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Created: 13 November 2021

By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news

The No. 11-ranked Washburn University men's basketball team is on the road for Wednesday's non-conference game (7:30 p.m. tipoff) against William Jewell in Liberty, Mo. 

The Ichabods are coming off a 1-1 weekend at the Central Regional Challenge in Kansas City, Mo., topping No. 17 Northern State 86-65 before falling to Augustana on Saturday, 72-58.

The Ichabods lead the all-time series with William Jewell 12-5 and have won the last two meetings.

Wednesday's game will be the first time the Ichabods and Cardinals have played each other since Dec. 11, 1998 in Topeka.

Washburn is expected to be without third-team All-American guard Tyler Geiman and post standout Jonnny Clausing, who have both been sidelined with injuries.

 Jalen Lewis

Michael Keegan

The Ichabods are led this season by junior Jalen Lewis and freshman Michael Keegan, who are each scoring 12.5 per game

McNeese State transfer Jeremy Harrell is averaging 10.5 points for Washburn.

Lewis is currently 20th on the Ichabod all-time scoring chart with 1,041 career points in 90 career games.

William Jewell is 1-1 this season, topping Purdue Northwest 76-71 before dropping a 75-67 decision to Davenport in the GLIAC/GLVC Challenge.

Jordan Jermain leads the Cardinals with a 20-point scoring average while Heri Tshiyoyo is averaging 13.5 points and Kobe McKinley.

McPherson product Mason Alexander averages 11.5 points after scoring 12.5 points a game last season.

The Ichabods will play their home-opener on Saturday (2 p.m. start) against Baker University at Lee Arena.

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Created: 16 November 2021

By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news

After absorbing a lopsided three-set Senior Night loss to Northwest Missouri last Saturday, all Washburn University volleyball coach Chris Herron wanted to see Tuesday night was for his Ichabods to repcapture the form that had resulted in 24 regular-season victories and a No. 5 national ranking.

Herron got exactly what he was looking for, with the Ichabods rolling to a 25-19, 25-17, 25-20 sweep in an MIAA Tournament quarterfinal win over Pittsburg State at Lee Arena.

"That butt-slapping we took on Saturday night was not fun to watch,'' Herron said. "But the energy was great in serve and pass today so I knew going in we were going to be OK.''

With the victory, Washburn improved to 25-4 on the year and advanced to a rematch with Northwest in Friday's 8:30 p.m. MIAA Tournament semifinal at Warrensburg, Mo. Central Missouri will face Nebraska-Kearney in the first semifinal at 6 p.m.

"We're looking forward to this opportunity to play them again,'' Herron said of the semifinal matchup. "It's an opportunity and we talk about the glass isn't half empty it's half full, so that's an opportunity for us.''

 Genna Berg

Allison Maxwell

Kelsey Gordon

Senior Genna Berg led the Ichabods with 16 kills against Pittsburg State while senior Allison Maxwell added 13 kills and senior Kelsey Gordon 11 as Washburn hit at a .325 clip, compared to .238 hitting by Pittsburg State, which ended the season 15-14.

"Berg was crazy good and Alli Maxwell was off the charts and Kelsey Gordon, yikes!'' Herron said. "Those three kids by themselves were ridiculous. They were bouncing balls and it was a lot of fun.''

Senior Allison Sadler had 43 assists on the night for Washburn while senior Faith Rottinghaus led the way with 17 digs.

The five Ichabod standouts all earned All-MIAA first-team honors earlier in the day.

Gordon said Tuesday was a great bounce-back from Saturday's loss.

"I think we did really well with finding ourselves and coming back to playing Washburn volleyball because I think we can all agree that (Saturday) wasn't Washburn volleyball,'' Gordon said. "I think tonight was just about finding who we are again as a team.

"We had a meeting and we talked about what makes Washburn volleyball special and we identified those (things) and today the biggest goal was just playing to those.''

Former Silver Lake standout Marissa Bates led Pittsburg State with 11 digs.

 MATCH RESULT

Washburn def. Pittsburg State, 25-19, 25-17, 25-20.

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Created: 16 November 2021

By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news

Sixteen members of Washburn University's NCAA playoff-bound football team earned All-MIAA  honors Tuesday, led by conference special teams player of the year James Letcher Jr., who was a first-team pick at two positions.

Letcher, a senior, was named a first-teamer as kick/punt returner and receiver in addition to earning the special teams player of the year award for his return prowess.

Washburn senior James Letcher Jr. was named the MIAA special teams player of the year and made the all-conference team at two positions. [File photo/TSN]

Also earning first-team All-MIAA honors for the 9-2 Ichabods were quarterback Mitch Schurig, offensive lineman Colton Dunkle, defensive lineman Malick Fall and defensive back Marquise Manning.

Earning second-team honors for the Ichabods were tight end Jace Williams and defensive lineman Landen Urban while offensive linemen Bergan Hofer, defensive lineman Braden Rose and linebacker Brooks Peavler, a Hayden product, earned sports on the third team.

Receiving honorable mention for the Ichabods were running back Taylon Peters, receiver Peter Afful, offensive lineman Andrew Funk, defensive backs Peyton Lane and Kevin Neal Jr. and punter Lane Spiker.

Former Shawnee County standouts Dalton Cowan, Dawson Hammes and Corey Thomas received All-MIAA recognition for Emporia State.

Cowan, a Seaman product, was named to the second team as the all-purpose pick while linebacker Dawson Hammes (Rossville) and receiver Corey Thomas (Topeka High) received honorable mention.

Nebraska-Kearney’s TJ Davis was voted the conference offensive player of the year, Northwest Missouri’s Sam Roberts was named the defensive player of the year and Missouri Western’s Brandon Hall earned the league’s freshman of the year honor.

Nebraska-Kearney coach John Lynn was voted the MIAA coach of the year.
 
Letcher averaged 27.2 yards on kickoff returns yards to rank second in the MIAA and 9.71 yards on punt returns, which ranked fourth. Letcher also recorded the second-longest kickoff return in the league this season with a 90-yard return for a touchdown against Central Oklahoma on Oct. 23.

Washburn will open its NCAA Division II playoff bid at Harding on Saturday.

ALL-MIAA FOOTBALL

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Created: 16 November 2021

By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news

Eight members of Washburn University's volleyball team have earned spots on the 2021 All-MIAA team, including five first-team selections.

The All-MIAA team was announced Tuesday afternoon, with Washburn's eight honorees an all-time program best.

The Ichabods will open postseason play at 6 p.m. Tuesday, hosting an MIAA Tournament quarterfinal match against No. 6 seed Pittsburg State (6 p.m.).

Washburn closed out the regular season with a record of 25-4 (17-3 MIAA) and was ranked No. 1 in the nation for four weeks and has been in the top five for the entire regular season.

Washburn standouts Genna Berg, Kelsey Gordon, Allison Maxwell, Faith Rottinghaus and Allison Sadler were all named to the All-MIAA first team, the second time in program history WU has placed five players on the all-conference first team, with the last time occurring in the 2018 season.

Genna Berg

Berg, a senior outside hitter from Blue Springs, Mo., received first team honors for the third straight season. She leads the team with 352 kills and is second in the MIAA with 3.59 kills per set and is third in the conference with 3.97 points per set. She has led the team or tied for a team-high in kills in 19 of Washburn's 29 matches this fall. On Oct. 26 at Emporia State, she became the 10th player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs.

Allison Maxwell
 
Maxwell, a middle hitter from Jefferson City, Mo., is also a three-peat selection to the first team. She has hammered down 309 kills this year and is third in the nation with a .445 hitting percentage. She is also second in the conference with 1.08 blocks per set and her 3.15 kills per set ranks ninth in the league. This season, she has hit two major milestone as she notched her 1,000th career kill in the victory at then-ranked No. 1 Nebraska-Kearney and then on Oct. 19, she became the fifth player in Washburn's history to surpass 400 career blocks and 1,000 career kills.

Faith Rottinghaus
 
For the third time her career, Rottinghaus garnered first team honors. The libero from Berryton, has put up monster numbers defensively this year and is third in the nation with 6.50 digs per set. Last Saturday, Rottinghaus etched her name in Washburn's record book and broke the program career digs record that had stood for 14 years after scooping up 11 digs in the first set versus No. 5 Northwest Missouri. She currently has 2,480 in her Washburn career and is second in the record book with 5.41 digs per set. In the four set victory at No. 7 Central Missouri on Sept. 25, Rottinghaus tied Washburn's single-match digs record and broke the four set record after finishing with an astonishing 51 digs. She also has a .987 reception percentage after successfully passing 294 service attempts that have come her way with just four errors.

Allison Sadler

Sadler earned her third all-MIAA honors and second consecutive first-team nod. The setter from Parkville, Mo. has guided a Washburn offense that is hitting .301 on the year, which currently ranks third in NCAA Division II. Sadler is third in the MIAA with 10.55 assists per set and has 26 matches this season with 20 or more assists. She leads the team with seven double-doubles and is second with 2.29 digs per set. Earlier this season, she became one of five Washburn players to achieve 3,000 career assists.

Kelsey Gordon
 
Gordon earned first team honors for the first time in her career after being named to the second team in 2019. The senior right side hitter from Emporia, Kan., is third on the team with 236 kills and fifth in the MIAA with a .354 hitting percentage. She has knocked down eight or more kills in 17 matches this fall and has had 21 multi-block matches. In the victory over No. 1 Nebraska-Kearney, she landed 13 kills and was a part of eight blocks at the net.
 
Sydney Fitzgibbons, a senior middle blocker from Papillion, Neb., received her first All-MIAA selection and was named to the second team. She is second in the conference and seventh in the nation with a .410 attacking percentage and has tallied 206 kills on the year. Fitzgibbons has hit .400 or better in 19 matches this fall and has not committed more than three errors in any match. Against Northwest Missouri, she hit .441 and knocked down a career-high 17 kills.

Jalyn Stevenson and Taylor Antonowich both received honorable mention.

Stevenson is a true freshman outside hitter from Spring Hill and has made 22 starts in her first season. She leads the team with 28 service aces and has tallied 210 kills (2.23 kills/set) to go with 200 digs (2.13 digs/set). She led the Ichabods against No. 1 UNK with 16 kills and 16 digs.
 
Antonowich, a Newton native and outside hitter, received honorable mention for the second straight season. She has racked up 199 digs (2.05 kills/set) and 55 kills this season. Antonowich has also successfully passed 355 receptions for a .959 reception percentage. At Central Oklahoma last month, she registered 10 digs and seven kills.
 
2021 All-MIAA Awards

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