Gophers ranked No. 17 in Associated Press Top-25 preseason poll
Big Ten Media Day: Gophers looking to build off Sweet 16 run
Dawn Plitzuweit and the Gophers' women's basketball team were at Big Ten Media Day in Chicago on Wednesday. Minnesota is coming off a historic 24-9 season and run to the NCAA Sweet 16.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota women’s basketball team opens its regular season in less than two weeks, and for the first time 2019, the Gophers will enter the season in the top-25.
Gophers ranked No. 17 in AP Preseason Poll
What we know:
The Gophers are ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press Preseason Top-25 poll. That marks the first time in seven years that Minnesota is ranked to start the season.
That’s despite the news that the Gophers will be without junior guard Tori McKinney for the 2026-27 season. Coach Dawn Plitzuweit announced Monday McKinney suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice last week. McKinney led the Gophers in scoring at 12.7 points per game last year, and was one of their top defensive players.
The Gophers are coming off a 24-9 season where they advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in more than 20 yards.
Harvard tip-off time announced
Timeline:
The Gophers open the 2026-27 regular season against Harvard on Monday, Nov. 2. The game will start at 5 p.m. at The Barn.
That same night, the Gophers’ men’s basketball team has its regular season opener against North Dakota at The Barn. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.