Women's Basketball | 11/13/2025 10:33:00 AM

• University of Central Missouri Jennies Basketball is set to begin its 56th season with two games in Sioux Falls, S.D., in the MIAA/NSIC Crossover hosted by Augustana at the Elmen Center, Friday, Nov. 14, and Saturday, Nov. 15. UCM will face UMary in its season opener at 1 p.m. Friday before taking on the host Augustana Vikings at 4 p.m. Saturday.
• UCM is coming off a 2024-25 season that saw it post an overall record of 17-15 and finish tied for seventh in the MIAA at 8-11. Central Missouri advanced to the quarterfinals of the MIAA Women's Basketball Tournament before falling to Fort Hays State, 90-74.
• Coming into 2025-26, the Jennies welcome back four starters, including 2024-25 WBCA Honorable Mention All-American and MIAA Co-Newcomer of the Year Reese Schaaf (18.6 ppg., 10 rpg., 1.3 apg., .503 FG%, .300 3Pt%, .838 FT%), and All-MIAA selection Taylor Weishaar (12.7 ppg., 7.5 rpg., 1.1 apg., 2.1 bpg., .448 FG%, .333 3Pt%, .711 FT%).
• Schaaf led the team and the MIAA in scoring and rebounding last season and tallied a team and conference-best 18 double-doubles. In addition, she scored in double figures in 31 of 32 games.
• Weishaar paced the Jennies and the MIAA in blocks with 2.1 blocks per game in 2024-25.
• Central Missouri also welcomes back Cierra Smith (7.4 ppg., 3 rpg., 1.3 apg., 1.2 spg.), Rylee Vierthaler (3.3 ppg., 1.8 rpg.) and Jolie Bonderer (2.3 ppg., 1.6 rpg.).

• The Jennies have seven newcomers for 2025-26, including six high school freshmen and one junior college transfer.
• The new high school freshmen are G Amaria Musick (Bixby, Okla.), G Makenzie Farmer (De Soto, Kan.), G/F Jayla Griffith (Columbia, Mo.), G/F Hayden Heim (Paxico, Kan.), G Neely Schaaf (El Dorado Springs, Mo.), and F Olivia Robben (Olathe, Kan.). G Elysa Martinez (Ackerly, Texas/Cowley County CC) is UCM's lone transfer.

• The Jennies were voted fourth in both the 2025-26 MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll and MIAA Preseason Media Poll. UCM received 138 points and one first-place vote in the preseason coaches' poll and 271 points and four first-place votes in the preseason media poll.

• The Jennies have two siblings on the 2025-26 roster in El Dorado Springs natives senior Reese Schaaf and freshman Neely Schaaf.

• Jennies Basketball 22nd season head coach Dave Slifer enters the 2025-26 season ranked fifth in career victories in all of NCAA (Division I, II, III) with his 822 career wins in 36 years. In Division II, Slifer is second in career victories, trailing only Tom Shirley of Jefferson, who posted 905 victories in 43 years.

• Central Missouri hosts MSU Moorhead for its 2025-26 home opener and the annual School Day game on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 11:30 a.m. inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg. Tickets are available for purchase at UCMAthletics.com/tickets.