Bethel University Women’s Basketball

16 National Tournament Appearances, 7 Sweet Sixteen Appearances, 3 Elite Eight Appearances, 1 Final Four Appearance, 5x Conference Champs

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

CHRIS NELSON’S SUMMER CAMP IS BACK AND SO ARE THE PLAYERS! 🏀
Full Article on our FB

#therightwaytoplay #naia #bethelu @PlayNAIA

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

The next Chapter of your story starts August 1st! Come see if Bethel is the right fit for you!
🔗 https://t.co/COkPf34237

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

After spending the last five seasons helping shape the culture of Bethel University women’s basketball, Kalynn Howard is stepping into a new role with the Lady Wildcats.

Howard was recently promoted to Assistant Coach for the Bethel women’s basketball program after spending four years as a player before serving as a Graduate Assistant during the 2025-26 season.

For many around the program, the promotion feels less like a new beginning and more like a natural continuation of leadership that has already existed inside the program for years.

Known to players and coaches as “Coach Kal,” Howard has become respected not only for her basketball knowledge, but for her ability to connect with players on a personal level. That connection has been especially valuable with many of the athletes she shared the floor with during Bethel’s Fab Four NAIA National Tournament appearance during the 2024-25 season.

Howard has also developed a reputation as one of the program’s strongest scouting minds. Coaches and players alike have praised her preparation, attention to detail and ability to break down opponents in ways that help players feel prepared and confident before stepping on the floor.

Bethel head coach Chris Nelson said Howard’s experience and understanding of the program made the decision an easy one.

“We are extremely excited to have Kalynn continue her career here at Bethel,” Nelson said. “She understands our culture, she understands our expectations and she has earned the respect of our players and coaching staff. Her basketball IQ, work ethic and ability to connect with people make her a tremendous addition to our bench.”

Her understanding of the program comes from years of experience wearing a Bethel jersey herself.

Over her four-year playing career, Howard appeared in 112 games while making 77 starts and scoring 725 career points. She averaged 6.5 points per game while knocking down 153 three-pointers during her career.

Howard’s best statistical season came during the 2023-24 campaign when she averaged 8.9 points per game while shooting over 40 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from three-point range before a knee injury ended her season early. She returned during the 2024-25 season and helped lead Bethel during its historic Fab Four run at the NAIA National Tournament.

Across her career, Howard averaged 2.3 assists per game and maintained a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio, highlighting her steady ball control and decision-making as a guard.

One of Howard’s defining moments came during Bethel’s NAIA National Tournament quarterfinal comeback victory against Southern Oregon last year.

With the season on the line and momentum shifting the wrong direction, she delivered one of the biggest performances of the tournament.

Howard scored 14 key points while shooting 5-for-7 from the field and 4-for-5 from three-point range. Her shooting helped fuel the comeback that sent Bethel to the Fab Four.

Experiences like that do not disappear when a playing career ends. They become part of how former players lead.

During her first season on the bench as a Graduate Assistant, Howard helped Bethel finish 28-6 overall while averaging 73.6 points per game and shooting 44 percent from the field as a team. The Lady Wildcats also averaged 14.5 assists per game while out-rebounding opponents by more than two rebounds per contest.

Bethel also finished the season with one of the strongest defensive efforts in the conference, limiting opponents to just 37.1 percent shooting from the field and 29.4 percent from three-point range.

Howard said the opportunity to remain at Bethel means more because of the relationships built throughout her playing career.

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

COMMITTED. 💜
Welcome Grace Billington (G/F, 5’10”) — Moberly, MO
Murray State ➡️ UT Martin ➡️ Bethel
Welcome to the BU Family!! 💜

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

At this year’s Bethel Academic Night, our women’s basketball program earned 3 major athletic awards:

• Highest Team GPA: Women's Basketball
• Women’s Athlete of the Year: Madison Hart
• Coach of the Year: Chris Nelson

This reflects not only competitive success, but our program’s consistent impact on academic excellence, leadership development, and overall student experience.

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

FAMILY is who we are!

[Chris Nelson @coachnelsonBU]

The message hasn’t changed.

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

Three Lady Wildcats. Three All-Americans. One special season

Bethel University placed three players among the NAIA’s 36 All-Americans as Micah Hart (1st Team), Mikee Buchanan (2nd Team), and Madison Hart (3rd Team) were recognized among the nation’s best by the NAIA Women’s Basketball All-America Committee.

Only 12 players are selected to each team, making this a huge national honor and a reflection of the work this group put in all season.

Three difference makers.
Three competitors.
Three Lady Wildcats representing Bethel on the national stage.

#TheRightWayToPlay #NAIA #BethelU #GMOM

@PlayNAIA

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

Two of the nation’s best. Period.

Micah Hart and Mikee Buchanan have been named WBCA NAIA Coaches’ All-Americans, an honor awarded to just 10 players nationally as selected by coaches for their performance, impact on their team, success, and character throughout the season.

Also, Bethel University is the only team to have 2 players recognized in this prestigious 10 player award. BETHEL FOREVERMORE!

Built through preparation. Proven in big moments. Recognized among the best in the country. 💜🏀

#TheRightWayToPlay #NAIA #BethelU #GMOM

@NAIA

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

The Queen’s Legacy: Thank You, Madison Hart

Some players put up numbers. Some players win games. Some players lead.

And then there are the rare few who change what a program expects from the name on the front of the jersey.

Madison Hart did all of it.

Around Bethel Women's Basketball, she earned a nickname that says everything you need to know: The Queen. Not because she asked for it. Not because she demanded attention. But because of the way she carried herself, the way she battled every night, and the way she set a standard that others naturally wanted to follow.

Her career was never about moments of recognition. It was about consistency. About showing up. About doing the work when nobody was watching.

For four seasons and 116 games, Madison was not just part of the program. She was the foundation of it.

She finished her career with:
• 1,761 career points
• 46.4% career field goal percentage
• 81.3% career free throw percentage
• 760 career rebounds
• 196 career assists
• 69 career blocks
• 3,623 total minutes played
• 116 games played

But the numbers only tell part of the story.

What they do not show is the physical style she played with every night. The way she fought for position. The way she controlled the glass. The way she absorbed contact and still finished. The way she played through pain, fatigue, and pressure without ever making excuses.

They do not show the leadership.

They do not show the voice in huddles. The encouragement after tough possessions. The accountability she demanded because she held herself to the same standard first. They do not show the example she set for younger players learning what it means to wear Bethel across their chest.

They do not show how much trust her coaches had in her. Or how much confidence her teammates felt simply because she was on the floor.

Madison's 760 rebounds tell you about effort. Her 81 percent free throw shooting tells you about discipline. Her 3,623 minutes played tells you how much she was depended on. Her 116 games tells you how consistently she showed up. Her steady production year after year tells you about commitment.

But what made her special was something harder to measure.

Presence.

When Madison Hart walked on the floor, Bethel knew it had a chance. When games got physical, she leaned into it. When moments got big, she did not disappear. When the season demanded toughness, she delivered it.

She was not just productive.
She was dependable.
And every great team needs someone like that.

To the fans, she was a warrior in the paint. To her teammates, she was stability. To the coaches, she was reliability. To the program, she became part of the standard future players will now be measured against.

That is what real leadership looks like.

The nickname The Queen will live on because it represents more than her game. It represents the way she helped build this era of Bethel Women's Basketball. The culture. The expectations. The belief that Bethel belongs on the national stage.

Players like Madison do not just graduate.

They leave fingerprints on everything.

And years from now when new players are diving on the floor, fighting for rebounds, and learning what it means to compete the Bethel way, part of that standard will trace back to #24.

So this is not just a thank you for the points.
Not just a thank you for the rebounds.
Not just a thank you for the wins.

This is a thank you for the standard.

Thank you for the toughness.
Thank you for the leadership.
Thank you for the example.

Thank you for the way you represented Bethel Women's Basketball.

Programs move forward because of players like you.

Long live The Queen. 👑

@NAIA

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

Onto The Next doesn't always mean another game.

Sometimes it means taking what you built…
what you fought for…
what you became…
and carrying it forward. Setting the standard.

Proud of this team. Proud of this fight. Proud of this season.

The story doesn't end here. It just turns the page.

82-77. A fight until the final horn.
35 from Micah.
21 from Mikee.

Some seasons are remembered for banners.
Some are remembered for heart.

This team will be remembered for both.

The scoreboard says this season ends here.
The standard they set does not.

Thank you Madison. What an incredible run.

That's a wrap from Sioux City.

#TheRightWayToPlay #NAIA #GMOM #BattleForTheRedBanner

@NAIA

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

It is March... Are You Ready? 🎥

Tip-Off at 6:00PM

#TheRightWayToPlay #NAIA #OntoTheNext #GMOM #BattleForTheRedBanner

@PlayNAIA @NAIA

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

Day 4. Quarterfinal mindset.

Walk-throughs. Communication. Confidence.

Final details before another March test. No wasted reps. No wasted words. Just a team locked in on the moment and each other.

Preparation today. Opportunity tonight. 💜🏀

#TheRightWayToPlay #NAIA #OntoTheNext #GMOM #BattleForTheRedBanner

@PlayNAIA @NAIA

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

Day 4 starts where championships are built.

Film.

Details. Tendencies. Adjustments. Preparation.

Long before the ball goes up at 6pm, the Lady Wildcats are already locked in on what it takes to survive and advance. March rewards the teams willing to prepare just a little more.

The work continues. 💜🏀

#TheRightWayToPlay #NAIA #OntoTheNext #GMOM #BattleForTheRedBanner

#filmframes brought to you by Taylor Stuckey - Shelter Insurance

@playnaia @naia

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

GAMEDAY.

#1 Bethel vs #2 Dakota Wesleyan
Final Four on the line in Sioux City.

Two elite defenses.
Two championship mindsets.
One survives.

🕕 Tipoff: 6:00 PM (CT)

📊 Live Stats:
https://t.co/kEvjeiaarm

📺 Watch Live:
https://t.co/WFPJuGPcO4

📍 Watch Party: Pull up and watch with Wildcat fans at The Happy Book Stack 💜🏀

March is about preparation.
March is about toughness.
March is about moments like this.

#TheRightWayToPlay #NAIA #OntoTheNext #GMOM #BattleForTheRedBanner

@PlayNAIA @NAIA

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

Dub Frames 📸

#TheRightWayToPlay #NAIA #OntoTheNext #GMOM #BattleForTheRedBanner

@PlayNAIA @NAIA

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

Clock It. 🤏🏽

#BattleForTheRedBanner #NAIA #LockItIn #GMOM

@PlayNAIA @NAIA

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

Heavyweight matchup incoming.

#1 Bethel (28-5) vs #2 Dakota Wesleyan (27-6)
Final Four on the line in Sioux City.

📊 By the numbers:

Bethel:
73.5 PPG | 60.0 Opp PPG
44% FG | 34% from three
Built on guard play and defense.

Dakota Wesleyan:
79.1 PPG | 57.7 Opp PPG
46% FG | 42.2 RPG
Size, rebounding, and balance.

Strength vs strength.
Guards vs size.
Execution vs physicality.

March decides everything.

🕕 6 PM

#TheRightWayToPlay #NAIA #OntoTheNext #GMOM #BattleForTheRedBanner

@PlayNAIA @NAIA

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

Final: Bethel 78 | Lewis-Clark State 70

Advance & #OntoTheNext. 🏀

The Lady Wildcats are Quarterfinals (8 Teams) bound after a hard-fought Round of 16 win in Sioux City. Bethel controlled the glass (52-36), won the second-chance battle, and made the plays that mattered in March.

🔥 Mikee Buchanan led the way with 25
💪 Madison Hart dominated inside with 20 points and 15 boards
⚡ MJ Simmons added 13
🎯 Big free throws down the stretch sealed it

#BattleForTheRedBanner #TheRightWayToPlay #NAIA #OntoTheNext #GMOM

@PlayNAIA @NAIA

[Bethel University Women’s Basketball @bethelu_wbb]

At the half from the Round of 16 in Sioux City, Iowa.

#battlefortheredbanner #naia #therightwaytoplay #lockitin #GMOM

@PlayNAIA @NAIA