Roll with the changes: New-look KWU starts practice for 2010 football season

By BOB DAVIDSON/Salina Journal

Several things were familiar when Anthony Berry, Kendrick Mitchell and their Kansas Wesleyan teammates walked on the practice field for the Coyotes’ first workout of the 2010 football season Wednesday.

Head coach Dave Dallas was there. So was his son, assistant coach Drew Dallas. The old football building north of the practice field was still there, Cloud and Osborne streets still run adjacent to the field, and the uniforms were still purple and white.

But there also was plenty of new. New teammates, a new defensive coordinator in Bob Frey, and a new offensive coordinator in Chris Snyder, although Snyder was around during spring workouts and doesn’t really qualify as new.

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KWU women preseason KCAC cross country favorite

Salina Journal

WICHITA — Kansas Conference coaches have picked Kansas Wesleyan to win the women’s cross country title this fall.

Wesleyan, the defending KCAC champion, received six of nine first-place votes and had 61 points in edging out Friends, which had 58 points and two first-place votes. Southwestern was third with 52 points and one first-place vote.

Bethany and Sterling tied for fourth with 34 points followed by Tabor, McPherson, Bethel and Ottawa.

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KWU soccer used to being hunted; Coyote men picked to repeat as KCAC champions

By BOB DAVIDSON | Salina Journal

Mike Dibbini wasn’t fazed when told his Kansas Wesleyan men’s soccer team was chosen as the team to be in the Kansas Conference this fall.

Wesleyan received eight of 10 first-place votes in a preseason poll of conference coaches taken Tuesday. The Coyotes had 89 points while runner-up McPherson had 78 points and two first-place votes. Friends was third with 77 points and Ottawa fourth with 65.

“We’re used to it now,” said Dibbini, who led KWU to a 14-4-3 record last fall, including a 7-1-1 record in the KCAC and second-place finish. The Coyotes won the conference tournament title and lost to Bethel (Tenn.) in the first round of the NAIA playoffs.

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KWU’s Dallas: It’s time for a change

By BOB DAVIDSON | Salina Journal

With 19 starters returning from last season, changes would appear to be few and far between for Kansas Wesleyan’s football team entering the 2010 season.

Change, though, is the operative word for the Coyotes, who finished with a 5-5 record last fall.

Coach Dave Dallas, who enters his 13th season, decided to revamp his offense during the off-season. He switched coordinators, releasing Ryan Mills and hiring Chris Snyder, and implemented a spread formation. While the Coyotes will still run the ball, as has been their hallmark since Dallas arrived, the passing game will be much more prevalent.

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KCAC Notebook

Salina Journal

Unsettled Swedes

Bethany football coach Jamie Cruce doesn’t know who his starting quarterback will be when the Swedes open the 2010 season Sept. 11 against Saint Mary.

Steven Baker, last year’s starter, was a senior and endured a roller coaster campaign. He threw for 2,631 yards and 13 touchdowns, but also had 25 passes intercepted.

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