Introducing the Class of 2026 Watch List, part 1
In this article:
Here we are, two and a half months into the AAU season, and an awful lot has been learned. It’s always a little daunting entering spring basketball considering the task that lies ahead: To watch, evaluate and begin sorting out…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingHere we are, two and a half months into the AAU season, and an awful lot has been learned. It’s always a little daunting entering spring basketball considering the task that lies ahead: To watch, evaluate and begin sorting out this year’s incoming freshman class. We have been doing an awful lot of that since the first week of April and this year’s class of new 9th graders is starting to sort itself out. We’re still at least three months away from naming of the Freshmen 50, but today we are pleased to take the next step in the process of ranking of the incoming freshmen: The 2026 Watch List.
Before we get too far into this we do need to make one thing clear: These are NOT the top 20 players in the Class of 2026.
Although it is highly likely, based on our observations and those of previous seasons, that all 20 of the players who made the 2026 Watch List will be in the Freshmen 50 when we introduce the first ranking of this class in the fall, we don’t have enough information yet to say definitively who will make the cut. For now, in four installments, we’re naming 20 of the best players in the class to watch over the next few weeks.
Here are a few facts about the 2026 Watch List:
- The list is chosen without regard to geography. Last year’s group of 20 featured just two players from outstate and 18 from the Twin Cities Metropolitan region. This year there are nine from outstate, including two from Southeastern Minnesota, three from South Central, three from West Central and one from Northern region.
- This year only six of the athletes on this list come from large 4A high school programs and five are from Class 3A. Just four attend private schools.
- There are nine AAU programs represented, with North Tartan and the Minnesota Fury having four players each. There are three players apiece from the Minnesota Stars and Minnesota Rise, while the Metro Stars, Inspired Athletics, West Central Wildcats, Starks Elite and Air Minnesota are also represented.
There are three things you won’t find on this list. I guess we should say three players: Tori Oehrlein Tori Oehrlein 5'10" | CG Crosby-Ironton | 2026 State MN of Crosby-Ironton, Maddyn Greenway Maddyn Greenway 5'8" | PG Providence Academy | 2026 State MN of Providence Academy and Lanelle Wright Lanelle Wright 5'8" | PG Minnetonka | 2026 State MN of Minnetonka. Our reasoning is pretty obvious. It’s because these three incoming freshmen are already well-established in our mines as the top three prospects in the Class of 2026.
Greenway has over 1,000 varsity points and has won a state championship. Oehrlein is also a 1,000-point scorer and has been collecting Division 1 offers like candy on Halloween. As for Wright? Well she has worked her way into a strong Minnetonka rotation and proven herself as one of the most highly skilled, most intelligent point guards around. Their exploits have been well-chronicled already. What we want to do here is offer up 20 names of players you may not know as much about.
So without further ado, here are the first five of 20 players selected for the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2026 Watch List sorted in alphabetical order.
Kate Amelotte – forward, Wayzata (North Tartan Nike)
Kate is one of the most interesting players in the class, offering a unique combination of assets. Standing about 5’10, Amelotte is built like a power forward but has the skills and agility of a guard. She can power past defenders using her speed, size and physicality and is relentless about getting to the basket. Kate is also a standout rebounder who never gives up on the ball and isn’t shy about making opponents pay in the paint. Amelotte has excellent body control and can successfully read her opportunities well at full speed. She is an active, disruptive defender with nice instincts and a big motor. It will be interesting to see how much varsity playing time she gets this year given that the Trojans front court includes East Tennessee commit Abby Krzewinski Abby Krzewinski 5'11" | PF Wayzata | 2023 State MN , D1 prospect Shannon Fornshell Shannon Fornshell 6'1" | SF Wayzata | 2023 State MN and 6’3 Jessica Oberlander Jessica Oberlander 6'3" | PF Wayzata | 2023 State MN . Amelotte may need to be patient but her ceiling will make it worth the wait.
Maddy Blaylark – guard, DeLaSalle (Minnesota Stars Hill)
The 5’6 shooting guard has really come on over the past few weeks and had a particularly fine AAU State Tournament. Although she is sometimes overshadowed in the spotlight by teammates LeeLee Bell and Maggie Frickie, Maddie has every bit as much impact in the Hill squad’s success as anyone. It’s true that Blaylark isn’t very big, but she plays much bigger than she is. She rebounds well against bigger, stronger, older players. She’s just got the instincts and timing that make it work. She also takes great pride in her defensive abilities and can lock down opposing ball handlers. Maddie scores a lot and in so many different ways, from a soft floater to a sweet mid-range jump shot to an arsenal of moves off the bounce. We love how well she can absorb contact in the paint and still finish well at the rim. Blaylark is a smart, crafty guard already. When she gets bigger and stronger and more experienced she’s going to be even better.
Vivian Carter – forward, Holy Angels (Minnesota Fury Blue)
We often talk about the ‘eye test’ in recruiting and let us assure you that Vivian just looks like she could be an elite basketball player. Pushing 6 feet, she has a solid build and excellent length and is definitely not done growing. Mom is 6 feet tall. Dad is 6’2. Grandpa is 6’7. I’m no medical expert but experience tells me that the odds are pretty good that Carter is going to end up looking like a Division 1 forward. Well, actually, she already does. Her game is trending in that direction, too. Vivian is skilled and getting more so all the time. She is athletic, with nice elevation and fairly quick feet. Her shooting range continues to grow and she’s becoming more successful at attacking the basket off the bounce. Defensively she is already a potent weapon, a versatile performer who can guard every position with success. Vivian is really just getting started on a very exciting journey.
Olivia Danielson – guard, Minnewaska (West Central Wildcats)
Danielson came out of nowhere this summer. After a solid 8th grade season on a strong team at Minnewaska, she joined the West Central Wildcats this spring. WCW has made a significant upgrade in talent this year and has turned in some exceptionally good performances in tournament play. Olivia’s level of performance and productivity is a major reason for that. She is a natural athlete with fast feet, a really rapid first step, quick hands and terrific agility. In fact she has been a track medalist at state which tells you a lot. Danielson has excellent court vision, a solid understanding of how to set the tone for an offense, and demonstrates patience and maturity. Our only wish for Olivia at the moment is to see her more often in person because she has the potential to be very, very good. How good remains to be seen.
Tucker Downs Tucker Downs 5'11" | CG Mankato West | 2026 State MN – guard, Mankato West (Minnesota Rise Wright)
We have enjoyed watching Tucker (top photo) play since the first time we saw her last year. Now standing about 5’10, she is long and fluid and has that certain ease of movement most great athletes possess. We watched her on a Saturday morning early last spring and were so taken with Tucker’s potential that we scouted her twice more on that same day. She has light feet, excellent elevation, moves well laterally and is fast in the open court. Tucker has nice touch, can score at all three levels, and has very good court vision. All young players have plenty to work on, of course, and it may be some time before Downs learns how to best take advantage of her natural gifts in game situations, but that will come with more experience. With a full summer’s worth of battle scars earned on a high quality AAU squad you can expect Downs to make a major impact this winter.