sports
KANSAN.COM/SPORTS | THURSDAY, DEC.1, 2016
KU volleyball expectations high as tournament begins
► JORDAN WOLF
@JordanWolfKU
ast season, the Kansas volleyball team ran the postseason tables and competed in the first Final Four in program history. Just under one year later, the team has its eyes set on another deep run, this time with higher expectations.
The Jayhawks enter the tournament this year as the No.5 overall seed. After a season, spent consistently
title. The Bulldogs finished the season with a 21-13 record, winning nine of its final 12 matches.
The biggest threat for the Jayhawks comes from the Samford attack. Senior outside hitter Erin Bognar finished the season 10th in the nation with 542 total kills, and 17th with 4.48 kills per set. Containing her will be pivotal for Bechard's team, as he acknowledged her prominent presence.
"She's a dynamic kid
DAY IN THE LIFE
kansan.com
Baxter Schanze/KANSAN
BRAE ELLIS
Brae Ellis is a sophomore communications student wanting to make his own legacy at the University as a sports broadcaster.
Brother of former Kansas basketball star establishes his own legacy
By Tanner Hassell @thassell17
Campus has a special place in its heart for Kansas basketball players. The athletes are practically celebrities, with an avid fan base of students, alumni, the Lawrence community, the Kansas community and others all around the world.
Brae Ellis came to the University to pursue a dream he said was inspired by his brother, Perry Ellis, and his time playing at the University. Perry Ellis was a beloved playmaker in the men's basketball program from 2012 to 2016. While Perry Ellis has graduated and moved on, his younger brother is here, working toward his dream on his brother's old stomping ground.
"Being able to go to every KU game for the
last four years and watch Perry really changed my life," he said. "That's what made up my mind to go into broadcasting sports."
Brae said the community has made him feel more than welcome, even after his brother graduated from the University.
"Perry playing here was the greatest thing ever. People basically treat me just like they treat him," he said. "When you're a basketball player here, people treat you like royalty and people basically treat me like royalty when I'm out in the community. Even with him not here I've felt welcome. I have plenty of people to talk to and go to for help. A lot of the resources he had, I have too. I still talk to some of the coaches, and I'm friends with the players. Before he left, he
told them to look out for me."
Fonda Ellis, Perry and Brae's mother, said she never worried about him being at the University by himself.
"I thought it was cool that Brae wanted to go there," she said. "I never worried about him being accepted."
Brae said he wasn't originally a Kansas fan, like his brother, but quickly came around after visiting for the first time.
"Perry knew he wanted to come here back in middle school. He never even thought about anywhere else. I didn't really like KU at first," he said. "Once I first set foot in here I was sold. I bleed red and blue now."
Fonda said driving up from Wichita to watch Perry play was always a family experience, one that they all enjoyed and
now miss.
"It was neat because we were just two and a half hours down the road. We always tried to have as many of us there as we could. It was fun for all of us to be together and watching him play," she said.
In pursuit of his dream, Brae came to the University this semester, after a year at Butler Community College, to study communications with a minor in journalism. Ellis said he is involved with a couple of shows, helping produce and even hosting his own sports segment.
"I'd love to do college basketball broadcasting," he said. "Right now I'm working on two shows, I'm on Good Morning KU and a show called Playmaker Central."
Brae said working on the shows has been great
experience, and a good first step into the world of sports broadcasting.
"On Playmaker, I'm helping out with producing, since I just started. With Good Morning KU, though, I'm able to write my own script and host my own sports segment," he said. "Getting the experience writing my scripts with my own personality has been a great experience. It's also been a challenge, you have to be patient. So I'm just working and waiting for
my time. Hopefully I can work at a place like CBS Sports."
Fonda said she thinks sports broadcasting was a good fit for Brae.
"I think it's great. Brae is so outgoing, probably the most outgoing out of all of our kids," she said. "I'm glad he can pursue something that he wants to do."
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- Edited by Missy
Minear
Brae Ellis
from deep last season Vick was off to a cold start. Hitting only 24 percent of his threes coming into the game, the Memphis native quickly returned to last year's form.
In his second consecutive start of the season, Vick followed up his 3-of-4 three point night with an even more impressive 4-of-4 from three and 9-for-9 from the field.
"He's not always going to shoot like that," Self said about Vick.
However, Self did say Vick is "going to end up being our best defender, he's really improved a ton."
Mykhailiuk, another sharpshooter who's turned his season around after start-
top that.
Midway through the second half, Kansas was shooting just over 70 percent until a few missed threes dropped the Jayhawks to their eventual total of 54 percent.
Despite the hot shooting, Self wasn't convinced this was a cure for other issues the Jayhawks have had.
What makes the performance against the 49ers even more impressive is that it was mostly without help from the usual suspects, guards Frank Mason III and Devonte' Graham. The two shot 3-of-7, but were overshadowed by the play of Vick and Mykhailiuk.
"You're not going to win relying on three point shots all the time," Self said.
Dasket, Graham said.
"He's not one that we were focused on," Monson said about Vick. "He just opened the game up with his shooting."
As for Vick's perfect shooting night, that wasn't something Long Beach State coach Dan Monson necessarily expected.
Monson also mentioned that film on Kansas showed that Vick's aggressiveness on the offensive boards is what they focused on, but his multidimensional skill set was the problem.
With all the recognition the duo of Mason and Graham have, Tuesday night was a reminder that Vick and Mykhailiuk are waiting in the wings for their time to shine.
Coach Ray Bechard received the Coach of the Year award after leading the Jayhawks to their first ever Big 12 Championship. This is his second consecutive time winning the award, and the fourth in his career.
Junior outside hitter Kelsie Payne was named Player of the Year. She ranked third in the Big 12 during conference play with 4.07 kills per set, and sixth with a .320 hitting percentage.
ware Monday afternoon, as several Jayhawks found themselves recipients of All-Big 12 honors.
Senior libero Cassie Wait is the Libero of the
Payne, Wait and Havili, all unanimous selections, are joined by junior outside hitter Madison Rigdon on the All-Big 12 First Team. Senior middle blocker Tayler Soucie,
Junior setter Ainise Havilli was named the Setter of the Year for the second consecutive season. She is the first player to receive multiple titles since the inception of the honors in 2012. She ranked fifth in the conference with 10.70 assists per set.
This season marks the first time a Jayhawk has ever won either the Player of the Year or the Libero of the Year award in Big 12 history.
Kansas will start its postseason play Thursday as it hosts Samford in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Freshman Outside hitter Jada Burse was named to the All-Freshman Team. While not ranking in the top 10 of any major statistical category, Burse's role has grown in recent weeks after she began the season as a reserve.
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- Edited by Cody Schmitz
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