STrib: Whalen Pursues In State Talent

Farmington junior center Sophie Hart is a work in progress. So is the Minnesota women’s basketball program on the state’s recruiting front.

The Gophers, guided by Minnesota native and school alum Lindsay Whalen, are trying to overcome the crevasse created with state recruits and coaches by Marlene Stollings’ regime from 2014-18. Whalen and her staff are establishing an improved working relationship with the Minnesota State High School Girls’ Basketball Coaches Association — an element significantly missing with her predecessor.

“Lindsay has so many intangibles going for her to have success on the state recruiting front,” said Farmington coach Liz Carpentier, who is also president of the coaches association. “It takes time, but Lindsay and her staff have already built a great rapport with high school coaches around the state. They are headed in the right direction.”

Whalen’s hiring on April 13, 2018, wasn’t enough to alter the collegiate plans of the state’s top three seniors, including the nation’s highly coveted No. 1 prospect: Connecticut-bound Paige Bueckers of Hopkins. Players can sign national letters of intent beginning Wednesday.

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The Gophers staff is focused on a deep junior class, talented sophomore group and upcoming freshmen. It has made scholarship offers to 13 players from the state in those three classes.

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This season the Gophers have only one Minnesota player — freshman guard Sara Scalia from Stillwater — on their roster. Scalia was the school’s first state recruit straight out of high school since Pam Borton signed 2014 class members Grace Coughlin of Benilde-St. Margaret’s and Carlie Wagner of New Richland-Hartland-Elldendale-Geneva. Coughlin played in only five games before transferring to North Dakota State midway through her freshman season.

Stollings never landed such a high school recruit during her four-year tenure.

“We want the top kids in the state to want to represent Minnesota,” Whalen said. “We want to get in early with kids from the state.”

With Hart, the Gophers offered the 6-4 low post after her freshman season. The last frontcourt player from the state signed by the Gophers was Kayla Hirt of Bemidji, a 6-2 forward, and that goes back to the 2011 class.

“I honestly didn’t expect it,” Hart said about her initial offer from a Power Five school. “It brought a big smile to my face. I was flattered.”

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bball_craz_26 said:

In terms of the 13 that have offers, unless I am off, here are the 13

Class of 2021:

Sophie Hart-Farmington-6’4 Center ESPN Ranked #43
Kendall Coley-St.Louis Park-6’1 Guard
Adalia McKenzie-Park Center- 5’10 Guard/Forward
Jenna Johnson-Wayzata-6’2 Forward

Class of 2022:

Maya Nnaji-Hopkins-6’3 Forward ESPN Ranked #8
Mallory Heyer-Chaska-6’2 Forward
Amaya Battle-Hopkins-Hopkins-5’10 Guard
Mara Braun-Wayzata-5’9 Guard
Nia Holloway-Eden Prairie-6’1 Forward
Ellie Buzzelle-Rogers-5’9 Guard

Class of 2023:

Taylor Woodson-Hopkins-5’11 Forward
Nunu Agara-Hopkins-6’1 Forward
Tessa Johnson-St. Michael/Albertville-5’9 Guard


Notes*
-Recently had Johnson, Agara, Woodson from 2023 and Nnaji and Battle from 2022 all on campus for an unofficial visit.
-Unsure how hard the coaches are recruiting each class or player. Also Unsure on the Adalia McKenzie situation. it was reported she committed but nothing ever came out of it so not sure the story there or if gophers and her have lost interest.

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fanfromthevalley said:

And, while Stollings had little if any contact with Minnesota high schools, towards the end of her time here Pam Borton lost those contacts, too. So, that's probably six years of not paying the attention due to Minnesota kids.

Sadly, it does take time to build up those relationships again. All signs point to the Whalen crew doing much better in that regard. Even if we don't get those prized recruits in large numbers for a bit, we'll get there!

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