KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Chiefs general manager John Dorsey says the controversial signing of wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders by AFC West-rival Denver has been “put to bed” and that he’s focused on what he can do during the rest of free agency and in the draft.

Sanders had visited the Chiefs last week when reports began to surface he had agreed to a contract. His agent, Steve Weinberg, said that was never the case, and reports citing unnamed sources that claimed he was “shopping” the Chiefs’ offer to other teams were inaccurate.

Sanders ultimately signed an $18 million, three-year deal with Denver, and the Chiefs’ lengthy and frustrating pursuit of a wide receiver to help out quarterback Alex Smith rolls on.

Dorsey said Tuesday in his first availability since the start of free agency that “that deal was put to bed, we have to move forward and we have to build for this organization.”

Kansas State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Jeff Mittie, one of the winningest active coaches in NCAA Division I with more than 450 career wins, 15 postseason appearances, nine conference titles and five conference coach of the year honors in 22 years of coaching, has been named the ninth head women’s basketball coach at Kansas State, Athletics Director John Currie announced on Tuesday.

Mittie agreed to a five-year contract approved by the K-State Athletics, Inc., Board of Directors and President Kirk Schulz. Mittie – who was selected after a national search by K-State’s search committee of Currie, Senior Women’s Administrator Jill Shields, Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Be Stoney and Chief of Staff and Assistant Athletics Director of Administration Clint Dowdle – will be paid $375,000 in the first year of the deal with $25,000 annual increases each year remaining on the contract. He will also receive a $140,000 signing bonus.

“I want to thank President Schulz and Athletic Director Currie for giving me this opportunity. I think this is a great opportunity for Shanna and me and our family. It is a tremendous opportunity at a terrific institution that, I believe, in women’s basketball has proven that the fan base can get excited about. This was the youngest team in the Big 12 this year, so I am excited to work with the players. I am always excited about developing a team and that challenge. I think Kansas State and my family will be a really great fit. I am looking forward to getting recruiting started across the state of Kansas and developing those very important relationships.”

Mittie, 47, has achieved an overall record of 454-234 (.660) in his 22 years as a head coach, which includes stops at Missouri Western, Arkansas State and TCU. His .660 career winning percentage ranks 45th among active Division I head coaches and 21st among active coaches with 20 or more years of experience.

Mittie has averaged 21 wins and 10 losses per season and experienced only one losing season in his 22 years of head coaching. Fifteen times Mittie has advanced his teams to either the NCAA or WNIT Tournaments, in which he has a combined record of 15-13. Over the last 14 seasons, Mittie guided TCU to 13 winning seasons with 11 consecutive postseason appearances, including nine NCAA Tournament berths.

At TCU, Mittie compiled a 303-175 (.634) record while exceeding the win total the program accomplished in the first 22 seasons of existence. Prior to Mittie’s arrival, TCU owned a 208-402 (.340) mark. He recorded his milestone 300th victory at TCU on Feb. 19 of the past season during a home win over Kansas State.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jeff, Shanna, Logan, Madison and Jordan Mittie to Manhattan and the K-State family,” Currie said. “Coach Mittie’s success as a head coach at three different institutions, Midwest background as well as his reputation as a top-notch recruiter make him the ideal fit to lead our women’s basketball program. We set out to find the very best basketball coach for K-State, whose personal values and integrity reflects those of our university and one that appreciates the unique opportunity of being part of our strong basketball tradition and commitment to championship performances, and we are confident that Jeff Mittie is that person. I look forward to the entire K-State Nation having the opportunity to get to know him and his family.”

Mittie has received a number of accolades during his coaching career including: 2010 Mountain West Coach of the Year, 2002 Conference USA Coach of the Year, 2001 WAC Coach of the Year and 1994 and 1995 MIAA Coach of the Year. He has also led his programs to nine conference titles.

In addition to personal honors, Mittie has mentored several of his players who have reached the WNBA (Sandora Irvin and Adrianne Ross) or played overseas (Helena Sverrisdottir and Antoinette Thompson), been honored as an All-American, earned conference player of the year awards, all-league citations and academic all-conference awards. During his time with TCU, Mittie coached 10 of the 12 members of the school’s 1,000-point club and five of the nine members of the 500-rebound club.

Mittie’s success at TCU expanded his coaching tree, as a pair of his former assistants moved on to head coaching positions in Division I. Former assistants Larry Tidwell and Yolanda Wells-Broughton have moved into head coaching positions at Lamar and Texas Southern, respectively.

Prior to his tenure at TCU, Mittie pieced together a 75-42 (.641) mark in his four campaigns at Arkansas State, posting a pair of 20-win seasons and winning 17 or more contests in each of his four years with the Lady Indians. Twice his teams topped the Sun Belt Conference in grade point average as well.

Before taking over the Arkansas State program, Mittie fashioned a 76-17 (.817) mark in three years as head coach at Missouri Western. In 1995, Mittie guided the school to a remarkable 31-3 slate, which included a 15-1 conference record, and he led the club to the Division II Final Four. That squad finished the season ranked No. 3 nationally and captured both the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association regular-season and tournament championships. For his efforts, he was tabbed league and district Coach of the Year, and was among eight finalists for the national honor.

Mittie garnered league Coach of the Year honors for the first time in his career in 1994 when his Griffons posted a 29-3 overall and 16-0 league record and captured the MIAA regular-season title. His club also made a trip to the NCAA Elite Eight. Before assuming the head coaching duties, Mittie served one season as assistant basketball and baseball coach at the school.

A native of Blue Springs, Mo., Mittie earned his undergraduate degree in sports management from Missouri Western in 1989 and his master’s in sports management from the United States Sports Academy in Mobile, Ala., in 1992.

Mittie and his wife, Shanna, who is a native of Junction City, Kan., and a graduate of Chapman High School, are the proud parents of three children, daughters Logan and Madison and son Jordan.

Coaching Experience
Head Coach, Missouri Western (1992-95; 76-17, .817)
Head Coach, Arkansas State (1995-99; 75-42, .641)
Head Coach, TCU (1999-2014; 303-175, .634)
Head Coach, Kansas State (present)

Education
Bachelor’s in Sport Management, Missouri Western, 1989
Master’s in Sports Management, United States Sports Academy, 1992

Personal
Wife: Shanna
Children: daughters – Logan and Madison; son – Jordan

Wichita State Athletics

WICHITA, Kan. – The Wichita State men’s basketball team will travel to St. Louis to take on the winner of California-Poly and Texas Southern in the second round of the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Friday, March 21.

Tip-off time is at 6:10pm Central Time and will be televised on CBS.

Wichita State takes a 34-0 overall record into its third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Shockers are the lone undefeated team in the NCAA tournament and are the third No. 1 seed in NCAA tournament.

The Shockers will make their 11th NCAA Tournament appearance in school history, carrying an 12-11 overall NCAA Tournament record.

This marks head coach Gregg Marshalls tenth career NCAA Tournament appearance. Marshall led Winthrop to seven NCAA Tournament berths in his nine seasons with the program and has a 5-9 record overall in the tournament.

Senior Cleanthony Early leads the Shockers averaging 15.8 points per game. MVC Player of the Year, Fred VanVleet averages 12.1 points per game, 5.26 assists, and 3.9 rebounds.

Kansas Athletics

LAWRENCE, Kan. – For the 25th-consecutive season, the NCAA selection committee invited No. 10/10 Kansas to the Big Dance as the Jayhawks were awarded the No. 2 seed in the South Region of the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament after its 10^th-straight Big 12 Championship season.

The longest-active NCAA appearance streak in the nation will lead the Jayhawks (24-9) to a meeting with Ohio Valley Conference Champion Eastern Kentucky (24-9) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the Scottrade Center in Saint Louis, Mo.  The game will tip-off at approximately 3:10 p.m. CT and will air on TBS.

KU and EKU have played once previously, with the Jayhawks coming away with the 79-65 victory Dec. 5, 1970 in Lawrence.

Overall, the Jayhawks are making their 43rd NCAA Tournament appearance and are a No. 2 seed for the sixth time since seeding began in 1979. The Jayhawks were a No. 2 seed in 1990, 1993, 1996, 2003, 2012 and 2014. KU is 95-41 all-time in NCAA Tournament games, including 30 Sweet 16 appearances and 14 trips to the Final Four – two in the 11-year Bill Self era.

The Jayhawks finished the 2014 regular season with a 23-8 record against the nation’s toughest schedule. In conference tournament action, Kansas defeated Oklahoma State in the Phillips Big 12 Championship quarterfinals before falling to eventual tournament champ Iowa State in the semifinals to hand Kansas a 24-9 record to begin postseason play. Against the No. 1 conference in the latest overall RPI, strength of schedule, non-conference RPI and non-conference strength of schedule, Kansas won the Big 12 Conference regular-season outright on March 1 with a three-game lead and two league games remaining. Kansas is one of seven Big 12 Conference teams to earn an NCAA Tournament bid, marking just the fifth time in NCAA history that 70 percent of a league was selected. In all, KU faced 12 NCAA Tournament teams in 2013-14.

Paced by the Big 12 Freshman of the Year Andrew Wiggins’ 17.4 points per game, KU averages 79.6 points per game and outscores opponents by a +9.2 margin. KU has outrebounded 28 of 33 opponents, including 11 of its last 12 foes, and holds a +7.4 rebound margin. KU leads the Big 12, and ranks in the top-five nationally, with a 49.5 field goal percentage.

Kansas State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State was rewarded yet another successful season on Sunday, as the Wildcats earned their school-record fifth consecutive and 28th overall bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances ties for the ninth-longest active streak in the country with Florida and trails Kansas (25), Duke (19), Michigan State (17), Wisconsin (16), Gonzaga (16), Louisville (9), Ohio State (6) and Syracuse (6). The 28 overall bids ties Oklahoma for the third-most among Big 12 schools.

K-State (20-12, 10-8 Big 12) was selected as a No. 9 seed in the Midwest Regional and will travel to St. Louis, Mo., to play No. 8 Kentucky (24-10, 12-6 SEC) on Friday, March 21 at the Scotttrade Center. The winner will advance to play either No. 1 seed Wichita State (34-0, 18-0 Missouri Valley) and/or Cal Poly (13-19, 6-10 Big West) and Texas Southern (19-14, 12-6 SWAC) on Sunday, March 23. The Wildcats will be joined at the venue by No. 2 seed Kansas, No. 7 seed New Mexico, No. 10 seed Stanford and No. 15 seed Eastern Kentucky of the South Regional. The top seeds in the Midwest Regional are No. 1 Wichita State, No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Duke and No. 4 Louisville.

K-State and Kentucky will tip off at 8:40 pm CT or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game of the evening session between Wichita State and/or Cal Poly and Texas Southern on Friday. The game will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports with Jim Nantz, Greg Anthony and Tracy Wolfson.

Tickets are available to current Ahearn Fund members, men’s basketball season ticket holders, faculty staff and alumni who did not place a pre-order. Fans should call the K-State Ticket Office at (800) 221.CATS on Monday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $86 for each session in which K-State participates. Orders placed for Friday will automatically be rolled over to Sunday should K-State advance to the third round. All seats will be assigned in order of K-State Athletics priority points after those who reserved tickets by the March 14 pre-order deadline. Any tickets remaining on Tuesday, March 18 will be made open to the public at 8:30 a.m.

Kansas State is making its 35th postseason appearance, which includes 28 in the NCAA Tournament and seven in the Postseason NIT.  It extends its school-record streak of consecutive postseason appearances to eight, while it sets the school mark for consecutive NCAA Tournaments bids to five. The six trips to the NCAA Tournaments in the last seven years is the best stretch in school history. Seniors Omari Lawrence, Ryan Schultz, Shane Southwell and Will Spradling are just the third senior class to reach four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, tying the mark set by the 1989-90 and 2012-13 classes.

Last season, the fourth-seeded Wildcats fell to 13-seed La Salle, 63-61, in the NCAA West Regional second round at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. The team trailed by as many as 18 points before nearing completing the greatest comebacks in school history. K-State has a 6-5 NCAA Tournament mark in its last five appearances.

The program has posted a 33-31 all-time record in NCAA Tournament play, including a 6-4 mark in second round games. The school will be making its 16th appearance in the Midwest Regional with its other trips coming in 1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1988, 1990 and 2008 and is 17-18 all-time in the region. K-State will be making its second appearance as a No. 9 seed and the first since the 1987 NCAA Tournament, in which, the Wildcats defeated another SEC foe, Georgia, 82-79, in overtime before falling to UNLV, 80-61, in Salt Lake City. Overall, the school is 1-1 as a No. 9 seed.

The school will play an NCAA Tournament game in St. Louis for the second time in its history after losing to Boston College, 69-65, in the Midwest Regional semifinals on March 19, 1982.

In K-State’s 27 previous NCAA Tournament appearances, the Wildcats have advanced to the Sweet 16 a total of 16 times.  The program has also reached the Elite Eight 11 times, made four Final Four appearances and played in one National Championship game (1951).

Head coach Bruce Webrer becomes the sixth different coach to lead K-State to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and joins Lon Kruger as the only coaches to accomplish the feat in his first two seasons. Overall, Weber advances to his 10th NCAA Tournament, which includes six at Illinois and two at Southern Illinois. He is 41st head coach in NCAA history to take three different schools to the tournament, including the 21st active coach. He has an 11-9 record in the NCAA Tournament with three trips to the Sweet 16 and the 2005 Final Four.

Weber is very familiar with St. Louis and the Scottrade Center in his career, having played in the city during his stint at Southern Illinois (1998-2003) during the Missouri Valley Tournament as well as his time at Illinois (2003-12) and its annual Braggin’ Rights Game with Missouri. His 2004-05 Illinois squad made a run to the NCAA Championship game in St. Louis, defeating Louisville in the national semifinals before falling to North Carolina in the finals.

Kentucky enters Friday’s game with a 24-10 overall record, which includes a tie for second-place in the Southeastern Conference with a 12-6 mark. The team is led by head coach John Calipari, who led the Wildcats to four trips to the NCAA Tournament, two Final Fours (2011 and 2012) and the 2012 national championship. He has a 592-176 record in 22 seasons (Massachusetts, Memphis and Kentucky), including a 147-36 mark in his fifth season in Lexington. The balanced squad has four players averaging in double figures led by SEC Freshman of the Year Julius Randle, who is averaging a double-double of 15 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

The Wildcats will be making their NCAA-record 53rd appearance in the NCAA Tournament, which includes eight national championships and 15 trips to the Final Four.

K-State will face Kentucky for the ninth time on the hardwood, including the second time in the NCAA Tournament. The blue-clad Wildcats are 8-0 all-time in the series, including 3-0 on neutral courts (1951, 1976 and 2008). The two teams last met in the NCAA Tournament way back in 1951, as Kentucky posted a 68-58 win in the national championship game in Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minn. The two teams have not met since Kentucky posted a 74-72 win at the first round of the Las Vegas Invitational at the Orleans Arena on Nov. 28, 2008.

K-State is 157-144 all-time against Southeastern Conference schools, including a 28-16 mark at neutral site games. The Wildcats have faced three SEC teams in their NCAA Tournament history, including Kentucky (1951), Arkansas (1980 and 1982) and Georgia (1987), boasting a 3-1 record.

K-State was one of a Big 12-record tying seven teams to earn berths in NCAA Tournament, joining No. 2 seed Kansas (South), No. 3 seed Iowa State (East), No. 5 seed Oklahoma (West), No. 6 seed Baylor (West), No. 7 seed Texas (Midwest) and No. 9 seed Oklahoma State (West) in the field. The Wildcats also faced two other squads that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including No. 8 seed Gonzaga (West) and No. 9 seed George Washington (East). Of the Wildcats’ 32 games, 15 were played against NCAA Tournament teams.

In addition, all three Division I programs in the state of Kansas (Kansas, Kansas State and Wichita State) all advanced to the NCAA Tournament for third consecutive season.