SLATE: SPORTS ARE BACK!

Soccer

It might have been exhibition play, but the Kansas State soccer team opened the season against an NCAA Tournament-quality team and emerged victorious. The Wildcats, in Brookings, SD to take on the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State, were trailing 1-0 late before a penalty in the 80th-minute allowed the Cats to get on the board for the first time as freshman Adah Anderson punched in the PK to knot the game at 1-1. Then, just 30 seconds later, an attempted bicycle kick by K-State missed, but fell at the feet of Anderson, who again was able to get the ball into the goal to give the Cats their 2-1 victory. It won’t count on the official W/L column, but it’s a great start for a team that is looking to improve on it’s best season yet.

The SoccerCats will be back in action on Sunday, as they return to the friendly confines of Buser Family Park in Manhattan for their second, and final, exhibition match, where they will take on Wyoming at 1pm CT. It does not appear as though that game will be available to watch or listen to.

Football

The offensive assistants met with the media this past Wednesday, and there were plenty of positive take-aways.

First up, QB coach Collin Klein says Skylar Thompson looks like his old self, yet still better, and seems to be ready to go. Will Howard is also still impressing, and it’s looking more like they may try to get him on the field at times in special packages. RB coach Brian Anderson spoke highly of Joe Ervin, where it seems like the year off (when he opted-out last season) didn’t hurt him; and he had praise for Jacardia Wright as well (and Deuce, obviously).

Perhaps the biggest bright spot, though, was from OL coach Conor Riley, who was practically giddy about his unit, noting the depth chart is truly 8-10 players deep, and that the unit as a whole took a huge step forward this offseason.

In what was really not much of a surprise, K-State super-extra-seniors Thompson and Noah Johnson were named to the watch list for the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl. Thompson was talked up earlier this summer by the Senior Bowl’s director, and there was much rejoicing around Vanier when Noah Johnson decided to return for one more year.

Track & Field

K-State All-American high jumper Tejaswin Shankar has been selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team as chosen by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), the organization announced on Thursday (August 12). He is one of 46 individuals named to the All-American teams across the country, and is the 20th K-Stater to receive the honor. Shankar currently holds a 3.45 GPA in Accounting.

Other

In general “K-State is awesome” news, a professor and some students from K-State’s College of Architecture have completed a “net-zero” prototype home that is designed to not only produce all the energy it needs, but also be affordable for average Kansans. The home, located in St. John, KS and officially owned by Stafford County Economic Development, is powered by 4.3 kw of solar panels, but only needs 3.8 kw to reach zero; and should only cost between $100,000 and $125,000 thanks to prefabrication and computer modeling to streamline materials and construction.