Missouri Western Archives

Long time Missouri Western football coach gets fired

November 17, 2016 By Bill Pollock

Missouri Western State University Director of Athletics Kurt McGuffin announced Thursday that football head coach Jerry Partridge has been relieved of his coaching duties.

“Coach Partridge has been a part of Griffon football for most of his adult life as a player, assistant coach and head coach, and I thank him for his hard work, his passion and his loyalty,” McGuffin said. “Our goal is to find a coach who can build on the foundation Jerry established to position our student-athletes for continued success on the field and in the classroom.”

Prior to becoming head coach in 1997, Partridge was the defensive coordinator at Missouri Western for five seasons under head coach Stan McGarvey. Partridge was also an assistant at Murray State (Ky.) University and Austin Peay University in Tennessee. He served as a graduate assistant coach at both the University of Notre Dame and the University of Missouri.

A national search for the seventh head coach in program history will begin immediately.

On July 21, 2010, the Griffon Indoor Sports Complex was completed and officially opened. The facility serves Griffon football, softball, baseball, soccer, men’s golf and women’s golf teams, and is the summer training camp home of the Kansas City Chiefs. The facility features a full 100-yard turf indoor field, a state-of-the-art locker room for the Griffon football team, which can accommodate up to 120 players, as well as coaches offices, a dedicated weight training facility for Griffon student-athletes, meeting rooms, a 120 seat theatre, equipment room and athletic training room. The facilities available to Griffon student-athletes rival those of any collegiate or professional sports organization.

Total cost of the building portion of the Griffon Indoor Sports Complex was $10.3 million.

The facility was thought to give a boost to the Missouri Western football program as it tries to compete with perennial powerhouse Northwest Missouri State from just up the road in Maryville.

Unfortunately, the record has gone the other way for Patridge

2012 12-2
2013 8-3
2014 7-4
2015 6-5
2016 4-7

College football season opens Thursday night for several Missouri teams including @MoStateFootball and D-II champs @NWBearcatsFB

September 1, 2016 By Bill Pollock

Dave Steckel looks to improve off a 1-10 first season.

The Missouri State Bears kick off their 105th season of college football and 75th season at Robert W. Plaster Stadium on Thursday (Sept. 1) when they welcome the Southwestern Moundbuilders of the NAIA to Springfield for a 6:04 p.m. non-conference contest. The visitors from Winfield, Kan., are coming off a 3-8 campaign last season.

Missouri State head coach Dave Steckel is in his second season on the sidelines as he brings back 15 starters, 39 lettermen and 57 total returnees. A trio of returning Bears earned Preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors earlier this fall, led by All-America linebacker Dylan Cole, who posted 152 tackles last season — the most by any returning FCS player. Return specialist Deion Holliman was also on the conference’s elite preseason list after he led the nation in total return yards (1,233) in 2015. Sophomore safety Jared Beshore was also recognized on the Valley preseason list after he finished third on the team with 70 tackles as a freshman.

Watch Coach Stec ahead of their season opener (VIDEO/Missouri State Athletics)

There are also six Division II games scheduled for Thursday night. Preseason 20th ranked Central Missouri has a tough MIAA road test at Pittsburg State and the defending national champs and preseason ranked number one Northwest Missouri State plays at Emporia State. The Bearcats prepare for their run at a sixth national title.

The MIAA Conference

Central Missouri	Pittsburg State	7 p.m.	Pittsburg, Kan.
University of Central Oklahoma	Lindenwood	7:00 p.m.	St. Charles, Mo.
Northwest Missouri State University	Emporia State	7:00 p.m.	Emporia, KS
Missouri Southern	Fort Hays State	7:00 p.m.	Hays, Kan.
University of Nebraska at Kearney	Missouri Western	7:00 p.m.	St. Joseph, Mo.

The Great Lakes Valley Conference

Eastern New Mexico

Southwest Baptist

7:00 PM

Bolivar, Mo.

Mules beat Griffons to win MIAA Baseball Tournament–both teams advance to NCAA D-II regionals

May 16, 2016 By Bill Pollock

Central Missouri wins the MIAA championship (photo/TheMIAA.com)

MIAA Regular Season and Tournament Champion Central Missouri Mules Baseball earned the No. 2 seed for the NCAA-II Central Regional, which will take place May 19-22 in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The Mules (38-13) will take on seventh-seeded SW Oklahoma State (29-14), the GAC Regular Season Champion. The Mules will be making their 28th NCAA Regional appearance overall and the 21st in the last 23 years, but the first since 2013.

Missouri Western (38-18), who lost to Central Missouri 16-14 in that MIAA Championship Game, earns the five seed and will face fourth seeded Arkansas-Monticello also from the Great American Conference.

St. Cloud State (35-8) earned the No. 1 seed and the right to host. SCSU will take on eighth-seeded Minnesota State (33-16). The other matchup in the regional is No. 3 seed Minnesota-Duluth (39-14) taking on No. 6 seed Emporia State (37-17).

NCAA-II Central Regional
No. 1 St. Cloud State vs. No. 8 Minnesota State
No. 4 Arkansas-Monticello vs. No. 5 Missouri Western
No. 2 Central Missouri vs. No. 7 SW Oklahoma State
No. 3 Minnesota-Duluth vs. No. 6 Emporia State

Missouri Western women upset in first round of NCAA D-II tourney

March 12, 2016 By Bill Pollock

photo/gogriffons.com

Third seeded Missouri Western got a last second three-pointer, but came up short in an 81-80 loss to sixth seeded Arkansas Tech in the first round of the NCAA Division II Central Regional.

Chelsea Dewey tied the game for the 10th time with 1:16 left on a layup and gave the Griffons a 78-77 lead on a free throw after she was fouled during the layup. Arkansas Tech led 80-77 with 13 seconds left and Sarafina Handy had a three-point attempt blocked with six seconds to go. Arkansas Tech made it a four-point game after a Missouri Western foul on the blocked three-point attempt. Sefulu Faavae made a three-point attempt at the buzzer to make the final score, 81-80.

Missouri Western finishes the season 27-4 and were the MIAA regular season champions.

Missouri Western women grab third seed in NCAA D-II Tournament

March 7, 2016 By Bill Pollock

photo courtesy/gogriffons.com

For the first time since 2007, the Missouri Western women’s basketball team will compete in the NCAA Championships.

The team received the No. 3 seed in the central regional that will be hosted by No. 2 seed Pittsburg State. Missouri Western (27-3) will play Arkansas Tech (26-3) in the first round of the tournament on March 11 at 8:30 p.m.. Emporia State earned the No. 1 seed in the region, but will not host due to scheduling issues. Winona State is the No. 4 seed in the region, Fort Hays State the five, Sioux Falls the six and Northern State earned the No. 8 seed.

This is the program’s 12th regional appearance. The Griffons are 7-9 all-time in regional games with two regional championships (1994 and 95). This will be the first time Missouri Western has faced Arkansas Tech in NCAA Championship play. The only central regional participant Missouri Western has ever faced in the NCAA Championships is Emporia State. The Griffons lost both meetings, one in 2000 and the last in 2003.

Division II football polls released. NW Missouri picked to win the MIAA. Truman State tabbed for second in GLVC

August 4, 2015 By Bill Pollock

Photo from a game between Northwest Missouri State and Truman State (courtesy Bearcat Athletics)

Defending MIAA Co-Champion Northwest Missouri received 36 first place votes between two polls as they topped both the coaches and media poll for 2015. MIAA Co-Champion Pittsburg State earned 17 first place votes between the two polls as they finished second in both the media and coaches poll.

The polls could not agree in the third place spot as Central Missouri edged Central Oklahoma by just one point for third place in the coaches poll while the Bronchos were third for the media. Missouri Western racked up 350 points to be picked fourth by the media while UCM was six points behind them in the fifth spot in the media poll with the Griffons earning the fifth spot in the coaches opinion.

Sixth place was agreed upon by both polls as Fort Hays State earned 284 points from the media and 71 points from the coaches. Their was a tie in the poll for the coaches at seventh place as Turnpike Tussle Rivals Emporia State and Washburn each earned 59 points. In the media poll the Hornets edged the Ichabods by just 13 points.

[Read more…]

Central Missouri Jennies hold down Missouri Southern, Missouri Westerns fall

March 7, 2015 By Bill Pollock

photo/TheMIAA.com

Fifth seed Central Missouri held #4 Missouri Southern to just .333 shooting from the field as won their quarterfinal match-up in the MIAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. Head coach Dave Slifer picked up his 600th career win.

For the Jennies Revonnia Howard led the way coming one short of a double-double with 23 points and nine rebounds. Shelby Winkelmann finished with 14 points and and Tayler Welks finished with 12 points and Justin Prairie Chief had a team high three assists.

For the Lions Sharese Jones had a double-double scoring 14 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Jordan Dinyer had 10 points and also added six rebounds on the game as did Jenson Maydew.

Second seed Emporia State shot .564 from the field as they defeated seventh seed Missouri Western 77-60 in the quarterfinal round of the MIAA Tournament.

For the Lady Hornets Merissa Quick led the way scoring 17 points and pulling down seven rebounds while Kelly Moten added 15 points and seen boards. Kathryn Flott had 12 points and three assists while Kelsey Barnwell also added 12 points.

For the Griffons LaQuinta Jefferson led the way scoring a team best 14 points on the night. Sarafina Handy finished with 12 points while Milikere Koyamainavure dished out a game four assists.

Missouri Western blows out UNK, Central Missouri comes up short: Complete MIAA football recap

November 8, 2014 By Bill Pollock

Raphael Spencer gained 72 of Missouri Western’s 217 rushing yards against the Lopers. (photo/John Ellis/Missouri Western)

Missouri Western 55, Nebraska-Kearney 0

Missouri Southern racked up 550 yards of total offense as they earned a victory at home against Nebraska-Kearney. MWSU held UNK to just 229 yards of total offense as they moved to 6-4 this season.

For the Griffons Skyler Windmiller was 16 of 23 for 296 yards and two touchdowns hitting Dee Tolliver for 133 yards and two scores. On the ground Daylon Harper scored twice and Dominic Thomas, Tra Brown and Kendall Short each scored once. On defense Stephen Juergens had eight stops and Marc Harrison picked off a pass.

For the Lopers Bronson Marsh was 13 of 26 for 137 yards through the air hitting Dalton Sealey two times for 47 yards. Romero Cotton carried the ball 14 times for a team best 62 yards. On defense Dillon Loschen had 17 tackles as Peyton Lange and George Brown each picked off one pass.

#6 Pittsburg State 38, Central Missouri 31

#6 Pittsburg State scored a touchdown with 2:04 to play to pull ahead in a see-saw game with Central Missouri at home. PSU racked up 611 yards of total offense as they move to 9-1 on the year.

For the Gorillas Anthony Abenoja was 26 of 42 for 428 yards and three touchdowns. Marquise Cushon caught nine passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns while Gavin Lutman hauled in seven catches for 122 yards. On defense Spencer Brown had 13 tackles and Keeston Terry added 10 stops.

For the Mules LaVance Taylor carried the ball 26 times for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Hayden Hawk was 14 of 32 for 119 yards through the air and added a touchdown on the ground. On the defensive side of the ball Travion Vaughn, Monteze Latimore and Josh Powell each picked off a pass.

#7 Northwest Missouri 42, Emporia State 14

#7 Northwest Missouri held Emporia State to just 204 yards of total offense as they picked up a victory on the road. NWMSU finished with 479 yards of their own as they moved to 9-1 on the year.

For the Bearcats Brady Bolles was 15 of 25 for 256 yards and four touchdowns George Sehl for 62 yards and a touchdown. On the ground Cameron Wilcox had 77 yards and a touchdown and Robert Burton III added 68 yards and a score. On defense DJ Gnader led the way with nine tackles and Marcus Jones made five stops.

For the Hornets Ty Reasnor was 14 of 31 for 84 yards through the air picking up a touchdown on the ground. Antonio Brown carried the ball nine times for 34 yards and a touchdown. On defense Deshawn Dinwiddie led the way with 11 tackles and Deveon Dinwiddie picked off a pass.

Central Oklahoma 45, Lindenwood 13

Central Oklahoma took advantage of five turnovers as they picked up a victory at home over Lindenwood. UCO racked up 443 yards of total offense to move to 8-2 on the season.

For the Bronchos Marquez Clark rushed for a score and caught a pass for a score as Chas Stallard was 21 of 30 for 180 yards and a touchdown. On the ground Jake Gandara carried the ball 22 times for 90 yards and a touchdown while Stallard and Greg Johnson also scored on the ground. On defense Riley Galyon, Addison Staggs, Logan Orso and Levonted Douglas all intercepted one pass.

For the Lions Graham Lindman was 27 of 54 for 299 yards and a touchdown through the air on the day. Greg Coble caught six passes for 101 yards and Francisco Llanos hauled in a touchdown catch. On defense Connor Harris led the way with 20 total tackles and Steven Pace picked off a pass.

Fort Hays State 49, Missouri Southern 41

In a game that saw over 500 yards on the ground Fort Hays State edged out Missouri Southern at home. The game saw over 900 total yards as FHSU moves to 6-4 on the season.

For the Tigers Treveon Albert was 8 of 11 for 185 yards and one touchdown through the air hitting Ed Williams four times for 147 yards and a score. On the ground Edward Smith carried the ball 17 times for 100 yards and a touchdown. On defense Justin McPhail led the way with 16 tackles while Nathan Lindsey and Alex Schmidtberger each picked off a pass.

For the Lions Scott Lathrop was 10 of 15 for 215 yards through the air with a touchdown adding a team best 92 yards on the ground. Anthony Cannon caught eight passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns while Giresse Forchu added two scores on the ground. On the defensive side of the ball Johnquavious McBride had 14 tackles and also picked off a pass.

National champion Northwest Missouri State number one in D-II coaches poll. Central Missouri, Missouri Western receive votes

August 18, 2014 By Bill Pollock

Bearcats RB Kelvin Austin fights for the end zone in a game against Truman State. (courtesy Northwest Missouri State)

Northwest Missouri State, fresh off of their fourth Division II title in 2013, opens up 2014 as the preseason favorite to win the national championship. This is the third time since the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll started in 2000 that the Bearcats have begun the season ranked No. 1. Grand Valley State (Mich.) comes in at No. 2, followed by Minnesota-Duluth, Colorado State-Pueblo and North Alabama rounding out the Top 5.

1. Northwest Missouri St. (31) 15-0
2. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 12-3
3. Minnesota-Duluth 11-2
4. Colorado St.-Pueblo 11-1
5. North Alabama 10-3
6. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 13-2
7. Minnesota St.-Mankato 11-1
8. Henderson St. (Ark.) (1)
9. Pittsburg St. (Kan.)
10. West Chester (Pa.)
11. West Texas A&M 11-3
12. Shepherd (W.Va.) 11-1
13. Ohio Dominican 10-1
14. Winston-Salem St. (N.C.) 10-2
15. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 12-2
16. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 10-3
17. Tarleton St. (Texas) 7-3
18. Indianapolis (Ind.) 10-2
19. Delta St. (Miss.) 7-3
20. Indiana (Pa.) 9-2
21. North Carolina-Pembroke 9-2
22t. Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 10-2
22t. Emporia St. (Kan.) 9-2
24. Bloomsburg (Pa.) 10-2
25. Tuskegee (Ala.) 8-3

Others Receiving Votes: Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 87; Central Missouri, 82; West Alabama, 67; Valdosta St. (Ga.), 59; American International (Mass.), 51; Ferris St. (Mich.), 41; California (Pa.), 38; Missouri Western St., 38

UMSL makes it back-to-back GLVC softball championships, while Missouri Western also earns an automatic NCAA bid. Brackets released

May 5, 2014 By Bill Pollock

Missouri-St Louis softball

The 11th ranked Missouri-St. Louis softball team successfully defended its Great Lakes Valley Conference title on Sunday by defeating Bellarmine, 3-0, in the 2014 championship game.

Two-time GLVC Pitcher of the Year Hannah Perryman tossed her second no-hitter of the season and the third of her career, leading the No. 2 seeded Tritons to the victory over the No. 4 seeded Knights, while also recording 12 strikeouts. She improved to 25-5 in the circle, tying an UMSL single season record.

UMSL recorded a program-best 45th victory with the win, improving to 45-6 overall. The Tritons went 4-0 in the GLVC Tournament with wins over Illinois Springfield (1-0), #22 Truman State (5-0) and Bellarmine twice (3-2, 3-0) and has now won seven straight.

With the win, UMSL also receives the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament.

The championship is the third in the program. In addition to last year’s title, the 1989 team won the 1989 MIAA Championship. It is also just the third GLVC championship for UMSL in any sport, with the 2003 baseball team winning the GLVC crown.

Missouri Western softball

Missouri Western scored seven runs in the 7th inning on their way to a 12-0 victory over the Northeastern State RiverHawks in the MIAA Tournament Championship. The victory was Jackie Bishop’s 25th of the season which ties her career high for victories in a season. The Griffons are 38-16 on the season and will play next weekend in the NCAA Central Regional. Bishop threw a one hitter while striking out 10 and walking just one.

The Griffons had 12 hits in the game with two coming from Kat Steponovich, Michelle Stevenson and Morgan Rathmann.

Missouri Western is the fifth seed in the Central Region and the Griffons (38-16) will take on fourth seed Augustana SD (43-13) on Friday at 4:30 p.m.

In the Midwest Regional, Truman State (40-11) received an at-large bid as the fourth seed and will play Ohio Dominican (29-26) on Friday at 1 p.m. In the same bracket, it will be a rematch of the GLVC championship game between top seed Missouri-St. Louis (43-5) against 8th seeded Bellarmine (37-15), Friday at 2:30 p.m.

NCAA Brackets