- Details
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.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
(All kickoffs at 7 p.m.)
THURSDAY'S GAME
Jason Filbeck begins his second season at Topeka High Thursday night after leading the Trojans to a 4-5 mark last fall. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
WICHITA WEST vs. TOPEKA HIGH
At Hummer Sports Park
Jason Filbeck begins his second season as Topeka High's head coach after leading the Trojans to a 4-5 record last fall, including four straight wins to open the season. High returns a solid group of returners to build around this season , returning four starters on offense and eight on defense. Senior defensive back Malachi Murph has received All-Centennial League first-team recognition the past two seasons and was an All-Shawnee County Second 22 honoree last fall while quarterback Zane Smith, linebacker Rock Williamson and defensive lineman Trey Lutz received All-Centennial League and All-Shawnee County honorable mention in 2024. Wichita West posted a 2-7 record in 2024, including a 52-19 season-opening loss to Topeka High. The Trojans will be looking to snap a five-game losing streak Thursday night. Two of Topeka High's first three games are Thursday night contests, with the Trojans hosting Wichita Southeast on Sept. 18.
FRIDAY'S GAMES
Silver Lake senior Dayne Johnson (11) is a returning All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick. [File photo/TSN]
Rossville senior Conner Bush helped the Bulldawgs advance to the Class 1A semifinals last season. [File photo/TSN]
SILVER LAKE at ROSSVILLE
For the second straight season the Bulldawgs and Eagles will open the 2025 season with one of the state's most storied rivalries. Rossville is coming off an 8-4 record a year ago and advanced to the Class 1A state semifinals while Silver Lake went 7-3. The Eagles took a 33-26 overtime win over the Bulldawgs in last year's opener. Rossville returns TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick Conner Bush (senior running back/defensive back) and All-Shawnee County Second 22 honorees Jack Donovan (senior wide receiver/defensive back) and Andre Johnson (senior running back/linebacker) to build around. Silver Lake senior wide receiver/safety Dayne Johnson received TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 honors a year ago after catching 51 passes for 835 yards and nine touchdowns and picking off six passes on defense. Junior lineman Myles Fisher and sophomore lineman Kendrick Vande Velde received all-county honorable mention last season while senior safety Grady Bergmann received All-Big East honorable mention.
Washburn Rural senior running back TJ Minikwu earned All-Centennial League recognition last fall. [File photo/TSN]
Shawnee Heights senior quarterback Aiden Scott passed for more than 3,000 yards last fall. [File photo/TSN]
WASHBURN RURAL at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS
City rivals Washburn Rural and Shawnee Heights will both be looking to bounce back this fall after tough 2024 campaigns. Rural went 3-6 a year ago, including a 42-21 win over Shawnee Heights, while Heights went 2-7. Washburn Rural senior running back TJ Minikwu received first-team All-Centennial League recognition last season while senior quarterback John Hoytal, senior wide receiver Kellan Roth, senior defensive lineman Ayden Crosswhite and senior linebacker Jordy Heim were second-team all-league picks. Senior offensive lineman Jayden Cooper, junior running back Jadyn Baum, junior linebacker Brody Haas and senior linebacker Elijah Gaines received all-league honorable mention and Minikwu, Cooper, Baum, Hoytal, Roth, Crosswhite, Heim, Haas, Gaines, senior Sammy Brumley and senior Dylan Tajchman all received All-Shawnee County honorable mention. Leading the T-Bird returning cast are senior quarterback Aiden Scott and senior wide receiver/defensive back Tyren Parker, who both were TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 picks a year ago. Scott, who was named the county offensive newcomer of the year last fall, completed 190 of 317 passes for 3,102 yards and 32 touchdowns while Parker caught 50 passes for 946 yards with 11 touchdowns and was in on 48 tackles with a pair of interceptions. Scott has committed to Washburn and Parker to Kansas.
Senior linebacker Jude Krentz led Hayden with 132 tackles last fall, earning All-Shawnee County Top 22 honors. [File photo/TSN]
EUDORA at HAYDEN
Hayden went 11-2 and finished second in Class 3A for the second straight season last fall while Eudora is coming off a 4-5 season, including a 35-7 season-opening loss to the Wildcats. Headlining the list of Hayden returners are senior running back/defensive back Kade Mitchell and senior fullback/linebacker Jude Krentz, who were both TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 honors last season. Mitchell rushed for 808 yards on 104 carries last fall and scored 26 total touchdowns while Krentz led the Wildcats with 132 tackles (75 solo). Other top senior returners include quarterback Connor Hanika, center/defensive lineman Julian McGivern, running back/linebacker Jackson McGivern, tight end/linebacker Xander Blasing, offensive tackle Jackson Haas, offensive guard Andrew Rohr and linebacker Logan Saenz.
Topeka West junior Damon Webb is one of the area's top returning running backs. [File photo/TSN]
DE SOTO at TOPEKA WEST
At Hummer Sports Park
Trey Parker begins his third full season as head coach at Topeka West after taking over on an interim basis in 2022. The Chargers will be looking to take a step forward this fall after three straight 1-8 seasons. Topeka West faces a tough task Friday night, with De Soto coming off a 7-2 season last fall. De Soto took a 56-6 season-opening win over West last season. Top returners for Topeka West include senior lineman Logan Hunninghake, senior wide receiver Gad Munganga, junior lineman Dorian Rhoten Jr. and junior running back Damon Webb Jr. Webb carried the ball 17 times for 192 yards and three touchdowns in last fall's 32-20 United Kansas Conference win over Kansas City-Turner. The Chargers also return sophomore quarterback Josiah Wilke, who took over as West's starter the second half of the 2024 season.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.newsst
Coming off a breakout 13-4-1 campaign last fall, Topeka West boys soccer picked up where it left off Tuesday at Hayden, opening the 2025 season with a 7-0 romp past the Wildcats.
Sophomore forward Camilo Garcia scored the first two goals on Tuesday at Hayden as Topeka West rolled to a 7-0 season-opening win. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I think they played a style that we all know their capable of and that they are comfortable with,'' West coach Josh Kutter said of his team. "So, by them playing their style and not changing their style to anyone else's style, I am really happy about that. They played their game.''
The Chargers scored the only goal they would need at the 35:17 mark of the opening half on a shot from sophomore forward Camilo Garcia and Garcia made it 2-0 with his second goal a little over five minutes later.
Junior forward Diego Gonzalez-Talavera had a goal and four assists on Tuesday at Hayden in Topeka West's 7-0 season-opening win. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Junior forward Diego Gonzalez-Talavera put West up 3-0 at the 24:50 mark of the first half and junior forward Henry Miller gave the Chargers a commanding 4-0 halftime advantage with a shot with 7:09 left before the break.
- Details
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
The Washburn Rural boys soccer team, eager to build upon its third-place finish in last year’s Class 6A state tournament, flexed its muscle Tuesday. The Junior Blues handled Shawnee Heights 6-0 at McElroy Field in the season opener for both teams.
Washburn Rural senior Dylan Willingham (19) scored a pair of goals in Tuesday's 6-0 season-opening win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
The Junior Blues ambushed the visiting T-Birds out of the gate, putting a goal on the board just six minutes into the season. Liam Morrison headed a free kick from fellow senior Brandon Hamilton inside the right post to get the ball rolling.
Senior Dylan Willingham gave the Junior Blues a commanding 2-0 lead with a free kick off a red-card penalty just before the intermission.
‘Everybody was excited to play our first game,” said Washburn Rural coach Brian Hensyel. “Playing a city school, a rival school, a lot of kids know each other. So, we knew it would be a high energy game early. Both teams really were playing hard.
“The first goal was a great goal for us just to kind of gain the momentum. It was a pretty even game up until the red card and the second goal.”
With the T-Birds playing short-handed for most of the night – they incurred a second red card early in the second half – Washburn Rural was able to substitute liberally and focus on fundamentals.
“We have a big senior class, a lot of guys who have experience, but we have guys coming off the bench who haven’t played a lot of varsity minutes,” Hensyel said. “So, when you get an opportunity to do that, we want to give them that extra experience.
“Once we got that advantage, we talked about just calming down and, you know, not just smashing the ball forward. ‘Can we pass it a little bit? Can we make them work?’”
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Class 4A No. 2-ranked Hayden volleyball fought through plenty of ups and downs in Tuesday's home quadrangular at the Bueltel Activity Center.
Hayden volleyball celebrates a kill from sophomore Hailey Schmidtlein (22) Tuesday as the Wildcats went 3-0 on the night. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But Corrinne McGreevy's Wildcats were at their best when it counted the most, knocking off 6A foes Shawnee Mission East, Manhattan and perennial city and state power Washburn Rural to improve to 4-0 on the young 2025 season.
"I am so proud of these girls,'' McGreevy said. "I always tell the girls, it's not going to be perfect, but they have to stick together on the court and if you have grit and you stay together and you can stay in control, great things are going to happen.
"Three things you can control -- being a good teammate, your communication and how hard you work -- and if they can do all three of those things great things are going to happen and that's exactly what they did. I believe that my girls can play on any high school volleyball court in the nation because they believe in themselves and they stick together.''
After dispatching SM East 25-16, 25-19 in its opening match of the night, Hayden, third in 4A last season, dropped a 25-21 decision in its first set against Manhatttan and got down early in the second set before rallying to take the match with 25-23 and 25-17 wins.
Hayden senior Ella Foster sets the ball in Tueday's home volleyball quad. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I think something flipped in our mind and we were like, 'This is our game, we came here to win and they're not beating us in our house,' so we came out and showed up that second set and from there on, we pushed through,'' senior Ella Foster said.
Spurred on by the win over the Indians, the Wildcats responded with their best volleyball of the night, closing out their 3-0 night with a 25-23, 25-15 win over the No. 5-ranked (6A) Junior Blues.
