KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Missouri Western Women’s Golfer Shi Qing Ong was named MIAA Women’s Golf Athlete of the Week.  Ong won the Central Region Preview this past Tuesday, Sept. 6 and Wednesday, Sept. 7 at Prairie Highland Golf Course in Olathe, Kansas after shooting a 149.

She tapped in five birdie opportunities on the second day, finishing with a 73 after a day one total of 76.  Last season, Ong was named MIAA Freshman of the Year after helping the Griffons advance to their first ever NCAA Championship.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – After no scoring through the first 64 minutes, the Missouri Western soccer team and Bemidji State erupted for four goals in a 12 minute stretch that left the Griffons down 3-1. Western eventually dropped its home opener 4-1 to the Beavers after surrendering another goal in the final five minutes.

Cassidy Menke put Missouri Western up 1-0 on a shot from the right side about 20 yards out in the 64th minute. But Bemidji State answered quickly with a goal from Tia Teuharth in the 65th minute. The Beavers scored again less than two minutes later to take a 2-1 lead then added their third goal in the 76th minute.

The four Bemidji State goals were the most allowed by Missouri Western since a 4-0 loss at Central Missouri on Nov. 2, 2014. The Griffons outshot Bemidji State 14-6, controlling the tempo throughout the first 65 minutes, but just two of those shots were on goal for Missouri Western. Meanwhile, all but one of Bemidji State’s shots were on frame. Missouri Western also took nine corners, nine more than Bemidji State.

Paige LaBadie took her first loss of the season, giving up all four games and recording one save. The Griffons fell to 2-1 and host Minnesota Crookston on Sunday at Noon. Bemidji State defeated Minnesota Crookston, 5-1 this past Saturday.

— MWSU Athletics —

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – After a rare, high-scoring affair for the Missouri Western soccer team on Friday, the Griffons returned to their old ways with a 1-0 shutout victory over Oucahita Baptist to close out the MIAA-GAC Crossover on Sunday.

After giving up three goals to Harding on Friday, the Missouri Western back line suffocated the host school’s offensive attack, allowing just three shots in the game and only one on goal. Paige LaBadie got her first start in goal after Lexie Martin started Friday’s game against Harding.

Sydney Cluck scored her second goal of the season in the 47th minute with an assist by Bridget Blessie. It was the only offense the Griffons needed, though they certainly tried to score more. Missouri Western was credited with 19 total shots, eight on goal with 12 shots in the first period alone. Cluck had six shots herself with three on goal. Maddy Cowell was credited with five shots, two on goal.

Missouri Western gets the holiday off before hosting Bemidji State in a rare Tuesday home game. The Griffons make their debut in the newly remodeled Spratt Memorial Stadium at 3 p.m. Admission to all Griffon Soccer home matches is free. For the first time, all home soccer matches will be streamed live via Stretch Internet.

— MWSU Athletics —

TOPEKA, Kan. – The Missouri Western volleyball team closed out the Washburn Invitational with its strongest outing. The Griffons split the day’s action, ending in victory with a sweep.

Match 1: Quincy University 3, MWSU 1
Missouri Western dropped its opening game of day two at the Washburn Invitational to Quincy University 3-1 (25-16, 24-26, 23-25, 22-25).
The Griffons raced out early to a 1-0 match lead by using two different 5-1 rallies to take the first set 25-16. Kelsey Olion helped Missouri Western break open the first set with five kills.

Missouri Western wasted little time getting ahead as it jumped to an early 9-1 advantage to open the second set. The Griffons, however could not sustain the momentum they had built early. Quincy University tied the match at 19-19 and the Griffons never could regain the lead after that.
Third set, saw Missouri Western fall behind early but a Blair Russell kill would start a 6-1 Griffon rally to tie the set. Despite scoring four of the last six set points, Missouri Western could not steal the set.

The fourth set, saw the Griffons jump out again to an early lead after three consecutive kills by Russell. Quincy would eventually even the score at 18-18 and never give it back, winning the set and match. Stephanie Doak led the Missouri Western attackers with 14 kills. Kelsey Olion finished with 12 kills while adding four aces.

Match 2: MWSU 3, Midwestern State 0
Missouri Western finished the Washburn Invitational with 3-0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-23) sweep over Midwestern State. The final match saw the Griffons trail only three times in the entire match.

The Griffons broke to a fast start against the Mustangs. Midwestern State scored the set’s first point but it would be their only lead. Missouri Western found a balanced attack in the set, with five players each recording two kills with aces by Kayla Ruff and Kelsey Olion.

Second set was the best for the Griffons, as they never trailed. After a 9-3 run early, Missouri Western blew the set wide open. The run started with three consecutive kills by the Griffon attackers to push the lead to 15-7. A Rachel Losch kill ended the set, giving MWSU a 2-0 match lead.

After a sluggish start in the third set, the Griffons trailed 9-2, before the offense reappeared. An 11-4 advantage allowed Missouri Western to tie the match at 13-13. Rachel Friedrich’s kill while down 21-19 started a 6-2 run allowing the Griffons to close out for the win. Missouri Western was led behind Stephanie Doak’s 10 kills and Kourtney Blaufuss’s 31 assist.

The Griffons open the 2016 home season by hosting the Gold & Green Challenge. Missouri Western opens with Oklahoma Baptist at 10 a.m. followed by Missouri S&T at 6 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

TOPEKA, Kan. – With its back against the wall on the first day of the 2016 season, the Missouri Western volleyball team rallied to split two matches on the first day of the Washburn Invitational.

Match 1: University of Mary 3, MWSU 2
The Missouri Western Volleyball team dropped its opening match to University of Mary in five sets (25-20,23-25,25-23,24-26,9-15) in the opening game at the Washburn Invitational.

Missouri Western was in a battle early in the first set before using a 7-2 run to claim the first set. The Griffons erased a four-point deficit midway through the second set, but the Marauders were able to escape late in the set to tie the match at 1-1. The third set saw the Griffons fight off a late U of Mary rally with a setter’s attack from Lauren Murphy to take the 2-1 match lead. The fourth set, again, saw the Marauders escaping late with four-straight points to force a deciding fifth set. In the fifth set, Missouri Western could not overcome five straight points by U of Mary to close out the game.

The Griffons were led by Blair Russell, who had 14 kills on the match. Kelsey Olion added 12 kills, while hitting .500 for Missouri Western. Freshman Lauren Murphy made her first career start as a Griffon, dishing out 39 assists for the match.

Match 2: MWSU 3, Drury 2
Missouri Western’s third straight match at Washburn’s Lee Arena ended in a five sets. The Griffons rallied back from down 0-2 to beat Drury University 3-2 (19-25, 13-25, 25-20, 25-20, 15-9) in the afternoon game of the Washburn Invitational.

After a late timeout, the Missouri Western offense found its groove. The Griffons used Kelsey Olion’s kill to spark five consecutive points in the third set to take a 16-14 lead from Drury and never looked back in the set. Brushing off a slow start in the fourth set, Missouri Western used a 12-4 advantage to gain momentum midway through and take the set following back-to-back Stephanie Doak kills.

Drury jumped out to an early 4-1 fifth set lead but, the Griffons took advantage of Rachel Friedrich’s kill to finish the match on a 7-3 run. Friedrich behind her 10 kills, four blocks and three aces led Missouri Western. Stephanie Doak added 10 kills with Kelsey Olion’s eight.

The Griffons evened their record to 1-1 and will look to add to that starting at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow against Quincy University and again at 1:30 p.m. versus Midwestern State.

— MWSU Athletics —

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Chad Edwards said he wanted, needed, his team to score more goals in 2016. Well, if game one is going to set the tone for the rest of the season then Missouri Western’s all-time winningest head soccer coach is probably happy.

Edwards’ Griffons opened the 2016 season with a thrilling 4-3 overtime win over Harding at the MIAA-GAC Challenge hosted by Ouachita Baptist. The four goals were more than the team scored in any of its 18 games last year.

Sarah Blakley’s header in the 99th minute gave Missouri Western the win after coming back from a 3-2 deficit late in regulation. 2015 leading scorer Bridget Blessie knocked in a penalty kick with less than five minutes remaining in regulation to tie the game at three. The goal was much needed after two Harding goals in a three-minute span turned a 2-1 MWSU advantage into a 3-2 deficit.

The Griffons twice tied the game and twice regained the lead. After falling behind 1-0 following a Harding goal in the 10th minute, Sydney Cluck scored her first goal of 2016 off a rebound to tie the game at one. Missouri Western took its second lead of the game off a Maddy Cowell corner kick in the 48th minute to give the Griffons a 2-1 advantage. Harding answered with a goal in the 62nd minute and another in the 65th.

Both teams ended with 14 shots each, eight on goal. Lexie Martin had five saves in her first start in goal for the Griffons.

Missouri Western continues play in the crossover event, Sunday, when they take on host Ouchita Baptist at 1:30 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The newly renovated Spratt Memorial Stadium opened with a bang as the Missouri Western football team ran away with a 44-21 victory over Nebraska-Kearney Thursday night.

The Griffon defense forced three Nebraska-Kearney turnovers – two interceptions by Donte Watkins —  and held the Lopers to just 20 yards rushing. Meanwhile, the Griffons ran wild for 329 yards, including a career-high 168 yards by Josh Caldwell, besting his previous high of 151 at Nebraska-Kearney last season. The sophomore carried the ball 23 times and had one touchdown carry. He was one of four Griffons with a rushing touchdown. Kendall Short , Derek Gray and backup quarterback Corey Bertini each had TD carries as well.

The Griffons lead was just 9-7 with 8:28 to go in the second quarter after Nebraska-Kearney scored on a 2-yard rush, but the Griffons scored the next 28 points, 14 more in the final three minutes of the second quarter to take a 23-7 lead to halftime. Six different Griffons scored touchdowns, the four rushing scores plus Patrick Bolton with a 16-yard catch from Skyler Windmiller and Dijuan Ussery with a 55-yard scamper through the Loper defense off a catch from Windmiller.

The junior quarterback was 11-20 for 160 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Bertini led the offense for one series in the second quarter. He was 1-1 for nine yards and rushed three times for 18 yards and a score. Bolton caught three passes for 36 yards and a score. Ussery caught two for 69 yards.

Watkins led the defense with 10 total tackles, seven solo, the two interceptions and a pass break up. Tyrell Robison had six tackles, one for loss. Brandin Dandridge had the other interception for the Griffon defense.

Next week, Missouri Western plays the only Saturday game in the MIAA with a trip to Missouri Southern. The Lions lost 22-10 at Fort Hays Thursday night. The Griffons have won their last three games in Joplin. Kickoff next Saturday is set for 6 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western State University has selected its first-ever head coach for the coming men’s and women’s cross country and track and field teams.

Marc Bierbaum was selected from a pool of more than 100 candidates. Bierbaum was most recently an assistant women’s cross country and track coach at the University of Nebraska Omaha.  Prior to UNO, Bierbaum served as the head men’s and women’s cross country coach and assistant track coach at his alma mater, Dana College.

“We’re very excited to have Marc lead our new programs,” Missouri Western director of athletics Kurt McGuffin said. “Marc’s enthusiasm really stood out and I think that will be a great attribute as he starts these programs.”

“He has a proven record of success at this level and knows the Midwest. We were really impressed by his knowledge of the area and the MIAA along with his strategies for building a program that Missouri Western can be proud of.”

At Nebraska Omaha, Bierbaum coached 36 all-conference performers and helped the Mavericks break 13 school records. At Dana, he coached a national champion in outdoor track and field; three national qualifiers in cross country; 17 national qualifiers in indoor track and field; 20 national qualifiers in outdoor track and field; two all-americans in indoor track and field; 43 all-conference selections; and saw eight school records fall.

“It’s a dream for me,” Bierbaum said. “Everyone that was involved in the process, everyone I’ve met, the campus, it’s all amazing. I can’t think of a better place to start a program.”

“I’m very excited to get going. This is a unique opportunity for myself and the student-athletes that will get to be a part of the first-ever program here at Missouri Western. This campus has everything we need to be successful. The campus and the people here feel like family already.”

The 2001 Dana College graduate was a two-time national qualifier as a marathoner for the Dana track team and a 1999 national qualifier in cross country. He also has experience coaching at the high school level in the Omaha, Nebraska area and has taught elementary art in Omaha as well.

“I really want to thank everyone at Missouri Western,” Bierbaum said. “Everyone has been very welcoming already. I had a great experience meeting with Dr. Vartabedian and everyone in the athletic department. I can’t wait to join the Missouri Western family.”

Bierbaum will begin his duties in the coming weeks. A search for a full-time assistant coach will begin soon after. The six new teams to Griffon Athletics will begin competition in the fall of 2017.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western soccer team is picked fifth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll released Thursday morning.

The Griffons were behind defending champion Central Missouri (No. 1), No. 2 Central Oklahoma, No. 3 Northeastern State and No. 4 Fort Hays State.  The Griffons finished sixth in the standings in 2015, going 9-8-1 overall, the program’s first winning season.

“It’s nice to see the conference coaches expect us to improve on what have been the best seasons in our program’s history the last two years,” Missouri Western head coach Chad Edwards said. “We’ve increased expectations for ourselves. We want to take that next step and even exceed where we’re at in the poll, but it’s rewarding to see that respect from the rest of the MIAA.”

Edwards has led the program to back-to-back appearances in the MIAA tournament, the program’s only postseason berths, the past two seasons.  More than 30 team and individual records have fallen the past two seasons with current team members poised to break even more in 2016.  The team finished second in the MIAA last season, allowing just 0.83 goals per game.  2015 MIAA Champion Central Missouri was the only team all season to score multiple goals in a game against the Griffons.

This year the team returns eight starters and 15 letter winners.  Three of the returning starters were named All-MIAA a season ago, including 2015 leading scorer Bridget Blessie (third team All-MIAA).  Taylor Gant and Ashlyn Powers return to the team’s back line after earning honorable mention All-MIAA distinction in 2015. Mixed in with all the returners will be nine newcomers, six of them transfers.

The Griffons begin the season Sept. 2 at the GAC-MIAA Challenge in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.  After two matches there, the team will host Bemidji State in its home opener on Sept. 6.

2016 MIAA Women’s Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Central Missouri (11)     121
2. Central Oklahoma (1)     104
3. Northeastern State         103
4. Fort Hays State        95
5. Missouri Western        66
6. Southwest Baptist        63
7. Nebraska-Kearney        58
8. Washburn            54
9. Emporia State        51
10. Lindenwood        32
11. Missouri Southern        25
12. Northwest Missouri    20

— MWSU Athletics —

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 —