WATERTOWN — On Saturday, Ashlyn Koupal closed the book on one of the most accomplished careers in South Dakota high school girls basketball history.

The Wagner High School senior girls basketball player totaled 32 points, 20 rebounds and five assists in her final prep game. Koupal ended with 2,607 career points, finishing fifth on South Dakota’s all-time girls basketball scoring list. 

Only Mitchell Christian’s Jill Young (3,317), Wakonda’s Becky Flynn (3,268), Bennett County’s Carla Allard (2,835) and Newell’s Jordan Stapp (2,815) have more points in South Dakota high school girls basketball history. 

After Wagner’s 67-64 loss vs. Lakota Tech in the seventh-place game, it all hit Koupal that her storied high school career was over.  

“I was definitely not looking forward to it, honestly,” said Koupal, a future University of Nebraska women’s basketball player. “As you can tell I am really emotional right now and I just love this team. I wouldn’t want to do it with anybody else.” 

A 6-foot-3 forward, will play in the McDonald’s All-American Game on March 31 in Glendale, Arizona. She’s the first South Dakota girls basketball player to play in the game, and just the second in state history (Mitchell’s Mike Miller). 

Koupal, a nationally-ranked recruit, also finished her career with more than 1,100 rebounds, 450 assists and 350 blocked shots. She’s a multiple-time all-stater, reigning Class A player of the year and a two-time Gatorade South Dakota player of the year. 

“It’s been really fun watching Ashlyn excel and watching her teammates be right there with her,” said Wagner coach Mike Koupal, Ashlyn’s father. “She knows she can’t do it without them. They do a great job sometimes picking up the brunt of things. But it’s been really, really fun.”

Ashlyn Koupal was on four state tournaments for Wagner, which finished as the Class A runner-ups in 2023. A five-year regular, Koupal helped the Red Raiders post a 101-21 record since her eighth-grade season. 

But accomplishments and stats aside, Koupal said she will remember the relationships built through basketball and representing Wagner more than anything.  

“Just the people I have met and made friendships through basketball,” Koupal said. “The people I have become friends with through basketball and just getting to do the whole thing with my family. I knew it was ending. But now it’s really hit. Just the relationships I have built and the community and just how much they support us.” 

It’s also a family affair for Ashlyn and her family. In addition to Koupal’s father serving as head coach, her mother Tera is an assistant coach and little brothers Riggs and Dash are team managers. 

“It’s been really cool and something that a lot of people don’t get to experience, which makes it a lot harder for it to actually be over,” Koupal said. “So I am definitely going to miss it.”

Koupal has not only left an impression on the Wagner girls basketball program, but also throughout the state and region. Mike said this season Nebraska residents would trek up to South Dakota just to watch the future Cornhusker.   

“She’s done a lot, not just for our team,” Mike said. “But for our community and hopefully she is going to do a lot yet for the state of South Dakota, representing us down at the McDonald’s All-American Game, and then playing at Nebraska, which is really close. We will have a lot of followers and support there.”

Koupal said she’s excited for the next step at Nebraska, and hopes to inspire the next generation of South Dakota hoopers to chase their dreams. 

“I feel like that should be everyone’s goal when playing to make an impact and just inspire all the little kids around you,” Koupal said. “I hope this just gives all the kids around here hope that they can do what they want to do. Because I have been chasing my dreams and they are finally becoming true. So I think they can do that, too.”