This season was all the time going to be not like some other in faculty sports activities historical past – which is why it was somewhat disappointing to see one fall custom return in 2020:
Underestimating the Kansas State Wildcats.
Not a single Ok-State workforce was picked to complete increased than seventh within the Massive 12 Preseason Coaches Ballot – each single one has now surpassed their projection or is on tempo to take action.
Soccer, Soccer, Volleyball, Tennis, Cross Nation and Girls’s Golf all returned to Ok-State over the previous two months and introduced somewhat regular again to the Little Apple.
Just some days earlier than Thanksgiving, listed here are 10 fall sports activities moments value revisiting:
10. Ok-State Tennis Ties Program Document
Simply internet hosting a match at Mike Goss Tennis Stadium was an enormous deal for Ok-State Tennis this season.
Placing down 13 singles victories was historic.
Behind robust performances from Maria Linares, Ioana Gheorghita and Manami Ukita, the Wildcats dealt with Iowa State and Kansas to tie a program document for singles victories in a house match.
“The power was there, we did nice and got here out on high.”
Ok-State Fall Invite Recap 🎥⤵️#KStateTEN pic.twitter.com/iOo6jfvjrB
— Ok-State Tennis (@KStateTEN) November 3, 2020
That trio mixed to go 9-0 over three days of matches, powering Ok-State to a dominant workforce efficiency over two native rivals.
9. A Sunflower Blowout at Particular Groups U
The sensation of disbelief is what Ok-State followers will bear in mind: Kansas is definitely going to punt to Phillip Brooks. Once more.
Brooks does it AGAIN!
He returns his SECOND punt for a TD within the first half for @KStateFB 🔥 pic.twitter.com/UGfYuj8Ezq
— FOX School Soccer (@CFBONFOX) October 24, 2020
A pair of punt-return touchdowns from the sophomore helped Ok-State beat Kansas 55-14 for the workforce’s 12th-straight win within the Dillons Sunflower Showdown.
With 189 punt return yards in opposition to the Jayhawks, Brooks ended the sport with extra yards than some other workforce within the nation had managed to that time in your entire 2020 season.
Within the postgame press convention, Brooks reminded followers why that should not be a shock.
“That is Particular Groups U,” he mentioned. “I felt like I wanted to contribute.”
8. Aliyah Carter Arrives vs. Texas
You will not discover many video games Ok-State misplaced on this listing, however not many Wildcats have had performances like Aliyah Carter in opposition to the No. 1 workforce within the nation.
In simply the fifth recreation of her faculty profession, Carter shattered the Ok-State freshman kills document because the Wildcats went the gap with No. 1 Texas at Bramlage Coliseum.
A primetime debut worthy of the document books! 🤩 @aliyah_carter22 set a @KStateVB freshman document with 2️⃣6️⃣ kills in opposition to the No. 1 ranked workforce on Friday night time. #NCAAVB pic.twitter.com/Mb7RJrtvXy
— NCAA Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) October 17, 2020
Suzie Fritz referred to as her “fearless” and Carter’s 26-kill night time was an early signal the Wildcats might need discovered their latest weapon at outdoors hitter.
“I feel it is simply realizing what I can do and never setting a restrict on myself,” Carter mentioned. “With a workforce like Texas, you don’t have anything to lose.”
7. Deuce Vaughn Calls Recreation
The legend of Ok-State’s 5-foot-5 freshman phenom was already rising when Ok-State returned dwelling to face Texas Tech in October.
It took only one play for Deuce Vaughn so as to add one other chapter.
DEUCE FOR 70 YARDS ⚡️@C_Vaughn22 with the large run for @KStateFB with solely 2 minutes left to play pic.twitter.com/gBIIWbLd6F
— FOX School Soccer (@CFBONFOX) October 3, 2020
With the Wildcats seeking to run out the clock and clinging to a three-point lead over the Purple Raiders, Vaughn lined up within the slot on 3rd and 5 with simply over two minutes left.
Eleven seconds later, Vaughn was in the long run zone after a 70-yard catch-and-run that electrified the socially-distanced crowd at Bill Snyder Household Stadium and delivered Ok-State a convention win.
6. A Brace for Brookelynn Entz
After spending 4 years in Manhattan, Brookelynn Entz did not rewrite the Ok-State Soccer document books. She mainly wrote them herself because the face of the Massive 12’s latest program.
The workforce chief in targets, factors and game-winning targets scored what can be the ultimate two targets of her Ok-State profession in a 2-0 highway win over Iowa State again on October 30.
Entz corralled a ball excessive from Shae Turner and performed it off the bounce for her first aim of the night time.
“I truthfully wasn’t pondering in any respect,” Entz mentioned. “I simply noticed the ball coming and I saved myself actually calm and all I needed to do was place it within the nook. The ball from Shae was completely good. All I needed to do was tuck it away.”
She beat the offside lure once more to finish her brace within the second half, placing strikes on Iowa State defenders and securing the second Massive 12 win of the season for the Wildcats.
How ’bout them ‘Cats 😺⚽️#KStateSOC x #OnTheRise2020 pic.twitter.com/10EJkNykXk
— Ok-State Soccer (@KStateSOC) October 31, 2020
5. Jayden Nembhard Sparks a Sweep in Morgantown
Just some days after studying she would change Brynn Carlson in a weekend collection with West Virginia, Jayden Nembhard made probably the most of her nationally-televised alternative.
The freshman outdoors hitter put down 24 kills to assist the Wildcats rally again from a 2-1 deficit on ESPNU. The primary prolonged motion of her faculty profession noticed Nembhard hit .389 to energy the Ok-State assault in Morgantown.
Trailing 21-19 in a must-win fourth set, Nembhard got here up with 4 kills to assist the Wildcats maintain the match alive and win a five-set thriller on the highway.
“It was like, ‘Hey, I am right here.’ I feel that is what truthfully acquired me into the match,” Nembhard mentioned. “Now, you simply go on the market and play volleyball.”
“Hey, I am right here.”
43 kills later, @JaydenNembhard seems again on an enormous @KStateVB weekend and her first Massive 12 honorshttps://t.co/OWrAVsC50r
— Austin Siegel (@_austinsiegel) October 9, 2020
She added 19 extra kills on Friday night time to assist safe the sweep, incomes Massive 12 Rookie of the Week honors after an unforgettable begin to her Ok-State profession.
4. Reid Isaac Wins Second Event of Her Profession
With COVID-19 wiping out the spring season, Ok-State Girls’s Golf returned to motion in Norman for the Schooner Fall Traditional. All Reid Isaac did was win the entire thing.
Battling wind gusts that halted the match, the senior used booming drives off the tee to put up a second-round rating of 65 that put herself proper within the combine forward of the ultimate day.
“My lengthy recreation could be very constant. I do not miss tremendous massive to the proper or to the left in order that helps me maintain it in the midst of the green on windy days,” she mentioned. “The wind was lots increased on the second day and par was a fantastic rating. That is the place I can lock in and play higher than the standard golfer within the wind.”
Reid’s Senior Yr To-Dos
Completed
☑️ Land Full-Time Job
☑️ Win Particular person TitleSubsequent
– Win Crew Title
– NCAA Postseason
– Make Tons of Recollections
– Earn DiplomaSturdy begin to 2020-21 for @reidisaac14. #KStateWGolf x Sports activities Further
🗞️ https://t.co/WLfLJApHjT pic.twitter.com/Ig3YrA4LXY
— Ok-State Girls’s Golf (@KStateWGolf) October 2, 2020
A 58-foot putt on the ultimate day of the Schooner Fall Traditional would assist Isaac safe the second-best 54-hole mark in program historical past with a 70-65-70—205 (-5) and a share of the match title.
3. Shelby Martin Caps Triple-Double with Recreation-Winner
The shortest listing within the NCAA this season belongs to Shelby Martin.
She’s the one participant within the nation to document a triple-double this season – 11 kills, 10 digs, 38 assists – and Martin added some fashion factors.
With the Wildcats battling within the fifth set in opposition to Oklahoma, their senior setter delivered the knockout after the Sooners fought off a pair of match factors to make it 14-13 within the fifth set.
Her quick-hit kill to complete it was additionally the primary game-winner of Martin’s profession.
Slam it dwelling
🗣 Cats Win!#KStateVB pic.twitter.com/BqhHvMheUL
— Ok-State Volleyball (@KStateVB) October 24, 2020
“The move was there; it gave me a chance and so they hadn’t slowed me down but so I figured I would as properly take it,” Martin mentioned. ” I simply went forward and took a swing.”
The win helped the Wildcats proceed to climb within the nationwide rankings and delivered among the finest postgame celebrations of the autumn season.
2. Ok-State Soccer Sends Off Seniors in Model
Saying goodbye to the most important senior class in program historical past, Ok-State Soccer threw one heck of a celebration.
A 2-0 Senior Evening win over Massive 12 preseason favorites Texas Tech was highlighted by a spectacular aim from Christina Baxter, the second of her profession in her remaining faculty recreation.
“I virtually blacked out in that second,” she mentioned. “Me and Bailey [Nemechek] locked eyes, and I knew she was going to play me the ball. It felt like I simply wanted to shoot it, I noticed it going and I couldn’t consider it. After all, this occurs on Senior Evening.”
It is the seniors for me 😻
Match Highlights vs Texas Tech ⤵️#KStateSOC x #OnTheRise2020 pic.twitter.com/QYQ5kCCOOB
— Ok-State Soccer (@KStateSOC) November 14, 2020
An emotional postgame ceremony had as a lot to do with saying goodbye to seven seniors as what the Wildcats completed – Ok-State ended 2020 with probably the most convention wins and one of the best Massive 12 end in program historical past.
1. Ok-State Soccer Shocks No. 3 Oklahoma
If there was one recreation that embodied your entire fall sports activities season at Ok-State, it was this one.
Underdogs? The Sooners have been favored by greater than three touchdowns. A freshman stepping up? Deuce Vaughn racked up 164 all-purpose yards and a landing.
The Wildcats took down No. 3 Oklahoma for the second-straight season with a livid comeback within the second half, as Skylar Thompson threw for 334 yards and the Ok-State protection picked off Spencer Rattler 3 times.
Deuce on the unfastened#KStateFB ⚒ @C_Vaughn22 pic.twitter.com/RI6fbi8NDE
— Ok-State Soccer (@KStateFB) September 26, 2020
“As soon as we acquired the momentum, I really feel like we by no means gave it again,” Vaughn mentioned. “We had all varieties of emotions coming off of a loss a number of weeks in the past, simply figuring out that we have been a greater workforce than we confirmed in opposition to Arkansas State. For these two weeks, we ready, ready, ready, to indicate the nation that final yr wasn’t a fluke.”
Down 21 factors within the third quarter, the Wildcats staged a rally that has been profitable precisely one time the earlier 545 occasions an AP top-five workforce has led by 21 factors since 2004.
“Like I mentioned after week one, you discover out lots about an individual and workforce via problem and adversity. This workforce responded, and I had little question going into this recreation that we have been going to have an opportunity to win,” Thompson mentioned. “Saved pounding the stone and saved believing.”
Sounds of victory #KStateFB ⚒ pic.twitter.com/k42w3fYRCm
— Ok-State Soccer (@KStateFB) September 26, 2020
