Wisconsin's senior guard Destiny Howell may have just delivered the recruiting pitch Robin Pingeton will use for years to come. She's in her final season of eligibility and decided to use her graduate season as a Badger after spending her previous seasons with the Howard Bison. She not only was able to become one of Pingeton's best players, but also Wisconsin's best leader.
Ahead of the WBIT semi-final match against Columbia, Destiny Howell said, "I had no idea how much Wisconsin was going to impact my life and impact me as a player. I think the team, especially the staff, has done a really good job of pouring into me as a woman, as a player, [and] speaking life into me all the time."
Destiny Howell: "I had no idea how much Wisconsin was going to impact my life and impact me as a player."#Badgers pic.twitter.com/AjW9jgzRzz
— John Steppe (@JSteppe1) March 29, 2026
Destiny Howell in her one year has already left an impact on the Wisconsin women's basketball program
Related: Badgers take on another Ivy League opponent with a sneaky-good All-American guard
Howell said she came to Wisconsin to be uncomfortable and to be stretched. She essentially said she's been mostly in the same bubble, growing up in Queens, New York, and then spending her college years in Washington, D.C. She's glad she came to Wisconsin and was blessed to be in Madison this last season.
Her belief in what Pingeton was selling her out of the portal helped her make the decision. She spoke about this group, and this staff knew they were going to do something different, and build something special, and she wanted to be part of it (even if it was only one season). She's left a lasting impact, especially for Pingeton's program in the future.
She will now be the archetype for future guards that Pingeton recruits out of the portal. Howell averaged 14.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game this season. She even had a game where she nearly dropped 40 points on the Oregon Ducks, finishing at 39 points on 10-16 from behind the arc.
Howell has now left Pingeton a recruiting video for other transfers coming out of the portal. An opportunity awaits at Wisconsin for other guards like Howell who are willing to put in the work and commit to the process and the system, and believe in something bigger than themselves. Ultimately, to walk away a different person, a better person.