Slate: K-State Takes its Turn at Big 12 Media Days

Football

Today’s big news lands on Big 12 Media Days, at which K-State will take center stage with Bill Snyder’s press conference at 11:50. The ‘Cats, picked sixth in the league preseason poll, are also represented by Alex Delton, Skylar Thompson, Dalton Risner and Colby Moore. Duke Shelley had been slated to attend but, for some reason, is no longer listed. Intrigue?

K-State is the penultimate team to appear at the event, following Baylor and preceding Oklahoma State. West Virginia and Texas lead off the day. A full schedule of K-State’s activities, beginning with photo and marketing duties at 9:30, is available on the Big 12 website. You can also look in on the press conference at which, let’s be honest, Bill will say very little, and most of what he will say we could all lip-sync by now.

Yesterday, BracketCat’s countdown to kickoff presented redshirt junior fullback (and near namesake) Luke Sowa. One of this backfield mates, Alex Barnes, has been named to the Maxwell Award watch list. Barnes is one of 85 players nationally and the 8th Wildcat in history to be named to the list.

Men’s Basketball

Three members of Bruce Weber’s squad have been honored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) for their work in the classroom. Junior Pierson McAtee and former Wildcats Kade Kinnamon and Mason Shoen were selected to the NABC Honors Court for 2017-2018. They were three of only nine players across the Big 12 to be so honored.

Women’s Basketball

In news we’d rather not have to report, women’s basketball player Mary Lakes was arrested early Monday morning in Manhattan and charged with domestic battery/knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury to a partner or family member. She was confined on a $1,000 bond. A roommate, Tanija Flora, was also arrested and charged with aggravated battery. Flora’s bond was set at $5,000.

Volleyball

The K-State volleyball team was honored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association with a Team Academic Award for the eighth straight season. K-State is one of four Big 12 schools to earn the honor, which requires a team average GPA of 3.3.

Big 12

Although a Supreme Court ruling in May allowed all 50 states to legalize sports gambling, many states have moved slowly on the issue. Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby says the league is following suit, taking a wait-and-see approach as issues of “integrity” fees (a term dripping with sarcasm if there ever was one) and the possibility that some states in the league footprint legalize gambling while others do not, get ironed out. Subtext interpretation: We’re trying to figure out how best to monetize this for our own benefit.