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We've been sort of silent about the Big 12 meetings this week, but they've been uproariously stupid. The tl;dr version is this: the Big 12 doesn't appear set to expand, and after initially voting down the so-called Baker Mayfield Rule, the conference reversed course and chose to adopt it after some language was changed.
That rule allows walk-ons to transfer within the conference without forfeiting a year of eligibility; the language change reinstates the forfeiture if the player's original school offers a scholarship. (The rule does not allow immediate eligibility; players must still sit out a year as redshirts. That's an NCAA rule. The walk-on rule simply waives a conference rule regarding intra-conference transfers.)
EXPANSIONPALOOZA visited Clemson, and then Gracey turned her nose up at them because she wants prime rib, not eye of round. (Me, I just like beef.) Today we'll talk about Florida Atlantic because why not? Monday?
Alabama. Gothlaw. Hijinx.
We also dropped the first season win total over/unders from Vegas, and screamed DISRESPECT for the first time in 2016.
Per Brian Rauf at Chat Sports, K-State has offered three-star running back Jordon Curtis of the Tulsa-area football factory Jenks High School.
(Those of you not in Oklahoma will now get some learnin'. In Oklahoma, if your school district has multiple high schools, a donor must contribute enough funds for all the high schools in the district to have a thing in order to donate funds for a thing. Wanna build Booker T. Washington a new stadium? Tough luck unless you're going to build one for every high school in Tulsa.
And that is why Jenks, Union, Broken Arrow, and Owasso win everything in Oklahoma. They are all ridiculously massive school districts which have deliberately avoided opening a second high school. There are kids who will never see the field at Jenks who could probably start at any Kansas 6A. So when you see K-State's targeting a player from one of those four schools, pay attention.)
Hubert Lawrence, writing for the Jamaica Star, reports on Jamaicans competing in the NCAA Track and Field Championships next week. The article is focused primarily on Arkansas triple-jumper Clive Pullen, but it turns out K-State's sending a pretty sizable Jamaican contingent to Eugene. Kim Williamson, Christoff Bryan, and Shadae Lawrence all hail from the Land of Wood and Water.
The Topeka-Shawnee County Sports Council has announced its 2016 Hall of Fame inductees, and they include former Topeka High and Kansas State track star Clyde Vinson ('72). Vinson was a two-time All-American running the mile and half-mile. Vinson, along with Judy Dyer and Steve Tilford, will be inducted June 23 at the Downtown Ramada in Topeka.
We discussed this a bit yesterday, but K-State has announced its non-conference schedule for 2016-17. The highlight of the home non-conference slate is a visit from Wisconsin-Green Bay on November 30; the Phoenix were in the mix for an at-large bid last year, but came up short in the committee room. Road games include trips to Saint Louis and Tennessee as well as a not-really neutral site game against Colorado State in Denver. The Cats will also face Washington State in Kansas City and will take part in the Barclays Center Classic in Brooklyn with Maryland, Boston College, and Richmond.
Next Wednesday, June 8, is the day to grab your season tickets for women's basketball. The non-conference highlights at Bramlage include Auburn, Princeton, and... Connecticut. Please tell me Connecticut will be a sellout. (Purchasers of season passes will receive both a K-State vs. UConn t-shirt and the right to purchase additional $3 general admission tickets to that game.) Season tickets range from just $20 for football and men's basketball season ticket holders up to $665 (including Ahearn Fund donation) for limited courtside ducats.
Wildcat women's golf coach Kristi Knight has been named president of the Women's Golf Coaches Association. Knight, who's helmed the women's golf program in Manhattan for 20 years, will serve a two-year term.