The Ell-Saline Lady Cardinals coaching staff will look a little bit different this year as the lady Cards take the court. With the departure of head coach Brandi Schneider after last year, Ell-Saline hired long time girls coach Tom Haynes to take over as head coach. Haynes coaching pedigree goes back over 30 years but he had spent the last 10 years coaching middle school girls basketball at Salina South in Salina. Coach Haynes is a fundamentals coach and said ‘he is what a team like the Ell-Saline lady Cards need”
Ell-Saline went just one 1-20 a season ago as they would graduate seven seniors the year before. The lady Cards would also lose their leading scorer from last year All-HOA Taelor Hardesty to graduation.
The lady Cardinals will return a pair of sophomores in Paisley Jensen (4.6 PPG) and Aubrey Smith (1.2 PPG) who both earned valuable minutes last season. Haynes will move Jensen from forward where she played last year to one of the guard spots. Senior Riley Johnson also got a ton of court experience last year as they will call on her more this year.
Ell-Saline also has a couple girls that have not played since middle school in senior Genna Stetler and junior Bret Hecker. Both Stetler and Hecker should step into big roles for coach Haynes.
Sophomore Lauren Taylor will be the tallest lady Card on the court and she stands at 6’0 even. So what the lady Cards lack in size they will have to make up for in speed and athleticism, but the lady Cards are up for the task.
Coach Haynes even eluded to a few freshman might see some valuable time on the varsity court as his roster of 18 girls consists of 14 freshman and sophomores. While most coaches that is a daunting task but it’s great for a first year head coach that teaches fundamental basketball.
The Heart of America league will continue to be one of the toughest 2A leagues in the state as Moundridge and Inman both hung banners last season. Moundridge won the 2A state championship while Inman finished 3rd.
The lady Cards will open up their season Friday night as they travel to Herington to take on the lady Railers and try to start off the 2025-26 season with a win and continue to build to a successful season.
2025-26 Ell-Saline Lady Cardinals Basketball Schedule
Friday December 5 at Herington
Tuesday December 9 vs Minneapolis (Tri-County Classic)
Friday December 12 at Republic County (Tri-County Classic)
Saturday December 13 at Bennington (Tri-County Classic)
Tuesday December 16 at Ellinwood
Friday December 19 vs Berean Academy
Tuesday January 6 at Inman
Friday January 9 at Remington
Saturday January 10 at Rural Vista
Tuesday January 13 vs Hutch Trinity
Friday January 16 vs Sedgwick
January 19-23 Berean Academy Tournament
Tuesday January 27 vs Marion
Friday January 30 vs Hoisington
Tuesday February 3 at Bennington
Friday February 6 at Wichita Classical
Tuesday February 10 vs Moundridge
Friday February 13 vs Central Christian (Wichita)
Friday February 20 at Sterling
