIL to paying players. NIL, in its literal and pure form, would favor local athletes who have name recognition in their community. This community supports women's basketball so that may have helped entice more local talented players to stay home.
 

Whalen cooled on her. Unless she changes her mind. Then she was playing chess while others played checkers.
 



ecoperson said:
Why, Michigan? Of all of the schools on her Top Ten, only Nebraska would have been more shocking to me. Family connections in MI?

She had some big names on the list. In a way, I am glad she didn't take the typical route but why another B1G team?!
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Perhaps, she is a competitor. Michigan can compete for a BIG10 title, will be ranked in the top 25, and play in the NCAA tourney each year. Not gonna happen at MN.
 


CoachJD said:
Perhaps, she is a competitor. Michigan can compete for a BIG10 title, will be ranked in the top 25, and play in the NCAA tourney each year. Not gonna happen at MN.
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Michigan is also a really good school.
 





CoachJD said:
Perhaps, she is a competitor. Michigan can compete for a BIG10 title, will be ranked in the top 25, and play in the NCAA tourney each year. Not gonna happen at MN.
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Her Top 10 included national championship contenders so that argument doesn't hold water.

As for Michigan, Barnes Arico has definitely been building the program. They've now been to the tournament the last 4 seasons after a run to the WNIT Championship in 2017.

Here's hoping that Whalen can get everyone on the same page and start building towards success.
 

www.startribune.com

Girls' basketball recruiting: Five issues raised by Olivia Olson's decision to choose Michigan

Olson, a Benilde-St. Margaret's guard ranked third nationally in the Class of 2024, said she'll play for Michigan. What are other Minnesotans planning?
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Minnesota is crowding Michigan

If Olson wants someone in the know to talk to about her home state when she gets to Michigan, she'll have it. Taylor Woodson, a 6-foot guard from Hopkins ranked 53rd nationally in the Class of 2023 by HoopGurlz, is also committed to Michigan.
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Ignatius L Hoops said:
www.startribune.com

Girls' basketball recruiting: Five issues raised by Olivia Olson's decision to choose Michigan

Olson, a Benilde-St. Margaret's guard ranked third nationally in the Class of 2024, said she'll play for Michigan. What are other Minnesotans planning?
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
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This article is simply the laziest type of journalism I may have ever seen. Lets clarify somethings.

There is hardly ANY mention of the #10 recruiting class in 2022. PEOPLE DO NOT LUCK INTO THAT TYPE OF CLASS. Secondly, if two MN kids going to Michigan is "crowding" what is four MN kids staying home doing?

Also, it is extremely clear (and pathetic) that the author of this article pulled up ESPN Hoopgurlz 2023 and 2024 rankings and just wrote down the names from MN. there is not a snowball's chance in hell he could tell you a thing about any the players he wrote about.

Also lets clarify..Gophers and Mcgill are no longer in communication. So no they cant get the second rated player in the state for 2024.

Yes there is some pressure to get Tessa, but they are right in the hunt for her. Will people finally get off Whalen's ass about recruiting if she adds Klick and Tessa to the four 2022s? Or as usual, will every focus on all the kids who left?

Also speaking of Tessa, she is the #27 rated senior per ESPN. Mara Braun was the #27 rated player in 2022 per ESPN. Soooo if Tessa is this game changer-much needed recruit, wasn't Mara a major get for Whalen?

I beg star tribune, pioneer press, any gopher fan or whoever, get out and do your research on GBB/WBB. Lord knows its there for BBB/MBB in this state.
 



www.startribune.com

Olivia Olson's decision: Why the Benilde-St. Margaret's basketball star is going to Michigan

"Everyone loves each other there," said the Benilde-St. Margaret's guard, the No. 3 prospect in the Class of 2024.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
Olson, who averaged 22.8 points a game last season and led the Red Knights to the Class 3A state tournament, had listed the Gophers among the final 10 teams she was considering.

"I considered them the whole time," she said. "They were my first offer from my top 10, and I was really grateful to them. I just wanted a new area but still to stay close to home."
 

gopher572 said:
www.startribune.com

Olivia Olson's decision: Why the Benilde-St. Margaret's basketball star is going to Michigan

"Everyone loves each other there," said the Benilde-St. Margaret's guard, the No. 3 prospect in the Class of 2024.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
Olson, who averaged 22.8 points a game last season and led the Red Knights to the Class 3A state tournament, had listed the Gophers among the final 10 teams she was considering.

"I considered them the whole time," she said. "They were my first offer from my top 10, and I was really grateful to them. I just wanted a new area but still to stay close to home."
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Good article

"I think more people from Minnesota will go there. The way [Arico] does things is so good and so genuine. I think a lot of people are drawn to that. That's what drew me to her."
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gopher572 said:
www.startribune.com

Olivia Olson's decision: Why the Benilde-St. Margaret's basketball star is going to Michigan

"Everyone loves each other there," said the Benilde-St. Margaret's guard, the No. 3 prospect in the Class of 2024.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
Olson, who averaged 22.8 points a game last season and led the Red Knights to the Class 3A state tournament, had listed the Gophers among the final 10 teams she was considering.

"I considered them the whole time," she said. "They were my first offer from my top 10, and I was really grateful to them. I just wanted a new area but still to stay close to home."
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Sometimes you just want to get away from home.

That is the downside of having a school in the biggest metro area of the state.
 

That may be true but in my opinion it is mind blowing that Olson would rather play for Arico than perhaps the best point guard in WNBA history where she could really learn what it takes to be the best you can be.
 

samloupete said:
That may be true but in my opinion it is mind blowing that Olson would rather play for Arico than perhaps the best point guard in WNBA history where she could really learn what it takes to be the best you can be.
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Except, so far Lindsey’s teams haven’t really shown that they are the best you can be. I hope our team gets there, but at the present Arico has shown more then Lindsey.
 

Outsider said:
Except, so far Lindsey’s teams haven’t really shown that they are the best you can be. I hope our team gets there, but at the present Arico has shown more then Lindsey.
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Chicken versus egg. You need the players to win... you need to win to get the players. Let's hope this very talented group of players who took a gamble to stay home provide a foundation for the future.
 

samloupete said:
That may be true but in my opinion it is mind blowing that Olson would rather play for Arico than perhaps the best point guard in WNBA history where she could really learn what it takes to be the best you can be.
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You are thinking like an adult not an 18-year old. Many kids want to get as far from home and parents as they can. At a former employer, we used to get a lot of kids from Long Island because we were the farthest state school from the NYC area but still in NY (where they could use State Scholarship monies), even though there were excellent universities closer to their homes. I have heard lots of students tell why they wanted to or did go to a university. They often say because the academic program is so good. I don't know the quality of most programs in my field because they are hard to evaluate, and prospective students don't either. Often, students' perceptions are based on something else. The name recognition of the school (i.e., how much publicity the football team gets). Imagine bringing a freshman recruit to a football game in Ann Arbor! Penn State used to bring people to the faculty club where Joe Paterno usually had lunch. I got introduced to him. He was almost a God in those days. Kids often choose schools because their friends are going there, or because no one knows them there and they can be their own person. Kids may choose schools because the location is exotic (ocean, mountains), the atmosphere is exciting (student hangouts), or there is no snow and cold. A great recruiting tool that I used was to have our students spend much time with the potential recruits. Other students can sell a program as well or better than the people in charge; i.e., instant chemistry. Students may choose a campus because it is smaller and more intimate, or they may like something big. Then, there are the facilities. Coaches want new stadiums, arenas, weight rooms, locker rooms, etc. because it impresses recruits, although you can train athletes just as well in more modest facilities. And now, we have NIL. We are going to learn more and more about who has the monies to attract athletes; e.g., big oil, car makers, high tech, advertisers, sporting goods, etc. How much NIL money is available in Minnesota? Lastly, winning programs are a big attraction; e.g., Geno. Kids often times make their choices based on things that we don't think make the most sense. However, if they are happy, that is the important thing.
 


bball_craz_26 said:

In Olivia's own words if anyone is interested.
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Good interview. Olivia said that her best friend is Macy Brown '23 (East Grand Rapids, Michigan who committed to Michigan in January 2022) who will be a year ahead of her.

Olivia touts Aaliyah (Crump) and Maddyn (Greenway) as the next MN prep star.
 

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