Good morning! 2024 will be a BIG year for Wichita State and Athletes Unlimited. The Shockers alongside the pro softball league announced a multi-year hosting agreement for the AUX.

What are we mixing into today’s Brew?

🏀 Two Shocker basketball recaps
🎙️ A new episode from The Roundhouse Podcast
🌾 ​ And much, much more!

🌾 ONE BIG THING

The Shockers came back from a 17-point deficit to tie the game late in the second half, but the Owls closed down the gym in a close 68-61 loss for Wichita State. Kenny Pohto finished as the Shockers sole scorer in double-digits with 14 points and Dalen Ridgnal got his first start of the season and nabbed a career-high 16 rebounds.

Up next for Wichita State is a matchup against No. 15 Memphis on Sunday at Noon.

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Turning The Page. Shocker women’s basketball kept it close for three quarters but were unable to keep up down the stretch as they fell 74-60 on the road to UTSA. Aniya Bell scored a career-high 16 points on 3-6 shooting from beyond the arc while Daniela Albies finished as the team’s other double-digit scorer with 12 points.

The Black and Gold will return home to face Temple on Tuesday, Jan. 9 in Charles Koch Arena.

🔼 Shocker Smarts. Wichita State student-athletes closed out the Fall 2023 semester with a school-record cumulative grade-point average of 3.45. It marked the 37th-straight semester of Shockers achieving a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA. In total, Wichita State had 207 student-athletes, from the 15 sponsored NCAA sports, named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll with 46 earning a perfect 4.0 GPA.

📊 See the full list of Shocker student-athletes who achieved a 3.0 GPA or better

🔼 The Roundhouse Podcast. Shocker softball great Sydney McKinney stops by and joins the show from her new job as an assistant softball coach at Marshall University. The crew discusses her coaching move, how often she uses what she was taught by Shocker coaches in her own job and her advice to recruits.

🎙️ Listen to The Roundhouse Podcast featuring Sydney McKinney

🤔 SHOCKER TRIVIA

Batters Up. Shocker softball legend Sydney McKinney holds many school records, but among her most impressive ones is her career batting average.

Our question today: do you know what her highest single-season batting average was?

Think you got it? Scroll down to the bottom of this email for the answer!

📬 STICK WITH US

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📆 LOOKING AHEAD

Tuesday, Jan. 9

🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. Temple @ 6:00pm in Wichita, KS | Watch | Listen | Live Stats

Thursday, Jan. 11

👟 Track and Field @ Friends First Chance Qualifier in Wichita, KS

🎾 Men’s Tennis vs. Grand Canyon @ 1:00pm in Phoenix, AZ | Live Stats

Friday, Jan. 12

👟 Track and Field @ KU-KSU-WSU Triangular Indoor in Lawrence, KS

🎾 Women’s Tennis vs. Oklahoma @ 11:00am in Norman, OK

Sunday, Jan. 14

🏀 Men’s Basketball vs. Memphis @ 12:00pm in Wichita, KS | Tickets | Listen | Live Stats

🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. North Texas @ 2:00pm in Denton, TX | Live Stats

🌾 Click here to see the full Wichita State Athletics Calendar

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: .522!

In 2022, McKinney got a hit more than 50% of the time when at the plate after finishing with a .522 batting average.

🌾 Have a great Monday, y’all!