# Kansas State Wildcats women's basketball

The Kansas State Wildcats women's basketball program is the intercollegiate basketball program of the Kansas State Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference.
The team has been invited to 22 NCAA and AIAW tournaments (second-most among Big 12 teams), and was crowned champion of the 2006 Women's National Invitation Tournament. Kansas State is in the top 20 all-time for wins among Division I programs.
The team's head coach is Jeff Mittie. He was hired before the 2014–2015 season, after spending the prior fifteen seasons at TCU.

## History

Kansas State began offering women's basketball as an organized intercollegiate sport in the 1968–1969 school year, under head coach Judy Akers. Because the NCAA did not sponsor women's sports until 1982, the governing bodies for women's basketball in the earliest years were the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (CIAW) and the AIAW.
The Big Eight Conference likewise did not sponsor women's basketball in its earliest years, so Kansas State competed against the University of Kansas, Wichita State, and other state schools for the "Kansas State Conference" championship. Kansas State won eight straight Kansas Conference titles, from 1972 to 1979. The Big Eight Conference began offering a mid-season basketball tournament in the 1975–1976 season, and then began sponsoring a regular season competition in 1982–1983. Kansas State won the first two Big Eight tournament titles, in 1976 and 1977, and then won the first two Big Eight regular season titles, in 1983 and 1984.
The longest-tenured and winningest head coach in team history is Deb Patterson. Patterson spent eighteen years at Kansas State and compiled a 350–226 (.608) record. She won two Big 12 Conference titles (2004 and 2008) and a WNIT title (2006). Before Patterson, the winningest coach at Kansas State was Judy Akers, the first coach in program history, who compiled a 206–94 (.687) record. Akers also captured eight Kansas State Conference titles (1972-1979) and the first two titles in the Big Eight Conference after it began sponsoring women's basketball (1976 and 1977 mid-season tournaments).

## Postseason history
### AIAW tournament results

The Wildcats appeared in six AIAW tournaments prior to the creation of the NCAA tournament. In 1971, Kansas State also appeared in the even earlier tournament sponsored by the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (CIAW), advancing to the Elite Eight.
The Wildcats had a combined record of 7–10.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1973 | First round Consolation first round Consolation second round Consolation third round | Southern Connecticut Long Beach State East Carolina South Carolina | L, 52–56 W, 49–43 W, 47–46 W, 69–57 |
| 1974 | First round Consolation first round | Immaculata Wayland Baptist | L, 40–50 L, 34–49 |
| 1975 | First round Consolation first round Consolation second round Consolation third round | Immaculata Boise State Ohio State William Penn | L, 54–63 W, 65–37 W, 61–51 L, 43–54 |
| 1977 | First round Quarterfinals Consolation second round | Utah Tennessee Tennessee Tech | W, 70–32 L, 69–81 L, 58–68 |
| 1979 | First round Consolation round | Old Dominion Valdosta State | L, 75–96 L, 92–104 |
| 1980 | First round Second round | Boston University Tennessee | W, 72–68 L, 64–84 |

### NCAA tournament results

The first tournament the NCAA sponsored was the 1982 edition. Kansas State has appeared in 19 NCAA tournaments since that time, with a record of 13–16.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Results |
| 1982 | #4 | First round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #5 Stephen F. Austin #1 Old Dominion #2 Cheyney | W 78–75 W 76–67 L 93–71 |
| 1983 | #3 | First round Sweet Sixteen | #6 Illinois State #2 Texas | W 91–72 L 73–70 $^{OT}$ |
| 1984 | #3 | First round | #6 Northeast Louisiana | L 78–73 |
| 1987 | #9 | First round | #8 Northwestern | L 62–61 |
| 1997 | #10 | First round | #7 Saint Joseph's | L 70–52 |
| 2002 | #3 | First round Second round Sweet Sixteen | #14 Kent State #6 Arkansas #7 Old Dominion | W 93–65 W 82–68 L 82–62 |
| 2003 | #3 | First round Second round | #14 Harvard #11 Notre Dame | W 79–69 L 59–53 |
| 2004 | #2 | First round Second round | #15 Valparaiso #7 Minnesota | W 71–63 L 80–61 |
| 2005 | #4 | First round Second round | #13 Bowling Green #5 Vanderbilt | W 70–60 L 63–60 |
| 2008 | #5 | First round Second round | #12 Chattanooga #4 Louisville | W 69–59 L 80–63 |
| 2009 | #5 | First round Second round | #12 Drexel #4 Vanderbilt | W 68–44 L 74–61 |
| 2011 | #8 | First round | #9 Purdue | L 53–45 |
| 2012 | #8 | First round Second round | #9 Princeton #1 Connecticut | W 67–64 L 72–26 |
| 2016 | #9 | First round Second round | #8 George Washington #1 South Carolina | W 56–51 L 73–47 |
| 2017 | #7 | First round Second round | #10 Drake #2 Stanford | W 67–54 L 69–48 |
| 2019 | #9 | First round | #8 Michigan | L 84–54 |
| 2022 | #9 | First round Second round | #8 Washington State #1 NC State | W 50–40 L 89–57 |
| 2024 | #4 | First round Second round | #13 Portland #5 Colorado | W 78–65 L 63–50 |
| 2025 | #5 | First round | #12 Fairfield | TBD |

### NCAA Tournament seeding history

| Years → | '82 | '83 | '84 | '87 | '97 | '02 | '03 | '04 | '05 | '08 | '09 | '11 | '12 | '16 | '17 | '19 | '22 | '24 | '25 |
| Seeds→ | 4 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 5 |

### WNIT results

Kansas State has appeared in the Women's National Invitation Tournament eight times, including the first tournament held, in 1969. Kansas State won the tournament in 2006 and reached the semifinals (final four) again in 2007 and 2013.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1969 | First round | Wayland Baptist | L 76–21 |
| 1970 | First round | Wayland Baptist | L 61–43 |
| 1999 | First round Second round | Creighton Arkansas State | W 71–60 L 83–70 |
| 2006 | Second round Third Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship | Idaho State Fresno State Nebraska Western Kentucky Marquette | W 88–68 W 64–61 W 77–63 W 57–56 $^{OT}$ W 77–65 |
| 2007 | Second round Third Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Southern Illinois Illinois Auburn Wyoming | W 72–46 W 66–51 W 67–54 L 89–79 $^{3OT}$ |
| 2013 | First round Second round Third Round Fourth Round Semifinals | Texas Southern Illinois State Ball State Illinois Utah | W 72–44 W 57–48 W 60–48 W 66–48 L 54–46 $^{OT}$ |
| 2015 | First round Second round | Akron Missouri | W 86–68 L 67–48 |
| 2018 | First round Second round Third Round | Saint Louis Utah UC Davis | W 75–61 W 74–57 L 69–71 |
| 2023 | First round Second round Super 16 | Wichita State Wyoming Washington | W 90-56 W 71-55 L 48-55 |

## Notable Wildcat players and coaches

* Judy Akers — 2003 KSU Hall of Fame Inductee
* Brittany Chambers
* Kamie Ethridge — KSU assistant coach, now head coach at Washington State
* Olga Firsova
* Priscilla Gary-Sweeney — 1998 KSU Hall of Fame Inductee
* Marlies Gipson
* Lynn Hickey — 2004 KSU Hall of Fame Inductee
* Lynn Holzman — West Coast Conference commissioner, 2014–present
* Laurie Koehn
* Ayoka Lee — Set NCAA Division I scoring record with 61 points on January 23, 2022
* Shalee Lehning
* Breanna Lewis
* Megan Mahoney
* Nicole Ohlde
* Shanele Stires
* Kendra Wecker
* Leann Wilcox, first scholarship player in program history, contestant on Squid Game: The Challenge (player 302)

### Draft history
## Head coaches

* Judy Akers (1968-1979)
* Lynn Hickey (1979-1984)
* Matilda Mossman (1984-1989)
* Gaye Griffin (1989-1990)
* Susan Yow (1990-1993)
* Brian Agler (1993-1996)
* Jack Hartman (1996; coached final seven games)
* Deb Patterson (1996-2014)
* Jeff Mittie (2014–present)

## Year by year results

* The Big Eight Conference began sponsoring a mid-season tournament in the 1975–1976 season, but no regular season competition until 1982–1983. Kansas State competed for "Kansas State Conference" regular season titles in the years before the Big Eight began offering regular season competition.
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | Coaches' poll | AP poll |
| Judy Akers (Independent, Kansas State Conference/Big 8) (1968–1979) ||||||||
| 1968–69 | Judy Akers | 11–3 | – | | NWIT Eighth place | | |
| 1969–70 | Judy Akers | 10–7 | – | | CIAW Quarterfinals, NWIT Seventh place | | |
| 1970–71 | Judy Akers | 12–12 | – | | CIAW Tenth place | | |
| 1971–72 | Judy Akers | 17–5 | – | 1st | AIAW Region VI | | |
| 1972–73 | Judy Akers | 20–6 | – | 1st | AIAW Ninth place | | |
| 1973–74 | Judy Akers | 21–9 | – | 1st | AIAW Region VI | | |
| 1974–75 | Judy Akers | 24–9 | – | 1st | AIAW Sixth place | | |
| 1975–76 | Judy Akers | 28–6 | 6–0 | 1st | AIAW Region VI | | |
| 1976–77 | Judy Akers | 23–12 | – | 1st | AIAW Quarterfinals | | 20 |
| 1977–78 | Judy Akers | 20–14 | – | 1st | AIAW Region VI | | |
| 1978–79 | Judy Akers | 20–11 | – | 1st | AIAW South Sectional | | |
| Judy Akers: | Judy Akers: | 206–94 | – | | | | |
| Lynn Hickey (Independent/Big 8) (1979–1984) ||||||||
| 1979–80 | Lynn Hickey | 26–9 | – | | AIAW Sixteen (Play-In) | | 13 |
| 1980–81 | Lynn Hickey | 23–11 | – | | AIAW Region VI | | |
| 1981–82 | Lynn Hickey | 26–6 | – | | NCAA Quarterfinals | | 14 |
| 1982–83 | Lynn Hickey | 25–7 | 12–2 | 1st | NCAA Sixteen | | 17 |
| 1983–84 | Lynn Hickey | 25–6 | 12–2 | T-1st | NCAA First round | | 7 |
| Lynn Hickey: | Lynn Hickey: | 125–39 | 24–4 | | | | |
| Matilda Mossman (Big 8) (1984–1990) ||||||||
| 1984–85 | Matilda Mossman | 16–13 | 6–8 | | | | |
| 1985–86 | Matilda Mossman | 16–13 | 6–8 | | | | |
| 1986–87 | Matilda Mossman | 22–9 | 9–5 | T-1st | NCAA First round | | |
| 1987–88 | Matilda Mossman | 8–20 | 1–13 | | | | |
| 1988–89 | Matilda Mossman | 18–11 | 7–7 | 3rd | | | |
| 1989 | Matilda Mossman | 3–2 | – | | | | |
| Matilda Mossman: | Matilda Mossman: | 83–68 | 29–41 | | | | |
| Gaye Griffin (Big 8) (1989–1990) ||||||||
| 1989–90 | Gaye Griffin | 17–8 | 10–4 | | | | |
| Gaye Griffin: | Gaye Griffin: | 17–8 | 10–4 | | | | |
| Susan Yow (Big 8) (1990–1993) ||||||||
| 1990–91 | Susan Yow | 16–11 | 8–6 | | | | |
| 1991–92 | Susan Yow | 5–23 | 2–12 | | | | |
| 1992–93 | Susan Yow | 10–17 | 1–13 | | | | |
| Susan Yow: | Susan Yow: | 31–51 | 11–31 | | | | |
| Brian Agler (Big 8) (1993–1996) ||||||||
| 1993–94 | Brian Agler | 13–14 | 5–9 | | | | |
| 1994–95 | Brian Agler | 14–13 | 6–8 | | | | |
| 1995–96 | Brian Agler | 11–12 | 3–7 | | | | |
| Brian Agler: | Brian Agler: | 38–39 | 14–24 | | | | |
| Jack Hartman (Big 8) (1996–1997) ||||||||
| 1996 | Jack Hartman | 3–4 | 2–2 | | | | |
| Jack Hartman: | Jack Hartman: | 3–4 | 2–2 | | | | |
| Deb Patterson (Big 12) (1996–2014) ||||||||
| 1996–97 | Deb Patterson | 19–12 | 9–7 | T-5th | NCAA First round | | |
| 1997–98 | Deb Patterson | 11–17 | 4–12 | T-9th | | | |
| 1998–99 | Deb Patterson | 16–14 | 7–9 | T-8th | WNIT Second round | | |
| 1999–00 | Deb Patterson | 13–17 | 6–10 | 8th | | | |
| 2000–01 | Deb Patterson | 12–16 | 2–14 | T-11th | | | |
| 2001–02 | Deb Patterson | 26–8 | 11–5 | T-3rd | NCAA Sixteen | 10 | 11 |
| 2002–03 | Deb Patterson | 29–5 | 14–2 | 2nd | NCAA Second round | 10 | 8 |
| 2003–04 | Deb Patterson | 25–6 | 14–2 | T-1st | NCAA Second round | 15 | 8 |
| 2004–05 | Deb Patterson | 24–8 | 12–4 | T-3rd | NCAA Second round | 19 | 16 |
| 2005–06 | Deb Patterson | 24–10 | 8–8 | T-6th | WNIT Champions | | |
| 2006–07 | Deb Patterson | 19–15 | 4–12 | T-11th | WNIT Semifinals | | |
| 2007–08 | Deb Patterson | 22–10 | 13–3 | 1st | NCAA Second round | 21 | 16 |
| 2008–09 | Deb Patterson | 25–8 | 10–6 | 5th | NCAA Second round | 20 | 21 |
| 2009–10 | Deb Patterson | 14–18 | 5–11 | T-8th | | | |
| 2010–11 | Deb Patterson | 21–11 | 10–6 | T-3rd | NCAA First round | | |
| 2011–12 | Deb Patterson | 20–14 | 9–9 | T-4th | NCAA Second round | | |
| 2012–13 | Deb Patterson | 19–18 | 5–13 | T-8th | WNIT Semifinals | | |
| 2013–14 | Deb Patterson | 11–19 | 5–13 | T-8th | | | |
| Deb Patterson: | Deb Patterson: | 350–226 | 148–147 | | | | |
| Jeff Mittie (Big 12) (2014–present) ||||||||
| 2014–15 | Jeff Mittie | 19–14 | 7–11 | T–7th | WNIT Second round | | |
| 2015–16 | Jeff Mittie | 19–13 | 8–10 | T–6th | NCAA second round | | |
| 2016–17 | Jeff Mittie | 23–11 | 11–7 | 4th | NCAA second round | 24 | |
| 2017–18 | Jeff Mittie | 18–15 | 7–11 | T–7th | WNIT Third Round | | |
| 2018–19 | Jeff Mittie | 21–11 | 11–7 | 4th | NCAA first round | | |
| 2019-20 | Jeff Mittie | 16–13 | 10–8 | T–4th | Cancelled due to COVID-19 | | |
| 2020-21 | Jeff Mittie | 9–18 | 3–15 | 10th | | | |
| 2021-22 | Jeff Mittie | 20–13 | 9–9 | 6th | NCAA second round | | |
| 2022-23 | Jeff Mittie | 19–17 | 5–13 | 9th | WNIT Super 16 | | |
| 2023-24 | Jeff Mittie | 26–8 | 13–5 | 3rd | NCAA second round | 19 | 18 |
| Jeff Mittie: | Jeff Mittie: | 190–135 | 84–96 | | | | |
| Total: | Total: | 1043–664 | 322–348 | | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||||

## Series records
### Record vs. Big 12 opponents

| Kansas State vs. | Overall record | at Manhattan | at Opponent's Venue | at neutral site | Last 5 meetings | Last 10 meetings | Current streak |
| Arizona | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | Never played |
| Arizona State | ASU, 3–1 | 0–0 | ASU, 1–0 | ASU, 2–1 | ASU, 3–1 | ASU, 3–1 | L 1 |
| Baylor | BU,43–12 | BU, 13–6 | BU, 19–2 | BU, 11–4 | KSU, 3–2 | BU, 7–3 | W 2 |
| BYU | KSU, 4–0 | KSU, 2–0 | KSU, 1–0 | KSU, 1–0 | KSU, 4–0 | KSU, 4–0 | W 4 |
| Cincinnati | KSU, 1–0 | 0–0 | KSU, 1–0 | 0–0 | KSU, 1–0 | KSU, 1–0 | W 1 |
| Colorado | KSU, 35–34 | KSU, 18–14 | CU, 16–13 | tied, 4–4 | KSU, 3–2 | KSU, 7–3 | L 1 |
| Houston | KSU, 3–0 | KSU, 2–0 | KSU, 1–0 | 0–0 | KSU, 3–0 | KSU, 3–0 | W 3 |
| Iowa State | KSU, 54–49 | KSU, 28–19 | ISU, 28–18 | ISU, 8–2 | ISU, 4–1 | ISU, 8–2 | L 2 |
| Kansas | KSU, 80–51 | KSU, 39–16 | KSU, 33–29 | KSU, 8–6 | KU, 3–2 | KSU, 6–4 | L 1 |
| Oklahoma State | KSU, 43–37 | KSU, 24–11 | OSU, 20–14 | OSU, 6–4 | KSU, 4–1 | KSU, 6–4 | W 1 |
| TCU | TCU, 12–11 | KSU, 7–4 | TCU, 7–4 | TCU, 1–0 | KSU, 4–1 | KSU, 6–4 | W 1 |
| Texas Tech | KSU, 28–17 | KSU, 12–6 | KSU, 12–9 | KSU, 4–2 | KSU, 3–2 | KSU, 6–4 | W 2 |
| UCF | KSU, 2–0 | KSU, 1–0 | KSU, 1–0 | 0–0 | KSU, 2–0 | KSU, 2–0 | W 2 |
| Utah | UU, 4–3 | tied, 2–2 | UU, 2–0 | KSU, 1–0 | UU, 4–1 | UU, 4–1 | W 1 |
| West Virginia | WVU, 18–9 | WVU, 8–4 | WVU, 8–3 | tied, 2–2 | WVU, 3–2 | WVU, 6–4 | W 2 |
| *As of 11/21/2024 ||||||||

### Record vs. former Big 12 opponents

| Kansas State vs. | Overall record | at Manhattan | at Opponent's Venue | at neutral site | Last 5 meetings | Last 10 meetings | Current streak | Last meeting |
| Missouri | KSU, 46–39 | KSU, 27–11 | MU, 23–13 | KSU, 6–4 | MU, 3–2 | KSU, 6–4 | W 1 | 12/9/2023 |
| Nebraska | KSU, 46–33 | KSU, 27–10 | NU, 21–13 | KSU, 6–2 | NU, 3–2 | tied, 5–5 | W 2 | 2/19/2011 |
| Oklahoma | OU, 45–32 | KSU, 19–17 | OU, 25–10 | tied, 3–3 | OU, 4–1 | OU, 7–3 | L 1 | 1/31/2024 |
| Texas | UT, 33–18 | UT, 12–10 | UT, 17–5 | UT, 4–3 | UT, 4–1 | UT, 9–1 | L 2 | 3/11/2024 |
| Texas A&M | KSU, 13–9 | KSU, 7–2 | KSU, 5–4 | TAM, 3–1 | TAM, 3–2 | TAM, 6–4 | L 2 | 12/19/2012 |
| *As of 11/21/2024 |||||||||