WINFIELD, Kan.—The Southwestern College women's basketball team begins a new chapter Monday evening when the Lady Builders open their 2025–26 season on the road against Manhattan Christian College. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. inside the Howie's Activity Center.
The matchup marks the debut of first-year head coach Joash Burt, who takes over a program eager to establish a new standard in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. Southwestern is looking to build on a foundation of growth and accountability under Burt's leadership after going 4–20 overall last season.
Southwestern brings back key contributors from last season's roster, led by senior guard Macey Pond, who averaged 11.6 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 36.3 percent from three-point range. Pond enters her final campaign as one of the KCAC's most reliable perimeter scorers and leaders on both ends of the floor. Fellow senior Allyson Frank returns to anchor the frontcourt after starting 23 games a year ago. Frank's interior presence and rebounding ability will be key for a team that averaged 37.8 boards per game in 2024–25.
Junior guard Kennedy Ford adds athleticism and long-range shooting after averaging 7.6 points per game last season, while junior Martha De La Rosa provides additional depth on the perimeter and a steady shooting touch from beyond the arc. Southwestern averaged 63.8 points per game last season while connecting on 31.5 percent of its three-point attempts. The Lady Builders showed flashes of potential in several close contests but struggled with consistency, allowing 78.0 points per game and being out-rebounded by nearly 11 boards per outing.
Manhattan Christian enters Monday's matchup following a 13–15 campaign under second-year head coach Dalton Miller. The Thunder went 6–6 in the Midwest Christian College Conference and advanced to the Central Region Tournament championship game. The Thunder are led by returning All-Conference and All-Region performer Nekayla Williams, who averaged 14.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season. Sophomore point guard Macayla Hines adds 10.4 points and a team-leading 2.8 assists per contest, while Elayna Wegner provides perimeter shooting after hitting 39 three-pointers a year ago. Manhattan Christian also brings in several new faces, including senior transfer Atira Davis and redshirt-junior Cortnea Wagner, as Miller looks to blend veteran leadership with a promising group of freshmen.
The Lady Builders have dominated the all-time series, holding a 3–0 record against Manhattan Christian dating back to 2007. The most recent meeting came on Nov. 8, 2021, when Southwestern claimed a 95–53 victory at Stewart Field House. The Lady Builders' largest margin of victory came in 2007 with a 96–41 home win.
Southwestern and Manhattan Christian will meet for the first time in four seasons October 27th in Manhattan, Kan. The game serves as the season opener for the Lady Builders and will count as an exhibition for the Thunder.
