LAWRENCE, Kan. (KUAthletics.com) – Head coach Brandon Schneider and the Kansas women’s basketball staff signed four prospects during the early signing period, including three who are currently ranked in the top 100 of the ESPNW HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings.
KU’s four-player class of Tatyonna Brown, Jaliya Davis, Libby Fandel and Keeley Parks is ranked as the No. 6 recruiting class in the ESPNW’s post-signing window class rankings. Davis becomes the highest-ranked player that Kansas has signed during Schneider’s tenure, coming in at No. 17 in the rankings, while Parks is also a five-star prospect ranked No. 29. Fandel is rated a four-star prospect at No. 44, while Brown is also a four-star and ranked just outside the top 100.
Davis, a 6-2 forward from Blue Valley North HS in Overland Park, Kansas, and Parks, a 5-11 guard from Norman HS in Norman, Oklahoma, were both named to the Naismith Trophy Girl’s High School Player of the Year Preseason Watch List.
The Jayhawks recruiting class ranks as the highest-rated in Schneider’s tenure. KU’s class of 2023, which featured S’Mya Nichols, the No. 34 recruit in the class, and Laia Conesa was ranked No. 24 in the country.
Coach Brandon Schneider on the 2025 Recruiting Class:
“This recruiting class is the result of years of work that fortunately went our way. I think we’ve been involved in a lot of fierce recruiting battles through the years, some that we were really close on, and didn’t succeed. It’s nice when it all comes together like it did with this class. Success in recruiting is a team effort. We have a terrific staff, and our players are heavily involved and want to be involved in recruiting. I think we’ve really made a greater effort to recruit within driving distance of Lawrence, Kansas, and all four of these kids can jump in the car and get here. I think that they are drawn to our culture and the trajectory of our program, but I also think they see an opportunity to take it to new heights and to places that this program has never been.”
Class of 2025 Signees:
Tatyonna Brown | F | 6-2 | Colorado Springs, Colo (Air Academy HS)
• Rated a four-star prospect by ESPNW
• Two-sport standout, competing in basketball and volleyball for Air Academy HS
• Averaging 13.2 points and 9.4 rebounds for her career
• Recorded 11 double-doubles as a junior, helping Air Academy to a 25-2 overall record and a state semifinal appearance
ESPNW Scouting Report: “Brown is a 6-2 lefty forward who is active in the paint and on the glass. She brings a physical presence to the floor and has upside potential with flashes of the perimeter shot.”
Jaliya Davis | F | 6-2 | Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley North HS)
• Rated a five-star prospect and the No. 17 recruit in the country by ESPNW
• Top high school prospect in the state of Kansas and one of 50 prep seniors named to the Naismith Trophy High School Player of the Year Watch List
• Has led Blue Valley North HS to a 40-9 record over the past two seasons, including the 2023 Class 6A State Championship and a third-place finish in 2024
ESPNW Scouting Report: Davis is one of the best forwards in the 2025 class. She is an elite operator in the paint and extremely hard to keep off of the glass, with an advanced face up game and soft touch around the rim.
Libby Fandel | G | 6-1 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Xavier HS)
• Rated a four-star prospect and the No. 44 prospect in the class by ESPNW
• Has earned all-state honors in both volleyball (four times) and basketball (three), helping Xavier HS win state titles in each sport
• Averaged 24.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 4.0 steals per game as a junior and was named the conference player of the year
• Reigning Cedar Rapids Metro Area Girls Basketball Athlete of the Year
ESPNW Scouting Report: “Fandel is a multisport athlete with an all-around game. She can catch fire from the perimeter and moves well without the ball. She has that glue-like quality about her that impacts winning.”
Keeley Parks | G | 5-11 | Norman, Okla. (Norman HS)
• Rated a five-star prospect and ranked as No. 29 in the country by ESPNW
• 2024 Gatorade Oklahoma Girls Basketball Player of the Year and one of 50 prep seniors named to the Naismith Trophy High School Player of the Year Watch List
• Named The Oklahoman’s Super 5 Player of the Year and Big All-City First Team in 2024 ater averaging 26.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 5.6 steals per game
ESPNW Scouting Report: “Parks is an accomplished big guard with a strong frame. She has long range on her shot and finishes well around the rim with contact.“
