COLUMBUS — Cincinnati Purcell Marian sophomore Dee Alexander was announced as the 2023 Ohio Ms. Basketball on Wednesday by a statewide media panel.

Now in its 36th year, the prestigious award was first given by the Associated Press in 1988.

It has been voted by the Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association since 2017.

New Madison Tri-Village senior Rylee Sagester was the runner-up.

Loudonville junior Corri Vermilya and Pickerington Central senior Madison Greene earned third and fourth places, respectively.

Other finalists included Toledo Start junior Sinai Douglas, Shaker Heights Laurel freshman Saniyah Hall and Belmont Union Local senior Reagan Vinskovich.

Alexander is just the second sophomore to win Ohio Ms. Basketball after Canton McKinley’s Kierstan Bell won the first of three consecutive awards in 2017.

Alexander is Purcell Marian’s first Ms. Basketball recipient.

This is the third consecutive year that Greater Cincinnati has won the award after Mount Notre Dame’s KK Bransford (2022 and 2021), who is now a freshman guard at the University of Notre Dame.

Other Greater Cincinnati winners have included Princeton’s Kelsey Mitchell (2014), Lakota West’s Amber Gray (2008), Reading’s Carol Madsen (1989) and Seton’s Janet Haneberg (1988).

Alexander’s name is etched into Ohio high school girls basketball history with two years remaining at Purcell Marian.

She entered the Division II state Final Four with 35 college scholarship offers to go along with 1,307 points for her career.

Alexander averages 25.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.5 steals this season.

Past Ohio Ms. Basketball Ohio winners

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

Notable

Three-time winner: Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley (2017, 2018, 2019)

Won as junior (6): Vonda Ward, Garfield Heights Trinity (1990, 1991); Semeka Randall, Garfield Heights Trinity (1996, 1997); Michelle Munoz, Mason (2000, 2001); Ameryst Alston, Canton McKinley (2011, 2012); Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley (2017, 2018, 2019); KK Bransford, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame (2021, 2022)

Won as sophomore (2): Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley (2017); Dee Alexander, Cincinnati Purcell Marian (2023)

Co-winners (1): 1999 — Kaayla Chones, Eastlake North and LaToya Turner, Pickerington