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Category: College

Western men’s basketball adds Belgium guard

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Missouri Western Men’s Basketball Coach Tom Smith adds Belgium-native shooting guard Alex Teluka-Mfumupembeto to the roster for the 2011-2012 basketball season. Teluka is a transfer from Highland Community College in Freeport, Ill.  The 6-3, 190 lbs sharpshooter averaged 10 points per game for the Cougar’s in 2010-2011.

“He was a kid who might have been thinking Division I until right at the end,” Missouri Western Head Basketball Coach Tom Smith, said.  “Some things fell through in his recruiting at the DI level, so we felt like he’d be a good fit for DII.”

Teluka came to Missouri Western on a recommendation from Coach Smith’s first assistant, and former Highland Community College Basketball Coach, Pete Norman.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Big 12 announces preseason All-Conference football team

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Wide Receiver Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State), linebacker Travis Lewis (Oklahoma) and running back Malcolm Brown (Texas) were picked for individual awards, highlighting the 2011 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team, chosen by media representatives who cover the Conference.

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year was awarded to Blackmon while Lewis earned the nod for preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Brown was chosen preseason Newcomer of the Year.

In 2010, Blackmon became the first receiver to garner Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and was also an All-Big 12 First Team selection. The 6-1 junior was a unanimous All-American last season and won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver. Blackmon set an NCAA record with 12 straight games with 100 receiving yards and a touchdown. He also claimed the NCAA sophomore record with 1,782 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns.

Lewis was an All-Big 12 Second Team pick in 2010 and OU’s leading tackler with 109 stops, good for 12th in the Conference. He produced three takeaways in the Sooners’ Big 12 Championship win with one interception and two fumble recoveries. The 6-2 senior recorded double-digit tackles in four games last season.

Brown joins the Longhorns after completing his prep career at Steele High School in Cibola, Texas. The 6-0 true freshman earned All-America First Team honors from USA Today, CBS College Sports, RivalsHigh.com, ESPN RISE All-America and Parade Magazine. He was two-time first-team all-state, three-time first-team all-district and a three-year starter at running back.

The media Preseason Big 12 Poll will be released on Wednesday, followed by the annual Big 12 Football Media Days to be conducted in Dallas on July 25-26. Live video coverage, including press conferences and one-on-one interviews with a variety of guests, will be featured daily on Big12Sports.com

2011 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team
Offensive Player of the Year:     Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State (WR, 6-1, 215, Jr/2L, Ardmore, Okla.)
Defensive Player of the Year:     Travis Lewis, Oklahoma (LB, 6-2, 233, Sr/3L, San Antonio, Texas)
Newcomer of the Year:     Malcolm Brown, Texas (RB, 6-0, 215, Fr/HS, Cibolo, Texas/Steele)

OFFENSE
Pos     Name                                School     Ht     Wt     Cl/Exp     Hometown
WR     Ryan Broyles ^#          Oklahoma     5-11     187     Sr/3L     Norman, Okla.
TE     Michael Egnew #           Missouri     6-6     240     Sr/3L     Plainview, Texas
OL     Kelechi Osemele           Iowa State     6-6     347     Sr/3L     Houston, Texas
OL     Levy Adcock #             Oklahoma State     6-6     322     Sr/1L     Claremore, Okla.
C     Ben Habern                        Oklahoma     6-2     291     Jr/2L     Argyle, Texas
OL     Luke Joeckel                  Texas A&M     6-6     304     So/1L     Arlington, Texas
OL     Lonnie Edwards %       Texas Tech     6-4     320     Sr/3L     Brownsboro, Texas
WR     Justin Blackmon #     Oklahoma State     6-1     215     Jr/2L     Ardmore, Okla.
QB     Landry Jones                Oklahoma     6-4     230     Jr/2/L     Artesia, N.M.
RB     Bryce Brown                  Kansas State     6-0     220     So/TR     Wichita, Kan.
RB     Roy Finch                       Oklahoma     5-8     173     So/1L     Niceville, Fla.
RB     Cyrus Gray                     Texas A&M     5-10     198     Sr/3L     DeSoto, Texas
PK     Grant Ressel                  Missouri     6-2     190     Sr/2L     Jackson, Mo.
KR     Coryell Judie                Texas A&M     5-11     188     Sr/1L     Marlin, Texas

DEFENSE
Pos     Name                             School     Ht     Wt     Cl/Exp     Hometown
DL     Brad Madison              Missouri     6-4     265     Jr/2L     Bethany, Mo.
DL     Frank Alexander       Oklahoma     6-3     259     Sr/3L     Baton Rouge, La.
DL     Ronnell Lewis             Oklahoma     6-2     237     Jr/2L     Dewar, Okla.
DL     Kheeston Randall      Texas     6-5     295     Sr/3L     Beaumont, Texas
LB     Jake Knott2                  Iowa State     6-2     243     Jr/2L     Waukee, Iowa
LB     Travis Lewis ^%          Oklahoma     6-2     233     Sr/3L     San Antonio, Texas
LB     Keenan Robinson ^   Texas     6-3     239     Sr/3L     Plano, Texas
DB     Markelle Martin         Oklahoma State     6-1     198     Sr/3L     Wichita Falls, Texas
DB     Demontre Hurst        Oklahoma     5-9     172     Jr/2L     Lancaster, Texas
DB     Blake Gideon ^          Texas     6-1     205     Sr/3L     Leander, Texas
DB     Coryell Judie %        Texas A&M     5-11     188     Sr/1L     Marlin, Texas
P     Quinn Sharp #             Oklahoma State     6-1     189     Jr/2L     Mansfield, Texas
PR     Ryan Broyles ^         Oklahoma     5-11     187     Sr/3L     Norman, Okla.

^     2010 Preseason Team
#     2010 All-Big 12 First Team selection
%     2010 All-Big 12 Second Team selection
Ties in voting created an additional spot at running back.

— Big12Sports.com —

Nebraska’s Crick named to Walter Camp Award watch list

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All-America defensive tackle Jared Crick continued to rack up preseason honors, as he was named to the Walter Camp Award watch list on Monday. The Camp Award marks the fifth preseason watch list the 6-foot-6, 285-pound senior from Cozad, Neb., has made this offseason.

Crick is one of two defensive tackles – joining Florida State’s Brandon Jenkins – and one of just 10 defensive players on the preseason watch list. Crick has also been featured on watch lists for the Bednarik and Lombardi Awards, as well as the Nagurski and Outland Trophies.

Crick anchored a Husker defensive that helped Nebraska rank in the top 12 nationally in scoring defense and total defense in 2010. He totaled 70 tackles, including 36 solo stops, and had 9.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss to rank second in the Big 12. A two-year starter for the Blackshirts, Crick has totaled 145 career tackles entering 2011, including 32 tackles for loss, and 19 sacks and is in position to break the Huskers’ career sack record with a strong senior season.

Crick will look to be the fourth Husker to win the Walter Camp Player-of-the-Year award, joining Eric Crouch (2001), Mike Rozier (1983) and Johnny Rodgers (1972). The 2011 winner will be announced on December 8th.

— NU Sports Information —

K-State’s Tointon Family Stadium getting a makeover

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Frank Myers Field at Tointon Family Stadium will undergo a facelift beginning this week with the installation of the AstroTurf GameDay Grass 3D60 infill system.

The new infill turf will be installed over the entire field, replacing not only the artificial infield and warning track areas that were constructed in 2006, but the natural grass outfield and bullpen areas, as well. Even the home plate area – formerly a surface built of clay – will be covered with the infill product, leaving only the pitcher’s mound unchanged. The project will keep K-State’s baseball program at the forefront of infill field technology while maximizing the opportunities to practice and play games in all weather conditions.

Mid-America Golf and Landscape, which also oversaw the turf installation at Bill Snyder Family Stadium this past spring, will serve as project manager. Installation is expected to be completed in approximately nine weeks, allowing the Wildcats to begin their fall practices in mid-September and conduct the Fall World Series in October.

“We are truly excited to be installing the AstroTurf product at Tointon Family Stadium,” head coach Brad Hill said. “I appreciate the fact that John Currie and the athletics administration felt strongly about upgrading our playing surface. This will give our program the ability to take advantage of outdoor practice time in virtually any weather condition, and it will be one of the best playing surfaces in the Big 12 for years to come.”

The AstroTurf GameDay Grass 3D60 infill system for baseball is similar to the product installed at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. In order to simulate a natural grass infield and create as fast a surface as possible, the infield blade will be 1-5/8 inches in length when the sand-rubber infill is complete while the outfield will be 1-7/8 inches tall.

A natural grass-colored surface will be installed in the infield, outfield and foul territory areas, while the traditional clay-infield color will cover the warning track, base paths, infield dirt area and the home-plate circle. Additionally, permanent white lines will be installed for the foul lines and the batter’s boxes.

“After we moved to an artificial surface in the infield five years ago, we quickly realized the benefits of an infill system,” Associate Athletics Director for Operations Casey Scott said. “Maintenance is reduced significantly, games and practices are saved from weather, and the bounce of the ball is true. By taking the next step and installing AstroTurf GameDay Grass 3D60 over the entire field, we eliminate the problems we’ve had in maintaining a great playing surface given our climate conditions and the wear-and-tear of practices and games.”

The K-State Powercat logo will be retained behind the home-plate area as in the current field design, while the baseball-specific interlocking “KS” logo will be installed in shallow center field.

The installation of AstroTurf GameDay Grass 3D60 at Tointon Family Stadium will make the home of Wildcat Baseball one of just two Big 12 baseball stadiums to feature the surface. Two Major League Stadiums – Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., and the Rogers Centre in Toronto – have AstroTurf GameDay Grass 3D60, with other Division I programs including Wichita State, Kansas, Wake Forest, Duke and James Madison, among others.

— KSU Sports Information —

Missouri Western announces 2011-2012 men’s basketball schedule

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Missouri Western head men’s basketball coach Tom Smith has announced his team’s 2011-2012 schedule. The Griffons will play 27 games including an exhibition game to open the season, with 14 total games in the MWSU Fieldhouse. Coach Smith will have an opportunity to earn his 600th win in front of the home crowd when the Griffons officially open the season November, 12 against Fontbonne University. Nearly all Saturday MIAA games will move to the afternoon this season with men’s games tipping off at 3:30 p.m.

After the traditional exhibition game at the fieldhouse against Livin the Dream, Fontbonne University makes the trek across the state from St. Louis. The Griffons will stay home early with Manhattan Christian College coming to town, and games against William Jewell and Rockhurst in the 20th Annual Hillyard Tip-Off Classic. Western will then travel to San Antonio, Texas for the River City Shootout to face Angelo State and Southeastern Oklahoma State. The Griffons wrap up November on the road at Pittsburg State to open MIAA play.

The Griffons will have a short December, with just four conference games before Winter Break. Western welcomes Emporia State and defending MIAA champion and 2011 NCAA Tournament qualifier, Missouri Southern to the fieldhouse the first week of December. The Griffons then head across the state line for conference games at Fort Hays and Washburn. Fort Hays is the second of two 2011 NCAA South Central Regional participants the Griffons will face.

After a short break, rival Northwest Missouri travels to the field house to bring in the new year in the first of nine January games for the Griffons. It will be the first of three straight home games followed by Lincoln and Truman State. Then it’s off to Central Missouri and Southwest Baptist before returning home for a rematch with Pittsburg State. Western wraps up January with Emporia State on the road and Washburn and Fort Hays at home.

The Griffons will hit the road for a challenging four game road stretch that begins with the defending conference champions in Joplin, then a rematch with the rival Bearcats before heading to Lincoln and Truman State. After four on the road, Western will close out the regular season with home games against Central Missouri and Southwest Baptist.

Click here for the entire 2011-2012 schedule.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Griffons release women’s basketball schedule for 2011-2012

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Missouri Western State University head women’s basketball coach Lynn Plett has announced the Griffons’ 2011-12 women’s basketball schedule. The 26-game slate includes 12 home games, six games outside the MIAA, four games against 2011 NCAA tournament qualifiers and a match-up with an NCAA Division I opponent. Nearly all Saturday MIAA games will move to the afternoon this season with women’s games beginning at 1:30 p.m.

The Griffons will tip-off the season on Saturday, November 12 at home against Quincy University. The Lady Hawks were a 2011 NCAA Tournament qualifier, falling in the second round to Wisconsin-Parkside. The Griffons will spend the rest of the month on the road, making stops in Colorado and Kansas City before opening the MIAA season at Pittsburg State on November 30.

Western returns home for two conference match-ups at the MWSU Fieldhouse in the first week of December against Emporia State and Missouri Southern. Then it’s back on to the road for the Griffons at conference foes Fort Hays and Washburn. The Lady Blues represent the second of four 2011 NCAA Tournament qualifiers the Griffons will face. Western will close out December with a trip to Omaha, for what will now be a game against a Division I opponent.

The Griffons bring in the new year with three MIAA contests at home in seven days. Western will face 2011 MIAA Champion and national quarter finalist, Northwest Missouri State on January 4. Lincoln and Truman State will also make trips to St. Joseph that week. The Griffons will then head to Warrensburg and Bolivar for two road games in four days before returning home to face Pittsburg State for the second time. Western will wrap up January with a trip to Emporia State and finish the month with Washburn at home.

On February 1, Fort Hays State will be on campus, with Western then traveling to Missouri Southern that weekend. On the sixth, the Griffons will travel to Arkansas Tech. The Golden Suns have made the trip to St. Joseph for the last two NCAA Division II Elite Eight tournaments. Western will then head out on a three game road swing beginning at Northwest Missouri, then to Lincoln and wrapping up at Truman. Western will welcome Central Missouri and Southwest Baptist to the fieldhouse to close out the regular season.

Click here for the entire 2011-2012 schedule.

— MWSU Sports Information —

NU’s Martinez & Burkhead added to preseason watch lists

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Nebraska sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez picked up his second watch list recognition of the summer on Friday, as he was named to the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award watch List.

The O’Brien Award recognizes the nation’s top collegiate quarterback, and Martinez was a semifinalist for the award in 2010. He comes off a freshman campaign where he threw for 1,631 yards and 10 touchdowns, while rushing for 950 yards and 12 scores.

Martinez nearly became the third freshman quarterback in FBS history to rush and pass for 1,000 yards in a season. He finished the 2010 season with five 100-yard rushing games, including a NU quarterback record 241 yards against Kansas State. Martinez became the first Husker quarterback to rush for 100 yards and throw for 300 yards in a game at Oklahoma State, when he ran for 112 yards and completed 23-of-35 passes for 323 yards and five touchdowns in a win over the Cowboys.

Martinez is one of three returning semifinalists from Big Ten teams,  joining Michigan’s Denard Robinson and Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins, and is one of six Big Ten quarterbacks on the O’Brien Award watch list.

Also, Junior running back Rex Burkhead became the latest Husker to earn preseason recognition, as he was named to the Doak Walker Award watch Friday afternoon.

Burkhead comes off a sophomore season when he rushed for 951 yards and seven touchdowns, while also completing three touchdown passes out of the wildcat formation. Burkhead totaled three 100-yard games while splitting time with All-Big 12 performer Roy Helu Jr. in 2010. Burkhead rushed for a career-high 129 yards in a win at Iowa State. In addition to his running and passing exploits, Burkhead also hauled in 15 catches out of the backfield in 2010.

He is one of seven Big Ten running backs on the 51-member Doak Walker watch list, which is presented to the nation’s top running back.

— NU Sports Information —

Former Griffon Garnett tied for first at eGolf Tour event

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Former Missouri Western golfer Brice Garnett is tied for 1st after three rounds at the eGolf Tour’s seventh annual Southern Open, contested this week at The Club at Irish Creek (Kannapolis, NC) and River Run Country Club (Davidson, NC).

Adam Mitchell (Atlanta, GA), Clint Jensen (Jupiter, FL) and Brice Garnett (Gallatin, MO) are tied for the lead through 54 holes of the 72-hole event, with matching three-round totals of 15-under 199.

Mitchell, the tournament’s 36-hole leader following rounds of 66-65, held the lead for the majority of Friday’s third round before bogeying the par-3 18th to fall back into a tie alongside Jensen and Garnett. A member of the 2009 U.S. Walker Cup team, as well as the 2008 and 2009 U.S. Palmer Cup teams, Mitchell is looking to clinch his first eGolf Tour title after picking up career best T5 finishes earlier this year at the Samanah Classic in Morocco and the Willow Creek Open.

Jensen, the 2009 Southern Open champion, posted a third-round 64 playing with Garnett to move into a tie for the lead. Jensen trailed for much of the round, but closed with birdies at 13, 15 and 18 to earn a spot in Saturday’s final threesome. After winning in 2009 and 2010 (Cowans Ford Open), Jensen is still looking for his first win of 2011 after notching top-5 finishes in two of his last three starts.

Garnett, who won the tour’s River Hills Classic in June, is playing the tour for the first time since the win after twice competing on the Nationwide Tour and notching T15 and T30 finishes at the Rex Hospital Open and Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open, respectively. In the third round, Garnett posted back-to-back eagles on 13 and 14 to reach 16-under for the week before succumbing to a bogey at the last.

Third-Round Results

T1   Clint Jensen         Jupiter, FL             69-66-64–199 -15
T1   Brice Garnett        Gallatin, MO            65-70-64–199 -15
T1   Adam Mitchell        Atlanta, GA             66-65-68–199 -15
4    Chesson Hadley       Raleigh, NC             67-66-69–202 -12
T5   Josh Gallman         Gaffney, SC             70-67-66–203 -11
T5   Jerry Richardson     Cary, NC                65-67-71–203 -11
7    Matthew Ryan         Santa Clarita, CA       66-67-71–204 -10
T8   Peter Malnati        Dandridge, TN           67-70-68–205 -9
T8   Carter Newman        Evans, GA               66-70-69–205 -9
T8   David Sanchez        Huntersville, NC        68-66-71–205 -9
T8   Ryan Nelson          Dickinson, TX           64-70-71–205 -9

Story Courtesy of Stewart Moore
Chief Operating Officer
VP, Public Relations
eGolf Professional Tour

Northwest hires Nate Davis to handle athletics marketing

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Nate Davis has joined Northwest Missouri State University as its assistant athletic director for marketing, promotions and licensing.

Davis has extensive experience in sales, marketing, corporate partnerships and game-day promotions. Previously he was the assistant athletic director for operations at Abilene Christian University and assistant to the director of athletics for operations at Southwest Baptist University. He also served as the sales manager at West Texas Golf Cars in Abilene, Texas.

“Nate brings to Northwest a wealth of experience in Division II athletic programs,” said Wren Baker, Northwest’s director of athletics. “He is bright, energetic and passionate about college athletics, and we are excited to have Nate join the Bearcat family.”

Davis, who played collegiate basketball, holds two degrees from Southwest Baptist University, a bachelor’s in business administration with an emphasis in marketing and management as well as an MBA.

“I’m very excited to join the staff at Northwest Missouri State,” Davis said. “I’d like to thank Wren Baker for this opportunity to work for an institution with such a great tradition of success both academically and athletically.”

— NWMSU Sports Information —

KSU’s Brown named to Butkus Award watch list

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Kansas State junior linebacker Arthur Brown received his second preseason honor on Thursday as he was named to the watch list for the 2011 Butkus Award, the Butkus Foundation has announced.

Brown, a product of Wichita, Kan., was also named to the Nagurski Trophy watch list last week, and he becomes the first Wildcat to be a preseason candidate for two national awards since Ian Campbell was up for the Nagurski and Hendricks Award prior to the 2008 season.

The Butkus Award is given annually to the nation’s top linebacker. Brown is the first Wildcat to be named to the watch list since Brandon Archer in 2006. Kansas State had a preseason candidate, semifinalist or runner-up for the award every year from 1994 to 2006.

Brown is one of 51 players nationally, including eight from the Big 12, named to the preseason watch list. A captain and player representative for the 2011 season, Brown transferred to K-State prior to the 2010 season from Miami and will be eligible this fall. He carded 14 tackles, including one for a loss, in the Purple-White Spring Game and was named to the Rivals.com All-Spring Team.

Kansas State opens the 2011 campaign September 3, with the third-annual K-State Family Reunion against Eastern Kentucky at 6 p.m.

— KSU Sports Information —

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