WEMPE

Sophomore third baseman Kevin Wempe doesn’t have trouble remembering his greatest sports moment.

“My greatest moment would have to be from last year’s team,” Wempe said. “I was a part of the 35 game winning streak.”

But in the sport of baseball, not all moments are great ones.

“You fail a lot on the baseball field,” Wempe said. “It really eats me up when something goes wrong but I just tell myself to make that play next time.”

Wempe is a 21-year-old finance major.

“It is an area that really interests me,” Wempe said. “I believe I can help people in this area.”

Wempe was born in Topeka, Kan. and lived there for most of his life. He attended Hayden High School and then chose to attend Emporia State.

Wempe said that the baseball program and the coaching staff were major factors in his decision to attend ESU.

“I really like playing for coach (Head Coach Bob) Fornelli and they were coming off a World Series appearance,” Wempe said. “I knew I was getting into a good program that was going to win a lot of games.”

Fornelli said that Wempe is big contributor to the team.

“You know what you are going to get out of him every day,” Fornelli said. “He practices hard and he is a leader because of his work ethic.”

Wempe said Fornelli has made adjusting to the college level of play much easier.

“We all love the coaches here,” Wempe said. “They treat us like men and they put us in a good position to win every game.”

His teammates are also an important part of Wempe’s success.

“We have a good group of guys here,” Wempe said. “They work hard every day and they are a good group of guys to be around I could not ask for better teammates.”

Wempe credits his family for his work ethic and desire to excel in the classroom and on the field.

“My father was a college athlete and I learned a lot about work habits from him,” Wempe said. “I have an older brother who played baseball and we spent every day playing in the backyard and I have been playing baseball ever since.”

For Wempe, hard work goes beyond athletics.

“I am a pretty average joe all the way around,” Wempe said. “I try to do the right thing and I work hard at whatever it is that I am doing.”

Matthew Pierce/The Bulletin

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Short Stop Kevin Wempe hits a single Wednesday afternoon against Pittsburg State on Glenne Field. The Hornets won the double header 14-2 and 14-10. PHOTO BY KELLEN JENKINS

The Emporia State baseball team played a doubleheader against the Pittsburg State Gorillas last night, winning the first game in a blowout 14-2 and the second game 14-10.

Junior right handed pitcher Ben Graham went five innings and allowed one run on 5 hits to get the win.

Senior infielder Connor Crumbliss got the leadoff single in the bottom of the first inning but the Hornets failed to drive in a run in the first inning.

Graham and the Hornets’ defense did not allow a run for three innings. After a Gorilla run in the fourth inning, Graham held the Gorillas to one run less in the fifth inning.

Following the fifth inning, the Hornets made a pitching change and brought in senior left hander Brett McBride. McBride pitched one inning and gave up one run on two hits.

The Hornets made another pitching change in the seventh inning to freshman right hander Justin Maxson who did not allow a hit, sealing the victory for the Hornets.

The Hornets scored their 14 runs on 18 hits. The Gorillas scored their two runs on 7 hits.

Both junior outfielder Chris Dobler and sophomore third baseman Kevin Wempe hit a homerun for the Hornets.

“It felt good to contribute to the win,” Wempe said. “I wanted to score some runs.”

The Hornets won the second game 14-10.

“It was two different ball games,” Wempe said. “Both teams got into the bullpen early and from there it was who could outscore who.”

The Gorillas scored 4 runs in the first inning on a grand slam hit off of Brett Mize. Mize struck the first batter but walked the next three and Jason Murphy hit the ball out of the park.

“(Mize) struggled a little bit,” Dobler said. “He is a good pitcher he just struggled and he will bounce back.”

Following the grand slam, the Hornets brought in right handed pitcher Dominic King, who pitched two innings and allowed five runs on five hits.

The Hornets answered with their own grand slam in the bottom of the first. Mitch Cooper walked the first three Hornets and Dobler blasted one out of the park to tie the game.

“It was a pretty good feeling,” Dobler said. “I got down two strikes and I was just trying to put the ball in play and it came off the bat pretty good.”

The Gorillas scored one run in the second inning to take the lead 5-4. The Hornets managed to get two men on base but failed to drive them in.

The Gorillas scored four more runs in the top of the fourth inning on a two run homerun to increase their lead to three runs. Once again, the Hornets answered with four of their own runs.

The Hornets took the lead in the sixth inning on two consecutive doubles that scored two runs, increasing the score to 11-9.

The Hornets shut out the Gorillas in five of the final six innings behind the arm of junior right hander Austin Anderson to complete the sweep of the Gorillas.

“He was the story of this game,” said head coach Bob Fornelli. “He came in and threw up a bunch of zeros and got us back in the game.”

The Hornets are now 30-6 and 19-3 in the MIAA. They will play Truman at 1 p.m. April 10 in Kirksville, Mo.

Matthew Pierce/The Bulletin

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Freshman cross country runner and track and field distance runner Katie Mona helped the indoor track medley relay team set a conference record.

“I wanted to know what time I had finished with,” Mona said. “When coach had told us we got the record that was really exciting and it is neat to be a part of that.”

Track and field head coach David Harris is proud of Mona’s accomplishments.

“She is one of our freshmen that has been really successful this year,” Harris said. “You hope that every freshman can make a contribution like she has.”

Harris said that, despite being a freshman, Mona has taken a position of leadership on the team.

“She is a very talented distance runner,” Harris said. “She pushes herself in practice and she has become a leader.”

Mona is an 18-year-old elementary education major.

“I like to be around children,” Mona said. “I like the creative side of the profession.”

Mona was born in Huston, Texas where she lived for a short time. She moved to Illinois where she lived until the eighth grade, when she moved to Kansas.

“I was younger when we moved around,” Mona said. “It was kind of hard to move from Illinois to Kansas because that was where I had made a lot friends and the place I had grown up.”

Mona said that athletics was not her reason for attending Emporia State.

“I chose to attend Emporia State because of the teaching program,” Mona said. “Sports had nothing to do with my decision.”

Mona said that her greatest achievement is working hard every day.

“Being able to push myself because I know that is hard,” Mona said. “Our coach helps us with that during practice.”

But despite all of her recent accomplishments, Mona remains grounded in the reality that her performance is sometimes a work-in-progress.

“Sometimes I am disappointed with how I performed,” Mona said. “At the end of the indoor season I kept finishing slower and I was getting tired.”

Regardless of her performance from one week to the next, Harris appreciates her contributions to the team as a whole.

“She adds a sense of confidence to the rest of the squad,” Harris said. “She is the anchor of the distance medley team in which she helped set a conference record.”

Mona said that her teammates have helped her be successful at the college level.

“I like my teammates because we have really connected,” Mona said. ““We help each other out.”

But sometimes, the pressure to perform in track and field can become overwhelming, even for the best athletes.

“There is pressure to do better at each meet,” Mona said. “There is always pressure to come out and compete.”

For Mona, a dedicated group of family and friends does a lot to ease any negative aspects of competition.

“My parents are always at all of the meets,” Mona said. “They are very supportive and loving… I am quiet but I am very competitive. I always push myself to do the best I can.”

Matthew Pierce/The Bulletin

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Senior infielder Anthony Dreiling dives back to first base Wednesday night at Glennen Field. The Hornets beat the Bethany Swedes 12-9 and will face Missouri Western at St. Joseph, Mo./PHOTO BY KELLEN JENKINS

The Emporia State baseball team beat Bethany College 12-9 at home last night.

The Hornets have led the series with the Swedes 20-0. The last meeting resulted in a double header sweep by the Hornets.

The Hornets had an 8-0 lead heading into the fourth inning. Bethany College answered with two three-run homers, along with one more run, cutting the Hornets’ lead to one.

The Hornets brought out freshman pitcher Justin Maxson to finish the top of the fourth.

“Coming out of the bullpen, it is kind of hard when the other team is making a run,” Maxson said.  “(We) just got to try to shut them down and do everything we can to stop that momentum.”

Sophomore left outfielder Anthony Markowitz contributed a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth. “He got an opportunity and took advantage of it,” said Head Coach Bob Fornelli.

The homerun swung the momentum back the Hornets’ way.

“Markowitz’s two run homer was a big help,” Maxson said. “It gave me a lot of confidence to go back out there.”

The following three innings, the Swedes went three and out.

“(We) just got back in the grove,” said senior left fielder Conner Crumbliss. “(We) just kind of got our focus back on the field.”

The Hornets never looked back, matching the two runs by Bethany College to maintain a three point lead. Markowitz said batting was the key point to winning the game.

“I thought we hit the ball pretty well,” Markowitz said.

According to Fornelli, being able to adjust has been a work in progress for the team.

“In the first six innings we scored,” Fornelli said. “We have talked about (it) all year long; finding ways to score.”

Fornelli said the Hornets’ win was a team effort.

“No one had a great night, but everyone found a way to contribute,” he said.

With only four home games left, the Hornets do not seem too worried about playing on the road.

“We have done a pretty good job on the road,” Fornelli said. “We have got some pretty tough tests ahead.”

With more than half their season out of the way, the Hornets have a shot at regional competition.

The Hornets will play at Missouri Western in their next game at 6 p.m. this Friday, April 3.

Matthew Pierce/The Bulletin

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Senior forward Ida Edwards was the sixth player to be named an All American under head coach Brandon Schneider. The coaches voted on who should be named All American.

“I really did not think I had a good enough season to be on that team,” Edwards said. “I never had All American in my mind and I think it is a great honor.”

Edward’s statistics were considerably high considering the fact that Emporia State plays in Division II.

“I think she deserved to be named All American,” Schneider said. “She shot a high percentage from the floor and averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds and it is nice to see people recognized for their contribution.”

Edwards said completing a degree in recreation will open a lot of doors for her.

“I know that the recreation major is pretty broad,” Edwards said. “I think that this major could help me in the coaching field.”

Edwards was born in the small town of Yazoo City, Miss. where sports was the main attraction.

“Yazoo is not that big there is only one high school in the town,” Edwards said. “If you lived in my town you had to play sports and when I was in high school we were a basketball school.”

Edwards was inspired by her brother to start playing basketball.

“My brother played basketball and my mother would get my sister and myself out of school early to go to his games,” Edwards said. “I started playing basketball in the seventh grade.”

Despite getting a later start in sports, Edwards developed quickly as an athlete and became a very skilled player.

“The high school coach asked me to play for him when I was in the eighth grade,” Edwards said. “I averaged around 14 points per game when I was in the eighth grade.”

After graduating from high school, Edwards had committed to attend and play basketball at the University of Kentucky.

“I was a non-qualifier out of high school, so I ended up going to Holmes Community College and then I transferred to Pensacola junior college,” Edwards said. “I then signed with Louisiana Tech but I did not have the grades so I went to West Texas A&M where Brandon’s dad and brother coached at.”

Edwards was expecting to play for Brett Schneider at West Texas but, due to an unexpected coaching change, she decided to play for his brother Brandon Schneider at ESU.

“I really thought I was going to play for Brandon’s brother Brett and I felt I had connected with him,” Edwards said. “I really did not want to stay there so I asked Brett for Brandon’s number and I have been here since.”

The Hornets were very successful this season due in part to Edwards’ contributions.

“She is a very versatile player and she can take people away from the goal,” Schneider said. “She is a very physical and athletic player.”

Edwards said that Schneider is in a league of his own in comparison to her past coaches.

“I have been coached by a lot of coaches, but Brandon is the most passionate and intelligent guy I have ever met,” Edwards said. “His knowledge of the game is superior and I have matured a lot playing under him.”

Edwards feels that her mother has been a key contributor to her success on and off the court.

“My mom does not let you stop,” Edwards said. “She thought I was running out of time when it came to school and basketball and that really motivated me a lot these last two years.”

ESU has become a second home for Edwards.

“I am on the verge of finishing my degree and I have found my home here at Emporia State,” Edwards said. “I think I have really matured this year.”

Her teammates see Edwards as more than just another player on the court.

“My teammates think that it is my personality that separates me from everyone else,” Edwards said. “They gave me a senior award which was a picture album and their comments in the album were about my personality and how I had the best one on the team and they had nothing to do with basketball.”

Matthew Pierce/The Bulletin

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LAMAR

Lamar Wilbern is a 22-year-old junior recreation major who is in his first year at ESU. Wilbern graduated from Hamilton College with an associate’s degree in business.

“I did not want to be in business,” Wilbern said. “I wanted to be in recreation so I thought I would tie that in with my business degree to create a couple options.”

Wilbern, a.k.a L-burner, was born in Milwaukee, Wis.

“It was a big city that was crime infested,” Wilbern said. “I had good role models in my life in my father and two older brothers who kept me out of trouble.”

Wilbern started playing basketball at the age of seven.

“I am pretty good at basketball,” Wilbern said. “My father and brothers played basketball and growing up in inner city that is what you do to stay out of trouble.”

Wilbern went to Las Vegas when he was in the eighth grade to play against the Gary Payton Amateur Athletic Union team. The AAU teams are sponsored and paid for by professional players.

“That was my first real taste of pressure,” Wilbern said. “I played against some of the best players.”

Wilbern attended Harold S. Vincent High School where he was an average basketball player.

“I went to a high school that was a powerhouse in basketball and only the best players went there,” Wilbern said. “My senior year, I dunked for the first time on senior night and that was my greatest highlight from high school.”

Following high school, Wilbern attended Hamilton College where he averaged 23 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and three steals per game.

“I was a good player during junior college,” Wilbern said. “Players compete in junior college ball, but it is a lot more competitive at this level.”

Wilbern achieved a lot at Hamilton College, but he feels that his greatest achievement was beating Hutchison Community College in which he had a triple-double.

After graduating from Hamilton, he was forced to transfer to another college. Wilbern was being recruited by a couple of division one schools but decided to attend ESU.

“When I came on my visit I got a good vibe from this school,” Wilbern said. “I like the coaches, players and the town so it was a no brainer.”

Wilbern said the coaches were honest with him during his visit which also contributed to his decision to attend ESU. He also said his fellow students have really opened up to him.

“I am a very approachable person,” Wilbern said. “I really like Emporia because it seems like the people here really want to get to know you.”

Wilbern’s hobbies include basketball, bowling and hanging out. His favorite song is “What More Can I Say” by Jay Z. His favorite move is “Paid in Full.”

Wilbern’s favorite quote is from Aristotle who wrote, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence therefore is not an act but a habit.”

Wilbern said he uses his competitive drive to be successful in life.

“I am a very competitive person and that is how I succeed in life,” Wilbern said. “Whether it is the classroom, basketball court or life my willingness to succeed makes me who I am.”

Matthew Pierce/The Bulletin

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Junior guard Cassondra Boston dives in for a lay up Saturday night at William Lindsey White Auditorium. ESU beat Washburn with a final score of 85-78. KELLEN JENKINS/THE BULLETIN

The Hornets are now ranked first in the MIAA following the 85-75 victory over the Ichabods. Following the win over Washburn, the Hornets fell to the Fort Hays Tigers 78-68.

The Emporia State basketball team played the most anticipated game of the season last Saturday.

They faced off against long time rival the Washburn Ichabods. There were 4294 fans in attendance according to ESU media relations.

“The atmosphere was great,” said junior forward Jeremiah Box. “The crowd really pumped us up.”

Security swept the auditorium issued a warning to all fans that if anyone was caught with a whistle they would be kicked out, after an ESU fan blowing a whistle each time a WU player attempted a free throw could not be caught.

The tip off was won by Washburn who failed to score on their first possession of the game.

The Hornets scored the first points of the game on a three pointer made by junior guard Lamar Wilbern. Washburn immediately answered with a three of their own.

The two teams were neck and neck throughout the entire first half of the game. With a minute remaining in the first half the Hornets had a two point lead until the Ichabods tied the game with a lay-up from DeAndre Eggins.

The teams went to the locker rooms tied at 41. The Hornets had seven fouls in the first half compared to the Ichabod’s eight. Washburn missed four free throws while the Hornets only missed two.

The second half started off with a Washburn domination when the Ichabods went on a 14 point run and did not allow the Hornets to score for almost two minutes.

“I don’t think I did a good job at the half,” said head coach David Moe. “We didn’t really make any adjustments and we made it easy for them.”

Despite the 14 point lead, Hornets didn’t panic.

“They got us down 14 points at the beginning of the first half,” Wilbern said “We fought through adversary and got the win so it feels really good.”

ESU answered by going on a 10-0 scoring run which pulled the Hornets within five points of Washburn 58-53.

The Hornets overtook the Ichabods with a Robert Moore’s three-pointer, bringing the score to 72-71 with 2:56 left in the game.

The Hornets then went on a 9-0 extending the lead to 81-71 which in turn forced the Ichabods to start fouling.

The Ichabods committed five fouls in the final minute of the game.

Dustin Andrews led the Hornets with 19 points on the night. Lamar Wilbern had 18 points and he led the team in rebounds with seven.

Jeremiah Box had 13 points and sophomore forward Adam Holthaus finished with 10 points and six rebounds.

Washburn had 10 fouls in the second half compared to the Hornets’ seven.

Following this victory, the Hornets are the number one team in the MIAA.

“Its early and it does not mean anything,” Moe said. “The real test is going to be holding onto it.”

The players seemed to be in sync and they worked together to get the victory.

“I think we played a complete game and played 40 minutes,” Wilbern said. “We came out a little flat in the second half but we competed and played 40 minutes.”

Holthuas and Shang Ping contributed to the victory in other ways.

“They don’t always get the ball all the time but they step up every game,” said Box. “The picks they set are amazing. They do not get enough credit but they are the key to our game.”

The fans had an impact on the players throughout this game.

“If they could come out to every game like this we would really appreciate it,” Wilbern said. “They make you give a little more and if they could keep coming that would be great.”

The Hornets ended their three game winning streak losing to the Fort Hays State Tigers.

The Hornets shot 40 percent in the first half, compared to the Tigers’ 50 percent average.

Tim Niles led the Hornets in points with 14 points. Wilbern and Box both scored 12 points.

The Hornets have an overall record of 13-4 and are 7-3 in the MIAA.

The Hornets’ next opponent will be Northwest Missouri at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Missouri.

Matthew Pierce/The Bulletin

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The men’s basketball team went 5-1 in six games over the winter break and will face the Washburn Ichabods on Saturday.

On Jan. 10, the Hornets defeated the Pittsburg State Gorillas 102-100. They also tied an MIAA record for the most overtimes in a single game and played four overtime periods before winning the game.

The Hornets made six of 10 foul shots in the final overtime period to secure the win. This victory moved the Hornets into second place in the MIAA.

The Hornets are 12-3 so far this season and the Ichabods have a record of 9-6.

The annual two game series between the Hornets and the Ichabods is referred to as the Turnpike Tussle because if someone were to take the Turnpike between Emporia and Topeka it would only take 45 minutes.

The two teams are sure to have a heated match.

“We have been rivals for over 90 years,” said head coach David Moe. “We are just right down the road from each other.”

The series has had its share of incidents between fans and mascots.

“The mascots got into a fight in my second or third year and it’s just very exciting,” Moe said. “It will be a very exciting match and a great environment.”

The Hornets will have to strive not to become distracted by their rivalry with the Ichabods.

“Washburn has always been one of the most talented teams in our league,” Moe said. “Washburn’s big, athletic and talented and they’re going to come here and try and intimidate us and we can’t let them intimidate us.”

Washburn is known for being a very physically tough opponent that can wear down the opposing team.

“I think we need to play more physical than them and we have to play smart,” said senior center Shang Ping. “I think we will be ready to play Saturday.”

The team is anxious to play against Washburn.

“I know they are a pretty talented team,” said junior guard Jeremiah Box. “The fans are always crazy and I am really looking forward to this game.”

This will be the 189^th meeting between Emporia State and Washburn.

The teams are tied 94-94 coming into the game on Saturday, which may make the  atmosphere even more hectic as the two teams battle to take the lead in the series.

David Moe has a record of 126-90 and is in his eighth season as the head coach.

Washburn’s head coach Bob Chipman has a record of 657-257 in his 30^th year.

“He has been there a long time,” Moe said. “It’s not easy having the amount of success he has had over the years that he has been there.”

The Hornets will play against the Ichabods at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at White Auditorium.

Matthew Pierce/The Bulletin

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