The PGH Freshmen 50: Meet the Top 10
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A little bit art. A little bit science. A whole lot of basketball. And plenty of debate. That’s what the process entails when ranking a plethora of young basketball players with the end goal of determining who the top prospects…
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Continue ReadingA little bit art. A little bit science. A whole lot of basketball. And plenty of debate. That’s what the process entails when ranking a plethora of young basketball players with the end goal of determining who the top prospects in the class will be. The result at this time of year is the Prep Girls Hoops Freshmen 50. In this case, it is our first prospect ranking of the Class of 2026. If you read yesterday’s analysis of the two premier players in the class then you know how difficult the process can be.
We have been intently watching the 2026 prospects since the AAU season began in the spring. For many of those in the Top 10 – the first group of 9th graders you’ll encounter here today – we have been watching for much longer since they are already established at the varsity high school level. Maddyn Greenway Maddyn Greenway 5'8" | PG Providence Academy | 2026 State MN led her team to the Class 2A state championship this year. Like Greenway, Tori Oehrlein Tori Oehrlein 5'10" | CG Crosby-Ironton | 2026 State MN has already rewritten the record books at Crosby-Ironton. Vienna Murray Vienna Murray 6'0" | SG East Ridge | 2026 State MN is currently the undisputed leader of her team at Tartan High School in Oakdale. For Cail Jahnke Cail Jahnke 6'2" | CG St. Michael-Albertville | 2026 State MN of St. Michael-Albertville, Kate Amelotte Kate Amelotte 5'11" | SF Wayzata | 2026 State MN of Wayzata, or Kate Holmquist Kate Holmquist 5'7" | PG Maple Grove | 2026 State MN of Maple Grove, this should be their breakthrough season on varsity.
This year’s Freshmen 50 looks like this:
- All 20 players on our 2026 Watch List published earlier this year made the Freshmen 50.
- Nearly half of the players are from outside of the Twin Cities region, a huge increase from last year.
- Just nine of the 50 prospects are from private schools including Duluth Marshall, Holy Angels, Holy Family, St. Croix Lutheran, Providence Academy, Totino-Grace and DeLaSalle.
- The number of players from smaller schools is way up in this class. Last year there were just six kids from Class 1A and 2A schools. This year it’s pushing 20.
Before we dive right into the Top 10 let’s take a paragraph or three to remind you what these rankings are all about.
HOW THE RANKINGS WORK
Players are officially ranked by Prep Girls Hoops for the first time in the fall of their freshman year. The prior spring we publish a Watch List of 20 names listed in alphabetical order and then make it official in the fall. The rankings are updated three times a year in November, February and June. Each time the lists get a little bit longer. The Class of 2026 ranking begins with 50 names now and will grow by 25 players this winter and again each time the rankings are updated until the total reaches 150. From then on we’ll add deserving players through to their high school graduation.
The single most important thing you need to know is this: The PGH Minnesota rankings are about COLLEGE POTENTIAL, NOT CURRENT PERFORMANCE.
Our goal isn’t to tell you who the best 9th graders are in Minnesota. Our goal is to predict who will be the best college freshmen four years from now. That’s why you’ll find kids who have yet to play a minute of varsity near the top of the list and players who are the undisputed leaders of their high school team left out of the rankings altogether. It’s not about today; it’s about four years from now. It’s not about what it takes to succeed in high school; it’s about what it takes to be a winner in college. Among the most important attributes we are looking for are height and length, natural athleticism, skill development, court vision, a strong understanding of the game, teamwork, body language, plus leadership and communication skills. We’re also watching the parents.
There are many people involved in the process, and we see a ton of basketball. We have a diverse group of evaluators, and we get new people to review the information every time we update the rankings. Among the participants are current and former AAU, high school and college coaches from all levels. Everyone involved is granted anonymity which is what makes it work well.
We are constantly trying to improve how we evaluate and rank players, and we don’t always get it right. I’m sure we’ve missed at least one or two deserving prospects in the Freshmen 50. We always do in the first ranking of any class. Eventually we’ll see the majority of the strong college prospects and they’ll make their way into the rankings. For now we bring you the Top 10 with the Top 25 and Top 50 to follow in the next few days.
#T1. Tori Oehrlein Tori Oehrlein 5’10” | CG Crosby-Ironton | 2026 State MN is a big guard whose size and length are a factor from start to finish. Her court vision and sense of timing are impeccable. Her understanding of the game is way beyond her years. She’s just so smart and so subtle that it always feels like she is two or three steps ahead of everyone else on the floor. If there is a more savvy player in the class we haven’t seen her and the skills speak for themselves.
Highlights
#T1 Maddyn Greenway Maddyn Greenway 5’8″ | PG Providence Academy | 2026 State MN is explosive. A truly exceptional athlete, she has speed and quickness to spare. Maddyn can blow past opponents of all shapes, sizes and speeds, getting to the rim with skill or power as needed. And she’s gritty, with a compete factor that is truly immeasurable and an immense desire to win. She shoots the ball from long distance at a very high percentage and defends with passion and fury.
#3 Lanelle Wright Lanelle Wright 5’8″ | PG Minnetonka | 2026 State MN is an outstanding example of what happens when you take a player with a ton of natural ability, provide her with excellent training and coaching, and then watch her put in more hard work on an ongoing basis than everyone else in the gym. Wright is a phenomenal tactician with truly elite skills, terrific court vision, a nice sense of timing and pacing, and the intelligence to make it all work together.
#4 Kate Amelotte Kate Amelotte 5’11” | SF Wayzata | 2026 State MN is one of the most intriguing players in the class. We list her as a forward and her build is trending in that direction. Her skills with the basketball, and the way she moves around the court, are more like that of a guard. She’s got power and speed, size and smarts, and her motor is always running. Kate is an outstanding rebounder who never gives up on the ball and always fights to the end. The possibilities are endless.
#5 Cail Jahnke Cail Jahnke 6’2″ | CG St. Michael-Albertville | 2026 State MN is the longest guard in the class. She’s well north of 6 feet already and will likely be growing for some time. That’s such a huge advantage for a prospect. When combined with top-notch athleticism, the ability to shift and shimmy while airborne, a well-honed set of skills and speed to burn, Cail offers a world of potential. It will take time for Jahnke to fill out and get stronger but look out when she does.
#6 Mya Moore Mya Moore 5’10” | PG Orono | 2026 State MN has the ball on a string. Yes, her handles are truly elite. So is her quickness and foot speed. Moore darts around the court as well as anyone and she does it so naturally. Smooth is the word that keeps coming up when coaches talk about Mya’s potential. And smart. Savvy. Skilled. All those adjectives apply, too. Now that she is gaining height and filling out there’s no telling how high Mya will fly.
#7 Audrey Shindelar Audrey Shindelar 6’0″ | CG Stewartville | 2026 State MN was kind of operating in the shadows until mid-summer when she slipped into the spotlight and shone very brightly during the July viewing period. Division 1 coaches who’ve seen her (there aren’t many yet) are super-excited about Audrey’s potential. They love her feel for the game, her crafty approach to the point guard position, and her ability to execute on offense.
#8 Morgan Staloch Morgan Staloch 6’0″ | PF Jordan | 2026 State MN has the kind of length every college is coach is looking for in a stretch four. When she gets down in a stance defensively she’s awfully difficult to get around. When she contests a shot, or goes up in the air for a rebound, she’s going to outreach most opponents. Combine that with a quality box of tools, a big motor and a strong desire to improve and you have a very nice package.
#9 Vienna Murray Vienna Murray 6’0″ | SG East Ridge | 2026 State MN has an old school mid-range game that is a thing of beauty. With outstanding elevation and body control, Vienna is able to rise up and over defenders to make shots that most players would struggle with. Murray is an exceptional athlete – quick and fast and explosive. She’s got a very nice overall skillset and has already proven her ability to carry her high school team night after night.
#10 Kate Holmquist Kate Holmquist 5’7″ | PG Maple Grove | 2026 State MN is the quintessential point guard. Her court vision is impeccable. Her understanding of how to play the position is among the very best in the class. Her passing is exceptional. Her ability to control tempo and set the tone for her team is elite. She is among the best three-point shooters in the class and is deceptively quick one-on-one. Holmquist is poised for a breakout season.