KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tarik Skubal pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, the Tigers scored four times off Michael Wacha in the fifth inning, and Detroit went on to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-0 on Sunday in the rubber game of their three-game set.

Skubal (12-4) struck out four and walked one while bouncing back from his first loss in more than six weeks. Jake Rogers drove in two runs for Detroit, while Colt Keith and Gleyber Torres also drove in runs.

It was a crucial game between AL Central rivals. The Tigers began the day with a half-game lead over East-leading Toronto for the best record in the American League, while Kansas City had climbed within two games of Seattle in the wild-card race.

Wacha (8-11) was matching Skubal into the fifth, allowing a single baserunner while striking out four. But things suddenly went awry, beginning with a leadoff walk to Spencer Torkelson and a one-out single by Zach McKinstry.

Rogers followed with a fly ball that center fielder Tyler Tolbert badly misplayed, resulting in a two-run triple. Keith added a line drive that found a gap for a two-run double, and Torres a grounder that got through the infield to make it 4-0.

Wacha left after 4 2/3 innings. He was charged with four runs and four hits and a walk.

Rogers' triple came after Tolbert misjudged his fly ball, which bounced off the wall and halfway back to the infield. Then in the seventh, Tolbert allowed Rogers' routine fly ball to drop in left-center for a double.

Skubal had his 11th start with at least six innings and no runs allowed this season. That broke a tie with Denny McLain in 1969 for the most such starts in franchise history.

RHP Charlie Morton (9-10, 5.25 ER) starts for Detroit in the opener of a three-game series against the Mets on Monday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tarik Skubal pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, the Tigers scored four times off Michael Wacha in the fifth inning, and Detroit went on to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-0 on Sunday in the rubber game of their three-game set.Skubal (12-4) struck out four and walked one while bouncing back from his first loss in more than six weeks. Jake Rogers drove in two runs for Detroit, while Colt Keith and Gleyber Torres also drove in runs.It was a crucial game between AL Central rivals. The Tigers began the day with a half-game lead over East-leading Toronto for the best record in the American League, while Kansas City had climbed within two games of Seattle in the wild-card race.Wacha (8-11) was matching Skubal into the fifth, allowing a single baserunner while striking out four. But things suddenly went awry, beginning with a leadoff walk to Spencer Torkelson and a one-out single by Zach McKinstry.Rogers followed with a fly ball that center fielder Tyler Tolbert badly misplayed, resulting in a two-run triple. Keith added a line drive that found a gap for a two-run double, and Torres a grounder that got through the infield to make it 4-0.Wacha left after 4 2/3 innings. He was charged with four runs and four hits and a walk.<h2>Key moments</h2>Rogers' triple came after Tolbert misjudged his fly ball, which bounced off the wall and halfway back to the infield. Then in the seventh, Tolbert allowed Rogers' routine fly ball to drop in left-center for a double.<h2>Key stat</h2>Skubal had his 11th start with at least six innings and no runs allowed this season. That broke a tie with Denny McLain in 1969 for the most such starts in franchise history.<h2>Up next</h2>RHP Charlie Morton (9-10, 5.25 ER) starts for Detroit in the opener of a three-game series against the Mets on Monday.

⚾Tarik Skubal dominates as the Tigers shutout the Royals

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4212c43c-e0cf-49b0-ab12-b6f6805afabd?elinkdata=28234">Matt Middleton</a>'s debut as Kansas Wesleyan's football coach couldn't have gone much better.

Led by an iron wall defense, a stellar running attack supplemented by a solid passing attack and some big special teams' plays the Coyotes walloped Ottawa 27-10 in the Kansas Conference and season opener Saturday night on Gene Bissell Field at JRI Hospitality Stadium and Graves Family Sports Complex.

KWU amassed 362 total yards - 222 rushing - while limiting Ottawa to 166 that included just 5 yards rushing on 19 attempts. The Coyotes also connected on field goals of 33 and 45 yards and had a fourth quarter punt that rolled out of bounds at Ottawa's 6-yard line.

"The defense played absolutely lights out," said Middleton who was hired in December after two seasons as an assistant at Division II Harding. "Made a ton of plays and made the plays that we needed to make on offense. Didn't get to throw the football like we wanted to as much but were able to find a run game that kind of kept us in it.

"I thought we were sloppy at times, we got too many negative plays, but we came out with a win. I'm super, super, super proud of the kids and the staff."

Wesleyan led 14-10 at halftime then dominated the second half. Ottawa managed four first downs and 34 total yards in the final 30 minutes.

Defense was the big question following spring practice but Middleton's recruiting efforts and the promotion of <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5fdf59ce-6825-4cef-95a2-0855ff7b2f2e?elinkdata=28234">David Leonard</a> to coordinator turned the tide.

"I thought Coach Leonard and his staff had a phenomenal gameplan," Middleton said. "Our biggest deal was 'could we stop the run?' It's what we wanted to do ... that was our goal coming in. That's one thing after spring practice that we talked about was we're going to stop the run. (Ottawa) is a team that wants to run the football, counter, power all those things."

Saturday's effort was led by end <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/23b525f2-0531-4053-bc9f-5ccd77a7be02?elinkdata=28234">Diego Davis</a> who came to KWU with Middleton from Harding. He finished with 2.5 sacks and spent much of the night in Ottawa's backfield during his first game in purple and gold.

"Diego is a phenomenal kid, phenomenal player," Middleton said. "A lot of people don't realize he has asthma really bad so for him to be able to play the way he does through that I super proud of him."

Offensively the Coyotes got another monstrous game from NAIA All-America running back <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9ef57690-d3bd-4fdb-a871-e32417e8671b?elinkdata=28234">Luke Armstrong</a> who had 136 yards rushing on 17 carries that included a 55-yard jaunt on the first play of the second half. It led to a 33-yard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6fa686a3-1598-4c71-87c9-a7117e129249?elinkdata=28234">Talon Cope</a> field goal that made it 17-10.

"Luke is Luke," Middleton said. "I ride him hard as can be but when the lights come on that dude can go. He ran hard tonight. I hugged his neck and told him I'm super proud of him."

Quarterback <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1fc66839-400c-4cb8-b631-da02996df609?elinkdata=28234">Henry Austad</a>, a transfer from Southeastern (Florida), calmly orchestrated the attack. He was 15 of 22 passing for 140 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. Wide receiver <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/207412c3-279d-44c7-88ae-de05ef0f1b73?elinkdata=28234">Will Wilcox</a> had three receptions for 73 yards.

Backed up at their own 2-yard line in the fourth quarter following an Ottawa punt, Austad hit Wilcox with a 31-yard pass on first down. The 6-foot-4 Wilcox also had a 34-yard catch in the first quarter.

"Henry's going to make a ton of plays and we really wanted to get our passing game going," Middleton said. "But kudos to them. Secondary wise they gave us a ton of looks that we hadn't seen and they're pretty good on the back end. It forced us to run the football. I would be absolutely shocked if (Wilcox) wasn't a two-time All-American by the time he got out. He's a freshman and a really good player."

KWU took a 7-0 lead on Austad's 1-yard dive with 2:47 left in the first quarter capping an 11-play, 71-yard drive. After Ottawa tied it 7-7 early in the second quarter the Coyotes answered with a 61-yard, eight-play drive culminating with <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/33fba2c2-75cb-4c78-b3d0-91f9170c88ff?elinkdata=28234">D'Heaven Domena's</a> four-yard run with 6:27 left before halftime that gave them a 14-7 lead.

Ottawa added a field goal two seconds before intermission making it 14-10 at the break.

Cope's field goal opened the second half scoring and KWU scored again on its next possession, Domena going in from the 5-yard line with 8:47 left in the third period. The drive was just four plays and 25 yards after a 15-yard OU punt.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e396dca9-6e8d-4831-a3c1-55945ce7254e?elinkdata=28234">Cole Segraves'</a> booming 45-yard field goal with 13:44 left in the game capped the scoring.

"Having it at home and just getting it done was huge," Middleton said of his first game as head coach. "We've got a good football team, we've just got to string some things together see if we continue to get better."

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4212c43c-e0cf-49b0-ab12-b6f6805afabd?elinkdata=28234">Matt Middleton</a>'s debut as Kansas Wesleyan's football coach couldn't have gone much better.Led by an iron wall defense, a stellar running attack supplemented by a solid passing attack and some big special teams' plays the Coyotes walloped Ottawa 27-10 in the Kansas Conference and season opener Saturday night on Gene Bissell Field at JRI Hospitality Stadium and Graves Family Sports Complex.KWU amassed 362 total yards - 222 rushing - while limiting Ottawa to 166 that included just 5 yards rushing on 19 attempts. The Coyotes also connected on field goals of 33 and 45 yards and had a fourth quarter punt that rolled out of bounds at Ottawa's 6-yard line."The defense played absolutely lights out," said Middleton who was hired in December after two seasons as an assistant at Division II Harding. "Made a ton of plays and made the plays that we needed to make on offense. Didn't get to throw the football like we wanted to as much but were able to find a run game that kind of kept us in it."I thought we were sloppy at times, we got too many negative plays, but we came out with a win. I'm super, super, super proud of the kids and the staff."Wesleyan led 14-10 at halftime then dominated the second half. Ottawa managed four first downs and 34 total yards in the final 30 minutes.Defense was the big question following spring practice but Middleton's recruiting efforts and the promotion of <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5fdf59ce-6825-4cef-95a2-0855ff7b2f2e?elinkdata=28234">David Leonard</a> to coordinator turned the tide."I thought Coach Leonard and his staff had a phenomenal gameplan," Middleton said. "Our biggest deal was 'could we stop the run?' It's what we wanted to do ... that was our goal coming in. That's one thing after spring practice that we talked about was we're going to stop the run. (Ottawa) is a team that wants to run the football, counter, power all those things."Saturday's effort was led by end <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/23b525f2-0531-4053-bc9f-5ccd77a7be02?elinkdata=28234">Diego Davis</a> who came to KWU with Middleton from Harding. He finished with 2.5 sacks and spent much of the night in Ottawa's backfield during his first game in purple and gold."Diego is a phenomenal kid, phenomenal player," Middleton said. "A lot of people don't realize he has asthma really bad so for him to be able to play the way he does through that I super proud of him."Offensively the Coyotes got another monstrous game from NAIA All-America running back <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9ef57690-d3bd-4fdb-a871-e32417e8671b?elinkdata=28234">Luke Armstrong</a> who had 136 yards rushing on 17 carries that included a 55-yard jaunt on the first play of the second half. It led to a 33-yard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6fa686a3-1598-4c71-87c9-a7117e129249?elinkdata=28234">Talon Cope</a> field goal that made it 17-10."Luke is Luke," Middleton said. "I ride him hard as can be but when the lights come on that dude can go. He ran hard tonight. I hugged his neck and told him I'm super proud of him."Quarterback <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1fc66839-400c-4cb8-b631-da02996df609?elinkdata=28234">Henry Austad</a>, a transfer from Southeastern (Florida), calmly orchestrated the attack. He was 15 of 22 passing for 140 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. Wide receiver <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/207412c3-279d-44c7-88ae-de05ef0f1b73?elinkdata=28234">Will Wilcox</a> had three receptions for 73 yards.Backed up at their own 2-yard line in the fourth quarter following an Ottawa punt, Austad hit Wilcox with a 31-yard pass on first down. The 6-foot-4 Wilcox also had a 34-yard catch in the first quarter."Henry's going to make a ton of plays and we really wanted to get our passing game going," Middleton said. "But kudos to them. Secondary wise they gave us a ton of looks that we hadn't seen and they're pretty good on the back end. It forced us to run the football. I would be absolutely shocked if (Wilcox) wasn't a two-time All-American by the time he got out. He's a freshman and a really good player."KWU took a 7-0 lead on Austad's 1-yard dive with 2:47 left in the first quarter capping an 11-play, 71-yard drive. After Ottawa tied it 7-7 early in the second quarter the Coyotes answered with a 61-yard, eight-play drive culminating with <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/33fba2c2-75cb-4c78-b3d0-91f9170c88ff?elinkdata=28234">D'Heaven Domena's</a> four-yard run with 6:27 left before halftime that gave them a 14-7 lead.Ottawa added a field goal two seconds before intermission making it 14-10 at the break.Cope's field goal opened the second half scoring and KWU scored again on its next possession, Domena going in from the 5-yard line with 8:47 left in the third period. The drive was just four plays and 25 yards after a 15-yard OU punt.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e396dca9-6e8d-4831-a3c1-55945ce7254e?elinkdata=28234">Cole Segraves'</a> booming 45-yard field goal with 13:44 left in the game capped the scoring."Having it at home and just getting it done was huge," Middleton said of his first game as head coach. "We've got a good football team, we've just got to string some things together see if we continue to get better."

🏈 In their Middleton Era. KWU gives new coach first win in impressive fashion, dominating Ottawa 27-10

Kansas Wesleyan Women's Soccer got an outstanding effort from its back line in helping the Coyotes play to a scoreless draw with the No. 18 ranked Central Methodist Eagles on Saturday at JRI Hospitality Stadium.

It was a tale of two halves as CMU was on the offensive in the first half, but could not crack Wesleyan's solid defense.

CMU outshot the Coyotes 8-1 in the first half, but Wesleyan keeper <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9c0a2529-1d8c-48a1-8b6a-04cf829ddaa7?elinkdata=28203">Isabella Galvan</a> was able to gather the ball on several shots, while others went errant of target.

In the second half, Wesleyan pressed more offensively, but also stepped up defensive pressure in the defending third, keeping the Eagles from building up scoring chances.

KWU had chances in the 50th minute on <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a636f2bb-8e9c-44a9-a7ff-2ee729ee6e53?elinkdata=28203">Emma Gervy's</a> header, and again in the 73rd on a shot by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2e441a35-fda0-4c2e-b94a-8514d07c33e5?elinkdata=28203">Emily Martin</a>.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0449e15c-e78c-46a5-8417-a237720e4f43?elinkdata=28203">Adriyanna Botello</a> had a shot nearly score in the 82nd minute, but neither side could light the lamp. The Coyotes had one last second frantic try for a goal as <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/046e89e8-6379-4b03-81fd-7aa673bf99b1?elinkdata=28203">Victoria Poon</a> threaded her way through CMU's defense as the final seconds ticked off the clock and fired a shot that missed high as time expired.

KWU had just six shots in the match. CMU finished with 10, only two in the second half.

Galvan had four saves in the match while recording the clean sheet.

Kansas Wesleyan Women's Soccer got an outstanding effort from its back line in helping the Coyotes play to a scoreless draw with the No. 18 ranked Central Methodist Eagles on Saturday at JRI Hospitality Stadium.It was a tale of two halves as CMU was on the offensive in the first half, but could not crack Wesleyan's solid defense.CMU outshot the Coyotes 8-1 in the first half, but Wesleyan keeper <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9c0a2529-1d8c-48a1-8b6a-04cf829ddaa7?elinkdata=28203">Isabella Galvan</a> was able to gather the ball on several shots, while others went errant of target.In the second half, Wesleyan pressed more offensively, but also stepped up defensive pressure in the defending third, keeping the Eagles from building up scoring chances.KWU had chances in the 50th minute on <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a636f2bb-8e9c-44a9-a7ff-2ee729ee6e53?elinkdata=28203">Emma Gervy's</a> header, and again in the 73rd on a shot by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2e441a35-fda0-4c2e-b94a-8514d07c33e5?elinkdata=28203">Emily Martin</a>.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0449e15c-e78c-46a5-8417-a237720e4f43?elinkdata=28203">Adriyanna Botello</a> had a shot nearly score in the 82nd minute, but neither side could light the lamp. The Coyotes had one last second frantic try for a goal as <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/046e89e8-6379-4b03-81fd-7aa673bf99b1?elinkdata=28203">Victoria Poon</a> threaded her way through CMU's defense as the final seconds ticked off the clock and fired a shot that missed high as time expired.KWU had just six shots in the match. CMU finished with 10, only two in the second half.Galvan had four saves in the match while recording the clean sheet.

⚽️ KWU WSOC draws No. 18 Central Methodist

FORT WORTH, Texas - Kansas Wesleyan Women's Volleyball posted a 2-2 record in four matches in the Texas Two-Step Tournament hosted by Texas Wesleyan University and Nelson University on Friday and Saturday.

KWU split its two matches each day. On Friday, the Coyotes opened with a four set loss to Texas Wesleyan, but bounced back with a 3-0 win over Rochester Christian. On Saturday, the Coyotes knocked off Nelson 3-1, but then lost to Texas A&amp;M-Texarkana in four sets.

TXWES 3, KWU 1 (22-25, 21-25, 25-20, 16-25): The Coyotes battled tough with the Texas Wesleyan Rams, but TXWES came away with the four set win.

The Coyotes had to fight back from a deficit several times in the opening set, but after tying things at 19 on a block by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b67c470d-2430-484d-bc77-b4382ec3e1af?elinkdata=28141">Kylee Harris</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4eda7426-2819-4a6e-a350-b607c94755be?elinkdata=28141">Sarah Girard</a>, the Rams scored the next three to make it 22-19 and were able to get the set win.

KWU led 12-10 in the second, but a 6-0 run by TXWES put the Rams up 16-12. KWU got within two at 21-19, but TXWES was able to close out the set winning 25-21.

KWU trailed 14-9 in the third, but tied it at 17-all and pushed out to a 19-17 lead on a <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b3ce87c4-12af-416c-b505-7473617134b9?elinkdata=28141">Kate Bebout</a> and Harris block. The Rams tied it back up at 19, but KWU scored six of the last seven, including the final four points to win the set 25-20.

Texas Wesleyan pushed out to a 14-4 lead in the fourth, and the Coyotes couldn't recover dropping the set 25-16.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/946e8314-4999-49cb-b796-079227ca0d56?elinkdata=28141">Rylee Serpan</a> had 10 kills to lead the Coyotes, while <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/dacc33ad-78f1-45a8-a971-cd48c670bfdd?elinkdata=28141">Joey Pennington</a> had eight and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/44f41aae-24f0-4f34-999f-4aea336a4698?elinkdata=28141">Gianna Adriaanse</a> had six. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c9d78422-2aeb-4214-83c4-b6c49eb09dd1?elinkdata=28141">Kori Arnold</a> had 24 digs. Ryleigh Stulzsatz had 15 assists and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/bed3e62c-f033-401a-9e04-4b611c490ed9?elinkdata=28141">Sara Bebout</a> had 12.

KWU 3, RCU 0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-17): The Coyotes finished Friday on a high note winning in straight sets against Rochester Christian University.

KWU sped out to an 8-1 lead in the first set and led 12-3. RCU made it 14-8 before five straight points from the Coyotes made it 19-8 on the way to the 25-12 win.

The Coyotes sped out to a 5-1 lead in the second set, but RCU tied it up at 5. The set went back and forth until right at the end when KWU scored the final five points to win the second set.

The third set started a lot like the second, back and forth, and each team had mini runs until midway through the set when a 5-0 spurt by the Coyotes broke a 14-all tie and gave KWU a 19-14 lead. It was 23-17 when the Coyotes scored the last two points to close out the match.

Serpan was phenomenal in the match for the Coyotes with 15 kills, no errors on 20 tries for a .750 attack percentage as the team hit .353. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4a4ab35b-078f-42b4-a629-ad39a68c2561?elinkdata=28141">Blair Pennington</a> had 14 assists and Stuhlsatz had 17. Arnold had nine digs.

KWU 3, Nelson 1 (26-24, 24-26, 28-26, 25-19): Three of the four sets went "overtime" when the Coyotes faced Nelson University, but things landed in favor of Wesleyan who came aay with the win.

Nelson took an early 5-1 lead in the first set, but the Coyotes tied it at 11. Back-to-back service aces by Maddy Wolf gave KWU a 14-13 lead, but Nelson came right back with five straight to lead 18-14. It was 22-18 Nelson when the Coyotes would scored five of the next six to tie it at 23. Nelson scored to have set point, but the Coyotes got the last laugh scoring the last three points to take the set 26-24.

Trailing 8-6, the Coyotes scored five in a row to take an 11-8 lead and pushed the lead out to 20-15. Nelson scored four straight to get within one, but then KWU had a 23-20 lead. Nelson scored the next three to tie it. In reverse fashion of the first, KWU scored the next point to have set point, but Nelson would get the last three to win 26-24.

Wesleyan led 8-6 in the third, but Nelson scored four to take a 10-8 lead. KWU was within a point at 12-11 before Nelson scored three straight. Nelson led 23-17, but the Coyotes said not so fast, scoring the next three. Nelson had set point at 24-20, but the Coyotes went on a run, scoring the next five to take a 25-24 lead. KWU led again at 26-25 when Nelson tied it, but KWU finished it with two points to win 28-26.

The Coyotes trailed 5-4 in the fourth, but a 7-2 run gave KWU an 11-7 lead. KWU led 15-9 but the Lions got within two at 17-15. Three straight from the Coyotes made it 20-15 and KWU closed out the match with a 25-19 win.

Serpan had another monster match with 20 kills while Adriaanse had 10. Stuhlsatz had 35 assists and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/764b7bbe-7478-4880-a150-12c7908883da?elinkdata=28141">Blair Pennington</a> had 19. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d693561c-65d1-40f7-af28-31f296b6c577?elinkdata=28141">Tristyn Hedman</a> had 27 digs in the match, while Pennington had 12 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/bf68972e-a2e7-4f41-a3a5-2baecbf465a4?elinkdata=28141">Ella Schmid</a> had 15.

TAMUT 3, KWU 1 (25-20, 13-25, 18-25, 20-25): KWU won the first set, but Texas A&amp;M Texarkana won the final three to win the match.

KWU trailed 7-3 to start the first set but Wesleyan turned the tides, scoring the next eight points to take an 11-7 lead. TAMUT made its own five point run to take the lead back 12-11, before things bounced back and forth in the set. The Eagles got within two at 22-20 before the Coyotes scored the last three to win the set.

Almost nothing went right for the Coyotes in the second set as the Eagles opened up the lead and coasted to the win.

KWU led early in the third, but a TAMUT run made it 9-5 in the Eagles' favor and the Coyotes couldn't recover. KWU got within three at 21-18, but the Eagles scored the final four to win the set.

Leading 7-3 in the fourth, the Coyotes couldn't hang on as the Eagles took 9-7 lead. KWU regained the lead at 10-9 briefly, but a late press by the Eagles gave them the match win.

Serpan was solid again in the setback, with 16 kills while hitting .452. Stuhlsatz had 19 assists and Pennington 12. Hedman had 15 digs.

The great Coyote road trip to start the season continues next weekend, as the Coyotes head to Ottawa on Friday to take on Stephens College, then head to Hays to take on Division II Fort Hays State on Saturday.

FORT WORTH, Texas - Kansas Wesleyan Women's Volleyball posted a 2-2 record in four matches in the Texas Two-Step Tournament hosted by Texas Wesleyan University and Nelson University on Friday and Saturday.KWU split its two matches each day. On Friday, the Coyotes opened with a four set loss to Texas Wesleyan, but bounced back with a 3-0 win over Rochester Christian. On Saturday, the Coyotes knocked off Nelson 3-1, but then lost to Texas A&amp;M-Texarkana in four sets.TXWES 3, KWU 1 (22-25, 21-25, 25-20, 16-25): The Coyotes battled tough with the Texas Wesleyan Rams, but TXWES came away with the four set win.The Coyotes had to fight back from a deficit several times in the opening set, but after tying things at 19 on a block by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b67c470d-2430-484d-bc77-b4382ec3e1af?elinkdata=28141">Kylee Harris</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4eda7426-2819-4a6e-a350-b607c94755be?elinkdata=28141">Sarah Girard</a>, the Rams scored the next three to make it 22-19 and were able to get the set win.KWU led 12-10 in the second, but a 6-0 run by TXWES put the Rams up 16-12. KWU got within two at 21-19, but TXWES was able to close out the set winning 25-21.KWU trailed 14-9 in the third, but tied it at 17-all and pushed out to a 19-17 lead on a <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b3ce87c4-12af-416c-b505-7473617134b9?elinkdata=28141">Kate Bebout</a> and Harris block. The Rams tied it back up at 19, but KWU scored six of the last seven, including the final four points to win the set 25-20.Texas Wesleyan pushed out to a 14-4 lead in the fourth, and the Coyotes couldn't recover dropping the set 25-16.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/946e8314-4999-49cb-b796-079227ca0d56?elinkdata=28141">Rylee Serpan</a> had 10 kills to lead the Coyotes, while <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/dacc33ad-78f1-45a8-a971-cd48c670bfdd?elinkdata=28141">Joey Pennington</a> had eight and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/44f41aae-24f0-4f34-999f-4aea336a4698?elinkdata=28141">Gianna Adriaanse</a> had six. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c9d78422-2aeb-4214-83c4-b6c49eb09dd1?elinkdata=28141">Kori Arnold</a> had 24 digs. Ryleigh Stulzsatz had 15 assists and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/bed3e62c-f033-401a-9e04-4b611c490ed9?elinkdata=28141">Sara Bebout</a> had 12.KWU 3, RCU 0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-17): The Coyotes finished Friday on a high note winning in straight sets against Rochester Christian University.KWU sped out to an 8-1 lead in the first set and led 12-3. RCU made it 14-8 before five straight points from the Coyotes made it 19-8 on the way to the 25-12 win.The Coyotes sped out to a 5-1 lead in the second set, but RCU tied it up at 5. The set went back and forth until right at the end when KWU scored the final five points to win the second set.The third set started a lot like the second, back and forth, and each team had mini runs until midway through the set when a 5-0 spurt by the Coyotes broke a 14-all tie and gave KWU a 19-14 lead. It was 23-17 when the Coyotes scored the last two points to close out the match.Serpan was phenomenal in the match for the Coyotes with 15 kills, no errors on 20 tries for a .750 attack percentage as the team hit .353. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4a4ab35b-078f-42b4-a629-ad39a68c2561?elinkdata=28141">Blair Pennington</a> had 14 assists and Stuhlsatz had 17. Arnold had nine digs.KWU 3, Nelson 1 (26-24, 24-26, 28-26, 25-19): Three of the four sets went "overtime" when the Coyotes faced Nelson University, but things landed in favor of Wesleyan who came aay with the win.Nelson took an early 5-1 lead in the first set, but the Coyotes tied it at 11. Back-to-back service aces by Maddy Wolf gave KWU a 14-13 lead, but Nelson came right back with five straight to lead 18-14. It was 22-18 Nelson when the Coyotes would scored five of the next six to tie it at 23. Nelson scored to have set point, but the Coyotes got the last laugh scoring the last three points to take the set 26-24.Trailing 8-6, the Coyotes scored five in a row to take an 11-8 lead and pushed the lead out to 20-15. Nelson scored four straight to get within one, but then KWU had a 23-20 lead. Nelson scored the next three to tie it. In reverse fashion of the first, KWU scored the next point to have set point, but Nelson would get the last three to win 26-24.Wesleyan led 8-6 in the third, but Nelson scored four to take a 10-8 lead. KWU was within a point at 12-11 before Nelson scored three straight. Nelson led 23-17, but the Coyotes said not so fast, scoring the next three. Nelson had set point at 24-20, but the Coyotes went on a run, scoring the next five to take a 25-24 lead. KWU led again at 26-25 when Nelson tied it, but KWU finished it with two points to win 28-26.The Coyotes trailed 5-4 in the fourth, but a 7-2 run gave KWU an 11-7 lead. KWU led 15-9 but the Lions got within two at 17-15. Three straight from the Coyotes made it 20-15 and KWU closed out the match with a 25-19 win.Serpan had another monster match with 20 kills while Adriaanse had 10. Stuhlsatz had 35 assists and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/764b7bbe-7478-4880-a150-12c7908883da?elinkdata=28141">Blair Pennington</a> had 19. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d693561c-65d1-40f7-af28-31f296b6c577?elinkdata=28141">Tristyn Hedman</a> had 27 digs in the match, while Pennington had 12 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/bf68972e-a2e7-4f41-a3a5-2baecbf465a4?elinkdata=28141">Ella Schmid</a> had 15.TAMUT 3, KWU 1 (25-20, 13-25, 18-25, 20-25): KWU won the first set, but Texas A&amp;M Texarkana won the final three to win the match.KWU trailed 7-3 to start the first set but Wesleyan turned the tides, scoring the next eight points to take an 11-7 lead. TAMUT made its own five point run to take the lead back 12-11, before things bounced back and forth in the set. The Eagles got within two at 22-20 before the Coyotes scored the last three to win the set.Almost nothing went right for the Coyotes in the second set as the Eagles opened up the lead and coasted to the win.KWU led early in the third, but a TAMUT run made it 9-5 in the Eagles' favor and the Coyotes couldn't recover. KWU got within three at 21-18, but the Eagles scored the final four to win the set.Leading 7-3 in the fourth, the Coyotes couldn't hang on as the Eagles took 9-7 lead. KWU regained the lead at 10-9 briefly, but a late press by the Eagles gave them the match win.Serpan was solid again in the setback, with 16 kills while hitting .452. Stuhlsatz had 19 assists and Pennington 12. Hedman had 15 digs.The great Coyote road trip to start the season continues next weekend, as the Coyotes head to Ottawa on Friday to take on Stephens College, then head to Hays to take on Division II Fort Hays State on Saturday.

🏐 Coyotes go 2-2 at Texas Two-Step

WICHITA, Kan. (August 30, 2025)—Five runs over the first two innings paced the Wichita Wind Surge to a 5-2 win over the Arkansas Travelers at Equity Bank Park. The win was the fifth in a row for the Wind Surge, who remain in third place of the Texas League North, two games back of Tulsa for a playoff spot.&nbsp;

Wichita came out swinging early with three runs coming on four hits in the bottom of the first inning. Kaelen Culpepper scored on a fielder’s choice, then Andrew Cossetti and Jake Rucker brought home a run each on singles to left and right field.&nbsp;Kala’i Rosario and Hendry Mendez followed with run-scoring singles in the home half of the second to give the Wind Surge a 5-0 lead.

Caleb Cali crushed a solo shot to left field to open the third and get Arkansas on the board. Bill Knight made it a three-run game after a sacrifice fly to right in the top of the sixth.

Logan Whitaker, Jaylen Nowlin, and Tanner Andrews combined to strand five Travelers on base over the final three innings of the night to secure a 5-2 win for Wichita.&nbsp;Gabriel Yanez earned his first win with the Wind Surge after giving up an earned run on three hits over one and one-third innings with a strikeout. Andrews retired three straight with a strikeout after a double started the top of the ninth to gather his second save.

Wichita finishes the series against the Arkansas Travelers on August 31 at 1:05 PM on Family Fun Day. Come early for pregame Catch on the Field, courtesy of Dippin Dots, and kids get to run the bases postgame, presented by Sonic! You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://windsurge.com/" target="_blank">windsurge.com</a>&nbsp;or watch online at&nbsp;<a href="http://milb.tv/" target="_blank">MiLB.TV</a>&nbsp;and Bally Sports Live. For ticket information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://windsurge.com/tickets" target="_blank">windsurge.com/tickets</a>.

WICHITA, Kan. (August 30, 2025)—Five runs over the first two innings paced the Wichita Wind Surge to a 5-2 win over the Arkansas Travelers at Equity Bank Park. The win was the fifth in a row for the Wind Surge, who remain in third place of the Texas League North, two games back of Tulsa for a playoff spot.&nbsp;Wichita came out swinging early with three runs coming on four hits in the bottom of the first inning. Kaelen Culpepper scored on a fielder’s choice, then Andrew Cossetti and Jake Rucker brought home a run each on singles to left and right field.&nbsp;Kala’i Rosario and Hendry Mendez followed with run-scoring singles in the home half of the second to give the Wind Surge a 5-0 lead.Caleb Cali crushed a solo shot to left field to open the third and get Arkansas on the board. Bill Knight made it a three-run game after a sacrifice fly to right in the top of the sixth.Logan Whitaker, Jaylen Nowlin, and Tanner Andrews combined to strand five Travelers on base over the final three innings of the night to secure a 5-2 win for Wichita.&nbsp;Gabriel Yanez earned his first win with the Wind Surge after giving up an earned run on three hits over one and one-third innings with a strikeout. Andrews retired three straight with a strikeout after a double started the top of the ninth to gather his second save.POSTGAME NOTES<ul>
 <li>Wichita wins their 40th home game, tied for the best in the Texas League.</li><li>Kaelen Culpepper finishes 3-for-3, reaches base five times on the night.&nbsp;</li><li>The Wind Surge have won seven consecutive Saturday games.</li><li>Wichita ties their season record of five straight wins.</li><li>The Wind Surge host a Family Fun Day for tomorrow afternoon’s series finale.</li>
 </ul>Wichita finishes the series against the Arkansas Travelers on August 31 at 1:05 PM on Family Fun Day. Come early for pregame Catch on the Field, courtesy of Dippin Dots, and kids get to run the bases postgame, presented by Sonic! You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://windsurge.com/" target="_blank">windsurge.com</a>&nbsp;or watch online at&nbsp;<a href="http://milb.tv/" target="_blank">MiLB.TV</a>&nbsp;and Bally Sports Live. For ticket information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://windsurge.com/tickets" target="_blank">windsurge.com/tickets</a>.

Wichita Wins Fifth Straight Versus Arkansas

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Avery Johnson threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Joe Jackson with 42 seconds left and No. 17 Kansas State escaped with a 38-35 victory over FCS opponent North Dakota on Saturday night.

Kansas State avoided becoming the first ranked team to lose two games in August in the history of the poll, and also dodged its first 0-2 start since coaching great Bill Snyder’s first season in 1989. The Wildcats opened last week with a 24-21 loss to Iowa State in Dublin.

North Dakota — playing its its first game under coach Eric Schmidt — missed a chance to become the seventh first FCS (formerly I-AA) team to knock off a school in the AP Top 25. Montana was the last to accomplish the feat, beating then-No. 20 Washington 13-7 in 2021.

K-State blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, with North Dakota taking a 35-31 lead on Sawyer Seidl's 20-yard run with 4:19 left.

Johnson then drove the Wildcats 81 yards on 10 plays for the winning score. Johnson was 28 of 43 for 318 yards and three touchdowns.

North Dakota led 21-17 at the half, and Kansas State took a 31-21 lead into the fourth. North Dakota started the rally with Jerry Kaminski's 22-yard touchdown pass to Korey Tai.

North Dakota's Jerry Kaminski was 23 of 38 for 231 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for two touchdowns.

The Fighting Hawks were looking for their first victory over an FBS opponent since edging Wyoming in 2015.

North Dakota: The Fighting Hawks were not intimidated playing a Power 4 opponent on the road, matching the Wildcats until the final seconds.

Kansas State: Could drop out of the poll after the shaky start.

North Dakota: Hosts Portland State on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756607147057.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics " />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics </figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Avery Johnson threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Joe Jackson with 42 seconds left and No. 17 Kansas State escaped with a 38-35 victory over FCS opponent North Dakota on Saturday night.Kansas State avoided becoming the first ranked team to lose two games in August in the history of the poll, and also dodged its first 0-2 start since coaching great Bill Snyder’s first season in 1989. The Wildcats opened last week with a 24-21 loss to Iowa State in Dublin.North Dakota — playing its its first game under coach Eric Schmidt — missed a chance to become the seventh first FCS (formerly I-AA) team to knock off a school in the AP Top 25. Montana was the last to accomplish the feat, beating then-No. 20 Washington 13-7 in 2021.K-State blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, with North Dakota taking a 35-31 lead on Sawyer Seidl's 20-yard run with 4:19 left.Johnson then drove the Wildcats 81 yards on 10 plays for the winning score. Johnson was 28 of 43 for 318 yards and three touchdowns.North Dakota led 21-17 at the half, and Kansas State took a 31-21 lead into the fourth. North Dakota started the rally with Jerry Kaminski's 22-yard touchdown pass to Korey Tai.North Dakota's Jerry Kaminski was 23 of 38 for 231 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for two touchdowns.The Fighting Hawks were looking for their first victory over an FBS opponent since edging Wyoming in 2015.<h2>The takeaway</h2>North Dakota: The Fighting Hawks were not intimidated playing a Power 4 opponent on the road, matching the Wildcats until the final seconds.Kansas State: Could drop out of the poll after the shaky start.<h2>Up next</h2>North Dakota: Hosts Portland State on Saturday.Kansas State: Hosts Army on Saturday.

🏈 K-State dodges upset-minded FCS North Dakota on last-minute TD

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the Kansas City Royals over the Detroit Tigers 3-1 on Saturday night.

After pinch-hitter Tyler Tolbert drew a seven-pitch walk from Tyler Holton (5-4), Witt connected for his 20th home run, a 427-foot shot to dead center. Witt, who singled earlier, extended his hitting streak to 18 games.

Lucas Erceg (6-3) struck out one in a 1-2-3 eighth inning before Carlos Estévez worked around Riley Greene’s one-out double for his 36th save.

The Tigers jumped ahead 1-0 in the third on Gleyber Torres’ sharp, two-out single. Detroit is 55-17 when scoring first.

Maikel Garcia tied it in the fourth with his 15th homer.

Making his Royals debut, Stephen Kolek threw six innings and allowed a run and four hits, and struck out three.

With Seattle's 4-3 loss to Cleveland, Kansas City moved within two games of the Mariners for the final AL wild-card spot.

Tigers starter Jack Flaherty allowed a run and four hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

Dillon Dingler had three of the seven hits by the Tigers, who were 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

With runners at second and third in the seventh, Royals right fielder Mike Yastrzemski fielded Trey Sweeney’s shallow fly and his throw home skipped past catcher Salvador Perez. Wenceel Pérez went halfway toward home, but stopped when pitcher John Schreiber backed up the plate. Ángel Zerpa got pinch-hitter Zach McKinstry to ground out, ending the inning and preserving the tie.

The last 10 games between Detroit and Kansas City have been decided by fewer than three runs, with the Tigers winning six.

Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal (11-4, 2.28 ERA) opposes Royals RHP Michael Wacha (8-10, 3.39) on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756606774820.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the Kansas City Royals over the Detroit Tigers 3-1 on Saturday night.After pinch-hitter Tyler Tolbert drew a seven-pitch walk from Tyler Holton (5-4), Witt connected for his 20th home run, a 427-foot shot to dead center. Witt, who singled earlier, extended his hitting streak to 18 games.Lucas Erceg (6-3) struck out one in a 1-2-3 eighth inning before Carlos Estévez worked around Riley Greene’s one-out double for his 36th save.The Tigers jumped ahead 1-0 in the third on Gleyber Torres’ sharp, two-out single. Detroit is 55-17 when scoring first.Maikel Garcia tied it in the fourth with his 15th homer.Making his Royals debut, Stephen Kolek threw six innings and allowed a run and four hits, and struck out three.With Seattle's 4-3 loss to Cleveland, Kansas City moved within two games of the Mariners for the final AL wild-card spot.Tigers starter Jack Flaherty allowed a run and four hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.Dillon Dingler had three of the seven hits by the Tigers, who were 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.<h2>Key moment</h2>With runners at second and third in the seventh, Royals right fielder Mike Yastrzemski fielded Trey Sweeney’s shallow fly and his throw home skipped past catcher Salvador Perez. Wenceel Pérez went halfway toward home, but stopped when pitcher John Schreiber backed up the plate. Ángel Zerpa got pinch-hitter Zach McKinstry to ground out, ending the inning and preserving the tie.<h2>Key stat</h2>The last 10 games between Detroit and Kansas City have been decided by fewer than three runs, with the Tigers winning six.<h2>Up next</h2>Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal (11-4, 2.28 ERA) opposes Royals RHP Michael Wacha (8-10, 3.39) on Sunday.

⚾ Bobby Witt Jr.'s 2-run homer in eighth lifts Royals over Tigers 

The Coyotes have dominated the last decade winning nine of the 10 games. KWU won 23-20 last year at JRI Hospitality Stadium and Graves Family Sports Complex. Ottawa prevailed 27-24 in overtime in 2023 in Ottawa ending Wesleyan's eight-game winning streak. Ottawa leads the all-time series 44-37-4. The teams first met in 1908 and 1909, did not meet again until 1928 when they played regularly until 1970 during Ottawa's first stint in the KCAC. The teams then did not meet again until 1982 and have met annually since.

"We want our kids to fly to the ball. We want them to play fast, which means they're not thinking a whole bunch. What we've done is we've gone out and gotten a bunch of Division II transfers. We needed immediate help; we needed guys that had played a lot of football. Now we have guys who have been in backup roles and played a lot of football. Guys who have been in successful programs that have helped set the table for us right now.

"(Austad) is one of the most cerebral quarterbacks I've ever coached. Phenomenal arm strength. If you want the true definition of ice water and veins that's who he is. There are times I would like to see him get a little bit more fired up but that's what makes him so great. He's over something quick. He makes big plays; he's played a lot of football.

"I'd like to say we're balanced and what that means is I might throw it 60 times; I might run it 60 times. Who knows? We're going to do what the defense gives us and that's what it is. We're going to take some shots (downfield) and do some things like that that we did not take where I was at the last few years."

"I know that the (Ottawa) head coach has taken over the play calling as defensive coordinator. It tells me we're going to get everything in the kitchen thrown at us. They're going to pressure; they're going to blitz; they're going to try to create havoc on defense for us. (Offensively) they're going to run the football. They're probably going to be more RPO (Run-Pass Option) based and I would think that with (Ray) they'll throw the ball more."

"If people are going to stack the box, we've got to be able to throw it out to the perimeter or be able to run to the perimeter. We have to find the opportunities and the spaces there and make sure that we get our guys in the right spots.

"Luke (Armstrong) is extremely athletic; he does some dynamic things with the football in his hand. I think sometimes his body moves a little bit faster than his brain as some kids do but he does really good things. We're expecting a lot from him. I know there's going to be a lot of people looking at him opponent-wise, they're probably going to try to focus a lot on him especially after what he did last year.

GAME INFORMATION<ul>
 <li>Kickoff: 6 p.m.</li><li>Day: Saturday</li><li>Location: Dr. Franklin Gene Bissell Field at JRI Hospitality Stadium and Graves Family Sports Complex on the campus of Kansas Wesleyan University</li><li>Records: Kansas Wesleyan 0-0; Ottawa 0-0</li>
 </ul>LIVE COVERAGE<ul>
 <li>The video stream of the game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network on the Urban Edge Network (<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ae0c9e1d-7ea8-44b4-bf9a-0ee669d8e93d?elinkdata=28111">https://urbanedgenetwork.net/watch/2573</a>). Saturday's game will be featured as part of the NAIA Football on UEN KIckoff Weekend, with the game featured nationally on the UEN Channel. The game will also be available on the KCAC Network at <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d8d15597-17a5-4499-8984-ff5b4eaae4f7?elinkdata=28111">www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan</a>.</li><li>Live Stats will be available at <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ffe9ecbb-c68e-4da2-8137-a03acf9485d3?elinkdata=28111">https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary</a></li><li>Radio coverage will be on KINA starting at 5 p.m. with Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson. The online radio stream is available at <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/161de1f5-516e-4619-9132-9a0a2987d0e5?elinkdata=28111">https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2</a>.</li>
 </ul>THE SERIESThe Coyotes have dominated the last decade winning nine of the 10 games. KWU won 23-20 last year at JRI Hospitality Stadium and Graves Family Sports Complex. Ottawa prevailed 27-24 in overtime in 2023 in Ottawa ending Wesleyan's eight-game winning streak. Ottawa leads the all-time series 44-37-4. The teams first met in 1908 and 1909, did not meet again until 1928 when they played regularly until 1970 during Ottawa's first stint in the KCAC. The teams then did not meet again until 1982 and have met annually since.KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE<ul>
 <li>New is the operative word. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a3577f9a-d536-4730-aa10-05449eb8e330?elinkdata=28111">Matt Middleton</a> was named head coach in December and is making his debut after two seasons at Division II juggernaut Harding. His staff is largely new with two holdovers - <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e50962d4-01ac-405b-9744-0f419f2fa3f6?elinkdata=28111">Chris Snyder</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e849e7fb-cf11-4f5b-9bf9-e7fb3ba4f4a1?elinkdata=28111">David Leonard</a> - and a roster that features a plethora of new faces.</li><li>Four returners from last season are in the starting offense led by NAIA First Team All-American running back <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e4cff652-0354-4829-b4f7-667df54fc894?elinkdata=28111">Luke Armstrong</a> who rushed for 1,453 yards and 16 touchdowns last year. Tackles <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7ee70b2f-973e-49b9-aaa7-248893351654?elinkdata=28111">Antonio Caballero</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6afc8670-9e10-4b89-ac8f-cc6f2a956dfe?elinkdata=28111">Juan Luna</a> return as does right guard <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/270e5b16-5423-449c-a799-0ba9ebf465f8?elinkdata=28111">Easton Lewis</a>, a Third Team All-American last year. Wide receiver <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/da10976e-952d-4520-af47-b258c41f5954?elinkdata=28111">Rhadarious Lomax-Spivey</a> sat out last season but was a starter in 2023 and is back this fall as are placekickers Cole Seagraves and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/afe46a89-ae58-4a23-b926-c2e18bc44c2e?elinkdata=28111">Talon Cope</a> and punter <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f8269e60-c221-4559-a960-8852a57d26fd?elinkdata=28111">Griffin Wiltse</a>.</li><li>Middleton has not committed to a specific offensive style saying his team will do whatever is necessary to score points. The Coyotes will run the ball, he said, but will not hesitate to throw if the opportunity is there. Middleton coached quarterbacks and fullbacks at Harding.</li><li><a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9834f5ca-a1a6-400b-bbb6-ba3821e96aca?elinkdata=28111">Henry Austad</a> will start at quarterback. He was the starter at Southeastern (Florida) the last two seasons and led the Fire to a 7-2 record in 2024. Newcomers <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c20034c9-c772-43a9-8d8b-b326ea25f01b?elinkdata=28111">Will Wilcox</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5a1beec5-9e5b-49d6-86b1-1d2cdc47dc77?elinkdata=28111">Jevin Dorsey</a> will be wide outs, along with Lomax-Spivey and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/903f1df4-7ac9-4283-ad41-49c82ca1b157?elinkdata=28111">Eric Hunter</a> who was on the 2023 roster.</li><li>Josh King-Bradely, who earned Third-Team All-America accolades in 2024, is the lone starter back on defense but will line up inside this season. He had 13 sacks, 56 tackles (33 solo) and forced three fumbles last season. The rest of the starting lineup is new and includes key transfers <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4a82a754-668c-49f4-b737-987273241834?elinkdata=28111">Diego Davis</a>, an end, linebacker <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/38668526-3377-44b9-a7c4-5c7bad24d7d2?elinkdata=28111">Gavin Skerik</a> and safety <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7c3204b7-3e27-44b0-aba6-30acc6b5cc2a?elinkdata=28111">Robert Rezex</a>.</li>
 </ul>OTTAWA AT A GLANCE<ul>
 <li>The Braves were 1-10 last season but seven of the losses were by 13 points or less. Their lone victory was over Saint Mary 33-30 on Homecoming in Ottawa.</li><li>The offense is led by running back Jordan Clay who led the team in rushing with 606 yards and six touchdowns. Keegan Ray takes over at quarterback. He's a graduate student transfer from Division II Tiffin. De'Anthony Curtis and Key Long were the top receivers a year ago and are back.</li><li>Safety Christian Obregon, tackle Teagan Flynn and nose guard Payton Green are the top returning defensive players. Obregon had 47 tackles and five pass breakups; Flynn 40 tackles that included 5.5 sacks and Green 40 stops.</li><li>Ottawa was picked to finish fifth in the Ted Kessinger Division in the KCAC's coaches' preseason poll.</li><li>Coach Nick Davis is in his fourth season as head coach. He led OU to the 2023 Gene Bissell Division title a berth in the NAIA Championship.</li>
 </ul>HEAD COACH MATT MIDDLETON"We want our kids to fly to the ball. We want them to play fast, which means they're not thinking a whole bunch. What we've done is we've gone out and gotten a bunch of Division II transfers. We needed immediate help; we needed guys that had played a lot of football. Now we have guys who have been in backup roles and played a lot of football. Guys who have been in successful programs that have helped set the table for us right now."(Austad) is one of the most cerebral quarterbacks I've ever coached. Phenomenal arm strength. If you want the true definition of ice water and veins that's who he is. There are times I would like to see him get a little bit more fired up but that's what makes him so great. He's over something quick. He makes big plays; he's played a lot of football."I'd like to say we're balanced and what that means is I might throw it 60 times; I might run it 60 times. Who knows? We're going to do what the defense gives us and that's what it is. We're going to take some shots (downfield) and do some things like that that we did not take where I was at the last few years.""I know that the (Ottawa) head coach has taken over the play calling as defensive coordinator. It tells me we're going to get everything in the kitchen thrown at us. They're going to pressure; they're going to blitz; they're going to try to create havoc on defense for us. (Offensively) they're going to run the football. They're probably going to be more RPO (Run-Pass Option) based and I would think that with (Ray) they'll throw the ball more."OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR BOOMER CUNNINGHAM"If people are going to stack the box, we've got to be able to throw it out to the perimeter or be able to run to the perimeter. We have to find the opportunities and the spaces there and make sure that we get our guys in the right spots."Luke (Armstrong) is extremely athletic; he does some dynamic things with the football in his hand. I think sometimes his body moves a little bit faster than his brain as some kids do but he does really good things. We're expecting a lot from him. I know there's going to be a lot of people looking at him opponent-wise, they're probably going to try to focus a lot on him especially after what he did last year.NEXT WEEK

🏈 KWU faces Ottawa to open 2025 campaign

WICHITA, Kan. (August 29, 2025)—Five Wichita Wind Surge pitchers combine for the team’s 11th shutout of the year in a 3-0 win for the team over the Arkansas Travelers at Equity Bank Park. 

The win marked the fourth straight for the Wind Surge, who remain in third place of the Texas League North, two games back of Tulsa for a playoff spot.&nbsp;

After neither team could put anything up on the scoreboard for the first three frames, Jake Rucker lined a three-run home run onto the berm in left field to give Wichita a 3-0 lead.&nbsp;

C.J. Culpepper threw five innings of three-hit baseball with two walks and four strikeouts in his 13th start of the season. That would be enough for his second consecutive win of the season to improve to a 2-1 record.&nbsp;

Michael Martinez, John Stankiewicz, Hunter Hoopes, and Kade Bragg all threw an inning each after Culpepper’s night wrapped up. Martinez gave up the last Travelers hit all night in the top of the sixth, as the latter three allowed just one man to reach the rest of the evening. 

Bragg struck out Jared Sundstrom for the final out in the top of the ninth, earning his third Double-A save.&nbsp;

Wichita continues the series against the Arkansas Travelers on August 30 at 6:05 PM on SpongeBob Squarepants Night. The first 1,500 fans will receive a SpongeBob-themed bucket hat! SpongeBob will be in attendance for the game, and the Wind Surge will also wear special themed uniforms that will be auctioned off after the game. You can listen to Wind Surge games on&nbsp;<a href="http://windsurge.com/" target="_blank">windsurge.com</a>&nbsp;or watch online at&nbsp;<a href="http://milb.tv/" target="_blank">MiLB.TV</a>&nbsp;and Bally Sports Live. For ticket information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://windsurge.com/tickets" target="_blank">windsurge.com/tickets</a>.

WICHITA, Kan. (August 29, 2025)—Five Wichita Wind Surge pitchers combine for the team’s 11th shutout of the year in a 3-0 win for the team over the Arkansas Travelers at Equity Bank Park. The win marked the fourth straight for the Wind Surge, who remain in third place of the Texas League North, two games back of Tulsa for a playoff spot.&nbsp;After neither team could put anything up on the scoreboard for the first three frames, Jake Rucker lined a three-run home run onto the berm in left field to give Wichita a 3-0 lead.&nbsp;C.J. Culpepper threw five innings of three-hit baseball with two walks and four strikeouts in his 13th start of the season. That would be enough for his second consecutive win of the season to improve to a 2-1 record.&nbsp;Michael Martinez, John Stankiewicz, Hunter Hoopes, and Kade Bragg all threw an inning each after Culpepper’s night wrapped up. Martinez gave up the last Travelers hit all night in the top of the sixth, as the latter three allowed just one man to reach the rest of the evening. Bragg struck out Jared Sundstrom for the final out in the top of the ninth, earning his third Double-A save.&nbsp;POSTGAME NOTES<ul>
 <li>The shutout was the 11th on the season for the Wind Surge.&nbsp;</li><li>Wichita wins their fourth game in a row.&nbsp;</li><li>Jake Rucker hits his sixth home run of 2025.</li><li>Wind Surge relievers retired 12 of the final 13 Arkansas hitters on the night.</li><li>Tomorrow night is SpongeBob Night at Equity Bank Park.</li>
 </ul>Wichita continues the series against the Arkansas Travelers on August 30 at 6:05 PM on SpongeBob Squarepants Night. The first 1,500 fans will receive a SpongeBob-themed bucket hat! SpongeBob will be in attendance for the game, and the Wind Surge will also wear special themed uniforms that will be auctioned off after the game. You can listen to Wind Surge games on&nbsp;<a href="http://windsurge.com/" target="_blank">windsurge.com</a>&nbsp;or watch online at&nbsp;<a href="http://milb.tv/" target="_blank">MiLB.TV</a>&nbsp;and Bally Sports Live. For ticket information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://windsurge.com/tickets" target="_blank">windsurge.com/tickets</a>.

Surge blank Travelers

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jalon Daniels threw for 280 yards and four touchdowns despite playing just one drive in the second half and Kansas easily defeated Wagner 46-7 on Friday night.

Emmanuel Henderson hauled in six of Daniels' passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns for Kansas (2-0). Daniel Hishaw rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown, all in the first half.

Kansas outgained Wagner 623-143, including 285-53 on the ground and 346-90 through the air. The Jayhawks had 32 first downs, compared to just six for Wagner.

But Kansas was not flawless. The Jayhawks had the game's only two turnovers, and both of those came in the red zone. They were just 4 of 10 on third down.

The Kansas defense did its part, limiting Wagner to just one drive of more than 20 yards.

Jack Stevens was 13 of 20 for 90 yards and a touchdown for Wagner (0-1). No Seahawks runner gained more than 25 yards on the ground.

Kansas was clearly better than its over-matched opponent from the FCS, but the Jayhawks left room for improvement. The Jayhawks put plenty on the tape, including a no-huddle offense on their second first-quarter drive, and some long passes from Daniels to his receivers.

Wagner will face Georgetown on the road on Sept. 6. Kansas will travel to face Missouri in Columbia for the first matchup between the former conference rivals since 2011.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756520094265.png" alt="Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jalon Daniels threw for 280 yards and four touchdowns despite playing just one drive in the second half and Kansas easily defeated Wagner 46-7 on Friday night.Emmanuel Henderson hauled in six of Daniels' passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns for Kansas (2-0). Daniel Hishaw rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown, all in the first half.Kansas outgained Wagner 623-143, including 285-53 on the ground and 346-90 through the air. The Jayhawks had 32 first downs, compared to just six for Wagner.But Kansas was not flawless. The Jayhawks had the game's only two turnovers, and both of those came in the red zone. They were just 4 of 10 on third down.The Kansas defense did its part, limiting Wagner to just one drive of more than 20 yards.Jack Stevens was 13 of 20 for 90 yards and a touchdown for Wagner (0-1). No Seahawks runner gained more than 25 yards on the ground.<h2>The takeaway</h2>Kansas was clearly better than its over-matched opponent from the FCS, but the Jayhawks left room for improvement. The Jayhawks put plenty on the tape, including a no-huddle offense on their second first-quarter drive, and some long passes from Daniels to his receivers.<h2>Up next</h2>Wagner will face Georgetown on the road on Sept. 6. Kansas will travel to face Missouri in Columbia for the first matchup between the former conference rivals since 2011.

🏈 Jalon Daniels throws for 4 touchdowns as KU easily defeated Wagner

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter hit two-run doubles and Dillon Dingler hit a solo homer as the Detroit Tigers rallied to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-3 on Friday night.

After Tigers starter Chris Paddack allowed three runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings, four relievers shut out the Royals on four hits. Kansas City was 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position over in the final five innings.

Kyle Finnegan (4-4) worked 1 2/3 innings of relief and got five outs, striking out three. Will Vest erned his 20th save.

The Royals jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Mike Yastrzemski led off the first with a first-pitch homer, his 11th career leadoff homer and fourth since joining the Royals on July 31st. Bobby Witt Jr. followed with a single, extending his hitting streak to 17 games. One out later, Maikel Garcia’s 14th home run gave Kansas City a three-run lead.

Greene and Gleyber Torres each had three hits and the top four hitters in Detroit’s lineup collected nine hits. Dingler hit his 12th homer of the season in the eighth inning.

Seth Lugo (8-7) scuffled through 3 1/3 innings, allowing multiple baserunners each inning while surrendering four runs on eight hits and four walks.

Kansas City remained three games behind Seattle in the chase for the American League’s final wild card spot.

With runners at the corners, Carpenter leapt to snag Kyle Isbel’s drive at the top of the fence in right field, ending a scoreless sixth inning and maintaining Detroit’s 4-3 lead.

In seven starts since signing a two-year contract extension July 28, Lugo has one win and an 8.35 ERA.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter hit two-run doubles and Dillon Dingler hit a solo homer as the Detroit Tigers rallied to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-3 on Friday night.After Tigers starter Chris Paddack allowed three runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings, four relievers shut out the Royals on four hits. Kansas City was 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position over in the final five innings.Kyle Finnegan (4-4) worked 1 2/3 innings of relief and got five outs, striking out three. Will Vest erned his 20th save.The Royals jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Mike Yastrzemski led off the first with a first-pitch homer, his 11th career leadoff homer and fourth since joining the Royals on July 31st. Bobby Witt Jr. followed with a single, extending his hitting streak to 17 games. One out later, Maikel Garcia’s 14th home run gave Kansas City a three-run lead.Greene and Gleyber Torres each had three hits and the top four hitters in Detroit’s lineup collected nine hits. Dingler hit his 12th homer of the season in the eighth inning.Seth Lugo (8-7) scuffled through 3 1/3 innings, allowing multiple baserunners each inning while surrendering four runs on eight hits and four walks.Kansas City remained three games behind Seattle in the chase for the American League’s final wild card spot.<h2>Key moment</h2>With runners at the corners, Carpenter leapt to snag Kyle Isbel’s drive at the top of the fence in right field, ending a scoreless sixth inning and maintaining Detroit’s 4-3 lead.<h2>Key stat</h2>In seven starts since signing a two-year contract extension July 28, Lugo has one win and an 8.35 ERA.<h2>Up next</h2>

⚾ Greene, Carpenter and Dingler power Tigers to a win over Royals

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“All right, so we look forward to the challenge of playing the Chargers. It's obviously, it's in Brazil. We look forward to traveling south there and having an opportunity to play internationally. It's quite a privilege. So, we're kind of rounding the team out now as we put all the pieces together for (a) practice squad. And then finalizing that part of it so we can get underway. Today is an off day for the players and very similar to a Monday. And then we'll start a normal week here starting tomorrow and get ourselves ready to travel on Wednesday. And then Thursday we'll have a walkthrough down in Brazil there. And then you play on Friday. So, we're one week away from it. We’re again looking forward to putting this week together here. Anyways, I don't have any injuries. Jalen (Royals) continues to work to get himself better. Yeah, there's – we'll see how it goes, I mean it'll be a, it'd be a real rush for this week for sure. So, it doesn’t look like he'll probably make (it) this week, but should be ready to go as we go down the road here. So anyways, with that time is yours.”

Q: Are there any more little details that you're trying to implement into the team to make the game in Brazil as routine as possible?

REID:&nbsp;“Sure. So, if you take tomorrow and just pretend like it's a Tuesday, today would be a Monday, tomorrow’s a Tuesday, or we'll go through the week off of that type of a schedule, and then we'll just block out that Wednesday as a travel day. I mean, it's a ten-hour plus trip there. So that one we’ll just give to the airlines. And then we'll go ahead and pick it back up on Thursday down there and do the walkthrough part of it. And then the rest of it will stay consistent. We'll try to keep the times consistent. There's only a two-hour difference. So, we should be able to keep things, you know, relatively consistent going forward.”

Q: On JuJu Smith-Schuster stepping up and filling in for Rashee Rice.

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah. Well, JuJu (Smith-Schuster) had a great camp and is and I mean he mentioned (it to) you guys, he's in the best shape he's been in in a long time. So, he feels very good, and we have a lot of trust in him. But most of all, Patrick (Mahomes) has a lot of trust in him. So yeah, no he can fill in that that role for sure. And then you've got a healthy Hollywood (Brown) that can play for you and Ty (Tyquan Thornton) came out and had a good camp for us. So, you know he's another one.”

Q: What was your reaction and thoughts to hearing Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s engagement?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, Jesse (Newell) listen, I'm happy for them. You know – it’s hard to find somebody that you fall in love with, and that's not an easy thing, and to really fall in love. And it seems like they're there and I think it's a great, great deal for both of them. And they like being around each other and you know, that’s a plus, I think. They're both busy people in their own right. And both are very famous in their own right. So, it's kind of neat to see that they come together and handle themselves the way they do.”

Q:&nbsp;Since we last chatted with you, Rashee Rice’s suspension has been made official. What's just been the process of preparing for both scenarios, particularly Week 1?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, Sam (McDowell), you know, we had an idea that something was going to happen, whether it was now or later, it doesn't necessarily matter, but something was going to happen and it would probably be around that six game area. And so, we went about business full steam ahead (and) rotated guys in. Everybody got a chance to play that will have an opportunity to play here. And so, I think it was good for Rashee (Rice) to get the practice in, he'll be away for three weeks, and then he’ll be back in the building after that, to be able to work out here and just do everything but not practice so, and then we'll get him back in the – after six weeks. But we've got guys that are capable of playing here that, we just have to go out and do it. Not that you don't miss, Rashee. I mean, he's a heck of a football player, but we have, we have other guys that are good players, too.”

Q:&nbsp;What stands out about the camp that Rashee Rice did have though?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, he had a real good camp who kept himself in the right frame of mind of where he could work. He wasn't moping around. Stayed positive. He's trying to do the right things, first of all, I've mentioned somewhere that you know, Rashee’s (Rice) got a real good heart. You know, it's unfortunate that it happened. Thank goodness people weren't hurt obviously, but lesson learned. And you move on and try to, try to move ahead. You know, in a positive manner. And so far, he's done a nice job with that.”

Q:&nbsp;On the impact of game planning when trying to figure out if Rashee Rice is suspended.

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, sure, and I think we were okay with it because of the rotation that we had going, we were prepared for it. We don't have to change a lot of things moving forward and what we put in the game plan. As far as their part goes, you know, last year, our first game against them, they were missing one of their big players on defense. You know they made their adjustments that they need to make in life, life moved on. So, they're familiar with how to handle situations like this too. In the NFL, Soren (Petro), as you know man, you got to be ready for change. Changes happen rapidly and whether it's an injury or a suspension or some of that, or you gotta be ready to go and still play at a high level. So our guys are excited to play and keep going on this thing.”

Q:&nbsp;Does this travel situation bring out the best in teams?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think it’s a little bit of a frame of mind. I think if you say you're being honored to actually do this, because you're doing well, that's the way you approach it. It's an honor to have an overseas game and to be able to go to Brazil. And then as opposed to, ‘oh my gosh, what are they giving us?’ You know that attitude didn't get you anywhere. So, you take the schedule and you turn that same thing into a positive. Plus, to play these teams – some of these teams, well most of them in this league are just tremendous football teams and the parity and it's crazy. So, it really doesn't matter who you're playing or really when you're playing, you just take in and you roll. They're doing the same thing you're doing.”

Q: What’s the key to setting a tempo in the first week and month of the season?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, well, it’s always good to come off and get a good start for sure. I think all 32 of us (NFL teams) are trying to do that, (to) come out of the gates and play well. However, when they say – you use that O-line mastermind thing, and you say you’d better take every week as it’s own separate thing, and you better keep pounding as you go through the year. But you sure would like to come out and play well, I mean, for sure.”

Q: How long do you feel it takes for a team to build an identity?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, normally it takes a couple of weeks, Nick (Jacobs). And I think that’s probably for most teams. Now we’ve got a lot of guys coming back, so maybe that cuts it down a little bit. But just to get yourself in rhythm and now you’re taking it up a notch from what you were doing in training camp. And so sometimes you (have) got to work through that just a tick, but it should be okay there.”

Q: What’s your anticipation level for Josh Simmons playing left tackle in a regular season game?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, Todd (Leabo), I think we just let him (Josh Simmons) go, get him out here, (and) let him get this experience going forward. This group’s (Los Angeles Chargers) got two good defensive ends, and so it’ll be a nice challenge for him. And I’ll probably be saying that every week through the season here, but it’s his first year, so there are going to be things that he hasn’t seen before, and he’s got to fight through that. But he’s a talented kid and he’s willing – he wants to do well, and he has worked very hard. He’s worked very hard to get himself into this position right here to be the starter. I told you after training camp, my hat goes off to the kid. He didn’t miss a day, from the time he started in the OTAs (and) throughout this camp where he’s tried to bear down. There’ll be some things in there, some hiccups in there, I’m sure, but he sure is willing to play.”

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I know Kinglsey (Suamataia) has worked very hard this offseason. He feels comfortable in there at that spot (left guard), but I’ll tell you it’s new (for him) and there’s going to be things in there. He seems to be working well with Creed (Humphrey) and Josh (Simmons), but again this is a good defense (Los Angeles Chargers), (they were) one of the top defenses in the league last year, and now they’ve got to step into that and play good football. And so that’s what we’re going to practice each week here, and hopefully the continuity continues to grow there with the three of them (Kingsley Suamataia, Josh Simmons, Creed Humphrey).

Q: Do you have to prepare the team for international games emotionally, or do you let them rely on their experiences to get them through the game?

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesAugust 29, 2025OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“All right, so we look forward to the challenge of playing the Chargers. It's obviously, it's in Brazil. We look forward to traveling south there and having an opportunity to play internationally. It's quite a privilege. So, we're kind of rounding the team out now as we put all the pieces together for (a) practice squad. And then finalizing that part of it so we can get underway. Today is an off day for the players and very similar to a Monday. And then we'll start a normal week here starting tomorrow and get ourselves ready to travel on Wednesday. And then Thursday we'll have a walkthrough down in Brazil there. And then you play on Friday. So, we're one week away from it. We’re again looking forward to putting this week together here. Anyways, I don't have any injuries. Jalen (Royals) continues to work to get himself better. Yeah, there's – we'll see how it goes, I mean it'll be a, it'd be a real rush for this week for sure. So, it doesn’t look like he'll probably make (it) this week, but should be ready to go as we go down the road here. So anyways, with that time is yours.”Q: Are there any more little details that you're trying to implement into the team to make the game in Brazil as routine as possible?REID:&nbsp;“Sure. So, if you take tomorrow and just pretend like it's a Tuesday, today would be a Monday, tomorrow’s a Tuesday, or we'll go through the week off of that type of a schedule, and then we'll just block out that Wednesday as a travel day. I mean, it's a ten-hour plus trip there. So that one we’ll just give to the airlines. And then we'll go ahead and pick it back up on Thursday down there and do the walkthrough part of it. And then the rest of it will stay consistent. We'll try to keep the times consistent. There's only a two-hour difference. So, we should be able to keep things, you know, relatively consistent going forward.”Q: On JuJu Smith-Schuster stepping up and filling in for Rashee Rice.REID:&nbsp;“Yeah. Well, JuJu (Smith-Schuster) had a great camp and is and I mean he mentioned (it to) you guys, he's in the best shape he's been in in a long time. So, he feels very good, and we have a lot of trust in him. But most of all, Patrick (Mahomes) has a lot of trust in him. So yeah, no he can fill in that that role for sure. And then you've got a healthy Hollywood (Brown) that can play for you and Ty (Tyquan Thornton) came out and had a good camp for us. So, you know he's another one.”Q: What was your reaction and thoughts to hearing Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s engagement?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, Jesse (Newell) listen, I'm happy for them. You know – it’s hard to find somebody that you fall in love with, and that's not an easy thing, and to really fall in love. And it seems like they're there and I think it's a great, great deal for both of them. And they like being around each other and you know, that’s a plus, I think. They're both busy people in their own right. And both are very famous in their own right. So, it's kind of neat to see that they come together and handle themselves the way they do.”Q:&nbsp;Since we last chatted with you, Rashee Rice’s suspension has been made official. What's just been the process of preparing for both scenarios, particularly Week 1?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, Sam (McDowell), you know, we had an idea that something was going to happen, whether it was now or later, it doesn't necessarily matter, but something was going to happen and it would probably be around that six game area. And so, we went about business full steam ahead (and) rotated guys in. Everybody got a chance to play that will have an opportunity to play here. And so, I think it was good for Rashee (Rice) to get the practice in, he'll be away for three weeks, and then he’ll be back in the building after that, to be able to work out here and just do everything but not practice so, and then we'll get him back in the – after six weeks. But we've got guys that are capable of playing here that, we just have to go out and do it. Not that you don't miss, Rashee. I mean, he's a heck of a football player, but we have, we have other guys that are good players, too.”Q:&nbsp;What stands out about the camp that Rashee Rice did have though?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, he had a real good camp who kept himself in the right frame of mind of where he could work. He wasn't moping around. Stayed positive. He's trying to do the right things, first of all, I've mentioned somewhere that you know, Rashee’s (Rice) got a real good heart. You know, it's unfortunate that it happened. Thank goodness people weren't hurt obviously, but lesson learned. And you move on and try to, try to move ahead. You know, in a positive manner. And so far, he's done a nice job with that.”Q:&nbsp;On the impact of game planning when trying to figure out if Rashee Rice is suspended.REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, sure, and I think we were okay with it because of the rotation that we had going, we were prepared for it. We don't have to change a lot of things moving forward and what we put in the game plan. As far as their part goes, you know, last year, our first game against them, they were missing one of their big players on defense. You know they made their adjustments that they need to make in life, life moved on. So, they're familiar with how to handle situations like this too. In the NFL, Soren (Petro), as you know man, you got to be ready for change. Changes happen rapidly and whether it's an injury or a suspension or some of that, or you gotta be ready to go and still play at a high level. So our guys are excited to play and keep going on this thing.”Q:&nbsp;Does this travel situation bring out the best in teams?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think it’s a little bit of a frame of mind. I think if you say you're being honored to actually do this, because you're doing well, that's the way you approach it. It's an honor to have an overseas game and to be able to go to Brazil. And then as opposed to, ‘oh my gosh, what are they giving us?’ You know that attitude didn't get you anywhere. So, you take the schedule and you turn that same thing into a positive. Plus, to play these teams – some of these teams, well most of them in this league are just tremendous football teams and the parity and it's crazy. So, it really doesn't matter who you're playing or really when you're playing, you just take in and you roll. They're doing the same thing you're doing.”Q: What’s the key to setting a tempo in the first week and month of the season?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, well, it’s always good to come off and get a good start for sure. I think all 32 of us (NFL teams) are trying to do that, (to) come out of the gates and play well. However, when they say – you use that O-line mastermind thing, and you say you’d better take every week as it’s own separate thing, and you better keep pounding as you go through the year. But you sure would like to come out and play well, I mean, for sure.”Q: How long do you feel it takes for a team to build an identity?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, normally it takes a couple of weeks, Nick (Jacobs). And I think that’s probably for most teams. Now we’ve got a lot of guys coming back, so maybe that cuts it down a little bit. But just to get yourself in rhythm and now you’re taking it up a notch from what you were doing in training camp. And so sometimes you (have) got to work through that just a tick, but it should be okay there.”Q: What’s your anticipation level for Josh Simmons playing left tackle in a regular season game?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, Todd (Leabo), I think we just let him (Josh Simmons) go, get him out here, (and) let him get this experience going forward. This group’s (Los Angeles Chargers) got two good defensive ends, and so it’ll be a nice challenge for him. And I’ll probably be saying that every week through the season here, but it’s his first year, so there are going to be things that he hasn’t seen before, and he’s got to fight through that. But he’s a talented kid and he’s willing – he wants to do well, and he has worked very hard. He’s worked very hard to get himself into this position right here to be the starter. I told you after training camp, my hat goes off to the kid. He didn’t miss a day, from the time he started in the OTAs (and) throughout this camp where he’s tried to bear down. There’ll be some things in there, some hiccups in there, I’m sure, but he sure is willing to play.”Q: On Kinglsey Suamataia.REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I know Kinglsey (Suamataia) has worked very hard this offseason. He feels comfortable in there at that spot (left guard), but I’ll tell you it’s new (for him) and there’s going to be things in there. He seems to be working well with Creed (Humphrey) and Josh (Simmons), but again this is a good defense (Los Angeles Chargers), (they were) one of the top defenses in the league last year, and now they’ve got to step into that and play good football. And so that’s what we’re going to practice each week here, and hopefully the continuity continues to grow there with the three of them (Kingsley Suamataia, Josh Simmons, Creed Humphrey).Q: Do you have to prepare the team for international games emotionally, or do you let them rely on their experiences to get them through the game?

Chiefs Quotes: 8-29-25

MANHATTAN, Kansas&nbsp;–&nbsp;K-State women’s basketball has received its schedule for the 2025 Cancun Challenge at Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya on November 27-29. The Wildcats are joined in the Mayan Division by Columbia, North Carolina and South Dakota State.

The Wildcats will face Columbia on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. On Friday, K-State and North Carolina will meet at 10 a.m. The Wildcats will end its schedule in Cancun on Saturday at 10 a.m., against South Dakota State.

K-State has played in Cancun four times in its history. The Wildcats’ first trip to Cancun came in 1999 in the Cancun Tournament, followed by a trip to the Caribbean Classic in 2007. K-State has taken part in the Cancun Challenge in 2011 and 2018.

Fan packages are available for the Cancun Challenge and can be purchased at&nbsp;<a href="http://cancunchallenge.net/" target="_blank">cancunchallenge.net</a>.

K-State and Columbia will meet for the first time. This will be the 12th&nbsp;time the Wildcats will face an Ivy League opponent and the first time since the 2018-19 season, when K-State defeated Princeton in the Cancun Challenge.

Columbia ended the 2024-25 season in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, falling to West Virginia. The Lions completed the season with a 24-7 overall record and a 13-1 mark in the Ivy League.

The Wildcats will face the Tarheels for the third time in the history of the series and the second time in the last three seasons. K-State captured the last meeting against North Carolina, 63-56, in Estero, Florida, during the 2023 Gulf Coast Showcase.

North Carolina reached the 2025 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 with a 29-8 overall record.

K-State and South Dakota State will match up for the ninth time and the first time since Dec. 10, 2022, when the Jackrabbits ended a seven-game losing streak to the Wildcats with an 82-78 win in Kansas City.

South Dakota State completed the 2024-25 season by reaching the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, where the Jackrabbits fell to eventual national champion UConn. South Dakota State registered a record of 30-4 overall and secured the regular season and tournament Summit League crowns.

K-State women’s basketball season tickets for the 2025-26 season are available now. For more information on season ticket packages for the Wildcats’ home schedule, contact the K-State Athletics Ticket Office by calling 1-800-221-CATS or visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">www.kstatesports.com/tickets</a>.

2025 Cancun Challenge – Mayan Division

Thursday, Nov. 27North Carolina vs. South Dakota State, 10 a.m.Columbia vs. Kansas State, 12:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 28Kansas State vs. North Carolina, 10 a.m.South Dakota State vs. Columbia, 12:30 p.m.

MANHATTAN, Kansas&nbsp;–&nbsp;K-State women’s basketball has received its schedule for the 2025 Cancun Challenge at Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya on November 27-29. The Wildcats are joined in the Mayan Division by Columbia, North Carolina and South Dakota State.The Wildcats will face Columbia on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. On Friday, K-State and North Carolina will meet at 10 a.m. The Wildcats will end its schedule in Cancun on Saturday at 10 a.m., against South Dakota State.K-State has played in Cancun four times in its history. The Wildcats’ first trip to Cancun came in 1999 in the Cancun Tournament, followed by a trip to the Caribbean Classic in 2007. K-State has taken part in the Cancun Challenge in 2011 and 2018.Fan packages are available for the Cancun Challenge and can be purchased at&nbsp;<a href="http://cancunchallenge.net/" target="_blank">cancunchallenge.net</a>.K-State and Columbia will meet for the first time. This will be the 12th&nbsp;time the Wildcats will face an Ivy League opponent and the first time since the 2018-19 season, when K-State defeated Princeton in the Cancun Challenge.Columbia ended the 2024-25 season in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, falling to West Virginia. The Lions completed the season with a 24-7 overall record and a 13-1 mark in the Ivy League.The Wildcats will face the Tarheels for the third time in the history of the series and the second time in the last three seasons. K-State captured the last meeting against North Carolina, 63-56, in Estero, Florida, during the 2023 Gulf Coast Showcase.North Carolina reached the 2025 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 with a 29-8 overall record.K-State and South Dakota State will match up for the ninth time and the first time since Dec. 10, 2022, when the Jackrabbits ended a seven-game losing streak to the Wildcats with an 82-78 win in Kansas City.South Dakota State completed the 2024-25 season by reaching the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, where the Jackrabbits fell to eventual national champion UConn. South Dakota State registered a record of 30-4 overall and secured the regular season and tournament Summit League crowns.K-State women’s basketball season tickets for the 2025-26 season are available now. For more information on season ticket packages for the Wildcats’ home schedule, contact the K-State Athletics Ticket Office by calling 1-800-221-CATS or visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">www.kstatesports.com/tickets</a>.2025 Cancun Challenge – Mayan DivisionThursday, Nov. 27North Carolina vs. South Dakota State, 10 a.m.Columbia vs. Kansas State, 12:30 p.m.Friday, Nov. 28Kansas State vs. North Carolina, 10 a.m.South Dakota State vs. Columbia, 12:30 p.m.

K-State WBB Schedule Set at 2025 Cancun Challenge

WICHITA, Kan. (August 28, 2025)—Kala’i Rosario hit a walk-off grand slam for his second home run of the night in a 7-4 victory for the Wichita Wind Surge over the Arkansas Travelers at Equity Bank Park. 

Wichita holds sole possession of third place in the Texas League North, two games behind Tulsa for the second-half title.&nbsp;Two pitches into the game, Colt Emerson slugged a two-run home run to right field to give the Travelers a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.&nbsp;

Kala’i Rosario tied the game with a two-run shot, his 22nd of the year, toward left center in the home half of the third.&nbsp;Sam Armstrong finished his night with a quality start, throwing six innings and giving up two earned runs on four hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. 

His 23rd start of the season marks his fifth quality start of the year and second with the Wind Surge.&nbsp;Emerson drilled a solo shot, his second long ball of the night, to right in the top of the eighth. 

Bill Knight slapped an opposite-field single to right to drive in another run and gift Arkansas a 4-2 advantage.&nbsp;An error and two base hits loaded the bases with one out for Wichita in the bottom of the ninth. 

Maddux Houghton pushed a fielder’s choice toward second base, and everybody was safe, with Andrew Cossetti coming in to score. Rosario played hero with two outs, clocking a grand slam into the Wind Surge bullpen for a 7-4 final score and Wichita’s second walk-off win of the season.&nbsp;

Jacob Wosinski, who finished with a strikeout over a routine inning of relief, earned the victory and improved to 6-1 with the Wind Surge this year.&nbsp;

WICHITA, Kan. (August 28, 2025)—Kala’i Rosario hit a walk-off grand slam for his second home run of the night in a 7-4 victory for the Wichita Wind Surge over the Arkansas Travelers at Equity Bank Park. Wichita holds sole possession of third place in the Texas League North, two games behind Tulsa for the second-half title.&nbsp;Two pitches into the game, Colt Emerson slugged a two-run home run to right field to give the Travelers a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.&nbsp;Kala’i Rosario tied the game with a two-run shot, his 22nd of the year, toward left center in the home half of the third.&nbsp;Sam Armstrong finished his night with a quality start, throwing six innings and giving up two earned runs on four hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. His 23rd start of the season marks his fifth quality start of the year and second with the Wind Surge.&nbsp;Emerson drilled a solo shot, his second long ball of the night, to right in the top of the eighth. Bill Knight slapped an opposite-field single to right to drive in another run and gift Arkansas a 4-2 advantage.&nbsp;An error and two base hits loaded the bases with one out for Wichita in the bottom of the ninth. Maddux Houghton pushed a fielder’s choice toward second base, and everybody was safe, with Andrew Cossetti coming in to score. Rosario played hero with two outs, clocking a grand slam into the Wind Surge bullpen for a 7-4 final score and Wichita’s second walk-off win of the season.&nbsp;Jacob Wosinski, who finished with a strikeout over a routine inning of relief, earned the victory and improved to 6-1 with the Wind Surge this year.&nbsp;POSTGAME NOTES<ul>
 <li>Wichita has its second walk-off win of 2025 (April 23 vs. Springfield</li><li>Kala’i Rosario has his second multi-home run game of his career and this year.</li><li>Kala’i Rosario is one home run away from the single-season franchise record (Yunior Severino, 24, 2023).</li><li>Nine of the 11 total runs scored in this game came on home runs.&nbsp;</li><li>Sam Armstrong throws his fifth quality start of the season and second with the Wind Surge.</li>
 </ul>

Surge Walk Off Travs

LAWRENCE, Kan.&nbsp;– Warren Corman, a fixture in the rich history of the Kansas Athletics and University of Kansas architecture, died August 28, in Lawrence, the Corman family informed KU officials. The last of the seven architects that built Allen Fieldhouse to pass, Corman was 99 years old.

A KU men’s basketball season ticket holder for more than 60 years, Corman, and his wife, Mary, were regulars at both football and men’s basketball weekly Hawk Talk radio shows and deeply passionate about the Jayhawks.

“Warren Corman's legacy will forever be woven into the fabric of the University of Kansas with his incredible contributions to Allen Fieldhouse,” Kansas Director of Athletics Travis Goff said. “That historic venue would not be what it is today without Warren. We will miss his amazing stories and his passion for KU but cherish the time we have had with him. The KU Athletics' family sends our love and condolences to Mary and the entire family."

Corman was the youngest of the architects on the Allen Fieldhouse project. The others included James Canole, Frank Johnson, Charles Marshall, Robert Jokish, Robert Schober, and Thornton Beck. Six of Kansas’ eight all-time coaches played their home contests in Allen Fieldhouse and all developed a relationship with Corman.

“Warren Corman played an integral role in what Kansas basketball is today as one the architects who designed Allen Fieldhouse,” Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self said. “Cindy and I truly enjoyed getting to know Warren and Mary over the years and listening to Warren tell stories about his role with the University. He had such a wealth of knowledge about everything KU. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mary and his family.

A 1950 architecture engineering graduate from KU who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Corman had a major impact on the learning environment encountered by the state's college students. In 1966, he was recruited by the Kansas Board of Regents to be director of facilities, a position he held for 31 years. During his tenure, Corman worked with all the regents institutions, overseeing planning and construction on more than 300 construction projects, valued at more than $500 million.

LAWRENCE, Kan.&nbsp;– Warren Corman, a fixture in the rich history of the Kansas Athletics and University of Kansas architecture, died August 28, in Lawrence, the Corman family informed KU officials. The last of the seven architects that built Allen Fieldhouse to pass, Corman was 99 years old.A KU men’s basketball season ticket holder for more than 60 years, Corman, and his wife, Mary, were regulars at both football and men’s basketball weekly Hawk Talk radio shows and deeply passionate about the Jayhawks.“Warren Corman's legacy will forever be woven into the fabric of the University of Kansas with his incredible contributions to Allen Fieldhouse,” Kansas Director of Athletics Travis Goff said. “That historic venue would not be what it is today without Warren. We will miss his amazing stories and his passion for KU but cherish the time we have had with him. The KU Athletics' family sends our love and condolences to Mary and the entire family."Corman was the youngest of the architects on the Allen Fieldhouse project. The others included James Canole, Frank Johnson, Charles Marshall, Robert Jokish, Robert Schober, and Thornton Beck. Six of Kansas’ eight all-time coaches played their home contests in Allen Fieldhouse and all developed a relationship with Corman.“Warren Corman played an integral role in what Kansas basketball is today as one the architects who designed Allen Fieldhouse,” Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self said. “Cindy and I truly enjoyed getting to know Warren and Mary over the years and listening to Warren tell stories about his role with the University. He had such a wealth of knowledge about everything KU. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mary and his family.“KU lost a treasure in Warren.”A 1950 architecture engineering graduate from KU who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Corman had a major impact on the learning environment encountered by the state's college students. In 1966, he was recruited by the Kansas Board of Regents to be director of facilities, a position he held for 31 years. During his tenure, Corman worked with all the regents institutions, overseeing planning and construction on more than 300 construction projects, valued at more than $500 million.Corman also was instrumental in two public policy actions that continue to serve Kansans: the State Building Advisory Committee, which greatly reduced the opportunity for corruption, and Crumbling Classrooms, widely recognized as the single most important facilities repair-and-rehabilitation funding project in regents history.