Bolivar, Mo. - The SBU Women's Basketball team recruited heavily this offseason after losing some major impact players like Caylee Richardson, Morgan Henderson, and RayShee Smith. As the 2018-19 season came to an end, the team won 4 of their last 5 to finish in a tie for 10th in the MIAA, but due to new tournament rules, the Bearcats barely missed the conference tournament. SBU now transitions into their full-time membership with the Great Lakes Valley Conference, where the women's basketball team looks to make their presence known.
 
Head Coach Kelsey Keizer has brought 9 new players to the team, in hopes of filling big shoes of those who moved on from last season. 
 
Alexus Johnson
Hometown: Coffeyville, KS
Position: Guard
Year: Graduate
 
Alexus Johnson is a prolific shooter that is coming to the Bearcats as a Graduate Transfer. She played in 19 games with three starts at Louisiana Monroe (NCAA DI) last season. Johnson connected on at least two three-pointers in 6 games. Prior to Louisiana Monroe, she played in and started in 30 games at Dodge City CC. She was named second team All Jayhawk Conference and Honorable Mention All Region VI as a sophomore. She led the Conquistadors in scoring by averaging 18.7 point per game while topping 20 points 18 different times. She scored a career-best 35 points at Colby CC earning Jayhawk Conference Player of the Week honors. She also pulled in 5.4 rebounds per game at Dodge City CC and set the school record for career free throw percentage at 82.5%.
 
Taylor Birch
Hometown: Emporia, KS
Position: Guard
Year: Junior
 
Taylor Birch played in 64 games for the Butler CC Grizzlies. Her team won the NJCAA Region VI Tournament and played in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament this past season. Taylor started in 47 games in her 2-year career making 106 3-point field goals and scoring 417 career points. She also averaged 2.3 Rebounds, 1.4 Assists, and 0.8 Steals for the Grizzlies. Birch as named the Region VI All-Tournament Team in 2019 and was also name to the 2019 NJCAA All-Academic Team. In high School, Birch was a four time All State honoree for Emporia High School.
 
Kyleigh Vaught
Hometown: Smithton, IL
Position: Point Guard
Year: Junior
 
Kyleigh Vaught played for the St Louis CC Archers last season after transferring from former MIAA foe, University of Nebraska-Kearney. Vaught averaged 16.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in her Sophomore season. She was honored at all levels of competition last season earning 1st Team All-Conference, 1st Team All-Region, and 3rd Team All-American by the NJCAA.
 
Kyla McIntosh
Hometown: Tulsa, OK
Position: Guard
Year: Junior
 
Kyla McIntosh played for Labette Community College in Parsons, Kansas. She averaged 10 points per game, 3.6 rebounds per game, 1.5 assists per game, and 2.0 steals per game in her Sophomore season. She was named 3rd Team All-Conference and KJCCC All-Academic Team. McIntosh played at East Central High School in Tulsa, OK earning both All-State and Academic All-State Honors.
 
Piper Francis
Hometown: Mountain View, MO
Position: Guard
Year: Freshman
 
Piper Francis ended her career at MV-BT Liberty as the all-time leading scorer in school history. She earned All-Conference, All-District, and All-State honors as well as All-USA Today High School Girls Basketball Player Honors. As a prolific shooter, Piper made 250 career 3-point shots and scored 2,513 career points during her four-year high school career.
 
Natalie Basham
Hometown: Osage Beach, MO
Position: Guard
Year: Freshman
 
Natalie Basham was a multi-sport athlete at Camdenton High School. In her senior season, she averaged 24 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, 3.4 assists per game and 4.2 steals per game. She helped lead her team to the 2018 District Championship earning All-State recognition her Senior season. Basham also earned District Player of the Year in 2019 along with All-Conference and All-District Recognition in the previous 3 seasons. Natalie will also compete in Track & Field at SBU.
 
Allison French
Hometown: Clinton, MO
Position: Forward
Year: Freshman
 
Allison French scored 1,872 career points for Leeton HS. She earned All-District honors four times and All-State honors 3 times, while also being named Johnson County Player of the Year in both her Junior and Senior Season. French averaged 19.8 points per game her senior season shooting 54.2% from the field and 40.4% from the 3-point line.
 
De'Jaria Guillory
Hometown: Parkville, MO
Position: Guard
Year: Freshman
 
De'Jaria Guillory played at Park Hill South High School in Kansas City, Mo. She has been known as a feisty guard who loves to defend. Guillory averaged 2.4 Steals per game while scoring 8.9 points per game.