The Providence Academy girls basketball starting lineup is filled with South Dakota ties. 

The Lions’ five starters — Maddyn Greenway, Brooke Hohenecker, Emma Millerbernd and Grace and Hope Counts — all have ties to the Mount Rushmore State. 

Greenway is the daughter of Mount Vernon native and former NFL linebacker Chad Greenway. Maddyn Greenway, who has scored more than 1,500 career points as a freshman, guided Providence Academy to the Minnesota Class AA state championship last season. She’s received scholarship offers from Wisconsin, Iowa State, Michigan, Creighton, Minnesota and Iowa, where her parents played college athletics. Chad was an All-American linebacker at Iowa, while his wife Jenni was a track and field athlete for the Hawkeyes. 

Mount Vernon native Chad Greenway cheers for Providence Academy on Thursday at the Hoop City Classic in Sioux Falls. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

Maddyn Greenway is second in Minnesota in total points scored with 222 and leads the state in points per game (31.7). Maddyn finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals in Providence Academy's 58-32 win over Brandon Valley on Thursday. 

Hohenecker is the daughter of Amy (Von Wald) Hohenecker, who was a state champion in cross-country and track and field at Hoven. She was later an All-American track and field athlete at Northern State. Brooke Hohenecker added eight points for the Lions on Thursday. 

Grace and Hope Counts’ parents are Chris and Lisa Counts, who played basketball and volleyball, respectively, at South Dakota State. Grace Counts, a senior forward, has scored more than 1,200 career points. Grace recorded 15 points and 14 rebounds on Thursday. Hope added four points and four rebounds against Brandon Valley.

Millerbernd’s father Nate Millerbernd played football at South Dakota State. Emma Millerbernd logged four points, four assists, three rebounds and three steals against Brandon Valley.