Iowa women's basketball offers 2026 F Leelee Bell (2024)

Josh Helmer

After an unofficial visit, Jan Jensen and the Iowa Hawkeyes handed out an offer to one of the top sophom*ores in the country.

The Hawkeyes offered class of 2026 forward Leelee Bell. A 6-foot-3 forward, Bell was named the 2024 North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 26.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.

A product of Minot High, Bell joined Holly Johnson (2012) and Shelley Berg (1993) as the only players in program history to earn North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year status. The key difference? Those two did it while they were seniors and Bell locked up the award as just a sophom*ore.

“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.

Minot High head girls basketball coach Jason Schwarz said Bell’s game continues to blossom.

“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 sophom*ore. 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.

Bell is ranked as the No. 1 player in the state of North Dakota in the 2026 class per Prep Girls Hoops.

Bell became Minot High’s all-time leading scorer in program history with 1,673 points. In a game against Mandan, Bell became the school’s single-game scoring leader, too, pouring in 45 points.

In addition to those two record marks, Bell also holds Minot High school records in most points in a single season (706), highest season average points per game (26.1), highest career points per game average (20.9), most field goals made in a game (17), most rebounds in a game (25), most rebounds in a season (298) and most made 3-point field goals in a season (63).

Bell scored 75 points across two state tournament games with Minot High back in March.

Even opposing coaches can’t help but rave about Bell.

“Basketball-wise, she’s approaching the conversation as one of the best the state has ever seen. She has the handle of a point guard along with the court vision. She can go inside and post up and also pass out of the post. She will rebound and defend. There is no game-planning for her,” Mandan head coach Shaun Henderson said.

Also a member of the Minnesota Stars AAU squad, Bell has been one of the 16U standouts.

Here’s a look at Bell’s full recruiting profile. Plus, some of her highlights.