MANHATTAN — A return to the NCAA Tournament for Kansas State women’s basketball is going to have to be done so with a new cast of characters.

Jeff Mittie enters the 2025-26 season with a new-look roster with only a few recognizable names from the team that danced its way to the Sweet 16 a year ago.

The roster Kansas State, ranked No. 25 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, assembled includes a few transfers from some of the nation’s best programs, along with some high-caliber high school prospects who should instill a lot of excitement for the program heading into the next few years.

Here are some Wildcats you need to know before the regular season tips off on Monday, Nov. 3, at 6:30 p.m. against Omaha at Bramlage Arena.

Taryn Sides

Sides is the most recognizable name on the roster after standing out for the Wildcats’ Sweet 16 team. She was a 3-point threat, knocking down 40.4% of her shots from beyond the arc, and she also set the school record for her assist-turnover ratio. She’ll be pushed into a starring role in 2025-26, one that she should be able to handle.

Izela Arenas

The daughter of Gilbert Arenas, the guard is a transfer from Louisville, where she appeared in 29 games and averaged 4.2 points on 41.8% shooting. She should be in line to start for the Wildcats, and already showcased her talents by scoring 22 points while making five 3’s in the Wildcats’ exhibition win over Tarleton State.

Jordan Speiser

One of the top high school recruits in the country joins the Wildcats as a lethal 3-point shooter and someone who has a chance to be one of the faces of the program for years to come. She was the No. 14 player in the country out of high school, and she helped her high school team finish as a state runner-up in Missouri a year ago.

Tess Heal

Heal started eight games for Stanford last season and should be pushed into a starting role with the Wildcats. She averaged eight points per appearance, shooting 50.3% from the field and 49.3% from deep.

Jenessa Cotton

A transfer from Duke, Cotton played 44 minutes in her first collegiate season. She joined the Blue Devils as a four-star prospect and one of the best high school players in California.

Brandie Harrod

Harrod is another highly-touted freshman, joining the Wildcats as a four-star prospect while ranked as the No. 58 player in her high school class. Out of Putnam City North (Oklahoma), she averaged 19 points, six assists and nine rebounds during her high school career.

Nastja Claessens

Claessens brings international experience after playing for Belgium’s national team over the last two seasons. Listed as a junior, she played in six games during the 2025 FIBA Women’s EuroBasket, averaging 5.2 points on 52.9% shooting.

Ramiya White

A Virginia Tech transfer, White played in 15 games during her true freshman season with the Hokies. She was a 37.5% shooter in her limited action, but made the most of her time on the floor on the boards, grabbing 1.6 rebounds per game.

Gina Garcia

Garcia is another international prospect, having played with the Spain U20 team, for which she was named its most valuable player. She averaged 11.3 points on 48.9% shooting while helping Spain win the 2025 FIBA U20 Women’s Eurobasket Spain competition.

Aniya Foy

Foy is another highly-touted high school prospect, ranking as a four-star guard and the No. 47 player in the country out of Cinco Ranch (Texas). She averaged 20.4 points during her high school career.

Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@gannett.com