Editor’s Note: This article will be continuously updated throughout the summer. Programs and players are organized in alphabetical order.
Since the end of the 2023-24 season, several Gophers basketball players have announced their intention to either leave the program or return for the following year.
The Minnesota Daily basketball beat writers Alex Karwowski and Champ Howard mapped out where each player is headed next season and how they performed last season.
Men’s Basketball
Who is leaving:
Braeden Carrington
Class: Sophomore
Position: Guard
Stats: 4.6 points per game (PPG), 3.2 rebounds per game (RPG), 1.1 assists per game (APG), 35 field goal percentage (FG%)
Carrington entered the transfer portal on March 28. There is currently no crystal ball prediction from 247Sports.
Cam Christie
Class: Freshman
Position: Guard
Stats: 11.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.2 APG, 40 FG%
Sports Illustrated’s draft profile of Christe projects him as a second-round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. Although the young prospect is looking toward a basketball career after college, he elected to maintain his eligibility as a collegiate player, keeping the scenario open for his return to the Gophers.
Elijah Hawkins
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
Stats: 9.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 7.5 APG, 39 FG%
Hawkins told On3Sports on April 30 his commitment to play for Texas Tech next season. He previously told On3Sports on April 22 his intent to enter the transfer portal, 12 days after the Gophers basketball program posted a photo of him with the caption “PG1 is back” on social media. Last season, Hawkins broke the Gophers’ single-season assist record (247) and single-game assist record (17).
Isaiah Ihnen
Class: Senior
Position: Forward
Stats: 3.4 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.4 APG, 44 FG%
Ihnen announced he was entering the transfer portal on March 28. He committed to Liberty University, according to 247Sports.
Kris Keinys
Class: Freshman
Position: Forward
Keinys saw little action during his freshman season, averaging 4.2 minutes in five games played. The 6-foot-8 Lithuanian entered the transfer portal on March 29.
Joshua Ola-Joseph
Class: Sophomore
Position: Forward
Stats: 7.5 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.5 APG, 61 FG%
Ola-Joseph entered the transfer portal on March 27 after progressively losing minutes throughout the season. He told On3Sports on April 20 of his commitment to the University of California next season.
Pharrel Payne
Class: Junior
Position: Center
Stats: 10.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.2 APG, 60 FG%
Payne announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on March 28.
On April 23, the Cottage Grove, Minnesota native posted a photo on social media announcing his commitment to Texas A&M, tagging the team’s official account in the caption. The Aggies reportedly held interest in Payne throughout his time in the portal.
Caleb Williams
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
Stats: 20 PPG, 4 RPG, 2.8 APG, 44%
Williams announced his commitment to play for the Gophers next season on May 1. He previously played for the Macalester Scots and scored 41 points against the Gophers on Nov. 2 in an exhibition match.
Who is staying:
Isaac Asuma
Class: High school senior
Position: Guard
The last time Asuma played on the Williams Arena court, he led Cherry High School to its first state title on March 23 in a win against Fertile-Beltrami.
Kadyn Betts
Class: Redshirt freshman
Position: Forward
Stats: 1.3 PPG, 0.3 RBG, 0.4 APG, 27 FG%.
Betts and the team announced on April 8 that he would return to the program next season after playing eight games in 2023-24.
Parker Fox
Class: Redshirt senior
Position: Forward
Stats: 5.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.7 APG, 68 FG%
Fox announced he would return for his final season as a Gopher on March 13. Fox, known by fans as the team’s energizer off the bench, played in every game last season after missing the previous two seasons due to knee injuries.
Dawson Garcia
Class: Junior
Position: Forward
Stats: 17.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.6 APG, 49 FG%
Garcia announced his return to the Gophers next season. Garcia is coming off a season where he was sixth in the Big Ten in scoring and 11th in rebounds.
Grayson Grove
Class: High school senior
Position: Forward
A month after his official visit in October, the three-star recruit signed his letter of intent with Asuma to Minnesota. Grove of Alexandria Area High School finished fourth in the 2024 Class 3A state tournament and was named on the all-tournament team.
“The culture that they built and winning more games really is exciting,” Grove said in a late-March interview with the Star Tribune. “Hopefully Isaac and I can help them keep building off what they had this year.”
Frank Mitchell
Class: Junior
Position: Forward
Stats: 12.1 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 1.5 APG, 56 FG%
On April 17, Mitchell became the first player to sign with the Gophers through the transfer portal this offseason. He formerly played for Humber College in Toronto before transferring to Canisius University in 2022.
“He does a phenomenal job in the paint and has a great feel for the game,” Johnson said in a press release. “His ability, both offensively and defensively, translates to winning. Frank was one of the best rebounders in the country last season and can easily go and get a double-double.”
Mike Mitchell Jr.
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
Stats: 10.2 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.6 APG, 42 FG%
The Gophers announced on April 5 that Mitchell will be returning to the team for his senior season.
Will Ramberg
Class: Senior
Position: Guard
Stats: 1.0 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 100 FG%
Brennan Rigsby
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
Stats: 6.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.1 AST, 41 FG%
Rigsby became the second player to commit to the Gophers from the transfer portal on April 24. He signed the following day. Previously at Oregon for the past two seasons, Rigsby will bring his 35% 3-point percentage to a backcourt that lost their starting point guard in Hawkins.
Jack Wilson
Class: Senior
Position: Center
Stats: 1.6 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 0.4 APG, 83 FG%
Women’s Basketball
Who is leaving:
McKynnlie Dalan
Class: Freshman
Position: Forward
Stats: 0.3 PPG, 0.7 RPG, 0.0 APG, 25 FG%
The Next Hoops first announced on April 18 that Dalan entered the transfer portal. The Montesano, Washington, native averaged three minutes per game in her only season as a Gopher.
Ayianna Johnson
Class: Freshman
Position: Forward
Stats: 3.4 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 0.2 APG, 55 FG%
Johnson announced her decision to enter the transfer portal on social media at the end of the season with three years of eligibility left.
“I would like to thank all of my coaches, trainers, and support staff, here at the U,” Johnson said in a post on X.
Ajok Madol
Class: Freshman
Position: Guard/forward
Stats: 2.1 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 0.3 APG, 26 FG%
On April 12, Star Tribune reporter Kent Youngblood wrote that Madol entered the transfer portal. The Saskatchewan native won bronze on Canada’s U19 World Cup team in July 2023.
Janay Sanders
Class: Graduate
Position: Guard
Stats: 7.3 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 1.6 APG, 41 FG%
Sanders played her final game of college basketball for the Gophers on April 6 in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament against St. Louis.
Who is staying:
Amaya Battle
Class: Sophomore
Position: Guard
Stats: 12.1 PPG, 4.7 RBG, 5.4 APG, 39 FG%
Mara Braun
Class: Sophomore
Position: Guard
Stats: 17.0 PPG, 4.3 RBG, 3.1 APG, 39 FG%
Maggie Czinano
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
Stats: 2.7 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.6 APG, 39 FG%
Grace Grocholski
Class: Freshman
Position: Guard
Stats: 10.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, 40 FG%
Sophie Hart
Class: Junior
Position: Center
Stats: 10.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.0 APG, 59 FG%
Mallory Heyer
Class: Sophomore
Position: Forward
Stats: 9.5 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.1 APG, 38 FG%
Niamya Holloway
Class: Redshirt freshman
Position: Forward
Stats: 3.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 0.4 APG, 46 FG%
McKenna Johnson
Class: Freshman
Position: Guard
Johnson has yet to play a collegiate basketball game. She joined the Gophers as an early enrollee and has been practicing and traveling with the team since January.
Kennedy Klick
Class: Freshman
Position: Guard
Klick suffered a season-ending knee injury before the start of last season and has yet to play her first collegiate basketball game.
Victoria McKinney
Class: High school senior
Position: Guard
McKinney will join the Gophers next season as a true freshman. The last time she set foot on the Williams Arena court, she won the MSHSL class 4A state title with Minnetonka High School.
Brynn Senden
Class: Freshman
Position: Guard
Stats: 1.0 PPG, 0.4 RPG, 0.3 APG, 33 FG%
Annika Stewart
Class: Senior
Position: Forward
Stats: 3.8 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 0.2 APG, 46 FG%
Stewart played the last four seasons at the University of Nebraska before she decided to transfer to the University of Minnesota for her fifth and final season of eligibility. Stewart is a graduate of Wayzata High School and a former teammate of Braun and Senden.
“I chose to be a Gopher because of how much Coach P and the staff pour into this program,” Stewart said in a press release on April 12. “I can’t wait to compete with the team, grow as a player, and connect with the community.”
Taylor Woodson
Class: Freshman
Position: Forward
Stats: 1.9 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.7 APG, 41 FG%
Woodson played her freshman season at the University of Michigan before she transferred to Minnesota. The Minnetonka native is a graduate of Hopkins High School and a former teammate of Battle.
“I cannot wait to be at the University of Minnesota for the next three years and play for my home team,” Woodson said in a press release on April 18. “I am thankful for the opportunity to play in front of friends and family, and I am excited for what’s to come.”
Aminata Zie
Class: Senior
Position: Forward/center
Stats: 0.3 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 100 FG%
