KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Following back-to-back years in which Kansas women’s basketball found itself on the outside of the NCAA Tournament, the Jayhawks head into this season with high expectations.
Those expectations are especially lofty due to the season potentially being the last for senior guard S’Mya Nichols.
“I would say we haven’t talked about anything else but the tournament,” Nichols said, “as if there’s no other option.”
Nichols has started all 99 games that she has played for Kansas since joining the Jayhawks in 2023 and currently holds the program record for free throws made. She is also 10th in all-time scoring for Kansas.
Nichols’ accolades have caught the attention of the professional ranks, with publications like Bleacher Report and CBS Sports projecting her as an early first-round pick in next April’s WNBA Draft. Nichols confirmed in late September that her ideal path would be to depart Kansas at the conclusion of this season and enter the WNBA.
Even with the upcoming season potentially being her last, Nichols’ path is one coveted by coaches in the modern era of collegiate sports. The era of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness have led many student-athletes to play at multiple schools during their time in college, but Nichols has stayed with the Jayhawks for all four of her initial years of eligibility.
“I don’t know that you can put a real value on it – a million,” KU coach Brandon Schneider said. “For her to maintain her commitment to the program, to me personally, it means the world to me. I know it’s very different times, but I’m incredibly grateful not only for S’Mya and her willingness to return to the program, but for the other five women that chose to come back as well, and we’re excited to have another year to see what we can achieve together.”
The senior guard has seen the ups and downs of the program, helping the Jayhawks to their second NCAA Tournament appearance in the Schneider era in 2024 and leading them in points along the way. Since then, Nichols has taken a leadership role, even back when she was an underclassman.
“I’d say a lot of the leadership I’ve learned is from S’Mya,” junior forward Regan Williams said. “She’s a great leader, so anything that I say to the younger ones or newcomers, I kind of learned from her and what she said to me when I first came in.”
The Jayhawks had six seniors when Nichols joined the program, including well-known faces like Taiyanna Jackson and Holly Kersgieter, but Nichols said Zakiyah Franklin, who rejoined Kansas as a graduate assistant this summer, left a mark on her as a freshman.
“I always told her when I was a freshman that I just love how composed she is no matter how the game is going,” Nichols said, “and I think that especially these last couple of years, (I’m) just trying to be composed for my teammates knowing that I’ve been in this position before, especially if they’re freshmen, and just trying to pave the way for them to be comfortable.”
The Jayhawks, who also feature reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Year Jaliya Davis, will have their first of two exhibitions on Thursday night at Allen Fieldhouse, when Kansas will take on Northeastern State at 6:30 p.m. Their second exhibition is set for Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m. against Washburn and is part of Late Night in the Phog.
