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Photo by: Ceci De Young
Gophers Add Harmon, Merkle and Thomas to Roster
4/21/2026 12:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota women's basketball head coach Dawn Plitzuweit has announced the signing of three players, as Leah Harmon, Gracie Merkle and Tayla Thomas have pledged to be Gophers.
Leah Harmon, Guard
Harmon, a 5'6 guard from Paterson, N.J., comes to Minnesota after one season at UCF. She started the first 20 games of the season before suffering a season-ending injury last year. Harmon ended the season as UCF's leading scorer, as she averaged 15.7 points per game.
"We are thrilled to welcome Leah and the Harmon family to our Gopher Women's Basketball program," said Plitzuweit. "Leah is a top-notch student and has significant experience playing at the highest level. She's a very skilled guard who can score at all three levels, create for her teammates, and impact the game defensively. Her attributes as a player along with her ability to bring out the best in others make her a great fit for our program, and we're excited to have her on campus soon."
Harmon had 15 games in double figures and paced the Knights in scoring in 12 of her 20 starts. She recorded a career-high 38 points against Kansas, the fifth most points in program history at the time. Other highlights included 27 points against Rice and 29 points in an overtime bout with Cincinnati.
"From the moment I stepped on campus, it felt like home right away," said Harmon. "The energy, the culture, everything about the program stood out. The coaches believe in me, and I believe in what we're building. Being around a group that's hungry, competitive, and pushing each other every day made this decision easy. I'm locked in and ready to get to work. Let's get it!"
Harmon spent the 2024-25 season at Miami (Fla.), where she saw action in 23 games for the Hurricanes.
She has started 20 of the 43 career games she has played during her collegiate career. Harmon has averaged 8.8 points, 1.5 assists and 1.3 rebounds over 19.8 minutes per contest while shooting 39 percent from the floor, 34 percent on 3-pointers and 82 percent from the free-throw line.
Gracie Merkle, Center
Merkle is a 6'6 center from Mount Washington, Ky., who comes to Minnesota after two years at Penn State.
Merkle started 24 of the 26 games she played for the Lions last season and led the team in rebounds (8.2 per game), blocks (1.07 per game) and field goal percentage (.725), while finishing second in scoring (19.2 per game). She added eight double-doubles on the year.
"We are excited to welcome Gracie and the Merkle family to Dinkytown," said Plitzuweit. "Gracie has great experience in the Big Ten, both academically and on the court and that will suit her well within our program. On the court, Gracie provides a great presence on both ends of the floor and was one of the most efficient players in the country the past two seasons. She has very soft hands and touch and has the ability to pass out of double teams to find open shooters. Her feel for the game and willingness to make the right play make her a valuable addition to our program. We are excited to have Gracie coming to campus in the very near future."
In her two years at Penn State, Merkle started 50 of 54 games and averaged 17.2 points per game, 8.4 rebounds per game and 1.3 blocks per game.
"I chose Minnesota because of the winning culture, the confidence and belief the coaching staff has shown in me from the beginning, and the genuine sense of togetherness within the team," said Merkle. "From everything I have seen and experienced, it feels like a place where I can grow both as a player and as a person. Go Gophers!"
Prior to Penn State, she spent two seasons at Bellarmine, which included a medical redshirt season in 2023-24.
As a true freshman in 2022-23, she was named the ASUN Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-Conference after leading the team in scoring (15.1 per game), rebounding (11.0 per game), field goal percentage (.702), blocked shots (2.3 per game), field goals made (191), free throw attempts (140) and free throws made (87).
Tayla Thomas, Forward
Thomas is a 6'3 forward from East Orange, N.J., and joins Minnesota after two seasons at Northwestern.
This past season, Thomas started 28 of the 29 games she played in and led Northwestern in rebounds (7.2 per game), blocks (1.2 per game) and double-doubles (five). She was third in scoring at 9.7 points per contest and shot 43.9 percent from the floor. Thomas scored in double figures 11 times and had nine outings with at least 10 rebounds.
"We are excited to welcome Tayla and the Thomas family to our Gopher program," said Plitzuweit. "Tayla brings valuable Big Ten experience, excelling both in the classroom and on the court. She's a very versatile post player who brings athleticism, skill and the ability to rebound and finish plays at a high level. She understands battling for extra possessions and also has the ability to step out and stretch the floor with her ability to shoot it from the arc. We are elated to have Tayla joining us soon."
Among her highlights in 2025-26 were a double-double with 11 points and a career-high 18 rebounds at DePaul, a career-high 30 points (11-17 FGs, 8-9 FTs) and 11 rebounds against Loyola Chicago, a 13-point and 10-rebound double-double against Wisconsin, 19 points and eight boards versus Nebraska and a 25-point outing against Illinois.
In her 49 career games at Northwestern, Thomas averaged 6.3 points and 5.0 rebounds while playing 17.6 minutes per game.
"I chose Minnesota because I wanted a place that feels like home and gives me the opportunity to grow not only as an athlete and student, but as a person grounded in purpose, faith, and the values that matter most to me," said Thomas. "I am super excited to start this new journey! Go Gophers!"
Leah Harmon, Guard
Harmon, a 5'6 guard from Paterson, N.J., comes to Minnesota after one season at UCF. She started the first 20 games of the season before suffering a season-ending injury last year. Harmon ended the season as UCF's leading scorer, as she averaged 15.7 points per game.
"We are thrilled to welcome Leah and the Harmon family to our Gopher Women's Basketball program," said Plitzuweit. "Leah is a top-notch student and has significant experience playing at the highest level. She's a very skilled guard who can score at all three levels, create for her teammates, and impact the game defensively. Her attributes as a player along with her ability to bring out the best in others make her a great fit for our program, and we're excited to have her on campus soon."
Harmon had 15 games in double figures and paced the Knights in scoring in 12 of her 20 starts. She recorded a career-high 38 points against Kansas, the fifth most points in program history at the time. Other highlights included 27 points against Rice and 29 points in an overtime bout with Cincinnati.
"From the moment I stepped on campus, it felt like home right away," said Harmon. "The energy, the culture, everything about the program stood out. The coaches believe in me, and I believe in what we're building. Being around a group that's hungry, competitive, and pushing each other every day made this decision easy. I'm locked in and ready to get to work. Let's get it!"
Harmon spent the 2024-25 season at Miami (Fla.), where she saw action in 23 games for the Hurricanes.
She has started 20 of the 43 career games she has played during her collegiate career. Harmon has averaged 8.8 points, 1.5 assists and 1.3 rebounds over 19.8 minutes per contest while shooting 39 percent from the floor, 34 percent on 3-pointers and 82 percent from the free-throw line.
Gracie Merkle, Center
Merkle is a 6'6 center from Mount Washington, Ky., who comes to Minnesota after two years at Penn State.
Merkle started 24 of the 26 games she played for the Lions last season and led the team in rebounds (8.2 per game), blocks (1.07 per game) and field goal percentage (.725), while finishing second in scoring (19.2 per game). She added eight double-doubles on the year.
"We are excited to welcome Gracie and the Merkle family to Dinkytown," said Plitzuweit. "Gracie has great experience in the Big Ten, both academically and on the court and that will suit her well within our program. On the court, Gracie provides a great presence on both ends of the floor and was one of the most efficient players in the country the past two seasons. She has very soft hands and touch and has the ability to pass out of double teams to find open shooters. Her feel for the game and willingness to make the right play make her a valuable addition to our program. We are excited to have Gracie coming to campus in the very near future."
In her two years at Penn State, Merkle started 50 of 54 games and averaged 17.2 points per game, 8.4 rebounds per game and 1.3 blocks per game.
"I chose Minnesota because of the winning culture, the confidence and belief the coaching staff has shown in me from the beginning, and the genuine sense of togetherness within the team," said Merkle. "From everything I have seen and experienced, it feels like a place where I can grow both as a player and as a person. Go Gophers!"
Prior to Penn State, she spent two seasons at Bellarmine, which included a medical redshirt season in 2023-24.
As a true freshman in 2022-23, she was named the ASUN Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-Conference after leading the team in scoring (15.1 per game), rebounding (11.0 per game), field goal percentage (.702), blocked shots (2.3 per game), field goals made (191), free throw attempts (140) and free throws made (87).
Tayla Thomas, Forward
Thomas is a 6'3 forward from East Orange, N.J., and joins Minnesota after two seasons at Northwestern.
This past season, Thomas started 28 of the 29 games she played in and led Northwestern in rebounds (7.2 per game), blocks (1.2 per game) and double-doubles (five). She was third in scoring at 9.7 points per contest and shot 43.9 percent from the floor. Thomas scored in double figures 11 times and had nine outings with at least 10 rebounds.
"We are excited to welcome Tayla and the Thomas family to our Gopher program," said Plitzuweit. "Tayla brings valuable Big Ten experience, excelling both in the classroom and on the court. She's a very versatile post player who brings athleticism, skill and the ability to rebound and finish plays at a high level. She understands battling for extra possessions and also has the ability to step out and stretch the floor with her ability to shoot it from the arc. We are elated to have Tayla joining us soon."
Among her highlights in 2025-26 were a double-double with 11 points and a career-high 18 rebounds at DePaul, a career-high 30 points (11-17 FGs, 8-9 FTs) and 11 rebounds against Loyola Chicago, a 13-point and 10-rebound double-double against Wisconsin, 19 points and eight boards versus Nebraska and a 25-point outing against Illinois.
In her 49 career games at Northwestern, Thomas averaged 6.3 points and 5.0 rebounds while playing 17.6 minutes per game.
"I chose Minnesota because I wanted a place that feels like home and gives me the opportunity to grow not only as an athlete and student, but as a person grounded in purpose, faith, and the values that matter most to me," said Thomas. "I am super excited to start this new journey! Go Gophers!"
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