Purcell Marian junior repeats as Ohio Ms. Basketball

Dee Alexander wins second straight OPSWA honor, leads No. 15 Cavaliers into state tournament.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Eric Frantz
By
Mar 13, 2024, 9:30am
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Purcell Marian (Cincinnati) junior Dee Alexander was announced as the 2024 Ohio Ms. Basketball Wednesday by a statewide media panel. She won the award last year as a sophomore.

Now in its 37th year, the prestigious award was first given by the Associated Press in 1988. It has been voted by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association since 2017.

Loudonville senior Corri Vermilya was the runner-up. Pickerington Central senior Berry Wallace finished third and Laurel (Shaker Heights) sophomore Saniyah Hall finished fourth. Other finalists included Anthony Wayne (Whitehouse) junior Elise Bender, Bloom-Carroll senior Emily Bratton, Springboro junior Bryn Martin and Hiland (Berlin) senior Ashley Mullet.

Alexander averages 18.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.6 steals. She has narrowed her college options to 15 schools, including Tennessee, USC, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Connecticut, Cincinnati, Arizona, South Carolina, Iowa, Texas, Illinois, Louisiana State University, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia Tech.

Purcell Marian (27-1), ranked No. 15 in the MaxPreps National Rankings, plays Copley (25-3) in a Division II state semifinal at 1 p.m. Friday at University of Dayton Arena. The state final is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Saturday at UD Arena.

The Cavaliers are looking to become the sixth team in OHSAA history to win three straight state titles.

Past Ohio Ms. Basketball Ohio winners
 
2024 – Dee Alexander, Cincinnati Purcell Marian, junior
2023 – Dee Alexander, Cincinnati Purcell Marian, sophomore
2022 – KK Bransford, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, senior
2021 – KK Bransford, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, junior
2020 – Madeline Westbeld, Kettering Fairmont, senior
2019 – Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley, senior
2018 – Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley, junior
2017 – Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley, sophomore
2016 – Jensen Caretti, Hannibal River, senior
2015 – Hallie Thome, Chagrin Falls, senior
2014 – Kelsey Mitchell, Cin. Princeton, senior
2013 – Ashley Morrissette, Twinsburg, senior
2012 – Ameryst Alston, Canton McKinley, senior
2011 – Ameryst Alston, Canton McKinley, junior
2010 – Natasha Howard, Tol. Waite, senior
2009 – Kendall Hackney, Cin. Mount Notre Dame, senior
2008 – Amber Gray, West Chester Lakota West, senior
2007 – Jantel Lavender, Cleveland Central Catholic, senior
2006 – Tyra Grant, Youngstown Ursuline, senior
2005 – Maria Getty, Dayton Chaminade-Julienne, senior
2004 – Mel Thomas, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, senior
2003 – Brittany Hunter, Columbus Brookhaven, senior
2002 – Barbara Turner, Cleveland East Tech, senior
2001 – Michelle Munoz, Mason, senior
2000 – Michelle Munoz, Mason, junior
1999 – (TIE) Kaayla Chones, Eastlake North, senior; LaToya Turner, Pickerington, senior
1998 – Tamika Williams, Dayton Chaminade-Julienne, senior
1997 – Semeka Randall, Garfield Hts. Trinity, senior
1996 – Semeka Randall, Garfield Hts. Trinity, junior
1995 – Beth Ostendorf, Pickerington, senior
1994 – Na’Sheema Hillmon, Garfield Hts. Trinity, senior
1993 – Marlene Stollings, Beaver Eastern, senior
1992 – Katie Smith, Logan, senior
1991 – Vonda Ward, Garfield Hts. Trinity, senior
1990 – Vonda Ward, Garfield Hts. Trinity, junior
1989 – Carol Madsen, Reading, senior
1988 – Janet Haneberg, Cincinnati Seton, senior

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