RCW: Faces in the Crowd 3.34

Each week in Rock Chalk Weekly, the top Kansas Jayhawk performances are recognized as Faces in the Crowd. Get to know last week’s stars, including information on their latest accomplishments and a link to their full bio.
 

SYDNEY CONLEY
Women’s Track & Field | Senior | Fayetteville, Arkansas
Bio Full Bio

Over the last two weeks, Sydney Conley, the three-time First Team All-American, recorded her first long jump attempts of the outdoor season and is already sitting among the NCAA’s elite. After a victorious debut at the Rock Chalk Classic (April 28), flying to a mark of 6.52 meters (21-4¾), Conley moved her name up the national and school charts with another stellar performance Saturday at the Ward Haylett Invitational in Manhattan, Kansas. Conley soared to a mark of 6.62 meters (21-8¾) to, not only secure her second win in as many weeks, but also insert her name at No. 5 on the most recent NCAA DI long jump rankings. Conley also added a 100-meter (11.49 seconds) victory in Manhattan. 
 

  

JANET KOCH
Tennis | Sophomore | Durbanville, South Africa
Bio Full Bio

Sophomore Janet Koch sparked a first-round win for the Jayhawks at the 2017 Big 12 Championship with victories over West Virginia at both No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles. Koch teamed with Anastasia Rychagova and topped the WVU doubles team, 6-3, to secure the doubles point for KU. On the singles court, Koch posted a 6-2, 6-4 win over Christina Jordan to secure the 4-1 match victory. Koch and the Jayhawks now prepare for their second-straight NCAA Tournament berth with an opening-round match against Notre Dame Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.

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CHASE HANNA
Men’s Golf | Senior | Leawood, Kansas
Bio Full Bio

With a storybook ending to his final Big 12 Championship, senior Chase Hanna finished at the top of the individual leaderboard, leading Kansas men’s golf to a third-place finish, the highest by the Jayhawks since 2000. Taking advantage of a difficult Prairie Dunes Golf Course, Hanna collected 14 total birdies, the second most by any golfer in the field. His Big 12 win marks the first time that a Kansas individual has won a conference title since the late Slade Adams who tied for first in the 1995 Big Eight Championship. It is also the first time that a Jayhawk has won an individual conference championship outright since Matt Gogel won the 1991 Big Eight title. 
 

MATT McLAUGHLIN
Baseball | Junior | San Jose, California
Bio Full Bio

Junior shortstop Matt McLaughlin led Kansas at the plate in a perfect 5-0 week where he batted a team-best .412 (7-for-17) in five starts. Of his seven hits, McLaughlin connected for four doubles and a home run against then-No. 16 Missouri State. He had his hands involved in 18 of the Jayhawks’ runs on the week as he scored a Big 12-best 10 runs and was second in the league in RBIs (8) only behind teammate James Cosentino (9). His .560 on-base percentage ranked first on the team, as he did not strike out in 25 plate appearances on the week.