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Washburn women in Oklahoma for final regular-season road trip

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University women's basketball is in Oklahoma for its final regular-season road trip of the 2025-2026 season, beginning with a 5:30 p.m. Thursday game at Central Oklahoma.

Senior Gabi Giovannetti scored a game-high 17 points to lead Washburn in a 72-64 MIAA win over Northeastern State last Saturday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Washburn improved to 17-7 overall and 10-5 in the MIAA with a 72-64 win over Northeastern State last Saturday in Lee Arena.

Washburn is one win away from equaling its win total in an 18-13 season in 2024-25 with a minimum of five games remaining.

Central Oklahoma improved to 9-15 overall and 4-11 in the MIAA with a 64-61 win over Rogers State at home last time out.

Senior Yibari Nwidadah averages team-highs of 11.9 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Ichabods while also shooting a team-high 56.7 percent from the floor.

With 286 career offensive rebounds Nwidadah ranks thirdin program history and she is fifth with 790 career boards.

Her career field goal percentage of .578 is the second best in program history. In scoring she ranks 13th among all Ichabods with 1,265 career points and is 11th in program history with 69 career blocked shots.

Senior Payton Sterk is second on the team with an 11.7 scoring average while hitting a team-high 38 3-pointers.

Sterk currently sits 17th in program history with 100 3-pointers made in just 55 career games with Washburn.

Sterk's career free throw percentage of 86.5 percent is the best for any Ichabod.

Senior Gabi Giovannetti scored 10.7 points per game and is second on the team with 33 3-pointers. She also is swiping a team-high 1.8 steals per game, ranking seventh in the MIAA in steals.

Giovannetti is tied for sixth in program history with 145 career 3-pointers made. She is 19th among all Ichabods with 57 blocked shots and she ranks 31st in program history with 948 career points.

Holding opponents to 57.7 points per game, Washburn ranks first in the MIAA in scoring defense.

Forcing 18.21 turnovers per game, the Ichabods lead the conference.

Five players scored in double figures for the Ichabods in Saturday's win over Northeastern State, led by 17 points from Giovannetti. Sterk had 11 points with five assists and junior Britany Kogbara came off the bench to score 11 points with nine rebounds and a pair of blocks. Senior Aniah Wayne and sophomore Brooke Gomez scored 10 points apiece.

Nykaiya Dillard is scoring a team-high 12.4 points per game for Central Oklahoma while Kaitlyn McCarn is averaging 11.2 points.

Jerney Bennett is averaging 8.5 points with team-highs of 4.0 blocks and 8.0 rebounds per game. She is fourth in the nation and first in the MIAA in blocks while ranking seventh in the conference in rebounds.

Washburn leads the all-time series between the two teams 16-12.

Washburn plays its final regular season road game of the year on Saturday against Rogers State in Claremore, Okla.

No. 3-ranked Washburn men to put 24-1 record on the line at Central Oklahoma

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The No. 3-ranked Washburn Ichabods will finish off the regular-season road portion of their schedule this week, traveling to Oklahoma to face Central Oklahoma on Thursday and Rogers State on Saturday.

Washburn junior Jeremiah Jones leads NCAA Division II in steals entering Thursday night's game at Central Oklahoma. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn is 24-1 overall and 14-1 in the MIAA after rolling to a 78-54 win over Northeastern State last Saturday in Lee Arena while Central Oklahoma is 15-12, 8-7 MIAA after falling last time out to Rogers State, 75-59, at home.

The Ichabods can clinch no less than a share of the MIAA title with a win in Thursday's 7:30 p.m. contest at Central Oklahoma.

Washburn would clinch an outright title with a win at UCO and a loss by Central Missouri at Rogers State on Thursday.

Thursday's game is the only regular-season meeting between the Ichabods and the Bronchos this season.

The Ichabods have the No. 1-ranked scoring offense in the MIAA, putting up 87.4 points per game.

Defensively, the Ichabods have the No. 1-ranked scoring defense, allowing 62.3 points a game.

The Bronchos are averaging 73.2 points and allowing 68.0 points.

Washburn has recorded its 32nd 20-win season in program history and their sixth under coach Brett Ballard in his ninth season on the Ichabod bench.

The Ichabods are second in NCAA Division II in scoring margin at plus 25.1 points per game and are ranked third in field goal percentage at 51.4 percent. Washburn leads the nation in rebound margin at plus 12.4.

WU junior Jeremiah Jones is first in the national in total steals with 78 and ranked second in steals per game at 3.12.

Jones needs eight steals to reach 200 for his career and he is ranked fifth in career steals on the active NCAA D-II chart and No. 34 out of all NCAA levels.

Sophomore Dillon Claussen is 10th in the nation in field goal percentage at 62.9.

Senior Brady Christiansen is 10th on the NCAA active D-II chart with 716 career rebounds and he also has moved into the top 50 all-time at Washburn in scoring with 812 career points.

Senior Sam Ungashick has scored 951 collegiate points, with 592 coming at Washburn after transferring from Benedictine after his freshman season.

The Ichabods held Northeastern State 38 points under its season scoring average of 82.9 points per game in Saturday's win.

Bob Hoffman is 128-78 in his seventh season at Central Oklahoma and 647-399 in his 32nd year overall. Hoffman came to UCO from Mercer, where he led the Bears to 209 wins in his 11-year stint there.

He led the Bears to their first-ever NCAA Tournament win in 2014 – a major upset of Duke in the opening round of March Madness. Hoffman is 5-6 against Washburn.

Washburn baseball to open MIAA play at Newman

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University baseball opens MIAA play with a three-game series against Newman in Wichita Friday through Sunday, with the Ichabods looking to bounce back from a 2-5 start to the 2026 campaign.

Washburn baseball opens MIAA play this weekend at Newman, looking to bounce back from a 2-5 start to the 2026 season. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]

The Ichabods will take on the Jets at 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20, 2 p.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m. on Sunday.

Washburn will be looking to get its MIAA season off to a productive start after going 1-2 last week at home in the Steve Anson Classic.

"I know we're young and inexperienced in places and I know we are going to make mistakes, but I think the level of fight and grit wasn't Washburn baseball and that's not how we play,'' Ichabod coach Harley Douglas said.

"I think we got very individually focused and not focusing on what the task was for us as a program and as a team. That was the hardest part is these guys not believing in themselves and there's been no reason for them to not.''

Now the goal is to bounce back against a Newman team that is 2-7 on the season after posting a 10-36 record a year ago.

"I know Newman's probably not having the season that they were hoping to start with, but it's a new coach, a new situation,'' Douglas said. "But every time we play Newman it's a good series.

"They always play tough, they always play hard and we need to be able to go down there and play. Traditionally we've had some good games down there and we need to be able to go out and try to handle our business and put it all together.''

The Ichabods are coming off a fourth straight winning season in 2025, going 28-25 overall and 18-18 ins the MIAA. Washburn finished seventh in the regular season and won two games in the MIAA Tournament before falling in the semifinal round.

Washburn was picked to finish fifth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll for a second straight year.

Washburn is scoring 6.14 runs per game on the year while opponents are scoring 7.29 runs per game.

At the plate the Ichabods are hitting .217 with a .380 on base percentage and a .327 slugging percentage. Washburn has tallied three home runs with 47 total walks.

The WU pitching staff has a 5.88 earned run average with 57 strikeouts across 59.2 innings. The Ichabods have allowed 69 hits and issued 29 walks.

Washburn has a .962 fielding percentage as a team with 10 errors and three turned double plays.

Ian Luce and Jarrett Herrmann both have four-game hitting streaks entering the weekend while Luce, who is hitting .333, has reached base in all seven Ichabod games with three multi-hit games.

Herrmann has played in five games, making four starts, and is hitting a team-high .357.

Seaman product Maclane Finley has thrown a team-high 11.0 innings in his two starts. He has a 4.09 ERA with six strikeouts and a .211 opponent batting average. He is 0-1 on the year with a 1.18 WHIP. He is 13th in the MIAA in hits allowed per nine innings.

Kai Bennett has a pair of starts this year, throwing 10.0 innings. He has a .200 opponents batting average with a 2.70 ERA. The Liberty, Mo. native has struck out eight this season while going 0-1. He ranks 9th in the MIAA in hits allowed per nine innings.

Caleb Lunnon has made two starts for the Ichabods throwing 10.1 innings on the year. He has a team-high nine strikeouts with a 2.61 ERA for a 1-0 record.

Douglas enters his 12th season as Washburn's coach and carries an all-time record of 286-247 with seven appearances in the MIAA Tournament. He led the program to its first-ever NCAA Tournament in 2022.

After 15-game road stretch 13-2 Ichabod softball home for Washburn Inv.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The Washburn University softball team, off to its best start since 2003, is finally at home, hosting the Washburn Invitational and playing six games Friday through Sunday at Gahnstrom Field.

Sophomore Makenzie Sais has helped lead Washburn softball to a 13-2 record in 2026, leading the nation with 31 stolen bases and ranking fifth with 23 hits. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics.]

The 13-2 start by the Ichabods this season is the best since starting the 2003 season 17-3 en route to a 34-win season.

Overall, the Ichabods have won their last six games after going 5-0 at the Cherokee Classic with three shutout wins.

Brenda Holaday is four wins away from reaching 300 as the Ichabods' head coach in her 10th season at Washburn. The winninest coach in school history, Holaday is 296-172 overall entering the weekend.

Thrilled with the Ichabods' start to the 2026 season, Holaday and the Ichabods will be looking to continue to grow on the confidence they've built moving forward.

"In 15 games we've played one bad game and one bad half inning, and that's kind of the way you have to look at it,'' Holaday said. "I think this group is more mature, more resilient, and I think they're more confident because they've put the work in.

"So their ability to bounce back when they individually have a bad outing or as a team we have a bad outing, we're just a more mature team and I think that comes from the work. You build a lot of confidence in this game with the extra work. That sounds a little cliche, but that's really the difference in this team.''

The Ichabods, 27-3 all-time in their home invitational, will open its weekend with a 2 p.m. Friday game against Montana State, followed by a 4 o'clock contest against Wayne State.

On Saturday Washburn will take on Minnesota State at 2 p.m. and Drury at 6 o'clock before closing out the weekend on Sunday with a 12 p.m. game against Minnesota-Crookston and a 4 p.m. game against Lincoln.

"I know they're excited to play in front of their fans, even thought it's going to be a little chilly out,'' Holaday said.

Washburn sophomore Makenzie Sais leads the nation with 31 stolen bases, 15 ahead of the No. 2-ranked player on the chart. Sais' 31 stolen bases are two shy of tying the Ichabod single-season record only 15 games into the season.

The Washburn single-season record has stood since 1999 when Torrie Beauchamp went 33 of 37 in stolen base attempts. Sais is currently tied for second on the single-season chart with Samantha Stallbaumer, who stole 31 bases in 2018 and 2019.

As a team the Ichabods are ranked second in the NCAA with 44 total stolen bases, behind Missouri Southern's 49.

Sais is also fifth in the nation in hits with 23 and 12th in runs scored with 16.

Washburn's Dalaney Anderson ranks fourth in the NCAA ranks and tied for the MIAA lead with 21 runs batted in and her four home runs are 16th in the national stats.

Pitcher Kierra Goos leads the nation in starts with eight and senior Sadie Walker is 16th with six starts.

Senior pitcher Sadie Walker ranks among the national leaders in multiple categories for the 13-2 Ichabods. [File photo/TSN]

Walker is fourth nationally in innings pitched (45.6), fifth in appearances (10), first in shutouts (3), ninth in strikeouts (45) and second in wins (7).

In the NCAA team rankings the Ichabods are fourth in doubles with 31, 11th in fielding percentage (.982), 11th in hits (130), eighth in RBI (92), fourth in shutouts (4) and third in walks (65).

Washburn women ride defense to 63-48 MIAA win over Bronchos

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University women's basketball picked up its eighth win in its last 10 tries and third in a row on Thursday evening with a 63-48 road win at Central Oklahoma.

Senior Yibari Nwidadah led a balanced attack with 14 points as Washburn improved to 18-7 with a 63-48 MIAA win at Central Oklahoma Thursday. [File photo/TSN]

The Ichabods play on the road for the final time in the regular season at Rogers State on Saturday with a 1 p.m. tipoff.

After a quick start by the Bronchos (9-16 overall, 4-12 MIAA) that saw them in front 8-7, Washburn (18-7, 11-5) took control in the last five minutes of the opening quarter.

The Ichabods finished the quarter on a 7-2 run to take an 18-12 lead at the end of the quarter while shooting 58.3 percent.

A pair of quick buckets by sophomore Brooke Gomez and senior Yibari Nwidadah pushed the Washburn lead to double figures at the 8:23 mark of the second quarter and forced a timeout by Central Oklahoma.

Scoring was scarce for both teams in the quarter after the opening minutes, as the Ichabods held the home squad to 3-11 shooting in the frame. The Ichabods led by as many as 12 points and went into the break leading 31-22.

The Bronchos came out of halftime firing, cutting the lead down to four at 34-30 with 5:12 remaining in the third.

Washburn responded with five points in a row, all from junior Britany Kogbara, and a jumper by Kellyn Hunter pushed the lead back to double figures and Washburn went into the fourth quarter leading 45-35.

Nwidadah got a pair of buckets early in the fourth stanza but the Bronchos cut away at the lead chipping it down to seven.

This time the Ichabods responded with a 10-0 run, capped off by 3-pointers from freshman Kennadi Jackson and senior Gabi Giovannetti, giving WU its largest lead of the game with 4:48 to go. The lead never dipped below 13 points from that point as Washburn closed out the 15-point win.

No. 3 Ichabods clinch MIAA regular-season title with 82-58 win over UCO

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The No. 3-ranked Washburn Ichabods clinched their 12th MIAA regular-season title and second straight with a dominant road performance Thursday night, rolling past Central Oklahoma, 82-58.

Washburn junior Jack Bachelor scored 19 points for the Ichabods in Thursday's 82-58 win over UCO while adding nine assists, four steals and hitting 5 of 8 3-point attempts.

Washburn will play its final regular-season road game at Rogers State on Saturday at 3 p.m.

The Ichabods, who improved to 25-1 overall and 15-1 in the MIAA, set the tone early and never trailed, building a commanding 51-30 halftime advantage while shooting 49 percent from the field (19 of 37), including a blistering 53 percent from 3-point range (9 of 17) in the opening 20 minutes while holding the Bronchos to 9 of 25 shooting at 36 percent.

Washburn's defense clamped down on the Bronchos from behind the 3-point line in the second half, holding UCO to 1 of 13 shooting and just 12 of 36 overall.

Midway through the second half, UCO did cut the Ichabod lead to 14 at 62-48, but Washburn responded with a 20-4 run to slam the door, building its lead to as many as 30 with 95 seconds to play.

The Ichabods picked up their first win at UCO since Jan. 14, 2017, snapping a five-game losing streak in Edmond.

Junior Jack Bachelor scored a team-high 19 points for the Ichabods, 16 in the opening half, while adding nine assists and four steals and hitting 5 of 8 3-point attempts.

Sophomore Marcus Glock added 14 points off the bench, going 4 of 6 from deep, while sophomore Dillon Claussen scored 13 points in 17 minutes and senior Brady Christiansen scored 12 with seven rebounds.

Former T-Bird Taylor Brees makes immediate impact for 13-2 Ichabod softball

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

After spending their whole lives growing up in one town, a lot of high school athletes have their hearts set on getting away and seeing somewhere new when it comes time to pick a college.

Taylor Brees

Former Shawnee Heights multi-sport standout Taylor Brees was one of those student-athletes, but after a lot of thinking, Brees decided she wasn't going anywhere, a decision that has paid immediate dividends for both Brees and Brenda Holaday's 13-2 Washburn University softball team.

"I didn't want to stay here and Washburn actually never even crossed my mind,'' Brees said. "I was looking at St. Louis University and I was pretty heavily leaning on that. And then I just got a random text one day from Holaday and she wanted me to come on a visit.

"I was like, 'Oh yeah, I'll go but I'm not really thinking that's where I'll end up,' because I was so heavy on SLU (an NCAA Division I school) at that point. Then I came and I was like, 'Oh, this is not what I thought it was.' I was pleasantly surprised and I ended up deciding that this was probably my best fit.''

Brees was told that she would have an opportunity to play this spring as a freshman for the Ichabods, which helped cement her decision.

"That was a big thing that went into my decision was that (coach Holaday) basically told me that I could have an almost immediate impact whereas SLU, they were kind of a little bit more wishy washy about that,'' Brees said. "And Washburn also has such great facilities, so it was kind of a combination of those things.''

The 5-foot-3 Brees knew she had to earn her way into the Washburn lineup and went about doing that over the fall and winter while also making the position switch from second base to right field.

"I was really nervous that first game and, honestly, all fall and winter I wasn't really sure that I would be starting,'' she said. "I was kind of like on the bubble there, like that 10th man in softball terms. But the day before we were leaving for Texas, they put me in lineup. So I kind of only had a day before I knew.

"That first game I was really nervous and when I heard my name in the lineup I was like, 'Oh my gosh, this is really happening.' But I went up there and I got a hit my first at bat and after that hit I was like, 'OK, you're fine, you can do this.' ''

Holaday, a former state-champion coach at Washburn Rural and the winningest coach in Washburn softball history, said Brees has taken advantage of every opportunity she's been given.

"She absolutely has,'' Holaday said. "To be a freshman and come into a program with a lot of established kids that should be tabbed for certain starting positions and all the transition that goes into playing at the college level and being a college student and moving away from home, the transition and the changes that she's made are a credit to her.

"She's extremely, extremely coachable, so when we saw what her bat was giving us in the fall and we had Dalaney Anderson at second we decided we would try to convert her to an outfielder. She loves second base and if she had her way she'd be at second base, but she loves playing more, so she started working at the outfield.''

A1 Lock & Key Performers Feb. 16, 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Emme Blanco

EMME BLANCO, Washburn Rural

Blanco, a senior girls wrestling standout, captured the 145-pound championship in Saturday's Class 6A West regional at Wichita South, improving to 37-3 on the season. After receiving a first-round bye, Blanco posted 32-second, 1:13 and 5:35 wins by fall, including a third-period pin over Garden City freshman Aria Cordes in the title match.

Jack Donovan

JACK DONOVAN, Rossville

A senior basketball standout, Donovan scored a total of 61 points in two Rossville wins on the week as the Bulldawgs improved to 12-6 on the season. Donovan scored 21 points in Tuesday's 75-43 Big East League win over Royal Valley and then scored a career-high 40 points, with six 3-pointers and a 4 of 4 performance at the free throw line in Friday's 95-48 non-league victory over Abilene.

Cianna Graves

CIANNA GRAVES, Shawnee Heights

Graves, a senior girls wrestling star, won the 155-pound championship in Saturday's Class 5A East wrestling regional at Bonner Springs as Shawnee Heights finished second as a team and qualified all 14 of its competitors for state. Now 31-2 on the season, Graves received a first-round bye and then went 3-0 with 1:35 and 1:56 pins and a 5-1 decision over Bonner Springs senior Addison Vogel.

Ichabod softball 13-2 on the season after perfect 5-0 weekend

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University softball controlled every facet of the game in a 6–0 shutout of Southeastern Oklahoma Sunday, using a second-inning surge and a complete-game pitching gem from senior Sadie Walker to earn their 13th win of the season with their sixth win in a row.

Senior pitcher Sadie Walker helped Washburn softball close out a perfect 5-0 weekend with a 6-0 Sunday win over Southeastern Oklahoma. [File photo/TSN]

Walker was in command from the first pitch, tossing seven scoreless innings while allowing just five hits, striking out six, and walking only one.

Walker faced 28 batters, just one over the minimum, as the Ichabods wrapped up a perfect 5-0 weekend at the Cherokee Classic in Tahlequah, Okla.

Washburn's offense erupted in the second inning, transforming a scoreless contest into a commanding lead for the 13-2 Ichabods.

The inning began with Erin Boles singling to left, followed by a walk to Maddie McGee. Makenzie Saisworked another walk to load the bases with none out.

That set the stage for freshman Taylor Brees, a former Shawnee Heights standout, slashing a two-run double, bringing home McGee and Boles while advancing Sais to third.

Moments later, after a strikeout, Madi Moore continued the barrage with a two-run double of her own, scoring both Brees and Sais to stretch the lead to 4-0.

With two outs, Seaman product Aspen Burgardt delivered the biggest swing of the inning -- a towering two-run home run that brought home Moore and capped the six-run outburst. The Ichabods totaled four hits, drew three walks, and sent 10 hitters to the plate in the inning.

Sais singled again in the sixth inning, later stealing both second and third base -- giving her four stolen bases in the game after swiping two in the first inning.

Sunday's win followed a pair of Washburn win on Saturday -- a 7-3 win over Harding and a 3-1 win over Southwestern Oklahoma.

Washburn women's basketball back in Lee Arena to host Arkansas-Fort Smith

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

After playing seven of their previous nine games on the road, Washburn University women's basketball returns home to Lee Arena Thursday as the Ichabods host Arkansas-Fort Smith in a 5:30 p.m. MIAA contest.

Senior star Yibari Nwidadah and the 15-7 Washburn women will be back in Lee Arena to host Arkansas-Fort Smith Thursday night. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn is 15-7 overall and 8-5 in the MIAA after a 64-58 Saturday loss at Central Missouri State while Arkansas-Fort Smith is 4-18 overall and 3-10 in the MIAA after falling 73-68 at home to No. 8-ranked Fort Hays State.

"We're just happy to be home again,'' Washburn coach Lora Westling said. "And this team certainly has our attention and our respect.

"They're much better than their record says. You look at their wins, they beat Drury, they beat Missouri Southern. They almost beat Hays and they beat Kearney, so they're pretty good.''

Ichabod senior star Yibari Nwidadah said the key for Washburn is to be prepared to get back on track Thursday after last Saturday's loss.

"Obviously we know we need to get better and we started on Monday preparing ourselves for another tough game,'' Nwidadah said. "Obviously, in this conference everyone can play with anyone and we know that the way we prepare in the beginning of the week will put us in the best position we can be for Thursday and Saturday.''

Nwidadah averages team-highs of 12.1 points 7.6 rebounds for Washburn while also shooting 55.5 percent from the floor. She has cracked double figures in 13 games with five double-doubles and ranks second in the MIAA in offensive rebounds per game and eighth among conference players in rebounds per game.

With 286 career offensive rebounds Nwidadah ranks third in program history and is fifth in overall rebounds with 783 career boards. Her career field goal percentage of .575 is the third best in program history and she ranks 13th among all Ichabods with 1,247 career points.

Nwidadah is also 11th in program history with 69 career blocked shots.

With the end of her college career on the horizon, Nwidadah said she wants to make sure she ends things with a bang.

"Obviously, it's getting closer and closer each day, but I just want to embrace every moment because I don't want to look back and be like, 'Oh man, I wish I could have done this or could have done that,' '' she said. "I just want to make sure I enjoy the time I have left.''

Senior Payton Sterk averages 11.2 points for the Ichabods and has connected on a team-high 33 3-pointers and has scored 14-plus points in nine games this season. Sterk ranks 13th in the MIAA in 3-pointers.

Sterk's career free throw percentage of 86.3 percent is the best for any Ichabod.

Ichabod softball to put 8-2 record on the line in Oklahoma tourney

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Brenda Holaday's 8-2 Washburn softball team will compete this weekend in Tahlequah, Okla. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn, which went 4-1 last weekend in the Alvy Early Memorial Classic in Arkansas, will face Oklahoma Baptist, East Central, Harding, Southwestern Oklahoma State and Southeastern Oklahoma State this weekend.

WU's Dalaney Anderson is second in the nation in runs batted in with 17 while Makenzie Sais leads the nation in stolen bases with 19 and she is ranked third in stolen bases per game at 1.90. Sais stole four bases against William Jewell.

As a team the Ichabods are fifth in the nation in stolen bases with 29 and sixth in total runs with 76. Washburn is also seventh in RBI with 68, 10th in doubles with 17, 11th in hits with 94 and 15th in fielding percentage at .980.

A dominant five-run sixth inning propelled Washburn to a 7–5 comeback victory over Truman State on Sunday morning in its final game at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic.

Trailing 5–2 heading into the bottom of the sixth, Washburn's offense erupted.

Erin Boles opened the surge with an RBI single, plating Ashley Gaughan to make it 5–3. Two batters later, Anderson delivered a three-run home run to left field that put the Ichabods ahead, 6–5.

The inning continued with a double from Seaman product Aspen Burgardt, followed by an RBI single from Madi Moore to account for the final margin.

In addition to Anderson's three RBI on her go-ahead home run, Boles, Shawnee Heights product Taylor Brees, Moore and Maddie McGee each contributed an RBI as Washburn totaled 10 hits.

A freshman, Brees had an RBI double in the fourth inning as part of a two-hit performance.

Jenna Sprague was outsanding in relief in the pitching circle to pick up her first win of the season.

Entering in the fourth inning, Sprague tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits.

Washburn baseball set to host Steve Anson Classic this weekend

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University baseball opens its home schedule with three games Friday through Sunday at the Steve Anson Classic against the University of Sioux Falls and Metropolitan State Denver, starting at 2 p.m. on Friday.

Washburn's home stadium was named Steve Anson Stadium last season and this weekend's event is the first tournament named in the honor of the Ichabods' longtime head coach, who passed away in 2014.

"We've spent a long time trying to get this put together,'' said Washburn coach Harley Douglas, who was an assistant under Anson. "It wasn't going to work out very well to have a tournament where you're playing at a field that wasn't named after him.

"But now that you have a setup where it's named after him and it's there, we got it put together pretty quick. And in the future I want it to be a premier tournament that you're going to see awesome baseball the while entire time, just like coach always wanted to have and he always tried to bring in the right teams to do that. It's huge for us.''

The Ichabods begin the tournament against Sioux Falls at 2 p.m. on Friday before facing No. 23-ranked MSU Denver at 1 p.m. on Saturday and finishing off the tournament against Sioux Falls again at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Emporia State will also take part in this weekend's tournament.

There is no gate fee for games.

Washburn began the season 1-3 on the year after playing four road games in South Florida. The Ichabods finished the trip with a 6-0 loss to to Barry on Monday.

Douglas said he saw some good things in the Ichabods' Florida performance while also seeing plenty of things that need work.

"I thought this last weekend would be kind of a testament of our identity, kind of where we were going to be, what we were going to be like,'' Douglas said. "I thought we did a good job of coming out and competing and if you look at it, every game was tight and where it needed to be besides the last one when we didn't hit well.

"I think we had some good stuff come out of it.''

The Ichabods are coming off a fourth straight winning season in 2025, going 28-25 overall and 18-18 inside the MIAA. Washburn finished seveth in the regular season and won two games in the MIAA Tournament before falling in the semifinal round.

The Ichabods were picked to finish fifth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll for a second straight year.

Washburn is scoring 7.5 runs per game on the year while opponents are scoring 9.0 runs per game.

At the plate the Ichabods are hitting .209 with a .394 on base percentage and a .333 slugging percentage. Washburn has tallied three home runs with 31 total walks, including a program-record 17 against Palm Beach Atlantic.

The WU pitching staff has a 7.99 earned run average with 30 strikeouts across 32.2 innings. The Ichabods have allowed 50 hits and issued 16 walks.

Washburn has a .966 fielding percentage as a team with five errors and has not turned a double play.

On the basepaths the Ichabods have gone 3-6 in stolen base attempts while opponents have gone 5-7.

Washburn returned 19 players from the 2025 roster.

Trenton Barry and Jarrett Herrmann have the highest hitting streak entering the weekend at two games while Levi Risenhoover had the longest hitting streak of the year at three games and he leads the team with two home runs and six RBI.

Owen Laessig, Ian Luce and Chase Littrell have all reached base in all four games this season.

Right-handed hitters are hitting more than .100 points worse than left-handed hitters when facing the Ichabods.

Washburn is outscoring opponents 21-14 over the final two innings of games.

Seaman product Maclane Finley has pitched a team-high 6.0 innings in his one start. He has a 1.50 ERA with a pair of strikeouts and a 1.33 WHIP. He is 10th in the MIAA in ERA.

Kai Bennett has made one appearance this year, throwing 5.0 innings. He has allowed just one run for a 1.80 ERA and has three strikeouts with a WHIP of just .80. He is third in the MIAA in hits allowed per nine innings while ranking seventh in the conference in WHIP.

Seaman product Gavin Wilhelm is 1-0 on the year, throwing a scoreless inning in his only appearance with a strikeout.

Doulas enters his 12th season at the helm of the Washburn baseball program in 2025.

In 11 full seasons, Douglas carries an all-time record of 285-245 with seven appearances in the MIAA Tournament and led the program to its first-ever NCAA Tournament in 2022.

Washburn women ride 3-point barrage to 85-70 win over Arkansas-Fort Smith

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University women's basketball returned to Lee Arena Thursday for only the third time over its past 10 games and took full advantage of the opportunity, draining a season-high 13 3-pointers on the way to an 85-70 MIAA win over Arkansas-Fort Smith.

Washburn senior Payton Sterk scored a game-high 23 points in Thursday's 85-70 MIAA win over Arkansas-Fort Smith. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Washburn senior Aniah Wayne (24) is congratulated by her teammates after draining one of her six 3-pointers in Thursday's 85-70 MIAA win over Arkansas-Fort Smith. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

The underdog Lions stayed within striking distance for most of the night before Washburn stretched out its lead down the stretch, improving to 16-7 overall and 9-5 in the MIAA while Arkansas-Fort Smith dropped to 4-19, 3-11.

"I know what everybody else saw in their record,'' Washburn coach Lora Westling said. "We knew they were a much better team than that and they can score and move and defend. So we had to settle in and wear them out a little bit and I think we stayed consistent enough.

"We turned it over too many times on some unforced things, but I was really proud of our resiliency and then we saw some shots go in.''

After Washburn scored the first six points of the game the next 12 came from the Lions.

Washburn answered right back, scoring 10 in a row after senior Aniah Wayne knocked down a fast break 3-pointer. It was the first of four 3-pointers for Wayne inside the final five minutes of the quarter as she helped the Ichabods build a 25-21 advantage.

AniahWayne2026FS 2 Senior Aniah Wayne hit six of nine 3-pointers Thursday in Washburn's 85-70 MIAA win over Arkansas-Fort Smith. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Wayne, who tied her career-high with 19 points while hitting 6 of 9 shots from 3-point range, said she had an inkling before the game that Thursday was going to be a good night.

"I think I felt it during warmups,'' Wayne said. "I have a consistent little shot routine before games, so getting shots up and seeing them go in helped me build my confidence going into the game.''

Despite fighting foul trouble, the Ichabods continued to churn offensively, shooting 46.2 percent in the second quarter with three more connections from deep.

Arkansas-Fort Smith kept pace, staying within four before going in front 38-36 with 1:45 remaining in the half, using a 6-0 run.

Washburn scored the final six points on triples from Wayne and senior Payton Sterk to lead 42-38 going into halftime.

Both teams continued to trade baskets out of the break, but Wayne provided some breathing room for the Ichabods, pushing the lead to four with 4:55 left in the third when she hit another 3-pointer.

The Ichabods then got stingy on the defensive end, holding the Lions without a basket for the final 4:44 of the third quarter. Washburn finished the stanza on a 6-0 run to lead 58-49.

Senior Gabi Giovannetti scored the first five points of the fourth quarter for Washburn, pushing the lead into double figures.

The Ichabod offense kept the lead there, shooting 68.8 percent for the quarter to score 27 points in the frame. The Ichabods led by as many as 18 points after Kellyn Hunter scored with 2:34 left as the Ichabods eased into the 15-point win.

Both teams shot an even 50.0 percent from the field in the game, but the Ichabods took 18 more shots than Arkansas-Fort Smith while also going 13-25 from 3-point range to create their advantage.

Washburn had a narrow 31-28 lead on the glass but won the turnover battle 22-15, leading to 27 points off turnovers while the Lions had just 11. Paint scoring also went in favor of the Ichabods, 34-24.

Sterk led the way with 23 points on 7-15 shooting, turning in her second straight big night against the Lions after burning Arkansas-Fort Smith for 33 points last season.

"That's crazy,'' Sterk said. "I don't know what it is. I must just play good against them.

"I think us guards had been struggling a little bit shooting-wise in past games, so that was a good part of today and Aniah killed it. She was just hot, but it was all good.''

No. 3-ranked Ichabods bounce back from first loss with 81-53 win over No. 25 Lions

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The No. 3-ranked Washburn Ichabods bounced back from their first loss of the season Thursday night in Lee Arena, pulling away in the second half to rout No. 25-ranked Arkansas-Fort Smith, 81-53.

Junior Jack Bachelor scored a game-high 16 points in Washburn's 81-53 MIAA win over Arkansas-Fort Smith Thursday night. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Washburn improved to 23-1 overall and 13-1 in the MIAA while Arkansas-Fort Smith fell to 18-5, 9-5.

Washburn trailed 31-30 at halftime after shooting just 37.5 percent in the opening half, but took control after the break, outscoring the Lions 51-22.

"The first 10 minutes of the game we were stagnant,'' Washburn coach Brett Ballard said. "And then we finally got them moving and I did think we did a good job of sharing it (22 assists on 29 field goals).

"We got some transition, which was good and converted in transition, and then we were able to execute some stuff in the halfcourt and kind of got them chasing and played a little stronger as the game went along.''

The Ichabods opened the second half on an 11-2 surge to build a 41-33 lead and never let the margin dip below six the rest of the way.

A 10-0 run midway through the half stretched the Washburn advantage into double figures and a later 13-3 burst pushed the Ichabods' lead past 20.

The Ichabods shot 55.9 percent in the second half (19 of 34) and 46.8 percent for the game, compared to 34.4 percent shooting by the Lions, including nine of 29 shooting in the second half (31 percent).

Washburn also heated up from deep, finishing 11 of 32 from 3-point range (34.4 percent), while holding the Lions to six of 25 (24.0 percent), including three of 14 in the second half.

Washburn rode balanced scoring to the win as junior Jack Bachelor's 16 points led the way for the Ichabods.

Bachelor, who was battling through illness, hit four of six 3-point attempts, went five of nine overall and connected on both of his free throw attempts.

"I've got some kind of bug or something,'' Bachelor said. "Luckily, my mom (Angie) is a nurse so I can just call her and feel like a little baby again and she kind of takes care of me. I'm feeling better now and I'll be good by Saturday.''

And Bachelor played a lot better against the Lions than he felt.

"My teammates were finding me tonight and the shot felt good,'' Bachelor said. "We just played a really good second half as a team and got back to what we were about after that loss Saturday and that was good. I'm just really proud of the guys and our togetherness as a team.''

Senior Bryson Smith scored 15 points Thursday night as Washburn improved to 23-1 with an 81-53 win over No. 25 Arkansas-Fort Smith. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Junior Jeremiah Jones (22) and Washburn outscored Arkansas-Fort Smith 51-22 in the second half Thursday on the way to an 81-53 MIAA win. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Senior Bryson Smith added 15 points and four assists and junior Jeremiah Jones scored 14 points while sophomore Dillon Claussen had eight points, seven rebounds, six assists and three blocks.

"Coach just told us (at halftime) that we have to come out here and play with an edge,'' Jones said. "This was a good team and every game's going to be hard every night and we had to turn up the pressure and get some stops.''

Smith said the Ichabods would rather take control of games from the outset, but he said the team also knows it's capable of coming from behind to get the job done.

"We don't want to do that all the time,'' Smith said. "Coach always preaches to come out and set the tone and I think in these next couple of games we're going to find a way to come out and set the tone, but this whole year we've shown that we're a second-half team, one of the best second-half teams in the country.

"So we knew we were going to come out in the second half and be ready to go.''

Washburn women pull away down the stretch for 72-64 win over Northeastern

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

A second-half surge, spearheaded by senior Gabi Giovannetti and junior Britany Kogbara, gave Washburn University's women's basketball team a 72-64 MIAA win at Lee Arena on Saturday afternoon in front of a Pink Out crowd.

In a game that included 22 lead changes and 12 ties, Washburn, now 17-7 overall and 10-5 in the MIAA, played its best down the stretch, with the Ichabods' final eight-point margin its biggest of the day.

Senior Gabi Giovannetti scored a game-high 17 points to lead Washburn in a 72-64 MIAA win over Northeastern State Saturday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

"I was real proud of our second-half effort,'' said Washburn coach Lora Westling, whose Ichabods are now within one win of equaling their win total from 2024-2025 with a minimum of five games remaining. "I think we got on our heels a little bit in the first half. Credit to Northeastern, they're a tough team and they played well.

"But I thought we just had really good leadership in the second half, particularly from Gabi Giovannetti and Britany Kogbara. I was really proud of their resiliency.''

WU and Northeastern State traded baskets throughout the first quarter, with multiple ties and lead changes before a 3-pointer by senior Aniah Wayne inside the final minute producing a 15-15 deadlock heading into the second period.

Washburn created some separation with a five-point lead after senior Payton Sterk hit a trey to make it 22-17.

But the RiverHawks (16-8, 8-7) battled back, scoring 10 of the next 14 points to go in front 27-26 at the four-minute mark of the second quarter. This time a 3-pointer in the final minute by Northeastern State put it ahead 36-33 at the half.

Out of the break the RiverHawks pushed the lead to its game-high five in the opening minutes. The Ichabods were able to tighten up defensively, allowing them to go on a 5-0 run and tie the game at 44. Both teams shot under 30.0 percent in the quarter and it was a pair of free throws by Sterk in the final second of the quarter that gave Washburn a 50-49 lead at the start of the fourth.

Northeastern State continued to answer back, taking the lead three times in the first five minutes of the fourth. But a fastbreak and-one layup by sophomore Brooke Gomez with 3:04 left would put the Ichabods in front for good.

"Once you stack defensive stops and then good possessions on offense, then there's no stopping us from there,'' said Giovannetti, who led all scorers with 17 points. "I thought Britany had a very good end of the game and second half. She was really dominant down there.''

The Ichabods finished the game shooting 44.4 percent overall and 4-13 from deep while going 20-27 at the free throw line. Northeastern State shot 42.6 percent from the floor while going 5-17 from deep and were efficient in limited trips at the line shooting (13-16).

The rebounding battle was won 35-26 by Washburn and points in the paint also went in favor of the home team, 40-24.

Giovannetti led five players in double figures for the Ichabods.

Washburn junior Britany Kogbara narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds in a 72-64 MIAA win over Northeastern State Saturday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Kogbara added 11 points with nine rebounds and a pair of blocked shots while Sterk had 11 with five assists. Wayne and Gomez both scored 10 points for the Ichabods.

Kogbara has been a valuable reserve all season for the Ichabods in her first year in the program, but was in the game in crunch time Saturday and was huge down the stretch.

"That just shows the amount of trust that coach has in me,'' Kogbara said. "I know that she puts me out there for a reason and I'm just going to go out there and execute what she believes that I have.''

Smith faces off with former team, helps No. 3-ranked Ichabods rout RiverHawks, 78-54

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

When Washburn University men's basketball last faced Northeastern State on Feb. 15, 2025, Bryson Smith scored 10 points with 11 assists and three steals as the RiverHawks upset the Ichabods 88-84 in Tahlequah, Okla.

Senior Bryson Smith scored 11 points with five assists and four steals in Saturday's 78-54 Washburn win over Northeastern State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Saturday in Lee Arena was deja vu, with one very big twist, as Smith, who transferred to Washburn over the offseason, helped the No. 3-ranked Ichabods post a 78-54 romp past Northeastern.

"I was looking forward to it for sure, playing against my old team and I know a lot of guys on the team,'' said Smith, a 6-foot-2 senior guard. "Coming in, I was just locked in this whole week.''

Smith scored 11 points with five assists and four steals as Washburn improved to 24-1 and 14-1 in the MIAA with its 27th consecutive home victory.

"I started off well in the game but I did some undisciplined stuff, probably just because I was amped up,'' Smith said. "I had a couple of early fouls that took me out of the game, but I was excited and I'm glad we got the dub.''

Washburn trailed just once in the game, at 3-0, and took control by halftime, leading by as many as 19 points on the way to a 41-27 advantage.

After the RiverHawks' early trey Washburn flipped the script with an 11-0 burst.

Washburn shot a blistering 63 percent in the opening half and scored 28 points in the paint over the first 20 minutes while forcing 16 Northeastern State turnovers.

The Ichabods pushed the margin to 20 early in the second half behind back-to-back baskets from senior Brady Christiansen and Smith and went on to lead of as many as 29 late in the game.

"I thought it was kind of a sloppy, ugly game,'' Washburn coach Brett Ballard said. "A lot of turnovers for both teams. I thought we did a great job of turning them over, especially early, and created some transition for us and allowed us to get out to a good lead.

"I did think we came out with the right intensity and purpose and kind of built that lead early, which is important.''

Sophomore Dillon Claussen led Washburn with 14 points and also grabbed six rebounds and blocked three shots in Saturday's 78-54 win over Northeastern State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Sophomore Dillon Claussen led a balanced Washburn attack with 14 points on 5 of 7 shooting while adding six rebounds and three blocks.

In addition to Smith, Christiansen also scored 11 points on 5 of 7 shooting and junior Jack Bachelor added 10 points, knocking down all four of his free throws.

Junior Jeremiah Jones anchored the glass with five rebounds to go with six points, five assists and two steals while sophomore Tyson Ruud scored 10 of Washburn's 26 bench points and added six boards.

Washburn finished the game shooting 55.6 percent (30 of 54) from the floor while scoring 48 points in the paint and turning 24 Northeastern State turnovers into 12 points.

The Ichabods also held a 38-28 rebounding edge and led for more than 39 minutes.

The Ichabods held the RiverHawks 38 points under their season scoring average of 82.9 points per game.

Washburn will go on its final road trip of the regular season with games at Central Oklahoma next Thursday and Rogers State next Saturday before wrapping up the last week of the regular season hosting Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern.

The Ichabods hold a three-game lead in the MIAA standings with four conference games to go.

WASHBURN 78, NORTHEASTERN STATE 54

Northeastern State 27 27 -- 54

Washburn 41 37 -- 78

Northeastern State (12-12, 5-10) -- Neilson 0-4 0-0 0, Weber 4-11 1-5 9, Reed Jr. 5-11 1-2 15, Washington 2-9 1-2 5, Tea 2-3 1-1 6, Ross 2-4 0-2 4, Derry 0-0 2-6 2, Vandergarde 5-5 1-1 13, Fuller 0-3 0-0 0, Hardage 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-50 7-19 54.

Washburn (24-1, 14-1) -- Christiansen 5-7 0-3 11, Claussen 5-6 4-7 14, Smith 5-8 1-3 11, Bachelor 3-9 4-4 10, Jones 2-3 0-0 6, Ruud 4-7 2-3 10, Ungashick 2-3 2-2 7, Wilkins 2-4 0-2 4, Cook 1-2 0-0 2, Saams-Hoy 0-3 0-0 0, Lewis 1-1 1-2 3, Cook 1-2 0-0 2, Ballard 0-1 0-0 0, Parker 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-54 14-26 78.

3-point shots -- Northeastern State 7-21 (Reed Jr. 4-7, Vandergarde 2-2, Tea 1-2, Weber 0-4, Fuller 0-3, Washington 0-2, Ross 0-1), Washburn 4-12 (Jones 2-2, Christiansen 1-1, Ungashick 1-2, Bachelor 0-5, Smith 0-1, Ballard 0-1). Rebounds -- Northeastern State 28 (Neilson 8), Washburn 38 (Claussen 6, Ruud 6). Assists -- Northeastern State 9 (Three with 2), Washburn 20 (Smith 5, Jones 5). Turnovers -- Northeastern State 24, Washburn 20. Total fouls -- Northeastern State 22, Washburn 21. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- none. Attendance -- 2,400.

No. 3 Washburn men looking to bounce back from first loss in home tilt with No. 25 Lions

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

With its 22-game winning streak now in the rearview mirror after last Saturday's 74-72 loss at Central Missouri, all of Washburn University's attention is on the future, beginning with the No. 3-ranked Ichabods 7:30 p.m. Thursday matchup with No. 25-ranked Arkansas-Fort Smith in Lee Arena.

JeremiahJones2026ESU2 1 Washburn junior Jeremiah Jones (22) leads the nation in steals entering Thursday night's home MIAA contest with Arkansas-Fort Smith. [File photo/TSN]

"Coach (Brett Ballard) didn't say we needed that (loss), but he said it was good for us as a team and takes the pressure off of us to where we can go out and play free now and not worry about losing and just play hard,'' Ichabod junior Jeremiah Jones said.

"I think that was needed. Obviously the MIAA is very hard and very physical and any team can beat you on any night, so now we just don't want to let one loss become two or let two become three. Coach has really been harping on that and we know that Fort Smith is going to be really tough.''

Ballard said that trying to go undefeated was never something that the Ichabods talked about and said his team just wants to keep improving with postseason rapidly approaching.

"I never really took two thoughts about a team going undefeated,'' Ballard said. "We play the seventh hardest schedule in the country and playing in this league I don't give any thought to that. You just try to win the next one's that in front of you for sure.

"Our focus is just getting better and just trying to go win the next one. The most positive thing for me is we've just had more edge in our practices the last couple of days. I think the guys are hungry to get back on track.''

Washburn is 22-1 and 12-1 in the MIAA while Arkansas-Fort Smith is 18-4 and 9-4 in the MIAA after topping Fort Hays State at home last Saturday, 87-77.

Thursday's game is the only regular-season meeting between the Ichabods and the Lions this season.

The Ichabods have the No. 1-ranked scoring offense in the MIAA at 88.0 points per game while defensively the Ichabods have the No. 2-ranked scoring defense in the conference, allowing 63.0 points a game.

The Lions are averaging 83.6 points and allowing 69.8 points, ranking fourth on both MIAA stat charts.

Washburn has already recorded its 32nd 20-win season in program history and sixth under Ballard in his ninth season on the Ichabod bench.

The Ichabods are second in NCAA Division II in scoring margin at plus 25.0 and are ranked second in field goal percentage at 51.7 percent and second in rebound margin plus 10.9.

Jones leads the nation in total steals with 73 and is ranked third in steals per game at 3.32 per contest. Jones now has 75 steals this season, seven off the Ichabod single-season record of 82 set by Will McNeill in 2012-13. Jones needs two steals to break the junior class record of 76 set in 2012.

Washburn sophomore Dillon Claussen is ninth in the nation in field goal percentage at 63.2 percent while junior Jack Bachelor ranks 22nd nationally in assist to turnover ratio at 2.61 to 1.

Ichabod softball improves to 8-2 with comeback win over Truman State

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

A five-run sixth inning propelled Washburn University softball to a 7–5 comeback victory over Truman State on Sunday in the Alvy Early Memorial Classic in Bentonville, Ark., lifting Washburn to an 8-2 record on the season.

Sophomore Dalaney Anderson hit a three-run home run to power Washburn softball to a 7-5 comeback win over Truman State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]

Trailing 5-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth, Washburn's offense erupted with a game-changing rally.

Erin Boles opened the surge with an RBI single, plating Ashley Gaughan to make it a 5-3 game.

Two batters later, Dalaney Anderson delivered the game's biggest swing, a three-run home run to left field that put the Ichabods ahead 6–5.

The inning continued with a double from Seaman product Aspen Burgardt, followed by an RBI single from Madi Moore to extend the lead to 7–5.

Anderson finished the day with three RBI, all coming on her go-ahead blast.

Boles, Shawnee Heights grad Taylor Brees, Moore, and Maddie McGee all contributed an RBI as Washburn totaled 10 hits.

In the circle, Jenna Sprague was outstanding in relief for the Ichabods.

Entering in the fourth inning, Sprague tossed 32/3 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while keeping Truman off the board to earn her first win of the season.

Truman built an early lead, thanks to a grand slam from Cassie Smith, but after Washburn starter Kierra Goos exited, Sprague steadied Washburn and shut the Bulldogs down the rest of the way.

Washburn's scoring began in the second inning when McGee drove in Danielle Schlader. Brees later added an RBI double in the fourth as part of a two-hit performance.

Washburn returns to action Friday through Sunday in Tahlequah, Okla. at the Cherokee Classic.

Washburn women to close out road swing at Central Missouri

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn women's basketball will be back in action Saturday after a week off, wrapping up its three-game road trip at Central Missouri in a 1 p.m. MIAA contest in Warrensburg, Mo.

Senior Yibari Nwidadah leads 15-6 Washburn in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage entering Saturday's game at Central Missouri. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn is 15-6 overall and 8-4 in the MIAA after a 76-65 road win at Nebraska-Kearney last Saturday while Central Missouri posted a fourth straight win with an 81-69 win over No. 5 Fort Hays State on the road, improving to 16-5 overall and 10-2 in the MIAA.

Senior Yibari Nwidadah leads the Ichabods with team-high averages of 12.5 points and 7.7 rebounds while also shooting 56.3 percent from the floor. She has scored in double figures in 13 games with five double-doubles.

With 286 career offensive rebounds Nwidadah is third in program history and she ranks fifth with 777 career rebounds overall. Her career field goal percentage of .577 is the second best in program history. In scoring she ranks 13th among all Ichabods with 1,242 career points and Nwidadah is also 11th in program history with 69 career blocked shots.

Senior Payton Sterk is averaging 11.5 points and has drilled a team-high 33 3-pointers while scoring 14-plus points in nine games this season. Sterk ranks 11th in the MIAA in 3-pointers.

Sterk currently sits 17th in program history with 95 3-pointers made in just 52 career games with Washburn. Sterk's career free throw percentage of 86.3 percent is the best for any Ichabod.

Senior Gabi Giovannetti scores 10.6 points per game on 42.9 percent shooting and is second on the team with 31 3-pointers. She also leads the Ichabods with 1.8 steals per game.

Giovannetti is seventh in program history with 143 career 3-pointers made.

No. 1-ranked Washburn men face road test at Central Missouri

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The No. 1-ranked Washburn University men's basketball team returns to the court for its first game in a week as the Ichabods travel to Warrensburg, Mo. to face Central Missouri on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Brett Ballard's No. 1-ranked Washburn Ichabods will put their 22-game winning streak on the line Saturday at Central Missouri. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn is 22-0 overall and 12-0 in the MIAA this season, -one of two remaining undefeated teams in NCAA Division II along with Cal State East Bay after topping Nebraska-Kearney 89-67 last Saturday in Kearney.

The Mules are 17-7 this season and 8-4 in the MIAA and have won their last two games, including a 61-49 win at Fort Hays State last Saturday.

Washburn won the first meeting with the Mules 78-72 in double overtime on Dec. 13 in Lee Arena.

The Ichabods have the No. 1-ranked scoring offense in the MIAA, putting up 88.8 points per game.

Defensively, the Ichabods have the No. 2-ranked scoring defense in the MIAA, allowing 62.5 points per game.

The Ichabods are second in NCAA Division II in scoring margin at plus 27.9 points per game and are ranked second in field goal percentage at 51.7 percent and second in rebound margin at plus 11.5.

Washburn has not been out-rebounded in a game this season and has only been tied twice (Lubbock Christian and Emporia State).

Sophomore Dillon Claussen is ninth in the nation in field goal percentage at 63.2 percent and junior Jeremiah Jones leads the nation in total steals with 73 and is ranked third in steals per game at 3.32 per contest.

Claussen scored a career-high 27 points in Washburn's 89-67 win over Nebraska-Kearney last Saturday.

The Ichabods' 22-game winning streak is the longest in the nation, ahead of Cal St. East Bay's 20-game winning streak.

Washburn women's comeback falls short in 64-58 loss at Central Missouri

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn women's basketball fought back late Saturday at Central Missouri, but could not complete the come-from-behind victory, falling 64-58 to the Jennies.

Sophomore Brooke Gomez (1) scored a game and career-high 23 points in Saturday's 64-58 road loss at Central Missouri. [File photo/TSN]

The Ichabods are back in action after three straight road games on Thursday, hosting Arkansas-Fort Smith at 5:30 p.m. in Lee Arena.

The Jennies (17-5 overall, 11-2 MIAA) jumped in front early, leading 11-6. Washburn (15-7, 8-5) battled to tie the game at 14 after a 6-0 run and bucket by Madelyn Amekporfor at the 1:04 mark of the opening quarter. Central Missouri scored the final four points of the quarter to lead 18-14 after one.

A 5-0 run from the home team pushed the lead to double figures with 5:12 to play in the first half. The Jennies offense knocked down four 3-pointers in the second quarter while shooting 50.0 percent overall as the Washburn deficit grew to 37-25 at the half.

Washburn chipped away at the lead in the third quarter, cutting it down to six points at the 5:32 mark after sophomore Brooke Gomez knocked down a 3-pointer, the first and only trey of the game for the Ichabods.

The Jennies' lead was boosted back to double figures at 49-39 after a triple from Central Missouri with 1:09 seconds left in the quarter.

The offense of Washburn got off to a fast start in the fourth quarter, scoring the first six points, with the final four from Gomez to pull within four.

The deficit was cut down to four once more with 6:07 left but the Jennies fired back with five straight points.

Senior Gabi Giovannetti got an old-fashioned 3-point play with 33 seconds left, once again making it a four-point game. But the next two offensive possessions came up empty for the Ichabods, with the Jennies putting the game away at the free throw line.

Washburn narrowly out-shot Central Missouri from the floor, 44.6 percent clip to 44.2. The Ichabods were 1-14 from deep while the home squad went 7-18.

The Jennies led on the boards, 32-30, while Washburn had a 48-28 advantage in paint scoring.

Gomez led all scorers with a career-high 23 points on 11 of 13 shooting.

Reese Schaaf had 18 points to go along with nine rebounds to lead Central Missouri.

Mules halt No. 1 Washburn basketball's 22-game winning streak, 74-72

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The No. 1 Washburn Ichabods had their 22-game winning streak come to an end Saturday, falling 74-72 to Central Missouri on the road in Warrensburg.

Junior Jack Bachelor led Washburn with 18 points in Saturday's 74-72 Ichabod loss at Central Missouri. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn returns to action on Thursday, hosting Arkansas-Fort Smith in Lee Arena at 7:30 p.m.

Washburn (22-1 overall, 12-1 MIAA) erased a double-digit second-half deficit and had an opportunity in the final seconds, but Central Missouri (18-7, 9-4) held on for the two-point win after dropping a double-overtime decision to the Ichabods at WU earlier in the season.

The Ichabods led for much of the first half and built their largest advantage at 16-4 after an early 9-0 run.

Junior Jack Bachelor helped pace the early surge with a pair of threes while sophomore Dillon Claussen and senior Bryson Smith attacked the rim to put Washburn in front.

Central Missouri answered with its perimeter shooting, knocking down nine first-half 3-pointers to flip the momentum.

A late triple in the closing seconds sent the Mules into the break with a 36-34 lead.

UCM pushed the margin to 12 pointsearly in the second half, stretching the lead to 47-35 behind continued outside shooting and second-chance opportunities.

Washburn chipped away midway through the half as Bachelor sparked a rally with a three and a transition layup, and sophomore Marcus Glock tied the game at 67 with a 3-pointer with 3:32 remaining.

Lazerek Houston responded with a three and later a fastbreak layup to give Central Missouri a 72-67 cushion inside the final two minutes.

Glock scored four straight at the free throw line to pull Washburn within 72-69, and after two Mule free throws, senior Sam Ungashick drilled a three with 15 seconds left to make it 74-72.

After a Central Missouri miss at the line on the next possession Washburn could not convert in the closing seconds.

Bachelor led Washburn with 18 points, while Claussen had 13 and Smith and Ungashick each had 10.

The Ichabods shot 43 percent from the field and went 18 of 22 at the free throw line.

Central Missouri shot 51 percent overall and hit 16 3-pointers.

Houston paced the Mules with 31 points, including five 3-pointers, as UCM used a 13-4 edge in second-chance points to offset Washburn's 30-16 advantage in the paint.

Ichabod softball in action this weekend with five games in Bentonville Arkansas

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

After opening its 2026 season with a 4-1 record in last weekend's Lone Star Classic in Mansfield, Texas, Washburn softball team is back on the road for five games at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic in Bentonville, Ark.

Kate Ediger is hitting a team-high .625 for 4-1 Washburn softball with six runs and five RBI. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]

The Ichabods wrapped up its 4-1 start to the season with a pair of Sunday run-rule wins, with Washburn taking an 11-3 win over Lubbock Christian and a 10-2 over Texas A&M-Kingsville, both in five innings.

Senior Kate Ediger leads Washburn with a .625 batting average, stroking 10 hits with two doubles, six runs scored and five runs batted in.

Sophomore Makenzie Sais is hitting .526 with 10 hits, four RBI and 10 stolen bases in 11 attempts.

Maddie McGee, Dalaney Anderson and Aspen Burghart are all hitting .400 or higher.

Junior Kierra Goos has a pitching record of 2-0 with a 1.00 earned run average and 14 strikeouts in 14 innings.

Senior Sadie Walker is also 2-0 with a 2.15 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 13 innings.

On tap this weekend are games against Missouri S&T (11 a.m. Friday), Harding (1:30 p.m. Friday), William Jewell (11:30 a.m. Saturday), Southeastern Oklahoma State (2 p.m. Saturday) and Truman State (11 a.m. Sunday).

Missouri S&T went 3-1 last weekend, including a win over No. 11 Central Oklahoma in a 5-4 victory.

Harding went 2-2 at the Lone Star Classic, with wins over Maryville and Texas Woman's.

William Jewell will be opening its 2026 season this weekend.

Southeastern Oklahoma was 2-3 last weekend at the D2 First Pitch Invitational.

Like William Jewell, Truman State will be opening its season this weekend in Arkansas.

Brenda Holaday is 283-169 in her 10th season as the Ichabod softball coach and is the all-time winningest coach in program history.

Holaday coached 19 seasons at Washburn Rural, compiling a 351-93 (.791) record.

The Ichabods will return to the road next week for five games at the Cherokee Classic in Tahlequah, Okla. before opening up their home slate with the Washburn Invitational, starting Feb. 20 with six home games over the weekend.

Washburn baseball opens 2026 season with four games in Florida

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The 74th season of Washburn Ichabod baseball begins this weekend in Florida with four games in four days.

The Ichabods take on Lynn, Palm Beach Atlantic, Nova Southeastern and Barry.

Senior Jackson Mervosh is a top returner for Washburn, which opens its season this weekend in Florida. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]

Washburn baseball begins the 74th season in program history heading to Florida for four games in four days to open 2026.

The Ichabods begin the season on Friday at 1 p.m. against Lynn University. They take on Palm Beach Atlantic on Saturday at 12 p.m. and Nova Southeastern at 12 p.m. on Sunday. They wrap up the trip against Barry on Monday at 12:30 p.m.

Washburn is coming off a fourth straight winning season in 2025, going 28-25 overall and 18-18 inside the MIAA. They finished seventh in the regular season and won two games in the MIAA Tournament before falling in the semifinal round.

They were picked to finish fifth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll for a second straight year.

Washburn will return 19 players from the 2025 roster with eight of them as seniors, four juniors and seven freshmen.

Washburn had nine players earn All-MIAA honors a season ago and will return a pair of them in 2026.

Jackson Mervosh returns to the Ichabod infield after earning All-MIAA second-team and All-Region honors last season.

As a junior he started in 52 games and played in all 53 hitting .356 with 77 total hits and 10 home runs. He set a program record with 24 doubles. He had eight games with three or more hits.

Jackson Mervosh has the 18th highest batting average in program history at .356. He is tied for 47th among all Ichabods with 24 doubles.

Mervosh led the MIAA and ranked fifth nationally last season with 24 doubles.

Caleb Lunnon returns for his senior season after earning All-MIAA third-team recognition last season.

In his first season with Washburn he appeared in 14 games making 12 starts and tossing 65.0 innings, second most on the team. He finished with a 5-1 record, a team-high in victories, with 51 strikeouts. Lunnon tossed five or more strikeouts in seven outings last season.

Washburn is adding 28 newcomers to the 2026 roster with nine freshmen and 19 transfers joining the team.

The group of transfers features a pair of seniors, 15 juniors, one sophomore and a redshirt freshman.

The transfer group includes Topeka natives Zach Sharshel, Maclane Finley and Scout Jellison, who are all pitchers.

Washburn's 47-man roster consists of players from eight different states. There are 21 players on the roster who are from Kansas.

In the 2026 MIAA Coaches Preseason Poll, the Ichabods were picked fifth, the same place they were picked to finish in the 2025 preseason poll as well.

Central Missouri was picked to repeat as the regular season champion, earning 12 of 13 first-place votes with 144 total points. Pittsburg State and Central Oklahoma are picked to finish second and third respectively.

Harley Douglas enters his 12th season at the helm of the Washburn baseball program.

In eleven full seasons, Douglas carries an all-time record of 284-242 with seven appearances in the MIAA Tournament and led the program to its first-ever NCAA Tournament in 2022.

Griffin Huiatt is tied for fifth in program history with seven career saves and is tied for seventh in Washburn history with 53 career appearances.

Washburn University football announces diverse 34-member 2026 recruiting class

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University football coach Zach Watkins announced a diverse 34-member high school recruiting class on Wednesday, including five city products.

Washburn football coach Zach Watkins announced a 2026 recruiting class on Wednesday that includes 34 high school players and 17 transfers who are already on campus. [File photo/TSN]

"Our staff did a tremendous job of identifying what we needed on the roster and going out and identifying the kids that fit those needs,'' said Watkins, who will be starting his second season as WU's head coach in 2026. "We've been recruiting these guys since February of '25, so to see a full year of recruiting come to fruition and the kids all signed is very satisfying.''

Watkins also confirmed that Washburn, which is coming off a 3-8 campaign, has picked up 17 transfers who are currently enrolled at WU for the spring semester.

"We got hired last year and had a month to recruit,'' Watkins said. "This year we had a year to recruit. We signed 34 high school kids and 17 transfers who are here on campus right now and they started in January. They're the most talented group of transfers we've ever brought in here at Washburn.

"Those transfers provide immediate help and immediate depth and then like I said from Day 1 when we got hired as a staff, we're going to be a high school-based recruiting program. We're going to recuit Topeka, we're going to recruit Kansas, the Midwest and branch out from there and the 34 kids we signed really filled the needs we have and the depth we needed to create, we got that done in this class.''

Washburn Rural's Jordy Heim (6-foot-1, 220 pounds) and John Hoytal (6-3, 200) signed on Wednesday along with Hayden's Kade Mitchell (5-9, 175), Shawnee Heights' Aiden Scott (6-5, 200) and Topeka West's Logan Hunninghake (6-2, 250).

John Hoytal, Washburn Rural

Kade Mitchell, Hayden

Hoytal, Mitchell and Scott earned TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 honors this past fall while Heim was a Second 22 all-county honoree and Hunninghake earned all-county honorable mention.

Hoytal played quarterback for Washburn Rural but is projected as a tight end in college while Mitchell is a running back, Scott a quarterback, Heim a linebacker and Hunninghake an offensive lineman.

"The kids we got from Topeka we're really excited about,'' Watkins said.

The Washburn recruiting class includes 11 players that played at Kansas high schools along with 12 Missouri prep products, seven from Texas, three from Florida and one from Nebraska.

There's also diversity among position groups, with eight players projected as defensive backs, six defensive linemen and five offensive linemen, four wide receivers, three linebackers and running backs, two tight ends, two punter/kickers and one quarterback.

Washburn recruiting capsules:

A1 Lock & Key Performers Feb. 2, 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Daniel Allen

DANIEL ALLEN, Washburn Rural

Allen, a junior boys swimmer, captured four gold medals in Thursday's Topeka City Swimming Championships at the Capitol Federal Natatorium as Washburn Rural extended its city championship streak to seven straight with a dominating 609-371 margin over Seaman. Allen won individual titles in the 100-yard butterfly (52.22 seconds) and 100 backstroke (52.82) and swam on the Junior Blues' winning 200 medley relay (1:41.75) and 400 free relay (3:24.55) teams.

BRYNN ANDERSON, Washburn Rural

A freshman basketball standout, Anderson was named the Most Valuable Player in the Glaciers Edge Tournament at Emporia after scoring a game-high 20 points in the championship game as Washburn Rural captured the tournament title with a 48-42 win over Wichita Southeast. Anderson hit 5 of 10 shots from the field, including a 3-pointer, and went 9 of 10 at the free throw line for the 10-4 Junior Blues.

Madi Blanco

MADI BLANCO, Washburn Rural

Blanco, a girls wrestling star, went 3-0 on the day with three pins to capture the 140-pound championship in Saturday's 20-school Washburn Women's Invitational. Blanco, a two-time Class 6A state medalist, needed just 37 seconds in the championship match to win the title after beginning the day with 1:31 and 2:14 pins. Blanco was ranked No. 3 in 6A and No. 5 in the All-Class rankings by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association.

Ichabod softball opens 2026 season with 4-1 record in season-opening Texas trip

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The Washburn Ichabod softball team wrapped up a 4-1 weekend at the Lone Star Classic in Mansfield, Texas with a pair of run-rule wins on Sunday, 11-3 over Lubbock Christian and 10-2 over Texas A&M-Kingsville, both in five innings.

Senior Sadie Walker turned in a pair of strong relief performances Sunday as Washburn softball capped a 4-1 season-opening weekend. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]

The Ichabods are scheduled to be in action next weekend at the Alvy Early Memorial Tournament in Bentonville, Ark.

Washburn exploded for a nine-run third inning and never looked back, powering past Lubbock Christian 11-3 in five innings Saturday morning.

The Ichabods pounded out 12 hits, capitalized on defensive miscues and got a steady effort in the circle to improve to 3-1 on the season.

Washburn struck first in the opening frame when Makenzie Sais singled, stole second and eventually scored as Dalaney Anderson reached on an error, giving the Ichabods a 1-0 lead.

Lubbock Christian answered in the third on an RBI triple from Alexis Clark and an RBI single by Ava Castillo to briefly move in front 2-1.

But the lead lasted only moments as Anderson tied the game with a solo home run to left-center to start the bottom half, igniting Washburn's decisive rally.

Maddie McGee delivered a two-run single up the middle, Sais added an RBI single and Erin Boles brought home another run on a fielder's choice. A wild pitch plated a run before Kate Ediger capped the outburst with a two-run single, pushing the margin to 10-2 by the end of the inning.

The Lady Chaps scratched across a run in the fifth on an RBI double from Brianna Chambers-Lee, but Washburn answered immediately. Anderson drew a walk and scored from first when Seaman product Aspen Burgardt ripped an RBI double to deep left, ending the game via run rule.

Anderson finished 2 for 3 with three RBI, a home run and three runs scored, while Sais went 3 for 4 with two runs and an RBI. Ediger added two hits and four RBI and McGee drove in two as part of the Ichabods' balanced attack.

Manhattan grad Kierra Goos earned the win for Washburn, allowing two runs on three hits with four strikeouts over four innings. Sadie Walker closed the final frame, striking out three while surrendering one run.

Washburn did not commit an error defensively and stole multiple bases.

Washburn erupted for eight runs in the fourth inning and rode a dominant relief outing from Walker to a 10-2 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Sunday afternoon.

The Ichabods collected 12 hits in the victory, improving to 4-1 on the season.

Texas A&M-Kingsville grabbed the early lead in the first when Victoria Vargas doubled and later scored on an RBI single up the middle from Alexis Soliz.

Washburn pulled even in the third after former Shawnee Heights standout Taylor Brees singled, moved around the bases, and scored on Anderson's RBI single through the left side.

Washburn women bounce back from loss with 76-65 road win over Lopers

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University women's basketball bounced back from a Thursday night loss to No. 5-ranked Fort Hays State to pull away down the stretch to defeat Nebraska-Kearney 76-65 on the road Saturday afternoon.

Junior Madelyn Amekporfor led a balanced Washburn offensive attack with 13 points in Saturday's 76-65 MIAA road win at Nebraska-Kearney. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn improved to 15-6 overall and 8-4 in the MIAA with Saturday's win, earning a regular-season sweep over the Lopers, 11-12, 4-8.

It was a quick start offensively for Washburn as the Ichabods led 8-3 after a basket by senior Gabi Giovannetti at the 7:18 mark of the first quarter.

The Lopers tied it up but the Ichabod offense shot 50.0 percent in the opening frame to build an 18-14 lead.

The first of three 3-pointers for junior Madelyn Amekporfor pushed the lead to seven to open the scoring in the second. Nebraska-Kearney chipped away before tying the game up at 28.

The Lopers scored five in a row to go in front 37-35, but Washburn sophomore Brooke Gomez knocked down a 3-pointer to put the Ichabods up 38-37 at the half.

Both sides traded baskets for much of the third quarter while the Ichabods remained in front the whole way. The Ichabods created separation with the final four points coming from Gomez and junior Britany Kogbara to lead 57-52 heading into the fourth.

The Lopers made a run early in the fourth, tying the game at 59 with a 3-pointer at the 7:28 mark.

Washburn re-gained the lead but it was cut back down to one before the the Ichabods responded with an 8-0 run to lead by nine after junior Kellyn Hunter scored on a driving layup with 2:16 left.

Senior Payton Sterk put the game away with four free throws in the final minute to finish off the 11-point win.

Washburn shot a season-high 52.1 percent from the field along with an efficient 5-12 from 3-point range and 21-24 at the line. The Ichabods held the Lopers to 37.1-percent shooting while the home squad shot 41.7 percent from deep with 10 makes.

The rebounding battle was won by the Ichabods, 34-29, helping to generate a 34-22 advantage in paint scoring. Nebraska Kearney turned the ball over four fewer times than Washburn, but the Ichabods scored seven more points off giveaways.

Top-ranked Washburn men improve to 22-0 with 89-67 MIAA road romp past Lopers

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Top-ranked Washburn University men's basketball pushed its unbeaten streak to 22 games Saturday afternoon, taking an 89-67 road win at Nebraska-Kearney.

DillonClaussen2026UNK 1 Sophomore Dillon Claussen scored a career-high 27 points in Washburn's 89-67 MIAA road win at Nebraska-Kearney Saturday. [File photo/TSN]

Now 22-0 overall and 12-0 in the MIAA, the Ichabods had to navigate a competitive opening stretch that featured six lead changes and four ties in the first 10 minutes.

UNK grabbed an early 6-3 edge, but Washburn answered with a transition-heavy surge keyed by sophomore Dillon Claussen and Jack Bachelor to regain control.

A 9-0 Washburn run late in the first half created separation, highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers from Claussen and senior Brady Christiansen that pushed the margin to double digits.

Washburn closed the half on a 17-5 run overall and carried a 44-29 lead into the break after shooting 44 percent from the floor and forcing 10 Loper turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.

Claussen opened with the second half with a three and senior Bryson Smith followed with a layup to ignite another push that ballooned the WU lead to 20 at 53-33 with 15:34 left.

Nebraska-Kearney countered with its best stretch of the afternoon, trimming the deficit to eight behind Ja'Bryant Hill and Clayton Moore during a 9-0 Loper run midway through the half.

But each time UNK threatened, Washburn responded.

Smith attacked the rim for consecutive scores, Bachelor knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and Claussen controlled the paint to steady the lead.

The Ichabods eventually built their largest cushion at 22 points with 2:46 remaining and closed out the win from the free throw line.

Claussen led four Ichabods in double figures with a career-high 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting, adding eight rebounds and two assists.

Smith finished with 19 points, 18 in the second half, while Bachelor added 17 points and six boards, and Christiansen chipped in six points and four rebounds.

Washburn women to put four-game win streak on the line at No. 5 Fort Hays State

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

After a week at home, Washburn University women's basketball now heads back on the road for two weeks beginning, with a 5:30 p.m. Thursday night MIAA clash with No. 5-ranked Fort Hays State.

Senior Payton Sterk is coming off a season-high 22-point performance in last Friday's 71-55 home win over Missouri Western. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn has reeled off four straight wins, including a 71-55 win over Missouri Western on Friday, to improve to 14-5 overall and 7-3 in the MIAA, while Fort Hays State is 18-1 and 9-1 in the conference after a 78-65 win over Central Oklahoma last time out for an 11th straight win since losing to the Ichabods 67-64 on Dec. 6.

Senior Yibari Nwidadah averages 12.8 points and 7.9 rebounds for Washburn while shooting 55.9 percent from the floor.

With 280 career offensive rebounds Nwidadah ranks third in program history and she is fifth with 765 career boards. Her career field goal percentage of .577 is the third-best in Washburn program history and she ranks 13th among all Ichabods with 1,222 career points. Nwidadah is also 11th in program history with 69 career blocked shots.

Senior Payton Sterk averages 12.2 point for the Ichabods and has drilled a team-high 33 3-pointers while Gabi Giovannetti averages 10.6 points with 29 3-pointers while leading WU with 1.8 steals per game.

Sterk's career free throw percentage of 85.8 percent is the best for any Ichabod.

Sterk scored a season-high 22 points in Friday's win over Missouri Western.

Talexa Weeter averages 27.9 points on 52.1-percent shooting overall and 42.9 percent from deep for Fort Hays State while also grabbing a team-high 9.1 rebounds per game. Weeter leads the nation in points per game, is second nationally in free throws made and is second in the conference in rebounding average.

No. 1-ranked Ichabods go on the road to face Fort Hays State

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

No. 1-ranked Washburn University men's basketball team hits the road for a three-game stretch, beginning with Thursday's 7:30 p.m. MIAA tilt at Fort Hays State.

Sophomore Dillon Claussen and the 20-0 Washburn Ichabods will face Fort Hays State on the road Thursday night. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn, 20-0 overall and 10-0 in the MIAA, is one of just two remaining undefeated teams in NCAA Division II along with Cal State East Bay after the Ichabods beat Missouri Western 90-78 last Friday.

Fort Hays State is 15-4 overall and 6-3 in the MIAA, having won its last five in a row after turning back Central Oklahoma 58-53 last time out.

The Ichabods defeated the Tigers on Dec. 6 in Topeka, 73-66, with the 73 points a season-low for Washburn this season.

Washburn has the No. 1-ranked scoring offense in the MIAA with 89.2 points per game while the Ichabods have the No. 2-ranked scoring defense at 61.8 points per game behind Fort Hays State's 59.9 average.

The Tigers are averaging 71.6 points, ranking 13th in the MIAA.

FHSU is 9-1 in home games this season, with the lone loss coming on Nov. 16 to Concordia-St. Paul in a 78-68 defeat. Since then the Tigers have won their last eight home games in a row.

The Ichabods have recorded 32 20-win seasons in program history and six under Ichabod coach Brett Ballard in his nine seasons.

Washburn leads the nation in scoring margin at plus 27.4 points per game and is ranked first in field goal percentage at 52.8 percent and second in rebound margin at plus 12.2.

Washburn has not been out-rebounded in a game this season and has only been tied twice (Lubbock Christian and Emporia State).

Ichabod sophomore standout Dillon Claussen is sixth in the nation in field goal percentage at 65.9, which also leads the MIAA.

Junior Jeremiah Jones leads the nation in total steals with 66 and is ranked third in steals per game at 3.30 per contest.

Junior Jack Bachelor is 12th in the nation in assist to turnover ration at 3.14 to 1.

The Ichabods' 20-game winning streak is the longest in the nation, ahead of Cal St. East Bay's 18-game winning streak.

The 20-game winning streak by the Ichabods is the third-longest in program history.

No. 1-ranked Ichabods take control in OT to top Fort Hays State, 81-73

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The No. 1-ranked Washburn Ichabods rallied to force overtime before pulling away in the extra frame for an 81-73 road win over Fort Hays State Thursday night at Gross Memorial Coliseum, improving to 21-0 overall and 11-0 in the MIAA.

Senior Brady Christiansen led a balanced Washburn attack with 18 points as the No. 1-ranked Ichabods improved to 21-0 with an 81-73 road win at Fort Hays State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]

"It's as good of a win as we've had since I've been here,'' Washburn coach Brett Ballard told KTPK Radio. "We've had some good ones, but against that team, which we've got the utmost respect for, in this environment with that crowd... we didn't flinch, we didn't give in, kept battling, kept fighting and made some plays late when we needed it.

"Just a gutsy, gutsy win for us and I'll remember this one for a long time.''

Washburn led 47-46 with 10:31 to go in regulation before Fort Hays State (15-5, 7-4) went on a 12–3 run, taking a 58-50 lead with 5:13 to go.

Washburn trailed by six with 55 seconds to play before a Bryson Smith layup and a Jeremiah Jones steal and layup cut the Tigers' lead to 66-64 with 29 seconds to go.

The Tigers hit two more charity stripes with 20 seconds left, but again Smith scored on a drive with 14 seconds left.

Fort Hays State drew a foul with 13 seconds to play, leading by two, but missed both free throws, and after a Jones rebound, WU sophomore Dillon Claussen was fouled with 0.9 seconds to play, and he connected on both free throws, sending the game to overtime.

In the extra session, Washburn outscored the Tigers 13–5, holding Fort Hays State without a field goal in overtime while converting 8 of 8 free throws and forcing a pair of turnovers.

Washburn trailed by one at 69-68, but had six points from Smith and five from Jack Bachelor, including a 3-pointer with 39 seconds to play, to push the Ichabod lead to four.

On the Tigers' ensuing possession, Jones swiped another ball and went the distance with a dunk as Washburn would lead 79-73 with 31 seconds left.

Smith wrapped up the scoring with two free throws with 22 seconds to play, sealing the win.

Senior Brady Christiansen led the Ichabods with 18 points going 10 of 12 from the free throw line and adding five rebounds.

Bachelor logged 42 minutes and finished with 17 points, three assists and two steals and Jones recorded his first double-double as an Ichabod with 14 points and 14 rebounds while adding four steals.

Smith tallied 16 points with six boards going 8 of 9 from the free throw line, while Claussen added nine points and seven rebounds.

No. 5 Fort Hays State uses big finish to take 59-47 win over Washburn women

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University women's basketball remained within striking distance most of the way Thursday night, but weren't able to overcome a late run by No. 5-ranked Fort Hays State, falling 59-47 on the road.

Senior Yibari Nwidadah led Washburn with 12 points and nine rebounds in Thursday's MIAA loss at No. 5-ranked Fort Hays State. [File photo/TSN]

With the win the Tigers snapped Washburn's four-game winning streak and avenged their only loss of the season, a 67-64 decision to Washburn on Dec. 6 in Lee Arena.

Washburn senior Yibari Nwidadah opened what would be a low-scoring first quarter with a layup at the 8:56 mark.

After a pair of ties, the Tigers (19-1 overall, 10-1 MIAA) stayed in front the rest of the way as both teams shot a combined 8-31 in the quarter. After ten minutes Washburn (14-6, 7-4) trailed 9-8.

The Ichabods continued to play catch-up to begin the second stanza. They were finally able to string together back-to-back buckets and lead 18-17 after Britany Kogbara got a basket to go with 4:23 left in the half.

Fort Hays State went back in front and led by two with 2:16 left. The hosts were held scoreless from that point on in the quarter as Ichabod senior Aniah Wayne tied the game at 24 heading into the half.

In the opening minutes of the third quarter the Tigers pushed the lead to four points at the 7:24 mark. They were held scoreless for the next four-plus minutes as Washburn was able to go in front on a Gabi Giovannetti 3-pointer at the 3:36 mark, the first 3-pointer of the game for the Ichabods.

Fort Hays State scored the final four points of the quarter to lead 36-33.

Washburn was able to tie the game up on an offensive rebound and putback by Nwidadah with 4:21 left in regulation, but the Tiger offense picked up the pace after that, scoring the next nine points in the game in just over two and a half minutes.

The lead was pushed into double figures as Fort Hays State pulled away for the 12-point win.

Ichabod softball opens 2026 season with five games in three days in Texas trip

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University opened its 56th season of softball on Friday as the Ichabods begin the 2026 season with five games over three days at the Lone Star Classic in Mansfield, Texas, just south of Dallas.

Brenda Holaday's Washburn University softball team will open the 2026 season with five games over three days this weekend in Texas. [File photo/TSN]

The Ichabods are coming off a 31-21 season, going 13-11 in the MIAA, and will be looking to return to the NCAA Tournament after missing out last season.

After practicing for several months, in the fall and since returning from the Christmas break, senior infielder Kate Ediger said it's time for the Ichabods to play a game.

"Oh my gosh, it is so time,'' Ediger said. "We have been practicing every day since we've been back in January and we've been scrimmaging and we're just so ready to go out there and play. We're just ready.''

After an up and down season a year ago, Ediger is confident that the Ichabods are poised to take a step forward this season.

"We have five pitchers this year who all are going to be very, very great for us,'' Ediger said. "Last year we had a couple of pitchers that had to do the job every game and this year we have more depth with our pitching and the chemistry that we have in our infield is there.

"I think that we have all the potential in the world. We have a lot of great people. We've just got to get out there and see what we can do, but I know that we're ready for it.''

Senior outfielder Erin Boles, a four-year player for the Ichabods, agreed.

"I think we're all very anxious to get on the field and play different competition and get that competitiveness,'' Boles said. "We're very eager.

"Our goal this year is to start off strong and carry that over into conference and postseason. That is what we're looking for this year.''

Washburn has reached the postseason six times, including three under coach Brenda Holaday in the 2018, 2022 and 2024 seasons.

The Ichabods have hit the 30-win mark for four straight seasons, dating back to the 2022 season, which is the longest streak of 30 wins since a run between the 2002-07 seasons when the Ichabods recorded 30 wins six seasons in a row.

Washburn was tabbed sixth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches poll.

Holaday is in her 10th season as the Ichabod softball head coach, recording a 283-170 overall record and going 136-74 in MIAA contests, leading the Ichabods to two MIAA regular-season titles (2018, 2022). Holaday became Washburn's all-time winningest coach with a 13-0 win over Illinois-Springfield on Feb. 8, 2025.

WU senior pitcher Sadie Walker was 36th in the nation last season in games started (28), 17th in appearances (35) and 39th in shutouts (5) while also ranking 55th in strikeouts (142).

Jenna Sprague ranked 10th in the nation with five saves.

Makenzie Sais led Washburn with 15 multiple-hit games last season.

The Ichabods are scheduled to face Texas Woman's and Southern Nazarene on Friday, Cameron on Saturday and Lubbock Christian and St. Edward's on Sunday.

A1 Lock & Key Performers Jan. 26, 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Dillon Claussen

DILLON CLAUSSEN, Washburn University

A 6-foot-8 sophomore basketball standout, Claussen scored 36 points on the week as No. 1-ranked Washburn improved to 20-0 with a pair of home double-digit MIAA victories. Claussen scored 18 points in Wednesday's 94-44 win over Northwest Missouri State, going 4 of 5 from the field and 10 of 10 from the free throw line. The Omaha, Neb. native also scored 18 points in Friday's 90-78 win over Missouri Western, hitting 7 of 10 shots from the floor and grabbing six rebounds.

Rylee Dick

RYLEE DICK, Rossville

Dick, a senior guard, scored a total of 58 points in three Rossville wins on the week as the Bulldawgs won the Jefferson County North Invitational girls basketball tournament. The Rockhurst signee had 27 points in a 60-22 first-round victory over JCN, scored 16 points in a 54-44 semifinal win over Perry-Lecompton and had 15 points in Friday's 59-51 championship game decision over Oskaloosa, moving into the No. 2 spot on Rossville's career scoring list with 1,310 points.

Jack Donovan

JACK DONOVAN, Rossville

A senior guard, Donovan scored 47 points in two Bulldawg victories on the week as Rossville basketball advanced to the championship game of the Valley Falls Invitational before the title game was postponed due to inclement weather. Donovan scored 13 points with three 3-pointers in a 63-54 win over Jefferson West and scored 34 points with six 3-pointers in a 64-29 semifinal victory over Christ Prep.

Washburn women to put three-game win streak on the line Friday against Griffons

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Due to forecasted weather this weekend Washburn University's women's basketball's game with Missouri Western has been moved up to 4 p.m. Friday in Lee Arena.

Washburn women's basketball will host Missouri Western at 4 p.m. Friday in a game that was moved up a day to due to forecasted inclement weather. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn improved to 13-5 overall and 6-3 in the MIAA with a 45-38 Wednesday night win over Northwest Missouri State while Missouri Western fell to 6-12, 2-7 with an 80-71 road loss at Central Missouri on Wednesday.

The Ichabods will be looking to avenge a 75-67 loss to the Griffons on Jan. 7 in St. Joseph, Mo.

Senior Yibari Nwidadah is averaging team-highs of 13.2 points and 8.1 rebounds for the Ichabods and coming off a double-double with 13 points and 16 rebounds in the win over Northwest Missouri.

With 278 career offensive rebounds Nwidadah is third in program history and she ranks fifth in overall rebounding with with 761 career boards.

Her career field goal percentage of .579 is the second best in program history and she ranks 13th among all Ichabods with 1,216 career points.

Nwidadah had 23 points and 13 rebounds in the earlier loss to Missouri Western.

Senior Payton Sterk led all scorers with 16 points on 7-13 shooting against the Bearcats and is averaging 11.7 points with a team-high 29 3-pointers.

Sterk's career free throw percentage of 85.4 percent is the best for any Ichabod.

Senior Gabi Giovannetti averages 10.8 points for the Ichabods with a 27 3-pointers and a team-high 1.8 steals per game.

Missouri Western leads the MIAA and is 14th in the nation in 3-pointers per game at 8.3. The Griffons are second in the conference in 3-point percentage and fourth in field goal percentage.

Mia Morel leads Missouri Western with a 14.3 scoring average along with 3.6 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game for the Ichabods.

Ana Olivera Dias is averaging 13.5 points and Nakiya Harris 11.5 points.

Washburn has a 58-49 lead in the all-time series with Missouri Western and the Ichabods are 29-18 against Missouri Western in Lee Arena.

After Friday's game Washburn heads back on the road for three games, beginning with Fort Hays State on Thursday.

No. 1-ranked Ichabods set to host Griffons in Friday night contest

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The No. 1-ranked Washburn Ichabods men's basketball team will look for its 20th win of the season as the Ichabods play host to Missouri Western at 6 p.m. on Friday in Lee Arena in a game that has been moved up a day because of the weather forecast.

No. 1-ranked Washburn will be aiming for its 20th straight win in Friday's 6 p.m. MIAA home game against Missouri Western. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn enters the game with a 19-0 and is 9-0 in the MIAA, one of two remaining undefeated teams in Division II after topping Northwest Missouri by 50 in a 94-44 home win on Wednesday.

The Griffons are 13-7 overall and 5-4 in the conference after falling at Central Missouri 97-83 last time out.

The Ichabods defeated the Griffons on Jan. 7 in St. Joseph, 87-75.

Washburn is looking for its 32nd 20-win season in program history and their sixth under coach Brett Ballard in his ninth season on the Ichabod bench.

The Ichabods lead NCAA Division II in scoring margin at plus 28.2 points per game and are ranked third in field goal percentage at 52.3 percent.

WU is second in rebound margin (plus 12.7) and has not been out-rebounded in a game this season and has only been tied twice (Lubbock Christian and Emporia State).

The Ichabods' 19-game winning streak is the longest in D-II after Daemen lost on Jan. 21 to Gannon, ending its 20-game winning streak.

The 19-game winning streak by the Ichabods is tied for the fourth-longest in program history.

Washburn's 50-point Wednesday win over the Bearcats was the largest in the series history.

Junior Jeremiah Jones' nine steals tied the school record with Larry Farmer set vs. Friends on Nov. 26, 1996.

Sophomore Dillon Claussen paced Washburn with 18 points on 4-of-5 shooting night and a perfect 10-for-10 at the free-throw line while junior Jack Bachelor added 14 points, including three 3-pointers.

Noah King averages a team-high 17.6 points for Missouri Western while Seaman product Ty Henry is scoring 11.5 points per game, Marko Pavlovic 11.4 and William Kiburis 10.4.

Friday's game will be the 110th between the two schools, with Washburn leading the series, 65-44.

Washburn has won the last five in the series and 10 of the last 13. However, each time the Griffons threatened, Washburn answered, keeping Western at arm's length.

Claussen led Washburn with 18 points in the earlier Ichabod win over the Griffons and eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

Senior Sam Ungashick provided a big lift off the bench against Western with a season-high 18 points on 7 of 10 shooting and Bachelor added 16 points.

After Friday Washburn is back on the road for a three-game road trip starting at Fort Hays State on Jan. 29.

Washburn will then face Nebraska-Kearney on Jan. 31 and Central Missouri on Feb. 7 before returning home on Feb. 12 to host Arkansas-Fort Smith.

No. 1-ranked Ichabods record 20th straight win in 90-78 home win over Griffons

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

No. 1-ranked Washburn University men's basketball posted its 20th straight win to open the season Friday at Lee Arena, posting a 90-78 MIAA decision over Missouri Western.

Senior Sam Ungashick came off the bench to score 17 points for No. 1-ranked Washburn in Friday's 90-78 MIAA win over Missouri Western. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]

The Ichabods used efficient shooting, balanced scoring and several timely runs to keep the Griffons at arm's length, improving to 20-0 overall and 10-0 in the conference.

And while Washburn coach Brett Ballard wasn't necessarily pleased with every aspect of Friday's win, he also knew it was solid enough to get the job done.

"We got up 22 there in the first half with about three minutes left and had a chance to kind of slam the door,'' Ballard said. "We didn't finish the half real well, so that was disappointing, and then we just never could never string together enough stops to put this thing away.

"But I've got to remind myself that we're so spoiled with the teams we've had here the last couple of years and how we've won a lot of these games. You crush a team on Wednesday (94-44 over Northwest Missouri) and I think sometimes you assume that's how it's going to go every time, but in this league that's just not the reality. You're going to have to grind through some of these and ultimately that will be good for us.''

Washburn weathered an early back-and-forth stretch that featured six ties and one lead change in the opening minutes before exploding offensively.

After Missouri Western (13-8, 5-5) briefly led 3–0, Washburn responded with a surge fueled by transition baskets and inside touches, eventually stretching the margin to as many as 22 points late in the first half.

Washburn turned a 42-30 lead with 5:34 to go in the first half into a 54-32 margin with 2:44 to play in the half after a 12-2 run.

However, Missouri Western closed the half on a 10-2 run, trimming the Washburn advantage back to 14 at 56-42.

The Ichabods shot a scorching 81.5 percent from the field and 75 percent from deep in the opening period, building the lead.

Missouri Western mounted multiple challenges in the second half, trimming the deficit into single digits midway through the period, but every run was answered by the Ichabods.

A sequence of interior buckets and fastbreak finishes helped Washburn stabilize the lead, and a late push pushed the margin back into double figures down the stretch.

The Ichabods finished with 25 fast-break points and 48 points in the paint, consistently beating the Griffons down the floor and attacking the rim.

Washburn placed eight players in the scoring column, with several delivering standout performances.

Sophomore Dillon Claussen led the way for the Ichabods with 18 points on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting night while adding six rebounds and four assists.

Senior Sam Ungashick provided a major spark off the bench, knocking down shots in transition and finishing with 17 points in 17 minutes on 7-of-9 shooting from the field while making his first six shots of the game.

Ungashick's top two scoring games of the season have both come against the Griffons as has his Washburn career-high.

"I think it might be a little bit of chance,'' Ungashick said. "But it's always a matchup game and all my guys are always instilling confidence in me and having faith in me to go out there and prove it.

"When you see those first couple go in it helps and when I hit the late stepback 3 (in the first half) that's kind of when I felt it was a good game for me.''

Washburn women avenge earlier loss to Griffons with fourth straight win, 71-55

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

It was cold outside, but Washburn University women's basketball was hot from the start on Friday afternoon in Lee Arena, scoring 47 points in the first half to down Missouri Western 71-55 and earn a fourth straight win.

Washburn senior Payton Sterk (20) scored 20 of her game-high 22 points in Friday's 71-55 MIAA win over Missouri Western. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]

Washburn improved to 14-5 overall and 7-3 in the MIAA while avenging an earlier loss to the Griffons (6-13, 2-8).

"I thought we did a really nice job in the first half with a lot of things we've been working on,'' Washburn coach Lora Westling said. "We were solid defensively and stayed in front of the ball and I thought we got some really good looks offensively and weren't forcing.

"I thought our shot selection was great and a great team effort.''

It was the Griffons who took an early 9-7 lead with a pair of 3-pointers, but Washburn answered back with an 8-0 run, including five points from senior Payton Sterk, who had 20 in the first half.

"I think it definitely gets me going and gets the team going, too,'' Sterk said of her hot start.

The Ichabods shot 50.0 percent in the first quarter and ended the final minute on a 4-0 run to lead 21-14 after the opening quarter.

The Washburn run continued with the first four points in the second quarter, pushing the lead to double figures. A quick 5-0 burst was capped off by a 3-pointer from senior Gabi Giovannetti that pushed the lead up over 20 points.

While Washburn shot over 50.0 percent again in the second stanza, Missouri Western was held to just 2 of 8 shooting in the frame as the Ichabods built a 47-24 lead.

Out of the break Washburn's offense cooled off as they were held scoreless until junior Kellyn Hunter knocked down a jumper with 4:24 left in the quarter. She hit another shot to push the lead back over 20 points the next possession.

The Ichabod defense helped maintain the lead, with the Griffons hitting just 4 of 11 shots in the quarter.

The Griffons' offense picked up in the fourth quarter, scoring the first 10 points to make it a single-digit game with 6:38 remaining.

But Ichabod junior Britany Kogbara got a pair of shots to fall over the next few possessions to push the lead back into double digits. Missouri Western knocked down a 3-pointer with 3:06 remaining, but that was the last time it would get on the scoreboard as the Ichabods finished the game on a 6-0 run to put away a 16-point win.

The hot start helped Washburn shoot 40.7 percent for the game along with 8 of 17 (47.1) attempts from 3-point range. The Ichabods were also 19 of 22 at the free throw line.

No. 1-ranked Ichabods limit Bearcats to 44 points in 50-point MIAA rout

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

No. 1-ranked Washburn University men's basketball scored 94 points Wednesday night against Northwest Missouri State, had four players crack double figures and shot 54.4 percent from the field.

But it was the Ichabods' defense that stole the show as Washburn improved to 19-0 overall and 9-0 in the MIAA with a 94-44 home MIAA win over the Bearcats in Lee Arena.

Junior Jeremiah Jones tied a Washburn school record with nine steals in Wednesday's 94-44 MIAA win over Northwest Missouri. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Junior Jeremiah Jones tied a school record with nine steals, seven in the first half, while the Ichabods limited Northwest Missouri (9-11, 2-7) to a meager 14 first-half points as Washburn took command, 40-14.

"Defense was great,'' Washburn coach Brett Ballard said. "I think JJ had more steals in this game than I had in my entire college career. He was great and I thought we were really connected on that end.

"I thought we did a good job of keeping everything in front and really challenging everything. Just really a team effort and we forced a lot of turnovers (26) as well. From the last time we played them we definitely played a better, more complete game.''

"We came out and we knew if we pressured them early and we trapped them and we contained the ball and kept them out of the paint we knew they weren't going to be able to score,'' Jones said. "Their point guard, No. 4 (Royce Williams) is really, really good and me putting pressure on him throughout the whole game and taking him out of his game, he wasn't confident at all.''

The Ichabods controlled the game from the opening tip and never looked back en route to its 24th straight win at home, tying for the second-longest streak in program history, and Washburn now owns the longest winning streak in the nation at 19 with Daemen's 79-61 loss to Gannon.

Washburn jumped out to a 20-8 lead at the midway point of the first half and would turn a 24-12 advantage into a 26-point halftime lead, closing the final seven minutes of the half on an 18-2 run while holding the Bearcats to one of 10 shooting, including zero of seven from 3-point range.

Overall, the Ichabods shot 50 percent (15 of 30) in the opening half while the Bearcats were limited to six of 24 from the field.

In the second half, Washburn doubled up the Bearcats at 56-28 with 13:38 to go and then went on a 20-3 run over the next 5:06 of the game, moving the lead to 74-31 with 8:53 to play.

From that point on, the Ichabods outscored Northwest Missouri 20-13, rolling to the 50-point win.

Sophomore Dillon Claussen scored a game-high 18 points, going 10 of 10 at the free throw line, in Wednesday's 94-44 MIAA win over Northwest Missouri. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Sophomore Dillon Claussen paced Washburn with a game-high 18 points on a 4-of-5 shooting night from the field while going a perfect 10 for 10 at the free-throw line.

Washburn women ride defense to third straight win, 45-38 over Bearcats

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University women's basketball didn't have a great offensive night Wednesday against Northwest Missouri, shooting 31.5 percent while scoring just 45 points.

But thanks to an outstanding defensive effort, that was enough for the Ichabods to stretch their winning streak to three games with a 45-38 MIAA win over the Bearcats at Lee Arena.

Senior Payton Sterk scored a game-high 16 points in Wednesday's 45-38 Washburn home MIAA win over Northwest Missouri. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

"I think that's a credit to both teams,'' Washburn coach Lora Westling said of the low-scoring contest. "Both teams are just not going to give you what you want. We both have a couple of things we do really well and we're both not going to give it to the other one, so you just hope that you get enough breaks and enough toughness plays to find a way and that's why I'm proud of my players because they did tonight.''

Playing at home for the first time in almost two weeks, Washburn improved to 13-5 overall and 6-3 in the MIAA while avenging an earlier double-overtime loss to Northwest.

"You don't ever want to get swept in league and they're a good team and they're going to get some people, so we really needed to get this one back to make sure we didn't get swept and we're thankful for home court,'' Westling said.

Washburn trailed Northwest Missouri (10-9, 3-6) 16-9 at the end of the opening quarter.

The Bearcats still held a 21-15 advantage with 6:27 left in the opening half, but the Ichabods held Northwest scorelss for the remainder of the second quarter and finished the half on a 9-0 run to take a 24-21 lead into the locker room at the break.

Northwest Missouri scored five points in the first two minutes of the second half to go in front, but were held to just four points the rest of the quarter.

A pair of jumpers by senior Payton Sterk put Washburn in front by four points before the Bearcats scored the final four to tie the game at 30 going to the fourth.

A pair of 3-pointers from seniors Aniah Wayne and Gavi Giovannetti opened the fourth quarter for Washburn, with the second trey putting the Ichabods in front, 36-35.

Northwest Missouri knocked down a 3-pointer to tie the game at 38 with 5:51 left but once again the Bearcats were held scoreless for more than five minutes.

Sterk knocked down what would be the go-ahead bucket with 3:18 remaining to start a 7-0 finish that finished off Washburn's seven-point win.

Washburn won despite shooting hitting just 17 of 54 shots from the floor and 3 of 10 attempts from 3-point range as the Ichabod defense limited the Bearcats to 27.5 percent shooting while going 5 of 19 from behind the arc.

Rebounding also went in favor of the Ichabods, 42-33, while Washburn held the visitors to zero fast break points and just five second-chance points.

Senior Yibari Nwidadah recorded a double-double with 13 points and 16 rebounds in Wednesday's 45-38 MIAA win over Northwest Missouri. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Ichabod senior Yibari Nwidadah tied her career-high with 16 rebounds while scoring 13 points.

"I just go into pursuit,'' Nwidadah said of her big rebounding night. "I feel like we had really great perimeter defense and not letting their two shooters get hot. Their shots created long rebounds so I was just going to get it.

"We learned from (the earlier loss) and we executed better and that was our goal. We talk a lot about holding teams under 60, so we did a really good job there, and we take pride (in defense) because it fuels our offense. We just put a lot of energy into our defense.''

Sterk scored a game-high 16 points on seven of 13 shooting from the field.

Normally a shooting guard, Sterk saw a lot of time Wednesday night running the WU offense from the point guard position.

"Good for Payton for stepping up,'' Westling said. "She just wants to win. That's the thing about Payton, she'd play post if I asked her to.''

Sterk said she played the point earlier in her career, so Wednesday's stint wasn't completely foreign for her.

"I haven't done it in awhile, but it was good,'' Sterk said. "It's a little nerve-wracking at first once I get back into it, but it seemed to work.''

WU women's basketball returns to Lee Arena Wednesday after long road trip

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn women's basketball will be back in Lee Arena for the first time in almost three weeks Wednesday, hosting Northwest Missouri State at 5:30 p.m.

Lora Westling's Washburn women's basketball team returns home Thursday after a four-game road trip. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn, 12-5 overall, 5-3 in the MIAA after a 69-55 win at Newman on Saturday, will be looking to avenge a 65-61 double-overtime loss to the Bearcats 11 days ago.

Northwest Missouri State is 10-8 overall and 3-5 in the conference after a 60-46 loss to No. 6-ranked Fort Hays State last time out at home.

Senior Yibari Nwidadah is averaging a team-high 13.2 points and 7.6 rebounds for the Ichabods while also shooting a team-high 57.9 percent from the floor.

With 274 career offensive rebounds Nwidadah is third in program history and she ranks sixth in overall rebounding with 745 career boards. Her career field goal percentage of .580 is the second best in program history and Nwidadah ranks 13th among all Ichabods with 1,203 career points.

Senior Payton Sterk is averaging 11.4 points and has hit a team-high 28 3-pointers for Washburn while senior Gabi Giovannetti averages 11.1 points with 26 3-pointers. She also averages a team-high 1.8 steals.

Giovannetti led Washburn with 19 points in the earlier loss to Northwest.

Senior Aniah Wayne has come off the bench in every game this season, playing 19.6 minutes per game and averaging 6.3 points. Wayne is coming off a big week last week, scoring 17 points in the Ichabods' Thursday night win at Emporia State and 13 points with four 3-pointers in Saturday's win over Newman.

Ichabod junior Kellyn Hunter also scored 13 points off the bench against the Jets, her Washburn career high.

Andrea Lopreato leads Northwest in scoring at 12.7 points per game on 36.5 percent shooting while also leading the Bearcats with 1.6 steals per game and averaging 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists.

Bailey Birmingham is averaging 10.8 points while hitting a team-high 42 3-pointers.

Washburn has a 63-16 advantage in the all-time series with Northwest.

The Ichabods are 35-5 against the Bearcats in Topeka.

Washburn will host Missouri Western at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The Ichabods dropped a 75-67 loss at Western in the first game of the Ichabods' recent road trip.

No. 1-ranked Washburn men back in Lee Arena Wednesday to host Northwest Missouri

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

No. 1-ranked Washburn University men's basketball returns to Lee Arena on Wednesday night after a four-game road swing, hosting Northwest Missouri in a 7:30 p.m. MIAA game.

No. 1-ranked Washburn men's basketball will be looking for its 19th straight win Wednesday night against Northwest Missouri. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn enters the game 18-0 overall and 7-0 in the conference, one of three remaining undefeated teams in NCAA Division II after rolling past Newman 107-74 last Saturday.

The Bearcats, 9-10 overall and 2-6 in the MIAA, are fighting a four-game losing streak. Northwest lost 66-50 to Fort Hays State last time out.

The Ichabods have the No. 1-ranked scoring offense in the MIAA, putting up 88.8 points per game, and Washburn has the No. 2-ranked scoring defense in the conference, allowing 61.9 points per game.

Washburn leads NCAA Division II in scoring margin at plus 26.6 points per game and is fourth in field goal percentage at 51.8 percent and second in rebound margin at plus 12.6.

Washburn has not been out-rebounded in a game this season and has only been tied twice (Lubbock Christian and Emporia State).

Ichabod junior Jeremiah Jones leads the nation in total steals with 53 and is ranked third in steals per game with 3.12 per contest.

Sophomore Dillon Claussen is sixth in the nation in field goal percentage at 66.2 which leads the MIAA.

Junior Jack Bachelor is fourth in the nation in assist to turnover ratio at 3.33 to 1.

The Ichabods' 18-game winning streak is second in the nation behind Daemen, which has won its last 20 games.

The Ichabods' 18-game winning streak is the fifth-longest in program history and Washburn's 23-game homecourt winning streak is tied for second in the nation.

Bachelor tied a career-high with nine field goals en route to a 23-point game against Newman while sophomore Marcus Glock recorded his Washburn best with 21 points and sophomore Tyson Ruud scored a career-high 17points in his first career start.

A1 Lock & Key Performers Jan. 19, 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

KaeVon Bonner

KAEVON BONNER, Seaman

Bonner, a 6-foot-4 senior, had another big week as Seaman boys basketball improved to 8-1 overall and 7-1 in the United Kansas Conference with a pair of victories. Bonner scored 28 points on Tuesday as the Vikings avenged their only loss of the season in a 57-52 win at Topeka West and scored 24 points on 9 of 10 shooting in Friday's 72-50 home win over Leavenworth. Bonner is averaging 30.25 points over his past four games.

Koralee Jones

KORALEE JONES, Highland Park

Jones, a senior, recorded what Highland Park officials have been told is the first quadruple-double in Kansas girls basketball history in last Tuesday's 68-10 Meadowlark Conference victory over Kansas City-Sumner Academy. Jones scored 22 points with 13 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals for the Scots.

JoJo Kingcannon

JOJO KINGCANNON, Highland Park

A junior basketball standout, Kingcannon scored a total 57 points in back-to-back games on Thursday and Friday, including a career-high 35 points in Friday's 80-43 home Meadowlark Conference win over Kansas City-Harmon as he hit 14 of 16 shots with four 3-pointers. On Thursday Kingcannon scored 22 points in the Scots' 76-53 loss at city rival Shawnee Heights.

Washburn women ground Jets with dominant fourth quarter, 69-55

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Up by a single point at the start of the fourth quarter Saturday in Wichita, Washburn University women's basketball used a big finish to put away Newman, ending a four-game road trip with a 69-55 MIAA win.

Senior Aniah Wayne (24) had 13 points and four 3-pointers in Saturday's MIAA 69-55 win at Newman. [File photo/TSN]

Junior Kellyn Hunter tied for game-high scoring honors with a Washburn career-high 13 points in Saturday's 69-55 MIAA win over Newman. [File photo/TSN]

The Ichabods will be back in Lee Arena on Wednesday, hosting Northwest Missouri State at 5:30 p.m.

The Jets, 7-10 overall, 1-7 MIAA, jumped out to an 8-4 lead in the first five minutes, but Washburn (12-5, 5-3) came back to tie the game at 10 on a triple by senior Aniah Wayne.

Wayne's 3 was part of an 18-4 end to the first quarter, highlighted by three 3-pointers from Wayne to build a 22-14 lead.

A 5-0 run by senior Yibari Nwidadah to begin the second quarter pushed the Washburn lead up to 13 points.

But Newman answered right back with a 7-0 run of its own. The Ichabod offense slowed down in the final five minutes of the quarter, shooting just 4 of 12 in the quarter.

Four 3-pointers by the Jets helped make it a tight 35-31 WU lead going into the break.

Coming out of the break Newman continued to chip away at the lead before going in front at 40-38 with 6:00 remaining in the third.

Washburn came back to score the next seven points to lead 45-40 after a steal and score by junior Kellyn Hunter.

A score late by the Jets would cut the deficit down to one after a low-scoring quarter for both teams going into the fourth.

The Ichabod defense went up a level in the fourth, holding Newman without a point until the 5:55 mark and to 4 of 14 shooting overall.

Washburn started the final quarter on a 6-0 run but still the Jets wouldn't go away.

After taking the lid off the basket the Jets scored six in a row to make it 54-53 WU with 3:36 remaining.

Another triple by Wayne with 1:56 left put the visitors up by six and started an 11-0 run in the final two minutes to help Washburn win going away, 69-55.

No. 1-ranked Ichabods roll to 107-74 win over Jets, improve to 18-0

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

No. 1-ranked Washburn University men's basketball wrapped up a four-game road trip with a dominating wire-to-wire 107–74 MIAA victory over Newman on Saturday in Wichita.

Washburn junior Jack Bachelor scored 23 points in Saturday's 107-74 MIAA road win at Newman. [File photo/TSN]

The Ichabods, who improved to 18-0 and 8-0 in the MIAA, set the tone immediately Saturday, jumping out to an 11-2 lead with junior Jack Bachelor scoring seven points in the early going and pacing the Ichabods in the 33-point win.

Offensively, Washburn shot 58.9 percent from the field (43 of 73) while hitting 50 percent of its shots from 3-point range (12 of 24) and knocking down 75 percent of its free throw attempts (9 of 12).

The Ichabods also dominated the paint with 58 points, added 19 fast-break points and 19 second-chance points.

Bachelor scored a game-high 23 points on 9 of 12 shooting, including a 5 of 7 performance from beyond the 3-point arc.

The former Washburn Rural star, who added four assists and three steals, connected on his first five 3-pointers in the game.

Sophomore Marcus Glock followed with a Washburn career-high 21 points, scoring 16 in the opening half, hitting four 3-pointers and going a perfect 3 for 3 at the line.

Sophomore Tyson Ruud slams home a dunk in Washburn's 107-74 MIAA win at Newman on Saturday. [File photo/TSN]

Making his first start as an Ichabod, sophomore Tyson Ruud scored a career-high 17 points with eight rebounds and junior Jeremiah Jones chipped in 15 points on 7 of 9 shooting.

Freshman Amalachi Wilkins provided a spark off the bench with 11 points and five rebounds. Sophomore Dillon Claussen scored seven points and had a career-high seven assists, while adding four rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Newman shot 47.5 percent overall and 40.9 percent from three while turning the ball over 19 times, leading to 29 Ichabod points.

Washburn also won the battle on the glass, outrebounding the Jets (5-12, 1-7) by a 36-24 margin.

Washburn returns to Lee Arena on Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. MIAA tilt with Northwest Missouri.

Washburn golf adds Andrew Beckler to staff as assistant coach

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Former Washburn Rural and Washburn University star Andrew Beckler has been named to the Ichabod golf staff as an assistant coach for the remainder of the 2026 season.

Andrew Beckler has been named an assistant coach for Washburn University golf for the remainder of the 2026 season. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]

"Having the opportunity to bring Andrew back and help the team this spring was a no-brainer," said Washburn director of folf Ronnie McHenry. " Anytime you have the chance for a future Hall of Famer, National Player of the Year, MIAA Player of the Year and a professional athlete who's played in a U.S. Open to teach your team, you jump at that.

"We are excited to get him back to Washburn and are looking forward to our players learning from him."

Beckler was an individual and Class 6A state team champion for Washburn Rural before playing collegiately at Kansas State and Washburn.

During his time for the Ichabods, Beckler was the 2020-21 Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year, 2020-21 MIAA Player of the Year, 2020-21 GCAA PING First Team All-American and a two-time All-MIAA pick while winning four tournaments.

He also holds the lowest scoring average in Washburn men's golf history with a 72.00 average over 67 rounds. Beckler is also tied for the third lowest round in history with 64, which he did twice in the 2020-21 season.

Beckler qualified for the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., where he shot a 71 in round 2.

No. 1-ranked Washburn men put 16-0 record on the line in ESU rematch

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

No. 1 nationally-ranked Washburn University men's basketball will put its perfect 16-0 record on the line Thursday in a 7:30 p.m. MIAA road game against Emporia State in White Auditorium.

Sophomore Dillon Claussen leads 16-0 Washburn with 16.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game entering Thursday's MIAA game at Emporia State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

The Ichabods, 6-0 in the MIAA, will be facing the Hornets for the second time in 12 days after taking a 91-66 win over Emporia State on Jan. 3 in Lee Arena.

Washburn is one of four remaining undefeated teams in Division II after topping Northwest Missouri 76-53 last Saturday.

The Hornets are 5-10 this season and 1-5 in the MIAA after recording an 82-79 win over Nebraska-Kearney last Saturday.

The Hornets are 3-3 in home games this season.

Washburn leads NCAA Division II in scoring margin at plus 27.6 points per game and is third in field goal percentage at 51.8 percent and second in rebound margin at plus 12.6.

Washburn has not been out-rebounded in a game and has only been tied twice (Lubbock Christian and Emporia State).

WU junior Jeremiah Jones leads the nation in total steals and is third in steals per game at 3.31.

Sophomore Dillon Claussen is sixth in the nation in field goal percentage at 66.4 while junior Jack Bachelor is fourth in the nation in assist to turnover ratio at 3.39 to 1.

Claussen recorded his third double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds at Northwest Missouri while senior Bryson Smith led the Ichabods with 16 points against the Bearcats.

In the earlier game against Emporia State Jones paced Washburn with a career-high 20 points on 8 of 10 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, with four assists and four steals. Claussen finished with 16 points, four steals and three blocks and Bachelor scored 16 points with four 3-pointers, nine assists and one turnover. Senior Brady Christiansen led the ichabods with eight rebounds.

Washburn women snap two-game skid at Emporia State, 63-52

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

EMPORIA -- When Washburn University women's basketball junior starter Madelyn Amekporfor was sidelined with an ankle injury five minutes into Thursday's MIAA road game against Emporia State, Ichabod senior Aniah Wayne knew it was up to her to help take up the slack.

Senior Aniah Wayne came off the bench to score a game-high 17 points in Thursday's 63-52 Washburn road win over Emporia State. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Wayne filled that role in a big way, coming off the bench to score a game-high 17 points in 26 minutes, 21 seconds as Washburn snapped a two-game losing skid with a 63-52 win over the Hornets in White Auditorium.

"Going in I knew I just had to do it for the team and with Maddie out it was time to step up and help the team out,'' Wayne said. "I just knew I was doing it for Maddie and doing it for the rest of the team because she was out.''

Wayne hit 6 of 9 shots from the floor, including 3 of 5 3-pointers, to lead the way as Washburn improved to 11-5 overall and 4-3 in the MIAA in its third game of a four-game road stretch.

"I thought we did a nice job of bouncing back,'' Washburn coach Lora Westling said. "And after last week (losses at Missouri Western and a double overtime loss at Northwest Missouri), we were disappointed and we wanted to keep this week's focus about us.

"It's easy to get emotional about some of these rivalry games, or your head's down so you want to do a ton to get back, but I thought we were really solid.''

A pair of baskets early on by Amekporfor put Washburn in front early, but the Lady Hornets (8-8, 2-5) rallied to go in front 10-9 with 5:13 remaining in the opening quarter.

That would be the last points of the quarter for Emporia State as it was held to 33.3 percent shooting in the quarter while the Ichabods built a 14-10 lead.

The first points for either team in the second quarter came from WU sophomore Brooke Gomez with 6:44 to play in the half.

Wayne knocked down a 3-pointer shortly after that, pushing the Ichabod advantage to nine. Washburn shot over 50 percent in the quarter to take a 28-21 advantage into the halftime break.

Out of the half Wayne hit a layup at the 7:39 mark to give Washburn a double-figure lead for the first time in the game. The Lady Hornets reduced their deficit to eight before the Ichabods answered with a 8-0 run, started by a basket from senior Yibari Nwidadah.

The lead remained at 16 with a last-second layup from junior Britany Kogbara to end the third quarter.

Neither team scored for the first 3:36 of the fourth until Nwidadah hit another layup that began a 7-0 run to start the quarter and push the Washburn lead to more than 20.

The Lady Hornets never got within single-digits the rest of the way as Washburn completed the regular-season series sweep.

Washburn shooting 42.6 percent overall while going 3 of 10 from 3-point range. On the other end Emporia State was held to 32.3 percent shooting and just 3 of 6 at the free throw line while WU went 8 of 16 at the stripe.

"We know we've got to hang our hat on (defense),'' Westling said. "We know we can guard. We had a couple of lapses, but for the most part we've got to continue to be one of the top defensive teams in the league.''

The rebounding battle was won 45-34 by the Ichabods, leading to a 44-22 advantage in paint scoring.

Led by Wayne, Washburn's bench provided 36 points to 25 for the Lady Hornet reserves.

Washburn senior Yibari Nwidadah scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Thursday's 63-52 road win over Emporia State. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Nwidadah backed Wayne with 13 points on 6 of 10 shooting with seven rebounds. Senior Gabi Giovannetti had a team-high 10 boards along with three steals and three assists.

No. 1-ranked Ichabods hold off Emporia State, improve to 17-0

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

EMPORIA – After taking a 25-point win over Emporia State 12 days earlier, No. 1-ranked Washburn University men's basketball had to fight off Emporia State from start to finish Thursday, but never trailed en route to gutting out a 75-64 road victory over the Hornets at White Auditorium.

Sophomore Dillon Claussen scored a game-high 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Thursday's 75-64 MIAA road win over Emporia State. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

"Gut it out is a great way to put it,'' Washburn coach Brett Ballard said. "I think that's kind of what we did. It was sort of an ugly game, really physical, and they did a great job of limiting our opportunities in the paint, so we kind of had to grind through that offensively.

"Defensively we were really, really good again. We held them to 64 and a low shooting percentage and rebounded the ball at a pretty high clip. So, on a night when our offense wasn't exactly humming, defense got it done.''

Washburn, which improved to 17-0 overall and 7-0 in the MIAA, opened the game with five straight points and led by as many as eight points (31-23) with 3:47 left in the first half, but Emporia State (5-11, 1-6) hung around, getting as close as two points and trailing 35-29 at the break.

Washburn built its lead to nine points three times in the first 16 minutes of the second half, but the the Hornets were still within four points (68-64) with 1:31 remaining before the Ichabods ended the game with a 7-0 run to build its biggest lead of the night.

Senior Bryson Smith scored 12 points and hit four straight free throws in the final seconds as Washburn improved to 17-0 Thursday night at Emporia State. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Senior Bryson Smith hit four straight free throws over the final 32.8 seconds to close out the win.

"I feel like in those moments I excel in those moments,'' Smith said. "I look for those moments because being a leader on the team I just want to pull through and make those big plays at the end for my team and come out victorius.''

Washburn finished the night shooting 49.1 percent from the field (26 of 53) and was 70 percent from the field on two-point attempts (19 of 27).

The Ichabods hit seven of 26 3-pointers and went 16 of 25 at the free throw line.

Washburn scored 36 points in the paint and added 12 fastbreak points.

Emporia State shot 38 percent overall and 29 percent from beyond the arc.

Individually, sophomore Dillon Claussen led Washburn with 17 points on 7 of 11 shooting and pulled down seven rebounds.

Claussen scored 15 points in the second half while going 6 of 7 from the field.

"It was definitely a lot tougher game than last time,'' Claussen said. "They were very physical with me in the first half and their physicality caused some turnovers and bad plays, but we came back the second half and played through it.

"We had to get in the paint and be strong on our finishes. They hit some tough shots, which is going to happen sometimes. We just have to stay with it for 40 minutes.''

Smith added 12 points, four assists and four rebounds and went 5 of 7 at the free throw line.

Sophomore Tyson Ruud came off the bench to register nine points, nine rebounds and two assists, while senior Sam Ungashick had nine points and seven boards.

Sophomore Marcus Glock and junior Jeremiah Jones both added eight points, with Glock knocking down a pair of 3-pointers.

Washburn University Ichabods