Kennesaw State University Athletics

Kennesaw State Women's Basketball History

1992 & 1993 - Playing for the Gold

After making it to the NAIA District tournaments for four-straight seasons, Kennesaw State women's basketball - led by head coach Susan Montgomery - earned a trip to the 1992 NAIA National Championship tournament. The Owls met Rosary in their first NAIA Championship matchup and earned a 94-90 victory.

Montgomery led the Owls back to the tournament in 1993 after defeating Berry and Shorter in the NAIA District tournament.

March 1, 1997 - Champions

Head coach Colby Tilley propelled Kennesaw State into its Division II era by winning its first Peach Belt Conference crown in a 78-77 win over Georgia College. KSU went 12-1 in conference play in the 1996-97 campaign - its best conference finish in program history up to this point.

March 19, 1997 - Elite

KSU continued its success following its Peach Belt title by earning the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional title in 1997.

Taking the regional crown earned the Owls a berth in the 1997 NCAA Division II Elite Eight.

1997 - All-American

Forward Joanna Cuprys made history in 1997, becoming the first Kennesaw State women's basketball student-athlete to earn All-American honors. The Poland native was named a Kodak All-American and earned a selection to the NCAA Division II Bulletin All-American team. She led DII in scoring, averaging 26 points per game and shot 48% from beyond the arc.

March 9, 2000 - Back In It

After a 24-4 season and back-to-back PBC regular season crowns, the Owls earned an at-large bid to the 2000 NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional, where the Owls defeated Livingstone College, 77-62.

With the win, Kennesaw State earned its second trip to the South Atlantic Regional Championship Game.

2000 - Ballin' Brazenas

Senior guard Rima Brazenas delievered a memorable season with the Black and Gold at the turn of the century in the 1999-2000 season. The Peach Belt Player of the Year became the second Owl to win Kodak All-American honors and was also named to the WBCA All-District 3 team and the Daktronics All-American third team.

She also led the country in steals, averaging 4.8 per game.

2001 - All-American Kane

Senior Amie Kane made waves in an Owl uniform for her final season in 2000-01. Kane became the first Owl to receive WBCA All-American first team honors in addition to being the second-ever Owl named to the NCAA Division II Bulletin All-American first team.

2004 - The Era of Denisha

Denisha Ferguson lit up the court toward the end of Kennesaw State's time in Division II. Ferguson was named to the WBCA All-American first team and the Daktronics All-American third team. But where she made her mark in 2003-04 was by becoming the first and only Kennesaw State Owl to be named Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year.

March 3, 2005 - One More Time in Division II

In its final season before transitioning to NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Sun Conference, Kennesaw State had one more run to make. After defeating Francis Marion (70-69) and UNC Pembroke (78-66), the Black and Gold's last game in Division II was for the 2005 Peach Belt Conference Championship.

November 18, 2005 - Welcome to Division I

After 23 seasons of competition at the NAIA and NCAA Division II level, Kennesaw State women's basketball takes the court as a member of NCAA Division I for the first time. With long-time head coach Colby Tilley at the helm, KSU women's basketball ushers in its first Division I era with a road contest at the Furman Paladins. 

December 1, 2005 - 1-0 at Home

For the first time as a DI program in front of home fans, the team did not dissapoint, toppling the Lipscomb Bisons, 69-68, to start 1-0 on home court. The two teams met again in an ASUN matchup on Feb. 23, 2006 where the Owls defeated Lipscomb once again - this time on the road - 87-79.

January 5, 2006 - The Sun is Shining

Kennesaw State WBB picked up its first Atlantic Sun Conference win in a road matchup against the Jacksonville Dolphins, 66-60.

2008 - Atlantic Sun Player of the Year

In her junior campaign and Kennesaw State's third season at the DI level, forward Britteny Henderson became the first Owl to earn Atlantic Sun Player of the Year honors. She reached double figures in points in 14-straight games and secured a spot on the 2008 All-ASUN First Team. She was fourth in the conference in scoring and second in rebounding. Henderson helped KSU to a still-program-best 11-5 ASUN record.

March 1, 2012 - Dancing in the Sun

Kennesaw State WBB picked up a monumental milestone in its program history towards the end of the 2011-12 season, defeating North Florida 51-49 in the opening round of the ASUN tournament. The win marked the first Atlantic Sun tournament victory for KSU women's basketball.

December 22, 2014 - Last-Second Power Win

Kennesaw State's 10-2 start to the 2014-15 campaign was stamped with a last-second trey from Deandrea Sawyers to lift the Owls to a 61-60 win at home over Big East foe Xavier. The victory was KSU's seventh-straight and the first over a Power Six team in program history. Game Recap

March 8, 2019 - Upset-Minded

Amani Johnson and Alexis Poole brought their A-game to the 2019 Atlantic Sun tournament, helping No. 7-seed Kennesaw State to a 67-59 upset win over No. 2 Stetson - the highest-ranked win in Owl WBB's Division I era. Game Recap

2020 - Poole Party

Forward Alexis Poole stamped her name into the Kennesaw State record books during her time with the Black and Gold and in the 2019-20 campaign, she became just the second Owl to be named to the All-Atlantic Sun First Team. She averaged a career-best 17.2 points per game a 7.9 boards per game, following up on her ASUN All-Freshman Team honor from 2017-18.

April 27, 2021 - Winner for Life

Arguably one of the most successful student-athletes to wear an Owl uniform for any sport, Amani Johnson cemented her legacy in 2021. The former Kennesaw State SGA President was named an Atlantic Sun Winner for Life following the 2020-21 campaign. Learn more

April 29, 2021 - A Blue Era

Kennesaw State women's basketball began a new era in 2021, inking Octavia Blue to be the eighth head coach in program history. Blue was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in 1998, the first-ever draftee from the University of Miami (Fla.). Learn more

October 22, 2022 - Announcement of a New Journey

After over 17 years at the Division I level, Kennesaw State athletics announced a move to Conference USA and NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, effective July 1, 2024.

December 29, 2022 - The Scoring Queen

Amani Johnson added to her legacy in her final season with KSU, becoming Kennesaw State's Division I career scoring leader with 1,667 points - a feat she earned in the Owls' 109-53 win over Coastal Georgia. Game Recap

December 21, 2023 - A Comeback for the Ages

Kennesaw State traveled to West Palm Beach, Florida, for the West Palm Beach Classic and ended its run in the event against the Providence Friars. Down 50-39 with 7:52 left, KSU engineered an incredible comeback and a 22-1 run led by junior Prencis Harden. After Carly Hooks drained a three to tie the game, Harden made key free throws to put the Owls in front for the 53-51 upset win.

It marked KSU's second-ever win over a Power Six program and first since 2014. Game Recap

January 2024 - Soaring to New Heights

Kennesaw State started off hot to its final season in the Atlantic Sun in 2023-24. Coach Blue led the Owls to the first 3-0 ASUN start in program history with a thrilling 59-57 win over Jacksonville and extended it to 4-0 with a 63-48 win over Stetson. KSU's victory over the Hatters earned the Owls a six-game ASUN win streak stretching from the 2022-23 season. JU Game Recap | Stetson Game Recap

2023-24 - Momentum to Carry

The 2023-24 campaign was filled with several milestones for Kennesaw State WBB. Coach Blue became the fastest KSU WBB head coach to 30 Division I wins and 20 home wins. The Owls achieved their most weekly ASUN honors since 2014-15 and the second-most ASUN Freshman of the Week awards in program history. KSU led the conference in double-doubles and offensive rebounds per game.

The Owls' 85-75 win at Bellarmine was the most points scored by KSU in a road ASUN victory since Feb. 18, 2006. Their 31-point win at Queens to end the regular season tied the largest margin of victory in Atlantic Sun action in Kennesaw State history, tying the mark set on Feb. 4, 2008.

2024-25 - CUSA Era

Kennesaw State ushered in a new chapter as members of Conference USA. Leading the charge for the Owls was senior Prencis Harden, who led the Owls in nearly every major statisical category. She also broke the program's Division I single-season. double-double record and was named First Team All-CUSA after five weekly awards during the campaign.

The Owls defeated UTEP in the first round of the CUSA tournament for their first postseason win in the league.

2025-26 - A Berry Successful Career

Guard Keyarah Berry earned All-CUSA Second Team honors after averaging 14.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals while shooting 47.3% from the field and scoring in double figures in 22 of 28 games. Berry's four-year career at KSU (2022-26), unique in the transfer portal era, featured 50 double-figure-scoring games. The Rockmart, Georgia, native finished ranked in the top 10 in KSU's DI-era in free throw attempts (354), games played (115), free throws made (219), field goals made (403), 3-point percentage (32.3), steals (123) and points (1,078). 

March 30, 2026 - Tianni Kelly Named Head Coach

A leadership change following the conclusion of the 2025-26 season resulted in the hiring of rising coaching star Tianni Kelly as the ninth head coach in program history. Kelly arrived in Kennesaw after spending the last two seasons as associate head coach at Chattanooga, where she helped the Mocs to a SoCon Regular Season Championship and a pair of postseason appearances. Kelly's head coaching experience began at her alma mater, Charleston (WV). The former Golden Eagle guided the program from 2021 to 2024 and posted an 85-32 overall record, including 59-21 in Mountain East Conference play. Under Kelly's leadership, Charleston reached three straight NCAA Division II tournaments, including back-to-back Sweet 16s in 2021 and 2022.