Football
The 50th season of Griffon football saw the program return to success known for much of the

https://www.missouriwestern.edu/magazine/wp-content/uploads/sites/133/2020/01/MWSU-Stadium-19-1.jpgprevious two decades. Missouri Western went 8-3 in the regular season for its most wins since 2013. The season was capped with a second consecutive appearance in the Agent Barry Live United Bowl in Texarkana, Arkansas, where the Griffons beat Henderson State University 35-14. That ninth win was the most since 2012 and the football program’s 300th.

The season was highlighted by a dynamic offense that averaged close to 42 points per game. That offense put up at least 43 points in five straight games and six overall. The offense also totaled more than 500 yards four times, including a program-first string of three-straight 500+ yard totals.

Sixteen Griffons were named All-MIAA, highlighted by first-team selections Hayden Eatinger, Sam Webb and Trey Vaval. Vaval became the first freshman in the history of the program to be named All-American by the American Football Coaches Association, receiving second-team honors. The true freshman broke a 27-year-old MIAA record by averaging more than 35 yards per kick return and led the nation with more than 1,100 combined return yards.
Volleyball
https://www.missouriwestern.edu/magazine/wp-content/uploads/sites/133/2020/01/Seniors-Ringing-Bell-scaled.jpgGriffon volleyball finished 17-13 overall with an 11-9 conference record that helped the team earn a fifth-place spot in the MIAA standings.

The Griffons got off to a hot start, winning their first five matches of the season. After challenging conference play against the best in the MIAA and several nationally ranked opponents, the team clawed its way back over .500 and swept traditional power Central Oklahoma in the regular season finale to claim the No. 5 seed in the MIAA Championships.

Six Griffons were named All-MIAA including first-team middle hitter Ali Tauchen. Lauren Murphy finished her career ranked second in Griffon rally scoring history with 3,898 assists.
https://www.missouriwestern.edu/magazine/wp-content/uploads/sites/133/2020/01/JAE_4227-134-scaled.jpgSoccer
After five straight years of record-breaking win totals for the soccer program, the Griffons took a step back in 2019 when Coach Chad Edwards lined up a team this season without a single senior.

The youth movement resulted in a 4-11-3 overall record that saw the team miss the postseason for the first time in six years. There still were bright spots. After not scoring in the first three games, the Griffons won three straight to begin MIAA play 3-2-1. While the season didn’t end with many victories, the Griffons did show signs of improvement late in the year, scoring at least one goal in each of its final six games.
https://www.missouriwestern.edu/magazine/wp-content/uploads/sites/133/2020/01/JAE_6129-126-scaled.jpgCross Country
Year three of Griffon cross country saw both teams improve as Cody Ingold took over as head coach early in the season.

The women’s team opened the season with a second-place finish in the Bearcat Open and won the Griffon Open two weeks later. The squad finished seventh at the MIAA Championships, the highest-ever finish by the Griffons. Megan Gillen finished 11th at the MIAA Championships.

The men’s squad finished in the top 10 in every event before the NCAA DII Central Regional. The men won the Griffon Open in late September and finished second at the Bearcat Open. The team’s ninth-place finish in the MIAA Championships was its highest in the first three years of the program.