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Category: Sports

Missouri State hires Agugua-Hamilton to lead Lady Bears

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SPRINGFIELD — Missouri State University has selected Amaka Agugua-Hamilton (Uh-mah-kuh Uh-goo-gwa) to be its eighth head women’s basketball coach. Agugua-Hamilton will be formally introduced at a 3 p.m. press conference on Wednesday, April 17, in the Prime Overtime Club inside JQH Arena, and was unanimously approved by the Missouri State University Board of Governors early Wednesday morning after and an extensive national search.

The first African-American female head coach for any sport at Missouri State, Agugua-Hamilton, 36, is an 18-year veteran of Division I women’s basketball, including four seasons as a player at Hofstra and four coaching stops, most recently on the staff Michigan State for the past six seasons, the last four as Associate Head Coach.

“I am excited to welcome Coach Mox to Missouri State University and know she will build on the good work that has gone on before to create an even stronger women’s basketball program at the University,” said Missouri State President Clif Smart. “I commend Kyle Moats and the search committee for their good work.”

During an impressive six-year stint at Michigan State, Coach Mox helped the Spartans to four seasons with at least 21 wins, four NCAA Tournaments, one WNIT bid, and the 2014 Big Ten regular season title. She was integral in signing four consecutive top-35 recruiting classes, most recently the seventh-ranked group in the nation, and recruited and coached 26 all-conference players and a pair of top-10 WNBA draft choices. She also earned four victories as interim head coach in 2017, and aided the Spartans to an overall 125-72 record and 58-44 Big Ten mark in six years.

“Coach Mox has everything we were looking for in a coach,” said Kyle Moats, MSU’s director of athletics. “She is a player’s coach, detailed-oriented, disciplined, high integrity, community-oriented, and is completely invested in the student-athlete – wanting to make them great people first and great basketball players second.”

A native of Herndon, Va., Agugua-Hamilton is a 2005 graduate of Hofstra University, where she averaged 10.2 points and 6.0 rebounds over a 95-game career. She is the Pride’s career field goal percentage leader at .551, and graduated with the top three single-season field goal percentage marks in school history. A four-year team captain, she was a second-team all-Colonial Athletic Association pick in 2004, and helped Hofstra to a WNIT berth in 2006, the school’s first ever postseason appearance.

Prior to Michigan State, Agugua-Hamilton was the top assistant and recruiting coordinator at Old Dominion for two seasons, helping the Monarchs to an eight-win improvement and WNIT berth her second year in 2012-13. She recruited and coached eight all-CAA selections and one WNBA draft pick while at ODU.

Before her time at ODU, Agugua-Hamilton worked at Indiana for two seasons (2009-11) as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, and at Virginia Commonwealth for three years, as a graduate assistant (2006-07) and assistant coach (2007-09). She earned her bachelor’s degree in business management from Hofstra in 2005 and received her master’s degree in sports leadership and administration from VCU in 2007.

Agugua-Hamilton married Billy Hamilton in 2017. The couple has a son, Eze, born in April 2018. She replaces Kellie Harper, who was hired as the head coach at her alma mater, Tennessee, following the 2018-19 season.

The Lady Bears lose only one senior from a 2018-19 squad that finished 25-10 overall, ranked 24th in the USA Today Coaches Poll, won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, and advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the fourth time in program history.

Agugua-Hamilton’s contract, which was also approved by the Board of Governors, is a five-year agreement through April 16, 2024, with a base salary of $240,000. Additional achievement incentives for NCAA and WNIT appearances, conference championships, coaching honors, attendance average and APR standards are also included in the agreement.

— MSU Athletics —

Missouri Western’s McCarthy named MIAA men’s golfer of the week

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After a dominating three-round performance at the SBU Invitational this week, the MIAA announced on Tuesday that Patrick McCarthy was named Golfer of the Week. Along with winning the tournament, McCarthy also led Missouri Western to a second-place finish at the event.

McCarthy earned his first tournament win of the season with a convincing four-stroke victory in Bolivar. He finished the event with a combined three-round score of 215 (-1). The junior entered Tuesday’s final round in a tie for second, but separated himself from the field with a score of 70 (-2) in the third round.

Out of the 243 total rounds among the 81 competing golfers, there were only four individual rounds at 70 or below. Two of those four scores of 70 or below belonged to McCarthy, as he also shot a 70 in the first round.

McCarthy and the Griffons will compete for a conference title at the MIAA Championship in Money Island, Oklahoma on April 24-26.

— MWSU Athletics —

Wacha, Cardinals cool off Yelich, beat Brewers 6-3

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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Michael Wacha cooled off NL MVP Christian Yelich, Matt Carpenter and Marcell Ozuna each went deep, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-3 on Wednesday to avoid being swept.

Yelich came in batting .556 with four home runs and 10 RBI in the series, but he was 0 for 2 with a strikeout and a walk against Wacha. Yelich did single in a run in the eighth off Andrew Miller.

Wacha (1-0) bounced back after a tough start Thursday against the Dodgers. He struck out seven over six innings, allowing two runs and five hits to improve to 6-0 career against the Brewers.

Relief pitcher Aaron Wilkerson spoiled Wacha’s bid for a shutout in the fifth with a two-run homer, his first major league hit.

Jordan Hicks pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

Milwaukee starter Corbin Burnes (0-2) got beat by the long ball again. He surrendered three home runs in each of his first three starts, then coughed up two more against St. Louis. He’s allowed a major league-most 11 on the season.

Ozuna went deep in the second and Carpenter in the fourth. It was Ozuna’s fourth consecutive game with a homer and eighth overall.

The Brewers had won nine of 10 against St. Louis, including four in a row, but two RBI singles by Matt Weiters and one apiece by Paul DeJong and Kolten Wong helped snap that streak. DeJong went 4 for 5.

Burnes struggled through 3 1/3 innings, allowed nine hits, walked two and struck out three.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: The Cardinals placed OF Harrison Bader (right hamstring strain) on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to April 14, and recalled rookie OF Lane Thomas. He came in as a defensive replacement for Jose Martinez in the eighth. … C Yadier Molina got the day off.

Brewers: CF Lorenzo Cain got the day off and Ben Gamel started in his place. … RHP Jeremy Jeffress, reinstated from the 10-day IL (right shoulder injury) on Tuesday, made his first 2019 appearance in the eighth.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (1-1, 3.94 ERA) starts against the New York Mets on Friday.

Brewers: RHP Zach Davies (2-0, 1.53 ERA) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. He beat them 4-1 at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, allowing one run over seven innings.

— Associated Press —

Missouri Western hires Candi Whitaker as next women’s basketball coach

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Photo Courtesy Texas Tech Athletics

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western State University director of athletics Josh Looney has announced an agreement with Candi Whitaker to become the ninth head women’s basketball coach at Missouri Western.

Whitaker recently served as the head coach at Texas Tech from 2013-18. Previously she was an associate head coach at Oklahoma State (2012-13) and the head coach at UMKC (2006-12). She has coached 24 student-athletes to all-conference honors, 47 to academic all-conference status and produced seven nationally ranked recruiting classes. As a head coach, Whitaker’s student-athletes have posted a 100 percent graduation rate.

“Candi is poised to make a difference at Missouri Western,” Looney said. “We are not only adding an excellent basketball coach, but most importantly, an outstanding leader and role model for the women in our athletic program. Candi and her family will be an asset to our University and the St. Joseph community. We are thrilled to welcome Candi, Matt, Westin, William and Callahan into the Griffon family”

Whitaker will be introduced to Griffon Nation in a press conference at 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17 in the Hall of Fame room inside Spratt Memorial Stadium.

“My family and I could not be more excited to join the Missouri Western family,” Whitaker said. “The tradition of the women’s basketball program, facilities, community support and the toughest Division II conference in the country, make MWSU a special place. I am excited to roll up my sleeves and get to work.”

Named the sixth head coach at her alma mater in 2013, Whitaker turned around the program between year one and year two, going from seven wins to 15. In five seasons leading the Lady Raiders, Whitaker had four players named All-Big 12. In her final season at Texas Tech, Japreece Dean was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team after being named conference freshman of the week for a record six times. Whitaker led Texas Tech to four consecutive Big 12 Championship appearances and back-to-back quarterfinal appearances. Under Whitaker’s guidance, 11 Lady Raiders were named Academic All-Big 12 with eight earning spots on the Dean’s or President’s List.

Prior to one season as associate head coach at Oklahoma State, Whitaker became one of the youngest head coaches in women’s basketball, taking over the UMKC women’s program at age 26. She won 83 games at UMKC and left as the program’s second-winningest head coach. She led the ‘Roos to their first two NCAA Division I postseason appearances, the 2010 WBI and the 2012 WNIT. Whitaker’s 2011-12 UMKC team went 22-12 and advanced to the Summit League Tournament Championship for the first time in seven years. It remains the just the second 20-win season in the program’s time as a Division I member. Between 2008 and 2012, Whitaker produced more wins than UMKC had seen in a four-year period in 16 years. Whitaker recruited and coached UMKC’s all-time leading scorer Chanzy Morrison, and she mentored 36 Academic All-Conference selections.

Whitaker began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Valparaiso from 2002-04. During her time at Valpo, the Crusaders won back-to-back Mid-Continent Conference Tournament Championships, achieved two NCAA Tournament berths and two 20-win seasons.

Then Candi White, Whitaker helped Texas Tech to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances as a student-athlete from 2000-02. She started and played in all 64 games over two seasons under legendary head coach Marsha Sharp while totaling 232 points, 249 assists and 87 steals.

Prior to playing at Texas Tech, Whitaker played two seasons at Seward County Community College where she averaged 10.2 points and 10.8 assists and was named Honorable Mention NJCAA All-American. Whitaker’s 577 career assists at Seward County is still a record and she ranks third all-time with 225 steals.

Whitaker graduated from Texas Tech in 2002 with a degree in Exercise Sports Science and earned her Master’s in Sports Administration at Valparaiso in 2004. She and her husband, Matt Whitaker, have three sons, Westin, William and Callahan.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT COACH WHITAKER
“Candi is a great individual and a player’s coach. She develops strong and longstanding relationships with her players and families. She was a great point guard in college so she has a great mind for the game. The MIAA could be the best NCAA DII conference in the country for women’s basketball. The coach needs to be elite to have success and Candi is the perfect person for the position.”
Brian Agler, WNBA Dallas Wings head coach

“Missouri Western is a program with a long and proud tradition. Choosing Candi Whitaker to lead the program will continue that in the future. Candi is an outstanding person and coach. She and her family will be great additions to the Missouri Western family.”
Bill Fennelly, Iowa State head women’s basketball coach

“Candi Whitaker will bring instant energy, passion and a strong work ethic which will immediately impact this basketball program. She has been around great basketball her entire life and brings all of those experiences with her. I am excited to watch her start this new era for Missouri Western State University.”
Marsha Sharp, former Texas Tech head women’s basketball coach and associate athletic director

“Missouri Western is getting a great coach and even better person. Candi’s experience and leadership will help propel the school to the next level. I’m looking forward to following her success at Missouri Western.”
Mike Carey, West Virginia head women’s basketball coach

— MWSU Athletics —

Royals lose second straight at Chicago 5-1

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CHICAGO (AP) — Yoan Moncada hit a pair of solo shots for his first multihomer game and Leury Garcia added a two-run drive to power the Chicago White Sox past the Kansas City Royals 5-1 on Tuesday night.

Yonder Alonso also homered and went 4 for 4 as the White Sox won for the fourth time in five games.

Reynaldo Lopez (1-2) allowed one run and five hits in six innings to rebound from a poor start to his season. The 25-year-old right-hander had permitted 18 earned runs in 13 1/3 innings over his first three games and gave up eight runs on 10 hits in his last outing against Tampa Bay.

Four relievers worked the final three innings for Chicago. Alex Colome pitched the ninth in a non-save situation.

Daniel Palka, who led the White Sox with 27 homers as a rookie last season, went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and is hitless in 32 at-bats this year. He is 0 for 34 dating to last season, the longest current skid for a major league position player.

Lucas Duda homered for the Royals.

Kansas City starter Jorge Lopez (0-2) had a career-high 10 strikeouts but gave up three homers and allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings.

Duda’s homer leading off the second gave the Royals a 1-0 lead. Moncada tied it with a two-out shot in the third.

Jorge Lopez escaped a jam in the fourth by getting Tim Anderson — who began the day leading the majors with a .453 batting average — to hit into a 6-4-3 double play, but the right-hander wasn’t as fortunate in the fifth.

Garcia broke the tie with a two-run homer to right-center and Moncada followed with his second solo shot to make it 4-1. Moncada has five homers this season.

Alonso capped the scoring with a solo drive in the eighth off reliever Jake Newberry. Alonso entered batting .152 and raised his average to .220.

SEEING DOUBLE

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first time in the majors both starting pitchers had the last name of Lopez. The previous matchup of starters with the same last name was on Aug. 12, 2017, when JC Ramirez and the Angels faced Erasmo Ramirez and the Mariners.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: C Martin Maldonado was scratched from the original lineup because of illness. “He was going to take it easy and try to play, but no sense pushing it,” manager Ned Yost said. “I was going to give him tomorrow off, but he’ll probably play tomorrow.”

UP NEXT

Kansas City RHP Brad Keller (2-1, 2.45 ERA) and Chicago RHP Lucas Giolito (2-1, 6.19) are scheduled to start the finale of the three-game series Wednesday afternoon. Keller had a career-high 10 strikeouts in his last outing against Cleveland, while Giolito is 4-0 with a 2.40 ERA in seven career starts vs. the Royals.

— Associated Press —

MWSU’s McCarthy wins SBU Invitational; Griffons take second

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BOLIVAR, Mo. – The Missouri Western men’s golf squad placed second at the SBU Invitational on Tuesday, the team’s last tournament before the MIAA Championship. Patrick McCarthy earned his first tournament win of the season, dominating the field with a three-round score of 215 (-1).

The Griffons finished in a tie for second place among the 16 competing teams, shooting a total score of 896. The Griffons were consistent throughout the tournament, scoring rounds of 297, 300, and 299. Their second-place finish also ties their best finish of the season, as the Griffons also tied for second at the Holiday Inn Express Classic in St. Joseph.

McCarthy earns the tournament win after entering Tuesday’s final round tied for second. McCarthy shot a 70 (-2) in the third round to win the event by a convincing four strokes. Out of the 243 total rounds among the 81 competing golfers, there were only four rounds at 70 or below. Two of those four scores of 70 or below belonged to McCarthy, as he also shot a 70 in the first round.

Cole Roberts had his best round of the SBU Invitational in Tuesday’s final round, shooting a 73 (+1) to bring his three-round total to 226. Roberts finished tied for 14th after having entered the final round in a tie for 25th.

Tom Buffington tied for 27th with a score of 229, shooting a 77 (+5) in the third round. His best round came in the second when he parred the course with a 72 (E).

Lucas Horseman finished in the upper half of the leaderboard as well, tying for 29th with a score of 230. Jake Misesch ended the event with a score of 235 for the Griffons.

Missouri Western will now return to St. Joseph to prepare for the MIAA Championship in Money Island, Oklahoma on April 24.

— MWSU Athletics —

Northwest baseball loses at Washburn 6-4

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TOPEKA, Kansas – The Washburn Ichabods rallied for four runs in the eighth inning off the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats to score a 6-4 non-conference victory on Tuesday.

After a scoreless opening pair of innings to begin the contest, Washburn (19-17, 11-13 MIAA) scored first in the third. Junior catcher Steven Jacobson hit a solo shot over the left field wall.

Washburn increased its lead over Northwest (17-20, 13-11 MIAA) to 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth after Jacobson doubled to deep center field and scored an unearned run attributed to Bearcat pitcher Max Ross.

The Bearcat offense ignited in the sixth. Logan Rycraft led off with a single.Connor Quick extended his hitting streak to 14 in a row by tripling Rycraft home to put the Bearcats on the board. Jay Hrdlicka followed with an RBI single to tie the contest at 2-2.

Mondesi Gutierrez tripled to lead off the seventh and scored on a Jordan Peck single to center. Tim Olson doubled to move Peck to third. Peck would eventually cross the plate on a sacrifice fly from Rycraft to give the Bearcats a 4-2 lead.

In the eighth, pitcher Aaron Easley came on as the fifth relief pitcher in the game for the Bearcats but was greeted by a walk, a double, a two-RBI single and a balk before he was removed from the game in favor of senior closer Trevor Dudar. Dudar induced a sacrifice fly but then allowed a triple and another run-scoring single to leave the Bearcats in the hole, 6-4.

The Bearcats went three-up, three-down in the ninth inning to drop the game. Easley was given the loss and he falls to 1-2 this season.

The Bearcats will return to action Thursday at 6 p.m. at Central Missouri. The Bearcats and Mules will play a three-game set in Warrensburg.

NOTES: Quick reached base for the 21st straight game and moved his hitting streak to 14 in a row … Quick had two hits in the game to give him 20 multi-hit contests this season … Calvin Rudolph saw a pair of his streaks snapped – 16-game hitting streak and a 17-game on-base streak … Peter Carlson has reached base safely in 16 consecutive games … Northwest is now 3-1 on the season when facing Washburn.

— Northwest Athletics —

St. Louis drops another game at Milwaukee

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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich welcomed hard-throwing prospect Ryan Helsley to the big leagues with a three-run homer, his eighth against St. Louis this season, to help send the Milwaukee Brewers to an 8-4 victory over the Cardinals on Tuesday night.

Lorenzo Cain and Yasmani Grandal each homered in a five-run third against Jack Flaherty (1-1), when the Brewers went up 5-0.

Yelich, who homered three times on Monday, was the first batter faced by Helsley, who debuted with two on and two outs in the fifth. Yelich fell behind 0-2, evened the count and then fouled off a 98 mph fastball, before sending the next pitch 427 feet to right center for his ninth home run, putting Milwaukee up 8-0.

Yelich is the first player to homer in six consecutive games against the Cardinals. The Brewers have won nine of their last 10 against St. Louis, including four in a row.

Brandon Woodruff (2-1) held the Cardinals scoreless until Marcell Ozuna’s two-run homer, his seventh, with one out in the sixth. Woodruff allowed two runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out six.

The Cardinals added two in the eighth on RBI singles by Yadier Molina and Kolten Wong.

Cain opened the third inning with his second homer. Ryan Braun doubled under the glove of third baseman Matt Carpenter with one out. After Mike Moustakas struck out, Grandal followed with his fifth homer, a two-run shot to right.

The Brewers loaded the bases on singles by Travis Shaw and Jesus Aguilar and a walk to Orlando Arcia. Woodruff then laced a two-run double over the bag at first, his fifth hit in his first six at-bats this season.

Flaherty was tagged for five runs on nine hits and needed 75 pitches to get though 2 2/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Mike Mayers (right shoulder strain) was placed on the 10-day injured list. OF Tyler O’Neill (right elbow ulnar nerve) also was placed on the 10-day IL. … OF Harrison Bader was out of the lineup for the third straight game with an ailing right hamstring. “I know at least day-to-day,” manager Mike Shildt said. “Staying away from him today.”

Brewers: RHP Freddy Peralta (right shoulder sprain) was placed on the 10-day injured list. Peralta started Monday and gave up three runs on four hits with three walks in 3 1/3 innings. “He was having some pain last night during the game, so there’s some inflammation in there that we had to calm down,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Don’t expect it to be long term. It should definitely be on the shorter end here. So he’ll rest for a couple days and then he should be able to start throwing pretty soon.”

CARDINALS MOVES

INF/OF Drew Robinson was optioned to Triple-A Memphis. INF/OF Yairo Munoz, RHP Giovanny Gallegos, and RHP Helsley all were recalled from Memphis. Helsley, who had a 3.86 ERA in two starts at Memphis, will be used out of the bullpen. “You’re talking about a young man with plus velocity,” Shildt said. “Plus, plus. Out of the bullpen he’s got every opportunity to hit 98-100 with some life to it.”

BREWERS MOVES

RHP Jake Petricka was optioned to Class-A Wisconsin. RHP Jeremy Jeffress (right shoulder) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list. RHP Aaron Wilkerson was recalled from Triple-A San Antonio.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (0-0, 5.28) starts the series finale at Miller Park on Wednesday afternoon. He allowed seven runs on eight hits, including three homers, in 3 2/3 innings in his last start. Wacha is 5-0 in 12 career games against the Brewers, including 11 starts.

Brewers: RHP Corbin Burnes (0-1, 10.05) has allowed three home runs in each of his first three starts in a total of 14 1/3 innings. Opponents are batting .339 against him, although the Brewers are 2-1 in his starts.

— Associated Press —

Griffons’ Frost named MIAA softball hitter of the week

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Western softball team has the week off the field, but that doesn’t mean the accolades can’t roll in. Senior left fielder Morgan Frost was named MIAA Hitter of the Week for the second time this season after pacing a red-hot MWSU offensive attack to a 6-0 record last week.

The Griffons hit 12-straight wins behind Frost batting .500 and slugging .769 through sweeps of Southwest Baptist, Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State. Frost went 13-for-26 at the plate with six extra base hits, five of them doubles. She drove in eight runs and scored six.

As a team, MWSU batted .357 through the last six games while holding opponents to a .238 average. The Griffons outscored their three opponents last week 44-14.

— MWSU Athletics —

Chiefs single-game tickets go on sale Thursday

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – With the NFL announcing that the Kansas City Chiefs 2019 schedule will be released on Wednesday evening, single-game and group tickets for all home games will go on sale Thursday, April 18.

Season Ticket Members will have a presale beginning Thursday at 8 a.m. The club will notify Season Ticket Members via email with instructions on how to participate.

In continuation of the team’s long-standing policy, the taxpayers of Jackson County, Missouri, will have a special ticket allotment to purchase single-game tickets for the 2019 season beginning at 8 a.m. Thursday. This extended period to purchase tickets from the allotment will last through 5 p.m. on Friday, April 26. Jackson County taxpayers purchasing tickets must come to the Arrowhead Stadium Ticket Office during normal business hours and have one form of identification that includes a photo of the purchaser and a personal 2018 Jackson County, Missouri, property tax receipt.

Tickets may be purchased at www.chiefs.com by the public beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday. All single-game and group tickets for Chiefs home games are subject to availability and dynamic pricing. Ticket delivery will be mobile entry only.

All fans, including Season Ticket Members and single-game purchasers, are encouraged to purchase parking passes in advance to secure the lowest price and reduce their time spent at the tollgate. Parking can be purchased during the ticket purchase process or in advance of the game at www.chiefs.com/parking. Parking is $300 if purchasing the full season in advance, or $40 per game when purchased in advance.

The Chiefs 2019 schedule will be announced on www.chiefs.com on Wednesday, April 17 at 7 p.m. CT, while the entire 2019 NFL schedule will be publicized on NFL Network, the NFL App and www.NFL.com.

— Chiefs Press Release —

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