Athletics
The women's and men's basketball teams have advanced to the semi-finals of the 2012-13 KCAC Postseason Tournament. Friends University will host both games Saturday, Feb. 23, in the Garvey Physical Education Center Gymnasium. The men will play McPherson College at 6 p.m. The women will play Kansas Wesleyan University at 8 p.m.
The Falcon baseball team will have a new playing field this spring, as they take to the diamond at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in the Delano district of Wichita.
“The venue provides Friends University with a facility conducive to many needs,” said Athletic Director Joe Zimmerman. “Not only for baseball, but also as a venue that allows us to engage individuals or groups in a setting that is warm and inviting. This move also addresses one of our institutional goals in partnership with the Delano community.”
Friends University will induct three graduates and a former coach into the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame Jan. 16 in Garvey Physical Education Center. The induction ceremony will take place between the women's and men's basketball games at approximately 7:45 p.m.
The four honored inductees include:
The Friends University football game against McPherson College at McPherson has been moved from a 7 p.m. to 1 p.m. start time.
In only her second year as head coach at Friends University, RaeAnne Boothe led her team to victory over The College of Idaho 69-54 in the first round of the State Farm-NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball National Championship. This is the fourth appearance for Friends University and their first ever victory at the NAIA national tournament.
“All credit goes to the players,” said Boothe, “They all played with a tremendous amount of heart and with a confidence that is unusual for a first-time national appearance team.”
Friends University Men’s Basketball Player Jacob Simmonds has been selected as one of only 14 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) student athletes nationwide to participate in the 2012-2013 Red Cross/NAIA Collegiate Leadership Program.
Simmonds, a sophomore from Peabody, Kan., is majoring in health science. He has made the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll all three semesters while at Friends University and currently holds a 3.97 grade point average. Simmonds has volunteered at the University’s Salvation Army Day and is active in his church community.
The Friends University Falcons will host the Oklahoma City University Stars in the 2010 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Volleyball National Championship Opening Round at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, in the Garvey Physical Education Center gymnasium.
After spending the last year as assistant coach for the Falcons, Darrin Rasmussen will replace former Head Coach Mike Hiebert, who has decided to retire, as the men’s and women’s tennis coach.
Rasmussen competed at Friends University from 2005 to 2009. As a player, he was First Team All-KCAC in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and NAIA Academic All-American in 2008 and 2009. Rasmussen, a native of Conway Springs, Kan., holds a degree in health management and a minor in business administration from Friends University.
Friends University Athletic Director Joe Zimmerman was selected by athletic directors and faculty athletic representatives of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) to represent the KCAC on the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) administrative council.
After winning the KCAC Championship Tournament Tuesday, men’s basketball has its sights set on the NAIA National Tournament.
The Falcons will travel to Point Lookout, Mo., to compete in the 19th Annual NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship Tournament. The single-elimination tournament will consist of 32 teams and will take place March 10-16.
The Falcons (25-6) will open in the first round against No. 9 Bethel College Indiana (27-6) at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, March 10.