The women's basketball season is inching just as close as the men's basketball season, and the Jayhawks, both of their teams, are looking to have big seasons. The women's basketball team will be led by returning vet S'Mya Nichols, who is now able to add a new watchlist to her growing number of accolades.
Nichols was just named to the 2026-2027 Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year Watch List with a whole host of other top players in the country. Some of the most recognizable names on the list include Nichols, Texas' Madison Booker, UConn's Sarah Strong, who won the award last season, Oklahoma's Aaliyah Chavez, and others.
The 2026-27 Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List has arrived! 👀#NCAAWBB pic.twitter.com/rp7ible03g
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) October 29, 2026
Nichols is returning for her fourth season in Lawrence after three straight seasons of averaging 15 or more points per game. As the leader of this team, Nichols is hoping to bring the Jayhawks back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2023-2024 season.
S'Mya Nichols and Jaliya Davis are the Jayhawks' strongest returning players this season
Nichols is not the only big-time returning vet for Kansas this season, as Jaliya Davis, who averaged 19.8 points per game in her freshman season, is also back in Lawrence. Both Nichols and Davis were named to the All-Big 12 Preseason Team as part of the Big 12 Preseason Honors.
The Jayhawks are ranked No. 5 in the Big 12 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, which isn't bad, but definitely not quite where they want to be. Here are the full rankings:
- Oklahoma State
- TCU
- Baylor
- West Virginia
- Kansas
- Arizona State
- BYU
- Colorado
- Kansas State
- Texas Tech
- Iowa State
- Utah
- Arizona
- Cincinnati
- Houston
- UCF
For Kansas to find a way to be as competitive as possible in conference play this season, Nichols and Davis are going to have to produce seasons similar to their 2025-2026 seasons. While it may not have been the best of her career, Nichols still averaged 17.5 points per game, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists, working to create opportunities for her teammates as a point guard.
Davis was the Jayhawks' top forward in scoring and rebounding, with 6.5 rebounds per game, but she is limited to really working inside the paint and not taking a single shot from beyond the arc. Davis is hoping to stay healthy this season after missing 10 games due to a lower-leg injury.
If both Davis and Nichols can stay relatively healthy throughout the long regular season, the Jayhawks could be in a prime position to make some noise in the Big 12. It should be a relatively quiet non-conference campaign with only one ranked matchup coming up before a loaded conference schedule.
The Jayhawks open the season one day after the men's team in Allen Fieldhouse against Omaha at 7:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
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