Four Gophers are heading into their final year of eligibility. Three of those are likely starters, which means year-to-year turnover after this season could be significant.

That reality shapes how I think Dawn Plitzuweit will manage this roster. Expect a rotation of around nine, with competing in 2026-27 as the priority while keeping one eye on developing the next wave for 2027-28.

But we're here to discuss next year's rotation - so let's get into it.

Here's how I believe this Gophers team will prefer to run:

(1) - Point guard/facilitator

(3) - Wing players that can handle the rock or push the ball

(1) - True big player

That won't always be the case. There will be times Tori McKinney runs the point. That was a regular occurrence when Amaya Battle was resting. We could also see two-big lineups, particularly if Tayla Thomas finds consistency stretching the floor from three. But the vast majority of combinations will center around that 1-3-1 positional format.

Four names are about as close to locked in as it gets this far out:

The question is the fifth spot. To me, there are two viable options that I believe both are worth taking seriously.

The most straightforward path to filling the fifth spot is finding a true point guard to replace what Amaya Battle gave this team. This is the direction I'd lean in my way-too-early prediction.

Enter Leah Harmon - UCF Transfer

Harmon is the easy choice for the starting PG job. She started 20 games at the high-major level last season at UCF, doing it on a massively effective clip — 31 minutes per game, nearly 16 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds. In an early conversation I had with Leah after her signing, she talked about what made Minnesota feel right:

"My first conversation with Coach P was so easy. I instantly felt comfortable talking to her — not just about basketball, but about other things that impact my life. She really evaluated me and presented me with a plan that will challenge me, develop my skills, and hold me accountable every day so I can become a great player for the team."

The five: Leah Harmon / Mara Braun / Tori McKinney / Grace Grocholski / Gracie Merkle

A traditional starting five with real versatility and switchability among the wings. The biggest question mark is whether Leah can grit it out on the defensive end. The goal isn't to be elite, just to hold her own and not get targeted. Defense is something she's said she wants to prioritize this offseason. Regardless, her offensive strengths guarantee her a significant role on this team either way.

This one is more far-fetched, but I wouldn't call it impossible. The scenario: your highest-rated recruit comes in so ready that you have to find a way to get her into the starting five from day one.

That recruit is Natalie Kussow out of Arrowhead High School in Wisconsin. 247Sports has her ranked as a top-25 recruit (#23), and she can genuinely do it all.

The five: Tori McKinney / Mara Braun / Natalie Kussow / Grace Grocholski / Gracie Merkle

Kussow has the talent to contend for All-Big Ten Freshman of the Year. She's a three-level scorer with a quick release who can hold her own defensively. This lineup could cause real problems for opponents having four players who can switch fluidly on defense. The vulnerability is handling full-court pressure. When the Gophers haven't had a traditional ball-handler, especially with Tori in foul trouble or on the bench, it has led to turnover problems against the press.

Both options are talented and viable. But to open the season, Option 1 is more likely. You run it through the non-conference, then evaluate before Big Ten play starts.

Now for the full rotation beyond the starters. Before projecting, it's worth looking at how Dawn Plitzuweit has managed minutes over her tenure in Minneapolis:

Knowing three starters are gone after this season, I think we trend closer to the 2023-24 model. Deeper rotation, more deliberate development minutes for the players who will need to step up in 2027-28.

My projection: all five starters see 20-plus minutes. The sixth woman lands in the low 20s. Three others regularly see 10-plus minutes per game.

Here's how I see it breaking down, rolling with the Option 1 starting lineup.

Harmon can be an isolation scorer when needed and shoots effectively at all three levels, both from three and on the drive. Turnovers will be the thing to watch in Big Ten play. If she can't cut them down, her minutes could shrink come January. The offensive upside is real though. She dropped 38 points against Kansas last season. A team that Minnesota lost to. Which shows she can carry a load when called upon.

Mara still has potentially the highest ceiling on this roster. It wasn't long ago we were talking about her as a potential first round WNBA pick. Injuries slowed things down, but now a full season removed I truly think she can step back into that high upside territory. Her three point game and mid-range are both quality when she is confident, and we saw that confidence grow throughout last season. She was taking roughly four fewer shots per game than her peak. With this roster, I think Mara becomes a staple once again. Confidence is the key.

The best two-way player on this team, and it isn't particularly close. Tori is the type of defender that can lock up or slow down the best player on the court. The refs gave her some ticky tack calls early in games last season, but when she is allowed to play physically she is a legitimate all defensive talent. The keys for Tori are staying out of foul trouble and developing her mid-range. She can hit the three at 34% and is elite at attacking the cup. If she can add a reliable middy to that arsenal, she becomes potentially the most dangerous player on the floor.

Grace is a flat out deadeye from three at 42.4%, and her fadeaway is as reliable as it gets. Everything she shoots looks like it's going in. She can play inside out, but like Tori she needs to add some consistency in the mid-range. What stood out in the tournament was how tentative she looked pulling the trigger, even though statistically she is the best shooter on this team. She took five shots or fewer in two of three tournament games. Grace shooting more is better for this team, full stop.

The departure of Sophie Hart was a massive loss for a Gophers team that was already thin at the bigs. That said, you couldn't have found a better player to step in if you tried. Gracie Merkle is truly the perfect big for this Minnesota offense. Same strengths as Hart. Better scorer. Better rebounder. More efficient. The presence she brings in the paint should free up high quality three point looks for her teammates all season long.

Remember the name. She is a freshman who will put herself in the conversation fast. Three level scorer. Quick release. Plays well in transition. Kussow will likely be the face of this program by 2027 or 2028. What stands out on tape is her build and physicality. She looks like someone who can step into the Big Ten right away and not get pushed off her spot.

This could be the biggest difference maker to the Gophers ceiling, in my opinion. She can serve as the backup big and has already shown she can be a legitimate option in the Big Ten. She also fits into a double big lineup and can still space the floor with her three point shooting. The efficiency from deep isn't elite yet, but even a minor improvement opens up a world of possibilities for this offense. Her post work on the interior is her bread and butter, so at worst she fills the role we saw Finau Tonga play last season. I think she will do even more in Minnesota.

This would be a slightly expanded role from what she saw last year. There could be a case for an even bigger one, but Makena has to step into confidence and consistency to make that happen. In the non-conference we saw flashes of the prep excellence that made her such a highly regarded recruit. A big time shooter with the ability to rebound. Once Big Ten play started those flashes became less frequent and the minutes followed. Kena holds the keys to her own role.

Back to back years with injury has put Taylor through real adversity. That said, we just watched Mara Braun bounce back from the same situation. Woodson will likely be eased into the rotation to build trust and confidence before her role expands. She could give this team much needed wing depth and has the versatility to play bigger in a small ball lineup when needed.

The fanbase has largely counted Klick out of the rotation conversation and I think that is a mistake. She will have had three years in this program and a full healthy season under her belt after the injury the year prior. With more confidence in her knee I expect a real step forward. I would not be shocked to see her fight for the kind of role Brylee Glenn played last year as a key rotation contributor. The path to the floor runs through becoming a defensive presence. If she can do that, she will play.

Tori O is the hardest one to project. She played a ton of point guard in high school but I would not be shocked to see her worked into a hybrid on and off ball role depending on the lineup. I am going to project her conservatively until we learn more.

Many Minnesotans will want her on the court immediately given her status in MN prep hoops history. But the Gophers could give her time to get acclimated to the speed of Big Ten ball. She competed at every level in high school, both within the state and on the AAU circuit. That said, when you are likely a top 15 team nationally you do not force a true freshman into heavy minutes unless she is ready to handle the physicality right away. I know Tori O was in a boot sometime in April after her season ended. Not sure what that entailed but hopefully she is good to go for summer workouts. Of the three options here, she likely holds the greatest upside.

The final roster spots belong to Brynn Senden, Zoey Berschers, Kylee Paben, and Adit Kuol.

Berschers and Kuol are both bigs with real upside who can continue to develop and hopefully command minutes down the road. Kylee Paben is a player that genuinely intrigues me. The wing depth on this roster simply makes it difficult for her to carve out time as a true freshman, but I could see her stepping into a meaningful role in 2027. She could end up being one of the best three point shooters on this team.

Finally there is Brynn. The fourth senior on this roster. Walk on turned bench and culture leader. She brings real value in ways that don't always show up in the box score, and similar to last season I don't see a path to significant minutes. But she matters.

This is a roster that can compete for a Big Ten title and make real noise in March. The talent is there. The depth is being built. And the next two years of Gophers women's basketball are going to be a lot of fun to watch. If you want to follow along for every rotation update, roster move, and breakdown as we get closer to the season, come find us at Ballin' at The Barn. This is the home for Gophers women's basketball coverage and we are just getting started.