MADISON – It doesn’t take long to turn the page in college basketball.
A week ago the Wisconsin women’s basketball team was preparing to play in the semifinals of the WBIT. Monday, April 6 marks the unofficial start of the 2026-27 season with the opening of the transfer portal.
Players can declare their intention to transfer by April 20.
Here is a look at the Badgers’ needs. As it stands Sunday, April 5, UW has three known spots open on its 15-player roster.
That could change as we learn more about any players entering the portal. So far sophomore forward Alie Bisballe is the only player who has announced her departure.
Will the Badgers get help at point guard?
Senior Ronnie Porter was a rock for the UW as a floor general the past three seasons, but that was especially so this year when she was the only returning player on the roster with extensive Big Ten experience. She led the Badgers with 30.8 minutes per game, ranked sixth in the conference with 4.85 assists per game and was fourth in the league with a 2.29 assist/turnover ratio.
Who’s will fill the void?
Freshman Nikki Kerstein showed promise and earned minutes late in the season, but she averaged a 7.7 minutes per game and didn’t play in the WBIT until the second half of the semifinal loss to Columbia.
When asked about Kerstein after the regular-season finale versus Iowa, Badgers coach Robin Pingeton praised her for the work she was doing behind the scenes.
“I like how she’s really continued to lean in,” Pingeton said. “A young lady that’s trying to get workouts in every day of the week and probably twice on Sundays. She loves to be in the gym.
“She knows she’s got an opportunity in front of her and wants to make sure she’s ready when that time comes.”
That said the Badgers could be in the market for a point guard or combo guard who can help younger players transition into playing bigger minutes.
Who will score for Wisconsin?
We got a taste of how the Badgers looked when Destiny Howell or Kyrah Daniels weren’t only the floor for extensive periods in the WBIT semifinals.
Daniels suffered a right leg injury during the first half that sidelined her the rest of the day. In her absence the Badgers struggled to find a second option to complement Howell.
Next year the challenge will be offering a consistent complement to Daniels. Howell averaged a team-high 14 points per game while shooting 39% from 3-point range and 42% overall.
She carried a large load for the Badgers offense that will be hard to replace.
The Badgers need help in the paint
Dorja Zaja, a 6-foot-3 freshman, finished the season strong and appears poised for a much larger role next season
There is help on the way from the freshmen class: 6-3 Adaline Sheplee from Rice Lake and 6-1 Leah Nordin from Shawano.
But will that be enough to matchup in the Big Ten? A veteran capable of helping handle the physical rigors of the conference would provide insurance given the team’s youth inside.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: The transfer portal is open. Here is what Wisconsin women’s basketball needs.
Reporting by Mark Stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
