Class of 2020 rankings update: 8 fresh faces join the top 150
Some players enter the Prep Girls Hoops prospect rankings in the 9th grade and steadily work their way up the list. Others hover in the same general vicinity throughout their high school tenure. Then there are the late bloomers and hidden gems, those athletes who save their best for last. We present you now with the top newcomers who have arrived in the rankings for the first time just as the sun is setting on their high school days. This time around, the Class of 2020 winter update features eight fresh faces in the Top 150.
#93 Sydney Hauger Sydney Hauger 5'6" | CG Springfield | 2020 State MN – The 5’8 guard from class A Springfield tops our list of newcomers. Hauger is a three-sport athlete for the Tigers who has had an outstanding run on the basketball court. Sydney passed the 2,000-career points mark this month, a milestone that turns heads regardless of who the player is or where she comes from. Hauger has solid ball skills and can attack the rim with either hand. She can also shoot the three. As a track athlete, Sydney has excellent straight-line speed as well as lateral quickness. That makes her a terrific on-ball defender.
Sydney’s visibility was somewhat limited during the 2019 AAU season because she missed the first half with a knee sprain. She returned for a healthy senior season and has been very, very good. Hauger is popular teammate who had the lead in the school play and was homecoming queen, as well. She plans to study nursing in college and is considering several D3 options for the 2020-21 season. Sydney makes her Prep Girls Hoops ranking debut at #93.
Here are seven more newcomers to our 2020 rankings.
#126 Claire Ricard Claire Ricard 6'0" | PF Benson | 2020 State MN — The 6’0 forward from Benson has flown under the radar throughout her high school career despite putting up 1,000 points and leading the Braves from perennial doormat to a quality outfit. The lefty is long and athletic. She plays volleyball and runs track. Ricard does most of her scoring at the rim, but she isn’t shy about stepping outside either. Claire, is looking at D3 and NAIA opportunities at the moment but may have a higher ceiling than that.
#140 Nancy Soro Nancy Soro 5'9" | SF Roch. Mayo | 2020 State MN — A 5’9 forward from Rochester Mayo, Soro is an intriguing prospect who reminds me in many ways of Idaho State freshman Elaina Jones Elaina Jones 5'10" | P-PF DeLaSalle | 2019 State MN , formerly of DeLaSalle and Como Park. Nancy is a highly versatile player who has made steady progress in her development over the past couple of years. The Mayo senior has had an outstanding final year as the Spartans have been one of the surprise stories of 4A. Nancy is averaging 18 points and 9 rebounds per game.
#143 Lexi Smith Lexi Smith 5'9" | SF Southland | 2020 State MN — The 5’9 guard from Southland and Minnesota Nice recently committed to play for coach Zack Otto-Fisher at UW-Superior and he is getting a good one. Smith is a versatile, driven performer who is always grinding and fighting for every inch. She is a quality all-around player who made all conference last season in the Three Rivers. The three-sport athlete can play any position and will we be a great asset for the Yellowjackets.
#146 Kaitlyn Berreau Kaitlyn Berreau 5'6" | CG Benson | 2020 State MN – A teammate of Ricard, Berreau is a 5’4 combo guard who has committed to Bethany Lutheran in Mankato. Berreau is an outstanding three-point shooter (she went 7-for-8 recently against Minnewaska) and a week ago became the 6th player in Benson school history to top 1,000 career points. Kaitlyn makes a ton of hustle plays, works extremely hard and will do whatever is necessary to win.
#148 Liz Frase Liz Frase 5'11" | PF Proctor | 2020 State MN — The big 5’11 power forward out of Proctor is a sturdy, physical competitor whose skill set has evolved a lot over the past couple of years. She is aggressive inside at both ends of the floor and has a nice mid-range game. Liz has often been overshadowed at Proctor by her teammate, gigantic forward Katelyn Marunich Katelyn Marunich 6'2" | C Proctor | 2020 State MN , but has emerged as a force all her own. Frase has signed with Division 3 Concordia-Moorhead.
#149 Macy Hermanson Macy Hermanson 5'9" | SG Duluth East | 2020 State MN — The talented scorer from Duluth East has helped the Greyhounds achieve respectability during her time as a team leader which was a very tall task. She can certainly fire the long ball, as evidenced by her half-dozen three-pointers in a huge upset of Hermantown last month. Macy averages about 12 points per game. She’ll stay home to play college ball at St. Scholastica.
#150 Kendra Petersohn Kendra Petersohn 5'10" | SF Triton | 2020 State MN – Gustavus-Adolphus College in St. Peter is one of the top Division 3 women’s basketball programs in the region, and the Gusties have been loading up on talented 2020s. Petersohn is the latest player to sign on the dotted line for coach Laurie Kelly. She is a multi-sport athlete who scores inside and out, has a quality mid-range game and a shooter’s touch. Kendra is a team-first player and a solid leader, who has put the work in to get better.