Kristian Ferrell
The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) men's basketball team, also known as the Kansas City Roos or simply the Roos, competes in the Summit League. The team has a rich history, including two in-season tournament championships and several notable rivalries. The Roos have experienced both highs and lows over the years, with their performance fluctuating between winning and losing seasons. The team has undergone rebranding and strategic changes, emphasising their location in Kansas City. The Roos have passionate supporters and are an integral part of the city's sports culture and heritage.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Division | Division I |
| Conference | The Summit League |
| Nickname | Roos |
| Colors | Blue and Gold |
| Website | kcroos.com |
| @KCRoosAthletics | |
| KCRoosAthletics | |
| Head Coach | Matt Brown |
| 2023-24 Record | 16–16, 10–6 Summit League |
| 2024-25 Preseason Ranking | #22 in the College Insider Mid Major Top 25 |
| 2025-26 Season Opener | August, Toronto |
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What You'll Learn
- The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) basketball team is known as the Kansas City Roos
- The Roos play in the Summit League
- The Roos have enjoyed past success, including two in-season tournament championships
- The team has had a variety of coaching fortunes
- The Big 12 Conference is also relevant to basketball in Kansas City, Missouri
The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) basketball team is known as the Kansas City Roos
The Kansas City Roos men's basketball team has experienced both highs and lows over the years. They enjoyed success in the early 1990s under the leadership of head coach Lee Hunt, achieving three consecutive winning seasons from 1991 to 1993. During the 1991-92 season, they finished with an impressive 21-7 record, the best in their NCAA Division I program's history. They also won the River City Classic tournament that season.
However, the team struggled during the 2022-23 season, finishing with an 11-21 overall record and a 7-11 record in the Summit League. They showed improvement in the following season, finishing with a 0.500 record of 16-16 overall and a strong 10-6 record in the Summit League, securing second place in the conference.
The Roos have had notable achievements in recent years, including winning the Chicago Invitational Challenge (Lower Bracket) in 2011 and being the runner-up in the Gulf Coast Showcase in 2022 and 2024. They have also experienced success in individual player accolades, with Kasheem Grady II and Jayson Petty recognized as Summit League Freshman of the Year in their respective seasons.
The team's colors are blue and gold, and they have conference rivals that include Omaha and Oral Roberts. The University of Missouri-Kansas City's basketball team, the Kansas City Roos, continue to represent their university and city with pride, aiming for further success in the highly competitive world of college basketball.
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The Roos play in the Summit League
The University of Missouri-Kansas City, commonly branded as UMKC for athletic purposes, fields a basketball team known as the Kansas City Roos, or simply the Roos. The Roos play in the Summit League, which has officially announced its 2025-26 men's and women's basketball schedules. The team's colours are blue and gold.
The Roos have experienced varying levels of success over the years. They have won two in-season tournament championships: the River City Classic in 1991 and the Chicago Invitational Challenge (Lower Bracket) in 2011. They were also runners-up in The Islands of the Bahamas Showcase in 2019 and the Gulf Coast Showcase in 2022. The team struggled in the 2022-23 season, going 11-21 overall and 7-11 in the Summit League. However, they bounced back in the 2023-24 season, finishing 16-16 overall and 10-6 in the Summit League, securing second place in the conference.
The Roos have had several notable coaches throughout their history. Lee Hunt led the team during its transition to NCAA Division I in 1987. Hunt compiled a record of 113-135 during his nine-season tenure, making him the winningest coach in the program's Division I history. Matt Brown had less success, with an overall record of 60-122 in six seasons, the worst winning percentage in the program's history. More recently, in 2013, the Roos hired Richardson, who had just won a national title as an assistant coach at Louisville.
The Roos have had some notable achievements and players as well. They made the NAIA basketball tournament in 1977, although they lost in the first round. During the 1991-92 season, they finished with a record of 21-7, the best in their NCAA D-I program's history. Additionally, the Roos have had two players with their jersey numbers retired: Ronnie Schmitz (#24) and Tony Dumas (#23), who was an NBA first-round draft selection.
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The Roos have enjoyed past success, including two in-season tournament championships
The Kansas City Roos, formerly known as the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), is a part of the Summit League. The Roos have a rich basketball history and have enjoyed success in the past, including two in-season tournament championships.
The first tournament victory came in 1991 when they won the River City Classic. This win was significant as it was during their three consecutive winning seasons from 1991 to 1993, with a record of 21-7 in the 1991-92 season. This era of Roos basketball was led by head coach Lee Hunt, who is remembered as the winningest coach in the program's Division I history.
A decade later, in the 2011 season, the Roos added another trophy to their cabinet by winning the Chicago Invitational Challenge (Lower Bracket). This win was a bright spot in an otherwise challenging era for the team, as they struggled under head coach Matt Brown, who had only one winning season in six years.
In addition to these tournament championships, the Roos have had several notable achievements. They made the NAIA basketball tournament in 1977, showcasing their competitiveness in the early years. More recently, they were the Gulf Coast Showcase Runner-Up in 2022 and were picked as preseason conference champions for the 2024-25 season, demonstrating their continued growth and potential.
The Kansas City Roos have a proud basketball history, and their past successes, including the two in-season tournament championships, have played a vital role in shaping the team's identity and tradition. These achievements have likely fuelled the team's ambition and drive to continue striving for excellence in their conference and beyond.
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The team has had a variety of coaching fortunes
The Kansas City Roos, formerly known as the Missouri–Kansas City Kangaroos, have experienced varying degrees of success under different coaches throughout their history.
During Lee Hunt's tenure as head coach, the team flourished, achieving three consecutive winning seasons from 1991 to 1993. In the 1991-92 season, they peaked with a remarkable 21–7 record, securing a victory in the River City Classic. Hunt's overall record stands at an impressive 113–135, making him the winningest coach in the team's Division I history. Hunt played a pivotal role in the team's transition to the Mid-Continent Conference, fulfilling one of his stated goals for the athletics department. However, following Hunt's retirement, the team underwent a period of adjustment.
Matt Brown's six seasons as head coach yielded less favourable results. In fact, Brown presided over the worst winning percentage in the program's history, with an overall record of 60–122. The lone bright spot during Brown's tenure was the 2010-11 season, where the team finished 16–14 and secured a victory in the Chicago Invitational Challenge (Lower Bracket) in 2011.
Seeking a turnaround, the Kansas City Roos appointed Richardson as head coach in 2013. Richardson had just won a national title as an assistant coach at Louisville, and he quickly set about infusing the roster with local talent. His efforts paid off, as the team improved steadily, finishing 14–19 and achieving second place in the WAC in 2014-15. The upward trajectory continued, and in 2016-17, the Roos clinched an 18–17 record, earning their first-ever NCAA Division I postseason berth. They defeated Green Bay in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational before falling to Wyoming in the quarterfinals.
In recent years, the Kansas City Roos have shown promising signs of a resurgence. In the 2023-24 season, they bounced back from a challenging start to finish with an even 16–16 record and a second-place finish in the Summit League. This momentum carried into the 2024-25 preseason, where they were ranked #22 in the College Insider Mid Major Top 25 and picked as preseason conference champions for the first time.
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The Big 12 Conference is also relevant to basketball in Kansas City, Missouri
The Big 12 Conference is a collegiate sports conference that sponsors championship competitions in 10 men's and 15 women's NCAA-sanctioned sports. The conference has a strong presence in Kansas City, Missouri, and is closely associated with the University of Kansas, which is officially part of the Kansas City television market. The University of Kansas has a renowned basketball program and has historically competed against other universities in the region, including Missouri.
The rivalry between the University of Kansas and Missouri is one of the longest-running in college sports, dating back to their mutual involvement in the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association, which later evolved into the Big Eight Conference. This rivalry game was played 119 times before Missouri left the Big 12 Conference. The two universities renewed their rivalry in men's basketball in December 2021, showcasing the continued relevance of the Big 12 Conference to basketball in Kansas City, Missouri.
In addition to the University of Kansas, other member universities of the Big 12 Conference have also contributed to the basketball culture in Kansas City, Missouri. For example, Kansas State University and Iowa State University are original members of the conference and have a presence in the region. The conference also added former full member Missouri as a wrestling affiliate in 2021, further solidifying its connection to the state and the Kansas City area.
The T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, has hosted significant basketball events associated with the Big 12 Conference. In 2023, the venue served as the site of the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, showcasing the city's capacity to accommodate major basketball tournaments. Kansas City, Missouri, has also been selected as a host city for conference games in other sports within the Big 12 Conference, demonstrating its central role within the conference's geographic footprint.
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Frequently asked questions
The University of Missouri-Kansas City's basketball team, the Kansas City Roos, is in the Summit League.
The previous conference was the WAC, which used the name "UMKC".
The team colours of the Kansas City Roos are blue and gold.
