KWU Athletics
For the first time since 2018-19 the Kansas Wesleyan women will embark on a new season later this month without Amanda Hill and Kelcey Hinz in uniform and on the roster.
The Coyotes' dynamic duo have moved on, Hill after five incredible years and Hinz after three. Hill departed as KWU's career scoring leader while Hinz exited after setting career bests for rebounds and blocked shots.
Coach Ryan Showman said their legacies won't be forgotten.
"I love those two, they mean an awful lot to me and what they've done for our program," he said. "They won a conference championship (in 2020), the first outright in school history.
"That team got us over the hump and we had been so close for many years. They got us where we needed to go and then helped continue that legacy their last couple of years."
But as the old saying goes, the show must go on and Showman's ready for the challenge.
"It's college athletics, like anything else it's cyclical," he said. "Eventually people's time comes to an end and it's different just because you get used to certain people and play in a certain way.
"Now it's just kind of a changing of the guard. It's exciting to move forward and watch some other people assume their role and what we lost in their production. Just seeing other people make that up. A lot of the foundation building they were able to do helps us where we're at today."
Hill and Hinz combined to average 28.7 points and 17.8 rebounds last season as KWU compiled a 21-11 record and tied for fourth in the Kansas Conference with a 15-9 record. The Coyotes lost to regular season champion Sterling in the semifinals of the conference's postseason tournament.
The cupboard, though, is far from bare in 2022-23. Three starters return in forward Caila Hill (SR/Rossville, Kan.), Amanda's younger sister, and guards LaMyah Ricks (JR/Shawnee Mission, Kan.) and Catherine Bowman (SO/Bucklin, Kan.) and are joined by others contributors off the bench, most notably center Tylieea Wallace (SO/Overland Park, Kan.) and guard Angel Roman (SO/Jacksonville, Fla.).
Hill averaged 6.7 points and 4.7 rebounds, Ricks 8.9 points and 2.2 assists and Bowman 6.4 points and 2.3 rebounds. Wallace chipped in 3.3 points and 2.9 rebounds and Roman 3.7 points – Roman playing in 32 games and Wallace 21.
Guards Megan Foote (SO/Louisburg, Kan.) and Kourtney Kaufman (SO/Moundridge, Kan.) saw limited varsity playing time during their freshman seasons as well.
"We've got enough pieces to be competitive," Showman said.
Showman signed two junior college players, guards Angel Lee (SO/Grandview, Mo.) from Moberly Area Community College (Mo.) and Jill Stephens (SO/Colby, Kan.) from Independence CC. He had previously recruited both, Lee out of high school in Grandview, Mo., and Stephens after her first season at ICC.
"They're really good players, they've got great skill sets, totally different skill sets," he said. "They're going to fill voids in scoring and rebounding that we lost with Kelsey and Amanda. They bring a competitive edge to our team that is different than what we've had."
Showman also signed eight freshmen.
"A couple of them you'll see on the varsity roster and will play both JV and varsity," he said. "They're freshmen and still have a ways to go but they're talented."
The Coyotes' play will be different, according to Showman – not unexpected with Hill and Hinz no longer available.
"I'm one of those coaches that's going to adjust what we do to my personnel," he said. "It's not slam the square peg into a round hole and then get mad when it doesn't fit. We're going to adjust things; we're going to change some things offensively and defensively so that it fits our personnel and puts the girls in a best position to be successful.
"At the end of the day that's all I want as a head coach."
Showman expects the KCAC to be another gauntlet.
"It's brutal," he said. "I really think we've got some new coaches that are going to do some really great things. You look around the league and the old reliables that are usually at the top have reloaded. The people that were middle of the pack towards the bottom all got better players.
"It's going to be tough but I think as a competitor that's what you want."
The Coyotes open the season with games against University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis on Oct. 28 and Columbia College on Oct. 29 in Columbia, Mo. They'll play Central Methodist in the home opener Nov. 5 inside Mabee Arena.