Washburn University Ichabods
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Local sports greats Jerad Head, Trey Lewis, Brenda Stolle, Duane Zlatnik and the late Bob Davis were inducted into the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame on Monday at Washburn University.
Steven Davis (son of the late Bob Davis), Brenda Stolle, Duane Zlatnik, Jerad Head and Trey Lewis pose for a picture after being inducted into the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
A Silver Lake native, Stolle was a standout pitcher for the Emporia State softball team from 1979-81. Stolle led the Hornets to a national championship in 1980 and a second-place finish in 1981. Her career pitching record was 66-15, and she picked up six saves during her career.
Former Emporia softball national champion and player of the year Brenda Stolle speaks during Monday's Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Fame induction ceremony. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
During the 1980 championship season, Stolle compiled an 0.33 earned run average. She received numerous honors, including all-American honors twice, NAIA most valuable player in 1981, and Kansas Female Athlete of the Year from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Brenda Stolle receives her Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Fame award from Topeka Area Sports Commission executive director Mike Bell. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Stolle was the first female ever inducted into the Emporia State Athletic Hall of Honor in 1988 and was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
"My experience at Emporia State was pretty unique,'' Stolle said. "Some of the things that might surprise you is that every year all of us tried out for the team. There were two weeks and every year all of us tried out and you didn't know for sure if you were on the team or who else was on the team. We all walked on and we were all Kansas girls.
"Before every game we prayed together and we played hard. We worked together as a team and it was about the team and there's something wonderful about working with a group of people where you're working on behalf of the team.''
Head earned All-Class 4A honors in football, basketball and baseball at Hayden and played basketball and baseball at Washburn University before being signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Cleveland Indians in 2006.
Former Major Leaguer Jerad Head was inducted into the Topeka Shawnee Sports Hall of Fame Monday at Washburn, where he was a standout in baseball and basketball. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Head was promoted to the majors on August 28, 2011 and played in 10 games as a left fielder and pinch hitter.
Jerad Head receives his Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame award from Topeka Area Sports Commission executive director Mike Bell. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Head also played Minor League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals organizations before ending his playing career in 2013. He was named as manager of the Auburn Doubledays of the Class A Short Season New York-Penn League in 2016 and managed through 2018.
"Thanks to the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame,'' Head said. "I'm very honored and very humbled. I don't think people realize the amount of people that come out of here. Just right now we have a player in the big leagues (Ryan Zeferjahn), we have the SEC volleyball player of the year (Brooklyn DeLeye) and probably the greatest softball player in Topeka history (NiJaree Canady).''
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Local sports greats Jerad Head, Trey Lewis, Brenda Stolle, Duane Zlatnik and the late Bob Davis will be inducted into the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame on Monday at Washburn University.
The Topeka Area Sports Commission will host the 20th annual Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Fame induction ceremony from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Washburn's Memorial Union.
Head was a multi-sport star at Hayden and Washburn University before embarking on a long career in professional baseball, including a Major League stint with the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians).
Lewis was a standout at Washburn Rural and earned NCAA Division II All-America honors as a defensive lineman before being drafted by the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons.
Stolle, a Silver Lake graduate, was a standout pitcher for the Emporia State softball team from 1979-81. During that time, she guided the Hornets to a national championship in 1980 and a second-place finish in 1981.
Zlatnik was a star lineman and three-time state wrestling champion at Rossville before becoming a three-year starter in the offensive line for the University of Kansas.
A Topeka West graduate, Davis carved out a legendary broadcasting career, including long stints for the University of Kansas and the Kansas City Royals.
The 2025 Hall of Fame event will feature a luncheon followed by the official program.
Established in 2006, the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame continues its mission to preserve and honor the legacies of those who have significantly advanced athletics in Shawnee County.
Hall of Fame Class of 2025 capsules:
Jerad Head
JERAD HEAD
Head earned All-Class 4A honors in football, basketball and baseball at Hayden and played basketball and baseball at Washburn University before being signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Cleveland Indians in 2006.
Head was promoted to the majors on August 28, 2011 and played in 10 games as a left fielder and pinch hitter.
Head also played Minor League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals organizations before ending his playing career in 2013.
He was named as manager of the Auburn Doubledays of the Class A Short Season New York-Penn League in 2016 and managed through 2018.
Trey Lewis
TREY LEWIS
After graduating from Washburn Rural, Lewis played for the Washburn Ichabod football team from 2003-06 as a defensive lineman and became the first Ichabod to be named to the Associated Press Little All-American team since 1963. Lewis was also named to the American Football Coaches Association All-American team after recording 62 tackles as a senior with 36 solo stops, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Lewis finished his career at Washburn with 156 total tackles, including 68 solo stops, 23 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. Lewis was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 6th round as the 185th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.
He played from 2007-11 for the Falcons, appearing in 31 games.
Brenda Stolle
BRENDA STOLLE
A Silver Lake native, Stolle was a standout pitcher for the Emporia State softball team from 1979-81. Stolle led the Hornets to a national championship in 1980 and a second-place finish in 1981. Her career pitching record was 66-15, and she picked up six saves during her career.
During the 1980 championship season, Stolle compiled an 0.33 earned run average. She received numerous honors, including all-American honors twice, NAIA most valuable player in 1981, and Kansas Female Athlete of the Year from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Stolle was the first female ever inducted into the Emporia State Athletic Hall of Honor in 1988 and was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
Duane Zlatnik
DUANE ZLATNIK
Zlatnik starred in football and wrestling at Rossville before becoming a three-year starter in the offensive line at Kansas.
Zlatnik was a three-time state wrestling champion for the Bulldawgs and finished his career with a 148-13 record and a school-record 110 pins. He was a two-time All-Stater and Kansas Shrine Bowl pick in football.
Zlatnik was an All-Big 12 honoree for the Jayhawks and made 27 consecutive starts at right and left guard.
He is currently an assistant football and wrestling coach at Washburn Rural.
Bob Davis
BOB DAVIS (Inducted posthumously)
A Topeka West graduate, Davis passed away on March 20 at the age of 80 after a legendary career in sports broadcasting.
Davis was the "Voice of the Jayhawks" for more than 30 years before retiring in 2016. Davis called eight KU trips to the Final Four, six football bowl games, including the 2008 Orange Bowl, and thousands of regular-season basketball and football games. Davis was also on the call for the 1988 and 2008 men's basketball national championship victories. In 1997 Davis joined the Kansas City Royals, calling games for radio and television for the franchise for 16 years.
A 48-year veteran of broadcasting in the state of Kansas, Davis was born in Iola and grew up in Topeka, where he graduated from West in 1962. Davis stayed in Topeka to attend Washburn, where he graduated in 1967 with a degree in history.
Davis is a member of numerous Halls of Fame, including the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University soccer dropped a 4-0 decision to University of Mary in the Ichabods' home opener Sunday at Yager Stadium as the Marauders took control with two goals in the opening eight minutes.
Washburn freshman forward Kate Hinck advances the ball in Sunday's 4-0 loss to University of Mary. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
In the seventh minute UMary's Dina Polanco ripped a shot from outside the box to find the top corner to take the lead and Polanco converted a penalty kick about a minute later to give the Marauders a 2-0 halftime advantage.
The Marauders added two more goals in the second half and were able to close out the shutout, dropping the Ichabods to 1-2-1 on the season.
UMary opened the second half the same way it opened the game by scoring inside the opening 10 minutes, with a goal in the 50th minute by Olivia Gardner. The visitors added another in the 69th minute to make it 4-0.
Washburn had chances in the second half to find the back of the net and finished with eight shots and three on goal.
Washburn will be back at home Friday night, hosting Harding in a 6 p.m. contest.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn Ichabod football team put together a strong second-half rally, but could not overcome a big rushing day from No. 24-ranked Colorado School of Mines, falling 41-27 on Saturday afternoon in Golden, Colo.
Zach Watkins put together a strong second half but fell at Colorado School of Mines 41-27 on Saturday in Golden, Colo. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn and Mines were forced to withstand more than four hours of lightning delays in the second half.
The Ichabods dropped to 1-2 overall while the Orediggers moved to 2-0 on the season.
Mines jumped out to a 27-7 lead at halftime, leaning on a ground attack that piled up 365 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the day.
Washburn struggled to contain the Orediggers' explosive plays, but the Ichabods battled back after the break with 20 second-half points, including a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns that narrowed the deficit.
Quarterback, Logan Madden, playing near his hometown of Arvada, Colo., completed 11 of 17 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns in his first action as an Ichabod.
Justin Lewis added 106 yards through the air on 9 of 20 passing with two scores of his own.
Combined, the duo accounted for all four Ichabod touchdowns, throwing passes to eight different receivers.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Veteran Washburn University volleyball coach Chris Herron isn't necessarily known for passing out praise freely.
So Herron's comments about Ichabod 6-foot senior rightside hitter Austin Broadie Saturday night after the Ichabods wrapped up a perfect 4-0 weekend in the Washburn Invitational should carry some real weight.
"Austin Broadie's playing like an All-American,'' Herron said. "She's hitting the crap out of the ball.''
Senior Austin Broadie (23) is congratulated by her Washburn teammates after one of her 17 kills Saturday against William Jewell in the Washburn Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Broadie was named the tournament most valuable player after helping 12th-ranked Washburn cap off a dominating weekend with 3-0 wins over Newman and William Jewell in the final day of the tournament.
Shawnee Heights product Taylor Rottinghaus was one of four Washburn players named to the Washburn Invitational All-Tournament Team after the Ichabods went 4-0 on the weekend. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Broadie was joined on the all-tournament team by WU teammates Taylor Rottinghaus, Bella Limback and Brynne Topolski after the Ichabods beat Newman 25-10, 25-16, 25-20 and William Jewell 25-22, 25-16 and 22-12.
"I felt good,'' Broadie said. "We started out a little rusty and then everyone started flowing. I felt like the setters were doing a really good job reversing the flow, so that's helpful.
"We did what we wanted to do. We know some stuff we need to work on now and I feel like that's going to give us an objective for the next weekend.''
Washburn is now 8-0 on the season, the first time the Ichabods have done so since the 2022 season that began 11-0.
The Ichabods started slowly against winless William Jewell (0-8) in the tournament finale, trailing as late as 18-17 in the opening set, but the Ichabods rallied for the three-point win and got stronger as the match wore on.
Herron admitted that he was not happy with the Ichabods' play out of the gate against the Cardinals.
"Absolutely, I was upset,'' Herron said. "This is something I try to tell these kids all the time, 'You're going to get people's best shot,' and that's the best they played all weekend, that team we just played. They were scrappy, they were hitting the crap out of the ball, they were finding holes and doing things that they hadn't done all weekend and good for them.
"But we didn't respond in kind. We were just like, 'Oh, they'll make mistakes and we'll beat them in the end,' and that's the way we played for all of Set 1. In Set 2 we kind of found ourselves at the end and it carried into Set 3.''
With the second set score at 20-16, Washburn started a run of five straight kills, three coming from Broadie to end the set with a nine-pont win.
The Cardinals got out to a 7-6 lead in the third set until a Topolski kill started a 6-1 Washburn rally.
The Ichabod offense took over shortly after, hitting .481 as a team in the set, including a 7-0 burst to create some separation at 20-11. The momentum carried over into a streak of five points to end the set and match on a Sydney Conner ace.
Washburn celebrates a match-ending ace from Sydney Conner (15) against William Jewell in Saturday'sWashburn Invitational. Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn tallied 49 kills across the three sets to hit .388 while William Jewell hit .128 and managed just 26 kills. The Ichabods nearly doubled the assist total at 46-24 while each team picked up exactly 37 digs.
Broadie started the match hot and stayed hot, registering a team-high 17 kills while hitting .607 for the match, good for the 17th highest attack percentage in a game in program history with a minimum of 20 attempts.
Corinna McMullen led the way with 23 assists while Rottinghaus snagged 10 digs from the back row.
The Ichabods set the tone early in Saturday's first match against Newman, rolling to a 15-point win in the first set before securing 25-16 and 25-20 victories in the next two sets to top Newman (2-5).
A 9-1 run highlighted the beginning of the match and was capped off by a kill from Natalie Hedlund that put Washburn up 10-2.
Newman was able to keep the match close until a 6-0 Ichabod burst pushed the lead to double figures, ending at 20-7 with an Abby Leaf block. Washburn's offense highlighted the first set, hitting .516 as a team with 18 kills.
After leading just 5-4 in the second set, a 6-0 run for the Ichabods was capped off by an ace from Autumn Gibbs to create separation at 11-4.
As Washburn worked its bench into the game the lead continued to grow, reaching 10 at 21-11 after Shannon Frakes set up Josie Cleveringa for a kill. Washburn closed out the set shortly after with three straight points.
Both teams split the first 10 points in the third set before the Ichabods took six of the next seven, with kills by four different players in the stretch.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University football team hits the road for the first time this season, traveling to Golden, Colo. to face Colorado School of Mines at 1 p.m. CST on Saturday.
Washburn linebackers J.C. Heim (9) and L.J. Minner Jr. are both among the top tacklers in the MIAA. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods are 1-1 after falling in their MIAA to Northwest Missouri State 34-7 last Saturday while the Orediggers are 1-0 after opening the season with a 33-31 win at West Texas A&M.
"It may sound weird, but I like the way the first two weeks have gone where we've had some success and confidence and the guys know we're doing it the right way and we can win,'' Washburn coach Zach Watkins said. "Obviously, you never want to losea game, but I think that loss and the way we lost kind of re-focused us in practice and showed us some weaknesses that we had to address.
"Sometimes wins can gloss over some things, but I think we're a better team now than we were going into last week.''
Mines took a 31-28 win over Washburn last season in Yager Stadium.
The Ichabods are 13-6 all-time against the Orediggers after having their six-game winning streak snapped last season.
"It's another playoff-caliber team on our schedule and the long road trip and the two-day travel and all of that will be a challenge, but you have to manage it and it's part of college football,'' Watkins said. "We'll have to play well to win.''
Former Washburn Rural star J.C. Heim is second in the MIAA in tackles with 26 for the Ichabods and L.J. Minner Jr. is fourth with 24 stops. Minner has recorded double-digit tackles in each of his last five games dating back to last season.
Heim led the Ichabods with a career-high 15 tackles against Northwest while Minner had 13 tackles.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For the first time since 1984 Washburn University volleyball took to Whiting Fieldhouse Friday and the 41-year streak of not being beaten in the Fieldhouse continued with 3-0 sweeps over Truman State and Minnesota State-Moorhead on Day 1 of the Washburn Invitational.
Washburn volleyball improved to 6-0 with a pair of Friday wins in the Washburn Invitational. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The No. 12-ranked Ichabods will finish out the tournament on Saturday with a 10 a.m. meeting with Newman and a 6 p.m. contest with William Jewell.
Now 6-0 on the season, Washburn kicked the tournament off with a 25-15 first-set victory over Truman before knocking out the Bulldogs (1-5) with 25-20 and 25-21 wins in the next two sets.
After falling behind 4-2 the Ichabods made up ground quickly, forcing six ties in the first 20 points.
A 5-1 run started by a kill from Keilah Rivers pulled Washburn in front, 15-11. The Ichabods held on to the advantage with a strong offensive effort, hitting .538 as a team in the set. A 6-1 run down the stretch ended set at 25-15 on a block from Rivers and Bella Limback.
A kill by Alex Dvorak led off the second set, with Washburn pulling in front of Truman State, 6-1. The lead reached double figures on consecutive aces by Sydney Conner to give the Ichabods an 18-7 advantage. Truman State picked up its offense, hitting .150 points higher in the second set than the first, to pull within four points. Austin Broadie put the set away with a kill down the line, ending it at 25-20.
The first three points of set three belonged to the home team, with the run capped off by an ace from Autumn Gibbs. The Bulldogs rallied with a 5-1 run to go in front. Washburn fired back, winning seven of the next eight points, going ahead 11-6 on an ace by Rivers. Truman State kept the set within six points the rest of the way but the Ichabods held off the comeback bids. Broadie ended a second consecutive set, and the match, for a 25-21 set three victory.
Washburn out-hit the Bulldogs .317 to .183 in the match, with 44 kills to 30 for the visitors. Digs went in favor of the Ichabods, 47-38, as did assists, 40-28.
Brodie led all players with 11 kills while hitting .364. Limback had eight kills in 10 swings along with a team-high five blocks. Corinna McMullen paced WU with 17 assists while adding 10 digs and Taylor Rottinghaus had 14 digs.
In Washburn's second match of the day against Minnesota State-Moorhead, it required a 13-3 comeback finish in the second set, but Washburn went to 6-0 in sets for the tournament with 25-22, 25-21 and 25-22 wins over the Dragons (5-1) to hand them their first loss of the season.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University soccer team picked up its first victory of 2025 on Friday with a decisive 3-1 road triumph at Drury.
"I'm so proud of how our team prepared and executed this game,'' Washburn coach Davy Phillips said. "It was so fun and rewarding to see the team implement a week of really high-quality training into practice against a tough opponent like Drury."
Senior Belle Kennedy picked up two assists in Washburn's 3-1 win at Drury on Friday, the Ichabods' first win of the season. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods, now 1-1-1, were led by freshman Leah Henke, who scored two goals to give her three on the season.
Former Washburn Rural star Belle Kennedy, a senior, recorded the assists on both of Henke's goals, one in each half.
Sam Searcey headed home the corner from Washburn Rural product Mackinly Rohn to make it a 3-1 game with less than 15 minutes to play.
The Ichabods were applying pressure early on and broke through with a goal in the 15th minute by Henke.
Both teams had four shots in the first half, but Washburn put two of their four on goal, with one finding the back of the net.
Once again, Washburn put pressure on Drury to open the half, and in the 53rd minute, Henke snuck a shot past the keeper to find the back of the net with another assist from Kennedy.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 12-ranked Washburn University volleyball will play at home for the first time in 2025 on Friday and Saturday in the Washburn Invitational, playing four matches in the two-day event.
Washburn volleyball, 4-0 and ranked No. 12 in the nation, will host its invitational tournament this weekend in Whiting Fieldhouse. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn will play its 2025 home schedule in Whiting Fieldhouse as renovations continue in Lee Arena.
"I think we're really excited,'' said sophomore outside hitter Keilah Rivers, who earned Oredigger Classic All-Tournament Team honors last weekend after recording 25 kills with four aces, 27 digs and seven blocks. "Unfortunately we can't play in Lee as it's getting re-done, but I think we've just kind of switched our mindset to being like, 'Oh, we can't play in Lee, but we get to play in Whiting.'
"We get to make that our own gym. We're the only team that gets to play in there, so we're just going in with the mindset that we're going to be undefeated in our own gym and we're going to make that place our own.''
Veteran Washburn coach Chris Herron had similar thoughts.
"I'm anxious to see it because we have never played up there in a match,'' Herron said. "I know it's going to be loud, I know it's going to be tight. We'd like to be playing in Lee, but we're going to make the most of this year and we're going to try to use that to our advantage, the loudness and the tightness and all of that stuff.''
The Ichabods open the tournament against Truman State at 11 a.m. on Friday and will face Minnesota State-Moorhead in the nightcap. On Day 2 Washburn will take on Newman at 10 a.m. and William Jewell at 6 p.m. in the tournament finale.
The tournament will include Washburn, Emporia State and Newman out of the MIAA, while Truman State and William Jewell will come from the GLVC and Minnesota State-Moorhead from the NSIC.
The Ichabods enter the weekend with a 4-0 record after opening the season at the Oredigger Classic with an undefeated record, including three sweeps and a 3-1 win in a dominating performance.
"To be honest with you, at the end of the weekend I didn't know if we were that good or maybe it was just not very good teams,'' Herron said. "And then (Tuesday night) the No. 2 team in the country is Angelo State and they got beat 3-0 by Colorado Christian, who we beat 3-0, so it makes me feel better.
"The greatest thing about the weekend for me was just seeing how well our kids get along and how much they like each other and that's really cool. And the other thing was we got to play everybody and with 22 kids I'm excited that everybody got some game experience.''
Austin Broadie leads the Washburn offense with 34 kills while hitting .364, second best on the team. She has started all four matches and also has logged 10 blocks with nine digs. The senior has two double-digit kill matches.
Senior Corinna McMullen has started all four matches this season to lead Washburn with 80 assists. She has also chipped in three service aces while tying for second on the team with 34 digs. McMullen has recorded two matches with 20-plus assists and two double-doubles.
Alex Dvorak leads WU with 20 blocks on the season while starting all four matches. Offensively she has 21 kills along with hitting .362, third best on the team. She has recorded five or more blocks in two matches. Dvorak earned Oredigger Classic All-Tournament honors.
Junior Taylor Rottinghaus has started all four games as the libero, leading the team with 47 digs. She has chipped in 12 assists while serving four aces as well. Rottinghaus has a season-high of 15 digs this season.
Senior Bella Limback is slashing a team-high .735 with 25 kills while starting all four matches. She has also added 10 blocks and served an ace. She has hit over .500 in every match on the season.
Sophomore Brynne Topolski is second on the Ichabods with 32 kills while hitting .344 and recording eight blocks. She has come off the bench in all four matches and earned a spot on the Oredigger Classic All-Tournament team.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University women's soccer team will hit the road again on Friday to face off against the Drury Panthers in a 5 p.m. non-conference matchup.
Washburn soccer will play at Drury on Friday before coming home for a three-game homestand. [File photo/TSN]
"Drury will be another great test for our team. They are well coached and organized," said Washburn coach Davy Phillips. "I'm looking forward to seeing our growth from a really good week of training this week.
"We are learning some really good things about the potential of our team and games like Drury present such a great learning environment as we continue to push our performances and efforts against teams that will prepare us for MIAA play."
The Ichabods spent last weekend in St. Louis, where they tied 1-1 against No. 25 Maryville on Thursday evening and lost 3-0 to Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday afternoon.
The Ichabods feature two freshmen in the starting lineup -- midfielder Bricelyn Betts and forward Kate Hinck.
Washburn also includes many freshmen off the bench, one being Leah Henke, who scored the equalizer in the final seconds of the opening game of the season.
Both WU goalkeepers, senior Alli Harrington and freshman Lili Everley, have played 90 minutes this season, each totaling three saves.
Washburn has out-shot opponents 26-17 and corner kicks 10-5, so far this season.
The Panthers opened their season with a 1-0 home victory over Emporia State.
Drury was previously ranked 14th in the USC preseason polls and received votes this past week.
Last season Drury was knocked out in the NCAA third round by Grand Valley State.
Washburn will play their home opener at 1 p.m. Sunday at Yager Stadium against the University of Mary.
Sunday's match will open a three-game homestand for the Ichabods.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
At 5-foot-6, 170 pounds, place-kicker Aidan Battle is the smallest player on the 2025 Washburn University football roster.
Aidan Battle is off to a quick start in his first season as Washburn's place-kicker, including a 51-yard field goal. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
But the former Atchison and Butler Community College standout has already come up big in just two games for the Ichabods this fall.
Battle, who received All-Jayhawk Conference recognition in both of his seasons at Butler, made an immediate impact in his Washburn debut on Aug. 30, kicking 37 and 51-yard field goals and connecting on both of his extra-point attempts as the Ichabods topped Truman State, 20-17.
Battle's 51-yarder, which proved to be the difference in the game, was the longest by an Ichabod kicker since 2013 and helped him earn MIAA Player of the Week honors.
Battle only got one kicking opportunity in last Saturday's 34-7 MIAA loss to Northwest Missouri, but kicked the extra point after WU's lone touchdown to remain perfect on the year.
Despite his success at Butler, Battle didn't receive much recruiting attention after his sophomore season until Washburn came calling to save the day.
"It was about the middle of December and it was kind of time to decide whether I was going to go back (to Butler for the spring semester) or stay at home and take a gap semester,'' Battle said. "Then in the middle of one night I had contact with Coach (Zach) Watkins and I've been an Ichabod ever since, so I'm just blessed for that opportunity for sure.
"The facilities are amazing, the school itself is a great academic school and I could come in and get the degree I was looking for. It's a great environment with the coaching staff and it just felt like home. As soon as I stepped in on my visit the campus just felt amazing and I just had a great time, so I didn't look back from the moment I got here.''
Battle transferred to Washburn for the spring semester, which he said was an advantage.
"It really helped because I was able to get used to a new environment and a new coaching staff and everyone and everything's been awesome since I got here,'' he said.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Ichabod volleyball rose 10 spots in the Week 1 American Volleyball Coaches Association Rankings released Monday afternoon and are now ranked No. 12 in the nation.
After starting out the season with a 4-0 weekend at the Oredigger Classic, the Ichabods rise from No. 22 to No. 12 in the rankings. They received 541 total points in the voting.
Washburn volleyball celebrates a point in Saturday's Oredigger Classic. [Photo by Zach Greer/Colorado School of Mines]
Lynn remains in the top spot of the rankings for a second straight week to begin the year, followed by Angelo State and MSU Denver.
Around the MIAA, Central Oklahoma is ranked No. 4 andNebraska-Kearney slots at No. 8 while Missouri Western is receiving votes.
Washburn will be at home this weekend for four matches in two days at the Washburn Invitational on Friday and Saturday.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Northwest Missouri State controlled the tempo from the outset Saturday at Yager Stadium, handing Washburn a 34-7 loss in the MIAA opener for both schools.
Washburn junior D.J. Bell scored the Ichabods' lone touchdown Saturday on a 69-yard pass from Justin Lewis. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn junior D.J. Bell (10) celebrates Saturday's 69-yard TD pass from Justin Lewis with teammate Teondre Carter. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Bearcats struck quickly in the first quarter with a pair of touchdown passes, building a 13-0 lead.
The Ichabod defense held strong in the second quarter, keeping Northwest off the board, but the visitors extended their advantage in the second half behind a balanced offensive attack that finished with nearly 500 total yards.
"It's a humbling loss, especially against a really good MIAA team,'' Washburn coach Zach Watkins said. "That's our entire season are games like that against quality opponents like that. We'll watch the film and we'll get better.
"This game does not define us. We'll be ready to go next week.''
Washburn's lone score came early in the fourth quarter when quarterback Justin Lewis connected with wide receiver D.J. Bell for a 69-yard touchdown strike down the sideline.
Aidan Battle tacked on the extra point to pull Washburn within 27-7.
The Ichabods finished with 143 yards of total offense, including 162 through the air as Lewis completed 14 of 30 passes.
Lewis was sacked five times, which contributed to Washburn's negative rushing total of minus-19 yards.
"We struggled the ball last week and again this week,'' Watkins said. "We've addressed it and we'll address it again. Coaching's never done, the improvements are never done and we've got to improve in a big way from Week 2 to Week 3 to be a good (Colorado School of Mines) team.''
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 22-ranked Washburn University volleyball moved to 4-0 on the year and completed an undefeated opening weekend at the Oredigger Volleyball Classic on Saturday with a 3-1 win over Davenport and a 3-0 sweep of Valdosta State on Saturday.
Washburn volleyball celebrates a point in Saturday's Oredigger Classic. [Photo by Zach Greer/Colorado School of Mines]
The Ichabods will host the Washburn Invitational next Friday and Saturday.
After the first set against Davenport Washburn found itself trailing for the first time this season, but the Ichabods rallied to win the next three sets and take the match, 20-25, 25-17, 25-14 and 25-15.
Washburn fell behind early in the first set 9-5 and the Davenport lead grew to as high as eight points at 21-13 as the Ichabods were unable to make up ground.
The second set went back-and-forth at the start, with four ties in the first 14 points.
But Washburn was able to create some separation, leading 13-9 after a 4-point run. The Ichabod offense rebounded from the first set, hitting .348 as a team in the second.
Bella Limback knocked down a kill to secure the 8-point second-set win and tie the match.
In the third set the Ichabods built an early lead.
Back-to-back kills from Brynne Topoliski pushed the lead to five at 17-12.
A kill from Keilah Rivers made it 19-14 and started a 7-0 run for Washburn to end the set at 25-20 on an ace from Taylor Rottinghaus.
The fourth set was another quick start for the Ichabods, with WU going in front 6-1 after consecutive kills from Natalie Hedlund.
The Panthers rallied to keep it close before a 4-0 Washburn run put it in front 14-6 after two kills by Austin Broadie. The Ichabod offense had its most efficient hitting set of the match, hitting .414 in the fourth set to clinch the match with a 10-point victory.
Offensive production was big in Washburn's favor, with the Ichabods hitting .328 to just .132 for Davenport with a 53-41 advantage in kills. The Ichabods led in assists, 51-39, as well as digs, 57-42, and 8-5 in blocks.
Broadie led the offensive attack with 13 kills while hitting .526. Corinna McMullen led the passing attack with 23 assists and added 11 digs for a double-double. Sydney Conner also had a double-double with 21 assists and 11 digs.
Abby Alan led Davenport with 15 kills and Madison Berry had 37 assists.
Washburn earned its third sweep of the weekend in decisive fashion over Valdosta State. The Ichabods won all three sets by 10 or more points, 25-13, 25-12 and 25-15.
The Ichabods pulled away in set one with a 9-1 run, capped off by a kill from Broadie to go up 17-10. The Blazers managed just three more points the rest of the set as they were held to a -.138 attacking percentage by the Washburn defense.
In the second set, a 5-0 run in the middle of the action created separation once again.
Limback started the run with a kill and Rivers capped off the run with an ace to put Washburn up 17-9. The burst turned into a larger 11-1 run to provide a double digit lead.
Josie Cleveringa came off the bench to end the 13-point win with a kill.
After starting the third set tied 3-3, Emery Keebaugh slashed two straight kills to kick off a 9-1 run. The offensive attack continued as Washburn knocked down 18 kills in the set while hitting .419 as a team as the Ichabods went on to win the set and match, 25-15.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University football team will open its MIAA schedule at 1 p.m. Saturday in Yager Stadium against Northwest Missouri, with the Ichabods looking to build off of their 20-17 season-opening come-from-behind win over Truman State.
Quarterback Justin Lewis threw for 352 yards and two touchdowns in his Washburn debut, helping lead the Ichabods to a 20-17 win over Truman State. [File photo/TSN]
"I was real proud of how we came back,'' Ichabod coach Zach Watkins said about the Truman win. "We faced some adversity early and we battled back. We've got to improve some things up front on the offensive line with the run game and the protection. Truman State did a really good job with things we hadn't seen on film and we weren't prepared for, so we had to adjust during the game and that's what good teams and good coaches do and our staff did that.
"They hit us in the mouth early (opening up a 10-0 lead) and we adjusted to come back.''
The Bearcats are 0-1 after falling 38-14 at then-No. 11-ranked Minnesota State.
"Northwest is extremely talented,'' Watkins said. "They didn't play their best game against Minnesota State-Mankato the first game, but the same as us, they want to improve in a big way from Week 1 to Week 2. They're extremely well-coached with a lot of good players and they're still Northwest Missouri and an elite program in Division II.''
Northwest topped Washburn 51-34 last fall and leads the all-time series 36-7. The Bearcats have won the last three meetings overall and the last two games in Topeka.
After Week 1, the Ichabods are fourth in the MIAA in total defense, allowing 333 yards per game and ninth in total offense, averaging 315 yards per game.
The Ichabods have the No. 1-ranked passing offense in the league, averaging 352 yards per game. Quarterback Justin Lewis is on top of the MIAA in passing after the opening week, passing for 352 yards and two touchdowns against Truman.
Lewis completed 20 straight passes at one point, setting a Washburn and MIAA single-game record.
Chase Allen-Jackman celebrates one of his two touchdowns in Washburn's 20-17 season-opening win over Truman State. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Chase Allen-Jackman leads the conference with 127 yards receiving while junior D.J. Bell is fourth after his 98-yard performance against the Bulldogs.
Sophomores L.J. Minner and J.C. Heim are tied for the MIAA lead with 11 tackles and Kamble Haverkamp leads the MIAA with three tackles for loss and two sacks.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University will begin its 56th season of volleyball on Friday and Saturday at the Oredigger Volleyball Classic in Golden, Colo., with four matches over two days.
The Ichabods will open the tournament on Friday with an 11 a.m. MST match against Colorado Christian before taking on South Dakota Mines at 4 p.m. MST.
In Day 2 of the tournament on Saturday Washburn will face Davenport at 10 a.m. MST and Valdosta State at 2 p.m. MST.
Senior setter Sydney Conner is one of 14 returners for Washburn volleyball, which went 21-8 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2024. [File photo/TSN],
"We're really excited,'' said Ichabod senior setter Sydney Conner, who was second on the team with 478 assists last year and is third among returners with 224 digs. "We've been practicing for two or three weeks, really great practices, and playing each other a lot, so we're really excited to get the regular season started.''
The Ichabods enter 2025 after going 21-8 overall a season ago, including an 11-5 record inside the MIAA.
WU's season ended with a 3-2 NCAA Central Region semifinal loss to No. 6 nationally-ranked Central Oklahoma.
Washburn is ranked No. 22 in the preseason American Volleyball Coaches Association poll with 210 points. The Ichabods were ranked No. 24 to finish the 2024 season.
"One of coach's things he's been telling us is punch first,'' said Conner, a Kearney, Neb. native who ranks No. 14 on Washburn's career assist list with 1,523. "So when you play another team you want to be the first to punch, the first to get on top, so that's something we've been focusing on in practice.
"We're going to miss Jalyn (Stevenson, three-time All-MIAA pick) a lot, but we return a lot of people with experience, so we're looking forward to it.''
This weekend's seven-team tournament is hosted by Colorado School of Mines in Lockridge Arena. In addition to the four Ichabod opponents and the host Orediggers, Grand Valley State is the seventh team in the tournament.
The Ichabods were picked to finish third in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll with 98 total points.
Washburn returns 14 letter-winners from a season ago.
Senior Alex Dvorak headlines the WU returners after earning AVCA All-America honorable mention honors in 2024. Dvorak is second among returners with 240 kills while leading the team last year with a .364 hitting percentage.
On the defensive end Dvorak returns a team and conference-high 150 blocks. Last season the Kansas City, Mo. native played in all 29 matches and delivered eight matches with seven or more blocks.
Austin Broadie returns with the most experience in the Ichabod program, going into her fifth year. She received All-MIAA honorable mention a season ago and had the most kills among all returners with 248. Broadie hit .257 on the year across all 29 matches and added 68 blocks. The Burns native registered nine matches with double-digit kills.
Corinna McMullen will return to control the Ichabod offense for a fourth year at setter after leading the team with 706 assists a season ago. The Bucyrus native also served up a team-high 42 aces while adding 265 digs, good for second among returners. The All-MIAA second-team selection played in all 29 matches and had eight with 30 or more assists.
Junior Taylor Rottinghaus will once again roam the back row for Washburn after being named an All-MIAA second-team selection after leading the team with 569 digs and playing all 29 matches. She carried a .96 reception percentage while also adding 29 aces, second most among returners, and 84 assists. The Shawnee Heights product had five matches with 25-plus digs.
Bella Limback returns to Washburn for her senior season after starting all 29 matches as a junior and earning All-MIAA honorable mention. She returns the third most kills on the team with 183 a season ago while hitting .345, second best on the squad. At the net the Waverly, Mo. native registered 99 blocks, second most on the Ichabods.
Eight new players will suit up for Ichabod volleyball in 2025 with five freshmen and three more newcomers joining the program.
Herron is in his 24th season at the helm of the Ichabod volleyball program with a career record of 624-140 at Washburn.
Herron has led the Ichabod to 18 NCAA Tournament appearances and six combined MIAA titles (five regular season and one tournament). He has been named MIAA Coach of the Year four times and led the Ichabods to the NCAA National Championship match in 2021.
Colorado Christian opens the 2025 season after going 19-11 in 2024 with a 9-5 mark inside the RMAC. The Cougars qualified for the NCAA Tournament, falling in the regional quarterfinal round.
Renee Phillips returns for Colorado Christian after finishing second on the team with 280 kills (2.80 per set) while starting all 30 matches and hitting .344. She made 83 blocks on the defensive end and served 21 aces. She was 10th in the RMAC in total blocks.
South Dakota Mines begins 2025 after posting an 18-9 record in 2024 along with a 11-3 mark in the RMAC.
Ivy Vindivich returns for the Hardrockers after finishing third on the team in kills last season with 224 and hitting .173.
Hannah Benes paced South Dakota Mines with 500 digs a season ago and also paced the team with 55 aces while adding 124 assists.
Davenport turns the page to 2025 after going 10-19 in 2024 along with a 6-11 GLIAC record.
After leading the team with 354 kills a season ago Abby Alan returns. She played and started in all 29 matches while adding 34 aces and 239 digs, second most on the team.
Hayley Carr led Davenport in digs last season with 404 while playing in all 29 matches. She added 73 assists and 24 aces.
Kaitlyn Marsh had 82 blocks last season to lead the Panthers while starting in all 29 matches. She also added 144 kills.
Valdosta State went 19-12 in 2024, going 13-7 inside the GSC. The Blazers were defeated in the GSC Tournament quarterfinals by Lee to end the season.
Katie Callenberger had the fourth most kills on the team last season with 223 while hitting .285. She played and started in all 31 matches while making 66 blocks.
Avery Mullins returns after finishing second on the team with 474 assists across 28 matches and 12 starts. She also served 21 aces and scooped up 179 digs.
Next week Washburn opens it's home schedule at the Washburn Invitational with four matches in two days. Day 1 begins with an 11 a.m. meeting against Truman State on Friday.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn Ichabod women's soccer team tied No. 25-ranked Maryville 1-1 in Friday's season-opener in St. Louis, Mo., forging the tie on freshman Leah Henke's first collegiate goal in the 89th minute with seconds remaining.
Leah Henke
"I thought our performance was a good first step today,'' Washburn coach Davy Phillips said. "I loved how resilient and steadfast the team stayed through some adversity.
"We will continue to work on how to turn good performances into results, but I'm so proud of this team for how they played today to get a point on the road vs a Top 25 team."
Gina Catanzaro scored in the 37th minute to give Maryville the lead late in the first half.
Washburn recorded three first-half shots, with one being on goal, while WU goalkeeper Alli Harrington recorded two saves in the first half.
The Ichabods started the second half strong, recording two shots in the first minute of the half, with one being put on goal by freshman forward Kate Hinck.
Maryville received a red card in the 56th minute and finished the match with 10 players. After the red card, Washburn would take control of the game with the extra player on the field, leading to Henke's game-tying goal.
Washburn recorded 11 shots, with five on goal.
Eight freshmen made their Washburn debuts in the game.
Washburn will play again in the St. Louis area on Saturday afternoon as they take on Missouri-St. Louis at 12 p.m.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's soccer, the two-time defending MIAA regular-season champion, will kick off its 2025 season at 4 p.m. Thursday at No. 25-ranked Maryville, Mo.
Davy Phillips will kick off his ninth season at Washburn with a Thursday road game at Maryville. [File photo/TSN]
Coach Davy Phillips is starting his ninth season at Washburn, with the Ichabods coming off a 14-4-3 season with a MIAA record of 10-1-1 while advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.
The Ichabods return 17 players from last season's roster and added 12 newcomers, 11 of whom are freshmen.
"I'm eager to see this year's group compete and become battle-tested,'' Phillips said. "We have intentionally put together the toughest non-conference schedule in my time here, and I'm excited for the journey it will provide us to prepare for our incredibly demanding MIAA schedule.
"We have a really entertaining and hungry group, and I'm looking forward to seeing who we can become in the 2025 season."
Former Washburn Rural star Belle Kennedy returns for her senior soccer season at Washburn after earning All-MIAA first-team recognition the past two seasons. [File photo/TSN]
A top returner for the Ichabods is senior midfielder Belle Kennedy, a former Washburn Rural star who has earned back-to-back All-MIAA first-team honors. Kennedy scored three goals with one assist as a junior.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University football opened the Zach Watkins era with a hard-earned 20–17 win non-conference win over Truman State Saturday afternoon at Yager Stadium.
Washburn (1-0) had to overcome a 10-0 first-quarter deficit and scored 20 unanswered points to take a 20-10 lead before using a clutch drive to run the final 4 minutes, 20 seconds off the clock and close out the victory in front of 4,025 fans.
Zach Watkins picked up his first win as a head coach on Saturday, with Washburn topping Truman State 20-17 in Yager Stadium. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"Wins will never come easy, especially in the MIAA and with a quality, playoff-caliber opponent like Truman State, so that was a great game for us to overcome some early adversity, battle back when things weren't going our way, and then to end the game with the offense on the field closing the game out was really special,'' Watkins said.
Saturday's win was not only a successful debut for Watkins as a head coach but was a big day for quarterback Justin Lewis and place-kicker Aidan Battle in their first games as Ichabods.
Justin Lewis passed for 352 yards and two touchdowns in Washburn's 20-17 season-opening win over Truman State Saturday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Lewis, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound graduate transfer from Merrimack, completed 33 of 42 passes for 352 yards and two touchdowns on the day and at one point completed a school and MIAA single-game record 20 straight passes.
Battle, a 5-6, 170 Butler Community College transfer, was also a difference-maker for Washburn, contributing eight points on the day with two field goals and two extra points, including a 51-yard field goal with 10:27 remaining that proved to be the difference in the game.
"We knew he had the leg strength and a little bit of wind and we knew we could get there, so I'll never shy away with him back there,'' Watkins said.
Former MIAA foe Truman State (0-1) struck first, marching 68 yards in nine plays before quarterback Dylan Hair found Jackson Overton for a 23-yard touchdown at the 8:22 mark of the opening quarter.
Truman added to its lead later in the quarter on a 32-yard field goal from Vinni Calvaruso to go up 10–0, but Washburn dominated the second quarter behind Lewis and junior wide receiver Chase Allen-Jackman.
Lewis connected with Allen-Jackman for a 16-yard touchdown to put the Ichabods (1-0) on the board.
Then, after Battle connected on a 37-yard field goal to tie the game at 10–10 midway through the second quarter, Lewis and Allen-Jackman connected again with 55 seconds left before halftime, this time from 27 yards out to give Washburn a 17–10 halftime advantage.
"That guy's unbelievable,'' Lewis said of Allen-Jackman. "He's done an awesome job since the spring, just me and him having communication on the field. I trust him that he's going to get open every single time, he's a tough guy to guard.''
Neither team was able to break through in the third quarter before Battle connected on his clutch 51-yard field goal early in the fourth stanza to give WU its biggest lead of the game at 20-10. Battle's 51-yarder was one yard shy of the school record of 52 yards set in 1972 by Russ Hill against Northern Colorado and Charles Goodnight against Emporia State in 1985.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn Ichabods will open their 135th season of football and their first season under Zach Watkins at 1 p.m. on Saturday as WU will host former MIAA foe Truman State in Yager Stadium.
Zach Watkins will make his debut as Washburn's head football coach on Saturday when the Ichabods host Truman State in a 1 p.m. contest at Yager Stadium. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods are coming off a 3-8 2024 season, going 2-7 in the MIAA, while Truman State went 8-4 last fall and 6-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference before ending the season with a 29-10 win over Tiffin in the America's Crossroads Bowl.
Watkins was named the 38th head coach in Washburn program history on Nov. 26, 2024, becoming the first Ichabod alum to fill the top spot on the Ichabod sidelines in more than 30 years. Watkins spent the previous 11 seasons as the co-defensive coordinator on the WU coaching staff.
Watkins was a four-year starter at linebacker for Washburn (2006–09), recording 100-plus tackles each season, finishing with a school-record 473 career tackles (third all-time in NCAA Division II at the time).
Watkins said it's time for the Ichabods to play a game.
"Absolutely,'' Watkins said. "The offensive and defensive guys have gone at each other for three weeks now, plus all the captain-led summer practices, and it's time to play somebody else.
"You think you're ready to play a game and you hope you're ready, but you just don't know until you strap it up against somebody else.''
The Ichabods and Bulldogs have not met since Truman State's last season in the MIAA before joining the Great Lakes Valley Conference for the 2013 season. Washburn topped the Bulldogs 35-24 on Oct. 13, 2012 in Topeka in the most recent meeting in the series.
Ichabod head coaches are 22-16-2 in their first game on the Washburn sidelines, with Dennis Caryl the last Ichabod head coach to win his Washburn debut in a 13-7 win at Missouri S&T on Sept. 1, 1990.
Division I transfer quarterback Justin Lewis (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) and Division I transfer running back Ky Thomas (5-11, 205) are slated to make their first starts for the Ichabods against the Bulldogs.
Lewis transferred from Merrimack while former Topeka High star Thomas transferred from Kent State after previously playing at Minnesota and Kansas.
Sophomore linebacker L.J. Minner Jr. (6-0, 205) led Washburn with 103 tackles last fall (59 solo) while senior safety Jordan Finnesy (6-1, 200) had 89 tackles (49 solo).
Like Watkins, Finnesy said the time has come for the Ichabods to line up against another team.
"We're ready to just get out there and face an opponent other than our teammates,'' Finnesy said. "Obviously with camps and stuff we've just been butting heads offense-defense and making each other better, but you can only do that so much and it's time to face an opponent.
"We'll be ready for that and excited for that on Saturday.''
