Kent State Women’s Basketball Announces 2026 Signing Class
11/12/2025 12:47:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio — Head coach Todd Starkey announced that Lauren Bain, Maddie Kiper and Whitney Stafford have signed with the Kent State women's basketball program.
"Our staff is really excited about this recruiting class and their potential immediate impact on Kent State Women's Basketball's continued tradition of excellence," Starkey said. "All three are a great fit for the profile and character of our program and university moving forward."
Lauren Bain | 6-4 Post | Cincinnati, Ohio
Bain has improved each of her first two varsity seasons at Seton High School and is primed for a big senior campaign. The lengthy post has helped the Saints finish second in their conference each of the past two seasons and also was a member of the Legends U team that won the U17 Power 24 championship in July.
"Lauren's length and athleticism will be so much fun for our staff to develop. Defensively she alters shots and offensively her straight line speed and touch around the basket make her a great target in transition."
Maddie Kiper | 6-1 Wing | Channahon, Ill.
Kiper is a prolific scorer who has already surpassed 1,000 points entering her final season at Minooka Community High School. As a junior, she set school single-season records for points (586) and three-point field goals (66). Her 236 rebounds were the third most in school history. Kiper earned all-state third team and conference co-player of the year honors while leading the Indians to the regional championship game.
"We love Maddie's versatility as she can play multiple positions and has a skill set that can create a lot of matchup problems. She has a bigtime upside in our system."
Whitney Stafford | 5-8, Guard | Columbus, Ohio
A three-time All-Ohio selection, Stafford has earned first-team honors each of the past two seasons. She led Olentangy High School to the No. 1 state ranking entering the postseason last year and has scored more than 1,000 points entering her senior campaign.
"Whitney is a player who has been on our radar for a long time. She is a tough, high IQ player with significant shooting range. She will be a great addition to our backcourt."
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