ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western baseball senior outfielder Ryan Degner has been named Second Team All-Central Region by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

The Hillsboro, Oregon native batted .361 with 16 doubles, 12 home runs and 43 RBIs this season and was named Griffon Baseball’s student-athlete of the year.

He was also named to the All-MIAA second team for the second consecutive year. Last season, Degner was also named first team Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association All-Central Region and third team All-American by the same organization.

In his two-year career with the Griffons, Degner batted .372 with 32 doubles, 22 home runs and 92 RBIs.

NCBWA All-Central Region Teams

First Team
Catcher – Mike Jurgella, Senior, St. Cloud State University
First Base – Patrick Castleberry, Senior, Arkansas Tech
Second Base – Jimmy Heck, Junior, Minnesota Duluth
Shortstop – Kyle Lieser, Junior, St. Cloud State University
Third Base – Dean Long, Senior, Emporia State University
Outfield – Eric Loxtercamp, Senior, St. Cloud State University
Outfield – Justin Harris, Senior, Emporia State University
Outfield – Nathan Ackerman, Junior, Wayne State College
Designated Hitter – Max Waletich, Senior, Minnesota State
Utility Player – Nick Spini, Senior, East Central University
Starting Pitcher – Reese Gregory, Junior, St. Cloud State University
Starting Pitcher – Cody Hutchinson, Junior, Missouri Southern State University
Starting Pitcher – Sheldon Miks, Freshman, St. Cloud State University
Relief Pitcher – Dakota Belter, Junior, Minnesota State

Second Team
Catcher – Jack Goihl, Senior, Augustana
Catcher – Nolan Johnson, Senior, Minnesota State
First Base – Alex Wojciechowski, Junior, Minnesota Duluth
Second Base – Charles Sims, Junior, Northeastern State University
Second Base – Mitch Moser, Sophomore, Upper Iowa University
Shortstop – Eric Fasnacht, Junior, Concordia-St. Paul University
Third Base – Patrick Fiala, Junior, Augustana
Outfield – Trevor Jones, Senior, Central Missouri
Outfield – Brandon Grimsley, Junior, Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Outfield – Grant Farley, Sophomore, Minnesota Duluth
Outfield – Anthony Pacheco, Junior, Nebraska-Kearney
Outfield – Ryan Degner, Senior, Missouri Western
Outfield – Jake Greco, Freshman, Upper Iowa
Designated Hitter – Jesse Rall, Junior, Missouri Southern State University
Utility Player – Kevin Czarnecki, Senior, Fort Hays State University
Starting Pitcher – Connor Eller, Junior, Ouachita Baptist University
Starting Pitcher – Payton Walker, Junior, Missouri Southern State University
Starting Pitcher – Dalton Roach, Freshman, Minnesota State University
Relief Pitcher – Nick Vanthillo, Junior, Henderson State University

Player of the Year:  Mike Jurgella, Catcher, Senior, St. Cloud State
Pitcher of the Year: Reese Gregory, Pitcher, Junior, St. Cloud State
Coach of the Year: Pat Dolan, St. Cloud State

— MWSU Sports Information —

ST. JOSEPH – For the second straight year, Missouri Western softball second baseman Tiffany Gillaspy has been named First-Team All-Central Region by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

It’s the second straight nod on the team for Gillaspy and her second first team All-Region selection already this season. Earlier this week, the Johnston, Iowa native was named to the Daktronics All-Region team. Her list of honors during the 2015 season included first team All-MIAA, MIAA Hitter of the Week, NFCA National Player of the Week and top-25 finalist for the NFCA National Player of the Year. Gillaspy finished her career as the Griffons’ all-time leader in slugging percentage. She also sits second in career home runs, RBIs and runs scored. She is third all-time in batting average and fourth in hits and doubles.

This season, Gillaspy led the Griffons in batting average, slugging percentage, hits, RBIs, doubles, home runs and total bases. She is a two-time first team All-MIAA selection, making the team as a first baseman in 2014 and a second baseman in 2015. In addition to her all-conference and all-region honors, Gillaspy was also named third team Daktronics All-American in 2014. This year she was the softball team’s student-athlete of the year and one of three recipients of the Tom Smith Career Achievement Award.

— MWSU Sports Information —

ST. JOSEPH – With all spring sports seasons at Missouri Western now complete, preparations are underway for the fall sports seasons, including the 2015 Missouri Western football schedule.

The 46th year of Griffon Football will feature six home games and for the first time in a number of years, no night games at Spratt Memorial Stadium. Renovations at the home of Griffon Football since 1979 will leave the stadium without lights for the 2015 season.

For the fourth consecutive season, Missouri Western will open with Central Missouri. After a thrilling, 10-9 victory at home over the Mules in 2014, the Griffons have won 11 of the last 12 games between the two, including the last four. MWSU travels to Warrensburg on Sept. 4 for a Thursday night game at 7 p.m.

The home opener this year will be a Saturday afternoon rather than the traditional Thursday night home debut Griffon fans have grown accustomed to. MWSU will play its first home contest on Sept. 12 versus Central Oklahoma. The Griffons then travel to Oklahoma to take on Northeastern State on Sept. 19 in their last scheduled night game of the season at 6 p.m.

The fourth game of the season will be a celebration of Missouri Western’s Centennial along with Founder’s Day and Family Day at MWSU. That game will be on Sept. 26 versus Lindenwood as the Lions make their first ever trip to St. Joseph. In week five, MWSU travels to Pittsburg, Kansas, to take on Pittsburg State on the Gorillas’ homecoming. It will be the Griffons first trip to Pittsburg since 2012 when MWSU defeated the then defending national champions, 63-14.

Weeks six and seven will both be home games for the Griffons with Fort Hays visiting on Oct. 10 as part of Hall of Fame Day. The next week will be homecoming for Missouri Western as Washburn visits Spratt Stadium. The Ichabods have not claimed a victory in St. Joseph since the 2007 season.

After two-straight at home, MWSU hits the road in week eight for a matchup with Emporia State on Oct. 24. The Hornets have won the last two meetings, both in St. Joseph. In the Griffons’ last trip to Emporia State, they knocked off the 15th ranked Hornets, 57-28.

Halloween marks the annual rivalry matchup between Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State. The Bearcats travel to St. Joseph in 2015 after two-straight wins over MWSU. The Griffons make the trip to Kearney, Nebraska in week 10, playing at Nebraska-Kearney on Nov. 7. Senior Day comes for the Griffons in the last week of the regular season as Missouri Southern visits Spratt Stadium. The Lions have won their last two games in St. Joseph and have only played in Spratt Stadium three times since 2007.

The Griffons return a host of experienced players in 2015, including most of the starters on both sides of the ball. After a 7-4 record in 2014, Jerry Partridge is 139-71 in 18 seasons as the Griffons’ head coach. Coach Partridge is 107-56 against MIAA opponents.

— MWSU Sports Information —

PITTSBURG, Kan. – Missouri Western softball senior Tiffany Gillaspy is adding on to an impressive list of credentials as the senior second baseman has been named first team Daktronics All-Central Region for the second time in her career.

Already this season, Gillaspy has been named first team All-MIAA, MIAA Hitter of the Week, National Player of the Week and was a top-25 finalist for the National Player of the Year award. She led her team in batting average (.381), slugging percentage (.714), hits (72), RBIs (51), doubles (16), home runs (15) and total bases (135). The Griffons finished the season 36-21, advancing to their eighth NCAA Division II Regional in the last 11 seasons.

Gillaspy wrapped up her MWSU career as the Griffons’ all-time leader in career slugging percentage (.641); second in runs scored (135), home runs (38) and RBIs (160); third in batting average (.363); fourth in hits (214) and doubles (44).

She is now a two-time first team All-Region and All-MIAA selection. In 2014, she was also named NFCA first team All-Central Region and third team Daktronics All-American. This spring she was also named the MWSU softball Student-Athlete of the Year and was one of three recipients of the Tom Smith Career Achievement Award.

Gillaspy was the only Griffon named Daktronics All-Region this season but was joined by 10 other MIAA student-athletes.

— MWSU Sports Information —