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🏀 Kansas Women’s Basketball Visits Grand Lake for Team Retreat

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas Women’s Basketball took a trip to Shangri-La Resort on Grand Lake for its second-annual Team Retreat on August 16-18. Head coach Brandon Schneider was joined by KU’s 15 players, assistant coaches, support staff and managers on the retreat.

The Jayhawks first took a Team Retreat prior to the breakthrough 2021-22 season, which ended with Kansas winning 21 games and returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. For his efforts, Schneider was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year and rewarded with a new four-year contract, which ensures he’ll be with the Jayhawks through the 2025-26 season.

"I think we can all agree that a lot of our success last season started right here with our Team Retreat. Our staff and players all agreed that it was a good use of our time and our resources, so we were excited to return to Grand Lake and again get our season started with this time of team and culture building."

Head Coach Brandon Schneider

Coach Brandon got to showcase his golfing skills early in the week when he stepped up to the tee box on a golf simulator.

On Tuesday night, the Jayhawks took a sunset cruise around the lake. Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, or Grand Lake to the locals, is nestled in the foothills of the Ozark Mountain Range of Northeast Oklahoma. The 46,500 acre lake is a popular destination for fishing and all water sports.

Returning members took turns presenting on the four Team Pillars of the Kansas Women’s Basketball program. Those pillars are:

Unity: The state of being one
Thankfulness: Feeling or expressing gratitude; appreciative
Integrity: Adherence to moral or ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty
Respect: A feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities or achievements

A home run derby broke out on Wednesday as members of the staff took their turns on the wiffle ball field. Associate head coach Terry Nooner hit one of the biggest shots of the day!

Several free time activities were available to the Jayhawks while staying at the resort. Players, coaches and staff had the chance to compete in pickle ball, table tennis, shuffleboard and various board games in addition to some spending time in the arcade.

On Wednesday evening, the travel party was split in to two teams for a Red vs. Blue challenge on the kickball field. At no time during the game did either team hold a lead of more than two runs, but ultimately it was the blue team that prevailed by one.

Coach Brandon led by example with his hustle and effort during the kickball game. In his first plate appearance, he got on and strategically rounded the bases to score the blue teams first run of the game.

 With the Team Retreat now complete, the Jayhawks have returned to Lawrence to prepare for the start of fall semester. The Jayhawks have already announced the non-conference portion of the 2022-23 schedule and the date for Late Night in the Phog has been set for October 14. Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online or by calling 800-34-HAWKS.

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