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Northwest Missouri, Central Missouri garner spots in preseason national rankings

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The Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat football team has been tabbed No. 9 in the 2020 College Football America Yearbook Division II preseason top 30. Northwest returns 16 starters and 59 letterwinners from a season ago. The Bearcats are coming off a 12-2 mark, which saw the program reach the quarterfinals of the 2019 NCAA Division II playoffs.

Northwest has put together an MIAA-record 25 straight winning seasons dating back to the 1995 season. Northwest has competed in the NCAA Div. II playoffs 24 times overall, including an NCAA-record 16 consecutive appearances. Northwest has captured six NCAA Div. II national championships – the most national titles by any Division II program. Northwest won national championships in 1998, 1999, 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2016. The Bearcat have played in the NCAA Div. II national championship game 10 times in the last 22 years. Northwest played for the crown in 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2016.

Central Missouri Mules Football came in ranked 13th in the nation in their top-30 poll. The Mules went 11-2 last year advancing to the Division II Playoffs. They won their 13th MIAA Championship in team history and the first since 2003. For the fourth time in school history, the Mules won 10 or more games in a single-season. They hosted the first round of the NCAA Playoffs, a 37-27 win over Indianapolis.

Mizzou baseball and softball eligible for postseason in 2021

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Mizzou athletics received confirmation late last week from the NCAA that baseball and softball are eligible for postseason next year. Both programs were leveled with sanctions by the NCAA early in 2019 that included a postseason ban for 2020, but there was some concern that the ban would remain in place since this year’s season was canceled. Mizzou baseball last made an NCAA regional in 2012. Softball made Regionals in 2019 for the 13th straight season.

On Jan. 31, 2019, the NCAA originally announced the sanctions against MU, which included a postseason ban for the Mizzou football, baseball and softball teams. The football team was unable to play in a bowl game after the 2019 season due to the ban. This all came after an investigation into a former tutor who completed classwork for 12 student-athletes.

Mizzou parts ways with assistant coach Porter Sr.

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Michael Porter Senior’s three-year contact as a Missouri assistant coach was not renewed. He was the highest paid Tigers’ basketball assistant at $375-thousand per year. He is the father of Michael Jr., who was a 2018 first-round pick of the Nuggets, and Jontay. Michael Jr. played only 53 minutes for Missouri because of a back injury that required surgery. Jontay had a season-ending knee injury in a preseason scrimmage and did not play as a sophomore.

Mizzou football lands one of the top in-state recruits

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New Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz took a major step in rebuilding the program’s image with in-state recruits when the Tigers earned the commitment of four-star St. Louis Lutheran North defensive end Travion Ford.

Ford is ranked as the number-two player in the state of Missouri and the eighth-ranked weak-side defensive end in the country. The 6-foot-2, 222-pounder also had offers from Alabama, LSU, Michigan and Ohio State.

Drinkwitz is trying to lead another resurgence on in-state recruiting just as Gary Pinkel had done. The Ford commitment gives Coach Drink’s effort a huge shot in the arm. Just this week, I hosted a podcast where I talked about football’s recruiting being a work in progress. Look, it’s great to nail down a bunch of three-star in-state guys but beating out the likes of schools lik Indiana and Louisville isn’t going to get the job done in the SEC.

When we hear Mizzou is beating out Alabama and LSU for homegrown talent, if Drinkwitz can keep piling those up, it will turn the Tigers into an SEC contender.

Missouri S&T defensive star signs with Chiefs

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Tershawn Wharton
(photo/John Kean, Missouri S&T)

Missouri S&T defensive end Tershawn Wharton (University City, MO/University City), a three-time all-conference performer in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Wharton was not selected in the NFL Draft that concluded Saturday evening, but agreed to a deal with the defending Super Bowl champions a short time after the draft came to a close. He will be staying in-state where he played both his high school (University City, Mo.) and collegiate games.

During his time with the Miners, Wharton set a new Missouri S&T career record for quarterback sacks with 35.5 and tackles for a loss with 58. In 2019, Wharton recorded 59 tackles with 7.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss, despite facing double- and triple-team scenarios throughout the season.

Jennies Bowling finishes ranked 2nd in Division II/III

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Jacqueline Garcia-Ulloa (photo/UCM Athletics)

The National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) came out with their final poll of the 2019-20 season, representative through the end of the regular season.

The Central Missouri Jennies finished 15th. Among Division II and Division III schools, the Jennies ranked second. The Jennies finished with a total record of 73-27 in all regular season matches. The Jennies were in the top-10 in all eight events during the regular season and in the top-five in six of the eight. UCM twice placed second at the McKendree Bearcat Invitational and at the Wisconsin Whitewater Warhawk Classic.

Following the regular season, four Jennies made the inaugural All-GLVC team. Paytynn Kuhns and Stephanie Richards made the Second Team and Jacqueline Garcia-Ulloa and Tatum Ruffalo were All-GLVC Honorable Mention.

Eagen named Drury women’s basketball coach

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Amy Eagan

Amy Eagan has been named as the next head coach for the Drury University women’s basketball program. Drury announced Eagan on Monday after Molly Miller stepped down to become the head coach at Grand Canyon University. Eagan was an assistant coach for Drury last year helping the Lady Panthers to a 32-0 record, a number one national ranking in NCAA-II throughout the year, a 20-0 mark in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, and the team’s fourth straight GLVC championship.

“Amy is the right choice to lead this team, and continue the long tradition of excellence the Drury Lady Panthers program is known for,” said Dr. Cloyd. “She will ensure our continued success on the court, and I am confident she will uphold our tradition of recruiting high-achieving student-athletes who will succeed in the classroom and in the community as well.”

Eagan came to Drury after a successful tenure as the head coach at Truman State. In six seasons with the Bulldogs, she became the program’s all-time leader in career coaching wins and winning percentage posting a mark of 111-62 (.642). In her final season as head coach at Truman State in 2018-19, she led the Bulldogs to a 23-8 record, a 13-5 record in the GLVC, and an NCAA-II tournament appearance. It was the best finish in the program’s 46-year history. In 2014, Eagan guided Truman State to a GLVC championship as the team went 22-9, 12-6 in the league, and then took the Lady Panthers to overtime in the opening round of the NCAA-II tournament on Drury’s floor.

“I want to thank Drury University President Dr. Cloyd, Director of Athletics Corey Bray, and the Board of Trustees for this amazing opportunity,” said Eagan. “Words cannot express my sincere gratitude and excitement to lead this storied program into the future. I am blessed to become a part of the rich tradition of the Drury Lady Panther basketball program. Getting to know the players, boosters, and the Drury community this past year is why I am thankful to make this program my home. I am committed to ensuring that these young women are champions on and off the court. I also want to give a very special thank you to Molly Miller for what she has done for this program and myself. She will always be a part of us as her legacy in this program will carry on.”

Prior to her tenure at Truman, Eagen led the women’s basketball program at Ashford University in Iowa from 2010-2013 and St. Ambrose (Iowa) from 2005-2007.

She played her college ball at Truman and was a standout at South Shelby High School in northeast Missouri.

Golf is still an option during social distancing (PODCAST)

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Thanks for listening and please subscribe to the Bill Pollock Show podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Sound Cloud and Facebook

While Missourians practice social distancing there is an outdoor activity taking steps to provide enjoyment and safety. Scott Hovis, the executive director of the Missouri Golf Association, says there are many courses following the MGA’s safety guidelines.

I understand some of my podcast listeners are from out of state, but some of the measure the MGA is recommending to their courses in Missouri, should be followed in all states and at your local course. You’ll pick up some great tips. Plus, if you’re not much of a golfer now may be the time to get out and try to work on your game.

1. Courses for the most part are not as busy as they usually are this time of year, so if you’re like me, you won’t have to worry as much about feeling rushed or pressured to play at a quick pace.

2. The USGA has set guidelines to make golf more enjoyable for those of us that aren’t 3-handicap players. Scott offers some great insight.

Mizzou and Kansas working on bringing the Border War back to football

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KU quarterback Todd Reesing in 2007

Mizzou and Kansas are working out details on a four-year contract to renew their Border War rivalry in football. While dates and sites have not released, a source tells me we could learn of the details as early as the end of this month.

I would think Arrowhead Stadium will play a part in hosting some, if not all of the games. The two teams have not met since 2011. The last five games between the Tigers and Jayhawks were played at Arrowhead with Mizzou winning four of those contests.

Two of those Tiger victories came down to dropping KU QB Todd Reesing in the endzone for safeties. Fans won’t forget 2007, when Lorenzo Williams sealed the 3rd ranked Tigers 36-28 win over the Jayhawks on a safety in the closing seconds of that game. Mizzou won the Big 12 North and was ranked number one for the first time since 1960.

Fans may have forgotten about the game two years later. The 2009 game again came down to a safety helping the Tigers. Down 39-36, with just under three minutes to play, the Mizzou front four got to Reesing who tried to escape on a quarterback draw. The Tigers got the ball back trailing 39-38, setting up Grant Ressel’s game winning field goal from 27-yards out.

According to sportsreference.com,
Missouri leads the series, 54-48-8
-Record when both teams are ranked: Kansas leads, 2-1-0
-Record when both teams are in the top 10: Missouri leads, 1-0-0
-Record when only Missouri is ranked: Tied, 7-7-0
-Record when only Kansas is ranked: Missouri leads, 3-2-0
-Longest winning streak by Missouri: 5 games
-Longest winning streak by Kansas: 5 games

Springfield native, long-time Panther leaving for Phoenix

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Drury coach Molly Miller (photo/NCAA.com)

After six seasons leading the Drury University women’s basketball program, Molly Miller has accepted the head coaching position at Grand Canyon University, a D-I in Phoenix and a member of the Western Athletic Conference.

Miller’s coaching record at Drury was 180-17. Her .914 winning percentage is the best mark in program history and leads all active women’s basketball coaches. The Lady Panthers were 32-0 and had the number one national ranking in Division II before the season was canceled.

Miller will leave Springfield as not just one of area’s most accomplished coaches, but also as of the region’s best players in history. Molly (Carter) Miller was a four-year standout for the Lady Panthers from 2004-08 and still ranks fourth on Drury’s all-time scoring list with 1,570 points. She ranks third all-time in assists (439) and second in steals (409).In her four seasons in a Lady Panthers uniform, Drury amassed a record of 112-18.

Miller also starred at Kickapoo High School in Springfield, helping the Lady Chiefs to state championships in her freshman and junior seasons. In 2002-03, Kickapoo went 31-0 and were ranked 13th in the nation by USA Today. They went 110-9 during her four years on the varsity squad. She was named an all-state performer three times in her career, a four-time all-academic selection in the Ozark Conference, and graduated from Kickapoo as the valedictorian of her high school class.

A national search for Drury’s next head coach will begin immediately.

The Drury Lady Panthers have an all-time record of 520-109 (.817) since their inception in 2000-2001, and have made 17 appearances in the NCAA-II tournament, won nine conference championships, and four regional titles.