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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FOOTBALL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
K-State's diversity provides success
Kansas State quarterback Colin Klein passes during a game against West Virginia. The team is ranked No. 4 and may be barreling toward a spot in BCS title game.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The star quarterback used to be a wide receiver, and the top wide receiver used to be a quarterback.
There are junior college players from the most out-of-the-way places imaginable, and Division I transfers getting a fresh start.
Small-town high school stars from the Heartland, and a motley collection of talent overlooked by most of college football's marquee programs.
This is No. 4 Kansas State, arguably the most diverse team in the country.
And it's of the best, too.
Listening to quarterback Collin Klein describe the hodge-podge that makes up the only unbeaten team in the Big 12, it's as if the Heisman Trophy candidate is likening sagely coach Bill Snyder to the Statue of Liberty — "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses," as the Emma Lazarus poem goes, only this time it's the overlooked and the underappreciated.
TYLER ROSTE/KANSAN
"We do come from pretty diverse parts of the country, diverse backgrounds, different
roads that have brought us here," Klein said.
They've already won at Oklahoma and West Virginia. They're 7-0 overall, 4-0 in the conference, and for once a favorite going into this weekend's game against No. 15 Texas Tech.
"It mean, it goes back to his formula of taking whoever is here and bringing us in and molding us together and creating a true team to where it doesn't matter where you came from. how you got here, anything like that. What matters is now."
Right now, the Wildcats are the hottest team in the country.
Poring over the roster, though, this isn't the kind of team that should be stacking up against top-ranked Alabama, high-flying Oregon or even high-profile Notre Dame.
The vast majority of these guys weren't five-star prospects coming out of high school.
Heck, most of them didn't even arrive at K-State out of high school, instead going through a junior college for reasons ranging from academics to lack of interest the first time around.
Seven seniors to be recognized before season's last home game
Senior forward Whitney Berry congratulates freshman forward Courtney Dickerson for scoring a goal in the first half. The Jayhawks suffered a 3-1 defeat against Texas Tech this Sunday.
SOCCER
NICOLE EVANS
nevans@kansan.com
As an impressive season comes to a close this Friday, Kansas will honor seven seniors as they grace the pitch at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex one final time.
Both collectively and individually, the seniors on the Jayhawk squad have made a huge contributions this season. The seniors have created a fast-paced, relentless atmosphere on a pitch that made it difficult for opponents to play against them, while offering their leadership to the younger players.
"They've been a great group. They've worked hard and done everything we've asked of them," coach Mark Francis said. "They've done a great job leadership-wise, especially."
Forward Whitney Berry has been a shooting and play-creating machine this season. She has 17 points this year, clinching five goals and a team-leading seven assists. She has taken 61 shots this season, 27 of which have been on goal. She has been awarded with numerous honors ranging from the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll to All-Big 12 Second Team.
Berry's constant positive outlook and fierce presence on the field have been huge factors for the Jayhawks. Berry has been a playmaker whose presence is felt on the pitch. She always gets involved in the play, setting a great example for other girls to replicate.
Despite being quiet in the record books, forward Nicole Christopulos has proven to be a fierce competitor on the field. She has recorded an assist and a goal this year, while taking 11 shots, five of them being on target. Her goal was against the Iowa State Cyclones.
Chrisopulos is the kind of player who creates plays that the record books cannot record, which causes her to not get the credit she deserves. She is an important player in that she has great field vision. She is able to see the plays that need to be created in order to maximize to results.
"From all seven seniors, we've all grown up together, and we've sucked it up and led the team," Liebetrau said. "We're putting it all out there."
Defender Cassie Dickerson, who transferred from Ohio State to Kansas this season, promised to bring strength to the Jayhawk defense. She was named 2010 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and lettered two years at Ohio State, and though she played only a short time for Kansas, Dickerson lived up the high expectations.
Dickerson was injured early in the season, causing her to miss most of the season for recovery. Predicted not to return this year, Dickerson returned in early
October, instantly making a difference. Dickerson plays with a quick pace, disrupting the runs the opponents attempt to make and getting the ball back to her teammates.
Amy Grow, a midfielder from Edmond, Okla., plays with the same aggressive vigor as her teammates. She has taken 32 shots this year, five on target, while collecting four assists this year.
Grow appears on both sides of the ball, always being a factor in the play. She disrupts plays the opponents try to create while setting up plays for her own teammates, often being able to create opportunities that her teammates can transform into goals. Grow's
determination and perseverance are necessary for a victory.
Goalkeeper Kat Liebetrau has given nothing but solid performances this year as a dominant presence between the pipes. Liebetrau has collected 29 saves this season, forcing three shutouts this year.
Liebetrau has earned plenty of honors recognizing her goal-stopping and shot-blocking talent, including Big 12 Newcomer of the Week in 2009 and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week in 2010. Liebetrau has 226 saves in her career, a feat that has helped ensure many victories for the Jayhawks during her time with the team.
Midfielder Sarah Robbins has collected two assists this season and taken three shots. Robbins has had limited time on the pitch because she represented Canada in the Women's World Cup, held in Japan earlier in the season.
Robbins has helped keep the ball on the opponent's half of the pitch in her time at Kansas. She has an aggressive style of play that helps her dominate in the midfield, aiding Kansas in maintaining possession of the ball and controlling the tempo of the game.
Defender Shelby Williamson constantly proves her power by stopping threats coming into the Jayhawks' final third. She has started every match of her career, showing persistence and a hard work ethic valuable in any athlete.
Williamson protects the goalkeeper by providing the last line of defense, a job she excels at. Williamson is quick on her feet, clearing the ball with precision to begin scoring runs for the lavihawks.
"I think the leadership with this group of seniors, right away we incorporated everybody in, and I think the chemistry is here there from the beginning." Berry said.
— Edited by Brian Sišk