Sure! Here’s a paraphrased version of that announcement:
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State women’s basketball head coach Jeff Mittie has bolstered the team’s backcourt for the 2025-26 season with the addition of standout guard Tess Heal.
A native of Melbourne, Australia, Heal becomes just the second Australian player in program history, joining Rebekah Dallinger (2021–24).
Heal, a 5-foot-10 guard, spent the 2024-25 season at Stanford. She was the only NCAA Division I player to shoot at least 50% from the field (.503) and 45% from beyond the arc (.493) while attempting a minimum of two three-pointers per game and appearing in 30 or more contests. She scored 239 total points (8.0 per game), recorded 11 double-digit scoring efforts—including a season-best 24 points at Wake Forest—and contributed 60 rebounds (2.0 rpg), 35 assists (1.2 apg), 14 steals, and eight blocks.
Before Stanford, Heal played two seasons at Santa Clara (2022–24), where she earned All-West Coast Conference First Team honors twice, was named the 2023 WCC Newcomer of the Year, and landed on the 2023 All-Freshman Team. She was a six-time WCC Player of the Week and set a conference record with 12 WCC Freshman of the Week selections.
At Santa Clara, she averaged 18.6 points on 47.2% shooting, along with 4.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. Heal was one of just three players nationally—alongside Caitlin Clark (Iowa) and Rachael Rose (Wofford)—to average at least 18 points, four rebounds, and four assists while shooting 45% or better. She ranks 11th in Santa Clara history for career points (1,225) and is second in both scoring average (18.6) and free throw percentage (.867).
Internationally, Heal represented Australia at the U19 and U18 levels. At the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup in Madrid, she averaged 7.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. She was part of the gold-medal-winning squad at the 2022 FIBA U18 Asian Championship in India.
Domestically, she starred for Victoria Metro in Australian junior competitions, posting 25 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in the 2021 U18 Grand Final. She captained the team to two golds and a silver across three Junior National Championships.
K-State is coming off a historic 2024-25 campaign, earning its 19th NCAA Tournament appearance and a trip to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time. The Wildcats posted 28 wins—the second-most in program history—and were nationally ranked all season. The team set new school records in points (2,842), assists (763), and blocks (206), while leading the Big 12 in several categories including scoring offense, shooting efficiency, and assist-to-turnover ratio.
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