Gonzaga women’s basketball tips off its campaign with a tough road test against the North Dakota State Bison in Fargo, North Dakota, on Friday, Nov. 7, at 5 p.m. PT.
At first glance of the Zags, don’t be alarmed by all the different countenances on the 2025-26 roster. It will be a brand new group with oozing potential, ready to make their immediate mark on the final go-around in the West Coast Conference.
One of the most familiar faces from last season’s team is ready to take over the reins and move out of the shadow of the all-time great that is Yvonne Ejim.
Allie Turner is the best deep markswoman not only on the West Coast, but one of the top in the country
The sharpshooting sophomore guard was going to win the three-point contest championship at Gonzaga’s annual FanFest, of course. Who else?
Turner hit 105 three-pointers last season in her spectacular freshman coming-out party, and not one returning player in all of women’s college basketball for this upcoming season had more.
She was named to the Becky Hammon Player of the Year preseason watch list, an award that Ejim won in 2023-24. The shoe-in for the next big woman on campus in Spokane is being handed the keys to the program by coach Lisa Fortier. A hard act to follow, to say the least.
With the help of Weber State Wildcats transfer and junior forward Taylor Smith (team-leading 20 points in the 91-31 exhibition victory over Carroll College from Helena, Montana), Turner will have some offensive support. She won’t be relied upon to score every time down the floor and can help facilitate the flow.
Majority of the incoming freshman class will be heavily relied upon from the get-go
Julia Wilson looks like the early jewel of the three ladies out of Gonzaga’s 2025 recruiting class that will pay dividends down the road. The 5-10 combo guard/wing from Temecula, California, immediately stands out with her versatility, poise, and overall confidence at her young age.
Jaiden Haile is a 6-2 power forward from Fargo, North Dakota, so this will be a homecoming in her first college basketball appearance. Her immense frame, plus long wingspan, allows her to compete physically around the rim and helps pull down rebounds with force on the offensive glass while bursting back up for a quick two. Haile runs the floor back hard to prevent fastbreaks from happening and shows toughness on the defensive end when boxing out her opponents.
Paige Lofing, a 5-9 guard from Billings, Montana, has a few players ahead of her on the depth chart. It will be tougher for her to break into the rotation at first, but she can still be called into action at any given time.
Zeryhia Aokuso, Lauren Whittaker are the x-factors
5-10 junior guard Aokuso is a transfer from rival Saint Mary’s Gaels, who will now be Turner’s backcourt partner. The pair was named to the WCC’s preseason team together at Media Day in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Amarillo, Texas native is a sturdy guard with experience who plays physical, can protect the ball on the drive, and finish strong.
6-3 redshirt freshman forward Whittaker, a Kiwi from Canterbury, New Zealand, who lives in the paint, is ready to make that jump in her career and be given more authority.
Fortier will be moving the given minutes completely around the horn on a game-by-game basis, as this team is unfamiliar with each other. Still trying to figure out what works both with the chemistry and the standard of conditioning from a coach with a 289-74 overall record since 2014 (79.6 winning percentage).
This season-opening matchup against North Dakota State isn’t to be taken lightly, a program that has had three-straight WNIT bids and always seems to be on the cusp of a Summit League title. A victory could go a long way for the Zags when it comes to NCAA Tournament seeding purposes down the road in March.
The Bison are picked to be the runner-up in the Summit League this season, behind the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. Gonzaga will play the favorite at the historic Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Nov. 20. Another non-conference matchup to mark on the calendar.
The Zags are looking to receive an invite back to the Big Dance after missing out on the fun this past season for the first time since 2016.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
