# Minnesota Golden Gophers women's basketball

The Minnesota Golden Gophers women's basketball team represents the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers have played in the Big Ten since the conference began sponsoring basketball in 1982. The team plays its home games in Williams Arena and is currently coached by Dawn Plitzuweit.
The Golden Gophers have made nine appearances in the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship, highlighted by a Final Four appearance in 2004. The Golden Gophers also have three appearances in the AIAW women's basketball tournament.

## History

The Golden Gophers have had 5 players play professional basketball, as well as eight players named All-Americans. Four players, Lindsay Whalen, Amanda Zahui B., and Janel McCarville, Rachel Banham were selected in the top four of WNBA draft. The Gophers have ranked in the top 20 nationally in attendance for seven seasons, starting with the 2001–2002 season.

## Postseason appearances
### AIAW Women's Basketball Tournament appearances

The Golden Gophers appeared in the AIAW women's basketball tournament (the precursor to the modern NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship) three times before it was discontinued in 1982. They compiled a record of 1–3.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1977 | First Round | Delta State | L 42–87 |
| 1981 | First Round | Jackson State | L 65–68 |
| 1982 | First Round Quarterfinals | St. Johns Rutgers | W 68–56 L 75–83 |

### NCAA Division I Tournament results

The Golden Gophers have appeared in ten NCAA Division I Tournaments. They achieved their highest ranking in 2005 with a #3 seed. Their overall record is 12–10.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1994 | #10 | First Round Second Round | #7 Notre Dame #2 Vanderbilt | W 81–76 L 72–98 |
| 2002 | #5 | First Round Second Round | #12 UNLV #4 North Carolina | W 71–54 L 69–72 |
| 2003 | #6 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #11 Tulane #3 Stanford #2 Texas | W 68–48 W 68–56 L 60–73 |
| 2004 | #7 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | #10 UCLA #2 Kansas State #3 Boston College #1 Duke #2 Connecticut | W 92–81 W 80–61 W 76–63 W 82–75 L 58–67 |
| 2005 | #3 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #14 St. Francis (PA) #6 Virginia #2 Baylor | W 64–33 W 73–58 L 57–64 |
| 2006 | #8 | First Round | #9 Washington | L 69–73 |
| 2008 | #9 | First Round | #8 Texas | L 55–72 |
| 2009 | #10 | First Round Second Round | #7 Notre Dame #2 Texas A&M | W 79–71 L 42–73 |
| 2015 | #8 | First Round | #9 DePaul | L 72–79 |
| 2018 | #10 | First Round Second Round | #7 Green Bay #2 Oregon | W 89–77 L 73–101 |

## Head coaches

* Joan Stevenson, 1971–1972 (5–3)
* Deb Wilson, 1972–1973 (8–8)
* Linda Wells, 1973–1974 (3–10)
* Jenny Johnson, 1974–1977 (36–37)
* Ellen Mosher-Hanson, 1977–1987 (172–125)
* LaRue Fields, 1987–1990 (24–60)
* Linda Hill-MacDonald, 1990–1997 (66–126)
* Cheryl Littlejohn, 1997–2001 (29–81)
* Brenda Oldfield, 2001–2002 (22–8)
* Pam Borton, 2002–2014 (236–152)
* Marlene Stollings, 2014–2018 (82–47)
* Lindsay Whalen, 2018–2023 (71–76)
* Dawn Plitzuweit, 2023–present

## Gophers in the WNBA

| Player | Draft | Seasons | Years |
| Lindsay Whalen | 2004 – 4th by Connecticut | 15 | (2004-2018) Last with Minnesota 4x WNBA Champion |
| Janel McCarville | 2005 – 1st by Charlotte | 9 | (2005-2010; 2013-2014; 2016) Last with Minnesota WNBA Champion |
| Emily Fox | 2009 – 30th by Minnesota | 0 | - |
| Amanda Zahui B. | 2015 – 2nd by Tulsa | 7 | (2015-2021; 2023) Last with Indiana |
| Shae Kelley | 2015 – 35th by Minnesota | 1 | (2015) Last with Minnesota WNBA Champion |
| Rachel Banham | 2016 – 4th by Connecticut | 7 | (2016-present) Currently with Connecticut |
| Carlie Wagner | 2018 – 36th by Minnesota | 0 | - |
| Kenisha Bell | 2019 – 30th by Minnesota | 1 | (2019) Last with Minnesota |

## Year-by-year results

Conference tournament winners noted with # Source
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | Coaches' poll | AP poll |
| Joan Stevenson (Independent) (1971–1972) ||||||||
| 1971–72 | Joan Stevenson | 5–3 | – | | | | |
| Joan Stevenson: | Joan Stevenson: | 5–3 | – | | | | |
| Deb Wilson (Independent) (1972–1973) ||||||||
| 1972–73 | Deb Wilson | 8–8 | – | | | | |
| Deb Wilson: | Deb Wilson: | 8–8 | – | | | | |
| Linda Wells (Independent) (1973–1974) ||||||||
| 1973–74 | Linda Wells | 3–10 | – | | MWIAA | | |
| Linda Wells: | Linda Wells: | 3–10 | – | | | | |
| Jenny Johnson (Independent) (1974–1977) ||||||||
| 1974–75 | Jenny Johnson | 7–12 | – | | MWIAA | | |
| 1975–76 | Jenny Johnson | 14–11 | – | | MWIAA | | |
| 1976–77 | Jenny Johnson | 15–14 | – | | AIAW First Round | | |
| Jenny Johnson: | Jenny Johnson: | 36–37 | – | | | | |
| Ellen Mosher Hanson (Independent, Big Ten) (1977–1987) ||||||||
| 1977–78 | Ellen Mosher Hanson | 24–10 | – | | NWIT Seventh Place | | |
| 1978–79 | Ellen Mosher Hanson | 17–15 | – | | NWIT Fifth Place | | |
| 1979–80 | Ellen Mosher Hanson | 18–11 | – | | AIAW Regional | | |
| 1980–81 | Ellen Mosher Hanson | 28–7 | – | | AIAW First Round | | 18 |
| Big Ten Conference ||||||||
| 1981–82 | Ellen Mosher Hanson | 18–11 | 0–1 | | AIAW First Round | | |
| 1982–83 | Ellen Mosher Hanson | 20–7 | 13–5 | T-3rd | | | |
| 1983–84 | Ellen Mosher Hanson | 12–15 | 9–9 | 7th | | | |
| 1984–85 | Ellen Mosher Hanson | 18–10 | 13–5 | 3rd | | | |
| 1985–86 | Ellen Mosher Hanson | 8–20 | 4–14 | 9th | | | |
| 1986–87 | Ellen Mosher Hanson | 9–19 | 4–14 | T-8th | | | |
| Ellen Mosher Hanson: | Ellen Mosher Hanson: | 172–125 | 43–48 | | | | |
| LaRue Fields (Big Ten) (1988–1991) ||||||||
| 1987–88 | LaRue Fields | 9–18 | 5–13 | 8th | | | |
| 1988–89 | LaRue Fields | 7–21 | 4–14 | 10th | | | |
| 1989–90 | LaRue Fields | 8–21 | 3–15 | T-9th | | | |
| LaRue Fields: | LaRue Fields: | 24–60 | 12–42 | | | | |
| Linda Hill-MacDonald (Big Ten) (1990–1997) ||||||||
| 1990–91 | Linda Hill-MacDonald | 6–22 | 2–16 | 10th | | | |
| 1991–92 | Linda Hill-MacDonald | 8–19 | 3–15 | T-9th | | | |
| 1992–93 | Linda Hill-MacDonald | 14–12 | 9–9 | 5th | | | |
| 1993–94 | Linda Hill-MacDonald | 18–11 | 10–8 | T-4th | NCAA Second Round | | |
| 1994–95 | Linda Hill-MacDonald | 12–15 | 7–9 | T-7th | | | |
| 1995–96 | Linda Hill-MacDonald | 4–23 | 0–16 | 11th | | | |
| 1996–97 | Linda Hill-MacDonald | 4–24 | 1–15 | 11th | | | |
| Linda Hill-MacDonald: | Linda Hill-MacDonald: | 66–126 | 32–88 | | | | |
| Cheryl Littlejohn (Big Ten) (1997–2001) ||||||||
| 1997–98 | Cheryl Littlejohn | 4–23 | 1–15 | 11th | | | |
| 1998–99 | Cheryl Littlejohn | 7–20 | 2–14 | T-10th | | | |
| 1999–2000 | Cheryl Littlejohn | 10–18 | 3–13 | T-10th | | | |
| 2000–01 | Cheryl Littlejohn | 8–20 | 1–15 | 10th | | | |
| Cheryl Littlejohn: | Cheryl Littlejohn: | 29–81 | 7–57 | | | | |
| Brenda Oldfield (Big Ten) (2001–2002) ||||||||
| 2001–02 | Brenda Oldfield | 22–8 | 11–5 | T-2nd | NCAA Second Round | 21 | 18 |
| Brenda Oldfield: | Brenda Oldfield: | 22–8 | 11–5 | | | | |
| Pam Borton (Big Ten) (2002–2014) ||||||||
| 2002–03 | Pam Borton | 25–6 | 12–4 | T-2nd | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 13 | 17 |
| 2003–04 | Pam Borton | 25–9 | 9–7 | 6th | NCAA Final Four | 4 | 24 |
| 2004–05 | Pam Borton | 26–8 | 12–4 | 4th | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 11 | 12 |
| 2005–06 | Pam Borton | 19–10 | 11–5 | T-3rd | NCAA First Round | | 25 |
| 2006–07 | Pam Borton | 17–16 | 7–9 | T-5th | WNIT First Round (Bye) | | |
| 2007–08 | Pam Borton | 20–12 | 11–7 | T-3rd | NCAA First Round | | |
| 2008–09 | Pam Borton | 20–12 | 11–7 | T-5th | NCAA Second Round | | |
| 2009–10 | Pam Borton | 13–17 | 6–12 | 11th | | | |
| 2010–11 | Pam Borton | 12–18 | 4–12 | 9th | | | |
| 2011–12 | Pam Borton | 19–17 | 6–10 | 8th | WBI Champions | | |
| 2012–13 | Pam Borton | 18–14 | 7–9 | T-8th | WNIT First Round | | |
| 2013-14 | Pam Borton | 22–13 | 8–8 | T-6th | WNIT Third Round | | |
| Pam Borton: | Pam Borton: | 236–152 | 104–94 | | | | |
| Marlene Stollings (Big Ten) (2014–2018) ||||||||
| 2014-15 | Marlene Stollings | 23–10 | 11–7 | 6th | NCAA First Round | | |
| 2015-16 | Marlene Stollings | 20–12 | 11–7 | 5th | WNIT Second Round | | |
| 2016-17 | Marlene Stollings | 15–16 | 5–11 | 10th | | | |
| 2017-18 | Marlene Stollings | 24–9 | 11–5 | T–3rd | NCAA Second Round | | |
| Marlene Stollings: | Marlene Stollings: | 82–47 (.636) | 38–30 (.559) | | | | |
| Lindsay Whalen (Big Ten) (2018–2023) ||||||||
| 2018-19 | Lindsay Whalen | 21–11 | 9–9 | T-6th | WNIT Second Round | | |
| 2019-20 | Lindsay Whalen | 16–15 | 5–12 | 11th | | | |
| 2020-21 | Lindsay Whalen | 8–13 | 7–11 | 10th | | | |
| 2021-22 | Lindsay Whalen | 15–18 | 7–11 | T-9th | WNIT Second Round | | |
| 2022-23 | Lindsay Whalen | 11–19 | 4–14 | 12th | | | |
| Lindsay Whalen: | Lindsay Whalen: | 71–76 (.483) | 31–56 (.356) | | | | |
| Dawn Plitzuweit (Big Ten) (2023–present) ||||||||
| 2023-24 | Dawn Plitzuweit | 20–16 | 5–13 | T-11th | WNIT Runner-Up | | |
| Dawn Plitzuweit: | Dawn Plitzuweit: | 20–16 (.556) | 5–13 (.278) | | | | |
| Total: | Total: | 789–765 | | | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||||