Three Kansas City Women’s Basketball Players No Longer on Active Roster

Update: Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Dr. Brandon Martin provided a statement. 

  Three more players decided to step down from the Kansas City Roos’ women’s basketball team, RooNews has learned.

  This comes weeks after junior forward Dani Winslow confirmed on Jan. 8 that she had departed. Winslow stepped down from the team due to mental and physical health reasons. 

   In a statement Sunday night, Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Dr. Brandon Martin said college student-athletes have more freedom to make their careers possible.

  “In the current landscape of college athletics, student-athletes have more autonomy than ever to make their optimal collegiate career a reality,” Martin said. “Throughout her career, Coach Jackson-Durrett has displayed an ability to overcome obstacles and elevate those around her, and we support the strategic direction that she is taking our program.”

  The departures mean that four players who were on the roster in December are no longer on the team. 

  The three players who decided to step down are graduate guard RaVon Nero and freshman guards Aunisty Smith and Grace Graham, according to the official Kansas City Athletics website. 

  Those three signed with Kansas City during Coach Jacie Hoyt’s time in Kansas City. Hoyt left the program in the spring of 2022. 

  Dionnah Jackson-Durrett took the place of the former Roos’ coach for the 2022-2023 season. This is her first year as a head coach, as she last was the Associate Head Coach for Texas from 2020-2022. 

  In her time with Kansas City, Nero played a pivotal role as the sixth woman off the bench. In seven games, she averaged 9.3 points per game, 2.1 steals per game, and completed over 93% of her free throw shots. 

  Graham saw little-to-no minutes on the court but had an impressive 14-point performance against Utah Tech. In that same game, she racked up four steals and three rebounds. 

  Smith never played any minutes for the Roos. She signed a deal to stay in Kansas City when Hoyt coached in Kansas City. In an interview with Kansas City Athletics, she said: “The coaching staff showed me the most interest. Every time I visit, it feels like home. Kansas City is home for me.”

  The Roos currently have 10 active players on the roster, with Sanaa’ St. Andre still recovering from her mid-season injury. 

  Since the turn of the year, the team went 3-8. On Saturday, Oral Roberts blew out the last-place Roos 86-68. 

  We will bring you more information as it comes in. 

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