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Cair Paravel girls basketball flushing last season, excited to make jump in 2025-2026

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By VINCE LOVERGINE

TopSports.news

Jaley Barkley opens year number two as the head coach of the Cair Paravel Latin girls basketball coach, and as preseason practices ramp up, her smile couldn’t be any bigger.

 

JaleyBarkley2025WF 1Former Cair Paravel standout Jaley Barkley begins her second season as the Lions' girls basketball coach. [File photo/TSN]

If you ask why, that’s because of the returning talent CPLS has as the Lions look to put last season's 2-11 record in the history books and put their best foot forward this year, especially in their second season in the Flint Hills League.

“We have a lot of veterans but we also have a lot of new faces,'' Barkley said. "I’m just excited from what we learned last year. I was so proud of the girls last year despite how the season went and I want to build off that and continue their drive that they had last year and improve this year.''

 

Barkley said her voice doesn’t carry very well and goes out on her whether that’s at practices or game day when the gym is loud with people cheering. Barkley said it’s a playful thing the team feeds off, which she said is good because that helps them communicate better.

“It’s kind of fun between us because they know they may not be able to hear me … having that understanding of, 'Jaley is calling a play but we also have to look at her,’ so, I think that’s something fun with this group too,” Barkley said.

 

Barkley said this team feels more comfortable with each other as they build on those relationships. She said the Lions all respect each other and the game, which makes it easier to coach them.

 

“I love this season, I grew up playing it and being able to coach it, just makes me happy,'' Barkley said. "This time of the year, basketball is on all the time, watching it on TV, being able to coach, being able to practice with the girls, it brings me so much joy and being able to connect with my girls on and off the court wraps it up in a bundle for me.''

KarsynHastert2025WF 1Senior Karsyn Hastert is a top returner for Cair Paravel girls basketball this winter. [File photo/TSN]

Senior Karsyn Hastert is a dominant force down low that will cause problems in Class 2A but Barkley also likes sophomore London Backman and her confidence and experience she brings back starting as a freshman last season.

 

Barkley said don’t forget senior KellyAnn Chada either, as most have seen what Chada brings to the court and soccer fields.

Hastert said with the team doubling in size, that will help in practice being more competitive and hopefully transition into gameplay.

“Building on last year is motivation just to be better, represent our school better and we know we’re better than what we executed last year… and hoping what we know now, we execute that better,” Hastert said.

 

Hastert said they have to remember as a group that it's a new year and turning a new leaf.

 

“The freshmen and sophomores have great drive and leadership for their age and I think they’re going to step into their roles once KellyAnn and I graduate which is great to see,” Hastert said.

 

 

Rick Peterson
Rick Peterson

No. 2-ranked Washburn men rally to christen new Lee Arena with 85-81 win over Rockhurst

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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

No. 2-ranked Washburn University men's basketball used a furious late-game rally Wednesday night to remain unbeaten with an 85-81 win over Rockhurst in the debut of the newly renovated Lee Arena.

TysonRuud2025Rockhurst 4Sophomore Tyson Ruud slams home a dunk in Washburn's 85-81 win over Rockhurst Wednesday night in Lee Arena. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN] 

The Ichabods turned a five-point deficit with 2:29 to play into the four-point win, improving to 5-0 on the season.

"I think when you have the year we had last year and you play really well early and you're ranked where you're ranked, I think the expectations are high and I think our guys felt a little bit of pressure and pressed a little bit in that game,'' Washburn coach Brett Ballard said.

"That happens, but I was proud of how we responded when we could have caved and handled those last couple of minutes. Ultimately, this is really good for us to play in these type of games and it's good for us if we can really learn from it.'' 

Washburn, which led for the bulk of the game, pushed its lead to a game-high 15 at 62-47 midway through the second half, but Rockhurst responded with its best stretch of the night, using an 11-0 run to quickly close the gap.

The Hawks (2-1) hit three 3-pointers in less than four minutes to take a 79-74 lead, but from that point on the Ichabods outscored the Hawks 11-2 the rest of the game.

BrysonSmith2025Rockhurst 1Bryson Smith scored 22 points, including the go-ahead basket, in Washburn's 85-81 win over Rockhurst Wednesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Senior Bryson Smith's driving layup with 51 seconds remaining gave Ichabods an 81-79 lead.

Then, after a key defensive stop, sophomore Tyson Ruud stepped to the free throw line and hit one of two free throws to extend the Washburn edge to three.

The Hawks came up empty on the following trip, and when senior Sam Ungashick came up with a steal in the final seconds and sank two free throws with three seconds left, the Ichabods' comeback was sealed.

Smith led the Ichabods with 22 points, including 19 in the second half, on 7 of 11 shooting and a 7 of 9 showing at the free throw line.

"Coach Ballard kind of got on me at halftime and the first half I wasn't playing a good game and I felt like I had to turn it up as a senior and a leader on the team to make winning plays at the end,'' Smith said.

JackBachelor2025Rockhurst 2Jack Bachelor had 17 points with four assists as Washburn rallied for an 85-81 win over Rockhurst Wednesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

DillonClaussen2025Rockhurst 1Sophomore Dillon Claussen had 12 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in Wednesday's 85-81 Washburn win over Rockhurst. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Junior Jack Bachelor added 17 points and four assists while Ruud came off the bench for a career-high 13 points and six rebounds and Dillon Claussen scored 12 points, with five rebounds and four assists.

Ruud has been hampered by injuries in his first two seasons at Washburn, but is now living up to the potential he showed out of Basehor-Linwood.

"It's so good to be healthy,'' Ruud said. "My prayers have been answered and it feels amazing to be out there finally.''

Read more …

Rick Peterson
Rick Peterson

No. 7-ranked Washburn volleyball set to open MIAA Tournament bid in balanced field

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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

 
WUvolleyball2025MW 4Washburn will open its postseason on Thursday in the MIAA Tournament against Central Missouri in St. Joseph, Mo. [File photo/TSN]
 
Washburn wrapped up its regular season with a 24-3 record overall and a 13-3 mark in the MIAA while Central Missouri enters the match 20-7 record overall and 11-5 in the MIAA.
 
The Ichabods are one of six teams in the field with at least 20 victories and Washburn coach Chris Herron said all six are capable of challenging for the championship.
 
"I think any of the six teams could be the champion,'' Herron said.  
 
No. 2 seed Missouri Western (21-6, 13-3) will open the quarterfinals at 12 p.m. Thursday against No. 7 Pittsburg State (12-14, 6-10) while No. 1 Nebraska-Kearney (26-3, 13-3) will face No. 8 Fort Hays State (16-12, 5-11) at 5 o'clock and No. 4 Central Oklahoma (26-4, 12-4) will close out the day with a 7:30 match against No. 5 Emporia State (21-6, 12-4).
 

Washburn is coming off a 3-1 win over then-No. 7-ranked UCO last Friday and a 3-0 win over Arkansas-Fort Smith on Saturday to earn a share of the MIAA regular-season championship along with Nebraska-Kearney and Missouri Western. 

MIAA Player of the Year Austin Broadie said the Ichabods know they'll need to be at their best to win this week's tournament.

"A thousand percent,'' Broadie said. "Even playing UCM tomorrow, they're good, and just coming out strong against them I think would help set the tone for the tournament.''

Herron agreed.

"From now on you have to (play your best) and that's OK,'' Herron said. "That's just the progression of your team and it should be the progression of your team. You've just got to go play loose, have fun and enjoy what you've been doing and just keep doing what you've been doing, just do it with a tiny bit more focus.''   

Broadie, a fifth-year senior, leads the Washburn offense with 298 kills (3.31 per set) while hitting .330, third best on the team. She has started all 27 matches and had 54 blocks with 55 digs. Broadie has 15 double-digit kill matches and ranks third in the MIAA. She is fifth among conference players in points per set and kills per set. 

Senior Bella Limback, a first-team All-MIAA pick, is slashing a team-high .469 with 177 kills (2.01 per set) while starting in all 27 matches. She has also added 102 blocks (1.16 per set), also a team-high, and served 12 aces. She has hit over .400 in all but nine matches this season with three double-digit kill efforts. She leads the nation in hitting percentage and is fifth in the MIAA in blocks per set.

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Rick Peterson
Rick Peterson

Broadie named MIAA Player of the Year as seven WU players earn all-conference VB recognition

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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University volleyball had seven players named to the All-MIAA team released by Wednesday afternoon, led by senior Austin Broadie, the fourth MIAA Player of the Year in program history. 

AustinBroadie2025MW 2Washburn senior volleyball standout Austin Broadie was named the MIAA Player of the Year on Wednesday, one of seven Ichabods to receive all-conference recognition. [File photo/TSN]

Broadie, a fifth-year senior out of Wichita Trinity, becomes the first Ichabod to win the player of the year honor since Genna Berg was selected as the co-player of the year in 2019. 

Washburn coach Chris Herron, who got the news about Broadie's award shortly before the Ichabods boarded their bus to travel to St. Joseph, Mo. for the MIAA Tournament, said he was thrilled for her.

"I'm so pumped,'' Herron said. "I can't wait to announce it on the bus here in just a little bit. I've got a whole thing planned for it. I'm excited for her.''

Broadie went through her Senior Night activities in 2024 before making the decision to come back for a fifth year with the Ichabods.

"She came back for reasons,'' Herron said. "Her and I had a personal one-on-one conversation and she ripped off about three or four reasons why she wanted to come back. They were all valid and this was one of them.''

Broadie led Washburn with 298 kills (3.31 per set) while hitting .330 across all 27 regular-season matches. She added 54 blocks to give her 325.5 total points (3.62 per set).

Broadie has 15 matches with double-digit kills, including two where she recorded more than 20 kills. She set a career-high with 25 kills against Ouachita Baptist in five sets while also hitting .373. Broadie finished third in the MIAA in hitting percentage while ranking fifth in both kills per set and points per set to earn first-team and player of the year honors.

Joining Broadie on the first team is fellow senior Bella Limback. Limback started all 27 matches, slashing 177 kills (2.01 per set) while hitting a team-high .469. On the defensive side Limback led the team with 102 blocks (1.16 per set) while adding 39 digs and serving 12 aces.

The Waverly, Mo. native had three matches with double-figure kills and 11 with five or more blocks. Limback led both the MIAA and the nation in hitting percentage while finishing fifth in the conference in blocks per set.

Seniors Alex Dvorak and Corinna McMullen, junior Taylor Rottinghaus and sophomore Brynne Topolski were all named to the All-MIAA second team. 

Read more …

Rick Peterson
Rick Peterson

Rural, Hayden combine for six first-team spots on All-Centennial League volleyball team

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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Centennial League champion and Class 6A state qualifier Washburn Rural and Class 4A state runnerup Hayden combined for six of eight spots on the All-Centennial League volleyball team, led by Wildcat sophomore player of the year Hailey Schmidtlein and Junior Blue freshman newcomer of the year Brynn Anderson.

HaileySchmidtleinVB2025State 4Centennial League player of the Year: Hailey Schmidtlein, Hayden

BrynnAnderson2025VBCentennial 2Centennial League newcomer of the Year: Brynn Anderson, Washburn Rural

Schmidtlein is joined on the all-league first team by Hayden senior Ella Foster and sophomore Blakely Walter while Anderson is joined by Rural senior teammates Karsyn Horyna and Stella Kelly.

Manhattan junior Bailey Busch and Emporia senior Jade Xu round out the all-league team while Manhattan's Nicole Jones was voted the coach of the year.

Topeka High junior Campbell Dawson, Hayden junior Mallory Tanking and Washburn Rural senior Dayne Shriver were second-team picks while six city players received honorable mention.

ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL

First team

Brynn Anderson, fr., Washburn Rural; Bailey Busch, jr., Manhattan; Ella Foster, sr., Hayden; Karsyn Horyna, sr., Washburn Rural; Stella Kelly, sr., Washburn Rural; Hailey Schmidtlein, so., Hayden; Blakely Walter, so., Hayden; Jade Xu, sr., Emporia.

Second team

Campbell Dawson, jr., Topeka; Kaylee Dewitt, jr., Emporia; Aubree Hess, jr., Emporia; Janie Hilgers, sr., Manhattan; Dayne Shriver, sr., Washburn; Madison Stanard, jr., Manhattan; Mallory Tanking, jr., Hayden; Keeli Tepe, sr., Manhattan. 

Honorable mention

Emporia -- Molly Williams, sr. Junction City -- Sophia Tomlinson, sr. Manhattan -- Ansley Becket jr., Sophia Peabody, jr.; Evie Ruliffson, jr. Hayden -- Reese Huscher, sr.; Sophia Wichman, so. Topeka High -- Jayana Washington, sr. Washburn Rural -- Gentry Coons, so.; Taylor Guffey, sr.; Molly Schuler, jr.

Player of the Year -- Hailey Schmidtlein, Hayden.

Newcomer of the Year -- Brynn Anderson, Washburn Rural.

Coach of the Year --Nicole Jones, Manhattan.

 

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