The Washington Huskies women’s basketball team is coming off its best season in nearly a decade.
The Huskies advanced to the Round of 32 in the 2026 NCAA tournament before falling by three points in overtime to the TCU Horned Frogs. The win in the opening round of the tournament was the first for Washington since 2017 and the first in three March Madness berths for head coach Tina Langley with the Rice Owls and UW.
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On the heels of the tournament, Langley and the rest of the coaching staff have bolstered the team on multiple fronts in hopes of exceeding the point it ended last season.
On top of first-team All-Big Ten guard Sayvia Sellers, All-Big Ten honorable mention guard Avery Howell and Big Ten All-Freshman forward Brynn McGaughy all set to return, the team also made significant moves in the transfer portal, including landing 6-foot-6 forward Tilda Trygger from North Carolina State.
The improvements on the team haven’t been limited to just the player roster.
Langley and Washington made a major addition to the coaching staff in June when it landed Tasha Brown, who most recently served on the coaching staff for Big Ten rival and defending national champions, the UCLA Bruins.
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Langley added another impressive name to her coaching staff with the hiring of Patrick Bowlin as an assistant coach.
“We are so excited to welcome Patrick to the University of Washington,” Langley said in a news release. “Patrick brings an exceptional work ethic, a sharp basketball mind, and a genuine passion for helping student-athletes grow. His impact has been significant at every program he has served because of his unwavering commitment to excellence, both personally and professionally.”
Bowlin steadily rose up the ranks of college basketball over the course of his career.
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Langley’s latest coaching hire began his career with Green Bay. Over the course of his tenure with the Phoenix, Bowlin served as the director of basketball operations and an assistant coach. Green Bay made the NCAA tournament with Bowlin on the staff in 2024. He spent one year as an assistant with Idaho State but returned to the Phoenix as an assistant coach last season. Green Bay made the NCAA tournament again in Bowlin’s one year back with the staff.
“Patrick is an outstanding teacher with a unique ability to connect with players and inspire them to reach their best on and off the court,” Langley said in the release. “I’m excited for our young women to learn from him and benefit from his leadership. Please join me in welcoming Patrick and his entire extended family to Washington.”
Langley is stacking the deck in her favor to give the team the best possible chance to make a run at the Big Ten title and potentially a national title. And with the way the roster and coaching staff is currently shaped, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them on the shortlist of teams in the running for a conference championship at the end of next season.
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