In the wake of his five-year contract extension — a reward for a Big 12 tournament title and Sweet 16 berth in his first two seasons at the helm — Kansas coach Nate Lie met with the media back in April and expressed confidence about a number of facets of his team: its fitness, its maturity, its leadership and so on.
But he also presented a couple of key questions.
Can KU continue to play like an underdog, even though none of its foes will take it for granted any longer after two of its most successful seasons ever? Can it maintain an environment of competition, even as it returns quite a few key starters, most of them firmly ensconced for multiple years?
“Our biggest question, when I show up in front of y’all in the fall, is like, are we going to be able to score enough goals?” Lie said.
Now the time has come for the Jayhawks to deliver an answer — they open their season at home on Wednesday against Utah State — and there are a number of contenders to fill the void left by strikers Lexi Watts (who graduated) and Saige Wimes (who transferred to West Virginia).
“Lexi, in particular, is just one that doesn’t come around every day,” Lie said in an interview with the Journal-World. “One that can win one-v-one, can unbalance a defense by herself. I do think we have some players that have components of that, but I think we’re going to have to replace those two in aggregate more than we are player for player.”
One piece of great news in that regard for KU is the retention of Jillian Gregorski, the attacking midfielder who already put in 10 goals as a sophomore in 2025 playing a layer deeper than Watts and Wimes.
“She looks like an upperclassman — even as a second-semester sophomore, scored in most of our spring matches, looks confident, assured out there,” Lie said of the Connecticut native. “She’s always had a nose for goals, so I think there’s a world where she takes a step.”
There’s also some hope that Kate Langfelder, another midfielder who has long been key to KU’s tactics, can play a bigger role in influencing the attack this season. Returning those two to occupy a pair of midfield spots, Lie says, puts KU in “as good a situation as almost anyone in the conference.”
But ultimately the Jayhawks do in fact have to put players upfront — and the strikers Lie and his staff select will be tasked with enforcing the high-pressure play style that has helped KU get its footing in the Big 12.
Jocelyn Herrema is one of just two seniors on the roster, along with nationally regarded wing back Caroline Castans, to have spent her whole career at KU. The reserve forward has seen a steadily increasing role in 58 career games; Lie said he expects her to continue her upward trajectory.
Jordan Rowan played extensively as a freshman, although her production and minutes dwindled somewhat later in the year: “I think of any player, she maybe took the biggest jump from last fall to spring, and then hopefully into this fall,” Lie said. Faith Johnston, another young player, scored in a pair of NCAA Tournament games.
Then there are newcomers like Norah Jacomen, a former Big East adversary of Lie’s who joins from Butler, among others.
“I’m really glad we got Norah and (Kentucky transfer midfielder Sydni Fink) like a semester early,” Lie said, “because I think if they came in in the fall, they would have had to have a learning curve that might have lasted a decent amount of the fall, but they took it in the spring, and maybe they come back that next level.”
One of the transfers who did come in later is Hannah Palmer, who joins from rival Kansas State. The Bucyrus native scored five goals with four assists for the Wildcats; Lie said she has a similar play style to Wimes (who recorded those same stats last year).
The other spring addition is lefty London De Fini from Lipscomb, and KU has to figure out exactly how to use her. The junior started 22 times for a team that won an NCAA Tournament match. For the Bisons, she spent time at left forward and left back in a 4-3-3, Lie said, which could give her a chance to spell the playmaking Castans at wing back.
“I think Caroline, it’s great that she can play 90 minutes a game,” Lie said (she averaged 84 last year). “I told her in the offseason I don’t really want to play her 90 minutes a game. We want her there for the long run, and we hopefully are playing a long season.”
But there is also now an opening at left center back because Olivia Page transferred in the spring. That could go to De Fini or someone else internally.
Center back was a position of some intrigue last year before Lie moved Emily Tobin inside and shifted Livvy Moore to wing back. Playing in front of veteran goalkeeper Sophie Dawe, Tobin and Jordan Fjelstad make for a strong core, but both have dealt with some health issues during the offseason, even as Lie said his team was mostly unscathed.
“We have to have enough depth and preparation that if they’re not ready to go on day one we’re OK,” Lie said.
Wing back will undoubtedly be one of the strengths of the team with Castans as a first-team all-conference returning player and Moore having spent all offseason at her new position.
“We understand how dangerous we can be down the left,” Lie said. “We should be just as dangerous down the right. Livvy has the skill set, so it’s more like can she feel free playing, understanding the system, and then there will be players up front.”
The rest of the roster largely consists of young players who had periodic roles last season, like Marit McLaughlin, Mary Sola and Lydia Viets, along with another sizable freshman class, the first with which Lie’s staff got to experience a full recruiting cycle.
They’ll plunge into a challenging schedule that includes quite a lot of road matches. The Jayhawks will only play at home eight times this year. They begin against Utah State on Wednesday and then play four straight matches away from Lawrence.
“We’re taking, sort of, our medicine this year,” Lie said. “As we look ahead to ’27, it looks a lot better as far as the home-away split.”
Conference play begins at Cincinnati on Sept. 18. The location for the Big 12 tournament this year has not yet been announced.
Kansas midfielder Jillian Gregorski pushes downfield during the Jayhawks’ NCAA tournament game against California Baptist on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence.
Kansas’ Kate Langfelder controls the ball against Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, in Lawrence.
Kansas junior forward Jocelyn Herrema looks for a teammate to pass the ball to during the matchup against Kansas State on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, in Lawrence.
Kansas’ Jordan Rowan makes a pass against Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, in Lawrence.
Kansas defender Caroline Castans makes her way past California Baptist’s Katrina Marsh during the Jayhawks’ NCAA tournament game on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence.
Kansas junior Emily Tobin attempts to get past California Baptist’s Katrina Marsh during the Jayhawks’ NCAA tournament game on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence.
Kansas midfielder Livvy Moore runs up the sideline with the ball during the game against Colorado on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, in Lawrence.
Kansas goalkeeper Sophie Dawe walks on to the field before the Jayhawks’ NCAA tournament game against California Baptist on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence.
Kansas’ Jordan Fjelstad makes a pass against Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, in Lawrence.
Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World
Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World
Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World
Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World
Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World
Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World
Nathan Friedman/Special to the Journal-World
Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World
Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World