By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

After President-elect Donald Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, a Fort Hays State University political science professor said there has been a nationwide shift to the right in 2024.

Fort Hays State University wrapped up the election cycle on Thursday by analyzing the 2024 election results.

Presented by FHSU's American Democracy Project, FHSU Assistant Professor of Political Science Jay Steinmetz offered insights and conducted research after Nov. 5.

"There are a lot of important questions that we can ask and critical insights that can be derived from looking at election stats," he said.

Steinmetz attributes the shift to the right to several possible theories, such as the establishment/anti-establishment theory, the economy theory, the Joe Biden theory, the identity theory and the immigration backlash theory.

"Why did we have what we have? Is this a Republican Party success? Is this a Democratic Party failure? It's a little bit of both," he said.

Steinmetz said the establishment/anti-establishment theory centers on the difference between establishment politics, which refers to mainstream political structures, traditional party leadership and established institutions.

Steinmetz said anti-establishment sentiment rejects these institutions and is not exclusive to the U.S. Trump has focused on this message since 2016.

"It was a good message for 2016," he said. "But it's almost a perfect fit for 2024 in our post-COVID world. We're angry with the establishment, and Trump's anti-establishment ethos is the perfect fit."

Steinmetz said this message resonated with voters who felt alienated from traditional political structures and frustrated with the current state.

Steinmetz said economic concerns such as inflation, housing costs, consumer confidence and job security played the second-most significant role in the election.

Steinmetz said many people who don't usually vote but do so when critical issues arise tend to view their votes through a transactional lens.

Steinmetz referenced a PBS exit poll that indicated the economy was the primary factor influencing the votes of Black, Hispanic and young voters.

"These are voters who are coming into an economy that's not very good and that dealt with many issues of dislocation," he said.

Steinmetz said Trump successfully framed economic issues in a way that resonated with working-class voters.

He said voters with economic hardship are less concerned with overall policy impacts and more focused on immediate impacts on their daily lives, such as gas prices and the cost of living.

Steinmetz said Biden's leadership may have played a significant role in the Democratic Party's underperformance in 2024.

He suggested the election outcome might have differed if Biden had chosen not to run again after the Democrats' success in the 2022 midterms.

"Had Biden been 'thumped' in the 2022 midterm elections, he very well might have said, 'I'm going to sit out the 2024 election,'" Steinmetz said.

Steinmetz said the Democratic Party did not have difficult discussions about broadening their base and whether Biden should run again due to their 2022 success. Trump announced his candidacy shortly after the midterms.

Steinmetz said this tied Harris to the unpopular Biden administration despite accomplishments like economic acts and infrastructure reforms.

"It brought what I think is one of the more powerful messages from the Republican Party, which is 'If you had four years to fix these problems, why didn't fix them,'" he said.

He added the vice president does not influence policy.

Steinmetz explained identity politics refers to the notion that group identities, rather than individual traits, serve as the primary foundation for political action, policy and change.

He said gender and race played a role in 2024, with Harris facing unique challenges. As a woman, she was held to a different standard than Trump.

"Part of the disadvantage Kamala Harris had in this matchup was the fact that she was a woman, a Black woman and an Asian American Woman. Those factors had a role to play," Steinmetz said.

Steinmetz said Obama ushered in an "age of identity" in 2008, and Trump's anti-identity politics is, in itself, a form of identity politics as it includes positive affirmations of specific identities that support him.

Steinmetz discusses how border policies and immigration were on voters' minds but were not significant enough to be the principal factor in Trump's victory.

Although border politics and immigration were central to Trump’s movement, there are links to other policy issues.

"The border is connected to our drug crisis, fentanyl, overdose crisis and crime in this country. It's connected to national security imperatives, a whole bunch of other policy avenues," Steinmetz said.

Steinmetz said this is important for progressives and independents to reflect on, as it highlights the importance of border-related issues for Trump supporters.

Steinmetz said while it's subjective, one could argue Harris ran a campaign of integrity with few errors, though there were some missteps.

Steinmetz points to Harris's limited media presence and lack of policy substance, which may have impacted her appeal to specific voter groups.

"On the whole, I would say it was a pretty normal campaign, and I don't see a lot of huge missteps or huge errors," he said. "In fact, probably one of the biggest errors was Joe Biden opening his mouth and calling Trump supporters garbage."

According to data from Steinmetz, there was a 3.1% shift toward Trump in swing states compared to 2020, while outside swing states, the shift was 6.7% in his favor.

Steinmetz said the time and money spent in swing states helped mitigate what would have been a more significant loss to Trump if Harris had not run a strong campaign.

Based on Steinmetz's analysis, Trump's return to the White House is a pivotal moment for the Republican Party and the country. However, the rightward shift in the electorate in 2024 may not be permanent.

"They could be [permanent], but I think it's going to depend on how Republicans govern," he said.

Steinmetz said young voters are low-propensity voters, and Black voters are traditionally Democratic, meaning the recent shift could swing back in the other direction.

He said Hispanic voters in Florida and Democratic strongholds in Texas shifted more toward the Republican Party due to concerns about immigration and economic issues.

Steinmetz specializes in political theory, American politics and public law. His research focuses on liberal theory in American political culture, presidential memory in popular culture and the legal evolution of free speech in the 20th century.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731697475558.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State University Assistant Professor Jay Steinmetz giving his 2024 election analysis. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State University Assistant Professor Jay Steinmetz giving his 2024 election analysis. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostAfter President-elect Donald Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, a Fort Hays State University political science professor said there has been a nationwide shift to the right in 2024.Fort Hays State University wrapped up the election cycle on Thursday by analyzing the 2024 election results.Presented by FHSU's American Democracy Project, FHSU Assistant Professor of Political Science Jay Steinmetz offered insights and conducted research after Nov. 5."There are a lot of important questions that we can ask and critical insights that can be derived from looking at election stats," he said.Steinmetz attributes the shift to the right to several possible theories, such as the establishment/anti-establishment theory, the economy theory, the Joe Biden theory, the identity theory and the immigration backlash theory."Why did we have what we have? Is this a Republican Party success? Is this a Democratic Party failure? It's a little bit of both," he said.<h2>Establishment/anti-establishment theory</h2>Steinmetz said the establishment/anti-establishment theory centers on the difference between establishment politics, which refers to mainstream political structures, traditional party leadership and established institutions.Steinmetz said anti-establishment sentiment rejects these institutions and is not exclusive to the U.S. Trump has focused on this message since 2016."It was a good message for 2016," he said. "But it's almost a perfect fit for 2024 in our post-COVID world. We're angry with the establishment, and Trump's anti-establishment ethos is the perfect fit."Steinmetz said this message resonated with voters who felt alienated from traditional political structures and frustrated with the current state.<h2>The economy theory</h2>Steinmetz said economic concerns such as inflation, housing costs, consumer confidence and job security played the second-most significant role in the election.Steinmetz said many people who don't usually vote but do so when critical issues arise tend to view their votes through a transactional lens.Steinmetz referenced a PBS exit poll that indicated the economy was the primary factor influencing the votes of Black, Hispanic and young voters."These are voters who are coming into an economy that's not very good and that dealt with many issues of dislocation," he said.Steinmetz said Trump successfully framed economic issues in a way that resonated with working-class voters.He said voters with economic hardship are less concerned with overall policy impacts and more focused on immediate impacts on their daily lives, such as gas prices and the cost of living.<h2>Joe Biden theory</h2>Steinmetz said Biden's leadership may have played a significant role in the Democratic Party's underperformance in 2024.He suggested the election outcome might have differed if Biden had chosen not to run again after the Democrats' success in the 2022 midterms."Had Biden been 'thumped' in the 2022 midterm elections, he very well might have said, 'I'm going to sit out the 2024 election,'" Steinmetz said.Steinmetz said the Democratic Party did not have difficult discussions about broadening their base and whether Biden should run again due to their 2022 success. Trump announced his candidacy shortly after the midterms.Steinmetz said this tied Harris to the unpopular Biden administration despite accomplishments like economic acts and infrastructure reforms."It brought what I think is one of the more powerful messages from the Republican Party, which is 'If you had four years to fix these problems, why didn't fix them,'" he said.He added the vice president does not influence policy.<h2>Identity theory</h2>Steinmetz explained identity politics refers to the notion that group identities, rather than individual traits, serve as the primary foundation for political action, policy and change.He said gender and race played a role in 2024, with Harris facing unique challenges. As a woman, she was held to a different standard than Trump."Part of the disadvantage Kamala Harris had in this matchup was the fact that she was a woman, a Black woman and an Asian American Woman. Those factors had a role to play," Steinmetz said.Steinmetz said Obama ushered in an "age of identity" in 2008, and Trump's anti-identity politics is, in itself, a form of identity politics as it includes positive affirmations of specific identities that support him.<h2>Immigration backlash theory</h2>Steinmetz discusses how border policies and immigration were on voters' minds but were not significant enough to be the principal factor in Trump's victory.Although border politics and immigration were central to Trump’s movement, there are links to other policy issues."The border is connected to our drug crisis, fentanyl, overdose crisis and crime in this country. It's connected to national security imperatives, a whole bunch of other policy avenues," Steinmetz said.Steinmetz said this is important for progressives and independents to reflect on, as it highlights the importance of border-related issues for Trump supporters.<h2>Harris campaign</h2>Steinmetz said while it's subjective, one could argue Harris ran a campaign of integrity with few errors, though there were some missteps.Steinmetz points to Harris's limited media presence and lack of policy substance, which may have impacted her appeal to specific voter groups."On the whole, I would say it was a pretty normal campaign, and I don't see a lot of huge missteps or huge errors," he said. "In fact, probably one of the biggest errors was Joe Biden opening his mouth and calling Trump supporters garbage."According to data from Steinmetz, there was a 3.1% shift toward Trump in swing states compared to 2020, while outside swing states, the shift was 6.7% in his favor.Steinmetz said the time and money spent in swing states helped mitigate what would have been a more significant loss to Trump if Harris had not run a strong campaign.<h2>Trump 2025</h2>Based on Steinmetz's analysis, Trump's return to the White House is a pivotal moment for the Republican Party and the country. However, the rightward shift in the electorate in 2024 may not be permanent."They could be [permanent], but I think it's going to depend on how Republicans govern," he said.Steinmetz said young voters are low-propensity voters, and Black voters are traditionally Democratic, meaning the recent shift could swing back in the other direction.He said Hispanic voters in Florida and Democratic strongholds in Texas shifted more toward the Republican Party due to concerns about immigration and economic issues.Steinmetz specializes in political theory, American politics and public law. His research focuses on liberal theory in American political culture, presidential memory in popular culture and the legal evolution of free speech in the 20th century.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731697411244.jpeg" alt="Percentages of Republican shift by state" />
 <figcaption>Percentages of Republican shift by state</figcaption>
 </figure>

FHSU professor discusses conservative shift in 2024 election analysis

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post

KEARNEY, Neb. – Fort Hays State raced out to a 24-0 halftime lead then had to hold off a furious Nebraska-Kearney comeback to beat the Lopers 27-20 Saturday at Cope Stadium. The Tigers finish the season 8-3, their sixth eight-win season under head coach Chris Brown and the 11th in program history.&nbsp;

FHSU finished with an 8-3 overall and record and 6-3 in the MIAA where they tied for third place. UNK finished 5-6 overall and 3-6 in MIAA play.

Fort Hays State dominated the time of possession in the first half, controlling the ball for nearly 21 minutes. They scored the game's first touchdown on their second possession, going 85 yards over 12 plays capped by a Caleb Heavner&nbsp;4-yard touchdown run. Heavner found Jayden Horace&nbsp;for a 28-yard touchdown pass to put the Tigers up 14-0 early in the second quarter. Later in the frame, connected with running back Shane Watts&nbsp;for a 16-yard touchdown pass to make the score 21-0. FHSU capped the first half scoring on a Carson Arndt&nbsp;30-yard field goal on the final play of the quarter.

After picking up only four first downs in the first half, UNK gained four on their first possession of the third quarter which ended in a 9-yard Raegan Jones touchdown pass to Stephen Lewis. Following a 3-and-out by the Tigers, the Lopers blocked Parker Janky's punt and returned it 16-yards for a touchdown to pull within 24-14. The Lopers intercepted a Heavner pass on the Tigers next possession after it was dislodged from Cale Cormany near midfield and went into the hands of a diving UNK defensive back. The FHSU defense forced a punt thanks to a Gaven Haselhorst sack on first down.

The Tiger defense made another big stop early in the fourth quarter on 4th-and-2 near midfield. Reagan Jones used a 44-yard pass to set up his&nbsp; 4-yard touchdown with 6:31 remaining. However, UNK missed the extra-point leaving the Tigers with a 24-20 lead.

Shane Watts had eight carries for 57 yards on the Tigers next possession which ended in a&nbsp;33-yard Arndt field goal with about a minute to play.

The Lopers drove to the FHSU 26 on the last possession of the game but a pass to the back of the endzone was deflected to end the game and give the Tigers their&nbsp;11th&nbsp;win over UNK in the last 12 meetings.

Heavner finished with 294 passing yards, completing 25-of-36 attempts. The Tigers had a pair of 100-yard receivers, Jayden Horace finished with 113 and Ryan Allen with 108. Watts had 175 rushing yards on 30 carries for his fourth-straight game of 100 or more rushing yards. Watts finished with 218 all-purpose yards in the game, adding 43 through the air.

Linebackers John Johnson and Makel Williams&nbsp;led the defense with seven tackles each. Johnson had a fumble recovery. Haselhorst finished with a team-high 1.5 sacks in the game.

Jones threw for 178 yards for UNK, while Isaiah Harris led the Lopers with 63 rushing yards. Shane Dailey Jr. had 92 receiving yards and Anthony Hebert and Devin Guggia shared top tackling honors for UNK with nine each.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731812777191.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Coryn Hahn" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Coryn Hahn</figcaption>
 </figure>By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays PostKEARNEY, Neb. – Fort Hays State raced out to a 24-0 halftime lead then had to hold off a furious Nebraska-Kearney comeback to beat the Lopers 27-20 Saturday at Cope Stadium. The Tigers finish the season 8-3, their sixth eight-win season under head coach Chris Brown and the 11th in program history.&nbsp;FHSU finished with an 8-3 overall and record and 6-3 in the MIAA where they tied for third place. UNK finished 5-6 overall and 3-6 in MIAA play.<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/1959991339&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/fhsu-fb-chris-brown-postgame-interview-vs-nebraska-kearney-november-16th-24" title="Chris Brown Postgame at Nebraska-Kearney (Nov. 16, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Chris Brown Postgame at Nebraska-Kearney (Nov. 16, 2024)</a></div></div>Fort Hays State dominated the time of possession in the first half, controlling the ball for nearly 21 minutes. They scored the game's first touchdown on their second possession, going 85 yards over 12 plays capped by a Caleb Heavner&nbsp;4-yard touchdown run. Heavner found Jayden Horace&nbsp;for a 28-yard touchdown pass to put the Tigers up 14-0 early in the second quarter. Later in the frame, connected with running back Shane Watts&nbsp;for a 16-yard touchdown pass to make the score 21-0. FHSU capped the first half scoring on a Carson Arndt&nbsp;30-yard field goal on the final play of the quarter.After picking up only four first downs in the first half, UNK gained four on their first possession of the third quarter which ended in a 9-yard Raegan Jones touchdown pass to Stephen Lewis. Following a 3-and-out by the Tigers, the Lopers blocked Parker Janky's punt and returned it 16-yards for a touchdown to pull within 24-14. The Lopers intercepted a Heavner pass on the Tigers next possession after it was dislodged from Cale Cormany near midfield and went into the hands of a diving UNK defensive back. The FHSU defense forced a punt thanks to a Gaven Haselhorst sack on first down.<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/1959990763&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/fhsu-fb-ryan-allen-postgame-interview-vs-nebraska-kearney-november-16th-24" title="Ryan Allen Postgame at Nebraska-Kearney (Nov. 16, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Ryan Allen Postgame at Nebraska-Kearney (Nov. 16, 2024)</a></div></div>The Tiger defense made another big stop early in the fourth quarter on 4th-and-2 near midfield. Reagan Jones used a 44-yard pass to set up his&nbsp; 4-yard touchdown with 6:31 remaining. However, UNK missed the extra-point leaving the Tigers with a 24-20 lead.Shane Watts had eight carries for 57 yards on the Tigers next possession which ended in a&nbsp;33-yard Arndt field goal with about a minute to play.The Lopers drove to the FHSU 26 on the last possession of the game but a pass to the back of the endzone was deflected to end the game and give the Tigers their&nbsp;11th&nbsp;win over UNK in the last 12 meetings.<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/1959989931&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/fhsu-fb-makel-williams-postgame-interview-vs-nebraska-kearney" title="Makel Williams Postgame at Nebraska-Kearney (Nov. 16, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Makel Williams Postgame at Nebraska-Kearney (Nov. 16, 2024)</a></div></div>Heavner finished with 294 passing yards, completing 25-of-36 attempts. The Tigers had a pair of 100-yard receivers, Jayden Horace finished with 113 and Ryan Allen with 108. Watts had 175 rushing yards on 30 carries for his fourth-straight game of 100 or more rushing yards. Watts finished with 218 all-purpose yards in the game, adding 43 through the air.Linebackers John Johnson and Makel Williams&nbsp;led the defense with seven tackles each. Johnson had a fumble recovery. Haselhorst finished with a team-high 1.5 sacks in the game.<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/1959988599&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/fhsu-fb-highlights-vs-nebraska-kearney-november-16th-24" title="Fort Hays State FB Highlights at Nebraska-Kearney (Nov. 16, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State FB Highlights at Nebraska-Kearney (Nov. 16, 2024)</a></div></div>Jones threw for 178 yards for UNK, while Isaiah Harris led the Lopers with 63 rushing yards. Shane Dailey Jr. had 92 receiving yards and Anthony Hebert and Devin Guggia shared top tackling honors for UNK with nine each.

🏈 Tigers hold off Lopers for 8-win season

MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team dropped a four-set battle at Northwest Missouri State Saturday evening, losing 10-25, 28-26, 13-25, 16-25. The Tigers conclude the regular season 12-13 overall and 4-12 in league action, while the Bearcats are 15-11 this season and 9-7 in MIAA play.

The Bearcats took control early in the first set, using an 11-1 run to quickly build a double-digit lead before taking the frame 25-10. The Tigers battled back in the second set, posting an attack percentage of .208 thanks to just four errors in a 28-26 victory.

Neither side led by more than two until midway through the frame when the Bearcats slowly pulled away to an 18-13 lead. NWMSU later led 23-19 before a five-point Tiger rally suddenly put the Tigers at set point.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/claire-olson/7947">Claire Olson</a>&nbsp;recorded three-straight kills during the run, helping FHSU stay in the set.

The Tigers had two chances at set point, with NWMSU thwarting each attempt before the Bearcats blew their own chance to take the frame at 26-25. Another Olson kill leveled things at 26 before a kill from&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/tallon-rentschler/7951">Tallon Rentschler</a>&nbsp;secured the 28-26 win.

Northwest Missouri State quickly shook off the loss, taking the third set 25-13 and the fourth 25-16 to complete the home win.Olson led the team with 11 kills, while&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/ella-goodwin/8179">Ella Goodwin</a>&nbsp;added 10 kills and one solo block.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/abrey-galt/7955">Abrey Galt</a>&nbsp;dished out a team-high 19 assists while adding one service ace and six digs.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/kirsten-evans/7943">Kirsten Evans</a>&nbsp;totaled a team-best 21 digs, her seventh match this season with at least 20 digs. Four Bearcats reached double figures in kills, led by 13 from Abby Brunssen.

The Tigers hit .109 as a team (41-23-165) while Northwest posted a swing rate of .314 (66-12-172).&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731819987866.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsMARYVILLE, Mo. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team dropped a four-set battle at Northwest Missouri State Saturday evening, losing 10-25, 28-26, 13-25, 16-25. The Tigers conclude the regular season 12-13 overall and 4-12 in league action, while the Bearcats are 15-11 this season and 9-7 in MIAA play.The Bearcats took control early in the first set, using an 11-1 run to quickly build a double-digit lead before taking the frame 25-10. The Tigers battled back in the second set, posting an attack percentage of .208 thanks to just four errors in a 28-26 victory.Neither side led by more than two until midway through the frame when the Bearcats slowly pulled away to an 18-13 lead. NWMSU later led 23-19 before a five-point Tiger rally suddenly put the Tigers at set point.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/claire-olson/7947">Claire Olson</a>&nbsp;recorded three-straight kills during the run, helping FHSU stay in the set.The Tigers had two chances at set point, with NWMSU thwarting each attempt before the Bearcats blew their own chance to take the frame at 26-25. Another Olson kill leveled things at 26 before a kill from&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/tallon-rentschler/7951">Tallon Rentschler</a>&nbsp;secured the 28-26 win.Northwest Missouri State quickly shook off the loss, taking the third set 25-13 and the fourth 25-16 to complete the home win.Olson led the team with 11 kills, while&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/ella-goodwin/8179">Ella Goodwin</a>&nbsp;added 10 kills and one solo block.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/abrey-galt/7955">Abrey Galt</a>&nbsp;dished out a team-high 19 assists while adding one service ace and six digs.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/kirsten-evans/7943">Kirsten Evans</a>&nbsp;totaled a team-best 21 digs, her seventh match this season with at least 20 digs. Four Bearcats reached double figures in kills, led by 13 from Abby Brunssen.The Tigers hit .109 as a team (41-23-165) while Northwest posted a swing rate of .314 (66-12-172).&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏐 Tigers fall to Bearcats in four to close out regular season

DALLAS(AP)— Bela Karolyi, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power, has died. He was 82.

USA Gymnastics said Karolyi died Friday. No cause of death was given.

Karolyi and wife Martha trained multiple Olympic gold medalists and world champions in the U.S. and Romania, including Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton.

“A big impact and influence on my life,” Comaneci, who was just 14 when Karolyi coached her to gold for Romania at the 1976 Montreal Olympics,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCc1ex3pJWU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank">posted on Instagram</a>.

The Karolyis defected to the United States in 1981 and over the next 30-plus years became a guiding force in American gymnastics, though not without controversy. Bela helped guide Retton — all of 16 — to the Olympic all-around title at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles and memorably helped an injured Kerri Strug off the floor at the 1996 Games in Atlanta after Strug’s vault secured the team gold for the Americans.

Karolyi briefly became the national team coordinator for USA Gymnastics women’s elite program in 1999 and incorporated a semi-centralized system that eventually turned the Americans into the sport’s gold standard. It did not come without a cost. He was pushed out after the 2000 Olympics after several athletes spoke out about his tactics.

It would not be the last time Karolyi was accused of grandstanding and pushing his athletes too far physically and mentally.

During the height of the Larry Nassar scandal in the late 2010s — when the disgraced former USA Gymnastics team doctor was effectively given a life sentence after pleading guilty&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-lansing-in-state-wire-north-america-de31f08ab1fe435c88129d64bd1fbee4">to sexually assaulting gymnasts and other athletes</a>&nbsp;with his hands under the guise of medical treatment — over a dozen former gymnasts came forward saying the Karolyis were part of a system&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0c67e962d7524c87a865d3c468bdd521">that created an oppressive culture</a>&nbsp;that allowed Nassar’s behavior to run unchecked for years.

Still, some of Karolyi’s most famous students were always among his staunchest defenders. When Strug got married, she and Karolyi took a photo recreating their famous scene from the 1996 Olympics, when he carried her onto the medals podium after she vaulted on a badly sprained ankle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731809212531.png" alt="i" />
 <figcaption>i</figcaption>
 </figure>DALLAS(AP)— Bela Karolyi, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power, has died. He was 82.USA Gymnastics said Karolyi died Friday. No cause of death was given.Karolyi and wife Martha trained multiple Olympic gold medalists and world champions in the U.S. and Romania, including Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton.“A big impact and influence on my life,” Comaneci, who was just 14 when Karolyi coached her to gold for Romania at the 1976 Montreal Olympics,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCc1ex3pJWU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank">posted on Instagram</a>.The Karolyis defected to the United States in 1981 and over the next 30-plus years became a guiding force in American gymnastics, though not without controversy. Bela helped guide Retton — all of 16 — to the Olympic all-around title at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles and memorably helped an injured Kerri Strug off the floor at the 1996 Games in Atlanta after Strug’s vault secured the team gold for the Americans.Karolyi briefly became the national team coordinator for USA Gymnastics women’s elite program in 1999 and incorporated a semi-centralized system that eventually turned the Americans into the sport’s gold standard. It did not come without a cost. He was pushed out after the 2000 Olympics after several athletes spoke out about his tactics.It would not be the last time Karolyi was accused of grandstanding and pushing his athletes too far physically and mentally.During the height of the Larry Nassar scandal in the late 2010s — when the disgraced former USA Gymnastics team doctor was effectively given a life sentence after pleading guilty&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-lansing-in-state-wire-north-america-de31f08ab1fe435c88129d64bd1fbee4">to sexually assaulting gymnasts and other athletes</a>&nbsp;with his hands under the guise of medical treatment — over a dozen former gymnasts came forward saying the Karolyis were part of a system&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0c67e962d7524c87a865d3c468bdd521">that created an oppressive culture</a>&nbsp;that allowed Nassar’s behavior to run unchecked for years.Still, some of Karolyi’s most famous students were always among his staunchest defenders. When Strug got married, she and Karolyi took a photo recreating their famous scene from the 1996 Olympics, when he carried her onto the medals podium after she vaulted on a badly sprained ankle.

Gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi, who trained multiple Olympic gold medalists has died

President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is filling key posts in his second administration, and it's shaping up much differently than his first. He's prioritizing loyalists for top jobs.

Trump was bruised and hampered by internal squabbles during his initial term in office. Now he appears focused on remaking the federal government in his own image. Some of his choices could face difficult confirmation battles even with Republicans in control of the U.S. Senate.

Here's a look at whom he has selected so far.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-marco-rubio-secretary-of-state-25664371f80dcf3332838352165e4d48">named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;to be secretary of state, making the critic-turned-ally his choice for top diplomat.

Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement.

The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator once called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations.

Trump said Wednesday he will nominate Florida Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/matt-gaetz">Matt Gaetz</a>&nbsp;to serve as his attorney general, naming a loyalist in the role of the nation's top prosecutor.

In selecting Gaetz, 42, Trump passed over some of the more established lawyers whose names had been mentioned as being contenders for the job.

“Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and Restore Americans' badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Trump said in a statement.

Gaetz resigned from Congress Wednesday night. The House Ethics Committee has been investigating an allegation that Gaetz paid for sex with a 17-year-old, though that probe effectively ended when he resigned. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing.

DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Tulsi Gabbard

Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-gabbard-director-national-intelligence-466dfdfe2f949ea20bc2f4ef13e21438">has been tapped by Trump</a>&nbsp;to be director of national intelligence, another example of Trump prizing loyalty over experience.

Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall, and she's been accused of echoing Russian propaganda.

“I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement.

Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions.

Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox &amp; Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014. He developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show.

Hegseth served in the Army National Guard from 2002 to 2021, deploying to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2011. He has two Bronze Stars. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-defense-secretary-pentagon-2d8030921ecef933778cf92afd40ec72">Hegseth lacks</a>&nbsp;senior military and national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea.

Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year.

Noem is a well-known conservative who used her two terms leading South Dakota to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic.

More recently, Noem faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting and killing her dog.

She is set to lead a department crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda as well as other missions. Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports.

Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump’s first term, leading the U.S. government’s spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation’s highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.”

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy ran for president as a Democrat, then as an independent, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-trump-speech-arizona-a2638f89ddcb5de03edbe4574ca17d45">then endorsed Trump</a>. He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign.

The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-f-kennedy-vaccines-trump-rfkjr-7f8dcb25de76a5a70710d22bbc63f6fa">his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines</a>. For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism.

Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate.

Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command.

"We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The governor of North Dakota, once little-known outside his state, is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump and then spent months traveling to drum up support for Trump after dropping out of the race.

Burgum was a serious contender to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vice-president-rubio-vance-burgum-scott-8b6a3a22eecdfff668a5002ddfd3af18">be Trump’s vice presidential choice</a>&nbsp;this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs.

Trump initially announced his choice of Burgum while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Thursday night. The president-elect's formal announcement on Friday said he wanted Burgum to be Interior secretary and chairman of a new National Energy Council “that will oversee the path to U.S. ENERGY DOMINANCE." As chairman of the council, Trump said Burgum will also have a seat on the National Security Council, which would be a first for the Interior secretary.

A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market.

Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States.

Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ADMINISTRATOR: Lee Zeldin

Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/LeeMZeldin/status/1856068555865026956">X</a>, “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.”

“We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added.

During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration’s promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referred to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign that his administration would “drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration.

In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.”

Wiles, 67,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-susie-wiles-32df8958bedde5f3f2d55fd071979692">was a senior adviser</a>&nbsp;to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager.

She has a background in Florida politics, helping Ron DeSantis win his first race for Florida governor. Six years later, she was key to Trump’s defeat of him in the 2024 Republican primary.

Wiles’ hire was Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration considering her close relationship with him. Wiles is said to have earned Trump’s trust in part by guiding what was the most disciplined of Trump’s three presidential campaigns.

Wiles was able to help keep Trump on track as few others have, not by criticizing his impulses, but by winning his respect by demonstrating his success after taking her advice.

Waltz is a three-term Republican congressman from east-central Florida.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-security-adviser-mike-wlatz-0c81d044c9ffe18dfd745202e8351b9c">A former Army Green Beret</a>, he served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs.

He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population.

Homan, 62,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-homan-ice-border-czar-7dea915b5ea43896390b8020d254f887">has been tasked</a>&nbsp;with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history.

He served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and he was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border once Trump won the election. Homan said at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to “run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.”

Democrats have criticized Homan for defending Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border.

DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR POLICY: Stephen Miller

Miller, an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-stephen-miller-policy-immigration-9cc6ad3118779b23bff88022ca5e2260">immigration hardliner</a>, was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump’s priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump’s first administration.

Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump’s policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation’s economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally.

Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security.

Scavino was an adviser to all three of the president-elect's campaigns, and the transition team referred to him as one of “Trump’s longest serving and most trusted aides." He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president.

He previously ran Trump’s social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Blair was political director for Trump’s 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president.

Blair was key to Trump’s economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate’s “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago.

Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump’s 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president.

Budowich had also served as a spokesman for Trump after his first presidency.

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Karoline Leavitt

Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history.

The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps.

Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-inflation-donald-trump-51418003338eb89abfbfc6aac6909abd">she ran for Congress in New Hampshire,</a>&nbsp;winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.

Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign.

In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.”

SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST: Steven Witkoff

The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination.

Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud."

Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee.

Huckabee is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-huckabee-ambassador-israel-ace1894ce731c36622d5f09982a0a9b2">staunch defender of Israel</a>&nbsp;and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah.

“He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.”

Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland.

Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Huckabee has rejected a Palestinian homeland in territory occupied by Israel, calling for a so-called “one-state solution.”

Here are the people Trump has picked for key positions thru Saturday

BETHANY, Okla. –Fort Hays State Men's Soccer captured the Great American Conference (GAC) Tournament Championship with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Southern Nazarene on Saturday (Nov. 16). With the win, the Tigers secured an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, their 10th&nbsp;appearance in the national tournament in just the program's 14th&nbsp;season of existence and first since 2021.

The Tigers scored two goals early in the match and then held on by yielding only one to the Crimson Storm in the second half. Fort Hays State is the first to win a GAC Tournament title on the opponent's home pitch since the 2019 season, when Rogers State tied FHSU 2-2 in Hays and claimed the trophy on a penalty kick shootout. The Tigers were the first No. 3 seed to win the tournament since 2018. It was the first GAC Tournament title for the Tigers since 2021, when they also won in Bethany 2-0 over Northeastern State.

The Tigers set the tone early less than four minutes into the match as senior defender&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/jeremiah-johnson/8553">Jeremiah Johnson</a>&nbsp;delivered a statement goal that put Fort Hays State on the board. Johnson fired a low shot past Southern Nazarene's goalkeeper, Andrej Krivokapic, for his fourth goal of the season. Fort Hays State continued to press forward and the relentless pressure paid off again just six minutes later. Midfielder&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/tadhg-walsh/7942">Tadhg Walsh</a>, a driving force in the Tiger attack all season, found the back of the net on a touch in front of the net off a corner kick from&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/marcos-german/8347">Marcos German</a>.

The remainder of the first half saw the Tigers maintain their high intensity, outshooting SNU 6-1. Goalkeeper&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/ben-dixon/7926">Ben Dixon</a>, who was rock-solid between the posts, made a save in the 22nd minute, denying Lucas Beja's close-range attempt to keep Southern Nazarene scoreless heading into the break.

In the second half, Southern Nazarene came out determination and the wind at its back. The Crimson Storm began to pile on pressure, outshooting the Tigers 10-4 in the final 45 minutes. In the 72nd minute, Southern Nazarene finally broke through when Cesar Solis found himself on the end of a perfect pass from Junior Duran.

Southern Nazarene continued pressure for the final 18 minutes, but the Tiger defense held firm. Dixon made a big save to deny Keshon Carter's header that seemed destined for the top corner. Moments later, Dixon thwarted another effort from Solis, diving to his right to prevent the equalizer.

The FHSU victory was a team effort, with contributions from multiple players on both ends of the pitch to give SNU its first home loss since its season opener against a McKendree squad that is one of the Super Region's highest ranked teams and has yet to take a loss this season.

Walsh and Johnson led the Tigers with two shots each. Dixon recorded five saves, including four crucial stops in the second half to preserve the lead. Andrej Krivokapic of SNU had three saves in goal.

The Tigers, now boasting a 12-3-4 record, will see when and where they play in the NCAA Tournament on Monday night at 5:30 p.m. during the NCAA Men's Soccer Selection Show on NCAA.com. The tournament begins next week on Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731809535516.png" alt="SNU Athletics Media Relations" />
 <figcaption>SNU Athletics Media Relations</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsBETHANY, Okla. –Fort Hays State Men's Soccer captured the Great American Conference (GAC) Tournament Championship with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Southern Nazarene on Saturday (Nov. 16). With the win, the Tigers secured an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, their 10th&nbsp;appearance in the national tournament in just the program's 14th&nbsp;season of existence and first since 2021.The Tigers scored two goals early in the match and then held on by yielding only one to the Crimson Storm in the second half. Fort Hays State is the first to win a GAC Tournament title on the opponent's home pitch since the 2019 season, when Rogers State tied FHSU 2-2 in Hays and claimed the trophy on a penalty kick shootout. The Tigers were the first No. 3 seed to win the tournament since 2018. It was the first GAC Tournament title for the Tigers since 2021, when they also won in Bethany 2-0 over Northeastern State.The Tigers set the tone early less than four minutes into the match as senior defender&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/jeremiah-johnson/8553">Jeremiah Johnson</a>&nbsp;delivered a statement goal that put Fort Hays State on the board. Johnson fired a low shot past Southern Nazarene's goalkeeper, Andrej Krivokapic, for his fourth goal of the season. Fort Hays State continued to press forward and the relentless pressure paid off again just six minutes later. Midfielder&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/tadhg-walsh/7942">Tadhg Walsh</a>, a driving force in the Tiger attack all season, found the back of the net on a touch in front of the net off a corner kick from&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/marcos-german/8347">Marcos German</a>.The remainder of the first half saw the Tigers maintain their high intensity, outshooting SNU 6-1. Goalkeeper&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/ben-dixon/7926">Ben Dixon</a>, who was rock-solid between the posts, made a save in the 22nd minute, denying Lucas Beja's close-range attempt to keep Southern Nazarene scoreless heading into the break.In the second half, Southern Nazarene came out determination and the wind at its back. The Crimson Storm began to pile on pressure, outshooting the Tigers 10-4 in the final 45 minutes. In the 72nd minute, Southern Nazarene finally broke through when Cesar Solis found himself on the end of a perfect pass from Junior Duran.Southern Nazarene continued pressure for the final 18 minutes, but the Tiger defense held firm. Dixon made a big save to deny Keshon Carter's header that seemed destined for the top corner. Moments later, Dixon thwarted another effort from Solis, diving to his right to prevent the equalizer.The FHSU victory was a team effort, with contributions from multiple players on both ends of the pitch to give SNU its first home loss since its season opener against a McKendree squad that is one of the Super Region's highest ranked teams and has yet to take a loss this season.Walsh and Johnson led the Tigers with two shots each. Dixon recorded five saves, including four crucial stops in the second half to preserve the lead. Andrej Krivokapic of SNU had three saves in goal.The Tigers, now boasting a 12-3-4 record, will see when and where they play in the NCAA Tournament on Monday night at 5:30 p.m. during the NCAA Men's Soccer Selection Show on NCAA.com. The tournament begins next week on Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

⚽ Tigers men claim GAC Championship, earn NCAA Tournament berth

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man received a letter cashing in on a stranger’s life insurance policy. The Investigations Division of the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office received a copy of the letter.

The Federal Trade Commission posted the following information on the scam:

“The letter looks like it’s from a law firm and offers an “easy way” to get money using someone else’s life insurance policy. “In the letter, the “lawyer” says they have a deceased client with an unclaimed life insurance policy worth millions. Because you “supposedly” have the same name last name and nationality as the deceased, the lawyer can add your name to the policy and split the money between you, their law firm, and a charity. All you have to do, they say, is keep this information secret and email them immediately.

“There is no lawyer. It’s a scammer. If you email them, they will ask for personal information, or money, or both. The life insurance policy does not exist.

• Don’t respond. Never share your information with someone who contacts you and says they need it. And never send anyone cash or pay with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.

• Share this information with a friend. You probably throw away these kinds of letters. But you may know someone who could use a friendly reminder to help them spot the scam.

• Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report makes a difference: by telling your story to the FTC and to others in your community, you help others avoid the scam. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731533471458.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man received a letter cashing in on a stranger’s life insurance policy. The Investigations Division of the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office received a copy of the letter.The Federal Trade Commission posted the following information on the scam:“The letter looks like it’s from a law firm and offers an “easy way” to get money using someone else’s life insurance policy. “In the letter, the “lawyer” says they have a deceased client with an unclaimed life insurance policy worth millions. Because you “supposedly” have the same name last name and nationality as the deceased, the lawyer can add your name to the policy and split the money between you, their law firm, and a charity. All you have to do, they say, is keep this information secret and email them immediately.“There is no lawyer. It’s a scammer. If you email them, they will ask for personal information, or money, or both. The life insurance policy does not exist.If you get one of these letters:• Don’t respond. Never share your information with someone who contacts you and says they need it. And never send anyone cash or pay with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.• Share this information with a friend. You probably throw away these kinds of letters. But you may know someone who could use a friendly reminder to help them spot the scam.• Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report makes a difference: by telling your story to the FTC and to others in your community, you help others avoid the scam.

DA reports life insurance policy scam in Kansas

Editor's note: There was an issue with the raffle link. This has been corrected.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Feeding Hays program started as a small free meal program that provided about 10 meals once a week. It now feeds 250 to 300 people each Thursday night.

The program is wholly funded through monetary or in-kind donations.

With the significant increase in people fed, the program needs donations on a weekly basis, Ben Houchen, Feeding Hays director, said.

“We have a pretty regular stream of in-kind donations, but even with that, moving from the number of meals we were serving even a year ago at about 120 meals getting up to the point where we’re doing 250 to 300 meals means week to week we need donations every week to cover that. We don’t have a reserve of food or money to cover anything.”

The program cooks 125 pounds of spaghetti and 15 pounds of hamburger each night it serves meals.

“Because we want it to be a really solid, genuinely healthy, hearty meal, it does cost money,” Houchen said.

Feeding Hays provides a drive-through meal from 6:30 to 7 p.m. every Thursday at the St. Michael's Episcopal Church.

Free-will donations are accepted but not required. Participants don't need to show proof of income or make a reservation to receive a meal.

The free-will donations go to pay off lunch debt at the Hays USD 489 school district. The program hopes to donate $5,000 this year.

The meal is usually spaghetti with meat sauce, carrots with ranch dressing, bread and a cookie. However, outside groups have offered meals, including hamburgers, chicken and noodles, and loaded baked potatoes.

"The demographics are not what a lot of people would expect," Houchen said. "We do have a lot of people who are on that poverty line or below, but there are also a lot of older folks who want to be able to contribute to the efforts that we're doing."

"We have a lot of single moms or working parents who have done all they want to be able to do for the week, so they get a good meal on Thursday," Houchen said. "We've also seen a large growth recently in veterans ...

"A couple of weeks ago, I talked to a vet who was there that said this is the first time in about a month that he's had a hot meal and the first time in well over a month he's just had someone to stop and talk to him."

Feeding Hays volunteers are trying to secure the program its own nonprofit status so it can apply for more grants.&nbsp;

Program volunteers would like to add one to two more nights of meals to the program within the next six months to a year.

The program is fundraising so it can provide more variety in the meals it offers.

The program is selling raffle tickets between now and Nov. 29. The winners will be selected on Nov. 30. Prizes include a staycation package from Avid Hotels, a Fort Hays State University sports fan package, and a HALO griddle. <a href="https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/6802c783-1db9-48e8-af26-ac5234aff8bb?fbclid=IwY2xjawGkz5RleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZ87ELcJhn94HdgVfZx7AosN59pElAeKEnwV7eQRw_HkQSAgMN-04Yl9GQ_aem_7MjbXC7p5jEls6LYENT_aw">CLICK HERE</a> for more information on the raffle.

The program accepts donations of spaghetti, sauce and hamburger. See the image below. It also accepts cleaning items such as paper towels, Swiffer&nbsp;Wet Pads, Clorox Cleaning Wipes and Dawn Powerwash dish soap.

The church, 2900 Canal Blvd., has a drop box for these items.

“We do have some people who make cash donations, and we’re looking to expand that so we can ensure sustainability for the future, expand our menu and grow some of the things that we’re doing,” Houchen said.

Businesses or organizations can also adopt an entire evening of meals to provide food and volunteers.

“We’ve had a lot of really great involvement with the community,” Houchen said. “Moving from that 10 a night to that 250 a night has taken huge community involvement.”

Groups including Rotary, Optimists and Women Who Lead have supported the program. McIntyre Plumbing, Heating &amp; Air, T-Mobile and Aaron Heating Air are a few of the businesses that have been supporters.&nbsp;

Houchen said the program is looking for consistent volunteers who can train to lead meals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731450357639.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Donations needed for Feeding Hays as meal count surges" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=2e96n-173b474-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>Editor's note: There was an issue with the raffle link. This has been corrected.By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Feeding Hays program started as a small free meal program that provided about 10 meals once a week. It now feeds 250 to 300 people each Thursday night.The program is wholly funded through monetary or in-kind donations.With the significant increase in people fed, the program needs donations on a weekly basis, Ben Houchen, Feeding Hays director, said.“We have a pretty regular stream of in-kind donations, but even with that, moving from the number of meals we were serving even a year ago at about 120 meals getting up to the point where we’re doing 250 to 300 meals means week to week we need donations every week to cover that. We don’t have a reserve of food or money to cover anything.”The program cooks 125 pounds of spaghetti and 15 pounds of hamburger each night it serves meals.“Because we want it to be a really solid, genuinely healthy, hearty meal, it does cost money,” Houchen said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731450424592.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Feeding Hays provides a drive-through meal from 6:30 to 7 p.m. every Thursday at the St. Michael's Episcopal Church.Free-will donations are accepted but not required. Participants don't need to show proof of income or make a reservation to receive a meal.The free-will donations go to pay off lunch debt at the Hays USD 489 school district. The program hopes to donate $5,000 this year.The meal is usually spaghetti with meat sauce, carrots with ranch dressing, bread and a cookie. However, outside groups have offered meals, including hamburgers, chicken and noodles, and loaded baked potatoes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731450456904.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"The demographics are not what a lot of people would expect," Houchen said. "We do have a lot of people who are on that poverty line or below, but there are also a lot of older folks who want to be able to contribute to the efforts that we're doing.""We have a lot of single moms or working parents who have done all they want to be able to do for the week, so they get a good meal on Thursday," Houchen said. "We've also seen a large growth recently in veterans ..."A couple of weeks ago, I talked to a vet who was there that said this is the first time in about a month that he's had a hot meal and the first time in well over a month he's just had someone to stop and talk to him."Feeding Hays volunteers are trying to secure the program its own nonprofit status so it can apply for more grants.&nbsp;Program volunteers would like to add one to two more nights of meals to the program within the next six months to a year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731450499088.jpeg" alt="Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>The program is fundraising so it can provide more variety in the meals it offers.The program is selling raffle tickets between now and Nov. 29. The winners will be selected on Nov. 30. Prizes include a staycation package from Avid Hotels, a Fort Hays State University sports fan package, and a HALO griddle. <a href="https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/6802c783-1db9-48e8-af26-ac5234aff8bb?fbclid=IwY2xjawGkz5RleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZ87ELcJhn94HdgVfZx7AosN59pElAeKEnwV7eQRw_HkQSAgMN-04Yl9GQ_aem_7MjbXC7p5jEls6LYENT_aw">CLICK HERE</a> for more information on the raffle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731514474912.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The program accepts donations of spaghetti, sauce and hamburger. See the image below. It also accepts cleaning items such as paper towels, Swiffer&nbsp;Wet Pads, Clorox Cleaning Wipes and Dawn Powerwash dish soap.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731515497362.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731515518986.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The church, 2900 Canal Blvd., has a drop box for these items.“We do have some people who make cash donations, and we’re looking to expand that so we can ensure sustainability for the future, expand our menu and grow some of the things that we’re doing,” Houchen said.Businesses or organizations can also adopt an entire evening of meals to provide food and volunteers.“We’ve had a lot of really great involvement with the community,” Houchen said. “Moving from that 10 a night to that 250 a night has taken huge community involvement.”Groups including Rotary, Optimists and Women Who Lead have supported the program. McIntyre Plumbing, Heating &amp; Air, T-Mobile and Aaron Heating Air are a few of the businesses that have been supporters.&nbsp;Houchen said the program is looking for consistent volunteers who can train to lead meals.He said volunteers can go to the program's Facebook page or St. Michael’s website and contact Houchen directly.You can follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2047485065448690">Feeding Hays on Facebook</a> or find more information under the<a href="https://www.stmichaelshays.org/feeding-hays"> Feeding Hays tab on the St. Michael’s Episcopal Church website</a>.