Marquette Adds Lin and Traore to Women's Basketball Roster
The Golden Eagles bolster their lineup with two new international players for the 2026-27 basketball season.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Basketball
Live Poll
Do you believe local college sports teams should increase their efforts to recruit international athletes?
Marquette University has bolstered its women's basketball roster by signing international recruits Yu Han Lin and Amina Traore. These additions follow a 2025-26 campaign where the team finished with an 18-12 record.
Why it matters
The coaching staff recruited the duo to manage significant turnover within the program. The moves aim to keep the team competitive following the departure of transfer Skylar Forbes.
Amina Traore, standing 6'2'', averaged 2.8 points and 2.3 rebounds in 2025-26, while Yu Han Lin previously recorded 10.6 points per game during the 2024 Asia Cup.
The players
Yu Han Lin
She is a new recruit for Marquette who previously played for the Chinese Taipei national team and Middle Tennessee State University.
Amina Traore
She is an international recruit from the Monaco Basket Association who was identified by coaching staff at a tournament in Sweden.
Sheila Boykin
She serves as a member of the Marquette coaching staff and spearheaded the recruitment of international talent.
Skylar Forbes
She is a former player who transferred from the Marquette program to West Virginia.
The details
Marquette scouts identified Traore at a FIBA U-18 event in Sweden and recruited Lin after observing her performance with the Chinese Taipei national team. The team is integrating these players at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee to fill gaps left by roster changes.
Timeline
The 2025-26 season concluded with an 18-12 overall record for Marquette.
A federal judge blocked new international visa rules on September 14, 2026.
The 2026-27 basketball season is currently underway.
The season opening game against Mississippi Valley State is set for November 3, 2026.
Season Trajectory
The addition of international recruits follows a federal court intervention on September 14, 2026, which blocked changes to the international student-athlete visa system. This ruling ensures that Marquette can continue to integrate players like Lin and Traore without immediate new visa restrictions.
The arrival of these two players provides the coaching staff with necessary depth at the Al McGuire Center after the team lost three returners during the offseason. Fans can track the statistical contributions of these international additions starting with the opening game on November 3.
The takeaway
Maintaining roster stability through strategic international recruitment is becoming a priority for collegiate programs navigating heavy turnover. Teams that successfully integrate global talent can better sustain their performance records in competitive conferences.
What happens next
Marquette women's basketball begins its season against Mississippi Valley State on November 3, 2026.
Further reading
For more updates on local teams, visit the Milwaukee Basketball section.
Live Poll
Do you believe local college sports teams should increase their efforts to recruit international athletes?
