Sports Illustrated ranks Eden Prairie High among top athletics programs

Sports Illustrated magazine has ranked Eden Prairie high school among the best athletic programs in the country.

The magazine rated Eden Prairie ninth in the nation for schools that exemplified excellence in athletics during all seasons in the 2008-2009 school year.

During that period, the Eagles won state championships in boys hockey, girls lacrosse and girls cross country, according to the magazine.

In boys hockey, Eden Prairie finished 25-3 and won the state tournament for the first time. In girls' lacrosse, they entered as the favorite and beat Blake School in Hopkins during the final. The school also won its second straight Challenge Cup -- a statewide, year-long competition among Minnesota' State High School league members.

The top-rated school in the Sports Illustrated survey is Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The complete list is available on Sports Illustrated's Web site.

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