College – Page 387 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Missouri finalizes 2016 non-conference football schedule

Posted on August 27, 2015August 27, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri football has announced its finalized 2016 non-conference schedule. In addition to the already scheduled West Virginia and Eastern Michigan games on Sept. 3 and Sept. 10 of 2016, Mizzou has added home games against Delaware State (Sept. 24, 2016) and Middle Tennessee (Oct. 22, 2016).

“We’re very pleased to have the 2016 nonconference schedule finalized and certainly thank everyone we’ve worked with to make this happen,” said Executive Associate Athletic Director Bryan Maggard, who oversees football scheduling for Mizzou. “We also want to make sure and thank our fans for being patient as we work through future scheduling challenges related to conference transition. We feel that this is a very exciting schedule for our fans and program.”

The game between Mizzou and MTSU will be the first of a three-game series agreed upon by the schools, with future games set for Sept. 17, 2022 in Murfreesboro and for Sept. 9, 2023 in Columbia.

All kickoff times and television information will not be established until a later date, and dates of games are subject to change, per potential television arrangements through the conference. The SEC schedule will be announced in the coming weeks to round out the 2016 schedule. Below is a look at the nonconference slate.

2016 MIZZOU NONCONFERENCE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Sept. 3 at West Virginia
Sept. 10 vs. Eastern Michigan
Sept. 24 vs. Delaware State
Oct. 22 vs. Middle Tennessee State

— Mizzou Athletics —

Griffons’ Jordan earns more preseason All-America honors

Posted on August 26, 2015August 26, 2015

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Preseason accolades continue to roll in for Missouri Western football defensive back Mike Jordan. The senior was recently selected first-team D2football.com Preseason All-American and HERO Sports D2 Preseason All-American.

It brings Jordan’s total number of preseason All-American nods to five. The St. Louis native found his way on to four postseason All-American teams last season, including first team AFCA and d2football.com.

A two-time first team All-MIAA selection, Jordan was named MIAA Freshman of the Year in 2012 and honorable mention All-MIAA that same year. He led the MIAA in passes defended with 16, pulled in four interceptions and totaled 37 tackles in 2014.

— MWSU Athletics —

MWSU golf teams picked fifth, sixth in preseason MIAA polls

Posted on August 26, 2015August 26, 2015

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The MIAA released its preseason coaches polls for men’s and women’s golf and the Griffon men are picked sixth and the MWSU women are fifth.

The women’s team had 51 votes, just one less than Nebraska-Kearney for fourth and the men were just two points away from fifth.

Last season marked a milestone for the golf program with individuals from both teams qualifying for NCAA regional play for the first time in program history. Corey Knight and Celine Lim both return for their teams in 2015-16.

Both teams return a host of experienced players. The women’s team returns all the members of the 2014-15 team and just two graduated from the men’s squad.

2015 MIAA Preseason Men’s Coaches Poll
1. Central Missouri (8) – 98
2. Central Oklahoma (3) – 93
3. Northeastern State – 75
4. Washburn – 67
5. Lindenwood – 60
6. Missouri Western – 58
7. Missouri Southern – 52
8. Nebraska-Kearney – 42
9. Lincoln – 23
10. Fort Hays State – 19
11. Southwest Baptist – 18

2015 MIAA Preseason Women’s Coaches Poll
1. Central Oklahoma (7) – 78
2. Northeastern State (3) – 75
3. Lindenwood – 65
4. Nebraska-Kearney – 52
5. Missouri Western – 51
6. Central Missouri – 43
7. Northwest Missouri – 35
8. Fort Hays State – 24
9. Southwest Baptist – 17
10. Lincoln – 10

— MWSU Athletics —

Four Tigers earn preseason All-SEC honors from the coaches

Posted on August 26, 2015August 26, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Football had four standouts named All-SEC by the league’s 14 coaches, as announced by the Southeastern Conference office on Tuesday. Earning a spot on the All-SEC Second Team was LB Kentrell Brothers (Guthrie, Texas) and QB Maty Mauk (Kenton, Ohio) while C Evan Boehm (Lee’s Summit, Mo.) and RB Russell Hansbrough (Arlington, Texas) were named All-SEC Third Team.

The All-SEC honorees were voted on by the league’s 14 coaches with coaches not being able to vote for their own players. For Boehm and Brothers, this marks the second time that they have been named All-SEC this summer after each earned third team honors from the media back in July.

Brothers, the SEC’s top returning tackler from a season ago, accounted for 122 total tackles in 2015 (62 solo) while totaling 5.0 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and a team-leading three forced fumbles. He started all 14 games a season ago and was an All-SEC Second Team pick by the Associated Press. He has been named to the Bednarik, Nagurski and Butkus Award Watch Lists this summer.

A veteran QB, Mauk is 14-4 in 18 career games as a starter and helped guide Mizzou to a second consecutive SEC East Division Championship in 2014. Mauk threw for 25 touchdowns last season and rushed for two more, accounting for 2,648 total passing yards and 3,021 yards of total offense. Mauk’s 2,648 passing yards a season ago are the third-most of any returning SEC quarterback. He was named to the Maxwell and Manning Award Watch Lists earlier this summer as well.

Boehm started all 14 games a season ago, anchoring an offensive line that was a key cog in an 11-3 season and a second consecutive SEC East Championship. He has started 40 consecutive games across the Mizzou offensive line, dating back to the 2012 season before shifting to the center spot full time in 2013. Boehm was a First Team Freshman All-American by College Football News at left guard in 2012. Boehm has been named to the Rimington and Outland Award Watch Lists this summer.

A veteran tailback who has rushed for nearly 2,000 yards in his Mizzou career, Hansbrough is on the Maxwell Award Watch List for the first time in his career. He led Mizzou with his first 1,000-yard season in 2014, totaling 1,084 yards, a mark that ranked sixth in the SEC despite starting just three games – he was also seventh in the SEC in rush yards per game. He was SEC Offensive Player of the Week and National Tailback of the Week following a 199-yard outburst at Texas A&M, the 10th-best single-game rush total in program history. Hansbrough has landed on three major award watch lists this summer as well: the Doak Walker Award, the Maxwell Award and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.

— Mizzou Athletics —

K-State’s Whitehair added to Lombardi Award watch list

Posted on August 25, 2015August 26, 2015

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior offensive lineman Cody Whitehair was one of 34 players nationally to be added to the watch list for the 2015 Rotary Lombardi Award during the award’s final update, the Rotary Lombardi Award Committee announced Tuesday.

Whitehair is now a member of the Lombardi Award watch list for a second-consecutive season, while his honor marks the sixth Wildcat to be up for the award since 2012.

A product of Abilene, Kansas, Whitehair picked up Preseason All-America and All-Big 12 honors entering 2015 after starting 38 of his 39 career games, including all 13 games at left tackle in 2014. He was an integral part of a 2014 K-State offensive that tallied 30 rushing touchdowns, the 10th most in school history. The Wildcat offense ranked in the top 25 in nine categories, including team passing efficiency (11th), red zone offense (14th) and passing offense (16th).

Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen, end-to-end, either on offense or defense, who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball, or linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line up scrimmage.

Semifinalist for the award will be chosen on November 5, while finalists will be announced on November 19. The 46th Rotary Lombardi Award winner will be announced on December 9, at the Bayou Music Center in Houston, Texas.

Kansas State opens the 2015 season next Saturday, September 5, with a 6:10 p.m., contest against South Dakota.

— K-State Athletics —

Kansas names Montell Cozart starting quarterback

Posted on August 24, 2015August 24, 2015

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Montell Cozart will be under center for new Kansas coach David Beaty when the Jayhawks begin their season Sept. 5 against South Dakota State.

Beaty announced Monday that the junior had won the competition for starting quarterback.

“He is a very bright, hard-working, smart dude,” said Beaty, who was hired to replace Charlie Weis last fall. “He’s what you want. I love the dude that he is. Our team loves him.”

Cozart started three games as a freshman in 2013 and the first five games last season before Michael Cummings took over. But when Cummings sustained a season-ending left knee injury in the spring game, it appeared the job would be Cozart’s to lose.

Still, Beaty made him earn it in a competition with talented junior college transfer Deondre Ford and a pair of freshmen, Ryan Willis and Carter Stanley.

Part of the reason Cozart earned the job is he appears to fit Beaty’s offensive scheme, called the “Air Raid.” Cozart may not have the biggest arm in the Jayhawks’ stable of quarterbacks, but he may be the most athletic.

“It’s fun — simple, fast and fun,” Cozart said of the offense. “Going out there, the plays (are) so simple that you can go out there and be real confident and know exactly what you have to do on each and every play. The simple plays help a quarterback be confident.”

Cozart struggled with inconsistency as a sophomore. He was just 64 of 128 for 701 yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Beaty has praised the progress Cozart has made not only in learning the system but in growing as a leader, and Cozart acknowledged that he has made strides in both areas.

“Absolutely, I’m getting better,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about. I’m getting better every day and am learning new things that are going to give me more confidence.”

It doesn’t hurt that Cummings is still around the program. He and Cozart have been able to learn the Air Raid offense together, even though Cummings will spend the season on the sideline.

“It was hard seeing him go down in the spring game,” Cozart said. “It was really tough for me because I’ve been under him for three years, learning under him.”

Cozart is aware that earning the starting nod in late August doesn’t guarantee he will be under center all season. The Jayhawks have churned through a handful of starters in his brief time on campus, from Jake Heaps to Cummings to himself.

That doesn’t mean that Cozart is afraid of a little competition, either.

He made that clear by earning the job in the first place.

“Things are going really well,” Cozart said. “I’m looking forward to keep competing.”

— Associated Press —

Shawn Becker named Missouri Western women’s tennis coach

Posted on August 20, 2015August 22, 2015

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Missouri Western State University director of athletics Kurt McGuffin has announced Shawn Becker as the next head coach of the Griffon Women’s Tennis team. Becker will begin duties Aug. 31.

“As a staff we really liked that Shawn has been a sitting head coach at the Division II level and that his teams have steadily improved from year to year,” McGuffin said. “His national and international recruiting ties will really benefit us at MWSU.”

“He is known to be a strong advocate for the student-athlete experience and I know he will build upon the momentum we have had the last couple of years.”

Becker comes to MWSU from Philadelphia University where he was head men’s and women’s tennis coach since 2012. In his three seasons leading the Philadelphia University women’s team, Becker posted a 41-24 record, twice leading the program to its second most wins (15 in 2014-15 and 14 in 2013-14). Becker’s 2013-14 women’s team advanced to the conference tournament, a first since 2009 for the program. As men’s coach he led the program to two CACC postseason tournaments and went 26-33 overall. Becker was promoted to women’s head coach in May of 2012 and men’s coach in November that same year after serving as an assistant the previous two years.

He takes over a program that achieved new heights in 2014-15. The Griffon Women’s Tennis team finished the season 11-10 overall, going 4-6 in MIAA play and qualifying for the MIAA Postseason Tournament. The 11 wins were 10 more than the previous season and more than the previous three seasons combined. Meara Smith was named honorable mention All-MIAA at the No. 6 singles position, the program’s first All-MIAA selection in more than 10 years.

“This is an exciting opportunity for me to come into a situation where success is new and the momentum is to be built upon,” Becker said. The team made huge strides on the court last year, gaining credibility in the MIAA and the Central Region as well.”

“For me, it’s fresh faces and a new challenge in a different location, but with the same end goal; manufacture a tennis culture that benefits from healthy competition within the team, improvement on the court, and success in the classroom.” When these pieces align, our team will be a force to be reckoned with.”

In 2009, Becker was the head women’s tennis coach at Division III Rosemont College. He led the team to a 6-4 record in conference play and coached the Colonial States Athletic Conference player of the year. Becker also had experience coaching in the high school ranks and was an instructor at Legacy Youth Tennis and Education Center in Philadelphia for three years.

Becker received his bachelor of science in health sciences from Philadelphia University in 2012 and an MBA in athletic administration from Southern New Hampshire University in 2014. He was a three-year letter winner at Lebanon Valley College from 2004-07. He totaled 69 wins and reached the finals of the 2006 Middle Atlantic Conference second doubles tournament.

— MWSU Athletics —

Mizzou football holds second scrimmage of fall camp

Posted on August 20, 2015August 21, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. – A turnover-free, eight-touchdown day at Faurot Field was enough to propel the Missouri Tiger offense to an 11-9 win Thursday morning in the second formal controlled scrimmage of the Missouri Football squad’s 2015 fall camp. The Tiger offense got going early, and ended the day with a flourish, scoring four times in two-minute drills to conclude the scrimmage. In all, the offense tallied five passing touchdowns to go with three rushing scores as they evened things up after falling by a 17-9 score in scrimmage number one, held last Saturday.

All five QBs had effective outings, as everyone completed 50 percent of their passes or better, with four signal callers throwing for TDs. Junior Maty Mauk was 15-of-22 in the air Thursday for 134 yards and a touchdown that covered 10 yards to sophomore WR Nate Brown for the first touchdown of the scrimmage. Mauk had a 38-yard strike downfield to freshman WR DeSean Blair in two-minute work which set up a 2-yard rushing score by sophomore TB Ish Witter. Witter had a scrimmage-best two rushing scores (the other was from one yard out) and finished with 22 yards on four carries.

The rest of the Tiger QBs had good days as well. Sophomore Eddie Printz finished his work 7-of-13 for 101 yards and a touchdown on a 13-yard strike to freshman WR Thomas Richard in the two minute drill. That came as part of the number two offense, going against the number one defense, and the scoring opportunity started when Printz found freshman WR Emanuel Hall behind the secondary down the seam for a huge 52-yard gain on the first play.

Freshman QB Drew Lock continued to shine as he was an impressive 15-of-20 passing for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Lock got a couple of series with the number two offense, and led an impressive 60-yard scoring drive against the top string defense, which he capped with a 10-yard touchdown over the middle to freshman WR Ray Wingo. Lock’s other score was a 14-yard strike to WR Oke Akushe in the back of the end zone, as Akushe leaped high for the ball in the back of the endzone, and held on for the score, despite taking a hard shot from safety Ronnell Perkins.

Freshman QB Marvin Zanders showed his dual threat skills on Thursday once again, as he threw for 64 yards (on 4-of-8 passing) and ran for a scrimmage-high 62 yards, including a nice scramble for a first down on a third-down snap for the number two offense against the number one defense. Senior QB Corbin Berkstresser also found the end zone, as he connected with WR Jake Brents on a 55-yard catch-and-run touchdown. Berkstresser ended the scrimmage 2-of-4 passing for 60 yards and the one score.

Despite the offense’s win Thursday, the defense had plenty of noteworthy play as well, as they accumulated nine quarterback sacks and 17 tackles for loss overall. Sophomore DE Charles Harris led the way with 2.0 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss to go with his four tackles and a quarterback hurry. Junior DL Justin Grava chimed in with a two-sack, two-TFL day, and senior LB Kentrell Brothers had a pair of stops behind the line as part of his 5-tackle performance.

Junior LB Donavin Newsom was active Thursday morning, as he tied for a scrimmage-best seven tackles in all, including a half-tackle for loss and a QB hurry. He was joined at seven tackles by freshman safety Cam Hilton. Senior CB Kenya Dennis applied his customary tough coverage in the pass game and also supplied good run support as he finished with six tackles on the day.

Senior TB Russell Hansbrough got limited action by design, and ended with 20 yards on six attempts, while freshman TB Marquise Doherty had a two-yard touchdown run to cap a two-minute drive by the reserve offense. Doherty finished with 14 rushing yards on six attempts.

Eighteen different Tigers caught passes on Thursday, with the top producers being Blair (5 catches, 66 yards), Brents (4-80, 1 TD), Hall (4-75) and sophomore WR Oke Akushe (3-51, 1 TD). Freshman WR Justin Smith had a pair of receptions as well, totaling 59 yards (including a 49-yarder).

A handful of Tigers were sidelined today with injuries, including PKs Andrew Baggett (back) and Nick Coffman (groin), WR J’Mon Moore (shoulder) and WR Johnathan Johnson (ankle). After a pair of practices on Friday and Saturday, Mizzou will enjoy a couple days off before the last week of #MIZCamp. The third and final scrimmage is set for 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 27.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Griffon soccer picked sixth in preseason MIAA coaches poll

Posted on August 20, 2015August 21, 2015

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The MIAA has released the 2015 Preseason Coaches Poll for Women’s Soccer and it looks a lot like the final 2014 standings, including Missouri Western’s position. The Griffons have been picked sixth, the same spot they finished a season ago. That 2014 team broke more than 20 team and individual records, including most wins in a season (9).

Eight starters and 14 letter winners return from the 2014 team that qualified for the MIAA Tournament, a first for the program. Key returners include second team All-MIAA selections Sarah Lyle (GK) and Taylor Gant (D); third team All-MIAA pick Sydney Andrews (D) and honorable mention defender Paige Phipps. Even with all that returning experience, the team is still relatively young with five seniors on a roster of 22.

Head coach Chad Edwards became the program’s all-time wins leader in 2014, his fourth season with the program. Edwards is pleased to see the team garnered expectations to at least match last season’s success but wants to see his team take the next step.

“It’s nice to look back and see that we had that success, but it’s not good enough. We have to continue to get better,” Edwards said. “We’re going to have to execute that much better. We’re going to have to show up every game and we’re going to have to score more goals.”

The Griffons open their season Sept. 4 when they host three other teams in the MIAA/GAC Challenge.

2015 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Central Missouri (11) – 121
2. Southwest Baptist (1) – 104
3. Central Oklahoma – 103
4. Fort Hays State – 95
5. Lindenwood – 71
6. Missouri Western – 70
7. Northeastern State – 63
8. Emporia State – 56
9. Northwest Missouri – 36
10. Nebraska-Kearney – 30
11. Missouri Southern – 28
12 . Washburn – 15

— MWSU Athletics —

Missouri releases 2015-2016 women’s basketball schedule

Posted on August 20, 2015August 21, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball announced its full 2015-16 schedule in conjunction with the Southeastern Conference releasing the 2016 league schedule live on SEC Network Thursday evening. The competitive 31-game slate features 18 contests at Mizzou Arena, including 16 regular season games and two exhibition matchups.

“We have put together another exciting schedule and can’t wait to get started with our team that is returning to campus this weekend,” head coach Robin Pingeton said. “We are especially looking forward to playing in front of our home crowd 18 times at Mizzou Arena. It is our hope to boost our average home court attendance to over 5,000 this season. We have put together a strong nonconference slate and then will face off with some of the top teams nationally as we compete in the SEC, which is the most challenging and competitive conference in the country. Our players have once again worked very hard this offseason, and we are all anxious to carry the momentum from last year’s strong finish into this upcoming season.”

Mizzou opens the season with two home exhibition contests against Southwest Baptist and Quincy on Nov. 4 and Nov. 9, respectively. The regular season begins with a Nov. 13 road game at in-state rival Missouri State in Springfield.

The Tigers will return home for a Nov. 16 matchup against Arkansas-Pine Bluff before traveling to play at Wichita State on Nov. 18. Mizzou will then return home to face Wake Forest on Nov. 22 and SIU Edwardsville on Nov. 24.

Over Thanksgiving, Mizzou will compete in a tournament hosted by Saint Mary’s College in California. The Tigers will play in consecutive days against Northeastern and Saint Mary’s on Nov. 27 and 28 in Moraga, California.

Mizzou then returns home to face Southeast Missouri on Dec. 2 and Loyola Marymount on Dec. 7.

On Dec. 12, former Big 12 Conference rivals Mizzou and Colorado face off in Boulder. The Tigers will then round out the nonconference slate with home matchups vs. Lamar and Texas State on back-to-back nights, Dec. 20 and 21, before finishing with Charlotte on Dec. 29.

Mizzou opens Southeastern Conference play with a home contest against national power Tennessee on Jan. 4, which will air on SEC Network at 6 p.m.

The Tigers then hit the road to face Georgia on Jan. 7 and South Carolina on Jan. 10, which will be an 11 a.m. tipoff on SEC Network against a squad that advanced to the 2015 Women’s Final Four.

Mizzou hosts Mississippi State on Jan. 14 before playing consecutive road games at Arkansas on Jan. 17 at 1 p.m. on SEC Network and Texas A&M on Jan. 21. On Jan. 24, Mizzou hosts Florida for a 1 p.m. tip that will air on SEC Network. The Tigers wrap up the home stand with a Jan. 28 matchup with LSU.

Mizzou travels to Ole Miss with a 4 p.m. start on Jan. 31 that will be carried by SEC Network. Georgia makes a return visit to Mizzou Arena on Feb. 4. The Tigers return to road play at Mississippi State Feb. 7 before hosting consecutive home games against Alabama on Feb. 11 and Arkansas on Feb. 14. To finish the road schedule, the Tigers travel to Auburn on Feb. 21 and Kentucky on Feb. 25 before wrapping up the regular season on Senior Day vs. Vanderbilt at 1 p.m. on SEC Network.

Season Ticket sales are ongoing and can be purchased by visiting www.MUTigers.com/myaccount or by calling the Mizzou Ticket Office at 1-800-CAT-PAWS or 573-884-7297 locally.

The 2016 SEC Tournament will be held March 2-6 at Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

— Mizzou Athletics —