Gophers women’s basketball coach Dawn Plitzuweit made Tori Oehrlein a recruiting priority in the Class of 2026.
On Friday evening in the Dave Galovich Gym at the high school in Crosby, Oehrlein, a 5-11 junior guard and the state’s second-highest-rated girls basketball recruit in the Class of 2026, announced she will play for the University of Minnesota.
Oehrlein, also ranked as the 43rd-best junior in the country by ESPN, took Plitzuweit’s affection to heart.
“I became really close with Coach Dawn during the recruiting process,” Oehrlein said. “They really wanted me. I think she is going to build a great program.”
Oehrlein led Crosby-Ironton to fourth place in the Class 2A state tournament last season, when she averaged 35.4 points, 15.2 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game. She shot 56.9% from the floor, 39.8% from three-point range and 83.7% from the free-throw line. She totaled 114 points, 43 rebounds, 13 assists and 15 steals in the Rangers’ three state tournament games.
“Tori is a once-in-a-lifetime player,” Crosby-Ironton coach Pete Vukelich said. “She is extremely loyal. She is No. 1 on my pedestal.”
Oehrlein scored her 3,000th point sooner than any player in Minnesota history, accomplishing the feat in 101 games. She reached the milestone against Providence Academy in late January. She has 3,341 career points; Rebekah Dahlman of Braham holds the state record of 5,060.
