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Baker University football alumni will have two opportunities this spring to reunite with old teammates while also supporting the current Wildcats with an alumni football game and a golf tournament.

The Alumni Game & Awards Ceremony followed by a barbecue social will take place on April 16.

A ticket to play in the game and go to the social costs $50. Tickets for the social only are $10 apiece.

The Golf Classic will take place at Alvamar Country Club in Lawrence on Friday, May 20.

Advanced registration will be $115. To register at the door will cost $130. The fee includes a golf cart, round of golf, range balls, premiums, lunch, awards and an invitation to the Wildcat Party at The Sandbar in Lawrence. A ticket for lunch and the Wildcat Party is $25. The deadline for registrations is May 1.

Registration for the Golf Classic is non-refundable. The classic will occur rain or shine.

For more details on these events or to register, contact Tamara Starkey at 785 594-8462 or by e-mail at football@bakeru.edu.

OLATHE, Kan. - The NAIA awarded five Baker Wildcats with its All-American Scholar-Athlete honor for their accomplishments on the field and in the classroom in 2004.

To be named an All-American Scholar-Athlete, students must be a junior or senior academically, have a 3.5 or greater cumulative GPA and meet a performance requirement.

Those honored were senior linebacker and history major Tyler Hibler of Bates City, Mo.; senior center and physical education major Chance Nichols of Palestine, Texas; senior defensive lineman and business major Nicholas Stillwell of Arlington, Kan.; senior defensive end and biology major Lucas Thompson of Olathe, Kan.; and junior defensive back and chemistry major Brett Wahlgren of Salina, Kan.

LIBERTY, Mo. – All-American running back John Reeves gave Baker fans one final great game, but couldn’t give them a victory versus William Jewell College Saturday.

Reeves, a senior from Palestine, Texas, gained 166 yards rushing and also had six receptions for 38 yards and a touchdown, but Baker fell 27-17.

Reeves very nearly became Baker’s fourth 3,000-yard career rusher in just two seasons, but was slowed by an early season hamstring injury. He finished his career with 2,723 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns, good for fourth on Baker’s all-time rushing list.

Senior wide receiver Keenan Ganz of Ozark, Mo., also put his name in the record books. He finished his career with 95 catches for 1,301 yards and six touchdowns, easily claiming the fifth spot on the career receiving yards list.

Junior Brian Sheppard of Destrehan, La., was just six yards shy of a 2,000-yard passing season and finished with 2,153 yards of total offense. An identical senior season would place him second on the all-time passing yards list and just a few yards short of third in total offensive yards.

ATCHISON, Kan. - Baker made an incredible comeback, but one play turned the game around in a 40-28 loss to Benedictine College Saturday.

The Wildcats scored 28 consecutive points in the second half to erase a 33-0 deficit. The Baker offense was driving down the field to take the lead until All-American running back John Reeves, senior from Palestine, Texas, fumbled the ball. The Ravens returned the fumble 55 yards for a touchdown, sealing a 40-28 victory.

Baker’s receiving corps led the Wildcat comeback. Senior wide receivers Ryan Pitts of Carson, Calif., and Keenan Ganz of Ozark, Mo., had two touchdowns apiece, with Pitts gaining over 100 yards. Junior Brian Sheppard of Destrehan, La., had 18 completions for 227 yards and four touchdowns.

The Wildcats play their last home game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday against Graceland University. The Yellowjackets are 5-2 and lead the Heart of America Athletic Conference in total offense.

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. - Baker University fell victim to big plays by Lindenwood’s defense in a 35-21 loss Saturday on Charlie Richard Day at Liston Stadium.

The Wildcats wore black uniforms with orange numbers to honor late coach Charlie Richard, who was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in August. More than 300 of Richard’s former players and their families were honored at halftime.

Baker outgained Lindenwood in total offense yards 369 to 347, but a blocked punt and five interceptions put the Lions in good field position throughout the game.

The Lions led 20-0 in the first quarter on a blocked punt for a safety, a 50-yard touchdown pass, a 51-yard interception return, and a 33-yard run. Baker's Bruce Rogers and Brandon Hubbard blocked Lindenwood's first two extra-point attempts and the third kick bounced off the left upright. The Lions scored again in the second quarter after an interception gave Lindenwood the ball at Baker's 1-yard line.

Senior John Reeves of Palestine, Texas, put Baker on the board with a 22-yard touchdown run to cap a 10-play, 71-yard drive and cut the score to 28-7. Lindenwood scored another touchdown to lead 35-7 in the third quarter.

The Baker offense came together in the fourth quarter. Junior quarterback Brian Sheppard of Destrehan, La., found Reeves in the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown pass to cap an 80-yard drive and cut the score to 35-14. With 2:39 left in the game, Reeves capped a 59-yard drive with a 1-yard dive.

Sheppard finished with 21 completions for 209 yards and two touchdown passes. Reeves had 155 yards rushing with a touchdown and 34 yards receiving with a touchdown. Freshman Elliot Gonzalez of Hollywood, Florida, had two sacks.

The Lions improved to 8-0. Baker is 4-3 and will face Benedictine College Saturday in Atchison, Kan.

Running back John Reeves threw the winning touchdown pass, a 34-yard toss to a wide-open Keenan Ganz in the fourth quarter, to give Baker a 19-15 victory over Culver-Stockton College Saturday in Canton, Mo.

Baker trailed 7-0 early, but quarterback Brian Sheppard and wide receiver Ryan Pitts connected on a 20-yard touchdown pass late in the first half to answer. Sheppard started off the third quarter with another touchdown on a 5-yard run to take the lead.

Culver answered early in the fourth quarter to take a 15-12 lead. The teams traded punts, then Reeves made his second touchdown pass in as many games.

Reeves also had 155 yards rushing and 34 yards receiving. Sheppard had 178 yards passing, and Ganz had 72 yard receiving. Bruce Rogers, Luke Thompson, Elliot Gonzalez and Blake Pearson had eight tackles each to lead the defense.

The Baker Wildcats quadrupled Avila's output during a 28-7 Homecoming victory Saturday in Baldwin City, Kan.

The Wildcats finished with 365 total yards to the Eagles' 89 with a swarming defense. Avila gained just 44 yards on 33 attempts and completed only three of 22 passes.

Baker found inventive ways to jump out to a 14-0 lead. Freshman DJ Carter scored first on a 42-yard punt return with 2:01 left in the first quarter. Running back John Reeves threw an 11-yard completion to fullback Gerrad Speer for Baker's second touchdown early in the second quarter.

Midway through the second quarter, Avila's Steve Miller blocked a punt and gave his offense the ball at the Baker 16. Six plays later, Furderer scored on a two-yard run. Baker's Brian Sheppard answered with less than a minute remaining in the half when he snuck four yards into the end zone for a 21-7 lead.

The final score of the game came late in the fourth quarter. Avila punter Mossimo Scaccia was backed up to his own 1-yard line and his punt only reached the Avila 27. The Wildcats scored on the very next play with Sheppard finding wide receiver Ryan Pitts in the end zone.

Reeves led the Wildcat offense with 143 yards rushing. Pitts had 80 yards receiving and Keenan Ganz added 67. Sheppard threw for 154 yards, and punter Karl Halamicek had a 33-yard completion to Ganz on 4th-and-6.

Baker had 11 tackles for loss during the game, led by defensive back Blake Pearson with 2.5.

The win improved Baker's record to 3-2, and the Wildcats remain undefeated at home. Avila is 1-3 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.

Baker’s offense and defense made all the right moves as the Wildcats scored 15 points in the final quarter to defeat Missouri Valley College 21-17 Saturday in Baldwin City.

The Wildcats were down 10-0 in the first quarter and 17-6 after three quarters, but fought back from both deficits.

The defense pinned Missouri Valley deep in its own territory late the third quarter and the Vikings’ punt could not reach Baker territory. The Baker offense marched 40 yards in six plays, capped off by quarterback Brian Sheppard’s 1-yard keeper for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Sheppard then found senior Luke Thompson in the end zone for a two-point converstion to close the gap to 17-14.

Missouri Valley tried to answer, but freshman DJ Carter of Houston leaped high to pick off a pass at the Baker 25-yard line and returned it 31 yards to the Viking side of the field. On Missouri Valley’s next drive, senior defensive end Luke Thompson of Olathe forced the quarterback to fumble. Senior linebacker Jeremiah Gress of Lawrence recovered at the Viking 35-yard line. On the next play, junior wide receiver Ryan Pitts of Carson, Calif., made a leaping grab of Sheppard’s pass and fell out of bounds at the one-yard-line. Senior running back John Reeves of Palestine, Texas, scored the winning touchdown on the next play.

Pitts finished with five catches for 74 yards and a second-quarter touchdown. Sheppard, a junior from Destrehan, La., passed for 172 yards, a touchdown and had no interceptions. He also had 26 net rushing yards. Reeves had 123 yards.

The Wildcats are tied for second in the Heart of America Athletic Conference with a 2-1 record. Baker’s next foe will be MidAmerica Nazarene University at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Olathe. The Pioneers were picked to win the conference in the preseason coaches poll, but are tied for fourth with a 1-1 record.

2004 Season Preview :: Amid high-profiles coaches, players expected to grab spotlight

The induction of the late Charlie Richard into the College Football Hall of Fame and the hiring of Mike Grossner as head coach have been the hot topics for Baker fans, but several explosive players can be expected to grab the spotlight in September.

All-American running back Jon Reeves, a senior from Palestine, Texas, will get a lot of attention and possibly some records. He set a record for rushing attempts last season and has set a goal of 2,000 yards this season, which would also be a Baker record.

Reeves’ speed and power are quickly noticeable on the field, but Grossner also likes Reeves’ intangibles.

“I’m most impressed with his attitude and his leadership,” Grossner said. “He knows this is his last hurrah and he wants to go out with a big bang.”

Helping Reeves reach his goal will be all-conference fullback Gerrad Speer and all-conference center Chance Nichols, both seniors.

Grossner is expecting a five-man battle for the starting quarterback position. Whoever lines up behind center will have two big targets in senior wide receivers Keenan Ganz and Ryan Pitts. Ganz has been characterized as the receiving corps’ “steady Eddie” by Grossner and has led the Wildcats in receptions for the past two years and made all-conference last season. Pitts was sidelined with an injury for much of the season but caught 10 passes in two games.

Another contributor on offense will be freshman Micah Mason of Baldwin City, who has shown an “unbelievable work ethic,” according to Grossner. Mason is expected to play running back but could also see time at outside linebacker, where he stood out in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.

Joining Mason as a possible two-way player will be senior Luke Thompson of Olathe. Thompson was a force at defensive end in 2003 when he led the team in tackles and sacks and also returned two fumbles for touchdowns. Grossner said Thompson might also be utilized offensively in dual tight end sets.

Blake Pearson’s confidence and presence in the huddle vaulted him into the starting quarterback role in the middle of last year over a three-year starter. This year, he will be on the other side of the ball as a strong safety.

“Blake is definitely a good leader,” Thompson said. “He leads by example and by voice. He’s disciplined, and he does his job on every play.”

During his first meeting with players, Grossner emphasized that the Wildcats would get more yards out of its special teams. A big asset will be senior Karl Halamicek, a first-team all-conference punter who averaged 39 yards per kick in 2003 while battling a leg injury. Grossner has also signed place kicker Hans Broers of Baldwin City. Grossner intends to devote extra practice time to special teams.

“There are a lot of hidden yards in the special teams game,” Grossner said. “It can be a huge difference maker in a game between two evenly matched teams.”

“The city of Baldwin is excited,” said Speer, who stayed for the summer and worked at Rodrock Chiropractic. “They want to see Baker football do well. It’s cool for me to see the city get behind us.”

The Baker University football team announced its leaders for the 2004 season today. Ten captains and a nine-member player’s council were selected.

Returning players chose the captains during a team meeting. All players, regardless of year in school, were eligible. The following ten players, all seniors, were named captains: defensive back Silas Dulan of Oklahoma City, Okla., linebacker Jeff Frenya of Lawrence, wide receiver Keenan Ganz of Ozark, Mo., punter Karl Halamicek of Lucerne Valley, Calif., linebacker Tyler Hibler of Bates City, Mo., offensive lineman Chance Nichols of Palestine, Texas, defensive back Blake Pearson of Valley Center, running back John Reeves of Palestine, Texas, running back Gerrad Speer of Scott City, and defensive lineman Luke Thompson of Olathe.

The team also elected members of the player’s council at the meeting. Each class chose its own representatives. Four seniors, three juniors, two sophomores and a freshman comprise the council. The seniors selected were tight end Justin Bloomer of Wichita, offensive lineman Nick Codutti of Springfield, Mo., running back Raymond Pruitt of Little Rock, Ark., and offensive lineman Kevin Sullivan of Wichita. The juniors selected were wide receiver Josh Buford of Alma, Mo., linebacker Jeremiah Gress of Lawrence, and linebacker Wes Guilkey of Lawson, Mo. The sophomores selected were running back Frank Owens of Dallas and quarterback Tanner Purdum of Ava, Mo. A freshman representative will be chosen after players report for fall practice.

Baker University head football coach Mike Grossner has announced his first 40 signings. Grossner was hired as head coach on Jan. 22 and has assembled a staff of nine assistant coaches.

Thirteen players have committed to play defense for first-year coordinator Brian Boyle. This will be Boyle’s eighth year as a Baker coach. The class includes six defensive backs, six linemen and a linebacker. The recruits are: safety Brandon Bell (6-1, 190) of Mesa Community College in California, cornerback Andrew Blaes (5-8, 180) of Cherryvale, cornerback DJ Carter (5-7, 175) of Houston, lineman Justin Cavner (6-1, 235) of Hockley, Texas, cornerback Raymond Davis (5-8, 165) of Wichita, lineman Elliot Gonzalez (6-1, 210) of Hollywood, Fla., lineman Alex McWhorter (6-2, 245) of Plantation, Fla., defensive back Jordan Olsen (6-0, 165) of Larned, cornerback Brad Page (5-11, 186) of Wellsville, linebacker Nate Payne (5-10, 185) of Paola, lineman Alex Reister (6-2, 220) of Lansing, Mo., lineman John Roberts (6-3, 265) of Hockley, Texas, and lineman Jose Serpa (6-3, 215) of Miami,

Twenty-seven of the recruits are expected to play offense. The offense will be led by Grossner and assistant head coach Marc Bergan. Baker signed three quarterbacks, eight wide receivers, six running backs, ten offensive lineman and a tight end. The recruits include: quarterback Kendall Bradley (6-5, 215) of Rogersville, Mo., kicker Hans Broers (5-9, 165) of Baldwin City, wide receiver Josh Brouhard (5-10, 190) of Eudora, running back Ben Clerkley (5-10, 220) of Cisco Community College in Texas, wide receiver Clintay Demps (5-9, 170) of Miami, fullback Pete Diaz (5-10, 230) of Glendale Community College in Arizona, lineman Kevin Dugan (6-4, 290) of Butler County Community College, lineman Matt Hiss (6-2, 260) of Great Bend, wide receiver Shaun Hughes (5-10, 170) of Spring Hill, lineman Jeff Juiliano (6-2, 255) of Kansas City, wide receiver Mark Kabbany (5-8, 165) of San Diego, wide receiver Clayton Kellerman (5-11, 175) of Lawrence, running back Brandon Knox (5-9, 220) of Sacramento, lineman Nick Lamb (6-4, 280) of St. Joseph, Mo., quarterback Tyler Lane (5-11, 160) of Gardner, running back Micah Mason (5-11, 225) of Baldwin City, lineman Andrew McKay (6-1, 245) of Clearwater, Fla., kicker Michael Megraw (6-3, 185) of Lawson, Mo., lineman Andy Pinnell (6-0, 265) of Coffeyville Community College, lineman Aaron Plattner (6-4, 270) of Malta Bend, Mo., lineman Steven Rodgers (6-2, 280) of Covina, Calif., tight end David Shobe (6-5, 230) of Hurdland, Mo., quarterback Brian Sheppard (6-0, 180) of New Orleans, running back Beau Smith (5-6, 175) of San Diego, running back Martell Smith (5-10, 235) of Minnesota West Community College, lineman Nicholas Strembel (6-3, 325) of Daytona Beach, Fla., and wide receiver Alphonso Williams of Los Angeles Harbor Community College.

Former Baker football coach Charlie Richard will be inducted in the Colelge Football Hall of Fame August 13-14 it was announced Tuesday.

Richard coached Baker from 1980 to 1990 and 1992 until his death in 1994. He compiled a 123-28-1 record and is the Wildcats' career wins leader. In his 14 years as head coach, the Wildcats won at least a share of the Heart of America Athletic Conference title 11 times and qualified for the NAIA national playoffs 10 times.

The funeral for Shawn Trager, a Baker freshman and wide receiver, will be at 1:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Chilicothe, Mo.

The alumni scrimmage scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday in Baldwin City has been cancelled. For more information, contact the football office at 785 594-8461 or football@bakeru.edu

Logan-Rogersville quarterback Kendall Bradley signed with Baker Thursday at Logan-Rogersville High School in Rogersville, Mo.

Bradley has been the starter at Logan-Rogersville for the past two years and was the Southwest Missouri Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2003 after leading the conference in touchdown passes with 17 and finishing second in passing yards with 1,676. He was been named the top quarterback at Southwest Missouri State University¹s football camp and was first-team All-Ozarks, first-team All-District and second-team All-Missouri Class 3.

Bradley also plays basketball and tennis and excels in the classroom. He is a member of National Honors Society and in the top 10-percent of his class.

"He is a great student-athlete and a solid kid," head coach Mike Grossner said. "He has a strong arm, a good frame and the ability to roll out. He¹s the whole package."

Baker University hired Mike Grossner as its head football coach today after a nationwide search.

"The work of the university search committee and our administration was instrumental in securing Mike Grossner as our new head football coach," athletics director Dan Harris said. "Coach Grossner brings years of success to a Baker University football program that is eager to benefit from his leadership."

Grossner has served as assistant head coach at Western State College in Gunnison, Colo., since 2001 and was also the Mountaineers¹ recruiting coordinator and academic adviser. During his tenure, the Mountaineers set season team records in passing, rushing and kick scoring. He was previously a head coach at Glendale Community College in Arizona from 1997 to 2000 and won the national championship in 2000. He was also named the American Football Coaches Association¹s Coach of the Year in 2000. He was a head coach at Agua Fria High School in Avondale, Ariz., in 1996-97, and was named Arizona¹s Class 4A State Coach of the Year in 1996. He also served as Glendale¹s offensive coordinator from 1990 to 1995.

Grossner played professional football in Europe as a quarterback and offensive coordinator in both Nottingham, England, and Ravenna, Italy, from 1990 to 1993. He took both teams to the national semifinals.

Baker has a proud football tradition stretching back to 1890. The Wildcats boast 491 wins, 73 All-American selections and 12 Heart of America Athletic Conference championships, more than any other conference school.


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