KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 2019 MIAA Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll was released on Thursday morning, with Missouri Western picked fourth.

2019 MIAA PRESEASON BASEBALL POLL
1. Central Missouri (6) – 115 points
2. Central Oklahoma (3) – 107 points
3. Pittsburg State (2) – 102 points
4. Missouri Western – 81 points
5. Emporia State – 80 points
6. Missouri Southern (1) – 67 points
T-7. Lindenwood – 60 points
T-7. Northwest Missouri – 60 points
9. Northeastern State – 38 points
10. Washburn – 34 points
11. Southwest Baptist – 26 points
12. Fort Hays State – 23 points

The Griffons will aim to improve off of a 29-24 finish in 2018. Last year was Missouri Western’s eighth-straight season above .500. Leading Missouri Western Baseball in his 20th season in 2019 is head coach Buzz Verduzco. Through his first 19 seasons leading the program, the Griffons have finished .500 or better in all but three seasons.

The Griffons bring back a load of experience in the field, returning eights players that started over 30 games last season. Headlining Missouri Western’s returners is the infield duo of Dusty Stroup and Casey Danley. Following an All-MIAA selection as a junior, Stroup was named to the 2019 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Preseason All-Region Second Team. Stroup started all 53 games at shortstop for the Griffons and led the team with 68 hits and 44 RBI. Danley was the Griffons’ top hitter last season with a team-high .327 batting average. He also led the team with 11 home runs.

Second baseman Brooks Day returns for his senior season in 2019. Day received both a Gold Glove Award and All-MIAA Honorable Mention as a junior. Day was one of the team’s most consistent hitters, finishing with a .301 batting average and a team-high 14 doubles.

Returning to the mound for Missouri Western after an impressive 9-2 junior season is Jacob Miller. Miller was the team’s number one starter, finishing with 14 starts. He was named Third Team All-MIAA and ended the season with a 3.65 ERA.

Another probable starter for the Griffons is right-hander Carson Dwyre. Dwyre started five games last season and held a 2.40 ERA before suffering a season-ending injury.

Relief pitcher Kellan Richards is another key returner for the Missouri Western pitching staff. Richards returns for his senior season after being named All-MIAA Honorable Mention last year. Richards appeared in 35 games last season, holding opposing batters to a .264 average.

Missouri Western Baseball will this weekend with a three-game series at Oklahoma Baptist, with the 2019 season opener on Friday, Feb. 1.

— MWSU Athletics —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The MIAA Preseason Softball Coaches Poll was released on Wednesday and Missouri Western is picked to finish fifth in the league in 2019.

The Griffons will begin the season looking to improve on a fifth place regular season finish in 2018. It was just the second time in 15 seasons the program finished with a record below .500. Experience should prove to be valuable for this year’s team, as the Griffons return seven players that started at least 20 games in the field from last season.

MIAA PRESEASON SOFTBALL COACHES POLL

Position	School	Total Votes	2018 Finish	2018 Record
1.	Washburn (11)	162	1st	39-14, 23-3
2.	Central Oklahoma (2)	151	3rd	34-22, 17-9
3.	Central Missouri	141	2nd	30-22, 19-7
4.	Northwest Missouri	133	4th	27-19, 16-10
5.	Missouri Western	113	t-5th	25-29, 15-11
6.	Northeastern State	111	t-5th	30-26, 15-11
7.	Lindenwood	103	t-7th	30-22, 14-12
8.	Emporia State (1)	93	t-7th	30-31, 14-12
9.	Pittsburg State	65	9th	22-33, 12-14
10.	Missouri Southern	58	11th	23-29, 10-16
11.	Nebraska Kearney	57	10th	16-29, 11-15
12.	Fort Hays State	46	t-12th	13-37, 8-18
13.	Southwest Baptist	28	t-12th	18-33, 8-18
14.	Lincoln	13	14th	5-43, 0-26

The 2019 season could also be a season of career milestones for Missouri Western head coach Jen Bagley Trotter. She enters her 18^th season at MWSU just two wins shy of her 600^th coaching victory, all coming at Missouri Western. Already the all-time coaching wins leader at Missouri Western, Bagley Trotter is 17 wins from becoming the MIAA’s all-time leader in the same category.

Among the team’s most notable returners is 2017 MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, Shelby Uhl. Uhl started all 54 games in centerfield as a junior, committing just one error with a .990 fielding percentage. She was the team’s most productive hitter with a .345 average, 61 hits, and 45 RBIs. Fellow outfielder Morgan Frost also returns for the Griffons. Frost started all 54 games in left and was the team’s second-leading hitter with 57 hits, including a team-high 15 doubles.

Gabi Carter and Lonnie Groves highlight the returners for the infield. Carter was one of four hitters on the team to hit over .300 with a .305 batting average. Meanwhile, Groves was second on the team with eight home runs as the team’s primary shortstop.

In the pitching circle, the Griffons return both of their primary starters from last year’s team in Kenzie Hilzer and Kaili Hinds. Hilzer will be coming off her sophomore season in which she was named All-MIAA Honorable Mention. Hilzer finished with a 14-14 overall record with a team-high 88 strikeouts.

Joining the Missouri Western pitching staff are transfers Lexi Kinnaird and Olivia Goodale. Kinnaird transfers to Missouri Western from NCAA Division I institution Wisconsin Green Bay, where she appeared in 23 games with 11 starts. Goodale comes to Missouri Western after pitching two seasons at Indian Hills Community College, finishing with a career record of 27-17 with a 2.16 ERA.

Missouri Western Softball will begin the 2019 season at the Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament in St. Cloud, Minnesota this weekend. The Griffons will play four games over the weekend, beginning with a matchup with Minnesota State – Mankato on Feb. 1.

— MWSU Athletics —

BROOKFIELD, Ill. – The Don Hansen Football Committee released the 2018 Don Hansen NCAA Div. II All-America Team on Tuesday, with Missouri Western’s Brandin Dandridge and Tyler Basch receiving honorable mention.

Dandridge was named honorable mention as a return specialist. Dandridge was the Griffons’ primary threat on special teams, averaging 13 yards per punt return with one touchdown and a season-long return of 58 yards. He was named Don Hansen First Team All-Region as a returner and was also named to the third team as a defensive back. At cornerback, Dandridge led the MIAA with 15 passes defended and was tied for second in the conference with four interceptions.

Basch receives honorable mention All-American at kicker after being named Don Hansen Second Team All-Region. In his senior season, Basch went 13-for-17 on field goal attempts, including an MWSU record-tying 58-yard field goal in the Agent Barry Live United Bowl on Dec. 1.

The Don Hansen team carries out the legacy of long-time small college football advocate Don Hansen, who passed away at age 75 on Aug. 29, 2010. Hansen, from Brookfield, Ill., started and published Don Hansen’s National Weekly Football Gazette for three decades, selecting NCAA Division II All-America teams for the first time in 1988. Don Hansen’s Football Gazette began selecting Division II All-Region squads in 2003.

— MWSU Athletics —

KEARNEY, Neb. – After a Nebraska-Kearney three pointer cut the Griffons’ lead to just one point with 13 seconds remaining, Lavon Hightower nailed both free throws following a Loper foul to extend the lead to three. UNK missed the potential game-tying three on the ensuing possession, giving Missouri Western (9-11, 3-6 MIAA) a 83-79 road victory over Nebraska-Kearney (6-13, 1-9 MIAA) on Saturday.

NOTABLES

• The Griffons held the lead for all but three minutes of a tightly-contested first half, taking a 39-35 lead into halftime.
• Lavon Hightower was lights out for the Griffons in the first half, making all four of his shot attempts with three triples to lead the Griffons with 14 points.
• Nebraska Kearney’s Kanon Koster gave the Lopers their largest lead of the game at 64-59 with 8:46 remaining in the game.
• The Griffons then used a 20-9 run to take a nine-point lead with just three minutes to play.
• After missing the free throw, the Lopers snatched the offensive rebound before passing it out to Koster who made the three pointer to bring the Lopers within one point with 13 seconds remaining.
• Hightower sank both free throws after the Nebraska Kearney foul on the next Griffon possession.
• Nebraska Kearney’s game-tying attempt was no good as Bryan Hudson pulled down the rebound to seal the win for the Griffons.
• The Griffons finished with just five turnovers, their best mark this season.
• Saturday’s win snaps a four-game losing streak for Missouri Western

LEADERS

• Hightower stuffed the stat sheet and notched his sixth double-double of the season in the win. Hightower finished with 27 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists and shot 73 percent from the field.
• Tyrell Carroll scored 17 points and also had four assists.
• JJ Jones continues to improve for the Griffons in increased minutes. Jones’ 14 points and 26 minutes are both career-highs.
• Hudson also added 14 points.
• Nebraska Kearney’s Kanon Koster led all players in scoring, finishing with 31 points.

UP NEXT

• Missouri Western returns to the MWSU Fieldhouse to host Missouri Southern (16-4, 7-3 MIAA) on Jan. 31.
• The Lions edged Emporia State 80-77 on Saturday.

— MWSU Athletics —

KEARNEY, Neb. – The Missouri Western women’s basketball team (9-9, 4-5 MIAA) trailed by as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter Saturday at Nebraska-Kearney before chipping the deficit to just four in the final minute. However, UNK (12-7, 5-5 MIAA) made five of its final six free throws as the Griffons lost 62-53 on Saturday afternoon.

NOTABLES

• The Griffons had their most efficient-shooting quarter in the first at 46 percent, but the Lopers still held the 20-14 advantage.
• Both teams struggled offensively in the second quarter, combining for 20 points and 22 percent shooting.
• The Lopers held their largest lead of the game at 15 points with under five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
• Brittany Atkins’ jumper capped off an 18-9 run to bring the Griffons within four points with 46 seconds to play.
• Nebraska Kearney called a timeout and made five of its final six free throws to halt the Griffon comeback.
• The Griffons’ ability to get to the free-throw line kept them in the game, setting a new season-high with 35 free-throw attempts.
• Missouri Western finished the game with a season-low 25 percent field-goal percentage.

LEADERS

• Melia Richardson led the Griffons in scoring with 11 points and also added three steals.
• Katrina Roenfeldt and Jessica Davies each scored 10 points.
• Atkins scored all seven of her points in the fourth quarter.
• Simone Walker set career-highs in points (9), made free-throws (7), and free-throw attempts (10).

UP NEXT

• Missouri Western Women’s Basketball returns home to take on Missouri Southern (11-9, 3-7 MIAA) on Jan. 31.
• The Lions have lost four-straight after falling to Emporia State on Saturday.

— MWSU Athletics —

HAYS, Kan. – The Missouri Western Men’s Basketball (8-11, 2-6) battled back from a 19-point first half deficit before falling 84-74 on the road to Fort Hays State (13-5, 7-2), Thursday night.

Trailing by 13 at the half, the Griffons got hot in the second half to get the Fort Hays State lead to as few as three points with 2:32 to go (73-70), but couldn’t draw the game even or get over the hump.

NOTABLES

• The Griffons began the game up 5-0, but Fort Hays State answered with a 26-2 run to stake a 19-point lead Missouri Western’s second half run couldn’t conquer
• FHSU edged its lead to 15 with 11:28 to go, but a 13-5 MWSU run cut the Tiger lead to 63-57 with 8:44 to go
• The two teams traded punches and runs for the next seven minutes before Fort Hays State pulled away in the final minute, outscoring MWSU 7-1 over the final 71 seconds, mostly at the free throw line
• After shooting just 29 percent in the first half, MWSU used 56 percent shooting in the second to finish the game at 41 percent
• The Tigers knocked down 21-of-26 free throws while MWSU went 17-for-26 at the line
• Fort Hays State made three more baskets than Missouri Western, both teams knocked down nine three-point attempts

LEADERS

• Lavon Hightower scored a game and season-high 29 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field, adding a team-high seven rebounds with three assists and two blocks. He was 5-of-7 from three-point range and scored 20 of his points in the second half
• Tyrell Carroll scored 20 points with three assists and two steals. Carroll was 8-of-10 at the free throw line
• J.J. Jones had a season-high seven points to go with three rebounds in 16 minutes
• Bryan Hudson and Tyus Millhollin each scored seven

UP NEXT

• Missouri Western travels to Nebraska-Kearney (6-12, 1-8) on Saturday, Jan. 26
• Northwest Missouri handed UNK its sixth loss in the last seven games, 85-57, Thursday night.

— MWSU Athletics —

HAYS, Kan. – The Missouri Western Women’s Basketball team (9-8, 4-4) couldn’t get to its third-straight win as No. 8 Fort Hays State (17-1, 8-1) led wire-to-wire in a 67-50 win for the Tigers at Gross Memorial Coliseum Thursday night. A hot night beyond the perimeter by Fort Hays State and some uncharacteristic early turnovers by the Griffons set Missouri Western in an early hole they struggled to come back from. NOTABLES Missouri Western committed 13 first half turnovers, but just four in the second half to end with just one less than FHSU After FHSU shot 56 percent (5-of-9) from three point range in the first half, the Griffons limited the Tigers to 1-of-8 shooting from three-point range in the second half Fort Hays State staked its biggest lead of the game, 25 points, with 1:06 left in the third quarter MWSU held the Tigers to just one field goal and two free throws over the final 5:33 of the game, outscoring FHSU 12-4 in that stretch In the second half, FHSU out-rebounded the Griffons 28-16 to end with a plus-10 advantage on the glass The Griffon bench added 22 points in the second half after being held scoreless in the first half LEADERS KeShara Scott led the Griffons with 10 points, five rebounds and five steals in 11 minutes off the bench. Scott scored all her points and had three rebounds and four steals in eight second half minutes. Kameron Freemyer matched Scott with a career-high five rebound performance Brittany Atkins had a team-high four assists to go with nine points Katrina Roenfeldt also added nine points Jessica Davies was 4-for-4 from the field and scored eight points UP NEXT Missouri Western travels to Nebraska-Kearney (11-7, 4-5) on Saturday, Jan. 26 The Lopers suffered just their second home loss of the season, 74-62, to Northwest Missouri on Thursday night. — MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – In an effort to provide all Missouri Western football student-athletes with the safest helmet options available, Griffon Football recently became the largest NCAA DII client of VICIS ZERO1 helmets which were the highest rated helmets in 2018 NFL and NFLPA testing. Additionally, the team also purchased top-rated Riddell and Schutt helmet models.

Funded exclusively by a private donation, the investment will allow all members of the 2019 Griffon football team to have two helmets – one black and one white – that meet the top-performance standards from recent studies by the NFL and Virginia Tech. The VICIS ZERO1 helmet was the highest rated in a 2018 NFL and NFLPA test and the Riddell and Schutt models purchased were also among the highest rated.

“We are extremely fortunate to have program supporters that share our vision for Missouri Western becoming a leader in NCAA Division II Athletics,” director of athletics Josh Looney said. “Prioritizing student-athlete health and safety is a crucial pillar in the continued development of Griffon Athletics. I believe this investment makes MWSU Football the most advanced D-II program in the country as it relates to student-athlete safety.”

After evaluating the studies conducted by both the NFL and Virginia Tech, Missouri Western officials saw the opportunity to make a significant investment in student-athlete safety through the purchase of highly rated helmets. The ratings in the NFL study were based on the helmets’ ability to reduce head impact severity measures in laboratory testing. Test conditions were intended to represent potentially concussive head impacts in the NFL. Several Griffons wore VICIS helmets during the 2018 season and were impressed with the performance and comfort of the helmets.

“Our players work hard to be the best,” head coach Matt Williamson said. “As coaches and as a program, we need to do our part to make sure our student-athletes have the best. That’s something we take a lot of pride in here at Missouri Western. Thanks to this donation, we believe our players will now have options that are not only the safest available, but also stylish and comfortable. These helmets are the total package.”

The 2019 season will be the 50th season of Missouri Western football. The anniversary will be celebrated throughout the season, and will include uniform selections featuring the new helmets.

— MWSU Athletics —