Chris Wristen Shawnee/Bonner Springs/Basehor Sports Editor
Chris Wristen is the sports editor for The Shawnee Dispatch, Bonner Springs Chieftain and Basehor Sentinel. Prior to this appointment, he helped launch The Lansing Current, a weekly newspaper in Lansing, Kan. He spent 3 1/2 years there as the sports editor and helped The Current become an award-winning publication on the state and national levels. The Current finished second in the Inland Press Association's Nation's Best Non-Daily Newspaper Competition in the under-5,000 circulation division in 2007. Chris also has been a sports reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal and the Lawrence Journal-World. Chris is a Kansas native. He earned his bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Kansas in Spring 2002 and completed his Masters Degree in Sports Administration at KU in December 2003. While at KU, his in-depth feature "Players get the hollers, KU keeps the dollars," placed third nationally in the William Randolph Hearst Sportswriting Competition. Chris was recognized numerous times by the Kansas Press Association for his work at The Lansing Current. He has been a frequent winner in the KPA's Awards of Excellence competition. His KPA honors in the Nondaily Division 2 category include: 2005 First place - Sports feature story, "The rise of Logan Ryan." 2006 First place - Sports column writing. 2006 Third place - Sports feature story, "Remembering a legend." 2006 Honorable mention - Sports story, "Nietzke ignites Lions." 2006 Honorable mention - Youth story, "Lansing band in spotlight." 2007 First place - Sports column writing. 2007 First place - Headline writing. 2007 Third place - Sports story, "A day for Sean." 2007 Honorable mention - Sports feature story, "Kroll intentions." 2008 Third place - Sports column writing. 2008 First place - Sports photography for "A family affair." Chris also was recognized by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association as a 2005-2006 Wrestling Media of the Year award winner for his coverage of Lansing High wrestling. In addition, Chris is a regular contributor to KUsports.com.
Recent stories
- Mill Valley football has record number of college signings
- March 17, 2010
- Mill Valley developed a reputation for churning out talented football players during the school’s first nine years of existence.
- Wristen: It’s great to be a fan of local college teams
- March 17, 2010
- My suitcase is already packed, and I’m counting the hours until departure to Oklahoma City.
- Specht’s late charge not enough as East holds off North
- Senior scores 18 points in fourth quarter of 51-46 loss
- 10:21 p.m., March 5, 2010 Updated 11:03 p.m.
- Mary Pat Specht scored 18 of her 22 points in the fourth quarter and helped Shawnee Mission North rally, but it wasn’t enough as the Indians lost to Shawnee Mission East, 51-46, in the Class 6A substate finals Friday night at Shawnee Mission Northwest.
- Thunder struck down by Bobcats in substate semifinals
- March 5, 2010
- Two weeks ago, the St. James Academy girls basketball team was rolling along full steam ahead.
- Basehor girls oust St. James in substate semifinals
- March 4, 2010
- Basehor-Linwood opened with a 15-4 run, and that made all the difference as the Bobcats cruised to a 53-37 victory against top-seed St. James Academy Thursday night at BLHS in the Class 4A girls basketball substate semifinals.
- Northwest girls put scare into East in season-finale
- March 4, 2010
- Substate basketball is the land of no tomorrows, and the Shawnee Mission Northwest girls made sure that if Wednesday night was their final game they would have no regrets about their effort.
- Substate live: SMNW girls at SM East
- East pulls away late for 57-47 victory
- 07:16 p.m., March 3, 2010 Updated 09:12 p.m.
- The Shawnee Mission Northwest girls are taking on Shawnee Mission East in Class 6A substate basketball.
- Mill Valley senior finishes 2nd one year after winning title
- March 3, 2010
- When Trevor Boyer won the 112-pound state championship last year, Mill Valley wrestling coach Travis Keal told him that winning a second title would be tougher.
- SNMW’s Whitmore takes second
- March 3, 2010
- Ross Whitmore’s dream of winning a state championship ran into a roadblock in the form of a short, stocky, strong-as-an-ox Daniel Deshazer.
- Wristen: Whitmore’s prediction comes true
- March 3, 2010
- A year had passed, but Ross Whitmore still remembered the conversation vividly.
Recent photos
Shawnee Mission Northwest junior A.J. Spencer corrals a rebound during the Cougars' 54-52 loss to Leavenworth in the Class 6A substate finals.
Shawnee Mission Northwest junior Trey Fruehling fires a 3-pointer against Leavenworth.
Shawnee Mission Northwest junior A.J. Spencer gathers himself before putting up a shot during the fourth quarter against Leavenworth. The Pioneers edged the Cougars in the substate finals, 54-52.
Shawnee Mission Northwest junior Drew Goodger scores on a put-back during the fourth quarter against Leavenworth. The Pioneers beat the Cougars in the Class 6A substate finals, 54-52.
Shawnee Mission North senior Mary Pat Specht scored 22 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter, in North's 51-46 loss to Shawnee Mission East Friday night in the Class 6A substate title game.
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Point of View
Do you do anything to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?
“We are all Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. My family won the best in family floats in Shawnee’s St. Patrick’s Day parade a few years back. We got to have a big trophy for the year. My sons love throwing out candy on the parade route.”
