EUGENE, Ore. – Sixteen student-athletes will represent the Kansas State track and field team in the final meet of the year, as the Wildcats get set to open competition Wednesday at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at the historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

K-State kicks off competition on day one on Wednesday at 4 p.m. CT with freshman Tyler Merkley and junior Brady Grunder competing in the men’s hammer throw, while sprinter Terrell Smith will conclude the first day in the 200 meter semifinals at 8:44 p.m. CT. The meet will run through Saturday, June 11 when the Wildcats will close out the competition at 7:51 p.m. CT with the women’s 4×400 meter relay final.

 

The Wildcats will look to build upon last season’s success at the NCAA Championships, which were also held in Eugene. At the meet, the women’s team recorded their first top-10 finish at NCAAs since 2002, taking ninth place with 28 total points.

 

While the men did not place at last year’s Championships, Christoff Bryanand Smith, who made their NCAA debut during the competition in the high jump and the 200 meter dash, each earned Honorable Mention All-American honors after their efforts in their respective events. Bryan and Smith both enter this year’s competition ranked tied for third place and tied for 12^th place in the high jump and 200 meter dash, respectively.

 

The highlight of last season’s championship meet, and one of the top story lines heading into the 2016 NCAA Championships, is Akela Jones. Jones won K-State’s first individual national title by a female athlete since 2011 in the heptathlon, breaking the school record with her score of 6,371 points, making her the sixth Wildcat female athlete ever to win an NCAA title outdoors.

 

Jones’ efforts on the first day of the competition were also historic, as her 4,023 points broke record of 3,942 points set by three-time Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee in 1985.

 

She has competed in one heptathlon during the 2016 outdoor season, winning the event at the Mt. SAC Relays in mid-April with a stellar mark of 6,307 points. Her score gave her a share of the sixth-best score in collegiate history in the heptathlon and is tied for the best score in the world this year. Her effort also marks the seventh 6,300+ point effort in college history and just the third 6,300+ point effort recorded before the NCAA Championships.

 

Jones was not the only athlete K-State saw record a scoring performance at last season’s NCAA Championships, as both Kimberly Williamson andDani Winters each scored in their respective events. Winters took fourth place in the shot put at the 2015 competition with a throw of 17.64m/57-10.50, while Williamson took second place in the high jump with a mark of 1.90m/6-02.75.

 

Both have also extremely successful 2016 campaigns, both indoor and outdoor. Winters won the 2016 Indoor National Championship in shot put with a school record throw of 17.97m/58-11.50. She also won the outdoor Big 12 Conference title in the event in May with a throw of 17.39m/57-00.75.

 

Williamson was also successful at the NCAA Indoor Championships, finishing in a tie for third place with a mark of 1.84m/6-00.50. Like Winters, she also went on to win the conference title at the 2016 outdoor meet, winning with a jump of 1.87m/6-01.50.

 

Eight student-athletes will be making their debut at the 2016 edition of the NCAA Championships. Merkley and Grunder, who will open the competition for the Wildcats on Wednesday, enter the meet holding the first and second spot on the school’s all-time list in the hammer throw. Merkley recorded the top mark of 63.99m/209-11 at the UCLA Legends Invitational, while Grunder took the second spot on the list at the NCAA West Preliminary, where he recorded a mark of 62.45m/204-10.

 

Fellow thrower Brett Neelly enters the competition ranked sixth on the school’s all-time list in shot put after throwing a personal best 18.73m/61-05.50 at the NCAA West Preliminary, while freshman high jumper Thilina Karunaratne enters his first NCAA Championship after he PRed at the NCAA West Preliminary with a jump of 2.16m/7-01.00.

 

Three more female throwers will look to make an impact on the meet for K-State. Hammer throwers Sara Savatovic and Janee’ Kassanavoid enter the meet ranked sixth and 18^th in Division I in the event. Savatovic holds the school record in the event with a throw of 66.41m/217-10 at last season’s conference meet, while Kassanavoid’s mark of 61.34m/201-03 at the NCAA West Preliminary moved her to fifth on the all-time list.

 

Freshman Shadae Lawrence has also vaulted her way into the spotlight, winning five of her six competitions, including the Big 12 title, in the discus throw. Lawrence sits in second place on the school’s all-time list with her throw of 58.84m/193-00, which she recorded at Big 12s and she enters NCAAs ranked eighth in Division I.

 

On the track, freshman Ranae McKenzie will look to post a strong result in her first NCAA Championships in the 400 meter hurdles. McKenzie qualified for the meet with a personal best time of 57.94 at the NCAA West Preliminary, which vaulted her up to third on the school’s all-time list in the event.

 

K-State’s 4×400 meter relay team will look to improve upon last season’s 17^thplace finish at NCAAs, which it earned after running a time of 3:36.62. The group qualified for the meet after running a time of 3:32.16 at the NCAA West Preliminary, moving the team, which consisted of Sonia Gaskin, Jones, Tia’ Gamble and A’Keyla Mitchell to second on the school’s all-time list. Sophomore Keiteyana Parks will also be ready to compete in the event for the Wildcats.

 

For more information on the NCAA Championships, including results, heats sheets and the meet schedule, visit the meet home page by clicking here. Live results for the meet can be found by following @kstate_gameday on Twitter or by tuning into the live results here.

 

For the latest on K-State track and field, follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter using the hashtag #KStateTF or on the team’s Facebook page.

 

NCAA Championships

Hayward Field

Eugene, Ore.

 

K-State Competition Schedule

Wednesday, June 8

4 p.m. CT               Men’s Hammer Throw – Grunder, Merkley

8:30 p.m. CT          Men’s Shot Put – Neelly

8:44 p.m. CT          Men’s 200 Meter Dash Semifinal – T. Smith

 

Thursday, June 9

4 p.m. CT               Women’s Hammer Throw – Kassanavoid, Savatovic

8:30 p.m. CT          Women’s Shot Put – Winters

8:30 p.m. CT          Women’s 400 Meter Hurdles Semifinals – R. Mckenzie

9:48 p.m. CT          Women’s 4×400 Meter Relay Semifinals

 

Friday, June 10

2:30 p.m. CT          Heptathlon 100 Meter Hurdles – Jones

3:30 p.m. CT          Heptathlon High Jump – Jones

5:30 p.m. CT          Heptathlon Shot Put – Jones

7 p.m. CT               Men’s High Jump – Bryan, Karunaratne

9:07 p.m. CT          Men’s 200 Meter Dash Final – T. Smith

9:13 p.m. CT          Heptathlon 200 Meter Dash – Jones

 

Saturday, June 11

1:30 p.m. CT          Heptathlon Long Jump – Jones

2:45 p.m. CT          Heptathlon Javelin Throw – Jones

5 p.m. CT               Women’s High Jump – Williamson

5:05 p.m. CT          Women’s Discus Throw – Lawrence

6:57 p.m. CT          Women’s 400 Meter Hurdles Final – R. McKenzie

7:13 p.m. CT          Heptathlon 800 Meter Run – Jones

7:51 p.m. CT          Women’s 4×400 Meter Relay Final

 

NCAA Championships Television Schedule

Date	Time (ET)	Network
Wed., June 8	7:30– 8:30 p.m.	ESPNU or ESPN2*
	8:30-11 p.m.	ESPN2 or ESPN*
	3:30-11:30 p.m.	ESPN3
Thu., June 9	7:30– 8p.m.	ESPNU
	8–10:30 p.m.	ESPN
	1:30-11:30 p.m.	ESPN3
Fri., June 10	8:30 – 11 p.m.	ESPN
	3:30-11 p.m.	ESPN3
Sat., June 11	6:30 – 9 p.m.	ESPN
	2:30-9 p.m.	ESPN3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

–www.kstatesports.com–

 

The Junction City Brigade ( 5-2 )  lost to the Midwest Athletics ( 2-5 ) 3-1 in game one of a doubleheader in Belton, Missouri on Tuesday. But the Brigade came back to win game two by the score of 7-5.

According to Brigade Head Coach Seth Wheeler Justin O’Laughlin took the pitching loss for Junction City in game one, while Josh Maple was the winning pitcher in game two.

The Brigade play Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in Topeka against the Golden Giants. Game time each evening is 7 p.m.

 

BALTIMORE (AP) – Kansas City right-hander Yordano Ventura hit Manny Machado with a pitch to spark a bench-emptying fray , and the Baltimore Orioles extended the Royals’ losing streak to a season-high six games with a 9-1 rout Tuesday night.

Mark Trumbo homered and drove in four runs, and the Orioles also got long balls from Ryan Flaherty, Chris Davis and Adam Jones.

But the game’s most striking moment came in the fifth, when Ventura (4-4) drilled Machado in the back with a 99 mph fastball. In the second inning, with Baltimore leading 5-0, the two exchanged words after Ventura twice threw inside to the two-time All-Star.

So in the fifth, an instant after the ball hit him, Machado charged the mound. Ventura prepared for the onslaught by slinging aside his cap and glove, but Machado landed a solid punch before the pitcher tackled him to the ground.

Both dugouts and bullpens emptied before peace was restored. Machado was restrained by teammate Chris Tillman after the initial thrust.

Machado and Ventura were ejected with the score 5-1.

BALTIMORE (AP) – The Royals and Baltimore Orioles emptied their benches and bullpens after Kansas City starter Yordano Ventura plunked Manny Machado in the back with a pitch.

The action occurred in the bottom of the fifth with Baltimore leading 5-1. Ventura came close to hitting Machado with a pitch in the second inning, and they exchanged words at the end of the at-bat after Machado flied out.

Ventura opened the fifth-inning at-bat with a fastball that hit Machado, who immediately charged the mound. Ventura prepared for the confrontation by taking off his hat and glove.

Machado arrived and landed a punch before Ventura brought him down with a hard tackle. Players from both sides joined the melee, which shifted from the mound to first base.

Peace was restored soon after relievers from both sides ran in from the bullpen to the infield.

With Kansas City trying to end a five-game losing streak, Ventura gave up four first-inning runs and a long home run to Ryan Flaherty in the second.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State will play Boston College in the fifth annual Barclays Center Classic on Friday, Nov. 25, the organization announced on Tuesday.

 

The contest will be among a semifinal doubleheader on Friday, Nov. 25 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, as K-State and Boston College will be joined by Maryland and Richmond. The winners will meet in the championship tilt following the consolation game on Saturday, Nov. 26. Times and television information for the four-game tournament will be released at a later date.

 

“We are obviously excited to play in this high-quality preseason tournament in a world-class basketball venue like the Barclays Center,” said head coach Bruce Weber. “I know Boston College was a young team last season and return their nucleus to go with a solid recruiting class. Maryland was one of the best teams in the country a year ago and should be again among the best with the return of (Melo) Trimble. Richmond is always one of the better teams in the Atlantic 10. This will be high-level experience for our team relatively early in the season.”

 

As part of its participation in the tournament, K-State will play two home games at Bramlage Coliseum, beginning with Hampton on Sunday, Nov. 20 and concluding with Robert Morris on Tuesday, Nov. 22.

 

Much like the Wildcats, the Eagles were one of the youngest teams in the country in 2015-16, as the squad had just four upperclassmen, including graduate transfer and two seniors. The squad returns 11 lettermen and three starters, including five freshmen who averaged double-digit minutes.

 

K-State and Boston College have met just twice in their respective histories with both coming in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats won the first matchup, 74-65, in the NCAA East Regional Semifinal at the Providence Civic Center on March 20, 1975 before the Eagles evened the series with a 69-65 victory in the NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinals at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis on March 19, 1982. K-State is 12-21 all-time against the Atlantic Coast Conference.

 

The Wildcats will play either Sweet 16 participant Maryland or Atlantic 10 foe Richmond on Saturday. The Terrapins return nine lettermen, including honorable mention All-American Melo Trimble (14.8 ppg., 4.9 apg.), from a squad that won 27 games and finished third in the Big Ten to go with a consensus Top 15 recruiting class. The Spiders, who averaged 76.6 points per game a year ago, return nine lettermen, including All-Atlantic 10 Third Team selection T.J. Cline (18.3 ppg., 5.2 rpg.) as well as fellow senior ShawnDre’ Jones (14.7 ppg., 3.6 apg.).

 

Maryland won the first and only meeting with K-State in series history – a 63-57 victory at Ahearn Field House on Dec. 11, 1965 – while the Wildcats and Spiders have never met on the hardwood.

 

Although this will be the Wildcats’ first appearance in the Barclays Center Classic, they have played once before in the Barclays Center, knocking off Tulane, 72-41, on Dec. 28, 2013.

 

Previous winners of the Barclays Center Classic include inaugural champion Kentucky (2012), Ole Miss (2013), Virginia (2014) and Cincinnati (2015). Last season, the Bearcats won the latest title with a 61-56 victory over George Washington on Nov. 28, 2015. K-State is the first Big 12 team to participate in the event.

 

Tickets for this event will go on sale to the public in September through Ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745.3000.

 

For more information on the Barclays Center Classic, please visithttps://www.barclayscenter.com/ or follow them on Twitter at @barclayscenter.

 

–www.kstatesports.com–

————
TOM GILBERT
Associate Director for Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics

The Junction City Brigade ( 4-1 ) swept a doubleheader from the Midwest Athletics ( 1-3 ) by the scores of 4-2 and 12-3 Monday night at Rathert Field.

In the first game the Brigade got two hits from Franky Valle and Cole Brecheisen enroute to the win. Junction City put one run on the board in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings while holding the Athletics to one run each in the fifth and sixth innings.

In the second contest the Brigade lost their starting pitcher Nick Sloan due to illness after just two-thirds of an inning, but consistently scored runs in the first four innings to build up an 11-1 lead going into the fifth inning and were never threatened after that. Orlando Ortega and Sam Carver came on in relief for Junction City on the mound after Sloan left the game.

Junction City and Midwest play a doubleheader again today at three and five p.m. in Belton, Missouri.

BALTIMORE (AP) – Mark Trumbo and Matt Wieters hit solo homers in the seventh inning to back a sparkling pitching performance by Mike Wright, and Baltimore Orioles beat Kansas City 4-1 Monday night to extend the Royals’ losing streak to five games.

Manny Machado also homered for the Orioles, who have won five of six – all in come-from-behind fashion.

Wright and Kansas City left-hander Danny Duffy were locked in a scoreless duel until the Royals pushed across an unearned run in the seventh.

Trumbo led off the bottom half with his 19th home run, and Wieters connected with one out to chase Duffy (1-1). Adam Jones capped the uprising with an RBI double.

 

MANHATTAN, Kan. – A three-year letterwinner at K-State who went on to play nine seasons in the NFL, former Wildcat Henry Childs passed away at the age of 65 in his native Thomasville, Georgia, last Friday.

 

Childs, who is one of 28 players in program history with 1,000 career receiving yards, led K-State from his tight end position in both receptions and receiving yards in 1971 and 1973 under head coach Vince Gibson. In his three-year career, he totaled 95 catches for 1,365 yards and 10 touchdowns.

 

Childs was drafted in the fifth round of the 1974 NFL Draft by Atlanta before being acquired by New Orleans as a rookie. He went on to play seven years with the Saints, including a Pro Bowl season in 1979 when he led NFL tight ends with 846 yards on 51 catches to go along with five touchdowns. He went on to play for the Rams in 1981 and Packers in 1984.

 

In 1994, Childs was selected to the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame. In nine-year professional career, he recorded 223 receptions for 3,401 yards and 28 touchdowns.

– k-statesports.com –

 

 

————
RYAN LACKEY
Assistant Director | Athletics Communications

MANHATTAN, Kan. – New ticket options will be available for Kansas State men’s basketball in 2016-17 when season tickets go on sale Wednesday, June 8, officials announced today.

 

Fans will be provided more cost-savings and flexibility through a variety of available ticket plans to support an experienced Wildcat squad competing at Bramlage Coliseum this season. Included in the ticket packages is the new Faithful Season Ticket as well as the new Big Game and Pick 5 Mini-Plans. Other popular options – the Wildcat 4-Pack and Victory Ticket Plans – also return in 2016-17.

 

Fans can purchase a season ticket for just $50 in the general admission (Sections 24-25) section with the new Faithful Season Ticket, but there’s a catch with the newest and most economical option – if the Wildcats lose at any point at Bramlage Coliseum, where they boast a winning percentage of better than 75 percent all-time, the ticket becomes inactive and the ticket holder has the option to purchase an additional Faithful Ticket for $50 for any remaining games.

 

With the new mini-plans, fans can tailor their trips to see the Wildcats around their busy schedules. A reserved ticket for all weekend games as well as the Kansas game (if not on a weekend) is available for $250 with the Big Game Plan, while fans can purchase five vouchers that can be redeemed for five tickets of their choice (excluding Kansas) for $50 with the Pick 5 Plan. Last season, K-State played eight weekend games, including tilts with Big 12 foes Iowa State, Oklahoma and West Virginia.

 

Fans purchasing their tickets by phone or online on the opening day of sales on June 8 will save $10 on each season ticket purchased the first day. Early-bird and priority deadlines are set for Friday, June 24 and Friday, July 15, respectively. Four and five-month credit card plans are also available for all season ticket purchases.

 

With the Wildcat 4-Pack, fans can purchase four season tickets in the bench, general admission and/or Cat Cushion sections (10-17 and 26-27, 1-2) at $900, $1,100 or $1,200, depending on location, for a savings up to $95 per ticket. The Victory Ticket Plan includes all non-conference and all-midweek conference games (excluding BigMonday and the Kansas games) in general admission seating (Sections 24-25) for $109.

 

Young Alumni packages are available for all K-State undergraduate degree recipients in the past five years (December 2011 to May 2016). These ticket packages are $200 and just $100 for those with Young Alumni football season tickets with an option to utilize the 5-month payment plan for $20 per month. Young Alumni can purchase up to two season tickets at the discounted rate.

 

An Ahearn Fund contribution is required for all premium, chairback and cushioned seating. Specific required giving levels by section are listed at www.AhearnFund.com.

 

Season tickets will be available online at www.kstatesports.com/tickets startingWednesday, June 8. Current season-ticket holders should receive their renewal information in the mail the week of June 6 and have until Friday, July 15 to arrange payment and retain their seats for the 2016-17 season. New ticket holders are also encouraged to purchase season tickets prior to the July 15 deadline. New full season-ticket requests will be handled utilizing the K-State Priority Points system which rewards fans for their history of season ticket purchases and contributions to the Ahearn Fund. All requests are based on seat availability and specific locations are not guaranteed.

 

The Ticket Office will also utilize an online seat selection process, similar to football season tickets, with all season ticket holders who have purchased by July 15 receiving an appointment time to add, relocate or select new ticket locations.

 

Like last season, all season ticket holders will receive concessions discounts including $1 off all hot dogs, popcorn, pretzels and large souvenir fountain drinks at any of the main concession stands.

 

Fans who purchase season tickets prior to June 24 early-bird deadline will get two entries in a prize drawing that includes two courtside seats for the Wildcat Classic onDec. 10 at the Sprint Center, a loge box party in Bramlage Coliseum, a night for you and your friends to play a pickup game in Bramlage Coliseum and a 60-second shopping spree at the K-State Super Store.

 

Early-bird renewals will also receive a $10 discount off the season processing fee when ordering online, an additional $15 savings off the fee when paying in full online by e-check and a five-month credit card payment option. Fans will also receive a code (one-time only use) for 20 percent off at the K-State Online Team Store.

 

In addition to the home schedule, season ticket holders and Ahearn Fund members will have the first opportunity to pre-order tickets for the Wildcat Classic at the Sprint Center against Washington State on Saturday, Dec. 10.

 

Tickets are priced at $150 for courtside, $50 for lower-level sides, $30 for lower-level ends and corners, $20 for upper-level sides and $10 for upper-level ends. Season ticket holders who order tickets by Sept. 1 can receive lower-level side tickets for $40, lower-level ends and corners for $20 and upper-level sides for $15.

 

K-State will play at least 18 games in Bramlage Coliseum in 2016-17 with the season opener set for Friday, Nov. 11 against Western Illinois. The Wildcats also host non-conference tilts with Gardner-Webb, Green Bay, Hampton, Omaha and Robert Morris. In addition, the squad will again host nine Big 12 foes, including Final Four participant Oklahoma and other NCAA Tournament teams Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia.