Good Afternoon K-State Nation!

I trust your week is off to a fast start and that you had a great weekend! I spent mine enjoying six "11U Titans" baseball games in Olathe and Shawnee - my son and I saw lots of K-State Alumni Association license plates, Purple and Powercats as we drove around the greater KC area. We are always grateful for our fans showing the pride and wearing the Purple proudly!

Speaking of baseball, Coach Hill's charges did a great job of finishing the regular season strong - winning four out of their last six Big 12 games (over KU and at Texas Tech) to play their way into the conference tournament for the sixth straight year. Congratulations to Joe Flattery for throwing K-State's first complete game since A.J. Morris shut down Rice in the 2009 NCAA Tournament. Click here for ticket information for the tournament, including our opening-round matchup with Baylor at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Top news stories from local and national media:

• Simoneau headed to college football hall (Topeka Capital-Journal)

Top news stories from local and national media:

• K-State's Kynard wins Big 12 title (Wichita Eagle)
• Krais wins the heptathlon (Manhattan Mercury)
• Juniors Kirielius, Dick finish 2-3 in men's decathlon (Manhattan Mercury)

Top news stories for local and national media:

• Bruce Weber re-energized at Kansas State (ESPN.com)
• K-State's Weber seeks out quality nonconference opponents (Kansas City Star)
• Wildcats cruise past Mavericks (Manhattan Mercury)

• Kevin Haskin: Able to leap tall people, Kynard eyes Olympics (Topeka Capital-Journal)

Good evening K-State Nation!
 
After a very productive set of Big 12 meetings and Fiesta Bowl events in Phoenix, it is great to see the evening American Eagle jet flight to MHK listed as "on-time" on the "big board" here at DFW Airport. I am ready to get home and see my family!
 
This has been a historic day for the Big 12 as current Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby was introduced earlier this morning as our new conference commissioner. I believe this is a tremendous coup for the Big 12 and am grateful for the leadership and diligence shown by President Schulz, Oklahoma State President and Big 12 Chairman Burns Hargis and the other selection committee members in making it happen.
 
Bob Bowlsby is one of the most respected athletics leaders in the country and has played an instrumental role in the transformation of the Pac-12 Conference over the last several years. In addition to his success as Stanford's AD, he has deep Midwest roots having previously served for many years as AD at Iowa and Northern Iowa, while his transcendent skills are illustrated by his role as a member of the board of directors of the United States Olympic Committee.
 
Click here to see the conference's official announcement regarding the appointment and more details on Commissioner-elect Bowlsby's background.