Washington Women’s Basketball Mid-Summer Outlook: Projected Depth Chart, Key Questions and Expectations

Coming off an NCAA tournament berth this past March, the Washington Huskies women’s basketball team has a chance to be the best in program history this upcoming season with most of last year’s squad returning and more than enough talent to earn the right to host an NCAA tournament game for the first time since 2017.

While the season doesn’t start until November, the Huskies’ roster has begun to take shape. Tina Langley and her staff currently have 12 players committed to playing next year, leaving three spots available. They might choose to not fill every spot, given Washington only carried 14 players on its roster last year.

Here’s a look at the depth chart as it currently stands, some questions that need answering, and how high expectations should be for the program in 2026-27:

Projected Depth Chart

Washington returns one of the nation's premier guards in Sayvia Sellers, adds one of the top international prospects in Petra Toman, and landed the best transfer portal class in program history. On paper, the Huskies possess high-level talent, shooting, and defensive versatility at nearly every position.

Depth Chart

PG: Salvia Sellers (Sr.) Brooke Carlson (Colorado State, Jr.) VACANT

SG: Petra Toman (Hungary, Fr.) Macey Huard (Oklahoma State, Jr.) Amayah Garcia (Fr.)

SF: Avery Howell (Jr.) Devin Coppinger (Jr.) Nina Cain (So.)

PF: Brynn McGaughy (So.) Kaelyn Carroll (So.) Daniella McLean (So.)

C: Tilda Trygger (NC State, Jr.) VACANT VACANT

While many names are new, the depth chart above is stacked with talent. The fit on paper is appealing, too, as all nine current projected rotation players have shown the capacity to shoot the ball at a high level. Only backup point guard Brooke Carlson has a questionable jumper after shooting 26.2% from three over her two years at Colorado State, and even she has shown flashes of being competent from deep. Devin Coppinger didn’t shoot well last year, but she shot 42% from downtown the year prior on similar volume (1.6 attempts a game).

Even the three bigs’ jumpers look promising, as transfers Tilda Trygger (34%) and Kaelyn Carroll (31%) each shot well from three. Former five-star Brynn McGaughy didn’t attempt many threes last year, but her midrange jumper looked smooth and with an offseason of development, she may expand her range to three.

The floor spacing with so many capable shooters will keep defenders out of the paint for driving guards and allow Trygger and McGaughy to feast with their low-post acumen. 

The Huskies will likely suffocate teams defensively as well. All of their rotation players project to be at least average or above on the other end of the court. What’s more, every starter should compete for at least an All-Big Ten Defensive Team honors, with a few of them potentially being in the mix for national honors.

As Langley enters her sixth season, she will need to maximize the most talented roster she has ever had with quality rotations, as not making the Sweet 16 would be considered a disappointment.

Key Questions

Who will be the starting shooting guard?

Hungarian national Petra Toman will compete with transfers Macey Huard and Carlson for the starting two-guard spot. This should be the only starting spot up for grabs this year, but it’s a massive battle when it comes to the ceiling of this squad.

Carlson is likely the best player from the group, but her downhill attacking playstyle overlaps with a potential All-American Sellers. Add in her struggles to keep defenders honest from three-point range at times and she projects best as a sparkplug scorer off the bench.

Huard will have a legit shot at starting as a three-point specialist who can be an off-ball role player while her star teammates draw defenses’ attention. Yet, she is reportedly just an average defender and might not have the two-way skill set to be in the starting five either.

An incoming “freshman,” Toman, who is 21 years old, might have the inside track to start. She profiles as an elite defender who routinely locks up opposing teams’ star players while playing overseas. She also can play on or off the ball with a respectable jumper and the playmaking chops to create a shot when called upon.

Since Toman won’t have to carry the offensive load, her role as a defensive stopper should earn her the starting nod. Combine said lockdown abilities with her offensive versatility and the only question will be how the uptick in competition from Europe affects her.

What positions will take up the remaining roster spots?

Last year, Langley managed to win a tournament game despite having only two bigs all season. Yet, the lack of depth on the frontline quickly showed when one of them got into foul trouble and played a role in the eventual tournament exit.

Heading into the 2026-2027 season, Washington already has three rotation-caliber bigs committed to the team, with the potential for a fourth on the way, as last year’s starting center Yulia Grabovskaia applied for a fifth year of eligibility from the NCAA. Should this waiver be approved, she would likely slot in as the backup center for the Huskies.

If Grabovskaia returns, she would occupy one of the remaining three roster spots. Regardless, another frontcourt player or two would provide valuable depth. Another point guard would also be beneficial behind Sellers.

Can Sayvia Sellers be an All-American?

The star of the show, Sellers is a projected first-round pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft. Should she continue to build off of her unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection a year ago, she can push to be the school’s second First-Team All-American selection and further build her stock as a WNBA prospect.

Simply put, the Huskies will go as far as Sellers can take them. This is the best supporting cast she has ever had. She won’t have to shoulder as much of the scoring load, allowing her to spend more energy as a facilitator and on defense. This should maximize her value.

While Sellers will have to cede some shot attempts to her talented teammates, her efficiency and overall impact could skyrocket, cementing her status as one of the greatest athletes in Washington history.

Expectations

The best season in program history came in 2016 when a young and dynamic point guard in Kelsey Plum led the Huskies to a Final Four appearance. Could the same story be told with Sellers running the show this year?

The latest projections by ESPN’s 2027 Women’s Bracketology simulator forecasts UW as the No. 3 seed. Such a high ranking projects Washington as a top-12 team per the analytics. 

While this simulator is a great resource, it struggles to account for international signings such as Washington’s Toman. Considering that she has a chance to start, UW might actually rank as a top-10 team when the season starts.

A revamped roster full of All-Conference candidates has the chance to do something special on Montlake. If the roster comes together as expected, Washington won't just have Sweet 16 aspirations — it could emerge as a legitimate national championship contender.

Mighty are the women who wear the purple and gold.