Winona State Women’s Basketball Sets Sights on Next Step in 2026-27

The Winona State women’s basketball team enters the 2026-27 season with veteran leadership, added depth and a clear goal of advancing further in the postseason. After reaching the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Tournament last season, head coach Ana Wurtz believes the Warriors have the experience, toughness and determination to take the next step.

Winona State opens the season in a closed exhibition contest against NCAA Division I foe St. Thomas on Oct. 25, before beginning the regular season on Oct. 30 against Lubbock Christian at the Hoops in Hawaii Classic in Honolulu. The matchup against an established Division II program will provide an early test for a Warriors team eager to establish its identity and prepare for another demanding NSIC campaign.

Wurtz enters the season encouraged by the leadership and mindset within the program. With several experienced players who understand the demands of the conference, Winona State has a foundation built on accountability, preparation and the willingness to compete through adversity.

The NSIC presents a challenge every season, particularly with the travel demands and difficult road environments that come with conference play. Wurtz believes the Warriors' experience will help them navigate those challenges and maintain the standards necessary to compete against the league's best teams.

“We have veteran NSIC-prepared leadership in our gym,” Wurtz said. “They understand what it takes to be at the highest level in this league. They know the amount of work, the attention to detail and that it's not going to be easy.”

Three experienced players will play important roles in establishing the Warriors' identity this season, including Vivica Bretton, Megan Schuman and Sadie Jarmolowicz. Each brings valuable experience in the program and a familiarity with the expectations required to compete in the NSIC.

Bretton returns as one of the team's veteran leaders, ready to use her experience to guide teammates through the challenges of a long college basketball season. Having progressed through every stage of the program, from freshman to senior, she understands the different needs of her teammates and the importance of helping each player find her role.

Bretton said Wurtz challenged her to embrace leadership early in her career. Now a senior, she feels better equipped to support teammates at different stages of their development and help them understand what it takes to succeed at Winona State.

“I've been through it all at Winona State, so I think that gives me an advantage to help guide them in the direction that will benefit them the best,” Bretton said. “I do think they look up to me in a way, which is good.”

Bretton's leadership will be especially important as the Warriors look to improve their performance away from home. Road games presented challenges last season, and the team hopes its additional experience will help it handle difficult environments and close out more conference victories.

With an older roster and more players who have experienced the demands of NSIC competition, Bretton believes Winona State can make progress in that area.

“We had talked about last year, one of our biggest struggles was playing on the road,” Bretton said. “Now this year, I would say we have a veteran team. People have been through it and understand, and I think that's going to help us for the away games.”

Schuman and Jarmolowicz also return as experienced contributors, giving the Warriors additional leadership and production. Together, the experienced group will help establish expectations in practice and reinforce the importance of consistency throughout the season.

Wurtz sees the team's willingness to follow its leaders as another important factor. A successful team needs more than a few vocal players; everyone must commit to the same standards and put in the work necessary to reach their goals. The Warriors have embraced that challenge as they work to build the chemistry and consistency needed for a successful season.

Winona State reached the NSIC Tournament last season, advancing past Minot State in the first round before falling to Minnesota Duluth in the quarterfinals at the Sanford Pentagon. While reaching the tournament represented progress, Wurtz wants the Warriors to approach the upcoming season with a higher standard.

The experience provided a valuable opportunity for the program, but it also reinforced the need to push beyond simply qualifying for the postseason. Wurtz wants her players to approach each day with the expectation that they can compete for more, rather than viewing a tournament appearance as the final destination.

That shift in expectations has become an important part of the team's preparation. The Warriors understand the work required to reach the postseason, and now they must carry that same urgency into the next stage of their development.

“We got there and we were satisfied,” Wurtz said. “Getting there is not the standard that we have for our program and what we're capable of. We want to compete at the highest level.”

Bretton shares that outlook and believes the team's experience can help it move beyond last season's finish. The Warriors have identified road performance as an area for improvement, and taking care of business away from Winona will be important as they pursue a higher finish in the conference standings.

Bretton also believes the team has the talent to compete with the league's top programs, including Concordia-St. Paul, St. Cloud State, Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State. Those matchups will offer opportunities for Winona State to measure its progress against some of its toughest conference competition.

In a league where every game can affect the standings, Bretton emphasized the importance of staying focused on the task immediately in front of the team rather than looking too far ahead.

“We win this game together, first of all, and we take each game as it comes,” Bretton said. “Each game brings on a new challenge, a new reality. If we can just focus on each game at a time, with winning as the end goal, then I think that will help us.”

Wurtz has emphasized a similar message throughout the early stages of practice, challenging the team to look beyond its previous accomplishments. She has seen an encouraging response from a group eager to improve and ready to embrace the responsibility that comes with higher expectations.

Winona State will face a challenging schedule from the opening weeks of the season, beginning with an closed exhibition matchup against St. Thomas on Oct. 25, before traveling to Hawaii for the Hoops in Hawaii Classic.

The Warriors will open regular-season competition against Lubbock Christian on Oct. 30. The Chaparrals have established themselves as a strong Division II program, making the matchup an opportunity for Winona State to measure itself against high-level competition before conference play begins.

Wurtz intentionally builds challenging schedules to prepare her teams for the demands of the NSIC and the postseason. She believes early matchups against strong opponents can expose weaknesses while the team still has time to address them, ultimately helping the Warriors become more complete by March.

Last season, Winona State played one of the nation's most challenging schedules. Wurtz plans to maintain that approach, using difficult nonconference games to prepare the team for the physicality and intensity it will encounter throughout league play.

“We will never schedule any other way than the best possible schedule,” Wurtz said. “You have to learn early what works and doesn’t in order to be playing the best basketball that we can in March.”

The Hawaii trip will give the Warriors an early opportunity to evaluate their progress against unfamiliar competition. Rather than focusing solely on wins and losses, Wurtz wants the team to identify areas for improvement and use those lessons to build toward the heart of the season.

After Hawaii, Winona State continues its nonconference schedule with a Nov. 9 road matchup at Michigan Tech before hosting Maryville and Truman State later in November. The Warriors will also face Northern Michigan in Wisconsin Dells before turning their attention to the NSIC schedule.

The early stretch will challenge the team in several ways, from adjusting to different styles of play to developing the physicality and execution needed to compete consistently. Wurtz believes those experiences will help the Warriors prepare for the conference grind.

Beyond its veteran leadership, Winona State enters the season with a roster that Bretton believes can provide a variety of options on the floor. Rather than relying on a small group of players to carry the workload, the Warriors hope to use their depth to maintain energy, create matchup advantages and keep players fresh throughout games.

Bretton sees the team's ability to turn to different contributors as one of its biggest strengths. With players bringing different skills to the lineup, Winona State can look for production from multiple positions and adapt to the challenges opponents present.

“I think that out of the 14 girls we have, there is not a drop-off,” Bretton said. “Whoever comes on the floor brings something different, and that's really exciting because we can play fresh. We can play multiple people, and everyone will get in and do their job.”

That depth could prove especially valuable during the NSIC season, when the Warriors must manage a demanding schedule and navigate long road trips. Having multiple players ready to contribute will help the team maintain its intensity while giving Wurtz flexibility with her rotations.

The Warriors also expect to showcase a more dynamic offensive approach this season. Bretton said the team has emphasized ball movement and creating opportunities for post players, shooters and drivers rather than relying as heavily on dribble-drive action.

That approach should give more players opportunities to contribute offensively while helping Winona State find the best matchups on the floor. Combined with an emphasis on defensive intensity, the Warriors hope to become a more balanced team capable of competing in a variety of game situations. Bretton believes fans will notice the difference in the team's energy and offensive movement as the season progresses.

“Defensive intensity, for sure,” Bretton said when asked what fans should expect. “We're moving the ball and getting it into our post players, shooters and drivers. Everyone's going to be in the right spot where they can shine, so it's going to be fun to see everybody do their thing.”

As Winona State prepares for its season opener, Wurtz has stressed that effort and physicality must drive the team's performance. With an early start to regular-season competition, she recognizes that execution will continue to develop as the team gains experience together.

The Warriors cannot expect every possession or offensive set to look perfect in October. Instead, Wurtz wants them to control what they can through energy, toughness and a commitment to outworking their opponents.

That approach will be critical against an NSIC schedule that demands consistency at home and on the road. The Warriors must be prepared to compete through difficult stretches, respond to adversity and maintain their focus when opponents challenge them physically.

Bretton echoed that emphasis on collective effort and believes the team can take another step if every player commits to her role. The Warriors have set ambitious goals, but their focus remains on building the habits that will allow them to compete at a high level throughout the season.

Wurtz believes the team has the mindset to meet those demands. The veteran leadership within the locker room, combined with a roster willing to embrace the challenge, gives Winona State confidence heading into the season.

“It's going to be the teams that play the hardest, the most physical and the toughest,” Wurtz said. “It's going to be the teams that are gritty, ready to play a physical battle and just outwork their opponents.”

Winona State begins its pursuit of those goals on Oct. 30 in Hawaii. With experienced leaders, a deep roster and a renewed focus on advancing beyond last season's postseason finish, the Warriors enter 2026-27 ready to take the next step.