2026 Recruits

[JACKGUYII]

Jacks offer 6'0 guard Ashlyn Koupal out of Wagner.

[SteelSD]

A couple of stud 8th graders from Minot ND who led their team to the Class A state Championship.

Alliyah (LeeLee) Bell, 6'0" G/F.
Maggie Fricke, 5'7" guard. Currently holds UND and NDSU offers.

Fricke was the MVP of the tournament, as an 8th grader... Will be interesting to see how much attention these two garner from the Dakota Schools. Would love to hear more about these two from anyone who has actually seen them play. Bell sounds like she might be a P5 level talent.

We have also shown interest in a couple of SD kids. Both currently hold SL offers from UND and STU.

Sadie Mehrman, 5'9" guard from Harrisburg
Alyvia Pagett, 5'7" guard from Brandon

[SteelSD]

Jacks offer Trishelle Miller, 5'8" G Sioux City East. Ranked #17 in region by Five State Hoops.

Offers: Drake, St. Thomas, Colorado St., USD

[SteelSD]

Jacks offer 6'0 guard Ashlyn Koupal out of Wagner.

Other offers: Nebraska, Indiana, Miami (OH), USD, Creighton, Colorado State, NDSU

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[salemjack]

I keep seeing Koupal’s stat line in my twitter feed. She is the next Macy Miller. I hope the Jacks can get her even though the odds may be stacked against us.

[salemjack]

Koupal is up to 6 foot 2 inches tall. Leading Wagner to the class A championship. Playing the ship live on SDPB right now. She is the next South Dakota women’s basketball legend. I hope we get her.

[ringthebells]

Any business owners got an NIL deal for her?

[jackdaniel]

Koupal is up to 6 foot 2 inches tall. Leading Wagner to the class A championship. Playing the ship live on SDPB right now. She is the next South Dakota women’s basketball legend. I hope we get her.

Would be nice to have her playing along side with Vasecka , also 6'2". That would be fun to watch.

[LetsGoRabbits]

from what i saw of the three state tournaments, and i think it was a significant sample size, as a freshman she was already the best player playing this weekend. seems likely she is gonna get quite a bit MORE P5 attention

that said happy for Hamlin and Coach Koisti to get to the top tonight. worked together with him in my earlier coaching days and always found him to be a really good guy!. they have been close a lot, happy they finally got it done. dont think they were the most talented team but they played well together, played good defense, and got some clutch shooting

Wagner had a LOT of talent for a class A team. i am pretty sure they had 4 starters 5'11 or taller, for sure 3. i think solid chance they are a tournament team even without Ashlyn, but tonight i would have liked their chances more if they would have let her takeover the game. i am sure Hamlin has nobody who could guard her one on one, but they really never used her that way all night

[SteelSD]

I’m just afraid Koupal will start getting major P5 offers. Hopefully I am wrong.

[GrandpaLee]

To attract such future stars, the heavens need to align: SDSU makes deep runs this year & going forward cuz AJ stays - Transfer Portal delivers an athletic complement (6'2" +) to Brooklyn - Recruit Classes of 2023 & 2024 at USD flop -

BTW - Hamlin won by three

[Project-Badass]

from what i saw of the three state tournaments, and i think it was a significant sample size, as a freshman she was already the best player playing this weekend. seems likely she is gonna get quite a bit MORE P5 attention

that said happy for Hamlin and Coach Koisti to get to the top tonight. worked together with him in my earlier coaching days and always found him to be a really good guy!. they have been close a lot, happy they finally got it done. dont think they were the most talented team but they played well together, played good defense, and got some clutch shooting

Wagner had a LOT of talent for a class A team. i am pretty sure they had 4 starters 5'11 or taller, for sure 3. i think solid chance they are a tournament team even without Ashlyn, but tonight i would have liked their chances more if they would have let her takeover the game. i am sure Hamlin has nobody who could guard her one on one, but they really never used her that way all night

You’re right, Wagner is a very talented team with lots of size. Their only weakness seems to be depth, as they only went 6 deep in tight games. FWIW, I do know that 3 of those 6 transferred to Wagner in the past few years. I think Vasecka is the better player now, but Koupal definitely has the potential to surpass her. Would be really fun to see them play together.

Overall, it was a decent tournament for the SDSU commits. SF Jefferson (Dunn) finished 3rd, O’Gorman (Abdouch) finished 5th, and Flandreau (Sheppard) finished 6th. Here are the stats for the weekend. Splits are FG%/3P%/FT% PTS/REB/AS/BL/ST for reference

Jaidyn Dunn (2024 commit) - 76.5%/0.0%/66.7%; 10.67/10.3/1.0/6.0/1.33

Mahli Abdouch (2024 commit) - 45.7%/28.6%/72.7%; 14.67/2.67/4.0/1.33/3.67

Claire Sheppard (2024 commit) - 25.5%/26.67%/70.59%; 13.33/6.33/0.67/0/1.0

Ashlyn Koupal (2026 SDSU offer) - 57.58%/53.85%/69.2%; 21.0/5.0/0.67/0/0.67

Olivia Kieffer (USD commit) - 37.1%/14.3%/72.7%; 24.33/5.33/0.33/0.0/2.33

Mallory Miller (Arizona commit) - 42.5%/42.9%/58.3%; 16.67/13.33/3/0.0/0.0

Sadie Mehrman (2026 UND/UST offers) - 34.8%/57.1%/71.4%; 10.0/0.67/0.67/0/0.67

[GoJacks2011]

I’m just afraid Koupal will start getting major P5 offers. Hopefully I am wrong.

I think she already has a Nebraska offer. I think she’ll garner more. From what I hear it’s a high likelihood she goes out of state somewhere. Would be nice if we could get her but it’s obviously a very USD family so I think we’re facing an uphill recruiting battle with her. With the way things are in Vermilllion, I can’t see her sticking around to go there either. Lots of talent and potential so I’m sure bigger schools yet will come knocking.

[LetsGoRabbits]

You’re right, Wagner is a very talented team with lots of size. Their only weakness seems to be depth, as they only went 6 deep in tight games. FWIW, I do know that 3 of those 6 transferred to Wagner in the past few years. I think Vasecka is the better player now, but Koupal definitely has the potential to surpass her. Would be really fun to see them play together.

Overall, it was a decent tournament for the SDSU commits. SF Jefferson (Dunn) finished 3rd, O’Gorman (Abdouch) finished 5th, and Flandreau (Sheppard) finished 6th. Here are the stats for the weekend. Splits are FG%/3P%/FT% PTS/REB/AS/BL/ST for reference

Jaidyn Dunn (2024 commit) - 76.5%/0.0%/66.7%; 10.67/10.3/1.0/6.0/1.33

Mahli Abdouch (2024 commit) - 45.7%/28.6%/72.7%; 14.67/2.67/4.0/1.33/3.67

Claire Sheppard (2024 commit) - 25.5%/26.67%/70.59%; 13.33/6.33/0.67/0/1.0

Ashlyn Koupal (2026 SDSU offer) - 57.58%/53.85%/69.2%; 21.0/5.0/0.67/0/0.67

Olivia Kieffer (USD commit) - 37.1%/14.3%/72.7%; 24.33/5.33/0.33/0.0/2.33

Mallory Miller (Arizona commit) - 42.5%/42.9%/58.3%; 16.67/13.33/3/0.0/0.0

Sadie Mehrman (2026 UND/UST offers) - 34.8%/57.1%/71.4%; 10.0/0.67/0.67/0/0.67

regarding depth, from what i saw they were very comfortable with their top 6. in the final game Hamlin played their starting 5 the entire game, except the last 2 minutes give or take when their starting PF simultaneously fouled out and got injured

regarding my previous comment Wagner has 3 starters 5'11 or more. they also have 2 more 6' on the roster but they did not play that i saw, although 1 is an 8th grader. there will be openings for PT next year as 3 starters graduate. would seem like the 6th girl who played a lot in the tournament (hit three 3s in the final last night) probably takes one of those spots

they never said anything about where the Nagel girl would play or if she would play beyond high school. i did not see anything that said she would be a D1 player, but i thought she was one of the other best players I saw this weekend and i DEFINITELY think she should be playing somewhere next year


regarding comparison of A Koupal and Vasecka, to be clear, I did not say Koupal was the best player in the state. i said i thought she was the best player playing this weekend.

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[Project-Badass]

they never said anything about where the Nagel girl would play or if she would play beyond high school. i did not see anything that said she would be a D1 player, but i thought she was one of the other best players I saw this weekend and i DEFINITELY think she should be playing somewhere next year

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Nagel and Emma Yost will both be playing at DWU.