Women's Basketball | 10/29/2026 10:11:00 AM

• Preseason No. 14-ranked University of Central Missouri Jennies Basketball is set to tip off its 57th season with three games in the D2 CCA Midwest Tip-Off Challenge Oct. 30-Nov. 1 at Justagame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. The Jennies are slated to face Northern Michigan in their season opener on Friday, Oct. 30, at 11:15 a.m. before taking on preseason No. 1-ranked and defending National Champion Grand Valley State on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 9 a.m. UCM will wrap up the event with a 9 a.m. contest vs. Lake Superior State on Sunday, Nov. 1.
• The Jennies are coming off a 2025-26 season in which they won their 13th MIAA Regular Season Championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA-II Central Region Tournament. UCM posted an overall record of 26-7 and a conference record of 17-2.
• Entering 2026-27, Central Missouri returns four of its five starters from last season, including First Team All-MIAA and MIAA All-Defensive Team selection Taylor Weishaar (14.5 ppg., 7.8 rpg., 1.8 apg., 1.6 bpg., .438 FG%, .267 3FG%, .723 FT%). The Jennies also return starters Neely Schaaf (7.8 ppg., 3.7 rpg., 2.7 apg., .383 FG%, .369 3FG%, .781 FT%), Hayden Heim (7.5 ppg., 4.7 rpg., 1.7 apg., 1.2 bpg., .409 FG%), and Makenzie Farmer (6.9 ppg., 2.9 rpg., 2.3 apg., .341 FG%, .314 3FG%, .700 FT%).
• Additionally, UCM returns Jayla Griffith (4.1 ppg., 1.8 rpg., 1.0 apg., .312 FG%) and Rylee Vierthaler (3.8 ppg., 2.1 rpg., 1.0 apg., .695 FG%).

• The Jennies welcome five newcomers to the team in 2026-27, including three high school freshmen and two transfers.
• The new high school freshmen include guards Alex Keister (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit West HS), Regan Becker (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest HS), and McKinli Mays (El Dorado Springs, Mo./El Dorado Springs HS), while the transfers are guards Holly Woods (Blue Springs, Mo./Southwestern Illinois College), and Enola Papin (Saint Etienne, France/Maryland Eastern Shore).

• Taylor Weishaar is fourth in career blocks for the Jennies with 118 swats in 65 career games.
• Weishaar is one rebound shy of 500 in her UCM career, going into Friday's season opener. She stands at 499 career boards in her 65 career contests.

• The Jennies are ranked No. 14 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Preseason Coaches' Poll released on Oct. 27.
• UCM was voted preseason favorites in both the MIAA Preseason Coaches' and Media Polls released on Oct. 6.

• Jennies Basketball 23rd season head coach Dave Slifer is ranked third in career victories in all of NCAA (Division I, II, III) with 848 career wins in 37 years. In Division II, Slifer is second in career victories, trailing only Tom Shirley of Jefferson, who posted 905 victories in 43 years.

• The Jennies host preseason No. 25 UMSL for their 2026-27 home opener on Monday, Nov. 9, at 6 p.m. inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg. Tickets are available for purchase at UCMAthletics.com/tickets.