Minnesota will return nearly their entire lineup in 2025-26
The Minnesota Golden Gophers returned home from Indianapolis after winning the WBIT Tournament and immediately turned their focus into turning this years postseason run into something even greater in 2025-26. That got off to a bog boost when most every eligible player to return to the Minnesota roster next season announced they would do so in the days following their title run. With the returnees set, Dawn Plitzuweit can now solely focus on the transfer portal and try and find a few pieces that the Gophers can add to an allready promising roster and make that long awaited NCAA run next season.
In case you forgot about their WBIT title—the U provided a great highlight video of the Championship Game.
After winning, the next question for the Gophers is who would be sticking around, and who might be tempted to look elsewhere for a new team for next season. Only one Minnesota player, freshman guard McKenna Johnson announced that she would be entering the transfer portal after the season. The highly rated player from Wisconsin was gifted offensively, but never seemed to understand or put in the defensive effort that Plitzuweit wanted from her, so she never received much playing time. Minnesota also will lose graduating seniors Annika Stewart, Alexsia Rose, Maggie Czinano, and Jordan Brooks.
But, the rest of the roster is back. The I’m back along with join Dinkytown Athletes tweets and instagram posts began and continued over the course of about 48 hours. Everyone else on the roster—including injured star Mara Braun stated they will be back to try and help the Gophers get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018.
With the Gophers returning all five/ six starters from this season in Braun, Amaya Battle, Tori McKinney, Grace Grocholski, Malory Heyer and Sophie Hart, Minnesota allready will have one player who played a significant role this season need to step back into a 6th player role. Coming off the bench should be a few players who saw decent time this season to help the Gophers go at least eight players deep including forward Niamya Holloway and Taylor Woodson who was a key bench player for Minnesota before tearing her ACL. Minnesota will also return a pair of lesser used guards in Kennedy Klick and Brynn Senden. Add in a pair of freshmen in Makena Christian—one of the top guards in Wisconsin and 6’3 forward Zoey Bershers from Arkansas, and that leaves three open roster spots for the Gophers to go portal shopping.
Looking at the makeup of the Minnesota roster, and knowing what Coach Plitzuwiet has publicly said, Minnesota is looking for at least two players from the portal. They need another post player who can tag team/ relieve Hart, and they need another quality shooing backup point guard type to spell Battle. The third spot could either be used, or be banked for next year’s freshman class that will need to make an instant impact to replace Battle, Heyer and Hart,
Portal Possibilities?
So who could the Gophers be looking to add. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your point of view, there is not as much gossip out there about who could be potential portal pickups for any NCAA team. But there are a few names—some with Minnesota connections that are worth watching.
The leader in that clubhouse would be Utah transfer Gianna Kneepkens. The former Duluth Marshall star has been great for the Utes for the past four seasons averaging more than 10 points per game in each year. Last year as a senior, she averaged 19.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 44.8% from beyond the arc and 89% from the free throw line. She only played 8 games her junior season after suffering an injury and if she decided to come home would automatically be one of the best players in the Big Ten. But, she will command a large NIL payment, so it is unknown if the Gophers can pony up enough cash to be of interest to Kneepkens.
One potential backup point guard option could be Hailey Weaver from Northwestern. The junior saw her playing time double this season to nearly 20 minutes per game as she averaged 8 points per game.
A likely pipe dream would be Wisconsin transfer Serah Williams. The forward has been one of the best bigs in the conference the past two seasons earning back to back unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selections. Williams averaged 16.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in her three seasons in Madison—but is likely looking for a national title contender with a big checkbook for her final season.
Georgia Tech has a trio of guards in the portal in freshman Dani Carnegie, and juniors Tonie Morgan and Kara Dunn, Carnegie led Georgia Tech in 3-pointers made and would be a huge boon to the Minnesota squad with three years of eligibility remaining. Morgan is more of a pass first point guard who led Georgia Tech and was third in the ACC with 5.6 assists per game. Dunn was the Yellow Jackets’ leading scorer at 15.5 points per game and grabbed an impressive 5.8 rebounds a contest from her guard spot this past season. Of those three Carnegie would be the best fit for the Gophers, but again will likely commend lots of interest from top schools.
Other players with at least potential tangential connections to Minnesota or Plitzuweit include Iowa State guard Lily Hansford who is a Green Bay, Wisconsin native, and previously played at Oregon State before transferring to the Cyclones, Rochester native 6’3 post player Lily Meister from Indiana—though she is rumored to potentially be headed to South Dakota State, and Wisconsin guard Ronnie Porter who played for Como Park High School in St. Paul before spending three seasons with the Badgers.
Hopefully Minnesota can add at least two quality players who can join the existing roster and put this Gophers team in a great place for success next season.