CINCINNATI — The Purcell Marian High School girls basketball team is ranked No. 20 nationally by the ESPN High School Girls Basketball Top 25 rankings this week.
Purcell Marian, which won the Division III state championship this past March, is the only Ohio team in the ESPN national rankings.
"Being ranked nationally by ESPN is well deserving," Purcell Marian coach Jamar Mosley said. "The late practices, early study sessions, and all the hard work is being recognized at a national level. I'm happy for our program and all the work that everyone is putting in from our players, coaches and student managers."
Purcell Marian defeated Worthington Christian 62-38 March 12 at University of Dayton Arena to capture its first state championship in program history. Purcell Marian is a Division II girls basketball program this season.
The Cavaliers are led by several players including sophomore wing Dee Alexander, who is No. 4 nationally by the ESPN HoopGurlz 2025 player rankings.
Alexander, named to the MaxPreps Freshman All-America team in April, has several significant scholarship offers as she begins her second season of high school basketball.
Purcell Marian plans to unveil its 2022 state championship banner Friday night in its home opener against Spire Academy (7 p.m. tipoff). Spire Academy is coached by former WNBA star Candice Wiggins,a four-time All-American at Stanford who won the WNBA championship with the Minnesota Lynx in 2011.
COLLEGE SIGNINGS: Princeton High School senior point guard Solè Williams signed with the Texas A&M women's basketball program last week.
Williams, who is No. 51 nationally in the ESPN HoopGurlz 2023 player rankings, was a Division I all-state selection and first-team All-Southwest District player last season.
"Solè is a dynamic scoring combo guard from Ohio," Texas A&M coach Joni Taylor said in a statement."We are extremely fortunate to add her to our first signing class at Texas A&M. Her ability to create her own shot at an elite level boosts our offense immediately. We are so happy to be able to welcome her to our Aggie Family."
Williams was named the Greater Miami Conference Athlete of the Year in girls basketball, averaging 23.2 points, 3.8 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 3.6 steals as a junior for Princeton, a Division I regional semifinalist. Williams had more than 40 scholarship offers this past spring.
Princeton had a 23-4 overall record, including 15-1 in the GMC last season with Princeton graduate Dee Davis as the GMC coach of the year.
Princeton is also planning a national signing Day event for senior guard Lasonja Hill (Ohio Dominican signee), senior forward Dede Carter-Hartley (Stetson), baseball player Andrew Edrington (Ohio State), and volleyball player Caeley Goins (West Virginia State).
