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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Editor's note: Over the coming days TopSports.news will take a look at all 10 Washburn University women's and men's finalists for the 2025-2026 school year, followed by the Ichabod athletes of the year.

Austin Broadie, Washburn University [File photo/TSN] 

AUSTIN BROADIE | Volleyball

A 6-foot middle hitter, Broadie was a first-team American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American and named the MIAA Player of the Year as a senior after helping lead Washburn to a 27-5 record, a share of the MIAA regular-season title (13-3) and the second round of the NCAA Tournament. A Wichita Trinity product Broadie recorded 348 kills with a high of 25 and 17 matches with 10 or more kills. 

Lexie Fontaine, Washburn University [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]  

LEXIE FONTAINE | Track and field

A native of Lockport, Ill., Fontaine was a two-time NCAA All-American outdoors this past spring, placing sixth in the 1,500 meters and eighth in the 800. Fontaine also earned All-American honors indoors, finishing sixth in the 800. Fontaine is the Washburn school record-holder in the indoor and outdoor 800 and 1,500 and was an MIAA champion both indoors and outdoor.  

Susana Granados Carrion, Washburn University [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics] 

SUSANA GRANADOS CARRION | Golf 

Granados Carrion, a native of Cordoba, Spain, led Washburn with a team-low 75.00 round average as a junior, earning first-team All-MIAA recognition. Granados Carrion posted six top-five individual finishes on the season and recorded a team low round of 70. 

Leah Henke, Washburn University [File photo/TSN]

LEAH HENKE | Soccer 

Henke, a Bishop Carroll product, was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year last fall while also being named to the All-MIAA and All-Region first team after helping lead Washburn (14-4-6 overall, 8-0-4 conference) to the national semifinals in the NCAA Tournament. Henke scored 12 goals on the season, the second most goals by a freshman in school history. 

Belle Kennedy, Washburn University [File photo/TSN] 

BELLE KENNEDY | Soccer

The former Washburn Rural star earned first-team NCAA All-America and NCAA All-Tournament honors and was named the MIAA defensive player of the year in her final collegiate season. An All-Central Regional pick, Kennedy, named to the All-MIAA first team three times, helped lead the Ichabods to a 14-4-6 overall record and an 8-0-4 MIAA mark.

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Created: 30 June 2026

By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news

The international element of the Darting Basketball Academy has made big progress over its first two years and is set to take another huge step this summer.

The program numbers more than doubled last summer from Year 1, while also including female athletes for the first time, and a whopping 80 athletes are set to arrive in the area this week.

"We'll have 72 boys and eight girls,'' Darting said. "We'll have seven teams. We'll have three teams that are here to just kind of experience basketball and have fun and then we'll have teams that their objective in coming here is to stay in the states and go to prep school or college.''

 

The international players, competing as College Star International under the DBA umbrella, will take part in a showcase event at Shawnee Heights on Tuesday, July 7, in front of some 50 coaches.

The showcase will include a 6:30 p.m. game between the top international players and a group of local all-stars.

"We have 45 coaches confirmed, prep school and college, and I think we'll probably have more than that,'' Darting said. "That's what the kids are coming here for is to have college coaches to be here watching them, so to have 45 coaches coming to Topeka, Kansas, that's big.''     

Following the Shawnee Heights showcase, the international contingent will compete in tournaments in Omaha, Kansas City and Chicago.

The international players are staying in dorms on the University of Kansas campus and training in Lawrence and at Shawnee Heights.

 

The international program has brought in athletes from Australia, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Norway, Turkey, Germany and Sweden since it launched in 2024.

"The recruiting process is way more streamlined now,'' Darting said. "We've been going overseas in the winter and doing camps and you're making a lot more connections over there, so we're getting more kids.

"We go all over and this year we went to Turkey, Italy, Germany and Lithuania. The numbers are obviously way, way bigger but also the quality of players is getting quite a bit better as well.'' 

 

 

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn Rural wrestling state Landen Kocher-Munoz, a four-time Class 6A state finalist and a three-time state champion, has been named TopSports.news' Shawnee County boys senior athlete of the year for the 2025-2026 season.

Washburn Rural's Landen Kocher-Munoz became the third boys wrestler in Topeka history to win three state championships this past season. [Photo by Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports]

Kocher-Munoz was earlier named the Shawnee County wrestler of the year for 2025-2026 after winning the 144-pound 6A title with a 39-4 record on the season while helping lead the Junior Blues to their third straight third-place 6A team finish.

Kocher-Munoz, who swept Centennial League, regional and state individual crowns as a senior, became only the third boys wrestler in Topeka history to capture three individual state championships, joining former NCAA champion and multi-time Olympian Melvin Douglas (1979-1981) and former Washburn Rural teammate Easton Broxterman (2023-2025).

Washburn Rural's Landen Kocher-Munoz ended his high school wrestling career with a 142-17 record and three state titles. [File photo/TSN]

Kocher-Munoz sandwiched the 2023 state title at 120 pounds and the 2025 state title at 138 pounds championship around a runnerup finish at 138 pounds in 2024.

He finished his career with a 142-17 overall record. 

Next up: Washburn University women's athlete of the year finalists.