Each year since 2006, MaxPreps has recognized outstanding performers in prep girls basketball. America's source for high school sports continues the tradition to close out the 2023-24 season by naming the top player in each state. Selections are based on team success and individual excellence in addition to local and state accolades.
Sydney Benally of
Sandia (Albuquerque) is the 2023-24 New Mexico MaxPreps Player of the Year. The 5-foot-9 junior guard led the Matadors to a 28-3 record and Class 5A state championship.
For the season, Benally averaged 20.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.4 steals per game. She shot 54 percent from the field with a high of 36 points against Alamogordo in the opening round of the state tournament.
In a 49-45 win over Volcano Vista (Albuquerque) in the championship, she scored a game-high 35 points – including 18 in the fourth quarter.
Sandia is 50-12 over the past two seasons with a quarterfinal appearance in 2023.
Benally holds more than 20 Division I offers, including Cornell, New Mexico, Penn, San Diego State, Santa Clara and SMU.
Each state's MaxPreps Player of the Year will be considered for inclusion in the MaxPreps All-America Team, which is scheduled to be released April 11. Past selections include 2023 WNBA Most Valuable Player Breanna Stewart (2012) as well as 2023 All-WNBA first team picks Napheesa Collier (2015), Alyssa Thomas (2010) and A'ja Wilson (2014).
Past New Mexico MaxPreps Players of the Year2021-22 — Juliana Aragon, Bernalillo
2022-23 — Bella Hines, Eldorado (Albuquerque)
