Hogs begin push to postseason with final regular-season event in Georgia

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Hogs begin push to postseason with final regular-season event in Georgia

FAYETTEVILLE — No. 6 Arkansas’ women’s golf team begins its postseason push this week with the final regular season event at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic in Athens, Georgia.

The Liz Murphey takes place April 11-13 and the team travels directly to Birmingham, Alabama, to defend the program’s first Southeastern Conference title April 17-21.

Head coach Shauna Taylor and the team have been busy. Seniors Maria Fassi, Dylan Kim and Kaylee Benton all played in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur last week with Fassi finishing as the runner-up.

The senior All-American from Pachuca, Mexico, took part in pre- and post-event media tours in New York City and will not play in the Liz Murphey this week. Fassi will join the team in Birmingham for the SEC Championship.

Kim tees it up with Cara Gorlei, Ximena Gonzalez, Maria Hoyos and Brooke Matthews at Taylor’s college course in Athens.

The Liz Murphey is one of the few collegiate events that feature match play – something the Razorbacks will face at SECs and the NCAA Championship.

The Liz Murphey has been on Arkansas’ schedule since the program began in 1996. Arkansas has 11 top-10 finishes including six top-3 finishes in the last eight seasons. The Razorbacks played to a runner-up finish last year with Kim in a T-9th.

Arkansas does not return to campus before heading to the SEC Championship. The Razorback lineup will change with Fassi back in the mix. Kim and Benton, who won the clinching match at the SEC Championship last year, and senior Cara Gorlei will be in the lineup again this year. Taylor has yet to select the fifth golfer for that event.

NCAA Championships
The University of Arkansas and Blessings Golf Club are the proud hosts of the 2019 NCAA Women’s and Men’s National Championships. The women’s event begins May 17 and is immediately followed by the men’s championship beginning May 24. For more information or to volunteer for the event, log on to www.NCAAGolf19.com.

Five swimmers, divers plus coach earn postseason SEC honors

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Five swimmers, divers plus coach earn postseason SEC honors

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Six members of Arkansas’ swimming and diving team — five student-athletes and one coach — have earned post-season SEC honors, as announced by the league office Wednesday.

The seven total honors are the second-most in program history, just one behind last year’s eight. The number of Razorbacks honored is the most in program history, one more than last year’s five.

This is also the first time in program history that more than two student-athletes were named to an All-SEC Team.

“We are so excited to have five of our ladies named to an All-SEC Team. For three of them, it was their first year in the SEC so it’s a good sign for the growth, improvement, and future of our program!”
— Hogs coach Neil Harper

Sophomore Brooke Schultz led the team in honors for the second consecutive year, being named the SEC Female Diver of the Year and earning a spot on the All-SEC First Team.

Last season, the Fayetteville native was named SEC Female Diver of the Year and SEC Female Freshman Diver of the Year while also being named to the SEC All-First Team and SEC All-Freshman Team.

Schultz currently holds three springboard records at Arkansas, setting three of the program’s all-time highest scores on the 1-meter and four of the program’s all-time highest scores on the 3-meter this season.

She also finished in the top-five in both springboard events at the NCAA Championships on her way to two All-American honors.

Head diving coach Dale Schultz earned SEC Women’s Diving Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive year, the third time in his three stints at Arkansas that Schultz has earned the honor (1993 and 2018).

Four swimmers round out the SEC honors, with Anna Hopkin, Kobie Melton, Molly Moore, and Marlena Pigliacampi being named to the SEC All-Second Team.

Hopkin currently holds seven individual program and pool records and recorded 13 of the fastest times in program history in four events. The Preston, England, native earned top-five finishes in the 50 and 100 yard freestyles at the NCAA Championships, being named an All-American in both events.

Hopkin, Melton, Moore, and Pigliacampi set the program record in the 400 yard freestyle relay at the SEC Championships in March, finishing 24th at the NCAA Championships in the fourth-fastest time in program history.

“For Brooke to earn SEC Female Diver of the Year is only fitting after winning both the 1- and 3-meter at the SEC Championships and being the 3-meter runner-up at the NCAA Championships,” Harper continued. “With her success, it is good to see Dale earning Female Diving Coach of the Year honors too.

“I am especially excited for Anna, Kobie, Molly, and Marlena to also make an All-SEC team based on their relay and individual accomplishments this year!”

After spring practice ends, expectations not high for Razorback fans

Andy Hodges
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After spring practice ends, expectations not high for Razorback fans

One thing a 2-10 season does is lower the expectations of the fan base for the next year.

For Arkansas fans that means you will find few that can see a bowl trip coming in December, but getting more than two is a bar they can all leap over.

Spring practice finishing didn’t do much to raise the hopes.

Chad Morris doesn’t appear too concerned as he stumps across the state at the various Razorback Club meetings. He knows the Hogs aren’t where they need to be, but you get the idea that’s going to be the same theme every year.

Looking ahead, the schedule has four games Arkansas should win. It’s the spring and we can be optimistic, but Portland State, Colorado State, San Jose and Western Kentucky are games that should be winnable.

If the Hogs don’t win those four games, well, it’s going to be a long year.

That leaves an SEC schedule that proved winless last year. They were in games against Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and LSU. You never really got the feeling Arkansas was going to win those games, but they were in position to win.

The SEC West, of course, is going to be brutal. That’s not unusual.

Last year, though, the Hogs were only blown out in the West by Alabama, Auburn and Mississippi State.

This year there are more questions than answers surrounding the Tigers and the Bulldogs. Gus Malzahn is drawing fire from within and there are some down in Starkville not entirely optimistic about Joe Moorhead in his second season with all the players who left.

Ole Miss, the second week of the season, is another team that has to replace the playmakers from a team that shouldn’t have beaten the Hogs last year in Little Rock.

Who knows what the two teams in the East — Kentucky and Missouri — are going to be.

That is the whole point of why so few preseason predictions are anywhere close to correct by November. It’s easy to pick the top few teams (Clemson, Alabama), but then it gets rather dicey.

Last year’s preseason Top 10 saw half not finish there, two others were still in the Top 25 and three were not ranked at all at the end.

There were 10 teams last season not ranked in the Top 25 before opening weekend that finished there in the final poll. On the flip side that means 10 were ranked, but fell out of sight by the end of November.

Treat preseason picks as a complete guess usually featuring a pick or two based on hope, which usually isn’t a good plan, but is required for fans.

At Arkansas hope is about all they have right now.

We didn’t find out anything in the spring. Too many players were not there, especially on offense at every position.

None of the injuries are remotely serious (every one is expected to be 100% by August), but it also meant we only saw about 10-15% of the Hogs have on offense.

“That’s by design,” Morris said after the Red-White game.

As an aside, these spring games won’t give you a clue of what to expect in the fall. They are simply opportunities to let fans see their heroes on the field in uniform, but you can’t draw many conclusions from it.

When the game started I noted there were as many game one starters standing on the sideline as on the field for the offense.

Ben Hicks will start against Portland State at quarterback. He may not still be there by the Texas A&M game on September 29. I’m old enough to remember Barry Lunney losing the starting job in spring while he was playing baseball, then being the starter by the fourth game of the year.

That’s not a prediction to start a Connor Noland discussion but just pointing out the starter in the first game may not be there long. There will be three newcomers by August — Nick Starkel and KJ Jefferson along with Noland.

The quarterback room will have Hicks, John Stephen Jones, Jack Lindsey and Daulton Hyatt with the three newbies. It will be surprising if only one out of the seven stars every game, regardless of injury situations.

If you’re looking for a season win total, check back in August. It’s too early now to start that speculation, but this team will be better. Everybody is hoping that translates to more wins.

When Sylvester Croom was coaching at Mississippi State, he told me in August, “we may be a better team, but not win as many games.” At the time, I thought that was an odd statement for a coach to make on a radio show.

He was right, though, about the number of wins. He got fired.

Somehow I’m not expecting any statements like that from Morris. He was a math major in college, remember.

And he knows as well as anyone two wins is a low bar.

Third-ranked Razorbacks’ women set to host John McDonnell Invitational

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Third-ranked Razorbacks’ women set to host John McDonnell Invitational

FAYETTEVILLE — No. 3 Arkansas’ women’s track and field team returns home for the second home meet of the outdoor season as they host the John McDonnell Invitational starting Thursday at John McDonnell Field.

Following a lengthy weather delay, the Razorbacks racked up 99 points in a fourth-place finish, highlighted by Janeek Brown’s world No. 2 100-meter hurdle performance at last weeks meet in College Station, Texas.

Teams attending the John McDonnell include Arkansas, Arkansas Baptist, Central Missouri, Drake, Missouri, Missouri State, Oklahoma, Baptist, Oklahoma State, Oral Roberts, Southwest Baptist, Tulsa, UMKC, Wichita State.

Arkansas slid one spot in this week’s USTFCCCA Rankings checking in at No. 3 behind Southern California and Texas A&M, ahead of Oregon and LSU to round out the top five.

Arkansas currently boasts 11 performances in the top-25 on the TFFFS Descending list, including four marks in the women’s pole vault.

A parking map that will be in effect for both Thursday and Friday can be found here.

Lots highlighted in red will NOT be ticketed prior to 5 p.m. both days.  After 5 p.m., all lots are open excluding the resident reserved lots

Arkansas in the Top 25 NCAA Rankings

No. 2 – Janeek Brown – 100-meter hurdles (12.91)
No. 3 – Tori Hoggard – pole vault – (4.50m/14-9)
No. 5 – Payton Chadwick – 100-meter hurdles (13.08)
No. 5 – Kiara Parker – 100-meters (11.21)
No. 5 – Taylor Werner – 10,000-meters – No. 2 in program history
No. 5 – G’Auna Edwards – Long Jump (6.42m/21-0.75) – No. 2 in program history
No. 10 – Carina Viljoen – 5,000-meters (15:54.02) – No. 8 in program history
No. 13 – Desiree Freier – pole vault (4.25m/13-11.25)
No. 13 – Lexi Jacobus – pole vault (4.25m/13-11.25)
No. 18 – Rylee Robinson – Pole Vault (4.13m/13-6.50)
No. 23 – Kethlin Campbell – 200-meters (23.37)

ARKANSAS’ ENTRIES – John McDonnell Invitational

100-meters
Janeek Brown
Kethlin Campbell
Tamara Kuykendall
Kiara Parker

200-meters
Janeek Brown
Morgan Burks-Magee
Kethlin Campbell
Payton Chadwick
Sydney Davis
G’Auna Edwards
Tamara Kuykendall
Shafiqua Maloney
Kiara Parker
Paris Peoples

400-meters
Morgan Burks-Magee
Alex Byrnes
Sydney Davis
Shafiqua Maloney
Paris Peoples

800-meters
Alex Byrnes
Josie Carson
Carina Viljoen
Megan Underwood

1,500-meters
Devin Clark
Lauren Gregory
Micah Huckabee
Tess Iler
Rachel Nichwitz
Maddy Reed
Taylor Werner

3,000-meters
Payton Brown
Quinn Owen
Greta Taylor

100-meter hurdles
Payton Chadwick
G’Auna Edwards
J’Alyiea Smith

400-meter hurdles
J’Alyiea Smith

Pole Vault
Desiree Freier
Olivia Groeber
Morgan Hartsell
Tori Hoggard
Lexi Jacobus
Parish Kitto
Bailee McCorkleGenna Potter
Rylee Robinson

High Jump
J’Alyiea Smith

Long Jump
Rachell Jantzi

Discus
Riley Hoogerwoof

Javelin
Elleyt Belote
Rile Hoogerwoof

Arkansas returns home to host John McDonnell Invitational on Thursday

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas returns home to host John McDonnell Invitational on Thursday

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ men’s track and field team return home for their second home meet of the outdoor season as they host the John McDonnell Invitational, starting Thursday at John McDonnell Field.

Arkansas was idle last week following a very productive weekend split between the Stanford Invitational and the 92nd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

Teams attending the John McDonnell include Arkansas, Arkansas Baptist, Central Missouri, Drake, Missouri, Missouri State, Oklahoma, Baptist, Oklahoma State, Oral Roberts, Southwest Baptist, Tulsa, UMKC, Wichita State.

Arkansas is currently ranked No. 21 in the Week 2 USTFCCCA Coaches Poll.

The Razorbacks currently boasts five performances in the top-25 on the TFFFS Descending list, including two marks in the men’s 10K.

A parking map that will be in effect for both Thursday and Friday can be found here.  Lots highlighted in red will NOT be ticketed prior to 5 p.m. both days.  After 5 p.m., all lots are open excluding the resident reserved lots

Arkansas in the top-25 NCAA Rankings

No. 3 – Gabe Moore – Decathlon (7,661-pts)
No. 6 – Gilbert Boit – 10,000-meters (28:25.15) – No. 6 in program history
No. 14 – Erich Sullins – hammer throw (67.85m/222-7) – School Record
No. 20 –Laquan Nairn – triple jump (15.57m/51-1)
No. 24 –Matt Young – 10,000-meters (28:56.71)

ARKANSAS’ ENTRIES – John McDonnell Invitational
100-meters
Rashad Boyd
Roy Ejiakuekwu
Kris Hari
Josh Oglesby

200-meters
Rashad Boyd
Roy Ejiakuekwu
Kris Hari
Josh Oglesby

400-meters
Jalen Brown
James Milholen
Rhayko Schwartz
John Winn
Hunter Woodhall

800-meters
Eugene Grayson III
Cameron Griffith
Kyle Levermore
Ethan Moehn
Chase Pareti
Kieran Taylor
Reese Walters
Kevin Wilkinson

1,500-meters
Gilbert Boit
Heyden Dressel
Colin O’Mara
Kyle Levermore
Sam Schillinger
Matt Young

3,000-meters
Preston Cates
Heyden Dressel
Sam Schillinger

110-meter hurdles
Shakiel Chattoo
Carl Elliot III
Tre’Bien Gilbert
Gabe Moore

400-meter hurdles
Travean Caldwell
Tre’Bien Gilbert

Pole Vault
Gabe Moore

Long Jump
Laquan Nairn

Shot Put
Sam Kempka
Jeff Rogers

Discus
Gabe Moore
Jeff Rogers
Erich Sullins

Hammer Throw
Erich Sullins

Decathlon
Cameron Case
Daniel Spejcher

Campbell on mid-season watch list for top college baseball honor

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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DURHAM, N.C. — Arkansas redshirt-junior right-hander Isaiah Campbell is one of 40 amateur players named by USA Baseball to the midseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List on Wednesday.

The 42nd Golden Spikes Award recognizes the top amateur baseball player in the country for the 2019 season and will be presented on June 14 in Los Angeles.

Campbell was not named to the Golden Spikes Preseason Watch List prior to the start of the 2019 season, but after making eight starts and compiling a 6-0 record with a team-best 2.29 ERA, the Olathe, Kansas, native has emerged as one of the top arms in the Southeastern Conference and the nation.

This is the third-straight year a Razorback pitcher has been named to the prestigious award’s watch list.

Blaine Knight, was named to the same midseason watch list in 2017 and 2018 and finished his Arkansas career with 24 wins and 244 strikeouts, which rank sixth and fifth, respectively, in the Arkansas all-time records.

Just four years ago, former Razorback Andrew Benintendi won the 38th Golden Spikes Award, joining Philip Stidham as the second Razorback to ever be named a finalist for the prestigious award.

Since then, Zach Jackson and Knight have made it five straight years that a Razorback has been named to at least the midseason watch list.

Campbell has, seemingly, followed in the footsteps of top Arkansas arms and become one of the Friday night aces of the SEC.

His six wins ties for the most in the league and his 5.90 strikeout-to-walk ratio is seventh in the conference. He’s the only pitcher in the SEC with three victories, a 1.80 or lower ERA and 25 or more strikeouts in conference games.

In his last six starts, Campbell has worked six or more innings and allowed three or less runs. In three of those six outings, he has struck out 10 or more with a career-high of 13 coming against Stony Brook on March 1.

Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award.

Following the first-ever presentation of the Award to Bob Horner of Arizona State, the Golden Spikes Award has been presented each year to the player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship.

Campbell and the Razorbacks go back on the road for the weekend as it travels to sixth-ranked Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Commodores will be the Razorbacks’ fourth ranked opponent of the year and third on the road. The series begins on Friday at 7 p.m. and runs through Sunday.

The 2019 Golden Spikes Award timeline:

• May 15: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award semifinalists announced, voting begins

• May 26: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award semifinalists voting ends

• May 29: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award finalists announced, voting begins

• June 10: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award finalists voting ends

• June 14: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award trophy presentation 

A complete list of the 40-player Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list is as follows:
Jake Agnos, Jr., ECU, American Athletic Conference
Logan Allen, So., FIU, Conference USA
Patrick Bailey, So., NC State, Atlantic Coast Conference
Brett Baty, Sr., Lake Travis High School
Hunter Bishop, Jr., Arizona State, Pac-12 Conference
J.J. Bleday, Jr., Vanderbilt, Southeastern Conference
Josh Burgmann, RS So., Washington, Pac-12 Conference
Tanner Burns, So., Auburn, Southeastern Conference
Isaiah Campbell, RS Jr., Arkansas, Southeastern Conference
Matt Canterino, Jr., Rice, Conference USA
Logan Davidson, Jr., Clemson, Atlantic Coast Conference
Reid Detmers, So., Louisville, Atlantic Coast Conference
Brandon Eisert, Jr., Oregon State, Pac-12 Conference
Nick Gonzales, So., New Mexico State, Western Athletic Conference
Emerson Hancock, So., Georgia, Southeastern Conference
Tommy Henry, Jr., Michigan, Big Ten Conference
Connor Hinchliffe, Sr., La Salle, Atlantic 10 Conference
Nick Kahle, Jr., Washington, Pac-12 Conference
George Kirby, Jr., Elon, Colonial Athletic Association
Asa Lacy, So., Texas A&M, Southeastern Conference
Brandon Lewis, Jr., UC Irvine, Big West Conference
Nick Lodolo, Jr., TCU, Big 12 Conference
Jake Mangum, Sr., Mississippi State, Southeastern Conference
Alek Manoah, Jr., West Virginia, Big 12 Conference
Alec Marsh, Jr., Arizona State, Pac-12 Conference
Austin Martin, So., Vanderbilt, Southeastern Conference
Kyle McCann, Jr., Georgia Tech, Atlantic Coast Conference
Max Meyer, So., Minnesota, Big 10 Conference
Adley Rutschman, Jr., Oregon State, Pac-12 Conference
Jake Sanford, Jr., Western Kentucky, Conference USA
Braden Shewmake, Jr., Texas A&M, Southeastern Conference
Ethan Small, RS Jr., Mississippi State, Southeastern Conference
Austin Sojka, Jr., Oklahoma Wesleyan (NAIA), Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Noah Song, Sr., Navy, Patriot League
Bryson Stott, Jr., UNLV, Mountain West Conference
Zack Thompson, Jr., Kentucky, Southeastern Conference
Spencer Torkelson, So., Arizona State, Pac-12 Conference
Andrew Vaughn, Jr., California, Pac-12 Conference
Will Wilson, Jr., NC State, Atlantic Coast Conference
Bobby Witt Jr., Sr., Colleyville Heritage High School, District 8-5A

???? Wednesday Halftime Pod — featuring Kevin McPherson of Pig Trail Nation

Tye Richardson
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???? Wednesday Halftime Pod — featuring Kevin McPherson of Pig Trail Nation

Phil Elson & Tye Richardson hit on Fayetteville as the best SEC town to live in, interview Kevin McPherson, plus Change My Mind!

Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Wednesday

Tye Richardson
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Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Wednesday

John & Tommy discuss Vegas, Arkansas BKB and FB circumstances, new era in Arkansas athletics, and more!

Van Horn: Good to get win on Tuesday; expecting tough Vanderbilt team

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn was glad to get the 15-8 win over Oral Roberts on Tuesday night and previewed the weekend series against the Commodores.

Kjerstad, Martin, Campbell recap win over ORU, preview Vandy

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Razorbacks Heston Kjerstad, Casey Martin talked about their nights against the Golden Eagles in the win Tuesday and Isaiah Campbell previewed the weekend series.

Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Tuesday

Tye Richardson
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Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Tuesday

John & Tommy discuss the Mus press conference, Hunter Yurachek’s comments and more!

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