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Wisconsin Women's Basketball's WBIT Run Signals a New Era

With the Badgers' season ending in the WBIT Semifinals, Robin Pingeton's first year in Madison proved that a massive program turnaround is officially underway.
Christian Borman|
Wisconsin Badgers guard Ronnie Porter (13) speaks with head coach Robin Pingeton in the first half of the NCAA basketball game at Value City Arena on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio.
Wisconsin Badgers guard Ronnie Porter (13) speaks with head coach Robin Pingeton in the first half of the NCAA basketball game at Value City Arena on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 67-50 loss to Columbia on Monday afternoon in Wichita wasn't the ending the Wisconsin Badgers women's basketball team wanted. But the fact that they were playing meaningful, high-stakes games in late March is proof of something Madison hasn't seen in over a decade: genuine momentum.

In her first year at the helm, head coach Robin Pingeton led the Badgers to a 16-18 overall record, tallying the program's most wins since the 2010-11 season. After years of dwelling in the Big Ten basement, Wisconsin women's basketball finally has a pulse and a very bright future.

Here is why Badger fans should be incredibly optimistic about where this program is heading.

Pingeton Proved To Be a Great Hire

The hiring of Pingeton was met with plenty of pessimism. She had some success as the head coach of Missouri, leading the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament on four different occasions. But with her 25-37 overall record and 5-27 record in conference play in her final two seasons at Missouri, there wasn't a whole lot for Wisconsin fans to get excited about.

Additionally, according to a report by Badgers Ball Knower author Drew Hamm, Pingeton was the only applicant that Wisconsin AD Chris McIntosh and Deputy AD Marcus Sedberry interviewed.

On Friday afternoon, I received a list of all candidates that applied for the job barring any candidate “who requested confidentiality in writing during the recruitment and hiring process pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 19.36(7)(b).” I also received an answer to my question on “all candidates that were interviewed.” We’ll start with the second question because, uh, the answer is quite short.

“Per our Athletics Department, Robin Pingeton was the candidate interviewed by Chris McIntosh and Marcus Sedberry.”
Drew Hamm, Badgers Ball Knower


Needless to say, expectations were not very high. Despite the negativity, Pingeton showed significant progress and led the Badgers to one of the program's most successful seasons in quite a while. Pingeton appears to be a better hire than initially thought.

The Portal Blueprint Worked

Pingeton had quite a challenge on her hands: to rebuild a gutted roster from scratch. She did so by securing immediate buy-in. She convinced veteran guard Ronnie Porter to withdraw her name from the transfer portal and return to Madison, keeping a foundational leader in the locker room.

From there, Pingeton hit the portal hard, bringing in hardworking, high-character transfers who were willing to embrace the challenge of a rebuild.

The Impact Transfers: Additions like Laci Steele, Destiny Howell, Kyrah Daniels, and Gift Uchenna completely changed the complexion of the team. Howell and Steele became reliable offensive focal points, while Daniels and Uchenna provided the defensive toughness needed to survive the grueling Big Ten schedule.

Statement Wins: This newly formed group didn't just beat up on mid-majors; they secured massive victories over ranked conference foes like Michigan State and Nebraska, proving they could hang with the heavyweights.

An Elite Recruiting Pipeline

While the transfer portal was a necessary quick fix for year one, Pingeton is building the long-term foundation through high school recruiting. For years, the Badgers have watched the state's best high school talent cross the borders to play for rival Big Ten programs. Pingeton is working to put a stop to that.

The Badgers' 2026 recruiting class is shaping up to be one of the best in program history, featuring a trio of elite in-state commitments:

  • The Hometown Heroes: Wisconsin has already secured verbal commitments from Shawano High School's all-time leading scorer, Leah Nordin, Pewaukee state champion Giselle Janowski, and top-tier 2026 in-state prospect, Adeline Sheplee. Keeping that level of talent inside the state lines is a massive structural shift for the program.

The Verdict

Monday's WBIT Semifinal loss to Columbia hurts, but it was a necessary stepping stone. Pingeton has successfully established a winning culture, proved her system can work in the modern Big Ten, and showed the top in-state recruits that staying home can still be a successful option.

The 2025-26 season wasn't just a fun postseason run; it was the launching pad for a new era of Wisconsin women's basketball.

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Christian Borman
CHRISTIAN BORMAN

Christian Borman is Wisconsin native that has been covering Wisconsin Athletics since 2018, focused on Badger football, basketball, and recruiting. In the past, he has written for Badger of Honor, and BadgerNotes, among others.

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