The women's basketball program at Colby Community College will be led by James Cole for the 2020-21 season, the college announced. He fills the vacancy left by Antwain Scales, who resigned in March.

"First, I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and my family, because none of this is possible without them and their unwavering support," Cole said. "I'd also like to thank Mike Saddler, Dr. Carter, and everyone else that was involved in the process of helping me become the next women's basketball head coach at Colby Community College. My goal is to continue to build this program, compete for championships, graduate our student-athletes, and help them become successful in life. Go Trojans!"&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cole has experience coaching at different levels. In the college ranks, he served as an assistant men's coach at Alabama Southern Community College, Millsaps College, Jones County Junior College, and Independence Community College. He was also a head basketball coach at both Greenwood High School and Saint Joseph Catholic School in Mississippi. Before accepting the position at CCC, he was the head girls coach at Independence High School.

"I'm extremely excited about bringing James Cole to Colby," said CCC Athletic Director Mike Saddler. "The women's basketball program took great steps over the last two seasons, so it was important that our next coach continue that momentum. We had a great pool of candidates, but it was clear that James had the skills we were looking for to continue to grow the program not only on the court but also in the classroom and in the community."

Coming to Colby, Cole brings a resume of building programs around quality student-athletes.

"He is known around the country as a top-notch recruiter and has been around successful basketball programs throughout his career," Saddler said. "I look forward to the future of Colby women's basketball under Coach Cole."

Cole earned a master's degree in interscholastic athletic administration and a bachelor's degree in coaching and sports administration.&nbsp;

He begins immediately, pending board approval.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587842695262.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CCCThe women's basketball program at Colby Community College will be led by James Cole for the 2020-21 season, the college announced. He fills the vacancy left by Antwain Scales, who resigned in March."First, I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and my family, because none of this is possible without them and their unwavering support," Cole said. "I'd also like to thank Mike Saddler, Dr. Carter, and everyone else that was involved in the process of helping me become the next women's basketball head coach at Colby Community College. My goal is to continue to build this program, compete for championships, graduate our student-athletes, and help them become successful in life. Go Trojans!"&nbsp;&nbsp;Cole has experience coaching at different levels. In the college ranks, he served as an assistant men's coach at Alabama Southern Community College, Millsaps College, Jones County Junior College, and Independence Community College. He was also a head basketball coach at both Greenwood High School and Saint Joseph Catholic School in Mississippi. Before accepting the position at CCC, he was the head girls coach at Independence High School."I'm extremely excited about bringing James Cole to Colby," said CCC Athletic Director Mike Saddler. "The women's basketball program took great steps over the last two seasons, so it was important that our next coach continue that momentum. We had a great pool of candidates, but it was clear that James had the skills we were looking for to continue to grow the program not only on the court but also in the classroom and in the community."Coming to Colby, Cole brings a resume of building programs around quality student-athletes."He is known around the country as a top-notch recruiter and has been around successful basketball programs throughout his career," Saddler said. "I look forward to the future of Colby women's basketball under Coach Cole."Cole earned a master's degree in interscholastic athletic administration and a bachelor's degree in coaching and sports administration.&nbsp;He begins immediately, pending board approval.

Colby CC chooses Cole to lead women's basketball program

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs spent the past few weeks conducting plenty of virtual chats with Willie Gay Jr. and those around him, drilling into a series of incidents that caused the Mississippi State linebacker to play just five games last season and enter the NFL draft with several red flags.

General manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid logged off those chats comfortable with what they heard.

So with their initial pick of Day 2 on Friday night, the Chiefs chose the play-making Gay at No. 63 overall to bolster a linebacker group in need of an upgrade. The Super Bowl champs lost Reggie Ragland to free agency, and Gay has the coverage chops and sideline-to-sideline tackling ability to step into an immediate starting role.

“We’re coming off a championship-caliber team but you want to get better. Where can you strengthen the team?” said Reid, whose team chose LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire with their first-round selection, then grabbed TCU offensive tackle Lucas Niang in the third round to provide some depth. “(Gay) was the linebacker we wanted and it was kind of weird how it all worked out.”

The pick comes with a certain amount of risk, though.

Gay was suspended eight games by the NCAA as part of an academic fraud investigation that swept up 10 players total and led to severe sanctions for the program. He also was ejected from the Egg Bowl against Ole Miss in 2018 after two he was given two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, and he was the teammate that allegedly hurt Mississippi State quarterback Garrett Shrader in a practice fight leading up to last season’s Music City Bowl.

“You know, they asked me about everything: the quarterback situation, the suspension for the academic thing. I’m not saying it wasn’t my fault. It was something I could have avoided,” Gay said. “I dealt with the consequences of it. It made me a better man, a better person. It made me appreciate the game of football. It made me love football even more.”

The Chiefs have plenty of confidence in their strong locker room culture and Reid’s leadership, leading them to select several players with baggage over the years. But the results have been mixed. The results have been mixed. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce turned into stars, landing lucrative long-term contracts; running back Kareem Hunt and cornerback Marcus Peters instead were considerable headaches during their time in Kansas City.

“We did our homework on everything,” Reid said. “We felt very comfortable taking him at that spot, and it also helps to have the people in the locker room we have with Tyrann (Mathieu) and Frank (Clark). They’ll take him under their wing. That whole linebacking room is a tight group. They’ll take him in and make sure he’s in the right hands.”

The Chiefs are bringing back 20 of 22 starters from their Super Bowl championship team, but that stability comes at a significant cost. They franchised Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones and signed cornerback Bashaud Breeland and wide receiver Demarcus Robinson to one-year contracts, a series of moves that put pressure on their salary cap.

Veach carved out some room by restructuring contracts for defensive end Frank Clark, offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and wide receiver Sammy Watkins — three of the most expensive players on the roster.

Still, the Chiefs know they will have to give quarterback Patrick Mahomes a potentially record-setting payday in the coming months. That combined with the contracts already on the books left Veach and Reid searching for players who could make a significant impact in the coming years while on their relatively paltry rookie contracts.

Edwards-Helaire should become the immediate backup to talented but injury-prone starter Damien Williams, and Gay should have a chance to play alongside Anthony Hitchens and Damien Wilson in their 4-3 defense.

Niang is a developmental player that the Chiefs believe could play just about anywhere along the offensive line.

“I just been waiting honestly the last two days for them to call me. I thought that was where I was going to end up,” Niang said. “The anticipation was wild, thinking I was going to end up there and not knowing.”

The biggest surprise wasn’t that the Chiefs picked any of those guys but that they didn’t target a cornerback. They still have holes in the defensive backfield after losing Kendall Fuller and Morris Claiborne to free agency, and high-end targets such as Louisiana Tech’s Amik Robertson and Virginia’s Bryce Hall were still on the board.

“I think we stick to working on our team and our roster,” Veach said, “and I think having an opportunity to win a Super Bowl, I don’t think we’re competing against any one team. We’re trying to find players that come in and play right away.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs spent the past few weeks conducting plenty of virtual chats with Willie Gay Jr. and those around him, drilling into a series of incidents that caused the Mississippi State linebacker to play just five games last season and enter the NFL draft with several red flags.General manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid logged off those chats comfortable with what they heard.So with their initial pick of Day 2 on Friday night, the Chiefs chose the play-making Gay at No. 63 overall to bolster a linebacker group in need of an upgrade. The Super Bowl champs lost Reggie Ragland to free agency, and Gay has the coverage chops and sideline-to-sideline tackling ability to step into an immediate starting role.“We’re coming off a championship-caliber team but you want to get better. Where can you strengthen the team?” said Reid, whose team chose LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire with their first-round selection, then grabbed TCU offensive tackle Lucas Niang in the third round to provide some depth. “(Gay) was the linebacker we wanted and it was kind of weird how it all worked out.”The pick comes with a certain amount of risk, though.Gay was suspended eight games by the NCAA as part of an academic fraud investigation that swept up 10 players total and led to severe sanctions for the program. He also was ejected from the Egg Bowl against Ole Miss in 2018 after two he was given two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, and he was the teammate that allegedly hurt Mississippi State quarterback Garrett Shrader in a practice fight leading up to last season’s Music City Bowl.“You know, they asked me about everything: the quarterback situation, the suspension for the academic thing. I’m not saying it wasn’t my fault. It was something I could have avoided,” Gay said. “I dealt with the consequences of it. It made me a better man, a better person. It made me appreciate the game of football. It made me love football even more.”The Chiefs have plenty of confidence in their strong locker room culture and Reid’s leadership, leading them to select several players with baggage over the years. But the results have been mixed. The results have been mixed. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce turned into stars, landing lucrative long-term contracts; running back Kareem Hunt and cornerback Marcus Peters instead were considerable headaches during their time in Kansas City.“We did our homework on everything,” Reid said. “We felt very comfortable taking him at that spot, and it also helps to have the people in the locker room we have with Tyrann (Mathieu) and Frank (Clark). They’ll take him under their wing. That whole linebacking room is a tight group. They’ll take him in and make sure he’s in the right hands.”The Chiefs are bringing back 20 of 22 starters from their Super Bowl championship team, but that stability comes at a significant cost. They franchised Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones and signed cornerback Bashaud Breeland and wide receiver Demarcus Robinson to one-year contracts, a series of moves that put pressure on their salary cap.Veach carved out some room by restructuring contracts for defensive end Frank Clark, offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and wide receiver Sammy Watkins — three of the most expensive players on the roster.Still, the Chiefs know they will have to give quarterback Patrick Mahomes a potentially record-setting payday in the coming months. That combined with the contracts already on the books left Veach and Reid searching for players who could make a significant impact in the coming years while on their relatively paltry rookie contracts.Edwards-Helaire should become the immediate backup to talented but injury-prone starter Damien Williams, and Gay should have a chance to play alongside Anthony Hitchens and Damien Wilson in their 4-3 defense.Niang is a developmental player that the Chiefs believe could play just about anywhere along the offensive line.“I just been waiting honestly the last two days for them to call me. I thought that was where I was going to end up,” Niang said. “The anticipation was wild, thinking I was going to end up there and not knowing.”The biggest surprise wasn’t that the Chiefs picked any of those guys but that they didn’t target a cornerback. They still have holes in the defensive backfield after losing Kendall Fuller and Morris Claiborne to free agency, and high-end targets such as Louisiana Tech’s Amik Robertson and Virginia’s Bryce Hall were still on the board.“I think we stick to working on our team and our roster,” Veach said, “and I think having an opportunity to win a Super Bowl, I don’t think we’re competing against any one team. We’re trying to find players that come in and play right away.”The Associated Press

Chiefs gamble on LB Willie Gay in second round, add T Niang

John Elway pledged to give Drew Lock more weapons and better protection in an NFL draft teeming with wide receivers and offensive linemen.

The Denver Broncos general manager provided Lock with two terrific targets and added an athletic center through the first two nights of the draft.

Elway selected Penn State speedster KJ Hamler with the 46th pick in the second round Friday night, 24 hours after using the 15th overall pick on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c0454f215eac7f5fad2f5f417d818885">Alabama standout Jerry Jeudy</a>, the highest Denver has ever selected a wide receiver in the common draft era.

In the third round, Elway added protection for his second-year QB by drafting LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry, who was named first-team All-SEC in 2019.

Elway didn’t neglect his defense, either, selecting Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia and Arkansas D-tackle McTelvin Agim in the third round.

Ojemudia will help fill the void left by the departure of Chris Harris Jr. to the Chargers this offseason, and Agim solidifies a refurbished defensive line that includes trade acquisition Jurrell Casey.

The jewel of Day 2 for Denver, though, was Hamler, who provides a jolt to the Broncos’ offense and special teams.

“I think I bring to the table speed, quickness, playmaking ability,” Hamler said. “I’m versatile, I can play outside and I can play in the slot. I can return kicks and punts. I’m a playmaker.”

Hamler, who is generously listed at 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, is elusive with an uncommon burst of speed and has modeled his game after DeSean Jackson and Steve Smith.

The Broncos see him as a Tyreek Hill-type playmaker who can also serve as Denver’s kick returner and help the Broncos chase down Hill and the Super Bowl champion Chiefs in the AFC West.

Hamler wasn’t sure if Elway told him he’d also return kicks.

“I really couldn’t hear him just because my family was yelling and we were all crying,” Hamler said. “So it was kind of hard to hear him, but I hope he has that in mind. I would love to return kicks and punts.”

The Broncos’ once-formidable offense has been stuck in neutral for five years and last season Denver averaged a meager 17.6 points a game, 28th in the NFL, as their playoff drought reached four seasons.

A tweaked hamstring before the NFL scouting combine prevented Hamler from challenging John Ross’s record of 4.22 seconds set at the 2017 combine.

“I won’t say I think I was going to break the record, but I was going to be in the equation,” Hamler said. “I was going to be in the conversation -- 4.2 was the only thing on my mind.”

He said his hamstring is fine now: “I’m fully healthy. I’m fully recovered. I’ve been running real good.”

Even though he’s undersized, Hamler stood out even in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ab275a58573bf3186a0348dad8619545">class of wide receivers like none other.</a>

Hamler said he was surprised when Elway picked him after spending his first pick on Jeudy, but he said he was eager to team up with Jeudy, Courtland Sutton and former college teammate DaeSean Hamilton in Denver, where he expects to quickly make his mark.

“I’m the smallest guy with the smallest frame,” Hamler said, “but I’ll give you everything I’ve got.”

Ojemudia said facing the likes of Jeudy, Hamler, Sutton and tight end Noah Fant in his first training camp will microwave his NFL education.

“I mean, that’s going to be big,” Ojemudia said. “It’s going to be harder than the games sometimes.”

Coach Vic Fangio expects Cushenberry to compete for the starting job along with Austin Schlottmann and Patrick Morris.

“He’s got license to go in there and compete and win the job if he can,” Fangio said.

Elway said Cushenberry could also play guard.

Fangio said the draft has been seamless so far with teams having to conduct it via videoconferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We haven’t had any problems communicating with the unusual setup for this draft,” Fangio said. “I think John’s done a great job orchestrating. We had some guys we wanted today and we had chances to go up and get them and John decided to sit and they ended up being the right choices both times.

“So, we saved draft picks and we got the guys we wanted. I think that comes with experience doing the job. So, I just get out of the way when it comes to that point.”

John Elway pledged to give Drew Lock more weapons and better protection in an NFL draft teeming with wide receivers and offensive linemen.He delivered.The Denver Broncos general manager provided Lock with two terrific targets and added an athletic center through the first two nights of the draft.Elway selected Penn State speedster KJ Hamler with the 46th pick in the second round Friday night, 24 hours after using the 15th overall pick on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c0454f215eac7f5fad2f5f417d818885">Alabama standout Jerry Jeudy</a>, the highest Denver has ever selected a wide receiver in the common draft era.In the third round, Elway added protection for his second-year QB by drafting LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry, who was named first-team All-SEC in 2019.Elway didn’t neglect his defense, either, selecting Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia and Arkansas D-tackle McTelvin Agim in the third round.Elway has five more picks Saturday.Ojemudia will help fill the void left by the departure of Chris Harris Jr. to the Chargers this offseason, and Agim solidifies a refurbished defensive line that includes trade acquisition Jurrell Casey.The jewel of Day 2 for Denver, though, was Hamler, who provides a jolt to the Broncos’ offense and special teams.“I think I bring to the table speed, quickness, playmaking ability,” Hamler said. “I’m versatile, I can play outside and I can play in the slot. I can return kicks and punts. I’m a playmaker.”Hamler, who is generously listed at 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, is elusive with an uncommon burst of speed and has modeled his game after DeSean Jackson and Steve Smith.The Broncos see him as a Tyreek Hill-type playmaker who can also serve as Denver’s kick returner and help the Broncos chase down Hill and the Super Bowl champion Chiefs in the AFC West.Hamler wasn’t sure if Elway told him he’d also return kicks.“I really couldn’t hear him just because my family was yelling and we were all crying,” Hamler said. “So it was kind of hard to hear him, but I hope he has that in mind. I would love to return kicks and punts.”The Broncos’ once-formidable offense has been stuck in neutral for five years and last season Denver averaged a meager 17.6 points a game, 28th in the NFL, as their playoff drought reached four seasons.A tweaked hamstring before the NFL scouting combine prevented Hamler from challenging John Ross’s record of 4.22 seconds set at the 2017 combine.“I won’t say I think I was going to break the record, but I was going to be in the equation,” Hamler said. “I was going to be in the conversation -- 4.2 was the only thing on my mind.”He said his hamstring is fine now: “I’m fully healthy. I’m fully recovered. I’ve been running real good.”Even though he’s undersized, Hamler stood out even in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ab275a58573bf3186a0348dad8619545">class of wide receivers like none other.</a>Hamler said he was surprised when Elway picked him after spending his first pick on Jeudy, but he said he was eager to team up with Jeudy, Courtland Sutton and former college teammate DaeSean Hamilton in Denver, where he expects to quickly make his mark.“I’m the smallest guy with the smallest frame,” Hamler said, “but I’ll give you everything I’ve got.”Ojemudia said facing the likes of Jeudy, Hamler, Sutton and tight end Noah Fant in his first training camp will microwave his NFL education.“I mean, that’s going to be big,” Ojemudia said. “It’s going to be harder than the games sometimes.”Coach Vic Fangio expects Cushenberry to compete for the starting job along with Austin Schlottmann and Patrick Morris.“He’s got license to go in there and compete and win the job if he can,” Fangio said.Elway said Cushenberry could also play guard.Fangio said the draft has been seamless so far with teams having to conduct it via videoconferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic.“We haven’t had any problems communicating with the unusual setup for this draft,” Fangio said. “I think John’s done a great job orchestrating. We had some guys we wanted today and we had chances to go up and get them and John decided to sit and they ended up being the right choices both times.“So, we saved draft picks and we got the guys we wanted. I think that comes with experience doing the job. So, I just get out of the way when it comes to that point.”The Associated Press

Denver Broncos build around Drew Lock in the NFL draft



KANSAS CITY, Mo. -&nbsp;The MIAA announced the names of the Hall of Fame Class for 2020. The class consists of seven student-athletes, two officials, two coaches, and two teams. Below are bios of each inductee for this year’s class.

The Hall of Fame inductions of individuals will be held&nbsp;at the annual MIAA Awards Ceremony presented by Husch Blackwell, at a date yet to be determined due to the COVID-19 Global Health Pandemic. The announcement of the event will be announced after local, state, and national health officials properly advise for such activities to take place.&nbsp;

MIAA Hall of Fame Class of 2020 Inductees

Dina (Wathan) Blevins - Pittsburg State Volleyball Student-Athlete (2000-2003)

Dina Wathan earned third-team NCAA Division II All-America honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) as a senior in 2003. A three-time All-Region and four-time All-MIAA performer (first-team All-MIAA in 2002 &amp; 2003, Wathan set eight school records: career games played (468, career kills (1,814, career attacks (5,477, career service aces (158, career digs (2,326, single-season kills (481, single-season attacks (1,481) and single-season digs (671). Her career digs total ranks second all-time in NCAA Division II history. As a senior in 2003, Wathan helped the Gorillas to a 26-8 record and the program’s first-ever NCAA Division II National Tournament appearance.&nbsp;

Robert Corn - Missouri Southern Men’s Basketball Coach (1999-2014)

Robert Corn retired in 2014 following 25 years as the head coach at his alma mater. He directed the Lions to a 30-3 record and an Elite Eight win in the NCAA Division II Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky during the 1999-2000 season. Corn left the program as the winningest coach with 413 career wins. He currently is third-best in all-time wins by a men’s basketball coach in the MIAA. He guided the Lions to two MIAA regular-season titles (1999-2000 and 2010-2011, as well as three MIAA Tournament Titles (1993, 2000, 2014). He coached the team to five NCAA Tournament Appearances in 1993, 2000, 2011, 2012 and 2014.&nbsp;

Keith Hernandez - Emporia State Baseball Student-Athlete (2007-2008)

Keith Hernandez was the 2008 ABCA National Player of the Year and first-team All-American as a senior after hitting .462 with 18 home runs and 80 RBI. That same year, he was the MIAA Player of the Year and first-team All-MIAA at catcher. Hernandez led the conference in six offensive categories during the 2008 season as the Hornets won the MIAA regular-season title. His 18 home runs that year ranked fourth on the MIAA single-season chart at the time. As a junior in 2007, he hit .321 with 11 homers and 78 RBI. Hernandez led ESU to the NCAA Tournament both seasons he played and was an MIAA Scholar-Athlete and recipient of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll Award.

Venessa Lee - Pittsburg State Women’s Track &amp; Field Student-Athlete (2004-2009)

Venessa Lee completed a decorated career as a middle distance runner for Pittsburg State as a three-time NCAA Division II National Champion and a six-time All-America performer in the 800-meter run. She captured 11 MIAA individual titles and earned All-MIAA honors on 15 occasions. She set school records in the indoor 800m (2:08.77) and mile run (4:58.97) and the outdoor 800m (2:06.42) in 2007. She also earned All-MIAA honors in cross country in 2005. In the classroom, she was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America® selection as well as the 2008-2009 MIAA Ken B. Jones Award Winner. Lee also was selected the 2010 NCAA Today’s Top VIII Award winner for cross country/track &amp; field.

Tom Myers - Central Missouri and Pittsburg State Baseball Coach (UCM 2008-14 &amp; PSU 2016-18)

Tom Myers had a career record of 367-139 (.725 winning percentage) at two stops in the MIAA. He has the second most wins UCM history with six consecutive NCAA Regional appearances (2008-13). Myers guided the Mules to three regional championships (2008, 2010, 2011, four MIAA Tournament Championships, and four MIAA regular-season Championships. With UCM, he was twice named the Central Region Coach of the Year and MIAA Coach of the Year. Myers coached the 2009 NCAA Division II Pitcher of the Year and five first-team All-Americans. He became the head coach at his alma mater, Pittsburg State, in 2016 where he went 56-48 in two seasons. In 2017, Myers took the Gorillas to their first NCAA Division II National Tournament since 2002.

Caitlin (Pankratz) Peterson - Central Missouri Volleyball Student-Athlete (2005-2009)

Caitlin (Pankratz) Peterson led the Jennies in assists, totaling 5,502 in her career, second-most in UCM history and still the eighth-most in MIAA history. As a senior, Pankratz helped Central Missouri to its first MIAA title since 2000, winning in 2009. One of the most decorated athletes in UCM Volleyball history, Pankratz was an All-American, two-time All-Region selection, two-time All-MIAA performer and three-time Academic All-District selection. She also was an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipient.

Tongula (Givens) Steddum - Missouri Southern Women’s Track &amp; Field Student-Athlete (1993-1995)

Givens still holds many of the top-10 outdoor marks in both the triple jump and the long jump. She is the only female in school history to surpass 41 feet in the outdoor triple jump and one of two to surpass 20 feet in the long jump. Givens was an eight-time All-America at MSSU, including national championships in the triple jump in 1994 (outdoor) and 1995 (indoor). She collected three MIAA high-point individual awards during her career as a Lion and held program records in the triple jump and long jump at the time of her graduation and held the MIAA meet record for the outdoor triple jump until 2018.&nbsp;

Tom Svehla - Official&nbsp; Baseball, Basketball, and Football Official

Tom Svehla spent over 30 years as an official for the MIAA in baseball, basketball, and football. He was on the court for 31 years as a basketball official which included being an official for the 2002 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Elite Eight, four Division II regionals, and multiple MIAA Conference Tournaments. In football, Svehla was an official for 26 years, highlighted by being selected for the 2010 NCAA Division II National Championship game. He also was selected for the two National Quarterfinal games and several Division II Playoff games. He spent six seasons as an MIAA umpire before moving up to NCAA Division I level where he worked 10 regionals.

Bill Titcomb - Official&nbsp; Football and Men’s Basketball Official

Bill Titcomb spent 29 years officiating in the MIAA in the sports of football and men’s basketball. He was selected to 19 consecutive MIAA postseason tournaments from 1993 to 2011 and officiated the championship game four different times. Titcomb was also selected for five NCAA Division II National Tournaments and four regional championship games, three NCAA Division II Elite Eights, and in 2008 officiated the National Championship game. In football, Titcomb served the MIAA for 14 seasons, highlighted by his selection to officiate the 2006 NCAA Division II National Semifinal game.&nbsp;

Seth Wand - Northwest Missouri&nbsp; Football Student-Athlete (1998-2002)

Seth Wand was an offensive tackle for the Bearcats as he started three seasons at the left tackle position and allowed just one sack in his career. He was named a first-team All-American by four different publications in both 2002 and 2001. Wand was a CCA, CoSIDA, and Daktronics second-team All-American both seasons as well. He earned first-team All-MIAA honors in 2000, 2001, and 2002 along with three MIAA Championships and one NCAA Division II National Championship. Wand was drafted in the 2003 NFL draft in the third round, 75th overall pick, and appeared in 53 games with 18 starts.

Tammy Wilson - Central Missouri Women’s Basketball Student-Athlete (1985-1989)

Tammy Wilson remains the Jennies’ career leader in scoring (2,104 points) and rebounding (1,205 rebounds). She is the only basketball player in Central Missouri history, male or female, to score over 2,000 career points and have over 1,000 career rebounds. Wilson earned back-to-back All-American awards (1987-88, 1988-89). In addition to holding the Jennies’ career scoring and rebounding records, she also is the Jennies’ career leader in field goal percentage (59.3) and is the Jennies’ single-season record holder for points (676) and field goal percentage (62.7). Wilson led the Jennies in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage as a sophomore, junior and senior. She was the MIAA most valuable player as a sophomore and a junior. Wilson is still sixth in the MIAA all-time in scoring and second in rebounding.&nbsp;

Below are teams that were selected as members of the 2020 MIAA Hall of Fame Class. Teams will not be recognized at the MIAA Awards Ceremony, each institution will determine when the team is formally recognized and celebrated.

1997-1998 Emporia State Women’s Basketball Team

The Lady Hornets were the first Emporia State athletic team to play for an NCAA Division II National Championship as they went 33-1 on the season.&nbsp;

2004 Pittsburg State Football Team

The 2004 Pittsburg State University football team posted a 14-1 record in finishing as the NCAA Division II National Runner-up.&nbsp;

Below are teams that were automatically inducted as the first members of the 2021 MIAA Hall of Fame class after winning National Championships during the 2015-16 season. Teams will not be recognized at the MIAA Awards Ceremony, each institution will determine when the team is formally recognized and celebrated.

2015 Northwest Missouri Football Team

The 2015 Northwest Missouri football team went undefeated to claim the program’s fifth National Championship on December 19, 2015.

2016 Lincoln Women’s Indoor Track and Field Team

The 2016 Lincoln Women’s Indoor Track and Field Team claimed the program’s fifth National Championship on March 12, 2015.

2016 Pittsburg State Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Team

The 2016 Pittsburg State Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Team won the first National Championship in program history on May 28, 2016.



KANSAS CITY, Mo. -&nbsp;The MIAA announced the names of the Hall of Fame Class for 2020. The class consists of seven student-athletes, two officials, two coaches, and two teams. Below are bios of each inductee for this year’s class.The Hall of Fame inductions of individuals will be held&nbsp;at the annual MIAA Awards Ceremony presented by Husch Blackwell, at a date yet to be determined due to the COVID-19 Global Health Pandemic. The announcement of the event will be announced after local, state, and national health officials properly advise for such activities to take place.&nbsp;MIAA Hall of Fame Class of 2020 InducteesDina (Wathan) Blevins - Pittsburg State Volleyball Student-Athlete (2000-2003) Dina Wathan earned third-team NCAA Division II All-America honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) as a senior in 2003. A three-time All-Region and four-time All-MIAA performer (first-team All-MIAA in 2002 &amp; 2003, Wathan set eight school records: career games played (468, career kills (1,814, career attacks (5,477, career service aces (158, career digs (2,326, single-season kills (481, single-season attacks (1,481) and single-season digs (671). Her career digs total ranks second all-time in NCAA Division II history. As a senior in 2003, Wathan helped the Gorillas to a 26-8 record and the program’s first-ever NCAA Division II National Tournament appearance.&nbsp;Robert Corn - Missouri Southern Men’s Basketball Coach (1999-2014) Robert Corn retired in 2014 following 25 years as the head coach at his alma mater. He directed the Lions to a 30-3 record and an Elite Eight win in the NCAA Division II Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky during the 1999-2000 season. Corn left the program as the winningest coach with 413 career wins. He currently is third-best in all-time wins by a men’s basketball coach in the MIAA. He guided the Lions to two MIAA regular-season titles (1999-2000 and 2010-2011, as well as three MIAA Tournament Titles (1993, 2000, 2014). He coached the team to five NCAA Tournament Appearances in 1993, 2000, 2011, 2012 and 2014.&nbsp;Keith Hernandez - Emporia State Baseball Student-Athlete (2007-2008) Keith Hernandez was the 2008 ABCA National Player of the Year and first-team All-American as a senior after hitting .462 with 18 home runs and 80 RBI. That same year, he was the MIAA Player of the Year and first-team All-MIAA at catcher. Hernandez led the conference in six offensive categories during the 2008 season as the Hornets won the MIAA regular-season title. His 18 home runs that year ranked fourth on the MIAA single-season chart at the time. As a junior in 2007, he hit .321 with 11 homers and 78 RBI. Hernandez led ESU to the NCAA Tournament both seasons he played and was an MIAA Scholar-Athlete and recipient of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll Award.Venessa Lee - Pittsburg State Women’s Track &amp; Field Student-Athlete (2004-2009) Venessa Lee completed a decorated career as a middle distance runner for Pittsburg State as a three-time NCAA Division II National Champion and a six-time All-America performer in the 800-meter run. She captured 11 MIAA individual titles and earned All-MIAA honors on 15 occasions. She set school records in the indoor 800m (2:08.77) and mile run (4:58.97) and the outdoor 800m (2:06.42) in 2007. She also earned All-MIAA honors in cross country in 2005. In the classroom, she was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America® selection as well as the 2008-2009 MIAA Ken B. Jones Award Winner. Lee also was selected the 2010 NCAA Today’s Top VIII Award winner for cross country/track &amp; field.Tom Myers - Central Missouri and Pittsburg State Baseball Coach (UCM 2008-14 &amp; PSU 2016-18) Tom Myers had a career record of 367-139 (.725 winning percentage) at two stops in the MIAA. He has the second most wins UCM history with six consecutive NCAA Regional appearances (2008-13). Myers guided the Mules to three regional championships (2008, 2010, 2011, four MIAA Tournament Championships, and four MIAA regular-season Championships. With UCM, he was twice named the Central Region Coach of the Year and MIAA Coach of the Year. Myers coached the 2009 NCAA Division II Pitcher of the Year and five first-team All-Americans. He became the head coach at his alma mater, Pittsburg State, in 2016 where he went 56-48 in two seasons. In 2017, Myers took the Gorillas to their first NCAA Division II National Tournament since 2002.Caitlin (Pankratz) Peterson - Central Missouri Volleyball Student-Athlete (2005-2009) Caitlin (Pankratz) Peterson led the Jennies in assists, totaling 5,502 in her career, second-most in UCM history and still the eighth-most in MIAA history. As a senior, Pankratz helped Central Missouri to its first MIAA title since 2000, winning in 2009. One of the most decorated athletes in UCM Volleyball history, Pankratz was an All-American, two-time All-Region selection, two-time All-MIAA performer and three-time Academic All-District selection. She also was an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipient.Tongula (Givens) Steddum - Missouri Southern Women’s Track &amp; Field Student-Athlete (1993-1995) Givens still holds many of the top-10 outdoor marks in both the triple jump and the long jump. She is the only female in school history to surpass 41 feet in the outdoor triple jump and one of two to surpass 20 feet in the long jump. Givens was an eight-time All-America at MSSU, including national championships in the triple jump in 1994 (outdoor) and 1995 (indoor). She collected three MIAA high-point individual awards during her career as a Lion and held program records in the triple jump and long jump at the time of her graduation and held the MIAA meet record for the outdoor triple jump until 2018.&nbsp;Tom Svehla - Official&nbsp; Baseball, Basketball, and Football Official Tom Svehla spent over 30 years as an official for the MIAA in baseball, basketball, and football. He was on the court for 31 years as a basketball official which included being an official for the 2002 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Elite Eight, four Division II regionals, and multiple MIAA Conference Tournaments. In football, Svehla was an official for 26 years, highlighted by being selected for the 2010 NCAA Division II National Championship game. He also was selected for the two National Quarterfinal games and several Division II Playoff games. He spent six seasons as an MIAA umpire before moving up to NCAA Division I level where he worked 10 regionals.Bill Titcomb - Official&nbsp; Football and Men’s Basketball Official Bill Titcomb spent 29 years officiating in the MIAA in the sports of football and men’s basketball. He was selected to 19 consecutive MIAA postseason tournaments from 1993 to 2011 and officiated the championship game four different times. Titcomb was also selected for five NCAA Division II National Tournaments and four regional championship games, three NCAA Division II Elite Eights, and in 2008 officiated the National Championship game. In football, Titcomb served the MIAA for 14 seasons, highlighted by his selection to officiate the 2006 NCAA Division II National Semifinal game.&nbsp;Seth Wand - Northwest Missouri&nbsp; Football Student-Athlete (1998-2002) Seth Wand was an offensive tackle for the Bearcats as he started three seasons at the left tackle position and allowed just one sack in his career. He was named a first-team All-American by four different publications in both 2002 and 2001. Wand was a CCA, CoSIDA, and Daktronics second-team All-American both seasons as well. He earned first-team All-MIAA honors in 2000, 2001, and 2002 along with three MIAA Championships and one NCAA Division II National Championship. Wand was drafted in the 2003 NFL draft in the third round, 75th overall pick, and appeared in 53 games with 18 starts.Legacy InducteeTammy Wilson - Central Missouri Women’s Basketball Student-Athlete (1985-1989) Tammy Wilson remains the Jennies’ career leader in scoring (2,104 points) and rebounding (1,205 rebounds). She is the only basketball player in Central Missouri history, male or female, to score over 2,000 career points and have over 1,000 career rebounds. Wilson earned back-to-back All-American awards (1987-88, 1988-89). In addition to holding the Jennies’ career scoring and rebounding records, she also is the Jennies’ career leader in field goal percentage (59.3) and is the Jennies’ single-season record holder for points (676) and field goal percentage (62.7). Wilson led the Jennies in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage as a sophomore, junior and senior. She was the MIAA most valuable player as a sophomore and a junior. Wilson is still sixth in the MIAA all-time in scoring and second in rebounding.&nbsp;Class of 2020 Hall of Fame TeamsBelow are teams that were selected as members of the 2020 MIAA Hall of Fame Class. Teams will not be recognized at the MIAA Awards Ceremony, each institution will determine when the team is formally recognized and celebrated.1997-1998 Emporia State Women’s Basketball TeamThe Lady Hornets were the first Emporia State athletic team to play for an NCAA Division II National Championship as they went 33-1 on the season.&nbsp;2004 Pittsburg State Football TeamThe 2004 Pittsburg State University football team posted a 14-1 record in finishing as the NCAA Division II National Runner-up.&nbsp;Class of 2021 Hall of Fame TeamsBelow are teams that were automatically inducted as the first members of the 2021 MIAA Hall of Fame class after winning National Championships during the 2015-16 season. Teams will not be recognized at the MIAA Awards Ceremony, each institution will determine when the team is formally recognized and celebrated.2015 Northwest Missouri Football TeamThe 2015 Northwest Missouri football team went undefeated to claim the program’s fifth National Championship on December 19, 2015.2016 Lincoln Women’s Indoor Track and Field TeamThe 2016 Lincoln Women’s Indoor Track and Field Team claimed the program’s fifth National Championship on March 12, 2015.2016 Pittsburg State Women’s Outdoor Track and Field TeamThe 2016 Pittsburg State Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Team won the first National Championship in program history on May 28, 2016.

MIAA announces 2020 Hall of Fame Class

The Kansas City Chiefs selected LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the 32nd pick of the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday night.

In just one season as a starter, Edwards-Helaire finished his career with 2,123 rushing yards and added another 595 receiving yards. He ranks No. 15 in school history in career rushing yards and holds the LSU single-season record for receptions by a running back (55).

Edwards-Helaire helped the Tigers go 15-0 last season and win the 2020 National Championship.&nbsp; He put together one of the best seasons for a running back in LSU history as he ran for 1,414&nbsp; yards and added 453 receiving yards on 55 receptions. It was the third most rushing yards in a season in school history.

The Chiefs have only four more draft picks over the final six rounds as they have one each in the second, third, fourth and fifth rounds.

Edwards-Helaire was the only running back selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Round two will begin at 6:00 p.m. Friday.

The Kansas City Chiefs selected LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the 32nd pick of the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday night.In just one season as a starter, Edwards-Helaire finished his career with 2,123 rushing yards and added another 595 receiving yards. He ranks No. 15 in school history in career rushing yards and holds the LSU single-season record for receptions by a running back (55).Edwards-Helaire helped the Tigers go 15-0 last season and win the 2020 National Championship.&nbsp; He put together one of the best seasons for a running back in LSU history as he ran for 1,414&nbsp; yards and added 453 receiving yards on 55 receptions. It was the third most rushing yards in a season in school history.The Chiefs have only four more draft picks over the final six rounds as they have one each in the second, third, fourth and fifth rounds.Edwards-Helaire was the only running back selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Round two will begin at 6:00 p.m. Friday.

Chiefs select LSU RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire with 32nd overall pick

DENVER (AP) - Jerry Jeudy found a way to celebrate with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell even though the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled the league’s plans to hold the draft in Las Vegas.

The former Alabama standout receiver was selected 15th overall by the Denver Broncos on Thursday night. He and Goodell marked the occasion with a TikTok.

Filming from their respective homes, Jeudy and Goodell danced to Drake's "Tootsie Slide"&nbsp;on the social media app in one of the lighter moments on a night the league kicked off a simultaneous Draft-A-Thon to raise money for coronavirus relief efforts.

Jeudy gave the virtual celebration a thumbs-up.

“I feel I did a little bit better than him,” Jeudy cracked. “Don’t tell him I told you that, but we did pretty good.”

John Elway is eager to see many more slick moves from Jeudy after finally picking a player from Alabama in his 10th draft for the Broncos.

Elway backed up his talk about building around second-year QB Drew Lock by selecting the Crimson Tide wide receiver three spots after the Las Vegas Raiders selected his teammate Henry Ruggs III.

In Jeudy’s eyes, he’s the cream of the crop among the deep class of wide receivers that featured six first-rounders.

“I feel I’m the best receiver because I got the ability to separate,” said Jeudy, who added he is ready to play in the slot or outside for the Broncos opposite third-year star Courtland Sutton.

I’m a receiver,” he said, “I know how to get open.”

Jeudy said at the NFL scouting combine that his route running was ready for the NFL thanks to working with Steve Sarkisian at Alabama. What he needed to do, he said, was get stronger.

He said Thursday night that he’s done just that during the shelter-in-place orders by lifting weights and “working real hard on my craft.”

Coach Vic Fangio said he looked at the deep wide receiver class from a defensive standpoint.

“And I think it’s a good lens to watch through when you’re evaluating a receiver,” Fangio said, “because there’s a lot of receivers out there but only about a third of them are so scary that you have to give them special attention.”

Earlier this week, Elway said it was just happenstance that he hadn’t selected an Alabama player. He praised Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban and said previous drafts simply didn’t fall right for him to select an Alabama alum.

This time, the ’Bama star was their top target.

Another new landscape for Elway: for the first time in four years he didn’t spend his offseason analyzing college quarterbacks after going all-in on Lock, who won four of his five starts to end the 2019 season, his only loss coming in the snow at Kansas City.

“Now is the fun part of trying to fill around him,” said Elway, who began that task with the free agent signings of O-lineman Graham Glasgow, running back Melvin Gordon, tight end Nick Vannett and backup QB Jeff Driskel.

Elway was able to grab his top target Thursday without having to trade up, which he was prepared to do if there was a run on receivers.

“It’s a big weight off my shoulders, off our shoulders,” Elway said. “That was a position of need for us. Not only did we need that position, we needed that to make Courtland better, too, because as we saw at the end of last year (defenses) were trying to take Courtland out of the game. We know what a great football player he is.

“It’s nice being able to go to bed tonight knowing we got the receiver that we coveted and then we’ve got a big day tomorrow. We’ve got four picks tomorrow, so we’re looking forward to that.”

Half of Elway’s 10 picks are in the top-100 and O-line is his other area of dire need.

DENVER (AP) - Jerry Jeudy found a way to celebrate with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell even though the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled the league’s plans to hold the draft in Las Vegas.The former Alabama standout receiver was selected 15th overall by the Denver Broncos on Thursday night. He and Goodell marked the occasion with a TikTok.Filming from their respective homes, Jeudy and Goodell danced to Drake's "Tootsie Slide"&nbsp;on the social media app in one of the lighter moments on a night the league kicked off a simultaneous Draft-A-Thon to raise money for coronavirus relief efforts.Jeudy gave the virtual celebration a thumbs-up.“I feel I did a little bit better than him,” Jeudy cracked. “Don’t tell him I told you that, but we did pretty good.”John Elway is eager to see many more slick moves from Jeudy after finally picking a player from Alabama in his 10th draft for the Broncos.Elway backed up his talk about building around second-year QB Drew Lock by selecting the Crimson Tide wide receiver three spots after the Las Vegas Raiders selected his teammate Henry Ruggs III.In Jeudy’s eyes, he’s the cream of the crop among the deep class of wide receivers that featured six first-rounders.“I feel I’m the best receiver because I got the ability to separate,” said Jeudy, who added he is ready to play in the slot or outside for the Broncos opposite third-year star Courtland Sutton.I’m a receiver,” he said, “I know how to get open.”Jeudy said at the NFL scouting combine that his route running was ready for the NFL thanks to working with Steve Sarkisian at Alabama. What he needed to do, he said, was get stronger.He said Thursday night that he’s done just that during the shelter-in-place orders by lifting weights and “working real hard on my craft.”Coach Vic Fangio said he looked at the deep wide receiver class from a defensive standpoint.“And I think it’s a good lens to watch through when you’re evaluating a receiver,” Fangio said, “because there’s a lot of receivers out there but only about a third of them are so scary that you have to give them special attention.”Earlier this week, Elway said it was just happenstance that he hadn’t selected an Alabama player. He praised Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban and said previous drafts simply didn’t fall right for him to select an Alabama alum.This time, the ’Bama star was their top target.Another new landscape for Elway: for the first time in four years he didn’t spend his offseason analyzing college quarterbacks after going all-in on Lock, who won four of his five starts to end the 2019 season, his only loss coming in the snow at Kansas City.“Now is the fun part of trying to fill around him,” said Elway, who began that task with the free agent signings of O-lineman Graham Glasgow, running back Melvin Gordon, tight end Nick Vannett and backup QB Jeff Driskel.Elway was able to grab his top target Thursday without having to trade up, which he was prepared to do if there was a run on receivers.“It’s a big weight off my shoulders, off our shoulders,” Elway said. “That was a position of need for us. Not only did we need that position, we needed that to make Courtland better, too, because as we saw at the end of last year (defenses) were trying to take Courtland out of the game. We know what a great football player he is.“It’s nice being able to go to bed tonight knowing we got the receiver that we coveted and then we’ve got a big day tomorrow. We’ve got four picks tomorrow, so we’re looking forward to that.”Half of Elway’s 10 picks are in the top-100 and O-line is his other area of dire need.

Broncos get Lock some help with Alabama wideout Jerry Jeudy

Kyler Porter met with his Hays High girls basketball team online Thursday to inform him that he is taking the same position in another town. That meeting was held after informing the administration at Hays High School of his decision.

Porter's new position is still pending school board approval and following that will be able to announce where he is going May 15th.&nbsp;&nbsp; Hays High finished 6-15 this year losing to Andover Central in the first round of sub-state. Porter had been the head coach at Royal Valley for two season before coming to Hays. During those two years the team was 3A state runner-up and 3A state champions.

Porter is leaving after one season as the head coach of girls basketball program. He took over for Alex Hutchins who became the boys coach after one season with the girls. Hutchins took the position after Kirk Maska led the program for eight seasons.&nbsp;&nbsp; Porter says the opportunity to be closer to both his and his wife's family played a large role in the decision as the position is in northeast Kansas. The stars really seemed to align when his wife's previous job opened up at the same time. Porter also mentioned that is not a position he was searching for but instead one that approached him.&nbsp;

Hays High Athletics Director Lance Krannawitter says a search for a new head coach will begin immediately.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kyler Porter met with his Hays High girls basketball team online Thursday to inform him that he is taking the same position in another town. That meeting was held after informing the administration at Hays High School of his decision.Porter's new position is still pending school board approval and following that will be able to announce where he is going May 15th.&nbsp;&nbsp; Hays High finished 6-15 this year losing to Andover Central in the first round of sub-state. Porter had been the head coach at Royal Valley for two season before coming to Hays. During those two years the team was 3A state runner-up and 3A state champions.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/805633948&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe></div>Porter is leaving after one season as the head coach of girls basketball program. He took over for Alex Hutchins who became the boys coach after one season with the girls. Hutchins took the position after Kirk Maska led the program for eight seasons.&nbsp;&nbsp; Porter says the opportunity to be closer to both his and his wife's family played a large role in the decision as the position is in northeast Kansas. The stars really seemed to align when his wife's previous job opened up at the same time. Porter also mentioned that is not a position he was searching for but instead one that approached him.&nbsp;Hays High Athletics Director Lance Krannawitter says a search for a new head coach will begin immediately.&nbsp;&nbsp;

HHS' Kyle Porter leaving Hays

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays Post

The Hays High Indians were guaranteed two more games in 2020.&nbsp; But those two games never occurred after the Kansas State High School Activities Association elected to cancel the final two days of the state basketball tournaments due to concerns of COVID-19. 

Hays High ended the season on an eight-game winning streak after dropping four of five in the middle of the season.

During that final eight-game winning stretch, Hays played four state-ranked teams beating the No. 7 team in 4A twice and the No. 6 and No. 5 teams in 5A.&nbsp; The unranked Indians were set to play their third-straight ranked 5A team — No. 3 Basehor-Linwood — when the season was cut short.

Over the final eight games, Hays scored 51 points per game while allowing just 41 points and holding two opponents in the 20s.

The Indians shared the Western Athletic Conference title with Great Bend, both with a 7-1 mark. Hays beat the Panthers in the rubber match in Great Bend to earn a berth in the 5A state tournament.&nbsp; 

The 17-6 Indians had six players average six or more points per game with T.J. nunnery at 10.3 per contest. Dayln Schwarz ended just under double figures at 9.8 points per game. Dylan Ruder led the way on the boards with 6.5 per contest. Carson Kieffer likely would have become the 19th&nbsp;player in Hays High history to collect 100 or more assists in a single season, but ended the year with 95.&nbsp;

Ruder and Schwarz were named to the Western Athletic Conference first team, Nunnery second team and Kieffer honorable mention. All four were also name to the 5A All-State team by Sports in Kansas. Ruder and Schwarz to the second team and Nunnery and Kieffer received Honorable Mention. Ruder was also named to the KBCA Academic All-State team.

In his first year, Coach Alex Hutchins was a finalist for Sports in Kansas 5A Coach of the Year.

Both seniors on the team will continue their athletic careers.&nbsp; The 6’10” Dylan Ruder will play basketball at Kansas Wesleyan. Brock Lummus will play baseball at Butler County Community College.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xOpPkTDL8RM"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays PostThe Hays High Indians were guaranteed two more games in 2020.&nbsp; But those two games never occurred after the Kansas State High School Activities Association elected to cancel the final two days of the state basketball tournaments due to concerns of COVID-19. Hays High ended the season on an eight-game winning streak after dropping four of five in the middle of the season.During that final eight-game winning stretch, Hays played four state-ranked teams beating the No. 7 team in 4A twice and the No. 6 and No. 5 teams in 5A.&nbsp; The unranked Indians were set to play their third-straight ranked 5A team — No. 3 Basehor-Linwood — when the season was cut short.Over the final eight games, Hays scored 51 points per game while allowing just 41 points and holding two opponents in the 20s.The Indians shared the Western Athletic Conference title with Great Bend, both with a 7-1 mark. Hays beat the Panthers in the rubber match in Great Bend to earn a berth in the 5A state tournament.&nbsp; The 17-6 Indians had six players average six or more points per game with T.J. nunnery at 10.3 per contest. Dayln Schwarz ended just under double figures at 9.8 points per game. Dylan Ruder led the way on the boards with 6.5 per contest. Carson Kieffer likely would have become the 19th&nbsp;player in Hays High history to collect 100 or more assists in a single season, but ended the year with 95.&nbsp;Ruder and Schwarz were named to the Western Athletic Conference first team, Nunnery second team and Kieffer honorable mention. All four were also name to the 5A All-State team by Sports in Kansas. Ruder and Schwarz to the second team and Nunnery and Kieffer received Honorable Mention. Ruder was also named to the KBCA Academic All-State team.In his first year, Coach Alex Hutchins was a finalist for Sports in Kansas 5A Coach of the Year.Both seniors on the team will continue their athletic careers.&nbsp; The 6’10” Dylan Ruder will play basketball at Kansas Wesleyan. Brock Lummus will play baseball at Butler County Community College.&nbsp;

🎥 2020 HIGHLIGHTS: Hays High's remarkable season cut short

NEW YORK (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have escaped the heavy punishment doled out to the Houston Astros in their separate sign-stealing scandals.

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has stripped the Red Sox of their second-round pick in this year’s draft while also punishing former Boston skipper Alex Cora for his role in the Astros’ sign-stealing maneuvers of 2017 and ‘18.

Manfred concluded Red Sox replay system operator J.T. Watkins broke rules by using in-game video to revise sign sequences provided to players. According to Manfred, Watkins was a “key participant” in the 2017 Apple incident, when the Red Sox used a smartwatch to relay decoded signs from the replay room to the dugout.

Watkins was suspended without pay through this year’s postseason and prohibited from serving as the replay room operator through 2021.

Meanwhile, Cora has been suspended through the 2020 postseason for his previous conduct as bench coach with the Astros. Cora became manager of the Red Sox in 2018 and left the team last winter.

Manfred found Boston’s conduct far less egregious than that of the Astros, whom he determined used video to steal catchers’ signs during their run to the 2017 World Series title and again during the 2018 season. Houston manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were suspended through the 2020 postseason on Jan. 13 and Houston was fined $5 million, the maximum under the Major League Constitution. The Astros were penalized their next two first- and second-round amateur draft picks.

The Red Sox also announced that Ron Roenicke (REH’-neh-kee) is their new manager after giving him the job on an interim basis in March. He replaced Cora.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have escaped the heavy punishment doled out to the Houston Astros in their separate sign-stealing scandals.Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has stripped the Red Sox of their second-round pick in this year’s draft while also punishing former Boston skipper Alex Cora for his role in the Astros’ sign-stealing maneuvers of 2017 and ‘18.Manfred concluded Red Sox replay system operator J.T. Watkins broke rules by using in-game video to revise sign sequences provided to players. According to Manfred, Watkins was a “key participant” in the 2017 Apple incident, when the Red Sox used a smartwatch to relay decoded signs from the replay room to the dugout.Watkins was suspended without pay through this year’s postseason and prohibited from serving as the replay room operator through 2021.Meanwhile, Cora has been suspended through the 2020 postseason for his previous conduct as bench coach with the Astros. Cora became manager of the Red Sox in 2018 and left the team last winter.Manfred found Boston’s conduct far less egregious than that of the Astros, whom he determined used video to steal catchers’ signs during their run to the 2017 World Series title and again during the 2018 season. Houston manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were suspended through the 2020 postseason on Jan. 13 and Houston was fined $5 million, the maximum under the Major League Constitution. The Astros were penalized their next two first- and second-round amateur draft picks.The Red Sox also announced that Ron Roenicke (REH’-neh-kee) is their new manager after giving him the job on an interim basis in March. He replaced Cora.

Red Sox punished in sign-stealing scandal

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Players ejected from football games for targeting will be allowed to remain on the sidelines, the NCAA announced Tuesday.

The Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the rules change no longer requiring players to head to the locker room after targeting is confirmed. All other aspects of the rule discouraging above-the-shoulders contact remain the same.

The panel also approved a pace-of-play guideline for instant replay officials to complete video reviews in less than two minutes. Reviews that are exceptionally complicated or involve end-of-game issues should be completed as efficiently as possible without a stated time limit.

A clock rule regarding instant replay also was approved. If the game clock expires at the end of a half and replay determines there was time remaining and the clock should start on the referee’s signal, there must be at least 3 seconds left, when the ball should have been declared dead, to restore time. If less than 3 seconds remain on the game clock, the half is over.

The panel approved a rule that officials’ jurisdiction of a game begins 90 minutes before kickoff, instead of the current 60. There had been concerns about dust-ups between opponents before officials were required to be on the field.

Only two players on a team will be allowed to wear the same jersey number to limit confusion among officials and to make opponent scouting less difficult. The players must not be on the field at the same time. Also, players will be allowed to wear number “0” this season.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Players ejected from football games for targeting will be allowed to remain on the sidelines, the NCAA announced Tuesday.The Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the rules change no longer requiring players to head to the locker room after targeting is confirmed. All other aspects of the rule discouraging above-the-shoulders contact remain the same.The panel also approved a pace-of-play guideline for instant replay officials to complete video reviews in less than two minutes. Reviews that are exceptionally complicated or involve end-of-game issues should be completed as efficiently as possible without a stated time limit.A clock rule regarding instant replay also was approved. If the game clock expires at the end of a half and replay determines there was time remaining and the clock should start on the referee’s signal, there must be at least 3 seconds left, when the ball should have been declared dead, to restore time. If less than 3 seconds remain on the game clock, the half is over.The panel approved a rule that officials’ jurisdiction of a game begins 90 minutes before kickoff, instead of the current 60. There had been concerns about dust-ups between opponents before officials were required to be on the field.Only two players on a team will be allowed to wear the same jersey number to limit confusion among officials and to make opponent scouting less difficult. The players must not be on the field at the same time. Also, players will be allowed to wear number “0” this season.

NCAA: Players ejected for targeting can remain on sidelines

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — After leading the Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl championship in five decades, quarterback Patrick Mahomes is finally eligible to sign a contract extension this offseason. 

And while there is no hurry given the fact that Mahomes is entering just his fourth season in the league — and the Chiefs could simply pick up his fifth-year option — the reality is both sides are eager to come to terms on what could be a record-setting deal.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — After leading the Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl championship in five decades, quarterback Patrick Mahomes is finally eligible to sign a contract extension this offseason. And while there is no hurry given the fact that Mahomes is entering just his fourth season in the league — and the Chiefs could simply pick up his fifth-year option — the reality is both sides are eager to come to terms on what could be a record-setting deal.

Chiefs, Mahomes eye record-setting deal following NFL draft

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Fort Hays State seniors&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5104">Hayden Kreutzer</a>&nbsp;(football) and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4752">Courtney Batchman</a>&nbsp;(women's track and field) received the 2020 National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) All-American Athlete Award. Both receive the honor based off athletic accomplishments and dedication to strength and training, nominated for the award by Fort Hays State Strength and Conditioning Coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=725">Doug Boucher</a>.

Kreutzer had a strong finish to his football career at FHSU, recording 69 tackles, two interceptions, and five pass breakups in his senior year of 2019. That performance was good for an All-MIAA Honorable Mention selection at defensive back. After seeing time as a key reserve for three years, Kreutzer worked his way into a starting role on the Tiger defense in 2019. He finished his career with 102 tackles, three interceptions, and seven pass breakups, recording well over half of the tackles in his senior year. He was also a member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll during his time as a Tiger. Kreutzer is a native of Hays, Kansas.

Batchman competed for the track and field squad for three years and graduated at the end of the fall semester in 2019 with a degree in Nursing. She was a multi-event athlete for the Tigers, regularly competing in the pentathlon and heptathlon. Batchman produced the highest point total of her career in the heptathlon at the 2018 MIAA Outdoor Championships, scoring 4,121 points. She posted the highest point total of her career in the pentathlon at the 2019 MIAA Indoor Championships, where she totaled 3,011 points. She was a member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll on a yearly basis in her time as a Tiger. Batchman is a native of Sylvan Grove, Kansas.



<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587550667507.jpeg" alt="Image courtesy FHSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy FHSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Fort Hays State seniors&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5104">Hayden Kreutzer</a>&nbsp;(football) and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4752">Courtney Batchman</a>&nbsp;(women's track and field) received the 2020 National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) All-American Athlete Award. Both receive the honor based off athletic accomplishments and dedication to strength and training, nominated for the award by Fort Hays State Strength and Conditioning Coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=725">Doug Boucher</a>.Kreutzer had a strong finish to his football career at FHSU, recording 69 tackles, two interceptions, and five pass breakups in his senior year of 2019. That performance was good for an All-MIAA Honorable Mention selection at defensive back. After seeing time as a key reserve for three years, Kreutzer worked his way into a starting role on the Tiger defense in 2019. He finished his career with 102 tackles, three interceptions, and seven pass breakups, recording well over half of the tackles in his senior year. He was also a member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll during his time as a Tiger. Kreutzer is a native of Hays, Kansas.Batchman competed for the track and field squad for three years and graduated at the end of the fall semester in 2019 with a degree in Nursing. She was a multi-event athlete for the Tigers, regularly competing in the pentathlon and heptathlon. Batchman produced the highest point total of her career in the heptathlon at the 2018 MIAA Outdoor Championships, scoring 4,121 points. She posted the highest point total of her career in the pentathlon at the 2019 MIAA Indoor Championships, where she totaled 3,011 points. She was a member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll on a yearly basis in her time as a Tiger. Batchman is a native of Sylvan Grove, Kansas.

Kreutzer and Batchman receive 2020 NSCA All-American Athlete Award

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post

Normally at this time of the year, the Fort Hays State
basketball programs would have begun their off-season workouts and coaches out
on the recruiting trail. Like so many things, they have both taken on a
different look due to the COVID-19 shutdown.

Shortly after canceling the spring sports season and all
sports activity, the NCAA banned in-person recruiting until mid-April. That ban
has since been extended until the end of May.

Fort Hays State men’s basketball coach Mark Johnson had
already signed several high school seniors but was looking to fill several more
spots on next season’s roster.

“I think our biggest selling point at Fort Hays State is our
facilities and not being able to get these prospects on campus, into our arena
and see Gross Coliseum makes this a challenge." Johnson said.

And while recruiting this spring has been unlike any other
of his previous 19 years as a head coach, he did admit some good has come of
it. “I think one of the strengths of this is that maybe you’re developing
better relationships with potential recruits just because the only thing you can
do is have constant communication with them via phone, email and things like
that.”

Johnson says the inability for recruits to make on-campus
visits has put them in a tough position.

“A lot of these kids are starting to understand that they’re
going to have to make tough decisions without taking visits.” Johnson said. “I
think the thing that alarms us is with our population we have to go farther
away at times. You’re concerned that with the unknown, the easier decision is
to stay close to home. That’s something we’re trying to battle and show these
players what we have.”

The Fort Hays State women’s team was in Warrensburg,
Missouri awaiting the start of their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance
when the tournament and all activities were canceled. Head coach Tony Hobson and
his staff had already signed five high school seniors for next season and had a
sixth commit earlier this month. And while his roster for the 2020-21 season is
pretty well set, it’s the next season’s class that has him concerned.

“The players that will be seniors, we usually bring in this
time of year for a spring visit and then we watch them through the summer and
try to get our kids in line to sign early in the fall.” Hobson said. “It’s just
going to be riskier. You’re libel to miss on a kid but then, maybe, your libel
to pick up a kid you were not going to get otherwise because they’re not going
to be able visit someplace else.”

“There’s a higher risk when you can’t bring a player in and meet
their whole family and maybe even see them play against your kids.” Hobson added.
“It’s just more of a risk. You’re more likely to make a recruiting mistake.” 

One area Hobson feels Fort Hays State has the advantage is virtual
learning. When college campuses were shut down across the country, it meant all
school work went online for the remainder of the semester. Hobson said FHSU was
positioned well for that change.

“We are so proficient with the virtual college and the
online classes that I think we made that transition easier than some places.”
Hobson said. “The main thing right now is to stay healthy and stay out of harm’s
way as much as possible and then get the classwork done that you need to do.”

Johnson said most of his players have taken some form of
online classes, so the transition to all course going virtual was not a
problem. On the other hand, the ability to find a suitable place to work out
has. 

“This is a big deal. A lot of our guys, whether it be Hadley
Gillum, Brady Werth, Jared Vitztum as of late, have really benefited from these
postseason workouts.” Johnson said. “Most of our guys have no way to get into a
gym and try to work on their game. They can’t get into a weight room. I think
that’s been a big frustration of our players.”

Hobson says it’s been challenge for his team as well.

“You’ve got a driveway that’s slanting away from the house.
It’s kind of hard to do anything.” Hobson said. “The main thing is to not let
your conditioning to get so far out of hand that it’s going to take you a month
to get back in shape. You want to keep your conditioning to a point that once
this clears up – which it eventual will - you can get right back in with a
running start with the basketball stuff.”

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays PostNormally at this time of the year, the Fort Hays State
basketball programs would have begun their off-season workouts and coaches out
on the recruiting trail. Like so many things, they have both taken on a
different look due to the COVID-19 shutdown.Shortly after canceling the spring sports season and all
sports activity, the NCAA banned in-person recruiting until mid-April. That ban
has since been extended until the end of May.Fort Hays State men’s basketball coach Mark Johnson had
already signed several high school seniors but was looking to fill several more
spots on next season’s roster.“I think our biggest selling point at Fort Hays State is our
facilities and not being able to get these prospects on campus, into our arena
and see Gross Coliseum makes this a challenge." Johnson said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587478629733.jpeg" alt="FHSU head coach Mark Johnson (Courtesy FHSU Athletics/ Allie Schweizer photo)" />
 <figcaption>FHSU head coach Mark Johnson (Courtesy FHSU Athletics/ Allie Schweizer photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>And while recruiting this spring has been unlike any other
of his previous 19 years as a head coach, he did admit some good has come of
it. “I think one of the strengths of this is that maybe you’re developing
better relationships with potential recruits just because the only thing you can
do is have constant communication with them via phone, email and things like
that.”Johnson says the inability for recruits to make on-campus
visits has put them in a tough position.“A lot of these kids are starting to understand that they’re
going to have to make tough decisions without taking visits.” Johnson said. “I
think the thing that alarms us is with our population we have to go farther
away at times. You’re concerned that with the unknown, the easier decision is
to stay close to home. That’s something we’re trying to battle and show these
players what we have.”The Fort Hays State women’s team was in Warrensburg,
Missouri awaiting the start of their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance
when the tournament and all activities were canceled. Head coach Tony Hobson and
his staff had already signed five high school seniors for next season and had a
sixth commit earlier this month. And while his roster for the 2020-21 season is
pretty well set, it’s the next season’s class that has him concerned.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587478742229.jpeg" alt="FHSU women's basketball coach Tony Hobson (Courtesy FHSU Athletics/Allie Schweizer photo)" />
 <figcaption>FHSU women's basketball coach Tony Hobson (Courtesy FHSU Athletics/Allie Schweizer photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>“The players that will be seniors, we usually bring in this
time of year for a spring visit and then we watch them through the summer and
try to get our kids in line to sign early in the fall.” Hobson said. “It’s just
going to be riskier. You’re libel to miss on a kid but then, maybe, your libel
to pick up a kid you were not going to get otherwise because they’re not going
to be able visit someplace else.”“There’s a higher risk when you can’t bring a player in and meet
their whole family and maybe even see them play against your kids.” Hobson added.
“It’s just more of a risk. You’re more likely to make a recruiting mistake.” One area Hobson feels Fort Hays State has the advantage is virtual
learning. When college campuses were shut down across the country, it meant all
school work went online for the remainder of the semester. Hobson said FHSU was
positioned well for that change.“We are so proficient with the virtual college and the
online classes that I think we made that transition easier than some places.”
Hobson said. “The main thing right now is to stay healthy and stay out of harm’s
way as much as possible and then get the classwork done that you need to do.”Johnson said most of his players have taken some form of
online classes, so the transition to all course going virtual was not a
problem. On the other hand, the ability to find a suitable place to work out
has. “This is a big deal. A lot of our guys, whether it be Hadley
Gillum, Brady Werth, Jared Vitztum as of late, have really benefited from these
postseason workouts.” Johnson said. “Most of our guys have no way to get into a
gym and try to work on their game. They can’t get into a weight room. I think
that’s been a big frustration of our players.”Hobson says it’s been challenge for his team as well.“You’ve got a driveway that’s slanting away from the house.
It’s kind of hard to do anything.” Hobson said. “The main thing is to not let
your conditioning to get so far out of hand that it’s going to take you a month
to get back in shape. You want to keep your conditioning to a point that once
this clears up – which it eventual will - you can get right back in with a
running start with the basketball stuff.”

FHSU basketball dealing with shutdown

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber added to his highly-touted 2020 recruiting class with the signing of junior college forward Carlton Linguard (San Antonio, Texas/Stevens/Temple College [Texas]) to a National Letter of Intent on Monday.

A 6-foot-11, 200-pound power forward, Linguard will have three years of eligibility remaining after playing just one season at Temple College in Temple, Texas, where he ranked among the best shot blockers and rebounders in the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) in 2019-20. He will be the seventh member of the 2020 recruiting class, which is listed among the Top 25 in the country by a variety of recruiting services.

"Carlton is a player we have been following for quite some time," said Weber. "He is a versatile big guy who kind of came out of nowhere, playing for a smaller high school and didn't have the exposure of AAU. He had very few offers coming out of high school, so he opted to play at the community college level at Temple (College) where he developed over the last year playing for a really, good coach in Kirby Johnson, who recently retired after winning a lot of games at the level."

A native of San Antonio, Texas, Linguard was part of the one of the most prolific community college teams this past season at Temple College, which ranked in the NJCAA's Top 10 in 12 categories, including in each major category (scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks). The Leopards were second in nationally in scoring at better than 102 points per game (102.7 ppg., while averaging 47 rebounds (sixth, 20.5 assists (10th, 12.3 steals (eighth) and 6.2 blocks (fourth) per game head coach Kirby Johnson, who has won more than 700 games in his career.

Linguard was instrumental in several of those rankings, placing in the NJCAA's Top 5 in blocked shots (3.6 bpg./4th) and offensive rebounds (4.3 rpg./5th, while averaging a near double-double at 13.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game for the season. He also ranked 23rd nationally in rebounding (9.5 rpg.) and 27th in total rebounds (285). He connected on 51.4 percent (164-of-319) from the field and 70.1 percent (61-of-87) from the free throw line.

As a freshman, Linguard was named to both the All-NJCAA Region 5 as well as the All-Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference teams. He was one of just five true freshmen on the 12-man Region 5 team.

"He is a very skilled big guy with great length and has good perimeter range and passing ability," said Weber. "He needs weight and strength, but he will get those once he gets in our program with (strength coach) Ben (O'Donnell). I think I was one of the first high-level coaches to visit him in the Fall and Coach (Kirby) Johnson told me, 'Take him right now, redshirt him and three years he has a chance to be a pro.' We will see how that develops once he gets here, but he definitely has high potential."

Linguard scored in double figures in 25 of 30 games played, including a pair of 20-point performances, while he collected 12 double-doubles. He also posted 15 games of at least 4 blocked shots, including a season-best 11 in an 87-68 loss at Ranger on Feb. 19. One of his more impressive efforts came in a 118-106 win at Grayson on Jan. 8, in which, he poured in a season-high 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting to go with a season-tying 17 rebounds.

Temple College posted a 24-7 overall record in 2019-20 in one of the most difficult regions (Region 5) in the community college ranks, which produced two Top 10 teams (Clarendon and Ranger) and sent three squads (Clarendon, Ranger and South Plains) to the NJCAA National Championship in Hutchinson, Kansas.

The classic 'late bloomer', Linguard was a three-year lettermen and two-year starter at Stevens High School in his hometown of San Antonio. After posting a total of 12 points and 27 rebounds as a sophomore in 2016-17, he averaged 13 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in playing a combined 58 games as a junior and senior.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber added to his highly-touted 2020 recruiting class with the signing of junior college forward Carlton Linguard (San Antonio, Texas/Stevens/Temple College [Texas]) to a National Letter of Intent on Monday.A 6-foot-11, 200-pound power forward, Linguard will have three years of eligibility remaining after playing just one season at Temple College in Temple, Texas, where he ranked among the best shot blockers and rebounders in the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) in 2019-20. He will be the seventh member of the 2020 recruiting class, which is listed among the Top 25 in the country by a variety of recruiting services."Carlton is a player we have been following for quite some time," said Weber. "He is a versatile big guy who kind of came out of nowhere, playing for a smaller high school and didn't have the exposure of AAU. He had very few offers coming out of high school, so he opted to play at the community college level at Temple (College) where he developed over the last year playing for a really, good coach in Kirby Johnson, who recently retired after winning a lot of games at the level."A native of San Antonio, Texas, Linguard was part of the one of the most prolific community college teams this past season at Temple College, which ranked in the NJCAA's Top 10 in 12 categories, including in each major category (scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks). The Leopards were second in nationally in scoring at better than 102 points per game (102.7 ppg., while averaging 47 rebounds (sixth, 20.5 assists (10th, 12.3 steals (eighth) and 6.2 blocks (fourth) per game head coach Kirby Johnson, who has won more than 700 games in his career.Linguard was instrumental in several of those rankings, placing in the NJCAA's Top 5 in blocked shots (3.6 bpg./4th) and offensive rebounds (4.3 rpg./5th, while averaging a near double-double at 13.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game for the season. He also ranked 23rd nationally in rebounding (9.5 rpg.) and 27th in total rebounds (285). He connected on 51.4 percent (164-of-319) from the field and 70.1 percent (61-of-87) from the free throw line.As a freshman, Linguard was named to both the All-NJCAA Region 5 as well as the All-Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference teams. He was one of just five true freshmen on the 12-man Region 5 team."He is a very skilled big guy with great length and has good perimeter range and passing ability," said Weber. "He needs weight and strength, but he will get those once he gets in our program with (strength coach) Ben (O'Donnell). I think I was one of the first high-level coaches to visit him in the Fall and Coach (Kirby) Johnson told me, 'Take him right now, redshirt him and three years he has a chance to be a pro.' We will see how that develops once he gets here, but he definitely has high potential."Linguard scored in double figures in 25 of 30 games played, including a pair of 20-point performances, while he collected 12 double-doubles. He also posted 15 games of at least 4 blocked shots, including a season-best 11 in an 87-68 loss at Ranger on Feb. 19. One of his more impressive efforts came in a 118-106 win at Grayson on Jan. 8, in which, he poured in a season-high 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting to go with a season-tying 17 rebounds.Temple College posted a 24-7 overall record in 2019-20 in one of the most difficult regions (Region 5) in the community college ranks, which produced two Top 10 teams (Clarendon and Ranger) and sent three squads (Clarendon, Ranger and South Plains) to the NJCAA National Championship in Hutchinson, Kansas.The classic 'late bloomer', Linguard was a three-year lettermen and two-year starter at Stevens High School in his hometown of San Antonio. After posting a total of 12 points and 27 rebounds as a sophomore in 2016-17, he averaged 13 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in playing a combined 58 games as a junior and senior.As a senior in 2018-19, Linguard averaged 15.3 points on 49 percent shooting (188-of-387) to go with 7.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game for a Stevens' team that posted a 19-13 overall record and advanced to the Region 4 quarterfinals of the Class 6A UIL State Tournament under head coach Michael Raynes. He was a unanimous First Team All-District 28-6A selection and earned Second Team All-Academic honors. He led the Falcons in rebounding and blocked shots, while he was second in scoring. He scored in double figures in 24 of 31 games played, including eight 20-point games, while he posted 10 double-doubles.Linguard is the third player to ink with the Wildcats in the spring signing period, joining fellow junior college signee Rueadale "Rudi" Williams (Hamilton, Ontario/Forest Trail Academy/NE Oklahoma A&amp;M College) and prep standout Seryee Lewis (Chicago, Ill./AZ Compass Prep [Chandler, Ariz.], who signed on April 15.The trio of signees join an already-heralded four-man Fall recruiting class that includes the aforementioned high school standouts Davion Bradford (St. Louis, Mo./Mehlville, Luke Kasubke (St. Louis, Mo./Chaminade, Selton Miguel (Luanda, Angola/West Oaks Academy [Fla.]) and Nijel Pack (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central).The current class is rated among the Top 25 by several recruiting services, including No. 18 by Rivals.com, No. 23 by 247Sports.com and No. 24 by ESPN. Historically speaking, it is the highest-rated recruiting class under Weber and the highest collective class by K-State since recruiting rankings have been kept. Four of the five prep players are rated among the Top 200 players nationally, including four members of the Rivals150, while Williams ranks No. 54 on the list of the top junior college players in the country by JucoRecruiting.com.Kansas State Athletics