KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Kansas City Royals catcher&nbsp;Salvador Perez&nbsp;and shortstop&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp;have been named winners of the 2024 Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award, as announced tonight by Louisville Slugger.

Perez was voted a winner over three other American League finalists at the catcher position: Houston’s&nbsp;Yainer Diaz, Oakland’s&nbsp;Shea Langeliers&nbsp;and Seattle’s&nbsp;Cal Raleigh. This marks Salvy’s fifth career Silver Slugger Award, following 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2021, extending his franchise record, ahead of Hall of Famer&nbsp;George Brett, who won the award three times.

Salvy is the ninth player to win at least five Louisville Silver Slugger Awards as a catcher since the award was established in 1980, joining&nbsp;Mike Piazza&nbsp;(10),&nbsp;Iván Rodríguez&nbsp;(7),&nbsp;Brian McCann&nbsp;(6),&nbsp;Lance Parrish&nbsp;(6),&nbsp;Gary Carter&nbsp;(5),&nbsp;Joe Mauer&nbsp;(5),&nbsp;Jorge Posada&nbsp;(5) and&nbsp;Buster Posey&nbsp;(5).

Perez, who is also a five-time&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove Award-winner, is now the second catcher to win five&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Gloves and five Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger awards, joining the Hall of Famer Pudge Rodríguez, who won 13 Gold Gloves and seven Silver Slugger Awards.&nbsp;

Among qualified American League catchers in 2024 (min. 50% games at the position), Perez ranked 1st in RBI (104), on-base percentage (.330), slugging percentage (.456), OPS (.786) and extra-base hits (55), 2nd in batting average (.271) and hits (160) and 3rd in home runs (27).

Salvy’s 104 RBI were the 2nd most ever by a catcher (min. 50% games) in his age-34 season or older, trailing only&nbsp;Carlton Fisk, who had 107 RBI at age 37 in 1985.

Salvy played in 158 games in 2024, the 2nd-highest total of his 13-year career, and made 90 starts behind the plate. His 27 home runs tied for the 2nd-highest total of his career and marked his eighth season with at least 20 HR. Perez ranked 2nd among all Major League players with 29 go-ahead RBI, trailing only&nbsp;Aaron Judge&nbsp;(32).

Witt Jr. is a first-time Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award-winner, after besting two other American League finalists at shortstop: Baltimore’s&nbsp;Gunnar Henderson&nbsp;and Texas’&nbsp;Corey Seager.

Witt Jr. is the first shortstop in Royals history to win a Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award. He led all Major League players in 2024 with a .332 batting average and 211 hits. Among qualified shortstops in the American League, he also ranked 1st in runs (125), RBI (109), on-base percentage (.389), slugging percentage (.588), OPS (.977), extra-base hits (88) and games (161).

Witt Jr. hit 32 home runs (2nd among AL shortstops) and had 30 stolen bases to become the first shortstop in Major League history to record consecutive 30/30 seasons. He also became the second player ever (regardless of position) to lead the Majors in batting average during a 30/30 season, joining&nbsp;Mookie Betts&nbsp;in 2018.

Witt Jr., who also won a&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove Award this season for the first time, is now the 13th different shortstop (18th occurrence) to win a&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove and a Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award in the same season, and the first since&nbsp;Brandon Crawford&nbsp;in 2015.

This marks the third time in Royals history that they had two Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award winners in the same season, following 1980 (Brett and&nbsp;Willie Wilson) and 1982 (Wilson and&nbsp;Hal McRae). The Royals are one of two American League teams to have multiple winners this season, along with the Yankees.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Kansas City Royals catcher&nbsp;Salvador Perez&nbsp;and shortstop&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp;have been named winners of the 2024 Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award, as announced tonight by Louisville Slugger.Perez was voted a winner over three other American League finalists at the catcher position: Houston’s&nbsp;Yainer Diaz, Oakland’s&nbsp;Shea Langeliers&nbsp;and Seattle’s&nbsp;Cal Raleigh. This marks Salvy’s fifth career Silver Slugger Award, following 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2021, extending his franchise record, ahead of Hall of Famer&nbsp;George Brett, who won the award three times.Salvy is the ninth player to win at least five Louisville Silver Slugger Awards as a catcher since the award was established in 1980, joining&nbsp;Mike Piazza&nbsp;(10),&nbsp;Iván Rodríguez&nbsp;(7),&nbsp;Brian McCann&nbsp;(6),&nbsp;Lance Parrish&nbsp;(6),&nbsp;Gary Carter&nbsp;(5),&nbsp;Joe Mauer&nbsp;(5),&nbsp;Jorge Posada&nbsp;(5) and&nbsp;Buster Posey&nbsp;(5).Perez, who is also a five-time&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove Award-winner, is now the second catcher to win five&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Gloves and five Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger awards, joining the Hall of Famer Pudge Rodríguez, who won 13 Gold Gloves and seven Silver Slugger Awards.&nbsp;Among qualified American League catchers in 2024 (min. 50% games at the position), Perez ranked 1st in RBI (104), on-base percentage (.330), slugging percentage (.456), OPS (.786) and extra-base hits (55), 2nd in batting average (.271) and hits (160) and 3rd in home runs (27).Salvy’s 104 RBI were the 2nd most ever by a catcher (min. 50% games) in his age-34 season or older, trailing only&nbsp;Carlton Fisk, who had 107 RBI at age 37 in 1985.Salvy played in 158 games in 2024, the 2nd-highest total of his 13-year career, and made 90 starts behind the plate. His 27 home runs tied for the 2nd-highest total of his career and marked his eighth season with at least 20 HR. Perez ranked 2nd among all Major League players with 29 go-ahead RBI, trailing only&nbsp;Aaron Judge&nbsp;(32).Witt Jr. is a first-time Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award-winner, after besting two other American League finalists at shortstop: Baltimore’s&nbsp;Gunnar Henderson&nbsp;and Texas’&nbsp;Corey Seager.Witt Jr. is the first shortstop in Royals history to win a Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award. He led all Major League players in 2024 with a .332 batting average and 211 hits. Among qualified shortstops in the American League, he also ranked 1st in runs (125), RBI (109), on-base percentage (.389), slugging percentage (.588), OPS (.977), extra-base hits (88) and games (161).Witt Jr. hit 32 home runs (2nd among AL shortstops) and had 30 stolen bases to become the first shortstop in Major League history to record consecutive 30/30 seasons. He also became the second player ever (regardless of position) to lead the Majors in batting average during a 30/30 season, joining&nbsp;Mookie Betts&nbsp;in 2018.Witt Jr., who also won a&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove Award this season for the first time, is now the 13th different shortstop (18th occurrence) to win a&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove and a Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award in the same season, and the first since&nbsp;Brandon Crawford&nbsp;in 2015.This marks the third time in Royals history that they had two Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award winners in the same season, following 1980 (Brett and&nbsp;Willie Wilson) and 1982 (Wilson and&nbsp;Hal McRae). The Royals are one of two American League teams to have multiple winners this season, along with the Yankees.

Salvador Perez, Bobby Witt Jr. named Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award winners

McPHERSON - Kansas Wesleyan Women's Volleyball saw its season come to a close on Tuesday night at the Coyotes dropped a straight set decision to the KCAC No. 2 seeded McPherson College Bulldogs 25-21, 25-22, 25-23 inside McPherson's Holman Fieldhouse.

The first set started out going back and forth between the teams until McPherson was able to build a 12-8 lead. The Coyotes tried to make a run on the Bulldogs, but every time, McPherson was able to grow its lead, pushing out to a 22-17 advantage.

The Coyotes then put together a four point run to get within one at 22-21, but McPherson closed the set with three straight to win 25-21.

Wesleyan scored the first two points of the second set, but McPherson scored six of the next seven to take a 6-3 lead. The Coyotes tied it back up at 7 on a kill by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/bfae9ed6-0b78-45ee-bf41-35e468144c7d?elinkdata=15250">Kylee Harris</a>, but McPherson would regain the lead at 10-8. KWU took a 12-11 lead on a McPherson error, but the Bulldogs would come back and take a 15-14 lead.

After the Coyotes tied it at 15, McPherson used a 6-1 run to take a 21-16 lead. The Bulldogs led 23-17 when the Coyotes rattled off five straight, three coming on kills by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b289f5bb-e5c7-4e6d-9df7-3fc8eb1251e8?elinkdata=15250">Rylee Serpan</a> to get within a point at 23-22, but the Bulldogs would score the final two points to close out the set.

McPherson jumped out to an 8-2 lead to start the third set, but the Coyotes worked their way back into it, getting within a point at 15-14 on <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/82d9e259-1212-4761-a2e5-e5f1856befe1?elinkdata=15250">Kate Bebout's</a> kill. McPherson pushed out to a 21-17 lead but the Coyotes scored the next three to again get within one at 21-20.

Back-to-back kills by freshman <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b322e5a1-ca85-4add-b3db-fa844f26cd1f?elinkdata=15250">Madelyn Wolf</a> tied the set at 23-all, but McPherson closed out the match scoring the final two points to grab the win.

The Coyotes got 16 kills from <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1475acc1-f10c-4744-9cd0-99b3eb360aa6?elinkdata=15250">Rylee Serpan</a> in the match while <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a397e6ed-de80-4849-9a19-af9e185c7985?elinkdata=15250">Kylee Harris</a> added 12 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/267e27db-0c0b-4efd-a67f-2a4d2ca56d2f?elinkdata=15250">Kate Bebout</a> added eight. KWU hit .258 as a team in the match. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1de82040-b4bc-4e7b-8aea-262b2b79d6d1?elinkdata=15250">Josie Deckinger</a> closed out her stellar KWU career with 40 assists and eight digs. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6de058f6-0ea9-4cc0-997e-4de75f6145d6?elinkdata=15250">Kori Arnold</a> had 13 digs.

McPHERSON - Kansas Wesleyan Women's Volleyball saw its season come to a close on Tuesday night at the Coyotes dropped a straight set decision to the KCAC No. 2 seeded McPherson College Bulldogs 25-21, 25-22, 25-23 inside McPherson's Holman Fieldhouse.The first set started out going back and forth between the teams until McPherson was able to build a 12-8 lead. The Coyotes tried to make a run on the Bulldogs, but every time, McPherson was able to grow its lead, pushing out to a 22-17 advantage.The Coyotes then put together a four point run to get within one at 22-21, but McPherson closed the set with three straight to win 25-21.Wesleyan scored the first two points of the second set, but McPherson scored six of the next seven to take a 6-3 lead. The Coyotes tied it back up at 7 on a kill by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/bfae9ed6-0b78-45ee-bf41-35e468144c7d?elinkdata=15250">Kylee Harris</a>, but McPherson would regain the lead at 10-8. KWU took a 12-11 lead on a McPherson error, but the Bulldogs would come back and take a 15-14 lead.After the Coyotes tied it at 15, McPherson used a 6-1 run to take a 21-16 lead. The Bulldogs led 23-17 when the Coyotes rattled off five straight, three coming on kills by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b289f5bb-e5c7-4e6d-9df7-3fc8eb1251e8?elinkdata=15250">Rylee Serpan</a> to get within a point at 23-22, but the Bulldogs would score the final two points to close out the set.McPherson jumped out to an 8-2 lead to start the third set, but the Coyotes worked their way back into it, getting within a point at 15-14 on <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/82d9e259-1212-4761-a2e5-e5f1856befe1?elinkdata=15250">Kate Bebout's</a> kill. McPherson pushed out to a 21-17 lead but the Coyotes scored the next three to again get within one at 21-20.Back-to-back kills by freshman <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b322e5a1-ca85-4add-b3db-fa844f26cd1f?elinkdata=15250">Madelyn Wolf</a> tied the set at 23-all, but McPherson closed out the match scoring the final two points to grab the win.The Coyotes got 16 kills from <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1475acc1-f10c-4744-9cd0-99b3eb360aa6?elinkdata=15250">Rylee Serpan</a> in the match while <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a397e6ed-de80-4849-9a19-af9e185c7985?elinkdata=15250">Kylee Harris</a> added 12 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/267e27db-0c0b-4efd-a67f-2a4d2ca56d2f?elinkdata=15250">Kate Bebout</a> added eight. KWU hit .258 as a team in the match. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1de82040-b4bc-4e7b-8aea-262b2b79d6d1?elinkdata=15250">Josie Deckinger</a> closed out her stellar KWU career with 40 assists and eight digs. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6de058f6-0ea9-4cc0-997e-4de75f6145d6?elinkdata=15250">Kori Arnold</a> had 13 digs.

Volleyball falls to McPherson in straight sets in KCAC Quarterfinals

ATLANTA (AP) — Hunter Dickinson scored 28 points and Bill Self became the winningest coach in Kansas history as the No. 1 Jayhawks pulled away from Michigan State for a 77-69 victory in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night.

Spartans forward Jaxon Kohler hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 52 with just under nine minutes remaining. KJ Adams Jr. hit a pair of free throws to put Kansas (3-0) ahead to stay.

Self improved to 591-143 in his 22nd season coaching the Jayhawks, pushing him past Phog Allen's mark of 590-129 in 36 seasons on the Kansas sideline.

Frankie Fidler led Michigan State (2-1) with 15 points.

The Jayhawks posted their second straight win over one of the nation's prominent programs, following up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-kansas-tar-heels-jayhawks-score-top-25-9919dca6cfb7cfca72b0d3133ba1026a">a 92-89 win</a>&nbsp;over No. 10 North Carolina.

Kansas: After missing 15 straight shots from the field, Kansas ripped off a 14-2 run that turned an 18-16 deficit into a 30-20 lead.

Michigan State: The Spartans couldn't overcome a tough shooting night, especially from beyond the arc. They made just 3 of 24 from 3-point range.

Dajuan Harris Jr. gave the Jayhawks some breathing room when he laid one in off a fast break, drew a foul and completed the three-point play for a 68-59 lead with 4:25 to go. After tumbling to the court, Harris remained on his back for a few seconds, clapping furiously. He finished with 11 points and six assists.

The 7-foot-2 Dickinson made 13 of 21 shots from the field, including his only 3-point attempt, and grabbed 12 rebounds. He also had three steals and a block at the defensive end.

Kansas returns home Saturday to face Oakland. Michigan State hosts Bowling Green on Saturday.

ATLANTA (AP) — Hunter Dickinson scored 28 points and Bill Self became the winningest coach in Kansas history as the No. 1 Jayhawks pulled away from Michigan State for a 77-69 victory in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">That 591 feeling 🙌 <a href="https://t.co/3iU7RtBZJ8">pic.twitter.com/3iU7RtBZJ8</a>&mdash; Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/KUHoops/status/1856519667768000823?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Spartans forward Jaxon Kohler hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 52 with just under nine minutes remaining. KJ Adams Jr. hit a pair of free throws to put Kansas (3-0) ahead to stay.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The most history. The best tradition. The Winningest Coach. <a href="https://t.co/MHLyzgySbU">pic.twitter.com/MHLyzgySbU</a>&mdash; Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/KUHoops/status/1856512354957013244?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Self improved to 591-143 in his 22nd season coaching the Jayhawks, pushing him past Phog Allen's mark of 590-129 in 36 seasons on the Kansas sideline.Frankie Fidler led Michigan State (2-1) with 15 points.The Jayhawks posted their second straight win over one of the nation's prominent programs, following up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-kansas-tar-heels-jayhawks-score-top-25-9919dca6cfb7cfca72b0d3133ba1026a">a 92-89 win</a>&nbsp;over No. 10 North Carolina.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Kansas: After missing 15 straight shots from the field, Kansas ripped off a 14-2 run that turned an 18-16 deficit into a 30-20 lead.Michigan State: The Spartans couldn't overcome a tough shooting night, especially from beyond the arc. They made just 3 of 24 from 3-point range.<h2>Key moment</h2>Dajuan Harris Jr. gave the Jayhawks some breathing room when he laid one in off a fast break, drew a foul and completed the three-point play for a 68-59 lead with 4:25 to go. After tumbling to the court, Harris remained on his back for a few seconds, clapping furiously. He finished with 11 points and six assists.<h2>Key stats</h2>The 7-foot-2 Dickinson made 13 of 21 shots from the field, including his only 3-point attempt, and grabbed 12 rebounds. He also had three steals and a block at the defensive end.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas returns home Saturday to face Oakland. Michigan State hosts Bowling Green on Saturday.___

🏀 Bill Self becomes winningest coach in KU history in win over Michigan State

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Gerry Faust, the gravel-voiced Cincinnati high school coach who lived a dream by becoming the coach at Notre Dame, has died. He was 89.

Notre Dame said in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday that the family confirmed Faust’s death. No details were immediately provided.

Faust guided the Fighting Irish from 1981 through 1985, compiling a record of 30-26-1. He succeeded Dan Devine as coach of Notre Dame and preceded Lou Holtz.

“I have always loved Notre Dame and still do,” he said after he was fired following the 1985 season.

He spent the next nine seasons as the head coach at the University of Akron, bringing the program from Division II to major-college status. His record was 43-53-3 with the Zips.

He remained at Akron after his coaching days, working as a fundraiser and in the development office before retiring in 2001.

It was as a high school coach that Faust first stepped into the spotlight.

After graduating in 1958 from the University of Dayton with a degree in marketing and management, Faust accepted his first coaching position as an assistant at his high school alma mater, Dayton Chaminade. His father, Gerry Sr., had coached at Chaminade for 49 years.

Two seasons later, Faust accepted an offer to build a football program at a new high school, Archbishop Moeller, in suburban Cincinnati.

He spent three years constructing the foundation of what would become a legendary program in high school athletics.

In 1963, Moeller’s first varsity team surprised many with a 9-1 record.

In the next 17 years, Faust’s Moeller teams posted nine undefeated seasons, won 10 city championships, eight regional titles and five big-school state championships.

Four times Faust teams were awarded mythical national championships, each following unbeaten and untied seasons in 1976, ’77, ’79 and ’80.

The 1980 team completed a 13-0 season and capped Faust’s high school coaching record at a remarkable 174-17-2, a success rate of nearly 91%.

There was a public outcry when Faust was selected to take over at Notre Dame in the spring of 1981. The school’s administrators were admonished for elevating a high school coach to the most revered position in college coaching.

Faust’s first team in South Bend went 5-6 and he followed that with marks of 6-4, 7-5, 7-5 and 5-6.

His first Akron team in 1986 went 7-4, but his teams — playing a difficult Division I-AA schedule and, eventually, some of the top teams in I-A — never reached that level again.

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Gerry Faust, the gravel-voiced Cincinnati high school coach who lived a dream by becoming the coach at Notre Dame, has died. He was 89.Notre Dame said in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday that the family confirmed Faust’s death. No details were immediately provided.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are deeply saddened by the loss of Gerry Faust. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Faust family and Gerry’s loved ones. → <a href="https://t.co/4emkI07LeQ">https://t.co/4emkI07LeQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/RoDIt4n1Xo">pic.twitter.com/RoDIt4n1Xo</a>&mdash; The Fighting Irish (@FightingIrish) <a href="https://twitter.com/FightingIrish/status/1856366849522307429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Faust guided the Fighting Irish from 1981 through 1985, compiling a record of 30-26-1. He succeeded Dan Devine as coach of Notre Dame and preceded Lou Holtz.“I have always loved Notre Dame and still do,” he said after he was fired following the 1985 season.He spent the next nine seasons as the head coach at the University of Akron, bringing the program from Division II to major-college status. His record was 43-53-3 with the Zips.He remained at Akron after his coaching days, working as a fundraiser and in the development office before retiring in 2001.It was as a high school coach that Faust first stepped into the spotlight.After graduating in 1958 from the University of Dayton with a degree in marketing and management, Faust accepted his first coaching position as an assistant at his high school alma mater, Dayton Chaminade. His father, Gerry Sr., had coached at Chaminade for 49 years.Two seasons later, Faust accepted an offer to build a football program at a new high school, Archbishop Moeller, in suburban Cincinnati.He spent three years constructing the foundation of what would become a legendary program in high school athletics.In 1963, Moeller’s first varsity team surprised many with a 9-1 record.In the next 17 years, Faust’s Moeller teams posted nine undefeated seasons, won 10 city championships, eight regional titles and five big-school state championships.Four times Faust teams were awarded mythical national championships, each following unbeaten and untied seasons in 1976, ’77, ’79 and ’80.The 1980 team completed a 13-0 season and capped Faust’s high school coaching record at a remarkable 174-17-2, a success rate of nearly 91%.There was a public outcry when Faust was selected to take over at Notre Dame in the spring of 1981. The school’s administrators were admonished for elevating a high school coach to the most revered position in college coaching.Faust’s first team in South Bend went 5-6 and he followed that with marks of 6-4, 7-5, 7-5 and 5-6.His first Akron team in 1986 went 7-4, but his teams — playing a difficult Division I-AA schedule and, eventually, some of the top teams in I-A — never reached that level again.<h2>___</h2>

Gerry Faust, former head football coach at Notre Dame, has died at 89

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;For the fourth time in her career, K-State senior center Ayoka Lee has been named to Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Wade Watch List. The award is annually given to the best player in college women’s basketball.

Lee was previously named to the Wade Trophy Watch List in the 2021, 2022 and 2024 seasons.

The Wade Trophy is the oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award in college women’s basketball. It is named in honor of the late, legendary Delta State University head coach Lily Margaret Wade, who won three consecutive national championships with the Lady Statesmen. First awarded in 1978 by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), now known as SHAPE America, the Wade Trophy has been presented to the WBCA NCAA Division I National Player of the Year since 2001.

The committee will narrow the watch list for the honor to four finalists in mid-March. The winner of the 2025 Wade Trophy will be announced in April in Tampa — site of the 2025 WBCA Convention and NCAA Women’s Final Four.

Lee adds Tuesday’s recognition to her preseason haul of honors which includes: Associated Press All-America honorable mention selection, preseason All-America Second Team honors from The Athletic, selection to the Wooden Award Watch List, selection to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Watch List, 2024-25 Lisa Leslie Award Watch List and being named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year by the league’s coaches and her unanimous selection to the preseason All-Big 12 team.

During the 2023-24 season, Lee was a Second Team All-America selection by The Athletic, a Third Team All-America honoree by The Sporting News, an honorable mention Associated Press All-American, an honorable mention WBCA All-American, a 2024 John R. Wooden Award National Ballot top-15 candidate, an All-Big 12 First Team selection, a Big 12 All-Defensive Team member and Big 12 All-Tournament Team recipient.

In her career, Lee ranks third in school history for points scored with 2,201, holds the school record for career scoring average at 19.1, owns the school record for career rebounds with 1,122, holds the school record for career rebounding average at 9.8, the school record holder for career blocks with 312 and blocks per game at 2.71 and owns the school record for career double-doubles with 60. She is the first player in program history with 300 or more career blocks and 100 or more career steals.

K-State women’s basketball season tickets are available now. Prices start at just $75 with a Wildcat 4-Pack to see every game in Bramlage. Order now by visiting&nbsp;<a href="http://kstatesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">kstatesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or calling 1-800-221-CATS.

K-State, ranked 10th in this week’s Associated Press poll, continues its five-game homestand on Thursday evening as the Wildcats host Creighton at 5:30 p.m. Thursday’s game is Purple Pride Night, as fans are encouraged to wear purple. Thursday’s game will feature a halftime performance from the national act Episode One. For tickets, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://kstatesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">kstatesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or call (800) 221-CATS.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;For the fourth time in her career, K-State senior center Ayoka Lee has been named to Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Wade Watch List. The award is annually given to the best player in college women’s basketball.Lee was previously named to the Wade Trophy Watch List in the 2021, 2022 and 2024 seasons.The Wade Trophy is the oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award in college women’s basketball. It is named in honor of the late, legendary Delta State University head coach Lily Margaret Wade, who won three consecutive national championships with the Lady Statesmen. First awarded in 1978 by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), now known as SHAPE America, the Wade Trophy has been presented to the WBCA NCAA Division I National Player of the Year since 2001.The committee will narrow the watch list for the honor to four finalists in mid-March. The winner of the 2025 Wade Trophy will be announced in April in Tampa — site of the 2025 WBCA Convention and NCAA Women’s Final Four.Lee adds Tuesday’s recognition to her preseason haul of honors which includes: Associated Press All-America honorable mention selection, preseason All-America Second Team honors from The Athletic, selection to the Wooden Award Watch List, selection to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Watch List, 2024-25 Lisa Leslie Award Watch List and being named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year by the league’s coaches and her unanimous selection to the preseason All-Big 12 team.During the 2023-24 season, Lee was a Second Team All-America selection by The Athletic, a Third Team All-America honoree by The Sporting News, an honorable mention Associated Press All-American, an honorable mention WBCA All-American, a 2024 John R. Wooden Award National Ballot top-15 candidate, an All-Big 12 First Team selection, a Big 12 All-Defensive Team member and Big 12 All-Tournament Team recipient.In her career, Lee ranks third in school history for points scored with 2,201, holds the school record for career scoring average at 19.1, owns the school record for career rebounds with 1,122, holds the school record for career rebounding average at 9.8, the school record holder for career blocks with 312 and blocks per game at 2.71 and owns the school record for career double-doubles with 60. She is the first player in program history with 300 or more career blocks and 100 or more career steals.K-State women’s basketball season tickets are available now. Prices start at just $75 with a Wildcat 4-Pack to see every game in Bramlage. Order now by visiting&nbsp;<a href="http://kstatesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">kstatesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or calling 1-800-221-CATS.K-State, ranked 10th in this week’s Associated Press poll, continues its five-game homestand on Thursday evening as the Wildcats host Creighton at 5:30 p.m. Thursday’s game is Purple Pride Night, as fans are encouraged to wear purple. Thursday’s game will feature a halftime performance from the national act Episode One. For tickets, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://kstatesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">kstatesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or call (800) 221-CATS.

K-State’s Lee Selected to WBCA Wade Trophy Watch List

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals this morning announced their home game times for the 2025 regular season schedule.

The 57th season in franchise history will begin on Thursday, March 27 at 3:10 p.m. CT vs. the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium. This will mark the earliest Opening Day in franchise history, and will be the ninth time in 11 years dating back to 2015 that the Royals will open the season at home. The opening series will continue Saturday, March 29 at 3:10 p.m. CT and on Sunday, March 30 at 1:10 p.m. CT.

The Royals will host 36 weeknight games beginning at 6:40 p.m. CT. From May 30-Aug. 29, all 7 Friday night home games will begin at 7:10 p.m. CT. There are 14 Saturday home games, 6 of which will begin at 3:10 p.m. CT and the other 8 are scheduled to start at 6:10 p.m. CT. All 14 home Sunday games are scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CT.

There are 10 weekday afternoon games, including 8 games scheduled for a 1:10 p.m. start. The exceptions are Opening Day (March 27) and Memorial Day (May 26), both of which are 3:10 p.m. starts.

Kansas City’s final regular season home game will be Sunday, Sept. 21 vs. the Toronto Blue Jays, after which the Royals will finish the 162-game slate with a 6-game road trip. This will mark the third time in four seasons that they will end the regular season on the road, along with 2022 and 2024.

For the third consecutive season, Major League Baseball will continue its balanced schedule, in which the Royals will play all other 29 teams. Kansas City’s 162-game schedule will include:

The breakdown of divisional games will include 7 home games and 6 road games vs. the White Sox and Twins, and 6 home games and 7 road games vs. the Tigers and Guardians.

Of the 10 teams who play in the American League East and West divisions, the Royals will play two of those opponents seven times (Seattle and Texas) and eight of those teams six times.

The Royals will play their intra-state rival St. Louis Cardinals in 3 games at Kauffman Stadium from May 16-18 and in 3 games at Busch Stadium from June 3-5. This marks the first time that the I-70 series will span 6 games in a season since 2021, after they played a pair of 2-game series in three straight years from 2022-24.

Kansas City will play exactly 3 games against each of the other 14 National League teams, including seven 3-game home series and seven 3-game road series. In the month of July, the Royals will play 18 of their 24 games vs. NL opponents, including 15 straight games from July 4-23.

The Royals will travel to seven National League ballparks, including Milwaukee (March 31-April 2), San Francisco (May 19-21), San Diego (June 20-22), Arizona (July 4-6), Miami (July 18-20), Chicago (July 21-23) and Philadelphia (Sept. 12-14).

Kansas City’s holiday schedule will see the Royals host the Red Sox on Mother’s Day (May 11, 1:10 p.m. CT), the Reds on Memorial Day (May 26, 3:10 p.m. CT) and the Athletics on Father’s Day (June 15, 1:10 p.m. CT). They will travel to Detroit to play the Tigers on Easter Sunday (April 20, 12:40 p.m. CT) and to Arizona to play the Diamondbacks on Independence Day (8:40 p.m. CT). The Royals will enjoy an off day on Labor Day (Sept. 1).

The Royals will be in New York to play the Yankees on&nbsp;Jackie Robinson&nbsp;Day, which is Tuesday, April 15 (6:05 p.m. CT). The Royals have scheduled off days on Major League Baseball’s&nbsp;Lou Gehrig&nbsp;Day (June 2) and&nbsp;Roberto Clemente&nbsp;Day (Sept. 15).

The All-Star break will run from July 14-17 and will include the 95th Major League Baseball All-Star Game to be played on Tuesday, July 15 at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.

Kansas City will host a pair of three-opponent homestands, including 10 games in 11 days from Aug. 11-21 vs. Washington (3 games), the White Sox (3) and Texas (4). They will play 9 games in 10 days the following homestand from Aug. 29-Sept. 7 with 3 games each against Detroit, the Angels and Minnesota.

The Royals are scheduled for a pair of three-city road trips, including 10 games in 10 days from April 11-20 at Cleveland (3 games), the Yankees (3) and Detroit (4). From Aug. 1-10, they will play 9 games in 10 days at Toronto (3), Boston (3) and Minnesota (3).

The Royals will play on 17 consecutive days from April 4-20, which will mark their longest stretch of the 2025 campaign without an off day.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals this morning announced their home game times for the 2025 regular season schedule.The 57th season in franchise history will begin on Thursday, March 27 at 3:10 p.m. CT vs. the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium. This will mark the earliest Opening Day in franchise history, and will be the ninth time in 11 years dating back to 2015 that the Royals will open the season at home. The opening series will continue Saturday, March 29 at 3:10 p.m. CT and on Sunday, March 30 at 1:10 p.m. CT.The Royals will host 36 weeknight games beginning at 6:40 p.m. CT. From May 30-Aug. 29, all 7 Friday night home games will begin at 7:10 p.m. CT. There are 14 Saturday home games, 6 of which will begin at 3:10 p.m. CT and the other 8 are scheduled to start at 6:10 p.m. CT. All 14 home Sunday games are scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CT.There are 10 weekday afternoon games, including 8 games scheduled for a 1:10 p.m. start. The exceptions are Opening Day (March 27) and Memorial Day (May 26), both of which are 3:10 p.m. starts.Kansas City’s final regular season home game will be Sunday, Sept. 21 vs. the Toronto Blue Jays, after which the Royals will finish the 162-game slate with a 6-game road trip. This will mark the third time in four seasons that they will end the regular season on the road, along with 2022 and 2024.For the third consecutive season, Major League Baseball will continue its balanced schedule, in which the Royals will play all other 29 teams. Kansas City’s 162-game schedule will include:<ul>
 <li>52 games vs. American League Central teams (13 games across 4 series vs. all 4 opponents)</li><li>62 league games vs. American League East and West teams (6-7 games vs. each opponent)</li><li>48 Interleague games (6 games vs. St. Louis and 3 games vs. all other NL teams)</li>
 </ul>The breakdown of divisional games will include 7 home games and 6 road games vs. the White Sox and Twins, and 6 home games and 7 road games vs. the Tigers and Guardians.Of the 10 teams who play in the American League East and West divisions, the Royals will play two of those opponents seven times (Seattle and Texas) and eight of those teams six times.The Royals will play their intra-state rival St. Louis Cardinals in 3 games at Kauffman Stadium from May 16-18 and in 3 games at Busch Stadium from June 3-5. This marks the first time that the I-70 series will span 6 games in a season since 2021, after they played a pair of 2-game series in three straight years from 2022-24.Kansas City will play exactly 3 games against each of the other 14 National League teams, including seven 3-game home series and seven 3-game road series. In the month of July, the Royals will play 18 of their 24 games vs. NL opponents, including 15 straight games from July 4-23.The Royals will travel to seven National League ballparks, including Milwaukee (March 31-April 2), San Francisco (May 19-21), San Diego (June 20-22), Arizona (July 4-6), Miami (July 18-20), Chicago (July 21-23) and Philadelphia (Sept. 12-14).Kansas City’s holiday schedule will see the Royals host the Red Sox on Mother’s Day (May 11, 1:10 p.m. CT), the Reds on Memorial Day (May 26, 3:10 p.m. CT) and the Athletics on Father’s Day (June 15, 1:10 p.m. CT). They will travel to Detroit to play the Tigers on Easter Sunday (April 20, 12:40 p.m. CT) and to Arizona to play the Diamondbacks on Independence Day (8:40 p.m. CT). The Royals will enjoy an off day on Labor Day (Sept. 1).The Royals will be in New York to play the Yankees on&nbsp;Jackie Robinson&nbsp;Day, which is Tuesday, April 15 (6:05 p.m. CT). The Royals have scheduled off days on Major League Baseball’s&nbsp;Lou Gehrig&nbsp;Day (June 2) and&nbsp;Roberto Clemente&nbsp;Day (Sept. 15).The All-Star break will run from July 14-17 and will include the 95th Major League Baseball All-Star Game to be played on Tuesday, July 15 at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.Kansas City will host a pair of three-opponent homestands, including 10 games in 11 days from Aug. 11-21 vs. Washington (3 games), the White Sox (3) and Texas (4). They will play 9 games in 10 days the following homestand from Aug. 29-Sept. 7 with 3 games each against Detroit, the Angels and Minnesota.The Royals are scheduled for a pair of three-city road trips, including 10 games in 10 days from April 11-20 at Cleveland (3 games), the Yankees (3) and Detroit (4). From Aug. 1-10, they will play 9 games in 10 days at Toronto (3), Boston (3) and Minnesota (3).The Royals will play on 17 consecutive days from April 4-20, which will mark their longest stretch of the 2025 campaign without an off day.

Royals announce 2025 regular season home game times

WICHITA, Kan. -&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b626f369-77b7-4632-af0e-7bc2a6b3c61b?elinkdata=15198" target="_blank">Alex Littlejohn</a>&nbsp;of No. 24 Kansas Wesleyan University has earned the KCAC Men's Basketball Offensive Player of the Week honor, the conference office announced Monday. Student-athletes were selected for their performances from Nov. 4-10 by a vote of conference sports information directors. All KCAC Player of the Week honors are presented by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ef517b40-47bf-4843-80ae-9b94c12aa263?elinkdata=15198" target="_blank">Equity Bank</a>.

Littlejohn was again phenomenal for the Coyotes in a 2-1 week. He had 15 points and six rebounds in the game at Manhattan Christian. Against Waldorf in a big win over the Warriors, LIttlejohn nearly had a triple double with 19 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. On Saturday against a very good Morningside team, Littlejohn carried the team, scoring a career high 34 points, while adding 12 rebounds and six assists. His performances have him within striking distance of two KWU career records that have not been touched since 1950, and 1955, respectively, as he is less than 200 points and less than 160 rebounds away from those career records.

WICHITA, Kan. -&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b626f369-77b7-4632-af0e-7bc2a6b3c61b?elinkdata=15198" target="_blank">Alex Littlejohn</a>&nbsp;of No. 24 Kansas Wesleyan University has earned the KCAC Men's Basketball Offensive Player of the Week honor, the conference office announced Monday. Student-athletes were selected for their performances from Nov. 4-10 by a vote of conference sports information directors. All KCAC Player of the Week honors are presented by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ef517b40-47bf-4843-80ae-9b94c12aa263?elinkdata=15198" target="_blank">Equity Bank</a>.Littlejohn was again phenomenal for the Coyotes in a 2-1 week. He had 15 points and six rebounds in the game at Manhattan Christian. Against Waldorf in a big win over the Warriors, LIttlejohn nearly had a triple double with 19 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. On Saturday against a very good Morningside team, Littlejohn carried the team, scoring a career high 34 points, while adding 12 rebounds and six assists. His performances have him within striking distance of two KWU career records that have not been touched since 1950, and 1955, respectively, as he is less than 200 points and less than 160 rebounds away from those career records.

Littlejohn earns KCAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week honor

WICHITA, Kan. - <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/79893873-9dee-454c-8522-77a27ce0ddf4?elinkdata=15172">Ricardo Garcia</a> of Kansas Wesleyan University has earned this week's KCAC Football Defensive Player of the Week honor, the conference office announced Monday. Student-athletes were selected for their performances from Nov. 4-10 by a vote of conference sports information directors. All KCAC Player of the Week honors are presented by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/83ac9d9b-2a3c-49b6-a123-41e1d5f00aa2?elinkdata=15172">Equity Bank</a>.

Garcia had a great game on defense. He had seven tackles, including three solo. He had 1.5 tackles for loss, which included a half sack. He recovered a fumble for the Coyotes and also blocked a punt that led to a KWU field goal. His other tackle for loss was big in shutting down an Ottawa drive that ended in a field goal.

Kansas Wesleyan defeated Ottawa 23-20 on Saturday, securing the Bissell Division Championship and berth to the NAIA Football Championship Series.

WICHITA, Kan. - <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/79893873-9dee-454c-8522-77a27ce0ddf4?elinkdata=15172">Ricardo Garcia</a> of Kansas Wesleyan University has earned this week's KCAC Football Defensive Player of the Week honor, the conference office announced Monday. Student-athletes were selected for their performances from Nov. 4-10 by a vote of conference sports information directors. All KCAC Player of the Week honors are presented by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/83ac9d9b-2a3c-49b6-a123-41e1d5f00aa2?elinkdata=15172">Equity Bank</a>.Garcia had a great game on defense. He had seven tackles, including three solo. He had 1.5 tackles for loss, which included a half sack. He recovered a fumble for the Coyotes and also blocked a punt that led to a KWU field goal. His other tackle for loss was big in shutting down an Ottawa drive that ended in a field goal.Kansas Wesleyan defeated Ottawa 23-20 on Saturday, securing the Bissell Division Championship and berth to the NAIA Football Championship Series.

Garcia named KCAC Football Defensive Player of the Week

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Baseball Writers’ Association of America tonight announced that Royals Manager&nbsp;Matt Quatraro&nbsp;is a finalist for the American League Manager of the Year Award, right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Seth Lugo&nbsp;is a finalist for the AL&nbsp;Cy Young&nbsp;Award and infielder&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp;is a finalist for AL MVP. The Manager of the Year winners will be announced on Nov. 19, with the Cy Young winners following on Nov. 20 and the MVP winners on Nov. 21, all of which will be revealed at 5:00 p.m. CT on MLB Network.

In his second season as Royals Manager, Quatraro led the club to a remarkable turnaround in 2024 with an 86-76 record, after matching a franchise record with 106 losses in 2023. The 2024 Royals were just the third team to make the postseason following a 100-loss season, according to&nbsp;Elias, joining the 2020 Marlins and 2017 Twins. The Royals 86 wins in 2024 marked the 3rd most by a team following a 100-loss season, only 1 shy of the 1967 Cubs and 1989 Orioles, who each won 87 games after 103 and 107-loss seasons, respectively.

With Quatraro at the helm, Kansas City swept the Baltimore Orioles in the Wild Card Series before losing in 4 games to the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series, marking the club’s first playoff appearance since winning the World Series in 2015.

Should he win the honor, Quatraro would become the second Royals Manager to win the AL Manager of the Year Award, following&nbsp;Tony Peña&nbsp;in 2003, when he led the team to an 83-79 record and their first winning season since 1994.

Lugo, who signed a two-year free agent contract with the Royals last December, established career highs this season with 33 starts and 206.2 innings, the latter of which ranked 2nd in the Majors behind only Seattle’s&nbsp;Logan Gilbert&nbsp;(208.2 IP). He also ranked among American League leaders in quality starts (T-1st, 22), wins (T-2nd, 16), ERA (6th, 3.00) and WHIP (7th, 1.09).

The right hander pitched to a 3.00 ERA (69 ER in 206.2 IP) spanning his 33 starts, which was the lowest single-season ERA by a Royals starter since&nbsp;Zack Greinke&nbsp;posted a 2.16 ERA in his 2009 Cy Young Award-winning season. Lugo’s impressive ERA was due in large part to his success in pitching with runners in scoring position, as his .212 opponents’ average in scoring situations ranked 3rd in the American League, behind only teammate&nbsp;Brady Singer&nbsp;(.192) and Houston’s&nbsp;Hunter Brown&nbsp;(.197).

Lugo, who earned his first career All-Star selection in 2024 and pitched a scoreless 7th inning in the AL’s 5-3 victory on July 16 at Globe Life Field, is seeking his first career Cy Young Award. He would become the fourth Royals pitcher to earn the honor, following Greinke in 2009,&nbsp;David Cone&nbsp;in 1994 and&nbsp;Bret Saberhagen&nbsp;in 1985 and 1989.

Witt Jr., the recipient of a 2024&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove Award and finalist for a Silver Slugger Award—for which the winners will be announced tomorrow night—is seeking to become the just the second Royal to ever win the American League MVP Award, following&nbsp;George Brett&nbsp;in 1980.

In just his third Major League season, the 24-year-old led the Majors with 211 hits and a .332 batting average, becoming just the third Royal to lead the Major Leagues in average, following Brett in his 1980 MVP campaign (.390) and&nbsp;Willie Wilson&nbsp;in 1982 (.332). He was just the second player&nbsp;ever&nbsp;to lead the Majors in batting average during a 30-homer, 30-steal season, joining&nbsp;Mookie Betts, who went 32/30 and led MLB with a .346 batting average during his 2018 AL MVP season.

After recording 30 home runs and 49 stolen bases in 2023, Witt Jr. had 32 homers and 31 steals in 2024, becoming the first shortstop in Major League history with multiple 30/30 seasons. He’s also the first player in Major League history—regardless of position—with multiple 30/30 campaigns within his first three big league seasons.

Witt Jr. this year became the 10th player in Major League history to record at least 200 hits in a 30/30 season, following&nbsp;Ronald Acuña Jr.&nbsp;(2023),&nbsp;Jacoby Ellsbury&nbsp;(2011),&nbsp;Jimmy Rollins&nbsp;(2007),&nbsp;Vladimir Guerrero&nbsp;(2002),&nbsp;Alfonso Soriano&nbsp;(2002),&nbsp;Álex Rodríguez&nbsp;(1998),&nbsp;Larry Walker&nbsp;(1997),&nbsp;Ellis Burks&nbsp;(1996) and&nbsp;Hank Aaron&nbsp;(1963). Three of the previous nine players to turn the trick won MVP honors.

Witt Jr. boasted a 10.4 fWAR this year, which was the 5th-best single-season mark ever by a shortstop, trailing&nbsp;Honus Wagner&nbsp;(11.8 in 1908). He ranked 3rd in the Majors with 88 extra-base hits this season, establishing a new Royals record as he surpassed&nbsp;Hal McRae’s&nbsp;86 extra-base hits in 1977.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Baseball Writers’ Association of America tonight announced that Royals Manager&nbsp;Matt Quatraro&nbsp;is a finalist for the American League Manager of the Year Award, right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Seth Lugo&nbsp;is a finalist for the AL&nbsp;Cy Young&nbsp;Award and infielder&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp;is a finalist for AL MVP. The Manager of the Year winners will be announced on Nov. 19, with the Cy Young winners following on Nov. 20 and the MVP winners on Nov. 21, all of which will be revealed at 5:00 p.m. CT on MLB Network.In his second season as Royals Manager, Quatraro led the club to a remarkable turnaround in 2024 with an 86-76 record, after matching a franchise record with 106 losses in 2023. The 2024 Royals were just the third team to make the postseason following a 100-loss season, according to&nbsp;Elias, joining the 2020 Marlins and 2017 Twins. The Royals 86 wins in 2024 marked the 3rd most by a team following a 100-loss season, only 1 shy of the 1967 Cubs and 1989 Orioles, who each won 87 games after 103 and 107-loss seasons, respectively.With Quatraro at the helm, Kansas City swept the Baltimore Orioles in the Wild Card Series before losing in 4 games to the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series, marking the club’s first playoff appearance since winning the World Series in 2015.Should he win the honor, Quatraro would become the second Royals Manager to win the AL Manager of the Year Award, following&nbsp;Tony Peña&nbsp;in 2003, when he led the team to an 83-79 record and their first winning season since 1994.Lugo, who signed a two-year free agent contract with the Royals last December, established career highs this season with 33 starts and 206.2 innings, the latter of which ranked 2nd in the Majors behind only Seattle’s&nbsp;Logan Gilbert&nbsp;(208.2 IP). He also ranked among American League leaders in quality starts (T-1st, 22), wins (T-2nd, 16), ERA (6th, 3.00) and WHIP (7th, 1.09).The right hander pitched to a 3.00 ERA (69 ER in 206.2 IP) spanning his 33 starts, which was the lowest single-season ERA by a Royals starter since&nbsp;Zack Greinke&nbsp;posted a 2.16 ERA in his 2009 Cy Young Award-winning season. Lugo’s impressive ERA was due in large part to his success in pitching with runners in scoring position, as his .212 opponents’ average in scoring situations ranked 3rd in the American League, behind only teammate&nbsp;Brady Singer&nbsp;(.192) and Houston’s&nbsp;Hunter Brown&nbsp;(.197).Lugo, who earned his first career All-Star selection in 2024 and pitched a scoreless 7th inning in the AL’s 5-3 victory on July 16 at Globe Life Field, is seeking his first career Cy Young Award. He would become the fourth Royals pitcher to earn the honor, following Greinke in 2009,&nbsp;David Cone&nbsp;in 1994 and&nbsp;Bret Saberhagen&nbsp;in 1985 and 1989.Witt Jr., the recipient of a 2024&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove Award and finalist for a Silver Slugger Award—for which the winners will be announced tomorrow night—is seeking to become the just the second Royal to ever win the American League MVP Award, following&nbsp;George Brett&nbsp;in 1980.In just his third Major League season, the 24-year-old led the Majors with 211 hits and a .332 batting average, becoming just the third Royal to lead the Major Leagues in average, following Brett in his 1980 MVP campaign (.390) and&nbsp;Willie Wilson&nbsp;in 1982 (.332). He was just the second player&nbsp;ever&nbsp;to lead the Majors in batting average during a 30-homer, 30-steal season, joining&nbsp;Mookie Betts, who went 32/30 and led MLB with a .346 batting average during his 2018 AL MVP season.After recording 30 home runs and 49 stolen bases in 2023, Witt Jr. had 32 homers and 31 steals in 2024, becoming the first shortstop in Major League history with multiple 30/30 seasons. He’s also the first player in Major League history—regardless of position—with multiple 30/30 campaigns within his first three big league seasons.Witt Jr. this year became the 10th player in Major League history to record at least 200 hits in a 30/30 season, following&nbsp;Ronald Acuña Jr.&nbsp;(2023),&nbsp;Jacoby Ellsbury&nbsp;(2011),&nbsp;Jimmy Rollins&nbsp;(2007),&nbsp;Vladimir Guerrero&nbsp;(2002),&nbsp;Alfonso Soriano&nbsp;(2002),&nbsp;Álex Rodríguez&nbsp;(1998),&nbsp;Larry Walker&nbsp;(1997),&nbsp;Ellis Burks&nbsp;(1996) and&nbsp;Hank Aaron&nbsp;(1963). Three of the previous nine players to turn the trick won MVP honors.Witt Jr. boasted a 10.4 fWAR this year, which was the 5th-best single-season mark ever by a shortstop, trailing&nbsp;Honus Wagner&nbsp;(11.8 in 1908). He ranked 3rd in the Majors with 88 extra-base hits this season, establishing a new Royals record as he surpassed&nbsp;Hal McRae’s&nbsp;86 extra-base hits in 1977.

Matt Quatraro, Seth Lugo and Bobby Witt jr.  named finalists for 2024 bbwaa awards

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright so, I really don’t have any injuries for you. I think we came out of the game halfway decent, but I’ll get – the guys are just kind of coming in, so we’ll get all that taken care of here later in the afternoon. As far as the game goes, listen, the win was fantastic to get. We’ve got places that we’ve got to work on and make sure we get covered. The positive was that they didn’t score in the second half and we – for the most part – hunkered down defensively and then offensively, we’ve got to clean up a few things. We didn’t score as often in the red zone as we wanted to – penalties, a missed shot there – a couple of those things that don’t happen very often that happened down in there. We’re normally accurate with the throws and so on, so we’ve got to clean a little bit of that up but again, playing a good football team. They’ve got – both of their fronts are strong and we were tested in a couple (of) spots and it’ll help us grow is what it’ll help us do, particularly at that tackle position. We were young at the left tackle spot. We’ll keep getting better as we go and experience some of these things. I think Wanya (Morris) will end up being okay when it’s all said and done here as far as his leg goes and then he was able to come back in and play. Kingsley (Suamataia) will learn from what he had there and keep getting better. Then, likewise on the right side (right tackle), we’ll keep growing there. Then, from a defensive standpoint, they’ve got a good offensive line (and) they were physical (with) their run game. They got that going a little bit and teams hadn’t been able to do that quite as well as what they had rolling there early so we can learn from that and get better in that spot too. Again, I’m glad we came out with the win. I thought it was a heck of a play there at the end. We overloaded one side – it probably wouldn’t have mattered who they had in there blocking but we were able to get that overload, and we got off on the ball. I mean, if you wanted to pick on one thing there to say was a great job, Justin Reid, on the outside, is the fastest guy in the NFL on his get off on these field goals. Teams take and look at that and make sure that they take care of him first which allowed the inside three there to really come off and get an explosive. You saw (Derrick) Nnadi kind of went down and they weren’t quite sure how to handle that so there ended up being a separation and we were able to get through the cracks there. That was a spectacular way to end it. I’m not sure I’ve ever had that experience in my career with a walk-off blocked field goal, so it made it exciting but I’d rather us really focus in on taking care of business in the other part of the game and get that sinched up. My hat goes off to (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Dave) Toub for spending the time to make sure those things all fit together and for the players just executing and never giving up. Like I told you last night – or yesterday afternoon – that the thing that has impressed me with this team is (that) they don’t get down and they’re not that – that’s not what they are. They battle through stuff and if somebody’s not doing well, they try to pick them up and do well in their area. It’s worked to this point, but we’ve just got to keep getting better and growing as we go. With that, (the) time’s yours.”

Q:&nbsp;From a depth perspective, has there been any consideration to bring in Donovan Smith or another veteran as your two young left tackles develop?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, that’s (General Manager Brett) Veach’s area. He looks at everything so I’m not going to say no, but what we do as coaches – and we overemphasize – we’re going to focus in on these kids that are here and they’re getting better. I know it’s hard to see at times but there’s progress being made and we’re going to be okay as we go forward.”

Q:&nbsp;With a young player like Kingsley Suamataia, how much mental coaching does it take to make sure his confidence is up?

REID:&nbsp;“That’s all part of it, that’s all part of coaching. I’d probably say it’s the same way in your business. If you’re not confident, you’re probably not going to talk very well.”

Q:&nbsp;On the little things being practiced and emphasized to block a field goal.

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, the details of it become important. The players want that. They want you to detail it up for them. It helps them even more be able to show what their talents are and then as a result of that, hopefully you win a game or two. (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator) Dave (Toub) spends a lot of time on that right there. You guys (the media) watch all that, so you know that there’s an emphasis put on special teams and the details of it. We needed it (laughter) yesterday. That was a big play for us.”

Q:&nbsp;Is there a focus going forward on trying to incorporate Kareem Hunt more in the passing game?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, well we think touches for him (Kareem Hunt) end up being important, whether he’s carrying it or – he’s a good football player so you want to have him have an opportunity to show off those talents. He’s always been a good receiver. We weren’t getting as much out of the run game as we wanted to, so we started throwing it a little bit more and he became an important part of that.”

Q:&nbsp;How do you try to manage the workload for these guys and make sure they get enough rest after two physical games?

REID:&nbsp;“It’s not as much the maybe the physical part as it is the time in between games. That’s what you’re managing. Then, it comes down to how the guys are feeling because of the short week. That’s the way we did it last week. This is a normal week so it’s not going to be quite like that. It’ll be a normal week of practice, but you know Matt (Derrick), in this league, every game is physical. I mean, the parity in this league is crazy right now. You just check out some of these scores and you go, ‘Jeez, it’s nuts.’ There’s – any given Sunday. It's no more important than that is right now in this league. You better be on you’re a-game every week.”

Q: Are there any updates on Charles Omenihu, Isiah Pacheco and JuJu Smith-Schuster?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, I think they’re (Charles Omenihu, Isiah Pacheco and JuJu Smith-Schuster) all close. I’d probably tell you JuJu (Smith-Schuster is) closer than the other two, but I would tell you that – we might have them out there, we’ll just see how it goes here today and tomorrow. They’re very close, all three of them.”

Q: How do you explain how you have been able to remain undefeated and get to this point?

REID:&nbsp;“Yesterday, that was probably the epitome of it, coming down to that last second deal – literally – a block. We’ve been given opportunities and we’ve taken advantage of them and then we’ve made a few opportunities ourselves with some good plays. You’d probably say that they outplayed us yesterday and then they end up not winning the game. You see that throughout the league, I mean you just saw the Lions game last night, five turnovers, five interceptions or whatever it was and they find a way to win the game. You give credit to your locker room and your coaches, just for being mentally tough and sticking with it.”

Q: What is needed for Xavier Worthy and Patrick Mahomes to get the right connection on the deep passes?

REID:&nbsp;“They’ve (Xavier Worthy and Patrick Mahomes) had a couple of them, we just have to keep it a little bit more consistent, Nick (Jacobs). They’ll keep working on it. They spend time working on it and we’ll just keep it going. Those things, they’ll come eventually here as we go with a little bit more consistency.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Q: On the fourth down attempt in the first half and at the end of the game.

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesNovember 11, 2024HEAD COACH ANDY REIDOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright so, I really don’t have any injuries for you. I think we came out of the game halfway decent, but I’ll get – the guys are just kind of coming in, so we’ll get all that taken care of here later in the afternoon. As far as the game goes, listen, the win was fantastic to get. We’ve got places that we’ve got to work on and make sure we get covered. The positive was that they didn’t score in the second half and we – for the most part – hunkered down defensively and then offensively, we’ve got to clean up a few things. We didn’t score as often in the red zone as we wanted to – penalties, a missed shot there – a couple of those things that don’t happen very often that happened down in there. We’re normally accurate with the throws and so on, so we’ve got to clean a little bit of that up but again, playing a good football team. They’ve got – both of their fronts are strong and we were tested in a couple (of) spots and it’ll help us grow is what it’ll help us do, particularly at that tackle position. We were young at the left tackle spot. We’ll keep getting better as we go and experience some of these things. I think Wanya (Morris) will end up being okay when it’s all said and done here as far as his leg goes and then he was able to come back in and play. Kingsley (Suamataia) will learn from what he had there and keep getting better. Then, likewise on the right side (right tackle), we’ll keep growing there. Then, from a defensive standpoint, they’ve got a good offensive line (and) they were physical (with) their run game. They got that going a little bit and teams hadn’t been able to do that quite as well as what they had rolling there early so we can learn from that and get better in that spot too. Again, I’m glad we came out with the win. I thought it was a heck of a play there at the end. We overloaded one side – it probably wouldn’t have mattered who they had in there blocking but we were able to get that overload, and we got off on the ball. I mean, if you wanted to pick on one thing there to say was a great job, Justin Reid, on the outside, is the fastest guy in the NFL on his get off on these field goals. Teams take and look at that and make sure that they take care of him first which allowed the inside three there to really come off and get an explosive. You saw (Derrick) Nnadi kind of went down and they weren’t quite sure how to handle that so there ended up being a separation and we were able to get through the cracks there. That was a spectacular way to end it. I’m not sure I’ve ever had that experience in my career with a walk-off blocked field goal, so it made it exciting but I’d rather us really focus in on taking care of business in the other part of the game and get that sinched up. My hat goes off to (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Dave) Toub for spending the time to make sure those things all fit together and for the players just executing and never giving up. Like I told you last night – or yesterday afternoon – that the thing that has impressed me with this team is (that) they don’t get down and they’re not that – that’s not what they are. They battle through stuff and if somebody’s not doing well, they try to pick them up and do well in their area. It’s worked to this point, but we’ve just got to keep getting better and growing as we go. With that, (the) time’s yours.”Q:&nbsp;From a depth perspective, has there been any consideration to bring in Donovan Smith or another veteran as your two young left tackles develop?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, that’s (General Manager Brett) Veach’s area. He looks at everything so I’m not going to say no, but what we do as coaches – and we overemphasize – we’re going to focus in on these kids that are here and they’re getting better. I know it’s hard to see at times but there’s progress being made and we’re going to be okay as we go forward.”Q:&nbsp;With a young player like Kingsley Suamataia, how much mental coaching does it take to make sure his confidence is up?REID:&nbsp;“That’s all part of it, that’s all part of coaching. I’d probably say it’s the same way in your business. If you’re not confident, you’re probably not going to talk very well.”Q:&nbsp;On the little things being practiced and emphasized to block a field goal.REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, the details of it become important. The players want that. They want you to detail it up for them. It helps them even more be able to show what their talents are and then as a result of that, hopefully you win a game or two. (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator) Dave (Toub) spends a lot of time on that right there. You guys (the media) watch all that, so you know that there’s an emphasis put on special teams and the details of it. We needed it (laughter) yesterday. That was a big play for us.”Q:&nbsp;Is there a focus going forward on trying to incorporate Kareem Hunt more in the passing game?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, well we think touches for him (Kareem Hunt) end up being important, whether he’s carrying it or – he’s a good football player so you want to have him have an opportunity to show off those talents. He’s always been a good receiver. We weren’t getting as much out of the run game as we wanted to, so we started throwing it a little bit more and he became an important part of that.”Q:&nbsp;How do you try to manage the workload for these guys and make sure they get enough rest after two physical games?REID:&nbsp;“It’s not as much the maybe the physical part as it is the time in between games. That’s what you’re managing. Then, it comes down to how the guys are feeling because of the short week. That’s the way we did it last week. This is a normal week so it’s not going to be quite like that. It’ll be a normal week of practice, but you know Matt (Derrick), in this league, every game is physical. I mean, the parity in this league is crazy right now. You just check out some of these scores and you go, ‘Jeez, it’s nuts.’ There’s – any given Sunday. It's no more important than that is right now in this league. You better be on you’re a-game every week.”Q: Are there any updates on Charles Omenihu, Isiah Pacheco and JuJu Smith-Schuster?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, I think they’re (Charles Omenihu, Isiah Pacheco and JuJu Smith-Schuster) all close. I’d probably tell you JuJu (Smith-Schuster is) closer than the other two, but I would tell you that – we might have them out there, we’ll just see how it goes here today and tomorrow. They’re very close, all three of them.”Q: How do you explain how you have been able to remain undefeated and get to this point?REID:&nbsp;“Yesterday, that was probably the epitome of it, coming down to that last second deal – literally – a block. We’ve been given opportunities and we’ve taken advantage of them and then we’ve made a few opportunities ourselves with some good plays. You’d probably say that they outplayed us yesterday and then they end up not winning the game. You see that throughout the league, I mean you just saw the Lions game last night, five turnovers, five interceptions or whatever it was and they find a way to win the game. You give credit to your locker room and your coaches, just for being mentally tough and sticking with it.”Q: What is needed for Xavier Worthy and Patrick Mahomes to get the right connection on the deep passes?REID:&nbsp;“They’ve (Xavier Worthy and Patrick Mahomes) had a couple of them, we just have to keep it a little bit more consistent, Nick (Jacobs). They’ll keep working on it. They spend time working on it and we’ll just keep it going. Those things, they’ll come eventually here as we go with a little bit more consistency.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Q: On the fourth down attempt in the first half and at the end of the game.

Chiefs Quotes: 11-11-24

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;After extending his own school record in Kansas’ 45-36 win over No. 17 Iowa State, senior cornerback Mello Dotson has been named the Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Week. The conference announced the weekly honors on Monday.

Dotson was KU’s highest graded defensive player against Iowa State, receiving an 85.1 grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF). Statistically, he recorded one solo tackle and one pass breakup, and his interception with 5:58 to play sealed the victory after he returned it 25 yards for a touchdown, putting Kansas up 45-28 at the time.

The interception was historic for Dotson as it extended his own school record as his fourth career interception returned for a touchdown, which is also tops among all active FBS players. It was the fourth interception for Dotson this season, which is tied for the Big 12 lead, and the 11th of his career, which is tied for No. 4 in school history.

This is the first career Big 12 weekly honor for Dotson, who joins KU’s other senior cornerback, Cobee Bryant, in receiving conference recognition this season. Bryant was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 21 after tying the single-game school record with three interceptions in KU’s 42-14 victory over Houston.

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;After extending his own school record in Kansas’ 45-36 win over No. 17 Iowa State, senior cornerback Mello Dotson has been named the Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Week. The conference announced the weekly honors on Monday.Dotson was KU’s highest graded defensive player against Iowa State, receiving an 85.1 grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF). Statistically, he recorded one solo tackle and one pass breakup, and his interception with 5:58 to play sealed the victory after he returned it 25 yards for a touchdown, putting Kansas up 45-28 at the time.The interception was historic for Dotson as it extended his own school record as his fourth career interception returned for a touchdown, which is also tops among all active FBS players. It was the fourth interception for Dotson this season, which is tied for the Big 12 lead, and the 11th of his career, which is tied for No. 4 in school history.This is the first career Big 12 weekly honor for Dotson, who joins KU’s other senior cornerback, Cobee Bryant, in receiving conference recognition this season. Bryant was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 21 after tying the single-game school record with three interceptions in KU’s 42-14 victory over Houston.

Mello Dotson Named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week

nr/rv/rv&nbsp;Arizona State at&nbsp;19/20/19&nbsp;K-State

Stadium: Bill Snyder Family Stadium (50,000)

TV: ESPN (<a href="https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/12ee0ec5-04b5-4b2d-b91a-c9e2ff1cbc6e" target="_blank">watch</a>)

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

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

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

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

SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ch. 106 or 199, and on the SiriusXM App

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

X Updates: @KStateFB and @KStateStatsInfo

THE TOP 51)&nbsp;Coming off its second bye week of the season, 19th-ranked Kansas State begins its final three-game stretch of the regular season by hosting new Big 12 member Arizona State inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game, which kicks off at 6 p.m. Saturday night, will be shown nationally on ESPN with Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Brock Osweiler (analyst) and Stormy Buonantony (sidelines) on the call.

2)&nbsp;Quarterback Avery Johnson is set to make his 11th career start as he has thrown for 1,892 yards and 17 TDs on 153-of-251 aim while adding 391 rushing yards and four scores. He is one of only six players in the country and the only Big 12 quarterback with at least 1,875 passing yards and 375 rushing yards. He is one passing TD shy of tying the K-State sophomore record and entering the overall top-10 list.

3)&nbsp;Junior running back DJ Giddens has rushed for 995 yards and five touchdowns on 162 carries to go along with 17 receptions for 213 yards and another score. Giddens ranks 12th nationally by averaging 110.6 rushing yards per game, while he is ninth in the nation in scrimmage yards per game (134.2). He is looking to become the fourth player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

4)&nbsp;Kansas State has eight players with 30 or more tackles this season, led by linebacker Austin Romaine, whose 69 tackles are tied for seventh in the Big 12. Senior defensive end Brendan Mott has 9.5 TFLs and 8.0 sacks, the latter ranking 11th in the nation. Five Wildcats have carded an interception this season in Marques Sigle (3), VJ Payne (2), Jacob Parrish, Jack Fabris and Keenan Garber.

5)&nbsp;Chris Tennant has been true on 14-of-16 field goals, including a 51-yarder with 1:42 left to give the Wildcats a 29-27 win over Kansas. Simon McClannan ranks fourth in the Big 12 by averaging 41.6 yards per punt this season, while his 12 punts that have ended inside the opponent 20-yard line are tied for fifth in the Big 12. Dylan Edwards ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 310 total return yards.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS212&nbsp;– Opponents' lost yardage on K-State's 25 sacks this season, which ranks seventh the nation and tops in the Big 12.

143&nbsp;– Big 12 victories by K-State since the conference's inception in 1996, the most among active programs.

15&nbsp;– Home wins by the Wildcats since the beginning of 2022, tied for 16th in the country and ranked first in the Big 12.

13&nbsp;– Consecutive CFP polls in which the Wildcats have been ranked, tied for fifth in the nation.

4&nbsp;– DJ Giddens is looking to become the fourth player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

• K-State is looking to rebound from a 24-19 loss at Houston prior to its second bye week of the season. The Wildcats led the Cougars, 19-10, but two fourth-quarter touchdowns by UH proved to be the difference.

• The Wildcats entered the game at Houston off a dramatic 29-27 dramatic win over Kansas – its 16th-straight win over the Jayhawks – as linebacker Austin Romaine forced a fumble on defense before Chris Tennant nailed a 51-yard field goal with 1:42 left for the two-point win.

• The defense settled in and held the Jayhawks scoreless in their final four drives with the Romaine forced fumble and Brendan Mott recovery leading to the game-winning drive.

• Saturday's contest will be just the second home game for the Wildcats in a span of 49 days. K-State hosted Oklahoma State on September 28 and Kansas on October 26, while during that time the Wildcats had three road games and two byes.

• This weekend's game against ASU is the first of two-straight home games and the final two home contests of the year.

• Home games have been kind to K-State over the last three years as the Cats have 15 victories, tied for the 16th most home wins in the nation over that span. That figure is also the most among active Big 12 teams.

• With its sixth victory of the year at West Virginia, Kansas State will be playing in the postseason for a fourth-straight season and the 13th time in the last 15 years.

• Entering the year, K-State was one of just 16 Power 4 programs to play in a bowl game at least 12 times in the previous 14 years.

• K-State has a total of 229 victories since 1996, which ranks 22nd nationally.

• Among active Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fourth behind BYU (237), TCU (235) and Utah (232).

• Over the last 15 seasons – including 2024 – the Wildcats have won at least seven games on 13 occasions.

• K-State is riding a streak of three-straight years of at least eight wins, its longest since 2011 (10), 2012 (11), 2013 (8) and 2014 (9), and the Wildcats need one more victory to extend the current streak to four-straight years.

• Entering the season, K-State was the only returning Big 12 team with at least eight wins in each of the previous three seasons and one of 13 Power 4 programs to claim that feat.

• K-State has 34 wins since 2021, which is tied for 13th nationally and first among active Big 12 teams.

• Kansas State has totaled 143 Big 12 victories since the conference’s formation in 1996, which stands as the most among active Big 12 programs.

• The Cats are also second among active Big 12 members in winning percentage since non-divisional play began in 2011. They sit at 60.2% (74-49), trailing only Oklahoma State (62.1%; 77-47).

• During that stretch, the Wildcats are 41-20 (67.2%) at home in Big 12 play and 33-29 (5.32%) on the road.

• K-State checks in at No. 20 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 as the Wildcats have been ranked in all 12 AP polls this year.

• It is the first time K-State has been ranked in the first 12 AP polls of a season since appearing in all 17 polls in 2014.

• K-State has been ranked in the AP Top 25 on 243 occasions since 1993, the most among active Big 12 teams and ranked 22nd nationally.

• Kansas State was ranked No. 19 in the initial College Football Playoff Top 25 of 2024, marking the 13th-straight time the Cats were ranked in the CFP Top 25. That figure is tied for the fifth-longest active streak.

• K-State is only playing four opponents from last year’s schedule – Houston, Iowa State, Kansas and Oklahoma State – in 2024.

• It is the fewest amount of carryover opponents from one year to the next since only three rematches from 1918 to 1919.

• Additionally, half of the Wildcats’ schedule is against teams in which they have not faced in at least 10 years, if ever. Those are UT Martin (First Meeting), Arizona (1978), BYU (1997), Colorado (2010), Arizona State (2002) and Cincinnati (1996).

• A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 118-39 career record, as his 75.2% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that have led programs for at least 10 seasons. He is also one of just 18 current Power 4 head coaches with at least 100 career victories.

• Klieman, who is 46-26 since arriving at K-State, has led the Cats to five victories over teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP Top 25, the most of any active Big 12 program since 2019.

• Kansas State ranked in the top 10 nationally in turnover margin each of the last two years as the Wildcats finished eighth in 2022 and fifth in 2023, which marked the first time in the top 10 in consecutive seasons since 2011 (9th) and 2012 (3rd).

• After sitting at minus-2 in turnover margin and ranking 93rd in the nation entering the Oklahoma State game, the Wildcats are now plus-2 on the year to rank 52nd.

• K-State is the nation’s best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 25-plus seasons as it has 135 since 1999, 10 more than the next closest team (Alabama – 125).

• K-State has recorded four non-offensive scores this season, its most since also recording four in 2020.

• The four non-offensive TDs this year are: a Ty Bowman blocked punt against UT Martin that was returned for a score by Colby McCalister, a 60-yard rumble return by Jack Fabris at Tulane, a 71-yard punt return by Dylan Edwards against Arizona, and a 43-yard interception return by Marques Sigle at West Virginia.

• Kansas State is 3-1 in one-possession games this season, with all three of its wins being in comeback fashion.

• The Wildcats' three wins this season when trailing in the fourth quarter are the most since 2017.

• K-State trailed Kansas, 27-26, until Chris Tennant's 51-yard field goal with 1:42 left sparked a K-State win.

• K-State trailed 28-24 at Colorado before the game-winning 50-yard touchdown pass from Avery Johnson to Jayce Brown with 2:14 left.

• In Week 2 at Tulane, K-State rallied from a 20-10 halftime deficit to take a 34-27 win, which included a Dylan Edwards touchdown run and a Jack Fabris fumble return to erase a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit.

• Of K-State's three one-possession victories this year, two were on the road against teams currently ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 (No. 18 Colorado and No. 25 Tulane).

• With the entire six-game 2024 home slate trending toward being sold out, K-State is currently riding a streak of 18-consecutive sellouts dating back to the beginning of 2022.

• Kansas State is one of only three schools in the nation to rank in the top 20 of percentage of capacity filled each of the last 10 seasons, joining Ohio State and Oklahoma.

• So far this year, K-State ranks 10th nationally by filling its stadium to 103.17% capacity.

• K-State enters this week's matchup ranking 19th nationally by averaging 208.3 rushing yards per game, while the Cats are seventh in the country by averaging 5.8 rushing yards per carry.

• K-State's school record for average yards per rush is 5.27 yards in 2016.

• The average is driven by 66 rushes of at least 10 yards to rank seventh in the nation, while K-State's 20 rushing plays of 20 or more yards this season are tied for 11th in the country.

• The Cats have rushed for at least 200 yards in six games this year, the most in the Big 12. The Wildcats have already equaled last year's regular-season total, which was the most since doing so in eight regular-season games in 2016.

ONE OF ONLY TWO• Four K-State players have had at least 20 rushing attempts and each average at least 5.4 yards per carry.

• Headlining that group is Dylan Edwards, DJ Giddens and Avery Johnson at 6.8, 6.1 and 5.4 yards per rush, respectively. K-State is one of just two Power 4 programs to have three active players to average at least 5.4 yards on at least 50 attempts (Notre Dame: Jadarian Price, Jeremiyah Love, Riley Leonard).