Minnesota 2025-2026

[Belzx009]

I know the season isn’t over yet, but I wanted a place to discuss next seasons roster!

 

[AllEars]

Good idea.
I started a thread back in February regarding next years starters...
Thread '2025-2026 season starters'
https://gopherhole.com/boards/threads/2025-2026-season-starters.117743/

I posted my thoughts and the rationale for my choices.

 

[Longtimegopherfan]

Next year's freshmen:

Makena Christian | Guard | Lomira, Wisconsin | Hartford Union High School
Ranked as one of the top guards from the state of Wisconsin, Christian brings an edge to the Gophers' squad as the No. 52 ranked recruit in the latest 2024 ESPN/Hoopgurlz top 100 rankings. In her most recent season, the guard averaged 25.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per contest. Christian was named the Wisconsin State Player of the Year while earning All-State accolades. As a junior, she led Hartford Union to the North Shore Conference Championship and also led the Orioles to the state semifinal game. During that same season, she scored 43 points, a career high and set the school record, against McFarland. Makena is also Hartford's all time leader in rebounds. Notably, she's the first member of her family to play a collegiate sport and has been recognized as the No. 3 overall recruit and No. 1 guard from the state of Wisconsin in the Prep Girls Hoops rankings. Christian competes for the Wisconsin Lakers AAU squad and played alongside current Gopher, Grace Grocholski.

Zoey Bershers | Post | Farmington, Arkansas | Farmington High School
Bershers joins the Golden Gophers as an elite player, earning Arkansas All-Conference, All-State, and All-State Tournament Selections as a freshman, sophomore and junior. After going undefeated and earning back-to-back region and 4A state titles with Farmington High School, Bershers earned the No. 3 ranking overall in the state of Arkansas and No. 1 among post players by Prep Girls Hoops. In her most recent campaign, Bershers averaged 11 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game; notably, she held a 58% shooting percentage. Her experience and leadership helped Farmington High School attain the title of the No. 1 ranked team in the state regardless of classification. Bershers plays AAU with the San Antonio Finest and her older sisters, Tracey and Sara, both compete at the University of Alabama Birmingham on their Women's Basketball team.

 

[BigTenGuy]

Opportunity knocks for the Gophers in 2025-26. Pending portal roster adjustments, the Gophers appear to be one of only 2 (along with Michigan) BIG teams that look to be improved next year.

With Minnesota playing Wisconsin twice, that’s 6 games against the bottom 5 (RU, PSU, PU, NW, WI), all of whom project to be bad or worse next year.

Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Maryland, Oregon and MSU all suffer huge personnel losses and look to be worse (unless rescued by the portal). Maryland always seems to win the portal, so perhaps the Terps tread water.

Iowa, Nebraska and Washington all lose key pieces, but Nebraska gets Potts back to go with Prince and Iowa and Washington add McDonald’s AA recruits. This group is perhaps treading water, though can also see a decline for Iowa and Washington (pending portal pickups).

UCLA should be as good next year, losing Dugalic but gaining the WSU transfer that sat out this year with injury.

USC should be worse, losing Kiki and with JuJu’s injury. USC will still be good, but not top 5 national good.

Top 5-6 in the BIG seems realistic for the Gophers next year (unless other BIG teams get Maryland level portal pickups).

 

[MaroonMagic]

Opportunity knocks for the Gophers in 2025-26. Pending portal roster adjustments, the Gophers appear to be one of only 2 (along with Michigan) BIG teams that look to be improved next year.

That's a big "if". I'm worried that some players might get a little restless given it's year 2 of rebuilding and they probably weren't as successful this year as they'd have hoped. Maybe the deep run in the WBIT (and potentially a WBIT championship?) can get them all to buy in again. I sure hope so, because they're going to be a strong team next year if they do keep the pieces together.

 

[AllEars]

I know the season isn’t over yet, but I wanted a place to discuss next seasons roster!

I did a little digging…
https://mndaily.com/190954/sports/williams-becomes-fifth-player-leave-program-early-past-two-weeks/
From the article…
“Coach Pam Borton said Tuesday that a large roster full of players, some with near-equal abilities, made it hard to make everyone happy.
Sixteen kids on our roster was extremely difficult to manage with playing time,” Borton said. “More is not better.”

That season, 2005 - 2006, only two players on that roster started all 29 games; ten players had at least 10 minutes. Jamie Broback had the most minutes, averaging 25 minutes/game and 13.7 points/game. No other player averaged more than 9 points/game.

A few weeks before the mass exit, we played in Nashville for the opening rounds of the NCAA…we lost to Washington in the 1st round, 73 to 69. Our leading scorer, Jamie Broback, had 2 points in 16 minutes. I was at the game and we questioned why Coach B wasn’t putting Broback in the game.

I watched Tennessee in the tournament this year and decided to look up their season stats. Coach Caldwell’s starters averaged 20 - 25 minutes, her first five off the bench averaged 14 - 17 minutes. Given Coach Borton’s comments, how difficult was it for Coach Caldwell to get the players to buy into her system? Or have they?

I think it will be interesting to see how Coach P and her staff manage a deeper roster this year.

 

[Chico Gopher]

That's a big "if". I'm worried that some players might get a little restless given it's year 2 of rebuilding and they probably weren't as successful this year as they'd have hoped. Maybe the deep run in the WBIT (and potentially a WBIT championship?) can get them all to buy in again. I sure hope so, because they're going to be a strong team next year if they do keep the pieces together.

I'd say that making the final 4 IS making a deep run that should have everybody excited for next season! Can't imagine that after losing their supposedly top player and a top 2 reserve, they expected to be significantly better than where they are.

I'm not sure which of the possibly returnees (with one possible exception, who pretty much played herself out of a rotation spot in favor of Kennedy K) you think is no longer bought in. Maybe Holloway? I think she's playing like she's pretty much bought in. I think she's fully aware that "instinctive reaction in terms of team defense, which seems to have been coming slowly", is her main issue. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm not that worried about her opting out, unless she's looking to transfer down from the Big Ten.

If there are any "no longer bought in" players on this squad, I would consider them "Me" players rather than "Team" players at this point. If she's half the coach I think she is, pretty sure that Dawn P has made it very clear on what improvements need to be made individually to earn more game time for the current tournament or next season. Pretty sure that, of the players not getting much game time, they are also fully aware of what's expected. If they aren't aware or are unable to produce what's needed for this to thrive, why would we want them?

 

[BBJones]

I'd say that making the final 4 IS making a deep run that should have everybody excited for next season! Can't imagine that after losing their supposedly top player and a top 2 reserve, they expected to be significantly better than where they are.

I'm not sure which of the possibly returnees (with one possible exception, who pretty much played herself out of a rotation spot in favor of Kennedy K) you think is no longer bought in. Maybe Holloway? I think she's playing like she's pretty much bought in. I think she's fully aware that "instinctive reaction in terms of team defense, which seems to have been coming slowly", is her main issue. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm not that worried about her opting out, unless she's looking to transfer down from the Big Ten.

If there are any "no longer bought in" players on this squad, I would consider them "Me" players rather than "Team" players at this point. If she's half the coach I think she is, pretty sure that Dawn P has made it very clear on what improvements need to be made individually to earn more game time for the current tournament or next season. Pretty sure that, of the players not getting much game time, they are also fully aware of what's expected. If they aren't aware or are unable to produce what's needed for this to thrive, why would we want them?

It seems unlikely that any of the four who came in together will leave early. They appear to be a close knit group and united in their loyalty to the U. That's just my opinion, looking in from the outside. Hope I'm right.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

I did a little digging…
https://mndaily.com/190954/sports/williams-becomes-fifth-player-leave-program-early-past-two-weeks/
From the article…
“Coach Pam Borton said Tuesday that a large roster full of players, some with near-equal abilities, made it hard to make everyone happy.
Sixteen kids on our roster was extremely difficult to manage with playing time,” Borton said. “More is not better.”

That season, 2005 - 2006, only two players on that roster started all 29 games; ten players had at least 10 minutes. Jamie Broback had the most minutes, averaging 25 minutes/game and 13.7 points/game. No other player averaged more than 9 points/game.

A few weeks before the mass exit, we played in Nashville for the opening rounds of the NCAA…we lost to Washington in the 1st round, 73 to 69. Our leading scorer, Jamie Broback, had 2 points in 16 minutes. I was at the game and we questioned why Coach B wasn’t putting Broback in the game.

I watched Tennessee in the tournament this year and decided to look up their season stats. Coach Caldwell’s starters averaged 20 - 25 minutes, her first five off the bench averaged 14 - 17 minutes. Given Coach Borton’s comments, how difficult was it for Coach Caldwell to get the players to buy into her system? Or have they?

I think it will be interesting to see how Coach P and her staff manage a deeper roster this year.

MSN

And still, I wonder how Caldwell's high-substitution system will work after the program's talent upgrades. Tennessee had one player, Talaysia Cooper, earn first- or second-team all-SEC accolades this season. She averaged fewer than 24 minutes per game. No Tennessee player averaged 25 minutes.

High-volume substitution helped Tennessee this season and, apparently, Caldwell's style is not dissuading recruits.

Texas coach Vic Schaefer, before the Sweet 16, said such a system wouldn’t fly with some of his players.


"I've got some competitors on my team. If I was yanking them out of the game, they'd be (ticked) off at me," Schaefer said. "They like to play."

To his point, Booker played 33 minutes against Tennessee. Point guard Rori Harmon played 37.

Stars like those two are why Texas remains alive in this tournament. Caldwell's first squad didn't include anyone like Booker or Harmon, so count this Sweet 16 as a sufficient start

 

[Belzx009]

I think the main crew will stay. I could see a bench player or two leaving.


I’m hoping for Kneepkens and hockey line changes next season. With all the guards being 6’0 I think they will be fine without another big.

 

[MaroonMagic]

I'd say that making the final 4 IS making a deep run that should have everybody excited for next season! Can't imagine that after losing their supposedly top player and a top 2 reserve, they expected to be significantly better than where they are.

I'm not sure which of the possibly returnees (with one possible exception, who pretty much played herself out of a rotation spot in favor of Kennedy K) you think is no longer bought in. Maybe Holloway? I think she's playing like she's pretty much bought in. I think she's fully aware that "instinctive reaction in terms of team defense, which seems to have been coming slowly", is her main issue. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm not that worried about her opting out, unless she's looking to transfer down from the Big Ten.

If there are any "no longer bought in" players on this squad, I would consider them "Me" players rather than "Team" players at this point. If she's half the coach I think she is, pretty sure that Dawn P has made it very clear on what improvements need to be made individually to earn more game time for the current tournament or next season. Pretty sure that, of the players not getting much game time, they are also fully aware of what's expected. If they aren't aware or are unable to produce what's needed for this to thrive, why would we want them?

Oh I wholeheartedly agree about them making the WBIT semifinals being exciting.

I probably should have prefaced to say I don't actually want anyone to transfer and would be sad if they did because I think this team could've been a contender to make it to the Sweet Sixteen as they are and with Braun healthy. With NIL and the portal, it's just hard to predict and to keep things 100% stable.

I think a couple players with talent who don't get enough playing time will transfer, like maybe Holloway. No bad blood there because I think there are other programs where she could shine and get more minutes. But if she wants to stay, that's great too and I welcome her with open arms. Sometimes it's just a personal decision for the individual.

Out of the core rotation players (and solely based on vibes), Heyer is the one I think is most likely to transfer. Again, I don't want it to happen. She's great and anyone we could get out of the portal wouldn't be able to do what she does for the team.

I'll be counting down the days until the portal officially closes to make sure everyone comes back!

 

[Chico Gopher]

Oh I wholeheartedly agree about them making the WBIT semifinals being exciting.

I probably should have prefaced to say I don't actually want anyone to transfer and would be sad if they did because I think this team could've been a contender to make it to the Sweet Sixteen as they are and with Braun healthy. With NIL and the portal, it's just hard to predict and to keep things 100% stable.

I think a couple players with talent who don't get enough playing time will transfer, like maybe Holloway. No bad blood there because I think there are other programs where she could shine and get more minutes. But if she wants to stay, that's great too and I welcome her with open arms. Sometimes it's just a personal decision for the individual.

Out of the core rotation players (and solely based on vibes), Heyer is the one I think is most likely to transfer. Again, I don't want it to happen. She's great and anyone we could get out of the portal wouldn't be able to do what she does for the team.

I'll be counting down the days until the portal officially closes to make sure everyone comes back!

3 things. I think the best case for this team (with a healthy Braun) was a little better than a bubble team.
What players with talent didn't get as much playing time as they deserved? Holloway? She had a few moments, but though I liked her, I didn't trust her. Gotta earn the coaches trust that you instinctively know the play to make and regularly do it with-out thinking. If I saw it on TV, can only imagine what was going through Dawn P's mind?
What vibes on Heyer? Have you talked to her, anybody who knows her? Unless you are close, or been at practices, films, traveling with them, there are no vibes to get.

 

[MaroonMagic]

What players with talent didn't get as much playing time as they deserved? Holloway? She had a few moments, but though I liked her, I didn't trust her. Gotta earn the coaches trust that you instinctively know the play to make and regularly do it with-out thinking. If I saw it on TV, can only imagine what was going through Dawn P's mind?

Yeah, Holloway could be a powerhouse on a mid major team and get a lot more playing time. Same with Johnson. Holloway has really started to do some cool things on offense in the WBIT which is what leads me to think she might look somewhere else to capitalize.

I like them both and would be glad to keep them for what they contribute, but sometimes the best decision individually is to find a different place with a different fit for your style and what you want to get out of college.

All I'm doing is making predictions and only time will tell. Happy to be wrong but just sharing my thoughts.

 

[DietCokeFan]

I can’t remember, does Woodson qualify for a redshirt or did she play too many games?

 

[Belzx009]

I can’t remember, does Woodson qualify for a redshirt or did she play too many games?

I am not sure but I think this playoff run would up her chance since it’s a percentage.