Dawn Plitzuweit

Biography

The 2026-27 season will mark the fourth year for Dawn Plitzuweit at the helm of the Golden Gophers women’s basketball program. Plitzuweit was named the 13th head coach in Minnesota women’s basketball history on March 18, 2023. Plitzuweit (PLITTS-zoo-white) holds a career coaching record of 434-177 (.710) across 19 seasons as a head coach, including a 317-139 (.695) mark at the Division I level. She has recorded 18 winning seasons, two 30-win campaigns and 12 20-win seasons. Plitzuweit continued to elevate the University of Minnesota women’s basketball program during the 2025-26 season, guiding the Golden Gophers to their best season in over 20 years with a run to the Sweet Sixteen, where they fell to eventual national champion, UCLA. Minnesota reached the 20-win mark for the third consecutive season, making Plitzuweit just the second coach in program history to achieve three straight 20-win seasons, joining Pam Borton (2002-05). The Gophers were especially impressive in Big Ten play, finishing the 2025-26 conference season with a 13-5 record. The 13 league victories matched a program high, previously accomplished during the 1982-83 and 1984-85 seasons. Minnesota’s strong conference performance earned the team the No. 4 seed and a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament, marking its highest finish since the 2017-18 season. Notably, Plitzuweit’s 26 Big Ten wins through her first three seasons rank third in program history. Throughout the year, Minnesota proved it could compete wit