Gophers forward suffers season-ending knee injury for second straight year

Minnesota has lost one of its top reserve players for the season.

Taylor Woodson | Picture via: University of Minnesota Athletics

Gophers forward Taylor Woodson has suffered a season-ending knee injury for the second straight year. The team officially announced the injury on Monday.

BREAKING: Gophers WBB forward Taylor Woodson has suffered a season-ending knee injury, the team announced today.

It marks the second straight year that she has suffered a season-ending knee injury, in opposite knees. https://t.co/b5Vs72cLjI pic.twitter.com/x3V2RUIUeu

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) November 10, 2025

Woodson transferred to Minnesota after one season at Michigan in 2023-24. She averaged 8.1 points and 4.4 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per game in 12 contests last season, before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

"Taylor has worked incredibly hard to return from the left knee injury that she sustained last December. To be honest, this is one of the hardest parts of collegiate athletics, to see someone who has worked so hard now face another significant injury; this time to her other knee," Gophers head coach Dawn Plitzuweit said in a release.

"Taylor not only attacked her rehab with incredible consistency and effort, but she grew her knowledge of the game, her voice as a leader, and she worked diligently to grow her ability to become a consistent shooter throughout her recovery. I have no doubt that she will come back from this injury as an even more developed player and person and that all of her teammates, coaches and our medical staff will be there to support her every step of the way."

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Standing at 6-foot, Woodson was a highly-touted high school prospect after starring at Hopkins High School. The team hopes that she will still have three years of college eligibility remaining as she rehabs from another knee injury.

What it means for the Gophers in 2025-26

With the surprise transfer of Mallory Heyer less than two weeks before the season, the Gophers are now down to 13 healthy players on their roster. Plitzuweit used a 10-player rotation in the team's first two games of the season. It will now likely fall to nine players after Woodson's injury.

Potential rotation

• G: Amaya Battle
• G: Mara Braun
• G: Grace Grocholski
• G/F: Tori McKinney
• C: Sophie Hart
• 6th: Brylee Green
• 7th: Finau Tonga
• 8th: Makenna Christian
• 9th: Niamaya Holloway

UAB transfer post player Tracey Bershers has played six and nine minutes in cleanup duty of the team's first two wins over North Dakota and Manhattan. Her role could grow as a veteran frontcourt player with Woodson now out for the season.

Minnesota will face a huge step in competition this week, as it welcomes Marquette to Williams Arena on Tuesday night for its first game against a power conference opponent this season. That game will tip off at 7 p.m. CT, and it will be broadcast on BTN+.