photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas head coach Brandon Schneider calls out a play against Wichita State Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024 in Allen Fieldhouse.

After details of various matchups trickled in over the course of the offseason, Kansas women’s basketball coach Brandon Schneider announced on Wednesday the nonconference schedule for the Jayhawks’ highly anticipated 2025-26 campaign.

KU’s slate features the return of the Border Showdown, a neutral-site matchup on Nov. 15, as well as the Jayhawks’ first official matchup with local NAIA foe Haskell Indian Nations University since 1974, which is set for Dec. 17 at Allen Fieldhouse.

Other power-conference opponents include Minnesota in Lawrence on Nov. 19 and Northwestern in Evanston, Illinois, on Dec. 3. The rest of the schedule consists of home matchups with mid-majors, a regional road tilt at Missouri State, and the Fort Myers Tip-Off in Florida on Nov. 28 and 29. Opponents are still unknown for that Thanksgiving week tournament, although it was revealed on July 9 that KU will play two teams out of Butler, Dayton and Georgia.

“We feel very good about the quality of our non-conference schedule,” Schneider said in a press release. “The strength and mixture of home, away, and neutral site games will prepare us for the always challenging Big 12 slate.”

KU begins with an exhibition against Fort Hays State at Allen Fieldhouse on Oct. 29 before its season opener against Kansas City on Nov. 5. The Jayhawks will host Northwestern State on Nov. 9 (the second year in a row the Demons have made the trip to Lawrence) and then Lamar three days later ahead of the Border Showdown and Minnesota game. KU will then fit in another home game against Oral Roberts on Nov. 23 ahead of the Fort Myers Tip-Off.

As the calendar shifts to December, KU will play consecutive road games at Northwestern on Dec. 3 and then Missouri State on Dec. 7. A week later, KU concludes nonconference play with Denver on Dec. 14 and Haskell on Dec. 17.

“Over the past few years, we have been able to build a connection off the court with the Haskell women’s basketball program that we hope has been mutually beneficial for both teams,” Schneider said in the release. “I have tremendous respect for Coach Adam Strom and the loyalty he displayed for his young women last spring. Coach Strom and I believe that it is time for our programs to connect on the court. Games like these produce tremendous memories for all involved. We feel that the game will be strongly supported by both institutions and the Lawrence community.”

Strom previously told the Journal-World he feels the matchup can serve as “a historical moment for our university” and “an everlasting, memorable moment for members of our program.”

From there, KU will shift into conference play, during which it will face Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech both home and away; BYU, Cincinnati, Colorado, Houston, Utah and West Virginia at home only; and Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Iowa State, TCU and UCF on the road only.

The Jayhawks return star guard S’Mya Nichols and hot-shooting wing Elle Evans, along with nearly every meaningful contributor from the 2024-25 team (which struggled with injuries and missed the NCAA Tournament). They add arguably the best recruiting class in program history, which comprises Jaliya Davis, Keeley Parks, Libby Fandel and Tatyonna Brown.

Nonconference schedule

Wednesday, Oct. 29: vs. Fort Hays State (exhibition)

Wednesday, Nov. 5: vs. Kansas City

Sunday, Nov. 9: vs. Northwestern State

Wednesday, Nov. 12: vs. Lamar

Saturday, Nov. 15: vs. Missouri in Kansas City, Missouri

Wednesday, Nov. 19: vs. Minnesota

Sunday, Nov. 23: vs. Oral Roberts

Friday, Nov. 28: vs. Butler/Dayton/Georgia in Fort Myers, Florida

Saturday, Nov. 29: vs. Butler/Dayton/Georgia in Fort Myers, Florida

Wednesday, Dec. 3: at Northwestern

Sunday, Dec. 7: at Missouri State

Sunday, Dec. 14: vs. Denver

Wednesday, Dec. 17: vs. Haskell