Kansas.com: Wichita State Shockers

Stephenson sets up for future decisions

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:08 CST

Among the names on Wichita State's pitching staff are three seniors, a fourth-year junior and a draft-eligible sophomore.

What that means for the draft and the 2011 season is unsure, a condition baseball coaches are used to handling. The Shockers attempted to fortify their arms department by signing four pitchers (one of whom may also hit) during the fall signing period.

"Other than the seniors, you don't really know who's going to leave next spring," WSU coach Gene Stephenson said. "You're kind of rolling the dice."

Shocker volleyball slides to third seed

Eagle news services — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:08 CST

Wichita State wrapped up the volleyball regular season with a 3-1 (21-25, 25-12, 25-18, 25-14) victory over Indiana State on Saturday night in Terre Haute, Ind.

The Shockers (23-5, 14-4 MVC) finished tied for second with Missouri State in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Bears get the second seed in the MVC Tournament — and a first-round bye — on the strength of conference tiebreakers.

Emily Stockman and Sarah McGee each had 12 kills for WSU in Saturday's victory. Mary Elizabeth Hooper had 45 assists, and Melissa Granville had 13 digs.

Wichita State prepares for bigger test

PAUL SUELLENTROP — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:53 CST

Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon knows tough, physical basketball. He coaches one of the toughest teams in the Big East, a conference known for its disregard for finesse and foul troubles.

Even if he's sandbagging, it's a nice compliment for Wichita State when he praises their willingness to swap paint in the paint. The teams play on Monday in Kansas City as part of the CBE Classic. Iowa meets No. 3 Texas in the second game of the night. The winners and losers meet Tuesday at the Sprint Center.

"They really beat up Fairleigh Dickinson, that was very evident," Dixon said Friday during a conference call with the four coaches. "This team is very physical and we're going to get a quick look at that."

Shocker women dissect opponent in home win

TAYLOR ELDRIDGE — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:03 CST

Morgan Boyd wasn't even open.

The Olathe native had a Western Illinois defender close, though preoccupied with what appeared to be a play designed for Haleigh Lankster in the corner.

Instead, Wichita State senior Marisah Henderson zipped a pass down the middle of the lane to Boyd for a lay-in. The pass froze the five Leatherneck defenders and was instrumental in starting an early run for the Shockers' first win of the season, 70-45 on Friday night in Koch Arena.

Shocker volleyball team aims for tourney

PAUL SUELLENTROP — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:03 CST

Wichita State's previous five-set volleyball loss to Northern Iowa preceded a seven-match winning streak. The Shockers don't need that much this time.

Four or five straight will be fine.

WSU (21-5, 12-4 Missouri Valley Conference) appears to be in a strong position to claim an at-large spot in the 64-team NCAA Tournament field announced Nov. 29. The Shockers can make it a sure thing by winning the MVC Tournament next week in Omaha.

Wichita State women pick up pace

TAYLOR ELDRIDGE — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:03 CST

A struggle to break 60 points.

In recent years, that's what it's been for the Wichita State women's basketball program.

Fans have grown accustomed to games played in the halfcourt that usually amount to turnover-fests.

Manigault steps up in Shockers' win over Arkansas-Monticello

PAUL SUELLENTROP — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:11 CST

Wichita State guard Kenny Manigault is fast. He needs to be fast-developing as a point guard.

The Shockers, down two at that position, rolled over NCAA Division II Arkansas-Monticello 79-50 on Wednesday at Koch Arena in the CBE Classic.

The veterans did their part to turn an eight-point halftime lead into a rout quickly. That allowed coach Gregg Marshall to rest his starters and give Manigault plenty of playing time. His four assists and one turnover represented a step forward from his two-assist, three-turnover debut.

Shocker report

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:17 CST

Wednesday’s box score

Arkansas-Monticello (50)

Min Fg-a Ft-a R A TO F TP

Durley's changes apparent

PAUL SUELLENTROP — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:05 CST

Time to change the narrative on J.T. Durley's career. The evidence is splattered all over the court.

He is no longer the guy who might not be tough enough to play basketball at Wichita State. He is the guy who coach Gregg Marshall points to as an example for taking charges, perhaps the play that best defines toughness.

"It's a willingness to do it," Marshall said. "The willingness to stick your nose in there. He's come a long way, and that's just another example."

arkansas-monticello at wichita state

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:05 CST

Arkansas-Monticello (1-0) Ht. Yr. PtsReb

FDeAngelo McIntosh6-7Jr. 25.013.0

CChris Paige6-9Sr. 5.06.0

Shockers open regular season with victory

Paul Suellentrop — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:29 CST

Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall started a freshman in front of sophomore David Kyles, a not-so-subtle message.

"He wasn't satisfied with my defensive effort (in WSU's exhibition game), and I also wasn't satisfied with it," Kyles said. "I think it was fuel to the fire."

With Kyles properly fueled up on offense and defense, the Shockers opened the season with an 80-64 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday at Koch Arena in the CBE Classic.

Shocker report

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:26 CST

Sunday’s box score

FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON (64)

Min Fg-a Ft-a R A TO F TP

Panthers end Shockers' run

Paul Suellentrop — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:10 CST

Not many volleyball teams can make Wichita State feel inferior defensively. Northern Iowa did on Saturday night and won the Missouri Valley Conference title as a result.

The 22nd-ranked Panthers defeated WSU 3-2 (25-15, 19-25, 25-19, 20-25 15-9) to wrap up the title and the top seed in the conference tournament. WSU fell back into a tie for second with Missouri State with two matches remaining.

"They were far more steady," WSU coach Chris Lamb said. "We were really good, and then not. And really good and not. We were a team bouncing up and down."

Shocks will go without Hannah

PAUL SUELLENTROP — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:13 CST

Wichita State senior Clevin Hannah wore a black practice jersey with the scout team and tormented the starters Saturday afternoon.

That is all he will do for the next eight days, much to the dismay of WSU coach Gregg Marshall. The NCAA suspended Hannah, WSU's leading returning scorer, for three games because he was not certified as an amateur before the 2008-09 season. The NCAA denied WSU's appeal on Saturday.

"I have a hard time wrapping myself around the fact that an administrative error in our compliance... could come back to cost a student-athlete," Marshall said. "He knew nothing about it. He had nothing to do with it. He, and we, have to now deal with an error that others made. And the NCAA deemed that to be appropriate and just."

Shocker women aim for road win

TAYLOR ELDRIDGE — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:07 CST

It might be the last connecting thread to the past in Jody Adams' second year of rebuilding the Wichita State women's basketball program.

With signs suggesting forward movement, one thing that has escaped the Shockers has been road wins.

Last year, WSU ended a 30-game road losing streak and 21-game Missouri Valley losing streak. Still, WSU finished the season 1-10 in road games.

Athletic department looks to learn from critical mistake

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:19 CST

Registering an athlete as an amateur with the NCAA is a simple task. It's a yes or no process that Wichita State's athletic department failed to complete with basketball player Clevin Hannah and baseball player Taylor Gilmore.

As a result, Hannah will miss three games, Gilmore will miss six and the NCAA hit WSU with a $5,000 fine. Athletic director Eric Sexton doesn't want to go through this episode again.

"We have instituted a number of new policies and procedures to ensure we can avoid these kinds of situations in the future," he said.

Fairleigh Dickinson at Wichita State

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:06 CST

PosFair. Dickinson (0-1) HtYrPts Reb

FJohn Galvin6-8Jr. 2.00.0

FAlvin Mofunanya6-8Sr. 7.06.0

Wichita State's Hannah suspended three games by NCAA

Eagle staff — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:30 CST

Wichita State's men's basketball team will be without its leading scorer for the first three games of the season.

The NCAA denied WSU's appeal of a three-game suspension of senior Clevin Hannah on Saturday.

The Shockers open the season Sunday at home against Fairleigh Dickinson.

Adney, Shockers cruise into UNI showdown

PAUL SUELLENTROP — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:19 CST

Wichita State freshman Emily Adney started playing on the right in Wednesday's volleyball practice. It's supposed to take more than two days to master a new position.

Not in Adney's case, at least not against last-place Bradley on Friday night at Koch Arena. She helped WSU sweep the Braves 25-20, 25-8, 25-12 with nine kills and a .750 hitting percentage.

"I've never played on the right side before, so it's new and I like it," she said.

Shockers have benefited from juco connection

PAUL SUELLENTROP — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:06 CST

Wichita State cross country coach Marc Burns looks at the times run by junior college athletes and begins to think.

What were the weather conditions? How strict is the training regimen? How tough is the competition? Once he knows some answers, he has a better idea of a runner's potential. Betting on significant improvement by junior college athletes is a recruiting strategy that works well for Burns.

"I kind of fell into it when I got here," he said. "I quickly learned the junior-college athlete doesn't necessarily have to have the national-level times for us to invest in them and get what we need."