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Category: College

Mizzou’s Pingeton named finalist for WBCA National Coach of the Year

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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball head coach Robin Pingeton has been named a finalist for the WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year Award. Pingeton is one of 10 finalists, joining Vic Schaefer (Mississippi State), Cori Close (UCLA), Jennifer Gross (UC Davis), Jeff Walz (Louisville), Kim Mulkey (Baylor), Lisa Bluder (Iowa), Muffet McGraw (Notre Dame), Charlotte Smith (Elon) and Brenda Frese (Maryland).

Only four coaches nationally have been named a WBCA National Coach of the Year finalist for the second consecutive season: Pingeton, Schaefer, McGraw and Frese.

Pingeton steered Mizzou to its third consecutive campaign with at least 22 victories for the first time since 1982-85 and its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for the first time since 1984-86. Mizzou is one of 15 Power 5 programs with at least 22 wins and an NCAA Tournament appearance in each of the last three seasons.

The Tigers spent the entire 2017-18 campaign ranked in the Top 25, climbing as high as No. 11 in the AP poll, their highest ranking since 1984, and No. 9 in the Coaches’ Poll, their highest ranking in that poll in program history.

Pingeton and company finished with 24 victories, which is tied for the fifth-most in a campaign in program history. Mizzou had no losses to teams outside the NCAA Tournament field.

The Tigers boasted wins over Tennessee, South Carolina and California, among others. Mizzou has won 16 of its last 22 regular season games over SEC opponents under Pingeton.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Kansas football promotes Cassius Sendish to safeties coach

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LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas football head coach David Beaty announced the promotion of Cassius Sendish from graduate assistant to a full-time coaching position on the Jayhawks staff Wednesday. Sendish, who spent the 2017 season working closely with defensive coordinator, Clint Bowen, in the KU secondary, will mentor the Kansas safeties.

Sendish replaces the departed Todd Bradford on the KU staff. Bradford, who spent two seasons on Beaty’s staff, is returning to a position in the private sector back near his family in Utah.

“We’ve known for some time that this was a possibility,” said Beaty. “A few weeks ago Todd came to me letting me know that after much thought and consideration, he felt like the opportunity that came his way back in the oil industry was just too good to pass up.

“Knowing this could be a possibility, we began the process of interviewing a number of candidates, including Cassius Sendish. Upon hearing Todd’s final decision and the completion of those interviews, it was clear that Cassius was the right man at the right time. I know that our players and entire staff have a ton of respect for him and we are excited for him to step into this role.”

Sendish spent the 2016 season on the KU staff, working with director of football technology, Jeff Love, in the football video department breaking down game and practice film for the coaches and players.

As a double major, Sendish is a 2015 graduate of KU with bachelor’s degrees in both sociology and communications studies. He was a two-year letter winner for the Jayhawks on the gridiron, starting all 24 games he played during his KU career. He served as a team captain in 2014 on his way to earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors and a spot on the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team. Sendish concluded his Jayhawk career with 137 tackles, 3.0 tackles-for-loss, five pass breakups, 1.0 sack and one fumble recovery he returned 30 yards for a touchdown.

“I am honored and proud to represent the University of Kansas football program,” said Sendish. “I hold this place near and dear to my heart and I am truly grateful for the opportunity to work at my alma mater. I can’t thank Coach Beaty and the rest of the football staff enough for allowing me to come aboard and be a part of something special.”

While it’s an exciting day for Sendish, it is a tough one for Bradford-who made the agonizing decision to step away.

“I am so grateful to David and Kansas for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the program,” said Bradford. “I enjoyed working alongside the entire defensive staff. It was a tough decision to make to walk away from a place that I love so much.

“It’s impressive to see the support that both Dr. Zenger and Chancellor Girod are providing the program. It is clear that they realize that David and the staff are on the right path and are doing everything they can to continue to get better. They are able to see the improvement that is happening every day in the program. Great things are coming at Kansas and I am just sad that I won’t be there when it happens.”

— KU Athletics —

Griffon softball extends win streak to five with sweep of Rockhurst

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ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Softball (12-17) hit a season-high five-game win streak with a non-conference, doubleheader sweep of Rockhurst (10-17) on Wednesday.

Missouri Western won game one, 4-0 behind stellar pitching from Kenzie Hilzer and battled for a 7-5 sweep clincher in game two.

Hilzer faced just two over the minimum in game one, throwing a two-hit shutout. A tie game after one inning, the Griffons scored one run in the second and another in the third before Rockhurst tied game two on a two-out, two-run home run. Missouri Western scored four in the bottom half of the fourth to re-gain the lead and earn Barbara Billingsley her second win of the season.

NOTABLES
– Hilzer struck out four and walked one in the game one victory that evened her season record at 7-7

– Kaili Hinds earned her first save of the season, holding Rockhurst off the scoreboard on no hits and four strikeouts in the final three innings of game two

– Shelbie Atwell went 3-for-7 at the plate with four RBIs, hitting a home run in game two

– Morgan Frost also went 3-for-7 with two runs scored

– Rebekah Mueller drove in three in the doubleheader on two hits

– Tamara Hicks stole three bases in three attempts

– The Griffons were a perfect 6-for-6 on stolen base attempts, getting two more from Shelby Uhl and one from Lauren Houston

– Missouri Western pitchers held Rockhurst to eight hits over 14 innings and a .167 batting average. They struck out nine and walked four

UP NEXT
Missouri Western gets a brief break before getting back into MIAA play with a home doubleheader against Northeastern State (16-11, 4-0) on Thursday at 4 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

Bearcat baseball gets run-ruled at Nebraska-Kearney 17-1

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The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team fell to Nebraska-Kearney 17-1 on Wednesday at Kearney, Nebraska.

The Bearcats fall to 12-12 overall and 8-5 in conference while the Lopers improve to 14-10 overall and 7-3 in conference play.

Key Northwest Statistics
– Northwest scored one run in the third inning. Nebraska-Kearney had one in the first, two in the second and third, eight in the fourth and two in the fifth and sixth innings.

– The Bearcats had one run on four hits and no errors. The Lopers had 17 runs on 18 hits with no errors.

– Logan Rycraft went 1-for-2 with one run scored and a walk.

– Luke Hassman finished 1-for-2.

– Hudson Bilodeau was 1-for-4 with a RBI.

– Aaron Barratt went 1-for-2 with a double.

Key Northwest Innings
– Rycraft started the top of the third inning with a single to center field and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. After an out, Bilodeau singled to center field to score Rycraft from second and conclude the scoring for the Bearcats.

Up Next
– The Bearcats will take on Washburn University on Thursday at 4 p.m. in Topeka, Kansas.

— Northwest Athletics —

Missouri State hires Dana Ford as men’s basketball coach

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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Missouri State has hired Tennessee State basketball coach Dana Ford.

Tennessee State athletic director Teresa Phillips announced in a university release that Ford has accepted the Missouri State job. Missouri State will introduce Ford at a Thursday news conference.

Ford replaces Paul Lusk, who was fired after going 105-121 in seven seasons. Missouri State went 18-15 overall and 7-11 in the Missouri Valley Conference this season.

The 33-year-old Ford went 57-65 in four seasons at Tennessee State. The Tigers went 52-39 over the last three seasons after posting a 5-26 mark in Ford’s first year. Tennessee State went 15-15 this season.

Ford played for Illinois State and has been an assistant at Winthrop, Wichita State and Illinois State.

— Associated Press —

MWSU’s McCarthy named MIAA Golfer of the Week

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ST. JOSEPH – Griffon men’s golfer Patrick McCarthy has been named MIAA Golfer of the Week.

McCarthy earned his second conference honor when he tied for second place at the Warrior Invitational in Las Vegas. The sophomore tied a career-low with a 67 and was 5-under-par in the final round to finish the tournament at 1-under-par 143. His performance helped the Griffons place third as a team.

McCarthy’s first MIAA Golfer of the Week selection this season was on Sept. 27, 2016. He has four top-five finishes and one tournament championship on the season.

— MWSU Athletics —

No. 25 Missouri baseball takes care of Arkansas State again

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COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 25 Mizzou Baseball won its 14th consecutive home game after defeating Arkansas State, 14-9, Wednesday afternoon at Taylor Stadium. Mizzou scored seven runs in the fifth inning and matched a 62-year old school record with 10 stolen bases in the game – including five in the seven-run fifth alone – as it took control of the game at that point.

Mizzou improves to 17-5 on the year while Arkansas State moves to 8-10. The Tigers have won 14 straight home games for the first time since May 5, 2006, through March 16, 2007.

Junior righty Brian Sharp (Liberty, Mo.) earned the win, settling things down with 3.0 shutout innings while Mizzou pulled away through the middle innings. Arkansas State starter Zachary Patterson took the loss, falling to 0-1.

TURNING POINT
Heading to the bottom of the third inning, Mizzou trailed 4-3. The Tigers plated a pair of runs in the inning to take a 5-3 lead. Mizzou tacked on one more run in the fourth as RHP Brian Sharp began to settle things down on the mound. Mizzou then exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, using four walks and five hits (all singles) in the frame.

The big blow came on a Kameron Misner (Poplar Bluff, Mo.) bases-loaded two-run, two-out single. Arkansas State actually got to two outs in the inning before Misner’s hit as nine straight Tigers reached base after a two-out walk by leadoff man Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.). Eight of Mizzou’s nine hitters reached base at least once in the fifth inning.

TOP TIGERS
– Sophomore 1B Kameron Misner went 2-for-3 with two runs, four RBI and three stolen bases. He also walked once.

– Junior RHP Brian Sharp earned his second win after tossing 3.0 shutout innings, allowing just one hit with three strikeouts. He also walked three times at the plate.

– Freshman Mark Vierling went 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI.

– Junior OF Connor Brumfield went 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI and three stolen bases.

– INF Paul Gomez and C Chad McDaniel each tallied multi-hit games Wednesday. McDaniel also walked twice.

– Junior OF Zach Hanna drew a career-high three walks and added a hit, an RBI and three runs.

NOTES
– Mizzou now leads the all-time series with Arkansas State, 20-8.

– Mizzou is now 3-0 on Wednesdays this season.

– Mizzou moves to a perfect 11-0 on the year at home and has won 14 consecutive home games dating back to last season. That is the longest regular season home winning streak for Mizzou since May 5, 2006, through March 18, 2007, when it won 16 straight.

– Mizzou improves to 6-0 this season in midweek games and 13-4 in midweek games under second-year head coach Steve Bieser.

– Mizzou did not commit an error for the fourth consecutive game and has just one error in its last nine contests. Mizzou’s fielding percentage is up to .983 on the year.

– Mizzou scored 10+ runs for the sixth time this season and is 6-0 in such contests.

– Mizzou stole 10 bases Wednesday, matching a 62-year-old school record. Mizzou stole five bases in the fifth inning alone.

– Kameron Misner and Connor Brumfield each stole three bases Wednesday, becoming the first Tigers to do so since Brumfield had three against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on April 11, 2017.

– Freshman Chad McDaniel made his first career start at catcher Wednesday.

– Mizzou won for just the third time this season when scoring second in a game.

UP NEXT
Mizzou opens a three-game series with SEC West foe Mississippi State Friday at 6:30 p.m.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Missouri Western moves up Pittsburg State baseball series

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ST. JOSEPH – Due to the forecast, Griffon Baseball’s three-game home series against Pittsburg State has been moved up one day.

The series will now begin Thursday, March 22 with a 1 p.m. first pitch. Game two will be March 23 at 1 p.m. with the finale on March 24 at 1 p.m.

Missouri Western (14-9, 7-3) extended its win streak to nine games Tuesday night with an 11-inning win over Emporia State. Pittsburg State (16-9, 8-5) has lost four of its last five following a 7-6 loss at Northeastern State, Tuesday.

— MWSU Athletics —

KU’s Graham named First Team NABC All-American

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas senior Devonte’ Graham has been named to the 2018 All-America First Team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), the organization announced Wednesday.

The NABC is among the outlets used for the official NCAA consensus All-America team and Graham is 3-for-3 on consensus All-America first teams as he was previously named to The Sporting News and USBWA All-America squads.

Joining Graham on NABC All-America First Team is Jalen Brunson (Villanova), Deandre Ayton (Arizona), Marvin Bagley III (Duke) and Trae Young (Oklahoma). There were three teams selected by the NABC which has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men’s basketball coaches. KU head coach Bill Self is the current president of the NABC.

This is the second-straight year a Kansas player has earned NABC All-America First Team honors. Jayhawk Frank Mason III earned the distinction last year and was also named the 2017 NABC Player of the Year, one of 10 national player of the year honors he garnered.

Graham has been named the 2017 Big 12 Player of the Year, All-Big 12 First Team, one of five finalists for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award and All-America First Team by The Sporting News, NCAA.com, the USBWA and the NABC. On the court, he also earned Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team honors after averaging 14.3 points and 10.0 assists in guiding Kansas to the tourney title.

On every national player of year watch list, Graham is the only player in NCAA Division I this season averaging 17.0-plus pts, 7.0-plus assists, 1.6-plus steals and fewer than 3.0 turnovers per game. Graham is fourth nationally, second in the Big 12, in assists per game at 7.5. The Raleigh, North Carolina, guard is second the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.7, which is 33rd nationally. Graham is scoring 17.3 points per game, which is fourth in the conference and he is sixth in free throw percentage (83.3), fourth in 3-point field goals made (2.8), eighth in 3-point field goal percentage (40.4) and fifth in steals (1.6).

This season, Graham is logging 37.6 minutes per game this year, which ranks as the fifth highest average in a single season at KU and his 1,355 minutes are a KU single-season record. His 98 3-pointers made are fifth on the KU season list as last week he passed his own season high mark of 94 set in 2016-17. Graham’s 254 assists this season are second on the KU list.

No. 1 seed Kansas will play No. 5 seed Clemson (25-9, 11-7 ACC) in the Sweet 16 of the 2018 NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional on Friday, March 23, at 6 p.m. (Central) at CenturyLink Center Omaha.

— KU Athletics —

Griffons get a walk-off win against Emporia State in 11 innings

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ST. JOSEPH – Nolan Meyer delivered the Missouri Western baseball team its ninth-straight win with a walk-off bunt single in the 11th inning against Emporia State on Tuesday. The Griffons defeated the Hornets 7-6 as they improve to 14-9 and 7-3 in the MIAA.

Meyer’s game winner seemed improbable after the Griffons failed to get down successful bunt attempts for three-straight innings prior to his hit. The game winning hit was set up by Dusty Stroup’s leadoff single in the 11th. Casey Danley tried to bunt Stroup over but popped up to the first baseman. Will Jibas got Stroup to third on a hit and run single and set up Meyer’s bunt toward first base that won the game 7-6 on Meyer’s head-first dive into the bag.

After tying the game at six in the bottom of the ninth, Missouri Western had runners at second and third with nobody out, but couldn’t get the winning run across the plate. Meyer led off the 10th by being hit by a pitch before Levi Schreiner reached on an error giving MWSU two on with no outs. Ryan Smith struck out in a pinch hit at bat before two infield pop ups ended the threat.

After blowing a save opportunity by giving up four runs in the top of the ninth, Nate Hunter settled in to hold the Hornets scoreless over the final 2 1/3 on three hits with two strikeouts. Hunter picked up the win (6-2), his fifth in relief during the team’s nine-game win streak.

Emporia State led 2-0 after one inning. Meyer scored the tying run in the fourth on an RBI-single by Ryan Fisher. Emporia State scored four in the top of the ninth to take a 6-4 lead but an RBI triple by Brooks Day and an RBI-single from Casey Danley sent the game into extra innings.

NOTABLES
– Missouri Western moved to 3-0 in extra-inning games this season

– It’s the second straight year the program had a nine-game win streak after last year’s Griffons rattled off nine-straight MIAA wins between April 9th and 23rd

– Meyer had a team high three hits, going 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI

– Fisher drove in two as the starting designated hitter on a 2-for-2 day with a walk

– Stroup also drove in a pair and went 2-for-5

– Day also went 2-for-5 at the plate with one RBI

– Levi Abrahmson and Kellan Richards combined to retire 12-straight Hornets between the fifth and the eighth innings

– Hunter went 3 1/3 allowing four earned runs on seven hits

– Preston Bailey pitched the first three innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits. He struck out one and walked three

– After starting conference play 0-3, the Griffons left Tuesday’s win in third place in the MIAA standings

UP NEXT
The Griffons put their streak on the line in a three-game, home MIAA series against Pittsburg State (16-9, 8-5). The series is currently scheduled to begin on Friday at 4:00 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

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