College – Page 484 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Nebraska’s Abdullah, Bell, Gregory named to watch lists

Posted on July 7, 2014July 7, 2014

Nebraska seniors Ameer Abdullah and Kenny Bell and junior Randy Gregory were each named to watch lists announced on Monday morning.

One of the nation’s top returning rushers, Abdullah was named to watch lists for both the 78th annual Maxwell Award and the Paul Hornung Award. Bell was also named to the Hornung Award Watch List, while Gregory was listed on the watch list for the 20th annual Chuck Bednarik Award.

The Maxwell Award has been given to America’s College Player of the Year since 1937 and is presented by the Maxell Football Club. The club also presents the Bednarik Award, given annually to the College Defensive Player of the Year, since 1995. The Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse is given annually by the Louisville Sports Commission to the most versatile player in college football.

Abdullah rushed for 1,690 yards last season, the most by a Nebraska player since 1997, and this fall he could become the first Husker to record three 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He is also the nation’s active career leader in all-purpose yards and is on track to become Nebraska’s all-time leader in that category.

Like Abdullah, Bell is a dual threat for the Huskers, excelling as a receiver and kickoff return specialist. Bell enters his senior season poised to become the school’s all-time leader in both receptions and receiving yardage. He is also one of the nation’s top returning kickoff returners after averaging 26.5 yards per return last season, including a 99-yard touchdown.

Gregory became one of the Big Ten’s top defenders last season and has earned preseason All-America accolades in 2014. In his first year with the Huskers, Gregory led the Big Ten with 10.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss. Nine of Gregory’s sacks came in Big Ten Conference play, including a season-high three sacks at Michigan.

Semifinalists for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced Nov. 3, while the three finalists for each award will be unveiled on Nov. 24. The winners will be announced as part of the ESPN College Football Awards show on Dec. 11.

— NU Sports Information —

Bearcats to play Washburn at Arrowhead Stadium

Posted on July 2, 2014

Northwest Missouri State has announced that the Nov. 15 home football game against Washburn University will be played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The game, which will retain the title “The Fall Classic,” will announce a kickoff time at a later date.

“Getting a chance to continue playing at Arrowhead was extremely important to our players, our program and our fans,” said Northwest head coach Adam Dorrel. “The entire Chiefs’ organization has been very good to our program for the past 13 seasons. There are so many positives from our end to continue playing in Kansas City that we made it a priority during the off season to return this year. We want to thank the Kansas City Chiefs organization and the administrative staffs both here at Northwest and at Washburn for working to make this happen.”

The Ichabods are coming off an 8-3 campaign in 2013. Washburn was ranked as high as No. 8 in the nation after beginning the season with eight consecutive victories. Over the past seven years, the Ichabods have averaged over seven victories including a 10-win season in 2011.

“Bringing in an opponent like Washburn adds new life to this event,” Dorrel said. “Northwest’s 9,000 or so alumni in Kansas City have helped make the Fall Classic what it is today. You get two programs that have enjoyed quite a bit of success in the past few years together in a venue like Arrowhead and it should be an amazing experience. We know how loud that stadium can get and I can’t wait to see what our fans come up with this year.”

Northwest is 9-3 all time at Arrowhead. In the past 12 contests at Arrowhead, the Bearcats have averaged over 29 points per game and have seven crowds of over 20,000. Last season, Northwest defeated PittsburgState, 24-15, in front of 17,369 in attendance.

“For us, this game represents so much of what we want to accomplish as a program,” explained Dorrel. “The experience for our players to be in an NFL facility for a game each year is an incredible selling point. Our recruiting takes a huge boost when we can explain to potential student-athletes about the atmosphere at Arrowhead and how much it means to our current and former players to be able to play here.”

Tickets for the game go on sale to Bearcat Booster Club members in July and non-booster club members can begin purchasing from Northwest in August.

— Northwest Sports Information —

Griffon baseball adds three transfers to 2014-2015 recruiting class

Posted on July 2, 2014

Missouri Western head baseball coach Buzz Verduzco announces the signing of three more student-athletes for the 2015 season.

Richard Peoples, Jr. from Webb City, Mo. transfers from Crowder College in Neosho, Mo. while David Anderson from Fairmount, Ind. transfers to MWSU from Danville Area CC in Danville, Ill. and Carbin Duffy transfers from Everett Community College in Everett, Wash. They will join David Glaude from Quebec City, Quebec as well as Michael Calimeno from Brooklyn, N.Y. and Brandon Downs from Phoenix, Ariz. on next years squad.

Richard Peoples, Jr. is a 5-11 pitcher from Webb City, Mo. and will transfers to Missouri Western from Crowder College in Neosho, Mo. He played his high school baseball at Webb City High School. During his time at Crowder he helpled his team to a Region 16 Championship. This past season he pitched in 15 games with a 3-0 record and one save. He pitched 27.2 innings giving up 24 hits and 10 earned runs. He also struckout 31 with a 3.25 ERA. In high school he was named 2nd Team All-Conference his senior season as a pitcher. He is the son of Richard and Michele and plans on majoring in engineering at MWSU.

“We are excited to have Richie as part of our staff,” stated coach Verduzco. “He had a very successful career at Crowder CC and will be a major component to our success.”

David Anderson is a 6-2 pitcher from Fairmount, Ind. and transfers to Missouri Western from Danville Area Community College. He played his high school baseball at Madison Grant HS in Fairmount, Ind. While in high school he was an three year All-Conference performer and a four year All-County performer. At Danville CC he was a team captain. He is the son of Ron and Barb and plans on majoring in manufacturing engineering technology.

“Dave will be another experienced arm to add to our staff,” commented Coach Verduzco. “He controls the strike zone and is fiercely competitive.”

Corbin Duffy is a 6-0 catcher from Everett, Wash. and will transfer to Missouri Western from Everett Community College. He played his high school baseball at Cascade High School in Everett, Wash. He also played his freshman season of college at Wenatchee Valley College in Wenatchee, Wash. While at Everett CC he was named 2nd Team NWAACC North and All-NWAACC Tournament Team. During his sophomore season at Everett he hit .336 with 37 hits, 21 runs scored, eight doubles, three home runs, 21 RBI and two stolen bases. He is the son of Patrick and Jennifer and is undecided on a major at MWSU.

“Corbin was one of the top defensive catchers out of NW Washington,” added Coach Verduzco. “It is evident by his on field leadership skills and outstanding arm. Our staff will enjoy throwing to him.”

— MWSU Sports Information —

Three Northwest golfers named WGCA All-American Scholars

Posted on July 2, 2014July 2, 2014

Three members of the Northwest Missouri State golf team were named Women’s Collegiate Golf All-American Scholars by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) on Wednesday. Senior Cassie Lowell, junior Taylor Gard and sophomoreBrooke Byland represented the Bearcats on a list that included 664 total golfers from NCAA Division I, II and III. To be eligible for this honor, student-athletes must have maintained a minimum GPA of 3.50 for the academic year.

For Lowell, this is the fourth time she has received the award. The 2012 MIAA Player of the Year concluded her career this season after qualifying for the NCAA Super Regional. She had eight all-time tournament victories and holds six Northwest individual records.

Gard, who also earned all-scholar honors as a sophomore, was second on the team this season with a 82.41 stroke average. She had five top 10 finishes and finished in the top five three times.

Byland earned the honors for the first time this season. As a sophomore, Byland played in seven events for the Bearcats.

— Northwest Sports Information —

Mizzou basketball adds Seattle prep guard Tramaine Isabell

Posted on June 30, 2014

Mizzou Basketball Head Coach Kim Anderson continued to add to his impressive recruiting class on Monday as the program announced the signing of Seattle, Wash., combo guard Tramaine Isabell (Seattle, Wash./Garfield H.S.) to a financial aid agreement. Isabell will attend the University of Missouri this fall and play basketball for the Tigers starting with the 2014-15 season.

A 6-foot-1, 185-pounder from Garfield High School, Isabell is a strong, physical player that will be asked to play multiple positions in backcourt. He joins current incoming freshmen D’Angelo Allen and Namon Wright as state champions during their high school tenure. Allen won three state titles at Dallas Kimball and Wright won as a junior at Pacific Hills in Los Angeles.

Named the Washington Class 4A Player of the Year by the Associated Press, Isabell averaged 23.6 points and 3.5 assists per game as a senior and was simply fantastic on the state’s biggest stage, scoring 34 points in a 68-59 win over third-ranked Richland to claim Washington’s Class 4A state crown. The win was sweet redemption for Isabell. Playing for Lakeside High School as a junior, he led his club to the Class 3A title game in 2013, where LHS fell to Rainier Beach (62-59) in overtime. Isabell scored a team-leading 21 points in that loss, but left nothing to chance as a senior, helping clinch the state title game with key free throw makes in the final minute. Garfield finished the season 25-1 with Isabell leading the way.

Earlier in the season Isabell won the Las Vegas Championship Most Valuable Player Award thanks to a 47-point outburst vs. Las Vegas High School. He scored 34 of his 47 points in the second half, hitting 9-of-12 three-pointers (6-of-6 from three after halftime), while adding nine rebounds and three assists. For his efforts as a senior Isabell was named first team all-state (all classes) in addition to being named first team all-metro and first team all-King County. He also won the Class 4A Regional Sportsmanship Award.

“This is a great addition to our program,” Head Coach Kim Anderson said. “Tramaine is a strong, physical guard and his versatility to play either backcourt spot fits how we want to play offensively with multiple ball-handlers on the court. Tramaine is coming off a fantastic high school career in the Seattle-area and played for two great programs.

“What I really like about Tramaine is his passion for winning,” Anderson continued. “He is a tough kid, he scores the ball really well and wants the ball in big-game situations. We continue to need some backcourt depth throughout our classes and the addition of Tramaine helps us in that area.”

Isabell began his high school career at Lakeside, playing for three seasons. As a sophomore he averaged 18.0 points, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals for the Lions and was named third team all-district. As a junior he averaged 19.9 points, 5.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 steals per game, helping LHS to that aforementioned state final appearance. His team finished 2013 with a 24-5 record, the best in school history. Isabell was named first team all-Metro and first team all-district. Both the Seattle Times and Associated Press named him second team all-state.

— MU Sports Information —

Remaining Missouri football season tickets go on sale July 10

Posted on June 30, 2014June 30, 2014

Remaining 2014 Mizzou Football season tickets will go on sale to the public beginning Thursday, July 10th at 6 p.m. (central time), with online-only sales that evening at www.mutigers.com/buytickets. The next morning, Friday, July 11th, beginning at 8 a.m., fans may also purchase season tickets by phone (1-800-CAT-PAWS or 884-PAWS in mid-Missouri), in person at the Mizzou Arena ticket office, or online.

Fans will have the ability to purchase reserved tickets in available sections (including the new East side upper level), and for the first time, purchase season tickets for the Rock M north hill area. Rock M season tickets are only $189 for all seven home games, while supplies last. Tickets on the hill are considered general admission, so no specific seats are assigned. Rock M season ticket holders are not eligible to receive priority access to parking, postseason ticket offers or other benefits that traditionally are afforded to reserved-seat season ticket holders.

2014 Tiger Scholarship Fund members and current football season ticket holders will have the first opportunity to purchase season tickets on the Rock M hill beginning Tuesday, July 8th at 6 p.m., online at www.mutigers.com/myaccount.

Mizzou Athletics is in the process of finalizing renewals and additional ticket requests from 2013 season ticket holders, as well as those who registered for new season tickets on the request list. Beginning Thursday, July 10th, all fans will have the opportunity to select seats and purchase tickets from available season ticket inventory. All orders are subject to availability.

Mizzou will once again play one of the top home schedules in the Southeastern Conference in 2014. The non-conference home slate is highlighted by visits from American Athletic Conference and Fiesta Bowl Champion, Central Florida, and Big 10 Conference upstart Indiana. The season kicks off on August 30th against South Dakota State. The SEC home schedule welcomes Eastern Division foes Georgia, Vanderbilt and Kentucky, before a season-ending appointment with border rival Arkansas.

Home non-conference individual game tickets will go on sale to all 2014 Tiger Scholarship Fund members and to all 2014 football season ticket holders beginning Thursday, July 24th at 6 p.m. online only at www.mutigers.com. Any remaining single-game non-conference tickets will be made available to the public for online orders only, beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 25th. Beginning Monday, July 28th, fans can also order non-conference individual game tickets by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS (884-PAWS in mid-Missouri) or in person at the Mizzou Arena ticket office, as well as online.

If available, SEC home individual game tickets will first be offered to all 2014 Tiger Scholarship Fund members, and then to all 2014 football season ticket holders during the week of August 4th. If tickets remain available past that, these will then be offered to the public on Tuesday, August 12th. Specific details will be released at a later date.

The only way to guarantee a seat for the upcoming season is to purchase season tickets.

— MU Sports Information —

Patsy Smith retires after nearly 25 years at Missouri Western

Posted on June 30, 2014June 30, 2014

A woman who came to Missouri Western State University as a student-athlete nearly 25 years ago will retire June 30 as Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator. Patsy Smith will remain part-time as Athletics Business Manager. She has served this university as an athlete, a coach and an administrator.

“Patsy is a tremendous asset to Griffon Athletics and has the respect and admiration of people in the department, on campus and in the community,” said Kurt McGuffin, director of athletics. “I’m sorry to see her step down from her full-time position, but I’m happy she’ll continue to be our business manager while being able to spend more time with her family.”

Patsy was recruited by tennis coach, Karen Mollus and came to Missouri Western in 1990to earn an accounting degree and play tennis as a non-traditional student. In 1994, even before graduating, Patsy took over as tennis coach. She led the team to theirfirst-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 1998, and that same year became the first business manager for Griffon Athletics. Since then, she has served in the department as compliance and academics, director of finance, assistant athletic
director and her current role.

“I’m grateful for all that Missouri Western has made possible for me,” Smith said. “The opportunity to represent this university on the regional and national level has been a great experience.” Patsy has served on the NCAA Division II Championships Committee, the NCAA Regional Advisory Committees for tennis and women’s basketball along with several other NCAA and MIAA leadership positions.

With her retirement, she just stepped down as the MIAA Chairman of the Institutional Representative Council.

Patsy graduated from Missouri Western with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in accounting in 1995. Both of her daughters, Wendy and Shannon, also played tennis at Missouri Western; Wendy and Patsy were teammates as the squad’s No.1 doubles team, and Patsy later coached Shannon.

Patsy is married to Tom Smith, who took Patsy’s former position as women’s tennis coach after retiring from a 25-year career as head men’s basketball coach. The couple has 11 grandchildren.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Missouri’s Clarkson drafted by Wizards in 2nd round, traded to Lakers

Posted on June 26, 2014June 27, 2014

Mizzou Basketball continues to have success on NBA Draft night. Jordan Clarkson (San Antonio, Texas) became the fourth former Missouri standout to hear his name called in the NBA Draft since 2012 as he was selected by the Washington Wizards (Rd. 2, No. 46 overall) before having the Los Angeles Lakers trade for his draft rights Thursday night.

Clarkson joins Kim English (Detroit Pistons, 2012), Marcus Denmon (San Antonio Spurs, 2012) and Alex Oriakhi (Phoenix Suns, 203) as Tigers drafted into the NBA since 2012. They also join Phil Pressey (2013, Boston Celtics) who played in 75 games and averaged 3.2 assists per contest for the Boston Celtics last season as a free agent.

“What an incredible honor for Missouri to have Jordan Clarkson selected in tonight’s NBA Draft,” Mizzou Head Coach Kim Anderson said. “Missouri, from my time here as a player, on through my time as a coach, has helped produce some great NBA talent and that trend will continue. I had the privilege to coach against and follow Jordan and also Jabari Brown’s careers here at Mizzou and I applaud them for their hard work, passion and professionalism in all areas of life. I will continue to follow all of our former players as professionals and look forward to welcoming them back home to Mizzou for many years to come.”

Clarkson becomes the 44th Tiger drafted all-time. He is also joins former Mizzou standout Kareem Rush to be drafted and then traded for by the Lakers since the 2002 draft. Rush was drafted No. 20 overall in 2002 by Toronto before heading to LA.

In his one season in a Mizzou uniform Clarkson was named Second Team All-Southeastern Conference (2014) and ranked second on the team in scoring (17.5 ppg) and tops in assists (3.4). He reached double-figures in 34-of-35 games as a junior and was named the SEC’s Player of the Week on three occasions. Also named a Wooden Award National Player of the Year Midseason Top 25 performer, Clarkson scored a career high 31 points in Missouri’s home win over Southern Illinois (Nov. 12) and ranked second on the team with 14 20-point scoring games. The San Antonio, Texas, native topped 20 points in five consecutive non-league contests including 25 points vs. West Virginia (Dec. 5) and 21 vs. UCLA (Dec. 7). He dished a career high eight assists to go with 25 points vs. Illinois (Dec. 21) in the annual Bud Light Braggin’ Rights game and narrowly missed 30-point games with 28 coming against national runner-up Kentucky (Feb. 1) and 27 vs. Arkansas (Feb. 13).

Clarkson also finished among the SEC’s Top 10 in several statistical categories, including scoring (seventh, 17.5), assists (seventh, 3.4), field goal percentage (ninth, .447), assist/turnover ratio (ninth, 1.3) and minutes played (third, 35.1).

Clarkson is the fourth Tiger headed to the Lakers on draft night. In addition to Rush (2002), he joins Anthony Peeler (1992) and Charles Henke (1961).

— MU Sports Information —

KU’s Wiggins goes No. 1 in NBA Draft; Embiid selected 3rd

Posted on June 26, 2014June 27, 2014

For the second time in Kansas men’s basketball history, a Jayhawk was taken No. 1 in the NBA Draft. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced that the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Andrew Wiggins with the first selection in the 2014 NBA Draft Thursday night at the Barclays Center.

Only two picks later, Kansas big man Joel Embiid joined him when the Philadelphia 76ers selected Embiid with the third overall selection. No two Jayhawks have ever gone as high, surpassing the 1998 duo of Raef LaFrentz (3), Paul Pierce (10).

The duo became the 75th and 76th players to be drafted in Kansas men’s basketball history and the 17th and 18th in the Bill Self era. It also marks the 24th time – and fifth-consecutive year – that multiple Jayhawks were drafted.

Wiggins became the second-ever No. 1 selection in Kansas basketball history, joining Danny Manning in 1988. Jayhawk Wilt Chamberlain was a territorial selection in 1959 by the Philadelphia Warriors after leaving KU for the Harlem Globetrotters in 1958.

“I was nervous. It (the clock) hit zero and we had to wait another two minutes. It’s crazy.” Wiggins smiled on the ESPN broadcast. “(I plan on) just going in and creating impact off the bat, play my game and have confidence in myself. I have to believe in myself before anyone else can.”

Wiggins, from Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, was joined by head coach Bill Self at the draft and became the 30th first-round draft pick in Kansas men’s basketball history. His call-up to the professional ranks marks the fifth-straight season a Jayhawk has been selected in the first round, while the top-overall pick makes three-straight seasons that a Jayhawk has gone in the top-10 overall. Wiggins joins Ben McLemore, who was the seventh overall pick in the 2013 draft by the Sacramento Kings, and Thomas Robinson, the fifth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, also by the Kings.

A Consensus All-America Second Team selection, Wiggins set the Kansas freshman single-season scoring record with 597 points in 2013-14, making him the second-straight Jayhawk to surpass Danny Manning’s record-setting rookie mark in 1985. McLemore broke Manning’s mark with 589 points in 2012-13 before declaring for the Draft.

The 2014 Big 12 Freshman of the Year and All-Big 12 First Team selection, Wiggins was his own highlight reel throughout the year, including a half-court shot at Baylor (2/4), the game-winning basket at Texas Tech (2/18) and a KU freshman record 41 points at West Virginia (3/8) – the first Jayhawk to break the 40-point barrier since Terry Brown scored 42 points on Jan. 5, 1991. In the Big 12 Conference Championship alone, Wiggins averaged 26.0 points per game to earn all-tournament honors.

On the defensive end, Wiggins led Kansas in steals with 41 and came in second to Joel Embiid, KU’s freshman season shot-blocking leader, with 34 blocked shots. Gifted and athletic, the combo guard pulled down 5.9 rebounds a game.Besides his 597 points, other Kansas freshman season records Wiggins set included: scoring average (17.1), field goals attempted (422), free throws made (176) and free throws attempted (227).

The 2014 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Embiid broke the KU freshman record for blocked shots with 72 and his 2.6 blocked shots per game finished second in the league. Named to the 2014 All-Big 12 Second Team, Embiid led KU with 8.1 rebounds per game – also a KU freshman record – and good for sixth in the Big 12. The 7-0 Yaoundé, Cameroon, native averaged 11.2 points per game and his 62.6 field goal percentage broke yet another KU rookie record. Additionally, Embiid was named to the 2014 Freshman All-America Team, along with Wiggins, by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).

Embiid was a two-time Big 12 Newcomer of the Week – Dec. 2, 2013 and Jan. 20, 2014 – and was named the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week and CBSSports.com National Player of the Week on Jan. 21, 2014 after averaging a double-double with 14.5 points and 10.0 rebounds to go along with 13 blocked shots in KU victories against then-top-10 opponents Iowa State (1/13) and Oklahoma State (1/18). Included was a KU freshman-record eight blocked shots against OSU.

Embiid missed the final two regular-season games and the Big 12 Championship due to a stress fracture in his lower back. He was sidelined from KU’s two NCAA Tournament contests, as well. While Embiid fully recovered from the injury and resumed basketball activities, surgery on a stress fracture in his right foot last Friday prevented him from attending the draft.

“It is different (not being in New York) with the support. I wish I could be there but I’m excited,” Embiid said in an ESPN interview from his watch party in California. “The Sixers just took me and I still can’t believe it. I started playing basketball so late and just being here means that anything is possible.”

— KU Sports Information —

Western basketball attendance breaks into Top 30 in Division II

Posted on June 25, 2014June 25, 2014

Missouri Western men’s basketball placed 29th for the 2013-14 Division II men’s basketball attendance averaging 1,401 (19,609) fans for its 14 home contests. Northern (S.D.) State out of the NSIC led Division II with an average of 3,383 (54,129) fans per home game.

The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association led the nation in Division II men’s basketball attendance average for the 2013-14 season, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced recently.

The MIAA drew 262,573 fans to its 14 institutions’ 199 home games last season for an average of 1,319 fans per home game. The MIAA averaged 100 fans more then the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference which averaged 1,228 per game.

Other MIAA schools which cracked the top 30 were Fort Hays State in third with 2,717 fans per game, Central Missouri in the sixth position with 2,257 fans per game, Washburn came in 15th with 1,907 fans, Emporia State came in 22nd with 1,549 fans and Missouri Southern came in 25th drawing 1,496 fans per contest.

— MWSU Sports Information —