MSSU football picked to finish 12th in MIAA

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Kansas City, Kan. -- The Missouri Southern football team has been picked to finish 12th this season as the MIAA released both its coaches and media preseason polls at Media Day held at Children's Mercy Park.

The Lions finished last season 0-11, but 2018 is a new year and Head Coach Denver Johnson said the team is ready to put that season behind them. Joining Johnson will be a new coaching staff which will see former Lion Joe Bettasso come on board as the defensive coordinator and Demo Odems III as the offensive coordinator. Also new to the fold will be Mike Fanoga (defensive line), Paul An (tight ends, h-backs), Byron Anderson (secondary), Cody Green (quarterbacks), and Casey Carlo (linebackers).

Southern returns three players that earned All-MIAA honors from a year ago in offensive linemen Aaron Leo and Mike Dzierzega, as well as linebacker Roc Robbins. Also back after a year off is Justin Legier who will help step up and solidify the linebackers for the Lions. The Lions return 50 letter winners from a year ago and 14 starters (seven on offense and seven on defense).

Northwest Missouri was the league favorite in both the coaches and media poll with Fort Hays State, Central Missouri and Pittsburg State two through four in both polls, as well. The coaches had Central Oklahoma and Emporia State tied for fifth, followed by Washburn, Lindenwood, Missouri Western, Nebraska-Kearney, Northeastern State and the Lions. The media had Emporia State fifth, followed by Central Oklahoma, Washburn, Missouri Western, Lindenwood, Nebraska-Kearney, Northeastern State and the Lions.

Southern opens the regular season on August 30 at Nebraska-Kearney. The Lions will play their home opener on September 8 at Fred G. Hughes Stadium with a 6 pm kickoff.

Coaches Poll

1. Northwest Missouri (4)....................... 103
2. Fort Hays State (5)............................... 102
3. Central Missouri (2)............................... 96
4. Pittsburg State....................................... 81
5.-t Central Oklahoma............................... 67
5.-t Emporia State...................................... 67
7. Washburn.............................................. 63
8. Lindenwood........................................... 46
9. Missouri Western.................................. 40
10. Nebraska-Kearney............................... 30
11. Northeastern State.............................. 19
12. Missouri Southern.............................. 12

Media Poll

1. Northwest Missouri (14)..................... 382
2. Fort Hays State (13)............................. 375
3. Central Missouri (6)............................. 349
4. Pittsburg State (1)................................ 311
5. Emporia State...................................... 243
6. Central Oklahoma................................ 243
7. Washburn............................................ 223
8. Missouri Western................................ 171
9. Lindenwood......................................... 160
10. Nebraska-Kearney............................... 98
11. Northeastern State.............................. 66
12. Missouri Southern.............................. 45

MSSU announces 2018 football promotions

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Missouri Southern has released the promotional schedule for the upcoming 2018 Football Season. The Lions will play six home games this year at Fred G. Hughes Stadium. This season's promotions include two post game firework shows, free giveaways at every game, a family movie, and candy being dropped from a helicopter! Kids 12 and under will be admitted for free for all home sporting events including football. The Lions will also have a bounce house and inflatable slide available all season long for kids to enjoy.

"We feel that we provide the best sports and entertainment value in the region" said Athletic Marketing Director Randon Coffey. "A few years ago, we implemented the kids 12 and under are free policy and have received a ton of great feedback on that program. This year we hope to do even more programing for families and kids at the stadium and hope that families are able to come and take advantage of what we think is the best family outing for the money in the area."

2018 Promotional Schedule

September 8th @ 6pm vs. Lindenwood - The Lions will ring in the 2018 season as cowbells will be handed out at the gate for the first 1,000 fans in attendance! Fans are also encouraged to stick around after the game for a post-game fireworks spectacular!

September 22nd @ 6pm vs. Fort Hays State - It's Green Out 2018! All fans are encouraged to wear green to the game and the first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a free green out t-shirt to wear at the game! Following the game all fans are welcome to stay for a post-game movie on the brand-new video board with Incredibles 2 being shown!

October 6^th @ 2pm vs. Missouri Western- Homecoming -Following the parade and festivities on campus the first 1,000 fans to the game will receive a commemorative 1993 MIAA Football Champions commemorative cup! At halftime the team members in attendance will be recognized along with the 2018 Homecoming court.

October 20^th @ 5pm vs. Northeastern State- Hall of Fame Game - The Lions will induct the 2018 class into the athletics hall of fame. During halftime Colin Bado, Jessica Selby Tallman, and the 1978 MSSU Baseball team will all be recognized. The first 1,000 fans will receive a free Lions baseball cap! This will also be the Lions pink game as local organizations will be in attendance to spread information about the fight against breast cancer. Following the game fans are encouraged to stick around for a fireworks extravaganza!

October 27^th @ 2pm vs. Central Oklahoma - In celebration of Halloween week the Lions will give away Missouri Southern tote bags to the first 1,000 fans. Then after the game over 10,000 pieces of candy will be dropped from a helicopter onto the field for kids to run and pick up!

November 10^th @ 2pm vs. Pittsburg State- -- It is the final regular season game of 2018 as the Lions host the annual Miners Bowl. Lions seniors will be recognized pre-game and the day will be Military Appreciation Day! Any current or former member of the Armed Services who shows their military ID will receive free admission to the game. The first 1,000 fans will receive a free set of thunder sticks on their way into the stadium.

Ticket Pricing:
Season Tickets: $50
Premium Games: $15 (September 8^th, October 6^th, & November 11^th)
Non-Premium Games: $10 (September 22^nd, October 20^th, & October 27^th)

Tickets may be purchased online at www.mssulions.com/tickets or by calling the ticket office 417-625-9820. Groups spaces and discounts are also available for groups of 10 or more and interested groups should contact the ticket office by phone to learn more.

Dates announced for MSSU soccer camp

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Missouri Southern Women's soccer Head coach Chris McNaughton announces four days of youth camp to kick off the month of August.

Boys and girls from 7-13 years of age will have the opportunity to run onto Hal Boden Field on the campus of Missouri Southern State University from August 6th to the 9th for only $75.

Camp check-in time will promptly begin at 8:30 am on Monday (August 6), followed by two hours of non-stop fun through learning and competing from 9:00 to 11:00 am. The report time for the next three days will be 9:00 am (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday).

To register, click on the link and fill out the form: http://www.mssulions.com/summercamp.

Donor-funded videoboard at MSSU's Fred Hughes Stadium to be one of largest in Division II

(From Southern News Service)

The action on the turf at Missouri Southern State University’s Fred G. Hughes Stadium will soon be larger than life.

The Missouri Southern Foundation today announced that construction has commenced on a new videoboard for the stadium – a privately funded project that will result in one of the three largest of its kind in all of NCAA Division II Athletics.

The $1.3 million project has been funded entirely by donors, with no tuition dollars or state funding to be used. Donors include Freeman Health System, Liberty Utilities/Empire Electric, Missouri Eagle, People’s Bank of Seneca, PepsiCo, RE Smith Construction Co.

“People’s Bank of Seneca recognizes the impact of Missouri Southern graduates and the vital role the university plays in our region,” said Deron Burr, president/CEO of People’s Bank of Seneca. “We view this gift as an investment in the student experience. It will bring a new dimension to the great game day atmosphere at MSSU.”

The foundation partnered on the project with Nevco, a national leader in videoboard development.

The structure, located on the south end of the stadium, will be 63 feet high and 90 feet wide. The video display itself will be 30 feet high and 66 feet wide. With 718,000 pixels, it will provide an excellent viewing experience throughout the stadium. It will offer game day action, interactive fan prompts and live scoring data, and will utilize a built-in sound system to provide an optimal audio experience throughout the stadium.

Denver Johnson, head football coach for Missouri Southern, said the addition of the state-of-the-art board will benefit more than just fans.

“I’m sure our players will appreciate and enjoy it, and it also speaks to our recruits about our continued investment in building a championship-caliber program at MSSU,” he said. “It’s a really exciting development for the football program and I can’t wait to see it in action.”

Scott Boudreaux, president of the Missouri Southern Foundation’s board of directors, said the videoboard will put the university’s student-athletes and coaches in the spotlight while also creating opportunities for broadcasting students who will gain hands-on experience filming games.

“Thanks to the vision of my fellow members of the Missouri Southern Foundation, the action of our generous donors and their passion for the athletics program, the new videoboard will help MSSU stand tall in NCAA Division II athletics, in the state of Missouri and the entire country,” he said.

Construction will be complete before the Lions first home game of the season, when they take on Lindenwood at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8.

MSSU volleyball team wins academic award

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern volleyball team has been awarded the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award, and for the second-straight year is on the AVCA's Academic Honor Roll.

The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale. The AVCA announced a total of 973 teams earned the honor, breaking the previous year's record of 835.

On top of this honor, the Lions were also named to the AVCA Academic Honor Roll for NCAA Division II, meaning the team sported one of the top-25 team GPA's in the all of Division II. This past academic year, Southern boasted a team GPA of 3.68. Each member of the team was a part of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll with three student-athletes maintaining perfect 4.00 GPA's and no one on the team carrying below a 3.20 GPA.

The Lions were one of only two teams from the MIAA to earn the Academic Honor Roll distinction, joining Northwest Missouri, while ten of the 12 volleyball playing schools in the MIAA earned the Team Academic Award.

Cardinals fire Mike Matheny, hitting coaches, Shildt named interim manager

(From the St. Louis Cardinals)

The St. Louis Cardinals announced following Saturday's game that they have dismissed Manager Mike Matheny and named Bench Coach Mike Shildtas the team's interim manager. The team also announced that Hitting Coach John Mabry and Assistant Hitting Coach Bill Mueller have been relieved of their duties.

"Mike Matheny has served the St. Louis Cardinals organization with tremendous dedication and pride and I am thankful for his service to the Cardinals over the past six and a half seasons," stated Cardinals' Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Bill DeWitt, Jr. "On behalf of the entire Cardinals organization, I would like to wish Mike the very best."

Matheny, 47, was named the Cardinals 49th manager on November 14, 2011 and compiled a 591-473 won-loss mark, ranking 5th all-time amongst Cardinals managers in wins. He helped lead the team to the postseason in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, including a National League Championship in 2013.

"These decisions are never easy, but we felt that a change in leadership was necessary as the team prepares to enter into the second half of the season," said President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak. "I would like to thank Mike for his exceptional commitment and devotion to the Cardinals organization, including many fond memories of our years working together."

Shildt, 49, has been a member of the Cardinals organization since 2004 and has served on the team's Major League coaching staff the past two (2017-18) seasons. The North Carolina native managed for eight seasons in the Cardinals farm system where his clubs won league championships in 2010 and 2011 with Johnson City of the rookie Appalachian League and in 2012 with Springfield of the Texas League (AA). He most recently managed in 2016 with Memphis of the Pacific Coast League (AAA).






The team plans to hold a news conference Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m. CDT with Cardinals' Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Bill DeWitt Jr., and the team's President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak, to discuss Saturday's announcement and additional organizational staff changes.

MSSU men's, women's basketball attendance among tops in NCAA Division II

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern men's and women's basketball programs were once again in the top 20 nationally in attendance as the NCAA released attendance figures this week for the 2017-18 season.

The Southern men ranked 14th nationally in Division II, while the women ranked 18th. This marks the fourth-straight season the teams have both ranked in the top 20 nationally. Southern ranked 16th last year on the men's side and 11th on the women's side.

The men were the fifth-ranked team in the MIAA behind Fort Hays State who was 6th, Washburn (7th), Nebraska-Kearney (8th) and Central Missouri (10th). The women were the sixth-ranked team behind FHSU (2nd), Emporia State (4th), Washburn (5th), Pittsburg State (9th) and Nebraska-Kearney (11th).

This year, 18,359 fans walked through the turnstiles for the men for an average of 1,530 per game. The Southern women saw 15,779 fans and an average of 986 per game. The MIAA led Division II in both men's and women's attendance figures as the league took that title for the 10th-straight year in both genders.

Boschee, three players to represent MSSU on Brazil tour

(From MSSC Lions Athletic News)

Missouri Southern men's basketball coach Jeff Boschee and three players will represent the Lions in the upcoming USA Sports and Tours D-2 Men's Basketball Tour of Brazil this summer. 

Boschee will coach the team consisting of players from various Division II basketball teams. Joining him from the Lions will be Parker Jennings and newcomers Cam Martin and Ted Brown. 

The players and Boschee will begin their tour in late July with orientation in Orlando before playing their first game on August 1 in Jundiai, a city in the province of Sau Paulo. The team will play a game in the city of Osasco on August 2 and then will play in Rio de Janeiro on August 3. 

The teams will also have chances to visit various landmarks in Brazil including Copacabana Beach, the famous Christ the Redeemer Statue and Sugar Loaf Mountain. While in Brazil, the team will experience educational, cultural and social aspects of Brazilian life through city, school and sports club visits. 

The entire list of the USA D-2 Men's Basketball team is listed below. Check out mssulions.com during the summer for updates from the trip. 

2018 USA D-2 Men's Basketball Team - Brazil Tour
Johnny Beeninga Minnesota State University-Moorhead
Ted Brown Missouri Southern State University
Eric Dust University of Missouri-St. Louis
Zach Fischer Truman State University
Drew Guebert University of Sioux Falls
Parker Jennings Missouri Southern State University
Cam Martin Missouri Southern State University
Joe Smoldt Upper Iowa University
Ryan Welty Northwest Missouri State University

USA D-2 Men's Coach
Head Coach - Jeff Boschee (Head Coach, Missouri Southern State University)

Boy hit in the head with ball at MSSU game returns home

The accompanying report from Kansas City's 41 Action News features an update on 10-year-old Dawson Hirshey, who was hit in the head with a foul ball during a Missouri Southern State University baseball game.

Dawson has had his final surgery and is on the road to recovery.

He and his family are interviewed in the video.