WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896
Volume 131
Issue 4
Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026
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The Sunflower
SPLITTING FROM THE LANES Photo illustration by Emma Wilks/ The Sunflower
Long-time bowling coach Mark Lewis to retire following 2026-27 season BY NOAH DEVAULT
noahdevault1@gmail.com
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fter being a Shocker for more than five decades, assistant bowling coach Mark Lewis plans to retire after the 2026-27 season. Before Lewis was a Shocker, he had to decide whether he wanted to play junior college baseball or if he wanted to stick with his passion and join a non-NCAA-affiliated bowling team. “If you would have told that kid, who by the way won a (Kansas) state championship in baseball, that this is what he’d end up doing, I don’t know what he’d think,” Lewis said. Lewis’ parents got him into bowling at a young age. “They both bowled, and my mom was a youth director at a bowling alley,” Lewis said. “So she really got me involved when I was a kid.” After making the decision to bowl at Wichita State in 1973, Lewis was
“ The people that have shown up to campus shy and not really knowing what they wanted has been my favorite part of coaching. I love helping them find themselves.” MARK LEWIS Assistant bowling coach
hit with life complications, causing him to leave school. Lewis came back to school in 1978 and rejoined the bowling team. Lewis stamped his name in the history books with the Shockers when they won their first bowling national championship in school history in 1980. Lewis didn’t stop there, though. He had 30 more years of history to write. In 1988, Lewis won the United States Amateur Championship and, later that year, bowled for the U.S. Olympic team, placing sixth overall individually. Once he was finished with his
bowling career, he soon found his way back to the sport — but in a different form this time. “I took a coaching job for a national team around 1995, so I lived in Dubai for a few years,” Lewis said. “It was a great experience, but the switch from working restaurants to working full-time as a volunteer coach was different.” After returning to the U.S., Lewis became the assistant coach for Shocker bowling in 1999. “Growing up a Shocker fan and coming to football games when I was, gosh, third or fourth grade, made it that much more special
to me,” Lewis said. “The people that have shown up to campus shy and not really knowing what they wanted has been my favorite part of coaching. I love helping them find themselves.” In his 27 years of coaching, Lewis has coached 71 All-Americans, 10 National Players of the Year, six individual National Champions and has been a part of five team National Championships. “You know they joke about it, numbers are just a sign of age,” Lewis said. “You live long enough and are around it long enough, you end up having really great people around you.” For Lewis, the numbers are there, but what he really cares about is students finding themselves in life. “I’ve coached countless people that never won a championship and never were All-Americans who have just blossomed or just been very successful and grown into unbelievable people,” Lewis said. SEE LEWIS, PAGE 7
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The focus has been on trans issues because they have nothing else to stand on.”
You got the opposite right there, they want abortion until they breathe air.”
CINDY HOLSCHER Kansas gubernatorial democratic candidate
TY MASTERSON Kansas gubernatorial republican candidate
Democratic Candidate for Governor Cindy Holscher points out to the crowd while answering a question during a debate on Sept. 12. Photos by Zachary Ruth/ The Sunflower
Republican Candidate for Governor Ty Masterson speaks at a debate at the Kansas State Fair on Sept. 12.
Kansas governor candidates bring the heat during debate at State Fair BY JOSH PFLEGER-BERNAT & KAMI STEINLE jbernat13@gmail.com & news@thesunflower.com
As the smell of funnel cakes and fried Oreos wafted through the air and the sun beat down on fairgoers, Kansas gubernatorial candidates Cindy Holscher and Ty Masterson presented their vision for Kansas if elected. The first Kansas governor’s debate was held at the Heartland Credit Union Pavilion during the Kansas State Fair. Candidates answered questions about voter concerns and their campaign priorities by Kansas journalists KWCH Anchor Michael Schwanke, Kansas Reflector Senior Reporter Tim Carpenter, and Grass and Grain Newspaper Editor and Publisher Donna Sullivan. Each candidate centered their messages around the rising cost of living, including property tax rates, immigrant labor, the agriculture industry, data centers, fuel prices and local economies. In a social media post prior to the debate, Masterson claimed Holscher “spent days fighting
to bring a pre-written speech on stage,” and said he wouldn’t debate her unless neither of them used pre-written notes. During Holscher’s closing remarks of the debate, Masterson could be seen moving a notepad from the top of the podium to a shelf inside. Masterson, current president of the Kansas Senate, opened the debate, positioning himself as the most pro-business and pro-oil-andgas governor of Kansas, attacking Holscher as “the most radical, liberal, socialist, democrat candidate the state has ever seen.” He is also currently on a leave of absence from his position as the director of Wichita State’s Koch funded GoCreate makerspace — which the university has stayed silent about. Holscher mentioned multiple times throughout the debate “no-show Ty” — a common remark from his rivals in the republican primary election due to his $217,350 salary from WSU. In July, reporters from the Kansas City Star visited GoCreate and found he wasn’t in office, and student workers didn’t know who he was.
Masterson did not acknowledge his work at WSU or claims of not showing up for his job. Holscher, Kansas Senate minority whip, focused her opening statement on affordability, contributing her views to her background growing up on a farm, receiving public education and her father’s union job. About halfway through the debate, Carpenter brought up the topic of abortion, saying “Kansas voters voted down in 2022 an amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have made it easier to restrict abortion. In August, by a wider margin, voters defeated an amendment that would have required election of Kansas Supreme Court Justices and a bid to move the judicial medial closer to the conservative column on abortion and state finance.” Masterson said he “didn’t know” if the amendment proposed in August was about abortion. In 2022 — after the former amendment failed — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach said the proposal that would later appear on the 2026 ballot would create a path for the
state to put in anti-abortion judges. “You got the opposite right there, they want abortion until they breathe air,” Masterson said about Holscher’s party. Holscher said this was another lie from Masterson — she does not support “last minute” abortions — and that “the people have spoken when it comes to these amendments … and Ty won’t listen.” “The 2022 amendment was voted down by the people, but that wasn’t good enough,” Holscher said. “He came back in 2026 and said, ‘Let’s try it again.’ And again the people said no.” In his rebuttal, Masterson said Holscher supports elitists and wants power in the smallest groups of people. In the Aug. 4 election, about 62% of Kansans voted no on the proposed amendment and in 2022, 59% voted to reject the abortion bill. Also in his rebuttal to the abortion question, he mentioned that Holscher “would allow our children to be subject to transgender surgeries.” But the topic of transgender issues wasn’t brought up until a few
questions later, also by Carpenter. He asked why the legislature was so focused on this while not addressing the affordability issues. Holscher quoted Masterson saying, “We (conservatives) have control, we can do whatever we want,” yet, she pointed out, the senate has not been able to pass laws raising minimum wage, for affordable housing or increased access to health care. “The focus has been on trans issues because they have nothing else to stand on,” Holscher said. “... He either doesn’t know how to solve the affordability crisis or doesn’t want to.” Masterson responded that the question was “a very Reflector style question” and claimed that the legislature has not done that. He talked about tax cuts the legislature has put in place, saving people money. He then talked about his view on transgender people, and how they pose a threat to children. Masterson supporters proceeded to boo and yell things like “fake news” at Carpenter during every question he asked following this.
NEWS
2 | Sept. 15, 2026
COSMIC CONFERENCE
Professor collaborates with NASA for symposium BY KAMI STEINLE
news@thesunflower.com
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his year NASA will host their annual conference for new ideas — NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Symposium — at Wichita State Sept. 15-17. One of the keynote speakers of the event is WSU Professor of physics Nickolas Solomey. Since 2017, Solomey has been a NASA Fellow — where he gets funding for projects that were approved by NASA. “I’ve been doing it the longest of anybody, and I’ve been involved with this innovative, advanced concept program office since I floated them a crazy idea,” Solomey said. “What they like to do — and I’m really excited to host this conference here in Wichita this year because we’ve held it at some exciting places … they try to hold it at exciting places that are doing exciting things with NASA.” In previous years, the conference was held in Boston at MIT, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Arizona. On May 3, WSU’s CubeSat — a solar detector prototype — was launched into space. The project was funded by NIAC and was built by Solomey, other professors and a team of students. “That was a project of a creative idea I proposed to them in 2017, which gave me my first award as a NASA Fellow … I really thought it was a crazy idea,” Solomey said. “... But there are a lot of other really great ideas that are being presented — but every year there are really exciting ideas — but some of them are technology, some of them are new science.” Another benefit of having this symposium in Wichita is being able to increase cooperation between NASA and the National Institute for Aviation Research, which is based on WSU’s Innovation campus. The mission control panel for the CubeSat is located in Jabara Hall, but consistent data wasn’t being collected until Aug. 4. “By the time we did start data taking, the spacecraft was completely aligned, stabilized, communications established,” Solomey said. “It took us longer than we thought … but a lot of people who launch CubeSats have 20, 30
active people at any one time. We have maybe six across two colleges.” Solomey also pointed out that the group of students working on the project changes from year to year, and they all wanted to make sure they were being as careful as possible when operating. As of now, the CubeSat has flown through two solar storms. “I have a lab down at the other end of the building, but the other end of the building with the lab has all sorts of radioactive sources and didn’t want to out the control room next to that,” Solomey said. “... We figured the best place to put the control room was in with the students’ offices.” Solomey said the CubeSat is one of the first steps in hopefully eventually making a spacecraft that can go closer to the sun.
“It’s basic science, sometimes just for the pursuit of basic science,” Solomey said. “But there’s some spinoffs… but that’s the thing about the NIAC symposium, a lot of the things you’re going to hear next week are going to be new ideas for either better propulsion or better technology for how to make power on the moon for a lunar base.” Many topics — including the CubeSat — will be discussed at the symposium. This event is free and open to the public at the Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex.
www.thesunflower.com
Vote now in SGA midterm elections BY KAMI STEINLE
news@thesunflower.com
Midterm elections for the Student Government Association are now open for voting. Students will receive an email to their WSU email addresses with a link to vote for senators. There is also in person voting from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Rhatigan Student Center on Sept. 14 and Sept. 16, and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 15 in the Shocker Success Center. Students can receive free popcorn on Sept. 14, pizza on Sept. 15 or dirty soda on Sept. 16 from Just-a-Sip when voting in person. Voting closes on Sept. 16 at 5 p.m. and the election will be certified on Sept. 18.
SENATOR CANDIDATES Liberal Arts and Sciences n Leyton Bell n Hope Grimmett n Jayce McClellan
Health Professions n Lucas Vinduska
Freshman n Preston Mallet n Mersadies Marciano
Fine Arts
Professor of Physics Nickolas Solomey talks about the progression of the CubeSat project him and his students worked on. In the basement of Jabara Hall, there is a bulletin board outlining different aspects of the projects. Photo by Kami Steinle / The Sunflower
n Marianne Griffith n Patrick Murphy
Engineering n Henry Olsen n Alexander Zdrojewski n Amelia Boor
Education n Corwin Spatharos
At Large n Joshua Goodman n Elijah VanDeCreek n Annabelle Heiman
One year after Charlie Kirk’s death, Turning Point holds memorial BY KAMI STEINLE
news@thesunflower.com
This time last year, flags were ordered to be flown at half-staff — which, a day later, would’ve been standard practice — but on Sept. 10, the Trump administration made one of its many controversial moves for a figure mostly known by college students. Wichita State’s chapter of Turning Point USA held its first meeting of the semester on Thursday — the anniversary of Charlie Kirk’s death — introducing the organization and executive members to students interested in joining. “It’s hard,” WSU TPUSA President Ryan Whalen said. “It’s mixed emotions because I was actually supposed to go to Utah — I wasn’t able to because of scheduling conflicts, so I’m very disappointed that I wasn’t able to be there with a lot of my lifelong friends I met through Charlie.” Last year, TPUSA held a vigil for Kirk in the east lawn of the Rhatigan Student Center. “I know there’s a lot of emotions around today,” Whalen said, “People can come out and feel the support. That’s one thing, especially last year that we tried, because we had the memorial six days after
Charlie died. We estimated about 2,000-3,000 people come together, pray together, be together in fellowship and that’s really what we’re trying to provide support for.” For the event on Thursday, Whalen said the WSU chapter specifically is dedicated to providing community space. “I’ll never forget this day a year ago. (I) was doing an assignment and I got a text that Charlie had been shot and I was pretty much distracted the rest of the entire day,” TPUSA member Chris Tonn said. “At work that evening, was probably the hardest shift I’ve ever had. It was hard, but I powered through.” Changes to the organization have been happening since Kirk’s death. Whalen said members of TPUSA have changed their approach to how to operate their chapters — committing to better executing Kirk’s vision and honoring his legacy. “I think more so, getting to come together and support one another, especially this time last year when we were faced with the hardship of losing our founder and leader of our organization,” Vice President Mason Fouquet said. “... Kind of thinking, ‘OK, what can we do now, where does this go from here? How can we rebuild and help
others join the organization?’’’ Fouquet said the organization has gotten more “tight-knit,” even at a national level. Wichita State’s TPUSA saw an increase in membership after Kirk’s assassination, with students like Airiana Post, Emily George and Jackson Reichenberger, who were all present at the Thursday event. “It was a huge event in my life, really changed how I wanted my life to go. I decided I really wanted to get more involved in politics, and he was the reason. I always loved him before,” Reichenberger said. Reichenberger said he met Whalen through the Newman Center on campus and was encouraged to get more involved with the organization after the memorial. “Seeing that event happen really made me think about my beliefs and my values, and it really inspired me to join the group,” Post said. Name recognition for the organization was something Tonn acknowledged went up after Kirk’s death, drawing lots of interest. “It’s new people, but we all share the same passion, we share the same beliefs and ideologies,” Tonn said. “... It was such a tragedy, what happened, I wasn’t alive for Kennedy, but I can imagine how
A guest of Turning Point USA’s Thursday Charlie Kirk memorial wears a shirt quoting Kirk. Photo by Peyton Eck / The Sunflower
it felt when he died or when Dr. King was shot, or Malcom X was shot and killed, so the importance of basically getting to remember a great American icon.” Fouquet said Kirk’s “passing sparked a fire in the movement” and led lots of people to want to join. “I mean the difference of thought in young America, a lot of colleges nowadays have a very liberal bias,” Fouquet said. “It’s nice to go on campus and understand that there’s people that maybe don’t always agree with what
MISSION The Sunflower — both in print and online — will be a timely resource of information about the Wichita State University community. It will report on news, issues, activities, academics and athletics, in addition to offering a forum for discussion, reviews and commentary. It will also be an effective learning opportunity for students, who will have the final authority on what is published. The Sunflower is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press, College Media Association and the Wichita Journalism Collaborative.
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the universities are promoting or pushing.” Olivia Letter, the group’s social media manager, handled promoting both the event on Thursday and the vigil last year and said finding ways to go about that was difficult for multiple reasons. Wendy Letter said she’s proud of the group for holding the event “on this campus, in this day and age.” “Charile was such a large part of this organization, but I’m glad that most people here at Turning Point have kept the focus of this is Charlie’s legacy,” Whalen said.
CONTACT US
The Sunflower, founded in 1896, is the student-run news publication covering Wichita State University. The print edition is published Tuesday during the fall and spring semester. The staff publishes daily online at www.thesunflower.com. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mya Scott editor@thesunflower.com
NEWS EDITOR Kami Steinle news@thesunflower.com
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PHOTO EDITOR Ellery Prothro photo@thesunflower.com
MANAGING EDITOR Kass Lewis managing@thesunflower.com
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Kiona Brown arts@thesunflower.com
DESIGN EDITOR Mikah Herzberg mdhzbg@gmail.com
MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Zachary Ruth zachruthphoto@gmail.com
SPORTS EDITOR Evan Long sports@thesunflower.com
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Lizzie Rush elizabethrush1105@gmail.com
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OPINION EDITOR Jadin Kaltenbach opinion@thesunflower.com
For a complete staff list, go to www.thesunflower.com
019 Elliott Hall 1845 N. Fairmount Ave. Campus Box 134 Wichita, KS 67260-0134 EDITORIAL Mya Scott: 316-978-6906 editor@thesunflower.com ADVERTISING Addie Clayton: 316-978-6905 admanager@thesunflower.com FACULTY ADVISER Amy DeVault: 316-978-6052 amy.devault@wichita.edu
CORRECTIONS The Sunflower is committed to accuracy in its publications. If you find an error in any of its publications, please email the editor at editor@thesunflower.com immediately.
ARTS & CULTURE ARTSY ‘KICK ASS AND TAKE NAMES’ Fartsy .... HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact the Arts editor, Kiona Brown arts@thesunflower.com
Sept. 15, 2026 | 3 www.thesunflower.com
Feminist icon Gloria Steinem visited campus twice, leaving a lasting impact BY KIONA BROWN
arts@thesunflower.com
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loria Steinem, who died at age 92 on Sept. 2, spoke at Wichita State in both 1971 and 1984. She was a pillar of the feminist movement and left a lasting impact on many women, including those who saw her in 1984 at WSU. In 1971, Steinem was the first speaker in that year’s Forum Board Lecture Series. She spoke to over 5,000 WSU students and Wichita community members with a crowd consisting of a ratio of three women to every one man. Steinem was a women’s rights champion who shared highly controversial takes with her audience. She told students the women’s movement is “one of the deepest and most fundamental kinds of revolutions.” She explained that when paternity was understood, men started marrying women to ensure any babies were theirs, which caused women to “have been locked up ever since.” She spoke a lot about job discrimination, including in WSU’s athletic program. She said that it’s a corporation subject to equal employment laws, and encouraged female students to “insist that half the resources of that corporation” be directed toward women. Steinem told students that the women’s revolution was “not a revolution you have to die for, but a revolution you live for every day.” She also held a rap session with an audience of over 1,000 students, talking about inequality in job listings and banking systems. “The point is, sex is not a reliable test of knowing how strong you are and there should be physical tests for individual jobs. You have to be careful not to mistake culture for biology,” Steinem said. She encouraged women to “kick ass and take names” when male-dominant organizations discriminate against them. She encouraged them to take action and subject these businessmen to “lawful combat.” In 1984, Steinem returned to WSU and spoke to students in Wilner Auditorium, where many students had to sit in an overflow area because of high attendance. The Sunflower’s news editor at the time, Linda Satter, reported on the event. Madeline McCullough, current communication instructor, photographed the event when she was a student, but not as a photographer for The Sunflower. McCullough, who graduated from WSU in 1986, said she remembers getting very few opportunities at The Sunflower due to her gender and was given the opportunity to photograph the Forum Board Lecture Series by WSU staff member, Max Shaible, who worked in the Office of Information and Public Events. McCullough also wrote a story about Steinem’s lecture that was published in the 1985 edition of
Gloria Steinem speaking at the 1984 Forum Board Lecture Series. Courtesy of Madeline McCullough
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For most men and women, progress lies in the direction we have not been.” GLORIA STEINEM Feminist activist
the Parnassus, WSU’s yearbook. The irony of photographing the most outspoken woman in the feminist movement for the university and not the publication she wanted to work for was not lost on McCullough. “I mean, the sad news is she came and she of course talked about women being capable of doing any job men do, and I’m sitting there as a photographer and a woman, and yet, I didn’t get a job at The Sunflower,” McCullough said. That was not the last time that McCullough was discriminated against for being a woman. She said she faced men in power who refused to hire women outside of college as well, even when they admitted to her that she had great talent as a photographer. “By the time I finished my photojournalism classes, the guy that taught me had become the photo editor of The Eagle, and he said, ‘McCullough, you’re a good shooter, but I’ll never have a woman in my photo pool,’” McCullough said. “As a graduating senior, that’s a kick in the gut. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do.” Despite the discrimination she faced, McCullough made the best of the situation and was glad to have the opportunity to photograph Steinem. “It was an amazing experience. It was an experience that, you know, when you’re a student, that’s kind of the magic of college is, you have these opportunities and experiences,” McCullough said. “Unfortunately, I was so naive, I thought they would go on forever.” During Steinem’s 1984 lecture, she told attendees that her lecture in 1971 at WSU held special meaning to her. She said that she originally
thought the feminist movement would only have success in cities like Los Angeles and New York, but the response from the audience in 1971 changed her mind. “It made me understand for the first time that this was in fact a profound, populist, democratic movement that included and affected everyone, women and men. If it hadn’t been for that response, I don’t think I would have had the strength to go on making speaking dates around the country,” Steinem said. “I feel very sentimental about being here.” Steinem told the audience that women are taught to believe that they can only be half of a person, and their husbands and children get to dictate their lives. She spoke about contraception and many other controversial issues, some that are still controversial 44 years later. She focused on men and how balance can help women. “For most men and women, progress lies in the direction we have not been,” Steinem said. “That is, we are each trying to complete ourselves to gain access to all the human qualities, and though women have been deprived of all of them, men have been deprived too.” Cindy Mines, editor of the alumni magazine at the time of Steinem’s 1984 lecture, was invited to a lunch with Steinem and others who were involved in the media. Mines is now retired, but recently published her debut novel. “I respected her,” Mines said. “She was very articulate, and as a journalist, I really appreciated her writing and her integrity and her willingness to speak out on issues.” Steinem founded “Ms. Magazine” officially in 1972 as a
way to give women direct access to the feminist movement and issues that they were facing. “I was trying to remember before you called when I first became aware of her and it might’ve been when ‘Ms. Magazine’ came out in ‘72 and before that I remember how controversial it was and now it seems obvious that women shouldn’t be identified as Miss. and Mrs. based on their marital status,” Mines said. By naming her publication “Ms. Magazine,” Steinem was working to “de-sex” the English language. She was acknowledging the fact that women’s names changed when they were single versus married. “There was a huge backlash then that people thought that was just horrible. So then when the magazine came out, and I began to learn more about her, I think that was probably when my awareness of her happened,” Mines said. Mines shared that Steinem was a pivotal person in her growing up and shaped how she thought about things. When talking to a boyfriend, Mines was asked who she would have lunch with if she could choose anyone. He expected her to say a male celebrity like Tom Cruise, but she had a different answer. “I said Gloria Steinem, and he was quite taken aback by it. I definitely want to have lunch with Gloria Steinem. No contest. She would’ve been fun to talk to and she seemed very approachable,” Mines said. Associate professor of history and director of the Women’s, Ethnicity, and Intersectional Studies program, Robin Henry, explained how Steinem was able to change and adjust her viewpoints as time went on. “The longevity of her life, I think, shows that she was able to kind of change over time whereas some other activists kind of faded away,” Henry said. “She found ways to stay relevant and involved in conversations.” Both women — McCullough and Mines — had pivotal roles in Steinem’s day at WSU in 1984. “Seeing Gloria Steinem, knowing she was out there, I think, kind of gave me some hope and some strength,” McCullough said. “Just, you know, trying to live what she said we could do. Trying to bring it to life in my own little world.” Both said Steinem’s visit impacted all of them and helped them to have hope despite being told they can’t do certain things. “It was very inspirational that women did have other opportunities than the ones that we were often presented with back then,” Mines said. Some people might view Steinem as any old activist, but despite her visits to WSU being such a small fraction of her career, she still has lasting impacts on the women who had the opportunity to attend her lecture and be a part of her stay.
Aydan Wondra posing in his studio space in Henrion Hall. Photo by Kiona Brown / The Sunflower
A conversation with Aydan Wondra SENIOR / CERAMICS MEDIA CONCENTRATION Q: What path do you hope to pursue after college? A: It really just depends on situations after college because there’s a lot of opportunities within ceramics to do what are called residencies, where basically you’re getting paid to just go make art. There’s a bunch of different opportunities like that… I also have the other path that I kind of want to go down, which is becoming a family doctor, a doctor of medicine, which is a complete other 180. Q: Are there any mediums that you hope to experiment with? A: There’s a couple things. I really enjoyed bronze casting, working with wax, building that up. I really enjoyed that, and plus, I think it would be a really fun way of after having finished pieces I can actually sculpt wax onto finished ceramics, and then eventually cut it off, re-attach it to then cast and then put on my ceramics, which I think would be a really fun idea that I kind of want to pursue. Q: What led you to getting involved with ceramics? A: I had an elective in high school and it seemed like the funnest class. That is truly the reason that sent me down this entire thing was just that whim of, “oh, ceramics sounds fun, let’s do that.” And then I did that for four years… I got obsessed with it. Q: What is something you wish more people understood about artists and creatives? A: Art is meant to make you more creative as you do it. You can’t just — most people cannot just sit down and all of a sudden make something… and it helps you in your daily life and your job as well. Like thinking outside of the box, new solutions and ideas. INTERVIEW BY KIONA BROWN arts@thesunflower.com
Alumna Krysta Masciale returns to Wichita to celebrate her new book BY PEYTON ECK eckpeyton3@gmail.com
If there’s anything Krysta Masciale understands, it’s seasons. The Wichita native, now a Los Angeles based author, has spent two decades working with various startups. Given that experience, she refers to herself as a startup “veteran.” “I now work with organizations to help build something new without burning everything down in the process,” Masciale said. Part of that work is her book, which published in June, “How Not to F*ck Up Your Startup: The Way We Build Matters as Much as What We Build.” It’s a culmination of her experience with startups and the years she spent noticing patterns shared by founding companies and the dreamers behind them. From large to small organizations, Masciale has seen them face the same issues and the same rhythms, and ignore those functions.
“I think there’s a natural chaos to building new things,” Masciale said, “There’s a natural chaos to being a living human breathing thing.” Her book is one for people who want to be able to navigate the “natural chaos of change” while being able to avoid what she refers to as “manufactured chaos.” Opening the page, Masciale’s “field guide” looks a little different than other business novels. Something she’d noticed in other books with really strong concepts, is that “operating” them can be difficult. “I’m a visual learner,” Masciale said. “I’m really good with taking something and showing you how it actually works in real life.” Masciale began her Kansas book launch Saturday at Final Draft Books, only the fifth author event the store has held since opening earlier this year. The small crowd, spilling from the bookshelves to the
bar, consisted of interested entrepreneurs, longtime friends of Masciale and several of her family members. Masciale had reached out to her, and they connected over mutual interests in city life, books and cocktails. Macy resonated with the adaptability Masciale spoke of in her reading, emphasizing flexibility for business owners in their visions about the business. Tammy Allen was one of the crowd that Masciale referenced in her greeting, a former employer of “many, many years ago.” “Krysta is one of those people that’s very smart, very driven, very articulate,” she said, “I didn’t know what she would do, but I knew it would be something wonderful because she’s just that smart.” Beyond her book, which is available at Final Draft as well as online, Krysta has a website, “Join the Sanity,” which summarizes itself as “Building the skills to navigate change without losing your mind.”
Krysta Masciale, author of “How Not to F*ck Up Your Startup,” shares some of her inspiration behind her book at her Saturday author event. Masciale has worked in the startup world for 20 years. Photo by Peyton Eck / The Sunflower
OPINION
4 | Sept. 15, 2026 www.thesunflower.com
HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact the Opinion editor, Jadin Kaltenbach opinion@thesunflower.com
Campus living is great, but not financially feasible for everyone Darrek Bishop
The Wichita State University water tower stands on Wednesday, Jan. 22. File photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower
WSU being the top transfer destination in Kansas isn’t surprising Jagger Jacobs
jaggerjacobs2025@gmail.com
OPINION
Wichita State University was ranked the number one transfer destination in Kansas for the fifteenth consecutive year. As a transfer student myself, I can see why. Other institutions give their students a fair shot at starting their careers. But at WSU, it feels like it is almost guaranteed. I spent my first year of college at Emporia State University, and I liked it. However, ESU doesn’t have a journalism program, which I need to become a broadcast journalist. WSU not only has the program I need, they also have the necessary connections for students, like myself, to be successful. The journalism program gives its students abundant opportunities to network with professionals in Wichita through internships, connections and guest speakers. This isn’t exclusive to journalism majors, however. Wichita being the largest city in Kansas, has countless businesses, both small and multinational. WSU, by its proximity, gives its students an edge in opportunity in being hired by these companies. It is definitely ideal for aerospace engineering majors since Wichita is home to Textron and Bombardier. To me, that is what separates WSU from other colleges. It allows students the opportunity to gain experience in their chosen field and places them in proximity to opportunities in their career paths. However, it is also important to mention that out of the 1,475 students who transferred to WSU, almost half of the students are from community colleges that are partner institutions with WSU. For these students, specifically those who obtained their two-year degrees, choosing WSU may not have been about the competitive professional edge it was for me, but rather, naturally, the next step. With that being said, I do believe that all 1,475 of us made the right call, whether we really knew the benefits that WSU offers or not. I hope all of us take advantage of those opportunities that are offered here.
darrekbishop07@gmail.com
OPINION
Illustration by Kiona Brown / The Sunflower
HONORING WHO?
The Kansas City Chiefs don’t honor Native Americans, they appropriate them Kiona Brown
arts@thesunflower.com
OPINION The first regular-season Kansas City Chiefs game is on Sept. 14 this year, and I think it’s important to understand their racist origins along with their continued stereotyping of Native American culture, despite Native people speaking out against it. Just to be clear, I am Native. I work with Native kids, and I try to be involved with the Native community in Wichita as much as I can. I continue to learn more about my history and my culture, and I constantly notice different ways that racism is acceptable toward Indigenous peoples. Before you start thinking, “The Chiefs are honoring Native Americans. You guys should be happy to have a successful NFL team named after you.” I want you to know that the Chiefs are named after a white Kansas City mayor. The intention behind the team has nothing to do with Native Americans; they simply used us as a mascot so they could name their team after a man with a racist nickname. More fodder for you to consider: any team with “Indian” or “Redskin” mascots is stereotyping Indigenous people. Not only that, but “redskin” is a slur, but non-Native people still say it constantly. The United States has 574 federally recognized tribes. All of these tribes have different histories, traditions and people. But when you have a mascot like the Chiefs or the Indians, you are picking and choosing traditions that you like the look of, which turns Native Americans into a caricature for your benefit. The Chiefs have banned red-face and headdresses, but the “tomahawk chop,” which they attempted to rebrand to just “the chop” and its accompanying chant, an appropriation of powwow music, is still very present at Chiefs games. They also have tried to tell fans to use a closed fist because of the similarities to a Nazi salute, but
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Before you start thinking, ‘The Chiefs are honoring Native Americans. You guys should be happy to have a successful NFL team named after you.’ I want you to know that the Chiefs are named after a white Kansas City mayor.” KIONA BROWN The Sunflower Arts and Culture Editor
fans haven’t all changed their ways. Just because the Chiefs ask fans to move away from their offensive traditions, doesn’t mean they’ll do it. The Chiefs use an arrowhead motif for their branding, and even play in the Arrowhead Stadium. Their colors are medicine wheel colors: yellow, red, black and white. The medicine wheel is an integral symbol across Native communities. It represents balance and is an important part of teaching life lessons. To me, the Chiefs using the same colors, along with the arrowhead motif, really shows the stereotyping that they are practicing. Racism toward Native peoples is the most accepted form of racism. It’s been so normalized that it’s difficult for people to see how harmful and disgusting it truly is. An offensive term is literally used against Native people in the Declaration of Independence, “merciless Indian Savages,” showing that racism and hatred have been here since the beginning. Wichita North High School only recently changed its mascot from the Redskins to the Redhawks in 2022, and USD 259 is a school district with a Title VI program, a federally funded program formed through treaties to benefit Native people. People fought this change because they felt they were losing a part of their history, but they didn’t consider the fact that the mascot was a literal slur. Go to any flea market in Kansas, and I can guarantee that you will see endless caricatures of indigenous people. They’re not representative of native people; they are caricatures of how society views us. The First Americans Museum in Oklahoma has a full display of racist items that people still actively sell and that some companies still produce. They’re acknowledging
an issue that the majority of people don’t see as harmful. It’s clear to me that this is a big problem, but it’s not just my opinion — it’s backed by research that these stereotypes negatively affect Native people. A study in Sage Journals has shown that “exposure to American Indian mascot images has a negative impact on American Indian high school and college students’ feelings of personal and community worth, and achievement-related possible selves.” I know that the Chiefs refer to an American Indian Community Working Group as an attempt to enhance efforts to eliminate offensive imagery and cultural appropriation, but they have only been doing that for 12 out of their 63 years, using Indigenous cultures for their gain. A small group of Native people is not representative. Their opinions matter, but what they say isn’t the final answer to an ongoing problem. Drop the Chop is a movement aiming to keep the Chiefs’ name, but change the meaning behind it by moving the unofficial mascot from Native Americans to firefighter chiefs. They point out the different stereotypes the Chiefs use and offer different places the Chiefs could be donating money to benefit Indigenous communities. This wouldn’t solve what they have done, but it would show that the Chiefs want to change and benefit the communities they have stolen from. The Chiefs can be your NFL team, but stop doing the chop. Support Native voices and encourage the people around you to speak out against stereotypes. What the Chiefs have done and still continue to do harms Native people, and that should be enough reason to change their ways.
There are a number of reasons why people choose to live on campus instead of at home. It is much more convenient being closer to classes, campus events and various resources like the library and health center. There is a large community of very diverse people in one location, making it easier to connect with a lot more people and make friends. Plus, it is much easier to immerse yourself in college life when you are constantly surrounded by it. However, according to U.S. News and World Report, WSU had an undergraduate enrollment of 14,280 students in 2024, but only 13% of that living on campus. There are a lot of reasons why that could be. Limited housing, already in close proximity, familial matters, personal preference — the list goes on. However, one of the biggest reasons I feel a lot of people don’t live on campus is how much it costs. The average cost of food and campus housing is $13,840, roughly half of a Kansas resident’s total tuition and fees and a third of a non-resident’s according to WSU Financial Aid. When your options are between living at home for cheaper, taking out student loans to pay for it, or obtaining enough scholarship money to pay for it year-after-year, it makes sense why a large number of people choose to live off-campus. Not everyone can obtain enough scholarships to cover or even offset the cost of tuition, let alone the cost of housing and food. Nor does everyone have an opportunity to have a good-paying job or free amenities. Plus, the idea of large amounts of debt that last for years just doesn’t seem appealing to a large number of people. With how expensive everything is already, and continues to get, a lot of people just don’t have the money to cover all the costs college presents so they have to cut costs where they can. According to Bowling Green State University, in 2023, around 57.1% of people aged 18-24 were living with their parents, people aged 25-29 were at 21.7% and people aged 30-34 were at 12.1%. Whether people like it or not, it is often cheaper to live with someone who is already well established where they are than to go and buy a house or rent a place, which often means going back home to live with their parents or other family members. Around 50% of people just starting out in adulthood don’t typically have the means to afford something like that, whether it is a lack of decent jobs or pay, too expensive housing or the possibility of years-long debts. So while living on campus or anywhere on your own can be great, it just simply isn’t in the equation for a lot of people.
HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact the Sports editor, Evan Long sports@thesunflower.com
SPORTS
Sept. 15, 2026 | 5 www.thesunflower.com
ROSTERS ROUNDED OUT Returners help build strong foundation
Despite so many new Shockers in fall sports, Wichita State’s rosters have been built around experienced returners to pass their knowledge on. Merging the young with the experienced is setting the teams up for a good year while preparing them for seasons to come. Read on to see how each sport is gearing up for the fall.
WHAT’S INSIDE Pg. 6 Volleyball setter leads younger Shockers Pg. 7 A heated rivalry rematch Pg. 8 Baseball’s first exhibition game
Top: Photos Ellery Prothro & Bethany Hollis. Photo illustration by Emma Wilks / The Sunflower Bottom: Photos by Samantha Harader. Photo illustration by Emma Wilks / The Sunflower
SPORTS
6 | Sept. 15, 2026
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VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE WSU VS KU
Tuesday, Sept. 15
6 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
WSU AT NORTHERN IOWA Friday, Sept. 18 & 19 6 p.m. & 1 p.m. McLeod Center
WSU VS MEMPHIS Friday, Sept. 25
6 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
WSU VS SOUTH FLORIDA Sunday, Sept. 27
12 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
WSU VS TULSA Friday, Oct 2
6 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
WSU AT TULANE Sunday, Oct. 4
1 p.m. Devlin Fieldhouse
WSU AT RICE Friday, Oct. 9
6 p.m. Tudor Fieldhouse
WSU AT TULSA Sunday, Oct. 11
1 p.m. Donald W. Reynolds Center
WSU VS UTSA Friday, Oct. 16
6 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
WSU VS RICE Sunday, Oct. 18
12 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
WSU AT EAST CAROLINA Friday, Oct. 23
5 p.m. Minges Coliseum
WSU AT CHARLOTTE Sunday, Oct. 25 12 p.m. Halton Arena
WSU VS NORTH TEXAS Friday, Oct. 30
6 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
WSU VS FLORIDA ATLANTIC Sunday, Nov. 1
12 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
WSU AT NORTH TEXAS Friday, Nov. 6
6 p.m. North Texas Volleyball Center
WSU AT UTSA Sunday, Nov. 8
1 p.m. Convocation Center
WSU VS TEMPLE Friday, Nov. 13
6 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
WSU AT UAB
Sunday, Nov. 15 1 p.m. Bartow Arena
Junior Jordan Heatherly (16) prepares to spike the ball against Stephen F. Austin on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas. The Wichita State volleyball team won in a nailbiting 3-0 sweep Photo by Kaia Bach / The Sunflower
VOLLEYBALL IS A FAMILY AFFAIR FOR SHOCKER SETTER JORDAN HEATHERLY BY EVAN LONG
sports@thesunflower.com
Shocker setter Jordan Heatherly has no shortage of family members to go to for advice on volleyball. Heatherly’s mom, Julie, and three of her aunts all played at the collegiate level. “My family’s just so awesome when it comes to volleyball,” Heatherly said. “I grew up around the sport, and I think that having people in my family to look up to and look toward if I’m having a hard time in volleyball, they can really help me get out of it. They’ve taught me everything I have ever known in volleyball.” Heatherly’s family owns a volleyball club in Chicago, Illinois, which is where she made her first memories of the sport. “We were always in the gym with someone in my family, whether it was my mom, my sisters, my aunts or my grandma,” she said. “When I was like 4 or 5 , there was this little league that my grandma has and it’s called Volleycubs, and you learn all the
basics. You do all of these fun obstacles like a balance beam, and you hula hoop while you’re passing and serving.” A senior entering her second season at Wichita State, Heatherly has been leading the charge offensively as the team’s top outside hitters don’t have much experience. Three of the Shockers’ top four kill leaders this season, McKenzie Jones, Olivia Cohee and Jenna Cubbage, are sophomores. “Setters need to be somewhat of a guidance counselor,” head coach Chris Lamb said. “That comes easy for her.” Heatherly will play a key role in the Shockers’ effort to pull off an upset when the No. 22 Kansas Jayhawks visit Koch Arena on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. match. Kansas has beaten WSU nine consecutive times, including a 3-0 sweep on Sept. 8. Heatherly leads the Shockers in total assists (195) and assists per set (6.29). She is also tied for second in the American Conference with 14 service aces and has notched 68 digs, which is third on
Volleyball finishes grueling road trip with 1-2 showing at Mizzou Invitational BY EVAN LONG
sports@thesunflower.com
Shocker volleyball wrapped up a challenging road trip by going 1-2 at the Mizzou Invitational over the weekend in Columbia, Missouri. The Shockers opened the invitational on Friday at the Hearnes Center with a solid victory over Florida Gulf Coast, the defending ASUN Conference champions, by a 3-1 score (25-21, 25-22, 23-25, 25-22). Middle blocker Maddie Wilson had a standout performance, hitting .440 and recording a doubledouble with 13 kills and 10 blocks. McKenzie Jones added 12 kills and Olivia Cohee chipped in 11. Setter Jordan Heatherly also had a doubledouble with 29 assists and 11 digs. Wichita State outhit FGCU .255 to .185 and notched 13 blocks to Florida Gulf Coast’s five. On the second day of the invitational, the Shockers lost both their matches. Jones had 12 kills and Wilson, who hit .375, added 11 in a 3-1 loss to Arkansas State. Outside hitter Jenna Cubbage tallied 17 digs, and
Wichita State volleyball senior setter Jordan Heatherly (16) sets the ball against. File photo by Ellery Prothro / The Sunflower
fifth-year Gabi Maas contributed 16 digs. In the final game on Saturday, Missouri hit .368 with 10 blocks in a 3-0 sweep of WSU. Wichita State registered seven service errors and
only two blocks in the contest. The Shockers, 1-5 on the road trip and 3-6 overall, return home to face No. 22 Kansas at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Charles Koch Arena.
Wichita State. Unlike last season when Wichita State used a 5-1 rotation, the Shockers are running a 6-2, which rotates two different setters in and out of the game. Addie Oeth, a freshman from Wisconsin, is Heatherly’s counterpart at the setter position in this rotation. “I think she’s really taken on this role really well,” Heatherly said of Oeth after a loss to Idaho State in the Shocker Classic. “We know that she can do this, and I think she’s been doing a great job. I’ve loved sharing this role with her, and we can also learn from each other.” Heatherly can also thrive in a 5-1 system, which features one setter in the rotation, as she tallied some impressive numbers last year. “She’s mature, she’s steady, believes in herself,” Lamb said. “She knows she can do it, and she doesn’t dwell on things that don’t go right.” In her first year at Wichita State after transferring from Memphis, she finished third in the conference in assists (1,020), fourth in assists per set (8.95) and added 2.18 digs
per set for a total of 249 digs. She also notched 33 service aces in 2025, which was good for second on the team. Heatherly, who’s from Western Springs, Illinois, had her best game last season in the semifinals of the American Conference Women’s Volleyball Championship against No. 1 Rice. Despite WSU falling 3-2, she recorded a season-high 15 digs and 57 assists, which was tied for fifth in a single game out of all American Conference players last year. The 5-foot-10 setter believes her strength on the court is making her hitters’ jobs easier. “My ability to just communicate all the time (is something I do well),” Heatherly said. “I’m a big cheerleader, and I think that being a setter, you have to be the quarterback of the team. Taking the blame for something even if you know it wasn’t really your fault… to take pressure off my hitters and my passers’ shoulders. I would rather be stressed out than them just because I know I can handle it and still put them in good places.”
SPORTS
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Sept. 15, 2026 | 7
Shocker volleyball to face No. 22 Kansas at home in rematch BY EVAN LONG
sports@thesunflower.com
KU (4-3) at WSU (3-6) When: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Koch Arena
Rivalry History:
KU swept the Shockers 3-0 on Sept. 8 in Lawrence, hitting .417 in an outing Jayhawks coach Matt Ulmer said was “the best we’ve looked all season.” KU has beaten the Shockers in nine straight matches. WSU’s last victory in the rivalry came Dec. 1, 2012, when the Shockers won 3-1 to advance to their only Sweet Sixteen in program history.
Jayhawks to watch:
Taylor Stanley, a 6-3 freshman hitter from Overland Park, leads KU with 118 kills and is hitting
.326. She had 15 kills and hit .440 in the WSU sweep. Aisha Aiono, a 6-3 middle, is a force, averaging 1.17 blocks per set, including six against the Shockers. Reese Messer, a 5-11 setter from Olathe, paces the Jayhawks’ offense. She has reached the 30-assist mark in every match, including 36 vs WSU.
Shocker leaders:
6-foot-1 middle Maddie Wilson is hitting .335 and has a team-high 35 blocks. Sophomore McKenzie Jones leads Wichita State with 90 kills, including seven in the KU match. Jordan Heatherly, a senior setter, leads WSU in assists (195), aces (13) and is third in digs (68).
Senior Sara Duque Jeménez Senior (4) practices bowling strikes during practice on Sept. 8. Photos by Samantha Harader / The Sunflower
The Wichita State volleyball team cheers on their teammates during the Shocker Volleyball Classic against Stephen F. Austin on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. The Wichita State volleyball team won in a nailbiting 3-0 sweep Photo by Kaia Bach / The Sunflower
Sophomore Kendall Bolle Sophmore (15) warms up before practice on Sept. 8.
Sophomore Erica DeBello (23) warms up her swing during practice.
Women’s bowling sets major goals ahead of season BY NOAH DEVAULT noahdevault1@gmail.com
The women’s bowling team came up just short of a National Championship last season, placing second. This year, the Shockers have their sights set on returning to the top. “Obviously our number one goal is to win a National Championship,” senior bowler Ashtyn Woods said. “I think we
have a great returning group and our two freshmen are amazing.” Most programs say their goal is to win a national title, but not many of them have a real chance. Head Coach Holly Harris has laid out a plan for her team. “It’s a bunch of tiny goals,” Harris said. “It starts with just trying to get a little bit better everyday.” Woods expanded on the idea. “We want to get 1% better
every day, and everyone has that same end goal, and that is to win,” Woods said. “Whether that’s winning in our classes or winning tomorrow and waking up the next day, it’s still winning.” One of the team’s strengths is its cohesiveness, Woods said. “This is the best team chemistry I’ve been a part of in my four years,” she said. “We all just click with each other even in these first few practices.”
Freshmen Olivia Lizzi and Clara Campbell both fit right in with the team by bringing their positive energy. “Clara is the most positive person I’ve ever met and she’s just wanting to wake up every day and be a light of sunshine,” Woods said. Lizzi is a more serious person and brings a more competitive nature to the team. “Olivia is pretty intense and I feel like her and I relate quite a bit
and have that same fire,” Woods said. “You put the two together and the whole team benefits. We’re all just so happy this season so far. I can’t wait for our first tournament because it’s going to be awesome.” Wichita State kicks off its season at the Mid-States Championships tournament on Oct. 17 at Bowlero Northridge.
LEWIS / FROM PAGE 1
built this thing from the ground up.” For Lewis, the end of his coaching career is still too far in the future to really think about. “It’s just the start of another year right now, you know, just doing the normal practices for the girls and tryouts for the guys,” Lewis said. “Probably get to about competition time and seeing other coaches around the country will trigger that (feeling of almost being done).” Lewis believes the timing of his retirement is perfect. “Getting the girls switched over to NCAA was a big goal of ours. We worked on that for years, and it finally happened,” Lewis said. “Now it’s focusing on the men switching over, so they’re going to need an assistant for each team. That means it’s a great time for me to give up the position and let it go to someone else.” Even after Lewis moves on, his legacy and lessons will still influence the Shocker bowling programs, Harris said. “I will still use things he taught me,” Harris said. “Even though he’s leaving, he’ll still be with us, just not physically.”
One player who sticks out to Lewis when looking at his career is current head coach Holly Harris. Harris was a two-time All-American and competed at the national level. Harris graduated in 2014, but returned to join the coaching staff alongside Lewis in 2016. “He’s like a father figure to me,” Harris said. “I wasn’t ever going to coach, but he asked me to be his assistant coach so that started me on this path.” For nearly all of Lewis’ career, neither the men’s nor women’s teams were officially a part of the NCAA. In 2024, the women’s team made the switch. “He really helped us get into this transition into the NCAA.” Harris said. The amount of time Lewis spent at WSU shows just how dedicated he is and has been toward Shocker bowling. “He’s been here for my whole journey at Wichita State, so I’m a little nervous for what it looks like without him,” Harris said. “He is the foundation of the program. I mean, him and coach (Gordon) Vadakin
SWING SPORTS
8 | Sept. 15, 2026
BATTER BATTER
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UPCOMING EVENTS MINI WELLNES AND SOCIAL SERVICE FAIR Tuesday, Sept. 15
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Rhatigan Student Center Promote health, wellness and social service resources. This event is sponspored by HOPE Services, SEB and Student Health.
WSU SPARK SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP DRIVE AND VENDOR FAIR Tuesday, Sept. 15
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Woolsey Hall Spark’s 2026 membership doubles as a vendor fair. Spark members who sell crafts will have tables set up tp promote their wares.
DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF ABLAH LIBRARY: LIBRARY TOUR AND ORIENTATION Tuesday, Sept. 15 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Ablah Library
Explore and the find the library’s secrets during this tour. They will also go over the website, interlibrary loans and more.
VOLLEYBALL VS. KANSAS In its game against Cowley County Community College, Wichita State senior outfielder Kaleb Duncan (26) attempts to hit the ball. The Shockers defeated the Tigers 12-5 on Sept. 12 at Eck Stadium. Photos by Bethany Hollis / The Sunflower
Four takeaways from Wichita State’s first fall exhibition BY EVAN LONG sports@thesunflower.com
The Shocker baseball team faced Cowley County Community College in its first fall exhibition game of the season. Wichita State defeated the Tigers 12-5 on Saturday afternoon at Eck Stadium. WSU struggled to get going offensively until the bottom of the fifth, when the Shockers scored seven runs. Wichita State’s next exhibition is against Nebraska on Sept. 26 at 1 p.m. at Eck Stadium. Last season in March, the Cornhuskers took down WSU by scores of 8-1 and 10-1 at Eck Stadium. Here are four takeaways from the Shockers’ first fall exhibition against the Tigers.
Improved defense
When asked what he thinks this team will do better than last year’s, head coach Brian Green immediately talked about playing
better defense. “I hope we play better team defense,” Green said. “That was very disappointing last year. That was goal number one in recruiting. The arm strength and the talent in the outfield (is exciting). We have really good athletes out there this year.” Redshirt senior outfielder Kaleb Duncan is the only returning outfielder on the roster, so multiple players will most likely see time in the spring. Junior Drake Fittro, senior Max Buettenback, redshirt junior Tori Rodriguez and junior Jack Hogan are some of the new outfielders at WSU.
Catching situation
Last season, Wichita State faced multiple injuries at the catching position. This gave senior Ethan Gonzalez a lot of playing time in the second half of the season. Gonzalez thrives behind the dish, but struggled offensively last year. He hit .202 with a team-high 45 strikeouts.
“He had a couple disappointing at bats (against Cowley) and he would tell you that,” Green said. “(Gonzalez has) all the skill in the world to hit .300 and hit 12, 15 home runs, he’s just got to have his head on right with approach.” The Shockers recruited sophomore Jayden Lusk and junior Matt MacDonald to bolster the catching position. Finn Kaiyala, a 6-foot-6 redshirt junior, is returning to WSU after an injury held him out of the fall season. “Mac (MacDonald) and Lusk, they’re tough, they’re competitive,” Green said.
Pitching newcomers
Wichita State only has four returning pitchers on the roster, so some new arms will have to step up for the team. Green was pleased with how the pitchers performed against the Tigers. “Our pitching staff did a really good job of just throwing a lot of strikes,” Green said. “I thought our presence on the mound was really
good.” Senior lefty Reese Kortum and Caleb Reed, a redshirt senior right-hander, are the top returning arms on WSU. Kortum finished the 2026 season with a 5.65 ERA and 57 strikeouts. Reed notched a 4.65 ERA and tallied 55 strikeouts. “We’re very excited about our pitching staff,” Green said. “I think we’re going to throw a lot of strikes.”
New left side of infield
Wichita State’s top hitter last season, third baseman Jayson Jones, was drafted in round eight by the Chicago White Sox in the 2026 MLB draft. Shortstop Alex Ulloa graduated in the spring, which means the left side of the Shocker infield is up for grabs. Green believes senior Evan Saunders and junior AJ Velarde will slide into those spots. Saunders is a 6-foot-3 transfer from Oklahoma State and Velarde is 6-foot-1 and hails from Midland College.
Tuesday, Sept. 15
6 p.m. Charles Koch Arena The Shockers face in-state foe University of Kansas. The first 300 fans will recieve a yellow Shocker Volleyball shirt.
COFFEE HOURS WITH VETERAN STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES Wednesday, Sept. 16 10:30 a.m. - noon Grace Wilkie Hall
Come and grab coffee, foster a connection or just relax at the weekly coffee hour.
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT FAIR Wednesday, Sept. 16
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Rhatigan Student Center Register to vote, check your voter registration status and meet candidates on national voter registration day.
PROMOTING MENTAL WELLNESS & PREVENTING SUICIDE TRAINING Wednesday, Sept. 16
2- 4:30 p.m. Steve Clark YMCA & Student Wellness Center Come and learn how to recognize when someone is struggling with mental health and how to appropriately intervene.
NASA INNOVATIVE ADVANCED CONCEPTS 2026 SYMPOSIUM Wednesday, Sept. 16
TBA Hughes Metropolitan Complex This event will feature presentations and studies addressing critical research in multiple areas..
BIG BINGO
Thursday, Sept. 17 7 - 9 p.m. Charles Kock Arena
Win prizes with the Student Activies Council. Admission is free and anyone can play. Only WSU students are eligible to win.
“DINNERTIME: A PLAY IN SEVEN COURSES” Thursday, Sept. 17
7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Hughes Metropolitan Complex After senior Nolan Ganter’s home run, him and senior Jake McKowen tap helmets in celebration. This was the second and final home run of the game.
In the game against Cowley Country Community College, Wichita State senior Nolan Granter, runs the bases. Shockers scored 12 runs against the Tigers.
Watch this play that culminates in the ultimate act of sin and sacrifice. Students can get free tickets by present their Shocker ID.
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Thursday, Sept. 17
7:30 Miller Concert Hall, Duerkson Fine Arts Center Listen to the diverse talens of the WSU Orchestra. Students can get free tickets by present their Shocker ID.
HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED? CONTACT THE ARTS EDITOR: arts@thesunflower.com Third-baseman and senior Evan Saunders prepares to catch the ball.
Wichita State senior Nolan Ganter, runs home after hitting a home run. Ganter’s homerun was hit right after senior Max Buettenback hit a homerun.
At the game against Cowley County Community College, Wichita State sophomore Ethan Rogers shuffles, in attempts to steal third.
CONTACT THE NEWS EDITOR: news@thesunflower.com