KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kris Bubic went seven strong innings, Hunter Dozier and MJ Melendez had late-inning RBIs and the Kansas City Royals beat Tampa Bay 4-2 on Sunday, winning a series against the Rays for the first time in five years.

Dozier snapped a 2-all tie with two outs in the seventh when he singled off Brooks Raley (1-1) to score Whit Merrifield. Melendez added an insurance run with a double down the left-field line in the eighth.

The Royals overcame the loss of Bobby Witt Jr. for their first series win against the Rays since 2017. They broke an 11-series losing streak to the American League East.

“Just a great series. That is a good team and to walk out with a series win is a big deal for us,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “We had so many guys on base and we had a lot of missed opportunities today and those are ones that usually slip away, but our guys just kept with it and got some big hits late.”

Bubic (2-6) tied with a season high by pitching seven innings. He gave up two runs on four hits, walked three and struck out four.

“Solid outing, to be able to pitch deep into a game like that in back-to-back outings is nice," Bubic said. "It’s good to give the bullpen a little break and the defense picked me up in some crucial situations. All around every facet was good today.”

For the second straight game, the Royals lost a lead but found some timely hits late to prevail.

Witt hit an RBI single in the first inning, but exited the game before the next half-inning even started. The 22-year-old rookie stole second but then gingerly ran to third on a fly ball to center field and was removed with right hamstring tightness. He is considered day to day.

“They told me as of now it’s just sore, tight hamstrings," Witt said. "Hopefully I will be back in there soon.”

He has a hit in 14 of his last 16 games with 12 RBIs and eight stolen bases while hitting over .360 in that stretch.

Nick Pratto made it 2-0 in the second with a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Michael A. Taylor.

Tampa Bay responded, as Yandy Diaz hit a 434-foot homer to center field for his first since May 14. The Rays tied the game in the sixth on a sac fly by Luke Raley.

“I was very happy I was able to hit that home run," Diaz said. "I wasn’t looking for it, it is not what I go for, but I was happy it happened.”

Taylor Clarke got his second save of the season.

Rays: Reinstated RHP Jeffrey Springs (right lower leg tightness) from the 15-day injured list and optioned RHP Luis Patino to Triple-A Durham.

Royals: RHP Jonathan Heasley (right shoulder tendinitis) and LHP Daniel Lynch (blister) will begin rehab assignments in Triple-A Omaha.

Tampa Bay will start a four-game series in Baltimore on Monday with right-hander Corey Kluber (6-5, 3.73 ERA) on the mound. The Royals continue their homestand when they host the Angels on Monday with right-hander Zack Greinke (3-6, 4.64 ERA) getting the start.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kris Bubic went seven strong innings, Hunter Dozier and MJ Melendez had late-inning RBIs and the Kansas City Royals beat Tampa Bay 4-2 on Sunday, winning a series against the Rays for the first time in five years.Dozier snapped a 2-all tie with two outs in the seventh when he singled off Brooks Raley (1-1) to score Whit Merrifield. Melendez added an insurance run with a double down the left-field line in the eighth.The Royals overcame the loss of Bobby Witt Jr. for their first series win against the Rays since 2017. They broke an 11-series losing streak to the American League East.“Just a great series. That is a good team and to walk out with a series win is a big deal for us,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “We had so many guys on base and we had a lot of missed opportunities today and those are ones that usually slip away, but our guys just kept with it and got some big hits late.”Bubic (2-6) tied with a season high by pitching seven innings. He gave up two runs on four hits, walked three and struck out four.“Solid outing, to be able to pitch deep into a game like that in back-to-back outings is nice," Bubic said. "It’s good to give the bullpen a little break and the defense picked me up in some crucial situations. All around every facet was good today.”For the second straight game, the Royals lost a lead but found some timely hits late to prevail.Witt hit an RBI single in the first inning, but exited the game before the next half-inning even started. The 22-year-old rookie stole second but then gingerly ran to third on a fly ball to center field and was removed with right hamstring tightness. He is considered day to day.“They told me as of now it’s just sore, tight hamstrings," Witt said. "Hopefully I will be back in there soon.”He has a hit in 14 of his last 16 games with 12 RBIs and eight stolen bases while hitting over .360 in that stretch.Nick Pratto made it 2-0 in the second with a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Michael A. Taylor.Tampa Bay responded, as Yandy Diaz hit a 434-foot homer to center field for his first since May 14. The Rays tied the game in the sixth on a sac fly by Luke Raley.“I was very happy I was able to hit that home run," Diaz said. "I wasn’t looking for it, it is not what I go for, but I was happy it happened.”Taylor Clarke got his second save of the season.ROSTER MOVESRays: Reinstated RHP Jeffrey Springs (right lower leg tightness) from the 15-day injured list and optioned RHP Luis Patino to Triple-A Durham.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: RHP Jonathan Heasley (right shoulder tendinitis) and LHP Daniel Lynch (blister) will begin rehab assignments in Triple-A Omaha.UP NEXTTampa Bay will start a four-game series in Baltimore on Monday with right-hander Corey Kluber (6-5, 3.73 ERA) on the mound. The Royals continue their homestand when they host the Angels on Monday with right-hander Zack Greinke (3-6, 4.64 ERA) getting the start.

⚾Bubic goes 7, Royals edge Rays 4-2 to win series

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes walked onto the practice field at Missouri Western State University on Sunday flanked by NFL rookies and longshots, many of whom dream of making in a year what the Chiefs quarterback will make by the end of the day.

Yet when the Chiefs open the season in Arizona on Sept. 11, Mahomes won't even be the best-paid QB in the game.

Yes, Mahomes set the market when he signed a 10-year, $450 million contract in July 2020, but that astonishing deal has been surpassed — in average pay and guaranteed compensation — multiple times over the past couple of years. And the latest to join the club with a skyrocketing quarterback contract is the Cardinals' Kyler Murray, whose 5-year, $230.5 million deal signed this week outpaces Mahomes in average pay by more than a million per year.

All of which is fine for Mahomes, whose inherent humility means he doesn't mind seeing others get their due.

“You want the salaries to keep going up, your players getting more and more,” Mahomes said. “When I saw my deal, I knew I was going to be pretty set for life, regardless of what the market kind of patterns. But you just keep playing. I mean, money is one thing, but when you get a Super Bowl ring in your career, I mean, that's the kind of thing you look back upon.”

Mahomes earned that ring with a victory over San Francisco on a warm Miami night in February 2020.

That's something missing from the resume of Murray, who lost the only playoff game of his first three seasons in the league, along with just about everyone else whose contract rivals that of the Kansas City quarterback.

There's the Bills' Josh Allen, who signed a six-year deal worth more than $258 million last August and whose 3-3 playoff record includes a dramatic overtime loss to Kansas City last season. And the Browns' Deshaun Watson, who is 1-2 in the playoffs, but who signed a five-year, $230 million deal that's fully guaranteed in March. And Dak Prescott of the Cowboys, who signed a four-year, $160 million contract last year despite having never played for a conference title.

Mahomes has played for the last four of those, winning two with the two losses in nail-biter finishes.

“I think especially the quarterback position, because the next guy or the top guy or any of these top-tier quarterbacks, they make such a difference in NFL games, that (contracts) are going to get passed up,” Mahomes explained. “And I mean, if you look at guys that signed last year to this year, they got passed up.”

He expects the same to happen when the Chargers' Justin Herbert and the Bengals' Joe Burrow sign new deals.

Mahomes was quick to make a crucial point about his own deal, though: "I was going to make sure that I got paid, like I said, to take care of your family. But I want to have a great team around me as well. And whatever way that is, I'm going to make sure I have a great team around me for the rest of my career.”

The Chiefs spent lavishly last offseason, both in free agency and the draft, to rebuild an offensive line that failed to protect Mahomes against Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl. And while general manager Brett Veach has still been forced to make some tough financial decisions — like trading away Tyreek Hill rather than give the wide receiver a record-setting contract — he's still been able to land players such as JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Ronald Jones II to help out.

Mahomes understands the responsibility that comes with his hefty contract, too. That was evident this past offseason, when he invited wide receivers, running backs and tight ends to his home in Texas for some voluntary workouts.

“Patrick does a great job with his leadership ability,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid acknowledged this week. “He understands his strengths, he understands his weaknesses, and he’s willing to work on his weaknesses like a wild man. He attacks all those things, and he wants you to coach him and coach him hard.”

Regardless of what Mahomes' bank account might say.

“I want the Chiefs to be at the top of the rankings. I want to do whatever I can to put us in those positions,” he said. "That all comes with how you play on the field. You can have these offseason lifts and everything like that, but when it comes down to it, it’s going to be who’s there in the middle of February holding up that trophy and getting that ring. So, I think whenever you have that motivation to be the best and to win as a team then everything else kind of handles itself.”

Notes: The Chiefs practice again Monday with rookies and quarterbacks before veterans report later in the day. The first full-squad workout is Wednesday. ... WR Cornell Powell was the star of Sunday's workout with several impressive catches in traffic. ... LB Leo Chenal was back to work after leaving Saturday's practice early due to heat exhaustion.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes walked onto the practice field at Missouri Western State University on Sunday flanked by NFL rookies and longshots, many of whom dream of making in a year what the Chiefs quarterback will make by the end of the day.Yet when the Chiefs open the season in Arizona on Sept. 11, Mahomes won't even be the best-paid QB in the game.Yes, Mahomes set the market when he signed a 10-year, $450 million contract in July 2020, but that astonishing deal has been surpassed — in average pay and guaranteed compensation — multiple times over the past couple of years. And the latest to join the club with a skyrocketing quarterback contract is the Cardinals' Kyler Murray, whose 5-year, $230.5 million deal signed this week outpaces Mahomes in average pay by more than a million per year.All of which is fine for Mahomes, whose inherent humility means he doesn't mind seeing others get their due.“You want the salaries to keep going up, your players getting more and more,” Mahomes said. “When I saw my deal, I knew I was going to be pretty set for life, regardless of what the market kind of patterns. But you just keep playing. I mean, money is one thing, but when you get a Super Bowl ring in your career, I mean, that's the kind of thing you look back upon.”Mahomes earned that ring with a victory over San Francisco on a warm Miami night in February 2020.That's something missing from the resume of Murray, who lost the only playoff game of his first three seasons in the league, along with just about everyone else whose contract rivals that of the Kansas City quarterback.There's the Bills' Josh Allen, who signed a six-year deal worth more than $258 million last August and whose 3-3 playoff record includes a dramatic overtime loss to Kansas City last season. And the Browns' Deshaun Watson, who is 1-2 in the playoffs, but who signed a five-year, $230 million deal that's fully guaranteed in March. And Dak Prescott of the Cowboys, who signed a four-year, $160 million contract last year despite having never played for a conference title.Mahomes has played for the last four of those, winning two with the two losses in nail-biter finishes.“I think especially the quarterback position, because the next guy or the top guy or any of these top-tier quarterbacks, they make such a difference in NFL games, that (contracts) are going to get passed up,” Mahomes explained. “And I mean, if you look at guys that signed last year to this year, they got passed up.”He expects the same to happen when the Chargers' Justin Herbert and the Bengals' Joe Burrow sign new deals.Mahomes was quick to make a crucial point about his own deal, though: "I was going to make sure that I got paid, like I said, to take care of your family. But I want to have a great team around me as well. And whatever way that is, I'm going to make sure I have a great team around me for the rest of my career.”The Chiefs spent lavishly last offseason, both in free agency and the draft, to rebuild an offensive line that failed to protect Mahomes against Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl. And while general manager Brett Veach has still been forced to make some tough financial decisions — like trading away Tyreek Hill rather than give the wide receiver a record-setting contract — he's still been able to land players such as JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Ronald Jones II to help out.Mahomes understands the responsibility that comes with his hefty contract, too. That was evident this past offseason, when he invited wide receivers, running backs and tight ends to his home in Texas for some voluntary workouts.“Patrick does a great job with his leadership ability,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid acknowledged this week. “He understands his strengths, he understands his weaknesses, and he’s willing to work on his weaknesses like a wild man. He attacks all those things, and he wants you to coach him and coach him hard.”Regardless of what Mahomes' bank account might say.“I want the Chiefs to be at the top of the rankings. I want to do whatever I can to put us in those positions,” he said. "That all comes with how you play on the field. You can have these offseason lifts and everything like that, but when it comes down to it, it’s going to be who’s there in the middle of February holding up that trophy and getting that ring. So, I think whenever you have that motivation to be the best and to win as a team then everything else kind of handles itself.”Notes: The Chiefs practice again Monday with rookies and quarterbacks before veterans report later in the day. The first full-squad workout is Wednesday. ... WR Cornell Powell was the star of Sunday's workout with several impressive catches in traffic. ... LB Leo Chenal was back to work after leaving Saturday's practice early due to heat exhaustion.

🏈Chiefs' Mahomes fine with other QBs earning big(ger) bucks

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Andy Reid isn't sure when Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. will report to training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs.

For that matter, neither is Patrick Mahomes.

The Chiefs quarterback said Friday he has exchanged text messages with his blindside protector all offseason, even though Brown skipped all team activities while negotiating a contract. But with the deadline passed for a deal to get done, Brown is left with the prospect of playing this season for about $16.7 million under the franchise tag.

Until he signs that tender, though, Brown doesn't have to report to Missouri Western State University.

“You want him to be here, I mean, just because of the guy he is,” said Mahomes, who reported along with the other QBs and rookies for a couple of days of work before the rest of the team shows up Monday afternoon.

“But at the same time,” Mahomes said, “when it comes to money and then contracts or stuff like that, I'll never kind of force you to do anything, because I know you're trying to provide for your family long-term. But as a teammate, as a friend, you want him to be here and be part of this. You want him to be out here and in the building and together.”

The Chiefs offered Brown a six-year, $140 million contract with more than $30 million guaranteed at signing, which would have made him one of the league's highest-paid left tackles. But the rest of the guaranteed money in the deal wasn't what Brown and his new representatives were seeking, so they allowed last week's negotiating deadline to lapse.

Now, it's up to Brown to prove this season — just his second at left tackle — that he's worthy of that kind of money.

Skipping the start of training camp probably isn't the best way to get started.

“I would tell you, when you miss, you miss,” Reid acknowledged. “I mean, it's hard to make that up. That's just logical. To say he doesn't have a foundation — he has a great foundation of plays that we run and the things we do. But he's missed all off OTAs and all the new stuff that we put in. And that's where he would have to catch up.”

Reid said that left guard Joe Thuney is capable of sliding to left tackle, though that just leaves another spot open along the offensive line. Other options include Geron Christian, a former third-round pick who started 14 games over the past two years in Houston, and fifth-round pick Darian Kinnard, who played right tackle at Kentucky.

None of them provides Mahomes with the same sense of comfort as Brown, though.

“He's one of the smartest football players I think I've ever played with,” Mahomes said. “He has a high IQ. I mean, even when he wasn't at OTAs, he'd be asking me questions. He's watching the film, doing everything to make sure that when he starts here, he's ready to go. And I think that comes with having his dad playing in the league. He's been around the sport for his whole life. And you ask anybody on this team, he's one of the best guys on the scene.”

In other news, Reid said right tackle Lucas Niang is recovering from knee surgery, cornerback Rashad Fenton is rehabbing after shoulder surgery and wide receiver Justyn Ross is out for the start of camp following foot surgery.

All of them are expected to land on the physically unable-to-perform list.

In more positive injury news, second-round draft pick Skyy Moore — who is expected to help the Chiefs overcome the loss of Tyreek Hill — said he was fully recovered from a hamstring injury that caused him to miss most of the offseason.

“I'm fully ready to go,” Moore said. "I felt like it was just a bit of like, the transition from combine prep to the season. It was like, a little over use. But that's all behind me now. I'm ready to contribute.”

Indeed, Moore was all smiles Friday, even though his first NFL training camp got off to an inauspicious start.

“I actually forgot everything I had,” he explained. “I had to wake up at 3:30 a.m. for a 5 a.m. flight and I like, locked myself out of my hotel in Tampa. So I got to get my suitcase shipped overnight. So yeah, I forget everything. I guess I'm just going to rock out with the team gear and hopefully it'll get here tomorrow.”

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Andy Reid isn't sure when Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. will report to training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs.For that matter, neither is Patrick Mahomes.The Chiefs quarterback said Friday he has exchanged text messages with his blindside protector all offseason, even though Brown skipped all team activities while negotiating a contract. But with the deadline passed for a deal to get done, Brown is left with the prospect of playing this season for about $16.7 million under the franchise tag.Until he signs that tender, though, Brown doesn't have to report to Missouri Western State University.“You want him to be here, I mean, just because of the guy he is,” said Mahomes, who reported along with the other QBs and rookies for a couple of days of work before the rest of the team shows up Monday afternoon.“But at the same time,” Mahomes said, “when it comes to money and then contracts or stuff like that, I'll never kind of force you to do anything, because I know you're trying to provide for your family long-term. But as a teammate, as a friend, you want him to be here and be part of this. You want him to be out here and in the building and together.”The Chiefs offered Brown a six-year, $140 million contract with more than $30 million guaranteed at signing, which would have made him one of the league's highest-paid left tackles. But the rest of the guaranteed money in the deal wasn't what Brown and his new representatives were seeking, so they allowed last week's negotiating deadline to lapse.Now, it's up to Brown to prove this season — just his second at left tackle — that he's worthy of that kind of money.Skipping the start of training camp probably isn't the best way to get started.“I would tell you, when you miss, you miss,” Reid acknowledged. “I mean, it's hard to make that up. That's just logical. To say he doesn't have a foundation — he has a great foundation of plays that we run and the things we do. But he's missed all off OTAs and all the new stuff that we put in. And that's where he would have to catch up.”Reid said that left guard Joe Thuney is capable of sliding to left tackle, though that just leaves another spot open along the offensive line. Other options include Geron Christian, a former third-round pick who started 14 games over the past two years in Houston, and fifth-round pick Darian Kinnard, who played right tackle at Kentucky.None of them provides Mahomes with the same sense of comfort as Brown, though.“He's one of the smartest football players I think I've ever played with,” Mahomes said. “He has a high IQ. I mean, even when he wasn't at OTAs, he'd be asking me questions. He's watching the film, doing everything to make sure that when he starts here, he's ready to go. And I think that comes with having his dad playing in the league. He's been around the sport for his whole life. And you ask anybody on this team, he's one of the best guys on the scene.”In other news, Reid said right tackle Lucas Niang is recovering from knee surgery, cornerback Rashad Fenton is rehabbing after shoulder surgery and wide receiver Justyn Ross is out for the start of camp following foot surgery.All of them are expected to land on the physically unable-to-perform list.In more positive injury news, second-round draft pick Skyy Moore — who is expected to help the Chiefs overcome the loss of Tyreek Hill — said he was fully recovered from a hamstring injury that caused him to miss most of the offseason.“I'm fully ready to go,” Moore said. "I felt like it was just a bit of like, the transition from combine prep to the season. It was like, a little over use. But that's all behind me now. I'm ready to contribute.”Indeed, Moore was all smiles Friday, even though his first NFL training camp got off to an inauspicious start.“I actually forgot everything I had,” he explained. “I had to wake up at 3:30 a.m. for a 5 a.m. flight and I like, locked myself out of my hotel in Tampa. So I got to get my suitcase shipped overnight. So yeah, I forget everything. I guess I'm just going to rock out with the team gear and hopefully it'll get here tomorrow.”

🏈Chiefs hit camp with Pro Bowl LT Brown's future uncertain

By STEVE MEGARGEE Associated Press

MILWAUKEE — Blame it on lingering effects of the pandemic, resentment over the lockout or economic fears.

Major
 League Baseball is struggling to fill the stands at pre-COVID levels as
 the sport heads into the last 2 1/2 months of its first season since 
2019 without capacity restrictions.

MLB reached the All-Star break
 with an average attendance of 26,409. That represents a drop of 5.4% 
from the All-Star break of 2019 — which was 10 days earlier than <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-entertainment-sports-los-angeles-baseball-f9301d4035dad0dab30262be8663bd94">this year.</a>

League officials remain encouraged and point to the recovery.

“We
 have come back to between 94-95% of where we were prior to the 
pandemic,” MLB chief revenue officer Noah Garden said. “So we feel 
really good about the progress we have made on the attendance side 
rebounding strongly from a situation that threatened the very core of 
how we operate as an industry.”

Attendance is up over 70% from the season-ending average in 2021, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-mlb-sports-business-new-york-mets-13132f8fc20f8a41c42bed5cf1dc143a">when only Texas started at full capacity and all 30 teams weren't at 100% until July 2</a>. MLB played its abbreviated 2020 regular season without spectators.

While
 MLB’s average attendance had fallen each year since 2015, most of the 
drops were by less than 2%. Average attendance was over 30,000 for 14 
straight seasons from 2004-17 but hasn't reached that mark since.

“Attendance has been dropping about 1% a year — year after year — for about the last 15 years,” said <a href="https://www.holycross.edu/academics/programs/economics-and-accounting/faculty/victor-a-matheson">Victor Matheson,</a>
 a Holy Cross economics professor who specializes in sports economics. 
“Major League Baseball attendance peaked in 2007 and has been falling 
pretty consistently year after year for over a decade. What we’d just 
normally expect after about three years is about 3% lower attendance.”

Bob
 Heaning, a 48-year-old fan from Cranford, New Jersey, said he used to 
attend about a dozen New York Yankees games per year. He’s attended just
 three this season, has tickets for two more games and doesn’t plan to 
attend any others.

Heaning said he stopped going as often because 
he bought a house last year and is staying at home more often, but he 
also believes the high price of attending games may be keeping fans 
away. That could prove particularly true this year as inflation causes 
more people to spend more carefully.

“I think people are maybe more concerned,” Hearing said. “There’s not as much expendable income.”

Matheson
 said MLB relies more than other professional sports leagues on 
out-of-town fans. That makes MLB particularly vulnerable to issues that 
could curtail tourism.

“If travel's disrupted, either by expensive
 gas prices or expensive airline tickets or just general travel 
disruptions, that could make a big dent,” Matheson said.

<a href="https://management.buffalo.edu/faculty/academic-departments/marketing/faculty/charles-lindsey.html">Charles Lindsey,</a>
 an associate professor of marketing at the University at Buffalo School
 of Management, noted that single-game ticket sales remain solid but 
season ticket sales have gone down. He said the NBA faced a similar 
problem this season.

Lindsey cited inflation as a leading cause and said the pandemic may have contributed to a lesser extent.

"But
 those are factors that are common across all sorts of recreational 
experiences,” Lindsey said. “And a lot of recreational entertainment — 
dining out, travel — a lot of those areas are back to pre-pandemic 
levels.”

Lindsey believes dissatisfaction because of the lockout 
may have caused some fans not to renew their season tickets. He also 
speculated some franchises might have reduced their staffs during the 
pandemic and paid for it with reduced ticket sales.

Teams have been particularly hard hit in group sales.

Rick
 Schlesinger, the Brewers’ president of business operations, said last 
month at a Milwaukee Press Club gathering that the team’s group-ticket 
sales normally total about 600,000 annually. Schlesinger estimated that 
total would be about 400,000 this season.

He noted some businesses
 are still working remotely and therefore are having fewer group 
outings, and that not as many schools as usual have made ballpark trips.

"The group business has not returned to anywhere near normal levels, frankly not surprisingly,” Schlesinger said.

Oakland's attendance has plunged nearly 55% from its 2019 All-Star break level. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-las-vegas-san-francisco-oakland-athletics-3fbfb1e0c67437c4bb061824c4c61d45">The Athletics dramatically cut payroll amid concerns about the franchise’s future in the Bay Area as they seek a new stadium.</a>

Other
 teams whose attendance has dropped at least 15% from where they were at
 the 2019 break include Arizona (26.7%), Pittsburgh (20.8%), Washington 
(19.7%), Philadelphia (17.9%), Cincinnati (17.8%), Cleveland (16.3%), LA
 Angels (15.1%) and Kansas City (15.1%).

The only teams with 
attendance increases from their 2019 break averages are Toronto (48.5%),
 San Diego (29.4%), Miami (23.3%), Atlanta (19.1%), Seattle (12.7%), the
 Chicago White Sox (9.5%), Detroit (6.9%) and the New York Mets (4.8%).

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-mlb-business-health-sports-db4649aba840a5cbd626161372ed5c66">This year's 99-day lockout</a> wasn’t settled until March 10, resulting in a revised schedule.

“That
 absolutely affected the cadence of our ticket sales, both our 
single-game tickets and our groups,” Schlesinger said. “We were trying 
to sell group tickets in an environment where I couldn’t tell you 
exactly when our season was going to start or what our home schedule was
 going to look like.”

That’s one hurdle teams won’t face in the upcoming offseason, giving MLB reason for optimism.

“If
 you would have told me in 2020 that we would be 95% back to 2019 levels
 in two years, I would have taken that deal 100 out of 100 times,” 
Garden said.

AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

By STEVE MEGARGEE Associated PressMILWAUKEE — Blame it on lingering effects of the pandemic, resentment over the lockout or economic fears.Major
 League Baseball is struggling to fill the stands at pre-COVID levels as
 the sport heads into the last 2 1/2 months of its first season since 
2019 without capacity restrictions.MLB reached the All-Star break
 with an average attendance of 26,409. That represents a drop of 5.4% 
from the All-Star break of 2019 — which was 10 days earlier than <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-entertainment-sports-los-angeles-baseball-f9301d4035dad0dab30262be8663bd94">this year.</a>League officials remain encouraged and point to the recovery.“We
 have come back to between 94-95% of where we were prior to the 
pandemic,” MLB chief revenue officer Noah Garden said. “So we feel 
really good about the progress we have made on the attendance side 
rebounding strongly from a situation that threatened the very core of 
how we operate as an industry.”Attendance is up over 70% from the season-ending average in 2021, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-mlb-sports-business-new-york-mets-13132f8fc20f8a41c42bed5cf1dc143a">when only Texas started at full capacity and all 30 teams weren't at 100% until July 2</a>. MLB played its abbreviated 2020 regular season without spectators.While
 MLB’s average attendance had fallen each year since 2015, most of the 
drops were by less than 2%. Average attendance was over 30,000 for 14 
straight seasons from 2004-17 but hasn't reached that mark since.“Attendance has been dropping about 1% a year — year after year — for about the last 15 years,” said <a href="https://www.holycross.edu/academics/programs/economics-and-accounting/faculty/victor-a-matheson">Victor Matheson,</a>
 a Holy Cross economics professor who specializes in sports economics. 
“Major League Baseball attendance peaked in 2007 and has been falling 
pretty consistently year after year for over a decade. What we’d just 
normally expect after about three years is about 3% lower attendance.”Bob
 Heaning, a 48-year-old fan from Cranford, New Jersey, said he used to 
attend about a dozen New York Yankees games per year. He’s attended just
 three this season, has tickets for two more games and doesn’t plan to 
attend any others.Heaning said he stopped going as often because 
he bought a house last year and is staying at home more often, but he 
also believes the high price of attending games may be keeping fans 
away. That could prove particularly true this year as inflation causes 
more people to spend more carefully.“I think people are maybe more concerned,” Hearing said. “There’s not as much expendable income.”Matheson
 said MLB relies more than other professional sports leagues on 
out-of-town fans. That makes MLB particularly vulnerable to issues that 
could curtail tourism.“If travel's disrupted, either by expensive
 gas prices or expensive airline tickets or just general travel 
disruptions, that could make a big dent,” Matheson said.<a href="https://management.buffalo.edu/faculty/academic-departments/marketing/faculty/charles-lindsey.html">Charles Lindsey,</a>
 an associate professor of marketing at the University at Buffalo School
 of Management, noted that single-game ticket sales remain solid but 
season ticket sales have gone down. He said the NBA faced a similar 
problem this season.Lindsey cited inflation as a leading cause and said the pandemic may have contributed to a lesser extent."But
 those are factors that are common across all sorts of recreational 
experiences,” Lindsey said. “And a lot of recreational entertainment — 
dining out, travel — a lot of those areas are back to pre-pandemic 
levels.”Lindsey believes dissatisfaction because of the lockout 
may have caused some fans not to renew their season tickets. He also 
speculated some franchises might have reduced their staffs during the 
pandemic and paid for it with reduced ticket sales.Teams have been particularly hard hit in group sales.Rick
 Schlesinger, the Brewers’ president of business operations, said last 
month at a Milwaukee Press Club gathering that the team’s group-ticket 
sales normally total about 600,000 annually. Schlesinger estimated that 
total would be about 400,000 this season.He noted some businesses
 are still working remotely and therefore are having fewer group 
outings, and that not as many schools as usual have made ballpark trips."The group business has not returned to anywhere near normal levels, frankly not surprisingly,” Schlesinger said.Oakland's attendance has plunged nearly 55% from its 2019 All-Star break level. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-las-vegas-san-francisco-oakland-athletics-3fbfb1e0c67437c4bb061824c4c61d45">The Athletics dramatically cut payroll amid concerns about the franchise’s future in the Bay Area as they seek a new stadium.</a>Other
 teams whose attendance has dropped at least 15% from where they were at
 the 2019 break include Arizona (26.7%), Pittsburgh (20.8%), Washington 
(19.7%), Philadelphia (17.9%), Cincinnati (17.8%), Cleveland (16.3%), LA
 Angels (15.1%) and Kansas City (15.1%).The only teams with 
attendance increases from their 2019 break averages are Toronto (48.5%),
 San Diego (29.4%), Miami (23.3%), Atlanta (19.1%), Seattle (12.7%), the
 Chicago White Sox (9.5%), Detroit (6.9%) and the New York Mets (4.8%).<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-mlb-business-health-sports-db4649aba840a5cbd626161372ed5c66">This year's 99-day lockout</a> wasn’t settled until March 10, resulting in a revised schedule.“That
 absolutely affected the cadence of our ticket sales, both our 
single-game tickets and our groups,” Schlesinger said. “We were trying 
to sell group tickets in an environment where I couldn’t tell you 
exactly when our season was going to start or what our home schedule was
 going to look like.”That’s one hurdle teams won’t face in the upcoming offseason, giving MLB reason for optimism.“If
 you would have told me in 2020 that we would be 95% back to 2019 levels
 in two years, I would have taken that deal 100 out of 100 times,” 
Garden said.AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

MLB struggles to get attendance back to pre-pandemic levels

James Milton Carver Jr., 74, went to be with his Lord and Savior on July
 17, 2022. He was born on December 16, 1947, in Weatherford, Oklahoma, to 
Milton and Peggy Carver. His family moved to Big Spring in 1951. He 
attended Big Spring High School where he was an all-around athlete, 
excelling in football, basketball and track &amp; field. 

After 
graduating in 1967, Jim went on to play football for Kansas State 
University on a full ride. He was named a two time All Big Eight 
Offensive Lineman, an All American and played in the Blue Gray All Star 
game in 1970. He met his wife, Carolee, during a snowball fight near the
 athletic dorms. Jim and Carolee married on July 24, 1970 and have been 
married for 52 years. After coaching and teaching in Oakley, Kansas, 
Stephenville, Early, and Blanket, Jim and his family moved to Midland, 
Texas, in 1984. He started teaching and coaching at Alamo Jr. High and 
moved to Lee Freshman in 1987 to teach history and coach. Coaching and 
investing in the lives of students was one of his great loves and 
passions. He coached until 1992 when he was sidelined by blood clots. He
 moved to Lee High in 1997 and taught history and geography until he 
retired from MISD in 2007. Along the way he taught many students in 
Drivers Ed and also showed them how to navigate life.
 Coach loved his wife, his kids, and grandkids. You could find him 
cheering at their school events, yelling at the refs and almost getting 
kicked out of their games, as well as enjoying choir concerts, dance 
recitals, supporting them in History Fair and just showing up in their 
everyday lives. He was a proud supporter of Midland Lee Rebels, Kansas 
State Wildcats, and The University of Texas Longhorns. He loved all 
things football. He was an avid car and train enthusiast and enjoyed 
spending time tinkering. He also had a passion for back seat driving, 
calling plays at any type of sporting event and having brief encounters 
with stupidity. “BRIEF!” He was notorious for his amusing exclamations 
like “Didn’t they know we were coming?!”, “Chump!”, “buzzard puke” and 
“May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your arm pits!” Coach loved 
serving and worshiping at Wilshire Park Baptist Church. He was an active
 participant in Men’s prayer breakfast and loved a mean potluck.
 With everything that Jim was and accomplished in his life, his real 
legacy can be seen in his love and belief in Jesus and showing others 
that love. And that legacy of love is carried on through his children 
and grandchildren.
 Coach is survived by his wife, Carolee Carver, his daughter Melissa 
Barlow, her husband Kent, his son Jeremy Carver, and daughter Christina 
Wren, and her husband Clint. Coach’s grandchildren Bailey, Jackson, Elah
 Grace, Keller Barlow and Nolan and Paxton Wren. Coach’s sister Connie, 
her husband George and their daughter’s Shannon, Bobby, Lauren Jackson 
and Tiffany, Shawn, and Emma Grace Hawkins. He is also survived by Uncle
 Sonny Moore, Aunt Wanda, and their family as well as Brother-in-Laws 
Cec, Dennis, Vaughn Lambert and their families.
 Coach is preceded in death by his father James Milton Carver Sr., 
his mother Peggy Louise Carver, his father in law John Cecil Lambert and
 mother in law Ruth Lorene Lambert, Brother-in-Law Ronald Dee Lambert 
and numerous Aunts, Uncles, and cousins.
 The family would like to thank Hospice of Midland for their love and
 care in his final months. The family would also like to thank Cimmaron 
Place staff, along with the friends he made for making his last two 
months a positive experience. 
 The visitation was Thursday, July 21, 2022, from 5:00-7:00 pm at 
Nalley-Pickle Welch. The celebration of life was held Friday, July 22, 
2022 at 2:00 pm at Wilshire Park Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Midland and/or Wilshire Park Baptist Church, Midland, Tx.
 Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle &amp; Welch 
Funeral Home &amp; Crematory of Midland. Online condolences may be made 
at www.npwelch.com.
 Graveside services will be held at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, July 27, 
2022, at the Eminence (Thornburg) Cemetery, Rural Thornburg, KS with 
Pastor Dennis Lambert officiating.

Graveside arrangements entrusted to Rentschler Family Mortuaries, Smith Center, KS.

To leave an online condolence visit www.rfmortuaries.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658514624498.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>James Milton Carver Jr., 74, went to be with his Lord and Savior on July
 17, 2022. He was born on December 16, 1947, in Weatherford, Oklahoma, to 
Milton and Peggy Carver. His family moved to Big Spring in 1951. He 
attended Big Spring High School where he was an all-around athlete, 
excelling in football, basketball and track &amp; field. After 
graduating in 1967, Jim went on to play football for Kansas State 
University on a full ride. He was named a two time All Big Eight 
Offensive Lineman, an All American and played in the Blue Gray All Star 
game in 1970. He met his wife, Carolee, during a snowball fight near the
 athletic dorms. Jim and Carolee married on July 24, 1970 and have been 
married for 52 years. After coaching and teaching in Oakley, Kansas, 
Stephenville, Early, and Blanket, Jim and his family moved to Midland, 
Texas, in 1984. He started teaching and coaching at Alamo Jr. High and 
moved to Lee Freshman in 1987 to teach history and coach. Coaching and 
investing in the lives of students was one of his great loves and 
passions. He coached until 1992 when he was sidelined by blood clots. He
 moved to Lee High in 1997 and taught history and geography until he 
retired from MISD in 2007. Along the way he taught many students in 
Drivers Ed and also showed them how to navigate life.
 Coach loved his wife, his kids, and grandkids. You could find him 
cheering at their school events, yelling at the refs and almost getting 
kicked out of their games, as well as enjoying choir concerts, dance 
recitals, supporting them in History Fair and just showing up in their 
everyday lives. He was a proud supporter of Midland Lee Rebels, Kansas 
State Wildcats, and The University of Texas Longhorns. He loved all 
things football. He was an avid car and train enthusiast and enjoyed 
spending time tinkering. He also had a passion for back seat driving, 
calling plays at any type of sporting event and having brief encounters 
with stupidity. “BRIEF!” He was notorious for his amusing exclamations 
like “Didn’t they know we were coming?!”, “Chump!”, “buzzard puke” and 
“May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your arm pits!” Coach loved 
serving and worshiping at Wilshire Park Baptist Church. He was an active
 participant in Men’s prayer breakfast and loved a mean potluck.
 With everything that Jim was and accomplished in his life, his real 
legacy can be seen in his love and belief in Jesus and showing others 
that love. And that legacy of love is carried on through his children 
and grandchildren.
 Coach is survived by his wife, Carolee Carver, his daughter Melissa 
Barlow, her husband Kent, his son Jeremy Carver, and daughter Christina 
Wren, and her husband Clint. Coach’s grandchildren Bailey, Jackson, Elah
 Grace, Keller Barlow and Nolan and Paxton Wren. Coach’s sister Connie, 
her husband George and their daughter’s Shannon, Bobby, Lauren Jackson 
and Tiffany, Shawn, and Emma Grace Hawkins. He is also survived by Uncle
 Sonny Moore, Aunt Wanda, and their family as well as Brother-in-Laws 
Cec, Dennis, Vaughn Lambert and their families.
 Coach is preceded in death by his father James Milton Carver Sr., 
his mother Peggy Louise Carver, his father in law John Cecil Lambert and
 mother in law Ruth Lorene Lambert, Brother-in-Law Ronald Dee Lambert 
and numerous Aunts, Uncles, and cousins.
 The family would like to thank Hospice of Midland for their love and
 care in his final months. The family would also like to thank Cimmaron 
Place staff, along with the friends he made for making his last two 
months a positive experience. 
 The visitation was Thursday, July 21, 2022, from 5:00-7:00 pm at 
Nalley-Pickle Welch. The celebration of life was held Friday, July 22, 
2022 at 2:00 pm at Wilshire Park Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Midland and/or Wilshire Park Baptist Church, Midland, Tx.
 Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle &amp; Welch 
Funeral Home &amp; Crematory of Midland. Online condolences may be made 
at www.npwelch.com.
 Graveside services will be held at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, July 27, 
2022, at the Eminence (Thornburg) Cemetery, Rural Thornburg, KS with 
Pastor Dennis Lambert officiating.
 Graveside arrangements entrusted to Rentschler Family Mortuaries, Smith Center, KS.
 To leave an online condolence visit www.rfmortuaries.com.

James Milton Carver Jr., 1947-2022

7u-9u Roundup&nbsp; Thursday, August 4th&nbsp;@ Premier Indoor Training 7u 6-7PM 8u 7-8PM 9u 8-9PM

Bring baseball gear&nbsp;(glove, bat, etc)&nbsp;as there will be a workout. Parent information meeting/Q&amp;A as well at same time kids are working out.

10u Tryout Sunday, August 14th&nbsp;@ Premier Indoor Training 6:30-8PM

11u Tryout Saturday, August 27th&nbsp;@ Premier Indoor Training 1:30-3:00PM

12u Tryout&nbsp; Sunday, August 14th&nbsp;@ Premier Indoor Training 5:00-6:30PM

Submitted7u-9u Roundup&nbsp; Thursday, August 4th&nbsp;@ Premier Indoor Training 7u 6-7PM 8u 7-8PM 9u 8-9PMBring baseball gear&nbsp;(glove, bat, etc)&nbsp;as there will be a workout. Parent information meeting/Q&amp;A as well at same time kids are working out.10u Tryout Sunday, August 14th&nbsp;@ Premier Indoor Training 6:30-8PM11u Tryout Saturday, August 27th&nbsp;@ Premier Indoor Training 1:30-3:00PM12u Tryout&nbsp; Sunday, August 14th&nbsp;@ Premier Indoor Training 5:00-6:30PMNo cleats arde allowed at the PIT.

Hays Baseball Club 2023 tryouts in August

HAYS – A pair of bases loaded walks in the bottom of the
eighth inning propelled the Hays Larks to a 6-4 victory over the Liberal Bee
Jays.

With the win the Larks (30-7, 21-3) have won seven straight
and pulled within a game and a half of the Bee Jays in the race for the Rocky Mountain
Baseball League title. The win also snapped Liberal’s 19-game win streak.

After the two teams were retired in order in the first the
Larks got on the board in the second inning when Garrett Gruell, who reached on
an error to lead off the inning scored on an RBI single from Cade Brown.

Hays added a second run on Hunter Rosson’s fourth homerun of
the summer in the bottom of the third inning.

In the fourth inning Gruell reached on an error for a second
time and with one out in the inning Austen Jaslove drove in a pair of runs with
a second to left putting Hays up 4-0.

Hays starter Brady Rose turned in his best performance of
the summer, with six shutout innings. He allowed just one hit with one walk and
struck out six but did not factor into the decision.

Liberal was able to plate three in the seven off reliever
Caden Hare and they then tied the game at four with a single run in the top of
the eighth inning.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, with the game tied at
four, Hays took advantage of two Liberal errors and three walks in the inning
to take the lead.

Dylan Dreiling was the first to walk with the bases loaded
putting Hays up 5-4 and driving in his 57th run of the season. He
has now moved into a tie for third in single-season Larks history with 57 RBIs.

With Hays leading 5-4 Cade Brown drove in his second run of the
game on a bases loaded walk putting the Larks up 6-4.

Liberal threatened in the ninth inning with back-to-back
single to start the inning but Hays’ Preston Tabor struck out the final two
hitters of the inning securing Hays’ 6-4 victory.

Tabor earned the win with two and a third innings of relief.
He allowed one run on four hits with four strikeouts.

Dylan Dreiling collected the only multi-hit game for the
Larks and Cade Brown and Austin Jaslove each drove in two.

The same two teams will wrap up the two-game series Friday at
7:30 p.m. at Larks Park.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658498601016.jpeg" alt="Larks pitcher tosses the ball to first Thursday vs the Liberal Bee Jays at Lark park&nbsp;(Cayden Sanders)" />
 <figcaption>Larks pitcher tosses the ball to first Thursday vs the Liberal Bee Jays at Lark park&nbsp;(Cayden Sanders)</figcaption>
 </figure>HAYS – A pair of bases loaded walks in the bottom of the
eighth inning propelled the Hays Larks to a 6-4 victory over the Liberal Bee
Jays.With the win the Larks (30-7, 21-3) have won seven straight
and pulled within a game and a half of the Bee Jays in the race for the Rocky Mountain
Baseball League title. The win also snapped Liberal’s 19-game win streak.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1309906084&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/7-21-22-hays-larks-coach-frank-leo" title="7-21-22 - Hays Larks coach Frank Leo" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">7-21-22 - Hays Larks coach Frank Leo</a></div></div>After the two teams were retired in order in the first the
Larks got on the board in the second inning when Garrett Gruell, who reached on
an error to lead off the inning scored on an RBI single from Cade Brown.Hays added a second run on Hunter Rosson’s fourth homerun of
the summer in the bottom of the third inning.In the fourth inning Gruell reached on an error for a second
time and with one out in the inning Austen Jaslove drove in a pair of runs with
a second to left putting Hays up 4-0.Hays starter Brady Rose turned in his best performance of
the summer, with six shutout innings. He allowed just one hit with one walk and
struck out six but did not factor into the decision.Liberal was able to plate three in the seven off reliever
Caden Hare and they then tied the game at four with a single run in the top of
the eighth inning.In the bottom of the eighth inning, with the game tied at
four, Hays took advantage of two Liberal errors and three walks in the inning
to take the lead.Dylan Dreiling was the first to walk with the bases loaded
putting Hays up 5-4 and driving in his 57th run of the season. He
has now moved into a tie for third in single-season Larks history with 57 RBIs.With Hays leading 5-4 Cade Brown drove in his second run of the
game on a bases loaded walk putting the Larks up 6-4.Liberal threatened in the ninth inning with back-to-back
single to start the inning but Hays’ Preston Tabor struck out the final two
hitters of the inning securing Hays’ 6-4 victory.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1309906591&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/07-21-22-hays-larks-vs-liberal-highlights" title="07-21-22 Hays Larks vs Liberal Highlights" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">07-21-22 Hays Larks vs Liberal Highlights</a></div></div>Tabor earned the win with two and a third innings of relief.
He allowed one run on four hits with four strikeouts.Dylan Dreiling collected the only multi-hit game for the
Larks and Cade Brown and Austin Jaslove each drove in two.The same two teams will wrap up the two-game series Friday at
7:30 p.m. at Larks Park.

⚾Larks take advantage of Liberal mistakes in 6-4 win

PITTSBURG — Saturday marks the 49th annual Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Start football game and the Hays High Indians will be well represented.&nbsp;

Standout offensive and defensive lineman Gavin Nutting was a late addition to this year’s game being played in Pittsburg.&nbsp;

Nutting and Hays High head coach Tony Crough are on the west
squad. 

This year’s Kansas Shrine Bowl is set for 7 p.m. Saturday at Carnie
Smith Stadium in Pittsburg.

PITTSBURG — Saturday marks the 49th annual Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Start football game and the Hays High Indians will be well represented.&nbsp;Standout offensive and defensive lineman Gavin Nutting was a late addition to this year’s game being played in Pittsburg.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1309860652&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/7-21-22-gavin-nutting" title="7-21-22 - Gavin Nutting" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">7-21-22 - Gavin Nutting</a></div></div>Nutting and Hays High head coach Tony Crough are on the west
squad. This year’s Kansas Shrine Bowl is set for 7 p.m. Saturday at Carnie
Smith Stadium in Pittsburg.

🏈Former Hays High standout Nutting set to play in Shrine Bowl

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy has appointed
Fort Hays State’s Assistant Athletic Director Matt Cook as the Association’s
next Basketball Tournament Committee Chair.

Cook has been a member of the MIAA Basketball Tournament
Committee for eight years. He becomes the third representative to take over as
the committee chair since the committee began in 2008. Cook is replacing
Pittsburg State’s former Associate Athletic Director, Nate Davis.

“I am humbled and excited to be selected as the new chair
for the MIAA basketball tournament committee,” said Cook. “This is an event I
look forward to every year, not just for the great basketball games and
high-level competition we get to watch each day, but also for the time spent
working with other MIAA Athletic Administrators to put on the tournament. We
have a great group of people on the committee with great leadership from the
MIAA office and can’t wait to celebrate our 20th year of MIAA basketball in
Kansas City! I would be remiss if I didn’t mention learning the importance of
the MIAA basketball tournament and how things worked from a great mentor and
committee member in Tim Callahan and past chairs Brett Esely and Nate Davis.”

In his new appointment, Cook will help oversee the direction
of tournament operations. As chair, he will be in direct consultation with
Commissioner Racy and MIAA staff on meetings and agenda items leading into the
tournament.

Cook is entering his ninth year as the Assistant Athletic
Director of External Operations at Fort Hays State.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658491820736.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MIAAKANSAS CITY, Mo. — MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy has appointed
Fort Hays State’s Assistant Athletic Director Matt Cook as the Association’s
next Basketball Tournament Committee Chair.Cook has been a member of the MIAA Basketball Tournament
Committee for eight years. He becomes the third representative to take over as
the committee chair since the committee began in 2008. Cook is replacing
Pittsburg State’s former Associate Athletic Director, Nate Davis.“I am humbled and excited to be selected as the new chair
for the MIAA basketball tournament committee,” said Cook. “This is an event I
look forward to every year, not just for the great basketball games and
high-level competition we get to watch each day, but also for the time spent
working with other MIAA Athletic Administrators to put on the tournament. We
have a great group of people on the committee with great leadership from the
MIAA office and can’t wait to celebrate our 20th year of MIAA basketball in
Kansas City! I would be remiss if I didn’t mention learning the importance of
the MIAA basketball tournament and how things worked from a great mentor and
committee member in Tim Callahan and past chairs Brett Esely and Nate Davis.”In his new appointment, Cook will help oversee the direction
of tournament operations. As chair, he will be in direct consultation with
Commissioner Racy and MIAA staff on meetings and agenda items leading into the
tournament.Cook is entering his ninth year as the Assistant Athletic
Director of External Operations at Fort Hays State.

🏀FHSU’s Cook named MIAA basketball tournament committee chair

Photo courtesy of Ken's Photography of Hays

<div><div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/VideoObject"><meta itemprop="uploadDate" content="Mon Jul 18 2022 09:42:11 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)"/><meta itemprop="name" content="Brady Rose"/><meta itemprop="duration" content="P0Y0M0DT0H0M15S" /><meta itemprop="thumbnailUrl" content="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/thumbs/9GEgSEct-720.jpg"/><meta itemprop="contentUrl" content="https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/9GEgSEct-25NauLGk.m4a"/><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/9GEgSEct-oVs1oZUT.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Brady Rose" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div>Photo courtesy of Ken's Photography of Hays

⚾ MEET THE LARKS: Brady Rose

HAYS, Kan. - Fort Hays State cross country/track and field
head coach Dr. Jason McCullough has announced a nationwide schedule for the
2022-23 season. The Tigers will compete in eight states across all four time
zones in the continental United States during the upcoming season.

The cross country season kicks off on September 1 at the
Terry Masterson Twilight (Hutchinson, Kan.) before the Tigers travel to the
highly competitive Southern Stampede (Joplin, Mo.) on September 18. Fort Hays
State will battle another tough field at the Gans Creek Classic (Columbia, Mo.)
on September 30 hosted by SEC member Missouri before wrapping up the regular
season on October 15 at the Trojan Invite (Colby, Kan.).

The championship phase of the fall season begins in
Jefferson City, Mo. as Lincoln plays host to the MIAA Championships on November
5. The Tigers will then return to Joplin, Mo. for the NCAA Division II Central
Region Championships on November 19 with a trip to University Place, Wash. and
the NCAA Division II Championships (Dec. 3) on the line.

While the distance runners hope to wrap up their season at
the national race in Washington in early December, the indoor track and field
team will begin its season that same weekend at the UNK Pre-Holiday Classic
(Dec. 2, Kearney, Neb.). The Tigers will compete once more before wrapping up
the semester at the highly competitive Boo Rogers Combined Events and Crimson
&amp; Gold Invitational (Dec. 9-10, Pittsburg, Kan.). The Tigers broke seven
school records and achieved 23 NCAA provisional qualifying marks last season at
the Plaster Center on the campus of Pittsburg State.

After the calendar turns to 2023, the track and field
programs will take a tour of indoor facilities in Kansas at the Washburn Rust
Buster (Jan. 21, Topeka), the Jayhawk Classic (Jan. 27, Lawrence) and the Herm
Wilson Invitational (Feb. 3-4, Wichita) before returning to Pittsburg State for
the highly anticipated Gorilla Classic (Feb. 10-11). The regular season
concludes the following week with a trip to the Bob Devaney Sports Center for
the Nebraska Tune-Up (Feb. 17, Lincoln, Neb.). The Tigers will then travel to
Pittsburg a third time for the MIAA Indoor Championships (Feb. 24-26) before heading
to the east coast in Virginia Beach, Va. for the NCAA Division II Indoor
Championships (March 10-11) at the Virginia Beach Sports Center.

The outdoor season is slated to begin in late March before
concluding with the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships at the CSU Pueblo
ThunderBowl in Pueblo, Colo. May 25-27. The Tigers will host the annual FHSU
Alex Francis Classic late in the regular season on April 28 at the FHSU Track
and Field Facility. Other regional competition in the spring includes trips to
Wichita State (April 7-8), Nebraska-Kearney (April 1 and 15, May 13), and host
of the 2024 and 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships, Emporia State
(March 24-25, April 22).

Outside of those regional competitions, the Tigers are
planning trips to California and Texas for marquee events in pursuit of NCAA
qualifying marks and school records. In 2022, trips to these two states
produced seven school records, 17 NCAA Provisional marks and 15 FHSU DII era
top 10 performances. The Tigers plan to make their inaugural trip to the highly
acclaimed Stanford Invitational at the Cobb Track &amp; Angell Field in Palo
Alto, Calif. March 24-25. Fort Hays State will return to the Bay Area the
following week the following week (March 30-April 1) to compete in San Francisco
State's Mike Fanelli Classic, doing so for the first time since 2015. The
Tigers will also send athletes to Austin, Texas that week (March 29-April 1)
for the prestigious 95th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays at Mike A. Myers
Stadium on Texas' campus, doing so for the second year in a row.

The Tigers will return to southern California two weeks
later, competing at three different venues between April 12-15. Fort Hays State
will compete in Long Beach, Calif. at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate (April
13) and Beach Invitational (April 14-15) at the Jack Rose Track on the campus
of Long Beach State. The Tigers will also attend the historically famous 63rd
Mt. SAC Relays (April 12-15) at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut Calif., hosted
by Mt. San Antonio Community College presented by Nike. Additional Tiger
student-athletes will compete at the prominent Bryan Clay Invitational (April
13-15) at Cougar Athletic Stadium hosted by Azusa Pacific in Azusa, Calif.

After hosting the Alex Francis Classic in late April, the
Tigers will head off to Jefferson City, Mo. for the MIAA Outdoor Championships
as Lincoln once again assumes hosting duties May 5-7.

Fort Hays State returns an impressive crop of athletes that
includes two national champions, 11 All-Americans, 14 NCAA Championship meet
participants, 15 All-MIAA performers and 30 MIAA Championship meet scorers
while adding a recruiting class that includes multiple high school state
champions, medalists and junior college All-Americans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658491951913.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsHAYS, Kan. - Fort Hays State cross country/track and field
head coach Dr. Jason McCullough has announced a nationwide schedule for the
2022-23 season. The Tigers will compete in eight states across all four time
zones in the continental United States during the upcoming season.The cross country season kicks off on September 1 at the
Terry Masterson Twilight (Hutchinson, Kan.) before the Tigers travel to the
highly competitive Southern Stampede (Joplin, Mo.) on September 18. Fort Hays
State will battle another tough field at the Gans Creek Classic (Columbia, Mo.)
on September 30 hosted by SEC member Missouri before wrapping up the regular
season on October 15 at the Trojan Invite (Colby, Kan.).The championship phase of the fall season begins in
Jefferson City, Mo. as Lincoln plays host to the MIAA Championships on November
5. The Tigers will then return to Joplin, Mo. for the NCAA Division II Central
Region Championships on November 19 with a trip to University Place, Wash. and
the NCAA Division II Championships (Dec. 3) on the line.While the distance runners hope to wrap up their season at
the national race in Washington in early December, the indoor track and field
team will begin its season that same weekend at the UNK Pre-Holiday Classic
(Dec. 2, Kearney, Neb.). The Tigers will compete once more before wrapping up
the semester at the highly competitive Boo Rogers Combined Events and Crimson
&amp; Gold Invitational (Dec. 9-10, Pittsburg, Kan.). The Tigers broke seven
school records and achieved 23 NCAA provisional qualifying marks last season at
the Plaster Center on the campus of Pittsburg State.After the calendar turns to 2023, the track and field
programs will take a tour of indoor facilities in Kansas at the Washburn Rust
Buster (Jan. 21, Topeka), the Jayhawk Classic (Jan. 27, Lawrence) and the Herm
Wilson Invitational (Feb. 3-4, Wichita) before returning to Pittsburg State for
the highly anticipated Gorilla Classic (Feb. 10-11). The regular season
concludes the following week with a trip to the Bob Devaney Sports Center for
the Nebraska Tune-Up (Feb. 17, Lincoln, Neb.). The Tigers will then travel to
Pittsburg a third time for the MIAA Indoor Championships (Feb. 24-26) before heading
to the east coast in Virginia Beach, Va. for the NCAA Division II Indoor
Championships (March 10-11) at the Virginia Beach Sports Center.The outdoor season is slated to begin in late March before
concluding with the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships at the CSU Pueblo
ThunderBowl in Pueblo, Colo. May 25-27. The Tigers will host the annual FHSU
Alex Francis Classic late in the regular season on April 28 at the FHSU Track
and Field Facility. Other regional competition in the spring includes trips to
Wichita State (April 7-8), Nebraska-Kearney (April 1 and 15, May 13), and host
of the 2024 and 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships, Emporia State
(March 24-25, April 22).Outside of those regional competitions, the Tigers are
planning trips to California and Texas for marquee events in pursuit of NCAA
qualifying marks and school records. In 2022, trips to these two states
produced seven school records, 17 NCAA Provisional marks and 15 FHSU DII era
top 10 performances. The Tigers plan to make their inaugural trip to the highly
acclaimed Stanford Invitational at the Cobb Track &amp; Angell Field in Palo
Alto, Calif. March 24-25. Fort Hays State will return to the Bay Area the
following week the following week (March 30-April 1) to compete in San Francisco
State's Mike Fanelli Classic, doing so for the first time since 2015. The
Tigers will also send athletes to Austin, Texas that week (March 29-April 1)
for the prestigious 95th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays at Mike A. Myers
Stadium on Texas' campus, doing so for the second year in a row.The Tigers will return to southern California two weeks
later, competing at three different venues between April 12-15. Fort Hays State
will compete in Long Beach, Calif. at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate (April
13) and Beach Invitational (April 14-15) at the Jack Rose Track on the campus
of Long Beach State. The Tigers will also attend the historically famous 63rd
Mt. SAC Relays (April 12-15) at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut Calif., hosted
by Mt. San Antonio Community College presented by Nike. Additional Tiger
student-athletes will compete at the prominent Bryan Clay Invitational (April
13-15) at Cougar Athletic Stadium hosted by Azusa Pacific in Azusa, Calif.After hosting the Alex Francis Classic in late April, the
Tigers will head off to Jefferson City, Mo. for the MIAA Outdoor Championships
as Lincoln once again assumes hosting duties May 5-7.Fort Hays State returns an impressive crop of athletes that
includes two national champions, 11 All-Americans, 14 NCAA Championship meet
participants, 15 All-MIAA performers and 30 MIAA Championship meet scorers
while adding a recruiting class that includes multiple high school state
champions, medalists and junior college All-Americans.

👟FHSU track announces nationwide schedule for 2022-23 season

Stanford a former graduate assistant with Fort Hays State

COLBY — Colby Community College announced the hiring of Jerrod Stanford to lead the men's basketball program next season. He fills the position vacated by Rusty Elmore, who resigned in June.

Stanford begins his new role this week. He is no stranger to the Jayhawk Conference, as he spent the last seven years as the head men's coach at Division II Labette Community College, compiling a record of 83-92. His 2020-21 squad won Labette's first regular-season conference title. He took teams to the Region VI championship game in 2018 and 2021, the school's only appearances since 1961.

The St. John native is familiar with CCC basketball. He coached former Trojan and All-KJCCC guard Carson Konrade at Spearville High School, where Konrade was twice named to the Class 2A All-State team by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association.

Colby Athletic Director Mike Saddler said the new coach is qualified in many ways.

"Jerrod brings a great background with him," said Saddler. "He spent time coaching in western Kansas at both the high school and college level and has years of experience as a head coach in the Jayhawk Conference. His background makes him an outstanding fit for Colby Community College, and we look for him to continue to help guide the program forward. We are really looking forward to getting Jerrod and his family to Colby."

"My family and I are excited to be part of the Colby community," said Stanford. "I look forward to continuing to build a strong Trojans program."

Stanford and his wife of nine years, Traci, are parents to three children, Ivy, age 8; Justus, 4; and one-year-old Raef.&nbsp;

"Fatherhood is the best blessing I could've ever asked for," Stanford added.

Outside coaching, he enjoys cooking, being outside and making memories with his family. He is active in his Catholic faith and teaches his children about the church's saints and sacraments.

Stanford earned a bachelor's degree from Sterling College and a master's degree when he was a graduate assistant on the Fort Hays State University basketball staff.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658429337993.jpeg" alt="Jerrod Stanford" />
 <figcaption>Jerrod Stanford</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Stanford a former graduate assistant with Fort Hays State</h2>CCCCOLBY — Colby Community College announced the hiring of Jerrod Stanford to lead the men's basketball program next season. He fills the position vacated by Rusty Elmore, who resigned in June.Stanford begins his new role this week. He is no stranger to the Jayhawk Conference, as he spent the last seven years as the head men's coach at Division II Labette Community College, compiling a record of 83-92. His 2020-21 squad won Labette's first regular-season conference title. He took teams to the Region VI championship game in 2018 and 2021, the school's only appearances since 1961.The St. John native is familiar with CCC basketball. He coached former Trojan and All-KJCCC guard Carson Konrade at Spearville High School, where Konrade was twice named to the Class 2A All-State team by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association.Colby Athletic Director Mike Saddler said the new coach is qualified in many ways."Jerrod brings a great background with him," said Saddler. "He spent time coaching in western Kansas at both the high school and college level and has years of experience as a head coach in the Jayhawk Conference. His background makes him an outstanding fit for Colby Community College, and we look for him to continue to help guide the program forward. We are really looking forward to getting Jerrod and his family to Colby.""My family and I are excited to be part of the Colby community," said Stanford. "I look forward to continuing to build a strong Trojans program."Stanford and his wife of nine years, Traci, are parents to three children, Ivy, age 8; Justus, 4; and one-year-old Raef.&nbsp;"Fatherhood is the best blessing I could've ever asked for," Stanford added.Outside coaching, he enjoys cooking, being outside and making memories with his family. He is active in his Catholic faith and teaches his children about the church's saints and sacraments.Stanford earned a bachelor's degree from Sterling College and a master's degree when he was a graduate assistant on the Fort Hays State University basketball staff.

St. John native takes reins of Colby CC men's basketball program

<div><div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/VideoObject"><meta itemprop="uploadDate" content="Thu Jun 23 2022 15:45:48 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)"/><meta itemprop="name" content="Brady Hunt Evans"/><meta itemprop="duration" content="P0Y0M0DT0H0M15S" /><meta itemprop="thumbnailUrl" content="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/thumbs/Oyn11JDt-720.jpg"/><meta itemprop="contentUrl" content="https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/Oyn11JDt-25NauLGk.m4a"/><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/Oyn11JDt-oVs1oZUT.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Brady Hunt Evans" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div>Photo courtesy of Ken's Photography of Hays

⚾ MEET THE LARKS: Brady Hunt Evans

SALINA — As the volunteer sponsor of the 2022 Senior LPGA Championship at the 
Salina Country Club later this week, the Kansas Department of Commerce 
has assembled "The Governor's Team" to play in the Pro-Am Tournament 
Thursday.

The 2022 Senior LPGA Championship is scheduled for 
Thursday through Sunday at the Salina Country Club. Annika Sörenstam is 
scheduled to headline the 78-player field for the 2022 Senior LPGA 
Championship.

READ: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/3718fe68-fdd8-41a1-b51a-4589b6df3a08">Annika Sörenstam to headline 2022 LPGA Championship in Salina</a>

Likewise, Governor Laura Kelly's team for the Pro-Am event Thursday 
has some of the state's best collegiate golfers: Aliyah North (Fort Hays
 State University), Gianna Augustine (Kansas State University), Hannah 
Hawks (University of Kansas), and Megan Lucas (Wichita State 
University). A senior pro will be named after the pairing party on 
Wednesday evening.

Adam Roorbach, Kansas Department of Commerce's 
Kansas Sports Tourism, said, “The State of Kansas is proud to sponsor 
this event. Bringing the Senior LPGA Championship event will have a 
significant impact on the Kansas economy. The Salina Country Club will 
provide a wonderful experience to participants and spectators from 
throughout the world. Ultimately, Kansas is a wonderful place to visit, 
work, live and play, and the Senior LPGA Championship will showcase just
 that!"

The Pro-Am is scheduled to begin with a shotgun start at 
noon on Thursday with 17 teams competing. Each team will consist of four
 amateur players and one senior pro. Several local businesses have 
sponsored teams and viewing of the event is open to the public.

If you’d like to learn more about the 2022 Senior LPGA Championship, go to <a href="http://www.SalinaCountryClub.com">www.SalinaCountryClub.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658347723244.jpeg" alt="The Salina Country Club will be a hub of international activity the next few days during the&nbsp;2022 Senior LPGA Championship. Photo courtesy Salina Country Club Facebook page" />
 <figcaption>The Salina Country Club will be a hub of international activity the next few days during the&nbsp;2022 Senior LPGA Championship. Photo courtesy Salina Country Club Facebook page</figcaption>
 </figure>Salina PostSALINA — As the volunteer sponsor of the 2022 Senior LPGA Championship at the 
Salina Country Club later this week, the Kansas Department of Commerce 
has assembled "The Governor's Team" to play in the Pro-Am Tournament 
Thursday.The 2022 Senior LPGA Championship is scheduled for 
Thursday through Sunday at the Salina Country Club. Annika Sörenstam is 
scheduled to headline the 78-player field for the 2022 Senior LPGA 
Championship.READ: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/3718fe68-fdd8-41a1-b51a-4589b6df3a08">Annika Sörenstam to headline 2022 LPGA Championship in Salina</a>Likewise, Governor Laura Kelly's team for the Pro-Am event Thursday 
has some of the state's best collegiate golfers: Aliyah North (Fort Hays
 State University), Gianna Augustine (Kansas State University), Hannah 
Hawks (University of Kansas), and Megan Lucas (Wichita State 
University). A senior pro will be named after the pairing party on 
Wednesday evening.Adam Roorbach, Kansas Department of Commerce's 
Kansas Sports Tourism, said, “The State of Kansas is proud to sponsor 
this event. Bringing the Senior LPGA Championship event will have a 
significant impact on the Kansas economy. The Salina Country Club will 
provide a wonderful experience to participants and spectators from 
throughout the world. Ultimately, Kansas is a wonderful place to visit, 
work, live and play, and the Senior LPGA Championship will showcase just
 that!"The Pro-Am is scheduled to begin with a shotgun start at 
noon on Thursday with 17 teams competing. Each team will consist of four
 amateur players and one senior pro. Several local businesses have 
sponsored teams and viewing of the event is open to the public.If you’d like to learn more about the 2022 Senior LPGA Championship, go to <a href="http://www.SalinaCountryClub.com">www.SalinaCountryClub.com</a>.

FHSU golfer will join governor's team at LPGA Pro-Am event

ATLANTA - With a cumulative team grade-point average of
3.814, the Fort Hays State women's basketball team led all Division II in the
2021-22 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll, released Wednesday (July 20) by
the coaches association. It is both the highest ranking ever achieved by the
team in the 27-year history of the poll and the highest team GPA on record.

The Tigers have been listed in the Academic Top 25 11 times
under head coach Tony Hobson, including four appearances in the top 10.

The Tigers were one of just four schools nationwide ranked
in the top 25 in both the final WBCA DII national coaches poll and the academic
team honor roll.

School - Academic Top 25 Ranking - Final WBCA Ranking Fort Hays State - 1st - 7th Lubbock Christian - 4th - 19th Ashland - 6th - 9th Pace - 10th - 15th

Fort Hays State is one of three MIAA programs ranked in this
year's Academic Top 25. The Tigers have been the top-ranked conference school
four of the last five years.

All 14 Tigers on the 2021-22 roster were listed on the MIAA
Academic Honor Roll, with five student-athletes receiving the MIAA Academic
Excellence Award and four picking up the MIAA Scholar-Athlete Award. Cydney
Bergmann, Kate Dilsaver, Megan Earney, Grace Eck and Whitney Randall all earned
the MIAA Academic Excellence Award for continuing to maintain a perfect 4.00
GPA, while Bergmann, Randall, Olivia Hollenbeck and Katie Wagner all received
the MIAA Scholar-Athlete Award for carrying a GPA north of 3.50 and earning
All-MIAA status on the court.

The WBCA Academic Top 25 annually recognizes NCAA Division
I, II and III; NAIA; and junior/community college women's basketball teams
across the nation that carry the highest combined grade point average (GPA)
inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The
2021-22 season is the 27th in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls. This
year's release marks the first year in which all teams which reported a minimum
3.0 GPA also are recognized for their academic accomplishment.

Fort Hays State's historical rankings in the WBCA Academic
Top 25 Team Honor Roll and the complete 2021-22 Top 25 can be found below.

FHSU in the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll

Year | Rank - GPA 2021-22 | 1st - 3.814 2020-21 | 3rd - 3.764 2018-19 | 6th - 3.708 2017-18 | 13th - 3.667 2016-17 | 13th - 3.624 2015-16 | 22nd - 3.559 2014-15 | 23rd - 3.536 2012-13 | 14th - 3.500 2011-12 | 4th - 3.628 2010-11 | 12th - 3.523 2009-10 | T14th - 3.473 2002-03 | 16th - 3.444

Rank - Institution - Head Coach&nbsp; - GPA 1 - Fort Hays State University - Tony Hobson - 3.814 T2 - Ursuline College - Shannon Sword - 3.806 T2 - Northwest Missouri State University - Austin Meyer -
3.806 4 - Lubbock Christian University - Steve Gomez - 3.805 5 - East Stroudsburg University - Stephanie Del Preore -
3.800 6 - Ashland University - Kari Pickens - 3.798 T7 - William Jewell College - Jill Slominski - 3.770 T7 - Montana State University Billings - Kevin Woodin -
3.770 9 - Kutztown University - Janet Malouf - 3.768 10 - Pace University - Carrie Seymour - 3.755 11 - Minot State University - Mike Brandt - 3.753 12 - Point Loma Nazarene University - Charity Elliott -
3.746 13 - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Lisa Wilson -
3.745 14 - University of Montevallo - Gary Van Atta - 3.736 15 - Michigan Technological University - Samantha Clayton -
3.734 16 - Adelphi University - Sade Jackson - 3.727 17 - University of Nebraska Kearney - Carrie Eighmey - 3.725 18 - Wayne State University - Carrie Lohr - 3.723 19 - Minnesota State University Moorhead - Karla Nelson -
3.686 20 - Seton Hill University - Mark Katarski - 3.679 21 - Henderson State University - Jill Thomas - 3.678 22 - Lindenwood University - Katie Falco - 3.670 23 - Rockhurst University - Larry Park - 3.658 24 - Fort Lewis College - Taylor Harris - 3.653 25 - University of Charleston - Tianni Kelly - 3.643

Special Mention: Truman State University, Theo Dean, 3.637;
Chestnut Hill College, Jim Connolly, 3.625; Southern New Hampshire University,
Karen Pinkos, 3.620; Emory &amp; Henry College, Jaclyn Dickens, 3.611;
University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Lynn Plett, 3.604; Southwest Minnesota
State University, Tom Webb, 3.600; McKendree University, Kari Kerkhoff, 3.598;
Augustana University, Dave Krauth, 3.591; University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Jen
Conely, 3.576; University of Mary, Rick Neumann, 3.570; Southwest Baptist
University, Kelsey Keizer, 3.561; University of Alaska Fairbanks, Jessie Craig,
3.557; St. Thomas Aquinas College, Bill Cleary, 3.552; Minnesota State
University, Emilee Thiesse, 3.552; Western Washington University, Carmen Dolfo,
3.545; Hillsdale College, Charlie Averkamp, 3.538; Chadron State College, Janet
Raymer, 3.536; Davenport University, Travis Schuba, 3.507; Bemidji State University,
Chelsea DeVille, 3.507; Gannon University, Cleve Wright, 3.498; Seattle Pacific
University, Mike Simonson, 3.488; Winona State University, Scott Ballard,
3.477; Wingate University, Ann Hancock, 3.466; Metropolitan State University of
Denver, Tanya Haave, 3.466; Miles College, Phillip Wallace, 3.460; Holy Family
University, Bernadette Laukaitis, 3.447; University of Illinois Springfield,
Casey Thousand, 3.440; Valdosta State University, Deandra Schirmer, 3.383;
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Jeri Jacobson, 3.380; Daemen
College, Jenepher Banker, 3.375; Goldey-Beacom College, Bethann Burke, 3.362;
Tusculum University, Meagan Price, 3.338; Stonehill College, Trisha Brown,
3.328; Union University, Mark Campbell, 3.327; California State University,
East Bay, Shanelle Stires, 3.325; Fort Valley State University, Andrea
Williams, 3.322; Azusa Pacific University, T.J. Hardeman, 3.313; Chaminade
University of Honolulu, Arthur King, 3.303; Barry University, Kristina Baugh,
3.289; University of West Florida, Stephanie Yelton, 3.276; Oklahoma Christian
University, Stephanie Findley, 3.255; California State University San Marcos,
Renee Jimenez, 3.251; Bentley University, C White, 3.242; Dominican University
of California, Tim LaKose, 3.231; West Texas A&amp;M University, Josh Prock,
3.229; Christian Brothers University, Jessie Carmack, 3.224; University of
Hawaii at Hilo, David Kaneshiro, 3.220; California State University, San
Bernardino, Casandra Renno, 3.209; Coker University, Melissa DeVore, 3.201;
Northwest Nazarene University, Steve Steele, 3.176; Converse University,
Samantha Davidson, 3.109; St. Mary's University (Texas), Jason Martens, 3.081;
California State University, Los Angeles, Torino Johnson, 3.069; Academy of Art
University, Krystle Evans, 3.049.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658405531580.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsATLANTA - With a cumulative team grade-point average of
3.814, the Fort Hays State women's basketball team led all Division II in the
2021-22 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll, released Wednesday (July 20) by
the coaches association. It is both the highest ranking ever achieved by the
team in the 27-year history of the poll and the highest team GPA on record.The Tigers have been listed in the Academic Top 25 11 times
under head coach Tony Hobson, including four appearances in the top 10.The Tigers were one of just four schools nationwide ranked
in the top 25 in both the final WBCA DII national coaches poll and the academic
team honor roll.School - Academic Top 25 Ranking - Final WBCA Ranking Fort Hays State - 1st - 7th Lubbock Christian - 4th - 19th Ashland - 6th - 9th Pace - 10th - 15thFort Hays State is one of three MIAA programs ranked in this
year's Academic Top 25. The Tigers have been the top-ranked conference school
four of the last five years.All 14 Tigers on the 2021-22 roster were listed on the MIAA
Academic Honor Roll, with five student-athletes receiving the MIAA Academic
Excellence Award and four picking up the MIAA Scholar-Athlete Award. Cydney
Bergmann, Kate Dilsaver, Megan Earney, Grace Eck and Whitney Randall all earned
the MIAA Academic Excellence Award for continuing to maintain a perfect 4.00
GPA, while Bergmann, Randall, Olivia Hollenbeck and Katie Wagner all received
the MIAA Scholar-Athlete Award for carrying a GPA north of 3.50 and earning
All-MIAA status on the court.The WBCA Academic Top 25 annually recognizes NCAA Division
I, II and III; NAIA; and junior/community college women's basketball teams
across the nation that carry the highest combined grade point average (GPA)
inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The
2021-22 season is the 27th in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls. This
year's release marks the first year in which all teams which reported a minimum
3.0 GPA also are recognized for their academic accomplishment.Fort Hays State's historical rankings in the WBCA Academic
Top 25 Team Honor Roll and the complete 2021-22 Top 25 can be found below.FHSU in the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor RollYear | Rank - GPA 2021-22 | 1st - 3.814 2020-21 | 3rd - 3.764 2018-19 | 6th - 3.708 2017-18 | 13th - 3.667 2016-17 | 13th - 3.624 2015-16 | 22nd - 3.559 2014-15 | 23rd - 3.536 2012-13 | 14th - 3.500 2011-12 | 4th - 3.628 2010-11 | 12th - 3.523 2009-10 | T14th - 3.473 2002-03 | 16th - 3.444Rank - Institution - Head Coach&nbsp; - GPA 1 - Fort Hays State University - Tony Hobson - 3.814 T2 - Ursuline College - Shannon Sword - 3.806 T2 - Northwest Missouri State University - Austin Meyer -
3.806 4 - Lubbock Christian University - Steve Gomez - 3.805 5 - East Stroudsburg University - Stephanie Del Preore -
3.800 6 - Ashland University - Kari Pickens - 3.798 T7 - William Jewell College - Jill Slominski - 3.770 T7 - Montana State University Billings - Kevin Woodin -
3.770 9 - Kutztown University - Janet Malouf - 3.768 10 - Pace University - Carrie Seymour - 3.755 11 - Minot State University - Mike Brandt - 3.753 12 - Point Loma Nazarene University - Charity Elliott -
3.746 13 - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Lisa Wilson -
3.745 14 - University of Montevallo - Gary Van Atta - 3.736 15 - Michigan Technological University - Samantha Clayton -
3.734 16 - Adelphi University - Sade Jackson - 3.727 17 - University of Nebraska Kearney - Carrie Eighmey - 3.725 18 - Wayne State University - Carrie Lohr - 3.723 19 - Minnesota State University Moorhead - Karla Nelson -
3.686 20 - Seton Hill University - Mark Katarski - 3.679 21 - Henderson State University - Jill Thomas - 3.678 22 - Lindenwood University - Katie Falco - 3.670 23 - Rockhurst University - Larry Park - 3.658 24 - Fort Lewis College - Taylor Harris - 3.653 25 - University of Charleston - Tianni Kelly - 3.643Special Mention: Truman State University, Theo Dean, 3.637;
Chestnut Hill College, Jim Connolly, 3.625; Southern New Hampshire University,
Karen Pinkos, 3.620; Emory &amp; Henry College, Jaclyn Dickens, 3.611;
University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Lynn Plett, 3.604; Southwest Minnesota
State University, Tom Webb, 3.600; McKendree University, Kari Kerkhoff, 3.598;
Augustana University, Dave Krauth, 3.591; University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Jen
Conely, 3.576; University of Mary, Rick Neumann, 3.570; Southwest Baptist
University, Kelsey Keizer, 3.561; University of Alaska Fairbanks, Jessie Craig,
3.557; St. Thomas Aquinas College, Bill Cleary, 3.552; Minnesota State
University, Emilee Thiesse, 3.552; Western Washington University, Carmen Dolfo,
3.545; Hillsdale College, Charlie Averkamp, 3.538; Chadron State College, Janet
Raymer, 3.536; Davenport University, Travis Schuba, 3.507; Bemidji State University,
Chelsea DeVille, 3.507; Gannon University, Cleve Wright, 3.498; Seattle Pacific
University, Mike Simonson, 3.488; Winona State University, Scott Ballard,
3.477; Wingate University, Ann Hancock, 3.466; Metropolitan State University of
Denver, Tanya Haave, 3.466; Miles College, Phillip Wallace, 3.460; Holy Family
University, Bernadette Laukaitis, 3.447; University of Illinois Springfield,
Casey Thousand, 3.440; Valdosta State University, Deandra Schirmer, 3.383;
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Jeri Jacobson, 3.380; Daemen
College, Jenepher Banker, 3.375; Goldey-Beacom College, Bethann Burke, 3.362;
Tusculum University, Meagan Price, 3.338; Stonehill College, Trisha Brown,
3.328; Union University, Mark Campbell, 3.327; California State University,
East Bay, Shanelle Stires, 3.325; Fort Valley State University, Andrea
Williams, 3.322; Azusa Pacific University, T.J. Hardeman, 3.313; Chaminade
University of Honolulu, Arthur King, 3.303; Barry University, Kristina Baugh,
3.289; University of West Florida, Stephanie Yelton, 3.276; Oklahoma Christian
University, Stephanie Findley, 3.255; California State University San Marcos,
Renee Jimenez, 3.251; Bentley University, C White, 3.242; Dominican University
of California, Tim LaKose, 3.231; West Texas A&amp;M University, Josh Prock,
3.229; Christian Brothers University, Jessie Carmack, 3.224; University of
Hawaii at Hilo, David Kaneshiro, 3.220; California State University, San
Bernardino, Casandra Renno, 3.209; Coker University, Melissa DeVore, 3.201;
Northwest Nazarene University, Steve Steele, 3.176; Converse University,
Samantha Davidson, 3.109; St. Mary's University (Texas), Jason Martens, 3.081;
California State University, Los Angeles, Torino Johnson, 3.069; Academy of Art
University, Krystle Evans, 3.049.

🏀FHSU Women's Basketball Tops WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll

<div><div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/VideoObject"><meta itemprop="uploadDate" content="Thu Jun 23 2022 15:45:48 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)"/><meta itemprop="name" content="Hunter Marshall"/><meta itemprop="duration" content="P0Y0M0DT0H0M15S" /><meta itemprop="thumbnailUrl" content="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/thumbs/qk4FKKbZ-720.jpg"/><meta itemprop="contentUrl" content="https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/qk4FKKbZ-25NauLGk.m4a"/><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/qk4FKKbZ-oVs1oZUT.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Hunter Marshall" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div>Photo courtesy of Ken's Photography of Hays

⚾ MEET THE LARKS: Hunter Marshall

The Hays Larks scored nine runs in the fifth inning and ran
their win streak to six straight Tuesday night in a 12-2 run-rule victory over
the Dodge City Athletics.

Dodge City took an early 1-0 lead on a lead-off homerun
in the top of the first inning.

It took the Larks (29-7, 20-3 RMBL) a few innings to get
going but when their bats found a rhythm they did so in a big way.

The Larks finally broke onto the scoreboard in the bottom of
the fourth inning. Jack Torosian led off the inning with his second homerun of
the season tying the game at one and then later in the inning Hunter Rosson
broke the tie with a two-run triple putting Hays up 3-1.

Leading by two, heading into the bottom of the fifth inning the Larks sent 14 to the plate in a nine-run inning.

With one out, nine straight Larks reached base. In the inning
Garrett Gruell doubled in a pair of runs, Dylan Dreiling hit his nineth home
run of the season, a two-run shot and Brady Evans drove in two runs with a
double. 

Hays collected six extra base hits in the inning as they
built a 12-1 lead through five innings.

Dodge City got a run back in the sixth inning but Hays
claimed the 12-2 run-rule victory in seven innings.

Starter Cade Brown did not factor into the decision but
struckout a season-high seven and allowed just one run on four hits in four
innings.

Kaleb Meredith earned the win with two innings of relief. He
allowed one run on four hits.

Jack Torosian finished two-for-three with a homerun and two
runs scored. Garrett Gruell was two-for-three with four RBI’s. Hunter Rosson
drove in three runs and Dylan Dreiling homered and drove in two runs. Brady Evans
also drove in two.

Hays will host Liberal for a key two-game series Thursday
and Friday at Larks Park.

The Hays Larks scored nine runs in the fifth inning and ran
their win streak to six straight Tuesday night in a 12-2 run-rule victory over
the Dodge City Athletics.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1308296275&color=%23294b71&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/07-19-22-hays-larks-coach-interview" title="07-19-22 Hays Larks Coach Frank Leo Interview" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">07-19-22 Hays Larks Coach Frank Leo Interview</a></div></div>Dodge City took an early 1-0 lead on a lead-off homerun
in the top of the first inning.It took the Larks (29-7, 20-3 RMBL) a few innings to get
going but when their bats found a rhythm they did so in a big way.The Larks finally broke onto the scoreboard in the bottom of
the fourth inning. Jack Torosian led off the inning with his second homerun of
the season tying the game at one and then later in the inning Hunter Rosson
broke the tie with a two-run triple putting Hays up 3-1.Leading by two, heading into the bottom of the fifth inning the Larks sent 14 to the plate in a nine-run inning.With one out, nine straight Larks reached base. In the inning
Garrett Gruell doubled in a pair of runs, Dylan Dreiling hit his nineth home
run of the season, a two-run shot and Brady Evans drove in two runs with a
double. Hays collected six extra base hits in the inning as they
built a 12-1 lead through five innings.Dodge City got a run back in the sixth inning but Hays
claimed the 12-2 run-rule victory in seven innings.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1308296308&color=%23294b71&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/07-19-22-hays-larks-vs-dodge-city-as-highlights" title="07 - 19 - 22 Hays Larks Vs Dodge City A&#x27;s Highlights" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">07 - 19 - 22 Hays Larks Vs Dodge City A&#x27;s Highlights</a></div></div>Starter Cade Brown did not factor into the decision but
struckout a season-high seven and allowed just one run on four hits in four
innings.Kaleb Meredith earned the win with two innings of relief. He
allowed one run on four hits.Jack Torosian finished two-for-three with a homerun and two
runs scored. Garrett Gruell was two-for-three with four RBI’s. Hunter Rosson
drove in three runs and Dylan Dreiling homered and drove in two runs. Brady Evans
also drove in two.Hays will host Liberal for a key two-game series Thursday
and Friday at Larks Park.