Edina pulled off an upset a year ago in winning its first badminton team state championship. Now the top-ranked Hornets find themselves in the favorite's role for the 2024 state tournament.
The four-day event will begin with six matches Monday. The round of 16 and quarterfinals will be held Tuesday at the homes of the top four seeds before moving to Edina High School for the semifinals and championship Wednesday. The individual tournament will be held Thursday at Edina.
The Hornets ended St. Paul Johnson's run of seven consecutive team titles by defeating the Governors in the semifinals and then Burnsville in the final a year ago.
Edina became the first school not from St. Paul school to win the state team crown since Eden Prairie in 2001. Second-ranked St. Paul Johnson has won the most team championships, 12, since the sport became sanctioned in 1996.
St. Paul Highland Park's Phlower Vang is the No. 1-ranked singles player. She finished fourth in the state tournament last year. Tenzin Tsephel is Edina's top singles player and ranked third.
Edina's Sanna Coma and Ivy Peterson form the top-ranked doubles team. They were the runners-up in 2023.
