Spring Break
When UMKC Dance Coach Michele Morgan and her husband pulled up roots and moved to Kansas City last year, something was left behind. There was a missing element that the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) couldn't seem to let go.
Sitting inside Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City should be a humbling experience each time a Kangaroo fan takes in a basketball game. No other college basketball venue in America can claim as much fame. The inner bowl has hosted more NCAA Division I tournament games (83), regional championships (13) and Final Fours (9) than any other venue.
Kansas City native and UMKC junior sprinter Anthony Boyer brought home the Summit League title in the men's 60-meter dash last weekend at the Westwood Sports and Expo Center in Sterling, Ill. Boyer received all-conference honors in two events at the 2008 Summit League Indoor Championships, a gold medal in the 60-meter dash and a third-place finish in the 200-meter dash.
The Kangaroos won on the road in convincing fashion 80-72 against the Centenary College (CC) Ladies. UMKC led the entire game Monday night at the Gold Dome in Shreveport, La., and have taken nine of 10 games all-time between the schools. The victory snapped a seven-game losing streak and marked only the second win for the Roos this season.
The weather outside Municipal Auditorium may have been beautiful and breezy with temperatures reaching the 60s, but inside the gymnasium on Saturday March 1, the Roos seemed to get chewed up and spit out 80-56 by a hungry Oakland University (OU) squad. Fans received a dollar-off coupon for Joe's Pizza with the purchase of a ticket, which may have been one of the few positives to be found in the dismal Oakland drubbing.
The Kangaroos seemed ready to peak with one week remaining before the Summit League Tournament. A 75-57 victory over the Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) Mastodons was the third league win in four games for the Kangaroos. UMKC (11-19, 6-11 Summit) faced IPFW (12-16, 9-8 Summit), the league's fourth-ranked team when action began on Thursday night at Municipal Auditorium.
The UMKC Kangaroos dropped their final game of the season on their home court 85-75 at the hand of the Oakland University (OU) Golden Grizzlies. As painful as the loss seemed to be, the squad is fully aware there are games yet to be played, albeit tourney style.
With a new season just underway and a young team on her hands, UMKC head softball coach Meredith Smith has another year of discipline and fundamentals to instill into her program. "I think our biggest challenge is trying to create a tradition," Smith said.
Washed out of the SEMO Classic on Saturday that was to be held in Cape Girardeau, due to poor field conditions, UMKC head softball coach Meredith Smith was determined to play some games over the weekend. In a change of venue, the Kangaroos travelled instead to Springfield, Mo.
Whether it be strong winds, heavy rains or even severe cold, senior second baseman Alicia Baker has played through it all on the softball diamond. That weather has been an ongoing interest for the Kangaroo infielder seems almost fateful. Outside of softball, Baker's greatest joys are writing and meteorology.
The UMKC men's tennis team lost its second straight match to a Missouri Valley conference opponent, the Drake University (DU) Bulldogs. The No. 50-ranked Bulldogs won 7-0 Sunday, Feb. 24. Drake boasted America's longest active winning streak with 27 wins coming into play, and the Kangaroos could not avoid becoming victim number 28.
