Wednesday was the first day of the early signing period for a wide variety of collegiate sports. That provided an opportunity for Kansas’ athletic programs to trumpet their new acquisitions for the class of 2026, who will join the Jayhawks for the 2026-27 school year.
Here’s a look at the athletes whose signings KU has announced thus far and the comments their coaches have offered, if applicable:
Baseball: Bradon Durfee (Tampa, Florida), Logan Honikel (Yorba Linda, California), Aidan Mouton (Rayne, Louisiana)
Cross-country/track and field: Anneliese Lockwood (Kansas City, Kansas), Madelyn Wallace (Andover)
Men’s basketball: Taylen Kinney (Newport, Kentucky), Trent Perry (Frisco, Texas)
KU coach Bill Self on Kinney: “Taylen’s one of the best point guards in the country. He’s a scoring point. He can shoot. He’s got great vision. He can create for himself and create for others. Taylen’s transition to college ball should be seamless. He’s prepared to run a college basketball team.”
Self on Perry: “Trent is a winner. He does a little bit of everything. He’s athletic. He’s got size. He’s a guy that can play multiple positions on the floor. I feel like when Trent is on your team, your team’s automatically better.”
Softball: Jocelyn Alatorre (Orange, California), Kynleigh Ball (Georgetown, Texas), Mackenna Jackson (Keller, Texas), Shelbi Stevens (Seguin, Texas)
Tennis: Caroline Manzi (Freehold, New Jersey)
KU coach Todd Chapman on Manzi: “We couldn’t be more excited to have Caroline join our Kansas Tennis family! Caroline is a player we have watched develop this past year and she will make an immediate impact on our program. Caroline is very driven and we believe her best tennis is in front of her. We can’t wait for Caroline to get to Kansas to start working with her and to help her reach her future goals on and off the court.”
Manzi on picking KU: “I chose Kansas because I instantly fell in love with the atmosphere and everything the program has to offer. On my visit, everyone from the staff to the team was so kind and welcoming. I was also blown away by the beauty of the campus and how many great resources the school provides. I immediately knew it would be the best fit for me.”
Volleyball: Tessa Dodd (pin hitter, Laramie, Wyoming), Avery Poulton (pin hitter, Bountiful, Utah), Jaeli Rutledge (middle blocker, Webb City, Missouri), Ryan Sadler (pin hitter, Atlanta), Taylor Stanley (pin hitter, Overland Park)
KU coach Matt Ulmer on the group: “This is a wonderful class of student-athletes. We’re bringing in a lot physically at each hitter position along the net. “This group is hungry to grow, and I’m confident they will make a great impact on our program.”
Women’s golf: Hannah Hall (Rockledge, Florida), Elizabeth Wilson (Nottinghamshire, England)
KU coach Lindsay Kuhle on Hall: “Hannah is a huge addition to our program and a proven competitor at the national level. She is a perfect fit for our program and culture representing players on our team that have a passion for golf, are competitive student-athletes, hard workers, and a love for KU. Hannah is a consistent ball striker and elite putter with the ability to make a lot of birdies and go low. We look forward to Hannah being a huge part of our continued success, and can’t wait for both Hannah and Elizabeth to join our family next fall.”
Kuhle on Wilson: “Elizabeth will have an immediate impact in our program beginning next fall. She has developed this past year into one of (England’s) best girl amateur golfers and will continue to improve with even more tournament experience in the upcoming years. She is very consistent off the tee and is a great ball striker. She has proven that she has the ability to go low on the national and international stage.
This story will be updated.
