It’s been a busy summer for the Kennesaw State women’s basketball team, highlighted by a focus on team bonding. 

With eight newcomers this season — two freshmen and six transfers — head coach Octavia Blue emphasized building a strong culture. The goal was for teammates to get to know each other better, which in turn would create stronger connections on the court. 

The Owls started by engaging with the community. Their first trip was to a new Crunch Fitness facility in Kennesaw, where the team participated in a complimentary hot yoga session followed by a tour of the gym. 

Shortly after, the squad was invited to tour Pause, a rehabilitation and therapy center in Marietta, Georgia. The facility specializes in cryotherapy, infrared saunas and other recovery methods. 

“It was such a great time, and the ladies really loved it,” Blue said. “They showed us all of their new technologies and recovery methods like cold plunges and flotation therapy. It’s always great to be able to get the faces of KSU out in the community and show them what we are about.” 

The Walens family, longtime Kennesaw State donors, hosted the team at their home for dinner and a pool party. It marked the second year they welcomed the Owls, providing a food truck, games and entertainment. 

Offseason activities continued with what Blue called the team “Owl-ympics,” a field day of recreational games. The festivities included water balloon battles and water gun showdowns. 

The final team event before preseason practices was Blue’s annual Welcome Back Bash, hosted at her home. Each year she cooks for the team and sets a theme for the night. Past themes have ranged from a 1990s throwback to a “Wild ’N Out” game-show style event. This year’s highlight was a team-wide Jeopardy! game, where teams were broken up and wore black & white bandanas to represent their teams. The game was won by The White Team which included Lee Lee Willis, Kailyn Fields, Shania Nichols-Vannett, Fanta Daffe, Emaya Lewis, Kaelyn Flowers & Latazia Williamson. 

“I think it was a great summer. It was a chance for us to get to know each other on another level, and going into year five, I felt it was important for the team to build chemistry and learn early on to have each other’s back so when it’s time to battle – we’d be willing to run through a wall for one another,” Blue said. 

As practices began, the foundation of trust had already been built throughout the summer. 

Purchase 2025-26 Season Tickets

Season tickets are now on sale for the 2025-25 KSU women's basketball campaign. Click here to secure your seat for an exciting campaign featuring eight home CUSA contests for an Owls squad led by returners Keyarah Berry, Trynce Taylor, Lee Lee Willis and Kailyn Fields.

The Owls Fund 
The Owls Fund is the primary fundraising arm of Kennesaw State Athletics with the goal of supporting our student-athletes, coaches and each of our 18 NCAA Division I programs. Through initiatives such as Legacy Lockers, the Dot Martin Scholarship Golf Classic, sport-specific giving opportunities, general donations and season tickets, The Owls Fund connects fans with KSU's programs and student-athletes. Members receive exclusive benefits such as hospitality seating areas and events at Kennesaw State home games, and more. Joining The Owls Fund here and discover more opportunities on how you can support Kennesaw State Athletics.