With sights set on a big 2020, Prep Network takes a look back on 2019

As the calendar turned to 2020, Prep Network reflected on a year of growth for all aspects of the business.

Prep Hoops expanded to 33 states and ranked more players than any outlet in America – nearly 15,000 players nationwide – providing unparalleled visibility to roughly 500 college-coach subscribers.
In 2019, the inaugural year of the Prep Hoops Circuit, the events team hosted nearly 2,000 teams across 19 events. The Top 250 Expo continued to grow as well, playing host to more than 3,000 student-athletes.

Prep Girls Hoops grew by 15 states in 2019, to a total of 24. The first Prep Girls Hoops events began in 2019, too. Four Top 250 Expos played host to nearly 500 athletes in the upper midwest. The PGH Events team is capitalizing on a strong brand network-wide, adding six tournaments to the calendar for 2020.

Prep Dig added three states in 2019, bringing the total to eight. Writing teams have added important pieces in each market to bolster the year-round coverage. Prep Dig’s Top 250 Expos hosted another 500 athletes this winter and Prep Dig Tournaments will tip-off early in January, the first of five Prep Dig tournaments on the calendar for 2020.

“The acceleration of our website growth in 2019 is a testament to the strength of our brand throughout the country,” Editor In Chief Jared Nelson said. “We covered events thoroughly and ran high-quality tournaments and showcases, leading to good and talented people wanting to be a part of what we’re building.”

The Prep Network development team completely built the RecruitMe product making it easier for student-athletes and their families to navigate the recruiting process. The product is available for boys basketball, and now girls basketball for the first time, and includes detailed player profiles, a college match tool, an educational interactive guide, recruiting timeline, and much much more.

It wasn’t only the networks that were growing in 2019, either. Prep Network added six fulltime employees in 2019. Josiah Donat (Graphic Designer), Danielle Hall (Office Manager), Josh Turnquist (Event Coordinator), Mason Asher (PGH Events Manager), Adam Baltz (Prep Dig Events Manager), and Anthony Garcia (Senior Editor) have all stepped in to contribute significantly to the Prep Network staff.

“2019 was an incredible year for Prep Network,” CEO Jake Phillips said. “Our writers keep producing high-quality content while scaling in multiple sports. Our events team operated over 50 tournaments and showcases across the country, and they provided an unmatched experience for the players and college coaches in attendance. We leveraged custom-built technology across the business to follow our mission of helping prep athletes play at the next level. Finally, we grew our employee count by over 50%, which sets the stage for an even better 2020. I couldn’t be more proud of the year we had, and I can’t wait to see what the new year brings.”