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Category: College

K-State ranked 19th in preseason Amway Coaches Poll

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MANHATTAN, Kan. – Thanks to the backing of 18 returning starters, Kansas State was ranked 19th in the nation in the Preseason Amway Coaches Poll released on Thursday.

It was the first time the Wildcats were ranked in the preseason coaches’ poll since checking in at No. 21 in 2014. K-State also ranked 21st in the 2012 preseason survey, while this year’s ranking is the highest since the Wildcats were 12th in 2004.

Other Big 12 programs joining the Wildcats in the 2017 Preseason Amway Coaches Poll were Oklahoma (8th), Oklahoma State (11th), West Virginia (20th) and Texas (23rd).

K-State returns 44 letterwinners from last year’s squad that earned a 9-4 record, featured by a 6-1 mark over the final seven games. The season was capped by a 33-28 victory over Texas A&M in the 2016 Texas Bowl. The Wildcats, who were predicted to finish third in the Big 12 by the league’s media, placed four players on the Preseason All-Big 12 team in fullback Winston Dimel, offensive lineman Dalton Risner, defensive back D.J. Reed, and defensive end Reggie Walker.

Head coach Bill Snyder, a 2015 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame, begins his 26th year at the helm of the Wildcats with a 202-105-1 record, including a 118-80-1 mark in Big 8/12 play.

The Wildcats open the 2017 season with the ninth-annual K-State Family Reunion against Central Arkansas at 6:10 p.m., on Saturday, September 2. K-State then hosts Charlotte on September 9 prior to traveling to Nashville, Tennessee, for a matchup against SEC foe Vanderbilt on September 16.

— K-State Athletics —

Northwest women’s basketball finalizes 2017-2018 schedule, roster

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MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University head women’s basketball coach Buck Scheel has announced the Bearcats’ 2017-18 schedule and roster. This year’s slate includes 11 home games including a pair of non-conference games played in Maryville, Mo.

“This season’s non-conference schedule is giving us the opportunity to play some Division II programs we haven’t seen for several years with Maryville, Quincy and McKendree,” said Scheel. “I think this will help bring a new level of excitement going into games against new opponents. Those games along with opening the season with Ouachita Baptist and Henderson State will be great tests as we prepare for the MIAA schedule at the end of November. I’m excited to see how our team competes with having several new additions to our roster to go along with our group of returners.”

Northwest begins the season at the SBU Classic against Ouachita Baptist and Henderson State on Nov. 10 and 11. The home slate begins on Nov. 15 against Peru State at 7 p.m. and continues on the 20th against Maryville University at 6 p.m.

The Bearcats will face Rockhurst and St. Mary at the Missouri Western Holiday Inn Express/Candlewood Suites Classic in St. Joseph, Mo., on Nov. 24 and 25.

The MIAA home schedule includes games against Northeastern State (Nov. 30), Central Oklahoma (Dec. 2), Central Missouri (Jan. 11), Southwest Baptist (Jan. 13), Missouri Western (Jan. 27), Lincoln (Feb. 1), Lindenwood (Feb. 3), Pittsburg State (Feb. 15) and Missouri Southern (Feb. 17).

Scheel has also announced two transfer additions from New Mexico Highlands University in forwards Mele Tupouta and Kaylani Maiava. Tupouta, a 5-11 forward, is from Patterson, Calif., and will be a senior for Northwest. Maiava is a 6-0 forward from Garden Grove, Calif., and will be a junior for the upcoming year.

“Both Kaylani and Mele will be great additions to our group of returners and the six freshman we have coming in,” Scheel said. “They will help bring athleticism, depth and college experience to our program during their time here at Northwest. They are both highly motivated individuals and we look forward to getting them here on campus in the fall.”

Click here for 2017-2018 roster.

— Northwest Athletics —

Griffons picked seventh, eighth in the preseason MIAA football polls

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Missouri Western was picked seventh by the coaches and eighth by the media in the MIAA preseason football polls.

Defending MIAA and national champion Northwest Missouri was tabbed first in both polls, followed by Emporia State and Central Missouri, respectively. The top-six remained the same in both polls with the coaches slotting MWSU seventh, and the media picking Central Oklahoma to be one spot better than the Griffons. The only other difference between the polls was a flip-flop of Missouri Southern and Northeastern State for the 10th and 11th spots.

2017 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Northwest Missouri (9) – 118
2. Emporia State (2) – 108
3. Central Missouri (1) – 106
4. Pittsburg State – 88
5. Fort Hays State – 83
6. Washburn – 71
7. Missouri Western – 58
8. Central Oklahoma – 51
9. Lindenwood – 37
10. Northeastern State – 31
11. Missouri Southern – 24
12. Nebraska-Kearney – 17

2017 MIAA Preseason Media Poll
1. Northwest Missouri (36) – 464
2. Emporia State (3) – 421
3. Central Missouri – 383
4. Pittsburg State – 347
5. Fort Hays State – 316
6. Washburn – 262
7. Central Oklahoma – 227
8. Missouri Western – 215
9. Lindenwood – 145
10. Missouri Southern – 108
11. Northeastern State – 102
12. Nebraska-Kearney – 52

The coaches have the Griffons slotted where the team finished after a 4-7 season in 2016. The 2017 Griffons will feature an entirely new coaching staff, including first-year head coach Matt Williamson, but the team will have more than 18 players who started games a season ago.

Headlining that group of returners is 2016 first team All-MIAA running back Joshua Caldwell. In his sophomore season, Caldwell led the MIAA with 1,408 rushing yards. Virtually all the offensive skill position starters from last year are back, including Skyler Windmiller who enters his senior season ranked in the top-five of several career passing statistics. Defensively, five 2016 All-MIAA selections are back, including leading tackler and second team All-MIAA selection Donte Watkins.

The 2017 season kicks off in Kearney, Nebraska for Missouri Western. The Griffons open at Nebraska-Kearney under the lights at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31. The home opener is Sept. 1 against Missouri Southern.

— MWSU Athletics —

Missouri Western names Josh Looney new Director of Athletics

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ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western State University has named Josh Looney as the University’s next director of athletics. Looney, currently director of athletics at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, will start at Missouri Western on August 7.

Prior to ESU, Looney was associate director of NCAA Division II from 2012 to 2015. He worked for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2006 to 2012 and the Orlando Magic in 2005 and 2006. His work with the Chiefs included spending time on Missouri Western’s campus for the team’s summer training camp, which has been held on campus since 2010.

“I believe that Josh brings the right mix of experience and enthusiasm to lead Missouri Western’s athletic programs,” said Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western’s president. “His familiarity with Missouri Western and proven leadership within the NCAA and Division II intercollegiate athletics give him a unique perspective to further strengthen, support and promote Griffon athletics at every level.”

“We are thrilled to be joining the Missouri Western family,” Looney said. “The opportunity to help shape the future vision of Griffon athletics is an honor, and I am grateful to President Vartabedian and the search committee for their confidence in me. I look forward to working with all of our fans and constituents to build an athletic program that is recognized for excellence in the classroom, in competition and within the community.”

As director of athletics at East Stroudsburg since 2015, Looney oversaw 20 NCAA Division II sports. Under his leadership, student-athletes had a grade point average of 3.22 last year, the highest in department history, with 40 percent earning Athletic Director’s Honor Roll honors by earning a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher. He led the athletic department to the school’s highest Pennsylvania State Athletics Conference all-sports trophy finish in 21 years, and East Stroudsburg led PSAC’s 18 institutions with more than 6,000 hours of community engagement. Annual athletic scholarships awarded increased 22 percent, and the school secured its largest athletics unrestricted cash corporate sponsor.

“We were impressed with Josh’s steadfast dedication to helping student athletes achieve success academically and personally,” said Dr. Jeanne Daffron, provost and vice president for academic affairs and chair of the search committee. “Even with his proven track record promoting and growing athletics programs within the community and region, you can tell he puts his student athletes and coaches first.”

Looney earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas – like Missouri Western, a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Conference. He holds a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in organizational leadership from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and is nearing completion on a doctorate in Interdisciplinary Education from Creighton University in Omaha.

Looney and his wife, Jenna, have one daughter, Parker.

— MWSU Athletics —

KU’s Mason named Big 12 Co-Athlete of the Year

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IRVING, Texas – Kansas basketball player Frank Mason III has been named the 2016-17 co-Big 12 Men’s Athlete of the Year, the conference announced Thursday. Mason shared the honor with Texas swimmer Will Licon, while West Virginia soccer defender Kadeisha Buchanan was the female recipient.

Nominees were submitted by Big 12 institutions and selected based on athletic performance, academic achievement and citizenship by a media panel as well as fan voting conducted through Big 12Sports.com.

Mason was the consensus 2017 National Player of the Year as well as a consensus All-America First Team selection while leading the Jayhawks to their 13th-consecutive Big 12 regular-season title. He also captured the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award and was named Big 12 Player of the Year and to the All-Big 12 First Team. Mason became the only player in KU and Big 12 history to average more than 20 points and five assists in the same season. He led the Big 12 in scoring overall (20.9 ppg) and during conference play (21.0 ppg) while averaging 5.2 assists.

A two-time national player of the week, Mason posted 23 games of 20 or more points, including his final seven contests and 10 of KU’s last 11 outings in 2016-17. The Petersburg, Virginia native was KU’s leading scorer in 26 games. Mason concluded his career No. 6 on the Kansas scoring list (1,885 points), No. 6 in assists (576), No. 8 in 3-point field goals (185), No. 13 in steals (165) and tied for third in consecutive starts (110). He is the first Jayhawk in school history to rank sixth or higher in both points and assists. Mason was one of the five ESPY nominees for 2017 Best Male College Athlete.

A May 2017 KU graduate, Mason was also active in the Lawrence community with activities that included Ladies Night Out, a yearly sold-out event that benefits Jayhawks for a Cure with all proceeds donated to Lawrence Memorial Hospital (LMH) and the KU Cancer Center in an effort to fund cancer research. A Big 12 Champion for Life, Mason was a counselor at the Wilt Chamberlain Special Olympics Clinic, participated in an annual youth holiday clinic in which men’s basketball student-athletes teach youth fundamentals of the game and visited local elementary schools to read to the students.

Mason is the third Jayhawk to be named Big 12 Male Athlete of the Year with all three being from men’s basketball. He joins Jacque Vaughn who won the honor in the first year of the conference in 1996-97 and Nick Collison in 2002-03.

Licon is an 11-time NCAA champion who won NCAA titles in all five of his events at the 2017 NCAA Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships. He became just the fourth swimmer in the history of college swimming, and the first in 17 years, to win NCAA titles in four different individual events through his career at the NCAA Championships. Licon’s 2017 national championships were in the events of 200 individual medley, 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay. He is the first Texas or Big 12 swimmer to win three individual national titles at a single NCAA Championship meet (athletes are limited to a maximum of three individual events).

Buchanan helped lead West Virginia to four Big 12 regular-season titles and three postseason crowns during her time in Morgantown, as well as a runner-up finish in the 2016 NCAA College Cup. This past season, she claimed national honors as the MAC Hermann Trophy recipient, Honda Sport Award winner for soccer and espnW and TopDrawerSoccer.com Player of the Year. She was also a 2017 ESPY nominee in the category of Best Female College Athlete.

Other female candidates for Big 12 Athlete of the Year included: Lindsey Cargill (Baylor), Jhoanmy Luque (Iowa State), Sharon Lokedi (Kansas), Nina Schultz (Kansas State), Maggie Nichols (Oklahoma), Vanessa Shippy (Oklahoma State), Brenley Goertzen (TCU), Chrisann Gordon (Texas) and Gabriela Talaba (Texas Tech).

Male nominees were: Troy Montemayor (Baylor), Monte Morris (Iowa State), Jordan Willis (Kansas State), Samaje Perine (Oklahoma), Jawun Evans (Oklahoma State), Cameron Norrie (TCU), Trey Culver (Texas Tech) and Jevon Carter (West Virginia).

Big 12 Athletes of the Year

Male
2016-17 FRANK MASON, KANSAS & Will Licon, Texas
2015-16 Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
2014-15 Tyler Lockett, Kansas State
2013-14 Bryce Petty, Baylor
2012-13 Collin Klein, Kansas State
2011-12 Robert Griffin III, Baylor
2010-11 Taylor Jungmann, Texas
2009-10 Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska
2008-09 Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
2007-08 Chase Daniel, Missouri
2006-07 Ben Askren, Missouri
2005-06 Vince Young, Texas
2004-05 Derrick Johnson, Texas
2003-04 Jason White, Oklahoma
2002-03 NICK COLLISON, KANSAS
2001-02 Cael Sanderson, Iowa State
2000-01 Josh Heupel, Oklahoma
1999-00 Charles Howell, Oklahoma State
1998-99 Ricky Williams, Texas
1997-98 Grant Wistrom, Nebraska
1996-97 JACQUE VAUGHN, KANSAS

Female
2016-17 Kadeisha Buchanan, West Virginia
2015-16 Paige Parker, Oklahoma
2014-15 Lauren Chamberlain, Oklahoma
2013-14 Odyssey Sims, Baylor
2012-13 Keilani Ricketts, Oklahoma
2011-12 Brittney Griner, Baylor
2010-11 Jessica Beard, Texas A&M
2009-10 Lisa Koll, Iowa State
2008-09 Destinee Hooker, Texas
2007-08 Sarah Pavan, Nebraska
2006-07 Sarah Pavan, Nebraska
2005-06 Cat Osterman, Texas
2004-05 Cat Osterman, Texas
2003-04 Nicole Ohlde, Kansas State
2002-03 Cat Osterman, Texas
2001-02 Stacey Dales-Schuman, Oklahoma
2000-01 Greichaly Cepero, Nebraska
1999-00 Erin Aldrich, Texas
1998-99 Suziann Reid, Texas
1997-98 Vera Ilyina, Texas
1996-97 Nanceen Perry, Texas

— KU Athletics —

Missouri women’s basketball adds 2017 French signee Emmanuelle Tahane

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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball head coach Robin Pingeton announced the signing of French native Emmanuelle Tahane on Monday. Tahane, a 6-foot-1 small forward from Bondy, France, will join the Tigers for the 2017-18 campaign alongside freshmen Elle Brown (Columbia, Mo.), Nadia Green (Chicago, Ill.) and Kelsey Winfrey (Lebanon, Mo.).

“I love the environment and the family atmosphere at Mizzou,” Tahane said. “I’m excited to play in a high-level conference and attend a university where my academic goals can be achieved.”

Tahane comes to Mizzou after years of experience playing with French national teams in high-level international competitions. Following back-to-back appearances in the U16 European Championship, Tahane competed for Team France in the FIBA U17 Women’s World Championship in 2016. She led that squad with 11.3 points per game, including a personal-best 17-point outburst against Czech Republic. Tahane added 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals per contest during the tournament.

A year later, Tahane earned a spot on France’s FIBA U18 Women’s European Championship roster and helped her squad win the European Title. France rattled off seven consecutive victories to finish the tournament undefeated as Tahane chipped in 6.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.

Tahane attended Marcelin Berthelot High School in Saint Maur Des Fosses, France, where she averaged 10 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per contest. She chose Mizzou over offers from Ohio State, Wisconsin and Arizona, among others.

Mizzou Women’s Basketball opens the 2017-18 campaign Nov. 10 against Western Kentucky at the Hawkeye Challenge in Iowa City, Iowa. The Tigers’ home opener is set for Nov. 16 vs. Wright State.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Mizzou’s Crockett named to Doak Walker Award watch list

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COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri sophomore running back Damarea Crockett (Little Rock, Ark.) has been named to the 2017 Doak Walker Award Watch List. The Doak Walker Award is administered by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum, and goes annually to the nation’s top collegiate running back.

Crockett burst onto the scene in 2016 as one of the nation’s top rookie tailbacks. He set Mizzou freshman rushing records with 1,062 yards and 10 touchdowns, including a 225-yard outing at Tennessee, which also broke a school single-game freshman rushing mark. He finished the regular season ranked sixth in the Southeastern Conference in rushing yards per game (105.8), which was tops among league freshmen prior to bowl games. His per-game average of 96.5 yards for the season was most in the nation through the regular season among all freshmen. This summer, Crockett represented Mizzou in a leadership fashion, as he was selected by Head Coach Barry Odom to attend SEC summer meetings as the team’s Football Leadership Council member.

This is the second pre-season award watch list that includes Crockett, adding to his prior Maxwell Award list mention. Three other Mizzou standouts have previously been named to five different watch lists heading into the season, including senior defensive end Marcell Frazier (Portland, Ore.), who is on the Bednarik and Nagurski watch lists, and senior wide receiver J’Mon Moore (Missouri City, Texas), who is on the Biletnikoff Award watch list, while junior punter Corey Fatony (Franklin, Tenn.) has made the Ray Guy and Wuerffel Trophy watch lists.

The Tiger program is winding down summer school and off-season workouts, and is preparing for the start of fall camp, which begins Aug. 1 in Columbia. Mizzou opens its 2017 season on Sept. 2 against Missouri State. Kickoff time for that contest has not yet been finalized.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Two Wildcats on Doak Walker Award watch list

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MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State running backs Justin Silmon and Alex Barnes were two of 61 running backs in the nation to earn a spot on the watch list for the 2017 Doak Walker Award, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Thursday.

It marks the first time in school history that two K-State players are up for the award in the same season, while it is the 15th and 16th times a Wildcat is a candidate for the award that is presented to the nation’s premier running back.

Silmon, a junior, saw action in 12 games in 2016, including his first-career start at West Virginia as he rushed 86 times for 485 yards (5.4-yard average) with three touchdowns. He ended the regular season on a high note with 133 yards and two touchdowns at TCU, both career highs. The Tulsa, Oklahoma, product teamed with Jesse Ertz (170 yards) to produce the Wildcats’ first double 100-yard game since 2012, while it was tied for the third-most combined yards in a double 100-yard game in school history.

A sophomore, Barnes totaled 442 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 56 carries in 2016, ranking second in school history in rushing yards and touchdowns by a freshman, while he tied for 10th nationally in rushing touchdowns among freshmen. The Pittsburg, Kansas, product averaged 7.89 yards per carry, which led the Big 12 and ranked first in school history among players with 50 or more attempts, and he was the only player in the Big 12 with at least 50 attempts to not have a negative rush.

Barnes carded career highs in yards (129), carries (19) and rushing touchdowns (4) at Baylor, setting the K-State freshman single-game rushing touchdown record and ranking third in rushing yards. He came back with 103 yards the next game against Kansas, the first freshman in school history with consecutive 100-yard games.

The Wildcats open the 2017 campaign and a seven-game home schedule on Saturday, September 2, with the ninth-annual K-State Family Reunion against Central Arkansas.

— K-State Athletics —

Missouri announces 2017-2018 non-conference women’s basketball schedule

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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball released its 13-game 2017 non-conference schedule on Wednesday, which features a pair of exhibition matchups, six home contests and a trio of tournaments.

Mizzou will potentially face eight opponents that advanced to the postseason in 2016-17 with four of those teams reaching the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers’ challenging slate includes seven matchups with programs that racked up at least 20 victories a season ago and five opponents that finished in the Top 70 of the final 2016-17 RPI.

After hosting exhibition games on Nov. 2 and Nov. 6, Mizzou officially opens the 2017-18 campaign Nov. 10 against Western Kentucky at the Hawkeye Challenge in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hilltoppers won 27 games in 2016-17 and claimed Conference USA regular season and tournament titles on their way to an appearance in the Big Dance. Reigning SEC Coach of the Year Robin Pingeton’s squad will face either Iowa or 2017 MAAC champion Quinnipiac the following day.

The Tigers’ home opener is set for Nov. 16 when Mizzou takes on Wright State. The Raiders are coming off a 25-win season and a trip to the WNIT. Three days later, Mizzou travels to Missouri State to face the Bears for the 28th time in program history.

Thanksgiving weekend, Mizzou heads to Berkeley, California, to compete in the Cal Classic. After a Nov. 24 matchup with Coppin State, the Tigers play California or Manhattan on Nov. 25.

Mizzou returns to Columbia on Nov. 30 to make its first appearance in the Big 12/SEC Challenge in program history and renew its rivalry with Kansas State. Both Mizzou and Kansas State clinched a No. 6 seed in the 2017 NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Second Round. It will be the 83rd meeting between the two programs.

The showdown with Kansas State launches a four-game homestand for the Tigers that also features matchups against New Orleans (Dec. 2), Saint Louis (Dec. 8) and SIUE (Dec. 10). Mizzou is a combined 24-2 all-time against those three opponents.

The Tigers then travel to their third of three nonconference tournaments on Dec. 17 and Dec. 18, the West Palm Invitational in West Palm Beach, Florida. Mizzou opens the invite against Big 10 foe Indiana at 11 a.m. CT and takes on Xavier the following day at 4 p.m. CT.

The Tigers wrap up their nonconference schedule by squaring off against border rival Illinois at Mizzou Arena on Friday, Dec. 22. It will be the first meeting between the two programs since 2008.

SCHEDULE
Nov. 2 vs. Southwest Baptist (exh.)
Nov. 6 vs. McKendree (exh.)
Nov. 10 vs. Western Kentucky*
Nov. 11 vs. Iowa OR Quinnipiac*
Nov. 16 vs. Wright State
Nov. 19 at Missouri State
Nov. 24 vs. Coppin State^
Nov. 25 vs. California OR Manhattan^
Nov. 30 vs. Kansas State
Dec. 2 vs. New Orleans
Dec. 8 vs. Saint Louis
Dec. 10 vs. SIU-Edwardsville
Dec. 17 vs. Indiana#
Dec. 18 vs. Xavier#
Dec. 22 vs. Illinois

Bold denotes home
* Hawkeye Challenge
^ Cal Classic
# West Palm Invitational

— Mizzou Athletics —

K-State’s Bill Snyder named to 2017 Bobby Dodd Trophy watch list

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MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder is one of 19 FBS coaches to be named to the watch list for the 2017 Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Trophy, the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl announced Wednesday.

Snyder, a 2015 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame, is one of only two Big 12 coaches on this year’s list, joining Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy. Snyder has won the Dodd Trophy on two occasions as he led the Wildcats to a 11-0 regular season in 1998 and a Big 12 Championship in 2012.

The Dodd Trophy, college football’s most coveted coaching award, celebrates the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity – the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd’s philosophy.

The watch list was created through a selection process by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, taking into consideration each program’s graduation rate, commitment to service and charity in the community, projected success for the 2017 season and Academic Progress Rate (APR).

Entering his 26th season at the helm of the Wildcats, Snyder became just the sixth FBS coach ever to notch 200 career wins and only coach at one school as he enters the 2017 season with a 202-105-1 record, including a 118-80-1 mark in Big 8/12 contests. He has totaled at least eight wins in 15 seasons, including nine years with 10 or more victories.

After being predicted to finish eighth in the Big 12 in 2016, Snyder led the Wildcats to a 9-4 campaign – including a 6-3 mark in league action to finish fourth – which ended with a victory over Texas A&M in the 2016 Texas Bowl. The Wildcats bring back 14 starters – eight on offense and six on defense – as they landed third on this year’s Big 12 Preseason Poll.

Snyder has an impeccable reputation of developing players both on the field, in the classroom and in the community. In his 25 previous seasons, 84-percent of his players have obtained their undergraduate degrees, while the Wildcats lead the conference with 83 Academic All-Big 12 selections over the last three seasons, 20 more than the team in second place.

A valuable member of the community, Snyder has also led the charge for his players to be active in the Manhattan area as they are involved in multiple community-service activities including: Senior Kats (visiting retirement homes); Junior Kats (visiting middle schools); Cats in the Classroom (visiting elementary schools); Special Olympics and Adopt-a-Family. K-State Football has also partnered with units from nearby Fort Riley and are currently active with the 1-16 Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, known as the Iron Rangers.

K-State embarks on the 2017 campaign and opens a seven-game home schedule on Saturday, September 2, against Central Arkansas.

— K-State Athletics —

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