Kansas State University Athletics
Taylor Waiver Denied by NCAA
Nov 02, 2025 | Women's Basketball
MANHATTAN, Kansas – Kansas State women's basketball player Kennedy Taylor has had her waiver for a fifth season of eligibility denied by the NCAA, the school announced on Sunday.
A 6-foot-2, forward, Taylor joined the Wildcats in the summer of 2024. She had petitioned the NCAA for a fifth year of college eligibility after starting her career at Colorado in 2021-22 where she played in only eight games for a total of 19 minutes. She then played two seasons at Missouri State (2022-24) before joining the Wildcats.
During her season in Manhattan in 2024-25, Taylor played in 36 games with 12 starts and logged 455 minutes of action (12.6 mpg). She carded 256 points (7.1 ppg) and tallied 13 games with 10 or more points while shooting a career-high 53.4 percent from the field (95-of-178). Was 66-of-83 (.795) from the foul line. Â She pulled in 167 rebounds (4.6 rpg), blocked 16 shots and pocketed 19 steals.Â
Taylor started her K-State career with 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting and 6-of-6 from the foul line while pulling in 11 rebounds, blocking one shot and pocketing a steal in 16 minutes off the bench against Green Bay on Nov. 4.
In the postseason, Taylor registered a personal season-high 21 points on 9-of-9 shooting, three rebounds and two blocks against West Virginia in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championship.Â
In her first career NCAA Tournament appearance, she tallied eight points, four rebounds, a block and steal against Fairfield and followed that effort in the second round with 11 points, including 7-of-7 from the foul line, eight rebounds and a block against Kentucky in K-State the second round overtime win. She surpassed the career 1,000-point mark with her scoring effort against Kentucky.
Taylor, a product of Shawnee Mission, Kansas, was a decorated player at Missouri State for the last two seasons. During her time with the Lady Bears, Taylor saw action in 65 games with 41 starts and tallied 749 points (11.5 ppg) including 43 games in double figures. She registered a field goal percentage of .509 (296-582) from the field and was .616 from the foul line (157-255). Taylor hauled in 505 rebounds (7.8 rpg), dished out 81 assists (1.2 apg), blocked 36 shots (0.6 bpg), pocketed 50 steals (0.8 spg) and registered 19 double-doubles.
In the 2023-24 season, Taylor was named the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Sixth Player of the Year and a 2024 All-MVC Third Team recipient by averaging 10.7 points on a .502 field goal percentage. She also pulled down 7.1 rebounds per game. Taylor's top effort for the season came against Drake in the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference championship game, as she notched a season-high 22 points and pulled in 11 rebounds.
In her first season at Missouri State in the 2022-23 season, Taylor was named to the 2023 All-MVC Third Team and a 2023 MVC All-Newcomer Team by averaging 12.3 points on a .515 field goal percentage, while pulling in 8.5 rebounds. Taylor ranked 13th nationally and first in the MVC with 4.0 offensive boards per game. She ranked 71st in the nation for total rebounds (272) and 76th in rebounds per game.Â
Taylor's top performance in the 2022-23 season came against UIC on February 4, as she dropped a career-high 25 points, dished out a career-high six assists, while matching her career high with 15 rebounds. Her 25-point, 15-rebound, 6-assist game versus the Flames was the first by an MVC player since 2010 and she was one of just two NCAA Division I players to post that stat line in the 2022-23 season.
Taylor was rated as the number two player in the state of Kansas by Prepgirlshoops.com in the 2020-21 season and was the 2021 Sports in Kansas 6A Player of the Year. In her senior season, Taylor averaged 14.9 points and 11 rebounds per game and helped Shawnee Mission Northwest to its first basketball state title. Set single-game school scoring record with 33 points...Â
During her prep career, Taylor was also nominated for Gatorade Player of the Year in 2021, was the First Team Kansas Basketball Coaches Association All-State, CJ Online All-State Basketball, a second team selection by the Wichita Eagle and a two-time DiRenna Award Finalist as one of the most outstanding high school basketball players in the greater Kansas City area. She also competed in the discus during her high school career.
K-State begins its 58th season of action on Monday, as the Wildcats host Omaha in Bramlage Coliseum. Tickets for the season-opener are available by calling (800) 221-CATS, online at kstatesports.com/tickets and on gameday at the Bramlage Coliseum ticket windows. Monday's game will feature a postgame autograph session with the team.
The season-opener will be streamed live on ESPN+ and can be heard on the K-State Sports Network, online at kstatesports.com and on the K-State Sports app and the flagship stations of K-State women's basketball in Manhattan, Sunny 102.5 and 1350 KMAN.
A 6-foot-2, forward, Taylor joined the Wildcats in the summer of 2024. She had petitioned the NCAA for a fifth year of college eligibility after starting her career at Colorado in 2021-22 where she played in only eight games for a total of 19 minutes. She then played two seasons at Missouri State (2022-24) before joining the Wildcats.
During her season in Manhattan in 2024-25, Taylor played in 36 games with 12 starts and logged 455 minutes of action (12.6 mpg). She carded 256 points (7.1 ppg) and tallied 13 games with 10 or more points while shooting a career-high 53.4 percent from the field (95-of-178). Was 66-of-83 (.795) from the foul line. Â She pulled in 167 rebounds (4.6 rpg), blocked 16 shots and pocketed 19 steals.Â
Taylor started her K-State career with 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting and 6-of-6 from the foul line while pulling in 11 rebounds, blocking one shot and pocketing a steal in 16 minutes off the bench against Green Bay on Nov. 4.
In the postseason, Taylor registered a personal season-high 21 points on 9-of-9 shooting, three rebounds and two blocks against West Virginia in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championship.Â
In her first career NCAA Tournament appearance, she tallied eight points, four rebounds, a block and steal against Fairfield and followed that effort in the second round with 11 points, including 7-of-7 from the foul line, eight rebounds and a block against Kentucky in K-State the second round overtime win. She surpassed the career 1,000-point mark with her scoring effort against Kentucky.
Taylor, a product of Shawnee Mission, Kansas, was a decorated player at Missouri State for the last two seasons. During her time with the Lady Bears, Taylor saw action in 65 games with 41 starts and tallied 749 points (11.5 ppg) including 43 games in double figures. She registered a field goal percentage of .509 (296-582) from the field and was .616 from the foul line (157-255). Taylor hauled in 505 rebounds (7.8 rpg), dished out 81 assists (1.2 apg), blocked 36 shots (0.6 bpg), pocketed 50 steals (0.8 spg) and registered 19 double-doubles.
In the 2023-24 season, Taylor was named the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Sixth Player of the Year and a 2024 All-MVC Third Team recipient by averaging 10.7 points on a .502 field goal percentage. She also pulled down 7.1 rebounds per game. Taylor's top effort for the season came against Drake in the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference championship game, as she notched a season-high 22 points and pulled in 11 rebounds.
In her first season at Missouri State in the 2022-23 season, Taylor was named to the 2023 All-MVC Third Team and a 2023 MVC All-Newcomer Team by averaging 12.3 points on a .515 field goal percentage, while pulling in 8.5 rebounds. Taylor ranked 13th nationally and first in the MVC with 4.0 offensive boards per game. She ranked 71st in the nation for total rebounds (272) and 76th in rebounds per game.Â
Taylor's top performance in the 2022-23 season came against UIC on February 4, as she dropped a career-high 25 points, dished out a career-high six assists, while matching her career high with 15 rebounds. Her 25-point, 15-rebound, 6-assist game versus the Flames was the first by an MVC player since 2010 and she was one of just two NCAA Division I players to post that stat line in the 2022-23 season.
Taylor was rated as the number two player in the state of Kansas by Prepgirlshoops.com in the 2020-21 season and was the 2021 Sports in Kansas 6A Player of the Year. In her senior season, Taylor averaged 14.9 points and 11 rebounds per game and helped Shawnee Mission Northwest to its first basketball state title. Set single-game school scoring record with 33 points...Â
During her prep career, Taylor was also nominated for Gatorade Player of the Year in 2021, was the First Team Kansas Basketball Coaches Association All-State, CJ Online All-State Basketball, a second team selection by the Wichita Eagle and a two-time DiRenna Award Finalist as one of the most outstanding high school basketball players in the greater Kansas City area. She also competed in the discus during her high school career.
K-State begins its 58th season of action on Monday, as the Wildcats host Omaha in Bramlage Coliseum. Tickets for the season-opener are available by calling (800) 221-CATS, online at kstatesports.com/tickets and on gameday at the Bramlage Coliseum ticket windows. Monday's game will feature a postgame autograph session with the team.
The season-opener will be streamed live on ESPN+ and can be heard on the K-State Sports Network, online at kstatesports.com and on the K-State Sports app and the flagship stations of K-State women's basketball in Manhattan, Sunny 102.5 and 1350 KMAN.
Players Mentioned
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