Jeff Mittie just found himself on an impressive watch list. The Kansas State women's basketball coach was one of 15 candidates named to the Naismith Women's Coach of the Year watchlist. This is only the second time a K-State women's basketball coach has been named to the waitlist.
Coach Mittie named one of 15 candidates for the 2024 Werner Ladder Naismith Women's Coach of the Year Late Season Watch List
— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) February 21, 2024
📰: https://t.co/lLgziMbhWw#KStateWBB x @JeffMittie pic.twitter.com/Xk9euDVpES
Mittie has helped the Wildcats improve greatly with each season he has coached. He helped the team reach its highest ranking ever twice, being ranked No. 2 in the AP polls. Under Mittie, Kansas State is the first program to go unranked in the preseason polls and then be ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 later in the year.
Mittie can enjoy this accomplishment and the win his team got over No. 22 West Virginia Wednesday night. The Wildcats had to get the win in overtime after some bad defense in the late second of regulation. However, this team fought through injuries and lost Serena Sundell for some time due to an ankle injury.
Ayoka Lee made her return to the court after missing the game against UCF due to injuring her other ankle. Lee played a limited game but still finished with 34 points and 12 rebounds.
Ayoka Lee has been dealing with two ankle injuries.
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) February 22, 2024
She just put up 34 points and 12 rebounds in Kansas State's win over No. 22 West Virginia.
In 26 minutes.
📸: @KStateWBB pic.twitter.com/ddtRQ11RLq
The Wildcats went on a 9-0 run to end the game and beat the Mountaineers 73-64.
More Kansas State Wildcat news
Kansas State baseball continues to stay in the polls as they are ranked No. 24 in this week's rankings. The Wildcats finished up their Arizona road trip with a loss against Arizona State. The team looks to bounce back this weekend at home in a three-game series against Holy Cross.
The Kansas State track and field team is gearing up for the Big 12 Championship in Lubbock, Texas this weekend. This will be the final meet for the indoor season before the NCAA Championship in Boston, Massachusetts at the beginning of March.
More college sports news
UConn and Purdue both fell in the same week. That is definitely going to shake up the rankings going forward. However, with the AP rankings leave them at the top, or will another team take over the top spot yet again this season? UConn has held the top spot for the longest this season, but after the blowout loss the Creighton, they could slide in the rankings.
The College Football Playoff Committee unanimously approved the new 5-7 format for the playoff next season. With the playoff expanding to 12 teams next season, the five conference champions will get automatic bids while the remaining seven spots will be given to the next seven best teams.