Challenging Matchups Ahead

Head coach Lisa Fortier and the Gonzaga Zags are gearing up for an exciting and challenging non-conference schedule in the 2025-26 season. The team is set to compete against several formidable opponents, including three that participated in last season’s NCAA Tournament. Additionally, they will welcome the Stanford Cardinal to Spokane, a team that previously had a long streak of tournament appearances, marking their first absence since 1987.

Notable Non-Conference Games

Here’s a summary of key matchups in the upcoming non-conference schedule:

• Home game against the Stanford Cardinal
• Neutral site encounter with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at the Sanford Pentagon
• Participation in the Gulfcoast Showcase in Florida, facing off against the Indiana Hoosiers and Iowa State Cyclones, both of whom were also NCAA tournament participants last season.
• Home games against Arizona’s Grand Canyon Antelopes and Arizona State Sun Devils

West Coast Conference (WCC) Outlook

As the team transitions into the WCC slate starting on December 28, Gonzaga will face a total of 18 conference matchups. The confirmed home games include:

• Pepperdine Waves
• Saint Mary’s Gaels

Away matchups are scheduled against:

• Santa Clara Broncos
• Seattle Redhawks

Furthermore, the Zags will engage in home-and-away contests with teams such as Loyola Marymount Lions, Pacific Tigers, Oregon State Beavers, Portland Pilots, San Diego Toreros, San Francisco Dons, and Washington State Cougars. The WCC Basketball Championship is set to take place at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas from March 5 to March 10.

The Rise of Allie Turner

With the departure of standout player Yvonne Ejim, the Zags are looking toward sophomore guard Allie Turner as a pivotal figure in their quest for success. Following an impressive freshman year, Turner is poised to take on a larger role within the team. Last season, she made headlines by sinking an extraordinary 105 three-pointers, the highest among returning players in women’s college basketball. This achievement ranks as the eighth-most made by a freshman in NCAA women’s history.

Turner finished the season with impressive stats, averaging 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. She distinguished herself as one of only three players nationally to average at least 3.0 made three-pointers per game while shooting 45.0 percent from beyond the arc.

As Turner embarks on her second year, she will be joined in the backcourt by Teryn Gardner, a transfer from Boise State and a Spokane native, amplifying hopes for a successful return to the NCAA Tournament—a goal missed in the 2024-25 season.