Tag: athletics

Nothing deters this AfterShocks player from joining his teammates

The challenges of air travel are nothing new to Rashard Kelly ’18, a professional basketball player who has played for teams in Russia, Italy, Turkey, Lithuania, France and for the Tasmania JackJumpers in Australia. But getting to Wichita to play as a member of the AfterShocks in the regional semifinal game of The Basketball Tournament (TBT) on Monday, July 22 may have been his biggest travel challenge to date.

After the July 19 global tech outage caused airlines to reschedule, delay or cancel thousands of flights, what should have been a routine Sunday flight to Wichita turned into a hybrid flying/driving cross-country trek that took Kelly nearly two days, stops in five different cities, a flight from Pittsburg to Dallas and 11 hours of driving. But he made it to Koch Arena an hour before tipoff on Monday evening.

“No way I was going to miss this,” he said about joining the AfterShocks, a predominantly Wichita State alumni squad that competes in TBT’s 64-team, single-elimination, $1 million winner-take-all event that has featured regional games in Koch Arena since 2019. This year, the championship game was played on August 4 at Philadelphia’s Daskalakis Athletic Center.

Kelly, a power/small forward who signed in 2023 with the pro team ADA Blois of the top-tier league Betclic Élite in France, had missed the AfterShocks’ TBT opening-round win on Saturday in Koch Arena to attend his mother’s wedding in Virginia. His teammates pulled out an 86-71 win over Midtown Prestige, a Wichita-based semi-pro team, to advance to Monday’s semifinal game against Team Colorado.

“Coming back here means everything to me,” said Kelly, who hails from Fredericksburg, Virginia. “I know we all have family from where we’re from, but being back at Koch Arena and seeing so many familiar faces, this is always family to me.” Powered by just three hours of sporadic sleep, he took to the court with his AfterShocks teammates, coached by Zach Bush ’17. Within 20 seconds of checking into the game, Kelly tallied his first rebound and went on to net 10 points for the AfterShocks, who were led in scoring by former Shocker standout Markis McDuffie ’19, a small forward who poured in 17 points.

But it wasn’t quite enough. The AfterShocks lost the game, 65-61, snapping a streak of three consecutive regional championships for the alumni team. Despite the defeat, Bush, McDuffie and Kelly, whose Shocker playing days overlapped for two seasons in 2015-16 and 2016-17, were excited to again be competing together — along with other Shocker alumni players Conner Frankamp ’18 (point guard), Alterique Gilbert fs ’21 (point guard), Trey Wade ’21 (small forward) and Darral Willis Jr. ’22 (power forward) and assistant coaches Garrett Stutz ’12 and John Simon Jr. ’17/19 — in the Roundhouse. And they’re already making plans for taking another shot at the TBT championship next summer.

Shocker alumna heads to Paris Olympics for Spain

Standout sprinter Paula Garcia ’20/22 will represent Spain at the Paris Olympics as a member of the 4×100-meter relay team. As a Shocker athlete, the Madrid native set Wichita State’s indoor 200-meter record and ranks in the top-10 all-time at WSU in the indoor 60 meters, indoor 400 meters, outdoor 100 meters and outdoor 200 meters. Spain’s relay team is set to compete in preliminaries on August 8 — at 3 a.m. CST.

Garcia, who holds both a bachelor’s degree in marketing (2020) and a master’s degree in business administration (2022) from Wichita State, started running at the age of 13. In high school she was the Under-18 National Champion in the 200 meters two times and third in the Junior Indoor in the 200 meters. When it came time for college, she, with encouragement from her mom, decided to go to the United States. In addition to WSU, she was recruited by a number of other schools, including Eastern Michigan and West Texas.

Looking back at her decision to leave Spain for college, Garcia relates, “I went to the U.S. because it was a really good opportunity, and I was going to improve my English. You know, getting your degree in the United States, it’s very valuable here in Spain.” She adds that her experiences as a student-athlete at Wichita State were top-notch. “The team aspect was wonderful,” she says. “I loved it. I never felt alone. I felt a lot of support by everyone there.” After graduating with an MBA, she returned to her home base of Madrid.

After making Spain’s Paris Olympics team, Garcia was interviewed by her Wichita State sprints coach, John Wise, assistant director of track and field, sprints and hurdles, who shared their conversation on his Off the Grid Travel with a Wiseguy YouTube channel. The two talked shop and reminisced about college track and field accomplishments, one of which is Garcia’s breaking the 200-meter school record with a time of 23.61 at the Ichabod Mid-Week Challenge in 2022. One of the sprinter’s goals, she says, is to run the 200-meter in 22 seconds.

As an athlete, Garcia has fought injuries throughout her career. Wise, who has coached at Wichita State since 2006, says, “I coached Paula from 2017 to 2022 and watched her do some incredible things in a Shocker uniform.” He adds that both as a Shocker and now as an Olympian, Garcia has navigated through a multitude of injuries to become one of the best in the world.

Garcia, who was selected for the 4×100-meter relay after she won the 100-meter title at the Spanish championships, is Wichita State’s 12th Olympian or Paralympian in track and field, and one of six Spanish athletes who will travel to Paris as members of the 4X100-meter relay pool. The final relay race for the gold will take place on August 9 between noon and 3 p.m. CST.

$100,000 gift will support Wichita State Women’s Bowling facility enhancement

Karma and Gary Mason have given a lead gift of $100,000 to support the Wichita State Women’s Bowling facility enhancement project. This $300,000 initiative will include a new locker room, conference room and offices for coaching staff inside the Rhatigan Student Center.

“Gary and I are thrilled to kick off this fundraiser for Women’s Bowling,” said Karma Mason. “This program was deeply enriching to my own life, and I have no doubt it will continue to enrich the lives of many talented young women for years to come.”

Mason was recruited to the women’s bowling program at Wichita State in 1975, and the team went on to win the first-ever national collegiate team championship held that year. Since that first win, the program has claimed a total of 11 Intercollegiate Team Championships (1975, 1977, 1978, 1986, 1990, 1994, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2021, 2024) and six Intercollegiate Singles Champions (2006, 2007, 2009, 2017, 2023, 2024). Mason is the only person in the program’s history to be on three national bowling championship teams.

In July 2024, Women’s Bowling officially became Wichita State University’s 16th sport, joining the most competitive women’s bowling league in the country as an affiliate member of Conference USA. Head coach Holly Harris will continue leading these Shocker athletes as they transition from a club team to the Division 1 level. She has served as head coach of the program since 2019.

“Throughout five decades of tremendous success – finishing in the top-4 of the national tournament 36 of the last 48 years, 11 team and six individual national championships – the one constant has been the program’s high-quality student-athletes, alumni, coaches and supporters,” said Director of Athletics Kevin Saal. “We stand on the shoulders of those who come before us. We humbly believe this program is equipped to be an immediate NCAA contender and we can’t wait to see this perennial championship program grow even stronger through competition in the best league in the country (Conference USA) and within the NCAA framework. Sincere thanks to the Masons for aligning championship-level resources to championship expectations, enhancing the student-athlete experience. We are incredibly grateful for their generosity.”

The renovations to the Women’s Bowling facility will position the program for growth and excellence as they seek to continue recruiting top-tier athletes to compete at Wichita State. Gordon Vadakin, who led the bowling program as head coach from 1978-2019, said, “This generous support from the Masons is a testament to the passion our alumni have for the program still, and I could not be more excited for the future of this team. My hope when I retired was that Wichita State Bowling would continue evolving into something bigger and better, and this investment as the women’s team moves into the NCAA will help foster that growth.”

Aliyah Funschelle ’20 scores big from applied learning opportunities

Between the NBA draft, summer league and the WNBA season in full swing, sports content creator Aliyah Funschelle ’20 is staying busy this summer. But a full schedule is nothing unusual for this Shocker alumna and entrepreneur.

When she graduated from Wichita State, Funschelle didn’t just leave with a bachelor’s degree in sports management and communication; she also had four years of direct applied learning experiences which she used to create her brand, Sports with Aliyah.

“I can’t say enough good things about the sports management department at Wichita State,” Funschelle said. “They were adamant about using my applied learning experiences to benefit my future goals, which was the best thing that could’ve happened to me.”

While a student, Funschelle took advantage of applied learning opportunities wherever they came up, working as a campus connect correspondent for the American Athletics Conference and a reporter for The Sunflower during her first two years at WSU. In 2018, she began leveraging her own social media following to launch an on-air talk show out of Shocker Studios.

“Working at Shocker Studios was a complete collaborative effort,” Funschelle said. “I was working with players and coaches, but also with media arts students who didn’t have a sports background. It was those diverse perspectives that helped bring me closer to accomplishing my dreams.”

Funschelle transplanted to New York after graduation, a change she describes as challenging but exhilarating. The alumna earned her master’s degree from Columbia University while reporting courtside for the WNBA and flying around the country to attend drafts, games and conferences.

“Sometimes I feel like it would have been easier if I had failed and had to move home,” Funschelle said. “But there’s really nothing more rewarding than seeing years of hard work pay off.”

In six years, Sports with Aliyah has seen tremendous growth, from posting viral content to amassing a following of more than 90,000 across social media platforms. In addition to building momentum for her brand, she aims to help the next generation of sports content creators. She moderates a group chat of 700 members and counting, where others in the industry can collaborate, network and share advice.

“Not everyone had the same opportunities I did,” she said. “I get to live out my dreams every day, and I love that I can now use my experiences to help lift others up.”

See how Funshelle is living her dreams by following along on TikTok @aliyahfunschelle.

Bowling scholar secures national title and scholarship

When Ashtyn Woods moved 1,400 miles to attend Wichita State University on a bowling scholarship, she didn’t expect to be taking home a national trophy in a few short months. And yet, in April, the Women’s Team did just that.

Woods, who will enter her sophomore year this fall studying early childhood unified education, has bowled since she was six years old. The California native was drawn to Wichita State by its reputation for excellence and long-standing legacy in collegiate bowling.

“When the opportunity to work with some of the best coaches in the world presented itself, I couldn’t pass it up,” Woods said. “Wichita State just checked all the boxes. I’m incredibly grateful to be here.”

She recalls from her first semester how her teammates pushed themselves to achieve their goals. Said Woods: “And that’s exactly what we did.”

Although only one year into her studies, Woods’ time on the bowling team is rife with fond memories. She points to the Glenn Carlson Invitational in Las Vegas as the moment she realized the team had a fighting chance for the national title. Then, on April 20, the Shocker Women’s Team made her dream a reality, finishing first place at the Intercollegiate Team Championship – their 11th national victory.

“To say I’m proud is an understatement,” Woods remarked. “Knowing that I’ve contributed to my school’s legacy is pretty remarkable.”

But Woods also recognizes that these cherished memories were only made possible through scholarship support.

“The price for higher education, especially for an out-of-state student, can be daunting,” she said. “Between tuition, textbooks and other fees, students don’t always realize just how much school can cost.”

Her sentiment echoes students across the nation experiencing the financial burden of the rising cost of education. Of the nearly 8,400 Wichita State students that applied for need-based aid in 2023, only half received financial assistance, highlighting the immediate need for scholarship support. This funding not only empowers students to accomplish their academic goals, it enriches their college experience by providing unforgettable opportunities.

Just ask Woods. “Having a scholarship has given me the resources to succeed in college, as both a student and an athlete,” said the national champion. “That support has really made my dream come true.”

Game Changers: Shocker varsity esports student-athletes win big

Competitive collegiate gaming is changing the landscape of higher education, creating a community for many students who didn’t originally see themselves succeeding in a traditional university setting. At Wichita State, the 5-year-old varsity esports program is flourishing, and its positive impact on participating Shocker students is clear.

“At a core level, if there’s something you’re passionate about that you can do while you pursue your education, it has a huge impact on your ability to persist and get a degree,” says Travis Yang, WSU’s esports director. “We’re able to work with students who never thought going to college was a possibility until they heard about esports.”

While every WSU student is welcome to join the Shocker Gaming Club, which has existed since the early 2000s, the varsity program recruits only the best through tryouts and scholarship offers. As with traditional sports, varsity esports teams have set practice times with film review and skill drills each week, and each game has its own coach and roster of athletes. “Traditional sports still dominate,” Yang says. “But there are so many competitive kids who just don’t have the time or physical ability to pursue those sports at a collegiate level. Esports offers the same competition through a different avenue.”

With 50 student-athletes and 20 student-staff on varsity rosters, WSU fields multiple teams and wrapped up its fall 2023 season with some big wins in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC): Shocker teams captured the national Valorant championship and cinched third in Call of Duty.

“We’re giving students a structure to work on basic things like teamwork, communication and being able to give and take constructive criticism,” Yang says. “We work on time management, something every student needs to learn, and we hold them accountable and help them channel their energy into something that’s aligned with educational outcomes.”

So, what follows graduation for a collegiate gamer?

Most, Yang says, won’t pursue esports at a professional level. With investors, GMs and owners ranging from Shaquille O’Neal and David Beckham, to Magic Johnson and Tony Robbins, pro esports teams require the same intense dedication from their athletes as any other type of pro league. Some student gamers, Yang adds, will find success in sports management or event production careers, while others will shape the future of esports with degrees in game design.

All of them will have gained hands-on skills to be competitive in a global industry currently valued at $1.38 billion and expected to rise to $6.75 billion by 2030. Whatever their ultimate focus, WSU’s esports program is setting them up to be game-changers.