Emani Bennett Named to Preseason All-Summit League First Team
10/7/2025 9:01:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Kansas City slotted sixth in preseason poll, the Roos highest projected finish since 2022
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Summit League announced the 2025-26 preseason women's basketball poll and All-League teams Tuesday morning. Kansas City was picked to finish sixth in the Summit's preseason poll, matching the Roos 2024-25 end-of-year placement with a 6-10 record in conference action and a bid to the Summit League Tournament Semifinals.
The poll saw the Roos total 291 points finishing ahead of North Dakota (251), Omaha (121) and Denver (101) and just below fifth place St. Thomas with 305 points. KC's sixth place finish is the Roos best preseason position since the 2022-23 season where Kansas City was pegged for the same finish.
Kansas City's star guard Emani Bennett returns for her junior year with some preseason hardware as the Lee's Summit, Mo. native is one of six players on the All-Summit League First Team headed into the 2025-26 season. Bennett is the Roos first player to earn a preseason Summit honor since Naomi Alnatas before the 2021-22 season.
Bennett is the only returning player in the conference to have averaged over 30 minutes per game and 15 points per game last year, making the junior guard one of premier players in the conference this season. The KC product broke out in her sophomore season, averaging 15.1 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game on 34.5% field goal shooting and 31.4% shooting from three point range and 80.4% shooting from the free throw line in 32.7 minutes per game.
Bennett was 10th in the conference in scoring and free throw shooting while finishing top 20 in rebounding. Bennett also led the Roos in scoring 14 times and scored 20-plus points in a game nine times in 2024-25. Kansas City embarks on the 2025-25 campaign on Halloween night with an exhibition contest against Missouri Baptist at the Swinney Center.
2025-26 All-Summit League Women's Basketball
Preseason First Team
- Emani Bennett, Kansas City
- Avery Koenen, North Dakota State
- Madison Mathiowetz, South Dakota State
- Brooklyn Meyer, South Dakota State
- Jalei Oglesby, Oral Roberts
- Jocelyn Schiller, North Dakota State
Preseason Second Team
- Walker Demers, North Dakota
- Marisa Frost, North Dakota State
- Maggie Hartwig, South Dakota State
- Angelina Robles, South Dakota
- Katie Vasecka, South Dakota State
Poll
- South Dakota State (34) | 558
- North Dakota State (2) | 498
- Oral Roberts | 410
- South Dakota | 320
- St. Thomas | 305
- Kansas City | 291
- North Dakota | 251
- Omaha | 121
- Denver | 101
