GRADUATION GUIDE
This Year in Sports
KANSAN.COM
Missy Minear/KANSAN
Senior guard Frank Mason III shoots over a Duke defender on Nov. 15 in the Champions Classic. Kansas defeated Duke 77-75.
► AMIE JUST
@Amie_Just
Andrew Rosenthal/KANSAN Prior to the national anthem, KU volleyball players and coaches united and kneeled to take a moment of reflection on social injustice.
With 16 University-sponsored sports at Kansas, headlines are bound to be made year in and year out.
The 2016-17 school year was no different.
The highest of highs were achieved in Kansas beating Texas in multiple sports and winning this year's Champions Classic game off a buzzer-beater. There were low spots as well, as Kansas lost its opening game of the men's basketball season against Indiana and its final game of the season in an Elite Eight loss to Oregon. Off-the-court incidents came to light along the way, and other teams held moments of reflection to address social injustices.
Down goes Texas David Beaty and Kansas
football achieved something that Mark Mangino never did. And that was beating Texas.
David Beaty and Kansas football achieved something that Mark Mangino never did.And that was beating Texas."
the win. Wyman's attempt went through the uprights with ease, sending Kansas fans into a field-storming frenzy.
With seven seconds remaining, senior kicker Matthew Wyman trotted onto the field for a 36-yard field goal attempt. The kick was good, forcing the game into overtime. Once in overtime, Texas completed two plays before freshman safety Mike Lee came up with an interception. The Jayhawks ran six plays and needed Wyman to connect on a 25-yard field goal for
Before the 24-21 overtime victory on Senior Day, the Jayhawks hadn't upended the Longhorns since 1938 — a somewhat misleading stat as Kansas and Texas didn't play each other from 1939 to 1996. The game also marked Beaty's first conference win of his tenure and the beginning of a meme that could last for the rest of eternity.
Against the reigning NCAA runner ups, No. 6 Kansas faced No. 2 Texas on its home court in the Horejsi Family Athletics Center. Kansas knew it had a hard road ahead of it — a
Football wasn't the only Kansas team to beat Texas this season. The volleyball team came away with a win of its own against the Longhorns as well.
Jayhawk team hadn't beaten Texas in 13 years.
Kansas All-American right-side hitter Kelsie Payne dominated in the game, finishing with 21 kills and six blocks.
The win against Texas
boosted Kansas in the Big 12 rankings,moving it to the top,along with Texas. The Jayhawks won out the rest of the conference slate, securing a first-place finish in the Big 12 Conference for the first time in program
Senior kicker Matthew Wyman sends the ball through the uprights to win the game for the Javahawks in overtime. The Javahawks beat the Texas Longhorns, 24-21, in overtime.
Andrew Rosenthal/KANSAN
history.
Kansas also beat Texas in soccer, swept both games in men's basketball and won this year's series in baseball.
Just as San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick protested racial injustices during the national anthem this season, the Kansas volleyball and soccer teams held their own "moment of reflection" on social injustices before games in October.
Volleyball, soccer teams recognize social injustices in 'moment of reflection'
The volleyball team knelt together before the national anthem and penned a statement as well, saying that "Kansas volleyball prides itself in its ability to be inclusive, tolerant and compassionate. We feel our diversity is one of our greatest strengths. Though we don't always agree on every subject, we stand united against any form of social injustice. We want our love, compassion and tolerance of each other to be an example that the rest of our country can emulate."
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