Good morning, Shocker Nation. The 2025 Battle 4 Atlantis bracket was announced Thursday morning, with Wichita State opening tournament play vs. Saint Mary's on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

The Shockers open with the Gaels and then will face either Colorado State or Virginia Tech on Thanksgiving Day. Western Kentucky, VCU, South Florida, and Vanderbilt make up the top side of the bracket.

This marks the 14th year for the Battle 4 Atlantis, and will be Wichita State's second trip to Atlantis. The Shockers last competed in the Battle 4 Atlantis in 2016.

What else are we mixing into today’s edition of the Shocker Brew? Find out below!

🎤 Former WSU Point Guard Matt Braeuer Joins the Pod
🏀 TBT Viewership Breaks Records
🏐 Gabi Maas is BACK
🌾 And much, much more!

🌾 ONE BIG THING

Don’t Call it a Comeback. Gabi Maas is done with the regrets, past the countdown, and ready to wear a Wichita State uniform and play volleyball.
 
A knee injury sidelined her in 2024. She last played on Dec. 12, 2023, when the Shockers defeated UTEP to win the National Invitational Volleyball Championship.
 
On Monday, the Shockers started two-a-day practices with Maas, who started at libero in 2023, a full participant.
 
"This has been a long time in the making," she said. "I did the math the other day. It's been a little over 600 days since my last collegiate match."

🏐 Read “RH: Diving Back in This Fall” For More 👀

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Statistically Speaking, TBT Rocked. The Basketball Tournament (TBT), which just completed its 12th annual event, announced that Sunday's $1 Million Championship Game on FOX set a TBT record for highest average television viewership. Over 444,000 watched the AfterShocks (Wichita State) defeat Eberlein Drive in a thrilling game held on Wichita State's campus. The audience for this year's championship grew 67% over last year's game on FOX.
 
This year, TBT debuted a Home Court Advantage model, which saw host teams continue playing games on their home courts through the championship game. It resulted in a record 85,395 fans attending the event, surpassing its record in 2024.

🏀 FULL STORY 👀
⏮️ RELIVE TBT

🔼 Quite the Catch. Wichita State head baseball coach Brian Green announced the addition of Collin Wilber as assistant coach. Wilber will work directly with the Wichita State catchers.

Wilber joins the Shockers after one season at Sonoma State. The native of Yorktown, Virginia, worked previously as a hitting and catching coach at Sacramento City College, plus two seasons as a development coach in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. While a member of the Pirates minor league system, Wilber worked with catchers Henry Davis, Logan Porter, and Endy Rodriguez, who all went on to make their MLB debuts during the 2023 season.

🔼 From the Court to Coaching Career. Former Wichita State point guard Matt Braeuer joins the RH podcast to talk about his new job as head coach at Stephen F. Austin State University. 

Braeuer played for the Shockers from 2004-08, and ranks among WSU's career leaders in three-pointers and assists.

On the pod, we discuss why SFA is a traditionally successful program, Lumberjack traditions, and his new personnel. We wrap up with Shocker memories ranging from the shot vs. Creighton on Valentine's Day to winning at Syracuse to his thoughts on P.J. Couisnard as assistant coach at WSU.

🎧: LISTEN HERE

🌾 SHOCKER TRIVIA

A Spike in Status. Last season, the Shockers volleyball team won the American Conference Championship and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since what year?

Think you know the answer? Scroll to the bottom to find out!

🤝 SHARE THE BREW

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📆 ON THE DOCKET

*All times CST

Saturday, Aug. 23
🏐 Volleyball - Black & Yellow Scrimmage (free to attend) @ 3 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 29
🏐 Volleyball vs. Kennesaw State - Season Opener @ 7 p.m.

🌾 Click here to see the full Wichita State Athletics Calendar

🤓 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: 2017!

Last season, the Shockers volleyball team won the American Conference Championship and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017.

🌾 Happy Weekend, Shocker Nation!