MANHATTAN, Kan. – Junior guard P.J. Haggerty was among 20 preseason candidates for the Jerry West Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top shooting guard by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Jerry West Award is named after the late Class of 1980 Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player. It is celebrating its 12th year highlighting the top shooting guard.

Haggerty was one of 5 finalists for the award in 2025, which was won by Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier.

Fans can help Haggerty advance on the watch list by voting in each of three rounds starting on Friday (Oct. 31) by visiting <a href="https://www.hoophallawards.com/">hoophallawards.com</a>. The watch list of 20 players will be narrowed to 10 in late January then to five in late February. The five finalists will be presented to West’s family and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee, where the winner will be selected.

Haggerty was one of 5 Big 12 players on the preseason team, including Arizona’s Brayden Burries, BYU’s Richie Saunders, Houston’s Emanuel Sharp and Oklahoma State’s Anthony Roy. Others on the list included Creighton’s Josh Dix, Duke’s Isaiah Evans, Florida’s Xaivian Lee, Illinois’ Kylan Boswell, Kentucky’s Otega Oweh, Louisville’s Ryan Conwell, North Carolina’s Seth Trimble, Providence’s Jason Edwards, St. John’s Ian Jackson, UConn’s Solo Ball, USC’s Rodney Rice, Utah State’s Mason Falslev, Virginia’s Malik Thomas, Washington’s Wesley Yates III and Wisconsin’s John Blackwell.

Haggerty has already received a number of preseason accolades, including All-America honors from CBS Sports, Jay Bilas and @CBBAnalytics and All-Big 12 honors from the league coaches.

Haggerty scored a game-high 23 points in Friday’s exhibition at Missouri, connecting on 8-of-14 field goals, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, and 5-of-7 free throws to go with a game-high 6 assists, 2 steals and 2 rebounds in just under 25 minutes of action.

A consensus Second Team All-American at Memphis, Haggerty is coming off a career year in 2024-25, in which, he became the first Division I player since Ja Morant in 2018-19 to average 21.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals to go with 6.5 free throws per game. He ranked third nationally in both scoring (21.7 ppg.) and total points (759), while his 759 points were an AAC single-season record and the most since Dajuan Wagner (762) set the school single-season record in 2001-02. He became the first Memphis Tiger since 2008 to be named an AP All-American, while he was selected as the AAC Player of the Year, First Team All-AAC and the Most Outstanding Player of the 2025 AAC Championship.

For more information on the 2025 Jerry West Award, please visit <a href="https://www.hoophallawards.com/">hoophallawards.com</a> and follow @hoophallu and #WestAward on X and Instagram.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Junior guard P.J. Haggerty was among 20 preseason candidates for the Jerry West Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top shooting guard by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.The Jerry West Award is named after the late Class of 1980 Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player. It is celebrating its 12th year highlighting the top shooting guard.Haggerty was one of 5 finalists for the award in 2025, which was won by Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier.Fans can help Haggerty advance on the watch list by voting in each of three rounds starting on Friday (Oct. 31) by visiting <a href="https://www.hoophallawards.com/">hoophallawards.com</a>. The watch list of 20 players will be narrowed to 10 in late January then to five in late February. The five finalists will be presented to West’s family and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee, where the winner will be selected.Haggerty was one of 5 Big 12 players on the preseason team, including Arizona’s Brayden Burries, BYU’s Richie Saunders, Houston’s Emanuel Sharp and Oklahoma State’s Anthony Roy. Others on the list included Creighton’s Josh Dix, Duke’s Isaiah Evans, Florida’s Xaivian Lee, Illinois’ Kylan Boswell, Kentucky’s Otega Oweh, Louisville’s Ryan Conwell, North Carolina’s Seth Trimble, Providence’s Jason Edwards, St. John’s Ian Jackson, UConn’s Solo Ball, USC’s Rodney Rice, Utah State’s Mason Falslev, Virginia’s Malik Thomas, Washington’s Wesley Yates III and Wisconsin’s John Blackwell.Haggerty has already received a number of preseason accolades, including All-America honors from CBS Sports, Jay Bilas and @CBBAnalytics and All-Big 12 honors from the league coaches.Haggerty scored a game-high 23 points in Friday’s exhibition at Missouri, connecting on 8-of-14 field goals, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, and 5-of-7 free throws to go with a game-high 6 assists, 2 steals and 2 rebounds in just under 25 minutes of action.A consensus Second Team All-American at Memphis, Haggerty is coming off a career year in 2024-25, in which, he became the first Division I player since Ja Morant in 2018-19 to average 21.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals to go with 6.5 free throws per game. He ranked third nationally in both scoring (21.7 ppg.) and total points (759), while his 759 points were an AAC single-season record and the most since Dajuan Wagner (762) set the school single-season record in 2001-02. He became the first Memphis Tiger since 2008 to be named an AP All-American, while he was selected as the AAC Player of the Year, First Team All-AAC and the Most Outstanding Player of the 2025 AAC Championship.For more information on the 2025 Jerry West Award, please visit <a href="https://www.hoophallawards.com/">hoophallawards.com</a> and follow @hoophallu and #WestAward on X and Instagram.

Haggerty Named to Jerry West Award Preseason Watch List

Christmas and Halloween effectively fall on the same day for <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a5bd68ce-75de-48c7-a854-30e0fd43d0a0?elinkdata=31663">Jordan Murdock</a>.

October 31, of course, is Halloween but will feel like December 25 as the Kansas Wesleyan men's team opens the 2025-26 season against Nebraska Wesleyan at 8 p.m. inside Mabee Arena.

It won't be Murdock's first as a coach in Mabee but will be his first as a head coach at any level after his hiring in March. He spent last season as an assistant at Pittsburg State following four years as an assistant at KWU. He was associate head coach during the 2023-24 season.

"The good thing is I've been here in the past... and we were able to do some good things," he said. "But I think it's going to be fun being able to have a whole new set of guys out there, guys that don't really know the expectations."

New is the operative word - one starter and three others who saw significant duty return from last season. They're joined by a large group of transfers and freshmen.

"It's definitely a marathon," said Murdock who was an NAIA All-American at Friends during his playing career. "It can't be a sprint for us because we've got so many young guys, and we've got four freshmen that are going to be in the mix with our group."

Murdock was not unhappy with the slightly delayed start to the season.

"Honestly, we need this extra time to practice and make any adjustments that we need to," he said. "We're taking it day by day. It's about getting our practices in, being able to compete and get all the little bugs out before we get to the 31st."

Even Appolon, a 6-foot-9 senior center, is the lone starter back after he averaged 8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. Senior swingman <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/87590a25-a73d-4efd-bcc8-24c57cd43f5e?elinkdata=31663">Gabe Phillips</a> averaged 2.6 points; 6-7 senior center <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a770fa62-3c4f-48a8-909f-2dc53878f7c2?elinkdata=31663">Stefan Spray</a> 3.0 points and 2.2 rebounds; and junior guard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f9f167a9-c482-4161-aa74-92cbfe2d7356?elinkdata=31663">Aiden Leckband</a> 4.2 points and 2.4 rebounds.

Murdock has high expectations for Phillips who's in his fifth season with the program.

"We're excited for him to be able to take that next step," he said. "He's our undisputed captain, he does everything right off the court and on the court, he's given the effort non-stop."

Murdock likes the post setup with Appolon and Spray.

"The five spot is pretty much older guys so I expect them to be able to lead by example," he said.

Three transfers are expected to have big impacts - 6-7 forward <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/885f6790-c221-46ce-811a-e3d43f8bdbc3?elinkdata=31663">Caiden Punt</a> from Division II Central Oklahoma, 6-4 guard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/272f50c4-bced-4d23-a0ca-027d3ea325c2?elinkdata=31663">Wyatt Powell</a> from Division II Missouri Western and 6-2 guard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/60ad9378-3051-4156-abf9-c9689940bd72?elinkdata=31663">Matthew Garber</a> from Cloud County Community College. A hand injury will force Powell to miss some early games.

"(Punt and Powell) need to help us right away, they've played at a high level in the college ranks." Murdock said. "(Garber) spreads the floor, he makes a lot of shots. I'm excited for everybody to see the type of shot maker that he is on a daily basis."

Returning junior guard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/82e2c627-ef81-4906-a940-e683f1bb4639?elinkdata=31663">Garrett Robertson</a> will see time as well.

Four freshmen are in the mix - <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f1328b71-0001-42ab-9c88-13b2d11996cd?elinkdata=31663">Brandon Avedon</a>, a 6-6 guard from Tulsa, guards <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/75d6dfa7-ef19-4710-bacd-69e6f102390c?elinkdata=31663">Braylin Goins</a> from Edmond, Okla. and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/588697a5-f3a8-4f9f-80c2-fad3d3350ed0?elinkdata=31663">Alec Grill</a> from Maize and 6-8 forward <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/58e435fe-fd9c-440d-99fb-f05255c16b95?elinkdata=31663">Carson Punt</a> (Caiden's brother) from Fort Worth.

"Avedon is a guy that's come in and really just killed it," Murdock said. "He'll probably be playing our point guard position so I'm super excited about him. Grill and Goins will help us at point guard. We're loaded at the five spot but if something opens up (Punt) has got to be ready to step in that role.

"It's going to take a little bit of adjustment coming from high school, but I think the freshmen are going to continue to get better as we go on. They're figuring things out daily."

Murdock wants the Coyotes to play fast with the focus on defense.

"I want us to be very disciplined on the defensive end," he said. "We've got to get stops; we've got to make sure that we hone in on that side and if we do that then the offense will come.

"(Offensively) getting up and down in transition, throwing the ball down the court, being able to play fast but also under control at the same time, taking our opportunities when we have them."

The Coyotes play Central Methodist at 6 p.m. Nov. 1 in Mabee Arena in their second game of their demanding non-conference schedule. They play Ottawa in their Kansas Conference opener Nov. 15 in Mabee Arena.

Christmas and Halloween effectively fall on the same day for <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a5bd68ce-75de-48c7-a854-30e0fd43d0a0?elinkdata=31663">Jordan Murdock</a>.October 31, of course, is Halloween but will feel like December 25 as the Kansas Wesleyan men's team opens the 2025-26 season against Nebraska Wesleyan at 8 p.m. inside Mabee Arena.It won't be Murdock's first as a coach in Mabee but will be his first as a head coach at any level after his hiring in March. He spent last season as an assistant at Pittsburg State following four years as an assistant at KWU. He was associate head coach during the 2023-24 season."The good thing is I've been here in the past... and we were able to do some good things," he said. "But I think it's going to be fun being able to have a whole new set of guys out there, guys that don't really know the expectations."New is the operative word - one starter and three others who saw significant duty return from last season. They're joined by a large group of transfers and freshmen."It's definitely a marathon," said Murdock who was an NAIA All-American at Friends during his playing career. "It can't be a sprint for us because we've got so many young guys, and we've got four freshmen that are going to be in the mix with our group."Murdock was not unhappy with the slightly delayed start to the season."Honestly, we need this extra time to practice and make any adjustments that we need to," he said. "We're taking it day by day. It's about getting our practices in, being able to compete and get all the little bugs out before we get to the 31st."Even Appolon, a 6-foot-9 senior center, is the lone starter back after he averaged 8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. Senior swingman <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/87590a25-a73d-4efd-bcc8-24c57cd43f5e?elinkdata=31663">Gabe Phillips</a> averaged 2.6 points; 6-7 senior center <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a770fa62-3c4f-48a8-909f-2dc53878f7c2?elinkdata=31663">Stefan Spray</a> 3.0 points and 2.2 rebounds; and junior guard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f9f167a9-c482-4161-aa74-92cbfe2d7356?elinkdata=31663">Aiden Leckband</a> 4.2 points and 2.4 rebounds.Murdock has high expectations for Phillips who's in his fifth season with the program."We're excited for him to be able to take that next step," he said. "He's our undisputed captain, he does everything right off the court and on the court, he's given the effort non-stop."Murdock likes the post setup with Appolon and Spray."The five spot is pretty much older guys so I expect them to be able to lead by example," he said.Three transfers are expected to have big impacts - 6-7 forward <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/885f6790-c221-46ce-811a-e3d43f8bdbc3?elinkdata=31663">Caiden Punt</a> from Division II Central Oklahoma, 6-4 guard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/272f50c4-bced-4d23-a0ca-027d3ea325c2?elinkdata=31663">Wyatt Powell</a> from Division II Missouri Western and 6-2 guard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/60ad9378-3051-4156-abf9-c9689940bd72?elinkdata=31663">Matthew Garber</a> from Cloud County Community College. A hand injury will force Powell to miss some early games."(Punt and Powell) need to help us right away, they've played at a high level in the college ranks." Murdock said. "(Garber) spreads the floor, he makes a lot of shots. I'm excited for everybody to see the type of shot maker that he is on a daily basis."Returning junior guard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/82e2c627-ef81-4906-a940-e683f1bb4639?elinkdata=31663">Garrett Robertson</a> will see time as well.Four freshmen are in the mix - <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f1328b71-0001-42ab-9c88-13b2d11996cd?elinkdata=31663">Brandon Avedon</a>, a 6-6 guard from Tulsa, guards <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/75d6dfa7-ef19-4710-bacd-69e6f102390c?elinkdata=31663">Braylin Goins</a> from Edmond, Okla. and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/588697a5-f3a8-4f9f-80c2-fad3d3350ed0?elinkdata=31663">Alec Grill</a> from Maize and 6-8 forward <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/58e435fe-fd9c-440d-99fb-f05255c16b95?elinkdata=31663">Carson Punt</a> (Caiden's brother) from Fort Worth."Avedon is a guy that's come in and really just killed it," Murdock said. "He'll probably be playing our point guard position so I'm super excited about him. Grill and Goins will help us at point guard. We're loaded at the five spot but if something opens up (Punt) has got to be ready to step in that role."It's going to take a little bit of adjustment coming from high school, but I think the freshmen are going to continue to get better as we go on. They're figuring things out daily."Murdock wants the Coyotes to play fast with the focus on defense."I want us to be very disciplined on the defensive end," he said. "We've got to get stops; we've got to make sure that we hone in on that side and if we do that then the offense will come."(Offensively) getting up and down in transition, throwing the ball down the court, being able to play fast but also under control at the same time, taking our opportunities when we have them."The Coyotes play Central Methodist at 6 p.m. Nov. 1 in Mabee Arena in their second game of their demanding non-conference schedule. They play Ottawa in their Kansas Conference opener Nov. 15 in Mabee Arena.

🏀 KWU MBB Season Preview: Murdock ready for first season at the helm for the Coyotes

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/bef1c842-2f76-4359-bd05-c724f220e6ae?elinkdata=31630">Harper Taylor</a> describes herself as someone "who can be patient."

Waiting for the Kansas Wesleyan women's basketball team's season opener to arrive has been difficult though.

"I'm very go, go, go, very driven, very tenacious in how I do things and it has been very difficult for me in the past couple weeks to wait for tipoff," said Taylor who was named KWU's coach in May after two seasons as an assistant at Metro State-Denver.

Suffice it to say she has not been bored during the wait - her and her staff's efforts to prepare the Coyotes for the game against Dakota State inside Mabee Arena have been strenuous and continuous.

"It feels like there is so much that needs to be accomplished but there also is only so much time that you have and so you're in a race against time of figuring out which piece is needed the most on what day," she said.

"I think so far our crew with all of the changes that we've had they've been able to adjust," Taylor said. "It's been great getting to know them, them getting to know me but at the end of the day it's being able to put all of those pieces together. Being on the Kansas Wesleyan floor in a white jersey is something that everyone looks forward to all year long.

"I'm incredibly excited for tipoff to see how they handle adversity, how I have been able to change things around and how that can be a positive light. Their reactions to how I do things have been very fun too. I'll change something up and they're like 'why are we doing this?' Then I'll answer the why and their faces are 'oh, that makes sense.'"

A big plus is the fact Taylor isn't a stranger to KWU having served as former coach Ryan Showman's assistant during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. Despite being in her rookie year as a head coach she has a clear idea what she wants her team to be.

"I envision this team being very unselfish, I envision this team really working together and being able to put something on the floor that hasn't been put on the floor at Kansas Wesleyan before," she said. "I know they have it in them. I feel like I've built a really strong connection between me and the team."

Five Coyotes who saw duty last season return - junior point guard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3f1a4882-de53-435a-97aa-6eb5cc72b7c0?elinkdata=31630">Odessa Ozuna</a>, junior forward <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2f984b06-7841-4596-9fa8-e1c8b9faf7b0?elinkdata=31630">Paige Chauncey</a>, senior forward <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/de08d42c-a9aa-44ad-ad82-de8673f12d11?elinkdata=31630">Jocelyn Hall</a> and senior guards <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ada903d8-e476-4079-8ee3-b8dfbc77b6d4?elinkdata=31630">Adriana DiPrima</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/87f5a353-b5bd-4e85-8c59-f8c7b5ab66b9?elinkdata=31630">Madison Lambert</a>.

Ozuna averaged 8.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 32 games.

"She's filling some pretty big shoes with <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b5a7600d-104f-41bc-96ed-f3c2afb0dcb7?elinkdata=31630">LaMyah Ricks</a> who had been the point guard here for five years," Taylor said. "I do think that she learned a lot from LaMyah, and I think that she is in the most perfect position she could be to lead our team."

Chauncey is the lone returning starter from 2024-25 when she averaged 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds last winter. Hall was a backup and averaged 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds, Lambert averaged 2.2 points and shot 37.8 percent from 3-point range and DiPrima 1.3 points.

"I've coached (Lambert and DiPrima) before and feel like I can get another gear out of them," Taylor said. "I've already noticed they are not the same players they were even in March."

Taylor is excited about wing <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6599868a-1c5e-4887-9a9f-cedd328c6ed9?elinkdata=31630">Izzy McCool</a>, a transfer from Dordt.

"She does not act like she is a junior transfer from another NAIA school; she acts like she's been at Kansas Wesleyan since she was a freshman," she said. "She has such a good attitude and it's infectious to the people around her and the girls around her."

Two freshmen who could also see action early on are post player <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/91afb771-36c8-4b39-92b5-f878d6710c93?elinkdata=31630">Raegann McDonald</a> from Clay Center and guard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/64adfe89-1dda-46d8-ac1e-abde96457d99?elinkdata=31630">Anna Jueneman</a> from Hanover.

Taylor will be joined on the bench by assistants <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/06906ba3-b6c8-447c-849b-c5bb9beec1a5?elinkdata=31630">Hailey Jordan</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5aa2b559-c97d-4bc9-8397-da308c564aad?elinkdata=31630">Preston Hardee</a>.

Taylor said she's learning along with her players.

"Where an assistant coach sits and where a head coach stands is like two feet -it's the longest two feet I've ever known," Taylor said. "There's a big difference between being the HC and the AC. It will be really interesting to see how our first couple of games go to see if I need to adjust things in practice because I don't mind doing that."

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/bef1c842-2f76-4359-bd05-c724f220e6ae?elinkdata=31630">Harper Taylor</a> describes herself as someone "who can be patient."Waiting for the Kansas Wesleyan women's basketball team's season opener to arrive has been difficult though."I'm very go, go, go, very driven, very tenacious in how I do things and it has been very difficult for me in the past couple weeks to wait for tipoff," said Taylor who was named KWU's coach in May after two seasons as an assistant at Metro State-Denver.Suffice it to say she has not been bored during the wait - her and her staff's efforts to prepare the Coyotes for the game against Dakota State inside Mabee Arena have been strenuous and continuous."It feels like there is so much that needs to be accomplished but there also is only so much time that you have and so you're in a race against time of figuring out which piece is needed the most on what day," she said.Progress has been noticeable."I think so far our crew with all of the changes that we've had they've been able to adjust," Taylor said. "It's been great getting to know them, them getting to know me but at the end of the day it's being able to put all of those pieces together. Being on the Kansas Wesleyan floor in a white jersey is something that everyone looks forward to all year long."I'm incredibly excited for tipoff to see how they handle adversity, how I have been able to change things around and how that can be a positive light. Their reactions to how I do things have been very fun too. I'll change something up and they're like 'why are we doing this?' Then I'll answer the why and their faces are 'oh, that makes sense.'"A big plus is the fact Taylor isn't a stranger to KWU having served as former coach Ryan Showman's assistant during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. Despite being in her rookie year as a head coach she has a clear idea what she wants her team to be."I envision this team being very unselfish, I envision this team really working together and being able to put something on the floor that hasn't been put on the floor at Kansas Wesleyan before," she said. "I know they have it in them. I feel like I've built a really strong connection between me and the team."Five Coyotes who saw duty last season return - junior point guard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3f1a4882-de53-435a-97aa-6eb5cc72b7c0?elinkdata=31630">Odessa Ozuna</a>, junior forward <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2f984b06-7841-4596-9fa8-e1c8b9faf7b0?elinkdata=31630">Paige Chauncey</a>, senior forward <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/de08d42c-a9aa-44ad-ad82-de8673f12d11?elinkdata=31630">Jocelyn Hall</a> and senior guards <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ada903d8-e476-4079-8ee3-b8dfbc77b6d4?elinkdata=31630">Adriana DiPrima</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/87f5a353-b5bd-4e85-8c59-f8c7b5ab66b9?elinkdata=31630">Madison Lambert</a>.Ozuna averaged 8.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 32 games."She's filling some pretty big shoes with <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b5a7600d-104f-41bc-96ed-f3c2afb0dcb7?elinkdata=31630">LaMyah Ricks</a> who had been the point guard here for five years," Taylor said. "I do think that she learned a lot from LaMyah, and I think that she is in the most perfect position she could be to lead our team."Chauncey is the lone returning starter from 2024-25 when she averaged 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds last winter. Hall was a backup and averaged 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds, Lambert averaged 2.2 points and shot 37.8 percent from 3-point range and DiPrima 1.3 points."I've coached (Lambert and DiPrima) before and feel like I can get another gear out of them," Taylor said. "I've already noticed they are not the same players they were even in March."Taylor is excited about wing <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6599868a-1c5e-4887-9a9f-cedd328c6ed9?elinkdata=31630">Izzy McCool</a>, a transfer from Dordt."She does not act like she is a junior transfer from another NAIA school; she acts like she's been at Kansas Wesleyan since she was a freshman," she said. "She has such a good attitude and it's infectious to the people around her and the girls around her."Two freshmen who could also see action early on are post player <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/91afb771-36c8-4b39-92b5-f878d6710c93?elinkdata=31630">Raegann McDonald</a> from Clay Center and guard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/64adfe89-1dda-46d8-ac1e-abde96457d99?elinkdata=31630">Anna Jueneman</a> from Hanover.Taylor will be joined on the bench by assistants <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/06906ba3-b6c8-447c-849b-c5bb9beec1a5?elinkdata=31630">Hailey Jordan</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5aa2b559-c97d-4bc9-8397-da308c564aad?elinkdata=31630">Preston Hardee</a>.Taylor said she's learning along with her players."Where an assistant coach sits and where a head coach stands is like two feet -it's the longest two feet I've ever known," Taylor said. "There's a big difference between being the HC and the AC. It will be really interesting to see how our first couple of games go to see if I need to adjust things in practice because I don't mind doing that."

🏀 KWU WBB Season Preview: Taylor eager to lead Coyotes in first season as head coach

WICHITA, Kan. - Kansas Wesleyan's <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6c835a96-0282-460c-958c-08330b5c54e1?elinkdata=31597">Kendall Davis</a> has been named as the KCAC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts in two matches last week for the Coyotes.

KWU went 2-0 last week, maintaining the third spot in the KCAC standings, just one point behind Friends in the table, heading into the final week of the regular season. KWU got wins over Bethany 5-0 and Southwestern 1-0.

The freshman Davis moved into the starting 11 this week and had a great week. She helped the Coyotes record two clean sheets at the outside back position, where both opponents tried to attack from. Davis also delivered on offense, with a goal and an assist on the week.

WICHITA, Kan. - Kansas Wesleyan's <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6c835a96-0282-460c-958c-08330b5c54e1?elinkdata=31597">Kendall Davis</a> has been named as the KCAC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts in two matches last week for the Coyotes.KWU went 2-0 last week, maintaining the third spot in the KCAC standings, just one point behind Friends in the table, heading into the final week of the regular season. KWU got wins over Bethany 5-0 and Southwestern 1-0.The freshman Davis moved into the starting 11 this week and had a great week. She helped the Coyotes record two clean sheets at the outside back position, where both opponents tried to attack from. Davis also delivered on offense, with a goal and an assist on the week.

Davis earns KCAC Women’s Soccer weekly honor

WICHITA, Kan. -&nbsp;Kansas Wesleyan's&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f15932b1-4cfa-4b31-ac04-17643a712ded?elinkdata=31564" target="_blank">Tristyn Hedman</a>&nbsp;earned her second KCAC Women's Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week honor of the season this week as the KCAC office announced the KCAC Women's Volleyball Players of the Week.

Hedman averaged 6.83 digs per set, and did not have a receiving error, as KWU posted sweep wins over Bethany College and Southwestern College. She also added a few assists, and had a service ace against Southwestern. This is the second time this season Hedman has been named the KCAC Women's Volleyball Defender of the Week.

Hedman also earned the honor on October 13.

Kansas Wesleyan hits the road twice this week, heading to No. 6 ranked McPherson on Wednesday, and then to Kansas City to take on Avila on Saturday.

WICHITA, Kan. -&nbsp;Kansas Wesleyan's&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f15932b1-4cfa-4b31-ac04-17643a712ded?elinkdata=31564" target="_blank">Tristyn Hedman</a>&nbsp;earned her second KCAC Women's Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week honor of the season this week as the KCAC office announced the KCAC Women's Volleyball Players of the Week.Hedman averaged 6.83 digs per set, and did not have a receiving error, as KWU posted sweep wins over Bethany College and Southwestern College. She also added a few assists, and had a service ace against Southwestern. This is the second time this season Hedman has been named the KCAC Women's Volleyball Defender of the Week.Hedman also earned the honor on October 13.Kansas Wesleyan hits the road twice this week, heading to No. 6 ranked McPherson on Wednesday, and then to Kansas City to take on Avila on Saturday.

Hedman earns second KCAC Women’s Volleyball Defensive nod of season

WICHITA, Kan. - Kansas Wesleyan running back <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ffae15c5-b565-4fc1-ab5a-22d525836a6f?elinkdata=31531">D'Heaven Domena</a> has been selected as the KCAC Football Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts in KWU's 35-0 win over Sterling College Warriors on Saturday.

Domena registered a career-high 40 carries for a career-high high 259 yards and three touchdowns in Saturday's game. He also had 51 yards receiving on two catches for the Coyotes giving him 310 yards from scrimmage in the game.

His 40 carries are the most for a KWU player since Demarco Prewitt had 44 carries on October 26, 2019, and his 259 yards rushing are the most for a player since Prewitt's school record 314-yard performance against Bethel on October 26, 2018.

WICHITA, Kan. - Kansas Wesleyan running back <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ffae15c5-b565-4fc1-ab5a-22d525836a6f?elinkdata=31531">D'Heaven Domena</a> has been selected as the KCAC Football Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts in KWU's 35-0 win over Sterling College Warriors on Saturday.Domena registered a career-high 40 carries for a career-high high 259 yards and three touchdowns in Saturday's game. He also had 51 yards receiving on two catches for the Coyotes giving him 310 yards from scrimmage in the game.His 40 carries are the most for a KWU player since Demarco Prewitt had 44 carries on October 26, 2019, and his 259 yards rushing are the most for a player since Prewitt's school record 314-yard performance against Bethel on October 26, 2018.

Domena named KCAC Football Offensive Player of the Week

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid called the first half of Monday night's game against Washington downright weird, full of turnovers and failed fourth-down conversions and so much lousy execution by both teams that he was left scratching his head.

“There wasn't a lot of punting but there wasn't a lot of points,” Reid said. “That doesn't normally happen.”

The second half? About as normal as it gets for Kansas City these days.

Patrick Mahomes wound up throwing for 299 yards and three touchdowns, Kareem Hunt found the end zone twice, and the Chiefs' defense was just as dominant as their high-flying offense over the final 30 minutes, helping Kansas City pull away from a halftime tie for a 28-7 victory over the Commanders on a cold night at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-clark-hunt-94bac7ee85253b069d0145050df10ccb">Arrowhead Stadium</a>.

Mahomes was nearly perfect after throwing two early interceptions, one of which was hardly his fault. One of his touchdown passes&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1982993454537081002">went to good buddy Travis Kelce</a>, giving him 83 scores to tie Priest Holmes for the Chiefs career record, and another went to Rashee Rice, who caught nine passes for 93 yards in his second game back from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-rashee-rice-6c567fcaeea0d92cf7eeb319f1cdf672">a six-game NFL suspension</a>.

It all helped the Chiefs (5-3) win for the fourth time in five games. It also helped them extend their streak of dominance over the Commanders to nine straight wins and 11 in 12 games overall; the lone loss came way back on Sept. 18, 1983.

“I think it just shows the growth we've had as a team,” Mahomes said. “Even though we didn't start the way we wanted to on offense, it showed we can battle through adversity and play the brand of football we want to play.”

Marcus Mariota had 213 yards passing with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Commanders (3-5), who fell to 1-4 away from home this season. Mariota started in place of Jayden Daniels, who hurt his hamstring in last week's loss to Dallas.

Terry McLaurin returned from a quad issue to catch three passes for 54 yards and the score, though he aggravated the injury late in the game. Deebo Samuel also returned from a bruised heel, but after two early catches, he managed just one more.

“It was a tale of two halves,” said McLaurin, adding that he would take his injury day by day this week. “We kind of left some things on the field in the first half that we feel we could have executed. The defense did a great job of getting us the ball back twice. We've got to capitalize on that. The second half, they executed a lot better than us.”

In truth, most of the first half was an exercise in poor execution by both offenses.

The Commanders' opening series ended when Mariota's pass bounced off Samuel for an interception. The Chiefs' ended when Mahomes also was picked off. Kansas City proceeded to stop Washington on fourth down, only for Mahomes to have a pass bounce off Kelce's hands for his second interception — which the Commanders failed to capitalize on when Mariota overthrew everyone on fourth-and-1 deep in Kansas City territory.

To recap: Two picks by the Commanders, who had created three turnovers all season; two thrown by Mahomes, who had thrown just two previously; and two failed fourth-down conversions by a Washington offense desperate to get points.

But then, two very productive drives: Kansas City marched 72 yards for a touchdown, and the Commanders answered with a 66-yard drive that McLaurin finished with a TD reception that was first ruled incomplete but overturned upon review.

“We came out well,” Mariota said, "but when we’re not converting our drives against this type of team, it’s tough, because they’ll get going. I thought our defense did a good job of holding them up, making plays, creating turnovers.”

Until the second half. That's when the Chiefs, who were 12 1/2-point favorites, according to BetMGM, started to play like it.

They opened with a methodical 80-yard drive that Hunt finished with his second score. Then, after Kansas City forced a quick punt by the Commanders, the 36-year-old Kelce capped a 75-yard drive with his record-tying touchdown reception.

“He's just like, the true Chiefs' Chief," Mahomes said. “He helped set the culture and what it means to play in Kansas City.”

The clinching blow came midway through the fourth quarter, a 13-play, 94-yard drive by the Chiefs — well, 119 yards if you include all the penalties they had to overcome — that finally broke the Commanders. Rice finished it with an 18-yard touchdown reception after he had twice come up just shy of scoring earlier in the game.

It made five consecutive games in which Kansas City has scored at least 28 points, and it put this one well out of reach.

“It's tough to score points in this league,” Reid said, “so anything you get, you appreciate it. I like the way the guys went about it. You need mental toughness. There's so much parity. You have to fight through the highs and lows. I appreciate the effort.”

Washington: Matthew Wright kicked in place of Matt Gay, who was out with a back injury. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil hurt his hamstring on the opening series. Defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton hurt his ankle but returned to the game.

Kansas City: Offensive guard Trey Smith was inactive because of a back injury.

The Commanders host Seattle on Sunday night.

The Chiefs play at Buffalo the same day for an AFC title game rematch.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761614320893.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid called the first half of Monday night's game against Washington downright weird, full of turnovers and failed fourth-down conversions and so much lousy execution by both teams that he was left scratching his head.“There wasn't a lot of punting but there wasn't a lot of points,” Reid said. “That doesn't normally happen.”The second half? About as normal as it gets for Kansas City these days.Patrick Mahomes wound up throwing for 299 yards and three touchdowns, Kareem Hunt found the end zone twice, and the Chiefs' defense was just as dominant as their high-flying offense over the final 30 minutes, helping Kansas City pull away from a halftime tie for a 28-7 victory over the Commanders on a cold night at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-clark-hunt-94bac7ee85253b069d0145050df10ccb">Arrowhead Stadium</a>.Mahomes was nearly perfect after throwing two early interceptions, one of which was hardly his fault. One of his touchdown passes&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1982993454537081002">went to good buddy Travis Kelce</a>, giving him 83 scores to tie Priest Holmes for the Chiefs career record, and another went to Rashee Rice, who caught nine passes for 93 yards in his second game back from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-rashee-rice-6c567fcaeea0d92cf7eeb319f1cdf672">a six-game NFL suspension</a>.It all helped the Chiefs (5-3) win for the fourth time in five games. It also helped them extend their streak of dominance over the Commanders to nine straight wins and 11 in 12 games overall; the lone loss came way back on Sept. 18, 1983.“I think it just shows the growth we've had as a team,” Mahomes said. “Even though we didn't start the way we wanted to on offense, it showed we can battle through adversity and play the brand of football we want to play.”Marcus Mariota had 213 yards passing with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Commanders (3-5), who fell to 1-4 away from home this season. Mariota started in place of Jayden Daniels, who hurt his hamstring in last week's loss to Dallas.Terry McLaurin returned from a quad issue to catch three passes for 54 yards and the score, though he aggravated the injury late in the game. Deebo Samuel also returned from a bruised heel, but after two early catches, he managed just one more.“It was a tale of two halves,” said McLaurin, adding that he would take his injury day by day this week. “We kind of left some things on the field in the first half that we feel we could have executed. The defense did a great job of getting us the ball back twice. We've got to capitalize on that. The second half, they executed a lot better than us.”In truth, most of the first half was an exercise in poor execution by both offenses.The Commanders' opening series ended when Mariota's pass bounced off Samuel for an interception. The Chiefs' ended when Mahomes also was picked off. Kansas City proceeded to stop Washington on fourth down, only for Mahomes to have a pass bounce off Kelce's hands for his second interception — which the Commanders failed to capitalize on when Mariota overthrew everyone on fourth-and-1 deep in Kansas City territory.To recap: Two picks by the Commanders, who had created three turnovers all season; two thrown by Mahomes, who had thrown just two previously; and two failed fourth-down conversions by a Washington offense desperate to get points.All told, five empty drives.“Just weird,” Reid said.But then, two very productive drives: Kansas City marched 72 yards for a touchdown, and the Commanders answered with a 66-yard drive that McLaurin finished with a TD reception that was first ruled incomplete but overturned upon review.“We came out well,” Mariota said, "but when we’re not converting our drives against this type of team, it’s tough, because they’ll get going. I thought our defense did a good job of holding them up, making plays, creating turnovers.”Until the second half. That's when the Chiefs, who were 12 1/2-point favorites, according to BetMGM, started to play like it.They opened with a methodical 80-yard drive that Hunt finished with his second score. Then, after Kansas City forced a quick punt by the Commanders, the 36-year-old Kelce capped a 75-yard drive with his record-tying touchdown reception.“He's just like, the true Chiefs' Chief," Mahomes said. “He helped set the culture and what it means to play in Kansas City.”The clinching blow came midway through the fourth quarter, a 13-play, 94-yard drive by the Chiefs — well, 119 yards if you include all the penalties they had to overcome — that finally broke the Commanders. Rice finished it with an 18-yard touchdown reception after he had twice come up just shy of scoring earlier in the game.It made five consecutive games in which Kansas City has scored at least 28 points, and it put this one well out of reach.“It's tough to score points in this league,” Reid said, “so anything you get, you appreciate it. I like the way the guys went about it. You need mental toughness. There's so much parity. You have to fight through the highs and lows. I appreciate the effort.”<h2>Injuries</h2>Washington: Matthew Wright kicked in place of Matt Gay, who was out with a back injury. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil hurt his hamstring on the opening series. Defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton hurt his ankle but returned to the game.Kansas City: Offensive guard Trey Smith was inactive because of a back injury.<h2>Up next</h2>The Commanders host Seattle on Sunday night.The Chiefs play at Buffalo the same day for an AFC title game rematch.___

🏈 Mahomes, Hunt lead Chiefs to dominant win over Commanders

13/13&nbsp;Texas Tech at K-State

Date:&nbsp;Saturday, November 1, 2025

Stadium:&nbsp;Bill Snyder Family Stadium (50,000)

TV:&nbsp;FOX (<a href="https://www.foxsports.com/college-football/texas-tech-red-raiders-vs-kansas-state-wildcats-nov-01-2025-game-boxscore-42235?tab=odds" target="_blank">watch</a>)

K-State Radio:&nbsp;K-State Sports Network;&nbsp;<a href="http://k-statesports.com/" target="_blank">k-statesports.com</a>&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/" target="_blank">Listen</a>)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stan Weber (Analyst)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Matt Walters (Sidelines)

SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ch. 138 or 199, and on the SiriusXM App

<a href="https://tunein.com/radio/Big-12-Radio-s329464/" target="_blank">Big 12 Radio on TuneIn</a>

X Updates:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.x.com/kstatefb" target="_blank">@KStateFB</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.x.com/kstatestatsinfo" target="_blank">@KStateStatsInfo</a>

1)&nbsp;Coming off a dominating 42-17 win over in-state rival Kansas – its 17th straight win in the series – Kansas State returns home on Saturday as it hosts 13th-ranked Texas Tech inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game kicks off at 2:30 p.m., and will be shown on FOX with Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Robert Griffin III (analyst) and Alexa Landestoy (sidelines) on the call.

2)&nbsp;After starting the season with a 1-3 record, the Wildcats have rebounded the last four games by going 3-1 as their lone loss in that stretch was a one-point defeat at Baylor. The Wildcats have averaged 37.8 points per game over their last four games, as K-State is tied for third in scoring among Power 4 schools since September 27 with Tennessee, just behind Utah (41.0 ppg) and Pittsburgh (38.4 ppg).

3)&nbsp;Quarterback Avery Johnson is set to make his 23rd-career start under center having thrown for 1,792 yards and 15 touchdowns with only two interceptions as his 0.8% interception ratio ranks 13th in the nation and second in the Big 12. He has thrown touchdown passes to six different receivers this season, with wide receiver Jayce Brown and tight end Garrett Oakley leading the way with four apiece.

4)&nbsp;Austin Romaine leads the team with 55 tackles, followed by 46 from Des Purnell, who over the last two games has recorded two sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble and five total passes defended. Cornerback Zashon Rich is tied for second in the Big 12 and eighth nationally with eight pass breakups, and the Cats rank second in the country with nine fumble recoveries.

5)&nbsp;Kicker Luis Rodriguez is 10-for-11 on field goals, ranking 15th in the country with a 90.9% conversion rate as his only miss was a blocked 56-yard attempt at the end of the Baylor game. Punter Simon McClannan ranks sixth in the Big 12 with a 41.7-yard average. The Cats rank 13th nationally with a 26.9-yard kickoff return average, led by Bryce Noernberg, who ranks third in the country with a 29.9-yard average.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS217.7&nbsp;– Pass efficiency rating by Avery Johnson at KU, the highest mark by a K-State QB in a conference game since 2014 (min. 15 att.)

139&nbsp;– Nation-leading non-offensive scores by K-State since 1999 after three in its last two games.

37.8&nbsp;– Points per game by the Wildcats over the last four games, which is tied for third among Power 4 schools since September 27.

17&nbsp;– Number of turnovers the Wildcats have forced this season, which ranks third in the nation and first in the Big 12.

1&nbsp;– The first-ever Big 12 game was a 21-14 K-State win over Texas Tech in Manhattan on August 31, 1996.

• Kansas State is coming off a dominating 42-17 win at Kansas, its 17th straight win over the Jayhawks.

• Avery Johnson was 11-of-17 for 231 yards and accounted for four touchdowns, while Jayce Brown caught four passes for 160 yards, including a 78-yard score.

• Defensively, the Wildcats forced four total turnovers and pressured quarterback Jalon Daniels most of the day. The Jayhawks averaged just 3.2 yards per snap in the contest.

• Prior to that, the Wildcats earned a 41-28 victory over TCU, a game that featured defensive touchdowns by safety Wesley Fair (15-yard fumble return) and linebacker Des Purnell (25-yard interception return).

• Purnell’s pick-6 came on the very next play after he had a sack and was part of a two-interception game with four total passes defended en route to Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors.

• Johnson threw three touchdown passes against the Horned Frogs, including two to tight end Garrett Oakley, which gave him 11 in his career to set the school record by a tight end.

• K-State and Texas Tech will meet for the 25th time on Saturday as the Wildcats hold a 15-9 advantage in the series.

• These two teams also hold a special place in the Big 12 record book as they met in Manhattan on August 31, 1996, in the inaugural Big 12 Conference football game, a 21-14 Wildcat win.

• Kansas State will play a ranked team for the second time this season in No. 13 Texas Tech. The Wildcats opened the season with a narrow 24-21 loss to No. 22 Iowa State.

• This is the first time K-State will face a ranked Red Raider team since a 49-26 win over No. 25 Texas Tech in Lubbock in 2013.

• The Wildcats are looking to defeat a ranked opponent for the first time since September 2024 when they topped No. 20 Arizona, 31-7, before a 42-20 win over No. 20 Oklahoma State two weeks later.

• The last time K-State defeated a top-15 team was in the 2022 Big 12 Championship, a 31-28 overtime victory over No. 3 TCU.

• Of Kansas State’s last 21 games dating back to Week 2 of the 2024 season, 11 have been decided by just one score.

• Last year, the Wildcats went 4-2 in one-possession games. All four of the victories were fourth-quarter comebacks, which ranked second in the nation to Illinois’ five.

• This season, K-State has played five one-possession games but has only come out on the winning side one time. In four of those games, the Wildcats had the ball with a chance to either tie or take the lead late in the fourth quarter.

• The five one-score games this year are tied for the second most among Power 4 teams (Ole Miss – 6; Arizona State, Iowa State and Virginia – 5).

• K-State is one of only 10 Power 4 schools that have won at least nine games in each of the last three seasons, joining Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and Tennessee.

• Among those teams, only Kansas State, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Oregon have accomplished that feat in addition to winning a conference championship during that time frame.

• The Wildcats are tied for second among current Big 12 teams and 18th among Power 4 teams with 32 total wins since the beginning of 2022.

• K-State has a total of 235 victories since 1996, which ranks 22nd nationally.

• Among active Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fourth behind BYU (247), TCU (244) and Utah (239).

• Kansas State has totaled 147 Big 12 victories since the conference’s formation in 1996, which stands as the most among active Big 12 programs.

• The Cats are also rank first among active Big 12 members in winning percentage since non-divisional play began in 2011. They sit at 59.5% (78-53), just ahead of Oklahoma State (58.8%; 77-54).

• During that stretch, the Wildcats are 44-21 (67.7%) at home in Big 12 play and 34-32 (51.5%) on the road/neutral.

• A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 124-45 career record, as his 73.4% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that have completed at least 10 seasons. He is also one of just 15 current Power 4 full-time head coaches with at least 100 career victories.

• Klieman, who is 52-32 since arriving at K-State, has led the Cats to five victories over teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP Top 25, the most of any active Big 12 program since 2019.

• K-State enters this week’s game against Texas Tech ranked third nationally in fewest penalties per game (3.25) and seventh in fewest penalty yards per game (33.0).

• Since 2022, the Wildcats have averaged 42.23 penalty yards per game (48 games) to rank sixth among Power 4 teams, while their 4.87 penalties per game to rank ninth.

• K-State is the nation’s best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 25-plus seasons as it has 139 since 1999, 11 more than the next closest team (Alabama – 128) and 20 more than the next Big 12 program (Utah – 119).

• K-State recorded four non-offensive scores during the 2024 season – its most since also recording four in 2020 – and has equaled that mark in 2025.

• The first non-offensive score of the year was Bryce Noernberg’s 99-yard kickoff return against Army.

• Against TCU, Wesley Fair had a 15-yard fumble return touchdown in the second quarter before Des Purnell recorded a 25-yard interception return. It was the first time since the 2023 Baylor game that the Wildcats had two defensive touchdowns in one contest.

• Then, last week at Kansas, Ralph Ortiz scooped up an errant snap on a punt and returned it 20 yards for a score.

OFFENSIVE NOTESTOTAL OFFENSE• K-State has totaled at least 375 yards of offense in 36 of the last 48 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season.

• The 36 games with at least 375 yards are tied for ninth in the Power 4 and rank second among Big 12 schools (TCU – 39).

• Georgia and USC lead the way with 41, followed by Ole Miss, Oregon and TCU with 39, Washington and Tennessee with 38, and Texas with 37.

• During that stretch, K-State holds a 28-8 record when totaling at least 375 yards, while the Wildcats are 4-8 when going under that mark. Two of their wins when going under 375 yards of offense have come in the last two games.RED ZONE SUCCESS• Kansas State enters the week ranked 16th nationally and third in the Big 12 by converting on 92.0% (23-of-25) of its red zone opportunities.

• That included a streak of 22-straight red-zone scores, which was the second-longest active streak in the Big 12 until taking a knee at Kansas to run out the clock.

• Since Chris Klieman’s first season at K-State in 2019, the Wildcats have been the best in the Big 12 in terms of converting red-zone opportunities into points.

• The Wildcats rank first in the Big 12 with a 90.1% (292-of-324) success rate in the red zone since 2019, just ahead of Texas Tech (87.9%) and Oklahoma State (87.2%).

• K-State also ranks first in the league in touchdown success rate at 67.0% (217-of-324), ahead of Utah (66.0%) and Kansas (66.0%).LIMITED SACKS PER GAME• K-State has been one of the nation’s best in terms of limiting sacks since head coach Chris Klieman’s first season of 2019.

• The Wildcats rank fifth among Power 4 teams and second in the Big 12 by allowing only 1.43 sacks per game over the last six-plus seasons, a span of 84 games.

• K-State is seventh in the nation by allowing 0.75 sacks per game this season.T.O.P. TURNAROUND• Over its first four games of 2025, Kansas State averaged 24:28 in time of possession, ranking 131st out of 134 teams entering its Week 5 game against UCF.

• Over the last four games, K-State is averaging 33:24 in time of possession. The Wildcats now rank 91st nationally in that department – a 40-spot jump in the rankings – with a season average of 28:56 – a 4:28 rise in their average.VERY EFFICIENT• Avery Johnson tallied a career-best pass efficiency rating of 217.7 at Kansas. It was the 10th-best mark by a K-State quarterback 1996 (minimum 15 attempts), the best since Jesse Ertz had a 319.8 rating against Central Arkansas in 2017 and the best in a Big 12 game since Jake Waters had a 218.1 mark against Kansas in 2014.

• Johnson’s mark was the second-best mark by a Big 12 quarterback in a league game this season.MULTIPLE SCORING STRIKES• Avery Johnson threw two touchdown passes against Kansas, his fourth-straight game with multiple touchdown passes and 17th in his 22 career starts under center. His performance at Kansas came on the heels of a three-touchdown game against TCU, the second time this season and sixth in his career he had three passing touchdowns in a game.

• Johnson is now in second place in school history with 45 career passing touchdowns, just three shy of the record held by Will Howard (2020-23).

• His 15 passing touchdowns this season are tied for fourth in school history by a junior – five shy of the record – and three shy of entering the school’s top-10 list among all passers.

• On the flip side, the Wichita, Kansas, product has done a tremendous job of taking care of the football. He has a 0.8% interception rate this season to rank 13th in the nation and second among Big 12 signal callers.

4,000/1,000• Avery Johnson became the fifth quarterback in program history to pass for 4,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a career as he went over the 1,000-yard rushing mark against UCF.

• He was the second-fastest player in school history to hit that mark as he did so in his 26th career game, just four games shy of Michael Bishop (1997-98). The others to accomplish the feat were Ell Roberson (2000-03), Collin Klein (2009-12) and Skylar Thompson (2017-21).AVERY ON THE RUN• Avery Johnson ranks fifth in school history among quarterbacks with 1,156 career rushing yards, while his 5.00-yard career average on 231 carries ranks ninth in school history among all players and second among quarterbacks (Jesse Ertz, 2014-17 – 5.46).

• When taking away sack yardage, Johnson has rushed for 1,320 yards on 211 true rushing attempts, good for a 6.26-yard clip.

BROWN DELIVERS• Wide receiver Jayce Brown leads the Wildcats this season with 36 receptions for 577 yards and four touchdowns.

• He had his best game as a Wildcat at Kansas, catching four passes for 160 yards, including a 78-yard touchdown. It was the most receiving yards by a Wildcat since Byron Pringle had 166 yards at Oklahoma State in 2017. His 40.0-yard average was the fourth-highest average nationally in a game this season (minimum four catches) and the third-highest average by a Big 12 player since 2018.

• A native of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Brown has a career receiving average of 16.70 yards to rank ninth in school history and fourth in the nation among active players.

HARD RUNNING BY JACKSON• Running back Joe Jackson tallied the first 100-yard rushing game of his career against TCU, going for 110 yards on a career-high 27 attempts. It shattered his previous bests of 61 yards on 13 carries the week prior at Baylor.

• It was the most rushing attempts by a Wildcat since DJ Giddens had 28 rushes against NC State in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl, while it was the most against a Big 12 opponent since Giddens had 31 totes in the 2023 regular-season finale against Iowa State.

• Most of Jackson’s damage against the Horned Frogs came in the second half when he tallied 88 yards on 21 carries.

• He backed that up with another solid outing at Kansas, rushing for 69 yards on 20 carries, including 35 yards on 13 attempts in the second half to help run out the clock.

CAREER RECORD FOR OAKLEY• Tight end Garrett Oakley had two receiving touchdowns against TCU to bring his career total to 11, which is the most in school history by a tight end.

• The previous record of 10 was shared by current Washington Commander Ben Sinnott (2021-23) and Henry Childs (1971-73).

• Each of Oakley’s four receiving touchdowns this season have come since September 27, tied for the most in the nation among tight ends since that date. He enters the week tied for seventh nationally in receiving touchdowns by tight ends this season.

K-State Hosts 13th-Ranked Texas Tech

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks are set for their second-straight home game Saturday when they welcome in the Oklahoma State Cowboys for a 3 p.m., kickoff at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The game, which will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Mark Neely and Leger Douzable on the call, will serve as the 113th&nbsp;Homecoming matchup for KU.

The Jayhawks enter their Homecoming matchup with a 4-4 record and a 2-3 mark in Big 12 Conference play, while Oklahoma State is searching for its first Big 12 win of the season and sits at 1-7 overall and 0-5 in the conference.

Kansas’ offense is led by redshirt senior quarterback Jalon Daniels, who is a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which annually recognizes the nation’s best football scholar-athlete based on combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. It is often referred to as the “Academic Heisman.” Daniels has thrown for 1,881 yards on 147-of-221 passing for 18 touchdowns, coupled with 82 rushing attempts for 243 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, Trey Lathan leads the Jayhawks with 54 tackles. Redshirt senior linebacker Bangally Kamara leads the team with eight tackles-for-loss, while sophomore defensive end Leroy Harris III has gotten to the quarterback the most with 4.5 sacks, which ranks ninth in the Big 12.

Kansas and Oklahoma State are meeting for the 75th&nbsp;time on the gridiron, where Oklahoma State leads all-time, 41-30-3, including a 22-16-1 advantage in games played in Lawrence.

Oklahoma State enters Saturday’s game on a seven-game losing streak following a 42-0 loss at Texas Tech on Oct. 25. Interim Oklahoma State head coach Doug Meacham is searching for his first win since taking over the role in September. Despite the loss to Texas Tech, Oklahoma State held the Red Raiders to a season-low 88 rushing yards. Oklahoma State’s lone win of the season came in its season opener against UT-Martin on Oct. 28, 2025, 27-7, while the Cowboys have dropped 14-consecutive regular season Big 12 Conference games.

Meacham and interim defensive coordinator Clint Bowen both spent time earlier in their careers at Kansas as assistant coaches. Meacham was at Kansas for the 2017 and 2018 seasons as the offensive coordinator, while Bowen, a former KU student-athlete, had two separate stints at Kansas for a total of 20 seasons.

The Jayhawks are 47-60-5 all-time on Homecoming and are looking for their fourth-straight victory on Homecoming after defeating Houston, 41-14 on Oct. 19, 2024, No. 8 Oklahoma, 38-33 on Oct. 8, 2023, and after defeating Iowa State, 14-11, on Oct. 1, 2022. A win on Saturday would give Kansas its fourth-straight Homecoming win for the first time since 1997-2000.

Kansas’ last win over Oklahoma State on Homecoming came on Oct. 29, 1994.

Saturday’s Homecoming will be the 113th hosted by the University of Kansas in a tradition that began in 1912 with a 12-3 victory over Missouri.

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks are set for their second-straight home game Saturday when they welcome in the Oklahoma State Cowboys for a 3 p.m., kickoff at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The game, which will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Mark Neely and Leger Douzable on the call, will serve as the 113th&nbsp;Homecoming matchup for KU.The Jayhawks enter their Homecoming matchup with a 4-4 record and a 2-3 mark in Big 12 Conference play, while Oklahoma State is searching for its first Big 12 win of the season and sits at 1-7 overall and 0-5 in the conference.Kansas’ offense is led by redshirt senior quarterback Jalon Daniels, who is a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which annually recognizes the nation’s best football scholar-athlete based on combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. It is often referred to as the “Academic Heisman.” Daniels has thrown for 1,881 yards on 147-of-221 passing for 18 touchdowns, coupled with 82 rushing attempts for 243 yards and two touchdowns.Defensively, Trey Lathan leads the Jayhawks with 54 tackles. Redshirt senior linebacker Bangally Kamara leads the team with eight tackles-for-loss, while sophomore defensive end Leroy Harris III has gotten to the quarterback the most with 4.5 sacks, which ranks ninth in the Big 12.Kansas and Oklahoma State are meeting for the 75th&nbsp;time on the gridiron, where Oklahoma State leads all-time, 41-30-3, including a 22-16-1 advantage in games played in Lawrence.Oklahoma State enters Saturday’s game on a seven-game losing streak following a 42-0 loss at Texas Tech on Oct. 25. Interim Oklahoma State head coach Doug Meacham is searching for his first win since taking over the role in September. Despite the loss to Texas Tech, Oklahoma State held the Red Raiders to a season-low 88 rushing yards. Oklahoma State’s lone win of the season came in its season opener against UT-Martin on Oct. 28, 2025, 27-7, while the Cowboys have dropped 14-consecutive regular season Big 12 Conference games.Meacham and interim defensive coordinator Clint Bowen both spent time earlier in their careers at Kansas as assistant coaches. Meacham was at Kansas for the 2017 and 2018 seasons as the offensive coordinator, while Bowen, a former KU student-athlete, had two separate stints at Kansas for a total of 20 seasons.The Jayhawks are 47-60-5 all-time on Homecoming and are looking for their fourth-straight victory on Homecoming after defeating Houston, 41-14 on Oct. 19, 2024, No. 8 Oklahoma, 38-33 on Oct. 8, 2023, and after defeating Iowa State, 14-11, on Oct. 1, 2022. A win on Saturday would give Kansas its fourth-straight Homecoming win for the first time since 1997-2000.Kansas’ last win over Oklahoma State on Homecoming came on Oct. 29, 1994.Saturday’s Homecoming will be the 113th hosted by the University of Kansas in a tradition that began in 1912 with a 12-3 victory over Missouri.

Jayhawks Set to Host Cowboys for 113th Homecoming Matchup

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and FOX Sports announced on Sunday morning that K-State’s Harley Day contest this Saturday against Texas Tech will kick off at 2:30 p.m., and be televised by FOX.

It is the second time in as many home games that the Wildcats will host the afternoon FOX game, the other being a 41-28 win over TCU on October 11.

K-State leads the all-time series over Texas Tech, 15-9, which includes wins in each of the last eight meetings. Two years ago in Lubbock, the Wildcats picks up a 38-21 victory, while they earned a 37-28 win in Manhattan in 2022. The teams did not meet last season.

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and FOX Sports announced on Sunday morning that K-State’s Harley Day contest this Saturday against Texas Tech will kick off at 2:30 p.m., and be televised by FOX.It is the second time in as many home games that the Wildcats will host the afternoon FOX game, the other being a 41-28 win over TCU on October 11.K-State leads the all-time series over Texas Tech, 15-9, which includes wins in each of the last eight meetings. Two years ago in Lubbock, the Wildcats picks up a 38-21 victory, while they earned a 37-28 win in Manhattan in 2022. The teams did not meet last season.