Huskers Sign Top 25 Recruiting ClassHuskers Sign Top 25 Recruiting Class
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Women's Basketball

Huskers Sign Top 25 Recruiting Class

Nebraska women's basketball coach Amy Williams received National Letters of Intent from five talented players on Wednesday, Nov. 11, as the Huskers earned a No. 21 national ranking for its incoming class of 2021 from ESPN.

Nebraska's impressive group includes two players ranked among the top 100 in the ESPN individual rankings, led by the versatile Kendall Coley (No. 49) and Nebraska high school standout Allison Weidner (No. 80) at the national level. Lincoln native Alexis Markowski, who will contend with Weidner for Nebraska's state high school player-of-the-year award in 2021, Illinois prep star Kendall Moriarty and Tatiana Popa fortify a strong five-player class. Four members of the Husker class have been ranked among the top 100 in the country by at least one ranking service, and all five have been mentioned among the top 275.

"This 2021 recruiting class is a special group that has already been building great bonds with each other," Williams said. "We know that they are a group that can make an incredible impact on our program and the goals we have to become Big Ten Champions."

Kendall Coley, 6-2, Forward/Guard, Minneapolis, Minnesota (St. Louis Park)
• No. 36 Player in the Nation (All-Star Girls Report, 2021)    
• No. 39 Player in the Nation (Prospects Nation, 2021)
• No. 49 Player in the Nation (ESPN, 2021)            
• No. 52 Player in the Nation (Blue Star, 2021)            
• No. 9 Wing in the Nation (ESPN, 2021)            
• All-Minnesota (Honorable Mention, 2020)            
• All-Metro West Conference (2020)

Kendall Coley comes to Nebraska as the top-ranked player among a top 25 recruiting class for the Huskers and Coach Amy Williams. Coley, a 6-2 wing from Minneapolis, Minn., was ranked as one of the top 50 players in the nation by All-Star Girls Report (36), Prospects Nation (39) and ESPN Hoopgurlz (49) in 2021, while adding a No. 52 ranking from Blue Star.

Coley, who committed to Nebraska in April of 2020, averaged 15.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists as a junior at St. Louis Park High School.

"Kendall is one of the most exciting players in the 2021 class," Williams said. "She is very versatile and can play every position on the court. She is long, athletic and skilled, which is a devastating combination. She is a special talent, and we believe she can make a great impact in the Big Ten Conference."
 



Alexis Markowski, 6-3, Center/Forward, Lincoln, Nebraska (Lincoln Pius X)
• No. 76 Player in the Nation (World Exposure, 2021)
• All-Nebraska (First Team, 2020, Omaha World-Herald)
• Nebraska Super-State (First Team, 2020; Third Team, 2019, Lincoln Journal Star)
• Nebraska Class A All-State (Captain, 2020)
• Nebraska Class A All-Tournament Team (2019, 2020)

Alexis Markowski joins Allison Weidner as the top high school players in the state of Nebraska in 2021. Markowski, who was a first-team All-Nebraska and Super-State center while leading Lincoln Pius X to the 2020 Class A state title, set school single-season records for points (560) and rebounds (315) before being named the honorary captain of the Class A All-State team. The 6-3 Markowski also tied the Class A tournament scoring record with 80 points over three games, matching Nebraska Athletics Hall of Famer Maurtice Ivy's record.

Markowski was ranked No. 76 in the 2021 class by World Exposure, which also slots international players among its rankings.

"We are so excited that Alexis is staying home," Williams said. "She had an incredible junior season capped off by a state championship and is poised for a great senior year. All summer she played against some of the best post players in the country and continued to shine. She is a winner who just keeps working to expand her game, and her skills align perfectly with our needs."
 


Kendall Moriarty, Guard, Wheaton, Illinois (Benet Academy)
• U.S. U16 National Team Trials Participant (2019)
• No. 74 Player in the Nation (Prospects Nation, 2021)
• No. 100 Player in the Nation (All-Star Girls Report, 2021)
• No. 100 Player in the Nation (Prep Girls Hoops, 2021)
• Illinois Class 4A All-State (Second Team, 2020)

The first commit to Nebraska's top-25 recruiting class, Kendall Moriarty announced her decision in November of 2019. Moriarty was ranked among the top 100 players in the country by Prospects Nation (74), All-Star Girls Report (100) and Prep Girls Hoops (100) entering her senior season at Benet Academy in Lisle, Ill. She was also ranked as high as the No. 12 guard prospect in the country by Prospects Nation.

The 6-1 Moriarty hit 43.1 percent of her three-pointers while also leading Benet Academy in steals and deflections as a junior 2019-20. She led her high school team to a No. 1 ranking in Illinois and a No. 23 team rank nationally at one point as a junior. In 2019, Moriarty was invited to the USA 16U National Team trials, advancing to the top 68. 

"Kendall was our first commit in the 2021 class, and she fits perfectly into all aspects of our program," Williams said. "She is a long, tough, gritty player with great versatility. She is a talented scorer, but her willingness to do all the dirty work on the court is what separates her. She is a great teammate and will lay it on the line for her team to win."


Tatiana Popa, 6-5, Center/Forward, Parkersburg, West Virginia (Brewster Academy)
• No. 263 Player in the Nation (All-Star Girls Report, 2021)

Tatiana Popa comes to Nebraska as a four-star recruit before entering her senior season at Brewster Academy. She closed her junior year at Parkersburg High School in West Virginia. She previously played at IMG Academy and Montverde Academy (2018-19) in Florida. She also competed at Quince Orchard High School in Maryland as a freshman in 2017-18. The 6-5 center/forward was ranked as the No. 263 overall player in the nation by All-Star Girls Report.

Popa's father, Constantin, was a second-round NBA Draft choice of the Los Angeles Clippers in 1995 after playing basketball collegiately at the University of Miami. He is a member of the Miami Sports Hall of Fame, and played professionally overseas in Israel.

"Our program is thrilled to be adding this hard-working, talented young lady to our Husker family," Williams said. "She knows how to use her length to her advantage on defense and has expanded her versatility on offense. She is working hard to add strength to her frame and understands the benefits that Husker Power will provide her in that area. The sky is the limit for her growth, and we can't wait to watch it happen here at Nebraska."
 


Allison Weidner, 5-10, Guard, Humphrey, Nebraska (Humphrey St. Francis)
• No. 80 Player in the Nation (ESPN, 2021)
• No. 32 Guard in the Nation (ESPN, 2021)
• Nebraska Super-State (First Team, Lincoln Journal Star, 2020)
• All-Nebraska (First Team, Omaha World-Herald, 2020)
• Nebraska Class D2 Basketball All-State (2018, 2019-Captain, 2020-Captain)
• Nebraska Class D2 Basketball All-Tournament (2018, 2020)
• Nebraska Class D2 Volleyball All-State (First Team, 2019; Honorable Mention, 2018)
• Five-Time Nebraska State Track & Field Gold Medalist

Allison Weidner joins Alexis Markowski as two of the top basketball players the state of Nebraska has produced in recent years. Weidner was ranked as the No. 80 player on the ESPN Hoopgurlz Top 100. She was also a first-team Super-State selection and earned first-team Class D2 all-state honors in both basketball and volleyball for the Humphrey St. Francis Flyers as a junior in 2019-20. A member of the Class D2 All-Decade Team, Weidner is also a five-time gold medalist at the Nebraska state track and field meet.

One of the top multi-sport athletes the state has produced, Weidner led the Cornhusker State in both assists and steals as a sophomore in 2018-19. As a junior, she averaged 25.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 6.5 assists and a whopping 7.3 steals per game to power St. Francis to a Class D2 state runner-up finish.

"We cannot wait to add Allison to our Husker program," Williams said. "She is a crafty point guard who can score at all three levels and is very good in the open court. She has great court vision and makes those around her better. She is a Nebraska native who possesses the values and character we look for in a Husker."