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 begin trumpeting 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: Ryan Chase (Land O’ Lakes, Florida), Bradon Durfee (Tampa, Florida), Keaton Fenn (Dallas Center, Iowa), Logan Honikel (Yorba Linda, California), Aidan Mouton (Rayne, Louisiana), Grey Sanders (Mulvane), Chris Tavarez (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico), GT Taylor (Lake St. Louis, Missouri), Xavier Woods (Cleveland, Texas)
Cross-country/track and field: Emma Kvant (St. Michael, Minnesota), Anneliese Lockwood (Kansas City, Kansas), Madelyn Wallace (Andover)
Men’s basketball: Davion Adkins (Arlington, Texas), Luke Barnett (Laguna Niguel, California), Taylen Kinney (Newport, Kentucky), Trent Perry (Frisco, Texas)
KU coach Bill Self on Adkins: “Davion is a prototypical power forward that can also be big enough to play the pivot. We’re excited about him because he’s versatile. He’s an athlete. He can play above the rim and has shown great improvement over the last year. We feel Davion’s ceiling is very high.”
Self on Barnett: “Luke’s the best shooter we’ve recruited since Gradey (Dick). He has great range. He’s got good size and is a powerful, tough athlete. Luke’s an outstanding shooter, much like Gradey was when we brought him in.”
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.”
Men’s golf: Brady Rapp (Leawood), Jack Swift (Kent, England)
KU coach Jamie Bermel on the pair: “We’re excited to sign and welcome two really good golfers today. Both are very accomplished players, and excited to be Jayhawks. Jack is an international golfer from England and has really played well since he committed last year. Brady is a Kansan and one of the top players in the Midwest. I believe both of these athletes have their best golf in front of them, and we are excited they will be Jayhawks.”
Softball: Jocelyn Alatorre (Orange, California), Kynleigh Ball (Georgetown, Texas), Daniella Gloria (Apache Junction, Arizona) Mackenna Jackson (Keller, Texas), Shelbi Stevens (Seguin, Texas)
KU coach Jennifer McFalls on the class: “This is a strong and well-rounded recruiting class that will make an immediate impact on our program. We’re graduating a very special senior class that has set the standard for Kansas softball, and this incoming group has the talent, athleticism and competitiveness to continue that momentum. I’m confident they’ll help us keep building a team capable of competing at the highest level.”
Swimming and diving: Hannah Renaud (Lake St. Louis, Missouri), Lauryn Vogt (Hillsboro)
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 (Laramie, Wyoming), Avery Poulton (Bountiful, Utah), Jaeli Rutledge (Webb City, Missouri), Ryan Sadler (Atlanta), Taylor Stanley (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 basketball: Mollie Ernstes (North Vernon, Indiana), Brooklynn Renn (Sellersburg, Indiana)
KU coach Brandon Schneider on the pair of recruits: “Mollie and Brooklynn are the start to our program signing back-to-back nationally respected recruiting classes. Their additions are extremely important with the graduation of key members of our program.”
Schneider on Ernstes: “Mollie is statistically proven to be one of the top three-point shooters in the country. She uses this strength to set up the rest of her game – attacking the paint and connecting on mid-range jumpers. Her size and length will be an asset defensively and she will rebound aggressively from the guard position.”
Ernstes on picking KU: I chose Kansas because I absolutely loved and enjoyed being around the players and the coaching staff. My official visit gave me the clarity that Kansas is the place for me. I could just be myself around them, and the campus was stunning.
Schneider on Renn: “Brooklynn is a long, and extremely versatile forward. Her offensive skill set allows her to shoot the three, attack off the bounce, and post mismatches. Defensively, Brooklynn can guard multiple positions and has terrific timing when it comes to blocking or altering shots. She really fits our style of play and will immediately compliment and elevate our front-line attack.”
Renn on KU: “I chose Kansas because it felt like a family as soon as I walked on campus. The girls and the staff made me feel like I was already part of the team. I loved the way Coach Brandon and the staff develop their girls and my morals match with his and the team. The way I play is also a perfect fit.”
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.
