Xavier’s Libby Fandel commits to play women’s basketball at Kansas

CEDAR RAPIDS — Rock Chalk, Libby’s a Jayhawk.

Libby Fandel, a senior-to-be at Cedar Rapids Xavier, announced her commitment Monday to play women’s basketball at the University of Kansas.

“I’m excited, and I’m glad to get the recruiting process out of the way,” Fandel told The Gazette. “I love the coaching staff. (Head coach) Brandon (Schneider) has great character and great values.

“They focus a lot on player development. I see a lot of potential for them to make some noise in the Big 12.”

Ranked No. 41 nationally in the Class of 2025 by ESPN, Fandel picked the Jayhawks over programs like Creighton, TCU, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin and BYU.

As a junior, the versatile 6-footer averaged 24.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 4.0 steals.

She has scored 1,311 career points, with a season to go.

A three-time first-team all-state in both basketball and volleyball, Fandel would have been a Division-I prospect in either sport.

“My freshman year, I switched over to (All-Iowa) Attack,” she said. “I couldn’t play club volleyball anymore, so this was the direction I chose.”

Fandel led the Saints to a Class 4A state basketball title as a freshman, then did the same in volleyball as a sophomore.

Marion native Morgan Paige is the associate head coach for the Jayhawks.

Kansas went 20-13 last season (11-7 in the Big 12) and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Fandel intends to major in business and/or communications at KU. In the meantime, she said, “I want to get back to state in both sports. I think we can make some noise.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com