Harper Taylor says she is not the same person she was when she departed Kansas Wesleyan after the 2022-23 women's basketball season.
"The last time I left I was not expecting to be a head coach, but I think that I am more than ready," Taylor said Tuesday during the Kansas Conference's online media day.
Taylor was named Wesleyan's basketball coach in May after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Division II Metropolitan State-Denver. She had spent the 2021-22 and '22-23 seasons as an assistant at KWU.
Taylor inherits a young team after several key players graduated including four starters.
The Coyotes were picked sixth by conference coaches and fourth by media representatives in the KCAC preseason polls. KWU did receive two first-place votes in each poll.
"Coming off of last year we've got to regroup and find a new team, play off what we had last year and put those pieces into motion," she said.
Taylor is counting on returning veterans Paige Chauncey and Odessa Ozuna to lead the way this winter. Chauncey was the starting post player and averaged 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds while Ozuna was a top reserve and averaged 8.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
"Paige and Odessa have done a really good job of leading our team and getting everybody on the same page trying to get us to move forward and get ready for that opening game that we have later this month," she said.
Taylor has been busy installing her system and getting the team familiar with it.
"What I've seen in practice is a lot of buy in to how I've changed things around and how quickly we're doing things; how fast we're going through drills. It's been a lot of changes," she said. "I'm really proud of how our returning group has responded to the things I have decided to do."
Taylor is counting on three newcomers to play key roles.
"We've got Izzy McCool from Dordt (College)," she said. "She's a junior and has come in and embraced every single thing about Kansas Wesleyan. It's been a joy to really watch her grow with our team and fit in like she was never at another school. Freshman Raegann McDonald is a post player from Clay Center. Works really hard and she's going to be ready to go when the season comes. Anna Jueneman, a freshman from Hanover, is a very quick lefthander.
"I'm very excited about what those pieces will bring to our returning group and how they will handle different challenges and adversity together."
Taylor knows it won't be easy.
"A big difference is me being a young female head coach figuring it out for the first time, taking it day by day," she said. "I know that there's going to be a lot of challenges but it's not something that I or our team are going to shy away from."
The ability to adapt will be essential.
"We need to play fast, we need to play unselfishly, and we need to be a little bit more ready and able to adjust to different situations," she said. "I'm definitely excited to see how our group can handle that."
The Coyotes open with Dakota State at 6 p.m. Oct. 31 in the Kansas Wesleyan Classic inside Mabee Arena. They play William Penn at 4 p.m. the following day.
Evangel was the coaches' pick to win the KCAC in 2025-26 followed by Friends, Tabor, Saint Mary and Bethel to round out the Top 5.
Tabor was the media pick followed by Friends, Evangel, KWU and Saint Mary to round out the Top 5.
2025-26 KCAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Evangel - 161 (9 FPV)
2. Friends - 147 (2)
3. Tabor - 132
4. Saint Mary - 123
5. Bethel - 118
6. Kansas Wesleyan - 115 (2)
7. Sterling - 99 (1)
8. Bethany - 94
9. Ottawa - 87
10. Oklahoma Wesleyan - 58
11. Avila - 54
12. York - 40
13. Southwestern - 25
14. McPherson - 21
2025-26 KCAC Women's Basketball Preseason Media Poll
1. Tabor - 123 (4)
2. Friends - 121
3. Evangel - 112 (3)
4. Kansas Wesleyan - 110 (2)
5. Saint Mary - 87
6. Sterling - 82
7. Bethel - 80
8. Bethany - 71
9. Oklahoma Wesleyan - 65
10. Ottawa - 61
11. Avila - 46
12. York - 40
13. Southwestern - 31 (1)
14. McPherson - 21