Head coach Teri Moren and the Indiana women’s basketball program has offered 2026 elite recruit and forward Leelee Bell.
Leelee Bell was named the North Dakota Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year in 2024 and 2025 and attends Minot High School in Minot, North Dakota.
"I'm very grateful for it. It is another accomplishment. I've always looked up to the people that got it before, so it was really great to get it. I feel like I have a lot of people looking up to me, especially little girls. I know that, so getting that is also just a big accomplishment. So, I know that makes me more looked at, so I've got to do a lot more," Bell said of the honor to KMOT TV.
Bell averaged a double-double this pat season with more than 27 points and 11 rebounds per game. She surpassed 2,000 career points earlier this season and is on the cusp of breaking the Division AA/Class A North Dakota girls all-time scoring record. For the season, Bell averaged 27.4 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
Bell is No. 1 recruit in North Dakota for the class of 2026, according to Prep Girls Hoops.
Regarded as a top 25 overall prospect in the Class of 2026 by 247Sports, Bell has received offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, DePaul, Iowa, Iowa State, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Virginia Tech among others.
Minot High head girls basketball coach Jason Schwarz said Bell's game continues to grow.
""I am so glad for Leelee. She’s incredibly deserving of the award. It’s pretty special she’s won this award only as a sophomore. Leelee can do it all. It’s impressive the improvement she’s made from a year ago. If she keeps making those same strides from year to year, the sky’s the limit for her," Schwarz said."Jason Schwarz
The 2025-26 roster will be adding two Gatorade Player of The Year freshman in Maya Makalusky (Indiana) and Nevaeh Caffey (Missouri).