Kansas State’s women’s basketball head coach Jeff Mittie revealed the full non‑conference schedule for the upcoming 2026‑27 season, a slate that blends home‑court comfort with a gauntlet of high‑profile road tests.
The Wildcats open the year with a four‑game stretch at home against Wichita State, Southern Indiana, UT Rio Grande Valley and Montana, a series that will showcase the program’s depth while giving fans early chances to see new talent.
Beyond that opening burst, the schedule takes the team to Sioux Falls for The Invitational, then down to Fort Myers for the Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tip‑Off, and finally to St. Joseph, Missouri, for the Bill Snyder Basketball Classic, each event promising competitive matchups and exposure.
A schedule built for ambition
Opponents include several squads that advanced to the 2025‑26 NCAA Tournament, the WBIT and the WNIT, among them Minnesota, NC State, Missouri and Creighton, all of whom will test Kansas State’s defensive schemes and push the Wildcats toward a top‑25 NET ranking.
What makes the schedule especially intriguing is the emphasis on quality mid‑major programs and Power‑4 teams, a deliberate move to schedule games against schools that share the same purple hue, creating a visually striking stretch of four consecutive contests against institutions with purple in their colors.
Coach Mittie highlighted that the non‑conference plan is designed not only to challenge the team but also to provide ample opportunities for growth, ensuring that each game contributes to a stronger résumé heading into conference play.
The ambitious slate reflects a broader strategy to elevate the program’s national profile, leveraging marquee matchups and tournament experiences that can translate into higher seeds and deeper runs in future conference tournaments.