Gophers Basketball Star Taiye Bello Dies at 26

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Taiye Bello, a former standout player for the University of Minnesota women’s basketball team and one of the program’s all-time leading rebounders, died Friday at age 26, her family announced. The cause of death was not disclosed.

In a statement shared online, Bello’s family described her as a “beautiful daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and creative” and asked for privacy during their time of mourning. The Gophers women’s basketball program also released a statement, expressing sadness over the loss of their alumna and offering condolences to her loved ones.

Bello, a 6-foot-2 forward, played for the Gophers from 2016 to 2020, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2020 and honorable mention in 2019. She finished her career as one of only five players in program history to record more than 1,000 rebounds. Her 462 offensive rebounds remain a school record, and her 549 defensive rebounds rank third in program history.

During the 2018-19 season, Bello set a single-season program record with 152 offensive rebounds and tallied 380 total rebounds, the fourth-highest mark in Gophers history. She also tied the program’s single-game record with 12 offensive rebounds against Illinois on Feb. 25, 2018.

Bello’s twin sister, Kehinde, was her teammate at Minnesota, and both were four-year letter winners. Taiye Bello graduated from Southfield-Lathrup High School in Michigan in 2016, where she was named All-Oakland County first team and second-team Class A All-State. She was also a McDonald’s All-America nominee and played AAU basketball for the Michigan Storm.

Bello’s legacy at Minnesota includes ranking fifth in career field-goal percentage (.512) and blocks (129), sixth in double-doubles (27), and ninth in rebound average (8.3). She recorded 45 games with 10 or more rebounds, the fourth-most in program history.

Her family, teammates, and the Gophers community are mourning the loss of a player who left an indelible mark on the program. “Taiye will be greatly missed by all who experienced her light,” her family wrote.