2023–24 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's basketball team

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2023–24 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's basketball
WNIT, Runners-up
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record20–16 (5–13 Big Ten)
Head coach
Associate head coachJason Jeschke
Assistant coaches
Home arenaWilliams Arena
Seasons
2023–24 Big Ten women's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 16 Ohio State 16 – 2   .889 26 – 6   .813
No. 2 Iowa † 15 – 3   .833 34 – 5   .872
No. 12 Indiana 15 – 3   .833 26 – 6   .813
Michigan State 12 – 6   .667 22 – 9   .710
Nebraska 11 – 7   .611 23 – 12   .657
Michigan 9 – 9   .500 20 – 14   .588
Penn State 9 – 9   .500 22 – 13   .629
Maryland 9 – 9   .500 19 – 14   .576
Illinois 8 – 10   .444 19 – 15   .559
Wisconsin 6 – 12   .333 15 – 17   .469
Minnesota 5 – 13   .278 20 – 16   .556
Purdue 5 – 13   .278 15 – 19   .441
Northwestern 4 – 14   .222 9 – 21   .300
Rutgers 2 – 16   .111 8 – 24   .250
† 2024 Big Ten tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2023–24 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's basketball team represented the University of Minnesota during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Golden Gophers, led by first-year head coach Dawn Plitzuweit, played their home games at Williams Arena and compete as members of the Big Ten Conference. Plitzuweit was hired in March 2023 after she spent one year at West Virginia.[1]

Previous season[edit]

The Golden Gophers finished the 2022–2023 season with a 11–19 record and 4–14 in Big Ten play to finish in twelfth place. As the twelfth seed in the Big Ten tournament, they were defeated by Penn State in the First Round.[2] They were not invited to the NCAA Tournament or chosen for the WNIT. Alanna Micheaux was named to the Big Ten Conference Honorable Mention Team, while Mara Braun was named to the All-Freshman Team by both the coaches and media.[3]

Following their loss to Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament, the Gophers announced that head coach Lindsay Whalen had resigned and stepped down as head coach.[4] Dawn Plitzuweit was hired 2 weeks later as the new head coach for the Gophers.[5]

Offseason[edit]

Departures[edit]

Name Number Pos. Height Year Hometown Notes
Alanna Micheaux 4 F 6'2" Sophomore Wayne, Michigan Transferred to Virginia Tech[6]
Alexa Ratzlaff 12 G 5'9" Freshman Rosemount, Minnesota
Destinee Oberg 13 C 6'3" Senior Burnsville, Minnesota Transferred to North Dakota[7]
Isabelle Gradwell 14 G/F 6'1" Graduate Senior Marshalltown, Iowa Graduated
Angelina Hammond 15 G/F 6'1" Graduate Senior Hopkins, Minnesota Transferred to St. Thomas[8]
Mi'Cole Cayton 21 G 5'9" Graduate Senior Stockton, California Transferred to Pepperdine[9]
Katie Borowicz 23 G 5'7" Redshirt Freshman Roseau, Minnesota Medically Retired[10]
Maria Counts 31 G/F 5'11" Freshman Plymouth, Minnesota Transferred to Minnesota-Duluth

Arrivals[edit]

Name Number Pos. Height Year Hometown Previous School Notes
Janay Sanders 30 G 5'11" Graduate Senior Charlotte, North Carolina App State [11]

2023 Recruiting class[edit]

On November 16, 2023, the Gophers announced the signing of 4 players Kennedy Klick, MyKynnlie Dalan, Ajok Madol and Dominika Paurová to scholarships, while also Brynn Senden signed an Acceptance of Admission to be a walk-on for the 2023–24 season.[12] Following the resignation of Lindsay Whalen after the 2022–23 season, Paurová asked and granted her release from the Gophers, and then committed to Oregon State.[13]

After the hiring of Plitzuweit, she signed two players that she got to commit to West Virginia when she was there in - Grace Grocholski and Ayianna Johnson.[14][15]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Kennedy Klick
G 		Brooklyn Park, MN Maple Grove High School 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) N/A Nov 16, 2022 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
MyKynnlie Dalan
F 		Montesano, WA Montesano High School 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) N/A Nov 16, 2022 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Ajok Madol
G/F 		Regina, Saskatchewan Archbishop M.C. O'Neill High School 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) N/A Nov 16, 2022 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Brynn Senden
G 		Wayzata, MN Wayzata High School 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) N/A Nov 16, 2022 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Ayianna Johnson
F 		Jefferson, WI Jefferson High School 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) N/A May 4, 2023 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Grace Grocholski
G/F 		North Prairie, WI Kettle Moraine High School 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) N/A Apr 12, 2023 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN:4/5 stars   ESPN grade: 91
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

Roster[edit]

2023–24 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Year Previous school Hometown
F 1 Ayianna Johnson 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Fr Jefferson Jefferson, WI
G 3 Amaya Battle 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) So Hopkins Hopkins, MN
G 5 Maggie Czinano 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Jr Watertown-Mayer Watertown, MN
G 10 Mara Braun 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) So Wayzata Wayzata, MN
F/C 11 Aminata Zie 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Sr Western Nebraska CC
Stony Brook 		Paris, France
G/F 12 Ajok Madol 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Fr Archbishop M.C. O'Neill Regina, Saskatchewan
G 15 Brynn Senden 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) Fr Wayzata Wayzata, MN
G 22 Kennedy Klick 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) Fr Maple Grove Brooklyn Park, MN
F 24 Mallory Heyer 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) So Chaska Chaska, MN
G/F 25 Grace Grocholski 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Fr Kettle Moraine North Prairie, WI
G 30 Janay Sanders 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) GS App State Charlotte, NC
F 34 McKynnlie Dalan 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Fr Montesano Montesano, WA
F 41 Niamya Holloway 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) RS Fr Eden Prairie Eden Prairie, MN
C 52 Sophie Hart 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Jr NC State Farmington, MN
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: August 12, 2022

Schedule and results[edit]

Date
time, TV 		Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Regular season
November 8, 2023*
7:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		Long Island W 92–57  1–0
  25 – Braun   8 – Heyer   6 – Braun  Williams Arena (3,141)
Minneapolis, MN
November 12, 2023*
1:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		Chicago State W 100–42  2–0
  25 – Braun   7 – Heyer   7 – Battle  Williams Arena (2,856)
Minneapolis, MN
November 15, 2023*
7:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		North Dakota State W 75–53  3–0
  20 – Battle   12 – Heyer   9 – Battle  Williams Arena (2,816)
Minneapolis, MN
November 19, 2023*
4:00 p.m., FS1 		No. 8 UConn L 44–62  3–1
  12 – Braun   8 – Braun   5 – Braun  Williams Arena (10,869)
Minneapolis, MN
November 22, 2023*
7:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		Cal State Northridge W 84–31  4–1
  21 – Braun   6 – Tied   7 – Grocholski  Williams Arena (2,728)
Minneapolis, MN
November 26, 2023*
2:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		Stony Brook W 67–54  5–1
  17 – Tied   12 – Battle   9 – Battle  Williams Arena (3,122)
Minneapolis, MN
November 29, 2023*
7:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		Norfolk State W 74–43  6–1
  26 – Grocholski   12 – Heyer   5 – Battle  Williams Arena (2,820)
Minneapolis, MN
December 2, 2023*
1:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		Drake W 94–88 2OT 7–1
  33 – Braun   10 – Heyer   5 – Grocholski  Williams Arena (4,578)
Minneapolis, MN
December 6, 2023*
6:00 p.m., SECN+ 		at Kentucky W 76–57  8–1
  25 – Braun   10 – Hart   6 – Battle  Rupp Arena (3,386)
Lexington, KY
December 10, 2023
1:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		Purdue W 60–58  9–1
(1–0) 		 21 – Braun   12 – Heyer   4 – Battle  Williams Arena (3,834)
Minneapolis, MN
December 13, 2023*
11:00 a.m., Big Ten+ 		Grambling State W 96–64  10–1
  26 – Braun   9 – Heyer   10 – Battle  Williams Arena (5,291)
Minneapolis, MN
December 21, 2023*
3:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		Lindenwood W 100–45  11–1
  21 – Braun   10 – Czinano   8 – Battle  Williams Arena (3,069)
Minneapolis, MN
December 30, 2023
1:00 p.m., BTN 		at No. 4 Iowa L 71–94  11–2
(1–1) 		 16 – Battle   6 – Hart   5 – Tied  Carver–Hawkeye Arena (14,998)
Iowa City, IA
January 3, 2024
7:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		Maryland L 64–72  11–3
(1–2) 		 20 – Braun   10 – Heyer   5 – Battle  Williams Arena (2,362)
Minneapolis, MN
January 9, 2024
7:00 p.m., BTN 		at Michigan W 82–66  12–3
(2–2) 		 21 – Heyer   9 – Battle   4 – Tied  Crisler Center (2,112)
Ann Arbor, MI
January 14, 2024
2:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		Nebraska W 62–58  13–3
(3–2) 		 16 – Heyer   7 – Heyer   5 – Battle  Williams Arena (5,958)
Minneapolis, MN
January 17, 2024
7:00 p.m., Peacock 		at No. 16 Indiana L 62–85  13–4
(3–3) 		 19 – Grocholski   6 – Heyer   3 – Battle  Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (7,977)
Bloomington, IN
January 20, 2024
2:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		Michigan State W 69–50  14–4
(4–3) 		 18 – Heyer   15 – Heyer   4 – Grocholski  Williams Arena (5,020)
Minneapolis, MN
January 23, 2024
8:00 p.m., BTN 		at Wisconsin L 56–59  14–5
(4–4) 		 13 – Grocholski   7 – Tied   4 – Battle  Kohl Center (4,191)
Madison, WI
January 28, 2024
2:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		at Illinois L 68–73  14–6
(4–5) 		 18 – Tied   8 – Battle   7 – Battle  State Farm Center (4,788)
Champaign, IL
January 31, 2024
7:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		Penn State L 64–80  14–7
(4–6) 		 13 – Tied   9 – Heyer   5 – Battle  Williams Arena (3,319)
Minneapolis, MN
February 5, 2024
5:00 p.m., BTN 		at Michigan State L 65–76  14–8
(4–7) 		 23 – Sanders   11 – Heyer   10 – Battle  Breslin Student Events Center (3,154)
East Lansing, MI
February 8, 2024
8:00 p.m., Peacock 		No. 5 Ohio State L 47–71  14–9
(4–8) 		 16 – Sanders   7 – Tied   6 – Battle  Williams Arena (3,572)
Minneapolis, MN
February 13, 2024
6:00 p.m., BTN 		at Rutgers L 73–81  14–10
(4–9) 		 23 – Grocholski   8 – Heyer   10 – Battle  Jersey Mike's Arena (1,511)
Piscataway, NJ
February 17, 2024
2:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		Northwestern W 88–63  15–10
(5–9) 		 27 – Grocholski   8 – Heyer   6 – Sanders  Williams Arena (4,882)
Minneapolis, MN
February 20, 2024
6:00 p.m., BTN 		Wisconsin L 56–67  15–11
(5–10) 		 16 – Battle   7 – Johnson   5 – Battle  Williams Arena (4,559)
Minneapolis, MN
February 24, 2024
4:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		at Nebraska L 51–70  15–12
(5–11) 		 15 – Heyer   10 – Heyer   4 – Battle  Pinnacle Bank Arena (7,101)
Lincoln, NE
February 28, 2024
8:00 p.m., Peacock 		No. 6 Iowa L 60–108  15–13
(5–12) 		 18 – Battle   11 – Heyer   4 – Battle  Williams Arena (14,625)
Minneapolis, MN
March 3, 2024
12:00 p.m., Big Ten+ 		at Penn State L 34–90  15–14
(5–13) 		 10 – Senden   7 – Grocholski   3 – Battle  Bryce Jordan Center (2,830)
University Park, PA
Big Ten Tournament
March 6, 2024
8:00 p.m., Peacock 		(11) vs. (14) Rutgers
First Round 		W 77–69  16–14
  32 – Battle   9 – Holloway   7 – Battle  Target Center (18,392)
Minneapolis, MN
March 7, 2024
8:00 p.m., BTN 		(11) vs. (6) Michigan
Second Round 		L 57–76  16–15
  22 – Battle   17 – Heyer   3 – Tied  Target Center (18,392)
Minneapolis, MN
WNIT
March 26, 2024*
8:00 p.m. 		Pacific
Second Round 		W 77–62  17–15
  14 – Hart   6 – Tied   6 – Battle  Williams Arena (1,140)
Minneapolis, MN
March 29, 2024*
7:00 p.m. 		North Dakota State
Super 16 		W 69–65  18–15
  16 – Grocholski   12 – Heyer   5 – Battle  Williams Arena (2,367)
Minneapolis, MN
April 1, 2024*
7:30 p.m. 		at Wyoming
Great 8 		W 65–54  19–15
  29 – Battle   11 – Grocholski   4 – Battle  Arena-Auditorium (3,710)
Laramie, WY
April 3, 2024*
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		at Troy
Fab 4 		W 74–69  20–15
  18 – Battle   11 – Hart   4 – Battle  Trojan Arena (4,333)
Troy, AL
April 6, 2024*
2:00 p.m., CBSSN 		vs. Saint Louis
Championship 		L 50–69  20–16
  13 – Hart   11 – Heyer   4 – Battle  First Community Arena (1,545)
Edwardsville, IL
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central Time.

Source:[16]

Rankings[edit]

Main article: 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre123456789101112131415161718Final
AP——————RVRVRV————Not released
Coaches—————————————

References[edit]

  1. ^ Campbell, Dave (March 18, 2023). "Minnesota hires West Virginia's Plitzuweit to replace Whalen". The Eagles-Tribune. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  2. ^ "Gophers Overcome 18-Point Deficit, Ultimately Fall to Penn State 72-67". gophersports.com. Gopher Sports. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  3. ^ "2022-23 Big Ten Women's Basketball Postseason Honors" (PDF). bigten.org. Big Ten Conference. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  4. ^ Voepel, M.A. "Lindsay Whalen steps down as Minnesota coach after 5 seasons". ESPN.com. WNBA. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  5. ^ Shipley, John. "Gophers hire Dawn Plitzuweit as next women's basketball coach". twincities.com. Pioneer Press. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  6. ^ Berman, Mark. "College basketball notes: Virginia Tech women add Minnesota transfer Alanna Micheaux". Roanoke.com. Roanoke Times. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  7. ^ "North Dakota Women's Basketball adds final transfer, Destinee Oberg". fightinghawks.com. North Dakota Athletics. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  8. ^ "Guard/forward Angelina Hammond to join Tommies in 2023-24". tommiesports.com. St. Thomas Athletics. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  9. ^ "Waves Bolster Backcourt with Three Transfer Guards". pepperdinewaves.com. Pepperdine Athletics. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  10. ^ Shipley, John. "Gophers point guard Katie Borowicz retiring from basketball". twincities.com. Pioneer Press. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  11. ^ "Sanders Spent Three Seasons at App State, One at LaSalle". gophersports.com. Gopher Sports. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  12. ^ "Women's Hoops Sign Five for 2023-24". gophersports.com. Gopher Sports. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  13. ^ Daschel, Nick. "Oregon State women's basketball lands Czech Republic wing Dominika Paurova, a former Minnesota signee". oregonlive.com. Oregon Live. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  14. ^ "Minnesota Adds Ayianna Johnson to 2023-24 Signing Class". gophersports.com. Gopher Sports. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  15. ^ "Plitzuweit Adds Grocholski to 2023-24 Signing Class". gophersports.com. Gopher Sports. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  16. ^ "2023-24 Women's Basketball Schedule". gophersports.com. Gopher Sports. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
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