THE STANDARD
Basketball
and Homecoming Preview
A note from the editor
Although you’d normally see our Homecoming Issue a month earlier, Weekday CUSA threw a wrench in our plans.
Due to the schedule change for Missouri State football, we are bringing you two times the fun with this issue!
Not only will you find lots of information on the happenings of Homecoming, but you can also find all you need to know about the upcoming 2025-26 basketball season in the same sitting.
With that being said, this will be our final print of the fall semester. We’re almost there! Just a few more weeks until we get the much-deserved month-long winter break.
Be proud of all you’ve accomplished this semester, and the semester as a whole. Not many people can say they’ve made it this far, but you can! Best of luck to all for the rest of the year.
Jayden Pettus, Editor-in-Chief
Standard staff
Editors
Jayden Pettus editor-in-chief
Ella Conklin campus administration editor
Ava Gorton campus activities editor
Maddux Radosevic sports editor
Alyssa Roney arts and culture editor
Reporters and visual artists
Brooke Benne reporter
Makanaka Bgoni reporter
W. Paul Bohlen sports reporter
Emmy Crawford illustrator
KC Culbertson sports reporter
Elizabeth Dedert sports reporter
Tabitha Easterwood photographer
Robin Garner reporter
Lily Hale reporter
Matthew Huff photographer
Spencer Justice photographer
Ruby Knight reporter
Jorja Lageschulte reporter
Hailey Lampley photographer
Hunter Meacheam reporter
Audrey Moore photographer
Ayricka Pointer reporter
Isabella Reed reporter
Rylie Robinson reporter
Jamie Santner sports reporter
Ellie Sellers reporter
Abby Sommer reporter
Rachel Thomasee reporter
Cover design by Jayden Pettus
On the cover:
From top to bottom and left to right, Kaemyn Bekemeier, Boomer Bear, Michael Osei-Bonsu and Jacob Clark participate in their respective sports.
Photos by W. Paul Bohlen and Matthew Huff
THE STANDARD
is Missouri State University’s student-produced newspaper. The university has not approved and is not responsible for its content, which is produced and edited by the students on The Standard staff.
Elizabeth Thompson reporter
Kaylee Vaughan photographer
Aden Zuccarini reporter
Copy Editors
Audrey Blancett copy editor
Lucy Chipman copy editor
Dani Cook copy editor
Krista Curtis copy editor
Candice Dalton copy editor
Harvey Day-Arnett copy editor
Isabel Gamble copy editor
Liliana Hayes copy editor
Madalyn Levine copy editor
Selah Meyers copy editor
Tatiyana Trader copy editor
Layla Ward copy editor
Advertising staff
Ellie Mallett advertising designer
Maggie McDonough advertising sales assistant
Professional staff
Jack Dimond faculty adviser
The Standard 901 S. National Avenue • Springfield, MO 65897 • 417-836-5272
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2025 Homecoming Court finalists
ANNABELLA DIAZ
Qannabella4queen
Sponsor Event: Rockstar
“For me, running for Homecoming Queen is about more than the title. It is about sharing something I wish I had known sooner. My motto, “Your Story. Your Pace. Your Happy Ending.”, reflects that lesson. It is a reminder that college is not about having it all figured out; it is about growing, learning, and enjoying the journey.”
“Our university has the potential to build an even stronger culture of school spirit, unity, and pride in being a Missouri State Bear. Through this role, I want to actively engage with students from all areas of campus, encouraging participation and finding new ways to strengthen involvement and community pride university wide!”
BRENDEN DUFF
Qduff4king
Sponsor Event: Field Day
HATTIE DAY Qhattie4queen
Sponsor Event: Kickoff
“My favorite part of Homecoming is seeing our campus community come together. There’s something so special about the energy that fills Missouri State during that week, students, alumni, faculty, and organizations all uniting to celebrate what makes being a Bear so meaningful.”
“I chose to run as a Homecoming candidate because of my genuine passion for Missouri State. I feel like I am realistic representative of the student body because of my involvement and leadership roles. I want to see students unlock their full potential through Missouri State and I believe they can through involvement!”
ETHAN MOROTI
Qethan.4.king
Sponsor Event: PSU window painting
KASSIE MCKEE Qkassie4queen
Sponsor Event: Royalty Blitz
“I hope to be a mentor and representation for students on campus. Being a first-generation, Filipino-American student, I strive to make my parents proud in everything I do, but going to college was one of the most challenging efforts I have ever done. I hope to normalize the idea that we are never alone in our challenges.”
“I plan on representing the student body with the Pride, Spirit, and Kindness that this campus and its opportunities have instilled in me. This is extremely important to me as it is a great opportunity to create lifelong memories, celebrate our school spirit, and get everyone on campus involved in something as great as homecoming.”
JACOB SILVERSTEIN
Qjacobhoco2025
Sponsor Event: Chalk N’ Rock
MALLORY CHAPMAN Qvotemallory4queen
Sponsor Event: Rockstar
“Missouri State has given me so much that I will never be able to repay, so pouring back into this campus through Homecoming is a fairytale come true. I want to leave a lasting impact encouraging involvement, community, and pride across campus--ensuring every student feels the belonging and love Missouri State has shown me.”
“I decided to run for Homecoming King to represent the side of campus that’s often overlooked: the creatives, the dreamers, and the ones who see Missouri State as a canvas for connection. My campaign, Every Bear Has a Story, is about celebrating the individuality that makes this campus so alive.”
MCKINLEY BROWN
Qmckinleyforking
Sponsor Event: Mo State Live
MIA RAY Qmiaray4queen
Sponsor Event: MoState Live
“I want to encourage students to put themselves out there and set goals for themselves that they never imagined they would set. This is why I chose to participate in Homecoming and why I’m running with the slogan “We’ve got a Dream.” Every student on campus deserves to achieve their dreams.”
“I wanted to challenge myself and really put myself out there. Not a lot of guys outside of FSL run for something like this and I hope I can inspire people to take that risk and go for it, Homecoming is for everyone! I will represent and continue to be an advocate for students, particpating in events, promoting school spirit and being a voice for the student body.”
SAM WANG
Qsamforking_
Sponsor Event: Royalty Blitz
Photo by Kaylee Vaughan, Qphotoby.kay
The university holds an annual parade on the day of Homecoming. This year’s parade will begin at 9 a.m. on Nov. 15.
Missouri State kicks off “Once Upon a Homecoming”
AYRICKA POINTER Reporter Qayricka.pointer
It’s fall again on the Springfield campus. Pumpkin spice lattes and sweaters have returned, and with those seasonal staples comes the week-long celebration of Homecoming capped by the football game between Missouri State University and the University of Texas at El Paso on Nov. 15.
Missouri State’s Homecoming chair, Bekah Gunter, said this year’s theme of “Once Upon a Homecoming” was selected through a first‐ever student vote. More than 400 responses narrowed the choice to a brainstormed list that avoided repeats of the past five years’ Homecoming, Greek Week and May Day themes. “With this new conference we are opening another chapter in our Missouri State story,” Gunter said.
Gunter, who has loved Homecoming since her first year on campus, said students will see refreshed events this fall. The revamped Kickoff Festivities will focus on the community and will feature inflatables, food and local vendors. “I’m especially looking forward to seeing the new changes come to life and experiencing how they bring even more energy and excitement to the week,” she said.
Students can participate by competing in events around campus or by seeking sponsorships from a recognized student organization to run for Homecoming royalty. Those scholars without organizations may volunteer for the Homecoming parade’s Dawn Patrol. Applications for Homecoming co‐chairs open around winter break with committee applications available on BearLink in the early spring. Updates
will be posted on Instagram at @MoStateHoco. Gunter emphasized Homecoming’s role in uniting the university community. “It’s a time when campus truly comes alive with pride and energy through all of the events,” she said. “I love seeing alumni return from all over to celebrate the university. It’s a powerful reminder of how connected we all are, no matter where life takes us after graduation.”
Homecoming Calendar of Events
Nov. 9 • Chalk N’ Rock, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. & Window Painting 1-2 p.m., Plaster Student Union North Patio • Kickoff Festivities, 1-4 p.m., Bear Head Plaza
Nov. 10 • King & Queen Voting opens at 12:01 a.m., MyMissouriState.edu • Donation Drive begins at 1 p.m., Bear Cave & Center for Community Engagement (PSU 1st Floor by Starbucks) • Spirit Banner Judging, 2–2:30 p.m., Plaster Student Union
Nov. 11 • Rockstar, 7 p.m., Hammons Student Center
Nov. 12 • Field Day Presented by Traditions Council, 4 p.m., McDonald Arena
Nov. 13 • Mo State Live, 7:30 p.m., Hammons Student Center
Nov. 14 • Donation Drive ends 2 p.m., Bear Cave & Center for Community Engagement • King & Queen Voting ends at 5 p.m. • Headphone Disco Presented by Student Activities Council, 7–10 p.m., PSU Grand Ballroom
Nov. 15 • Band of Bears Homecoming Parade, 9 a.m., John Q. Hammons Parkway • Bear Fest Village Homecoming Tailgate, 11 a.m., Bear Fest Village • MSU Bears vs. UTEP Football Game and Homecoming Royalty Coronation, 2 p.m., Robert W. Plaster Stadium
University concessions company restricts vertical ID usage
ADEN ZUCCARINI Reporter DAden_Zuccarini
In a post from @missouristbears on Instagram, the news was broken that the Oak View Group (OVG) would no longer honor “Vertical IDs” on the Missouri State University campus.
Oak View Group is a hospitality and concessionaire firm that MSU uses to provide beverages, food and game-day personnel to its sporting events.
When asked, the Missouri State University Public Information office had no knowledge of the policy change with their concessionaire partners.
The Oak View Group did not respond to The Standard’s inquiry.
The Missouri Department of Public Safety, Alcohol and Tobacco Control’s Liquor Lawbook states, “ ... A valid and unexpired operator’s or chauffeur’s license issued under the laws of any state or territory of the United States to residents of those states or territories…(Section 311.328)”.
With this understanding, there is nothing preventing OVG, in the state of Missouri, to distribute alcohol to individuals with “vertical IDs” if they are indeed above the age of 21.
Looking at other OVG venues, we see a trend from the group. In summer of 2022, Neyland Stadium, with the University of Tennessee Volunteers Football program, stopped offering alcohol sales for Tennessee’s version of Missouri’s “vertical IDs”, as reported by the Knoxville News Sentinel.
In an article from the Yakima Herald, based in Yakima, Washington, we see that liquor licenses are a very precious promise that a premises agreed to with the local government.
The ‘vertical ID’, and other designs, are a choice that allows alcohol providers to immediately recognize that the identification was provided before that party turned 21.
Alcohol vendors retain the right to deny service to anyone for any reason. This is the biggest factor that protects alcohol vendors and restaurants. OVG, by tightening their alcohol restrictions are taking on less risk of accidentally selling to minor parties.
In the states of Illinois and Maryland, major league sports venues offer a pre-certification for those over 21. This system uses wristbands with a barcode that logs the individual for each purchase thereof. This is due to the local government’s ability to make the liquor laws more strict than the states guidelines, at their discretion.
At federally operated institutions, such as the U.S. Naval Academy, any one hoping to see a Midshipman’s game must have a ‘Real ID’ to gain entrance to the campus, let alone purchase alcohol.
To summarize, more vendors are tightening their vending habits away from anyone with an ID that indicates they may in fact be under 21, disregarding the birth date entirely.
Missouri State University, as a newly FBS Football team, are more likely to fall under scrutiny for lacking the same policy as other FBS schools, such as the University of Tennessee, in this example.
OVG as a company services many establishments for the hospitality sector. They are contracted with Citizens Bank Park, of the Philadelphia Phillies, and the previously mentioned Neyland Stadium.
OVG was in hot water earlier this year when allegations of bid rigging ended up with an indictment of its previous CEO Tim Leiweke, along with other allegations of receiving “kickbacks” from Ticketmaster, per CNBC
The allegations of bid rigging pertain to the construction of University of Texas’s Moody Center, which was constructed by three companies, including OVG.
The allegations led to an indictment from the U.S. District Court in Austin, Texas. Eventually leading to then CEO Tim Leiweke’s stepping down as CEO. The penalties for the allegations amounted to $15 million, which concluded the legal proceedings in spring of 2025, as released by the Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs.
Screenshot from Instagram @missouristbears
Bears welcome UTEP for Homecoming football game
W. PAUL BOHLEN Senior Sports Reporter
Dwpbohlen
Amid all of the Homecoming excitement this year, what celebration of alumni and school history would be complete without a great big football game to top it all off?
Missouri State University’s football squad will kickoff against the University of Texas at El Paso at Plaster Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 2 p.m., with the tailgate beginning three hours before.
The late Homecoming this year is by virtue of the Bears’ new conference, Conference USA, who just finished up their “Weekday CUSA” slate of mid-week games all throughout the month of October. Some schools like UTEP had their Homecomings in September, and some like MSU are having them now, after the fact.
Either way, Missouri State has played great football all October, defeating Middle Tennessee State University, New Mexico State University and Florida International University to rise to fourth in CUSA, with a 5-3 record and a 3-1 conference record.
The Bears still have a game to play against Liberty University at the time of publishing, but here’s a look ahead to their Homecoming match with the UTEP Miners!
The Show Me Bears
When Missouri State made the move to Conference USA, there were lots of people who suggested the Bears didn’t even belong in Division I, let alone the highest echelon of football at the collegiate level.
Fans and detractors alike really
embodied the Missouri nickname — Show Me.
The legend goes that Missouri was nicknamed the “Show-Me State” after a congressman from the former Missouri’s 14th District, Willard Duncan Vandiver said in a speech that he was “from a state that raises corn and cotton, cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I’m from Missouri, and you have got to show me.”
The legitimacy of that story is highly debated, but it speaks the story of the Missouri State Bears over 130 years later. They did show their detractors. The Bears sit at fourth in an FBS conference. They’ve won three straight games in that conference so far, more than even the most generous speculators had them winning all year.
As of the time of writing this, they are one win away from ensuring a .500 or higher season. They really have shown the city of Springfield, the state of Missouri, other choice institutions which have historically put them down and the entire FBS that they do, in fact, belong.
Under the lead of head coach Ryan Beard and his brothers-in-law, offensive coordinator Nick Petrino and defensive coordinator LD Scott, the Bears are playing good, fun football.
Senior quarterback Jacob Clark is closing out a school career which places him at the top of most QB stats at the school and will surely be remembered as one of, if not the best signal caller that ever dressed in the Maroon and White.
This season, among other achievements, he surpassed Cody Kirby’s career passing touchdowns record of 47, throwing two in the game against Florida International to sit at 49 with
An announced 8,754 fans braved the elements to show their support for the Bears for their home game on Wednesday, Oct. 29 against FIU.
four more games to play. He also surpassed 5,000 passing yards, then 6,000 a handful of games later, while also recovering from a banged up knee.
Beyond the offense, the Bears’ defense has looked better than it may have ever looked, putting up consistent and strong stops while playing fairly cleanly. The Bears have struggled with flags getting thrown, but that’s mostly an offense issue.
Guys like senior linebackers Jalen Brooks and Kanye Young have really helped to turn the D-line into something fun to watch and intimidating to try to get past.
Beard seems right on the money when he says that there has never been a better time to be a Bear.
Meet the 2025 UTEP Miners
The Miners are led by second-year head coach Scotty Walden. Under his stead, the team went 3-9, 3-5 in conference play. This year, they’re sitting at 10th in CUSA, with a 2-6, 1-3 record.
The only teams UTEP has beaten this season are the University of Tennessee at Martin, an FCS program who Missouri State also beat to close their non-conference slate, and Sam Houston State University, the current worst team in the league.
Leading the squad on the field is redshirt junior quarterback Skyler Locklear, who, in his second season with the Miners, has thrown 197-314 for 2,143 yards and 15 touchdowns. Locklear has also been intercepted 10 times.
Unlike the Bears’ QB1, Locklear is much more of a frequent runner. He’s rushed for a total of 463 yards and five TDs, averaging 30.9 yards per game. He regularly tops the rush-
ing chart for yardage.
When Locklear isn’t scoring on his own, one of his best guys to throw to is redshirt junior wide receiver Kenny Odom, playing his second year for the Miners. This season, Odom has caught for a total of 418 yards and made four touchdowns of 42 receptions. Overall, he’s made 12 trips to the endzone, and added up 1,159 yards.
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Wondame David Jr. has put up some big numbers this season, including 291 receiving yards and three touchdowns. 119 of those yards and two of the TDs came in the Miners’ game against the University of Louisiana at Monroe on Sept. 20.
Redshirt freshman running back Ashton Emory also deserves a mention for his 267 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He has also put up good receiving games, totalling 79 yards and two touchdowns. His best performance definitely came against UT Martin, scoring a TD by his legs and two more receiving.
Where the Bears have definitely struggled to get their third-down conversions up, UTEP’s defense is one of the best in the nation at preventing that. They currently rank fourth, with teams going 29-118 in eight games.
The Miners are only topped by Indiana University, Texas A&M University and The Ohio State University.
However, the rest of the Miner defense sits between the 60-80th national marks, with the exception of total defense, which ranks 52nd in the country.
Some notable members of the D-line to watch for on Nov. 15 include redshirt senior linebacker Micah Davis, junior linebacker Jayden Wilson and senior safety Solo Barnes.
Matchup history
No history to be found here!
The Bears have never played UTEP on the gridiron before this November, making for the sixth firsttime matchup for Missouri State this season.
This game will be the first time the Bears play the Miners but it might also be the last, as the west Texas school will be departing Conference USA for the Mountain West Conference on July 1, 2026.
Challenges along the way
Missouri State is the definite favorite to win the game, but they will need to focus on a few areas to ensure that.
Penalties, an issue that has plagued the team for a while, are getting better but need to keep improving. They only made one really serious mistake while hosting FIU, but you can’t lose Homecoming, so even one serious mistake is too many.
Besides that, it’s mostly just about playing a full four quarters of football for the offense. Making sure Clark and key O-line members are healthy and stay healthy come with that, and otherwise, it’s just out-scoring them.
The Bears haven’t lost a Homecoming game since the shortened 2020-21 season.
UTEP visits Springfield for the Homecoming football game on Saturday, Nov. 15 with kickoff scheduled for 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN and the Missouri State Radio Network with the “Voice of the Bears,” Corey Riggs.
Photo by Jayden Pettus, Qjpettus_media
Coming home late Mo State sets Homecoming celebration for mid-November
MADDUX RADOSEVIC Sports Editor
DRadosevicMaddux
In their first year in Conference USA and the Football Bowl Subdivision, the Missouri State University Bears will host Homecoming on Nov. 15 for a 2 p.m. game against the UTEP Miners.
Because of Weekday CUSA contests, no team in the conference holds a Saturday home game in the month of October – the time of the season when the majority of teams celebrate Homecoming. Since, typically, no CUSA teams vouch for hosting the celebration during the week, all 12 programs have a decision to make –whether they host Homecoming in September or November.
MSU chose the latter and, along with the FIU Panthers, is tied for the latest Homecoming in CUSA this year.
Even though November seems a bit late and unorthodox for Homecoming, out of all six 2025 MSU home games, the athletic department felt as though the Nov. 15 date against UTEP was the only plausible option for the event.
“It is definitely late. Later than probably we would, I think anybody, would really want,” athletic director Patrick Ransdell said. “It’s just kinda the way it worked out this year.”
As Ransdell and the rest of the decision makers looked at the schedule, they reviewed what other CUSA schools had done previously, but, when the time came for them to make the call, they did not yet know what other schools in the conference would settle on for this year.
However, deliberation led to a process of elimination.
“I mean really it kind of boiled down to process of elimination more than anything,” Ransdell said.
Ransdell and his team ruled out the home opener (too close to the start of the season), Family Weekend (already occupied), the lone Wednesday home game (in the middle of the week) and the final home game of the year (Thanksgiving weekend).
Furthermore, due to the home game against the WKU Hilltoppers on Sept. 27 coming immediately after the Family Weekend matchup against UT Mar-
tin, the third straight home game did not seem like a great fit either.
“There was a very little appetite to have back-to-back weeks of Family Weekend and Homecoming,” Ransdell said. “There’s just a lot of planning and execution that goes into both of those weekends across campus.”
As a result, the decision became clear. The Nov. 15 game against UTEP was the answer. It was settled.
Although concerns like a greater potential for colder weather and smaller crowds in November make the date seem less enticing than an “ideal” October Homecoming, the Missouri State athletic department aims to roll with the punches.
Moreover, Ransdell has expressed his approval of the attendance numbers so far by describing that he is “very pleased” with the results. It’s not hard to see why.
The total of 15,027 fans that witnessed the Bears take on the SMU Mustangs for the 2025 Robert W. Plaster Stadium opener was the highest tally for a MO State home game in over a decade (a mark last hit on Sept. 12, 2015 against Chadron State).
Despite some rain in the area, the Bears’ Family Weekend game against UT Martin provided a similar crowd in magnitude with a final count of 14,476 fans.
In Ransdell’s opinion, student attendance has helped a lot.
“Especially our students have shown up really really well,” he said.
To him, it has boosted not only the attendance numbers but also the atmosphere.
“That’s really what brings the energy in the crowd is, you get a good student crowd, everything else kinda falls in place if you can get that,” Ransdell said.
An example of a fan who has brought the energy is Gideon Warneke, a freshman majoring in construction management at MSU. After all, the Bears’ leap to the FBS served as part of his inspiration to attend MO State in the first place. For him and many others, the CUSA experience has created a lot of buzz.
“It’s definitely exciting,” Warneke said. “It was kinda one of the reasons that I wanted to come to MSU. I thought it’d be cool.”
Photo by Kaylee Vaughan, Qphotoby.kay
Though Homecoming is typically held in October, Weekday CUSA prevents schools in the conference from holding celebrations mid-week.
Interestingly enough, Warneke has cheered the Maroon and White on not only in Springfield, Missouri but also on the road. Warneke made the journey out east to Huntington, West Virginia to watch the Bears challenge the 2024 Sun Belt Conference champions – the Marshall Thundering Herd. Although he was in enemy territory, he was not alone.
“It was definitely crazy to be there. I was one of, I mean, a handful of fans,” Warenke said. “It was definitely kinda hostile towards us as I was cheering ‘em on the whole game.”
In the end, the cheering paid off. Warenke witnessed the Bears’ first win against an FBS opponent since 1990 (a win over UNLV) and the program’s first victory as a member of the highest division of college football. Once the clock expired, Warenke got to party in the stands, as the players did the same on the field
“But, it was really fun to be able to celebrate with the guys cause, I
mean, they kinda found us in the crowd and were celebrating with us after, so it was definitely a really fun, crazy experience,” he said.
As for Homecoming, although Warenke is uncertain about the feeling and expectations for the penultimate home game, he also believes the community is galvanizing support for head coach Ryan Beard’s crew.
“It’s definitely odd to have it so late in the season, but I think we’re kind of building up the hype for it,” he said.
According to Ransdell, Homecoming seems to feature a similar trajectory as the final September home game against WKU – a match that had 10,068 fans in attendance.
“We’re tracking about where we were for Western Kentucky about two weeks out for that game, so I would anticipate a very similar crowd to that,” he said.
Looking forward to next year, Ransdell hopes Homecoming will not have to fall as late in 2026.
“We have gotten word from the conference that the ideal scenario is that, if you have a home game the second Saturday in November this year, that the ideal scenario would be that you would at least have the first Saturday November game next year.”
Although the conference cannot guarantee this reality, Ransdell and his team have already reflected upon the potential opportunities for next season’s Homecoming, which might include groundbreaking for the new Clifton M. Smart III Advancement Center.
“Next year’s Homecoming is important because, ideally, we’re gonna do the groundbreaking for the (Clifton M. Smart III) Advancement Center that weekend,” Ransdell said. Regardless of what happens next year, Ransdell still hopes this Homecoming draws as many fans as possible.
“We need campus community and Springfield to come on out, and let’s take care of business,” he said.
Bears defense claws upward
MADDUX RADOSEVIC Sports Editor DRadosevicMaddux
13-73.
When the clock expired at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, Aug. 30, the Missouri State University Bears had allowed not only a whopping 73 points to the Power Four USC Trojans but also 233 rushing yards and 364 passing yards for over one-third of a mile worth of offense.
After a 28-21 victory over the FIU Panthers on Wednesday, Oct. 29, the Maroon and White had held seven consecutive opponents to under 30 points for the first time since late 1998. When the program last accomplished this feat almost exactly 27 years ago, none of the Bears’ current active players were even born yet. Head coach Ryan Beard was nine years old.
It was hard to imagine MSU would post these historically great numbers this year after the squad’s week 1 embarrassment against USC.
After all, the 73 points the Bears allowed in the contest was the highest tally they had yielded to an opponent since a 26-73 beatdown against the Southern Illinois Salukis on Oct. 10, 2015. According to redshirt senior cornerback Thomas Anderson, the team did not anticipate how tough the leap would be from the Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision.
“I feel like versus USC we kinda came out a little slow. We were excited, but I don’t think the guys really expected to get that transferring from FCS to FBS,” Anderson said during a press conference on Oct. 17.
“I feel like that was all we needed to like all buy in,” he said.
For Anderson, another thing he and all his teammates need is each other.
“Each one of us needs all of us,” he said.
While relying on each other, Anderson and his teammates also had to trust in Beard and the rest of the coaching staff. As an experienced collegiate defensive back who has spent time playing at different levels and different schools through his time at Independence CC, UNLV and a 2024 redshirt season for the Bears, Anderson sees the coaching staff at MSU as a crew that feels confident about its players.
“I feel like our coaches really just trust our players a lot, you know. Like, they don’t shy away from anything,” he said.
After the USC game, defensive coordinator L.D. Scott did not shy away from returning to the fundamentals to get the group to rebound from the humiliation the team endured against the mighty Trojans.
“We went back to the basics –worked on tackling, and, you know, leverage, you know, just those small details that really decide games,” Scott said on the Oct. 1 episode of the MoState Update podcast.
In Anderson’s mind, fundamentals like tackling are a must.
“I feel like we just take pride in our tackling, you know,” he said in the Oct. 17 press conference. “At the end of the day, it’s tackle football, so you gotta get the man on the ground.”
The week after the USC game, the Bears defenders put plenty of men on the ground en route to MSU’s inaugural triumph as an FBS team in a 21-20 win in Huntington, West Virginia over the Marshall Thundering Herd for the program’s first victory against an FBS opponent since the 1990 squad downed UNLV.
The defense looked like a completely different unit from the week prior.
Not only did the Bears hold last year’s Sun Belt Conference champions to just two touchdowns, two extra points and two field goals, but they also gave up only 274 yards of total offense to the Thundering Herd. Beyond those stellar numbers, the defense forced a critical stop after the offense put MSU ahead with a little over two minutes left in the contest.
Sophomore defensive lineman
Mitchell Toney broke up a fourth down pass that eventually landed in the hands of senior linebacker Kanye Young for an interception that all but sealed the deal. The defense had bounced back.
But, the unit’s success did not halt there.
The following week, the Maroon and White played at Robert W. Plaster Stadium for the first time as members of the FBS. Their opponent? The SMU Mustangs – a team that made it all the way to the College Football Playoff last year. Defensively, the Bears were ready.
In addition to giving up just 28 points to the Mustangs, the Bears secured both an interception and a
fumble recovery against their Atlantic Coast Conference opponent.
After that performance, the group allowed a mere ten points to the FCS UT Martin Skyhawks and a respectable 27 points to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers – last year’s Conference USA runner-up – in front of the home crowd.
Even on the next road trip, though, the favorable results kept coming.
In the team’s first Weekday CUSA game and the program’s first time appearing on ESPN2, the defense did more than its part. The Wednesday evening showdown in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, featured true freshman quarterback Deuce Bailey, taking over for the injured senior signal caller Jacob Clark for his first collegiate start. Backing him up on the other side of the ball, the defense helped the Bears overcome the MTSU Blue Raiders 22-20.
Much like against Marshall, MSU relied on its defense for one final stop to outlast the Blue Raiders. In the end, the unit fended off the MTSU offense with key tackles made by redshirt sophomore linebacker Cooper Roy, redshirt junior linebacker Jared Lloyd, junior nickelback Dylan Dixson and Young to force a 50-yard field goal. The attempt missed. The Bears were victorious.
Beard was proud.
“The last series, especially when they got the first down, it was ‘Blitz City.’ We knew we had to get them outside of field goal range if possible, make it as hard on the kicker as possible, and our guys executed. And, I’m so, so proud of them,” he said after the game.
But, what he was most proud of was the group’s togetherness.
“The thing that I was most proud of is, after one of the last timeouts, they came together, and they had a great look in their eye. And, they got it done,” Beard said.
Scott also appreciates the squad’s cohesiveness.
“That’s kind of a huge benefit that we have here is that we are family and we are all on the same page. We all have the same goals. We all want the best for each other,” he said on MoState Update.
Quite literally, the team does feature familial bonds among the three main coaches. Scott’s wife, the former Kelsey Petrino, and Beard’s wife, the former Katie Petrino, are both sisters of offensive coordinator Nick Petrino.
“It’s something that our players know. It’s a reason why a lot of them came here. You know, they know we’re not, you know, looking for our next job. This is home for us, and we’ve built something here, and we’re gonna continue to make it better,” Scott said.
According to Anderson, like the family of Beard, Petrino and Scott, the players have stuck together.
“We’re all just buying in to each other. We do a good job communicating and just trusting our coaches. They put us in great calls, and, then, we just go execute,” he said at the Oct. 17 press conference.
In the same press conference, Beard approved of the defense’s work.
“I love the way the defense is playing. We play with an edge. We play fast, physical, aggressive,” he said.
In Beard’s opinion, leaders like Scott have directed the players well.
“Coach Scott, the defensive coordinator, has done a great job with the rest of the defensive staff putting them in positions to have success. And then, once you’re put in those positions, it’s up to the players to go do it, and they’ve done it at a high level,” Beard said in the press conference.
And, it’s not surprising that the success the defense has realized comes back to the crew’s unity.
“Our defensive guys really rally around each other, and they have some swagger about them. They have some belief in how good we can possibly be,” Beard said.
Even after the win over MTSU, Beard still believed the defense had not yet unlocked its full potential.
“I don’t think you’ve seen the best that I think that we can be yet,” he said.
He was right.
After a bye week, the Bears ventured west of Springfield for the first time since the USC massacre, as they arrived in Las Cruces, New Mexico to square off against the NMSU Aggies. Unlike the first such trip of the season, the defense did not disappoint this time; rather, it exceeded expectations.
In the Bears’ second straight road victory, the defense allowed only 17 points and 289 yards of total offense to the Aggies. Furthermore, senior safety Maguire Neal, senior cornerback Jordan Dunbar, Dixson and Anderson all picked off the NMSU QB, including Anderson’s highlight reel interception that earned him the third spot on ESPN’s Top Ten.
The winning streak did not end
Photo by Matthew Huff
Senior CB Jordan Dunbar forces a fumble against SMU.
there.
In MSU’s lone Weekday CUSA home game of the year, the Bears defeated the FIU Panthers 28-21. Once again, the defense overachieved by allotting just 115 net rushing yards to a team that, heading into the contest, was ranked 32nd in the nation in ground yards per game.
It didn’t happen by accident. In fact, in the postgame press conference, Beard said he made stopping the run a point all week at practice.
“Every day. All day. I was making sure that they were telling me to get away from ‘em because every single day to the defense in stretch, ‘Stop the run. Stop the run. Stop the run,’” he said.
They did stop the run. Now, with the Bears one triumph away from four straight victories and six wins on the year, the possibility of playing in a bowl game becomes more and more plausible. For Scott, he was already talking about this chance on Oct. 1.
“I’ve told our players: it’ll be one of the greatest things they do here once we get to that threshold, but I don’t think we’re far off,” he said on MoState Update.
Moreover, he has preached about the chance to accomplish great things in Springfield, Missouri.
“We’re doing really well here. We believe that we can win here. We think, you know, the best is yet to come, so we’re doing well,” Scott said.
To close out the postgame press conference after the Bears’ win over FIU, Beard echoed this same sentiment.
“People are cheering the Bears on in the supermarket. They’re high-fiving our guys,” he said. “This is a place that can be as good as we want it to be. We just gotta continue our upward trajectory.”
Lady Bears picked No. 4 Women’s 2025 CUSA preview
W. PAUL BOHLEN Senior Sports Reporter Dwpbohlen
It’s time again for Missouri State University women’s basketball. Yes, the Lady Bears are back. The squad began their season officially on Monday, Nov. 3 against Saint Louis University, and they’ll play a challenging non-conference slate.
That is, until MSU begins their Conference USA slate with a Jan. 4, 2026 away game with Florida International University. The Maroon and White was picked to finish in fourth place in the Conference USA preseason poll, receiving no first place votes.
Here’s a look at the new conference the Lady Bears call home.
LA Tech (18-16, 8-10 in CUSA)
Entering her tenth season with the Lady Techsters, head coach Brooke Stoehr returns a 150-126 record and six of her student-athletes from last season. Coming off a disappointing fifth place finish in CUSA and short run in the WNIT, their return of two young stars contributed to their being picked to finish first in the conference.
Sophomore guard Paris Bradley started all 34 games in her freshman year, playing 1,100 minutes and adding up 489 points, 46 steals, 102 assists and 136 rebounds, making her one of the best freshmen in program history. She also shot .458 from the field, .336 from the 3-point line and .813 from the charity stripe.
Another freshman standout, forward Jordan Marshall, also returns. Also starting 34 games, she played 1,050 minutes, putting up 395 points, 25 steals and 293 boards.
Louisiana Tech sits at No. 1 in the CUSA preseason poll with 128 points.
Liberty (26-7, 16-2 in CUSA)
Coming off a regular season and CUSA Tournament championship in the 2024-25 year, the Liberty University Lady Flames saw a coaching change from their 26-year stretch with Carey Green to Alexis Sherard, who spent 18 years as an associate head coach under Green.
Green finished his career with a 591-240 record and 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, to make Liberty a dominant force in the women’s basketball scene.
Continuity is the name of the game, with Sherard’s 18 years with Green ensuring Liberty has a fighting chance in the wake of such a change. The Lady Flames return seven members, notably junior forward Elisabeth Aegisdottir, who became a starter last season.
Aegisdottir has played 1,578 minutes in two seasons, a .350 field goal percentage, a .732
free-throw percentage, 302 rebounds and 296 points.
The continuity, skilled returners and the recruiting class all combine to inform the Lady Flames’ preseason standing.
Liberty sits at No. 2 in the CUSA preseason poll with 125 points.
MTSU (26-9,
16-2 in CUSA)
Middle Tennessee State University returns the now longest tenured head coach in CUSA, Rick Insell, for his 21st season. Insell has a 489-165 record and saw the team to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances.
The Blue Raiders finished second in CUSA in the 2024-25 season, with a 26-9 record, and an appearance in the WBIT, where they fell to former Lady Bear opponent Belmont University.
Going into 2025-26, the team returns only four members, none of whom were starters. Notably, they include sophomore guard Savannah Davis and redshirt sophomore guard Jada Harrison.
Overall, they have a young team, with seven of their 13 members being freshmen. Though, again, with the prestige of the program, it’s not hard to see those freshmen are coming off talented high school careers.
Middle Tennessee is picked at No. 3 in the CUSA preseason poll with 123 points.
Western Kentucky (23-9, 13-5 in CUSA)
The Lady Toppers of Western Kentucky University are coming off a third-place finish in CUSA, where the team fell in the second game of the conference tourney to Middle Tennessee.
All told, the eighth-year head coach Greg Collins returns eight of his athletes. Collins has a 124-90 record, and spent six years as an associate head coach before assuming the main role.
Notably among his returners are starting senior forward Zsofia Telegdy, a transfer from the University of Kansas, who started all 32 games the Lady Toppers played, and put up 262 points, 64 assists and 147 boards.
Along with Telegdy, some returners expected in starting roles this year include fifth year forward Caleigh-Rose West, senior forward Mya Pratcher and senior guard Tia Shelling.
Western Kentucky sits at No. 5 in the CUSA preseason poll with 96 points.
Florida International (11-19,
7-11
in CUSA)
Under the charge of sixth-year head coach Jesyka Burks-Wiley, the Panthers had a rebuild after losing many of their heavy hitters from last year, a season where they finished sixth in
CUSA with a record of 11-19.
The loss of athletes like senior forward Isnelle Natabou, senior guard Aaliyah Pitts and senior forward Bineta Diatta set the Panthers behind, but they do have some strong returners, five in total, all of whom say a decent amount of action.
One of the returners, senior guard Parris Atkins, stands out, however, playing in 20 games last season and starting all but three of those. She shot .466 from the field and .759 from the free-throw line, while adding up 278 points, 100 rebounds and 48 steals.
The Panthers are picked to finish at No. 6 in the CUSA preseason poll with 74 points.
Sam Houston State (13-17, 5-13 in CUSA)
The Bearkats of Sam Houston State University are heading into the 2025-26 season with eighth-year head coach Ravon Justice, looking for their first winning season since the shortened 2020-21 season.
SHSU finished in eighth place last season, continuing an apparent return to the losing side of basketball. Justice turned the program around from a 4-23 finish in the 2017-18 season to a 16-13 finish the next year, but it’s been downhill from then.
In spite of that, they got lucky in the offseason, retaining 10 of their members, including three of their main starters, senior guard Fanta Kone, redshirt senior forward Deborah Ogayemi and graduate guard Aysia Ward-Strong, and two infrequent starters, senior forward Nyla Inmon and senior guard Whitney Dunn.
All those familiar faces certainly help the Bearkats to rise in the preseason polls above where they finished last year.
Sam Houston State is picked to finish at No. 7 in the CUSA preseason poll with 59 points.
UTEP (11-19, 4-14 in CUSA)
The University of Texas at El Paso Miners take the now-second longest tenured head coach in CUSA, Keitha Adams, into this year for her 19th season.
The long-time head coach returns eight of her own to the 2025-26 season for the Miners. Among them are three frequent starters and two semi-frequent starters.
Making up the former are graduate guard Ivane Tensaie, who played 1,524 minutes in two seasons; graduate guard Delma Zita, who put up 200 assists and 310 points; and senior
forward Ndack Mcbengue, who made 184 boards, shot .570 from the field and started 19 of 23 games in her first season with the Miners.
As for the latter, senior guard Portia Adams played 576 minutes in 22 games and 14 starts, adding up 210 points. Sophomore guard Irene Asensio played 19 games last season, starting 10, and making 59 points, 39 boards and 40 assists.
The Miners sit tied at No. 8 in the CUSA preseason poll with 57 points.
Kennesaw
State (13-18, 7-11 in CUSA)
Kennesaw State University women’s basketball returns with a struggle, bringing back the CUSA women’s hoops coach with the worst active record, Octavia Blue, who has gone 4872 in four seasons.
The Owls return only five athletes from last season, but as the Lady Bears showed last year, sometimes that can be used to great advantage.
Of those returners, only two main starters remain, junior guard Kailyn Fields and graduate guard Keyarah Berry. Fields has played 1,368 minutes in two seasons and 61 games, 51 of which she started. Berry enters her fourth year with the Owls, having played 1,556 minutes while starting 28 of 30 games last year.
Redshirt sophomore forward Trynce Taylor also would likely have spent last season as a starter, had a lower extremity injury not ended her season before it even began. She’ll return hungry to show what she can do, having played 30 games in the 2023-24 season.
KSU sits tied at No. 8 in the CUSA preseason poll with 57 points.
New Mexico State (18-16, 10-8 in CUSA)
The New Mexico State University Aggies bring a familiar face back to the Bears with fourth-year head coach Jody Adams, who led Wichita State to their Valley exit in 2017 before opting to stay in the MVC, becoming an assistant coach and then the associate head coach at Southern Illinois University from 2018-2022.
The Aggies only return one frequent starter to their roster, the Dutch graduate guard Loes Rozing, who played in 65 games in her first two seasons with the team, starting 43 of them and totaling 1,302 minutes.
Senior forward Lucia Yenes also returns, one of NMSU’s go-to sixth players, having played 693 minutes in three seasons. Last season, she played 33 games for 430 minutes, and
Photo by W. Paul Bohlen, Qanthro_paul_ogist Current and former members of the Lady Bears.
added up 169 points, 32 steals and 63 boards.
New Mexico State finished fourth last season, but lost a lot of their players to graduation and the portal, so there’s just not as much to go on in the polling.
The Aggies are picked to finish No. 10 in the CUSA preseason poll with 51 points.
Delaware (13-17, 9-9 in CAA)
The other new CUSA team, the University of Delaware brings head coach Sarah Jenkins back for a fourth season in the position after spending the 2017-2021 seasons as an assistant coach, and gathering a 40-51 record in her time at the helm.
Last season, the Fightin’ Blue Hens finished eighth of 14 in the Coastal Athletic Association, their former conference.
Coming to CUSA, Delaware returns only five members. Two starters, a sixth player and two injured players who missed all of last season are the familiar faces the Blue Hens bring back.
Junior center Ande’a Cherisier has played a total of 1,343 minutes in two seasons, including 777 minutes in 30 games played with 28 starts last season. She’s scored a total 590
points, made 49 assists and 292 rebounds.
Graduate guard Ella Wanzer started 25 of the 30 games she played in the 2024-25 season, shooting .414 from the field, .380 from behind the arc and .817 from the free-throw line.
Delaware sits at No. 11 in the CUSA preseason poll with 36 points.
Jacksonville State (10-20, 4-14 in CUSA)
Rounding out CUSA is the Alabama-based Jacksonville State University, who come into the year with Rick Pietri leading for his 13th season. Jax State finished ninth in Conference USA last season, and return only one starter, an infrequent starter, and two bench players.
Fifth year forward Mya Barnes started all 30 of the games she played last season, totalling 1,222 minutes in two seasons, going .352 from the field, .324 from the 3-point line and .690 from the charity stripe. Barnes totals 352 points, 41 steals, 57 blocks and 224 boards.
Senior forward Maria Sanchez-Ponce started 17 of the 25 games she played for the Gamecocks, averaging 21.3 minutes per game.
Jacksonville State was picked to finish at No. 12 in the CUSA preseason poll with 23 points.
Lady Bears schedule
Nov. 3
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Nov. 11
Dec. 7
Dec. 13
Dec. 19
Dec. 22
Jan. 4
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Jan. 10
Jan. 15
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Jan. 24
A brand new league
Men’s
2025 CUSA Preview
UT Arlington SEMO
Wichita State
Georgia Southern Tulsa Tulane
Kansas Arkansas Gonzaga Central Arkansas FIU
Kennesaw State
Jacksonville State UTEP
New Mexico State LA Tech
Sam Houston Delaware
Liberty
Middle Tennessee
Western Kentucky
Sam Houston
LA Tech
Liberty Delaware FIU
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee
KC CULBERTSON Sports
Reporter
Missouri State University has finally landed in Conference USA. After an unsuccessful 9-23 season and now with a whole swab of new players, the Bears certainly have their work cut out for them, as CUSA is no joke.
Here is a look at what Conference USA teams have accomplished recently, players to look out for, coaches to keep in mind and some brief storylines for the 2025-2026 season.
Liberty (28-7, 13-5 in CUSA)
The winners of Conference USA in the 2024-2025 season, the Liberty Flames are projected to win the conference again almost easily.
They successfully ended last season as a 12 seed in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament with a CUSA tournament championship and regular season title under their belt. Unfortunately for them, in the first round of the Big Dance, they suffered a heartbreaking 81-52 loss to the fifth-seeded Oregon Ducks.
Nevertheless, they are seeking to make a run, once again, spearheaded by head coach Ritchie McKay, who became Liberty’s winningest coach last season.
Be on the lookout for 2024-2025 All-CUSA selections Zach Cleveland, Kaden Metheny and Colin Porter. Cleveland led the team in rebounds per game (6.3) and assists per game (5.1) last season. Porter led the team in steals with an average of 1.5 a game. If any team wants to dethrone Liberty, that challenger will first have to get through those three.
Liberty sits at No. 1 in the preseason CUSA rankings with 143 points and 11 first place votes.
Kennesaw State (19-14, 10-8 CUSA)
Tied for fourth in the conference last season, Kennesaw State is now ready to fight for first place.
Guard Simeon Cottle – recently named CUSA Preseason Player of the Year – scored a career-high 32 points in the conference tournament quarterfinal to help beat New Mexico State 80-77. They fell three points short of beating Liberty in the conference semifinals, as they fell 81-79.
Head coach Antoine Pettway was recently hired to the Owls in 2023 and sports a 34-30 record. It’s clear that he is shaping this team into the right path. A player who helped send the team in the right direction is forward Rongie Gordon, who was picked up from UAB and proceeded to lead the team in rebounds with an average of 6.2 per game.
One thing that might hold the Owls back
from topping the preseason rankings might be the loss of star player Adrian Wooley, who transferred to Louisville in the offseason. He led the team in points, assists and steals as a freshman.
Kennesaw State sits at No. 2 in the preseason CUSA rankings with 126 points and one first place vote.
New Mexico State (17-15, 10-8 CUSA)
New Mexico State rides all the way up to bronze in preseason polling after a mediocre 2024-25 season. The Aggies found themselves in back-to-back losses to close out the year with falls in both the final regular season game and conference tournament quarterfinal.
Relatively new hire head coach Jason Hooten has done pretty well in his first two seasons with the Aggies with a .406 winning percentage in his first season but then a .531 season right after. He is no stranger to CUSA, as his previous head coaching job was with conference rival Sam Houston.
The player who will help the Aggies the most will be senior Jemel Jones, who NMSU picked up from Cal State Bakersfield. There, he led the team in points and assists. Additionally, Jones was named a CUSA Preseason All-Conference honoree for this season.
New Mexico State sits at No. 3 in the preseason CUSA rankings with 113 points.
Middle Tennessee (22-12, 12-6 CUSA)
Former co-silver medal regular season conference winners last season seem to be taking a step backwards this season.
The Blue Raiders finished the 2024-25 season right behind Liberty. They had a conference quarterfinal win against LA Tech in double overtime but lost the next day in the semifinal to Jacksonville State. The Blue Raiders still had a ticket to the NIT but, in a heartbreaking fashion, lost to Chattanooga in the first round in triple overtime by a score of 109-103.
Head Coach Nick McDevitt led UNC Asheville to back-to-back Big South Conference regular season titles in 2017 and 2018. Then, the Raiders hired him in 2018, and he has sported a 93-112 record since.
The biggest loss they will have is the departure of their defensive backbone forward Essam Mostafa who led the conference in rebounds and earned a team-high in steals last season. Eyes will be on guard Kamari Lands, as he has earned a CUSA Preseason All-Conference nod. Another player to look out for is forward Chris Loofe, who paired well with Mostafa and led the team with 35 blocks last season. It’s a question if that defense can still put up the same level of success with Mostafa gone.
Middle Tennessee sits at No. 4 in the preseason CUSA rankings with 103 points.
Louisiana Tech (20-12, 9-9 CUSA)
After having an even .500 season in conference play, losing 77-75 to Middle Tennessee in the conference tournament quarterfinal and losing two of their best players – season CUSA assist leader Sean Newman Jr. to San Diego State and team points leader and CUSA blocks champion Daniel Batcho, the Bulldogs are not looking hot.
Talvin Hester has been a positive head coach for the team with an almost .600 total winning percentage with the help of guys like CUSA Preseason All-Conference honoree Kaden Cooper, who led the team in rebounds and steals last season. As a result, things may not be too gloomy for the Bulldogs.
However, the biggest news to come out of LA Tech is the announcement that the Bulldogs will be taking over Texas State’s spot in the Sun Belt Conference. The move is expected to happen within the next two seasons, so try to enjoy the Bulldogs while they are still here.
Louisiana Tech sits at No. 5 in the preseason CUSA rankings with 82 points.
Western Kentucky University (17-15, 8-10 CUSA)
The Hilltoppers did not finish last season on a high note. In their last two games, WKU fell to Liberty by 29, and Florida International beat them in the last game of the season – keep in mind, FIU finished dead last in the conference.
But, give credit where credit is due. That team was under new head coach Hank Plona, who led the Hilltoppers to a record over .500 overall and almost .500 in conference play.
They certainly have a chance to improve, especially with new addition Hoah Boyde. Boyde had only 12 minutes of playing time when he was at LSU, but at 7-foot, 245 lbs., the Hilltoppers will certainly find some uses for him.
Western Kentucky sits at No.6 in the preseason CUSA rankings with 79 points.
Jacksonville State (23-13, 12-6 CUSA)
“A fall from grace” as they say. Jacksonville State took home a share of silver in the CUSA regular season earlier this year but is now projected to finish in the lower half of the conference.
A big reason for this low ranking is the departure of guard Jaron Pierre Jr., who was Conference USA Player of the Year last season, and rightfully so, as he was CUSA’s leading scorer with 777 points and the team’s assistant frontrunner with 136.
Luckily for the Gamecocks, they have a fantastic head coach in Ray Harper, who last season reached 600 career victories in a dominant win at Georgia Tech by the score of 81-64.
Additionally, they have guard Mostapha El Moutaouakkil, who is another CUSA Preseason All-Conference honoree. The Gamecocks picked him up from the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, for whom he was the most dominant player, leading the team in points, rebounds and steals last season.
Jacksonville State sits at No. 7 in the preseason CUSA rankings with 67 points.
UTEP (18-15, 7-11 CUSA)
Finishing in the bottom three spots in conference standings is not the best, but luckily for UTEP the Miners are projected to do better than they did last season. In fact, they ended the season decently by getting a CUSA Tournament win against Sam Houston 79-65. But, then, they got stopped by the powerhouse Liberty in the quarterfinal 81-60.
The Miners are in good hands, though, as head coach Joe Golding has a winning 70-63 record with them.
The loss of their scoring and CUSA’s steals champion from last season, Otis Frazier III, will sting and will be an area of concern if players can’t fill the void he has left.
UTEP sits at No. 8 in the preseason CUSA rankings with 66 points.
Sam Houston (13-19, 6-12 CUSA)
One of the few bright spots for Sam Houston was a final regular season 76-69 victory over a good New Mexico State team.
Unfortunately for them, the Bearkats have lost a lot of their talent that includes last season’s lead point scorer for Sam Houston Lamar Wilkerson and the rebounder and block leader Kalifa Sakho. Fortunately for them, the Bearkats still retain their guard Marcus Boykin who led in assists last season.
It will be interesting to see what their relatively new head coach, Chris Mudge, has in store for this team’s future.
Sam Houston sits at No. 9 in the preseason CUSA rankings with 56 points.
Florida International University (10-23, 3-15 CUSA)
Florida International University finished last in the conference last season but went out swinging. One of these swings was a 64-61 conference tournament win over WKU. Then, against a great Jacksonville State team, the Panthers put up a solid fight but lost 65-56.
To add salt to the wound, they lost point/ rebound leader Jayden Brewer and block leader Vianney Salatchoum to the transfer portal.
The best hope for head coach Jeremy Ballard and the 2024-25 FIU assist/steal leader Ashton Williamson is to not let new teams Missouri State and Delaware get the edge on them and show what basketball is like in CUSA.
Florida International sits at No. 10 in the preseason CUSA rankings with 36 points.
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Men’s Schedule
Tennessee New Mexico State UTEP Sam Houston Jacksonville State Liberty LA Tech Delaware Kennesaw State FIU LA Tech
Sam Houston Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee
Delaware (16-20, 5-13 Coastal Athletic Association)
Last and least are the Delaware State Fightin’ Blue Hens, who are almost identical to Missouri State. First year in CUSA for both schools They both finished near the bottom of their conferences and are both picked to finish near the bottom of the standings in CUSA.
The Fightin’ Blue Hens will be entering CUSA on a solid note, as they won their game in the CAA Tournament Semifinal 82-72 over top-seeded CAA opponent Towson.
Additionally, they are bringing back Cavan Reilly, another CUSA Preseason All-Conference honoree, who was the 2024-25 one of the team’s top scorers and the steals leader with 43 swipes.
The conference should look out for head coach Martin Ingelsby, who was a point guard
for Notre Dame back in the day and has coached the Blue Hens since 2016, as he has posted a .518 record with them.
Delaware sits at No. 11 in the preseason CUSA rankings with 35 points.
So what does this mean for the Bears? As stated in the beginning, the Bears have a lot of work cut, or really clawed, out for them. MO State had a very unflattering 2024-25 season (2-18 in conference) and therefore was picked to finish dead last. On top of that reality, half their roster is new, so team chemistry still needs to develop. However, the Bears will be fighting to prove they belong in this conference and will most likely have good competition against Delaware, FIU, Sam Houston, UTEP and WKU. Now, only time will tell.
Men’s and women’s rosters bolstered by incoming freshmen
ELIZABETH DEDERT Sports Reporter Qelizabethdedert Men’s freshmen
The buzz around this season of Missouri State University men’s basketball feels different. A season for renewal presents itself, as a talented freshman class heads into the realm of collegiate basketball for the first time ever.
With the steady guidance from head coach Cuonzo Martin, this new roster of Bears is setting its sights on something bigger than just wins – a new identity.
After a challenging season last year, which ended with an abysmal 9-23 record, Martin enters his second season of his second stint at the helm of the Bears but, this time, with a roster that reflects the sheer identity of this program – tough, disciplined and defensive-minded. Now, as Missouri State athletics transitions into Conference USA, Martin is crafting a foundation for a new season.
“You’ve got to scratch, claw and fight. It’s not just about talent,” Martin said at basketball media day Oct. 20.
Martin added, “It’s about finding players who love the game, who are willing to make sacrifices for the team.”
Now, with four new freshman faces added to the program, Martin has built around a new core of promising young players – Trey Williams Jr., Collin Clark, Melakih Cunningham and Ryder Cheesman. Together, these incoming freshmen can help build up the foundation of what could be the new defining chapter for this men’s basketball program.
The headliner of this group – Trey Williams Jr – arrives from Vashon High School, one of the top high school programs in the state of Missouri. The 6-foot-3-inch guard brings sharp court vision, elite quickness and a competitive edge that can really propel this team when he steps on the court.
“Trey’s a talented player,” Martin said. “He’s smart. He understands the game, and he can really shoot the basketball. He’s been raised to understand what it means to be a good teammate and a good student-athlete.”
For a program that is searching for consistency, Williams could just be the missing piece.
In addition to Williams, for Springfield native Clark, the journey to Missouri State is just about community as much as it is competition. The 6-foot-7-inch forward from Greenwood Laboratory School, the same program that produced NBA forward Aminu Mohammed, represents the hometown heartbeat of the program.
Clark’s versatile skill on the court allows
him to both stretch the floor and battle on the inside. As MSU steps into a new conference realm, Clark embodies the connection between the Bears and their hometown roots.
Another star player added to this team is the 6-foot-7-inch guard Cunningham. Cunningham brings the toughness of Midwest basketball and the polish of his former high school program, Moravian Prep National (North Carolina), one of the nation’s top basketball prep programs.
Cunningham is known for his length and defensive energy; he fits perfectly into Coach Martin’s defense-first mentality. He can guard multiple positions, attack at the rim and thrive in transition – all skills that make Cunningham a potential breakout player.
In a media day interview, senior Logan Epes, one of the team’s returning leaders, said the freshmen have impressed the upperclassmen. “The freshmen are great this year,” Epes said. “They never have to be told to get in the gym. They’re already there.”
The Bears program also welcomes Cheesman, a 6-foot-4-inch guard from Melbourne, Australia, who brings international experience to this team. Cheesman’s fundamentals were shaped by the structured systems of international ball, and his perimeter presence could address one of MSU’s biggest struggles from last season – three-point shooting.
For Coach Martin, this rebuild isn’t just about recruiting new athletes; it’s about cultivating a culture that lasts. The coach often talks about teaching the game “the right way,” as he emphasizes fundamentals but also mental sharpness and toughness over flash.
Martin said in the press conference, “You should have touched the baseline in high school, and, now, I’m getting you to touch it now.”
This teaching begins in practice; every session is structured.
Junior forward Cameron Boone echoed that mindset in a media day interview. “Every day we come in with high energy. The workouts are intense, but everyone’s willing to put in the work. It’s about showing up and going at each other,” he said.
As the Bears prepare for their debut season in Conference USA, they’ll face fresh challenges and fresh opportunities. The conference is faster, so it’ll test this roster on its physical and defensive identity.
As the Bears step into a new era, so does this freshman class, as it helps rebuild this program.
Lady Bears freshmen
Women’s head coach Beth Cunningham
welcomes three new freshmen to the Lady Bears’ roster, with the hopes of keeping last season’s momentum steady. Guards Kendal Brueggen and Audrey Hopkins plus forward Maiesha Washington will enter the realm of Division I basketball for the very first time.
Fresh talent will be key to this growing program as the Lady Bears now chase the road to a title in Conference USA.
Cunningham, in a press conference on Oct. 20, said, “I love our freshman class. All three of them I certainly think will impact us this year.”
Washington, the multi-positional player, was known in her high school career for being versatile on the court, as she made her presence felt through her rebounds, passing and her overall pure athleticism. This depth that Washington can add to the court will be the essential addition to the Lady Bears.
The forward from Fayetteville isn’t coming to collegiate basketball without her own personal accolades. Washington was awarded an all-conference and is a two-time Arkansas allstate honoree.
Coming to this team with her own set of awards, Brueggan also joins Washington. An all-time leading scorer from her alma mater, Hesston High School, Brueggan racked up over 1,700 points over the last four seasons. This combination of size, skill and shooting will set up the guard coming from Hesston, Kansas to light fire to this organization.
Cunningham also noted, “I think the thing that separates them just collectively is just how competitive they (the freshmen players) are. It’s going to be a really, really impactful freshman class force – no question about it.”
The last freshman to look at for this team isn’t someone to overlook. Hopkins, the 5-foot10-inch guard from Tulsa, Oklahoma exemplifies defense and a strong work ethic. Hopkins comes from championship culture, as she graduated high school with a state championship and four district titles. Shooting 50% from the field in her senior season, Hopkins has shown she is a utility player, even under the pressure she endured over the last four years. Division I basketball won’t seem to shake her.
From a recruiting perspective, Cunningham knows what she is doing when adding to this program. As the Lady Bears transition to CUSA and face difficult programs, creating a solid foundation for the next era can set this team apart from the rest of the competition.
Cunningham also added in the press conference, “If you look at our team collectively, you see the things we value and really try to
recruit to the system that we think we can be successful.”
With Brueggen’s skill and scoring, Hopkins’ leadership and defense plus Washington’s versatility and energy, each player reflects the core value of this team.
With seven returners coming back to this team, Cunniangham knows how to execute her teachings well. The Lady Bears ended their 2024-25 season with a 26-9 record and a share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title, so recruiting key players to add to their rotation could be what they need to excel again this year.
Both Cunningham and returning sophomore, Lainie Douglas spoke about how energetic the preseason practices have been.
Lainie Douglas, in a media day interview, said, “I felt like all three of them were super excited and super outgoing. They’ve really been honing in on learning and taking advice from other people,” Douglas also added. “It’s been awesome to see them grow this much in such a short amount of time.”
With the mix of veteran players to four transfers coming into the Lady Bears program, Brueggen, Hopkins and Washington have more than the correct resources in order to excel as they step into the world of Division I basketball.
A big fear for this program is the harder CUSA schedule but also its non-conference games. Making sure the incoming freshmen have the ability to play more formidable opponents is essential for recruiting.
As stated before, playing in high-pressure games isn’t new to this freshman class. Having players that can use their previous high school experience as all-star teammates seems to be just what Cummingham wants for this program.
The overall thing to look out for regarding this freshman class is its focus on building culture and sustaining success to push this team further into tournament play.
Douglas also said how much she wants to improve this season, “I hope we do have another good season like we did last year, we’re always wanting to do better,” she said. “Even taking another step up would be even better in one of our goals.”
Having the belief in gradual growth from this freshmen class takes the initial pressure off not only them but also the team, while also maintaining the expectation to play well on both sides of the court.
This Lady Bears program is known for a strong defensive identity, winning culture and player development, so this team is definitely one to watch as the season goes on.
Roster Reload
Lady Bears transfers seek to fill big shoes
MADDUX RADOSEVIC Sports Editor DRadosevicMaddux
Not too long ago in a land not so far away, losing all five of your starters as a collegiate basketball team would be understandably and unbelievably gutting to a program. Now, it is almost expected that squads more or less reload when this massive exodus of players takes place.
If there’s one person who grasps this concept, it’s Missouri State University Lady Bears head coach Beth Cunningham. After losing graduates Lacy Stokes, Paige Rocca, Kiley Bess and Sarah Linthacum as well as Wisconsin transfer Kyrah Daniels, Cunningham and her staff inherited a lot of holes to fill for a team that won a share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title last year.
In addition to bringing in three true freshmen to enter into Conference USA at full strength, the team also acquired four transfers – senior guard Victoria Dixon from Houston Christian, sophomore guard Zoe Canfield from Kansas, senior forward Faith Lee from Little Rock and senior guard Maycee James from Pittsburg State.
In Cunningham’s mind, the Lady Bears made good headway on reloading the roster with the new transfers.
“I think they definitely fill needs that we have,” Cunningham said in the preseason press conference on Oct. 20.
One such need was at the forward position.
Although forward Lainie Douglas returned for her sophomore season after a great first year in Springfield, the team still lost Linthacum and looked for someone to fill her shoes. Lee served as part of the answer.
“Faith is probably one of the most athletic kids I have ever coached – and that’s at any of my institutions that I’ve been at,” Cunningham said. “Tremendous athlete. She’s gonna be a difference maker for us.”
A 2024-25 All-Ohio Valley Conference firstteam selection, Lee averaged 14.2 points per game in her third year at Little Rock. She also yielded terrific numbers against the Lady Bears during that time. Despite losing all three of her matchups against MSU, Lee averaged 19.7 points per contest as a Trojan in meetings against the Lady Bears. As a result, it’s no surprise that Cunningham expects big production out of her this year.
“Really relying on her to do big things for us,” Cunningham said.
The head coach is not the only one who remembers Lee’s capabilities. Star junior guard from Republic, Missouri Kaemyn Bekemeier
also recalls what Lee did against the Lady Bears and expressed gratitude for not having to prepare to play against her anymore.
“I’m definitely excited to be in the same jersey as her. That’s gonna be super awesome not having to scout against her,” said the thirdyear Lady Bear.
From Lee’s perspective, getting to play for MSU provides her with a similar feeling.
“I’m really excited. I played against them a lot. They’re really hard to play against. I’m just happy to be a part of it, honestly,” Lee said.
Beyond not having to play against the Lady Bears, Lee looks forward to joining a winning culture at MSU after she endured back-to-back losing seasons at Little Rock.
“Coming from Little Rock, it’s been just about me, which is cool, but just being part of a team and a winning team is better than just like having your own success, honestly,” she said.
When asked which of her teammates she turned to the most to help her assimilate into the culture of the squad, Lee spoke of one name and one name only.
“Kaemyn,” she said.
“She’s already been here. She’s had success here, so just looking up to her and like following her lead honestly just has been helping me,” she said.
James shared in this sentiment when she reflected upon whom she looked up to most on the current roster.
“I would definitely say Kaemyn Bekemeier, Faith Lee and Cadence Pauley,” James said.
Even though James admires qualities about some of her current teammates, she also tries to learn from Lady Bears of the past. Specifically, the 5-foot-7-inch guard studied film of Stokes and Rocca from last year’s title-winning team.
“They probably don’t know this, but I go back and watch their highlights from last year all the time just to kinda see how they play off of each other and kinda see how the system is in game, you know, in a real-life scenario, different than practice,” James said.
Even though last season brought great joy and success to the program, Cunningham made it clear that her focus is still on what is to come.
“I don’t think anybody needs to look in the rearview mirror. I think it’s all about, you know, looking forward, looking ahead,” Cunningham said.
After all, in Cunningham’s opinion, the 2025-26 Lady Bears have the same chance to do what last year’s team executed so well.
“They have the same opportunities those kids before them had,” she said.
For a player like James who has spent time
Senior guard Cady Pauley is one of seven Lady Bears returning.
at Butler Community College and Pittsburg State, the opportunity at MSU might mean even more to her than the experiences she had during her time in community college and at the Division II level. Now, she looks to build upon the historical greatness of the Lady Bears program by impacting the team’s legacy in a distinct way.
“I think being a Lady Bear holds maybe a little bit more weight here than maybe at my previous schools just because of the great legacy here,” James said. “And, I’m grateful and excited to see what we can translate and how we can turn the program and leave kind of our mark on it after this year.”
Now at her third new school, James understands the complexities of transferring into a fresh environment.
“You just gotta realize that it’s all a process. You’re learning different systems, different styles of play, what Coach (Cunningham) wants,” she said.
According to James, what Cunningham wants is for her players to do their jobs.
“Coach (Cunningham) always talks about, ‘Do your job. Do your singular job because it makes everybody else’s life and job just that much easier,’” James said.
As a guard, James’ job involves taking open shots, facilitating the offense and playing lockdown defense. However, she also sees herself as a motivator for her teammates.
“I think that’s kind of my role is like an energizer-bunny on the team,” she said. “Making sure that everybody’s up, everybody’s in a good mood and, then, just get everybody into positions where they can be successful and knowing each other’s strengths.”
As more of a role player for Gorillas in her lone season at Pittsburg State, James aspires to grow from her first experience as a transfer as she puts on the maroon and white uniform this year.
“I think just learning from last year and
knowing kinda how hard I was on myself, that made the process, I think, a little bit more stressful than it needed to be,” she said.
In this way, she will try to make the transition from Division II basketball to Division I basketball as seamless as possible.
“So, I think this year, you know, even going up a division, just taking a deep breath and just being like you know, ‘I deserve to be here. I belong to be here, and it’s all gonna work out at the end of the day,’” James said.
As James accepts her responsibilities for her senior season, Cunningham aims to unify the group and get the team to capitalize on the opportunity ahead.
“I think it’s just taking advantage of the opportunities that you have, really building a trust and cohesion in the locker room, trusting the process in how we’re trying to coach them and what we’re trying to do with them collectively,” Cunningham said.
As a newcomer to Springfield, Lee’s biggest goal to take advantage of this opportunity is simple.
“It’s really just to compete,” Lee said.
With Lee and James both looking up to the experienced Bekemeier, the local product attempts to establish what the Lady Bear identity really is.
“I really enjoy being in a leadership position,” Bekemeier said. “I enjoy setting the standards, and that is my job – is to set the standards and to let everybody know what Lady Bear basketball is and what the Lady Bear way is.”
For Bekemeier, the Lady Bear way means a lot, but two key components of that identity involve winning and having fun with the entire group.
“First of all, it’s to win. It’s to win for sure. And then, have fun doing it at the same time,” Bekemeier said. “The Lady Bear way is not just one person. It’s the entire team.”
Photo by Kaylee Vaughan, Qphotoby.kay
Kaemyn Bekemeier
Lady
Bears’ next franchise player
W. PAUL BOHLEN Senior Sports Reporter
Dwpbohlen
For another year in a row, the Missouri State University women’s basketball team’s franchise player is a local kid.
Entering her third season in college ball, Republic, Missouri’s own, junior guard Kaemyn Bekemeier now stands as the most-played member of the team. She might not be the most experienced college basketball player on the team, but Bekemeier has, by far, played the most games in a Lady Bear uniform.
Now, it’s her time to step up and be a leader. She’s ready to do just that.
“I’ve really relied on the leadership in the past to figure out what kind of leader I want to be and what kind of leader that I need to be,” Bekemeier said. “We had really awesome leaders last year and my freshman year, and I’m taking some tools from them to use for myself.”
In addition to the leadership she’s learned from former Lady Bears like Paige Rocca, Kiley Bess and last season’s franchise player, Lacy Stokes, she proves her experience in the honors she’s earned in her two seasons so far.
Among others, Bekemeier, playing in all 35 of the team’s games last season but starting none, was the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Sixth Player of the Year. Playing 25 games and totalling 404 minutes, she was also one of the first women off the bench in her freshman season. Counting both seasons, Bekemeier has played 1,282 minutes.
In those two seasons, she has posted a .475 field goal percentage, while shooting .405 from beyond the arc and .762 from the free-throw line. She’s grabbed 259 boards, with the majority coming defensively, 76 assists, 41 steals and 521 points.
After all that, and in the era of the revised transfer portal, Bekemeier has stayed loyal to the team she started with.
“It’s meant so much,” Bekemeier said. “I grew up around the Lady Bears, and then eventually, when I realized I would have the opportunity to put a Lady Bears uniform on, it was something that I needed to take
Photo by W. Paul Bohlen, Qanthro_paul_ogist
Kaemyn Bekemeier is one of seven returners to the Lady Bear roster from last year. She will be looked upon to carry the weight lost by stand-out Lacy Stokes.
advantage of. I knew that I loved Missouri State when I was still in high school, and, now, I’ve grown to love it even more.”
Now, she’s the face of the team she loved as a kid. Still, the fun isn’t lost on her.
“I try not to put very much pressure on myself and just remember that basketball is basketball, but it’s also fun,” Bekemeier said. “So, if I’m not having fun while I’m out there, then I’m doing something wrong.”
She also stayed humble when The Standard spoke to her at basketball media day, as she made mention of her teammates whenever she could.
While Bekemeier is the one with the most time in Lady Bears games on this roster, she’s got some talented teammates, with returners stepping into more upfront roles and transfers and a small freshman class doing the same.
The Lady Bears returned seven members and added seven more –four transfers and three freshmen. Bekemeier said they’re a lot to be excited about.
“They have an energy and a fire to them. Some of them have a ‘need to prove myself’ mentality, and I think that everybody is really, really excited to get in front of our fans,” Beke-
Men’s basketball prepares for light nonconference schedule
KC CULBERTSON Sports Reporter
meier said. “I don’t think that some of our girls have played in front of that many people before.”
“We’re ready to get after it in front of our crowd,” Bekemeier said. “And, I think (the newcomers) are ready to have a Lady Bear uniform on too.”
Bekemeier also said the team is ready for their 2025-26 slate, which is set to be a tough set of battles. The Lady Bears face some major opponents, including a rematch against Florida State University, who beat the team 97-66 in 2024.
Others include the University of Kansas, the University of Arkansas and Gonzaga University — that last one, the Lady Bears upset 65-64 in 2024. Oh, and all three of those games are in Springfield. And, they’re backto-back-to-back.
“It’s going to be a challenge, but it’s going to be a good challenge. It’s going to be a challenge that we need before stepping into Conference USA,” Bekemeier said. “We’re going to need to face those kind of teams in order to finish where we want to finish in Conference USA.”
The new face of MSU women’s basketball is ready to step up, and it’s safe to say she embodies what she called the “Lady Bear way.”
Win. Have fun. Do it as a team.
Missouri State University fans might be wondering why the men’s basketball schedule looks so…“easy.”
To put it bluntly, last season was not good.
The 2024-2025 campaign was unsuccessful to say the least. MO State finished just 9-23 on the season and 2-18 in its conference. The Bears lost a good chunk of their players at the end of the season with the cherry on top being that, with the exception of the 2020-21 COVID season, the attendance rate dipped lower than it ever has in MSU’s history.
These factors were kept in mind as Head Coach Cuonzo Martin crafted and prepared the schedule for this upcoming season.
When asked about the state of the schedule, Coach Martin brought up the challenges of finding teams to play.
“There are a lot of teams we call to try to come play us,” said Martin in a press conference on Oct. 20th.
“It’s a lot harder than people think, scheduling games, and we’re not in a position to go play five, six, seven games in a row just to get money to lose those games.”
The teams Martin was able to wrangle are mainly Division 2 and lower Division 1 schools like Northwestern Oklahoma State University
and Lindenwood University who, mind you, played The University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy last season.
That is where some criticisms have arisen because how can a team develop properly if they can’t face off against challenging competition. As Coach Martin said it was difficult for him to get good competition so it is important to win these games, win some conference games, so that the player can have a good fight.
Luckily there was one school Martin was able to make an agreement with.
“The game I look forward to would be Xavier. Xavier is gonna be a good one,” said sophomore Zaxton King. Other players like Amar Kuljuhovic and Cameron Boone also said they have Xavier marked.
The Xavier Musketeers are located in Cincinnati, Ohio and were ranked No. 11 nationally at the end of last season and are historically a great basketball school.
“Once you are at rock bottom, there is nowhere else to go but up” the popular phrase goes, so let’s look forward to this season and support the boys in maroon and white.
The Bears men’s basketball team plays its first game of the season at home in Great Southern Bank Arena against the Missouri Southern State University Lions.
