These former Washington high school basketball stars are on women’s NCAA Tournament rosters
There are 18 women’s basketball players with ties to Washington who play for Division I programs that have qualified for the NCAA Tournament, which begins Sunday.
Here’s who they are and how they got to this point:
BYU
Kyra Beckman
Forward, 6-2, R-fr.
High school: Snohomish
Beckman has appeared in 15 games for the Cougars this season, averaging 3.8 minutes and 1.3 rebounds per game. She redshirted the 2019-20 season. At Snohomish, she averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists and 2 steals per game as a senior in 2019. The Panthers advanced to the state playoffs three times during her career, were the runners-up in the 4A tournament her freshman season, took third in 3A her junior season and fourth in 3A her senior season.
Paisley Harding
Guard, 5-9, sr.
High school: Glacier Peak
Harding has started all 23 of BYU’s games this season, averaging 30.2 minutes, 14 points, 3.3 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game. She has averaged 12.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game in 114 appearances in her four-year career. She has 1,395 points in her career shooting 41% from the floor. Harding is a two-time All-WCC first-team pick. She was the WCC Tournament MVP a season ago. She averaged 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3 steals per game her senior season with the Grizzlies in 2017, and left the school as the career leader in points and steals. Glacier Peak reached the 3A state regionals twice during Harding’s career and was the runner-up in the 4A tournament when she was a senior.
CENTRAL FLORIDA
Ahna Burney
Guard, 5-8, soph.
High schools: DME Sports Academy, Evergreen of Vancouver
Burney has appeared in 18 games (eight starts) for UCF this season, averaging 10.7 minutes, 2.7 points and 1.4 rebounds. She played in nine games last season as a freshman. Her final season at Florida’s DME Sports Academy, she averaged 12.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Prior to transferring, she starred at Evergreen of Vancouver.
GEORGIA TECH
Kondalia Montgomery
Guard, 5-7, jr.
High school: Lincoln of Tacoma
Montgomery opted out of the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19 concerns, but appeared in 29 games her freshman and sophomore seasons, averaging 4.4 minutes per game. At Lincoln, she averaged 10 points, 4 assists and 3 steals per game as a senior in 2018. The former TNT All-Area pick was also a lock down defender. The Abes advanced to the state playoffs every season of Montgomery’s career, including placing fifth in the 3A tournament her junior season. She is the younger sister of former Yellow Jackets star Alex Montgomery, who also played eight seasons in the WNBA.
GONZAGA
Kylee Griffen
Guard, 6-2, R-soph.
High school: Lake Stevens
Griffen has not appeared in a game yet in her career for the Bulldogs as she continues to recover from shoulder and foot injuries her first two seasons with the program. At Lake Stevens, she averaged 20.9 points and 10.5 rebounds per game her senior season and was ranked a top-100 player in the nation by ESPN in the 2018 class. The Vikings reached the 4A state tournament her senior year. She was a first-team AP all-state pick as a senior.
Jill Townsend
Guard, 5-11, sr.
High school: Okanogan
Townsend has appeared in all 26 games (25 starts) for Gonzaga this season, averaging a team-high 26.7 minutes and 13.4 points per game while also adding 5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals. She was named to the All-WCC Tournament team after hitting a buzzer-beater in the championship game against BYU to lift Gonzaga to the title. She is a two-time All-WCC first-team pick, and was the conference’s Player of the Year in 2020. At Okanogan, Townsend averaged 21.8 points per game in her remarkable four-season career, and finished with 2,097 career points. She was considered a top-100 player in the 2017 class by ESPN. Townsend paced Okanogan to back-to-back 2B state championships in 2015 and 2016. The Bulldogs placed third in the 1A tournament her senior season and fourth her freshman season. Townsend was named the 1A state player of the year as a senior by the AP, and won the 2B state player of the year honor as a sophomore and junior.
IDAHO STATE
Zoe Hutchings
Forward, 6-3, fr.
High school: Montesano
Hutchings is redshirting this season for the Bengals. At Montesano, she averaged 16 points and 8.5 rebounds per game as a senior in 2020 while shooting 52% from the field. The Bulldogs advanced to the 1A state playoffs each season of her high school career.
Ellie Smith
Forward, 6-2, R-jr.
High schools: Southridge, Selah
Smith has appeared in 25 games (12 starts) this season, averaging 19.3 minutes, 6.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game while shooting a team-best 69.2% from the field. She also leads Idaho State with 34 blocks. She appeared in 28 games last season. Smith redshirted her freshman year in 2017-18. At Southridge, Smith averaged 10 rebounds, 6 points and 3 blocks per game as a senior in 2017. She also played two seasons at Selah.
Tomekia Whitman
Guard, 5-10, soph.
High school: Central Valley
Whitman has appeared in 23 games (one start) this season, averaging 13.6 minutes, 3 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. She made 13 starts in 20 games last season as a true freshman, averaging 8.5 points and 3.7 rebounds. At Central Valley, she averaged 13.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game as a senior in 2019. The Bears brought home state trophies each of her four seasons, including winning 4A titles in 2016 and 2018. Central Valley won a national title her junior season in 2018.
LOUISVILLE
Hailey Van Lith
Guard, 5-7, fr.
High school: Cashmere
Van Lith has started all 26 of Louisville’s games as a true freshman, averaging 29.9 minutes, 11.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game. She was both an All-ACC Tournament pick and named to the conference’s All-Freshman team this season. At Cashmere, Van Lith was a 2020 McDonald’s All-American and is the state’s reigning Gatorade Player of the Year. She was considered a five-star recruit and the No. 7 player in the nation by ESPN in the 2020 class. Van Lith averaged 33.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game as a senior in 2020. Cashmere took home a 1A state tournament trophy each of her four seasons, reaching the title game three times. Van Lith was a unanimous selection for state player of the year honors (all classifications) as a senior in 2020, while also earning 1A player of the year. She was also named the 1A player of the year her junior and sophomore seasons, and a first-team pick as a freshman.
MICHIGAN
Meghan Fiso
Guard, 5-10, fr.
High schools: Garfield, West Seattle
Fiso has appeared in six games as a true freshman, averaging 3.2 minutes per game. At Garfield, she was named the 3A state tournament MVP as a senior after pacing the Bulldogs to a state title. She averaged 24.7 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals per game as a senior in 2020. She played her first three seasons at West Seattle, guiding the Wildcats to third- and sixth-place trophies in the 3A tournament her sophomore and junior years. Fiso was named the 3A player of the year by the AP as a senior.
OREGON
Lydia Giomi
Forward, 6-6, fifth year
High school: West Seattle
Giomi has played in 21 games for the Ducks this season, averaging 9.7 minutes, 3.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. She has appeared in 115 games in her five seasons at Oregon, and notched her first career double-double (15 pounds, 13 rebounds) in the 2020-21 opener against Seattle U. At West Seattle, Giomi averaged 15.2 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 2.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game as a senior in 2016. The Wildcats advanced to the 3A state playoffs twice in her career, placing sixth her junior season. She was a first-team all-state pick by the AP as a junior and senior.
OREGON STATE
Taya Corosdale
Forward, 6-3, R-jr.
High school: Bothell
Corosdale has started all 18 games for the Beavers this season, averaging 28.7 minutes, 6.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists. She averaged 6.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game as a true freshman and 6.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore before missing most of her junior season with a leg injury. At Bothell, she was considered the No. 26 player in the nation in the 2017 class by ESPN and averaged 18.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game as a senior. Bothell reached the 4A state playoffs twice during her career, including a program-best fifth-place finish her junior season. She was a first-team all-state pick by the AP as a senior.
Talia Von Oelhoffen
Guard, 5-11, fr.
High schools: Chiawana, Tri-Cities Prep
Von Oelhoffen opted to graduate high school early to join the Beavers this season, and has appeared in 11 games, averaging 24.5 minutes, 12.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists. She was considered the No. 25 player nationally in the 2020 class by ESPN. She was on pace to break the state record for points scored after pouring in 2,392 her first three seasons, but the season was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Von Oelhoffen headed to Corvallis. Chiawana advanced to the 4A quarterfinals her junior season. In her first two seasons at Tri-Cities prep, she paced the Jaguars to the 2B state tournament twice, winning a title in 2019. She was a first-team all-state pick by the AP in 4A as a junior, the 2B state player of the year as a sophomore and first-team pick as a freshman.
STANFORD
Lacie Hull
Guard, 6-1, jr.
High school: Central Valley
Hull has appeared in 25 games (one start) for the Cardinal this season, averaging 16.7 minutes, 3.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. She is a two-time Pac-12 Tournament champion. Stanford is the top overall seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament. Hull has appeared in 92 games (49 starts) her three seasons at Stanford, averaging 4.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game. She was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team in 2019. At Central Valley, Hull averaged 10 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 3.4 steals per game as a senior in 2018, helping guide the Bears to an undefeated 4A title. Central Valley also won a national title that year. The Bears reached the state tournament three times during Hull’s career, winning a 4A title twice. She was a first-team AP all-state pick as a senior.
Lexie Hull
Guard, 6-0, jr.
High school: Central Valley
Hull has started 26 games for the Cardinal this season, averaging 26.2 minutes, 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Her 42 steals this season are tied for the team-high with Anna Wilson. She is a two-time Pac-12 Tournament champion and two-time All-Pac-12 pick. Stanford is the top overall seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament. Hull has appeared in 86 games (62 starts) her three seasons at Stanford, averaging 10.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game. She was named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive team last season. At Central Valley, Hull averaged 20.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.6 steals per game as a senior in 2018, pacing the Bears to an undefeated 4A title. Central Valley also won a national title that year. Hull left Central Valley as the program’s all-time leading scorer (1,883 points) and broke the single-season record (607) as a senior. The Bears reached the state tournament three times during Hull’s career, winning a 4A title twice. She was named the state player of the year (all classifications) by the AP as a senior, and was the 4A player of the year each of her final three seasons at Central Valley.
Anna Wilson
Guard, 5-9, fifth year
High schools: Bellevue, Collegiate School (Richmond, Va.)
Wilson has started all 27 games for the Cardinal this season, averaging 22.6 minutes, 4.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Her 42 steals this season are tied for the team-high with Lexie Hull. Wilson was the Pac-12’s co-defensive player of the year this season and is a three-time Pac-12 Tournament champion. Stanford is the top overall seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament. Wilson has appeared in 119 games (32 starts) in her five-season career with the Cardinal, averaging 3.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists. Wilson was a McDonald’s All-American in high school and considered a top-50 player by ESPN in the 2016 class. Her senior season at Bellevue, she averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 3.2 steals in pacing the Wolverines to an undefeated 3A state title. She was a first-team AP all-state pick as a senior. She is the younger sister of Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
WASHINGTON STATE
Grace Sarver
Guard, 5-8, soph.
High school: West Seattle
Sarver has appeared in all 23 games for the Cougars this season, averaging 13.1 minutes, 2 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. She played in 21 games last season as a true freshman. West Seattle advanced to the 3A state playoffs each of Sarver’s seasons, taking home state trophies her junior and senior years, including a program-best third-place finish in 2018.
This story was originally published March 15, 2021 at 4:49 PM.
