MSSU football picked 10th in preseason polls

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team has been picked tenth in both the coaches and media preseason football polls as the league announced this morning during the 2019 MIAA Football Media Day at the Kaufman Foundation Center.

When the 2019 season gets underway, there will be a new leader on the sidelines for the Lions as head coachJeff Sims starts year number one leading the Green and Gold at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.

Last year's MIAA Co-Champs split the polls as Fort Hays State was picked to win the league by the coaches and Northwest Missouri was picked by the media. In the coaches poll, Fort Hays picked up six first-place votes for 114 points, while Northwest Missouri had five first-place votes for 112 points. Pittsburg State was third with one first-place vote, followed by Central Oklahoma, Central Missouri, Emporia State, Missouri Western, Washburn, Nebraska-Kearney, the Lions, Northeastern State and Lincoln.

In the media poll, Northwest picked up 32 first-place votes, while Fort Hays State had seven and the Lions had one first-place vote. Northwest had 471 points with Fort Hays picking up 433. Pittsburg State was third, followed by Central Missouri, Central Oklahoma, Emporia State, Missouri Western, Washburn, Nebraska-Kearney, Missouri Southern, Northeastern State and Lincoln to round out the poll. Both polls can be found below.

The Lions return nine starters from last year's team, including All-MIAA performers in defensive lineman Levi Marlay and punter Riley Hathorn. Sims, as well as Marlay and running back Shemar Coleman were in Kansas City to address the media.

Southern opens the season at home on September 5 against Nebraska-Kearney. The Lions host Central Missouri on October 5 for Homecoming and Washburn on October 19 for the annual Hall of Fame game.

2019 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll 1. Fort Hays State (6) - .................. 114 points 2. Northwest Missouri (5) - ............. 112 points 3. Pittsburg State (1) - ..................... 97 points 4. Central Oklahoma - ...................... 90 points 5. Central Missouri - ........................ 80 points 6. Emporia State - ........................... 73 points 7. Missouri Western - ....................... 57 points 8. Washburn - ................................. 54 points 9. Nebraska Kearney - ..................... 46 points 10. Missouri Southern - ............. 34 points 11. Northeastern State - .................. 23 points 12. Lincoln -.............................. 12 points 2019 MIAA Preseason Media Poll 1. Northwest Missouri (32) - ........... 471 points 2. Fort Hays State (7) - .................. 433 points 3. Pittsburg State - ......................... 378 points 4. Central Missouri - ....................... 336 points 5. Central Oklahoma - .................... 313 points 6. Emporia State - .......................... 264 points 7. Missouri Western - ..................... 245 points 8. Washburn - ................................ 234 points 9. Nebraska Kearney - .................... 194 points 10. Missouri Southern (1) - ..... 120 points 11. Northeastern State - ................... 79 points 12. Lincoln - .............................. .52 points

MIAA Football Media Day to be carried live on MIAA Network

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The 2019 MIAA Football Media Day will take place tomorrow as the event, presented by Seigfried Bingham will come live from the Kauffman Foundation Center.

The event will be carried live on The MIAA Network.

The MIAA Network will have press conferences for all 12 teams along with MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy and Supervisor of Football Officials Phil Laurie's press conference to begin the day at 9:30 am. The broadcast of the 2019 Football Media Day will be free to view. The MIAA Network can be viewed on a desktop, mobile devices, and Internet-connected television devices anywhere in the world. Individuals can use The MIAA Network website or The MIAA Network apps for Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku to view media day.

Fans are encouraged to ask questions for coaches and student-athletes during press conferences by using #AskMIAA. Any question using the hashtag that is asked during a press conference will receive a prize from the Association office.

Student-athletes will also participate in Twitter Live interviews on the MIAA's twitter page with MIAA Correspondent Bethany Bowman. Sports Radio 810 WHB in Kansas City will have a live show from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Kauffman Foundation Center. The show will have interviews with select coaches and student-athletes.

Head Coach Jeff Sims, as well as Levi Marlay and Shemar Coleman will take the podium at 10 am to start off the activities. To see the complete schedule for the 2019 MIAA Football Media Day presented by Seigfreid Bingham, click here. 

Missouri Southern basketball attendance ranks among tops in nation

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

For the fifth-straight year, both the Missouri Southern men's and women's basketball teams ranked in the top-20 of NCAA Division II in attendance figures as the organization announced the numbers for the 2018-19 season this week.

The Southern men ranked 10th nationally, while the women were 20th. Last season, the Southern men were 14th while the women ranked 18th.

The men were the fourth-highest ranking team in the MIAA as Fort Hays was third, followed by Central Missouri in sixth and Washburn in ninth. The league, as a whole, had six teams in the top-12, as well as nine in the top-21.

On the women's side, the Lions had the eighth-highest attendance in the MIAA. Fort Hays State ranked second nationally, followed by Pittsburg State (5th), Emporia State (6th), Central Missouri (7th), Washburn (8th), Missouri Western (13th) Nebraska-Kearney (16th) and the Lions at 20th, giving the league eight teams in the top 20.

The Southern men saw 21,889 fans at their home games inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center this season, averaging 1,684 per game, while the women saw 14,440 for an average of 963 per contest.

The MIAA, once again, led Division II in attendance in both genders. It is the 11th year in a row the league has won the basketball attendance crown as an average of 1,283 fans came for men's games and 1,053 came for women's contests this past season.

MSSU soccer coach resigns

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Missouri Southern State University women's soccer coach Chris McNaughton has announced his resignation effective immediately in order to pursue other coaching opportunities. A national search for McNaughton's replacement is underwary.

McNaughton compiled a 16-28-9 overall record for the Lions coaching the team from 2016-2018. He led the team to the second-most wins in the decade with seven in his final season.

He started this past season 6-2-2 which included a 2-2 draw on the road at defending National Champion and 8th-ranked Central Missouri.

In 2017, the Lions placed fifth in the MIAA standings and had the program's first postseason appearance since 2012 where the team battled Fort Hays State to a scoreless draw in the first round of the MIAA tournament.

In three seasons, he coached 11 All-MIAA selections as well as 34 MIAA Academic Honor Roll picks. He had one All-Region player in Ronise Miller, as well as an All-Region Scholar Team member this past season in Alex McCord.

"We wish coach McNaughton the best in his future endeavors," said Athletic Director Jared Bruggeman. "He helped steer the program in the direction it needed to be and has recruited outstanding players that can be successful in a highly-competitive MIAA."

Four MSSU players to play in Italian Softball Series

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Four members of the Missouri Southern softball team have been invited to take part in the Italian Softball Series by the United States of America Athletics International (USAAI) that brings the world's athletes together through sports and education.

The USAAI up started in 1992 under the name Midwest All-Stars as an organization that allowed baseball players a chance to face off against teams from overseas and after a six-year stretch of success gained its nonprofit status in 1998 towards supporting 15 different sports to compete in 25 other countries outside of the United States with three key words symbolizing what to expect out of each opportunity including travel, compete, and experience.

Senior first baseman Erika Lutgen, second baseman Makaila Leonhart, outfielder Elizabeth Windsor, and junior pitcher Abby Atkin will spend ten days not only participating in the Softball Series but exploring and touring different sites such as the Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica, Spanish Steps, and of course the Coliseum among others throughout the three cities of Venice, Forli, and Rome.

An invitation to take part in this valuable experience isn't extended to just anyone who wants to go, but is based on recommendations from coaches, athletes, and athletic professionals and those that the USAAI feel will represent their team, school, and country with the most class, integrity, and character of a true athlete. Once invited, the athlete is able to travel overseas, experience a new culture, and express the qualities of leadership, ability, and scholastic efforts to their opponents.

The journey begins on July 29 and will last until August 7. Below are quotes from the student-athletes on how each of them felt when the opportunity presented itself and what they hope to take away from the experience of playing softball in another country.

ROAR of the FOUR

Atkin: "We are all beyond excited about the opportunity to play our sport in Italy while I am most excited about getting to know our opponents, learning more about softball in their country, and hopefully sharing our knowledge of softball with them as well. We've been working hard all Summer for this, and for the 2020 season. I can't wait to bring back the knowledge we learn and share it with our teammates. It is going to be an amazing experience that we will never forget. Go USA!"

Leonhart: "In softball, you are constantly learning so I am hoping to learn new things from the teams in Italy. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and it's pretty cool that we get the chance to meet other people that share the same passion as us across the globe. I'm excited to experience it all, just to see what it's like there, and the things we have in common along with the differences as well. I've had the chance to play softball all around the United States while growing up so getting to play in another country is such a surreal experience."

Lutgen: "There are days I only see the difficulty/obstacle in front of me and not the opportunity as a quote from Winston Churchill explains 'The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.' I thought about not going to Italy for only a moment as meeting new people in a place you're unfamiliar with can be scary. However, the difficulty/obstacle turned into excitement in a split second. I get to play the sport I love in a beautiful place and honestly can't think of anything better than that! I'm excited to learn from the other countries and cultures I'll encounter while it with three of my MSSU teammates which will allow us to grow closer and learn together. We'll be able to make new friends with people around our softball community, further our knowledge of the game, and in turn bring that back to Southern and incorporate that into our 2020 season!"

Windsor: The quote "Successful people always search for and learn from new opportunities to improve and strengthen themselves" by Dr. T.P. Chia represents the new opportunity to strengthen more than just my softball skills in Italy as I get to learn about a new culture and go to a place that I have always wanted to go to while getting to play the game I have loved and competed in (16 years) in another country. I have traveled like this an estimated two times in my life, so it was exciting to find out that three of my teammates would be doing the same because I would have been terrified to go by myself. I want to bring back the knowledge of what softball is like over there and to learn more about myself."

MSSU men's, women's track and field receive academic awards

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern men's and women's track and field teams were recognized by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its academic awards today.

To earn the honor, student-athletes had to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and have reached a provisional or automatic qualifying standard for the NCAA Championships in either the indoor or outdoor seasons.

In order to earn the Team Academic Award, teams must have maintained a cumulative 3.00 GPA during the season. The Southern men had a 3.05 GPA, while the women had a 3.54 GPA. 

The women earned the Team Academic Award as the team posted a 3.51 cumulative GPA.

For the men, Tadd Capron and Jordyn Manier earned the scholar-athlete honor. The women were represented by Elizabeth Adeoye, Morgan Ash, Jordan Banker, Elena Bisotto, Desirea Buerge, Jasmine Deckard, Alexis Kuehl, Kirsten Leisinger, Claire Luallen, Alexandra Rodriquez, Morgan Smith and Lauren Sutherland.

Cardinals' Tyler O'Neill hits home run for Make A Wish kid

The St. Louis Cardinals have gone through hard times on the field recently, but things were brighter Saturday night when outfielder Tyler O'Neill delivered on a promise to an 11-year-old with cancer who was at Busch Stadium thanks to the Make A Wish Foundation.

O'Neill told the boy he would try to hit a home run for him and delivered with a two-run shot as the Cardinals defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2.

O'Neill also drove in the other two runs with a double.

He talks about the home run in the accompanying video from Fox Sports Midwest. The Cardinals will conclude their series with the Diamondbacks this afternoon.

Twenty Crowder student-athletes receive academic honors

(From Crowder College)

Crowder College had twenty student-athletes awarded National Junior College Athletic Association honors for their academic achievement. The Softball team also earned All-Academic team honorable mention with a combined team grade point average of 3.21.

To earn All-Academic status a student-athlete must have a grade point average of 3.60 or higher and have completed 20 or more credit hours. There are three levels of academic honors based on gpa as follows:

NJCAA All-Academic First Team: 4.0 gpa; Second Team: 3.80-3.99 gpa; Third Team: 3.60-3.79 gpa

The following student-athletes achieved NJCAA Academic honors:

1st team:

Baseball: Collin Brougham (Kansas City), Dylan Londa (Joplin), and Jacob Galbraith (Neosho)

Softball: Baylor Miles (Van Buren, AR) Morgan Montgomery (Aurora) and Payton Wildeman (Bentonville, AR)

2nd team:

Baseball: James “Jamie” Hanke (Goodman) and Clint Winchester (Neosho)

Softball: Lauren McClellan (Ozark, AR)

Basketball: Alex Vogt (Carl Junction), Ashley Reichert (Dover, AR) and Tricia Wattman (Powell)

3rd team:

Baseball: John “Ross” Carver (Benton, AR)

Basketball: Kourtney Shipley (Ava)

Soccer: Evandro Da Conceicao (Sao Goncalo, Brazil) and Jacob Fallaize (Castel, Guernsey)

Softball: Alyssa “AJ”Downey (Bentonville, AR), Gracie Jaeger (Branson), Kenzie Kallio (Oologah, OK)

and Shandria “Dia” Jackson (Vian, OK)

This year NJCAA had a record number 6,656 student-athletes honored.

MSSU well represented on USA Division II teams for Brazil Tour

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Four players from the Missouri Southern men's and women's basketball programs, as well as a coach have been named to the USA Division II teams that will compete in the 2019 Brazil Tour as announced by director of USA Sports Tours & Events, Ron Smith Monday morning.

Coach Ronnie Ressel assumes the honor of leading the women's team as head coach, while sophomore guards Amber Buch and Layne Skiles along with forward Madi Stokes join seven other players from five other schools to complete the women's roster. Reggie Tharp from the Lions' men will play for the D2 Men's Team.

"This is an outstanding group of basketball players that come from ten different states and 12 different colleges and universities from across the United States," said Smith. "We feel that we have some of the BEST of the BEST representing NCAA Division II basketball from across the country. These players have been high achievers both on the court and in the classroom. They represent everything good that the NCAA Division II institutions have to offer."

The tour runs from July 22nd to July 31st where the teams will experience educational, cultural and social aspects of Brazilian life through city, school and sports club visits. They will also conduct a youth clinic while in the city of Jundiai, stay on the world famous Copacabana Beach, and take a tour of the Christ the Redeemer Statue, Sugar Loaf Mountain, two of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, plus Ipanema Beach, the International Market (Ipanema) and the Lapa Steps during their time in Rio.

Below is the FULL Schedule and Roster:

Tentative Game Schedule
Wednesday, July 24
USA D-2 Women vs. Sorocaba
USA D-2 Men vs. Sorocaba

Thursday, July 25
USA D-2 Women vs. Jundiai
USA D-2 Men vs. Jundiai

Saturday, July 27
USA D-2 Women vs. Mangueira
USA D-2 Men vs. Botafogo

Monday, July 29
USA D-2 Women vs. Fluminense
USA D-2 Men vs. Fluminense

2019 USA D-2 Women's Basketball Team - Brazil Tour
Cassie Askvig University of Mary
Peyton Boom Minnesota State University-Moorhead
Kiley Borowicz Minnesota State University-Moorhead
Amber Buch Missouri Southern State University
Halley Busse Wayne State College
Kim Crown University of Central Missouri
Coral Gillette University of Mary
Alexis McAfee Washburn University
Layne Skiles Missouri Southern State University
Madi Stokes Missouri Southern State University

USA D-2 Women's Coaches
Head Coach - Ronnie Ressel (Head Coach, Missouri Southern State University)
Asst. Coach - Heather Davis (Assistant Coach, University of Central Oklahoma)

2019 USA D-2 Men's Basketball Team - Brazil Tour
RayQuan Elliott Pittsburg State University
Parker Fox Northern State University
Damani Hayes South Dakota State Mines & Technology
Jordan Janssen Wayne State College
Joe Laravie University of Southern Indiana
JT Shumate Walsh University
Mitchell Sueker South Dakota State Mines & Technology
Reggie Tharp Missouri Southern State University
Jason Towery University of Missouri-St. Louis
Matt Wilkinson University of Central Missouri

USA D-2 Men's Coaches
Head Coach - Chris Foster (Head Coach, McKendree University)