Ruff's Lists: The Big Nine's top 10 girls basketball players

Pat Ruff, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·4 min read

Aug. 4—The Big Nine Conference lost loads of talent from this past season. But it also retained some high-end players. None of them is better than Rochester John Marshall incoming senior Lilly Meister, who will be playing at Big Ten Conference power Indiana beginning the fall of 2022. The 6-foot-2 Meister has the entire package.

Here is a list of the likely top-10 players in the Big Nine Conference. It's never too early to begin thinking about hoops.

1. Lilly Meister, John Marshall

Meister has committed to play college basketball at Indiana University, regarded as one of the best programs in the Big Ten Conference. That Meister was good enough to land there says lots about her talent. A 6-foot-2 incoming-senior forward with speed, power and agility, Meister can do it all. Last year, Meister averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds. She did it while being hounded by defenses all season.

2. Taya Jeffrey, Albert Lea

Jeffrey, a lankly 5-9 guard, has a chance to go down as the best player ever at Albert Lea. The incoming senior is also being recruited as such, with a bunch of Division II schools interested in her and a couple of Division I's. Jeffrey is quick and strong, has an ability to hit clutch shots and has scored more than 1,000 points in her career. She's also a top defender.

3. Hope Dudycha, Austin

Dudycha stirred the drink for the Packers. She averaged 17 points and was their top ball handler en route to being named honorable-mention All-State. Dudycha also led her team to the state tournament. The incoming senior has scored 1,100 career points, getting lots of that done with her constant movement within the offense.

4. Mackenzie Schweim, Mankato East

The incoming senior guard is one of the best shooters around and has already scored 2,000 points in her career. Last season, Schweim averaged 18 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.1 steals. Schweim, whose range is limitless on her shot, has committed to play at Minnesota State, Mankato.

5. Katie Hurt, John Marshall

Hurt is another talented JM player who's already committed to play Division I basketball, the incoming senior heading to Lehigh in the fall of 2022. At 5-11, Hurt is a good-sized guard who can also really move and is a tough defender. She averaged a whopping four steals per game last season. She can do what's needed on the offensive end, too, having averaged 14 points and four assists per game while playing point guard.

6. Lani Schoper, Mankato West

Schoper is even better known as a softball player and has signed to play that sport for Minnesota State, Mankato. But she can hoop, too. Schoper is a do-it-all type, averaging 16 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.7 steals. And she's an incredible shooter, hitting 53% of her 3-point attempts and 85% on free throws. Against Century this season, she had a game where she was 18-for-19 from the free-throw line.

7. Hannah Hanson, Mayo

Hanson is almost certainly the best all-around athlete on this entire list of 10 star players. The incoming junior is one of the states best hurdlers in track and field, is a standout volleyball player and can surely play basketball, too. Hanson averaged 12 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.4 steals last season. She shot a highly efficient 49 percent from the field, getting lots of baskets in transition, using her track speed.

8. Lexi Karge, Mankato East

Karge is one of the tallest and most physical players in the Big Nine Conference. The incoming senior averaged 11.8 points and 9.3 ebounds this past season, using her 6-3 height to beat defenders inside. Karge has signed to play at Division II Minnesota Duluth

9. Taylor Clarey, Century

Clarey is the youngest player on this list of 10, just an incoming sophomore. She also has massive potential, which she is realizing more and more. The 5-7 Clarey averaged 10.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3 assists and nearly 2.1 steals per game last year as a freshman. The fast, quick and skilled guard is already drawing college interest.

10. Lexi Mendenhall, Owatonna

Owatonna had a clear-cut go-to person last season, and it was the 5-10 Mendenhall. The incoming senior averaged 13.4 points and 7.3 rebounds, getting that done while playing inside and outside for the Huskies. Mendenhall has strength, solid quickness and can nicely handle the ball. She also runs the floor well.