<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/nebraska-game-book.pdf">BOX SCORE</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/WBB-Stats-12.20.pdf">SEASON STATS</a>

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas Women’s Basketball secured its fourth-consecutive win with a 69-52 victory over Nebraska on Wednesday evening at Allen Fieldhouse.&nbsp;

With the win, Kansas concludes non-conference play with a mark of 7-4, while Nebraska falls to 9-3 on the season.&nbsp;

In defeating the Cornhuskers, the Jayhawks closed out non-conference with four straight wins, improved to 5-0 at home this season and increased their overall winning streak at Allen Fieldhouse to 12-straight games, dating back to last season.

Zakiyah Franklin led the charge for the Jayhawks tonight with 16 points, going 5-9 from the floor and 4-4 from the charity stripe. S’Mya Nichols was next in line with 13 points, while Taiyanna Jackson and Wyvette Mayberry each tabbed 12 points a piece. Jackson led the way on the boards with nine total, notching her 800th career rebound in doing so, while Holly Kersgieter was close behind with eight.

“I thought our energy was really good, particularly in the first half,” Kansas coach Brandon Schneider said after the game. “We outrebounded them in the first half, we defended without fouling, but didn’t quite do that the entire game, in the fourth quarter in particular. I would have liked to see us be consistent and carry that over, but that’s a good win because Nebraska is a good team.”&nbsp;

The game started slowly for both sides, but Kansas was able to get itself out to a 4-0 lead with back-to-back layups from Nichols and Mayberry to open the game. The Jayhawks kept Nebraska scoreless for the first 2:49, but the Huskers scored the next seven points to take a 7-4 lead with 4:53 to play in the quarter.&nbsp;

Kansas answered with a 7-0 run that included two baskets from Jackson and a three-pointer by Franklin that made it 11-7. Nebraska added a fastbreak layup with a minute left, but Kansas was able to hold the Huskers at bay for the rest of the quarter and held an 11-9 lead after 10 minutes of play.

The game was tied at 14-all two minutes into the third quarter when Kansas went on a run to take control of the game. Five different Jayhawks had a basket as KU scored the next 11 points and ended the half on an 18-3 run to lead 32-17 at halftime. Eight different players scored in the quarter, led by Kersgieter with five, including a three-pointer that moved her into sole possession of second place in career threes at KU with 229.&nbsp;

Nebraska tried to rally out of the break with two unanswered buckets, but Mayberry quickly responded with her first three of the game. The next four minutes of the quarter were fairly balanced as both teams traded baskets. Nebraska outscored the Jayhawks 17-14 in the third quarter, but KU still held a steady advantage at 46-34.

The Jayhawks started the fourth on fire with a 7-0 run, which began with another Mayberry three, to take a 53-34. Kansas held Nebraska scoreless for 2:54 before the Huskers knocked down a three that cut KU’s lead to 53-40. From there, the Cornhuskers looked for a late comeback, but it was to no avail. Kansas was able to hold off the visiting squad until the final whistle by shooting 53.8% from the floor in the fourth quarter, while limiting the visitors to 3-of-20 (15.0%) in the final 10 minutes of play.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Next Up The Jayhawks will conclude their current three-game homestand on Saturday, Dec. 20, when they open Big 12 Conference play against West Virginia. Tipoff from Allen Fieldhouse is set for 12 p.m. CT and the game will be broadcast on Big 12 NOW on ESPN+.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703172282019.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas Athletics<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/nebraska-game-book.pdf">BOX SCORE</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/WBB-Stats-12.20.pdf">SEASON STATS</a>LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas Women’s Basketball secured its fourth-consecutive win with a 69-52 victory over Nebraska on Wednesday evening at Allen Fieldhouse.&nbsp;With the win, Kansas concludes non-conference play with a mark of 7-4, while Nebraska falls to 9-3 on the season.&nbsp;In defeating the Cornhuskers, the Jayhawks closed out non-conference with four straight wins, improved to 5-0 at home this season and increased their overall winning streak at Allen Fieldhouse to 12-straight games, dating back to last season.Zakiyah Franklin led the charge for the Jayhawks tonight with 16 points, going 5-9 from the floor and 4-4 from the charity stripe. S’Mya Nichols was next in line with 13 points, while Taiyanna Jackson and Wyvette Mayberry each tabbed 12 points a piece. Jackson led the way on the boards with nine total, notching her 800th career rebound in doing so, while Holly Kersgieter was close behind with eight.“I thought our energy was really good, particularly in the first half,” Kansas coach Brandon Schneider said after the game. “We outrebounded them in the first half, we defended without fouling, but didn’t quite do that the entire game, in the fourth quarter in particular. I would have liked to see us be consistent and carry that over, but that’s a good win because Nebraska is a good team.”&nbsp;The game started slowly for both sides, but Kansas was able to get itself out to a 4-0 lead with back-to-back layups from Nichols and Mayberry to open the game. The Jayhawks kept Nebraska scoreless for the first 2:49, but the Huskers scored the next seven points to take a 7-4 lead with 4:53 to play in the quarter.&nbsp;Kansas answered with a 7-0 run that included two baskets from Jackson and a three-pointer by Franklin that made it 11-7. Nebraska added a fastbreak layup with a minute left, but Kansas was able to hold the Huskers at bay for the rest of the quarter and held an 11-9 lead after 10 minutes of play.The game was tied at 14-all two minutes into the third quarter when Kansas went on a run to take control of the game. Five different Jayhawks had a basket as KU scored the next 11 points and ended the half on an 18-3 run to lead 32-17 at halftime. Eight different players scored in the quarter, led by Kersgieter with five, including a three-pointer that moved her into sole possession of second place in career threes at KU with 229.&nbsp;Nebraska tried to rally out of the break with two unanswered buckets, but Mayberry quickly responded with her first three of the game. The next four minutes of the quarter were fairly balanced as both teams traded baskets. Nebraska outscored the Jayhawks 17-14 in the third quarter, but KU still held a steady advantage at 46-34.The Jayhawks started the fourth on fire with a 7-0 run, which began with another Mayberry three, to take a 53-34. Kansas held Nebraska scoreless for 2:54 before the Huskers knocked down a three that cut KU’s lead to 53-40. From there, the Cornhuskers looked for a late comeback, but it was to no avail. Kansas was able to hold off the visiting squad until the final whistle by shooting 53.8% from the floor in the fourth quarter, while limiting the visitors to 3-of-20 (15.0%) in the final 10 minutes of play.&nbsp;&nbsp;Next Up The Jayhawks will conclude their current three-game homestand on Saturday, Dec. 20, when they open Big 12 Conference play against West Virginia. Tipoff from Allen Fieldhouse is set for 12 p.m. CT and the game will be broadcast on Big 12 NOW on ESPN+.

🏀 WBB: KU defeats Nebraska for fourth straight win

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for December 21st, 2023." />
 <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for December 21st, 2023.</figcaption>
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🎧 LISTEN: 🏀 WBB KU wins over Huskers;🏈 HutchCC's Brown named NJCAA Defensive POY; 🏈 K-State and KU signing day

AP Sports Summary for December 21st, 2023

Stroud remains in concussion protocol, could miss second straight game for Texans on Sunday

HOUSTON (AP) — C.J. Stroud remains in the concussion protocol and could miss a second straight game Sunday when Houston hosts Cleveland. Coach DeMeco Ryans said Wednesday that Stroud was doing better, but that he didn't know when he'd be cleared to play. Stroud was injured Dec. 10 in a 30-6 loss to the Jets when his head bounced off the turf after taking a hit with about 6½ minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Signing day: Georgia has top class after 5-star flip; Ohio State sigh of relief on No. 1 player

The early signing period in college football opened with just a little five-star drama. Georgia likely locked up a recruiting crown by flipping an in-state blue-chipper away from Florida State. The consensus No. 1 recruit in the country had Ohio State coach Ryan Day literally sighing with relief. And a five-star defensive lineman committed to Florida decided to delay making his decision official. That was the least of the bad news for the Gators.

Michigan receives notice of allegations from NCAA related to recruiting and impermissible coaching

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The NCAA sent Michigan a notice of allegations related to impermissible on- and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period and coaching activities, potential violations that led to the school's self-imposed three-game suspension of Jim Harbaugh to start the season. School spokesman Kurt Svoboda confirmed Wednesday that the notice was received this week. The Big Ten suspended Harbaugh for the final three games of the regular season for an unrelated matter, stemming from a sign-stealing scheme, that is still under investigation. Harbaugh will lead the Wolverines against Alabama in the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs on Jan. 1.

Richmond scores 23, Davis adds 17 as Seton Hall stuns No. 5 UConn 75-60 in Big East opener

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Kadary Richmond had 23 points and eight steals, Dre Davis added 17 points and Seton Hall used suffocating defense to stun No. 5 UConn 75-60 on Wednesday night for its biggest victory in three years. The win in the Big East Conference opener for both teams was the third straight for Seton Hall (8-4) and snapped a three-game winning streak for the Huskies (10-2). UConn previous loss was a 69-65 setback at No. 2 Kansas. The Huskies played the final 16:33 without starting center Donovan Clingan, who left after an apparent injury to his lower right leg. The sophomore had 14 points and seven rebounds. Tristen Newton had 16 points for UConn, which committed a season-high 17 turnovers.

Oregon State, Washington State eye affiliate membership in West Coast Conference, AP sources say

Oregon State and Washington State are working on a deal to become affiliate members of the West Coast Conference for basketball and other Olympic sports for two years. Sources tell The Associated Press a deal could be done as soon as this week. Oregon State and Washington State recently reached a football-scheduling agreement with the Mountain West for next season. Both are trying to plan their future after the collapse of the Pac-12, which will lose 10 schools to other leagues next summer.

Jets QB Aaron Rodgers activated from IR as next step in rehab. He won't play again until next season

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers was activated from the injured reserve list but the quarterback won't play again this season for the New York Jets. Coach Robert Saleh said the move Wednesday is merely the next step in Rodgers' rehabilitation from a torn left Achilles tendon. The Jets had until Wednesday to activate Rodgers or he would revert back to IR for the rest of the season. The four-time NFL MVP's 21-day practice window began Nov. 29. Saleh said the Jets have flexibility, so they could add Rodgers to their 53-man active roster.

Florida State players and coaches are still hurting as they refocus on trying to stay unbeaten

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The heartache won't go away for Florida State. The Seminoles returned to practice this week still reeling from the selection committee's decision to leave the undefeated Atlantic Coast Conference champions out of the College Football Playoff. They settled for their first league title since 2014. Defensive back Jarrian Jones says "nobody can take that from us." The CFP's decision leaves Florida State regrouping as it deals with roster changes while preparing to play one-loss Georgia in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.

New tower at surfing venue in Tahiti spurring more blowback against Paris Olympic organizers

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Organizers of the Paris Olympics say work will continue on a new tower for judges and TV cameras at the surfing venue in Tahiti. That's despite the sport's governing body saying it no longer supports the controversial project. The International Surfing Association said Tuesday that it doesn't want the aluminum tower to be built in the lagoon at Teahupo'o. That's the site for Olympic surfing next July, chosen because of its world-famous giant waves. The ISA suggested that judges could follow the competitions from a tower built on land, rather than at sea. But Paris Games organizers said Wednesday that suggestion has already been examined and discarded. Chief Paris Games organizer Tony Estanguet said: "The project continues. That's the wish of the local actors."

Tennis players to get protection from online abuse through new monitoring service

LONDON (AP) — A new monitoring service will help protect tennis players from online abuse and threats. In their joint announcement the International Tennis Federation, U.S. Tennis Association, the All England Club and the women's WTA tour say the "Threat Matrix" service will operate in 35 languages when it launches Jan. 1. They say the service "will support the identification of abusers, against whom all available measures will be taken." The new service will monitor players' public-facing social media for abusive and threatening content on X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and TikTok.

Penske threepeat a potential theme for NASCAR in 2024; Hamlin, Elliott mend from offseason surgeries

Roger Penske has a chance for a NASCAR championship three-peat after racer Ryan Blaney won the organization's second straight series crown this year, following teammate Joey Logano's title in 2022. Blaney was thrilled to bring the motorsports magnate his first-ever back-to-back NASCAR crowns. Count on Blaney and Logano to charge just as hard for another championship try next season. They'll have a host of top-line competitors including Hendrick racers Kyle Larson and William Byron, who combined for 10 wins and finished second and third in the standings.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

Final	(11)North Carolina	81	(7)Oklahoma	69	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Thursday, December 21st, 2023" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Thursday, December 21st, 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for December 21st, 2023Stroud remains in concussion protocol, could miss second straight game for Texans on SundayHOUSTON (AP) — C.J. Stroud remains in the concussion protocol and could miss a second straight game Sunday when Houston hosts Cleveland. Coach DeMeco Ryans said Wednesday that Stroud was doing better, but that he didn't know when he'd be cleared to play. Stroud was injured Dec. 10 in a 30-6 loss to the Jets when his head bounced off the turf after taking a hit with about 6½ minutes left in the fourth quarter.Signing day: Georgia has top class after 5-star flip; Ohio State sigh of relief on No. 1 playerThe early signing period in college football opened with just a little five-star drama. Georgia likely locked up a recruiting crown by flipping an in-state blue-chipper away from Florida State. The consensus No. 1 recruit in the country had Ohio State coach Ryan Day literally sighing with relief. And a five-star defensive lineman committed to Florida decided to delay making his decision official. That was the least of the bad news for the Gators.Michigan receives notice of allegations from NCAA related to recruiting and impermissible coachingANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The NCAA sent Michigan a notice of allegations related to impermissible on- and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period and coaching activities, potential violations that led to the school's self-imposed three-game suspension of Jim Harbaugh to start the season. School spokesman Kurt Svoboda confirmed Wednesday that the notice was received this week. The Big Ten suspended Harbaugh for the final three games of the regular season for an unrelated matter, stemming from a sign-stealing scheme, that is still under investigation. Harbaugh will lead the Wolverines against Alabama in the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs on Jan. 1.Richmond scores 23, Davis adds 17 as Seton Hall stuns No. 5 UConn 75-60 in Big East openerNEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Kadary Richmond had 23 points and eight steals, Dre Davis added 17 points and Seton Hall used suffocating defense to stun No. 5 UConn 75-60 on Wednesday night for its biggest victory in three years. The win in the Big East Conference opener for both teams was the third straight for Seton Hall (8-4) and snapped a three-game winning streak for the Huskies (10-2). UConn previous loss was a 69-65 setback at No. 2 Kansas. The Huskies played the final 16:33 without starting center Donovan Clingan, who left after an apparent injury to his lower right leg. The sophomore had 14 points and seven rebounds. Tristen Newton had 16 points for UConn, which committed a season-high 17 turnovers.Oregon State, Washington State eye affiliate membership in West Coast Conference, AP sources sayOregon State and Washington State are working on a deal to become affiliate members of the West Coast Conference for basketball and other Olympic sports for two years. Sources tell The Associated Press a deal could be done as soon as this week. Oregon State and Washington State recently reached a football-scheduling agreement with the Mountain West for next season. Both are trying to plan their future after the collapse of the Pac-12, which will lose 10 schools to other leagues next summer.Jets QB Aaron Rodgers activated from IR as next step in rehab. He won't play again until next seasonFLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers was activated from the injured reserve list but the quarterback won't play again this season for the New York Jets. Coach Robert Saleh said the move Wednesday is merely the next step in Rodgers' rehabilitation from a torn left Achilles tendon. The Jets had until Wednesday to activate Rodgers or he would revert back to IR for the rest of the season. The four-time NFL MVP's 21-day practice window began Nov. 29. Saleh said the Jets have flexibility, so they could add Rodgers to their 53-man active roster.Florida State players and coaches are still hurting as they refocus on trying to stay unbeatenTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The heartache won't go away for Florida State. The Seminoles returned to practice this week still reeling from the selection committee's decision to leave the undefeated Atlantic Coast Conference champions out of the College Football Playoff. They settled for their first league title since 2014. Defensive back Jarrian Jones says "nobody can take that from us." The CFP's decision leaves Florida State regrouping as it deals with roster changes while preparing to play one-loss Georgia in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.New tower at surfing venue in Tahiti spurring more blowback against Paris Olympic organizersSAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Organizers of the Paris Olympics say work will continue on a new tower for judges and TV cameras at the surfing venue in Tahiti. That's despite the sport's governing body saying it no longer supports the controversial project. The International Surfing Association said Tuesday that it doesn't want the aluminum tower to be built in the lagoon at Teahupo'o. That's the site for Olympic surfing next July, chosen because of its world-famous giant waves. The ISA suggested that judges could follow the competitions from a tower built on land, rather than at sea. But Paris Games organizers said Wednesday that suggestion has already been examined and discarded. Chief Paris Games organizer Tony Estanguet said: "The project continues. That's the wish of the local actors."Tennis players to get protection from online abuse through new monitoring serviceLONDON (AP) — A new monitoring service will help protect tennis players from online abuse and threats. In their joint announcement the International Tennis Federation, U.S. Tennis Association, the All England Club and the women's WTA tour say the "Threat Matrix" service will operate in 35 languages when it launches Jan. 1. They say the service "will support the identification of abusers, against whom all available measures will be taken." The new service will monitor players' public-facing social media for abusive and threatening content on X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and TikTok.Penske threepeat a potential theme for NASCAR in 2024; Hamlin, Elliott mend from offseason surgeriesRoger Penske has a chance for a NASCAR championship three-peat after racer Ryan Blaney won the organization's second straight series crown this year, following teammate Joey Logano's title in 2022. Blaney was thrilled to bring the motorsports magnate his first-ever back-to-back NASCAR crowns. Count on Blaney and Logano to charge just as hard for another championship try next season. They'll have a host of top-line competitors including Hendrick racers Kyle Larson and William Byron, who combined for 10 wins and finished second and third in the standings.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Final	Cleveland	124	Utah	116	Final	Indiana	144	Charlotte	113	Final	Miami	115	Orlando	106	Final	Philadelphia	127	Minnesota	113	Final	Denver	113	Toronto	104	Final	New York	121	Brooklyn	102	Final	Chicago	124	L.A. Lakers	108	Final	Atlanta	134	Houston	127	Final	L.A. Clippers	120	Dallas	111	Final	Boston	144	Sacramento	119	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Final OT	Washington	3	N-Y Islanders	2	Final	Winnipeg	5	Detroit	2	Final	Seattle	2	Los Angeles	1	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL Final	(4)Arizona	87	Alabama	74	Final	Seton Hall	75	(5)UConn	60	Final	(11)North Carolina	81	(7)Oklahoma	69	Final	(21)Duke	78	(10)Baylor	70	Final	Villanova	68	(12)Creighton	66	Final	(15)Gonzaga	100	Jackson St.	76	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Utah	at	Detroit	7 p.m.	New Orleans	at	Cleveland	7:30 p.m.	Indiana	at	Memphis	8 p.m.	L.A. Clippers	at	Oklahoma City	8 p.m.	Orlando	at	Milwaukee	8 p.m.	San Antonio	at	Chicago	8 p.m.	L.A. Lakers	at	Minnesota	9 p.m.	Washington	at	Portland	10 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Carolina	at	Pittsburgh	7 p.m.	Nashville	at	Philadelphia	7 p.m.	St. Louis	at	Florida	7 p.m.	Toronto	at	Buffalo	7 p.m.	Vegas	at	Tampa Bay	7 p.m.	Washington	at	Columbus	7 p.m.	Edmonton	at	New Jersey	7:30 p.m.	Montreal	at	Minnesota	8 p.m.	Vancouver	at	Dallas	8 p.m.	Ottawa	at	Colorado	9 p.m.	Calgary	at	Anaheim	10 p.m.	Arizona	at	San Jose	10:30 p.m.	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE New Orleans	at	L.A. Rams	8:15 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL Jacksonville	at	(1)Purdue	6:30 p.m.	Texas St.	at	(3)Houston	8 p.m.	Tarleton St.	at	(8)Tennessee	6:30 p.m.	(9)Kentucky	at	Louisville	6 p.m.

📢📰 Sports Headlines for Thursday

🎧 LISTEN: National Signing Day updates from HutchCC, KU & K-State

<a href="https://kuathletics.com/kan24s/">SIGNING DAY HOMEPAGE</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Signing-Day.pdf">SIGNING DAY INFO (PDF)</a>

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas Football head coach Lance Leipold announced the addition of 18 student-athletes who signed to join the Jayhawks on the first day of the early signing period on Wednesday.

The signing class is a consensus top 50 class by the recruiting services and ranked as high as No. 42 in the country by ESPN. Four of KU’s high school signees are rated as four-star prospects by Rivals, while 13 are rated as three-stars. The 17 prep players have an average rating of 87.29 on 247Sports, which is the highest ranking per player for a Kansas signing class since the service began.

Included in the early signing class are 17 high school signees and one four-year transfer in DeShawn Hanika, a Topeka, Kansas, native who played most recently at Iowa State. Kansas welcomes players from 10 different states, including four individuals from Arizona and Texas and two each from Michigan and Oklahoma. The Jayhawks also signed one player from California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota.

The class is split with nine players on offense and nine on defense. The largest group of signees is at offensive line, where the Jayhawks added four newcomers. KU signed three players apiece at cornerback and defensive line, two each at tight end, running back and linebacker, and one quarterback and safety.

David Abajian OL, 6-5, 285 West Hills, Calif. (Chaminade College Preparatory)

High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Was the most improved player on his team in 2021…Holds a 3.8 GPA…Coached by David Machuca at Chaminade College Prep…Also throws shot put for his high school track &amp; field team.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Lena &amp; Joseph Abajian…Has two siblings, a twin older brother and sister…Chose Kansas over offers from Oregon State, Washington State, Cal, Nebraska and others.

Austin Alexander CB, 6-0, 170 Hazel Crest, Ill. (Marian Catholic HS)

High School: Rated a four-star prospect by Rivals and ESPN…Has a 5.8 rating from Rivals, which ranks him as the No. 11 prospect in Illinois and the No. 37 cornerback in the country…Named to the 5A Illinois High School Football Coaches Association (IHSFCA) All-State Team…Had 70 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 2 interceptions as a senior…Also contributed offensively with one rushing touchdown…Has a 3.6 GPA…Played for coach Nick Lopez at Marian Catholic HS.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Ashira &amp; Chris Alexander…Chose Kansas over offers from Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa and others.

Kene AneneOL, 6-5, 275Cottage Grove, Minn. (East Ridge HS)

High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Ranked as the No. 10 prospect in Minnesota by Rivals…Scored a rushing touchdown in a game during his senior season…Holds a 3.7 GPA.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Chukwudumebi &amp; Ositadinma Anene…Has two brothers, Chin and Troy…Also competes in track &amp; field…Chose Kansas over offers from Army, Colorado State, North Dakota State and others.

Dakyus Brinkley DL, 6-3, 220 Katy, Texas (Katy HS)

High School: Rated a four-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Ranked No. 249 on the ESPN300 with a scout grade of 81…Has a 5.8 rating from Rivals, which rates him as the No. 54 prospect in Texas and the No. 24 outside linebacker in the country…Has been invited to play in the 2023 U.S. Army All-American Bowl…Selected to the All-Greater Houston Preseason Team…Named to the final ballot for the 2023 Whataburger Super Team…Also competes in track and plays basketball…Coached by Gary Joseph at Katy HS.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Jasper and Kellie Brinkley…Father Jasper played linebacker at South Carolina and later in the NFL for seven seasons, spending time with the Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants…Step mom Kellie Wells Brinkley won the bronze medal in 110 meter hurdles in the 2012 Olympics…Has six siblings…Chose Kansas over offers from Oklahoma, Missouri, Oregon, Texas, Kansas State and others.

Carson Bruhn TE, 6-6, 240 Sioux Center, Iowa (Sioux Center HS)

High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Rated as the No. 5 prospect in Iowa by Rivals…First Team All-State Class 3A selection…First Team All-District and All-District Defensive Line MVP…Also participated in baseball, basketball and track &amp; field, competing in the 400 meter dash, 4×400 meter relay and 400 meter hurdles…Recorded 18 receptions for 223 yards and three touchdowns while adding 21 tackles and 6.0 tackles for loss on defense…Named Homecoming King…Honor Roll and National Honors Society member…Maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school…All-State singer in the choir…Coached by Tim VanRegenmorter at Sioux Center HS.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Dan &amp; Gretchen Bruhn…Has four siblings…Chose Kansas over offers from Kansas State, Missouri, Minnesota and others.

Dre Gibson CB, 5-10, 180 Goodyear, Ariz. (Desert Edge HS)

High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…One of three 2024 Kansas signees from Desert Edge HS, joined by Jon Jon Kamara and DJ Warner…Finished his senior season with 32 tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss, 1 interception and 13 passes defended…Also contributed offensively with 26 carries for 124 yards and three touchdowns…Had a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in his final game…Played against fellow Kansas signee Carter Lavrusky in the state semifinals…Competes on the track &amp; field team at Desert Edge, running the 100 meter and 200 meter dashes…Coached by Mark and Marcus Carter at Desert Edge.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Rea Matthews…Has two siblings, Antzanaya and Ahmir…Chose Kansas over offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Iowa State, Oregon and others.

Greydon Grimes DE, 6-6, 230 China Spring, Texas (China Spring HS)

High School: Three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Played both at tight end and defensive end for China Spring…Helped China Spring to back-to-back Class 4A D-1 State Championships in 2021 and 2022…Posted marks of 45-feet in the shot put and 105-feet, 6-inches in discus during the spring 2023 season…Played at Pleasant Grove (Utah) as a freshman.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Jeff &amp; Sheri Grimes…Father, Jeff, serves as KU’s Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator…Has three siblings, Bailey, Jada and Garrison…Chose Kansas over offers from Baylor, UTSA and North Texas.

DeShawn Hanika TE, 6-6, 240 Topeka, Kan. (Hayden HS/Butler CC/Iowa State)

Notes: Two-time Academic All-Big 12 Second Team (2021-22) selection and named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll in four semesters…Played at Iowa State from 2020-23, appearing in 36 games in his first three seasons at ISU…Played in 12 games in 2022, leading Cyclone tight ends with 17 receptions for 244 yards…Finished the season with four touchdown receptions…Saw action in 13 games in 2021 and nine in 2022, primarily on special teams…Redshirted at Butler CC in 2019…Earned All-State and All-City honors while playing at Hayden HS in Topeka…Led his team to the Class 4A-II semifinals as a senior…Recorded over 1,000 receiving yards and 60 receptions with 18 touchdowns as a senior…Invited to the Kansas Shrine Bowl…Also an all-state basketball player, helping his team win the state title as a senior…Averaged 16 points and seven rebounds per game in his senior season…Coached by Bill Arnold at Hayden HS.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Kim and Brad Hanika…Has one sibling, Connor Brogan…Has earned a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies.

Jon Jon Kamara LB, 6-3, 205 Goodyear, Ariz. (Desert Edge HS)

High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…One of three 2024 Kansas signees from Desert Edge HS, joined by Dre Gibson and DJ Warner…During his senior season, totaled 50 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and five pass deflections…Also a member of the track team, competing in long jump, high jump and the 100 meter dash…Coached by Mark and Marcus Carter at Desert Edge.

Personal:&nbsp;Was born in Liberia and grew up in Arizona, Philadelphia and Florida…Parents still live in Liberia, so he lives with his uncle John Bernard in Arizona…Has one sister, Jasmine…Has a 3.51 GPA…Chose Kansas over offers from Arizona State, Kansas State, Texas, Washington and others.

Carter Lavrusky OL, 6-6, 275 Scottsdale, Ariz. (Horizon HS)

High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Named District Offensive Player of the Year…First Team All-Region selection and one of seven finalists for offensive lineman of the year…First Team All-District selection in track &amp; field…Also plays basketball…Coached by Andy Litten at Horizon HS.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Laura Halliday &amp; John Michael Lavrusky…Has two brothers, Logan and Ethan…Chose Kansas over offers from Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon State and others.

Isaiah Marshall QB, 6-0, 205 Southfield, Mich. (Southfield A&amp;T HS)

High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Ranked as the No. 14 prospect in Michigan and the No. 14 dual threat quarterback in the country by Rivals…One of two 2024 Kansas signees from Southfield A&amp;T, joined by Jalen Todd…Named The D Zone 2023 Player of the Year after leading Southfield to the first state championship in school history…Finished his senior season with 3,114 passing yards and 39 touchdowns, while also rushing for 1,507 yards and 16 touchdowns…Completed 20-of-31 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns in the state championship game…Led an 80-yard game-winning drive with less than a minute to play in the state semifinals…Also plays basketball and runs track…Coached by Aaron Marshall at Southfield.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Yolanda &amp; Brian Marshall…Has two siblings, Christian and Maya…Chose Kansas over offers from Kentucky, West Virginia, Mississippi, Michigan and others.

Red Martel RB, 5-9, 205 Beggs, Okla. (Beggs HS)

High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Was the first player to commit to Kansas in the Class of 2024…Ranked the No. 17 prospect in the state of Oklahoma by 247Sports…Rushed for over 1,900 yards and 22 touchdowns, averaging 9.3 yards per attempt on the ground as a senior…Added four receiving touchdowns and 311 yards through the air…Member of National Honor Society and on the student council at his school…Coached by David Tenison at Beggs HS.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Kimberly Martel and Joe G. Martel, Jr…Has two siblings, Casey and Joe…Chose Kansas over offers from Colorado and Stanford.

Damani Maxson S, 6-1, 180 Houston, Texas (Clear Lake HS)

High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Totaled 30 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and one interception as a senior…Was selected to the Touchdown Club of Houston Preseason Team…Also competes in baseball and track &amp; field, where he performs in the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash and high jump…Coached by Donald Lawrence at Clear Lake HS.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Shay Roach…Has one older brother…Chose Kansas over offers from LSU, Michigan State, Missouri, Colorado, Arkansas and others.

Harry Stewart III RB, 5-9, 215 Frisco, Texas (Centennial HS)

High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Ranked as the No. 43 running back in the country by Rivals…Rushed for more than 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior…Added 250 yards and two touchdowns receiving…Leading rusher in 5A-1 Region II District 6…Coached by Matt Webb at Centennial HS.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Elizabeth Stewart-Willams and Harry Stewart II…Has three step-siblings…Chose Kansas over offers from BYU, Baylor, Michigan, Missouri, Texas A&amp;M and others.

JaCorey Stewart LB, 6-0, 215 Atlanta, Ga. (Milton HS)

High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Named Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the Georgia State Championship game by Georgia Public Broadcasting…Had seven tackles, one sack and a pick-six with less than a minute to go to clinch the 7A State Championship…During his senior season, totaled 80 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, two pass deflections and a fumble recovery…Added one punt return for a touchdown on special teams…Also runs the 100 meter dash in track…Has a 3.31 GPA…Coached by Ben Reaves at Milton HS.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Michelle Myles…Has 10 siblings…Chose Kansas over offers from Missouri, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech, Texas A&amp;M and others.

Jalen Todd CB, 6-1, 180 Southfield, Mich. (Southfield A&amp;T HS)

High School: Rated a four-star prospect by Rivals…Holds a 5.8 rating from Rivals, which ranks him as the No. 10 prospect in Michigan and No. 35 cornerback in the country…One of two 2024 Kansas signees from Southfield A&amp;T, joined by Isaiah Marshall…Helped guide Southfield to the first State Championship in program history…Also competes on the track &amp; field team…Holds a 3.0 GPA… Coached by Aaron Marshall at Southfield.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Onna &amp; Maurice Todd…Has one sister, Tamyra, who runs track at Kentucky State…Chose Kansas over offers from Auburn, Boston College, Florida, Iowa, Penn State and others.

Harrison Utley OL, 6-3, 290 Norman, Okla. (Norman HS)

High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Ranked as the No. 10 prospect in Oklahoma by Rivals…Recorded more than 30 pancake blocks as a senior while allowing just one sack during the season…District 6A-I 1 Offensive Lineman of the Year…Received First Team All-State and First Team Big All-City honors…Earned varsity letters in football and baseball all throughout high school…Named Newcomer of the Year his first year on varsity…Has a 4.0 GPA…Coached by Justin Jones at Norman HS.

Personal:&nbsp;Son of Carrie &amp; Terry Utley…Has two siblings, Garrison and Carlyn…Chose Kansas over offers from Oklahoma, Iowa State, Tulsa, UNLV and others.

DJ Warner DE, 6-3, 215 Buckeye, Ariz. (Desert Edge HS)

High School: Rated a four-star prospect by Rivals and 247Sports…Has a 5.8 rating from Rivals, which ranks him as the No. 12 prospect in Arizona and No. 19 weakside defensive end in the country…Rated as the No. 148 recruit nationally by 247Sports…One of three 2024 Kansas signees from Desert Edge HS, joined by Dre Gibson and Jon Jon Kamara…Has accepted an invitation to compete in the 2024 All-American Bowl…First Team All-Region selection and the All-Region Player of the Year…Totaled 66 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and two interceptions…Added a blocked field goal and two offensive touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving)…Also competes in&nbsp; high jump, discus and shot put for the Desert Edge track &amp; field team…Coached by Mark and Marcus Carter at Desert Edge.

Personal:&nbsp;Chose Kansas over offers from Ohio State, Texas, Washington, Nebraska, Michigan and others.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703100212295.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas Athletics<a href="https://kuathletics.com/kan24s/">SIGNING DAY HOMEPAGE</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Signing-Day.pdf">SIGNING DAY INFO (PDF)</a>LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas Football head coach Lance Leipold announced the addition of 18 student-athletes who signed to join the Jayhawks on the first day of the early signing period on Wednesday.The signing class is a consensus top 50 class by the recruiting services and ranked as high as No. 42 in the country by ESPN. Four of KU’s high school signees are rated as four-star prospects by Rivals, while 13 are rated as three-stars. The 17 prep players have an average rating of 87.29 on 247Sports, which is the highest ranking per player for a Kansas signing class since the service began.Included in the early signing class are 17 high school signees and one four-year transfer in DeShawn Hanika, a Topeka, Kansas, native who played most recently at Iowa State. Kansas welcomes players from 10 different states, including four individuals from Arizona and Texas and two each from Michigan and Oklahoma. The Jayhawks also signed one player from California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota.The class is split with nine players on offense and nine on defense. The largest group of signees is at offensive line, where the Jayhawks added four newcomers. KU signed three players apiece at cornerback and defensive line, two each at tight end, running back and linebacker, and one quarterback and safety.David Abajian OL, 6-5, 285 West Hills, Calif. (Chaminade College Preparatory)High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Was the most improved player on his team in 2021…Holds a 3.8 GPA…Coached by David Machuca at Chaminade College Prep…Also throws shot put for his high school track &amp; field team.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Lena &amp; Joseph Abajian…Has two siblings, a twin older brother and sister…Chose Kansas over offers from Oregon State, Washington State, Cal, Nebraska and others.Austin Alexander CB, 6-0, 170 Hazel Crest, Ill. (Marian Catholic HS)High School: Rated a four-star prospect by Rivals and ESPN…Has a 5.8 rating from Rivals, which ranks him as the No. 11 prospect in Illinois and the No. 37 cornerback in the country…Named to the 5A Illinois High School Football Coaches Association (IHSFCA) All-State Team…Had 70 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 2 interceptions as a senior…Also contributed offensively with one rushing touchdown…Has a 3.6 GPA…Played for coach Nick Lopez at Marian Catholic HS.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Ashira &amp; Chris Alexander…Chose Kansas over offers from Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa and others.Kene AneneOL, 6-5, 275Cottage Grove, Minn. (East Ridge HS)High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Ranked as the No. 10 prospect in Minnesota by Rivals…Scored a rushing touchdown in a game during his senior season…Holds a 3.7 GPA.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Chukwudumebi &amp; Ositadinma Anene…Has two brothers, Chin and Troy…Also competes in track &amp; field…Chose Kansas over offers from Army, Colorado State, North Dakota State and others.Dakyus Brinkley DL, 6-3, 220 Katy, Texas (Katy HS)High School: Rated a four-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Ranked No. 249 on the ESPN300 with a scout grade of 81…Has a 5.8 rating from Rivals, which rates him as the No. 54 prospect in Texas and the No. 24 outside linebacker in the country…Has been invited to play in the 2023 U.S. Army All-American Bowl…Selected to the All-Greater Houston Preseason Team…Named to the final ballot for the 2023 Whataburger Super Team…Also competes in track and plays basketball…Coached by Gary Joseph at Katy HS.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Jasper and Kellie Brinkley…Father Jasper played linebacker at South Carolina and later in the NFL for seven seasons, spending time with the Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants…Step mom Kellie Wells Brinkley won the bronze medal in 110 meter hurdles in the 2012 Olympics…Has six siblings…Chose Kansas over offers from Oklahoma, Missouri, Oregon, Texas, Kansas State and others.Carson Bruhn TE, 6-6, 240 Sioux Center, Iowa (Sioux Center HS)High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Rated as the No. 5 prospect in Iowa by Rivals…First Team All-State Class 3A selection…First Team All-District and All-District Defensive Line MVP…Also participated in baseball, basketball and track &amp; field, competing in the 400 meter dash, 4×400 meter relay and 400 meter hurdles…Recorded 18 receptions for 223 yards and three touchdowns while adding 21 tackles and 6.0 tackles for loss on defense…Named Homecoming King…Honor Roll and National Honors Society member…Maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school…All-State singer in the choir…Coached by Tim VanRegenmorter at Sioux Center HS.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Dan &amp; Gretchen Bruhn…Has four siblings…Chose Kansas over offers from Kansas State, Missouri, Minnesota and others.Dre Gibson CB, 5-10, 180 Goodyear, Ariz. (Desert Edge HS)High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…One of three 2024 Kansas signees from Desert Edge HS, joined by Jon Jon Kamara and DJ Warner…Finished his senior season with 32 tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss, 1 interception and 13 passes defended…Also contributed offensively with 26 carries for 124 yards and three touchdowns…Had a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in his final game…Played against fellow Kansas signee Carter Lavrusky in the state semifinals…Competes on the track &amp; field team at Desert Edge, running the 100 meter and 200 meter dashes…Coached by Mark and Marcus Carter at Desert Edge.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Rea Matthews…Has two siblings, Antzanaya and Ahmir…Chose Kansas over offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Iowa State, Oregon and others.Greydon Grimes DE, 6-6, 230 China Spring, Texas (China Spring HS)High School: Three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Played both at tight end and defensive end for China Spring…Helped China Spring to back-to-back Class 4A D-1 State Championships in 2021 and 2022…Posted marks of 45-feet in the shot put and 105-feet, 6-inches in discus during the spring 2023 season…Played at Pleasant Grove (Utah) as a freshman.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Jeff &amp; Sheri Grimes…Father, Jeff, serves as KU’s Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator…Has three siblings, Bailey, Jada and Garrison…Chose Kansas over offers from Baylor, UTSA and North Texas.DeShawn Hanika TE, 6-6, 240 Topeka, Kan. (Hayden HS/Butler CC/Iowa State)Notes: Two-time Academic All-Big 12 Second Team (2021-22) selection and named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll in four semesters…Played at Iowa State from 2020-23, appearing in 36 games in his first three seasons at ISU…Played in 12 games in 2022, leading Cyclone tight ends with 17 receptions for 244 yards…Finished the season with four touchdown receptions…Saw action in 13 games in 2021 and nine in 2022, primarily on special teams…Redshirted at Butler CC in 2019…Earned All-State and All-City honors while playing at Hayden HS in Topeka…Led his team to the Class 4A-II semifinals as a senior…Recorded over 1,000 receiving yards and 60 receptions with 18 touchdowns as a senior…Invited to the Kansas Shrine Bowl…Also an all-state basketball player, helping his team win the state title as a senior…Averaged 16 points and seven rebounds per game in his senior season…Coached by Bill Arnold at Hayden HS.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Kim and Brad Hanika…Has one sibling, Connor Brogan…Has earned a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies.Jon Jon Kamara LB, 6-3, 205 Goodyear, Ariz. (Desert Edge HS)High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…One of three 2024 Kansas signees from Desert Edge HS, joined by Dre Gibson and DJ Warner…During his senior season, totaled 50 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and five pass deflections…Also a member of the track team, competing in long jump, high jump and the 100 meter dash…Coached by Mark and Marcus Carter at Desert Edge.Personal:&nbsp;Was born in Liberia and grew up in Arizona, Philadelphia and Florida…Parents still live in Liberia, so he lives with his uncle John Bernard in Arizona…Has one sister, Jasmine…Has a 3.51 GPA…Chose Kansas over offers from Arizona State, Kansas State, Texas, Washington and others.Carter Lavrusky OL, 6-6, 275 Scottsdale, Ariz. (Horizon HS)High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Named District Offensive Player of the Year…First Team All-Region selection and one of seven finalists for offensive lineman of the year…First Team All-District selection in track &amp; field…Also plays basketball…Coached by Andy Litten at Horizon HS.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Laura Halliday &amp; John Michael Lavrusky…Has two brothers, Logan and Ethan…Chose Kansas over offers from Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon State and others.Isaiah Marshall QB, 6-0, 205 Southfield, Mich. (Southfield A&amp;T HS)High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Ranked as the No. 14 prospect in Michigan and the No. 14 dual threat quarterback in the country by Rivals…One of two 2024 Kansas signees from Southfield A&amp;T, joined by Jalen Todd…Named The D Zone 2023 Player of the Year after leading Southfield to the first state championship in school history…Finished his senior season with 3,114 passing yards and 39 touchdowns, while also rushing for 1,507 yards and 16 touchdowns…Completed 20-of-31 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns in the state championship game…Led an 80-yard game-winning drive with less than a minute to play in the state semifinals…Also plays basketball and runs track…Coached by Aaron Marshall at Southfield.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Yolanda &amp; Brian Marshall…Has two siblings, Christian and Maya…Chose Kansas over offers from Kentucky, West Virginia, Mississippi, Michigan and others.Red Martel RB, 5-9, 205 Beggs, Okla. (Beggs HS)High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Was the first player to commit to Kansas in the Class of 2024…Ranked the No. 17 prospect in the state of Oklahoma by 247Sports…Rushed for over 1,900 yards and 22 touchdowns, averaging 9.3 yards per attempt on the ground as a senior…Added four receiving touchdowns and 311 yards through the air…Member of National Honor Society and on the student council at his school…Coached by David Tenison at Beggs HS.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Kimberly Martel and Joe G. Martel, Jr…Has two siblings, Casey and Joe…Chose Kansas over offers from Colorado and Stanford.Damani Maxson S, 6-1, 180 Houston, Texas (Clear Lake HS)High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Totaled 30 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and one interception as a senior…Was selected to the Touchdown Club of Houston Preseason Team…Also competes in baseball and track &amp; field, where he performs in the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash and high jump…Coached by Donald Lawrence at Clear Lake HS.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Shay Roach…Has one older brother…Chose Kansas over offers from LSU, Michigan State, Missouri, Colorado, Arkansas and others.Harry Stewart III RB, 5-9, 215 Frisco, Texas (Centennial HS)High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Ranked as the No. 43 running back in the country by Rivals…Rushed for more than 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior…Added 250 yards and two touchdowns receiving…Leading rusher in 5A-1 Region II District 6…Coached by Matt Webb at Centennial HS.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Elizabeth Stewart-Willams and Harry Stewart II…Has three step-siblings…Chose Kansas over offers from BYU, Baylor, Michigan, Missouri, Texas A&amp;M and others.JaCorey Stewart LB, 6-0, 215 Atlanta, Ga. (Milton HS)High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Named Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the Georgia State Championship game by Georgia Public Broadcasting…Had seven tackles, one sack and a pick-six with less than a minute to go to clinch the 7A State Championship…During his senior season, totaled 80 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, two pass deflections and a fumble recovery…Added one punt return for a touchdown on special teams…Also runs the 100 meter dash in track…Has a 3.31 GPA…Coached by Ben Reaves at Milton HS.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Michelle Myles…Has 10 siblings…Chose Kansas over offers from Missouri, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech, Texas A&amp;M and others.Jalen Todd CB, 6-1, 180 Southfield, Mich. (Southfield A&amp;T HS)High School: Rated a four-star prospect by Rivals…Holds a 5.8 rating from Rivals, which ranks him as the No. 10 prospect in Michigan and No. 35 cornerback in the country…One of two 2024 Kansas signees from Southfield A&amp;T, joined by Isaiah Marshall…Helped guide Southfield to the first State Championship in program history…Also competes on the track &amp; field team…Holds a 3.0 GPA… Coached by Aaron Marshall at Southfield.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Onna &amp; Maurice Todd…Has one sister, Tamyra, who runs track at Kentucky State…Chose Kansas over offers from Auburn, Boston College, Florida, Iowa, Penn State and others.Harrison Utley OL, 6-3, 290 Norman, Okla. (Norman HS)High School: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN…Ranked as the No. 10 prospect in Oklahoma by Rivals…Recorded more than 30 pancake blocks as a senior while allowing just one sack during the season…District 6A-I 1 Offensive Lineman of the Year…Received First Team All-State and First Team Big All-City honors…Earned varsity letters in football and baseball all throughout high school…Named Newcomer of the Year his first year on varsity…Has a 4.0 GPA…Coached by Justin Jones at Norman HS.Personal:&nbsp;Son of Carrie &amp; Terry Utley…Has two siblings, Garrison and Carlyn…Chose Kansas over offers from Oklahoma, Iowa State, Tulsa, UNLV and others.DJ Warner DE, 6-3, 215 Buckeye, Ariz. (Desert Edge HS)High School: Rated a four-star prospect by Rivals and 247Sports…Has a 5.8 rating from Rivals, which ranks him as the No. 12 prospect in Arizona and No. 19 weakside defensive end in the country…Rated as the No. 148 recruit nationally by 247Sports…One of three 2024 Kansas signees from Desert Edge HS, joined by Dre Gibson and Jon Jon Kamara…Has accepted an invitation to compete in the 2024 All-American Bowl…First Team All-Region selection and the All-Region Player of the Year…Totaled 66 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and two interceptions…Added a blocked field goal and two offensive touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving)…Also competes in&nbsp; high jump, discus and shot put for the Desert Edge track &amp; field team…Coached by Mark and Marcus Carter at Desert Edge.Personal:&nbsp;Chose Kansas over offers from Ohio State, Texas, Washington, Nebraska, Michigan and others.

🏈 KU announces 2024 early signing class

Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics

<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/documents/2023/12/20/2024_Early_Signing_Day_Release.pdf" target="_blank">Signing Day Bios</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/2024-25" target="_blank">Signing Day Roster</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=22995&amp;type=Archive" target="_blank">Klieman Press Conference (watch)</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/chris-klieman-2024-early-signing-day-press-conference-december-20-2023/4866" target="_blank">Klieman Press Conference (listen)</a>&nbsp;

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;announced Wednesday the signing of 15 prospects during the early 2024 signing period.

So far, K-State’s Class of 2024 is comprised of 13 high school prospects and two community-college transfers. Of the 15 overall players, nine players are on offense and six are on defense. There are four offensive linemen, three defensive backs, two apiece of linebackers, running backs and wide receivers, one defensive lineman and one quarterback.

K-State cast a wide net as the 15 signees hail from nine different states. Once again, Kansas leads in terms of most from one state with four, as it marks the 15th-straight season the Wildcats have signed at least four in-state prep players. Additionally, the Class of 2024 includes three players from Texas, two from Colorado and one apiece from Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada and Pennsylvania.

Of the 15 signees on Wednesday, nine are expected to enroll at K-State for the 2024 spring semester. The list includes:&nbsp;Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder,&nbsp;Blake Barnett,&nbsp;Callen Barta,&nbsp;Ryan Howard,&nbsp;Boone Morris,&nbsp;Kyle Rakers,&nbsp;DeVon Rice,&nbsp;Jacques Spradley-Demps&nbsp;and&nbsp;Dante Thomas.

Kansas State will look to add more prospects to the Class of 2024 during the regular signing period, which opens on Wednesday, February 7.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703097805828.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/documents/2023/12/20/2024_Early_Signing_Day_Release.pdf" target="_blank">Signing Day Bios</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/2024-25" target="_blank">Signing Day Roster</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=22995&amp;type=Archive" target="_blank">Klieman Press Conference (watch)</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/chris-klieman-2024-early-signing-day-press-conference-december-20-2023/4866" target="_blank">Klieman Press Conference (listen)</a>&nbsp;MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;announced Wednesday the signing of 15 prospects during the early 2024 signing period.So far, K-State’s Class of 2024 is comprised of 13 high school prospects and two community-college transfers. Of the 15 overall players, nine players are on offense and six are on defense. There are four offensive linemen, three defensive backs, two apiece of linebackers, running backs and wide receivers, one defensive lineman and one quarterback.K-State cast a wide net as the 15 signees hail from nine different states. Once again, Kansas leads in terms of most from one state with four, as it marks the 15th-straight season the Wildcats have signed at least four in-state prep players. Additionally, the Class of 2024 includes three players from Texas, two from Colorado and one apiece from Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada and Pennsylvania.Of the 15 signees on Wednesday, nine are expected to enroll at K-State for the 2024 spring semester. The list includes:&nbsp;Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder,&nbsp;Blake Barnett,&nbsp;Callen Barta,&nbsp;Ryan Howard,&nbsp;Boone Morris,&nbsp;Kyle Rakers,&nbsp;DeVon Rice,&nbsp;Jacques Spradley-Demps&nbsp;and&nbsp;Dante Thomas.Kansas State will look to add more prospects to the Class of 2024 during the regular signing period, which opens on Wednesday, February 7.

🏈 K-State inks 15 during 2024 early signing period

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ed Budde, who spent 14 years playing along the offensive line of the Kansas City Chiefs and helped the franchise win its first Super Bowl with a victory over Minnesota in 1970, died Tuesday. He was 83.

The family announced his death through a statement issued by the Chiefs. No cause of death was provided.

Budde was born on Nov. 2, 1940, in Highland Park, Michigan. He was a standout at Denby High School in Detroit before heading to Michigan State, where he was an All-American in 1962 under Hall of Fame coach Duffy Daugherty.

It was as a professional that Budde earned his reputation for being a reliable, hard-nosed lineman. He was the fourth overall pick of the Eagles in the 1963 NFL Draft and the eighth overall pick of the Chiefs in the AFL Draft, and ultimately chose to play for the upstart team coached by Hank Stram in the years before the two professional leagues would merge.

“He was a cornerstone of those early Chiefs teams that brought pro football to Kansas City,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement Tuesday. “He never missed a game in the first nine seasons of his career, and he rightfully earned recognition as an All-Star, a Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champion.”

Indeed, Budde was one of the leaders of fearsome Chiefs teams that won AFL titles in 1966 and 1969, then beat the Vikings in Super Bowl IV. He was a five-time AFL All-Star and was chosen to two Pro Bowls once the league merged with the NFL, and he was chosen as a member of the All-AFL Team before his retirement following the 1976 season.

Budde's son, Brad Budde, was an All-American offensive lineman at Southern California before he was drafted by the Chiefs with the 11th overall pick in 1980. They remain the only father-son duo to be first-round picks by the same NFL franchise.

The elder Budde remained active in the Kansas City area after his playing career, serving as the longtime president of the Kansas City chapter of the NFL Alumni organization. He was joined by his son on stage at Kansas City's Union Station for the NFL Draft in April, where they announced the Chiefs' second-round selection of wide receiver Rashee Rice.

“He was well-loved in the Kansas City community,” Hunt said, “and he was a great father to Brad, Tionne and John. My family and the entire Chiefs organization extend our sincere condolences to Carolyn and the Budde family.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ed Budde, who spent 14 years playing along the offensive line of the Kansas City Chiefs and helped the franchise win its first Super Bowl with a victory over Minnesota in 1970, died Tuesday. He was 83.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are saddened to share the passing of Chiefs Hall of Fame offensive lineman and Kansas City Ambassador Ed Budde. 📝: <a href="https://t.co/CbIGHGRyVq">https://t.co/CbIGHGRyVq</a> <a href="https://t.co/tFHBr9Fy1k">pic.twitter.com/tFHBr9Fy1k</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1737269391773818937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The family announced his death through a statement issued by the Chiefs. No cause of death was provided.Budde was born on Nov. 2, 1940, in Highland Park, Michigan. He was a standout at Denby High School in Detroit before heading to Michigan State, where he was an All-American in 1962 under Hall of Fame coach Duffy Daugherty.It was as a professional that Budde earned his reputation for being a reliable, hard-nosed lineman. He was the fourth overall pick of the Eagles in the 1963 NFL Draft and the eighth overall pick of the Chiefs in the AFL Draft, and ultimately chose to play for the upstart team coached by Hank Stram in the years before the two professional leagues would merge.“He was a cornerstone of those early Chiefs teams that brought pro football to Kansas City,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement Tuesday. “He never missed a game in the first nine seasons of his career, and he rightfully earned recognition as an All-Star, a Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champion.”Indeed, Budde was one of the leaders of fearsome Chiefs teams that won AFL titles in 1966 and 1969, then beat the Vikings in Super Bowl IV. He was a five-time AFL All-Star and was chosen to two Pro Bowls once the league merged with the NFL, and he was chosen as a member of the All-AFL Team before his retirement following the 1976 season.Budde's son, Brad Budde, was an All-American offensive lineman at Southern California before he was drafted by the Chiefs with the 11th overall pick in 1980. They remain the only father-son duo to be first-round picks by the same NFL franchise.The elder Budde remained active in the Kansas City area after his playing career, serving as the longtime president of the Kansas City chapter of the NFL Alumni organization. He was joined by his son on stage at Kansas City's Union Station for the NFL Draft in April, where they announced the Chiefs' second-round selection of wide receiver Rashee Rice.“He was well-loved in the Kansas City community,” Hunt said, “and he was a great father to Brad, Tionne and John. My family and the entire Chiefs organization extend our sincere condolences to Carolyn and the Budde family.”

Longtime Chiefs offensive lineman Ed Budde dies at 83

Leading one of the stingiest defenses this season, Hutchinson Community College sophomore defensive end&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/fball/2023-24/bios/brown_daniel_a1x7">Daniel Brown</a>&nbsp;was named the 2023 NJCAA National Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday.

The 6-foot-1, 240-pound defensive end from Kansas City (Bishop Ward), Kansas was the nation's leader in quarterback sacks with 18 and was third in the NJCAA in tackles for loss with 23.5, leading the nation's No. 1 scoring defense and No. 5 rushing defense.

Brown is the third Blue Dragon to win NJCAA National Defensive Player of the Year honors. Defensive tackle Eugene Kinlaw won the award in 2008 and cornerback Roterius Torrence won it in 2020/21.

The Blue Dragon defensive end is the ninth overall National Player of the Year winner in all sports. Along with the three football national award winners, Kadeem Allen (2014, men's basketball), Kyle Simonds (2014, baseball); Sarah Rothe (2014, Division II softball), 2017 Shakur Juiston (2017, men's basketball), Michael Helman (2017, baseball) and Ben Partridge (2021, men's golf) are the other Blue Dragons to earn national honors.

"Daniel is the ultimate professional at his job," Blue Dragon head coach Drew Dallas said. " He has earned everything throughout the process and is an extremely hard worker. His mentality and mindset paired with his skillset and athleticism make him a special player on the defensive side of the ball."

Brown, who was also named the 2023 Jayhawk Conference Defensive Player of the Year, earned many accolades with his ability to rush the quarterback. But Brown was equally effective disrupting the opponents' rushing game as well.

Brown finished the season with 52 overall tackles, including 32 unassisted tackles. He added two forced fumbles, 13 quarterback hurries one pass broken up and two safeties this season. The Dragons allowed only 11.7 points and 67.2 rushing yards per game, holding both Ellsworth and Garden City to negative rushing yards in those respective games.

But his 18 quarterback sacks drew the most attention to the Blue Dragon defensive end who has committed to the University of Illinois.

+ Brown had the second-most sacks in Blue Dragon single-season history and is seventh on the Hutchinson career list.

+ Brown is the first Blue Dragon to lead the nation in quarterback sacks since Tre Pinkney in 2020/21.

+ Those 18 sacks are the most in the NJCAA since 2019 when Celestin Haba of Scottsdale, Sam Okyayinono of Mesabi Range and Sam Williams of Northeast Mississippi all had 17.5 sacks.

Brown registered sacks in 10 consecutive games this season, which is the second-longest consecutive streak in Blue Dragon history. Only Troy West's run of sacks in 14 consecutive games over two seasons was longer.

Brown had back-to-back two sack games against Ellsworth and No. 5 Iowa Central in early September and then had back-to-back three-sack games against No. 11 Dodge City and Garden City in October.

The two-time Jayhawk Conference Defensive Player of the Week had back-to-back eight-tackle games against Dodge City and Garden City as well.

In Hutchinson's 42-28 come-from-behind win over Iowa Western on November 11, Brown notched two sacks, including a sack/fumble, and six total tackles. That sack/fumble was the momentum-changing play the Blue Dragons needed against the Reivers. Trailing 21-7 late in the second quarter, Brown's sack/fumble was recovered by&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/fball/2023-24/bios/bob_jr._walter_mtg8">Walter Bob Jr.</a>&nbsp;at the Iowa Western 23-yard line with 1:02 to play in the quarter. Two plays later,&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/fball/2023-24/bios/collier_samari_cpv0">Samari Collier</a>&nbsp;found Oran Singleton with a 31-yard touchdown pass with 45 seconds to play in the period. Hutchinson trailed 21-14 at halftime.

"Not only was his production elite for us this season but also his leadership on and off the field was special," Dallas said "This was Daniel's first season of playing along the defensive line and he has a bright future ahead of him. He will be fun to watch continue to grow throughout his football career."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703090771072.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy HutchCC Athletics." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy HutchCC Athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of HutchCC AthleticsLeading one of the stingiest defenses this season, Hutchinson Community College sophomore defensive end&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/fball/2023-24/bios/brown_daniel_a1x7">Daniel Brown</a>&nbsp;was named the 2023 NJCAA National Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday.The 6-foot-1, 240-pound defensive end from Kansas City (Bishop Ward), Kansas was the nation's leader in quarterback sacks with 18 and was third in the NJCAA in tackles for loss with 23.5, leading the nation's No. 1 scoring defense and No. 5 rushing defense.Brown is the third Blue Dragon to win NJCAA National Defensive Player of the Year honors. Defensive tackle Eugene Kinlaw won the award in 2008 and cornerback Roterius Torrence won it in 2020/21.The Blue Dragon defensive end is the ninth overall National Player of the Year winner in all sports. Along with the three football national award winners, Kadeem Allen (2014, men's basketball), Kyle Simonds (2014, baseball); Sarah Rothe (2014, Division II softball), 2017 Shakur Juiston (2017, men's basketball), Michael Helman (2017, baseball) and Ben Partridge (2021, men's golf) are the other Blue Dragons to earn national honors."Daniel is the ultimate professional at his job," Blue Dragon head coach Drew Dallas said. " He has earned everything throughout the process and is an extremely hard worker. His mentality and mindset paired with his skillset and athleticism make him a special player on the defensive side of the ball."Brown, who was also named the 2023 Jayhawk Conference Defensive Player of the Year, earned many accolades with his ability to rush the quarterback. But Brown was equally effective disrupting the opponents' rushing game as well.Brown finished the season with 52 overall tackles, including 32 unassisted tackles. He added two forced fumbles, 13 quarterback hurries one pass broken up and two safeties this season. The Dragons allowed only 11.7 points and 67.2 rushing yards per game, holding both Ellsworth and Garden City to negative rushing yards in those respective games.But his 18 quarterback sacks drew the most attention to the Blue Dragon defensive end who has committed to the University of Illinois.+ Brown had the second-most sacks in Blue Dragon single-season history and is seventh on the Hutchinson career list.+ Brown is the first Blue Dragon to lead the nation in quarterback sacks since Tre Pinkney in 2020/21.+ Those 18 sacks are the most in the NJCAA since 2019 when Celestin Haba of Scottsdale, Sam Okyayinono of Mesabi Range and Sam Williams of Northeast Mississippi all had 17.5 sacks.Brown registered sacks in 10 consecutive games this season, which is the second-longest consecutive streak in Blue Dragon history. Only Troy West's run of sacks in 14 consecutive games over two seasons was longer.Brown had back-to-back two sack games against Ellsworth and No. 5 Iowa Central in early September and then had back-to-back three-sack games against No. 11 Dodge City and Garden City in October.The two-time Jayhawk Conference Defensive Player of the Week had back-to-back eight-tackle games against Dodge City and Garden City as well.In Hutchinson's 42-28 come-from-behind win over Iowa Western on November 11, Brown notched two sacks, including a sack/fumble, and six total tackles. That sack/fumble was the momentum-changing play the Blue Dragons needed against the Reivers. Trailing 21-7 late in the second quarter, Brown's sack/fumble was recovered by&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/fball/2023-24/bios/bob_jr._walter_mtg8">Walter Bob Jr.</a>&nbsp;at the Iowa Western 23-yard line with 1:02 to play in the quarter. Two plays later,&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/fball/2023-24/bios/collier_samari_cpv0">Samari Collier</a>&nbsp;found Oran Singleton with a 31-yard touchdown pass with 45 seconds to play in the period. Hutchinson trailed 21-14 at halftime."Not only was his production elite for us this season but also his leadership on and off the field was special," Dallas said "This was Daniel's first season of playing along the defensive line and he has a bright future ahead of him. He will be fun to watch continue to grow throughout his football career."

🏈 HutchCC's Brown named NJCAA National Defensive Player of the Year

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Wednesday, December 20th, 2023" />
 <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Wednesday, December 20th, 2023</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="December 20th Eagle Media Sports" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=fgetp-152e6e3-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN: 🏀 Salthawks win triller @ Campus;🏈 HutchCC Football All-Americans named; 🏈 K-State adds players

HAYSVILLE, Kan.-Julian Smith grabbed the missed Campus shot with 9 seconds remaining and quickly got the outlet to Jax Heneha who drove the lane and dished to Taishaun Govain. 

Govain's shot left his hand as a Campus played tried to block the last second shot, but goaltending was called with 1 second remaining to give the road weary Salthawks a 51-49 victory over Haysville-Campus Tuesday night.

Hutch High gave up the first basket of the game to Campus sophomore guard Addison Wood, but that was all the Colts could muster as the Salthawks rolled to a 52-18 win in Haysville on Tuesday night.

The Salthawks juniord Grace Posch and Kaia Smith led the scoring with 19 and 12 points respectively. Lily Rodriquez scored 11 followed up with Azariah Dawes, Rachel Tomac and Ava Krone adding four points apiece allowing the Salthawks to go into the holiday break at 4-1.

Campus was led by Woods 6 points, Brooke Pfeiffer and Emezleigh Cooper with 4 each followed by Alia Sanchez and Abigail Araiza's 2 points to round out the scoring for the 0-4 Colts.

Hutch High travels to Maize South on January 5th of the new year. Maize South was defeated by Derby on Tuesday night 58-44 for their first loss of the season.

The boy's game was back and forth all night long with Campus taking the lead at half-time into the locker room at 25-21.

Campus extended that lead with a five point possession to lead by as many as 11 points at one time in the third quarter before Terrell King was able to get going by scoring six of his game high 17 points in the third frame.

Govain went 1 for 2 from the line late in the third quarter allowing Hutch High to close the gap to 36-35 going into the final quarter.

That set up a dramatic final eight minutes as Campus, saddled with foul trouble was able to force a Salthawk turnover to have possession of the ball and mid-court with 15 seconds remaining.

Landon Brown inbounded to Kaason Thomas who drove the ball right of the lane who took an guarded awkward shot that skipped off the rim allowing Hutch High's Smith to secure the rebound to get the outlet pass off into the forecourt for Govain's last second heroics.

The Salthawks were led in scoring by Terrell King's 17 points, who scored 12 of those 17 in the 2nd half. Govain added 13 followed up with Jax Heneka with 10. Julian Smith added nine and Daylee VanSyckle had two points.

Campus’ Andrell Burton Jr., a Drake University commit, led the Colts with 20 points followed by Thomas with 16. Landon Brown added six points along with Drake McPherson's five points. McPherson and Jacob Weber both fouled out for Campus. Hutch High's Devon Spiller fouled out for the Salthawks.

“The kids showed a lot of heart,” said Hutchinson boys basketball coach Bryan Miller. “We couldn’t get out of our own way in the first half. We were outrebounded by 15 (at halftime). Give credit to the kids for battling. We found a way. Taishaun was pretty good tonight.

Hutch High (5-0) have played four of their five games of the season on the road and will again be on the road January 5th at Maize South who also are 5-0 on the season with a 79-56 win over Derby on Tuesday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703071305914.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>HAYSVILLE, Kan.-Julian Smith grabbed the missed Campus shot with 9 seconds remaining and quickly got the outlet to Jax Heneha who drove the lane and dished to Taishaun Govain. Govain's shot left his hand as a Campus played tried to block the last second shot, but goaltending was called with 1 second remaining to give the road weary Salthawks a 51-49 victory over Haysville-Campus Tuesday night.<div><div style="width: 700px; height: 453px; position: relative; "><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%" allowtransparency="true" loading="lazy" src="https://adilo.bigcommand.com/watch/ki8J1Bo3 " frameborder="0" allowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen scrolling="no"></iframe></div></div>GIRLS RECAP:Hutch High gave up the first basket of the game to Campus sophomore guard Addison Wood, but that was all the Colts could muster as the Salthawks rolled to a 52-18 win in Haysville on Tuesday night.The Salthawks juniord Grace Posch and Kaia Smith led the scoring with 19 and 12 points respectively. Lily Rodriquez scored 11 followed up with Azariah Dawes, Rachel Tomac and Ava Krone adding four points apiece allowing the Salthawks to go into the holiday break at 4-1.Campus was led by Woods 6 points, Brooke Pfeiffer and Emezleigh Cooper with 4 each followed by Alia Sanchez and Abigail Araiza's 2 points to round out the scoring for the 0-4 Colts.Hutch High travels to Maize South on January 5th of the new year. Maize South was defeated by Derby on Tuesday night 58-44 for their first loss of the season.BOYS RECAP:<div><iframe title="Hutch High Coach Bryan Miller Postgame Show after win at Campus" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=4jdpp-152e6c8-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>The boy's game was back and forth all night long with Campus taking the lead at half-time into the locker room at 25-21.Campus extended that lead with a five point possession to lead by as many as 11 points at one time in the third quarter before Terrell King was able to get going by scoring six of his game high 17 points in the third frame.Govain went 1 for 2 from the line late in the third quarter allowing Hutch High to close the gap to 36-35 going into the final quarter.That set up a dramatic final eight minutes as Campus, saddled with foul trouble was able to force a Salthawk turnover to have possession of the ball and mid-court with 15 seconds remaining.Landon Brown inbounded to Kaason Thomas who drove the ball right of the lane who took an guarded awkward shot that skipped off the rim allowing Hutch High's Smith to secure the rebound to get the outlet pass off into the forecourt for Govain's last second heroics.The Salthawks were led in scoring by Terrell King's 17 points, who scored 12 of those 17 in the 2nd half. Govain added 13 followed up with Jax Heneka with 10. Julian Smith added nine and Daylee VanSyckle had two points.Campus’ Andrell Burton Jr., a Drake University commit, led the Colts with 20 points followed by Thomas with 16. Landon Brown added six points along with Drake McPherson's five points. McPherson and Jacob Weber both fouled out for Campus. Hutch High's Devon Spiller fouled out for the Salthawks.“The kids showed a lot of heart,” said Hutchinson boys basketball coach Bryan Miller. “We couldn’t get out of our own way in the first half. We were outrebounded by 15 (at halftime). Give credit to the kids for battling. We found a way. Taishaun was pretty good tonight.Hutch High (5-0) have played four of their five games of the season on the road and will again be on the road January 5th at Maize South who also are 5-0 on the season with a 79-56 win over Derby on Tuesday night.

🏀 Salthawks sweep Campus; boys game a thriller

AP Sports Summary for December 20th, 2023.

Ja Morant scores 34 in return from ban, hits game-winner at horn to lift Grizzlies over Pelicans

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Ja Morant capped a stirring, 34-point season debut with a spinning dribble in the lane to set up a game-winning floater as time expired in the Memphis Grizzlies' 115-113 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. The Grizzlies, who entered on a five-game skid and were 6-19 during Morant's 25-game suspension for his social media antics with guns, trailed by 24 points in the first half. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 24 points and Desmond Bane had 21 for Memphis, which also snapped the Pelicans' four-game winning streak. Brandon Ingram scored 34 points for New Orleans, but Zion Williamson's time on the court was limited by foul trouble and he finished with just 13 points.

Rodgers' return will come next season, with Jets out of 2023 playoff hunt and QB not 100% healthy

Aaron Rodgers' quest to make an improbable return this season for the New York Jets appears over. The 40-year-old quarterback said during his weekly appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Tuesday he's not yet 100% healthy in his recovery from a torn left Achilles tendon and is still a few weeks away. Rodgers said if the Jets had won last Sunday at Miami and remained in the postseason hunt, he "would have pushed it as far as I could this week" even at less than full health to play against Washington on Sunday. But the Jets were routed 30-0 and eliminated from playoff contention for the 13th straight year.

NFL players face pressure as never before, in the digital-age surge of betting and fantasy

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The intensity of NFL fandom that increased with the surge of fantasy football has spiked further in the age of online betting. The accessibility of social media has put players in position to feel that ferocity as never before. That's one reason why the league has a wellness program for these uniquely high-profile employees. Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison is one player who spoke out recently about hateful and racist messages directed toward him on social media after a tough loss. Dealing with the ups and downs of digital feedback is a big challenge.

Lillard joins 20,000-point club, Giannis has triple-double as Bucks defeat Spurs 132-119

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Damian Lillard scored a season-high 40 points to push his career total over 20,000, Giannis Antetokounmpo had a triple-double and the Milwaukee Bucks trounced San Antonio 132-119 on Tuesday night as the Spurs played without Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama sat out the game with a sore right ankle. This was only the second game the 7-foot-3 rookie has missed. Lillard increased his career point total to 20,034 and became the 51st person in NBA history to reach 20,000 points. Antetokounmpo had a career-high 16 assists, 14 rebounds and a season-low 11 points.

Backup QBs are on display all around the NFL as injury-depleted teams push toward the postseason

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — It can happen almost overnight: a backup quarterback goes from holding a clipboard to being thrust into action. Backups are on display all around the NFL right now after a flurry of starters have gone down for the season with injuries and teams have needed help to keep their postseason hopes alive. At the end of Week 15, 18 teams had started quarterbacks who weren't their first-string passers on opening day; 56 different quarterbacks have started an NFL game this season. And as starters continue going down, the value of backups keeps rising.

Jake Paul will train with USA Boxing fighters, accompany team to Paris Olympics to raise exposure

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jake Paul is teaming up with USA Boxing to put a spotlight on the nation's top competitors at the Paris Olympics. The YouTube star and professional boxer will train with Olympic qualifiers and other fighters at USA Boxing's home base in Colorado Springs, Colorado, next year and he will amplify their stardom on his social media channels. Paul also plans to accompany the U.S. team to France in July. Paul's exposure could be a compelling asset for USA Boxing as it attempts to persuade fighters to compete for their country.

Longtime Chiefs offensive lineman Ed Budde dies at the age of 83

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ed Budde, who spent 14 years playing along the offensive line of the Kansas City Chiefs, died Tuesday at the age of 83. His family announced his death through a statement issued by the Chiefs. No cause was provided. Budde was born in Michigan and was an All-American at Michigan State before the Chiefs chose him in the first round of the 1963 AFL Draft. He helped the franchise win AFL titles in 1966 and 1969 and beat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. He retired after the 1976 season and remained active in the Kansas City community. He was at the NFL Draft in April and helped announce the Chiefs' second-round selection of wide receiver Rashee Rice.

Washington's Kalen DeBoer is the AP coach of the year after leading undefeated Huskies to the CFP

SEATTLE (AP) — Washington's Kalen DeBoer has been named The Associated Press coach of the year in college football. The Huskies are 13-0, won the Pac-12 championship and have a spot in the College Football Playoff in just DeBoer's second year in charge. The Huskies will face Texas in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 with a spot in the CFP championship game on the line. In DeBoer's two seasons, the Huskies are 24-2 overall. Mike Norvell of Florida State was second in voting and Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz was third.

Column: Reviewing the year in golf based on shots from every club in the bag

One swing can win a tournament. Rose Zhang and Rory McIlroy know all about that. And one swing can lose a tournament. Just ask Viktor Hovland and Corey Conners at the PGA Championship. This is the annual review of golf by looking at shots struck from every club in the bag to tell a story. That starts with driver and finishes with wedges and the putter. The putter might have been the most popular of all the shots. That belongs to Nick Taylor and his 72-foot eagle putt to be the first Canadian to win the Canadian Open since 1954.

Kim English, like Ed Cooley before him, sends No. 6 Marquette to a loss in Providence

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Devin Carter scored 22 points with eight rebounds to lead Providence to a 72-57 victory over No. 6 Marquette. It's the third time in five seasons the unranked Friars have beaten a Golden Eagles team in The Associated Press Top 25. Carter made five 3-pointers and Ticket Gaines also hit five from beyond the arc to score 18 for Providence. The Friars have not lost at home to Marquette since 2019. Reigning Big East Player of the Year Tyler Kolek had 21 points, nine rebounds and five assists for Marquette.

Final	(20)James Madison	87	Coppin St.	48	

		(11)North Carolina	at	(7)Oklahoma	9 p.m.	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Wednesday, December 20th, 2023." />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Wednesday, December 20th, 2023.</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="December 20th Eagle Media Sports" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=fgetp-152e6e3-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>AP Sports Summary for December 20th, 2023.Ja Morant scores 34 in return from ban, hits game-winner at horn to lift Grizzlies over PelicansNEW ORLEANS (AP) — Ja Morant capped a stirring, 34-point season debut with a spinning dribble in the lane to set up a game-winning floater as time expired in the Memphis Grizzlies' 115-113 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. The Grizzlies, who entered on a five-game skid and were 6-19 during Morant's 25-game suspension for his social media antics with guns, trailed by 24 points in the first half. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 24 points and Desmond Bane had 21 for Memphis, which also snapped the Pelicans' four-game winning streak. Brandon Ingram scored 34 points for New Orleans, but Zion Williamson's time on the court was limited by foul trouble and he finished with just 13 points.Rodgers' return will come next season, with Jets out of 2023 playoff hunt and QB not 100% healthyAaron Rodgers' quest to make an improbable return this season for the New York Jets appears over. The 40-year-old quarterback said during his weekly appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Tuesday he's not yet 100% healthy in his recovery from a torn left Achilles tendon and is still a few weeks away. Rodgers said if the Jets had won last Sunday at Miami and remained in the postseason hunt, he "would have pushed it as far as I could this week" even at less than full health to play against Washington on Sunday. But the Jets were routed 30-0 and eliminated from playoff contention for the 13th straight year.NFL players face pressure as never before, in the digital-age surge of betting and fantasyEAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The intensity of NFL fandom that increased with the surge of fantasy football has spiked further in the age of online betting. The accessibility of social media has put players in position to feel that ferocity as never before. That's one reason why the league has a wellness program for these uniquely high-profile employees. Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison is one player who spoke out recently about hateful and racist messages directed toward him on social media after a tough loss. Dealing with the ups and downs of digital feedback is a big challenge.Lillard joins 20,000-point club, Giannis has triple-double as Bucks defeat Spurs 132-119MILWAUKEE (AP) — Damian Lillard scored a season-high 40 points to push his career total over 20,000, Giannis Antetokounmpo had a triple-double and the Milwaukee Bucks trounced San Antonio 132-119 on Tuesday night as the Spurs played without Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama sat out the game with a sore right ankle. This was only the second game the 7-foot-3 rookie has missed. Lillard increased his career point total to 20,034 and became the 51st person in NBA history to reach 20,000 points. Antetokounmpo had a career-high 16 assists, 14 rebounds and a season-low 11 points.Backup QBs are on display all around the NFL as injury-depleted teams push toward the postseasonMIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — It can happen almost overnight: a backup quarterback goes from holding a clipboard to being thrust into action. Backups are on display all around the NFL right now after a flurry of starters have gone down for the season with injuries and teams have needed help to keep their postseason hopes alive. At the end of Week 15, 18 teams had started quarterbacks who weren't their first-string passers on opening day; 56 different quarterbacks have started an NFL game this season. And as starters continue going down, the value of backups keeps rising.Jake Paul will train with USA Boxing fighters, accompany team to Paris Olympics to raise exposureLOS ANGELES (AP) — Jake Paul is teaming up with USA Boxing to put a spotlight on the nation's top competitors at the Paris Olympics. The YouTube star and professional boxer will train with Olympic qualifiers and other fighters at USA Boxing's home base in Colorado Springs, Colorado, next year and he will amplify their stardom on his social media channels. Paul also plans to accompany the U.S. team to France in July. Paul's exposure could be a compelling asset for USA Boxing as it attempts to persuade fighters to compete for their country.Longtime Chiefs offensive lineman Ed Budde dies at the age of 83KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ed Budde, who spent 14 years playing along the offensive line of the Kansas City Chiefs, died Tuesday at the age of 83. His family announced his death through a statement issued by the Chiefs. No cause was provided. Budde was born in Michigan and was an All-American at Michigan State before the Chiefs chose him in the first round of the 1963 AFL Draft. He helped the franchise win AFL titles in 1966 and 1969 and beat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. He retired after the 1976 season and remained active in the Kansas City community. He was at the NFL Draft in April and helped announce the Chiefs' second-round selection of wide receiver Rashee Rice.Washington's Kalen DeBoer is the AP coach of the year after leading undefeated Huskies to the CFPSEATTLE (AP) — Washington's Kalen DeBoer has been named The Associated Press coach of the year in college football. The Huskies are 13-0, won the Pac-12 championship and have a spot in the College Football Playoff in just DeBoer's second year in charge. The Huskies will face Texas in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 with a spot in the CFP championship game on the line. In DeBoer's two seasons, the Huskies are 24-2 overall. Mike Norvell of Florida State was second in voting and Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz was third.Column: Reviewing the year in golf based on shots from every club in the bagOne swing can win a tournament. Rose Zhang and Rory McIlroy know all about that. And one swing can lose a tournament. Just ask Viktor Hovland and Corey Conners at the PGA Championship. This is the annual review of golf by looking at shots struck from every club in the bag to tell a story. That starts with driver and finishes with wedges and the putter. The putter might have been the most popular of all the shots. That belongs to Nick Taylor and his 72-foot eagle putt to be the first Canadian to win the Canadian Open since 1954.Kim English, like Ed Cooley before him, sends No. 6 Marquette to a loss in ProvidencePROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Devin Carter scored 22 points with eight rebounds to lead Providence to a 72-57 victory over No. 6 Marquette. It's the third time in five seasons the unranked Friars have beaten a Golden Eagles team in The Associated Press Top 25. Carter made five 3-pointers and Ticket Gaines also hit five from beyond the arc to score 18 for Providence. The Friars have not lost at home to Marquette since 2019. Reigning Big East Player of the Year Tyler Kolek had 21 points, nine rebounds and five assists for Marquette.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Memphis	115	New Orleans	113	Final	Milwaukee	132	San Antonio	119	Final	Portland	109	Phoenix	104	Final OT	Golden State	132	Boston	126	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal	Tampa Bay	6	St. Louis	1	Final	Columbus	9	Buffalo	4	Final OT	Philadelphia	3	New Jersey	2	Final	N-Y Rangers	5	Toronto	2	Final	Carolina	6	Vegas	3	Final OT	Minnesota	4	Boston	3	Final	N-Y Islanders	3	Edmonton	1	Final	Vancouver	5	Nashville	2	Final	Chicago	3	Colorado	2	Final	Arizona	4	Ottawa	3	Final	Los Angeles	4	San Jose	1	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal	Providence	72	(6)Marquette	57	Final	(20)James Madison	87	Coppin St.	48	Final	(23)Memphis	77	(22)Virginia	54	Final	(25)Mississippi	74	Troy	53	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		Charlotte	at	Indiana	7 p.m.			Miami	at	Orlando	7 p.m.			Minnesota	at	Philadelphia	7 p.m.			Utah	at	Cleveland	7 p.m.			Denver	at	Toronto	7:30 p.m.			New York	at	Brooklyn	7:30 p.m.			Atlanta	at	Houston	8 p.m.			L.A. Lakers	at	Chicago	8 p.m.			L.A. Clippers	at	Dallas	8:30 p.m.			Boston	at	Sacramento	10 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE		Detroit	at	Winnipeg	7:30 p.m.			N-Y Islanders	at	Washington	7:30 p.m.			Seattle	at	Los Angeles	10 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL		Alabama	at	(4)Arizona	11 p.m.			(5)UConn	at	Seton Hall	7 p.m.			(11)North Carolina	at	(7)Oklahoma	9 p.m.			(10)Baylor	at	(21)Duke	7 p.m.			Villanova	at	(12)Creighton	9 p.m.			Jackson St.	at	(15)Gonzaga	9 p.m.	___

📢📰 Sports Headlines for Wednesday

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701785757574.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Tuesday's ScoresThe Associated Press<h2>BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=</h2>Abilene 56, Chapman 41Andale 54, Garden Plain 37Anderson County 71, Fredonia 43Andover 50, Arkansas City 30Andover Central 60, Salina Central 46Atchison 91, KC Wyandotte 41Augusta 48, Wichita Collegiate 45Axtell 71, Wabaunsee 52Baldwin 76, Tonganoxie 63Beloit 58, Phillipsburg 29Bucklin 72, Pawnee Heights 48Chanute 53, Labette County 41Chase County 64, Northern Heights 26Concordia 50, Clay Center 44Conway Springs 47, Belle Plaine 36Dighton 69, Ness City 35Dodge City 58, Ulysses 31Ellis 59, Rock Hills 44Elyria Christian 76, Rural Vista 26Flinthills 40, Bluestem 30Galena 44, Baxter Springs 30Goddard 67, Valley Center 55Golden Plains 49, St Francis 44Goodland 64, Scott City 57Great Bend 69, Buhler 48Hays-TMP-Marian 54, Hoxie 45Hillsboro 59, Council Grove 49Hugoton 77, Liberal 50Hutchinson 51, Wichita Campus 49Maize South 79, Derby 56Northern Valley 65, Arapahoe, Neb. 34Oakley 58, Oberlin-Decatur 48Perry-Lecompton 71, Royal Valley 56Pratt 69, Kingman 39Quinter 50, Hill City 44Remington 38, Chaparral 35SM East 57, Olathe Northwest 56Sabetha 49, Nemaha Central 33Silver Lake 62, Rossville 54Spring Hill 42, Metro Academy 28St Marys 44, Wamego 42Waverly 48, Hartford 37Wichita Classical 40, Berean Academy 34Wichita Heights 57, Hays 38Tuesday's ScoresThe Associated Press<h2>GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=</h2>Andale 34, Garden Plain 29Anderson County 29, Fredonia 27Andover 89, Arkansas City 30Arapahoe, Neb. 43, Northern Valley 41Atchison 47, KC Wyandotte 36Augusta 31, Wichita Collegiate 20Baldwin 51, Tonganoxie 23Basehor-Linwood 47, KC Piper 34Beloit 42, Phillipsburg 29Berean Academy 48, Wichita Classical 31Bucklin 52, Pawnee Heights 28Chanute 42, Labette County 39Chapman 55, Abilene 50Colby 39, Russell 18Conway Springs 42, Belle Plaine 33Derby 58, Maize South 44Elyria Christian 48, Rural Vista 23Flinthills 48, Bluestem 28Galena 54, Baxter Springs 33Goddard 36, Valley Center 30Golden Plains 50, St Francis 41Goodland 50, Scott City 33Grandview, Colo. 49, Lawrence 31Great Bend 51, Buhler 46Hillsboro 51, Council Grove 7Hutchinson 52, Wichita Campus 18Liberal 55, Hugoton 17Macksville 54, Cunningham 46Nemaha Central 37, Sabetha 29Ness City 42, Dighton 30Oakley 40, Oberlin-Decatur 31Olathe Northwest 58, SM East 46Olpe 68, Burlingame 46Perry-Lecompton 40, Royal Valley 23Pratt 52, Kingman 21Quinter 65, Hill City 16Remington 38, Chaparral 28SM Northwest 65, Winnetonka, Mo. 37Salina Central 49, Andover Central 35Silver Lake 65, Rossville 52Uniontown 37, Yates Center 12Wamego 54, St Marys 37Wellington 60, Winfield 25Wichita Heights 45, Hays 22

🏀 EAGLE Media Scoreboard from Tuesday

KANSAS CITY, Mo.— The Kansas City Royals announced&nbsp; on Tuesday that they have signed outfielder&nbsp;Hunter Renfroe&nbsp;to a one-year Major League contract, with a player option for 2025. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. In a corresponding move, right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Max Castillo&nbsp;has been designated for assignment and Kansas City’s Major League Reserve List remains at 40.

Renfroe, 31, spent the majority of the 2023 season with the Los Angeles Angels, slashing .242/.304/.434 (111-for-459, .737 OPS) with 31 doubles, 19 home runs, 56 RBI and 56 runs scored over 126 games. He was acquired off waivers by Cincinnati on Aug. 31, and he played in 14 games for the Reds before being released on Sept. 21. He collected his 20th&nbsp;home run with the Reds, registering his fourth consecutive 162-game season with at least 20 home runs, making him just one of 23 players to do so since 2019.

Since 2017, he has registered six-straight 162-game seasons of at least 50 extra-base hits (2017-19, ’21-23), tied for the most such seasons in the Majors with&nbsp;Nolan Arenado,&nbsp;Mookie Betts,&nbsp;Freddie Freeman,&nbsp;Paul Goldschmidt,&nbsp;Manny Machado,&nbsp;J.D. Martinez,&nbsp;José Ramírez&nbsp;and&nbsp;Eugenio Suárez. He is a career .239 (702-for-2938) hitter with 162 doubles, 177 home runs, 454 RBI and 405 runs scored across 841 games.

Renfroe has displayed a strong throwing arm since he reached the Majors in 2016, highlighted by his 65 outfield assists since his debut, the 2nd-most assists in the Majors over that span. Since 2020 he has ranked in the 90th-percentile-or-higher in arm strength each season, per&nbsp;Baseball Savant. That includes in 2021 when his average throws of 94.6 mph paced the American League and were 2nd&nbsp;to only San Diego’s&nbsp;Fernando Tatis Jr.&nbsp;He was named a&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove Award finalist in 2019 and 2021.

He has made 23 appearances in the postseason over his eight-year big league career, most recently with Boston in 2021 as he helped guide the Red Sox to the American League Championship Series vs. Houston. He also hit a grand slam off&nbsp;Hyun Jin Ryu&nbsp;in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series vs. Toronto in 2020 while playing for Tampa Bay.

Renfroe was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 31st&nbsp;round of the 2010 Draft out of Copiah Academy (Miss.), but elected to pursue his education at Mississippi State University, where he was teammates with recent Royals signee&nbsp;Chris Stratton&nbsp;(2011-12). He was selected by San Diego in the 1st&nbsp;round (13th&nbsp;overall) of the 2013 Draft and was signed by Padres scout&nbsp;Andrew Salvo.

Castillo, 24, has appeared in 12 games (4 starts) with the Royals since being acquired at the Trade Deadline in 2022, going 0-3 with a 6.69 ERA (29 ER in 39.0 IP)&nbsp;and 27 strikeouts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695315090950.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo.— The Kansas City Royals announced&nbsp; on Tuesday that they have signed outfielder&nbsp;Hunter Renfroe&nbsp;to a one-year Major League contract, with a player option for 2025. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. In a corresponding move, right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Max Castillo&nbsp;has been designated for assignment and Kansas City’s Major League Reserve List remains at 40.Renfroe, 31, spent the majority of the 2023 season with the Los Angeles Angels, slashing .242/.304/.434 (111-for-459, .737 OPS) with 31 doubles, 19 home runs, 56 RBI and 56 runs scored over 126 games. He was acquired off waivers by Cincinnati on Aug. 31, and he played in 14 games for the Reds before being released on Sept. 21. He collected his 20th&nbsp;home run with the Reds, registering his fourth consecutive 162-game season with at least 20 home runs, making him just one of 23 players to do so since 2019.Since 2017, he has registered six-straight 162-game seasons of at least 50 extra-base hits (2017-19, ’21-23), tied for the most such seasons in the Majors with&nbsp;Nolan Arenado,&nbsp;Mookie Betts,&nbsp;Freddie Freeman,&nbsp;Paul Goldschmidt,&nbsp;Manny Machado,&nbsp;J.D. Martinez,&nbsp;José Ramírez&nbsp;and&nbsp;Eugenio Suárez. He is a career .239 (702-for-2938) hitter with 162 doubles, 177 home runs, 454 RBI and 405 runs scored across 841 games.Renfroe has displayed a strong throwing arm since he reached the Majors in 2016, highlighted by his 65 outfield assists since his debut, the 2nd-most assists in the Majors over that span. Since 2020 he has ranked in the 90th-percentile-or-higher in arm strength each season, per&nbsp;Baseball Savant. That includes in 2021 when his average throws of 94.6 mph paced the American League and were 2nd&nbsp;to only San Diego’s&nbsp;Fernando Tatis Jr.&nbsp;He was named a&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove Award finalist in 2019 and 2021.He has made 23 appearances in the postseason over his eight-year big league career, most recently with Boston in 2021 as he helped guide the Red Sox to the American League Championship Series vs. Houston. He also hit a grand slam off&nbsp;Hyun Jin Ryu&nbsp;in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series vs. Toronto in 2020 while playing for Tampa Bay.Renfroe was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 31st&nbsp;round of the 2010 Draft out of Copiah Academy (Miss.), but elected to pursue his education at Mississippi State University, where he was teammates with recent Royals signee&nbsp;Chris Stratton&nbsp;(2011-12). He was selected by San Diego in the 1st&nbsp;round (13th&nbsp;overall) of the 2013 Draft and was signed by Padres scout&nbsp;Andrew Salvo.Castillo, 24, has appeared in 12 games (4 starts) with the Royals since being acquired at the Trade Deadline in 2022, going 0-3 with a 6.69 ERA (29 ER in 39.0 IP)&nbsp;and 27 strikeouts.

⚾ Royals sign Hunter Renfroe to a one-year deal

Seven members of the Hutchinson Community College football team earned 2023 NJCAA All-America honors on Tuesday. &nbsp;

Defensive End Daniel Brown, safety Ryan Nolan and return specialist Tre Richardson were first-team All-America selections. Offensive lineman Jayven Richardson, defensive tackle Danny Saili and running back Tyrell Reed Jr., were second-team selections. Punter Stefaan Forbes was named honorable mention.&nbsp;

The Blue Dragons went 10-1 this past season and won their fourth-straight Jayhawk Conference championship. The Dragons played in the NJCAA National Playoff semifinals for the second-straight season. The Blue Dragons were ranked No. 1 for 11 consecutive weeks and finished No. 3 in the final national poll released on Monday. &nbsp;

Over head coach Drew Dallas’ four seasons with the Blue Dragons, he has produced 33 overall NJCAA All-Americans, including 11 first-team selections.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573996270191.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of HutchCC AthleticsSeven members of the Hutchinson Community College football team earned 2023 NJCAA All-America honors on Tuesday. &nbsp;Defensive End Daniel Brown, safety Ryan Nolan and return specialist Tre Richardson were first-team All-America selections. Offensive lineman Jayven Richardson, defensive tackle Danny Saili and running back Tyrell Reed Jr., were second-team selections. Punter Stefaan Forbes was named honorable mention.&nbsp;The Blue Dragons went 10-1 this past season and won their fourth-straight Jayhawk Conference championship. The Dragons played in the NJCAA National Playoff semifinals for the second-straight season. The Blue Dragons were ranked No. 1 for 11 consecutive weeks and finished No. 3 in the final national poll released on Monday. &nbsp;Over head coach Drew Dallas’ four seasons with the Blue Dragons, he has produced 33 overall NJCAA All-Americans, including 11 first-team selections.&nbsp;This is the sixth-straight season Blue Dragon Football has produced at least one first-team All-American and the 16th consecutive season of having at least one All-American.&nbsp;DANIEL BROWN – First-Team -- Defense&nbsp; Brown led the nation in quarterback sacks this season with 18 and was third in total tackles for loss with 23. &nbsp;The 6-foot-1, 240-pound defensive end from Kansas City (Bishop Ward), Kansas, had an exceptional season. He was named the Jayhawk Conference Defensive Player of the Year in November.&nbsp;Brown registered a sack in 10-straight games, the second-longest streak in Blue Dragon history. Troy West (1996-97) had a streak of 14-straight games with a sack. Brown’s 18 sacks are second-most in Blue Dragon single-season history to West’s 19 in 1996. He ranks sixth on the Blue Dragon career sacks list.&nbsp;Brown finished the 2023 season with 52 total tackles, 32 tackles were unassisted. His 18 sacks totaled 130 yards in losses and his 23 tackles for loss accumulated 163 yards in opposition losses. Brown also had 13 quarterback hurries.&nbsp;Brown forced two fumbles, recovered one and had one pass broken up. Brown was also credited with two safeties this season against Ellsworth and Independence. &nbsp;RYAN NOLAN – First-Team -- Defense&nbsp; Nolan tied for the NJCAA national lead in interceptions with seven this season. &nbsp;The 5-10, 185-pound safety from Gainesville, Florida, played in eight games this season, missing the final two games with injuries.&nbsp;Nolan had 21 total tackles this year, including two tackles for loss. Nolan broke up five other passes this season.&nbsp;His seven interceptions were seventh most on the Blue Dragon single-season list.&nbsp;Nolan tied a team single-game record with three interceptions against No. 5 Iowa Central on September 9 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. All three interceptions came in the second quarter against the Tritons.&nbsp;Nolan also had a two-interception game in a 13-0 win over Highland on October 28.&nbsp;TRE RICHARDSON – First-Team – Special Teams&nbsp; From opening night, the 5-11, 195-pound freshman from Topeka (Highland Park) made it known he would be one of the top return specialists in the nation.&nbsp;Richardson had two kickoff returns, including a 92-yard touchdown, and accounted for 268 all-purpose yards in a 42-6 road victory at No. 13 Navarro on August 26. The 268 all-purpose yards were fifth most in single-game Blue Dragon history.&nbsp;The Blue Dragon return specialist was second in the nation in kickoff return average at 27.1 yards per return with a touchdown. Richards returned 22 kickoffs for 596 yards this season. He was also second in punt-return average at 16.2 yards per return with two touchdowns. He returned two punts for touchdowns against Coffeyville on September 23.&nbsp;Richardson produced 1,332 all-purpose yards this season. Averaging 133.2 all-purpose yards per game, he ranked fifth in the NJCAA. Richardson had 15 pass receptions for 365 yards and four touchdowns. He had six rushes for 31 yards and one touchdown.&nbsp;TYRELL REED JR. – Second-Team – Offense&nbsp; Reed rushed for a team-high 831 yards on 131 carries with 13 touchdowns this season. &nbsp;The 5-10, 195-pound running back from Topeka (Lawrence High School) finished 10th in the NJCAA in rushing average at 74.1 yards per game. That mark was second in the KJCCC. His 831 rushing yards were eighth most in the nation and his 13 rushing touchdowns were second most in the NJCAA in 2023.&nbsp;Reed had four 100-yard rushing games with a season-high 171 yards coming against Ellsworth only nine carries and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 124 against East Mississippi, 117 against Butler and 115 against Dodge City. &nbsp;Reed’s 13 rushing touchdowns ties Dezmon Jackson (2018) for fifth most in Blue Dragon history. His 6.2 yards per carry ties Tyren Jones (2015) for 12th on the Blue Dragon single-season list.&nbsp;JAYVEN RICHARDSON – Second-Team – Offense&nbsp; As a left tackle, Richardson anchored an offensive line that helped produce the third-best scoring offense and fifth-best rushing offense in the NJCAA this season.&nbsp;Richardson, a 6-7, 305-pound from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, started all 11 games for the Blue Dragons.&nbsp;He helped pave the way for the Blue Dragons to score 37.6 points per game this season. The Blue Dragons rushed for 227.3 yards per game and had 32 rushing touchdowns, seventh most in Blue Dragon single-season history.&nbsp;Richardson was a first-team All-KJCCC performer this season.&nbsp;DANNY SAILI – Second-Team – Defense&nbsp; Saili led a defensive line that helped the Blue Dragons produce the No. 1 scoring defense, the second-best rushing defense and the second-most quarterback sacks in the NJCAA this season.&nbsp;A 6-2, 355-pound defensive lineman from Topeka, had 21 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss (28 yards) and 4.0 quarterback sacks (22 yards). Saili had four other quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a pass broken up.&nbsp;Saili also had a blocked field-goal attempt against Independence on November 4.&nbsp;Saili had a season-high four tackles with a sack against Dodge City on October 7.&nbsp;Saili and the Blue Dragon front seven allowed 11.7 points per game, which led the nation. The Dragons allowed only 67.2 rushing yards and 246.5 total yards per game.&nbsp;STEFAAN FORBES – Honorable Mention – Special Teams&nbsp;Forbes is the first Blue Dragon punter to earn NJCAA All-America honors since John Racette in 2004.&nbsp;The 6-1, 170-pound sophomore transfer from Tulsa, Oklahoma led the Jayhawk Conference and ranked fifth in the nation in punting average at 39.6 yards per punt.&nbsp;His long punt of 66 yards tied for fourth-best in the NJCAA and his 20 punts inside the 20 were sixth most in the nation this season.&nbsp;Forbes had eight punts of 50 yards or longer.&nbsp;