Kansas City Roos basketball — program history

The University of Missouri-Kansas City competes in the Summit League and rebranded from the Kangaroos to the Roos for a more modern identity. The program has been building competitiveness in recent years and plays in the Kansas City metro area, one of the largest media markets in the Summit League.

The name

The Kangaroos (now Roos) nickname was adopted in 1936 because UMKC's original campus was located on a hilly terrain where students had to "hop" between buildings.

Signature moment

The program's transition to Division I in 1987, marking UMKC's commitment to competing at the highest level of college basketball.

UMKC shares Kansas City with multiple professional sports teams, making it one of the few Division I programs competing directly with pro franchises for local fan attention.

The Kansas City Roos compete in the Summit League and hold an all-time record of 465–639 (.421 winning percentage) across 37 recorded seasons dating back to 1989-90.

Season-by-season results

SeasonRecordConferenceCoachAP peak
2025-264-271-15 (Summit)Marvin Menzies
2024-2513-204-12 (Summit)Marvin Menzies
2023-2416-1610-6 (Summit)Marvin Menzies
2022-2311-217-11 (Summit)Marvin Menzies
2021-2219-1212-6 (Summit)Billy Donlon
2020-2111-137-7 (Summit)Billy Donlon
2019-2016-148-7 (WAC)Billy Donlon
2018-1911-216-10 (WAC)Kareem Richardson
2017-1810-225-9 (WAC)Kareem Richardson
2016-1718-178-6 (WAC)Kareem Richardson
2015-1612-194-10 (WAC)Kareem Richardson
2014-1514-198-6 (WAC)Kareem Richardson
2013-1410-207-9 (WAC)Kareem Richardson
2012-138-245-11 (Summit)Matt Brown
2011-1210-214-14 (Summit)Matt Brown
2010-1116-149-9 (Summit)Matt Brown
2009-1012-186-12 (Summit)Matt Brown
2008-097-243-15 (Summit)Matt Brown
2007-0811-216-12 (Summit)Matt Brown
2006-0712-206-8 (Mid-Cont)Rich Zvosec
2005-0614-1411-5 (Mid-Cont)Rich Zvosec
2004-0516-1212-4 (Mid-Cont)Rich Zvosec
2003-0415-149-7 (Mid-Cont)Rich Zvosec
2002-039-207-7 (Mid-Cont)Rich Zvosec
2001-0218-117-7 (Mid-Cont)Rich Zvosec
2000-0114-169-7 (Mid-Cont)Dean Demopoukos
1999-0016-1310-6 (Mid-Cont)Bob Sundvold
1998-998-223-11 (Mid-Cont)Bob Sundvold
1997-989-187-9 (Mid-Cont)Bob Sundvold
1996-9710-177-9 (Mid-Cont)Bob Sundvold
1995-9612-1510-8 (Mid-Cont)Lee Hunt
1994-957-197-11 (Mid-Cont)Lee Hunt
1993-9412-17IndLee Hunt
1992-9315-12IndLee Hunt
1991-9221-7IndLee Hunt
1990-9115-14IndLee Hunt
1989-9013-15IndLee Hunt

More Summit League programs

Denver Pioneers · North Dakota Fighting Hawks · North Dakota State Bison · Omaha Mavericks · Oral Roberts Golden Eagles · South Dakota Coyotes · South Dakota State Jackrabbits · St. Thomas-Minnesota Tommies

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