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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's women's basketball team will get a good idea of where it's at and where it needs to go in a hurry this weekend, playing two games in a 24-hour period in the MIAA/GAC Crossover Challenge Friday and Saturday in Weatherford, Okla. to open the 2021-22 season.
Washburn, which was 12-12 a year ago, will take on the host team, No. 16 Southwestern Oklahoma State, at 6 p.m. on Friday and then close out the tournament against Oklahoma Baptist with a 1 p.m. game Saturday.
Washburn, voted sixth in both the 2021-22 MIAA Coaches Preseason Poll and Media Poll, returns six players with starting experience and 14 total players from last season's team while welcoming three transfer players and four freshmen.
Hunter Bentley is a top returning player for Washburn's women's basketball team after earning All-MIAA second-team honors last season. [File photo/TSN]
Although Friday is Washburn's official start to the season, the Ichabods did get an early test, dropping a 68-39 decision to Division I Kansas State in an exhibition contest on Oct. 31.
Veteran Washburn coach Ron McHenry is hopeful that the K-State game will give the Ichabods valuable experience moving forward.
"We did a nice job defensively most of the game,'' McHenry said. "We have some new players coming in that we're counting on to kind of make a difference for us and you don't really know a lot until you get film on them and get them in live action because practices are practices and live action is live action.
"So we were able to get them on the floor and see them and it also allowed them to see what they need to do to get better.''
Washburn also had another closed-door scrimmage against a Division I opponent to help the Ichabods get ready for this weekend.
"Those are great learning experiences, for me to see what kind of players we have and for them to see, 'Maybe coach was telling me the right things I need to do.' '' McHenry said. "It's very beneficial for us.
"it's just a process of trying to get kids who are coming in to understand what we want out of them.''
Ichabod returners Hunter Bentley and Nuria Barrientos received All-MIAA honors last season, with Bentley, a three-time All-MIAA honoree, earning second-team recognition and Barrientos earning honorable mention.
Bentley averaged 15.2 points last season while shooting 89.8 percent from the free throw line and ranking second in minutes in NCAA Division II, while Barrientos averaged 10.6 points and 7.8 rebounds a year ago.
Lauren Cassady appeared in all 24 games last season and averaged 5.4 points and 4.0 rebounds while Mackenzie Gamble came on strong at the end of her freshman season and ranked third on the team with a 7.5 scoring average.
Aubree Dewey started 16 of the 20 games she played in, averaging 6.3 points, while Abby Oliver started 13 games and averaged 8.9 points and 4.2 rebounds before being sidelined with an injury.
The Ichabods should get a boost from the addition of three incoming transfers -- Shae Sanchez (Northeastern State), Emma Chapman (Kansas State) and Mya Johnson (Northwestern Oklahoma State).
Washburn also added four true freshman who played their high school basketball in Kansas -- AustinBroadie (Trinity Academy), JadenNewfarmer (Andover Central), Olivia Wedman (Maize) and Bailey Collar (Olathe West).
Southwestern Oklahoma is ranked 16th in the WBCA Preseason Poll and 24th in the D2SIDA Preseason Poll after going 18-4 (16-2 GAC) and competing in the NCAA South Central Region Tournament championship game last season.
The Lady Bulldogs have three games under their belt and are 1-2 with an 86-80 victory over No. 6 Central Missouri on Oct. 30.
Southwestern Oklahoma State returns all five of its main starters including reigning GAC Player of the Year Makyra Tramble, who led the team in scoring (19.2 average) and rebounds (9.9).
Washburn's Saturday opponent, Oklahoma Baptist, is coming off a 4-17 season, but the Bison return their top three scorers from last season, led by Kalifa Ford who averaged 15.2 points in 13 games played. Jaylin Stapleton is back for her senior year after tallying 11.6 points and 3.94 assists per game.
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Washburn Rural junior Brooklyn DeLeye has been named the TSN All-Shawnee County volleyball player of the year for the 2021 season. [File photo/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Player of the year Brooklyn DeLeye, a Washburn Rural junior, headlines the inaugural TopSports.news All-Shawnee County volleyball team while state placers Rural and Seaman combined to earn seven of 12 first-team berths.
DeLeye, who has orally committed to Kentucky, is joined on the all-county team by teammates Katelynn Brogan, a senior, junior Taylor Russell and sophomore Jada Ingram after the Junior Blues posted a 41-2 record and a fourth-place finish in the Class 6A state tournament.
Veteran Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick was named the county coach of the year after leading Rural to 41 straight wins to start the season and Centennial League and sub-state championships.
Seaman which finished fourth in 5A with a 27-13 record on the year, is represented on the All-County team by senior Drew Baxter, junior Laynee Brown and sophomore Taylin Stallbaumer while Viking freshman Maegan Mills was named the county newcomer of the year.
Shawnee Heights put senior Kali Henry and junior Emily Loy on the All-County team while Topeka West is represented by junior Makinsey Jones, Silver Lake by senior Camilla Ossola and Rossville by sophomore Kinsey Perine.
All-County first team capsules:
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University softball coach Brenda Holaday has announced the signing of six high school standouts who will join the Ichabod program for the 2022-23 school year.
Among the signees are Free State infielder/outfielder Jasmine Brixius, Holton utility player Gracie Gallagher and Holton pitcher Sadie Walker.
Washburn softball has signed six new players as part of its recruiting class for the 2022-2023 season. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn also announced the signing of pitcher/outfielder Erin Boles (Lubbock, Texas), outfielder Allison Hemsath (St. Charles, Mo.) and outfielder/infielder Danielle Schlader (Omaha, Neb.).
The 2022 Ichabods will open the season Feb. 4-6 at the Minnesota State Sport Dome Classic in Mankato, Minn. After taking part in the Desert Stinger Classic in Tucson, Arizona Feb. 11-13 and the Emporia State Classic Feb. 18-20, Washburn will host its own classic Feb. 25-27.
Washburn signee capsules:
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights senior Kali Henry is one of seven volleyball signees announced by Washburn University coach Chris Herron on Wednesday.
Henry, a 5-foot-4 defensive specialist/libero, was a second-team All-United Kansas Conference selection as a senior.
A four-year player for the T-Bird, Henry earned All-UKC second-team honors three times.
"Kali is fast and dynamic,'' Herron said. "She is another competitive player who fits what we are looking for in our program."
Kali Henry
Herron also announced the signing of setter Sydney Conner (Kearney, Neb.), setter Audrey Dowd (Littleton, Colo.), right side hitter Kealy Kiviniemi (Bellevue, Neb.), outside hitter Bella Limback (Waverly, Mo.), setter Corinna McMullen (Bucyrus) and outside hitter Ella Waters (Hickman, Neb.).
"We are extremely excited about the talent level of the 2022 class," Herron said. "We have addressed our needs at each position with outstanding athletes, players and people.
"It is our hope that several of these young ladies make an immediate impact. All come from programs that have been wildly successful. Each are amazing competitors."
Washburn signee capsules:
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THE PENNANT PLAYER PROFILE
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
In four seasons with the Washburn University men's basketball team, Jace Williams registered 56 blocked shots, including a career-high 24 last season.
But none of those blocks were bigger than the 6-foot-5 senior receiver delivered for the Ichabods' football team in last Saturday's 28-26 MIAA victory at Pittsburg State.
Jace Williams
With Washburn nursing its two-point lead, Pittsburg State drove deep into Ichabod territory and had a 33-yard field goal attempt to take the lead before Williams came up with the play of the game and one of the biggest of the season, swatting away the attempt with 30 seconds remaining to save the day for the Ichabods.
Washburn has used Williams on defense in similar situations, but Saturday was the first time the play ended with a block.
"I've done it every year I've been here, but this is just the first one I've blocked so everyone was kind of wondering if it was a real thing or not, but we've practiced it,'' Williams said. "I've done it a few times before but that was the first time I got my hands on one.
"The D-line tries to get a good push and however far they push is as close as I try to get. They gave me a ton of room so I had plenty of room to step up and just jumped up in the air.''
Still, it took a second or so before Williams knew for sure that his effort was a success.
"It got a pretty good piece of my left hand, but I saw it still moving toward the goalpost so I wasn't sure if I got enough of it,'' he said. "But to see it fall short, obviously I got enough of it.''
Jace Williams' blocked field goal secured Washburn's 28-26 win at Pittsburg State last Saturday. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
It came in a different sport and a different situation, but Williams felt like his basketball instincts kicked in at Pitt State.
"I pretty much took the same steps,'' he said. "The only thing is on a football field you can swing your arms through, there's no foul, so I got a piece of it and finished through. In basketball I'd have to make sure I kept my arms straight up or it's a foul.
"It was a little different but the idea of jumping straight up in the air and getting my hands as high as possible was definitely right in line with trying to protect the rim.''
The game-saving play ranks high on Williams' list in a career that has included numerous highlights.
