Kansas Women’s Basketball Team Prepares for Promising Season
On January 29, 2025, Coach Brandon Schneider guides guard S’Mya Nichols during a timeout in Allen Fieldhouse.
Optimism for the Upcoming Season
The Kansas Jayhawks women’s basketball team enters the new season with heightened expectations. Following a challenging 2024-25 season, where they finished 11th in the Big 12 Conference, the team has been projected to secure a sixth-place finish in a poll conducted by league coaches. The Jayhawks had initially been predicted to land in eighth place before injuries derailed their previous campaign.
The upcoming season promises to showcase nearly all key contributors from last year’s squad, including prominent players like wings Elle Evans and Brittany Harshaw, guards Laia Conesa and Sania Copeland, forward Regan Williams, center Nadira Eltayeb, and standout junior S’Mya Nichols.
Star Players and New Additions
S’Mya Nichols continues to shine as a focal point for the team. After earning All-Big 12 first team honors for two consecutive seasons, Nichols was unanimously selected for the preseason all-conference team. Last season, she averaged 18.6 points per game, ranking fifth in the Big 12, and set a school record for free throws, alongside receiving All-American honors from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.
This season, Coach Schneider, now entering his 11th year, welcomes an impressive recruiting class, including McDonald’s All-American Jaliya Davis, Tatyonna Brown, Libby Fandel, and Keeley Parks, as well as Indiana transfer Lilly Meister. This influx of talent is expected to bolster the team’s depth significantly, despite the relatively small roster of twelve players.
Upcoming Schedule and Conference Dynamics
The Jayhawks will make their debut at Late Night in the Phog on October 17, followed by an exhibition match against Fort Hays State on October 29, leading up to their season opener against Kansas City on November 5.
In the coaches’ poll, Kansas is ranked sixth, trailing behind TCU, Iowa State, Baylor, Oklahoma State, and West Virginia. The Jayhawks are positioned ahead of Kansas State, Utah, Colorado, BYU, Arizona State, Cincinnati, Texas Tech, Arizona, Houston, and UCF. Notably, Iowa State’s Audi Crooks has been named Big 12 preseason player of the year, while Cincinnati’s Dee Alexander secured the freshman of the year title.
