Preseason MIAA polls for the 2025-26 season have Washburn women's basketball slotted at No. 2 in the Coaches Poll and No. 3 in the Media Poll released on Monday morning by the conference.
Lora Westling's Washburn women's basketball team has been picked second and third in the MIAA preseason polls. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn is coming off an 18-13 season with a 11-8 mark inside the MIAA that saw them reach the MIAA Tournament semifinals.
In the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll the Ichabods landed at No. 2 with 148 points and six first-place votes, the most among any team in the conference among coaches.
Fort Hays State sits atop the poll with 152 total points and two first-place votes. Pittsburg State is slotted at No. 3 with five first-place votes and 144 points. Central Missouri claims the final first-place nod, with 138 total points at No. 4.
In the media poll Washburn sits at No. 3 with 276 total points and three first-place votes.
Pittsburg State leads the media ballot with 13 first-place votes and 326 total points. Fort Hays State is second with five first-place votes and 299 points. Behind the Ichabods is Central Missouri at No. 4, with the final four first-place votes and 271 total points.
For the first time since the 2012 season the Washburn University men's basketball team has been tapped for the No. 1 spot in the MIAA Preseason Coaches and Media polls released Monday by the league office before the start of the MIAA Basketball Media Day in Kansas City, Mo.
Washburn men's basketball has been tapped for the No. 1 spot in both MIAA preseason polls after winning an NCAA regional title and reaching the national semifinals last season. [File photo/TSN]
In the MIAA Coaches Poll, Washburn received 13 of 14 first-place votes, tallying 169 points and finishing ahead of Rogers State, which had one first-place vote and 141 total points.
In the MIAA media poll, the Ichabods received 23 of 25 first-place votes from the media for 346 total points. Fort Hays State had one first-place vote and 297 points and Rogers State had a first-place vote and 286 total points.
The Ichabods are coming off an NCAA Final Four appearance, an NCAA Central Regional Championship and an MIAA regular season title with a 30-4 overall record after going 17-2 in MIAA play.
Rogers State received its best preseason rankings since joining the MIAA in 2019 after ending last season 23-10 overall and 13-6 in the MIAA.
Fort Hays State, the defending MIAA tournament champion, finished 22-10 overall and 12-7 in the MIAA last season.
Both MIAA coaches and media members also included Central Oklahoma and Pittsburg State in their top five.
Washburn will open the 2025-26 season at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic facing Augusta on Nov. 1 and Dallas Baptist the following day in Lakeland, Fla.
Anderson, a senior cross country standout, posted his third individual victory of theseason in Saturday's Seaman Invitational at the Shawnee North Community Center. A Class 5A state medalist in cross country and track, Anderson clocked a winning five-kilometer time of 15 minutes, 25.07 seconds.
Brynn Anderson
BRYNN ANDERSON, Washburn Rural
A 5-foot-11 freshman, Anderson had a big week for the No. 6-ranked (Class 6A) Washburn Rural volleyball team, helping lead the 16-4 Junior Blues to seven straight victories, including five straight wins in Saturday's Centennial League tournament at Rural as the hosts claimed the league championship while dropping just one set on the day.
Elise Eckert
ELISE ECKERT, Seaman
A senior golf star, Eckert followed up her city championship with the title in last Monday's United Kansas Conference tournament at Shawnee Country Club. A three-time Class 5A state medalist, Eckert shot a 73 to post an eight-stroke victory as Seaman captured its fourth straight UKC title by 52 strokes.
On a beautiful morning as the calendar flipped to the second month of the cross country season, Seaman High School hosted the Seaman Invitational at Shawnee North Park.
Brody Anderson, Seaman
Brynn Spencer, Seaman
In the varsity girls race, the Washburn Rural, Seaman and Shawnee Heights teams finished in fourth, fifth and sixth place, respectively.
Washburn Rural had two medalists -- freshmen Clara Dillon finished ninth in a time of 21:47.96 and Lily Palmer finished in 19th with a time of 22:23.98.
Topeka West’s lone runner, freshman Phebe Phelps, finished 16th in a time of 22:09.56.
The top local finisher was Seaman junior Brynn Spencer, who finished third in a time of 20:16.43. Fellow Seaman junior Hannah Wempe earned medalist honors by finishing 17th with a time of 22:18.22.
“I didn’t do as well as I had hoped time-wise, but I knew I had a chance to finish in the top three,'' Spencer said. "So my main goal was to push up toward the front and use my home course advantage.”
Looking ahead to next week’s city meet, Spencer talked about getting to run once again on her home course.
“It will help me since I have one race under my belt here and to know where my advantage points,'' she said. "It will also be helpful to know the parts of the course where I’ll need to push myself more.”
In the varsity boys race, Seaman senior Brody Anderson won his third race of the season, finishing in a time of 15:25.07. After dealing with a heat-related issue last week at Rim Rock, Anderson talked about his plan going into Saturday's race.
“It was a good day. I went out slower than normal, which was the plan, but I wanted to progress through the race and that went well. My hope was to stay healthy through the state meet.”
Anderson was also looking to next week and the city meet, one last time to run at his home course.
“I’m confident after today, but there is good competition throughout the city,'' he said. "I’m hoping to get good work in next week.”
Washburn Rural finished second as a team and had five medalists. Senior Wyatt Shorb finished ninth in a time of 17:32.10, freshman Julius Wood-Nichols finished 12th with a time of 17:35.85, senior Rylan Rake was 14th with a time of 17:39.03, sophomore Brady Meek was 16th in a time of 17:39.30 and senior Wesley Meek finished 20th with a time of 17:51.88.
Seaman finished third overall and had one other medalist, junior Conner Bloom, who finished eighth in a time of 17:25.55.
Shawnee Heights had one medalist, senior Max Esquibel, who finished sixth with a time 17:24.12.
Topeka West also had one medalist, junior Ezra Phelps, who was 15th, finishing with a time of 17:39.27.
Next week all of the Topeka city schools will return to Shawnee North for the city meet beginning at 9 a.m. for the girls race, following by the boys race at 9:45.
SEAMAN INVITATIONAL
Team Scores & Local Results
Girls Varsity
Piper 40, Blue Valley Northwest 50, Lawrence 59, Washburn Rural 99, Seaman 114, Shawnee Heights 145
6. Max Esquibel 17:24.12; 28. Andrew Schulte 18:28.44; 42. Cash Reitcheck 19:16.09; 43. Ronin Wiggs 19:20.05; 47. Deyton Coufal 19:58.92; 49. Carter Vincent 20:26.52
6. Topeka West
15. Ezra Phelps 17:39.27; 27. Cameron Parrett 18:26.29; 40. Rhys Green 19:04.37; 44. Maks Rodriguez 19:33.68; 55. Mason Gore 22:13.52
7. Topeka
35. Oliver Snethen 18:51.89; 37. Will Toland 18:58.54; 51. Nicholas McDonald 20:55.49; 52. Amir El-Jammal 21:01.21; 54. Matthew Hanes 21:26.50; 56. Sam Stanton 22:17.70; 57. Dexter Lonergan 23:32.99; 58. Salis Bechard 24:23.87; 59. Sebastian Homerding 28:56.17
Silver Lake football took control in the second half to extend its win streak to three games Friday night with a 47-7 non-league home win over Baldwin.
Kipton Kruger, Silver Lake
Dayne Johnson, Silver Lake
The 3-2 Eagles trailed 7-6 midway through the second quarter before ending the game with 41 unanswered points to turn the game into a rout.
Senior Bryson Burgos scored on a 7-yard run to give Silver Lake a slim 13-7 halftime advantage before the Eagles outscored the 3-2 Bulldogs 20-0 in the third quarter and 14-0 in the fourth.
Junior Owen Rottinghaus began Silver Lake's big second half with an 80-yard kickoff return before freshman quarterback Kipton Kruger and senior receiver Dayne Johnson connected on touchdown passes of 78, 17 and 4 yards.
Sophomore Jake Workman scored Silver Lake's final TD on a 27-yard run.
Now 3-2 overall, the Eagles will return to Class 2A District 4 play next Friday, traveling to Riley County.
Silver Lake is 1-0 in the district while Riley County is 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the district.
Rossville improves to 2-0 in 1A district play with 55-6 romp
Rossville improved to 2-0 in the Class 1A District 2 race Friday night with a 55-6 home romp past Mission Valley.
The Bulldawgs, now 4-1 overall, took control with a pair of first-quarter touchdowns, from Landen Lewis on an 8-yard run and from Andre Johnson on a 38-yard run, and scored 29 points in the second quarter to build a huge 43-6 halftime advantage over the Vikings (3-2, 1-1).
Canann Mitchell, Rossville
Conner Bush scored a pair of second-quarter TDs on runs of 52 and 25 yards while quarterback Canann Mitchell completed a 25-yard TD pass to Cameron Miller and a 35-yard scoring strike to Cale Horak.
Mitchell added a 52-yard touchdown run in the third quarter before Ryder Foster finished the Bulldawgs' scoring with a 29-yard pick six.
Mitchell completed 7 of 8 passes for 125 yards and the twoTDs and carried the ball three times for 61 yards and a touchdown.
Bush scored on both of his carries while Johnson carried the ball four times for 55 yards and a TD and Miller had four catcthes for 80 yards and a score.
Rossville will face Cair Paravel Latin Friday night at Washburn's Yager Stadium.
Unbeaten Hayden routs Hiawatha, 51-0
Hayden opened Class 3A District 4 play with a 51-0 road romp past Hiawatha Friday night, improving to 5-0 on the season.
The Wildcats took control with a 22-point opening quarter and led 29-0 at halftime.
Hayden finished off the rout with a 22-point third quarter to build its final margin.
The Wildcats will be at home next Friday to host Holton in a district game. Holton is 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the district after a 27-17 Friday night loss to Jefferson West.
Seaman stretches win streak to three games with 48-8 romp past Lansing
Seaman won its third straight United Kansas Conference game Friday night, rolling to a 48-8 road win at Lansing.
The Vikings are now 3-2 overall and 3-1 in the UKC.
Seaman will be at home Friday to face UKC and city rival Shawnee Heights.
Lora Westling's Washburn women's basketball team has been picked second and third in the MIAA preseason polls. [File photo/TSN] 
