Gophers targeting top-50 hoops duo from Boston; 1 has Minnesota among finalists

Quinn Costello has the Gophers among his finalists, while teammate Lucas Morillo received an offer in late July.

Minnesota Gophers head coach Niko Medved. | Credit: University of Minnesota Athletics

One of the most coveted high school basketball recruits in America has inluded the Minnesota Golden Gophers among the six finalists for his college decision.

Quinn Costello, a 6-foot-10 forward from Maine, is ranked 28th nationally by Rivals. He also receive high marks from 247Sports and ESPN, coming in at No. 74 and No. 50 in the respective rankings. Overall, he's a consensus four-star recruit.

Costello has narrowed his college decision down to Minnesota, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Purdue and Texas.

NEWS: 2026 Top-30 overall recruit Quinn Costello is down to six schools, he tells @Rivals.

The 6-10 forward has been one of the biggest stock risers this summer. https://t.co/qgml2hmyxd pic.twitter.com/UVTrV0inVa

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) August 9, 2025

Schools that offered Costello but didn't make final six include Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin, along with non-Big Ten power conference programs like Florida State, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Villanova.

What will be his deciding factor? Costello told Rivals' Jamie Shaw (On3 bought Rivals) that relationships will be big, which means the pressure is on first-year Minnesota head coach Niko Medved to establish a bond with the 2026 grad.

"The relationship piece is going to be big for me,” Costello told Shaw (subscription required). “I’m most successful when coaches really trust me, and I really trust coaches, and we have a super strong, unbreakable relationship. I say it a lot, and I hate to say it, but if basketball doesn’t work out, I’m still at a school where I’m set up for success."

Interestingly, the Gophers have also offered Costello's teammate at The Newman School in Boston, Mass. Lucas Morillo, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard who is ranked 32nd nationally by Rivals while also earning top-100 status from ESPN and 247Sports, was offered by Minnesota on July 29.

Medved and the Gophers offered Costello on June 3.

Quinn Costello had the greatest ascent of any player in the country this year! He earned 40+ D1 offers, became a top 50 player and cemented his place in Middlesex Magic history! The amazing thing is that the best is yet to come!! 📈📈 #MagicFamily pic.twitter.com/WpZU13F4zw

— Middlesex Magic (@MiddlesexMagic) August 1, 2025

Minnesota's 2026 recruiting class currently consists of two in-state commits: Cedric Tomes, a guard from East Ridge High School, and Wayzata High School forward Nolan Anderson.