Due to the University of Kansas [KU] women’s basketball team’s early season success, they were ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press [AP] top 25 poll as of Jan. 9. With major victories over Baylor, Oklahoma State University, and Texas Tech University, KU has a 12-1 record, and were No. 3 in the Big 12 as of Jan. 7. 

Following the success, the Free State girls’ basketball team took a trip to watch KU play against Texas Tech University. This was an opportunity for the team to see what basketball is like at the next level of competition. 

“It inspires me to watch them do good,” sophomore Grace Lichauer said. “And see the stuff they do and how I can put that into my game”

Sophomore Chloe Clossen said it was an inspirational and motivating experience to watch the women’s team succeed after many years of struggling. 

“It’s given us some hope,” Clossen said.  “They haven’t been very successful in the past, and we are not very successful right now, so it’s like, maybe if we work as hard, we can get to where we want to be.”

For sophomore Sydney Hulcher, she noticed the level of intensity and hustle KU plays with.

“They never gave up, they were hustling up and down the court the entire game.” Hulcher said.

Clossen expressed the fact that despite being in high school, her and the team can still replicate the relentless hard work KU plays with. 

“We can always use them as examples,” Clossen said. “They’re a Division 1 school, but that doesn’t mean we can’t hustle as hard as them.”