The Gonzaga Bulldogs women’s basketball program is going to look a lot different during the 2022-2023 season. The last two years have seen a whopping 10(!) players depart via graduation, leaving head coach Lisa Fortier with a young, relatively untested group heading into next year.

While the Truong twins, Kayleigh and Kaylynne, will both be back in action, the team is going to rely heavily on newcomer Brynna Maxwell – a transfer out of the University of Utah – to add reinforcements offensively after losing Cierra Walker and Melody Kempton – among others.

“Brynna is a proven shooter and scorer, she has been able to score a lot of different places on the floor,” Fortier said on the Locked on Zags podcast. “She’s about five inches taller than Cierra (Walker) so I think we are going to be able to post her up inside.”

Maxwell is a 6’0 wing out of Gig Harbor, Washington who scored in double-figures in each of the past three years with the Utes. She’s a career 40.2% three point shooter and 91.4% from the charity stripe, and her flexibility on offense and defense will help the Zags tremendously next season – along with her three years of college experience.

“Our roster we return three veteran players in the Truongs and Yvonne (Ejim),” Fortier continued. “And everyone else is poised and ready to make a jump. But adding Brynna just gives us a little more stability. A proven player who has experience to help bridge that gap.”

This program has continued to develop players behind the scenes at a spectacular clip, and the same should still be expected this upcoming season. Adding a player like Maxwell is what helps ensure the Zags stay at the top of the standings in the WCC year in and year out.

Andy Patton

Andy hosts the Locked on Zags and Locked on College Basketball podcasts, and serves Locked On in a marketing/digital content creator role as well. He lives just outside Portland with his wife Jenna and dog, Tillie.