Good morning! The wholesomeness flowing out of Shocker men’s basketball player Xavier Bell’s video should be enough to put a smile on your face and/or bring a tear to your eye on this Wednesday morning.

What all are we mixing into today’s Brew?

🏐 Start of Something New
👟 Big Awards
🌾 ​ And much, much more!

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Start of Something New. With the non-conference schedule behind them, Shocker volleyball will embark on their journey through conference play in the AAC. Their first conference opponent is against East Carolina this evening, a team the Shockers have never lost to.

Since the two teams’ first matchup in 2017, the Shockers have won all nine matches against the Pirates. Last season, the Black and Gold outscored East Carolina six sets to one in their series sweep. The team will hit the road for their first AAC matchup with a 6-4 record.

🔼 Moving On Up. Shocker women’s cross country is off and running to a hot start this season, and the latest USTFCCCA rankings indicate just that. The team was given the No. 11 overall ranking in the Midwest Region in time before their next meet at the Gans Creek Classic next Friday.

🔼 Shocker Madness. In addition to both men’s and women’s basketball teams taking the floor under the new head coach’s style of play, Tech N9ne will serve as the headlining act for this year’s Shocker Madness on Saturday, October 7 at 6:00pm. This is the type of thing to make Charles Koch Arena go crazy.

🔼 Putting On the Shift. Shocker softball is back in the swing of things as their fall schedule begins, and Coach Bredbenner is using this time to configure the new lineup with a whole new style of offense the Shockers may not be used to.

📚️ Read about Shocker softball’s ongoing transformation with new leaders and a new planning process for the 2024 season

🤔 SHOCKER TRIVIA

Speedy Shockers. Women’s cross country has proven they can keep up with the competition. In their last meet, the Shockers took home a third place finish with the help of some fast times in their 5K race.

Our question today — do you know how many Shockers finished with sub-18 minute races at the Greeno/Dirsken Invitational?

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

🌾 ONE BIG THING

If you haven’t been paying attention, Shocker women’s cross country runner Lucy Ndungu should have your attention now.

Ndungu, following her second-consecutive 5K personal best and third place finish at the Greeno/Dirsken Invitational, was named the AAC’s Athlete of the Week. The star runner has already improved her 5K by 51 seconds this season, and recorded the conference’s fourth fastest race so far this season.

📬 STICK WITH US

Did someone send you the Shocker Brew? Well, the first thing you should do is thank them. The next thing you should do is subscribe here and get it in your inbox every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning just in time for your first cup of coffee!

📆 LOOKING AHEAD

Wednesday 9/20

🏐 Volleyball vs. East Carolina @ 5:00pm CT in Greenville, NC | Watch

Thursday 9/21

No scheduled events

🌾 Click here to see the full Wichita State Athletics Calendar

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Three!

AAC Athlete of the Week Lucy Ndungu finished with the fastest sub-18 minute 5K with a time of 17:19.67. Miranda Dick and Lubna Aldulaimi rounded out the trio of sub-18ers with times of 17:36.51 and 17:52.36 respectively.

🌾 Have a great Wednesday, y’all!