The accolades are piling up before Gonzaga women’s basketball even tips off its 2026-27 season.
Lisa Fortier, who already owns the fifth-best winning percentage in women’s college basketball at .788 with a 313-84 record, has landed on the preseason watchlist for the Kathy Delaney-Smith Award. The honor, which was introduced in 2024, goes to the best mid-major coach in the country, and Fortier is among 20 leaders under consideration.
Lauren Whittaker is also drawing national attention again. The 6-2 redshirt sophomore forward from Canterbury, New Zealand, was named to two more preseason lists: one of 20 players on the watchlist for the Katrina McClain Award and one of 50 on the Naismith Trophy list. The Katrina McClain Award goes to the top power forward in women’s college basketball, while the Naismith Trophy recognizes the sport’s top overall player.
Whittaker isn’t the only Gonzaga standout stacking honors. Junior guard Allie Turner has kept her momentum rolling after bursting onto the scene in her freshman year in 2024-25. She followed that up with an All-West Coast Conference First Team selection and West Coast Conference All-Tournament honors as a sophomore.
Turner’s numbers tell the story of how dangerous she was for the 2026 West Coast Conference Tournament champions: 14.8 points per game, shooting 44.8 percent from the field, 47.1 percent from 3-point range and 95.6 percent at the free-throw line. She also averaged 3.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds while starting all 34 games.
Now Whittaker and Turner are set to be back together, with both players aiming to help Fortier chase the program’s first Pac-12 Conference title.
In Other News...
Gonzaga Is Still Waiting On A Key Addition Before Purdue
Gonzaga is still waiting on a late roster addition to clear the final hurdle before its matchup with Purdue, and the latest legal setback has only made the path murkier. A Texas judge denied the temporary restraining order that forward Chauncey Wiggins and other players were seeking in their push to gain eligibility through lawsuits filed in Texas, leaving his status unchanged for the Bulldogs as the game approaches.
Wiggins remains ineligible for Gonzaga at the moment and is expected to miss Mondays game against Purdue. The door is not necessarily closed on his season, though, as he could still look to continue the fight in another jurisdiction if he wants another shot at getting cleared. [Read more 🡒]
Gonzaga's Frontcourt Picture Just Got More Interesting Before Purdue
Gonzagas exhibition win over Lewis-Clark State offered a useful early look at how the frontcourt might shake out as Purdue approaches, and two names stood out in particular. Massamba Diop and Parker Jefferson both found ways to make an impact in the 91-59 rout, giving Mark Few a little more to sort through as the rotation takes shape.
Diop, who had to navigate early foul trouble, looked more comfortable as the game went on and gave the Bulldogs a glimpse of his upside. Jefferson also made his case with a strong all-around showing, finishing as one of the more productive bigs on the floor and reinforcing why his role in the frontcourt picture could matter once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Massamba Diop Just Put Gonzaga Fans On Award Watch
Massamba Diops first season in the West already put him on the map, and now it has put him on an award watch list worth tracking. The Gonzaga center was named among the 20 players under consideration for the 2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, the annual honor from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame that goes to the top centers in mens college basketball. The list spans several schools, which is a reminder that Diop is entering a crowded field even as his profile continues to rise.
For Gonzaga fans, the interest goes beyond the recognition itself. The watch list will be trimmed to finalists later on, and the winner will be chosen by a committee after fans get a say in the process. Diops place on the list gives the Bulldogs another reason to keep tabs on him, especially with his arrival carrying expectations that he can make an immediate impact in the middle. [Read more 🡒]