Forward Together: President's April 2024 Message

Women’s sports are starting to get the attention and recognition they’ve long deserved. At home in Wichita, we vigorously celebrate our women athletes in every sport. Just to name a few:  

• Destiny Masters, a junior from El Dorado, ranks 11th nationally in the heptathlon with 5,749 points. She is also 19th in the high jump. Masters earned NCAA All-American honors in the pentathlon with 4,338 points during the indoor track and field season. She also earned second team all-American honors in the indoor high jump.
• Wichita State softball senior Addison Barnard continues her rise in the record books. Barnard, an outfielder from Beatrice, Nebraska, ranks 10th on the NCAA career list with 86 home runs. She ranks first in Shocker and American Athletic Conference history after adding 17 to her total so far this season. She is a health science major and a two-time NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete.
• Softball graduate student CC Wong, an infielder from British Columbia, is one of the nation’s most successful stories from the transfer portal. She ranks fifth in the country with .455 batting average.
• Freshman bowler Sara Duque captured the national Intercollegiate Singles Championship earlier this month. Duque, who hails from Medellin, Colombia, is studying business administration.  

Amidst these remarkable athletic accomplishments, it's imperative to acknowledge the pivotal moments ahead for our women's sports programs. 

First, in July, our women's bowling team will be making its highly anticipated debut in the prestigious NCAA. This promotion is a long time coming. Since its inception in 1975, the team has advanced to Intercollegiate Team Championships every year except 1981, has collected 11 national titles, and several players have gone on to compete with the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour. 

This is an achievement that reflects the bowlers’ dedication and skill, and it’s going to be exciting to see these women compete against other elite athletes in their sport.  

The status of our nationally prominent men’s bowling team remains the same, as the NCAA does not sponsor men’s bowling.

Our second bit of exciting news in the women’s athletic arena has to do with Shocker softball. In August, we will begin significant renovations and expansion of Wilkins Stadium and our softball facilities. The $20 million project will address critical facility needs, create a world-class facility capable of hosting AAC and NCAA championships, and enhance the overall experience for fans.  

The planned changes to the 26-year-old stadium, which will be executed in three phases, will create a state-of-the-art training and playing facility, complementing the competitive growth the coaches and student-athletes have achieved.  

And the team’s achievements have been remarkable, particularly in the past couple of years. The Shockers won the 2023 AAC regular-season title and played in their third consecutive NCAA regional, their fourth appearance in the past five tournaments.  

First Gentleman Rick Case and I often attend softball games — and the energy of the fans is electric. Coach Kristi Bredbenner and the team should be proud of the incredible amount of time and hard work they put into their sport. I'm honored to be a part of such an enthusiastic fan base.  

Fundraising is ongoing for the Wilkins renovations and have been given a significant boost by many of our loyal Shocker fans — including a $1.5 million gift from John and Gail Wadsworth for a team operations facility, $1.1 million from Linda Parke that will be split between athletic scholarships and stadium improvements, and $100,000 from Jeanie and Ricky Brotherton. Additionally, the Wichita State University Board of Trustees unanimously voted to invest $3 million into the project. Currently, $5.4 million has been raised toward the $9.65 million goal for Phase I of the project.  

I am proud of the achievements of all our Shocker athletes, and I admire their drive and commitment to their sports. I’m looking forward to racking up more wins and witnessing their growth and achievements as athletes, students and leaders in the community.  

Go Shockers!