2025-26 Team Preview: Washington

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Last Week’s Preview (USC)

Table of Contents

• 2024-25 Overview

• Departures

• Returnees

• Incoming Players

• Outlook

2024-25 Overview

Washington had a lot to prove in its first season in the Big Ten. The Huskies had shown some growth recently under head coach Tina Langley, ending a run of five straight losing seasons with back-to-back winning records in 2022-23 and 23-24. There were signs of progress, but Washington was still toward the bottom of the Pac-12 heading into its new conference full of fresh firepower.

The Huskies finished their first season in the Big Ten with the best record of the Langley era, just barely improving over the 19-15 campaign in 22-23. The record on the whole does not stand out significantly, but Washington’s extremely promising flashes throughout the season do.

A narrow 68-67 defeat to LSU early in the year was a sign of what the Huskies were capable of, but in mid-February they were on the outside looking in for NCAA Tournament hopes. But Washington rallied to win four straight to end the regular season, then earned a fifth straight win, taking down Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament. It was enough to get into the First Four where the Huskies narrowly fell to Columbia.

Langley’s team continued to play slow in its new conference, and the pace helped Washington become one of the most efficient offensive teams in the country. The Huskies ranked 40th nationally in threes made (255) despite playing so slowly and were Top 25 in shooting percentages from the field, from three and from the line (77.5%, 23rd). Speaking of the free throw line, Washington never was on it. The Huskies had a 10.8% free throw rate, the very lowest rate in the entire country.

Outside of its impressive shooting numbers, Washington was pretty middle of the pack elsewhere. The Huskies were a good not great rebounding team, a good not great defensive team and had a solid assist-to-turnover ratio offensively (99th), but weren’t strong at forcing turnovers defensively (265th in TO rate).

On the whole, this led to a season where Washington occasionally took off thanks to hot shooting, but generally stayed in a middling territory, beating teams at or below its level and avoiding bad losses outside of an early one to Montana.

But watching the Huskies late in the season, it was easy to see the talent in their starting lineup and what can happen when those shots are falling as they did during that win streak to get to the tournament in the first place.

Here's last year’s Washington roster, sorted by Her Hoop Stats win shares:

Departures

Just three players leave from last year’s Washington roster, all of which were graduates.

Dalayah Daniels was a nice surprise draft pick even if she ultimately didn’t stick on the roster. She was a very underrated big and one of the four crucial members of Washington’s core last season. She shot north of 60 percent from inside the arc, was the team’s top rebounder on both ends and was one of the better shot blockers in the country.

Tayra Eke started the first 20 games of the season and was also an excellent shot blocker for the Huskies in a lesser role. There’s also Brenna McDonald who, in more limited action, was also an efficient inside scorer, strong rebounder and a solid shot blocker.

To sum it up, Washington lost its only three forwards that saw more than 20 games of action last season. It’s the clear area the Huskies will look much differently in for 2025-26.

Returnees

For every potential concern about Washington’s frontcourt, the Washington backcourt makes up for it by returning every one of its players from last season. That includes a trio of players who started all 33 games last season, one of which is Elle Ladine.

Ladine was having a great season when Washington fell to 14-12 in mid-February, but she was the key igniter of the Huskies’ five-game winning streak that led them back to the NCAA Tournament. In the final seven games of the season, Ladine averaged 21.4 PPG on 53.6 percent shooting from the field and 47.8 percent shooting from three. She went from solid scorer to elite weapon in this final month of the season, which makes me believe a full-on breakout is possible for her senior year.

If Ladine was the talk of the final leg of the season, Sayvia Sellers was the talk for much of what came before. She had a tremendous sophomore year, nearly doubling her scoring and assist totals from the season prior, all on improved shooting efficiencies. She has continued troubles with turnovers (3.0 TOPG) and fouls (3.1 FPG), but will continue to be the team’s top point guard and is a dangerous one with loads of potential.

Hannah Stines started every game for the second straight season, and while her scoring numbers stayed steady, she also saw lifts to her efficiencies across the board. She continues to be a great option to spread the floor, and works as well as a secondary facilitator thanks to an assist-to-turnover ratio near 2 (1.91).

Chloe Briggs, Teagan Brown and Devin Coppinger all saw solid minutes as part of Washington’s guard rotation, with Briggs replacing Eke in the starting lineup for the final stretch of the season. Her numbers didn’t change significantly, but her minutes went up in a big way as she fit in along the core four. That’s important with the trio of guards returning, and gives Langley a four-guard lineup with some experience to potentially utilize.

Coppinger is a rising sophomore and was a Top 40 prospect coming in, so she’s certainly a name on the rise to watch for. She led the Huskies in three-point percentage and hit over 90 percent of her free throws, so an increase in volume could be big to her growth moving forward. Finally, Brown saw similar on-floor action to Coppinger, but was a stronger interior scorer than from deep, hitting 61.4% of her two-point attempts.

Shayla Gillmer and Olivia Anderson are names to note as the lone two forwards returning from last season. Neither saw the floor more than nine minutes per contest, but Gillmer has been a steady rebounder while Anderson, who also has crucial size at 6-6, has been north of three blocks per 40 minutes each of the past two seasons.

Incoming Players

It’s just two players, and maybe it’s because they’re Big Ten players, but wow I love Washington’s portal haul.

Avery Howell had such a promising first season with USC. It was an extremely crowded lineup of talent, and Howell still managed to standout thanks to her shot-making in key moments, especially down the stretch of the season. She never felt afraid of the moment and should only thrive further in a slow-and-steady offense with so much guard experience around her.

The other add is Yulia Grabovskaia, whose one season in Michigan impressed me beyond the box score. Michigan’s net rating was better than 20 with her on the floor, thanks largely to her impressive defensive skill and offensive rebounding. She averaged more than two offensive rebounds per game in only 13.5 minutes per contest, and while she’s a senior, her lack of significant action leads me to believe there’s more in the tank to develop. Like Howell, I believe an experienced unit will help her achieve that.

If Grabovskaia wasn’t enough to answer Washington’s forward questions, this impressive freshman class led by local five-star Brynn McGaughy should help. McGaughy was a tremendous scorer and rebounder in high-school, and has All-American pedigree coming into a team with a very open spot for her in the starting lineup. She should be an instant difference maker for this team.

McGaughy is one of three forwards in the class, along with Nina Cain and Daniella McLean. Cain has similar numbers to the five-star and is a Top 100 prospect in her own right. She also seems ready to make a first-year mark with Washington’s roster setup, as could McLean as a potential defensive shot blocker. McLean’s bio emphasizes that she came onto the recruiting scene later than most, so she could be a name to look for in future seasons as she develops.

At guard, Sienna Harvey’s significant experience in the Australian NBL1 catches my eye. Plenty of former college stars, namely NBL MVP Jaz Shelley, have shown up there, so watch for Harvey to be more ready for action than a traditional freshman guard.

Outlook

Projected Starters

• Sayvia Sellers - G

• Elle Ladine - G

• Avery Howell - G

• Brynn McGaughy - F

• Yulia Grabovskaia - C

Big Ten Finish: 4th

Washington, despite all the positives I said about how it ended last season, finished in 12th place in the Big Ten. I am here telling you I think the Huskies can move all the way up to fourth so let me explain my agendas.

I think Washington made a ton of important strides last year as a unit. This team has an identity — slower, methodical offense that gets good looks above all else — and it had the right players to make it work. Almost all of those key players are back to do it again, at least at guard which I felt were the most significant difference makers. Ladine and Sellers are stars who can lead a truly great team.

The reinforcements coming in feel like the exact right type of ones that won’t rock the boat, but instead will enhance what is already there. Howell could ignite this offense to some incredible highs, and Grabovskaia brings a nice safe floor defensively and on the glass. That type of safety net will feel even better next to McGaughy, who I assume starts right away and possesses incredible potential to lift this team’s ceiling.

So all of that is on the starting lineup, but Washington also has some great depth to captialize on. Coppinger was an immediate knockdown shooter with the potential to do so much more, Stines — who may start still — as well as Brown, have loads of experience, and there’s even more new talent to work with in Cain, Harvey and McLean.

It all comes together for a roster I truly love, and one I’m willing to go out on a limb for with this potentially egregious placement. I also think Tina Langley has proven capable of building the Washington program, and this year could very well be the breakout she eventually found while coaching Rice.

I really think this group has the talent, the lack of weaknesses and the untapped potential to surprise people this season. To me, the goal for Washington shouldn't be to simply win a NCAA Tournament game: The goal should be to host them.

Photo Credit: Washington Athletics

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