Baseball Signings
Wichita State continues its national dominance as Shockers played in their 13th-straight NCAA Tournament — the 18th in the last 20 years — and hosted their eighth regional in the 1990s. WSU also has had a slew of players and signees selected in this year's baseball draft. All told, 10 Shockers were chosen, as well as four Shockers-to-be.
Topping the list of Shockers who have signed professional contracts is Chicago Cubs first-round pick Ben Christensen. Christensen's selection marked the fifth time in the 1990s that a Shocker has been selected in the first round. The four Shockers preceding Christensen are Tyler Green, Darren Dreifort, Mike Drumright and Braden Looper. Seniors who've signed are All-America shortstop Kevin Hooper, who was drafted in the eighth round by the Florida Marlins; All-America reliever Marc Bluma, chosen in the 13th round by the Toronto Blue Jays; catcher Brian Preston, selected by the Montreal Expos in the 14th round; and outfielder Jeff Ryan, who was picked up by the Chicago Cubs in the 37th round.
Golf Champs
Running away with a 14-stroke advantage over the Redbirds of Illinois State, Wichita State's men's golf team nabbed the 1999 Missouri Valley Conference Golf Championship in April at Terradyne Golf Club, Andover, Kan. The win was the first championship for the Shockers since the 1986 season. The team finished second in both 1997 and 1998.
A second-place finish at The Valley Championship in Peoria, Ill., completed WSU's women's golf season. It is the team's second second-place finish in as many years for Chris Adams' squad.
More than a Deadly Serve
Members of the women's volleyball team are serving up deadly competition — both on the court and in the classroom. The Shockers earned their fourth American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award in the 1990s this year when the 1998-99 team posted the highest cumulative grade point average (3.56) in the nation.
