Written by Dee Dee West on 18 May 2012
Press release & logo courtesy of Arkansas athletics
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Freshman Dominique Scott and senior Tara Diebold have been recognized by the Southeastern Conference with Friday’s release of the 2012 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Awards. Scott was voted the SEC Women’s Freshman Runner of the Year, while Diebold was named the SEC Co-Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Earlier this week, Whitney Jones was named to the SEC Community Service Team for track and field.
Scott was the SEC runner-up at 10,000 meters on day two of the SEC Championships. She followed that with a third-place showing at 5,000 meters on the final day of the meet. The Cape Town, South Africa, native scored 14 points, individually, and was the highest-scoring freshman at the meet. Scott owns the top freshman times in the conference in both long-distance events. During the course of the outdoor season, she was twice named the SEC Freshman of the Week.
“Her progress has developed 180 degrees,” head coach Lance Harter said. “From the time she got here until now, she has really figured it out. Her cross country season was solid, indoor season was much better and now she’s just exploded outdoors. To grab second at the SEC meet at 10,000 meters and then turn around to get a top-three (finish) at 5,000 meters, is remarkable for a freshman. She reminds me of a (runner) we had way back named Amy Yoder. And Amy turned out to be an Olympian, eventually.”
During the 2012 season, Diebold earned the fourth All-America honor of her career following her showing at the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championships. She was the conference runner-up at the SEC indoor meet in February with a career-best clearance of 4.37m/14-4. Diebold is currently ranked fourth in the conference in the pole vault. Academically, the Branson, Mo., native maintains a 4.00 grade-point average during graduate studies in communication disorders. Diebold is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American.
Jones is a three-year member of the University of Arkansas’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and is involved in several outreach programs serving Northwest Arkansas. On the track, Jones finished in sixth place at 400 meters at the SEC Championships. She also helped Arkansas’ 4×100 relay to a third-place finish and 4×400 relay to a runner-up performance.
Arkansas’ outdoor season continues May 24-26 with the NCAA West Preliminary in Austin, Texas. The NCAA Championships will then be contested June 6-9 in Des Moines, Iowa. For more information regarding Razorback track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.
2012 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Awards
Women’s Coach of the Year: Dennis Shaver, LSU
Co-Women’s Runner of the Year: Genevieve LaCase, Florida; Kimberlyn Duncan, LSU
Women’s Field Athlete of the Year: Annie Alexander, Tennessee
Women’s Freshman Runner of the Year: Dominique Scott, Arkansas
Women’s Freshman Field Athlete of the Year: Morgann Leleux, Georgia
Co-Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Ellen Wortham, Tennessee; Tara Diebold, Arkansas
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Written by Dee Dee West on 18 May 2012
Press release & photo courtesy of Arkansas media relations
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Head coach Chris Bucknam, junior Caleb Cross and freshman Andrew Irwin have been recognized by the Southeastern Conference with Friday’s release of the 2012 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Awards. Bucknam was named the SEC Men’s Coach of the Year, Cross was voted the SEC Men’s Runner of the Year and Irwin was selected as the SEC Field and Freshman Field Athlete of the Year.
Under Bucknam’s watch, the Razorbacks won the 2012 SEC outdoor title last weekend in Baton Rouge, La. The victory also completed Arkansas’ SEC triple crown for the year, coupled with the team’s wins at the cross country and indoor meets earlier this season. The latest recognition is the third outdoor coaching honor for Bucknam and the eighth overall for the fourth-year Razorback head coach.
Chris Bucknam
Arkansas’ triple crown is the first for Bucknam and 13th for the program since joining the SEC in 1991-92. Bucknam has guided the Razorbacks to wins in the last four SEC competitions, dating back to last year’s outdoor team crown in Athens, Ga.
Cross was the recipient of the 2012 Commissioner’s Trophy as the high-point scorer with 18.5 points at the SEC Championships. The Newport, Ark., native was the 2012 SEC champion in the 400-meter hurdles, and was a double winner as the lead leg for Arkansas’ 4×100-meter relay. Cross added a third-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles. He currently sits No. 3 in school history in the 400-meter hurdles (50.30) and No. 7 in the 110-meter hurdles (13.71) with times run this season.
“I think Caleb’s performance this weekend really epitomizes what our team has been about all year,” Bucknam said. “I’ve said all along that we’re not just runners. We’re racers. That’s what Caleb did, raced to the finish (in the 400-meter hurdles). We had the meet won at that point and would have been satisfied with a second or third place. That’s not what he wanted and he got the win. For that to be his fifth race in two days and to see him really go for that finish line makes me happy he’s a Razorback.”
Irwin was the 2012 SEC champion in the pole vault with an NCAA-leading clearance of 5.72m/18-9.25. In addition to improving upon his own school record, Irwin set the American junior record and hit the Olympic Games ‘A’ standard with his performance. The Mount Ida, Ark., native won both the SEC indoor and outdoor pole vault titles during his freshman season. Irwin was also voted SEC Freshman Field Athlete of the Year during the indoor campaign.
“(Andrew) is having a lot of fun and enjoying what he’s doing,” Bucknam said. “It doesn’t look like work out there for him. It is work but he truly enjoys the whole process. It’s a great story. He’s done a good job of staying focused and taking things day by day, not looking ahead at things to come.”
Earlier in the week, Terry Prentice was named to the SEC Community Service Team for track and field. The Razorback senior serves as the president for the University of Arkansas’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for the 2011-12 academic year. In addition to his commitment to the Northwest Arkansas community, Prentice finished second in the decathlon at the conference meet with a personal-best 7,585 points. He is one of three Razorback decathletes to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
Arkansas’ outdoor season continues May 24-26 with the NCAA West Preliminary in Austin, Texas. The NCAA Championships will then be contested June 6-9 in Des Moines, Iowa. For more information regarding Razorback track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.
2012 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Awards
Men’s Coach of the Year: Chris Bucknam, Arkansas
Men’s Runner of the Year: Caleb Cross, Arkansas
Men’s Field Athlete of the Year: Andrew Irwin, Arkansas
Men’s Freshman Runner of the Year: Aaron Ernest, LSU
Men’s Freshman Field Athlete of the Year: Andrew Irwin, Arkansas
Men’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Marvin Reitze, South Carolina
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Written by Dee Dee West on 18 May 2012
Press release & photo courtesy of Arkansas media relations
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Senior Ethan Tracy of the University of Arkansas men’s golf team fired a five-under par, 67, the third best score by a Razorback at a NCAA Regional ever, on the second day of competition at NCAA Bowling Green Regional held at The Club at Olde Stone on Friday. The sterling performance by Tracy allowed Arkansas to improve 10 strokes from Thursday’s first round and has Arkansas tied for 10th as a team.
Ethan Tracy
The Razorbacks were one of 10 teams to improve from day one to day two and their 10-point swing was the fourth best among the 14 teams. No. 3 UCLA continues to lead the team standings at five-under par, followed by No. 15 Texas A&M who improved 17 strokes on Friday to shoot 10-under par and move into second place. Chattanooga (-1), Memphis (+6) and Virginia Tech (+7) round out the all-important top five places who receive bids to the NCAA Championship. Arkansas (+18) is tied with North Texas for 10th overall.
“We were better today than we were yesterday,” Arkansas Head Coach Brad McMakin said. “That said we still have a lot of work to do if we want to make it to the national championship. I know that we can play better than we have shown, but it will take all five guys making putts, and hitting fairways if we want to qualify.”
Tracy’s second round included six birdies and just a single bogey as he torched the back nine for five birdies over the nine-hole stretch. Beginning his round on No. 10, he sunk his first birdie putt on the 11th hole and made it back-to-back birdies with another on No. 12. He would again sink back-to-back birdies on No. 14 and No. 15 before closing out with a birdie on No. 18. Moving to the much tougher front nine, Tracy sank seven par putts with a birdie on the par four, fifth, before making his only bogey on No. 9 to close the round.
The round of 67 by Tracy trails Eric Shriver (2003-3rd round) and former All-America Craig Lile (2000-3rd round) who each shot 66 at a NCAA Regional and matched the efforts of Jamie Marshall (2010-2nd round), Tag Ridings (1997-1st round) and Brenden Pappas (1991-1st round) who also scored 67. The Hilliard, Ohio, native’s two-round score of 143, one-under par, has him on pace to finish with one of the best regional scores in Arkansas history as well as in striking distance of making the NCAA Championship field as an individual should the Razorbacks not make it as a team.
“Ethan had a tremendous round and really took advantage of the back nine,” McMakin said. “His putting was solid the entire day and he carried us as a team. I am really proud of what he did today and know that he has another round like under his belt.”
Sophomore Sebastian Cappelen produced another solid round on Friday when he finished with a score of even par. Cappelen was aided tremendously by an eagle on the par five, seventh, when he holed out from 88 yards and his round would also include three birdies, five bogeys and nine pars. Opening the round with three pars and a birdie on No. 11, Cappelen then went through a rough stretch that included three bogeys in four holes before he birdied No. 18. He would fight back to even par with a birdie on No. 2, where he would remain until a bogey on the par four, sixth. His eagle got him back to one-under before he chipped and two-putted on 18 for a bogey.
Wanting to improve from his difficult first round, junior Austin Cook played the course at one-over par on Friday, an eight-shot improvement from Thursday’s score. Sinking par after par, Cook bogeyed No. 15, but closed out the back side of the course with back-to-back birdies to get to one-under par. Bogeys on No. 1 and No. 3 hurt his score, but a birdie on No. 6 moved him back to even par where he would remain until a bad break on No. 18 forced him to lay up instead of going for the green in two which cost him another bogey.
Arkansas’ final score of the day came from junior Josh Eure and freshman Thomas Sorensen who shot matching rounds of eight-over par on Friday. Eure had a tough start with a double bogey on No. 11, but back-to-back birdies on No. 12 and 13 got him back to even par. A triple bogey on No. 15 ruined the promising start and the third-year player closed out the round with another big score.
Sorensen’s putting was his nemesis on Friday as several three-putts changed what could have been a great score into a difficult day. Sorensen’s round included two birdies, eight bogeys and a double bogey.
The Razorbacks look to make a move into the top five at the Regional on Saturday when they tee off at 8:20 a.m., from the 10th tee. The Razorbacks will play with players from North Texas and Jacksonville State in the final round of competition.
For more information regarding Razorback men’s golf or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.
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Written by Dee Dee West on 18 May 2012
Game report courtesy of Arkansas media relations
Berkeley, Calif. – The University of Arkansas softball team defeated Boston University 3-2 in the opening game at the Berkeley Regional. Arkansas improves its overall record to 28-26 and 1-0 in post season play. The victory over Boston University is the fourth NCAA Tournament victory for Arkansas and the first since the 2008 season when the Razorbacks defeated Tulsa.
“It was fantastic to get that first win under our belt,” said head coach Mike Larabee. “I thought we came out and swung the bats really well today.”
Arkansas’s debut on defense at the 2012 NCAA Tournament was a strike out from junior pitcher Hope McLemore.
(photo by Tage Olsin via wikipedia commons)
Sophomore Clarisa Navarro was the first Razorback to reach base in the Berkeley Regional with an error from Boston’s second baseman. She then advanced to second off of a fielder’s choice decision.
Boston placed its first runner in scoring position in the top of the second after Emily Roesch hit double to the right center field wall. The Terrier’s put the first run on the on the board after a single hit by Mandy Fernandez brought home Reosch who was on second giving Boston the 1-0 lead.
Chloe Oprzedek recorded her first hit of the game in the bottom of the second as the leadoff batter of the inning. Andrea Sullivan followed with a single to right center field allowing Oprzedek to run all the way home and tying the game at one. Jayme Gee came up to the plate and collected her first hit of the game driving the ball to the right field wall for a double and bringing home Alyssa Bass who was pinch running for Sullivan.
Boston threatened in the top of the third placing a runner in scoring position. McLemore held strong in the circle recording her third strikeout of the game.
Devon Wallace recorded her first hit in the bottom of the third when she singled to the shortstop and outran the throw to first. Navarro hit the ball into a fielder’s choice putting Wallace out at second, but Navarro made it to second off of a bad throw from the second base to first. Jennifer Rambo recorded her first hit of the tournament with a single out to right field bringing home Navarro and giving Arkansas to 3-1 lead.
“I was really pleased with our hitting today,” said Larabee. “Their pitcher averaged over a strike out per inning and she only got us once today. I thought our coaching staff prepared our hitters very well for what they would see out on the field.”
Arkansas had a solid defensive performance in the top of the fourth with McLemore recording her fourth and fifth strikeouts of the game.
Wallace doubled in the bottom of the fifth to left center field, but was thrown out at third. Navarro hit the ball right up the middle for a single. Sierra Bronkey followed with her first hit of the tournament with a single placing Navarro in scoring position. Both runners were stranded with a pop up out for the Terrier’s to end the inning.
Boston put another run on the board in the top of the sixth with a solo home run from Megan Volpano making the score 3-2 in favor of Arkansas.
Arkansas put a running in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth after Megan Pearson was hit by a pitch and Jayme Gee hit a single up the middle. Both runners were stranded keeping the score 3-2.
The Terriers threatened again in the top of the seventh after back-to-back batters were hit by a pitch placing the tying run on second. The Arkansas defense held strong and collected the final out with a fly ball to center field to give Arkansas the 3-2 victory.
McLemore threw all seven innings in the circle collecting her second win of the season giving her a 2-0 record for her junior campaign. She struck out six batters while not allowing any walks.
“I thought Hope competed very well today,” said Larabee.
The Razorbacks will play in the first game tomorrow at 5 p.m. CST against the winner of the California, Iona game. For more information regarding Razorback softball or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.
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Written by Stuart Mason on 18 May 2012
Justin Verlander (courtesy of MLBpressbox.com)
Detroit Tigers ace pitcher Justin Verlander pitched a terrific game at Comerica Park on Friday night.
The 29-year-old righthander came within two outs of his third no-hitter, allowing only one hit, Josh Harrison’s ninth-inning single in a 6-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Entering the ninth inning, Verlander had only thrown 95 pitches. He got ahead of Harrison with 1 out and a 1-2 breaking ball which was hit for a soft liner up the middle which shortstop Jhonny Peralta could not get to.
Verlander, now 5-1 on the season, threw the sixth career shutout, his 16th complete game and the 51st straight regular-season start where he pitched at least six innings.
The 29-year-old Virginia native, the 2011 American League MVP and Cy Young Award winner, has a career record of 112-58 with a 3.47 ERA and 1,283 strikeouts.
Verlander has two no-hitters in his career: June 12, 2007 against Milwaukee and May 7, 2011 vs. Toronto.
Info compiled from Detroit Tigers & Major League Baseball news
Tags: American League., Comerica Park., Cy Young Award., Detroit Tigers., Jhonny Peralta., Josh Harrison., Justin Verlander., Milwaukee., Pittsburgh Pirates., Toronto.
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