Kennedy Sanders’ primary goal in the closing weeks of last season was to help the Colorado women’s basketball team win as much as possible.
In the process, she provided a glimpse into the future – a future that has now become the present.
A third-year sophomore who is the longest-tenured player on the team, Sanders is hoping to build off her strong finish to last year as she prepares for the upcoming season.
“I’m very excited,” she said. “I’m just excited for the year to start, and start playing games.”
A 5-foot-8 point guard from Chaska, Minnesota, Sanders redshirted during the 2023-24 season when CU reached the Sweet 16 for the second year in a row. Last year, she was the top backup to Kindyll Wetta on a rebuilt CU team.
Now, Sanders is the projected starter for a squad that is rebuilt again, with 10 new players.
“We don’t know yet (who will start), but just being able to lead has been important,” Sanders said. “If (starting) happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t, but either way, I’m gonna use my leadership role.
“I’ve obviously been here for a couple years, so just helping those kids that haven’t been here as much. Obviously, we have so many freshmen, so they all are kind of in the position that I was my freshman year, so just being able to help them is important.”
Whether she starts or not remains to be seen, but Sanders proved herself last year.
Playing in 29 games (with one start), she averaged 18.0 minutes, 4.9 points and 2.3 assists. Her season included four double-digit scoring efforts in the last 10 games, including 18 points in a win against Houston and 14 in a Big 12 Tournament win against Arizona.
Sanders was also relied upon more, playing 21-plus minutes in 10 of the last 12 games.
“I definitely felt a lot more comfortable, just confident in what I was doing (late in the season),” she said. “I knew our offense, what we wanted to do on defense. Just being able to understand how we wanted to play, I feel like I was much more comfortable.”
After last season, Wetta and five others graduated, while five players transferred. Sanders chose to stay in Boulder.
“I mean, I love our coaches. I love it here,” she said. “I love the way we play, everything about it. I love our drive.”
As one of only three returners – along with forward Jade Masogayo and center JoJo Nworie – Sanders is now in a position to step from the shadows of last year’s veterans and become a leader.
“Kennedy has been incredible,” CU head coach JR Payne said. “She’s playing really well. She’ll never be the loudest kid in the gym, and that’s OK. You can still be a phenomenal leader and lead in your own authentic way, which we want for her.
“She’s done a great job, like Jade, organizing things, getting everybody together, making sure they know how we want things done. Also on the court she’s talking a lot, is grabbing kids, bringing them in, coaching them up; like, doing a really, really good job.”
For Sanders, it’s part of the natural growth in college athletics that is almost unique in the transfer portal era. Fewer players than ever are willing to develop through redshirt and backup seasons, while waiting for their time to shine.
Sanders, however, is eager for the next step in her career.
“I feel like it’s just been good (at CU),” she said. “I’ve been able to kind of learn. My freshman year, I learned from all those older kids, kind of like their leadership roles and stuff like that. Then obviously learned from Kindyll and everything last year.
“It’s been a little different (this year). Obviously, I know what we’re running because everyone’s so new, so yeah, it’s been a little different, but it’s been good.”