Natalie Kussow, ranked the No. 26 recruit in the nation in the Class of 2026 by 247Sports, has committed to the Gophers women’s basketball program.
The 5-10 guard was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Wisconsin last season as a junior. She plays for Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wis.
Kussow announced her commitment on Instagram. She is the top-ranked player in Wisconsin and the fourth-ranked shooting guard in the nation on 247Sports’ list.
Kussow, who also had offers from Duke and Michigan, has been an all-state pick by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association in each of the past two seasons.
Last season she led the top division in Wisconsin girls basketball in scoring, averaging 26.7 points per game, and Arrowhead reached the semifinals of the Division I state tournament. She also averaged 9.9 rebounds, 3.8 steals and three assists.
Arrowhead won the state title in Kussow’s sophomore season. She has scored 1,980 points in her varsity career.
Kussow joins Crosby-Ironton’s Tori Oehrlein in Gophers coach Dawn Plitzuweit’s 2026 recruiting class. Rosemount guard Amisha Ramlall has committed to the Gophers for the 2027 recruiting class.
