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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Over the past few days, veteran Washburn University volleyball coach Chris Herron has experienced the extreme highs and lows of coaching.
Washburn's volleyball team reacts to the announcement that the Ichabods earned the No. 6 seed for this week's NCAA Central Region Tournament at Wayne, Neb. [Photo by Rick Peterson
Herron was in the dumps after the Ichabods suffered a disappointing loss to Missouri Western in their regular-season finale, which put Washburn's NCAA Tournament hopes in severe jeopardy.
But Washburn experienced a dramatic transformation in last week's MIAA Tournament, with WU earning the automatic NCAA bid with its first-ever MIAA tournament championship after posting three straight wins over nationally-ranked opponents.
"To be honest with you I thought the season was over (after the Western loss),'' Herron said, "and we just flipped it 180 (degrees). I'm incredibly happy for this group to be able to finish like this.''
On Sunday night the 24-7 Ichabods were installed as the No. 6 seed in the Central Region and will face No. 3 seed Minnesota Duluth at 12 p.m. on Friday in Wayne, Neb. Match times will be announced later.
The Central Region bracket consists of four teams from the NSIC, three from the MIAA, and the automatic qualifier from the GAC.
Tournament host Wayne State will be the No. 1 seed and take on No. 8 seed Harding in the quarterfinal while No. 2 Concordia-St. Paul will face No. 7 Nebraska-Kearney and No. 4 Northwest Missouri will play No. 5 St. Cloud State.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Austin Broadie
AUSTIN BROADIE, Washburn University
A 6-foot redshirt freshman out of Wichita Trinity Academy, Broadie registered a career-high 18 kills as Washburn's volleyball team captured its first MIAA Tournament championship with a 25-18, 19-25, 25-22, 25-20 victory over Nebraska-Kearney Saturday night in St. Joseph, Mo. Broadie hit .359 on the night as the 24-7 Ichabods earned an NCAA Tournament berth.
Finn Dunshee
FINN DUNSHEE, Hayden
A 5-8, 160-pound junior running back/linebacker, Dunshee set the tone for the night in Friday's Class 3A sectional football game at Columbus when he ran for a 60-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage as 10-1 Hayden advanced to a 3A sub-state game with a 39-19 victory. Dunshee, who also had a 67-yard run, added a 3-yard TD.
Mackenzie Gamble
MACKENZIE GAMBLE, Washburn University
Gamble, a 5-7 junior guard out of Highlands Ranch, Colo., scored 19 points and hit 5 of 7 3-pointers as Washburn's women's basketball team opened the 2022-2023 season Friday night with a 71-55 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State in the Washburn Crossover Classic. Gamble added 9 points on three 3-pointers in Saturday's 41-38 loss to Oklahoma Baptist.
Jaden Monday
JADEN MONDAY, Washburn University
A 6-0 sophomore guard out of Independence, Mo., Monday scored a career-high 22 points and connected on 6 of 12 3-pointers to lead the way as Washburn's men's basketball team picked up its first win of the season, a 75-46 romp past No. 18-ranked Augustana Saturday at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
Jensen Schrickel
JENSEN SCHRICKEL, Hayden
Schrickel, a 5-9, 145 sophomore, helped lead the 10-1 Hayden football team to a 39-19 Class 3A sectional playoff win Friday night at Columbus. Schrickel caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Wildcat quarterback Jett Wahlmeier, returned a pass interception 35 yards for a TD and kicked a 28-yard field goal and four extra points as Hayden advanced to a sub-state matchup with Holton.
Jalyn Stevenson
JALYN STEVENSON, Washburn University
Stevenson, a 5-10 sophomore out of Spring Hill, recorded her 14th double-double of the 2022 volleyball season in Saturday's MIAA Tournament championship match at St. Joseph, Mo., registering 17 kills and 18 digs in Washburn's 25-18, 19-25, 25-22 and 25-20 victory as the 24-7 Ichabods won their first conference tournament title while earning an NCAA Tournament berth.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 20 Washburn University's volleyball team captured the program's first-ever MIAA Tournament title on Saturday evening in St. Joseph, Mo., defeating the No. 2 seed and No. 12-ranked Nebraska-Kearney in four sets.
No. 5 seed Washburn volleyball hoists the MIAA Tournament championship trophy after topping Nebraska-Kearney 3-1 in Saturday night's championship match. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn volleyball poses for a team picture after winning its first MIAA Tournament championship Saturday night in St. Joseph, Mo. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
With the victory, Washburn earned an automatic bid to compete in its 17th NCAA Tournament, which will take place Nov. 17-19.
The complete postseason bracket of location and seeding will be announced Sunday evening at 9:30 p.m. Topeka time on ncaa.com.
Washburn, the MIAA Tournament's No. 5 seed, topped Nebraska-Kearney by the set scores of 25-18, 19-25, 25-22, 25-20 and moved to 24-7 on the year. Nebraska-Kearney is now 28-5 on the season, with three of the Lopers' losses coming against Washburn.
Additionally, the Ichabods have now won five straight matches against Nebraska-Kearney.
At the conclusion of the match, the Ichabod quartet of Jalyn Stevenson, Halle Meister, Sydney Pullen and Kealy Kiviniemi were selected to the All-Tournament team.
In the opening set of Saturday's championship match, the Ichabods trailed 11-8 when they scored eight of the next nine points to jump in front, 16-12.
The Lopers pulled within three at 18-15, but a kill from Ella Waters started a 3-0 mini-run to create some breathing room.
Washburn maintained its lead and Pullen capped off the 25-18 first-set win with a service ace.
Hitters Austin Broadie and Stevenson recorded six kills each in the first set.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn Ichabods closed the first half on a 27-6 run, rolling to a 75-46 win over No. 18-ranked Augustana in Saturday's final game of the Central Region Challenge in Municipal Auditorium with WU leveling its record at 1-1 on the season. Washburn will have its home opener on Wednesday at 7 p.m. against William Jewell.
Sophomore Jaden Monday scored a career-high 22 points with six 3-pointers as Washburn rolled to a 75-46 win over No. 18-ranked Augustana Saturday in Kansas City, Mo. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
With the Ichabods trailing 13-7 with 14:39 to play in the opening half after starting the game 2 of 8 from the field, Washburn scored the next 12 points of the game, hitting 4 of 6 shots while holding Augustana (1-1) to an 0 of 7 spurt to go up 19-13 with 6:59 to play in the half.
After a free throw by the Vikings, Washburn finished the half on a 12-2 run to take a 34-19 lead into the break.
Washburn held Augustana to 5 of 24 shooting in the first half while the Ichabods were 11 of 27.
The Ichabods pushed their lead to as many as 32 with two minutes left in the second half as Augustana was 9 of 23 from the field in the second half and 1 of 7 from deep as Washburn outscored the 2022 NCAA Central Regional finalists, 41 to 27.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's football team wrapped up the 2022 regular season with a 37-20 MIAA win over Missouri Southern Saturday in Joplin, Mo.
The Ichabods, who recorded their seventh straight win over Southern, finished the regular season at 7-4 overall and in the MIAA.
Washburn senior James Letcher Jr. scored a pair of touchdowns in his final regular-season game for the Ichabods, including an 89-yard punt return, as WU capped a 7-4 regular season with a 37-20 win at Missouri Southern. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods scored first on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Jared Taylor to James Letcher Jr. to go up 7-0 following the extra point by Kameron Lake with 1:57 to play in the opening quarter. The five-play scoring drive was set up by a Micah Skebo interception return of 42 yards down to the Missouri Southern 26-yard-line setting the Ichabods up just outside of the redzone.
After the Ichabods forced a Lion punt on their next drive, the Ichabods marched 65 yards in 13 plays for a 2-yard Tyler Bowden score to push the WU lead to 14-0 with 9:28 to go in the first half.
On the Lions' next drive, after the Ichabods tried an onside kick, the Lions scored on a 43-yard touchdown pass to cut their deficit to 14-7.
It only took six plays for the Ichabods to go back up two scores when Taylon Peters scored on a 4-yard run as Washburn stretched its lead back to 14 at 21-7 midway through the second quarter with the final points of the half.
