Michigan women’s basketball adds key guard in Dallas Loughridge

[ASFN Admin]

You must be registered for see images attach

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 08: Dallas Loughridge of the Adelaide Lightning and Tera Reed of the Southside Flyers during the round 17 WNBL match between Adelaide Lightning and Southside Flyers at SA State Basketball Centre on February 08, 2026 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Sarah Reed/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Thursday morning, the Michigan women’s basketball team announced the addition of guard Dallas Loughridge, a 5-foot-6 guard from Australia.

Loughridge, a 22 year old WNBL veteran brings professional and FIBA international experience to the Wolverines. For a roster already boasting one of the most dangerous backcourts in the nation — the trio of junior guards in AP All-American third-teamer Olivia Olson, All-Big Ten first-teamer Syla Swords, and All-Big Ten honorable mention Mila Holloway —Loughridge is an addition that makes the Wolverines’ guards downright lethal. As the primary ballhandler for the Adelaide Lightning, Loughridge brings critical depth to the point guard position now for Michigan.

While Holloway has run the point for the last two seasons, and is unlikely to lose that starting role, both of her backups from the 2025-26 season are no longer options. Senior guard Macy Brown suffered a torn ACL in March, and sophomore guard McKenzie Mathurin transferred to Missouri.

After Brown’s injury, Swords shifted over to run point when Holloway was on the bench. However, that move somewhat limited her opportunities as a primary off-ball shooting guard. Loughridge’s addition will open up more offensive opportunities for Michigan, as Swords can remain off-ball along with Olson, whenever Holloway needs a breather. Loughridge also complements Michigan’s familiar five-out offensive approach, and depending on her defensive acumen against top guards that the Wolverines will face, she could replace former guard Brooke Quarles Daniels as Michigan’s scrappy primary defender.

“We are excited about adding Dallas to our program,” head coach Kim Barnes Arico said via press release. “She gives us another playmaker and ballhandler in the backcourt. She has experience playing against tremendous competition, which has prepared her for the transition to this level. She is just an unbelievable scorer and will give us another threat with her decision-making and playmaking.”

During the NBL1 South’s 17-game season thus far, Loughridge has averaged 25.5 points, 5.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds in nearly 37 minutes per game for the Casey Cavaliers. The young season also includes a highlight-reel 38-point performance last week.

In February, Loughridge was named the 2026 Betty Watson Breakout Player of the Year while playing for the Adelaide Lightning in the WNBL, an Australian professional league. The award celebrates the best emerging talent under 23 years old in the league. Loughridge averaged 16.35 points and 3.96 assists per game, good for seventh-best in scoring and 10th-best in assists league-wide. With the move from the WNBL to the NCAA, Loughridge is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Washington Mystics guard Georgia Amoore and Toronto Tempo draft pick Charlise Dunn, going from Australia to becoming college stars.

Loughridge also has a Michigan connection in program legend former forward Naz Hillmon, whose number was retired earlier this year. During Hillmon’s WNBA offseasons from the Atlanta Dream, she played in the WNBL for two years. Hillmon and Loughridge overlapped during the 2024-25 season, while both played for the Southside Flyers.

Overall, adding Loughridge, a proven Australian talent who has competed against Olympians and WNBA veterans, adds substantial flexibility for the Wolverines in the backcourt on all parts of the floor and marks an impressive summer pickup for Barnes Arico’s squad.

Continue reading...