Gophers women's basketball has high expectations for 2026-27

Minnesota s women s basketball team took a giant step last season in Dawn Plitzuweit s third year as the Gophers head coach, earning the program s first NCAA tournament berth since 2018 and making the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005. Despite losing four-year starter at point guard Amaya Battle and a big, efficient post in Sophie Hart, the Gophers have bigger goals for 2026-27. It s taking that momentum into this season and seeing what we can do with it, junior guard Tori McKinney said Wednesday at the Big Ten s media day at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill. Confidence is high, and McKinney and teammate Mara Braun weren t shy about exuding it during the portion of the event televised by Big Ten Network. Minnesota finished tied for fourth in a stacked, 18-team Big Ten and earned a No. 4 seed and first- and second-round NCAA tournament home games at Williams Arena. There, the Gophers beat Green Bay and Mississippi to advance to the Ro