Category: Shocker Athletics

For the 13th consecutive year, the Shocker volleyball team earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award sponsored by INTENT.

Wichita State completed a strong academic year in 2024-25 with a 3.69 team GPA.

“It is very exciting to see that the record-setting, on-court successes during the 2024-25 season have extended to the classroom,” said AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon. “The fact that more programs earned the Team Academic Award than ever before is evidence of how committed our coaches are when it comes to helping their players reach their goals as both students and athletes.”  

We interrupt – again – your relaxing summer for AfterShocks basketball at Charles Koch Arena.

While Shocker fans are used to cold winter nights at the Roundhouse, July basketball is now a habit with The Basketball Tournament. The AfterShocks, featuring former Shockers and other professionals, are three wins from the tournament’s $1 million prize.

Because TBT hosting privilege is determined by attendance, the AfterShocks will play at Koch Arena as long as they win. They play Heartfire at 8 p.m. Sunday on FS1 in a quarterfinal. The winner advances to the semifinal game on July 31. Heartfire, top-seeded in Kansas City Region, defeated JHX Hoops (Kansas alums) 71-68 on Wednesday at Municipal Auditorium.

The AfterShocks are rolling through The Basketball Tournament (TBT), advancing to the quarterfinal round at 8 p.m. Sunday, July 27 in Charles Koch Arena. They will play Heartfire.

Wichita will also host another quarterfinal game at 6 p.m. featuring Fail Harder and We Are D3. The game will occur before the AfterShocks game and tickets are good for both games.

Get your tickets for the games starting as low as $10 in general admission sections. Upper level seats are buy-one-get-one-free. They are available at goshockers.com/TBTTix or at the Shocker Ticket Office located inside Charles Koch Arena on game day beginning when doors open at 5 p.m.

The American Conference officially launched a dynamic modernization of its brand identity, marking a new era for the league and the communities it serves. Each aspect of the brand evolution, from naming conventions to creative assets and applications, was designed to elevate how the American shows up: boldly, consistently and with purpose across every platform.

“The American has built a brand that differentiates us in a crowded collegiate landscape by establishing and elevating what makes us distinctive,” said Commissioner Tim Pernetti. “This modernization is rooted in who we are and where we’re headed. It prioritizes clarity, momentum, and the competitive advantage driving every part of our conference forward.”

The announcement comes ahead of the conference’s Football Media Days and represents a strategic and holistic approach. Here is what is new:

A clear name

The conference has retired the names “American Athletic Conference” and “AAC.” The league will now be referred to as “American Conference” on first reference and simply “American” thereafter.

Rally call

The league has a new tagline, “Built to Rise,” which is resilient by design, purpose-driven in action and constantly innovating across collegiate athletics.

Grounded in a clear brand ethos and core pillars

The American is now guided by a focused brand ethos with a new mission, vision, and purpose, and powered by three core pillars: Innovation, Grit and Service.

A bold new visual identity

A new wordmark logo reflects the conference’s legacy and progression, starting with the iconic primary angular mark “A,” which now leads the word “American.”

Soar the Eagle: A first-of-its-kind conference brand ambassador

The American is the first collegiate conference to have a full-fledged brand ambassador. Soar is a multi-platform, purpose-driven brand symbol and commercialized IP, one that personifies the DNA of the American.

Built to rise: A national PSA

The conference will unveil a high-impact, 30-second national PSA titled “Built to Rise.” The national spot is voiced by Commissioner Pernetti.

Revitalized digital experience

From a reimagined website to dynamic content and social media, the conference’s digital presence has been revitalized, streamlined and tailored to reflect its brand ethos and DNA, built to connect, engage and serve its fans.

Seven women’s tennis players earned Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar Athlete awards, and the team garnered an ITA All-Academic Team Award for their academic performance in the 2024-25 school year.

2025-26 Shockers Sati Aubakirova, Theodora Chantava, Anne Knuettel, Kristina Kudryavtseva, Giorgia Roselli and Xin Tong Wang all earned Scholar-Athlete awards, along with recent graduate Clara Whitaker.

The Basketball Tournament (TBT) returns to Charles Koch Arena Friday, July 18. The AfterShocks — led by former Shockers Conner Frankamp, Markis McDuffie, Trey Wade and Rashard Kelly — are poised for another run at the $1 million prize.

Their journey begins with a first round matchup against number seven No Excuses at 8 p.m. July 18 in Charles Koch Arena. With a win, they would advance to the second round at 8 p.m. Sunday, July 20.

They need the help of Shocker Nation to secure homecourt advantage throughout the tournament to boost their chances of winning the $1 million prize. Secure your seats at goshockers.com/TBTTix to help the team be one of the first to sell 4,000 tickets to lock in homecourt advantage.

Wichita State’s Brooklyn Benn, Mackenzie Wilson and Kayla Van de Ven were each named as Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American Scholars June 30.

Selection to the All-American Scholar Team is a tremendous honor, as the WGCA has some of the most stringent criteria in all of college athletics.

In order to be selected, a student-athlete must:

• Have an overall cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher.
• Be an amateur and on the team’s roster through the conclusion of the team’s season.
• Have played in 50% of the college’s regularly scheduled competitive rounds during the year nominated through the team’s conference championship.

Want to stay up on developments happening in Shocker Athletics? Keep yourself up to date through the following ways:

• Subscribe to Shocker Brew, the Shocker Athletics newsletter, publishing every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
• See all upcoming scheduled events by viewing the Shocker Athletics calendar.
• Order tickets to events on the Shocker Athletics ticket office website.
• Stay up to date on Shocker Athletics news by visiting the Roundhouse and listening to the Roundhouse podcast.
• Follow Shocker Athletics on Instagram, Facebook and X.
• Want to keep up with a specific team? Consult the Shocker Athletics social media directory.

One of the best track and field athletes in Wichita State history wrapped up her collegiate career, claiming her sixth All-American award June 14 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field.

Destiny Masters, a senior from El Dorado, Kansas, placed 10th in the heptathlon with 5,763 points, good for Second Team All-America status. She became the first Shocker in history to earn All-America status in back-to-back NCAA heptathlons and gave Wichita State its eighth All-American award in the event.

“To have Destiny finish her final NCAA Championship in 10th for her sixth NCAA All-American performance is really meaningful, and I couldn’t be prouder of her and all of her accomplishments,” head coach Steve Rainbolt said. “This was certainly a highlight, probably second only to her sixth-place finish at the indoor championship a year ago in the pentathlon.”

Shocker Athletics’ Alejandro Jacome earned his first career professional tour singles victory with a win in the main draw of the Wichita Tennis Open on June 11.

Jacome survived a back-and-forth battle with Kentucky’s Eli Stephenson to earn the victory, winning 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (4).