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Author: Dave Riggert

MU’s Smith, Madison named to Lombardi Award watch list

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University of Missouri football standouts Jacquies Smith (Dallas, Texas) and Brad Madison (Bethany, Mo.) have been named to the pre-season watch list for the 2011 Rotary Lombardi Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate down lineman.

Smith, a senior defensive end, makes the list after enjoying a stellar junior season in 2010, when he was a 2nd-Team All-Big 12 honoree.  He started all 13 games at end and was second on the team in both tackles for loss (10.0) and quarterback sacks (5.5).  He finished his junior season with 35 tackles, and added two forced fumbles, two recovered fumbles (one of which he returned 53 yards for a score against Kansas State, and blocked one field goal.

Joining Smith on the Lombardi watch list is junior DE Brad Madison (Bethany, Mo.), who enjoyed a breakout year in 2010 as well.  Despite not being a full-time starter, Madison led the Tigers in tackles for loss (11.0) and quarterback sacks (7.5), while earning 2nd-Team All-Big 12 acclaim.  Madison is also on the pre-season watch list for the Nagurski Award, and he joins junior LB Zaviar Gooden (Pflugerville, Texas) as Tigers on multiple watch lists (Gooden is on the Bednarik and Nagurski lists).

Mizzou has now had seven different players receive mention on seven different pre-season watch lists.  Gooden and Madison are on two apiece, and they are joined by senior OL Dan Hoch (Outland), senior TE Michael Egnew (Mackey Award), junior WR T.J. Moe (Biletnikoff Award) and senior PK Grant Ressel (Lou Groza Award) on the pre-season watch lists.

— MU Sports Information —

Cardinals sign Garcia to four-year contract

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St. Louis Cardinals Sr. Vice President & General Manager John Mozeliak announced today that the Cardinals have agreed to terms with pitcher Jaime Garcia on a four year contract with two club options.  The Cardinals made the announcement this afternoon at a press conference at Busch Stadium.

“Jaime is one the best young arms in baseball today,” said Mozeliak.  “We are excited to have him as part of the core of our pitching staff for years to come.”

Garcia, 25, is 9-3 with a 3.23 ERA during the first half of this season, which comes on the heels of one of the best rookie campaigns in 2010 where he was 13 – 8 with a 2.70 ERA (4th N.L.), ranking not only among top rookie pitchers, but also the top Major League pitchers in several categories.

Garcia’s career mark is 23 – 12, with a 3.06 ERA in 57 games, with 240 career strike outs.  In 2010, Garcia’s 2.70 ERA was the lowest by a Cardinals’ left handed starter since John Tudor recorded a 2.40 ERA in 22 starts (25 games) during 1990.

Garcia was named both Rookie of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year for 2010 by the St. Louis Chapter of the Baseball Writers of America Association.

Garcia was selected by Baltimore in the 20th round (899th overall) of the 2004 draft, but did not sign.  The 6-2, 215-pounder was born in Reynosa, Mexico and currently makes his home in Mission, Texas, where he attended Sharyland High School.

— Cardinals Media Relations —

Mustangs beat Clarinda to win MINK League North Division

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The St. Joseph Mustangs won their first-ever Mink League North Division championship Tuesday night with a 6-2 win against Clarinda inside Phil Welch Stadium.

St. Joe’s summer college baseball team improves to 33-9 and 27-9 in the MINK League.

Now the Mustangs have their sights set on home field advantage in the best-of-three series with the South Division Champion.  They have a five-game lead with six games remaining on Sedalia, who currently leads the South Division by 1/2 game over Nevada.

On Tuesday, St. Joseph jumped out to a 2-0 lead as Jon Wegener and Spiker Helms began the game with singles and then Brock Chaffin and Mark Robinette each had an RBI single.

The Mustangs added a two-out RBI single from Kris Koerper in the third inning to make it 3-0.

The score remain that way until the eighth inning as St. Joe added three unearned runs for insurance when Austin Land dropped a fly ball to right field.

Chaffin led the Mustangs as he went 3-for-4, while Wegener, Robinette and Koerper had two hits each.

Cody Cunningham (5-1) nearly threw the second consecutive complete game for the Mustangs after Jayson Huett did it against Omaha on Monday.  Cunningham went 8.1 innings and allowed just one earned run on six hits.

Doug Shields came on in the ninth with the bases loaded and the tying run at the plate, but he was able to strike out Clayton Truex and he got Seth Spivey to pop out to end the game for his seventh save of the season.

The Mustangs and A’s are back at it Wednesday in Clarinda.  They’ll finish their suspended game from June 26th at 5:30 p.m. and play their regularly schedule game at 7:30 p.m.  Both games can be heard on ESPN 1550.

K-State sets kickoff times for Eastern Kentucky, Kent State games

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Kansas State athletics officials have set kick times for the Wildcats’ first two football games as both the K-State Family Reunion against Eastern Kentucky and the Kent State games will carry 6 p.m. start times at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

Kansas State, the Big 12 Conference and its television partners will determine what digital or telecast distribution opportunities are available for the two games.  Further details will be released as soon as information is available.

The September 3 season opener against Eastern Kentucky will serve as the third-annual K-State Family Reunion as a home-opening record crowd of 51,059 watched the Wildcats knock off UCLA in the opener last season. A postgame fireworks show at the stadium will conclude the opening weekend’s activities.

The game against Kent State on September 17 is University Family and Band Day at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and across the K-State campus as families, prospective students and band members from all across the region will be in attendance.

— KSU Sports Information —

Former Jayhawk Boogaard signs pro contract with French team

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Former Kansas center Krysten Boogaard has signed a professional contract to play basketball in Nice, France. The 6-foot-5 post player will depart the U.S. in early August to suit up for Cavigal Nice for the 2011-12 season.

Boogaard, a Regina, Saskatchewan native who played at KU from 2008-11, finished her four-year career with 1,051 total points as she became only the 22nd player in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. She also played in 132 games during her time in Lawrence, which is the second most among any other Jayhawk. For her career, Boogaard averaged 8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game and hit 54 percent of her shots from the field.

“It’s important to me to continue the goals I set for myself when I was younger,” Boogaard said. “This is something I have always wanted to achieve because of the opportunities on the court and the cultural experiences off of it.”

“I am really excited for Krysten and her opportunity to play at the next level,” said KU head coach Bonnie Henrickson. “In one of the first conversations I ever had with Krysten, she said she wanted to play professionally overseas one day. I am so proud of her that she is getting the opportunity she has always wanted.”

Cavigal Nice is one of 14 teams that play in the Ligue Feminine De Basketball (LFB), which began play during the 1998-99 season. Boogaard will suit up for her first game with her new club as they open their season on Sept. 24 versus Bourges.

— KU Sports Information —

Huett leads Mustangs to win at Omaha

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The St. Joseph Mustangs got back in the win column Monday night after losing at Sedalia on Sunday as St. Joe’s summer college baseball team won at Omaha, 4-2.

The Mustangs improve to 32-9 and 26-9 in the MINK League as their magic number to win the North Division is down to one game over Clarinda, who they’ll play at home Tuesday night.

Monday’s game was scoreless until the ninth inning when Kris Koerper drove in two runs with an infield single as Spiker Helms and Brock Chaffin came in to score.

St. Joe starter Jayson Huett then made his only mistake of the game in the bottom of the sixth as he gave up a two-run home to Ryan Briggs that tied the game.

The Mustangs answered right back with single runs in the seventh and eighth innings as Helms and Landinn Eckhardt each had RBI singles.

Helms led St. Joseph as he went 3-for-5, while Eckhardt and Brent Seifert added two hits each.

Huett (4-0) was the story of the game as he threw a complete-game seven-hitter to get the win.  The Northwest Missouri State graduate struck out six and walked two as he lowered his ERA to 2.55.

The Mustangs are back at Phil Welch Stadium Tuesday for a 7:00 p.m. first pitch against Clarinda.  The game can be heard on ESPN 1550.

Fall Classic X tickets go on sale Tuesday

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Chiefs Media Relations

Tickets to the 10th edition of the Fall Classic between Northwest Missouri State University and Pittsburg State University will go on sale to the general public Tuesday at 10 a.m. The 2011 version of the rivalry is slated for 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1st at Arrowhead Stadium.

Northwest Missouri State and Pittsburg State have combined to win outright or share the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association title in 20 of the last 22 seasons dating back to ’89. The Pittsburg State Gorillas have advanced to the NCAA Division II Playoffs in 15 of the last 21 years while the NWMSU Bearcats have qualified in 13 of the last 15 seasons, including five-straight national championship game appearances from 2005-09.

Tim Beck begins his second campaign in 2011, leading the Gorillas to a 3-6 record in 2010. Before being named to the head coaching post following the 2009 season, Beck served as an assistant coach at Pittsburg State for 22 years, serving as offensive coordinator for 16 seasons.

Northwest Missouri State Head Coach Adam Dorrel succeeds Scott Bostwick who died June 5th after suffering an apparent heart attack. Dorrel begins his first year at the helm of his alma mater after spending seven seasons as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at NWMSU.

Tickets for the game are $25 for Lower Level seating and $37 for tickets on the Scout Investments Club Level. Student tickets are available for $10. Parking for the game is $20 per car and $30 for RV/bus parking.

Tickets can be ordered by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000, online at www.ticketmaster.com or at the Arrowhead Stadium Ticket Office located between Founder’s Plaza and the Hy-Vee Gate on the north side of the stadium.

For more information, please contact the Northwest Missouri State sports information office at (660) 562-1900 or Pittsburg State Associate Athletic Director for Marketing and Communications Dan Wilkes at (620) 235-4147.

Northwest Missouri State promotes two football coach

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NWMSU Sports Information

Northwest Missouri State University head football coach Adam Dorrel announced today that defensive coordinator Richard Wright has been promoted to assistant head coach, and Charlie Flohr, who served as the Bearcats’ quarterbacks coach, quality control and passing game coordinator, has been promoted to offensive coordinator.

Wright, who will continue his defensive coordinator duties, is entering his eighth season as a full-time Northwest assistant. The Bearcats are 87-14 (.861) with five MIAA championships and a national championship since he came aboard in 2004. He also was the tight ends coach at Northwest in 1995 and 1996 while earning his master’s.

Wright, a 1995 graduate of Dana (Neb.) College, has been both an offensive and defensive coordinator during his coaching career. He was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at St. Ambrose (Iowa) University from 2000 to 2004. During that time, the Fighting Bees won four straight conference titles and set the league record for consecutive wins. He also has made stops at William Penn College, Central Methodist University, Dakota State University and Cortland State.

“Coach Wright has been a huge part of the success of this program. He brought a toughness back to our football program that has paid big dividends in the national playoffs,” Dorrel said. “He has worked his way up through the ranks. He was a GA, defensive line coach, strength and conditioning coach, special teams coordinator and now the defensive coordinator. He is a great teacher and a motivator and will help me with the day-to-day operations of our football program.”

Wright and his wife, Sarah, a 1998 Northwest graduate, live in Maryville with their daughters, Grace and Kate.

Flohr served as a graduate assistant at Northwest during the 2002 and 2003 seasons following a four-year playing career at Dakota State University where he was a two-time honorable mention all-conference selection at wide receiver and graduated as the program’s all-time leader in punt returns.

After receiving his master’s in health and physical education at Northwest, he was hired at Truman State University where he served as the Bulldogs’ wide receivers and recruiting coach for two seasons. Since his return to Northwest, the Bearcats are 65-8 and 45-0 in MIAA play.

“Coach Flohr has been an integral part of our offensive success since he arrived at Northwest,” Dorrel said. “He has a great football mind and is dedicated to challenging our student-athletes to be the best they can be. He is hard working, loyal and organized, and he is continually striving to find new ways to make us better. These are all great qualities in an offensive coordinator.”

Flohr and his wife, Amy, 2004 Northwest graduate, live in Maryville and have two sons, Adam and Austin.

Dorrel, who was the team’s previous offensive coordinator and assistant head coach, will continue to call offensive plays for the 2011 season.

“We just feel that since training camp is just weeks away, this will be the best for our team,” said Dorrel, who, as offensive coordinator, helped lead the Bearcats to an unprecedented five straight NCAA Division II championship appearances and the program’s third national title in 2009.

Northwest opens its season at Truman State University with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff Thursday, Sept. 1, in Kirksville.

Two Western golfers named to NGCA All-America Scholar Team

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MWSU Sports Information

Griffon women’s golfers Natalie Bird (Carl Junction, Mo.) and Shelby Stone (St. Paul, Neb.) were named to the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) All-American Scholar Team. This marks the second consecutive season that Bird has received this honor and first time for Stone.

Last season Bird was an All-MIAA performer finishing in the top ten four times with her best finish coming at the Northwest Missouri State Fall Invite on October 8, 2010. She finished 3rd out of 42 players at the invite.  She also finished 6th out of 56 players at the MWSU Spring Invitational on March 27, 2011. Bird played 20 rounds averaging 84.9 shots per round. Bird will be a junior and is majoring in recreation sports management.

Shelby Stone had a very solid freshman campaign finishing in the top 15 in five events. She finished 1st at the Fort Hays State Women’s Invite on September 27, 2010 and 8th at the Green and Gold Spring Shootout on April 4 and April 5, 2011. She played 20 rounds averaging 85.8 shots per round. Stone will be a sophomore and is majoring in nursing.

The NGCA All-American Scholar Teams consisted of a total of 566 women’s collegiate golfers from Division I, II and III. In order to be eligible for this prestigious honor the student-athlete must hold a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 and must have competed in at least 50% (Division I) or 66% (Division II & III) of the regularly scheduled competitive rounds during the year.

Chiefs’ Vrabel retires to coach at Ohio State

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Associated Press

Former All-Pro linebacker Mike Vrabel is retiring from the Chiefs and returning to his alma mater as an Ohio State assistant coach.

“I am extremely appreciative of the teammates, coaches, and great fans who surrounded me during my NFL career, and am honored to have been a part of three tremendous organizations in the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, and Kansas City Chiefs,” he said in a statement.

Vrabel confirmed this morning the end of his 14-year career and that he had taken the job as linebackers coach with the Buckeyes. The position was previously held by his college roommate and teammate, Luke Fickell, who was elevated to interim head coach when Jim Tressel resigned May 30.

Vrabel played for Pittsburgh and New England before closing out his career with the Chiefs. He announced his retirement through the statement issued through his agent. He was acquired by the Chiefs with Matt Cassel for a second-round pick from New England in 2009.

Vrabel played eight seasons with the Patriots, winning three Super Bowl titles as a hybrid defender and a spot short-yardage and goal-line offensive player.

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