Dear Shocker Nation, 
 
Summer is here, but we still have student-athletes and teams competing in baseball and track and field. The postseason is always an exciting time of year!
 
We are extremely proud of all of our Shocker graduates! More than 45 student-athletes earned their degrees in May. We will continue to support them as they either finish their athletic eligibility or venture out into the workforce.
 
Our student-athletes set a school record with a 3.406 cumulative grade-point average for the Spring 2023 semester! It was also the 36^th-consecutive semester of earning higher than a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average.

In August of 2022, Wichita State Athletics established a bold and aggressive set of five-year strategic objectives. Academically, we achieved all three goals this semester with the school-record GPA of 3.406. We also reached more than 1,000 community service hours this year by the athletic department staff and student-athletes. We collected two conference championships (softball and men's track and field) as we look to achieve 15 conference championships by 2027.  
 
The Shocker softball team finished the regular season 43-9 overall and 16-2 in the AAC. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and made their third-straight trip. The team garnered many awards during the 2023 season highlighted by Sydney McKinney who was named a top-10 finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. She also earned AAC Player of the Year and first team all-region honors. McKinney, Addison Barnard, Zoe Jones, and Lauren Lucas all earned first team all-conference honors, while Sami Hood, Alex Aguilar, Lauren Howell and Lainie Brown were all named to the second team. Hood also earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Aguilar was named Rookie of the Year. Hood, Aguilar and Taylor Sedlacek were named to the All-Rookie Team. The coaching staff of Kristi Bredbenner, Elizabeth Economon, Presley Bell and Nicole Pendley took home the Coaching Staff of the Year Award.
 
The men's track and field team repeated as AAC Outdoor team champions, while the women's team outperformed projections and finished seventh. The Shocker men overcame a projected 38-point deficit to Houston on the final day of competition to claim the team title with 154 points, beating the Cougars by just two points. The Shockers now send 11 athletes to the NCAA West Preliminaries May 24-27 in Sacramento, Calif.
 
Here are some exciting things happening at Wichita State: 
 
The baseball team just wrapped up the regular-season with a third-place finish in the American. The Shockers are currently playing in the AAC Championship May 23-28 in Clearwater, Fla., and are led by AAC Coach of the Year Loren Hibbs, AAC Player of the Year Brock Rodden and first team all-conference selections Chuck Ingram, Payton Tolle, Grant Adler and Clark Candiotti.
 
We have two new head basketball coaches in men's coach Paul Mills and women's coach Terry Nooner. Mills comes to WSU from Oral Roberts where he transformed the Golden Eagles from conference bottom dwellers to undefeated champions over a six-year span with NCAA Tournament bids in two of the last three years including a Sweet 16 appearance. Nooner comes to WSU from Kansas where he was associate head coach and helped lead the Jayhawks to the 2023 WNIT title. Both coaches have hired new staff and are working on recruiting and filling their rosters. We can't wait for you to meet both of them at the Say Hey and Signatures event on June 27.
 
Join us at TBT as the AfterShocks will be playing in Charles Koch Arena starting on July 20. During halftime of the July 21 game, we will have a special recognition of Fred VanVleet and the new weight room dedication as well as recognition of the 2013 Final Four team. Tickets for TBT games are on sale now through GoShockers.com.
 
Letter From the AD Big 4
Here are today's Big 4 ways to help the Shockers: 

1. Come see our coaches at one of our Shocker Summer Caravan events! The events will feature meet and greets with select coaches and staff as well as question and answer sessions with emcee Mike Kennedy. Fans in attendance will also have the opportunity to win door prizes, take photos with special guests and hear from Athletic Director Kevin Saal on athletic department updates.
    
   The four cities include:
   Hutchinson, Kansas – June 5 at Salt City Brewing (514 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS) from 5-7 p.m. - RSVP
   • Special Guests: Paul Mills (MBB Coach), Terry Nooner (WBB Coach), Darragh Glavin (MT Coach) and Kirk Hunter (CC Coach)
   Kansas City, Kansas – June 6 at Overland Park Chicken N Pickle (5901 W. 135^th St., Overland Park, KS) from 5-7 p.m. - RSVP
   • Special Guests: Paul Mills (MBB Coach), Terry Nooner (WBB Coach), Colin Foster (WT Coach) and Tom McCurdy (WG Coach)
   Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – June 13 at Chicken N Pickle (8400 N Oklahoma Ave., OKC, OK) from 5-7 p.m. - RSVP
   • Special Guests: Paul Mills (MBB Coach), Terry Nooner (WBB Coach), Loren Hibbs (BSB Coach) and Chris Lamb (VB Coach)
   Dodge City, Kansas – June 14 at Dodge City Brewery (701 3^rd Ave., Dodge City, KS) from 5-7 p.m. - RSVP
   • Special Guests: Paul Mills (MBB Coach), Terry Nooner (WBB Coach) and Steve Rainbolt (TF Coach)
2. Mark your calendars for our first annual Black and Yellow Gala! It will take place on Saturday, August 19, 2023 in Charles Koch Arena. Fundraising from this annual dinner and auction will directly support all Shocker student-athletes and teams. More information on auction items and programming will be announced soon. Click here to purchase a table or individual tickets.
3. Complete our fan experience survey for a chance to win prizes. The 2022-23 athletic year has concluded and Shocker Athletics is seeking feedback to improve its fan experience at all ticketed athletic events including volleyball, men's basketball, baseball and softball. Survey participants will be entered into drawings for various prizes including free tickets, unique experiences, Shocker apparel and home décor. Click here to take the survey!
4. Purchase men's and women's basketball season tickets today! Call (316) 978-FANS to purchase tickets or go online at GoShockers.com. Join us for the journey during the 2023-24 season!

 
Thank you for your support during the 2022-23 season and we look forward to seeing you this summer at a caravan stop or TBT!
 
Go Shocks!
 
 
 
Kevin Saal
Director of Athletics