Wichita State women's basketball opens the 2026-27 season Monday, Nov. 2, at Kansas State with a roster that doesn't include a single returning player.
All 12 Shockers are new. Zero came back from last year's 8-23 squad that missed the American Conference tournament, according to the team's game preview. Tipoff is 6:30 p.m. at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan.
Head coach Terry Nooner enters his fourth season with a 28-67 record. He overhauled the roster through the transfer portal and high school recruiting, signing five freshmen after carrying no true freshmen on the 2025-26 roster.
The freshman class includes Mari Milton, Rachel Skulsky, Kaylea Lacey, Aaliyah Broadus and Alexis Leyva. Two SEC transfers anchor the experienced group. Junior guard Ma'Riya Vincent came from Missouri, and senior Clara Koulibaly transferred from Auburn.
Vincent, a 6-foot guard from Houston, sat out her freshman year at Missouri with a knee injury and averaged 1.4 points and 1.4 rebounds in 26 games last season, according to a GoShockers feature published Oct. 27. The lone Kansas native on the roster is Lily Ba from Overland Park, who returns to her home state for her fourth collegiate season.
The Shockers showed signs of life in their Oct. 28 exhibition, beating Newman University 80-49. Milton led all scorers with 19 points, and Koulibaly added 17, according to The Sunflower. Vincent recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. The team committed 23 turnovers but allowed zero second-chance points.
The matchup with Kansas State is the 43rd meeting between the programs. The Wildcats lead the all-time series 34-8. Wichita State's last wins over K-State came in 2013 and 2014. Kansas State won the most recent meeting 90-56 in 2023.
The Wildcats enter the opener dealing with their own roster problems. Junior center Ramiya White will miss the entire season after sustaining lower leg injuries in a scooter accident that required surgery, K-State head coach Jeff Mittie said in a statement, according to The Wichita Eagle. Sophomore guard Brandie Harrod, who averaged 6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds while starting 33 games as a freshman, is also out for the season with an injury.
The game airs on ESPN+ with radio coverage on GoShockers.com, where Pat Strathman will call the action.
After Monday's opener, Wichita State travels to Kansas City on Friday, Nov. 6, then hosts Missouri State on Tuesday, Nov. 10, for the home opener.
