It is the final What Just Happened of 2019, which means it’s time to look back on the year in Mizzou sports. Yes, I have to. No, I can’t make an exception.
The sooner I get this over with, the sooner I can start writing about 2020, which probably will be better, unless there is another NCAA investigation I’m not aware of. In keeping with tradition, these awards were voted on by me after I sought input from nobody else.
Here we go:
The What-Will-They-Ever-Do-Without-Me?-Yikes-Sorry-I-Asked Female Athlete of the Year Award: Sophie Cunningham
Cunningham capped the greatest career in MU women’s basketball history by averaging 17.8 points as a senior. She became the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,187 points, guided the Tigers to their fourth straight NCAA Tournament and was drafted in the second round by the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. Cunningham fully embraced all it means to be a star college athlete and achieved a level of state-wide fame normally reserved for quarterbacks. Another sign of her greatness is what happened to her team after she left. Missouri is off to a 3-9 start without her.
The Man-You-Would-Least-Like-To-Face-On-A-40-Degree-Night-At-Taylor-Stadium Male Athlete of the Year: TJ Sikkema
Sikkema went 7-4 with a 1.32 ERA, which ranked third in the NCAA and first in the SEC. The lefty struck out 101 in 88.2 innings and held opponents to a .175 batting average. Because he played baseball at Missouri, few saw him in person, but trust me, he was good. Sikkema was picked 38th overall in the MLB draft by the New York Yankees, three picks after the Miami Marlins selected fellow Tiger Kameron Misner.
The Lemons-To-Lemonade Coach of the Year Award: Larissa Anderson
Anderson took over a roster that had been decimated by transfers. Players who didn’t like Ehren Earleywine left late in his tenure, and players loyal to him left after he was fired right before the 2018 season. Missouri was a runaway pick to place last in the 2019 SEC preseason softball coaches poll, but Anderson led the Tigers to a sixth-place finish with a 12-12 SEC record. They advanced to their 13th straight NCAA Regional. They won’t get the chance to make it 14 in a row, because one player cheated four years ago. Thanks, NCAA!
The Consider-The-Bar-Raised Award: Wayne and Susan Kreklow
When you think about how times have changed in college athletics, consider that in 1996 the Missouri volleyball team went 0-28 under Disa Johnson … and she was allowed to coach three more years. The Tigers had posted losing records for 15 straight years before Wayne and Susan Kreklow took over the program before the 2000 season. They led Missouri to the NCAA Tournament in 15 of their 19 seasons before announcing their retirement in July. The Kreklows redefined what the volleyball program could be at Missouri. Their husband-and-wife successors, Josh and Molly Taylor, led the team to a 22-8 record and another NCAA Tournament appearance in their debut season.
The I-Believe-I-Can-Fly Individual Performance of the Year Award: Ja’Mari Ward
Ward soared 26 feet, 7¾ inches to win the long jump at the USA Track & Field Championships in July. He was one of only three college athletes to win an event at the meet, and he fell just two inches short of a qualifying mark for the World Championships.
The Would-It-Be-Possible-For-The-Best-Mizzou-Player-To-Not-Suffer-A-Devastating-Injury?-No?-Didn’t-Think-So Tragic Hero Award: Cale Garrett
It was a terrible shame that Garrett, a senior linebacker, tore a pectoral tendon in Missouri’s victory over Troy in Game 5. He was on track for an All-American season as a tackling and scoring machine. He had two interceptions returns for touchdown — one of them after he tore his pec against Troy — and he recovered a fumble in the end zone for another TD. Had Garrett stayed healthy, maybe Missouri beats Vanderbilt, Barry Odom saves his job and the whole trajectory of the program changes.
The Every-Cat-Has-Its-Day Game of the Year: Missouri women’s basketball beats Mississippi State 75-67
The smitten Antlers got the best Valentine’s Day present ever when Cunningham surpassed 2,000 points for her career and helped the Tigers hand the fifth-ranked Bulldogs their only loss of the season in SEC play. Cunningham had 24 points, six rebounds and four steals. It was the highest-ranked team Missouri has ever beaten on the road.
The Remind-Me-What-I’m-Paying-You-For-Again Least Valuable Player Award: Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC.
The legal team led by Kansas City-based Mike Glazier, the veteran college scandal warrior, was paid more than $350,000 to represent Missouri in its disastrous battle with the NCAA. Even giving this law firm the benefit of the doubt because accuser Yolanda Kumar was eager to spill her beans to the NCAA and had the receipts, it badly misjudged the value of “exemplary cooperation.”
The Third-Team-Left-Tackle-For-Rock-Bridge-High-School-That’s-Got-A-Twitter-Account-With-12-Followers-Finally-Got-His-Wish Award: Barry Odom
What was expected to be Odom’s breakthrough year turned out to be his last. Missouri’s offense went absent for reasons nobody could explain, and the season spiraled until a too-little, too-late win over Odom’s current employer, Arkansas. Odom compiled a .500 career record and always seemed to be battling for his job and trying to win over fans, including that hard-to-please high school offensive lineman with the limited social media following.
Although Odom’s four years were short on memorable wins — the 2018 victory at Florida was the only one over a ranked opponent — his firing and the subsequent departure of assistants Andy Hill, Cornell Ford and A.J. Ofodile means the loss of a combined 73 years of Mizzou playing and coaching experience. The coaching change severs almost every link to Gary Pinkel’s tenure. Ryan Walters, who was retained as defensive coordinator, spent one year under Pinkel.
It will be the start of a new era with Eli Drinkwitz in charge in 2020. It would be tempting to say there is nowhere to go but up after 2019, but let’s not tempt fate.
