Nabbed by the Red Sox
Wichita State redshirt sophomore pitcher Kris Johnson was drafted 40th overall by the Boston Red Sox during the first day of the 2006 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Johnson is a supplemental pick between the first and second rounds in the 2006 draft.
He is the 11th-highest Shocker taken in WSU history behind Joe Carter, 1981 (2nd pick); Darren Dreifort, 1993 (2nd); Braden Looper, 1996 (3rd); Bryan Oelkers, 1982 (4th); Mike Pelfrey, 2005 (9th); Tyler Green, 1991 (10th); Mike Drumright, 1995 (11th); Erik Sonberg, 1983 (18th); Ben Christensen, 1999 (26th); and Russ Morman, 1983 (28th).
Johnson, from Blue Springs, Mo., went 6-2 in 2006 with a 4.86 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 53.2 innings. During his three-years at WSU, he is 16-2 with a 2.94 ERA. He started his career 14-0, the second-best start in Shocker history behind Ken Greenwood’s 16-0 mark.
The Shockers also had two signees taken in the draft, Evan Anundsen and D’Marcus Ingram.
— WSU Sports Information
All-American Efforts
Five Wichita State track and field athletes competed at the 2006 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Sacramento, Calif., and two brought home All-America honors.
Senior Desiraye Osburn, shown here, placed fourth in the 5,000-meter race, collecting her fourth All-America title.
And senior Jackie Brown pole vaulted her way to third place. The two seniors plus juniors Sarah Becker and Tasha Gallegos and sophomore Linda Feldberga placed in the top five at the Midwest Regional in Austin, Texas, to move on to the championship meet.
In Record Fashion
For the third-straight season, Wichita State has captured the MVC All-Sports Trophy and owns a league-best 15 overall titles.
The Shockers did it in record fashion, claiming seven Valley championships and gaining fifth-or-better finishes in all of the 15 Valley sports in which they participate, both of which are Valley and school records.
The Shockers earned titles in women’s cross country, women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, men’s basketball, men’s golf, women’s tennis (co-championship), and volleyball.
Cornhusker to Wheatshocker
Scott Spinelli has joined the Shocker men’s basketball program as an assistant coach, coming
to WSU after three seasons with the Nebraska men’s basketball program.
Spinelli, who in his last year with the Huskers was associate head coach, also has served as
an assistant coach and scout at the professional level and head coach at the prep school level. Prior to his time at Nebraska, he spent two seasons at Loyola University in Chicago.
“I’m very excited for the opportunity to work for Coach Turgeon and Wichita State to help build on the tremendous success they have had so far,” he says. “I'm leaving a great coach in Coach (Barry) Collier to work with another great coach in Mark Turgeon.”
— WSU Sports Information
