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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It's a little hard for former Washburn Rural and current Washburn University standout Belle Kennedy to accept the fact that her outstanding soccer career is entering the home stretch.
Two-time All-MIAA first-team pick Belle Kennedy (12) returns for her senior soccer season with Washburn University. [File photo/TSN]
"I feel so old,'' Kennedy said with a chuckle. "Honestly, time's flown by so fast. I remember my freshman year of high school and (Brian) Hensyel was coaching me and now I'm up to my senior year with Davy (Phillips). It's just ridiculous how fast it really goes by and you can never take anything for granted.''
But before the 5-foot-3 midfielder turns the page and embarks on her career as an ICU nurse, the two-time first-team All-MIAA pick wants to add a few more things to her resume.
Kennedy helped lead Washburn Rural to a pair of Class 6A state championship games while being named the 6A midfielder of the year as a junior and senior and has helped Washburn win back-to-back MIAA regular-season titles and a runnerup finish in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
In fact, a title is really the only accomplishment missing from Kennedy's to-do list.
"That would be the best thing ever, to go out with a bang and win the national championship,'' said Kennedy, who had three game-winning goals last season.
The Ichabods suffered heavy graduation losses off of last year's 14-4-3 team, but Phillips' team still returns a solid nucleus and as added a host of talented newcomers to the WU fold.
As the team's most experienced player with 62 games played, Kennedy knows she needs to be a leader this fall.
"I would say definitely the jump from junior to senior year is going to be a different role for me as far as it will be coaching my own teammates in a way that makes it all very cohesive when we're actually playing,'' Kennedy said.
"As far as my personal abilities, none of that will change, but as far as jumping into the leadership role of going from worrying solely about me for the most part, now I have everybody to greet and help bring into the program and that has definitely been a big key thing in the back of my mind.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Halfway through her Washburn University volleyball career, junior libero/defensive specialist Taylor Rottinghaus already ranks among the Ichabod career, single season and single match dig leaders.
Junior Taylor Rottinghaus has earned back-to-back All-MIAA second-team honors for Washburn volleyball. [File photo/TSN]
But there's only one stat that really matters to the former Shawnee Heights star and that's the Ichabods' team win total.
"When it comes to statistics, during preseason and getting the season started I pay a little mind to it, but at the same time I'm just out there playing my game with the girls,'' said Rottinghaus, a two-time All-MIAA second-team pick.
"And if I have a bad day I have a bad day, if I have a good day I have a good day. At the end of the day I know what I'm capable of and what our team can accomplish.''
Rottinghaus played in all 29 matches and 112 sets for the 21-8 Ichabods last season, leading the team with 569 digs (5.08 per set) while adding 84 assists and 29 aces.
Rottinghaus had 14 matches with at least 20 digs, including a career-high 40 digs against Nebraska-Kearney in five sets and also had 31 digs in three sets against the Lopers.
Junior Taylor Rottinghaus led 21-8 Washburn volleyball with 569 digs last fall. [File photo/TSN]
Entering the 2025 season Rottinghaus ranks No. 4 all-time at Washburn in career digs per set (4.87), No. 9 in single-season digs per set (5.08) and tied for No. 4 in a five-set single match (40).
Rottinghaus ranks No. 27 all-time with 1,013 career digs and is on pace to crack the top 10 by the end of her junior campaign.
Taylor's older sister, Faith, is Washburn's career digs leader with 2,676 and the five-time All-American is ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 in all digs categories.
"As I'm getting older, more and more people are starting to ask me like, 'Oh, you're coming for her records,' and everything like that,'' Taylor Rottinghaus said. "A little family competition never hurts anybody. She was a great player and I think I'm a great player, so it just kind of motivates me to be like her.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Graduation wasn't kind to the Washburn University women's soccer team, with Davy Phillips' Ichabods losing 10 seniors, including four all-conference picks from last fall's 14-4-3 team.
Washburn soccer, back-to-back MIAA champions, opened preseason practice on Monday after posting a 14-4-3 record in 2024. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods also lost standout second-team all-conference goalkeeper Hailey Beck, who was forced to step away from competition due to injuries.
But the expectations remain sky-high for an Ichabod program that has won back-to-back conference championships while advancing to the NCAA Tournament both seasons, including a runnerup national finish two seasons ago.
"(Sunday) was the first day or meetings and we talked about how we continue the same standard and expectations,'' said Phillips, who has posted a 79-50-12 record in seven previous seasons at WU. "We have a really solid group of returners who had a fantastic spring and that was kind of the first experience without all those (graduated) players. So the spring was really valuable for all of our returners and then this may be the best recruiting class we've had.
"I'm excited to get back to teaching without all those experienced groups that have been here sometimes for five years, some of those COVID seniors. We got to a point where we were just kind of managing expectations. Everyone knew their job, new their role, so this is kind of fun -- new, fresh what we're teaching -- but still adhering to those standards and expectations that have provided success for us so far.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
In his 23 previous seasons as Washburn University volleyball coach, Chris Herron has never coached a home match anywhere but in Lee Arena.
Washburn University's volleyball team opened preseason practice Monday in Whiting Fieldhouse after posting a 21-8 record and earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament last fall. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
But that will change this fall as the Ichabods make Whiting Fieldhouse their temporary home while a major renovation project continues in Lee Arena.
And while Herron, who has led the Ichabods to a 624-140 overall record with six MIAA titles and 18 NCAA Tournament appearances, would certainly prefer to be in Lee, he promised that the Ichabods will make the most of the situation.
Veteran Washburn University volleyball coach Chris Herron talks to his Ichabods during Monday's practice in Whiting Fieldhouse. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Ichabods held their first official practice of 2025 Monday afternoon in Whiting and will open their home schedule on Sept. 12-13 with the Washburn Invitational.
"I've gone about this simply looking at it only positive,'' Herron said. "We're not talking about anything negative. We're not talking that it's going to be smaller because for us it's going to be smaller, but it's going to be loud in here.
"The seating's going to be limited, so people better get here early because it's a first come, first serve kind of deal. Here's what we're going to do: Instead of saying, 'Oh, poor us, poor us,' we're looking forward to the season.''
The Ichabods enter the upcoming season with high hopes after posting a 21-8 record last season and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Washburn opened the NCAAs with a 3-2 win over No. 5 nationally-ranked Nebraska-Kearney before dropping a five-set decision to No. 6 Central Oklahoma.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Ty Weber loved playing linebacker, where he starred for Washburn Rural.
And even though he's made a successful transition to tight end in his three seasons with the Washburn Ichabods, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound junior still has a lot of linebacker in him.
Former Washburn Rural star Ty Weber has made a successful transition from defense to offense for Washburn football, entering his third season as a starting tight end. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
After being named the TopSports.news Shawnee County defensive player of the year as a junior and senior and recording 134 tackles as a senior for Rural, Weber made the switch to offense early in his freshman season at WU, taking advantage of an opportunity to play immediately for the Ichabods.
It's a decision that has paid dividends for both Weber and Washburn.
Weber, who has nine career catches for 65 yards and a touchdown, played in nine games with seven starts as a true freshman and appeared in all 11 games with eight starts last fall.
"I feel I graduated to now being a tight end,'' Weber said. "The biggest thing that I've taken from defense now into offense is that darkside mentality that Coach (Kaleb) Koch (defensive coordinator) has for us. It's one of those things where we're going to pop and at the end of the day I'm going to win the majority of the time.
"It's the physicality, the toughness that comes with defense and that you need to play that side of the ball. I try to take that over to the offense and bring it over with as many guys as I can.''
