Slate: Tennis headed to the NCAA Tournament

Tennis

We lead today with some big news. For the first time since 2003, your Kansas State Wildcats are headed to the NCAA Tournament! K-State, who finished the regular season at 14-10 and No. 42 in the country, will travel to Evanston, IL, to face No. 25 Kentucky (14-10), Friday, May 11 at 3 p.m., in the Round of 64 at Vandy Christie Tennis Center. The winner will advance to play the winner of pod-host Northwestern and Buffalo on Saturday, May 12.

The Cats weren’t sure they were going to make it, but once they found out, they were predictably very excited.

Baseball

Assuming the weather holds out in the Manhattan area, K-State will face off with the Wichita State Shockers tonight at 6:30pm at Tointon Family Stadium. Tickets are still available, or you can watch the carnage the game on COX Channel Kansas or streaming on K-StateHD.TV.

Track

After coming off a strong showing at the Commonwealth Games, freshman Tejaswin Shankar has continued his hot streak, and earned himself Big 12 Athlete of the Week honors after jumping an NCAA-leading 2.29m (7’6”) at the Texas Tech Corky/Crofoot Shootout last Friday. Of note, Shankar becomes just the ninth Wildcat to win the honor during the outdoor season on the men’s side and the first since Miles Bearden claimed the award on May 20, 2017. He also becomes the first Wildcat freshman on the men’s team to win the award during the outdoor season in program history.

Football

You heard about it this weekend, but an announcement from K-State Sports makes it official as kicker Matthew McCrane has signed a UDFA agreement with the Arizona Cardinals. McCrane hit numerous high marks at K-State, including setting the school record for FG percentage (86.4), career FG’s made (57), and tied the school record with five 50-yard field goals made during his career.

As reported in the comments yesterday, QB Jess Ertz will be attending the New Orleans Saints mini-camp next week. But he was actually hoping for more, and was disappointed he didn’t hear his name called during the draft, so he’s ready to work and prove people wrong (Robinett, Eagle). Also reported yesterday was the news that Will Geary, after finally being located in his favorite bear cave hanging out with his pet grizzly, will be headed to mini-camp with the Philadelphia Eagles.

General

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) hosted the ninth annual Mark A. Chapman Powercat Choice Awards Tuesday night to celebrate the accomplishments of all the student-athletes at K-State. Top team honors on the night went to the men’s basketball and women’s track and field squads, while rowing garnered the Wildcat Cup on the night for its excellence in the five core areas of student-athlete well-being (academics, athletics, career, personal and service). Dean Wade and Nina Schultz took home the Male and Female Athlete of the Year awards (respectively).