PITTSBURG - The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team is set to begin the MIAA Tournament on Friday (Mar. 6) against the Washburn University Ichaobds at historic Municipal Auditorium.

Set for a 2:15 p.m. (CST) start, Pitt State is coming in as the winners of the past two MIAA Tournaments while Washburn is seeking to claim its 10th conference tournament title and first since 2012.

Head Coach Amanda Davied
In her eighth year as head coach of her alma mater, Davied owns a 166-72 (.697) record. During her tenure as head coach, she has guided the Gorillas to the Division II National Tournament four times (2025-23 & 2019) with her debut season marking the first coach in program history to guide the Gorillas to a 20-win season. Last season, Davied was named the MIAA and KBCA Four Year College Coach of the Year after helping lead the Gorillas to a 33-4 overall record and a NCAA Division II Final Four appearance after claiming the MIAA regular season, MIAA Tournament and Central Region Tournament championships. Davied has deep ties to the program first as a player (1999-03), graduate assistant (2003-04) and assistant coach (2004-18) while serving as the lead assistant from 2007-18 for current Division I, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), head coach Lane Lord.

A Peek at the Gorillas
Pittsburg State enters the MIAA Tournament with an 18-10 overall record after going 11-8 in the MIAA to earn the sixth seed this weekend. The Gorillas have claimed the last two MIAA Tournament titles and are 18-32 in 34 prior appearances. In the quarterfinal round, Pitt State owns a 12-20 record and overall against Washburn the Gorillas are 3-4 following a 71-57 win in the semifinals of the 2025 tournament. Leading the charge on offense for the Gorillas this season has been Ja'Miya Brown with 12.5 points a game, adding in 4.6 rebounds on her way to being an All-MIAA honorable mention selection. Marin Adams was also named All-MIAA honorable mention after averaging 12.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists a game. Harper Schreiner was an All-MIAA third-team performer after averaging 11.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 steals a game. Kaycee McCumber leads the MIAA with 9.9 rebounds a game while adding in 8.8 points. Clara Swearingen in her first season as a starter is averaging 8.5 points a game with 38 made three pointers. Cambrie Phillips (5.1), Amanda Byrnes (4.7), Hannah Miller (4.7), Karolina Kiraga (2.6), Marie Wembadjonga (2.1) and Ashlyn Yow (1.8) round out the team.

Career Highs Set In 2025-26
Ja'Miya Brown: 36 points vs. Western Colorado (Dec. 20). 11 rebounds at Northwestern Oklahoma (Nov. 20). 3 assists at No. 8 Fort Hays State (Dec. 13) and vs. St. Mary (Kan.) (Dec. 15). 6 steals at Cameron (Dec. 19). 2 blocks vs. Central Oklahoma (Dec. 4). 13 field goals made and 7 three pointers made vs. Western Colorado. 6 free throws made at FHSU. Amanda Byrnes: 8 rebounds vs. Central Oklahoma (Dec. 4). 5 blocks at Northwestern Oklahoma (Nov. 20). 7 field goals made vs. St. Mary (Kan.) (Dec. 15). 5 free throws made vs. Newman (Jan. 8). Hannah Miller: 20 points vs. Northern State (Nov. 14). 6 rebounds vs. St. Mary (Kan.) (Dec. 15). 3 assists vs. Northern State & St. Mary (Kan.). 2 steals vs. Northern State. 8 field goals made 4 throws made vs. Northern State. 1 three pointer made at Cameron (Dec. 19). Harper Schreiner: 9 free throws made at Northeastern State (Jan. 3). Clara Swearingen: 20 points vs. Angelo State (Nov. 30). 5 rebounds at No. 8 Fort Hays State (Dec. 13), vs. ASU & No. 8 Texas Woman's (Nov. 25). 5 assists vs. Minnesota Crookston (Nov. 15). 4 steals vs. Arkansas - Fort Smith (Jan. 31). 7 field goals made and 4 three pointers made vs. ASU. 8 free throws made vs. Rogers State (Dec. 6).

Double-Doubles in 2025-26
This season three Gorillas have recorded double-doubles, with all 12 instances being points-rebounds performances. 
Kaycee McCumber (8): 11 points, 18 rebounds vs. No. 8 Texas Woman's (Nov. 25); 15 points, 15 rebounds vs. Central Oklahoma (Dec. 4); 17 points, 15 rebounds at Rogers State (Jan. 14); 12 points, 11 rebounds at Central Oklahoma (Jan. 17); 16 points, 12 rebounds vs. Arkansas - Fort Smith (Jan. 31); 10 points, 15 rebounds vs. Missouri Southern (Feb. 2); 13 points, 16 rebounds at Emporia State (Feb. 5); 16 points, 22 rebounds vs. No. 6 Fort Hays State (Feb. 21).
Harper Schreiner (4): 19 points, 12 rebounds vs. Minnesota Crookston (Nov. 15); 12 points, 11 rebounds vs. St. Mary (Kan.) (Dec. 15); 18 points, 10 rebounds at Northeastern State (Jan. 3); 12 points and 12 rebounds at Rogers State (Jan. 14).
Ja'Miya Brown (1): 20 points, 11 rebounds at Northwestern Oklahoma (Nov. 20).

Schreiner Feeling Grand
Harper Schreiner became the 27th Gorilla in program history to score 1,000 career points in the fourth quarter against Newman (Jan. 8). The Eudora, Kan., native recorded her 12th career double-double on the road against Rogers State (Jan. 14), finishing with 12 points and 12 rebounds and in 128 career games (all starts) while wearing the Crimson and Gold, Schreiner has accumulated 1,123 points, 769 rebounds, 493 assists, 188 steals and made 102 three pointers. Among Pitt State career ranks, Schreiner is third in rebounds and assists, tied for third in games played, sixth in steals, 17th in scoring and 18th in made three pointers. Against Northwest Missouri (Feb. 14) in the first quarter became the 18th Gorilla in program history to make 100 or more career three's. Also became the fourth player in program history to accumulate over a career 1,000 points, provide 300 assists and score 100 three pointers, joining Grace Pyle (2021-25), Amanda Davied (1999-03) and Leslie Dudley (1996-00).

From Denver, Colo. to Pittsburg, Kan.
Senior Ashlyn Yow and junior Amanda Byrnes will be teammates at the collegiate level for the third season in a row after transferring into Pittsburg State from fellow Division II program, Metropolitan State University - Denver (MSU - Denver). Yow appeared in 77 games for MSU - Denver where she finished with 411 points (5.3), 140 rebounds (1.8) and 92 assists (1.2) while shooting .333 from distance. Byrnes played in 51 games as a Roadrunner, finishing with 153 points, 143 rebounds and 23 blocks in 12.9 minutes a game.

International Rillas
Marie Wembadjonga (Libreville, Gabon) and Karolina Kiraga (Wistka, Poland) have taken unique paths to end up being teammates this season at Pittsburg State. Wembadjonga played at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) last season where she averaged 7.8 points and 7.8 rebounds a game, the Gabonese national began her collegiate career in 2023-24 at Chipola College where in 27 games she averaged 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 points a game. Wembadjonga played at the Lycee Joseph Ambouroue Avaro Secondary School in Gabon prior to playing collegiately. Kiraga will begin her collegiate career with the Gorillas after wrapping up a prep career at Providence Classical Christian Academy in Rogers, Ark. Karolina (Lola) averaged 17.6 points and 7.1 rebounds a game during her time at PCCA, being named an All-State performer three-times.

Five Gems
Pittsburg State features five players who played high school basketball in the state of Arkansas. Junior Ja'Miya Brown (North Little Rock | North Little Rock High School), Freshmen Marin Adams (Farmington | Farmington High School), Karolina Kiraga (Wistka, Poland | Providence Classical Christian Academy), Kaycee McCumber (Farmington | Farmington High School) and Cambrie Phillips (Cave Springs | Bentonville High School). Brown in her first season as a starter is averaging 12.5 points a game and has made 44 three pointers at a .379 clip. Adams and McCumber are coming off three straight Arkansas State Championships (4A in 2023 & 24, 5A in 2025). This season, Adams is averaging 12.2 points, to go with 3.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists a game with McCumber corralling a MIAA leading 9.9 rebounds a game to supplement 8.8 points. Coming off the bench, Phillips is averaging 5.1 points and Kiraga, 2.6.

Rewriting The Book As A Freshman
Early in her collegiate career, Kaycee McCumber has already left her mark in the Pittsburg State record books with three freshman records. This season the Farmington, Ark., native has achieved eight double-double performances, hauled in 266 and counting rebounds and tied the school record for rebounds in a game against No. 6 Fort Hays State (Feb. 21) with 22. Among season ranks her rebound tally as of Feb.28th is sixth, and her eight double-doubles are tied for the seventh most in a season.

WU Report
Washburn ended the regular season 21-7 overall and 14-5 in the MIAA to claim the third seed in the MIAA Tournament for this weekend. Listed as No. 6 in the latest edition of the NCAA Division II Regional Rankings, the Ichabods are looking to make it to the first national tournament since the 2012-13 season. Payton Sterk leads the team with 12.3 points a game while making 48 three pointers (.345). Yiibari Nwidadah this season is shooting .575 from the field for 11.5 points a game to go with a team-high 7.3 rebounds. Gabi Giovannetti rounds out the top scorers for WU at 11.1 a game with 40 makes from distance (.357). Britany Kogbara is the leading weapon off the bench at 7.8 followed closely by Aniah Wayne with 7.1 points per game.