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Aug. 6—Editor's note: This is the fourth story in a multi-part series examining the offseason for the Gonzaga women's basketball program.
The Gonzaga women's basketball team is two months away from measuring how much offseason individual improvement has taken place.
GU coach Lisa Fortier anticipates a much more cohesive and versatile team than a year ago.
"We have the pieces in each position group that we put out there," Fortier said. "We just have to figure out how we take them to the next level, how do we take our team shooting to the next level, how do we take our team rebounding to the next level and how do we learn to guard better as a group."
Going into the 2025-26 season, the Zags had many unanswered questions. It started with experience — mostly experience in a Gonzaga uniform. The Bulldogs returned one starter.
There should be a marked difference in 2026-27. The Zags return four starters and five others who saw consistent time off the bench. The nine players will account for most of the playing time with two transfers and a freshman as the lone newcomers.
"We're not freshmen to college, we're not freshmen to workouts, we're not freshmen to practice and pressure and those things," Fortier said.
Gonzaga is coming off a 24-10 season that ended with an 81-66 loss to Ole Miss in an NCAA Tournament opener. The Zags hope to use how they finished in that game as a springboard into bigger and better things this year.
"We should have some confidence that we're a good team," Fortier said. "There are a lot of people who made big impacts that are back. I would hope that they want to keep chasing improvement, knowing what the possibilities are for this team. There's a lot of possibilities for what this team can do."
It's not getting too far ahead to talk about where Fortier wants to see this team specifically and the program in general go.
"We can be a pretty good team ... the possibilities for this team are vast," she said. "Things we've never done before are attainable with this group. We're just working to stay true to the process. We've got to work on how we show up for every individual workout and how we show up for every weight (conditioning) session. The little things done well will add up to big things."
The Zags finished as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation in 3-point made percentage (39.2), just ahead of UConn.
Gonzaga should increase that percentage this season with capable long-distance threats. Junior-to-be guard Allie Turner led at 47.1% (89 of 189), followed by junior guard Teryn Gardner (46%, 52 of 113). Sophomore forward Lauren Whittaker made 35.5% (33 of 93) but wants to make significant improvement this season. Others are expected to shoot effectively from long range as well.
The Zags' versatile offense will assist in shooting percentages, to be sure. When defenses are forced to account for the 6-foot-3 Whittaker, 6-2 sophomore forward Jaiden Haile and 6-2 senior forward Taylor Smith will give perimeter players plenty of open looks.
Another forward, 6-foot graduate transfer Sierra Lichtie, who was slowed by injuries last year, had a season of eligibility left but decided to move on after finishing work on a master's degree, Fortier said.
Gonzaga outrebounded opponents by 10 per game last year. That, too, is an area Fortier expects improvement.
The Zags also will emphasize upgrades defensively. They allowed opponents 65 points per game last year, and opponents shot 40% from the field.
Position-by-position defense will be key, but Fortier said the Zags are better when they defend as a team. Better defense means the offense can play freely and doesn't have to outscore opponents to cover for defensive liabilities.
"We need to embrace some team defensive things," Fortier said. "How do we learn how to guard as a group, guard better individually but also find a way to help each other and cover for each other a little more? That's an area we struggled with at different times last year."
By and large, though, the Zags have few questions to answer going into the season. The roles of the two transfers and lone incoming freshman will be among first order of business when preseason practice begins.
The 2026-27 roster includes the fewest first-year Zags since 2023-24, when Gonzaga added two freshmen and no transfers.
Gonzaga had to use the transfer portal the last two years to replenish a roster hit by graduation and transfers. The Zags brought in four transfers two years ago and four more last season.
Turner was the lone freshman added two years ago and Haile, Julia Wilson and now-departed Paige Lofing made up last season's freshman class.
The newest additions this season are 6-1 freshman forward Abby Lusk of Pocatello, Idaho; 6-foot junior wing/small forward Emmy Roach, a transfer from Rider; and 5-6 senior guard Jocelyn Medina, a transfer from Denver.
With a deep returning roster, it's unlikely any of the newcomers will challenge for a starting position. But they will definitely be in the mix for valuable minutes off the bench.
Of the three newbies, Lusk may have an opportunity to make the biggest impact. Out of necessity, she had to play point guard for her high school team last year, leading Pocatello to a state championship.
"She's perfect for us," Fortier said. "She's versatile. She plays with great pace. She wants to get better. She can handle the basketball. She has all the tools. It's always an adjustment to go from high school to college, but if you don't have the tools in high school then it's even harder to build them in college. She's starting off with the appropriate skill set. We did not miss on the type of kid we got with Abby."
Continue reading...
The Gonzaga women's basketball team is two months away from measuring how much offseason individual improvement has taken place.
GU coach Lisa Fortier anticipates a much more cohesive and versatile team than a year ago.
"We have the pieces in each position group that we put out there," Fortier said. "We just have to figure out how we take them to the next level, how do we take our team shooting to the next level, how do we take our team rebounding to the next level and how do we learn to guard better as a group."
Going into the 2025-26 season, the Zags had many unanswered questions. It started with experience — mostly experience in a Gonzaga uniform. The Bulldogs returned one starter.
There should be a marked difference in 2026-27. The Zags return four starters and five others who saw consistent time off the bench. The nine players will account for most of the playing time with two transfers and a freshman as the lone newcomers.
"We're not freshmen to college, we're not freshmen to workouts, we're not freshmen to practice and pressure and those things," Fortier said.
Gonzaga is coming off a 24-10 season that ended with an 81-66 loss to Ole Miss in an NCAA Tournament opener. The Zags hope to use how they finished in that game as a springboard into bigger and better things this year.
"We should have some confidence that we're a good team," Fortier said. "There are a lot of people who made big impacts that are back. I would hope that they want to keep chasing improvement, knowing what the possibilities are for this team. There's a lot of possibilities for what this team can do."
It's not getting too far ahead to talk about where Fortier wants to see this team specifically and the program in general go.
"We can be a pretty good team ... the possibilities for this team are vast," she said. "Things we've never done before are attainable with this group. We're just working to stay true to the process. We've got to work on how we show up for every individual workout and how we show up for every weight (conditioning) session. The little things done well will add up to big things."
The Zags finished as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation in 3-point made percentage (39.2), just ahead of UConn.
Gonzaga should increase that percentage this season with capable long-distance threats. Junior-to-be guard Allie Turner led at 47.1% (89 of 189), followed by junior guard Teryn Gardner (46%, 52 of 113). Sophomore forward Lauren Whittaker made 35.5% (33 of 93) but wants to make significant improvement this season. Others are expected to shoot effectively from long range as well.
The Zags' versatile offense will assist in shooting percentages, to be sure. When defenses are forced to account for the 6-foot-3 Whittaker, 6-2 sophomore forward Jaiden Haile and 6-2 senior forward Taylor Smith will give perimeter players plenty of open looks.
Another forward, 6-foot graduate transfer Sierra Lichtie, who was slowed by injuries last year, had a season of eligibility left but decided to move on after finishing work on a master's degree, Fortier said.
Gonzaga outrebounded opponents by 10 per game last year. That, too, is an area Fortier expects improvement.
The Zags also will emphasize upgrades defensively. They allowed opponents 65 points per game last year, and opponents shot 40% from the field.
Position-by-position defense will be key, but Fortier said the Zags are better when they defend as a team. Better defense means the offense can play freely and doesn't have to outscore opponents to cover for defensive liabilities.
"We need to embrace some team defensive things," Fortier said. "How do we learn how to guard as a group, guard better individually but also find a way to help each other and cover for each other a little more? That's an area we struggled with at different times last year."
By and large, though, the Zags have few questions to answer going into the season. The roles of the two transfers and lone incoming freshman will be among first order of business when preseason practice begins.
The 2026-27 roster includes the fewest first-year Zags since 2023-24, when Gonzaga added two freshmen and no transfers.
Gonzaga had to use the transfer portal the last two years to replenish a roster hit by graduation and transfers. The Zags brought in four transfers two years ago and four more last season.
Turner was the lone freshman added two years ago and Haile, Julia Wilson and now-departed Paige Lofing made up last season's freshman class.
The newest additions this season are 6-1 freshman forward Abby Lusk of Pocatello, Idaho; 6-foot junior wing/small forward Emmy Roach, a transfer from Rider; and 5-6 senior guard Jocelyn Medina, a transfer from Denver.
With a deep returning roster, it's unlikely any of the newcomers will challenge for a starting position. But they will definitely be in the mix for valuable minutes off the bench.
Of the three newbies, Lusk may have an opportunity to make the biggest impact. Out of necessity, she had to play point guard for her high school team last year, leading Pocatello to a state championship.
"She's perfect for us," Fortier said. "She's versatile. She plays with great pace. She wants to get better. She can handle the basketball. She has all the tools. It's always an adjustment to go from high school to college, but if you don't have the tools in high school then it's even harder to build them in college. She's starting off with the appropriate skill set. We did not miss on the type of kid we got with Abby."
Continue reading...
