IN THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
Title
A RESOLUTION honoring the hard work and professional success of Coach Candi Whitaker.
Intro
RESOLUTION NO. 22230, April 6, 2026
INTRODUCED BY Manuel Abarca IV, County Legislator
Body
WHEREAS, Coach Candi Whitaker will return as head coach for UMKC’s women's basketball team, becoming the Roos’ eleventh Division I head coach; and,
WHEREAS, prior to her coaching career, Candi Whitaker began her collegiate playing career in Liberal, KS., at Seward County Community College, where she set a program record with 577 assists and was named an All-American in the 1999-2000 season; and,
WHEREAS, Coach Whitaker first came to Kansas City in 2004, serving as an assistant coach under Bo Overton, a position she stayed in until her promotion to head coach in the middle of the 2006-2007 season; and,
WHEREAS, Coach Whitaker took the reins of the UMKC Roos in 2006 and led the team for six seasons; and,
WHEREAS, Coach Whitaker made her mark on Kansas City during her first run with the Roos, becoming one of only two head coaches in program history to lead the team to two 11-plus win seasons in conference play; and,
WHEREAS, Coach Whitaker also tallied 78 wins in her first six seasons with the Roos, the third most for a head coach in school history at the Division I level; and,
WHEREAS, a native of Canyon, Texas, Coach Whitaker took control of her alma mater, Texas Tech, prior to the start of the 2013-2014 season; and,
WHEREAS, Coach Whitaker was most recently the head coach at North Alabama for the last two seasons, and in this past season, Whitaker led the Lions to a 17-14 overall record and went 11-7 in ASUN play, the program's best finish since 2019-2020; and,
WHEREAS, she is married to her husband Matt Whitaker, and the pair have three children: Westin, William, and Challahan; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED that the Jackson County Legislature honors Coach Candi Whitaker on her hard work, accomplishments and return as head coach for UMKC’s women’s basketball team.
Enacted and Approved
Effective Date: This Resolution shall be effective immediately upon its passage by a majority of the Legislature.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________
County Counselor
Certificate of Passage
I hereby certify that the attached resolution, Resolution No. 22230 of April 6, 2026, was duly passed on __________________________, 2026 by the Jackson County Legislature. The votes thereon were as follows:
Yeas _________________ Nays ___________
Abstaining _____________ Absent ____________
______________________ ________________________________
Date Mary Jo Spino, Clerk of Legislature