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Category: College

Northwest soccer team earns Academic honor

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After finishing one of the most successful seasons, the Northwest Missouri State women’s soccer team was honored by the NSCAA with the Team Academic Award for the 2011 campaign.

Tracy Hoza in her ninth year as head coach guided the Bearcats to a 10-7-2 record as the team finished with a 3.18 GPA. Northwest was one of only two schools in the MIAA to earn the NSCAA Team Academic Award as Missouri Western was the other.

Northwest earned its first ever MIAA Postseason Tournament berth advancing to the semifinals, before falling to eventual champion Central Missouri. The Bearcats had seven players earn All-MIAA honors including senior Tammie Eiberger who was named first-team All-MIAA as well as third-team All-Region.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

Four Griffons earn All-America honors from Beyond Sports College Network

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Missouri Western placed four players on the Beyond Sports College Network All-America teams as released by the committee this afternoon and highlighted by first-teamers Greg Zuerlein and David Bass.

Western finished the season 9-3 and recorded its third trip to the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Griffons have won a school record nine games in six of the last nine years. They have also played in a post season game in seven straight years (3 playoff appearances, 4 Mineral Water Bowl games).

Zuerlein, a first team AFCA All-America, Dakrtonics All-America and AP “Little” All-America selection from Lincoln, Neb., led the nation in field goals per game (2.30) and broke a NCAA and MIAA record with 21 consecutive field goals made. He set an MWSU record, with 23 field goals in a regular season and broke a school record, with a 58-yard field goal against Northwest Missouri State twice. He was also first team All-MIAA and Daktronics Super Region Four selections.
He led the conference with an average of 10.7 points per game which is sixth in the nation. He leads the nation with a .952 field goal percentage for any kicker with at least 12 attempts.

Zuerlein became Western’s first MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year and is just the third Western kicker named first team All-MIAA. He was named the D2Football.com Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts in the Griffons 31-28 victory over Northwest Missouri State on November 5. With his 21 consecutive field goals nine of them were from 50 or more yards.

A three-time MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week honoree – the most by any player in that category – Zuerlein is the first Griffon kicker to be selected to the first team.  The last Griffon to earn AP “Little” All-America first team honors was offensive lineman Roger Allen back in 2008.

2011 Greg Zuerlein Award List
• BSN First Team All-American
• All-MIAA First Team Selection
• America Football Coaches Association All-American
• Daktronics All-American
• AP “Little” All-American First Team
• Daktronics First Team All-Region
• MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year
• First Team All-MIAA Kicker
• 3-time MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week
• Once named D2Football.com Special Teams Player of the Week
• Don Hanson First Team All-Super Region Four

David Bass was a first team Daktronics All-American and AP “Little” All-American selection for the first time in his career. The junior defensive end broke a school record with 20 tackles for loss. His 14.5 sacks led the conference and left him one-half sack short of the single season school record. He is 1.5 sacks short of the career record with 28.5. His two, four sack performances each tied a school record for most in a game.

Bass earned MIAA Defensive Player of the Week honors twice and was the D2Football.com Player of the Week once. He was fourth in the nation in sacks per game at 1.21 and 18th in the nation in tackles for a loss with 1.67 per game. He also received first team-All-MIAA for the first time in his career.

2011 David Bass Award List
• BSN First Team All-American
• All-MIAA First Team Selection
• Daktronics All-American
• AP Little All-American Second Team
• Daktronics First Team All-Region
• First Team All-MIAA defensive end
• 2-time MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week
• Once named D2Football.com Special Teams Player of the Week
• Don Hanson First Team All-Super Region Four

Missouri Western running back Michael Hill and punter Scott Groner were named to the Honorable Mention squad for their performances last season.

Hill earned honors at running back after rushing for over 1,000 yards and leading the MIAA with 108.75 yards per game. Hill rushed for 1,305 yards and eight touchdowns. Allan started all 12 games and has started all 36 games in his career. He helped the Griffons average 5.4 yards per carry. Western finished 11th in the nation averaging 240.58 yards rushing per game.

Groner finished the season fourth in the nation averaging 43.86 yards per punt, which is the new single season record at Western. He broke the record of 43.58 which was set by Jaime Hanson in 2008. Groner’s punted 50 times with 17 landing inside the 20 yard line. He also had a long of 80 yards, just four yard shy of the MWSU record.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Grinch joins Missouri football staff as safeties coach

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Alex Grinch has joined the University of Missouri football coaching staff as its newest assistant, and will serve as safeties coach, as announced today by MU Head Coach Gary Pinkel.  Grinch returns to Mizzou after serving as part of Pinkel’s staff from 2002-04 in a graduate assistant role, and after enjoying a very successful run as an assistant coach after leaving MU.

Grinch, who was part of three national championship teams and who was a third-team All-America safety at Mount Union College in his playing days, has spent the last three seasons as secondary coach at Wyoming, where he helped guide the Cowboys to two bowl games in the last three seasons.  He coached there on the staff of Dave Christensen, a former assistant under Pinkel at Mizzou.

Three of his players earned post-season honors in 2011, as the Cowboys concluded the 2011 regular season ranked No. 34 in the nation in pass defense, while they ranked No. 1 in the Mountain West Conference and tied for 5th in the NCAA in most turnovers gained (31).  The Cowboys were among the most improved teams in the nation in 2011 as they claimed eight wins – up from three the year before, and the most at UW since 1996.  At Wyoming, he helped develop free safety Chris Prosinski into an eventual 4th-round draft pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to come back to Mizzou,” said Grinch.  “I had a chance to be part of the early years here with Coach Pinkel and I knew back then that this program would take off.  To have a chance to be here and be part of the move to the SEC makes this a really exciting time.  I’m very appreciative to Coach Pinkel and the entire staff for welcoming me back – there’s not a staff in the country that I have more respect for.  I’m excited to work with a good group of student-athletes, and looking forward to helping move the program forward any way I can,” he said.

“Alex will be an outstanding addition to our staff,” said Head Coach Gary Pinkel.  “He brings a lot to the table that our group will benefit from.  He’s worked hard to become a very successful teacher of the game, and he’s someone who will be a great salesman of our program to recruits and families.  We’re excited that he chose to come back to Mizzou, and we’re happy to have him with us,” Pinkel said.

Grinch joined the Wyoming staff in December of 2008 after spending four seasons at New Hampshire (2005-08).  His first two seasons there, Grinch coached the cornerbacks before being promoted to secondary coach and recruiting coordinator for the 2007-08 seasons.  In his four seasons at New Hampshire, the Wildcats won 37 games in four years and advanced to the FCS Quarterfinals three times.  They concluded the 2008 season with a 10-2 record and a final ranking of No. 7 in the polls.  During his time there, the Wildcats defeated two FBS schools – Northwestern and Marshall.

One of his protégés at New Hampshire, cornerback Corey Graham, went on to become a 5th-round draft pick by the Chicago Bears, and he will be playing in the NFL Pro Bowl this January 29th as a special teams selection.

In his previous time at Mizzou, Grinch was the defensive graduate assistant for the 2003-04 seasons, after serving as administrative graduate assistant in 2002.  The Tiger defense ranked second in the Big 12 Conference in total defense in 2004 and led the league that year in pass defense.

Grinch enjoyed an outstanding playing career at Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio. He was a member of three NCAA Division III National Championship teams at Mount Union in 1998, 2000 and 2001. Over his four-year career, Grinch’s Mount Union teams posted a 54-1 record and won four consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference Championships.

His senior season of 2001, he was named a Third Team All-America safety by D3football.com. He also earned National Defensive Player of the Week honors twice during his career from Don Hansen’s National Football Gazette. Not only did he receive All-America honors on the field, but Grinch was a First Team Academic All-Conference selection his senior season.

He completed his bachelor’s degree in sports management with a focus in marketing and a minor in business administration from Mount Union in May 2002, and earned a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy analysis from Mizzou in December 2004.

— MU Sports Information —

Griffon men fall at home to Bearcats, 64-53

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The Missouri Western men’s basketball team struggled in the opening game of the 2012 season falling 64-53 against Northwest Missouri State in the fieldhouse. The Griffons battled all night but it wasn’t enough at the end falling to 6-6 overall and 1-5 in MIAA play.

The Bearcats came out on fire opening up an early 17-4 lead after a Jake Reinders jumper with 10:39 to play. Western held Northwest to just nine points the rest of the half cutting the Bearcat lead to one at 23-22 after a Reed Mells three. Kyle Haake hit a huge three at the end of the half giving Northwest the 26-22 lead at the break.

Mells led the way off the bench with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field. Western shot 34.6-percent (9-26) in the half. Northwest was led by Haake with 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting. The Bearcats made 9-of-16 field goal attempts for 56.3-percent.

The second half began like the first as the Bearcats jumped out to a 12 point lead at 37-25 lead after DeShaun Cooper hit a layup with 15:34 to play. The Griffons once again battled back cutting the Northwest led to four at 45-41 after consecutive three’s by James Harris and TJ Johnson with 8:39 to play.

The Bearcats outscored Western 19-12 the rest of the way improving to 11-1 overall and 5-1 in MIAA play. The Bearcats have won the last four games against Western.

Western finished shooting 34.0-percent (18-53) from the field but made just 9-of-15 free throw attempts. Western got outrebounded 35-to-23 and got outscored 16-6 in the paint. Alex Tuluka-Mfumupembe hit four three’s for the second consecutive game finishing with 12 points of the bench. Mells finished with 10 points.

Northwest finished making 21-of-38 field goals and 16-of-21 free throws. Cooper and Haake finished with 21 and 20 points respectively while Jake Reinders dumped in nine points and snared eight rebounds.

The Griffons return home on Saturday, January 7 to take on the Lincoln Blue Tigers in MIAA action. Game time is set for 3:30 pm from the MWSU Fieldhouse. This will mark the second of a three game home stand for the Griffons. If you can make the game listen to all the action on 680 AM KFEQ.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Western women snap six-game skid with win over Northwest

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A 20-6 second half run helped the Griffon women to a 62-51 victory over rival Northwest Missouri State on Wednesday night in the fieldhouse. Western snapped a six game losing streak earning their first MIAA victory of the season. Brittany Griswold finished with a game high 17 points as Western improves to 3-8 overall and 1-5 in MIAA action.

For the fourth time this season the Griffons took a lead into the half. Western shot 34.4-percent (11-32) in the first frame taking a 34-26 lead into the locker room. The last time Western led at the half was on December 7 against Missouri Southern by a score of 31-27.

The Griffons led by as many as 12 points at 30-18 after a Griswold jumper with 3:25 to play. The Bearcats closed on an 8-4 run cutting the lead to eight at the half. Giswold led the charge for Western with nine points while Jessica Koch and Alicia Bell dumped in eight apiece.

The Bearcats were led by Tara Roach and Maggie Marnin as they dumped in eight points apiece in the first half.

Western came out on fire in the second half scoring the first nine points of the frame opening up a 19 point lead at 45-26 after two Griswold free throws with 17:34 to play. The Griffons continued to play well pushing their lead to 24 two different times before the Bearcats closed on a 19-6 run cutting the Griffons final lead to 11.

Koch finished with her third double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Bell finished with 10 points while the Griffons outrebounded the Bearcats 51-46 in the game. Western also had 24 points in the paint to Northwest’s 12 and 23 points off 20 Bearcat turnovers.

Northwest drops to 2-11 overall and 0-6 in MIA A play. The Bearcats were led by Marnin and Roach as they dumped in 11 apiece.

The Griffons return home on Saturday, January 7 to take on the Lincoln Blue Tigers in MIAA action. Game time is set for 1:30 pm from the MWSU Fieldhouse. This will mark the second of a three game home stand for the Griffons. If you can make the game listen to all the action on 680 AM KFEQ.

— MWSU Sports Information —

KU dominates inside to dismantle K-State

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Rebounding, rebounding, rebounding.

For three straight up-tempo practices, Kansas coach Bill Self drilled his players on the importance of rebounding the ball against Kansas State. They must have paid attention.

Thomas Robinson got his 10th double-double of the season and the 14th-ranked Jayhawks held a whopping 50-26 edge on the boards in a 67-49 victory over the 23rd-ranked Wildcats on Wednesday night.

“I’ve never in 27 years, including coaching 13-year-olds, I’ve never been part of a game where our team got its tail whipped in the physical part of the game the way we did today,” Kansas State coach Frank Martin said. “It was a complete mismatch. They got 24 more possessions than us.”

Robinson had 14 rebounds to go with 15 points and Travis Releford had 16 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. In addition, Jeff Withey came in with nine boards and guard Elijah Johnson had eight as the Jayhawks (11-3, 1-0 Big 12) launched their quest for an eighth straight Big 12 championship.

“I never would have dreamed that we could outrebound them by that margin,” Self said. “But we did.”

It was exactly what the Jayhawks worked at all week.

“Before the game, we definitely did a lot of drills in rebounding,” Withey said. “We definitely prepared to go and have a physical game, and it was a physical game. We were working on rebounding all week and it showed.”

Trailing by as many as 18 points early, the Wildcats (11-2, 0-1) got 3-pointers from Jamar Samuels and Rodney McGruder in a 10-0 run and closed to 39-36. But Conner Teahan’s two 3-pointers triggered a rally by Kansas that included dunks by Robinson on consecutive possessions.

“We played actually about 35 pretty good minutes and then we played a miserable 5 when they cut it to three (points),” Self said. “Then (Teahen) makes the two biggest shots of the game, in my opinion. They worked their tail off to get it back to three and then real quick it goes to nine, or 11 or whatever, and we were able to keep them at arm’s length the rest of the way.”

It was the Jayhawks’ 43rd victory over their state rivals in the last 46 meetings of the 272-game series.

Tyshawn Taylor had 13 points for the Jayhawks, who had their 21st straight conference-opening victory.

McGruder had 15 points and Samuels had 12 for Kansas State, which was only 5 for 20 from 3-point range.

Kansas State had emphasized all week the importance of getting off to a good start. But the Jayhawks, fueled by Robinson’s six points off a putback and two medium-range jumpers, went on an 18-4 run in the opening minutes and seized a 23-5 lead.

By the time Martavious Irving finally scored at the 8:12 mark of the half, the Wildcats had hit only three of 17 shots while Kansas was 10 for 19 and held an 18-6 rebounding edge en route to a 35-20 halftime lead.

“It was something that goes back to the last three practices we had,” Kansas State guard Will Spradling said. “We didn’t come out in practice very well. If you don’t come out well in practice, then you are not going to come out and play well.”

Kansas called time out after the Wildcats closed to 39-36 and 3-point specialist Teahan immediately connected from beyond the arc.

“They almost tied it and he came in the game and hit two back-to-back 3s and that was huge for us,” Taylor said. “It got us back in a comfortable lead and we pulled off from there.”

Irving went to the line with a chance to slice the lead to five points but missed two free throws. Seven-footer Withey rebounded for the Jayhawks and slammed home a dunk on the other end.

After Spradling’s 3-pointer cut the lead to 47-41, Releford’s 3-pointer and Robinson’s dunk off a pass from Teahan triggered a window-rattling roar from the crowd and put the Jayhawks on top 52-41 with 7:53 to go.

Following a timeout, Robinson dunked again and then soared to the basket for a dunk off Taylor’s missed jumper.

Taylor’s uncontested layup capped the run and gave the Jayhawks a 56-41 lead.

“We got it to three points at one time,” Martin said. “Then we lose Conner Teahan on back-to-back possessions. The scouting report says, `Do not leave Conner Teahan when he is in the corner,’ and we left him twice and he made both shots.”

The Wildcats came in second in the nation averaging 28.8 free throws but were only eight of 16 from the line on Wednesday.

— Associated Press —

Missouri State falls at Illinois State for first Valley loss

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John Wilkins scored 15 points and Illinois State never trailed Wednesday night in defeating Missouri State 68-60.

Tyler Brown and Bryant Allen had 14 points apiece for the Redbirds (10-4, 2-1 Missouri Valley). Jon Ekey had 12 rebounds and Jackie Carmichael grabbed 10 boards as Illinois State held a 44-33 edge on the glass.

Kyle Weems led Missouri State (9-6, 2-1) with 18 points. Jamar Gulley had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Bears.

Illinois State never led by more than 12 in the game, but Missouri State couldn’t get any closer than five points after the first few seconds of the second half.

— Associated Press —

No. 7 Mizzou routs Oklahoma in Big 12 opener

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Missouri played as if its 13-0 start was no big deal. So much for Oklahoma’s impressive start.

Kim English had 23 points and nine rebounds, and the No. 7 Tigers hit 12 3-pointers and had a big rebounding advantage over a larger opponent to open Big 12 play with an 87-49 rout of the Sooners on Tuesday night.

“I don’t know that we can play any better,” Haith said. “We played about as flawless a game as you can play.”

Marcus Denmon added 20 points for the Tigers (14-0, 1-0), who were 12 for 21 from 3-point range, held the Sooners (10-3, 0-1) to 33 percent shooting and outrebounded them 38-23. Missouri is one of four unbeaten teams in the nation and the start is the school’s best since the 1981-82 team was 19-0.

“Big 12 play got here really fast, it seems like those 13 games flew by,” Denmon said. “We understand this is where teams are made, in conference play. None of those wins before conference matter.”

The margin of victory entering Missouri’s final Big 12 schedule was its second-biggest in conference play, trailing only a 45-point spread against Colorado in 2009. The dominance was a bit unexpected coming off tests in the last two games, in which they were outrebounded 41-31 by Old Dominion and allowed Illinois to make a game of it because of poor shot selection.

Oklahoma saw no flaws.

“We were amped up,” English said. “If things are going for us, it does build. We’re not looking at the score, but it did increase for us pretty well.”

Oklahoma suffered the most lopsided loss against Missouri since a 66-22 setback in 1922. It’s also the school’s worst in the Big 12.

“Didn’t offer much resistance,” coach Lon Kruger said. “We’re tested at this point. We’ll see how we respond to it.”

Andrew Fitzgerald scored all but two of his 18 points in the first half for Oklahoma, which has a pair of blowout losses against Missouri schools, falling by 20 points against Saint Louis in November. The third loss was by a point to Cincinnati.

“We suffered a loss tonight, in a big number,” guard Sam Grooms said. “But I don’t think confidence goes down from it because even the best teams lose. It takes a game like this to hit you in the mouth, to make you think about what you could have done, what you could have been better at.”

The matchup against a school coming off an impressive pre-conference schedule attracted the first sellout of the season of 15,061. That’s about a 6,000 improvement from the last home game against William & Mary on Dec. 18.

“It was great, it was awesome,” English said. “So proud of our fans, and the students were gone. Started the year off right.”

Ricardo Ratliffe added 13 points and eight rebounds, reserve Michael Dixon had 13 points and Phil Pressey had seven assists for Missouri.

Steven Pledger added 11 points for Oklahoma, but on 3-for-10 shooting with just three points in the first half while Missouri took a commanding 43-25 lead. Oklahoma has lost six of its last seven conference openers.

The Sooners were picked to finish in a tie for last in the Big 12 by coaches but entered the game among the national leaders in rebounding, offensive rebounds, and 3-point percentage, and held their previous seven opponents to 59 points. Missouri topped that total with 13:50 to go on its 10th 3-pointer by English to make it 61-34.

Take out Fitzgerald’s 16-point half and Oklahoma was just 4 for 19 from the field. Pledger was held to three points on 1-for-7 shooting for the Sooners, who shot 35 percent and whose halftime deficit doubled their previous high.

Oklahoma was just 3 for 13 to start the game, falling behind by 10 the first 6:13. Six points from Fitzgerald in a span of 1:16 shaved the deficit to four at 20-16. Missouri answered with a 10-2 run capped by Denmon’s 3-pointer with just under 7 minutes to go, and pulled away the rest of the half.

— Associated Press —

Kansas adds Rob Ianello to football coaching staff

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Kansas head football coach Charlie Weis announced the addition of Rob Ianello to the Jayhawk football staff here Tuesday. Ianello, who will coach the KU wide receivers and also serve as the recruiting coordinator, joins the Kansas program after serving the previous two seasons as the head coach at Akron.

Prior to his stint at Akron, Ianello was a member of the coaching staff at Notre Dame from 2005-09, coaching all five seasons under Weis. He coached the Irish in the 2008 Hawai’i Bowl, 2007 Sugar Bowl and 2006 Fiesta Bowl.

From 2005-08 at Notre Dame, he served as wide receivers coach and coordinated the recruiting efforts of the Irish. In January 2009, he was promoted to assistant head coach for offense. In that role, he led offensive staff meetings when head coach Charlie Weis was not present, and later served as the team’s interim head coach.

Notre Dame’s 2009 offense ranked sixth nationally in passing offense (323.50 ypg) and ninth in total offense (451.75 ypg). Ianello mentored Irish wide receiver Golden Tate, who was the 2009 Biletnikoff Award winner and a consensus All-American. Additionally he coached Jeff Samardzija, who was a Biletnikoff Award finalist in 2005 and 2006 and earned All-America honors in 2006.

As the recruiting coordinator for the Irish, he directed three consecutive top-10 recruiting classes from 2006-08, something only three other schools (USC, Florida and Georgia) could claim. Additionlly, Ianello is the only coach named one of the 25-best recruiters nationally from 2005-09 by Rivals.com. In the book “The Second Season” by recruiting analyst Tom Lemming, Ianello is named one of the top-10 recruiters of the last 30 years.

Ianello had two coaching stints at Wisconsin (1990-93, 2003-04), and was part of a staff that helped lead the Badgers to the 1994 Rose Bowl, the 2003 Music City Bowl and the 2005 Outback Bowl.

From 1994-2002, Ianello was on staff at Arizona, serving as recruiting coordinator from 1994-96, and wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator from 1997-2002. The Wildcats played in two bowl games, the 1997 Insight.com Bowl and the 1998 Holiday Bowl. The 1998 Arizona team finished 12-1, which stands as the best record in school history.-+

Ianello served on the board of trustees of the American Football Coaches Association in from 2003 to 2009. The board formulates policy and provides direction for the AFCA. He also has served as the chair of the AFCA’s assistant coaches committee and the general chairman of the AFCA’s all-division assistant coaches committee. He currently serves on the AFCA ethics committee.

— KU Sports Information —

KU’s Robinson named Big 12 Player of the Week

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Kansas junior Thomas Robinson has been named Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week, respectively, for games of Dec. 26 – Jan. 1 in voting by a panel of media covering the conference. It is the third honor this season for Robinson.

A 6-10 forward from Washington, D.C., Robinson averaged 19.5 points and 14.0 rebounds as Kansas recorded victories over Howard (89-34) and North Dakota (84-58). He shot 70 percent (14-of-20) from the field on the week, while making 71.4 percent (10-of-14) of his shots from the free-throw line. He also had six assists, one block and three steals.

Robinson’s top performance came versus North Dakota, as he finished with career-highs of 30 points and 21 rebounds. It was the sixth time in Big 12 history that a player has posted at least 30 points and 20 rebounds in the same game and first time a Jayhawk player has done so since Feb. 13, 1961 (Wayne Hightower).

Robinson has 17.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game this season, the only player in the Big 12 averaging a double-double. He was also named Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week Nov. 27 and Dec. 12.

Kansas (10-3) opens up Big 12 play when it hosts Kansas State (11-1) in the Sunflower Showdown presented by Dillons on Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m. (Central). The game will be televised on the Big 12 Network and ESPN Full Court.

— KU Sports Information —

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