How might the lineups look in head coach Joe McKeown’s final season?
The roster for Northwestern women’s basketball in 2025-26 is nearly all set.
With 14 players set to play this upcoming season so far, the team’s roster construction is starting to take shape. The ‘Cats will need to find a way to replace the production of five graduating seniors: guards Kyla Jones and Melannie Daley and forwards Taylor Williams, Caileigh Walsh and Mercy Ademusayo.
With two transfers, an incoming first-year and a newly-anointed multi-sport athlete joining the team, rotations will undoubtedly look a bit different in this upcoming year. Below, I’ve projected the possible depth chart and rotation changes for Wildcat head coach Joe McKeown’s squad in his farewell tenure.
Projected 2025-26 Northwestern Women’s Basketball Depth Chart
There will be a number of debates surrounding the lineup for this team, but the top four players appear to be all but set. Harter, the minutes leader for the ‘Cats in 2024-25, is an efficient shooter, fantastic team player and all but a lock to start again in this upcoming season. Sullivan, who shot above 50% from the field and excelled at grabbing rebounds and knocking down fadeaway jumpers, will likely see a drastic minutes increase in addition to becoming a full-time starter.
It would be a shock if Lau doesn’t play point guard, joining Harter as a regular in the backcourt. Despite shooting 28.1% from the field last season, Lau is an incredible passer who will also look to improve her shooting abilities. That leaves one final guard spot open for Walters, a Furman transfer with quickness and decent shooting potential.
I’ve got Walters as the two and Harter as the three due to the former’s ability to drive to the basket and knock down pull-up jumpers with ease. Walters also averaged 3.7 assists per game with Furman last season, so she may have what it takes to spell Lau at point guard in stretches.
After those initial four, however, things get really murky. It’s still unclear who will start in the post alongside Sullivan, but the two major candidates seem to be TCU transfer DaiJa Turner and incoming sophomore Tayla Thomas. Turner’s 2023-24 season was derailed by an ankle injury, and she hasn’t seen much playing time since, but the North Carolina native has unbelievable rebounding and shot-blocking potential that she demonstrated back in high school.
On the other hand, Thomas was a highly-touted recruit in her own right, and she played 153 minutes last season, averaging 1.4 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. The New Jersey native was plagued by turnovers at times (she had 20 overall on the season), but she does possess a larger body of work in 2024-25.
Ultimately, I think McKeown rolls with Turner here. Yes, she barely played at all last year, but it’s important to keep in mind she was on an Elite Eight-bound squad that typically started four guards and a dominant center in Sedona Prince. Turner started three games and played 207 minutes in 2023-24, so she certainly will get opportunities on a Northwestern squad desperately seeking depth in the post.
As for the backups, I’d project Walton or Thomas to be the first player off the bench in most situations. Walton, a 5’7 guard, struggled to create shots for herself at times in 2024-25, but she has a lethal shooting stroke that could be deadly for opposing defenses if unlocked properly. With the ability to play point guard as well, the Chicago native could develop into a nice spark plug for the ‘Cats if utilized properly.
After the initial seven, things get very tough to discern. I’m quite high on Kat Righeimer, a 2024-25 walk-on who received a scholarship following a gritty performance in January against Illinois. Righeimer has the potential to be a lights-out shooter, and she deserved more minutes than she got last year.
Righeimer slots in well as a small forward off the bench, but she could also fill a guard role if need be. Additionally, there’s a real opportunity for Sammy White, a former Northwestern lacrosse star, to revitalize her basketball career as the eighth or ninth player off the bench.
White’s primary competition for that role will be Hodgens, the team’s lone first-year. But the former should have a good chance at winning the battle, given her scoring ability in high school and high-level athletic prowess in college.
Similarly to last year, it’s likely we see McKeown rely on a nine-player rotation in most contexts, so the remaining five may not see much playing time. Still, Hodgens will get some looks as a three-star recruit who has the ability to knock down triples and drive to the rim. A high-volume scorer in high school, Hodgens may also overtake Righeimer if she’s able to make shots efficiently.
Additionally, I’d expect forward Rachel Mutombo, who did not play last season, to get her first meaningful collegiate minutes at some point in 2025-26. At 6’3, Mutombo offers much-needed inside depth for the ‘Cats.
That leaves Keswick, Wang and Trumpy to round out the current ‘Cats roster. Pending an additional impactful walk-on, Keswick could still get some run late in games, as she does have some three-point shooting ability that the Wildcats need.
Wang played in three games last year, and she’s demonstrated a willingness to hustle when on the floor. Because of that, she’ll likely see occasional late-game minutes again in 2025-26.
That leaves Trumpy, a 6’5 incoming senior who has not seen the floor in her collegiate tenure. She still projects as a reserve for the ‘Cats, but I’d expect the Pennsylvania native to play in her first game at some point in her senior season. As the tallest player on NU’s roster, there’s always a chance she earns more playing time as long as she gets that initial opportunity.
Overall, it’s a positive sign that each of NU’s four new players hold solid upside for this upcoming year. After a 9-18 season, there’s plenty to work on for the team, and there’s a good chance 2025-26 ends up being another rebuilding year. Still, there’s at least some reason to be optimistic about Northwestern women’s basketball going forward, and there’s a decent shot the team exceeds its previous win total by a fair margin next campaign.