The Missouri Western football team remained the 6th ranked team in Division II which was announced Monday morning by the American Football Coaches Association.

The Griffons defeated the Fort Hays State Tigers lat time out 52-21 and will travel to face Central Oklahoma on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. in Edmond, Okla.

Among other MIAA schools, Northwest Missouri is ranked No. 3 while Pittsburg State is ranked 10th, Washburn is 15th and Emporia State is ranked 24th.

Missouri Western has been ranked in the top 25 in the last 23 polls and has received votes in 43 of the last 44 polls by the American Football Coaches Association.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Missouri Western athletic director Kurt McGuffin has announced interim women’s volleyball coach Marian Carbin has been named permanent head coach.

Her interim tag has been removed immediately.

“Marian has earned this position and I believe we will continue to see positive growth from our volleyball program  in the future,” commented Director of Athletics Kurt McGuffin.

Carbin was named interim head coach this past May after former Griffon coach Cory Frederick stepped down. Carbin was his assistant all four years he was at Missouri Western, and the team improved its win total each season.

Before her coaching career, Carbin was a standout player for the Griffons from 2002-2005. Carbin accumulated 557 kills to go along with 1,009 digs, 135 set assists and 128 services aces. She was also named to the 2005 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America team.
She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in the spring of 2007. Before coming back to Missouri Western, Carbin taught mathematics at North Kansas City High School where she also was an assistant coach for the high school team. She was the head coach of the Kansas City Extreme Volleyball Club. Her team competed in the 2009 Junior Olympics National Tournament.

“I’m thrilled with the announcement that my position will be permanent,” stated Coach Carbin. “Griffon Volleyball has been an important part of my past, and I’m excited to explore the possibilities that it holds for my future. I know that our program is eager to move forward and make progress in all areas; not just with this current season, but in our recruiting for the future as well. I’m grateful for the support I’ve received from the administration during this interim time and for the confidence that they have shown in me moving forward,” Carbin said.

This season, the Griffons are 5-8 overall and are off to a 3-2 record in the MIAA. They defeated Lindenwood 3-2 Saturday night and host No. 18 Truman State Wednesday night at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Missouri Western running back Dominic Thomas has been named MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week for the first time in his career for his performance last week in the Griffons 52-21 victory over the Fort Hays State Tigers.

For his efforts he was also named Beyond Sports Network’s Special Teams Player of the Week.

After the Tigers took the ball down the field giving them an early 7-0 lead in the first, Thomas took the next kickoff 96 yards tying the score.

It was the first kickoff return for the Griffons since October 8, 2011 when Tarrell Downing took one back 88 yards against Lincoln.

Thomas also had six carries for 50 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown carry came in the second quarter giving MWSU the 21-7 lead with four minutes to play.

The 5-8 junior is a native of Montgomery, Mo. where he competed at Montgomery County High School.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The 6th ranked Missouri Western football team outscored the Fort Hays State Tigers 28-7 in the third quarter coming away with a 52-21 victory. The Griffons have now won seven straight MIAA games dating back to last season improving to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the MIAA.

Despite have the ball for just 4:46 seconds in the first quarter the Griffons were able to end the first quarter tied at the end of the quarter. The Tigers took the opening possession 70 yards on 12 plays with Treveon Albert connecting with Edward Smith giving Fort Hays the 7-0 lead with 10:05 left in the quarter.

The Griffons responded the very next play when Dominic Thomas took a kickoff back 96 yards tying the score at seven. The kickoff return for a touchdown was the first time since Tarrell Downing took one back 88 yards on October 8, 2011 against Lincoln.

Missouri Western preceded to scoring the next 14 points taking a 21-7 lead after Thomas scored his second touchdown of the game capping a 65 yard 10 play drive. Stephon Weaver scored the Griffons second touchdown of the game on a five yard pitch and catch from Travis Partridge. The touchdown was his fourth of the season and third in the last two games.

The Tigers continued to play hard and just before the half they put together a seven play 48 yard drive cutting the lead to 21-14 after a hook up from Albert to Tanner Hageman.

At the half the Griffons led 21-14 but trailed in offensive yards 155 to 202. Partridge completed 7-of-12 passes for 68 yards with Josh Walker, Reggie Jordan and Weaver all getting two. Thomas led the way on the ground with 38 yards on four carries. Meshack Kennedy had six tackles for MWSU.

The Tigers were led on the ground by Albert with 42 yards on 12 carries while Keaton Callins had four catches for 40 yards. Zach Nash had five tackles.

The second half was all Griffons as the scored 28 points in the third quarter with 21 coming in the first four and a half minutes. Raphael Spencer scored two touchdowns in the quarter while Dalton Krysan and Derek Libby each scored one. The Griffons took a 49-21 lead after the third quarter.

In the final quarter the Griffons tacked on three more points when John Schmiemeier booted a 39 yard field goal.

The Griffons capitalized on numerous Tiger special team mistakes and forced four Tiger turnovers in the victory. The Tigers fall to 0-4 overall and in the MIAA with the loss.

Missouri Western had 399 yards of total offense with 240 coming on the ground Spencer finished wit 84 yards and two touchdowns while Thomas and Krysa had 50 and 40 yards receptively. Partridge connected on 13-of-22 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns while Walker, Jordan and Weaver all had three catches. Stephen Juergens and Kennedy had nine tackles apiece.

The Tigers finished with 307 yards with 183 coming through the air. Albert completed 23-of-39 passes with two touchdowns. Callins had nine catches for 85 yards while Andre Smith had 71 yards on 16 carries. Justin McPhail led the defense with 10 tackles.

The Griffons return to action on Saturday, October 5 when they hit the road for a contest with the Central Oklahoma Bronchos. Game time is set for 6:00 pm in Edmond, Okla. at Wantland Stadium.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western volleyball team picked up a huge come from behind victory by a score of 3-2 (25-16, 27-29, 19-25, 25-20, 15-10) on Saturday afternoon against the Lindenwood Lions. Three Griffons picked up double digit kills with Jessie Thorup leading the way with 18. The Griffons improve to 5-8 overall and 3-2 in MIAA play.

Missouri Western opened up the contest on fire winning set one 25-16. They hit .382 in the set with 17 kills and just four errors.

The next two sets belonged to the Lions as they won a tight 29-27 set before taking set three 25-19.

The Griffons responded nicely taking set four 25-20 and the all important set five 15-10.

Kelsey Olion and Amanda Boender finished with 16 and 10 kills respectively while Jordan Chohon and Kelly Scannell each had 27 set assists. Defensively Sarah Faubel had 13 digs. The Griffons had 68 kills hitting .278 in the match. They also had 12 blocks with Boender collecting 10.

Lindenwood falls to 4-9 overall and 1-2 in MIAA play. They had 64 kills with Kayla Guyot getting 2- kills. Sarah Makowski and Shannon Doyle had 15 and 13 kills respectively. Emma Brydels had 52 set assists while Anna Reichert had 13 digs.

Western returns to action on Wednesday, October 2 with a home match against 18th ranked Truman State. Match time is set for 7:00 pm from the MWSU Fieldhouse.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western volleyball team ran into a hot opponent in the 5th ranked Central Missouri Jennies on Friday evening falling in three straight sets. The Griffons fall to 4-8 overall and 2-2 in MIAA play while the Jennies improve to 14-0 overall and 4-0 in MIAA play.

Central Missouri allowed Missouri Western to score the first point, but that was the only lead the Griffons had for the rest of the set. The Jennies had only a two point lead at 6-4, before scoring four of five points, Central Missouri doubling Missouri Western’s score at 10-5. Central Missouri continued to score points, two at a time for the rest of the set, before earning the final point of the set from a block assist by Taylor Goodness and Maddie Jones.

In the second set Missouri Western lead the Jennies for over half of the set. The Griffons scored four consecutive points to start the set, before the Jennies were able to score a point, off a kill by Julia Bates. Central Missouri caught up to Missouri Western at 6-6, and took the lead for a point with a kill by Haley Thompson, but the lead was sort lived when a serving error gave the Griffons another point to tie it back up at 7-7. The Jennies continued to play catch up, scoring a point after allowing two, until they caught the Griffons at 16-16 for the fourth tie score of the set. Missouri Western then allowed nine consecutive points, three from kills by Becca Blaise, the other six coming from team attack errors to end the set at 25-16. Thompson and Blaise both had four kills in the set, Goodness right behind them with three.

In the third set, Central Missouri scored first, by Missouri Western kept the set close, this time the Griffons were the team continuously catching the Jennies before allowing more points to be scored. Missouri Western tied Central Missouri for the sixth time in the set at 8-8, when the Jennies scored five points in a row, with a serving ace from Mikalee Monachino, two kills from Jones and one from Carly Sojka and Courtney Cornell. After gaining the five point lead, Missouri Western was unable to catch Central Missouri again, and the set closed with a kill by Sojka at 25-17.

The Griffons were led by Jessie Thorup with seven kills while Erica Rottinghaus had six. Rottinghaus led the way defensively with 17 digs while Sarah Faubel had 14. Jordan Chohon had 12 set assists.

The Griffons return to action tomorrow with a 1:00 pm match with the Lindenwood Lions in St. Charles, Mo..

— MWSU Sports Information —

For the second time this week the Missouri Western women’s soccer team took on NW Missouri State but with a different outcome as the Griffons came out on the short end against the Bearcats falling 2-0.

With the two teams playing to a 1-1 tie on Tuesday this was a highly anticipated rematch for everyone involved.

This first half looked much like the entire game earlier this week with both teams battling for possession and being unable to get a clean shot on goal. The teams finished the first half 0-0.

Northwest won the possession battle in the second half managing 12 shots compared to the Griffon’s three.

Late in the second half Jordan Albright moved from defense to midfield and was able to capitalize on a clean shot for her second goal of the season and more importantly break the 0-0 tie and put her team up 1-0.

Anna Calgaard added her second goal of the week and fourth of the season when she curved one into the back of the net off of a free kick with 10 seconds to play in the match to go up 2-0.

The Griffons fall to 2-6-1 overall and 0-2 in MIAA play while the Bearcats improve to 2-4 overall and 1-1 in MIAA play.

The Griffons return to action on Friday, October 4 with a contest in Edmond, Okla. against the Central Oklahoma Bronchos. Game time is set for 4:00 pm.

— MWSU Sports Information —

LeAnn Martens-Francis was a three-sport athlete at Missouri Western whose softball career culminated with All-CSIC honors (1984 & 1985) and was a participant on the 1982 NAIA National Championship team. She is second in the record books with 40 career sacrifices.

Her volleyball career culminated with a second team NAIA All-American selection in 1985. She finished with 491 kills and a career-high 278 blocks. She also received first team District 16 and All-CSIC honors her junior and senior seasons. She also had a career-high 525 kills in 1984. She currently sits in third on the Griffons’ all-time kills list, totaling 1,521 and also tallied 839 career blocks in her four years at Western.

Martens-Francis worked in the Missouri Department of Transportation Regional Counsel’s Office where she held the position of supervisor for the district office services before leaving this earth after a long, hard fought battle with cancer.

Please join us on Saturday, September 28th in between Griffon Softball games to honor LeAnn and dedicate a plaque in her name next to the 1982 National Championship plaque at the Spring Sports Complex on MWSU’s campus. Her legacy will forever live in Griffon Athletics and we would love to have fellow alumni join us for this event.

Also, the weekend of September 28th is Hall Of Fame weekend for Missouri Western Athletics. There is a breakfast at 9:00 am on campus for this years ceremony of inductees. At 6:00 pm, our Football team plays Fort Hays State University.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Sophomore Jessie Thorup led the Missouri Western volleyball team with a career high 21 kills as they defeated Fort Hays State in their home opener Tuesday 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 25-21).

The Griffons had a season best 72 defensive digs and a season best 68 kills as they improve to 4-7 overall and 2-1 in MIAA play.

Western opened up set one hitting .213 with 17 kills. The Griffons used a 13-8 eight run midway through the first set claiming an 18-12 lead after an Amanda Boender kill. Boender finished the set with four kills hitting .375. Boender also got the winning kill in the first set as MWSU won 25-22.

In set two, Missouri Western used another run to get the victory. With the Griffons leading 17-16 the used a 8-4 run closing out the match and claiming a 2-0 lead after a 25-20 set two victory. MWSU had 17 kills in the set with Jessie Thorup getting two. After two set she led the Griffons with eight kills.

In set three, Western got down early and could not come back falling 25-21. Thorup had eight more kills in the set pushing her total to 16 after three sets.

In fourth and final set the Griffons had 17 more kills hitting .238 in the set. Thorup had five more kills while Kelsey Olion had four. Boender put the match away with one of her 11 kills.

In the match, Missouri Western had 17 kills in all four sets tallying 68 in the match. Erica Rottinghaus finished with 13 kills while Olion had 12. Jordan Chohon had 30 of the Griffons 30 set assists while Sarah Faubel led the way with 25 digs.

Fort Hays State falls to 0-9 on the season and 0-4 in MIAA play. The Tigers finished with 48 kills with Taylor Mares leading the way with 13. Libby Ary had 18 set assists while Madison Schwartz and Makenzie Weinman had 11 digs apiece.

Missouri Western returns to action on Friday, September 27 on the road against #5 Central Missouri. Match time is set for 7:00 pm in the UCM Multipurpose Building.

— MWSU Sports Information —