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kansan.com
Graduation Guide 2014-2015
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This year in sports
Kansas Athletics' ups and downs make 2014-15 a rollercoaster year
SCOTT CHASEN
@schasenku
For Kansas athletics, the past year certainly had a lot in store. During various points of the year, three men were able to call themselves the Kansas head football coach, while on the flip side, Kansas men's basketball stayed consistent as always, earning its 11th-consecutive Big 12 regular-season title. Kansas softball took off and is continuing its season, while a couple sports may have taken a small step back.
It was certainly an interesting year, and it's definitely intriguing to see how it all broke down.
Kansas men's basketball wins 11 straight
Coming into the season, the University of Kansas was anything but a lock to rack up another Big 12 title. Fans of the team questioned everything from the toughness, to the point guard play, in the end, those who doubted learned their lesson.
Once again: The Big 12 went through Lawrence.
The Kansas men's basketball team secured its 11th-straight Big 12 title this season.
Frank Mason III burst onto the scene, like a certain rap song with a similar name. Perry Ellis also picked up steam in conference play. It was no shock both received conference honors.
Ellis and Mason were complemented by some timely shooting from Brannen Greene, not to mention the emergence of Kelly Oubre Jr., as the Jayhawks finished the year with an impressive record of 27-9.
The Jayhawks ended up winning the Big 12 outright, capturing an 11th straight title.
BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
The Kansas football coach(es) While the basketball team
continued its impressive mark of consistency, the football team found there to be next to none in the head coaching position. Charlie Weis was fired midseason following a disappointing start to the year, and defensive coordinator Clint Bowen took over.
Bowen was able to get the Jay-hawks a win in conference play, but it wasn't enough for him to keep the job moving forward.
Instead, former Texas A&M wide receivers coach David Beaty was given the lead position, and he wasted little time ushering a new mentality.
"Earn it" became the popular phrase after Beaty's press conferences, and despite the current challenges, it seems like the Jayhawks may be eventually headed for long-term success.
Stein's record-breaking performance
basketball team has a new coach:
Brandon Schneider.
That was the date when Maddie Stein recorded her 141st career RBI, setting the new Kansas record. Stein's impressive play was a huge part of the Jayhawks' dominance, especially in non-conference play.
On the season, Stein is batting a remarkable .368, and she leads the team in doubles with 16. She's also in the top five on the team in walks, home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage, on base percentage and fielding percentage.
The Jayhawks are 38-13 heading into the NCAA Tournament, having gone 30-3 against non-conference foes. And they even wound up on SportsCenter more than once.
Schneider most recently coached at Stephen F. Austin. However, in his time at Emporia State, Schneider really made a name for himself. He totaled a record of 306-72, making him the winningest coach in program history.
Women's basketball makes a change
For the first time in more than a decade, the Kansas women's
Schneider also led the Hornets to a national championship, albeit at the Division II level.
The layhawks are bringing in a strong recruiting class, which includes three four-star recruits and four recruits with a grade of 90 or higher.
With developing talent to work with, Schneider should have no problem raising the bar and getting the team to finish in the top half of the Big 12 standings, at least over the next few years.
Stigler hurdles the competition
Michael Stigler continued to add to his trophy case, one that coming into the season already included three First Team All-American honors, a big 12 Freshman Male Track Athlete of the Year award and a Male Track Athlete of the Year award.
And even now, the job is far from done, as Stigler aims to make it as a U.S. Olympian for the 2016 games.
As a senior, Stigler posted the fastest recorded time in the world in the 400-meter hurdles, at least for this year, and that was just one of many marks he accomplished.
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Association named Stigler as one of the top male athletes of the year, and he earned Big 12 Athlete of the Week honors, and he even picked up National Athlete of the Week honors.
BEN BRODSKY/KANSAN
Michael Stigler, a senior from Canyon, Texas, posted the fastest time in the 400-meter hurdles in the world this season. He was also awarded with Big 12 Athlete of the Week and National Athlete of the week Honors.
BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
David Beaty was named the new head football coach after Charlie Weis was ousted.