Kansas State enters its 43rd season of women’s basketball attempting to shake off the first below .500 season in nine years that saw the Wildcats fight through a number of injuries which depleted the roster significantly by the end of the season. K-State’s fortune could have been drastically different, as the Wildcats suffered seven losses by six or fewer points.
During the 2009-10 season, Kansas State became the 11th program in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history to reach the 775-win plateau (782-467, .626). With 18 wins during the 2010-11 season, Kansas State will join the 800-win club which features just eight current members.
Returning to the Bramlage Coliseum sidelines for her 15th season is head coach Deb Patterson. The all-time winningest women’s basketball coach in school history with a record of 279-164 (.630), Patterson has guided the program to 22 or more wins in seven of the last nine seasons and eight consecutive postseason appearances (six NCAA Tournaments and two WNITs) from 2001-02 to 2008-09. With 21 victories this season, Patterson will reach the 300-win plateau and become the third coach in the Big 12 to card 300 wins at their current school.
K-State will look to bounce back into the postseason with the return of eight letterwinners, including three starters. The Wildcats also added five newcomers to bolster its 2010-11 roster to help replace the graduation of two-time first team All-Big 12 selection, Ashley Sweat, and three-time Academic All-Big 12 first team selection, Kari Kincaid.
The Wildcats will return 59.6 percent of its scoring, 66.9 percent of its rebounding, 62.9 percent of its assists and 65.9 percent of its steals.
Leading the way among the returning Wildcats will be Jalana Childs, Brittany Chambers and Taelor Karr. Childs averaged career-highs in points (7.3 ppg) and rebounds (4.4 rpg) and earned her first career Academic All-Big 12 first team honor.
Chambers led the Wildcats in rebounding (5.8 rpg) and was second on the team in scoring (12.1 ppg). She was the only freshman in the Big 12 to record 350+ points, 180+ rebounds and 80+ assists and garnered All-Freshman team honors from the Waco Tribune.
Karr ranked third on the team in scoring (9.1 ppg) and rebounding (4.5 rpg) while pacing the team in steals with 49 in her debut season.
