University of Minnesota Athletics
espnW Ranks Minnesota's Recruiting Class 10th Best in the Nation
11/18/2021 1:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS – The University of Minnesota women's basketball 2022 recruiting class has been ranked No. 10 in the nation by espnW, the publication announced Wed., Nov. 18. The ranking comes on the heels of National Signing Day where the Golden Gophers welcomed the highest ranked signing class in program history with Mara Braun (ranked No. 28), Amaya Battle (ranked No. 39), Mallory Heyer (ranked No. 55) and Niamya Holloway.
The Gophers' historic signing class, that all hail from the state of Minnesota, is the top ranked Big Ten class with three top 100 ranked signees, according to espnW. It is the first time the Golden Gophers have signed three top 100 ranked prospects and marks the first time the program has had an overall signing class ranked in the top 10. On top of being ranked No. 10 by espnW, Minnesota's 2022 signing class is ranked No. 4 in the nation by Jr. All-Star.
"I am thrilled to announce this incoming recruiting class that includes four young women who exemplify what it means to be a Gopher," Whalen said. "As the highest ranked class in school history, we are not only proud of the basketball players that these young women are, but how they carry themselves in the community and in the state of Minnesota. They are going to make an impact that will last for years to come."
A native of Wayzata, Minn., Braun currently attends Wayzata High School. A four-star recruit according to ESPN, she is the 28th-ranked player overall in the class and the No. 8 point guard. The 6'0 Braun averaged 18.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.5 steals per game in high school while shooting 43.6 percent from the floor and 407 percent from three. She is a two-time All-State selection and has scored over 1,000 points at the high school level. She is a two-sport athlete, making the state track and field meet in triple jump three different times. She played for North Tartan AAU, winning the State AAU MVP in 2021 and was named to the All-Tournament team at Nike Nationals in 2021. On top of her espnW ranking Braun is also ranked No. 34 in the nation by Jr. All Star.
"Mara Braun is a dynamic guard who can play and defend multiple positions," Whalen said. "She has a knack for scoring and making big plays for her team when they need it. She is a winner."
Hailing from Hopkins, Minn., Battle joins the Gophers after a stellar prep career. She is tabbed as a four-star recruit and is ranked No. 39 overall, and the No. 11 point guard in the nation, according to ESPN. The 5'11 Battle is the younger sister of Golden Gopher men's basketball player Jamison Battle. She won a state championship at Hopkins High School in 2019 and has won a section championship every year from 2017-21. She was an All-State selection during her junior campaign where she averaged 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals per game while shooting 46 percent from the floor and 39.5 percent from beyond the arc. Plays currently her AAU ball with the Metro Stars. While playing with North Tartan AAU she won the state AAU championship and national championship twice. Additionally Battle is ranked No. 36 in the nation by Jr. All Star.
"Amaya Battle is a guard who can finish strong at the rim, has a great midrange shot and pushes the pace on every possession," Whalen said. "Look out for her on the defensive end as well as she takes great pride in rebounding at her position. Her winning pedigree will make an immediate impact in our program."
Another Minnesota native, Heyer joins the program out of Chaska, Minn. Playing for Chaska High School Heyer is a four-star recruit and is ranked as the 55th-best player in the 2022 class and the No. 11 forward according to ESPN. The 6'1 forward averaged 17.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 57 percent from the floor and 30 percent from three. She has scored 1,764 points for Chaska High School in 102 varsity games. Heyer is a two-sport athlete, playing volleyball and basketball. As a volleyball player she earned three All-Metro honors and has over 1,000 career kills as a two-time captain and a six-time letter winner. She's a three-time All-State selection by the MGBCA and a two-time Metro West Conference Player of the Year. She led her team to the Class AAAA state championship in 2020-21 and was on the Dean's List from 2018-21. With her AAU club, the Minnesota Fury, she won the 2020 Minnesota State Championship and finished as a runner-up at the UAA 2021 Nationals. On top of her espnW ranking Braun is also ranked No. 32 in the nation by Jr. All Star.
"Mallory Heyer is as skilled as it gets," Whalen said. "She plays inside and out, runs the floor hard on every possession and defends at a very high level. A Minnesota State Champ and now a Minnesota Golden Gopher!
Wrapping up the Golden Gophers signing class is Niamya Holloway out of Eden Prairie, Minn. A ranked-prospect, Holloway is the 90th-ranked player overall in the country according to Jr. All-Star and the No. 5 player in the state of Minnesota according to the Jr. All Star Rankings. She averaged 13.8 points 7.2 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game while shooting 58.4 percent from the floor and 84.4 percent from the charity stripe during high school. She led Eden Prairie High School to a 2AAAA section championship in 2020 and was a three-time All-Conference honoree along with earning an All-State Honorable Mention nod. The 6'0 forward played for North Tartan AAU and averaged 12.2 points, 11 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.8 steals per game. As a two-sport athlete Holloway won a high school state championship in high jump and earned All-State honors in the high jump, 200m and 4x200m relay. She owns her high school's 200m school record and was a captain for her high school track and field team.
"Niamaya (Nia) Holloway is a true 4 player that brings us great length and tenacity at both ends of the floor," Whalen said. "Nia plays the game with so much passion, joy and toughness and we cannot wait to get her here."
The Gophers' historic signing class, that all hail from the state of Minnesota, is the top ranked Big Ten class with three top 100 ranked signees, according to espnW. It is the first time the Golden Gophers have signed three top 100 ranked prospects and marks the first time the program has had an overall signing class ranked in the top 10. On top of being ranked No. 10 by espnW, Minnesota's 2022 signing class is ranked No. 4 in the nation by Jr. All-Star.
Highest ranked recruiting class in #Gophers basketball HISTORY! 〽️🏀✍️ #NSD22 #SkiUMah | #ncaaW
— Minnesota Women's Basketball (@GopherWBB) November 10, 2021
🗞️: https://t.co/j4i60dBPNe pic.twitter.com/p65fTetcGp
"I am thrilled to announce this incoming recruiting class that includes four young women who exemplify what it means to be a Gopher," Whalen said. "As the highest ranked class in school history, we are not only proud of the basketball players that these young women are, but how they carry themselves in the community and in the state of Minnesota. They are going to make an impact that will last for years to come."
A native of Wayzata, Minn., Braun currently attends Wayzata High School. A four-star recruit according to ESPN, she is the 28th-ranked player overall in the class and the No. 8 point guard. The 6'0 Braun averaged 18.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.5 steals per game in high school while shooting 43.6 percent from the floor and 407 percent from three. She is a two-time All-State selection and has scored over 1,000 points at the high school level. She is a two-sport athlete, making the state track and field meet in triple jump three different times. She played for North Tartan AAU, winning the State AAU MVP in 2021 and was named to the All-Tournament team at Nike Nationals in 2021. On top of her espnW ranking Braun is also ranked No. 34 in the nation by Jr. All Star.
"Mara Braun is a dynamic guard who can play and defend multiple positions," Whalen said. "She has a knack for scoring and making big plays for her team when they need it. She is a winner."
Hailing from Hopkins, Minn., Battle joins the Gophers after a stellar prep career. She is tabbed as a four-star recruit and is ranked No. 39 overall, and the No. 11 point guard in the nation, according to ESPN. The 5'11 Battle is the younger sister of Golden Gopher men's basketball player Jamison Battle. She won a state championship at Hopkins High School in 2019 and has won a section championship every year from 2017-21. She was an All-State selection during her junior campaign where she averaged 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals per game while shooting 46 percent from the floor and 39.5 percent from beyond the arc. Plays currently her AAU ball with the Metro Stars. While playing with North Tartan AAU she won the state AAU championship and national championship twice. Additionally Battle is ranked No. 36 in the nation by Jr. All Star.
"Amaya Battle is a guard who can finish strong at the rim, has a great midrange shot and pushes the pace on every possession," Whalen said. "Look out for her on the defensive end as well as she takes great pride in rebounding at her position. Her winning pedigree will make an immediate impact in our program."
Another Minnesota native, Heyer joins the program out of Chaska, Minn. Playing for Chaska High School Heyer is a four-star recruit and is ranked as the 55th-best player in the 2022 class and the No. 11 forward according to ESPN. The 6'1 forward averaged 17.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 57 percent from the floor and 30 percent from three. She has scored 1,764 points for Chaska High School in 102 varsity games. Heyer is a two-sport athlete, playing volleyball and basketball. As a volleyball player she earned three All-Metro honors and has over 1,000 career kills as a two-time captain and a six-time letter winner. She's a three-time All-State selection by the MGBCA and a two-time Metro West Conference Player of the Year. She led her team to the Class AAAA state championship in 2020-21 and was on the Dean's List from 2018-21. With her AAU club, the Minnesota Fury, she won the 2020 Minnesota State Championship and finished as a runner-up at the UAA 2021 Nationals. On top of her espnW ranking Braun is also ranked No. 32 in the nation by Jr. All Star.
"Mallory Heyer is as skilled as it gets," Whalen said. "She plays inside and out, runs the floor hard on every possession and defends at a very high level. A Minnesota State Champ and now a Minnesota Golden Gopher!
Wrapping up the Golden Gophers signing class is Niamya Holloway out of Eden Prairie, Minn. A ranked-prospect, Holloway is the 90th-ranked player overall in the country according to Jr. All-Star and the No. 5 player in the state of Minnesota according to the Jr. All Star Rankings. She averaged 13.8 points 7.2 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game while shooting 58.4 percent from the floor and 84.4 percent from the charity stripe during high school. She led Eden Prairie High School to a 2AAAA section championship in 2020 and was a three-time All-Conference honoree along with earning an All-State Honorable Mention nod. The 6'0 forward played for North Tartan AAU and averaged 12.2 points, 11 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.8 steals per game. As a two-sport athlete Holloway won a high school state championship in high jump and earned All-State honors in the high jump, 200m and 4x200m relay. She owns her high school's 200m school record and was a captain for her high school track and field team.
"Niamaya (Nia) Holloway is a true 4 player that brings us great length and tenacity at both ends of the floor," Whalen said. "Nia plays the game with so much passion, joy and toughness and we cannot wait to get her here."
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