Michigan women’s basketball is on the rise, returning a star-studded core ready to chase a national title. These 3 players in the transfer portal could help transform the Wolverines into a national powerhouse as soon as next season:
Welcome to Michigan Musings! Every Monday – at least until the start of football season – this will serve as your prime source for all things Michigan Wolverines ; a weekly digest featuring thoughts and commentary on (mostly) the top stories from the week that was. Similar to a newsletter (Brewsletter?), this will feature an assortment of stories and opinions from football to basketball to hockey to pop culture and everything in between.
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Building Michigan’s Women’s Basketball Into a Wagon
No team in women’s college basketball is better positioned than Michigan to win it all next year. Well, no team that has never won a championship that is. The Wolverines return three of their top scorers, rebounders and passers from a team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament, and the three leaders in each of these categories were true freshmen.
Olivia Olson was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and led the team in scoring (16.3) while shooting better than 38 percent from beyond the arc. Syla Swords, who became the youngest player to ever play for Team Canada in the 2024 Olympics, was just behind Olson with 16.1 points per game. Despite being a guard, Swords led the Wolverines with 6.2 boards per game. Lastly, Mila Holloway started every game at point guard and led the team in assists (4.4) while also shooting more than 38 percent from deep.
Flanking this trio is a slew of returners ready for a bigger role. Guard Brooke Quarles Daniels developed into an important jolt of electricity off the bench. Freshman Te’Yala Delfosse battled injuries early in the season before carving out a swing position role during Big Ten play, and sophomore Macy Brown keeps getting better every time we see her.
However, the Wolverines do lose a pair of invaluable seniors — Jordan Hobbs and Greta Kampschroeder — who did EVERYTHING to ensure success this season while also paving the way for the brightest future imaginable. Talent to talent, Michigan should be able to overcome these departures fairly quickly, but replacing their leadership, experience and intangibles will be difficult.
Earlier this year, I wrote about how the women were going to be the 2027 national champions. But why wait? With the transfer portal accelerating championship windows, the Wolverines could become a wagon as early as next season. Here are three players head coach Kim Barnes-Arico should target in the portal to take her team from a plucky underdog to the next perennial power.
Wisconsin Senior Forward Serah Williams
Michigan will need to break out the NIL wallet for this one, but 6-foot-4 forward Serah Williams is worth it. The former Badger averaged 19.2 points per game, 9.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists, and was also the 2024 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. A three-year starter, Williams carried a bad Wisconsin team as far as she could. Although the Badgers finished a disappointing 13-17, the campaign did feature an 82-75 victory over Michigan where Williams dropped 22 points on a casual 70 percent shooting.
If Michigan can only afford one player in the portal, it should be Williams.
St. Joseph’s Senior Forward Laura Ziegler
The best player most fans have never heard of, Laura Ziegler is going to swing the fate of a contender in 2026. The 6-foot-2 forward was a stat-stuffer for St. Joe’s, averaging 18 points, 10 boards and four assists. A finalist for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award, Ziegler led the Hawks to a 23-10 record and an Atlantic 10 Championship appearance. Moreover, despite being undersized, her tenacity on the glass led to 8.9 defensive rebounds per game, good for third nationally in Division I. Think of her as the mid-major version of LSU’s Aneesah Morrow.
Although Ziegler was playing against lesser competition, her 96 games of experience and blue-collar skillset should translate seamlessly to the Power Four.
Ohio State Senior Forward Cotie McMahon
From being named 2023’s Big Ten Freshman of the Year to earning back-to-back All-American Honorable Mention honors, Cotie McMahon has been riding a steady ascent to greatness during her time in Columbus. McMahon averaged 17 points per game and sky-rocketed her three-point shooting from 23 to 37 percent for a 26-7 Ohio State team this past season. Normally, I would be hesitant to feature any Buckeyes on this list, but Roddy Gayle Jr. has provided a proof of concept on the men’s side.
Others to watch: Gracie Merkle (6’6 Penn State center), Ashley Sofilkanich (6’3 Bucknell forward), Dani Carnegie (5’9 Georgia Tech guard), Lilly Meister (6’3 Indiana Forward), Vera Ojenuwa (6’4 Arkansas forward)