Best in Class, 2027: The standout student-athletes in Minnesota’s 2027 graduating class

Best in Class | 2027

‘Best in Class’ is a Minnesota Star Tribune Sports series publishing this week. Coming tomorrow: Juniors.

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Underclassmen no more, this group of student-athletes has already established itself as some of Minnesota’s best. Picked by Minnesota Star Tribune staff writers, these standout sophomores will make headlines for another two years. (Athletes are listed in alphabetical order.)

girls tennis

Alley won the 2024 Class 1A singles championship and completed a 21-1 record with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over of Fatemeh Vang of Blake in the final match. In the state tournament, Alley won all four matches without dropping a set and lost just nine total games in four matches. College plans: undecided

football

The son of Sabers head coach Ray Betton, the 6-3, 180-pound safety is an instinctive leader, with the athleticism to stick with receivers, a nose for the ball and the size and speed to excel in run support. Betton had 87 tackles, 61 solo, in 2024 with six passes defensed, four interceptions and two tackles for loss. College plan: undecided

girls swimming

This past season, the sophomore set the state record in the 50- and 100-yard freestyles with times of 22.38 and 49.20 seconds, respectively, in the Class 1A state meet. Biegler is the three-time state champion in both events. She was also named the Star Tribune 2024 All-Minnesota Girls Swimmer of the Year. College plan: undecided.

girls volleyball

As a setter, Bjorklund was the motor behind the Cougars’ first state title last fall, recording a team-high 723 assists for a young squad that will be back for more. Ranked the No. 1 recruit in her class by PrepDig, Bjorklund also put up 185 kills, 79 service aces and 234 digs last season. College plan: undecided

boys Nordic skiing

The two-time pursuit state champion becomes more impressive by the year. A year ago, Drevlow became the first underclassman pursuit state champion this century, winning by 27.7 seconds. He successfully defended his state crown by 50 seconds this year. He was also named the Star Tribune All-Minnesota Boy Nordic Skier of the Year. College plan: undecided.

football

A 2024 All-Minnesota selection at quarterback, the 6-1, 190-pound sophomore appears to be a natural at the position. His father, Kevin, was a dual-threat QB at North Dakota State in the late 1990s and is now the head coach at Moorhead. Jett completed a remarkable 71.5% of his passing attempts in 2024 (208 of 291) for 3,221 yards and 48 touchdowns. College plan: undecided.

boys hockey

The 6-2, 160-pound defenseman impresses with his smooth, effortless skating style and strong puck skills. Has 22 goals and 61 total points for the Raiders. Selected for the USA Hockey U-17 national team. Considered a future high NHL draft prospect. College plans: undecided.

girls soccer

A perpetual motion machine with an exceptional soccer IQ and the ability to see three steps ahead, Kuettel led the Greyhounds to the state tournament for the first time in 15 years. She scored a school-record 32 goals in 2024, notching six hat tricks, including a six-goal effort in a 9-0 rout of Cambridge-Isanti. College plans: undecided.

track and field

Lewis tied the state record in girls long jump as a freshman, with a 20-1.25 mark last season on the way to winning both Class 1A long jump and high jump titles. She didn’t take up high jumping until last April and is now among the state’s best field athletes. College plans: undecided.

girls basketball

The guard topped the state in scoring, with an average of 33.6 points per game (1,143 total), leading the Knights to the Class 1A state tournament semifinals and a 30-4 record. She added 7.9 rebounds, 5.6 steals and 4.8 assists per game, too. College plan: undecided.

boys basketball

At 6-10 with the skills of a guard and athleticism to play effectively inside and outside, Mohamed is one of the most intriguing sophomore prospects in the state. He averaged 14.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game for the Packers and showed the ability to step out and knock down shots from outside. College plans: undecided.

girls lacrosse

The sophomore two-way midfielder was the only Minnesota native invited to USA Lacrosse’s U16 National Team Development Program Combine this past summer. Nick, who eclipsed the 100 career point mark as a freshman, possesses the positional versatility to play anywhere on the lacrosse field. College plan: undecided.

boys soccer

Oliyath scored a hat trick in Eagan’s 4-3 Class 3A state championship victory over Maple Grove — including two long-range strikes from outside the 18-yard box. Oliyath, a forward, scored 15 goals and had 10 assists for the 20-1-1 Wildcats en route to their first state title. College plan: undecided.

girls Nordic skiing

Ousdigian has won back-to-back pursuit state championships. She’s on this year’s freestyle and classic races with a combined time of 32 minutes, 24.4 seconds, 15 seconds ahead of the runner-up. Following the state meet, Ousdigian represented the U.S. in the U18 Scandinavian Cup in Norway. She was also named the Star Tribune All-Minnesota Girls Nordic Skier of the Year. College plan: undecided.

girls hockey

Pohl — the daughter of hockey pros and Hill-Murray coaches Kristy Wendell-Pohl and John Pohl — led the Class 2A state champions with 41 goals and 33 assists this year. The speedy sophomore scored five times, plus added three assists, in the Pioneers’ state tournament. College plan: undecided.

girls basketball

At 5-11, Ramlall is a three-point shooting specialist who averaged 21 points per game during the 2024-25 season. She continues to improve her all-around game on a yearly basis. College plans: Minnesota.

wrestling

Raymond, a sophomore, is a four-time girls wrestling state champion at Simley with a chance to become just the second wrestler in Minnesota high school sports history to win six state wrestling titles. She’s also the recipient of the 2025 Star Tribune All-Minnesota Girls Wrestler of the Year award. College plan: undecided.

basketball

The 6-7, 190-pound Schlagel finished the season as the Class 4A runner-up Raiders’ leading scorer, averaging 18.4 points per game, just ahead of 6-11 post Tommy Ahneman’s 18.1. An athletic slasher with good hops, Schagel can create off the bounce or rise up to shoot over smaller defenders. His size on the wing can create matchup nightmares for size-deficient foes. Has offers from Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. College plan: undecided.

boys hockey

Creative with the puck and possessing elite-level skills, the 5-11, 150-pound Schneider has the acceleration and quickness to create space and the vision to make extraordinary things happen. With 14 goals and 30 assists for the Hornets as a sophomore, he will join his teammate with the Minnesota Blades club hockey team, Ben Geiger, on the USA U-17 National Team. College plan: undecided.

girls basketball

Rated as the state’s best in the Class of 2027, Wilson has a great feel for the game, both inside and out. The smooth-shooting guard has plenty of Power Four schools seeking her future services. College plans: undecided.

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Coming Thursday: The state’s best seniors-to-be.