KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Missouri Southern football is set to attend the 2026 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Football Media Day on Monday, July 27, on the campus of Washburn University.
 
Head Football Coach Atiba Bradley, sophomore quarterback Tillman Martin, redshirt senior defensive back Peyton McKee and redshirt senior kick returner/wide receiver David Bethune will represent the Lions in Topeka, Kansas, for the Association's 2026 Football Media Day. The action will take place inside Washburn University's Bill Sneed Indoor Athletic Facility.
 
The Lions will take the stage at 1 p.m., CT during the second session of the 2026 MIAA Football Media Day. MIAA fans can watch the press conference live, exclusively on The MIAA Network.
 
Atiba Bradley
Bradley enters his sixth season at the helm of the Lions program in 2026. He led MSSU to wins over Midwestern State, Southwestern Baptist and Nebraska Kearney in 2025 (3-8, 1-8 MIAA) as seven Lions earned All-MIAA football honors including 2026 offensive returners quarterback Tillman Martin and wide receiver Isaiah Padello.
 
Tillman Martin
Tillman earned 2025 All-MIAA Honorable Mention laurels as a true freshman. He threw for 2,506 yards with 17 touchdowns. The Liberty, Missouri, native, had a quarterback rating of 136.90 and a completion percentage of 59.49 (188-for-316). He also added four touchdowns on the ground. 
 
Martin threw for over 100 yards in all but one game in 2025 and surpassed 200 yards six times in 2025. He was named the MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week on Sept. 8, 2025, after throwing for 446 yards to lead the Lions to a 38-31 victory over Southwest Baptist. He completed 18-for-27 passing with four touchdowns and ranks second all-time for passing in a single game at MSSU.
 
Peyton McKee
McKee made 30 stops (17 solo, 13 assists) in 2025 over nine games. He also made two tackles for loss for four yards to go with two quarterback hurries.
 
McKee, a Springdale, Arkansas, native, made a season-high seven tackles at Pittsburg State on Nov. 1, 2025, and returns as one of the top Lion defensive backs in 2026. He had three or more tackles in six games in 2025 including each of the last three contests.
 
David Bethune
Bethune suited up in nine games in 2025 and returns as one of the top kick returners for the Lions this fall. He made seven kick returners for 117 yards and averaged 16.7 yards per return with a long return of 20 yards.

The Jefferson City, Missouri, native, also lined up at wide receiver and in the back field for MSSU in 2025.
 
 
2026 FOOTBALL MEDIA DAY PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Opening
9:30 a.m. — MIAA Commissioner, Mike Racy
9:45 a.m. — MIAA Supervisor of Officials, Phil Laurie

Session I
10:00 a.m. — Missouri Western
10:15 a.m. — Central Missouri
10:30 a.m. — Northwest Missouri
10:45 a.m. — Break
11:00 a.m. — Central Oklahoma
11:15 a.m. — Nebraska Kearney

Session II
12:00 p.m. — Washburn
12:15 p.m. — Emporia State
12:30 p.m. — Fort Hays State
12:45 p.m. — Break
1:00 p.m. — Missouri Southern
1:15 p.m. — Pittsburg State