RCW: Meet the women's basketball coaching staff

There’s a team of coaches and staff behind each successful Kansas team that is striving to bring out the best in each of the student-athletes and push them towards a common goal. Get to know this year’s coaching staff, including quick highlights and a link to their full bio.
 

BRANDON SCHNEIDER
Head Coach | Second Year
Bio Full Bio

  • Head coach Brandon Schneider enters his second season at the helm of Kansas women’s basketball and became just the sixth head coach to lead the Jayhawks in April of 2015.
  • In 18 years as a head coach, Schneider has recorded 407 victories while at Emporia State, Stephen F. Austin and Kansas.
  • Schneider has taken 14 of his 18 teams to the postseason, including a 2010 Division II National Championship while coaching at Emporia State.

AQUA FRANKLIN
Associate Head Coach | Third Year
Bio Full Bio

  • In her second tenure at Kansas, Aqua Franklin enters her third season coaching on the sidelines of Allen Fieldhouse.
  • Franklin played four seasons, alongside assistant coach Damitria Buchanan, at Texas A&M where she was one of the most decorated guards in program history, ranking in the top three in assists with 627.
  • In 2008, Franklin was the 38th pick in the WNBA draft by the Sacramento Monarchs. During her rookie season, Franklin helped the Monarchs to the opening round of the 2008 WNBA playoffs.

 

KATIE O’CONNER
Assistant Coach | 12th Year
Bio Full Bio

  • Katie O’Connor has 15 years of coaching experience and has spent 11 of those seasons assisting the development of Kansas women’s basketball student-athletes.
  • O’Connor aided in KU returning to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the third time in program history during the 2012-13 campaign.
  • A four-year starter at Virginia Tech, O’Connor played for the Hokies from 1995-99 and helped lead Tech to an Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament title, a regular-season A-10 title and two NCAA Tournament appearances.

DAMITRIA BUCHANAN
Assistant Coach | Second Year
Bio Full Bio

  • Damitria Buchanan is no stranger to the Big 12 conference after spending time at Texas Tech as an assistant coach and a four-year playing career at Texas A&M.
  • Buchanan coached with Schneider prior to coming to Lawrence. As a part of the Stephen F. Austin staff, Buchanan mentored Porsha Roberts to multiple all-conference accolades.
  • At Texas A&M, Buchanan helped the Aggies to three Big 12 Championships and four top-25 finishes, including top-10 finishes during her final three seasons.

 

ANDY MAJORS
Director of Player Development | Second Year
Bio Full Bio

  • Prior to joining Kansas as the director of player development, Andy Majors spent five seasons as an assistant for Schneider at Stephen F. Austin.
  • With the Ladyjacks, Majors helped SFA to back-to-back league titles in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and made three postseason appearances.
  • Majors was a standout quarterback from 2002-05 at Pittsburg State and was a crucial part of the Gorillas’ national runner-up finish in 2004.

DONEASE SMITH
Director of Basketball Operations | Second Year
Bio Full Bio

  • Donease Smith came to Kansas after six seasons with Memphis women’s basketball where she served in a similar role, taking care of both internal and external needs of the Tigers’ program.
  • Smith came to KU with experience working with the WNBA after spending two seasons as the basketball operations manager for the Detroit Shock.
  • A native of Sedalia, Missouri, Smith earned all-conference accolades at Central Missouri, while averaging 10.9 points and 6.6 rebounds her senior campaign.

 

DAYLYN HARRIS
Recruiting Operations Coordinator | First Year
Bio Full Bio

  • Daylyn Harris enters her first season with Kansas women’s basketball in the newly-created role of recruiting operations coordinator.
  • Harris played three seasons for Schneider at Stephen F. Austin before becoming a student coach for the Ladyjacks.
  • The Livingston, Texas, native helped SFA to two Southland Conference titles and two postseason appearances.

NATALIE KNIGHT
Graduate Student Manager | Second Year
Bio Full Bio

  • A graduate of the Kansas women’s basketball program, Natalie Knight enters her second season as the graduate student manager.
  • Knight, a two-time All-Big 12 selection, played for the Jayhawks from 2011-15 and helped KU to back-to-back NCAA Sweet 16 appearances in 2012 and 2013.
  • An Olathe, Kansas, product, Knight became the 28th Kansas women’s basketball player to score over 1,000 career points, finishing her career as one of the most prolific 3-point shooters with 1,081 points.