LAWRENCE — In the past few years, the Kansas women’s basketball program has found itself back in the postseason picture.

In 2022, the Jayhawks reached the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2013. The next year, although they fell just short of another NCAA tournament trip they still went on to win the 2023 Postseason WNIT. This past season, in 2024, they returned to the NCAA tournament.

It’s a revival under head coach Brandon Schneider that has Kansas positioned to continue to be a factor in the national scene, not to mention a new-look Big 12 Conference. It’s one that has brought attention to Schneider and what he’s been able to accomplish during his rebuild. And earlier this month, he was rewarded with an extension through the 2027-28 season.

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“I don’t think there’s a better place to coach basketball in the country,” Schneider told The Topeka Capital-Journal. “They’re extremely supportive of — in my opinion — of every team in our athletic department and have been since we’ve been here. I think there’s a lot of schools that place a great deal of emphasis on a few sports, and I just feel like that here at Kansas the administration has been one — especially with (director of athletics) Travis (Goff) and with chancellor (Douglas) Girod — that challenges every program to be extremely competitive within the conference and on a national scene.”

Schneider said contract extension discussions began after this season. With the more limited time he had left on his previous deal, the ability to be able to have more years on the contract was something he said he and Goff thought was important from a recruiting standpoint. It wasn’t something that came up as he recruited his current roster, but had he been asked he would have said they were in discussions to make it happen.

Schneider’s roster will look far different this season than it has the past few, especially considering Taiyanna Jackson, Holly Kersgieter and Zakiyah Franklin wrapped up their college careers with the 2023-24 season. The team’s added a number of newcomers to keep the team’s momentum propelling forward. They join a group of returners that includes Wyvette Mayberry and S’Mya Nichols.

The questions that’ll need to be answered in the seasons ahead focus on two things, the NCAA tournament and the Big 12. Can Kansas advance past the round of 32 of the NCAA tournament and, on the way there, challenge more in the races for Big 12 titles? It’s what the Jayhawks have had the potential to do the past few years, but haven't quite reached just yet.

“Coach Schneider continues to demonstrate the ability to elevate Kansas Women's Basketball to new heights,” Goff said in a KU release. “On-court success has reached new levels, with three-straight postseason appearances and high-water marks for conference wins. He and his staff continue to recruit and develop high-character young women who represent KU exceptionally well in the classroom and in the community as well. Kansas Women’s Basketball is a program that belongs on the national stage - competing for Big 12 Championships - and we are very excited about Brandon’s future and our continued success in women’s basketball.”

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas women’s basketball coach Brandon Schneider receives extension