Conference preview: Who to watch in the Big 9
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The Big 9 truly is big. Its profile in the Minnesota girls basketball picture? Not so much. Stretching 140 miles from west to east – all the way from Mankato to Winona – and 50 miles north to south – from Red Wing to Rochester – the conference covers a huge swath of Southern Minnesota territory. But because the teams play a 22-game conference schedule they don’t have as much opportunity to participate in the high-profile events that serve as a showcase for other big AAA and AAAA schools in the state.
That approach to organizing a season might make scheduling a whole lot easier for coaches in every sport but it doesn’t do much for the profile of the players who rarely have the chance to show what they can do against the best teams and players in the state. Thanks to AAU, however, we are quite familiar with the Big 9’s star attractions. We’ll get to them momentarily, but first the conference itself. Last year’s standings looked like this:
- 20-2 – Red Wing
- 18-4 – Rochester Mayo
- 17-5 – Austin
- 17-5 – Mankato West
- 15-7 – John Marshall
- 11-11 – Mankato East
- 9-13 – Albert Lea
- 9-13 – Owatonna
- 7-15 – Northfield
- 5-17 – Rochester Century
- 3-19 – Winona
- 1-21 – Faribault
Red Wing’s results were no surprise as the Wingers duplicated their performance of 2018-19 to capture the title. Mayo, on the other hand, won four more games from one year to the next to finish second. John Marshall, which had finished with the same record as Red Wing the year before, slipped to 5th place.
The most improved team last season was Albert Lea. Led by guard Taya Jeffrey Taya Jeffrey 5'10" | CG Albert Lea | 2022 State MN , who is one of the most dynamic players in the state, the Tigers improved from three wins to nine. Northfield, which lost senior Rachel Kelly Rachel Kelly 6'2" | PF Northfield | 2019 State MN (St. Olaf) to graduation and starting point guard Lizzie Berkvam Lizzie Berkvam 5'10" | PG Lakeville North | 2021 State MN (U Mary) to transfer, dropped from 14 wins to 7. So what will happen this time around?
Mayo’s offense and Red Wing’s defense should keep the two of them in a battle at the top of the table. Austin lost standouts Colie Justice Colie Justice 5'7" | CG Austin | 2020 State MN (UW-River Falls), Kyra Walters and three more to graduation but returns a strong core led by point guard Hope Dudycha Hope Dudycha 5'6" | CG Austin | 2022 State MN . Mankato West graduated Holly Wiste Holly Wiste 5'8" | CG Mankato West | 2020 State MN (UW-Eau Claire) and Claire Hemstock but boasts three of the premier players in the conference in senior Briana Stoltzman Briana Stoltzman 5'8" | CG Mankato West | 2021 State MN , junior Lani Schoper Lani Schoper 5'9" | CG Mankato West | 2022 State MN and sophomore Teresa Kiewiet Teresa Kiewiet 5'10" | SF Mankato West | 2023 State MN . And then there’s Rochester John Marshall, which is led by Indiana commit Lilly Meister Lilly Meister 6'2" | PF Rochester John Marshall | 2022 State #55 Nation MN and Lehigh commit Katie Hurt Katie Hurt 6'0" | SF Roch. John Marshall | 2022 State MN . We might also see more from Mankato East, which has a strong freshmen class and is led by standout juniors Lexi Karge Lexi Karge 6'2" | PF Mankato East | 2022 State MN and Mackenzie Schweim Mackenzie Schweim 5'10" | PG Mankato East | 2022 State MN along with sophomore Peyton Stevermer Peyton Stevermer 5'5" | CG Mankato East | 2023 State MN .
BEST OF THE BIG 9
We have already mentioned a few of them but here are a dozen of the best upperclassmen to watch in the Big 9 this season.
- Lilly Meister Lilly Meister 6'2" | PF Rochester John Marshall | 2022 State #55 Nation MN – junior forward, John Marshall (Indiana)
- Anna Miller Anna Miller 6'2" | C Rochester Mayo | 2021 State MN – senior forward, Rochester Mayo (Drake)
- Lexi Karge Lexi Karge 6'2" | PF Mankato East | 2022 State MN – junior forward, Mankato East
- Mackenzie Schweim Mackenzie Schweim 5'10" | PG Mankato East | 2022 State MN – junior guard, Mankato East
- Briana Stoltzman Briana Stoltzman 5'8" | CG Mankato West | 2021 State MN – senior guard, Mankato West (SMSU)
- Hope Dudycha Hope Dudycha 5'6" | CG Austin | 2022 State MN – junior guard, Austin
- Katie Hurt Katie Hurt 6'0" | SF Roch. John Marshall | 2022 State MN – junior forward, John Marshall (Lehigh)
- Taya Jeffrey Taya Jeffrey 5'10" | CG Albert Lea | 2022 State MN – junior guard, Albert Lea
- Lynnsey Hady Lynnsey Hady 5'10" | SG Rochester Mayo | 2021 State MN – senior guard, Rochester Mayo (ND Science)
- Lani Schoper Lani Schoper 5'9" | CG Mankato West | 2022 State MN – junior guard, Mankato West
- Annika Richardson Annika Richardson 5'10" | SF Northfield | 2021 State MN – senior guard, Northfield (Wheaton)
- Abi Deming Abi Deming 5'10" | SF Red Wing | 2021 State MN – senior forward, Red Wing
8 UNDERCLASSMEN TO SEE
- Teresa Kiewiet Teresa Kiewiet 5'10" | SF Mankato West | 2023 State MN – sophomore forward, Mankato West
- Sydnee Nelson Sydnee Nelson 5'5" | CG Red Wing | 2023 State MN – sophomore guard, Red Wing
- Hannah Hanson Hannah Hanson 5'9" | CG Rochester Mayo | 2023 State MN – sophomore guard, Rochester Mayo
- Peyton Stevermer Peyton Stevermer 5'5" | CG Mankato East | 2023 State MN – sophomore guard, Mankato East
- Sammi Chandler Sammi Chandler 5'8" | CG Red Wing | 2023 State MN – sophomore guard, Red Wing
- Cassidy Shute Cassidy Shute 5'8" | CG Austin | 2023 State MN – sophomore guard, Austin
- Mackenzi Simmons – freshman guard, Winona
- Taylor Clarey – freshman guard, Rochester Century
7 UNSUNG HEROES
- Mullk Hammadelniel – senior guard, Rochester Mayo
- Elli Collins Elli Collins 6'0" | SG Rochester Mayo | 2021 State MN – senior guard/forward, Rochester Mayo
- Izzy Goettelman – senior guard, Winona
- Sydney Rahn – senior guard, Red Wing
- Lexi Mendenhall Lexi Mendenhall 5'11" | PF Owatonna | 2022 State MN – junior forward, Owatonna
- Emma Dudycha Emma Dudycha 5'6" | CG Austin | 2022 State MN – junior guard, Austin
- Elyse Hebrink Elyse Hebrink 5'7" | CG Austin | 2021 State MN – senior guard, Austin
6 PLAYERS ON THE RISE
- Sarah Kingland Sarah Kingland 5'11" | SF Owatonna | 2021 State MN – senior forward, Owatonna
- Adit Koth – junior forward, Rochester Mayo
- Kennedy Speer Kennedy Speer 5'10" | SG Rochester Century | 2022 State MN – junior forward, Rochester Century
- Jordyn Sutton Jordyn Sutton 6'0" | PF Rochester Century | 2022 State MN – junior guard, Rochester Century
- Reana Schmitt – junior forward, Austin
- Taylor Hill Taylor Hill 5'8" | CG Rochester Mayo | 2023 State MN – sophomore guard, Rochester Mayo