Men’s Soccer Ties in Nailbiter with Memphis, 1-1</h1> <article> <h1>Men’s Soccer Ties in Nailbiter with Memphis, 1-1</h1> <p>Sat, 3 Oct 2026 23:24:00 CST</p> <br /><br /><p>Memphis, Tenn. - No. 7 Missouri State men's soccer (8-0-2, 3-0-1) tied with American Conference opponent Memphis<b> </b>(4-2-4, 0-0-3), with a nail-biting 1-1 scoreline on Saturday night. Fifth-year forward <a data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0" href="https://missouristatebears.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/diego-real/9295" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="https://missouristatebears.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/diego-real/9295"><u>Diego Real</u></a> scored his eighth goal of the season in the second half to secure the draw.</p> <p>The Bears extend their unbeaten streak to 10 games, their longest since a 13-match run in 2024.<br /> <br /> "It was a great response from the guys after going behind in the first half. In the second half we stepped up, got the goal back and were pushing until the 90 minutes were over. It was two good teams battling it out in an elite American Conference match," stated head coach <dfn><a data-airgap-id="708" href="https://missouristatebears.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/coaches/michael-seabolt/1329" rel="smarttag" rev="1329">Michael Seabolt</a></dfn>. <br /> <br /> The Tigers used the energy of the home crowd to race out of the blocks, and in the 5th minute Zackarya Oumamass found the back of the net.</p> <p>The rest of the first half seemed to be on the boot of the Tigers, with Memphis taking 14 shots. Sophomore goalkeeper Danny Callum made two pivotal saves to ensure that the Tigers could not add to their lead.</p> <p>Mo State had chances of their own, when in the 24th minute senior Fionn Mooney tallied a shot on goal. But Memphis' Mathias Christensen denied the Bears the right to score and went into halftime with a 1-0 lead.</p> <p>The Bears did not let this deter them as they bided their time and waited for an opportunity.</p> <p>Real then did what he does best and fired the ball into the back of the net off of a set piece. </p> <p>It marked his eighth goal of the season, putting him in 10th position nationally for total goals scored.</p> <p>Both teams kept trying to press offensively, but when the clock tallied 90 minutes, the score was tied.</p> <p>Missouri State ended the night with 10 shots with six on goal, while Memphis ended with 22 shots, of which five were on goal. The Bears tallied six corner kicks to the Tigers' seven. Mo State made four saves while Memphis made five.<br /> <br /> "We are looking forward to Wednesday night, we will rest up, and come out flying at home as we prepare for a tough regional matchup with Oral Roberts," expressed Seabolt heading into the Bears' next game in a few days. </p> <p>The Bears are home again for their next match on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 7:00 p.m. to tackle Oral Roberts at Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium. Admission is free all season long. The game will air on ESPN+.</p> <p style="text-align: center;">#GoBears</p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> </article> <article> <h1>Baseball Bears Top Drury in Battle for Bell, 13-5</h1> <p>Sat, 3 Oct 2026 22:24:00 CST</p> <br /><br />SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State took the 10<sup>th</sup> edition of the Battle for Bell on Saturday evening at Meador Park, topping Drury by a 13-5 final in the annual exhibition fundraiser between the two Springfield programs.<br /> <br /> The Mo State offense drew 15 walks off Drury pitching, while seven Bears pitchers combined to strike out 14 Panthers before a crowd of 962.<br /> <br /> The Bears struck with three runs in the second inning, getting RBIs from freshmen Nick Riordan and Ethan Lindor before Jax Ryan walked with the bases loaded.<br /> <br /> Missouri State's next seven runs touched the plate on plays that did not involve a hit, including three RBI walks, a bases-loaded HBP, a wild pitch, sacrifice fly and double play.<br /> <br /> Drury scored on a three-run homer in the third and two-run double in the sixth, closing the MSU lead to 6-5 before the Bears scored seven in the final two innings.<br /> <br /> Ryan finished off a four-RBI night with a three-run double in the ninth for the 13-5 final.<br /> <br /> Ross Felder, Max Knight, Owen Slater, Brock Adamson, Jett Sutton, Michael Yusypchuk and Tristan Hunter pitched for the Bears, and each recorded at least one strikeout, with Knight and Slater fanning three Panthers each.<br /> <br /> Michael Rodriguez reached safely four times and scored three runs, Knight collected two hits, and Ryan added three walks to his four-RBI game.<br /> <br /> The annual exhibition game is played to raise money for the local Howard Bell ALS Clinic at CoxHealth, which provides coordinated care and support to ALS patients in the region. Bell, who passed away from ALS in 2013, shared close connections with the MSU and DU baseball programs, and was a three-year letterman for the Bears in the 1980s and the Mid-Continent Conference Player of the Year for MSU in 1986.<br /> <br /> Missouri State continues its fall exhibition slate on Oct. 8 at defending national champion Oklahoma. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;">#GoBears</div> </article> <article> <h1>Women’s Soccer Visits Western Kentucky for CUSA Matchup</h1> <p>Sat, 3 Oct 2026 16:29:00 CST</p> <br /><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" height="442" style="width: 400px;" width="327"> <tbody> <tr bgcolor="#5E0009"> <td colspan="2" style="width: 388px;"><span style="color:#ffffff;"><strong>Missouri State (3-6-2, 0-1-1 CUSA) at WKU (7-1-4, 1-1-0 CUSA)</strong></span></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#EEEEEE"> <td style="width: 129px;"><strong>Location</strong></td> <td style="width: 250px;">Bowling Green, Ky.</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#EEEEEE"> <td style="width: 129px;"><strong>Site</strong></td> <td style="width: 250px;">WKU Soccer Complex</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#EEEEEE"> <td style="width: 129px;"><strong>Game Info</strong></td> <td style="width: 250px;">Sunday, Oct. 4, 12:00 p.m. vs. WKU<br /> <a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=666887">Live Stats</a></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#EEEEEE"> <td style="width: 129px;"><strong>Missouri State</strong></td> <td style="width: 250px;"><a href="https://missouristatebears.com/documents/2026/10/3/Oct.4_Game_Notes__WKU_.pdf">Game Notes</a><br /> <a href="https://missouristatebears.com/sports/womens-soccer">Women's Soccer Home Page</a></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#EEEEEE"> <td style="width: 129px;"><b>WKU</b></td> <td style="width: 250px;"><a href="https://wkusports.com/sports/womens-soccer">Women's Soccer Home Page</a></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#EEEEEE"> <td style="width: 129px;"><b>Follow the Bears</b></td> <td style="width: 250px;"><a href="https://x.com/MoStateWSOC">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mostatewsoc/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/missouristatewomenssoccerteam">Facebook</a><br /> #GoBears | #NoStateLikeMoState</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#EEEEEE"> <td style="width: 129px;"><b>Bears Mobile App</b></td> <td style="width: 250px;"><a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/missouri-state-bears-athletics/id1441972470">App Store</a> (Apple Devices)<br /> <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sidearmsports.missouristate&pli=1">Google Play Store</a> (Android Devices)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <br /> <strong>On the Pitch</strong> <ul> <li>Missouri State continues Conference USA play Sunday with a noon CT matchup against Western Kentucky at the WKU Soccer Complex in Bowling Green, Ky. The meeting will be the Bears' second conference road match of the season.</li> <li>The Bears enter Sunday 3-6-2 overall and 0-1-1 in CUSA play after earning their first conference point with a 1-1 draw against Jacksonville State on Thursday.</li> <li>Missouri State struck first against Jacksonville State when Lillie Rasmussen finished a Jane Hansen assist in the 56th minute. The Gamecocks answered in the 68th minute for the equalizer.</li> <li>The Bears flipped the match after halftime, outshooting Jacksonville State 8-2 in the second half after being held to one shot in the opening 45 minutes. Missouri State also generated all four of its corner kicks after the break.</li> <li>Missouri State finished the Jacksonville State match with advantages of 9-7 in total shots and 6-4 in shots on goal, with five of its six shots on target coming in the second half.</li> <li>Rasmussen accounted for five of Missouri State's nine shots against Jacksonville State and put four attempts on goal while scoring her team-leading fourth goal of the season.</li> <li>Rasmussen and Maggie O'Keefe share the team lead with eight points. Rasmussen has a team-high four goals, while O'Keefe has three goals and two assists.</li> <li>Rasmussen has scored three times over Missouri State's last three matches, including a two-goal performance against SIUE and Thursday's goal against Jacksonville State.</li> <li>Ellie Neath ranks third on the team with seven points and leads Missouri State with three assists. She has scored twice on just five shots this season.</li> <li>Seven of Missouri State's 11 goals have come after halftime, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the Bears' scoring this season.</li> <li>The Bears have put 44 of their 91 shots on goal for a .484 shot accuracy, which ranks third in Conference USA.</li> <li>Missouri State has recorded 14 assists through 11 matches. Both its 14 total assists and 1.27 assists per game rank fourth in CUSA.</li> <li>Goalkeeper Kate Lewis has played 922:05 this season while recording 41 saves and three shutouts. She ranks fifth in CUSA in both total saves and goalkeeper minutes played.</li> <li>Sunday will mark the fourth all-time meeting between Missouri State and Western Kentucky. The Bears hold a 2-1 advantage in the series.</li> <li>The programs met twice last season. Western Kentucky won a 4-3 regular-season matchup in Springfield before Missouri State answered with a 2-0 victory over the Hilltoppers in the CUSA Tournament quarterfinals.</li> <li>Missouri State won its only previous trip to Bowling Green, defeating Western Kentucky 2-1 on Sept. 23, 2005.</li> <li>Western Kentucky enters Sunday 7-1-4 after a 2-0 victory over Sam Houston on Thursday. The Hilltoppers have been one of the nation's top defensive teams, ranking seventh nationally in goals-against average, fourth in save percentage and 13th in shutout percentage</li> </ul> <div style="text-align: center;">#GoBears</div> </article> <article> <h1>Beach Bears Secure Two Bids to AVCA Beach National Championships</h1> <p>Sat, 3 Oct 2026 16:20:00 CST</p> <br /><br />OZARK, Mo. - Missouri State beach volleyball made program history Saturday at the AVCA Fall Collegiate Beach Championship Qualifier as Samantha Crosby and Taylor Germann captured the Bid Championship, Jaycee Fixsen and Ally Larkin finished runner-up and both pairs punched their tickets to the 2026 AVCA Beach National Championships in Huntsville, Ala.<br /> <br /> The Bears claimed both spots in the championship match after both pairs won in the semifinals, securing Missouri State's first-ever bids to the event. Crosby and Germann ultimately defeated their teammates in three sets to complete an unbeaten 5-0 weekend.<br /> <br /> "We're incredibly excited to go compete in our first-ever AVCA Pairs Tournament in Huntsville. I couldn't be more proud of this team and the way they challenge, support, and push each other every single day. Our top two pairs will be a great representation of the Missouri State beach program in November," head coach Ashley Emery said. "This moment is a reflection of the growth of our program and the work these athletes continue to put in day after day. We're proud of how far we've come and even more excited about where we're going."<br /> <br /> <strong>Day One</strong><br /> Missouri State opened the qualifier with a perfect Friday, going a combined 7-0 while all three Bear pairs won their respective pools and advanced into the Bid Championship Bracket.<br /> <br /> Crosby and Germann went 2-0 in Pool B with victories over Lindenwood Pair 2 and SBU Bid Pair 1. The duo finished atop the pool standings and earned the No. 2 seed in the Bid Championship Bracket, securing a bye into Saturday's quarterfinal round.<br /> <br /> Bailey Chin and Mylah Hogan matched them with a 2-0 showing in Pool C. The pair opened the day with a 21-8, 25-23 victory over McKendree Pair 1 before closing pool play with a 21-14, 21-17 win against Austin Peay. Their unbeaten start earned them the No. 3 seed and a direct spot in the quarterfinals.<br /> <br /> Fixsen and Larkin went 2-0 in Pool E, opening with a 21-11, 21-14 victory over SBU Bid Pair 2 before defeating Lindenwood Pair 1, 21-15, 21-19.<br /> <br /> Seeded fifth entering bracket play, Fixsen and Larkin returned to the sand Friday afternoon and kept Missouri State's perfect day intact with a 21-10, 21-17 sweep of No. 12 seed UCA Beach Pair 2. The victory sent them into Saturday's quarterfinals and completed the Bears' 7-0 opening day.<br /> <br /> <strong>Day Two</strong><br /> Crosby and Germann opened Saturday with a three-set quarterfinal victory over No. 7 Southern Miss Pair 2. After splitting the first two sets, the Bears outlasted Southern Miss, 20-18, in the third to earn a 21-12, 19-21, 20-18 decision.<br /> <br /> The duo then overcame a slow start against No. 6 UT Martin Pair 1 in the semifinals. After dropping the opening set, 21-8, Crosby and Germann responded with a 21-12 victory in the second before taking the deciding set, 15-12. The comeback win punched their ticket to Huntsville and sent them into the championship match.<br /> <br /> Fixsen and Larkin continued their run with a dominant 21-11, 21-11 quarterfinal sweep of No. 4 EKU. They followed with another straight-set victory in the semifinals, defeating No. 8 Lindenwood Pair 1, 21-9, 21-15, to secure Missouri State's second bid and set up an all-Bears final.<br /> <br /> Fixsen and Larkin struck first in the championship match with a 21-17 opening-set victory, but Crosby and Germann answered by taking the second, 22-20. Crosby and Germann then closed out the title with a 15-12 victory in the deciding set to finish the weekend unbeaten and capture the Bid Championship.<br /> <br /> Crosby and Germann completed the qualifier 5-0, while Fixsen and Larkin finished 5-1 with their only loss of the weekend coming against their Missouri State teammates in the final.<br /> <br /> Chin and Hogan entered Saturday as the No. 3 seed but saw their championship run end with a 25-23, 21-15 quarterfinal loss to No. 6 UT Martin Pair 1. The duo moved into the fifth-through-eighth-place bracket, where it dropped a three-set decision to Southern Miss Pair 2 before falling to Southern Miss Pair 1, 21-12, 21-18, in the placement match. Chin and Hogan finished the weekend 2-3 and eighth in the Bid Championship field.<br /> <br /> Missouri State's three pairs combined for a 12-4 record over the two-day qualifier, highlighted by Crosby and Germann's championship and Fixsen and Larkin's runner-up finish.<br /> <br /> <strong>Up Next</strong><br /> Crosby and Germann, along with Fixsen and Larkin, will represent Missouri State at the 2026 AVCA Beach National Championships, Nov. 6-8 in Huntsville, Ala. The trip will mark Missouri State's first appearance at the event. <div style="text-align: center;">#GoBears</div> </article> <article> <h1>Volleyball Drops Weekend Finale at WKU</h1> <p>Sat, 3 Oct 2026 14:51:00 CST</p> <br /><br />BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Missouri State battled preseason Conference USA favorite Western Kentucky to several close sets for the second consecutive match, but fell to the Hilltoppers by a 25-20, 25-22, 25-13 final Saturday afternoon at E.A. Diddle Arena.<br /> <br /> The Bears fell to 11-5 overall and 2-2 in league play with just their third loss in 13 matches, while the Hilltoppers (10-6, 4-0) won for the 111<sup>th</sup> time in their last 112 regular season CUSA contests.<br /> <br /> Sophomore Jenna Walters hit .308 with 11 kills, a career high in a three-set match, and the offense hit .233 as a unit to eclipse the .200 mark for the 14<sup>th</sup> time in 16 matches this season. For its part, WKU hit .339 and owned a 51-33 lead in total kills.<br /> <br /> Western Kentucky broke open the first set with a 6-0 run to lead 14-6, and the Bears rebounded with a 4-0 start to the second set before opening the margin to 11-6 on a block by Walters and Hannah Redrow. It was 17-13 after consecutive Chloe Judd kills, but the Tops responded with a 6-0 run to lead 23-20.<br /> <br /> WKU opened the third set on a 3-0 run and never looked back, piling up 18 kills against only two errors in the final period to complete the sweep.<br /> <br /> Mo State held a 44-42 advantage in digs, and WKU owned leads of 3-2 in blocks and 7-2 in aces.<br /> <br /> The Bears are back home Oct. 9 at 10 to face Sam Houston at Hammons Student Center. Match times are 6 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday. Tickets for home games can be purchased <a href="https://mostate.evenue.net/events/VBS">here</a>, and Missouri State students are admitted free of charge.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;">#GoBears</div> </article> <article> <h1>Women’s Basketball to Hold Open Practice on Oct. 7</h1> <p>Sat, 3 Oct 2026 14:28:00 CST</p> <br /><br /><strong>SPRINGFIELD</strong><strong> – </strong>Missouri State women's basketball will hold an open practice at Great Southern Bank Arena on Wednesday, October 7 at 2:00 p.m.<br /> <br /> The free event will feature a glimpse of this year's Lady Bear squad and an opportunity to interact with the student-athletes and coaches.<br /> <br /> Doors will open at 1:30 p.m. In addition to basic arena amenities, concessions will also be available in a limited capacity with a grab-and-go purchasing option that will include drinks, popcorn, hot dogs and barbeque.<br /> <br /> Head coach Beth Cunningham and the Lady Bears are coming off a 23-13 season that saw Missouri State win its first-ever Conference USA Tournament championship and advance to the program's 18th NCAA Tournament. It marked the 11th straight postseason appearance and ninth-straight 20-win season for Mo State. The Lady Bears return seven players from a season ago and welcome a group of seven newcomers that features four freshmen and three transfers.<br /> <br /> Season tickets for the 2026-27 campaign are on sale now. Fans can purchase or renew season tickets online <a href="https://mostate.evenue.net/list/WB">HERE</a> or by calling or visiting the Great Southern Bank Arena box office at (417) 836-7678 during regular business hours (Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.). For the most up to date information and on-sale notifications, make sure to subscribe to receive <a href="https://app.missouristatebears.com/AthleticsSignUp">emails</a> and/or <a href="https://getvozzi.com/opt-in/b98Ov?source=embed">text messages</a> from Missouri State Athletics.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;">#GoBears</div> </article> <article> <h1>Bears Split with SIU in Swimming & Diving Opener</h1> <p>Sat, 3 Oct 2026 14:11:00 CST</p> <br /><br />CARBONDALE, Ill. – Missouri State and Southern Illinois finished with a split in the two-day 2026-27 swimming and diving season opener here Saturday. The Bears captured the victory on the men's side, 196-157, while the Salukis won the women's division, 199-152.<br /> <br /> The Mo State men claimed wins in six of the 10 Saturday events, including a relay and five individual titles, while the women added three individual wins to their weekend haul.<br /> <br /> For the men, Anderson Brown (Sr., Kyle, Texas) claimed two more wins on Saturday with victories in the 100 butterfly (48.57) and 400 IM (3:58.81) to give him four weekend titles. Elias Mendez (Fr., Stillwater, Okla.) added a 100 backstroke (50.66) victory; Kiefer Roemer (So., Bettendorf, Iowa) finished first in the 200 breaststroke (2:00.50); and Zach Mendez (So., Lansing, Kan.) won the men's 200 freestyle crown (1:40.79).<br /> <br /> The Bears also were victorious in the 200 medley relay (1:31.06) with Elias Mendez, Roemer, Brown and Jack Ailshire (Jr., Greenwood, Mo.) collecting valuable points in the opening-weekend rivalry win.<br /> <br /> "The men have been pretty clear about wanting to raise the standard of this program, and part of doing that is going on the road, and beating good teams," said Collins. "I thought we brought really good energy this weekend and competed with some edge, which I liked. We did a lot of things well, but we also saw plenty that needs to get cleaned up. we won a good meet on the road and I don't think we're anywhere close to what this group can do."<br /> <br /> The women's side featured three more titles on day two. In the pool, Makenzie Kurre (Sr., Savannah, Mo.) touched the wall first in the 200 freestyle (1:53.88), while Lauren Konarske (Fr., Verona, Wis.) was the champion in the 200 breaststroke.<br /> <br /> The other women's victory came on the three-meter board with another Mo State sweep featuring champion Valeria Meza (Jr., Bentonville, Ark.) with a 272.63 score. Friday's one-meter champion Delaney Nickles (Jr., St. Paul, Minn.) finished second on the high board (250.35), and Maggie Arceneaux (Sr., Wildwood, Mo.) was third (215.40).<br /> <br /> Mo State's second women's diving sweep of the weekend was an impressive display in the eyes of Bears diving coach Jim Huelskamp.<br /> <br /> "We have a lot of new faces on this year's diving team," Huelskamp said. "The mix of new freshman, a transfer and a solid upperclassman group provides us with outstanding depth. The women sweeping both boards was a highlight along with the freshman guys (Emery Robinson and Britton Hooper) finishing top three. I'm looking forward to us continuing to get better each week."<br /> <br /> Collins also noted his opening-weekend assessment of the Missouri State women's squad.<br /> <br /> "This meet provided us with a good sense of where we are and where we need to go," the 15th-year head coach said. "We had some individual performances that we can really build on, but as a whole we weren't as sharp or as competitive as we needed to be. This is just the beginning and I believe there is more in this group than what we showed this weekend, and now it's on us as coaches to get back to work and start bringing that out. We have a lot of season in front of us, and I'm looking forward to seeing how this group responds to the challenge." <br /> <br /> The Bears will next be in action Oct. 16-17 when they travel to Columbia to take on Missouri and Indiana State in an early season tri-meet. Mo State makes its home debut the weekend of Oct. 30-31 against Omaha at Hammons Student Center.<br /> <br /> "We have a few weeks before we compete against Mizzou," Collins remarked. "I'm looking forward to making those weeks challenging. There's a lot of potential in this group, but potential doesn't mean much unless we're willing to push the standard every day."<br /> <div style="text-align: center;">#GoBears</div> <br /> <br /> <br /> Saturday Results<br /> Women's FINAL Score<br /> 1. SIU 199<br /> 2. Missouri State 152<br /> <br /> Women's 200 Medley Relay<br /> 2. Missouri State A 1:45.98<br /> 3. Missouri State B 1:46.53<br /> <br /> Women's 1000 Freestyle<br /> 2. Claire Culberson 10:31.02<br /> 3. Lindsey Hervey 10:32.32<br /> <br /> Women's 50 Freestyle<br /> 3. Makenzie Kurre 24.43<br /> 5. Cameryn Johnson 24.90<br /> 7. Paige Corbin 25.11<br /> 8. Macie Kunz 25.15<br /> <br /> Women's 100 Backstroke<br /> 2. Hadleigh Henslee 58.50<br /> 4. Olivia Sala 58.80<br /> 7. Caitlyn Friebe 1:00.83<br /> <br /> Women's 200 Breaststroke<br /> 1. Lauren Konarske 2:18.94<br /> 4. Paige Corbin 2:24.25<br /> 5. Brylie Ray 2:25.94<br /> 8. Kennedy Grosklaus 2:37.15<br /> <br /> Women's 100 Butterfly<br /> 2. Lillie Freulon 57.01<br /> 3. Addie Ludbrook 57.35<br /> 5. Macie Kunz 59.54<br /> <br /> Women's 200 Freestyle<br /> 1. Makenzie Kurre 1:53.88<br /> 3. Ane Meier 1:55.41<br /> 6. Cameryn Johnson 2:01.55<br /> <br /> Women's 400 IM<br /> 2. Aleca Howard 4:31.71<br /> 4. Olivia Sala 4:33.25<br /> 6. Evie Kolb 4:42.44<br /> <br /> Women's 400 Freestyle Relay<br /> 2. Missouri State A 3:30.54<br /> 3. Missouri State B 3:34.38<br /> <br /> Women's 3M Diving<br /> 1. Valeria Hernandez Meza 272.63<br /> 2. Delaney Nickels 250.35<br /> 3. Maggie Arceneaux 215.40<br /> 5. Grace Affeldt 210.53<br /> -- Grace Weisse 160.65<br /> <br /> ----------------<br /> <br /> Men's FINAL Score<br /> 1. Missouri State 196<br /> 2. SIU 157<br /> <br /> Men's 200 Medley Relay<br /> 1. Missouri State A 1:31.06<br /> 3. Missouri State B 1:34.33<br /> <br /> Men's 1000 Freestyle<br /> 2. Zach Mendez 9:29.37<br /> 3. Mate Miszlai 9:39.05<br /> 4. Tomas Chocholaty 9:41.32<br /> 6. Ilias el Fallaki 9:49.01<br /> <br /> Men's 50 Freestyle<br /> 2. Kiefer Roemer 21.46<br /> 3. Jack Ailshire 21.58<br /> 6. Reece Pangburn 21.69<br /> <br /> Men's 100 Backstroke<br /> 1. Elias Mendez 50.66<br /> 3. Gonzolo Ruiz Vazquez 51.79<br /> 5. Onur Ege Oksuz 52.48<br /> <br /> Men's 200 Breaststroke<br /> 1. Kiefer Roemer 2:00.50<br /> 2. Ethan Nguyen 2:06.48<br /> 4. Peter Wendol 2:08.27<br /> <br /> Men's 100 Butterfly<br /> 1. Anderson Brown 48.57<br /> 3. Jack Ailshire 50.32<br /> <br /> Men's 200 Freestyle<br /> 1. Zach Mendez 1:40.79<br /> 4. Mate Miszial 1:42.53<br /> 5. Tomas Chocholaty 1:42.94<br /> 6. Kayden Hedrick 1:43.40<br /> <br /> Men's 400 IM<br /> 1. Anderson Brown 3:58.81<br /> 3. Onur Ege Oksuz 4:01.77<br /> 4. Elias Mendez 4:04.64<br /> 5. Ethan Nguyen 4:09.19<br /> <br /> Men's 400 Freestyle Relay<br /> 2. Missouri State A 3:05.29<br /> 4. Missouri State B 3:09.32<br /> <br /> Men's 1M Diving<br /> 2. Emery Robison 292.28<br /> 5. Britton Hooper 254.25<br /> </article> <article> <h1>Cronhardt, Bryan Make History at Chile Pepper Festival</h1> <p>Sat, 3 Oct 2026 13:45:00 CST</p> <br /><br />FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Ella Cronhardt and Riley Bryan turned in two of the fastest 5K performances in Missouri State cross country history Saturday as the Bears finished seventh in the 29-team Harter's Habanero 5K at the Chile Pepper Festival.<br /> <br /> Cronhardt led Missouri State across the line in 17:01.9, the second-fastest 5K in program history, to finish 21st overall. Bryan followed in 31st with a time of 17:16.6, the sixth-fastest 5K in program history.<br /> <br /> The performances helped Missouri State total 199 points, finishing three points ahead of Baylor and just two points behind Texas for seventh place. The Bears also finished ahead of North Texas, Southern Miss and Dallas Baptist in a competitive field that featured meet host No. 25 Arkansas. The Razorbacks won the team title with 69 points, followed by Mississippi State (83) and Tulsa (89).<br /> <br /> "Racing back-to-back weekends is a rarity for us but I thought the team handled it well," head coach Jordan Fife said. "Ella and Riley had historic runs, and we were very competitive in the team race."<br /> <br /> Behind Cronhardt and Bryan, Elsa Henry was Missouri State's third finisher, placing 45th in 17:38.6. Makenna Madetzke crossed 52nd in 17:44.8, while Amy Gotfredson rounded out the Bears' scoring five in 56th with a time of 17:50.4.<br /> <br /> Missouri State also received sub-18-minute performances from Tabitha Fox (17:53.3), Ella Rew (17:55.3) and Lena Singleton (17:58.6), giving the Bears eight runners under the 18-minute mark.<br /> <br /> Britta Foust crossed in 18:19.0, followed by Kaitlyn Hatley in 18:24.8. Madi Conklin (19:14.0) and Elizabeth Arenas (19:44.7) completed Missouri State's lineup.<br /> <br /> Cronhardt and Bryan have now produced top performances in the Missouri State record book in consecutive meets. Both moved onto the Bears' all-time 6K list last weekend at the Gans Creek Classic, with Cronhardt's 21:03.5 ranking fifth in program history and Bryan's 21:17.7 ranking 12th.<br /> <br /> <strong>Up Next</strong><br /> Missouri State returns to action Friday, Oct. 16, at the Bradley Pink Classic in Peoria, Ill. The meet is scheduled for 11 a.m. <div style="text-align: center;">#GoBears</div> <br /> <strong>Individual Results</strong><br /> 21. <a href="https://missouristatebears.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/ella-cronhardt/9862">Ella Cronhardt</a> - 17:01.9<br /> 31. <a href="https://missouristatebears.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/riley-bryan/9861">Riley Bryan</a> - 17:16.6<br /> 45. <a href="https://missouristatebears.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/elsa-henry/9868">Elsa Henry</a> - 17:38.6<br /> 52. <a href="https://missouristatebears.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/makenna-madetzke/9871">Makenna Madetzke</a> - 17:44.8<br /> 56. <a href="https://missouristatebears.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/amy-gotfredson/9866">Amy Gotfredson</a> - 17:50.4<br /> 62. Tabitha Fox - 17:53.3<br /> 66. Ella Rew - 17:55.3<br /> 69. Lena Singleton - 17:58.6<br /> 96. Britta Foust - 18:19.0<br /> 104. Kaitlyn Hatley – 18:24.8<br /> 174. Madi Conklin - 19:14.0<br /> 195. Elizabeth Arenas - 19:44.7<br /> <br /> <strong>Team Results</strong><br /> 1. #25 Arkansas - 69<br /> 2. Mississippi State - 83<br /> 3. Tulsa - 89<br /> 4. UT Arlington - 178<br /> 5. East Central (Okla.) - 187<br /> 6. Texas - 197<br /> <strong>7. Missouri State - 199</strong><br /> 8. Baylor - 202<br /> 9. North Texas - 240<br /> 10. Southern Miss - 263<br /> 11. Dallas Baptist - 294<br /> 12. Houston Christian - 303<br /> 13. Oklahoma Baptist - 331<br /> 14. Oral Roberts - 357<br /> 15. Ouachita Baptist - 405<br /> 16. St. Edward's - 478<br /> 17. UT Tyler - 533<br /> 18. Central Oklahoma - 561<br /> 19. El Paso CC (Texas) - 576<br /> 20. Weatherford (Texas) - 597<br /> 21. Memphis - 617<br /> 22. Texas Southern - 626<br /> 23. St. Thomas (Texas) - 642<br /> 24. Little Rock - 645<br /> 25. SE Oklahoma State - 654<br /> 26. Butler CC (Kan.) - 696<br /> 27. Arkansas-Pine Bluff - 824<br /> 28. Kansas City - 826<br /> 29. Hutchinson CC (Kan.) - NTS<br /> <br /> </article> <article> <h1>Bears Suffer First CUSA Loss at WKU</h1> <p>Fri, 2 Oct 2026 19:52:00 CST</p> <br /><br />BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Preseason Conference USA favorite Western Kentucky handed Missouri State its first league loss Friday evening at E.A. Diddle Arena, winning in straight sets by scores of 25-18, 25-22, 25-22.<br /> <br /> The Bears fell to 11-4 overall and 2-1 in CUSA play, while the Hilltoppers (9-6, 3-0) picked up their 110<sup>th</sup> victory in their last 111 regular season league contests.<br /> <br /> Rilynn Finley hit .268 and led all players with 16 kills, though Mo State was held to a season-low .145 attack efficiency as a team, snapping a streak of 11 consecutive matches above the .200 mark.<br /> <br /> WKU was error-free on the attack to a 14-6 lead in the opening set, the Bears used a 4-0 to cut the gap to 18-15, but the home team hit .394 in the period after closing on a 7-3 run.<br /> <br /> Lexi Weinberg had two kills in a 7-1 run that resulted in the Bears' first lead of the match midway through second set, and a Halle Rillie ace put Mo State up 17-15, but the Tops yet again had the answer and rallied for the win.<br /> <br /> A late 7-0 run by the home team decided the third period as the Hilltoppers turned a 19-14 deficit into a 21-19 advantage to spoil a promising effort by the Bears, who lost for just the second time in their last 12 matches.<br /> <br /> Weinberg had eight kills on .240 hitting and Chloe Judd went 5-for-9 on the attack, though no other Bear had more than two kills.<br /> <br /> Brooke Eslinger led defense with 13 digs, and WKU owned leads of 43-38 in kills, 50-46 in digs, 4-3 in aces and 9-2 in blocks.<br /> <br /> The teams meet again at 1 p.m. Saturday. The match will stream on ESPN+.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;">#GoBears</div> </article> <article> <h1>Mo State Swim Collects Seven Wins on Day One at SIU</h1> <p>Fri, 2 Oct 2026 18:09:00 CST</p> <br /><br /><a href="https://missouristatebears.com/documents/2026/10/2/day_1_results_siu_vs._mo_st.pdf">DAY ONE COMPLETE RESULTS</a><br /> <br /> CARBONDALE, Ill. – Led by five event wins on the men's side, Missouri State swimming and diving enjoyed a successful opening day to the 2026-27 season here Friday, starting a two-day dual with long-time rival Southern Illinois.<br /> <br /> With 10 more events on the slate for Saturday, the Mo State men lead the Salukis, 93-74, while the host school holds a 98-68 lead over the Bears on the women's side at the halfway point.<br /> <br /> In his first collegiate meet, freshman Elias Mendez (Stillwater, Okla.) won the 200-yard backstroke (1:48.61) and finished second (1:51.44) in the 200 IM behind teammate Anderson Brown (1:50.09). Brown (Sr., Kyle, Texas) also picked up valuable points with a victory in the 200 butterfly (1:47.95).<br /> <br /> I'm really proud of how the team raced today," said Mendez. "Having the atmosphere and energy from the team is crazy, and it felt really good to get my first college win. I'm excited to build from here."<br /> <br /> Brown was equally enthusiastic after his pair of Friday wins.<br /> <br /> "Heading into this season, all of the guys were extremely pumped and ready to go for championship-level performances," said Brown. "Halfway through the meet, that energy has just carried through. It's awesome to continue seeing the level of camaraderie and ambition from last year carry over into this season. This group has some special potential, and I can't wait to be a part of what we achieve."<br /> <br /> Returning NCAA qualifier Kiefer Roemer (So., Bettendorf, Iowa) picked up where he left off last season by dominating the field in the 100-yard breaststroke. Roemer's time of 53.99 secured a solid victory for the Bears.<br /> <br /> "I really liked how most of the swims went today for the team, especially with it being the first meet," said Roemer. "It's a good starting point, and I'm excited to see what we can work on and where we can go from here."<br /> <br /> Roemer was also part of the winning 400 medley relay team (3:19.02), along with Gonzolo Ruiz (Jr., Madrid, Spain), Jack Ailshire (Jr., Greenwood, Mo.) and anchor Zach Mendez (So., Lansing, Kan.).<br /> <br /> Lillie Freulon (Jr., New Caledonia) was Missouri State's top female swimmer on the day, beating the competition to the wall with a victory in the 200 butterfly (2:07.11).<br /> <br /> "I'm so happy to be back on the deck with the Bears," said Freulon. "It is so exciting to hear the team cheering when I breathe during my race. That energy helped me get my hand on the wall first today."<br /> <br /> Delaney Nickles (Jr., St. Paul, Minn.) also posted a Mo State victory and secured a Bears sweep with a mark of 247.80 on the one-meter board. She edged teammates Valeria Meza (Jr., Bentonville, Ark.) who recorded a score of 242.48, and Maggie Arceneaux (Sr., Wildwood, Mo.) who tallied 232.13, over six attempts in the only women's diving competition of the afternoon.<br /> <br /> "I think it was a great start to the season for all of us divers," said Nickles. "We have such a great group, so it was nice to hear all the cheering, and even more exciting to see a sweep on the women's side. Especially for a travel meet, I think we started out very strong!"<br /> <br /> The Bears and Salukis will resume the meet on Saturday at 10 a.m. with continued live coverage on <a href="https://www.active.com/mobile/meet-mobile-app">MeetMobile</a>.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;">#GoBears</div> <br /> Women's Results (Day One)<br /> 1. SIU 98<br /> 2. Missouri State 68<br /> <br /> Women's 200 Freestyle Relay<br /> 2. Missouri State A 1:35:34<br /> 4. Missouri State B 1:38.64<br /> <br /> Women's 200 IM<br /> 2. Ane Meier 2:05.01<br /> 3. Aleca Howard 2:06.24<br /> 4. Olivia Sala 2:07.27<br /> <br /> Women's 500 Free<br /> 2. Claire Culberson 5:07.25<br /> 3. Evie Kolb 5:07.29<br /> 4. Lindsey Hervey 5:08.00<br /> <br /> Women's 100 Breast<br /> 3. Brylie Ray 1:05.52<br /> 4. Lauren Konarske 1:05.58<br /> 6. Paige Corbin 1:07.10<br /> 8. Kennedy Grosklaus 1:12.67<br /> <br /> Women's 200 Backstroke<br /> 4. Hadleigh Henslee 2:08.79<br /> 6. Olivia Sala 2:10.51<br /> 7. Kaitlyn Friebe 2:11.57<br /> <br /> Women's 100 Freestyle<br /> 2. Makenzie Kurre 0:52.54<br /> 3. Anne Meier 0:52.55<br /> 5. Cameryn Johnson 0:52.76<br /> 7. Macie Kunz 0:53.95<br /> <br /> Women's 200 Butterfly<br /> 1. Lillie Freulon 2:07.11<br /> 3. Addie Ludbrook 2:10.25<br /> <br /> Women's 400 Medley Relay<br /> 3. Missouri State B 3:53.53<br /> 4. Missouri State A 3:53.60<br /> 5. Missouri State C 3:56.90<br /> <br /> Women's 1M Diving<br /> 1. Delaney Nickles 247.80<br /> 2. Valeria Hernandez Meza 242.48<br /> 3. Maggie Arceneaux 232.13<br /> 6. Grace Affeldt 208.88<br /> -- Grace Weisse 194.93<br /> -- Laurel Hunter 205.95<br /> <br /> Men's Results (Day One)<br /> 1. Missouri State 93<br /> 2. SIU 74<br /> <br /> Men's 200 Freestyle Relay<br /> 2. Missouri State A 1:24:08<br /> 4. Missouri State B DQ<br /> <br /> Men's 200 IM<br /> 1. Anderson Brown 1:50.09<br /> 2. Elias Mendez 1:51.44<br /> 4. Onur Ege Oksuz 1:55.13<br /> <br /> Men's 500 Free<br /> 2. Zach Mendez 4:33.03<br /> 3. Tomas Chcholaty 4:36.34<br /> 4. Mate Miszlai 4:36.94<br /> <br /> Men's 100 Breast<br /> 1. Kiefer Roemer 0:53.99<br /> 4. Peter Wendol 0:57.94<br /> 5. Ethan Nguyen 0:58.47<br /> <br /> Men's 200 Backstroke<br /> 1. Elias Mendez 1:48.61<br /> 2. Gonzolo Ruis Vazquez 1:49.43<br /> 4. Onur Ege Oksuz 1:51.32<br /> <br /> Men's 100 Freestyle<br /> 2. Zach Mendez 0:46.72<br /> 4. Jack Ailshire 0:47.25<br /> 7. Reece Pangburn 0:48.67<br /> <br /> Men's 200 Butterfly<br /> 1. Anderson Brown 1:47.95<br /> 2. Kayden Hedrick 1:53.14<br /> 4. Tomas Chocholaty 1:54.85<br /> <br /> Men's 400 Medley Relay<br /> 1. Missouri State A 3:19.02<br /> 3. Missouri State B 3:24.04<br /> <br /> Men's 3M Diving<br /> 3. Britton Hooper 297.00<br /> 5. Emery Robison 291.53 </article> </main></body></html>