The Lowdown: (RV) Mid-America Christian University at (RV) Friends University
Location: Garvey Center
When: Saturday, Oct. 25 @ 3:00 pm
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Flying with the Falcons: The (RV) Friends University Falcons ended last season 19-12 overall and marched to the KCAC Postseason Tournament title game before falling in a heartbreaking overtime setback to Sterling College. Friends finished tied for fourth in the KCAC regular season with a 15-7 conference record.
The Falcons lose two-time KCAC Defensive Player of the Year Taylor Jackson and top three-point shooter Kori Babcock, but welcome back unanimous first-team all-conference performing guard Lauryn McIver and honorable-mention All-KCAC selection Abigail Barr at forward. Friends also returns guard Rayland Garner, who averaged 8.3 points per game last season after earning first-team All-KCAC honors during the 2023-24 season.
Read the full season preview HERE!
Scouting the Evangels: The (RV) Mid-America Christian University Evangels went 27-7 last year and finished third in the Sooner Athletic Conference with a 19-5 conference mark before advancing to the Round of 16 at the NAIA National Tournament.
The Evangels will have a new look with the departure of their top five leading scorers from last season. Talayah Thomas is MACU's top returning scorer after averaging 6.4 points per game in 2024-25.
The Series: The Falcons lost to the Evangels in the only meeting on record between the two schools, 61-51 on the road in the 2006-07 season.
Model of Consistency: The Falcons have finished no lower than fourth in the KCAC in three of the last four seasons under head coach Dean Jaderston.
Major Conference Recognition: The Falcons return an All-KCAC duo in Lauryn McIver and Abigail Barr this season. McIver was a unanimous first-team all-conference selection, while Barr earned honorable-mention honors. Read the full All-KCAC release HERE.
Promo Depot: We are proud to have Promo Depot as a sponsor of Friends University Athletics this season! Click HERE for more info on the services Promo Depot can offer!
Kansas Army National Guard: We are thrilled to have the Kansas Army National Guard on board with us this year as an official sponsor! Click HERE to visit their website.
Falcons by the Numbers (2024-25)
Overall record: 19-12
KCAC: 15-7
Home: 10-5
Road: 8-7
Neutral: 1-0
When scoring:
Under 50 points: 1-2
50-59 points: 0-0
60-69 points: 6-7
70-79 points: 5-2
80-89 points: 7-1
90+ points: 0-0
When allowing:
Under 50 points: 3-0
50-59 points: 6-2
60-69 points: 6-3
70-79 points: 3-4
80-89 points: 1-3
90+ points: 0-0
When leading at halftime: 14-5
When trailing at halftime: 4-7
When tied at halftime: 1-0
When committing fewer turnovers: 4-3
When committing more turnovers: 14-6
When turnovers are even: 1-3
When leading in field-goal percentage: 16-4
When trailing in field-goal percentage: 3-8
When field-goal percentage is even: 0-0
When leading in three-point percentage: 11-1
When trailing in three-point percentage: 8-11
When leading in rebounding: 16-6
When trailing in rebounding: 2-6
When rebounding is even: 1-0
When leading in assists: 11-4
When trailing in assists: 6-7
When assists are even: 2-1
In OT: 1-0
The Coaches:
Dean Jaderston is in his seventh season at the helm of the Friends University Falcons. The Falcon women's basketball program has seen considerable growth under his leadership both on and off the court. Their consistency and competitiveness have led to an 81-43 record over the past four years, including two trips to the KCAC championship game in the past three seasons.
Jaderston brought a wealth of experience to Friends University, having coached for over 30 years (24 years in college and 13 years in high school). On December 13, 2022 he recorded his 300th career collegiate win vs. Tabor College.
As a men's basketball coach Jaderston was a two-time KCAC Coach of the Year. He coached six NAIA All-America performers during his tenure at Sterling College. He also led his teams to two KCAC championships and one KCAC tournament championship.
Prior to taking over at Sterling, Jaderston served in the dual role of men's basketball head coach and assistant athletic director at Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL for five seasons.
Before entering the college ranks, he spent eight seasons as both the head girls' basketball and head girls' and boys' tennis coach at Rosemount High School in Rosemount, MN, and 4 years as the head boys' basketball coach at Eastview High School in Apple Valley, MN.
As an athlete Jaderston was a successful college basketball player at Crown College in St. Bonifacius, MN. He was a four-time all-conference selection while helping the team advance to four national tournaments. He also earned All-America and Academic All-America during his college career. He also competed in tennis for three years at Crown and was a two-time conference singles and three-time conference doubles champion. In 2024 he was inducted into the Crown College Athletic Hall of Fame.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History/Secondary Education from Crown College in 1989 and then completed a Master of Arts in Adlerian Counseling and Psychotherapy from Adler Graduate School in 1998.
Jaderston and his wife Julie have been married for 37 years and are active in youth and camping ministries. They currently serve as executive directors of a premier summer Christian family conference called Northern Pines of Minnesota. They have three married sons and eight grandchildren.
Scott Morris is in his first season as head coach of the Mid-America Christian University women's basketball program.
Morris has over 30 years of coaching experience, including 19 years at Northern Oklahoma College-Enid. At NOC-Enid, Morris won 460 games and nine conference titles while guiding the program to four NJCAA National Tournament berths.
He also has two-year assistant coach tenures at NOC-Tonkawa as the women's assistant coach and both Oklahoma Christian and NOC-Tonkawa as the men's assistant coach.
At the high school level, Morris coached eight years, most recently at Stillwater high school as the boys' coach for four years and the girls' coach for one season.
Up Next: The Falcons will play at Baker University next Thursday (Oct. 30) at 5:30 pm in Baldwin City, Kan.
