Danielle Rankin of Albert Lea is a member of the North Wind AAU girls’ basketball team that won the Division II 17-and-under state championship.

The North Wind team, which includes players from throughout southern Minnesota, earned a berth in the Division II national tournament in Orlando, Fla. by virtue of its state title. The team took a 14-1 record into nationals.

Rankin, who will be a senior at Albert Lea High School, is one of 10 players on the team. A 5-foot-9 forward, she earned Tribune First Team All-Area honors this past season when she led the Tigers with 10.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

The North Wind team opened the state tournament at Andover by defeating All Net 2 73-59. Also in pool play, the team topped the Zephyrs 52-48 and the RP Trojans 55-46.

In the championship semifinals, North Wind edged Lady Slipper 58-53 and, in the title game, defeated Northern Lights 53-41.

The other members of the team included Melissa Dohrn, Lake City; Kate Schlicker, Lake City; Mackenzie O’Neil, Waseca; Noelle Hall, Altura; Ashley Fosmo, Plainview; Lindsey Hass, Eyota; Savanah Oeltjen, Spring Valley; Whitney LaBrash, Lake City and Anne Block, Rochester. Angie Meister of Rochester is the coach.