Mark Your Calendars: K-State Women’s Basketball

Among the returning cast are seniors Nastja Claessens and Taryn Sides, a dynamic duo who led the team in points, rebounds and steals last season. Sides has been a K-State cornerstone in women’s basketball, becoming an impressive sharpshooter in her three seasons in Manhattan. Claessens enters her second year at K-State as the second junior in program history to end a full season shooting over 50%. Claessens was an efficient and aggressive addition to a front court that was in need of a strong forward.

Along with the pair of seniors are two underclassmen returning with starting experience in sophomores Brandie Harrod and Gina Garcia. The young pair both averaged over six points per game with Garcia leading the team in assists, averaging over five per game. Though they shared their fair share of mistakes, the freshman duo showed flashes of talent and could take a big step forward with an extra year in Coach Mittie’s system.

With all of the excitement for basketball this season, here are the teams to mark your calendars for when the Cats enter conference play:

Notable Conference Games

December 19th/January 16th – Farmageddon

K-State women’s basketball begins with a bang as the Octagon of Doom hosts Iowa State for Farmageddon on December 19th and the Cyclones host on January 16th. The rivalry has been pretty one sided since the arrival of center Audi Crooks, but this will be the first time in three seasons that ISU Coach Bill Fennelly will have to work without the All-American in the fold. Both teams are in a bit of a transition period, but K-State’s 54-53 series lead may be in jeopardy if Fennelly’s team comes together by December.

January 31st/ February 20th – Sunflower Showdown

The dates that every Kansan marks on their calendar, the Sunflower Showdown is a staple in K-State’s basketball season. KU is coming off of a 22 win season and bringing back some experienced talent. Senior guard S’mya Nichols returns for a fourth season with the Jayhawks, Nichols has been a cornerstone for the Hawks, leading the team in points, assists and steals per game as a junior. With her returns Reagan Williams and Jaliya Davis, two members of the front court who were pivotal to KU’s success in 2025. KU will be one of the Cats’ toughest opponents in conference play, so this will be the matchup to keep an eye on as always.

February 10th/ February 25th – Baylor

The Baylor Bears have been one of the Big 12 powerhouses in women’s basketball for much of their time in the conference. The Bears hold a 45-12 lead over K-State in the school’s history, but this year will be a change of pace for the Bear. BU returns Taliah Scott, a sophomore guard who led the team in points averaging 19.7 a game. But beside her stands a completely new group, as the next five highest scorers besides Scott left the program. In their wake, a lot of players from their bench will get a chance as a starter, so their matchup with the Cats will be an exciting gauge for both teams to see how far these new squads can go.

February 15th – @ Oklahoma State

Though the Cyclones may have lost Audi Crooks, that has not removed her from K-State’s schedule. The Oklahoma State Cowgirls had their own exodus of top talent, as their top three scorers left the program in Micah Gray, Jadyn Wooten and Achol Akot. But in their place, OSU adds one of the most dominant fives in the country in Audi Crooks to pair with their senior guard Stailee Heard, the only returning double digit scorer for the Pokes. Though this Cowgirl roster experienced a lot of turnover, HC Jacie Hoyt has been a dominant presence in the program since she started in 2022. 

K-State is going to have a big challenge in front of them, but there’s also some revenge at play as well. Not only against Crooks, but K-State’s last trip to Stillwater was one of the biggest wins over a top 25 team in Oklahoma State history as they beat the #12 Cats 85-55. Coach Mittie coached that game and he will have a chance to right his wrongs this February against what very well might be a top 25 team by then.