Arkansas women’s coach Mike Neighbors met with the media Wednesday for the first time in a few days to preview upcoming games against the Bulldogs and Ole Miss.
Arkansas opens home schedule with Razorback Invitational on Thursday
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas kicks off its 2019 home slate on Thursday when it faces Southeast Missouri State in the first of six games for the Hogs during the Razorback Invitational.
SIU-Edwardsville, Drake and IUPUI will also be participating in the tournament with a total of 13 games to be played in Bogle Park across four days.
Admission to all games at Bogle Park are free of charge, all seats are general admission.
Tournament Schedule
| Thursday | vs Southeast Missouri State | 5:00 p.m. (SECN+) |
| Friday | vs Southeast Missouri State | 4:45 p.m. |
| Friday | vs SIU-Edwardsville | 7:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | vs Drake | 2:30 p.m. |
| Saturday | vs SIU-Edwardsville | 4:45 p.m. |
| Sunday | vs IUPUI | 12:15 p.m. |
Mexican Roundup
Arkansas made its first trip out of the country last weekend, visiting beautiful Mexico for the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge. The Razorbacks claimed wins over North Dakota State, Northern Colorado and Sacramento Stats, while dropping a 3-2 heartbreaker to #5 Washington.
Holding Steady Ground
The Razorbacks remained at No. 12 in the USA Today/NFCA Polls in Week 2, holding strong at No. 12 in the Softball America poll as well. The Hogs did drop from #11 to #12 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll.
Back in Bogle
Arkansas returns to Bogle Park for the first time since hosting the Fayetteville Regional, 275 days ago. In 2018, the Razorbacks were 27-2 at home, winning every series and dropping one game to Missouri (Mar. 24) and Alabama (Apr. 13). Since her arrival in Fayetteville, Coach Deifel is 47-28 in Bogle Park.
The Week One ⇒ Week Two Upgrade
The Hogs closed out week one with a .290 average at the plate, tallying 38 hits on 32 runs and gave up 21 strike outs. With slight changes, the team regrouped and in week two batted .371 (+.081), recorded 43 hits (+5), rattled off 14 multi-base hits (+2) and gave up only 15 Ks (-6).
Storms and Haff: The One-Two Punch
With Storms and Haff working for the Hogs, Arkansas is fifth in the nation and first in the SEC in team ERA (.83). Arkansas is only one of two teams in the SEC with an ERA less than 1.00. The power duo has combined to pitch the most innings by two pitchers from the same team in the SEC (59.1)- they also have the most wins by two pitchers from the same team (8).
Multi-Hit Monsters
Through nine games, 11 different Razorbacks have recorded multi-hit games. Five Hogs have recorded ten plus multi-hit games in their careers: Ashley Diaz, Hannah McEwen, Haydi Bugarin, Kayla Green and Katie Warrick. Diaz has accumulated 41 multi-hit games in the cardinal and white.
Scouting the Competition
Southeast Missouri State
Southeast Missouri leads the Ohio Valley Conference in several categories through two weeks of the 2019 softball season. The Redhawks are first in batting average (.333), slugging percentage (.552), hits (87), triples (8) and total bases (144). Southeast Missouri leads the nation with eight triples this season.
Senior right-handed pitcher Haley Thogmartin was named Ohio Valley Conference Co-Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 18. Thogmartin put together a 2-0 record with a 1.38 ERA in three appearances and two starts at the Louisiana Tech Invitational (Feb. 15-17). She combined on two shutouts and recorded 20 strikeouts to just three walks in 13 innings.
SIU-Edwardsville
The Cougars are headed to Fayetteville with a three-game win streak in tow, after downing host-team Southeastern Louisiana, 2-1 at SLU’s Lion Classic II. SIUE finished the tournament with a 4-1 record, with its only loss being to Prairie View A&M.
As a team, the Cougars are batting .284 with a .310 on base percentage. Leading the pack is Alyssa Heren, the senior outfield is batting .533 through five games, tallying eight hits in 15 at-bats. In the circle, SIUE looks to Corrina Rivas, who has a team-best 2.42 ERA. With a 2-1 record, Rivas has pitched 17.1 innings, giving up 11 hits, 11 walks, and recording 15 strikeouts.
Drake
Picked as the MVC Preseason favorite, the Bulldogs sit at 5-4 overall, returning from the Plainsman Invitational where they matched up against SEC opponent #20 Auburn and lost, 2-0 after holding the Tigers scoreless through four innings.
With nine games under their belt, the Bulldogs are batting .266 as a team, recording 58 hits and 46 runs scored. Drake’s top hitter, Macy Johnson is batting a .480 with 12 hits and three doubles. Nicole Newman is a both a top performer at the plate and on the rubber for Drake, leading the team with 11 RBI and with a 0.79 ERA through 26.2 innings pitched.
IUPUI
The Jaguars visit Arkansas with the Horizon League’s Pitcher of the Week, freshman pitcher Lexi Lucas. For the week, Lucas went 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA, allowing 12 hits in 17.2 innings pitched. Lucas took a no-hit bid in to the seventh inning against Mount St. Mary’s before giving up a double in the final inning. She threw the one-hitter using only 73 pitchers with 51 being strikes, striking out two batters and not issuing a walk.
Against the Field
The Razorbacks are a combined 19-6 against the four teams, being most familiar with Drake, who the Hogs boast a 10-5 record against. Arkansas has only seen SIU-Edwardsville once before, in 2010, when the Razorbacks defeated the Cougars, 9-3 in Fayetteville.
???? Wednesday Halftime Pod — featuring Nashville Sports Radio’s Bill King
Phil Elson & Tye Richardson discuss Connor Noland’s future, Arkansas-Auburn, plus Bill King of Nashville Sports Radio joins the pod!
Schultz defends second title while Razorbacks set two more records
ATHENS, Ga. — In the second day of the SEC Championships, Arkansas set two more records and sophomore Brooke Schultz took the 1-meter title for the second consecutive year.
In the 500 freestyle relay preliminary round, Alyssa Lemon set a personal best with a time of 4:54.37 to finish in 44th place while Rachel Rodriguez finished in 47th place with a time of 4:55.40.
Peyton Palsha finished in fifth place (4:40.54), setting a personal best and advancing to the A-finals where she finished in eighth place (4:44:45).
The 50 freestyle saw nine Razorbacks compete in the preliminaries, with Cris Roberts setting a personal best (25.02) and finishing in 63rd place.
Kenedy Thaman placed 50th with a time of 23.48, while Brittney Pike finished 48th (23.44) and set a personal best.
Andrea Sansores set a season-best time of 23.35 to finish 46th and Annah Carney set a season-best time to tie for 42nd place (23.26) with Kiera Michailoff-Russell.
Erin Kelly finished in 35th place, setting a personal best time of 22.93.
Molly Moore set a personal best time of 22.72 to finish in 25th place and qualify as first alternate. Anna Hopkin earned a second-place finish with a time of 21.70 to advance to the A-finals.
Hopkin’s personal best of 21.58 earned her a second place finish and set a school record.
On the springboards, Marissa Green placed 31st on the 1-meter with a 210.70 while Caroline Welch finished 24th with a 231.05.
Maha Amer finished ninth with a 273.45, 4.30 points shy of advancing to the finals. Schultz placed second with a 325.75 to advance to the finals, where she won her second title of the meet with a score of 359.35.
The final event of the day was the 200 yard freestyle relay, where Kobie Melton, Hopkin, Moore, and Kelly set a school record (1:28.83).
The fourth-place finish was the highest SEC Championship finish for the Razorbacks in the event since 2015. After the second day of competition, the Razorbacks sit in sixth place with 294 points.
The Hogs will return to the pool for the third day of the SEC Championships tomorrow morning with the 400 yard IM preliminaries at 9 a.m.
Razorbacks officially announce Ingram as new defensive tackles coach
FAYETTEVILLE — Former Memphis high school head coach Kenny Ingram has been named the defensive tackles coach for the Razorbacks.
Ingram joins Arkansas from Auburn, where he served as the director of player relations for the last two years in his second stint with the Tigers.
Ingram held the same position in 2013-14 at Auburn after going to The Plains from Arkansas State, where he helped the Red Wolves win a Sun Belt Conference title as the team’s defensive line coach. In between stops at Auburn, he coached the defensive tackles at Cincinnati in 2015 and 2016.
Ingram began his collegiate career at Tennessee State in 2005 as the Tigers’ defensive line coach. He quickly moved back to his hometown of Memphis in 2006, taking over the linebackers for the University of Memphis before being named defensive coordinator in 2009. While at Memphis, he helped the Tigers to the 2007 New Orleans Bowl and 2008 St. Petersburg Bowl.
Prior to his collegiate coaching career, Ingram was the head coach at Melrose High School in Memphis from 2002-04. He led the Golden Wildcats to a 37-4 overall record after serving as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.
He was a three-time Regional Coach of the Year and the Commercial Appeal’s 2004 Coach of the Year for Metro Memphis.
Ingram starred at Whitehaven High School in Memphis, then was a four-year letterman at Arkansas State, serving as team co-captain in 1992. He and his wife, Carla, have five children: Kendrien, Taylor, Kameron and twins Kennedy and Karleigh.
Daniel Da Prato has been named the special teams analyst on head coach Chad Morris’ staff. Da Prato joins the Razorbacks from Colorado.
With the Buffaloes, he worked as the Director of Quality Control/Offense working with the offensive staff and was heavily involved in game planning for special teams over the last three seasons.
Prior to Colorado, Da Prato spent three seasons as the special teams coordinator and tight ends coach at Montana State (2013-15). He coached at Sacramento State for six seasons (2007-12) working with the team’s receivers all six years and took over the Hornets’ special teams for his final three seasons.
Da Prato began his coaching career at his alma mater, Louisiana-Monroe in 2004, as an offensive graduate assistant before being promoted to director of operations and recruiting coordinator in 2006.
He will work directly with tight ends coach Barry Lunney, who has been named the Razorbacks’ special teams coordinator. Lunney is set to begin his seventh season on the Arkansas staff after rejoining the staff in 2013.
Arkansas begins spring practice on March 1 and will host the team’s annual Red-White spring game on April 6 at 3 p.m. on ESPNU inside Razorback Stadium.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Wednesday
John & Tommy discuss the light at the end of the tunnel, Arkansas not having a good rival, and more!
Fletcher looking forward to playing back home in SoCal
With Arkansas’ trip to Los Angeles to face Southern Cal this weekend, centerfielder Dominic Fletcher is getting a trip home and he’s hoping for a better performance than last year in San Diego.
Van Horn on positives of getting early road trip to Southern Cal
Razorback coach Dave Van Horn with the media Tuesday in advance of a road trip that’s going to be a little different, both going to Los Angeles and coming home.
???? Tuesday Halftime Pod — featuring Kevin McPherson
Phil & Tye discuss outlook on Mike Anderson, Get Off My Lawn, plus Kevin McPherson joins the pod!
Opitz on Hogs’ pitching, looking ahead to going on road against USC
Razorbacks catcher Casey Opitz met with the media before Tuesday’s practice indoors and talked about the pitching staff in the opening weekend sweep and upcoming trip.
Schultz captures 3-meter crown; Razorbacks set two records at SEC Championships
ATHENS, Ga. — Arkansas had a successful first day at the SEC Championships, with the Hogs setting two records and sophomore Brooke Schultz earning her second consecutive 3-meter conference title.
The Razorbacks opened the meet with the 3-meter and were represented by three divers. In the preliminaries, Caroline Welch finished 25th with a 240.15, Maha Amer finished second with a 344.00, and Schultz finished first with a 371.00.
Amer earned a fifth-place finish (326.15) in the finals, while Schultz took the title with a 410.40. Her score broke the 3-meter school record set she in October and was just 3.65 points short of setting the SEC Meet record.
At the other end of the pool, Arkansas opened the swimming events by setting a school record in the 200 yard medley relay. Andrea Sansores, Sydney Angell, Kobie Melton, and Anna Hopkin earned a sixth-place finish (1:36.67) and an NCAA ‘A’ cut.
The final event of the day was the 800 yard freestyle relay, with Peyton Palsha, Marlena Pigliacampi, Kiera Michailoff-Russell, and Kenedy Thaman setting a season-best time of 7:13.40 to earn a 10th place finish.
After the first day of competition, the Razorbacks sit in third place with a score of 139. Day 2 will begin tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. (ET) with the 500 yard freestyle preliminaries.
