We have a brand new updated website! Click here to check it out!

Category: Sports

Missouri’s Cunningham earns SEC Freshman of the Week honor again

Posted on

riggertMissouriCOLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri freshman guard Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) was named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week for the third time in four weeks, it was announced Tuesday. Cunningham averaged 19.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 block per game in victories over Loyola Marymount on Dec. 7 and Southeast Missouri on Dec. 2. For the week, she shot 71 percent (15-for-21) from the floor, 67 percent (4-for-6) from 3-point range and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the foul line.

In Monday’s 80-48 win over LMU, Cunningham scored a game-high 23 points, grabbed five rebounds, tied a career-high with three steals and dished out two assists in 22 minutes. She was 9-of-11 (82 percent) from the floor and a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the 3-point arc to record the highest single-game shooting percentage of her young career. She did not play in the fourth quarter as the game was out of reach. The 23 points tied the second-highest point total of her freshman season.

During the 74-32 win over SEMO on Wednesday, Cunningham scored 15 points, pulled down six rebounds and notched three assists in 22 minutes played. She added a block and steal against the Redhawks.

Through nine career games, Cunningham leads the team with 16.0 points, 3.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game in addition to averaging 5.6 rebounds each contest. In a 94-81 victory vs. Wake Forest on Nov. 22, she set a new school record with 42 points, topping the previous mark of 41 by Renee Kelly that stood for nearly 30 years.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Big 12 announces new requirement for non-conference football scheduling

Posted on

riggertBig12The Big 12 has announced it will require conference football programs to annually play at least one non-conference game against an autonomy conference institution (ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC, plus Notre Dame).

“Schedule strength is a key component in CFP Selection Committee deliberations,” commented Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. “This move will strengthen the resumes for all Big 12 teams. Coupled with the nine-game full round robin Conference schedule our teams play, it will not only benefit the teams at the top of our standings each season, but will impact the overall strength of the Conference.”

Additionally, no Big 12 program shall play more than one game annually against a non-Football Bowl Subdivision opponent.

This new scheduling requirement does not impact existing non-conference game contracts.

— Big 12 Press Release —

Kansas State’s Burns earns All-America honor from USA Today

Posted on

riggertKansasStateMANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior Morgan Burns earned his first postseason accolade on Tuesday by being named the USA TODAY Sports First Team All-American kickoff returner, the publication announced.

Burns becomes the 23rd player in school history to receive a First Team All-America nod, while he is the 17th under Hall of Fame head coach Bill Snyder. A product of Wichita, Kansas, Burns is the second player in school history to earn first-team honors as a kickoff returner, joining Tyler Lockett (2011).

The national leader in kickoff-return touchdowns this season with four – including three in the final four games – Burns tied a school and Big 12 record for return touchdowns and has five in his career to tie both the school and conference marks as well. His current 33.8-yard average ranks second nationally and third in K-State history, while he is also first nationally among active players with a 30.9-yard career average.

Burns set a school record with 221 kickoff-return yards this season at Texas Tech – a game that featured a 93-yard touchdown – and he also occupies the second spot on the list with 201 yards on only three returns in last week’s victory over West Virginia. He bookended his season with kickoff-return touchdowns as he took the season-opening kickoff 100 yards to paydirt against South Dakota and had a game-winning 97-yard return in the fourth quarter against the Mountaineers’ to help the Wildcats earn bowl eligibility with a 24-23 victory.

Kansas State, which won its final three games to become bowl eligible for the 19th time in school history and 17th time under Snyder, will play Arkansas in the 2016 AutoZone Liberty Bowl on January 2, at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee. The game will kick off at 2:20 p.m.

— KSU Athletics —

Cardinals acquire Jedd Gyorko from San Diego for Jon Jay and cash

Posted on

riggertCardinalsNASHVILLE, Tenn. – The St. Louis Cardinals announced Tuesday morning from Baseball’s Winter Meetings that they have acquired infielder Jedd Gyorko and cash considerations from the San Diego Padres in exchange for outfielder Jon Jay.

Gyorko, 27, who is under contract thru 2019, was a National League Rookie of the Year finalist in 2013 and has batted .236 with 49 home runs and 171 RBI in 364 career games with the Friars.  He is ranked 4th among active Major League second basemen in HR’s since debuting in 2013.

The right-handed hitting Gyorko hit a career-high 23 home runs during his 2013 rookie campaign, setting the Padres single-season record for home runs by a second baseman while batting .249 with 63 RBI.  He was the first San Diego rookie to lead the team in HR’s since former St. Louisan Nate Colbert did so in 1969.

In 128 games this past season, the Morgantown, WV native hit .247 with 16 round-trippers and 57 RBI, appearing at second base, shortstop and first base.   Over his three seasons with the Padres, Gyorko has played 319 games at second base, 29 at shortstop and 13 at third base.   He ranked 2ndamong N.L. second basemen in fielding pct. (.992) in 2014.

The 5-10, 205-pound Gyorko was the Padres 2nd round (59th player overall) draft selection in 2010 out of West Virginia University.  He was named the recipient of the Brooks Wallace Award as the nation’s top NCAA Division I shortstop following his 2010 junior season with the Mountaineers.

Jay, 30, was a member of the Cardinals since his draft selection in 2006 and was a key member of Cardinals’ World Series teams in both 2011 & 2013.

— Cardinals Press Release —

Missouri State OC Verduzco leaving for Central Florida

Posted on

riggertMSUSPRINGFIELD, Mo. – After one season as Missouri State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Mario Verduzco has accepted an assistant coaching job at the University of Central Florida, the school announced Tuesday (Dec. 8).

Verduzco joined MSU head coach Dave Steckel’s staff last winter after spending 14 years on the coaching staff of Missouri Valley Football Conference power UNI, including seven as the Panthers’ co-offensive coordinator. The Pittsburg, Calif., native worked with new UCF head coach Scott Frost in Cedar Falls for two seasons, while Frost served as UNI’s linebackers coach in 2007 and defensive coordinator the following campaign.

Steckel, who completed his first season with the Bears in 2015, indicated a search for Verduzco’s replacement will commence immediately.

— MSU Athletics —

Mizzou women defeat Loyola Marymount, improve to 9-0 for 2nd time in school history

Posted on

riggertMissouriCOLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou (9-0) defeated Loyola Marymount (3-6) 80-48 on Monday evening at Mizzou Arena as the Tigers tied the program record for the best start in school history at 9-0. The only other Mizzou team to begin 9-0 was the 1982-83 squad which finished the season 25-6 and ranked 14th nationally.

“I’m happy for our girls, I thought we really competed hard for 40 minutes,” head coach Robin Pingeton said. “I thought we did a tremendous job out of the gates, just unselfish play, especially from that first group that was on the court.  For them to take the court in the beginning of that second half and maintain and build on that intensity an energy, I thought was outstanding.

“I really appreciate all the fans, we had a great turnout again for our team and I can’t acknowledge them enough. They’ve just been an unbelievable sixth man for us this season.”

Mizzou scored the first 21 points of the game with the first 10 coming from sisters Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo) and Lindsey Cunningham (Columbia, Mo). Sophie scored the first seven points before her older sister knocked down a triple to make it 10-0. LMU didn’t get on the board until the 3:07 mark of the first quarter.

Sophie Cunningham led all scorers with 23 points, going 9-11 from the field and a perfect 3-3 beyond the arc. She also had five rebounds, tied a career-high with three assists and notched two assists.

Throughout the game, 11 Tigers entered the scoring column while 13 players again saw significant minutes. It was the fourth time this season that the team has had 11 players record points.

Mizzou dominated in the hustle stats, registering eight blocks and 13 steals. Those defensive stands led to a lopsided lead in points in the paint (40-12) and fast-break points (18-4). It marked the fifth time the Tigers have recorded 12 or more steals in a game this season after doing so only twice all of last year.

LMU closed the gap to as few as 10 points early in the second quarter, but a 9-0 Mizzou run, sparked by baskets from four different players, reopened Mizzou’s large lead at 32-13. The Tigers led 43-20 lead at the half, holding LMU without a point over the final 4:45 of the second quarter, closing on a 7-0 run.

Mizzou had seven different players score in the first half, led by 17 from Sophie Cunningham.

The second half was more of the same from Mizzou, with the defense holding LMU to 30.3 percent shooting (10-33). The Tigers shot 42.4 in the second half and 50.8 percent for the game. That excellent shooting performance was the second best so far this season; their high came against Wichita State Nov. 18 (51.6 percent). It was the third time this season that Mizzou has shot over 50 percent.

Mizzou heads to Boulder, Colorado, Saturday to face Colorado at 2:30 p.m.

— Mizzou Athletics —

KSU women extend winning streak to four with win over UT Rio Grande Valley

Posted on

riggertKansasStateMANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State found its offensive legs in the second half and extended its winning streak to four games with a 61-43 win over UT Rio Grande Valley on Monday night.

Sophomore forward Kaylee Page recorded K-State’s first double-double of the season and the first of her career with 13 points, a career-high 12 rebounds and two assists. Junior center Breanna Lewis added a game-high 15 points, pulled in nine rebounds, tied her season-high with six blocks and equaled her career-high with four steals. Senior guard Megan Deines added 12 points, four rebounds and three assists.

The Vaqueros took an early 8-3 lead, but K-State closed out the opening quarter on a 15-2 run to secure an 18-10 lead.

The Wildcats 15-2 run was highlighted by three consecutive 3-point field goals, as Page drained the first and Deines connected on the next two.

Offensively in the second quarter, both teams stalled out with K-State shooting 23.1 percent and UTRGV 25.0 percent in the frame. K-State scored a season-low for a quarter with six points in the second frame but held a 24-20 lead at the half.

K-State shook off the rust in the third quarter and outscored the Vaqueros, 21-9, in the stanza to take a 45-29 lead. The Wildcat defense held UT Rio Grande Valley without a field goal for the final 4:38 of the quarter.

Page registered seven points in the quarter and sparked a 13-2 run to end the quarter. Shaelyn Martin and Young added four points in the quarter.

UTRGV climbed back into the game with an 8-2 run to start the fourth quarter and pull to within 10, 47-37.

The Wildcats halted the UTRGV comeback attempt with a 10-0 run with Page and Kindred Wesemann each knocking down a 3-pointer to push K-State’s lead to 57-37 with 3:17 to play. Lewis tallied four points during the run.

K-State pulled in a season-high 49 rebounds, including a season-best 36 defensive boards.

The Wildcats shot 23-of-55 (.418) from the field, while UTRGV shot 17-of-64 (.266). This is the third opponent K-State has held to under 30.0 percent shooting from the field.

The Wildcats pocketed 12 steals and blocked seven shots.

— KSU Athletics —

Royals keep Chris Young, bring back Joakim Soria

Posted on

riggertRoyalsNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Royals liked what they saw of Chris Young so much they decided to keep him. And they liked Joakim Soria so much from his past stint in Kansas City they struck a deal to bring him back.

The World Series champions announced an $11.5 million, two-year contract with Young on Monday and also agreed to a $25 million, three-year deal with Soria that still needs to be finalized.

“Him and Chris Young are very similar people,” general manager Dayton Moore said at the winter meetings.

Details of Soria’s agreement were provided by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because it had not yet been announced.

“We’re working towards an agreement. Nothing is official at this point,” Moore said. “He’s very poised, great command of his fastball, just very efficient with his pitches. A tremendous presence in the clubhouse.”

A 6-foot-10 right-hander who turns 37 in May, Young was the 2014 AL Comeback Player of the Year with Seattle after missing a season while recovering from shoulder surgery. The Princeton graduate signed a $675,000 deal with the Royals this year and went 11-6 with a 3.06 ERA in 18 starts and 16 relief appearances, earning $2.55 million in performance bonuses.

Among pitchers with 120 or more innings, he led the AL in opponents’ batting average (.202) and fewest hits per nine innings (6.64).

“Our players absolutely loved him. They learned a lot by watching him compete,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “It was that winner’s mindset that he brought in the clubhouse, not only his ability to produce as a pitcher on the mound but everything he brought to the table with him that was so important to our team.”

Young won the World Series opener by pitching three hitless innings of relief against the New York Mets and started Game 4, allowing two runs in four innings. Kansas City plans to use him in its rotation next year.

“Chris Young is special,” Moore said. “He’s an unbelievable competitor, and you can make a case that he was the MVP of our pitching staff.”

Young gets $4.25 million next season and $5.75 million in 2017, and the deal includes an $8 million mutual option for 2018 with a $1.5 million buyout. Young can earn $250,000 annually in roster bonuses: $125,000 each for 90 and 120 days on the active major league roster.

Soria, a 31-year-old right-hander, was 3-1 with a 2.53 ERA in 72 relief appearances with Detroit and Pittsburgh this year. He had 160 saves in 180 chances for the Royals from 2007-11.

“Coming back from the Tommy John, I thought his stuff was a little bit softer in his first couple months back. But last year, I thought he was all the way back,” Yost said. “He was the Soria that we had, and it was very impressive to sit back and watch.”

— Associated Press —

Kastner to retire from Bishop LeBlond

Posted on

BishopLeBlond2Bishop LeBlond High School has announced the school’s long-time athletic director and baseball coach plans to retire.

After 29 years at the school and 39 years in education Greg Kastner is retiring.  Principal Jeff Sullivan said in a news release on Twitter that Kastner started work at LeBlond in the fall of 1987.

“Everyone who knows anything about LeBlond, knows Greg Kastner and knows that he is the definition of LeBlond athletics,” Sullivan said. “He has been involved in every piece of life at LeBlond in the past 29 years, from teaching and coaching to selling lunch and driving team buses, to being the voice of LB athletics, to lining the fields before games, he has done it all.”

Kastner will retire in June 2016.

Sullivan said work will begin immediately to search for an athletic director.

Copyright Eagle Radio | FCC Public Files | EEO Public File