Gophers' 2026 class

Is 19th best in the country, sez ESPN

For those who don't want to scroll through to find MN

19. Minnesota Golden Gophers​

No. 40 G Natalie Kussow
No. 58 G Tori Oehrlein
Four-star F Kylee Paben
Three-star F Adit Kuol

Minnesota stayed in the Midwest to lock in three skilled players and an interior depth piece.

Expect the three four-star recruits to assimilate well as efficient shooters.

A 5-10 lefty, Kussow is a shifty scorer who knocks down 3s and gets to the free throw line quite often. She had some epic scoring bursts on the Under Armour circuit this summer.

Oehrlein is a gritty guard with a sweet stroke. She's extremely competitive with a strong lower half that helps with her shooting consistency. She was arguably the best shooter on the Power 24 circuit each of the past two summers.

Paben is a stretch forward who wins on the glass with effort and is a confrontational defender. She has a knack for chasing down rebounds.

Kuol, a 6-4 center, is a Uganda native who now attends The King's Academy in Tennessee.

The key is what portal player they can get to commit.

samloupete said:

The key is what portal player they can get to commit.

Click to expand...

At center.

Of the incoming recruits I am actually more excited to see what Paben has to offer. Exciting prospect.

Need a Center and forward with Tonga, Hart out of eligibility

Minnesota was ranked #15 by 247 Sports.

That was #4 in the Big Ten.


Click the link.

Brandon Clay, Director of Scouting, Women's Basketball

Natalie Kussow​

Kussow made an impact on both ends of the court at the Select Events Summer Classic. She has showcased herself as one of the premier wings in the class nationally. Kussow's ability to make open shots translates well to the college game. She typically attacks off the bounce in straight lines to create opportunities in the lane. Kussow also played at the Under Armour Elite 24 and adjusted to the free-flowing pace of play by game day.


Natalie Kussow is a Shooting Guard from Hartland, WI.

Tori Oehrlein​

Oerhlein has been on the national radar for a couple of years. She's a skilled option in the backcourt with the size to play on or off the basketball in the modern day game. That said, Oerhlein has always been comfortable playing the point position. That will be my longterm projection for her at the college level. She can make open shots, quarterback a team and brings an IQ to the floor that most of her peers can't match at this stage of their prep careers.

Tori Oehrlein is a Point Guard from Crosby, MN. ​