The Washington women's basketball team was a shot away from heading to the Sweet 16. The Huskies took the No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs to overtime but couldn't quite pull it off. Unlike the distaste for the men's basketball program, there is an inability to see the future of what Danny Sprinkle is doing over there. Washington fans immediately shifted to what next season could be if the big three return: Sayvia Sellers, Avery Howell, and Brynn McGaughy.
These are three of Washington's top four scorers and overall weapons. Senior Elle Ladine is the other. Sellers is a junior with one year left, Howell is a sophomore, and McGaughy is a freshman. The sky is the limit next year with those three, and considering a top-50 recruit is coming in the 2026 class. It could be good.
Tough loss for UW. Still, easy to dream about what this Husky team can be if Sayvia Sellers, Avery Howell and Brynn McGaughy all return in 2026-27. https://t.co/LBhh2rkB0q
— Mike Vorel (@mikevorel) March 23, 2026
Washington already has their sites on next year being the year they can run deep in the tournament
The Huskies are fortunate to have a young core and now with experience together on the biggest stage. The team could easily be in the Sweet 16, and the coaching staff will have to work at selling them the dream of next year. With those three being the important pieces, and some of the others built in around them.
The Huskies also have Amayah Garcia, a 5'11 guard from Dallas, Texas, coming in the recruiting class next year. She's listed as a 5-star composite recruit and a top-50 player nationally. She can slide into Ladine's spot and maybe even help elevate the whole team in her freshman year. Like McGaughy did this season as a true freshman.
This team has been on the rise the last few years. In 2023, they were in the NIT. In 2024, they lost the opening WBIT game, and the Huskies finally made the tournament but lost again in the opening weekend. Now, Washington has a tournament win under their belt and big dreams in their future.