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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University women's soccer team is heading to the NCAA tournament for the second straight season following the release of the Division II Women's Championship bracket on Monday evening.
The Ichabods earned the No. 5 seed in the Central Region and will face No. 4 seed Central Oklahoma at 12 p.m. Friday in Warrensburg, Mo.
Washburn looks to continue a campaign that includes an MIAA regular-season championship and a 14-4-2 record.
The Ichabods will meet Central Oklahoma for the third time this season and for the second straight game after WU dropped a 1-0 decision to the Bronchos in last week's MIAA Tournament semifinal at Wichita. The Bronchos (12-6-3) fell to Central Missouri 1-0 in the MIAA tournament final.
Washburn returns to the NCAA tournament after a run to the national championship game last season, which resulted in a 1-0 loss to Point Loma in Matthews, NC.
Central Missouri will host the first two rounds of postseason after earning the No. 1 seed following the Jennies' victory in the MIAA tournament championship.
The Jennies, who are 15-4-2, will face No. 8 seed Ouachita Baptist (8-7-4) in the first round.
On the other side of the Central Region bracket, Minnesota State will host the first two rounds as the No. 2 seed.
The Mavericks will face St. Cloud State in the first round while MIAA member Missouri Western makes the trip to battle Concordia-St.Paul.
The NCAA tournament concludes with the national championship game on Sunday, Dec. 15.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
League-champion Seaman put six players on All-United Kansas Conference football first team, led by UKC offensive player of the year Bryer Finley, a senior wide receiver.
Seaman senior Bryer Finley (1) was named the United Kansas Conference offensive player of the year after helping lead the Vikings to the conference title this fall. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman coach Jared Swafford was named the United Kansas Conference football coach of the year for the 2024 season after being named the co-coach of the year in 2023. [File photo/TSN]
Vikings coach Jared Swafford was named the conference coach of the year after Seaman posted an 8-3 record and advanced to the Class 5A state quarterfinals.
Seaman senior Max Huston was a repeat pick as the All-UKC first-team quarterback while senior Dallas Gardenhire was a first-team pick as an offensive lineman.
Defensively, senior lineman Kaden Jordan and senior defensive back were named to the first team along with junior linebacker Cameron Brian.
Shawnee Heights is represented on the All-UKC first team by junior receiver Tyren Parker, who also voted to the second team as a defensive back.
The top pick for Topeka West was senior Elijah Berg, who was named to the second-team offense as an all-purpose player.
Thirty Seaman, Shawnee Heights and Topeka West players received mention on either the first, second or honorable mention lists.
ALL-UNITED KANSAS CONFERENCE FOOTBALL
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By KEVIN HASKIN
TopSports.news
Musings at the mid-week:
K-State just played its worst game in the Chris Klieman era.
I watched a few performances under Bill Snyder that could be deemed poor, but the loss to Arizona State reminded me of teams coached by Stan Parrish, Ellis Rainsberger and Doug Weaver.
A few other K-State coaches probably belong on that inglorious list, which brings us to this PSA: Ron Prince has not resurfaced since allegations of player abuse led to his 2019 dismissal at Howard.
Avery Johnson is going to go through a lean stretch as a first-year starter. The nature of the game is to undergo growing pains, especially at quarterback.
However, it seems coaching and play-calling could be contributing to Johnson’s dropoff.
But then K-State was horrible in all three phases last weekend as the Wildcats took themselves out of Big 12 title contention with a home defeat to Arizona State.
What’s that? They still could reach the Big 12’s big show in the Big D?
It would take a mighty rebirth for K-State to win its last two games. The Cats cannot even hike the ball assuredly.
Throwing this in: the last K-State receivers to crack the program’s all-time top 10 were Phillip Brooks and Malik Knowles in 2018 (pre-Klieman).
The lack of an all-conference-caliber receiver is a perpetual issue for K-State, and one that should not exist with a quarterback as promising as Johnson.
I sympathize with Klieman for whatever he is going through personally. I believe, still, that he’s a great fit for K-State.
However, in this era when fans legally assist with financial compensation for players and when big bucks for a few players can lead to locker room resentment, scrutiny has somehow intensified.
Careful what you wish for in heated moments.
KU suddenly looks like a Big 12 frontrunner in football, along with its Saturday opponent, Colorado.
Too many fourth-quarter funks clearly removed the Jayhawks from the title picture. Just rebounding to get a bowl bid would be astounding considering their difficult late-season schedule.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University announced Monday afternoon that longtime Ichabod football coach will not return in 2025.
Schurig wrapped up his 22nd season as Washburn's head coach on Saturday with a 35-28 road win over Northeastern State, putting the capper on a 3-8 season.
Five of Washburn's eight losses were one-possession games, including four losses by three or fewer points and two one-point defeats.
Craig Schurig, the winningest football coach in Washburn University history, has been relieved of his coaching duties after a 22-year tenure.
The team posted a 2-9 record in 2023 season after a 7-4 mark in 2022 and a trip to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2021 (9-3).
Schurig, who has been at WU for 23 years, with the 2020 season being cancelled due to COVID, is the all-time winningest coach in program history with a record of 142-109 (.566). As the sixth-longest tenured football coach in MIAA history, he went 122-91 (.603) against MIAA opponents and won the MIAA regular-season championship outright in 2005.
Also that year, the program recorded its first 10-win season.
"We are grateful to Coach Schurig and his family for their long-time commitment to this university," said Washburn Athletics Director Loren Ferre. "He has built a solid program at Washburn, recruiting talented players and coaches during his two decades here.
"His commitment to excellence has laid a foundation for the future, and we appreciate all that Craig has done to advance our program, both on and off the field."
Washburn has named associate head coach Zach Watkins as interim head football coach, effective immediately.
Watkins has been on the Ichabod coaching staff for 11 seasons, serving as associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator.
Prior to his coaching career, Watkins was a standout linebacker for Washburn from 2006 to 2009.
Long-term plans for the head coaching position are still being determined.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 10-ranked Washburn University men's basketball will be back in Lee Arena at 6 p.m. on Tuesday night, hosting MIAA rival Pittsburg State in a non-conference contest.
Sophomore Brayden Shorter leads a balanced Washburn offensive attack with a 15.8 scoring average and 12 3-pointers. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods are 4-0 on the season after a 77-55 win over Rockhurst in Kansas City, Mo. last Friday.
Washburn had four players reach double figures against the Hawks as WU improved recorded its fourth straight double-digit victory.
Jacob Hanna scored a game-high 19 points and added five rebounds for Washburn while Brayden Shorter scored 16 points with four 3-pointers and Michael Keegan had 15 points with nine rebounds and five assists. Jack Bachelor scored 11 points with six rebounds and four assists for the Ichabods.
The win over the Hawks snapped a four-game Washburn losing streak to Rockhurst in Mason-Halpin Fieldhosue
All five WU starters are averaging in double figures, with Shorter leading the way with a 15.8-point average with 12 3-pointers.
Andrew Orr is averaging 15.5 points, followed by Hanna at 14.8, Bachelor at 11.3 and Keegan at 11.0 points a game.
Bachelor leads the Ichabods with 22 assists while Keegan has 12 steals.
Brady Christiansen is averaging a team-high 8.3 rebounds for Washburn.
Pittsburg is 2-2 this season after topping William Jewell, 61-60. Washburn leads the all-time series with the Gorillas, 110-78. The Ichabods have won the last 23 of the last 27 meetings, including the last eight overall.
The Ichabods are 34-3 in Lee Arena against PSU and 38-16 against the Gorillas in MIAA play.
All four of the Gorilla games this season have been played in Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
Former Missouri Southern standout Avery Taggart leads four Gorillas averaging in double-figure, scoring at 14.3 points a game while hitting a team-high 11 3-pointers. R.J. Forney Jr. is averaging 13.0 points, Darrell Washington 10.5 and Tanner Mans 10.3 points a game.
Pittsburg State is averaging 69.25 points a game while allowing 73.3 points per contest.
The Ichabods will host William Jewell on Saturday and Peru State on Nov. 30 before opening MIAA play at Nebraska-Kearney on Dec. 5.
