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Monday, November 2
Kansas City, Mo.
11:00 AM (Swinney)
Kansas City
vs
Baker
11/1/2026 6:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City women's basketball team opens regular-season play Monday morning when they host the Baker Wildcats at 11 a.m. CT inside Swinney Center.
Kansas City enters the 2026-27 season in the first year of Head Coach Candi Whitaker's second stint at the helm in Kansas City. The Roos are coming off a successful exhibition season, scoring 100 points in a 101-90 victory over Saint Louis before picking up a 114-56 win over Newman last Saturday at Municipal Auditorium.
Through the two exhibition games, Kansas City shot 49.1% (28-for-57) from behind the arc. The Roos also had six players score in double figures in both matchups, with Emani Bennett, Micaela Carter and Avery Hurst reaching double figures in each game. Against Saint Louis, Chrishawn Coleman led the way with 28 points, going 13-for-14 from the free-throw line.
Seniors Elauni Bennett and Emani Bennett headline Kansas City's returning roster. Both guards earned Preseason All-Summit League honors, with Elauni earning First Team recognition and Emani receiving Second Team honors. Elauni averaged 12.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game last season while shooting 58.1% from the field. Emani averaged 14.3 points per game, including a 29-point performance against Kansas, and surpassed 1,000 career points as a Roo.
Kansas City welcomes 13 newcomers to the program, including transfers Avery Hurst, Remi-Hope Drantmann, Bella Edwards, Kimora Fagan, Chrishawn Coleman, Talasia Thomas, Avery Marchino, Josie Megehee, Micaela Carter and Alyssa Nielsen. The Roos also add freshmen Jayla Lewis, Lili Szabo, and Shiloh Kalenga.
Fifth-year guard Avery Hurst joins Kansas City after spending the 2025-26 season at Belmont, where she started all 32 games and averaged 13.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Hurst previously played at Pittsburgh and Tennessee, bringing experience from multiple Division I programs to the Roos' backcourt.
The newcomers bring collegiate experience from Belmont, Mercer, Oral Roberts, Cal State Bakersfield, Hofstra, Lindenwood, Tulsa and several junior college programs.
ABOUT BAKER
Baker enters the 2026-27 season under new head coach Andy Kelley, who returns to his alma mater after five seasons leading the University of Saint Mary. Kelley guided the Spires to three NAIA National Tournament appearances, including the program's first KCAC Tournament Championship in 2023. He previously served as an assistant coach at Baker, helping the Wildcats reach the NAIA Fab Four and national championship game in 2016-17. The Wildcats are coming off a 2025-26 campaign in which they finished 4-23 overall and 2-18 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play. Gabby Rose led Baker offensively, averaging 14.4 points per game to earn All-Heart Second Team honors.
SERIES HISTORY
The two programs have met just once, back in 2021, when Kansas City picked up a 93-44 victory.
FOLLOW ALONG
Monday's game will feature live stats available online. Fans can also follow live updates throughout the game on the team's official X account, @KCRoosWBB.
Kansas City enters the 2026-27 season in the first year of Head Coach Candi Whitaker's second stint at the helm in Kansas City. The Roos are coming off a successful exhibition season, scoring 100 points in a 101-90 victory over Saint Louis before picking up a 114-56 win over Newman last Saturday at Municipal Auditorium.
Through the two exhibition games, Kansas City shot 49.1% (28-for-57) from behind the arc. The Roos also had six players score in double figures in both matchups, with Emani Bennett, Micaela Carter and Avery Hurst reaching double figures in each game. Against Saint Louis, Chrishawn Coleman led the way with 28 points, going 13-for-14 from the free-throw line.
Seniors Elauni Bennett and Emani Bennett headline Kansas City's returning roster. Both guards earned Preseason All-Summit League honors, with Elauni earning First Team recognition and Emani receiving Second Team honors. Elauni averaged 12.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game last season while shooting 58.1% from the field. Emani averaged 14.3 points per game, including a 29-point performance against Kansas, and surpassed 1,000 career points as a Roo.
Kansas City welcomes 13 newcomers to the program, including transfers Avery Hurst, Remi-Hope Drantmann, Bella Edwards, Kimora Fagan, Chrishawn Coleman, Talasia Thomas, Avery Marchino, Josie Megehee, Micaela Carter and Alyssa Nielsen. The Roos also add freshmen Jayla Lewis, Lili Szabo, and Shiloh Kalenga.
Fifth-year guard Avery Hurst joins Kansas City after spending the 2025-26 season at Belmont, where she started all 32 games and averaged 13.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Hurst previously played at Pittsburgh and Tennessee, bringing experience from multiple Division I programs to the Roos' backcourt.
The newcomers bring collegiate experience from Belmont, Mercer, Oral Roberts, Cal State Bakersfield, Hofstra, Lindenwood, Tulsa and several junior college programs.
ABOUT BAKER
Baker enters the 2026-27 season under new head coach Andy Kelley, who returns to his alma mater after five seasons leading the University of Saint Mary. Kelley guided the Spires to three NAIA National Tournament appearances, including the program's first KCAC Tournament Championship in 2023. He previously served as an assistant coach at Baker, helping the Wildcats reach the NAIA Fab Four and national championship game in 2016-17. The Wildcats are coming off a 2025-26 campaign in which they finished 4-23 overall and 2-18 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play. Gabby Rose led Baker offensively, averaging 14.4 points per game to earn All-Heart Second Team honors.
SERIES HISTORY
The two programs have met just once, back in 2021, when Kansas City picked up a 93-44 victory.
FOLLOW ALONG
Monday's game will feature live stats available online. Fans can also follow live updates throughout the game on the team's official X account, @KCRoosWBB.
Players Mentioned
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