Dave Riggert – Page 414 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Griffons picked fifth in preseason MIAA volleyball coaches poll

Posted on August 11, 2016August 11, 2016

ST. JOSEPH – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association preseason volleyball coaches’ poll has been released.

The conference coaches voted Missouri Western fifth, the same spot the team finished in 2015 after going 21-10 overall and 12-6 in the MIAA. The Griffons completed back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since the 1997-98 seasons and had six student-athletes named All-MIAA. Three of those All-MIAA performers graduated, but the other three return to lead a group that includes a mixture of experience and talented newcomers.

“It’s clear we’re not sneaking up on anyone this year,” head coach Marian Carbin said. “I think the poll shows the other coaches’ recognition of what we’re building and their expectation for us to be a highly competitive team in one of the best volleyball conferences in the country. That’s our expectation as well, but we’d certainly like to take that next step.”

This will be Carbin’s fourth year as head coach of the program she once played for. Through her first three seasons, the Griffons have went 59-33 overall. Carbin has led the program to its most MIAA wins ever (16 in 2014), most overall wins since 1997 (25 in 2014), and in her first season, she delivered the program’s first winning conference record in 14 years. Headlining this year’s returners are 2015 second team All-MIAA selection Rachel Friedrichs and 2015 honorable mention All-MIAA selections Kayla Ruff and Shellby Taylor. Friedrichs finished her freshman season fifth in the MIAA with 97 total blocks, averaging 0.92 per match. Ruff was fourth in the MIAA as a sophomore with 4.81 digs per set and tied for the team lead with 28 service aces. Taylor showed more versatility as her freshman season went on, averaging 2.16 kills per set and .70 blocks per set.

“I really like what we have coming back and we’re very excited about our newcomers,” Carbin said. “To have three first-year players earn All-MIAA status is pretty incredible. Those three have grown and now know what it takes to be successful in this conference. They’re going to have to step up, along with our other returners, and become leaders now for a group of new Griffs that we feel can compete right away.”

The Missouri Western Volleyball season begins Sept. 2 in Topeka, Kansas where the team will participate in the two-day Washburn Invitational. The Griffons will play four matches in two days. The team’s home opener comes on Sept. 9 against Oklahoma Baptist as part of the Gold & Green Challenge. Missouri Western will co-host the event with Northwest Missouri State.

2016 MIAA Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Washburn (5)       110
T2. Central Missouri (3)   106
T2. Central Oklahoma (3)   106
4. Nebraska-Kearney (1)   102
5. Missouri Western       77
6. Northwest Missouri       69
7. Fort Hays State       64
8. Emporia State       51
9. Lindenwood       39
10. Pittsburg State       36
11. Southwest Baptist       17
12. Missouri Southern       15

— MWSU Athletics —

Cardinals lose on walk-off walk at Chicago in 11 innings

Posted on August 11, 2016August 12, 2016

CHICAGO (AP) — Anthony Rizzo drew a bases-loaded walk from Zach Duke with two outs in the 11th inning and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 on Thursday night for their 10th consecutive win.

Pinch-hitters Willson Contreras and Jorge Soler led off with singles against the lefty Duke (2-1) and Dexter Fowler walked to load the bases with one out. Kris Bryant struck out before Rizzo took a 3-1 pitch inside to give the Cubs their longest winning streak since getting 12 straight in 2001.

Mike Montgomery (4-5) allowed a single and two walks to load the bases in the 11th before striking out Matt Carpenter to end the threat. He won his first game for Chicago since being acquired from Seattle last month.

The Cardinals fell 13 games behind Chicago in the NL Central and lost Matt Holliday in the 10th after he was hit on the right hand by Mike Montgomery’s 94 mph fastball.

Randal Grichuk, called up from the minors before the game, tied it for St. Louis with a pinch-hit solo home run off Travis Wood in the seventh. Brandon Moss also homered for St. Louis.

Chris Coghlan had a two-run single and David Ross an RBI bunt single in the sixth for the Cubs.

Both managers used their closers in the ninth. Chicago’s Aroldis Chapman needed three pitches to get two liners to third and a groundout, while Seung Hwan Oh struck out the side for St. Louis. Oh then worked out of a 10th-inning jam.

The Cubs wasted three good opportunities to score before capitalizing in odd fashion.

After Coghlan’s two-out two-run single off Carlos Martinez tied it at 2, the 39-year-old Ross bunted an 0-1 curveball between the mound and third base. Martinez threw to first, and it drew Carpenter off the bag as Jason Heyward scored to put Chicago ahead.

Coghlan also teamed with Addison Russell to throw out Carpenter at the plate from left field on Stephen Piscotty’s double to end the seventh.

Cubs lefty Jon Lester allowed two runs and five hits with six strikeouts in six innings but lost a chance at his 13th win when Grichuk sent a 1-0 cutter into the left-field bleachers.

Moss hit his first homer off a lefty this season in the sixth to put the Cardinals up 2-0. Yadier Molina added three hits, including an RBI single in the first to extend his on-base streak to 24 games.

Martinez allowed three runs and seven hits over six innings. He hurt himself when he cut off a throw home that seemingly had a chance to get Rizzo on Chicago’s second run.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: A day after being scratched, 1B Matt Adams (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day disabled list. “He’s been working on some things throwing and also with his swing and something didn’t respond well,” manager Mike Matheny said. Grichuk was recalled from Triple-A Memphis.

Cubs: Pedro Strop (knee surgery) will be out four to six weeks and Hector Rondon (triceps) was unavailable. Rondon played catch and is scheduled for a bullpen session Friday.

UP NEXT

Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (13-5, 2.59 ERA) faces RHP Adam Wainwright (9-6, 4.34) on Friday afternoon.

— Associated Press —

Cain delivers game-winning hit for Royals in 14th inning

Posted on August 11, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lorenzo Cain’s two-out single in the 14th inning scored Christian Colon from second base and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Colon opened the inning with a single and Paulo Orlando sacrificed him to second. Cain laced a single to center to score Colon, ending the 4-hour, 34-minute game, the longest by the Royals this season.

Dillon Gee (4-5), the eighth Kansas City pitcher, struck out three in two perfect innings to pick up the victory. Matt Albers (2-5) was charged with the loss.

Jarrod Dyson led off the 13th inning with a triple, but the Royals failed to get him home. Dan Jennings struck out the next three batters: Drew Butera, Alex Gordon and Alcides Escobar.

Tim Anderson delivered a run-producing single with two outs in the 11th to give the White Sox a 2-1 lead, but closer David Robertson failed to hold it.

Anderson, who had struck out four times, hit a soft liner over the head of first baseman Eric Hosmer to score Todd Frazier, who led off the inning with a single off Chien-Ming Wang.

Robertson, who has blown saves in the first two games of the series, walked Hosmer to lead off the bottom of the 11th. Jarrod Dyson sacrificed him to second and Salvador Perez’s double scored Hosmer.

White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana limited the Royals to four hits and one run over 7 1/3 innings.

He was pulled after Paulo Orlando’s double in the eighth inning. Nate Jones replaced him and on his first pitch yielded a run-producing double to Cheslor Cuthbert. It was Jones’ seventh blown save of the season.

Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy, who has a 0.93 ERA in his past three starts, held the White Sox to one run and six hits over 6 1/3 innings. Kennedy is 0-3 with five no-decisions since a June 26 victory over Houston.

The Royals have scored a total of nine runs while Kennedy was on the mound in his past eight starts.

J.D. Shuck, who hit .083 over his previous eight games, homered on a 2-0 pitch in the third, the only run Kennedy allowed.

Orlando had two outfield assists. He threw out Omar Narvaez at the plate in the seventh when he attempted to score from second on

Shuck’s single to center. In the ninth, pinch-runner Carlos Sanchez tried to take second on Tyler Saladino’s fly out to deep right-center, but Orlando threw him out.

QUICK EJECTION

White Sox pitching Don Cooper was ejected by plate umpire Pat Hoberg five pitches into the bottom of the first inning for arguing balls and strikes.

HAWK ABSENT

Ken Harrelson, who is in his 32nd season in the White Sox television booth, will miss all six games of this Kansas City and Miami road trip due to illness.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: INF Brett Lawrie (strained left hamstring) has resumed swinging a bat. “He looks much better from where he was,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “It’s another step in the right direction for him, but, we don’t know exactly how that’s going to go.”

Royals: LHP Mike Minor, who has not pitched in the majors since Sept. 23, 2014, with the Braves and had surgery in 2015 to repair a torn labrum, is rehabbing with Triple-A Omaha. He likely will not rejoin the Royals until September, when the hope is could make some starts.

UP NEXT

White Sox: RHP Miguel Gonzalez is 0-1 with a 3.65 ERA in two starts this season against the Royals.

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy is 4-0 with a 3.67 ERA in nine home starts this season.

— Associated Press —

CBs Gaines, Nelson among those vying to start for Chiefs

Posted on August 10, 2016

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The reality of injuries sustained in the NFL can be harsh.

When a player like Phillip Gaines suffers a serious injury, there’s never a guarantee a spot will still be available upon his return. The Chiefs’ third-round draft pick out of Rice in 2014 worked into a starting role by the end of his rookie year and reassumed that position last year.

A torn ACL suffered in Week 3 during a loss to the Packers ended Gaines’ season and clouded his future.

Gaines left offseason activities as the presumed second starter at cornerback opposite 2015 Defensive Rookie of the Year Marcus Peters. Gaines and Steve Nelson have split time on the right side with the first team so far in training camp, and Gaines clearly fits into the Chiefs’ plans.

“It just feels good to be able to have the opportunity to play, and I’m going to try and make the most of it,” Gaines said.

The Chiefs listed Nelson, a third-round pick out of Oregon State in 2015, as the second starter in the first depth chart released earlier this week.

Gaines continues to slowly work back from the knee injury, and Kansas City coach Andy Reid limited his participation in Wednesday’s practice, the last one in pads ahead of the preseason opener against Seattle on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium. Reid said he would attempt to play everyone on the roster, and the early portion could provide a first look at how the Chiefs deploy the cornerbacks alongside Peters, who grabbed eight interceptions and returned two for touchdowns in his first season.

The Chiefs’ cornerbacks corps took a hit in the offseason when Sean Smith left in free agency for the Oakland Raiders, leaving a starting spot open, with Gaines, Nelson, Marcus Cooper and a trio of rookies looking to earn playing time. None of those seven players has more than three years of experience.

“Real talented group. We’ve just got to come along,” Peters said. “That’s what camp is for. As camp goes on, everyone gets a lot more comfortable and the speed of the game slows down and you start making your plays. I love the talent. Everyone’s out here competing.”

Gaines started his career in Kansas City with a prominent role on special teams. He started five games in 2014 before a concussion and illness ended his season after 13 games.

With Smith suspended the first three games of 2015, Gaines earned a starting spot. But his season ended in the game before Smith returned. He has 26 tackles and no interceptions in his first 16 NFL matches.

Nelson didn’t play much early in 2015, but Gaines’ injury and other struggles in the secondary helped him get on the field in 12 games. His biggest moment came in a playoff win against the Houston Texans when he briefly subbed for Peters and broke up a pass intended for star wideout DeAndre Hopkins.

Coaches have shown a preference to use Gaines in the slot, making him a potential fit as a nickel defender rather than the No. 1 cornerback on the right side.

Despite having only eight tackles to his credit, Nelson could quickly move into that starting role, and coaches and teammates like his fiery attitude and emotional style. Nelson has admitted disappointment with not playing more as a rookie, but Reid has confidence he is ready to assume a much larger role.

“He’s an energy giver, that kid,” Reid said. “He’s learning all the fundamentals and technique and battling like crazy. He never gives up on a play. He’s got a short memory.”

Cooper currently has the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind Peters. Cooper showed flashes in 2013 with three interceptions, but struggled in 2014 and made just two tackles in 10 games last year.

The rookie draft picks sit behind the top four attempting to make their case for a spot in the rotation.

KeiVarae Russell (third round, Notre Dame), Eric Murray (fourth round, Minnesota) and D.J. White (sixth round, Georgia Tech) were all taken to add depth at a seemingly thin spot. Currently, Murray and sixth-year veteran defensive back Jamell Fleming, who has played some cornerback the past two years with Kansas City, are listed at safety on the depth chart.

Peters, Gaines and Nelson look like the only guaranteed contributors at cornerback, but the depth could be important – a lesson the Chiefs learned last year while rotating through a multitude of looks.

“Nothing’s set in stone until the game’s here, and from game to game it can change, too,” Gaines said. “I got hurt last year. At the blink of an eye someone else had to come in. You always have to be mentally prepared to take every rep even if you’re not on the field so when you are put in, we just keep it moving.”

— Associated Press —

Carpenter, Peralta homer as Cardinals beat Reds 3-2

Posted on August 10, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jaime Garcia is finally feeling like himself on the mound.

“I’m a guy who goes after guys and I got away from where I needed to be and I had some mechanical issues that I had to get rid of,” Garcia said. “The last couple of games my defense has been great and hopefully we can do that the rest of the way.”

Matt Carpenter and Jhonny Peralta homered to back up a second straight dominant start by Garcia as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Garcia (9-8) needed just 85 pitches to get through 8-plus innings and 19 of his 24 outs were ground balls or strikeouts. The lefty has given up two runs in his last 16 innings.

“When I’m pitching my goal is to get quick outs and to get them to hit the ball on the ground and I was able to do that today,” Garcia said.

Shortstop Greg Garcia had nine putouts. Greg Garcia and Peralta, who played third, made back-to-back stellar defensive plays to get Jaime Garcia out of the eighth.

“Those ground balls, he had a lot early in the count,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny. “Guys thought they saw it and it would just dance out of the zone at the last second.”

Carpenter’s homer in the first inning was his second leadoff home run of the season and 11th of his career. It was also Carpenter’s second career homer against Reds starter Anthony DeScalfani.

Peralta’s solo homer in fourth was the 200th of his career. Peralta is hitting .345 in August.

Peralta didn’t know about the career milestone until teammate Matt Holliday told him.

“It was a surprise for me,” Peralta said. “I try to think in my mind like what’s close to me and everything, but yeah, Holliday surprised me.”

Seung-Hwan Oh earned his 10th save in 11 tries.

“He continues to impress us,” Matheny said. “Everything he does. The way he prepares, the way he competes and just the mix he is on our club. It’s nice to have him.”

DeSclafani (6-1) took his first loss of the season and in his career in five appearances against St. Louis. The three runs he gave up in five innings equaled the three total he gave up in his three previous starts against the Cardinals spanning 19 innings.

Eugenio Suarez’s solo homer in the fourth for the Reds was his first since July 25.

Red manager Bryan Price tipped his cap to Jaime Garcia.

“We’ve seen him really, really good in the past; we’ve seen him other times where he’s a little more vulnerable with his command and up in the zone, but tonight wasn’t one of those nights,” Price said. “There wasn’t much there and Anthony certainly wasn’t on top of his game and still was able to go out there and be able to compete and keep it close. We just weren’t able to do much with Garcia.”

STILL STREAKING

Yadier Molina’s single in the sixth extended his streak of reaching base safely to 23 games. It is the longest streak by a Cardinals catcher since Gene Tenace reached in 35 straight games between 1981 and 1982.

WEB GEM

Reds second baseman Tony Renda made a diving stop on Holliday’s hit up the middle. Renda was able to throw out Holliday at first saving a run.

OMINOUS ANNIVERSARY

Six years ago, the Cardinals and Reds got into an infamous brawl in Cincinnati sparked by comments made by Brandon Phillips about the St. Louis organization. Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue suffered a concussion during the melee and never played again.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: RHP Alfredo Simon (trapezius) and RHP A.J. Morris (straight shoulder) were scheduled to make their second rehab appearance for Triple-A Louisville.

Cardinals: 1B Matt Adams (left shoulder soreness) was a lineup scratch several hours before game-time. Peralta replaced him at sixth in the order playing third base and Carpenter moved to first base.

UP NEXT

Reds: Homer Bailey has permitted seven runs in 8 2/3 innings his first two starts of the season.

Cardinals: Carlos Martinez gets the call in the opener of a four-game series at Chicago. In two starts against the Cubs this year, both at home, he’s 1-1 with a 5.25 ERA.

— Associated Press —

Royals rally to force extra innings, lose to White Sox in 10

Posted on August 9, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Todd Frazier hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning and Justin Morneau had four hits to lift the Chicago White Sox over the Kansas City Royals 7-5 on Tuesday night.

Frazier is tied for the major league lead with 31 homers, and this one came on the first pitch from Kelvin Herrera (1-4) after a single by Jose Abreu and a double by Morneau.

David Robertson (3-2) blew a save in the ninth when Alcides Escobar’s two-out single scored pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson.

Dan Jennings struck out Eric Hosmer to end the game, logging his first career save.

White Sox All-Star left-hander Chris Sale is 0-3 in five starts since a July 2 victory over Houston. He gave up three runs and seven hits in the first 2 1/3 innings but did not allow a hit after that. He threw 115 pitches in seven innings, striking out seven and walking one.

After Edinson Volquez retired the first two hitters in the fifth, the White Sox used five straight singles to score three runs and lead 4-3. Melky Cabrera, Abreu and Morneau each drove in a run.

Paulo Orlando, batting leadoff for the first time this season, started the first with a double and scored on Cheslor Cuthbert’s single.

Hosmer’s single in the third scored Cuthbert and Lorenzo Cain, giving the Royals a 3-1 advantage. Sale retired the next 13 batters before walking Raul Mondesi in the seventh.

Volquez allowed four runs, 10 hits and a walk over six innings.

The Royals scored an unearned run in the 10th when Cuthbert doubled, took third on an error and scored on Cain’s groundout.

ABREU’S REUNION

Abreu, who is from Cuba, visited his 5-year-old son Dariel on the off-day Monday in Miami in his first time on United States soil. “I couldn’t say anything. I just started crying,” Abreu said. Dariel, who is staying with grandparents in Florida, will see his father play in the majors for the first time this weekend when the White Sox play at the Marlins.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: OF-DH Avisail Garcia was placed on the disabled list with a sprained right knee. OF Jason Coats was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.

Royals: LHP Mike Minor (recovering from 2015 labrum surgery) threw 4 1/3 innings Sunday on a rehab start for Triple-A Omaha, allowing three hits and one run against Colorado Springs. Royals general manager Dayton Moore attended Minor’s start. “He was very impressed with his fastball command and had a very good changeup with a lot of life,” Royals manager Ned Yost said of Moore’s scouting report.

UP NEXT

White Sox: LHP Jose Quintana is 1-8 with a 4.28 ERA in 20 career starts against the Royals.

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy has allowed one earned run and seven hits while striking out 15 in 13 innings in his past two starts.

— Associated Press —

Missouri hires San Diego State’s Jim Sterk as new athletic director

Posted on August 9, 2016August 9, 2016

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The University of Missouri said Tuesday it has hired San Diego State’s Jim Sterk as its new athletic director on a seven-year contract.

He will be paid a base salary of $700,000 and will start no later than Sept. 1. Interim Chancellor Hank Foley said Sterk was exactly what Missouri needs as it replaces Mack Rhoades, who left for Baylor.

Sterk has spent the past six years at San Diego State, helping the school to what Missouri said was the most successful five seasons in SDSU’s athletic history — 32 team conference championships and the fourth-highest combined winning percentage in the country in football and men’s basketball.

The 60-year-old Sterk was also the AD at Washington State and has held positions at Portland State, North Carolina, Maine, Seattle Pacific and Tulane. The former football and basketball player is a 1980 graduate of Western Washington and received his master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University.

Sterk was recently honored as the AD of the year by National Association of College Director of Athletics and was selected to the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee.

San Diego State has hired Jenny Bramer as interim AD.

— Associated Press —

Northwest men add Iowa prep forward Ryan Hawkins

Posted on August 9, 2016August 9, 2016

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University head men’s basketball coach Ben McCollum has announced the addition of Ryan Hawkins to the 2016-17 roster. Hawkins was a first-team all-state performer for Atlantic High School in Atlantic, Iowa.

“We are extremely excited that Ryan has decided to join our program,” said McCollum. “Ryan has an extremely high motor. He competed in and was successful in five different sports in high school which impressed us. At 6’7 he can do many different things. He can score in the post, he handles the ball well on the perimeter, he can shoot the 3, and he is a great passer. Ryan also lead the state in rebounding last year. Even more, Ryan is an exceptional young man who will be a great asset to our program and the community of Maryville. Ryan will be a great fit.”

Hawkins averaged 22.2 points and 13.4 rebounds per game during his prep career. He earned first team All-Hawkeye 10 conference honors during his junior and senior seasons after being named second team as a sophomore. He tallied 89 steals and 43 blocks as a senior. He was the KMA Male Athlete of the Year, leading his team to an 18-5 record. He set a school single-game scoring record with 45 points.

— Northwest Athletics —

Reyes makes debut but St. Louis falls to Cincinnati 7-4

Posted on August 9, 2016August 9, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Adam Duvall drove in two runs and Tyler Holt’s double drove in the game-winning run as the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4 on Tuesday night.

Holt’s double off Matt Bowman (1-4) broke a 4-4 tie in the eighth. He then scored from second on an infield hit by Billy Hamilton after Cardinals second baseman Matt Carpenter bobbled a barehanded attempt to get the speedy Hamilton at first.

Duvall’s two-run single in the third broke a career high 0-for-18 skid and gave the Reds a 2-1 lead.

Joey Votto had two hits, an RBI and a walk and has hit safely in 18 of his last 19 games.

Reds lefty Brandon Finnegan struck out five, but walked six in six innings. Michael Lorenzen (2-0) gave up a run in two innings of relief and Raisel Iglesias picked up his first save.

Yadier Molina’s solo home run in the second inning broke a career-high 13-inning scoreless streak for Finnegan. It also extended Molina’s streak for reaching base safely to 22 games.

Matt Holliday’s solo homer in the fifth tied the game 3-3.

Cardinals right-hander Mike Leake failed to record a clean frame in six innings, surrendering a season-high four walks. Still, the three runs allowed were a much better showing than his two previous starts against his former club when he gave up six and seven runs, respectively.

DAZZLING DEBUT

Highly touted prospect Alex Reyes made his Cardinals debut in the ninth. The right-hander’s fastball topped out at 101 mph twice in a perfect frame that included a strikeout of Adam Duvall.

RUN BILLY RUN

Hamilton stole three bases and he has nine steals in his past three games. He has more stolen bases (48) than the Reds have wins (46).

PARKING ISSUES

The Cardinals closed their locker room for about 10 minutes to discuss temporary parking arrangements in preparation for the Paul McCartney concert Saturday at Busch Stadium.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: RHP Alfredo Simon (right trapezius) and RHP A.J. Morris (strained right shoulder) will continue their rehab assignment Wednesday at Triple-A Louisville. Simon is scheduled to pitch two innings and Morris one.

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (strained right shoulder) was placed on the DL and Reyes was promoted from Triple-A Memphis.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Anthony DeSclafani (6-0, 2.94 ERA) is coming off a no-decision against Pittsburgh in which he gave up two runs in six innings. Last season, he became the first Reds rookie since Ewell Blackwell in 1946 to face St. Louis in consecutive starts and win them both.

Cardinals: LHP Jaime Garcia (8-8, 4.04) is coming off eight shutout innings in a 1-0 win over Atlanta. He drove in the lone run of that game with a single and allowed just three hits.

— Associated Press —

K-State’s Willis earns spot on Hendricks Award watch list

Posted on August 9, 2016August 9, 2016

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior defensive end Jordan Willis was one of 28 players in the nation to be named to the watch list for the 2016 Ted Hendricks Award, presented annually to the nation’s best defensive end, the Ted Hendricks Foundation has announced.

Willis’ inclusion on the list marks the fourth time since 2012 that a Wildcat has been up for the award and the seventh since the award’s inception in 2002. Most recently, Ryan Mueller was a two-time candidate (2013-14), while Ian Campbell was up for the award three times (2006-08), including being a semifinalist in 2006. Meshak Williams was also a candidate for the award during K-State’s Big 12 Championship season of 2012.

A native of Kansas City, Missouri, and one of just two Big 12 players on this year’s watch list (Josh Carraway, TCU), Willis played at an All-Big 12 level in 2015 as he made 36 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, three pass breakups, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. A 2016 Preseason All-Big 12 pick, Willis finished his junior season ranked 13th nationally and tied for first in the Big 12 in forced fumbles, while he was 24th in the NCAA and second in the league in sacks.

K-State fans can get their first look at Willis and the 2016 Wildcats this Saturday as K-State hosts the annual Fan Appreciation Day at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Gates open at 5 p.m., and fans can watch the final hour of practice prior to a one-hour autograph session on the field.

— KSU Athletics —