DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Top-ranked Kansas was the best team in arguably the best league in America.

The Jayhawks (30-4), winners of the Big 12’s regular season and tournament titles, open NCAA Tournament play Thursday against Austin Peay (18-17) as the No. 1 seed in the South Region.

But after second-round losses in each of its last two tournaments as a No. 2 seed, Kansas is more focused on the first weekend than the Final Four. They face a Governors team that made a school-record 16 3-pointers to beat UT-Martin in the Ohio Valley Conference tourney to clinch its first NCAA bid in eight years.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) – Wichita State’s guards used their Final Four experience to pull out a defense-dominated First Four game on Tuesday night, leading the way to a 70-50 victory over Vanderbilt.

Fred VanVleeet – the two-time Missouri Valley player of the year – scored 14 points, and Ron Baker also had 14 as Wichita State (25-8) took control at the start of the second half and held on. The seniors were part of Wichita State’s 2013 Final Four team.

The Shockers play Arizona on Thursday in Providence, Rhode Island.

Vanderbilt (19-14) couldn’t take advantage of its pronounced size advantage on offense and never led in the second half. Joe Toye and Riley LaChance had 10 apiece.

Even though most K-State students are away from campus on spring break this week, we have lots of significant items to cover today, and the best way to start is with our goal of Championship Athletic Performances being realized this past weekend thanks to two NCAA Championships won by Akela Jones and Dani Winters in the national indoor track and field meet! Behind Akela’s high jump and Dani’s shot put titles, in addition to several other fine performances, our women’s team went on to finish eighth in the final NCAA team standings. Congratulations to Coach Rovelto, his staff and all our student-athletes who now move on to the outdoor season and a quest for more Big 12 and NCAA crowns. You can click here to look back at all of the championship action from the weekend.

Big congratulations are also in order for our women’s basketball team, which gathered at Coach Mittie’s home last night to watch the NCAA Tournament selection show. We are excited to have earned a No. 9 seed in this year’s tournament and return to the Big Dance for the first time since 2012. I am proud of how our team competed this year, and I know they are looking forward to heading to Columbia, SC, for their first-round matchup on Friday against George Washington.Click here for more information on our NCAA selection and ticket information. I look forward to seeing lots of purple in Columbia Friday afternoon!

Now a few more updates from around the department.

BSFS Up for SBJ’s National Sports Facility of the Year Award
Nominees for the prestigious Sports Business Awards were announced Monday, and we are thrilled that Bill Snyder Family Stadium, after a transformation of $180 million of enhancements since 2011, is one of five facilities nationwide and just two from intercollegiate athletics to be named a finalist for the 2016 Sports Business Journal Sports Facility of the Year Award. Joining us as finalists are Kyle Field (Texas A&M), Daytona International Speedway, Avaya Stadium (San Jose Earthquakes) and PETCO Park (San Diego Padres). The winner of the award, in addition to the publication’s 16 other annual awards/categories, will be announced May 18 at the 2016 Sports Business Awards dinner at the New York Marriott Marquis at Times Square. To have our facility be honored as a national finalist with these other tremendous entities is flattering and a testament to the world-wide support of our donors and commitment to Kansas State University’s long-term ability to compete at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics. Thank you!

Men’s Basketball Season Comes to a Close with 17-16 Record
Despite a number of great moments this men’s basketball season, it was obviously disappointing for our players, coaches and fans to see our year come to a conclusion following the announcement of the NIT field on Sunday night. After discussions with Coach Weber, our staff and with several tournament organizers, we opted to not participate in any of the other postseason tournaments as we really felt that it was not in the best interest of our program or student-athletes. I am grateful to our student-athletes for great effort and persistence this season and excited about the improvements I have witnessed within the core of our program. I’m also looking forward to seeing our talented group of returning players back in Bramlage next fall. After a short break for our student-athletes to recover physically, preparations for 2016-17 will ensue, which includes training for our international trip to Switzerland and Italy in August. We appreciate the leadership that seniors Justin Edwards, Stephen Hurt and Brian Rohleder provided this year and are even more proud that all three are on track to earn K-State degrees this May.

Seven Student-Athletes Receive Lage Academic Achievement Award
Seven Wildcat student-athletes were recently honored with the Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award, which is the Big 12 Conference’s highest academic honor. Congrats to Courtney Faucett (Sr.; rowing; industrial engineering), Cameron Morgan (Jr.; football; finance), Scotland Preston (Sr.; golf; public relations and economics), Rachel Proteau, (Sr.; track & field; biochemistry), Matt Seiwert (So.; football; agribusiness), Kelly Thomson, (R-Jr.; women’s basketball; nutritional sciences) and Dani Winters (Sr.; track & field; communication studies) on this honor. In order to be eligible for the accolade, student-athletes must have lettered at least once in their career while maintaining residence at their institution for at least one academic year. You can read our full release here.

Home Baseball Highlights Busy Spring Break
The wonderful early spring weather has helped boost tremendous crowds so far at Tointon Family Stadium as Coach Hill’s Bat Cats are currently 10-5 on the year following last weekend’s series win over Milwaukee and heading into a mid-week series with Stephen F. Austin tonight and Wednesday. The Cats have won eight of their last nine games heading into tonight’s 6:30 p.m., matchup with the Lumberjacks. Wednesday’s game begins at 3 p.m. – hope you can enjoy the weather and get out to Tointon for some great baseball. The squad will wrap up its current 12-game homestand this weekend with three games against Western Carolina. There is plenty of other action going on as well with the Wildcat tennis squad hosting Texas on Sunday, while both golf teams will be in Arizona this weekend competing and our rowing team will be at Tulsa on Saturday. Track and field will also kick off the 2016 outdoor season this weekend at the UTSA Invitational in San Antonio, Texas. Be sure and follow k-statesports.com for all of the action.

KJCK AM, The Talk of JC,( 1420 ) will air the women’s basketball NCAA Tournament game between Kansas State and George Washington that will be played in Columbia, South Carolina.

Tipoff is at 4 p.m.  The pregame broadcast for the contest will begin at 3:30 p.m.

The Kansas State women’s basketball team has been selected to play in the NCAA Tournament.

The Wildcats ( 18-12 ) are a number nine seed in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota regional and will opposed in the first round of the tournament by number eight seed George Washington ( 26-6 ) on Friday at 4 p.m. in Columbia, South Carolina at Colonial Life Arena.

The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com. The contest willbe broadcast on the K-State Sports Network and three will be free live audio on kstatesports.com.

The winner in the K-State – George Washington game will play the winner of the number one seed South Carolina vs. number 16 jacksonville matchup on Sunday.

TSickets for K-State’s first round game will be available this morning at 8:30 a.m. by calling the K-State Ticket Office at 1-(800 ) 221-CATS. Tickets will be limited to K-State alumni, staff, season-ticket holders and students. All ticket orders will be distributed at Colonial Bank Arena will call. Should the Wildcats advance to the second rouind all ticket orders will be duplicated for the game on Sunday.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) – Wichita State opened a promising season at No. 10 in the preseason poll, but fell fast and hard as the injuries piled up, with four of the top six players missing time.

The Shockers (24-8) are back healthy and in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth year in a row, facing Vanderbilt (19-13) on Tuesday in the First Four. The Shockers returned three starters from the team that knocked off Indiana and Kansas to reach the Sweet 16 last year, but the early injuries forced the Shockers to reinvent themselves.

Guard Fred VanVleet – a two-time Missouri Valley player of the year – has been slowed by a strained hamstring for much of the season.

Inconsistent Vanderbilt sweated out an NCAA Tournament berth after losing to Tennessee in the SEC tournament.

The winner plays Arizona on Thursday in Providence, Rhode Island.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Bill Snyder Family Stadium, transformed by more than $180 million in privately funded enhancements since 2011, is one of five facilities nationwide and two from intercollegiate athletics to be named a finalist for the prestigious 2016 Sports Business Journal Sports Facility of the Year Award, the publication announced today.

Joining K-State’s Bill Snyder Family Stadium as finalists are Kyle Field (Texas A&M), Daytona International Speedway, Avaya Stadium (San Jose Earthquakes) and PETCO Park (San Diego Padres). The winner of the award, in addition to the publication’s 16 other annual awards/categories, will be announced May 18 at the 2016 Sports Business Awards dinner at the New York Marriott Marquis at Times Square.

 

“The Bill Snyder Family Stadium Master Plan represents a historic series of steps ensuring a championship future for K-State Athletics,” said Athletics Director John Currie. “The generosity of the K-State Nation and our phased approach to our master plan have allowed us to make transformational enhancements for our University, student-athletes and fans while doing so in a fiscally responsible manner with appropriately low long-term debt. To have our facility be honored as a national finalist with these other tremendous entities is flattering and a testament to the world-wide support of our donors and commitment to Kansas State University’s long-term ability to compete at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics.”

 

Phase I of the Bill Snyder Family Stadium Master Plan was completed in 2011 with the addition of restrooms to the east upper deck of the stadium and a new AstroTurf playing surface on Wagner Field. In 2013, the completion of the state-of-the-art West Stadium Center highlighted the $90 million Phase II improvements providing upgrades for Wildcat student-athletes including the Ahearn Fund Student-Athlete Performance Table, grassroots fan amenities with new concourse, restroom and ADA facilities and some of the best premium seating in all of college athletics.

 

Phase III, the Vanier Family Football Complex which opened in August 2015, offers Wildcat student-athletes one of the best training and operational facilities in collegiate athletics and 132,000-plus square feet of new space to house the Goss Family Student-Athlete Enhancement Center, Duane and Bonnie Saunders Sports Medicine Center, strength and conditioning center, administration offices and the entire Wildcat football operation highlighted by the Jordy and Emily Nelson Locker Room.

 

Phase IIIB, currently under construction, will complete the northeast corner of the stadium and provide K-State fans with a fully enclosed stadium bowl and 360 degree concourse as well as other spectator and operational enhancements including a new showcase stage for the Pride of Wildcat Land Marching Band, a video board in the northeast corner of the stadium as well as new visiting team locker, training and officials areas. In addition, the Section 1 seating area will also be re-constructed to connect to the new north end zone concourse and Wabash Landing area, adding additional seating to the section. The project will be completed in August in time for the 2016 football season.

Testamentary to K-State Athletics’ goal of providing Value to the University, Community and State, no tax or tuition dollars were used to fund the project. Bill Snyder Family Stadium marks the Northwest Gateway to the historic K-State campus where accelerating momentum toward President Kirk Schulz’s K-State 2025 vision has recently seen the University promoted to Tier 1 Institution status by the Carnegie Foundation.

 

For more information on the Bill Snyder Family Stadium Master Plan, visit www.k-statesports.com/masterplan.

 

 

– k-statesports.com –

 

 

 

————
KENNY LANNOU
Associate A.D. for Communications | K-State Athletics

 

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Following the announcement of the NIT field, Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber announced on Sunday night that the Wildcats have opted to not participate in any additional postseason tournament this year.

 

“We fell short this season in reaching our goal of playing in the NCAA Tournament, and although we were disappointed to not be selected for the NIT, I am proud of our players for their hard work and perseverance throughout this season,” Weber said. “After we take a short break for our student-athletes to recover physically we will begin preparations for 2016-17, including training for our international trip to Switzerland and Italy in August.”

 

Weber acknowledged and thanked seniors Justin Edwards, Stephen Hurt and Brian Rohleder for providing strong leadership for the Wildcats this season. All three are on track to receive degrees from K-State in May, along with rising senior D.J. Johnson.

 

K-State, which faced one of the most difficult schedules in school history, posted a 17-16 overall record in 2015-16, finishing eighth in the nation’s top conference – the Big 12. The Wildcats boasted the 19^th-best strength of schedule in the country, which included 17 games against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, highlighted by wins over eventual No. 2 seed Oklahoma, No. 8 seed Texas Tech and NIT participant Georgia. Of the 16 losses, 15 came to teams bound for the NCAA Tournament, including 14 to teams that are currently ranked in The Associated Press Top 25 poll.

 

The Wildcats will return 13 of 16 players for the 2016-17 season, including six players who earned at least five starts. Among those returning include Third Team All-Big 12 selection Wesley Iwundu, Big 12 All-Newcomer selections Barry Brown and Dean Wade and Johnson and point guard Kamau Stokes.

 

The only Wildcat to start all 33 games, Iwundu ranked first or second in eight statistical categories, including first in assists (3.7 apg.) and minutes (32.4 mpg.) and second in scoring (11.9 ppg.), double-figure scoring games (25) and steals (1.3 spg.). Wade ranked third on the team in scoring (9.9 ppg.), double-digit scoring games (16) and rebounding (5.1 rpg.), while Brown was tops in both 3-point field goals made (45) and attempted (134) to go with averages of 8.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals in 25.8 minutes per game. Johnson, who scored in double figures in 10 Big 12 contests, averaged career-bests of 9.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in 32 games played.

 

A starter in 21 games, Stokes averaged 9.4 points, 2.8 rebound and 2.7 assists per game before going down an injury on Jan. 30, forcing him to miss the final 13 games of the season.

 

–www.kstatesports.com–

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Sixty-eight teams will tip off in the NCAA Tournament this week. Four will make it to the final weekend at NRG Stadium in Houston. Here is a look at the matchups set on Selection Sunday:

—

SOUTH

– 1 Kansas vs 16 Austin Peay: The Jayhawks, the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, open against the Ohio Valley champs as they seek their first national championship since 2008.

– 8 Colorado vs 9 Connecticut: After setting a school record for regular-season wins, the Buffaloes were rewarded by facing one of the hottest teams in the nation in American tourney champion UConn.

– 5 Maryland vs 12 South Dakota State: Led by Melo Trimble and Diamond Stone, the Terps began the season 15-1. But they struggled down the stretch and fell to Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament.

– 4 California vs 13 Hawaii: Pac-12 freshman of the year Jaylen Brown will try to bounce back after a tough league tournament against big man Stefan Jankovic and the Big West champion Rainbow Warriors.

– 6 Arizona vs 11 Vanderbilt/Wichita State: Wildcats coach Sean Miller is still seeking his first Final Four trip, while the Commodores and Shockers are veteran teams many believe underachieved.

– 3 Miami vs 14 Buffalo: Sheldon McClellan and Angel Rodriguez give the Hurricanes one of the tourney’s top backcourts, while the Bulls’ buzzer-beating MAC tournament title was their second straight.

– 7 Iowa vs 10 Temple: The Hawkeyes’ late-season collapse reached a nadir with a loss to Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament. The result is a date with the guard-dominated regular-season American champs.

– 2 Villanova vs 15 UNC-Asheville: The Wildcats’ loss to Seton Hall in the Big East title game dropped them to the second line, where they face the defensive-minded Big South tourney champions.

—

WEST

– 1 Oregon vs 16 Holy Cross/Southern: No. 1 seeds for the first time, the Ducks begin pursuit of their first national championship against the winner of the matchup between Holy Cross and Southern.

– 8 Saint Joseph’s vs 9 Cincinnati: The Hawks won the A-10 Tournament title despite senior star Papa Ndao getting tossed. Can he keep his poise against the Bearcats, who lost a four-overtime thriller against UConn in the American tourney quarterfinal.

– 5 Baylor vs 12 Yale: The Bears gave Kansas a scare in the B12 Tournament. Yale is making its first appearance since 1962 as it tries to keep moving forward following the dismissal of one of its captains.

– 4 Duke vs 13 UNC-Wilmington: The defending national champions look much different than a year ago, though Grayson Allen is still around. Wilmington last appeared in the tournament in 2006.

– 6 Texas vs 11 Northern Iowa: Shaka Smart is no stranger to the NCAA Tournament, having been there plenty with VCU. Neither is Northern Iowa, which has a habit of knocking off high-profile teams (Right, North Carolina and Iowa State?).

– 3 Texas A&M vs 14 Green Bay: After losing in overtime to Kentucky in the SEC title game, the Aggies open the NCAA Tournament against the Horizon League champions.

– 7 Oregon State vs 10 VCU: The Beavers hope Tres Tinkle, their star freshman, will be back from a foot injury. The Rams are trying to replicate their success under Smart for first-year coach Will Wade.

– 2 Oklahoma vs 15 Cal State-Bakersfield: Buddy Hield, Ryan Spangler and the rest of the Sooners start their last stand against the Roadrunners.

—

EAST

– 1 North Carolina vs 16 Florida Gulf Coast/Fairleigh Dickinson: The Tar Heels looked like title contenders with their ACC Tournament title, while Florida Gulf Coast takes on a Fairleigh Dickinson team making its first appearance since 2005.

– 8 Southern California vs 9 Providence: Andy Enfield’s surprising Trojans get Kris Dunn, Ben Bentil and the Friars, whose defense has been the culprit when they haven’t played well.

– 5 Indiana vs 12 Chattanooga: The regular-season Big Ten champs flopped against Michigan in the league tournament. Can Yogi Ferrell and Co. rebound against the class of the Southern Conference?

– 4 Kentucky vs 13 Stony Brook: After a second straight SEC Tournament title, Kentucky’s youngsters are hitting their stride. They’ll face the Seawolves, making their first NCAA Tournament appearance.

– 6 Notre Dame vs 11 Michigan/Tulsa: The Fighting Irish are one of the most balanced teams in the nation with five starters averaging in double figures, while the Wolverines and Golden Hurricane were among the last at-large teams to get into the field.

– 3 West Virginia vs 14 Stephen F. Austin: The Mountaineers’ intense pressure will be a challenge for the Lumberjacks, who have leaned on their own defense to win their last 20 games.

– 7 Wisconsin vs 10 Pittsburgh: Greg Gard got the Badgers going midway through the season, and now NCAA Tournament vets Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig want to make another Final Four run. They get a physical, Big Ten-style opponent to start things off.

– 2 Xavier vs 15 Weber State: Underrated much of the season, coach Chris Mack’s Musketeers feature an exotic 1-3-1 zone that can cause all kinds of fits. Weber State has the guard play to deal with it.

—

MIDWEST

– 1 Virginia vs 16 Hampton: Malcolm Bronson leads the Cavs in a clash of styles. Virginia tries to play at a deliberate pace, while the Pirates were the highest scoring team in the MEAC.

– 8 Texas Tech vs 9 Butler: The Red Raiders are back in the tournament for the first time since 2007, and the reward is a matchup with Kellen Dunham and the NCAA Tournament darlings from Butler.

– 5 Purdue vs 12 Little Rock: The Trojans are deep, experienced and have one of the best defenses in the country, but can they deal with the size of the Boilermakers’ A.J. Hammons and Caleb Swanigan?

– 4 Iowa State vs 13 Iona: Coach Steve Prohm succeeded in taking Fred Hoiberg’s boys back to the dance. Their first task is slowing down high-scoring guard A.J. English and the Gaels.

– 6 Seton Hall vs 11 Gonzaga: Sophomore guard Isaiah Whitehead led the Pirates to a surprising Big East tourney title. The Bulldogs merely won the West Coast Tournament for their 18th straight appearance.

– 3 Utah vs 14 Fresno State: Enjoy watching Pac-12 player of the year Jakob Poeltl of Utah and Fresno State guard Marvelle Harris, two of the best players in this region.

– 7 Dayton vs 10 Syracuse: The Flyers’ Kendall Pollard has been bothered by a sore knee. Will he be close to 100 percent against an Orange team that played better when Jim Boeheim returned from a suspension?

– 2 Michigan State vs 15 Middle Tennessee State: The Spartans had a strong argument for a No. 1 seed after winning the Big Ten Tournament. Denzel Valentine and Co. start with the Conference USA tourney champs from Murfreesboro, led by Giddy Potts and Reggie Upshaw.