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Details: Created: 22 February 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

This past weekend was more suited for the Winter Olympics than it was for softball, but host Washburn University did what it needed to on and off the field to get the Washburn Invitational in the books.

Washburn senior pitcher Sadie Walker improved to 8-1 Sunday with a five-hitter in the Ichabods' 5-1 win over Minnesota State-Crookston. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Washburn was able to get the tournament, which included games at three sites, in the books while dealing with cold weather throughout and Saturday morning snow.

"All these teams, they all have the same conditions and it puts everybody in a tough spot because you travel here, you spend the money and you want to play,'' Washburn coach Brenda Holaday said. "I felt like it was our job to get the fields ready for those teams that wanted to play.

"We had some dads that jumped in and helped out and our maintenance crew here and the folks out at Silver Lake and Washburn Rural did everything they could to get it ready and that's all we could do is get it ready and then leave it up to the teams whether they wanted to play or not. But I felt like we owed it to everybody to do that. I would want teams to do that for us and I think teams overall were glad to get the games in.''

On the field the Ichabods posted a 4-1 record to improve to a glossy 17-3 record on the season.

The Ichabods capped the event on Sunday with a 5-1 victory over Minnesota State-Crookston on Sunday at Gahnstrom Field.

"The loss that we took against Wayne State (6-0 on Friday night) was more of a credit to them,'' Holaday said. "Their pitcher pitched really well against us and we struggled a little bit pitching and gave up some hits we wouldn't normally give up, but for the weekend I was really pleased overall with how we did.

"Today I don't think we hit the ball as well as we did (Saturday) for sure but it feels like 25 (degrees) out there so it's easy for me to sit back here and want them to hit a little bit better, but it's hard to square it up in that. I thought Sadie was really strong for us today and needed to be, knowing that it was going to be a lot harder to hit. It's hard to spin it, too, in this weather and she did a good job.''

The Golden Eagles (2-12) scored first on a double steal in the top of the first, but Washburn responded immediately.

Sophomore center-fielder Makenzie Sais walked and stole second before freshman Taylor Brees delivered a run-scoting single to tie the game.

A sacrifice fly from sophomore catcher Madi Moore then plated Brees to give the Ichabods a 2-1 lead.

Washburn extended the advantage in the second inning.

After Sais singled and stole another base, Brees ripped a two-run double to left center, pushing the lead to 4-1.

Walker, a senior, moved to 8-1 on the season, throwing a complete-game five-hitter with five strikeouts and no walks.

Details: Created: 23 February 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Daniel Allen

DANIEL ALLEN, Washburn Rural

Allen, a junior swimming star, won a Class 6A state championship in Saturday's Class 6A state meet in the 100-yard butterfly in a personal-record time of 50.85 seconds and earned four state medals overall as Rural finished sixth as a team. Allen finished third in the 100 backstroke (53.38) and swam on the Junior Blues' fourth-place 200 medley relay (1:40.31) and seventh-place 200 free relay (1:30.97).

Thomas Appuhn

THOMAS APPUHN, Washburn Rural

A sophomore swimming standout, Appuhn earned four state medals in Saturday's Class 6A state meet, helping Washburn Rural post a sixth-place state finish as a team. Appuhn finished fourth in the 200-yard individual medley in 1 minute, 58.59 seconds, was fourth in the 100 backstroke in 54.71 seconds and swam on the Junior Blues' fourth-place 200 medley relay (1:40.31) and seventh-place 200 free relay (1:30.97).

Megan Glinka

MEGAN GLINKA, Washburn Rural

Glinka, a junior bowler, won the girls individual championship in Thursday's Centennial League tournament at Manhattan with a three-game series of 610, winning the title by 37 pins. Glinka, who rolled games of 193, 204 and 213, helped lead the Junior Blues to the Centennial League team title by a 2,881-2,758 margin over runnerup Junction City.

Details: Created: 21 February 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The No. 3-ranked Washburn Ichabods wrapped up their regular-season road slate Saturday with an 81-64 MIAA victory at Rogers State, improving to 26-1 overall and 16-1 in MIAA play.

Senior Bryson Smith scored a career-high 26 points in Washburn's 81-64 win over Rogers State on Saturday. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn wasted little time asserting itself Saturday, setting the tone with an early 6-0 run.

Sophomore Dillon Claussen got a pair of quick buckets for Washburn and senior Bryson Smith started what would be a career 26-point day as the Ichabods never trailed and built a double-digit lead midway through the first half.

A key stretch came when Washburn pieced together an 8-0 run, sparked by defensive stops and crisp ball movement.

Senior Brady Christiansen buried a perimeter jumper, junior Jack Bachelor knocked down a 3-pointer from the wing and Claussen capped the surge with a strong finish inside as Washburn held a 40-28 advantage at the half, shooting a blistering 55.2 percent in the opening 20 minutes.

The second half followed a similar script.

Each time Rogers State threatened to chip away at the deficit, Washburn answered.

Smith drew nine fouls on the afternoon and made a living at the free throw line where he went 11 of 13 for the game.

His 26-point effort was a Washburn career-best while Claussen added 14 points on 7 of 11 shooting with four rebounds and tying a career-high with six assists.

Sophomore Marcus Glock provided a spark off the bench with 12 points on 5 of 7 shooting, including two 3-pointers.

Junior Jeremiah Jones added eight points and a team-high six rebounds, helping the Ichabods secure a 33-21 edge on the glass.

Jones pulled within one of of tying the Washburn single-season steal record of 82 set by Will McNeill during the 2012-13 season.

Details: Created: 21 February 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University women's basketball got a 31-point day from Payton Sterk and hit 15 3-pointers in Saturday's 87-60 MIAA win at Rogers State.

PaytonSterk scored 31 points with seven 3-pointers in Washburn's 87-60 road win at Rogers State on Saturday. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn, now 19-7 overall and 12-5 in the conference, posted its fourth straight victory while surpassing last season's win total and reaching a high-water mark for victories in Lora Westling's four seasons as the Ichabods' coach.

Washburn scored its first 12 points of the day on 3-pointers to lead 12-8 midway through the first quarter.

Offense for both sides came easy in the first quarter as the Ichabods were able to out-pace the Hillcats (9-17, 6-11) and lead 18-16 at the start of the second quarter.

Washburn opened the second quarter with an 11-0 Washburn run, capped off by an putback from senior Yibari Nwidadah to lead 29-16 at the 6:46 mark.

WU held Rogers State to 3-15 shooting in the second quarter and Sterk hit her third 3-pointer of the quarter just before the halftime buzzer to give the Ichabods a 41-23 advantage going into the locker room.

The Hillcats cut their deficit down to 13 points at the 7:29 mark of the third quarter before Sterk hit another triple.

Rogers State went 7-9 in the quarter and 3-3 from deep, but Washburn still headed into the fourth stanza with a 60-46 advantage.

Ichabod senior Gabi Giovannetti conna 3-pointer with 8:38 left in the game that was the start of 16-0 run, capped off by another Sterk shot from downtown, extending the Washburn lead to 30 points with 5:34 left.

From that point on the Ichabods emptied their bench while wrapping up the 27-point victory.

Washburn shot 48.5 percent for the game while drilling a season-high 15 3-pointers on 29 attempts, tying for the fourth most made 3s in a single game in program history. Rogers State shot 40.4 percent overall and was 7-23 from 3-point range.

A 43-26 rebounding advantage led Washburn to a 17-4 advantage in second chance points and 30-22 in paint scoring. The turnover battle was also won 15-12.

Sterk led the way with 31 points on 10-15 shooting and 7-10 from deep, the most points by any Ichabod this season. She also added four steals.

Nwidadah had a double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds and Giovannetti finished with 16 points on 6-9 shooting with a steal.

Bailey Layman led Rogers State with 17 points as three Hillcats scored in double figures.

The Ichabods return home for the final week of the regular season, beginning with a 5:30 p.m. game against Pittsburg State on Wednesday.

Details: Created: 21 February 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University softball improved to 16-3 on the season Saturday with run-rule victories over Minnesota State-Mankato and Drury on the second day of the Washburn Invitational at Gahnstrom Field.

Former Manhattan standout Kierra Goos delivers a three-run home run in Saturday's 15-2 Washburn win over Minnesota State-Mankato. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Washburn junior Kierra Goos receives congratulations from Ichabod third-base coach Taylor Zordel on her three-run home run in Saturday's 15-2 win over Minnesota State-Mankato. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Washburn wraps up the final day of the event on Sunday, facing Minnesota State-Crookston at 1 p.m. as games at all three sites have been pushed back one hour to allow for warmer temperatures.

Washburn opened Saturday with a 15-2 five-inning victory over Minnesota State-Mankato before taking a 12-4 six-inning win over Drury in its second game of the day.

The Ichabods erupted for nine runs against Minnesota State-Mankato in the second inning and finished with 15 runs on 10 hits, drawing six walks, scoring in four of the five innings and blasting three home.

Minnesota State was limited to just three hits and struck out seven times against Washburn pitching.

Washburn sophomore Makenzie Sais steals a base in the Ichabods' 15-2 win over Minnesota State Saturday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Washburn struck first in the first inning as sophomore second baseman Dalaney Anderson singled to center field to score sophomore center-fielder Makenzie Sais, who drew a walk and stole second.

After the Mavericks tied the game on a solo home run in the second, the Ichabods answered with a nine-spot in the bottom of the inning, turned the game into a rout.

Sais delivered a two-run double down the left-field line before freshman right-fielder Taylor Brees followed with a two-run single to center.

Senior first baseman Kate Ediger added a two-run single and junior designated player Kierra Goos capped the outburst with a three-run homer to left-center field, pushing the Ichabod lead to 10-1.

Washburn added two more in the third when sophomore catcher Madi Moore hit a two-run home run to left field, scoring Anderson, who had doubled.

In the fourth inning sophomore pinch-hitter Kate Dolan delivered a three-run homer to left to make it a 15-1 game.

Anderson went 3 for 3 with two runs scored and a run batted in while Goos drove in three runs with her home run and Dolan also had three RBI on her round-tripper.

Sais finished with two RBI and two runs scored and Brees, Ediger and Moore tallied two RBI as Washburn's lineup produced 15 RBI on 10 hits.

Senior pitcher Sadie Walker allowed one run on two hits over two innings with three strikeouts before senior Jenna Sprague came on and earned the win in relief, tossing three innings and giving up just one run on one hit while striking out four.

The Ichabods erupted for six runs in the third inning on the way to a 12-4 six-inning victory over Drury in its second game of the day.

Senior Kate Ediger hit a three-run homer in Saturday's 12-4 Washburn win over Drury. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Washburn's offense came alive in the bottom of the third when Anderson tied the game with a run-scoring single before Ediger blew the game open with a three-run homer to center.

Moments later, sophomore shortstop Maddie McGee added a two-run blast, capping a six-run, six-hit inning that put Washburn in control, 7-2.

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