Arkansas outfielder Tori Cooper talked Wednesday about the closeness of the team that starts with a retreat and facing Oklahoma in Super Regional.
Haff named finalist for Freshman of the Year award
FAYETTEVILLE — Whittled down from the initial list of 25, Arkansas pitcher Mary Haff has been named a top-three finalist for 2018 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year.
The Winter Haven, Florida, native leads the SEC and ranks second nationally with 29 wins and has helped the Razorbacks reach the program’s first-ever trip to an NCAA Super Regional.
The Haff Rèsumè
• Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Top-Three Finalist
• NFCA All-South Region Second Team
• SEC All-Tournament Team
• All-SEC Second Team
• SEC All-Freshman Team
• Three-time SEC Freshman of the Week
With Arkansas hosting its first NCAA Regional, Haff tallied three victories in the circle without allowing a run in 18.2 innings.
She posted a pair of complete-game shutouts in the Razorbacks’ wins over DePaul and Wichita State, and in the regional final, she struck out seven and allowed just two hits in 4.2 innings of relief in a second appearance against the Shockers.
“She just has a lot of guts, and she’s a consistent fighter for us,” coach Courtney Deifel said after Sunday’s win over Wichita State. “It’s that point in the season when you don’t count pitches anymore. Tired isn’t in your vocabulary. You just do what you need to for your team to win, and that’s exactly what Mary did this weekend.”
Through 43 appearances during her freshman campaign, Haff has tallied a 29-6 record in the circle to go along with a 1.35 ERA and 246 strikeouts in 207.2 innings of work.
She has 19 complete games, is tied for 11th in the NCAA with 11 shutouts and is holding opposing hitters to a .152 batting average. Haff, who has walked just 41 this season, has 11 outings this year with at least seven strikeouts coupled with one or fewer walks.
Earlier this season, Haff threw the seventh no-hitter in program history in a 9-0 win over Northern Colorado (March 2) during the Razorback Invitational at Bogle Park.
She added 12 strikeouts in the performance against the Bears. Additionally, Haff has registered seven one-hitters this season.
Haff is joined in the top three by Oklahoma’s Jocelyn Alo and Michigan’s Meghan Beaubien. The National Freshman of the Year will be announced May 29 at the Women’s College World Series banquet.
With its 3-0 run through the NCAA Fayetteville Regional, the No. 13 national seed will now travel to play two-time defending national champion Oklahoma.
The best-two-of-three series begins Friday in Norman with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. on ESPN2.
UPDATE: Henry to get second opinion today in Los Angeles
ESPN.com’ Eric D. Williams wrote about the injury after the Chargers’ OTA workouts Tuesday:
Entering his third season, Henry was being counted on to develop into a focal point of the offense as the Chargers opted not to bring back future Hall of Fame tight end Antonio Gates in free agency.
Now, a Gates return could be in store, as the Chargers are expected to consider re-signing the 37-year-old, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Henry’s injury occurred early in practice during team drills, as he limped off the field on his own. Once treated by trainers, Henry remained on the sideline for the rest of the session.
Afterward, Chargers coach Anthony Lynn suggested Henry’s injury was not serious.
“He’s fine,” Lynn said. “We just held him back because we can.”
Henry has had a couple of other injuries in his two seasons in the NFL. He injured a knee and missed a game his rookie year and missed the last two games last season with a lacerated kidney.
Chargers general manager Tom Telesco told reporters during the draft that they decided to part ways with Gates because his targets would be limited and the team wanted to expand Henry’s role.
However, Gates already has a good rapport with quarterback Philip Rivers, intimately knows the offense and showed during the last two games of the 2017 season (10 catches, 127 yards, TD) that he can still make plays.
The Chargers signed Virgil Green to a three-year, $8.6 million deal this offseason to serve as the team’s blocking tight end.
Sean Culkin, Ben Johnson and Cole Hunt are the other tight ends on the team’s 90-man roster, so depth at that position is an issue.
Former Hog Henry suffers ACL tear at Chargers’ OTA
Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter Henry suffered a torn ACL during OTAs on Tuesday, the team announced.
Henry suffered the season-ending injury during a drill, going down untouched while running downfield, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He will have a second opinion Wednesday, the source said.
It’s a significant loss for the Chargers, who was set to assume the main pass-catching role with Antonio Gates not on their roster for the first time since 2003.
Henry had 45 catches for 579 yards and four TDs in 2017, his second season out of Arkansas. He averaged 12.9 yards per reception last season, the third-most among tight ends behind only Rob Gronkowski (15.7) and Vernon Davis (15.1).
Gates, meanwhile, remains unsigned.
QB transfers hot topic right now, but no Hogs … yet
In case you haven’t been paying attention the last couple of days, quarterback transfers has been the hot topic.
That’s because, well, it’s the thing they do these days if they don’t like the way things are working out where they are.
Or, in the case of Shea Patterson leaving Ole Miss for Michigan, suddenly discovering he didn’t want to be around the Rebels after the NCAA investigation finally concluded. Of course that was ongoing when he signed with Ole Miss.
Naturally it had nothing to do with the emergence of Jordan Ta’amu who took over when Patterson was injured and promptly had a passing efficiency of 164.5, with nearly a 3-to-1 touchdowns to interceptions ratio. As much as the Rebels fling it around, that’s not bad.
At Arkansas, everyone is already assuming SOMEBODY’s going to be transferring after North Panola, Mississippi, quarterback K.J. Jefferson committed to the Razorbacks last week.
Don’t get confused. South Panola is the long-established powerhouse high school program in that region and North Panola is just a 3A school, but Jefferson has put that program on the map.
The quarterback room in Fayetteville is going to get crowded.
Let’s see, in the spring you had Cole Kelley, Ty Storey and Daulton Hyatt are on scholarship while Carson Proctor and Jack Lindsey are walk-ons.
Interestingly, it’s Lindsey that apparently picked up the offense quickest, even being told to quit having the answers before everybody else in quarterback meetings, according to one insider.
Others have said incoming freshmen Connor Noland and John Stephen Jones already know the offense and have won championships with it.
“Connor’s been running that identical offense for years,” said one person close to the Greenwood football program.
That’s at least seven guys vying for the quarterback spot. Storey will be a redshirt junior and Kelley a redshirt sophomore. In today’s world of transfers, Storey might do a graduate transfer situation if he’s not happy, but Kelly is between a rock and a hard spot unless he’s graduating soon.
There are some that feel Noland and Jones are better than anybody on the roster right now. In case you’re wondering, that’s not coming from the Razorback staff, but people who do a lot more evaluating than me.
From what I’ve seen of both, though, they do look better suited for Chad Morris’ offense.
Kelley hasn’t shown he can run it and Storey isn’t fluent in it. Hyatt showed some running ability, but it’s critical in the offense to be able to make the proper reads quickly and be able to utilize the passing part of the RPO equation.
Players-only practices will be starting in a couple of weeks. Noland admitted after Greenwood’s state championship baseball win Saturday he’s not in football shape because he didn’t lift a lot of weights during baseball season.
Don’t read too much into that. The guess here is he’ll be ready by August.
While I can’t speak for everybody else, I’m guessing there will be at least one direct and two indirect questions every media avail when practices start.
We probably won’t get any answers.
Unless somebody decides to transfer in August.
Which is not unprecedented in these matters.
Hogs set for first game in SEC Tournament on Wednesday
HOOVER, Ala. — Arkansas is set to play their opening game of the 2018 SEC Tournament on Wednesday as it will face the winner of five-seed South Carolina and 12-seed Missouri.
First pitch is set for approximately 8 p.m. at Metropolitan Stadium and will be televised on the SEC Network.
Arkansas (37-17, 18-12 SEC) is the No. 4 seed for the second consecutive year, earning the first-round bye into the double-elimination rounds.
The Gamecocks (32-22, 17-13 SEC) square off against the Tigers (34-21, 12-18 SEC) tonight at approximately 8 p.m. and the winner will face the Razorbacks tomorrow with the Hogs as the home team.
Arkansas won two-of-three against South Carolina earlier this season at Baum Stadium and it was the only home conference series that the Hogs didn’t sweep. Arkansas did not face Missouri as part of the regular-season schedule this year.
The second, third and quarterfinal rounds are double elimination, while the semifinals and the championship game are single elimination.
Arkansas rolls into tournament play as co-champions of the SEC Western Division, claiming a share of the title for the first time since 2011 and fifth division title in school history.
It’s the seventh time under coach Dave Van Horn that the Razorbacks have won 18 or more games in conference play and fourth division title under Van Horn as well.
The Razorbacks are in search of its first SEC Tournament championship in program history. It will be making its ninth appearance in the tournament in the last 10 years and 23rd overall.
The Razorbacks have made four SEC Tournament championship game appearances in their history, finishing runner-up in 1998 to Auburn, in 1999 to Alabama, in 2007 to Vanderbilt, and most recently, in 2017 to LSU.
Last year, the Hogs battled back from a first-game loss to reach the tournament final from the loser’s bracket with a victory over Mississippi State and mercy-rule wins over Auburn and top-seeded Florida.
First baseman Chad Spanberger was awarded as the tournament MVP and finished as the week’s leader in RBIs (10), doubles (3), home runs (5), and total bases (26).
The most tournament wins for Arkansas came in 1999 when it won four games before falling to the Crimson Tide in the championship game.
As head coach, Dave Van Horn is 19-24 in 13 SEC Tournament appearances.
FOLLOW LIVE
Games one through 16 of the SEC Tournament are available on the SEC Network and SEC Network+ via the WatchESPN app.
The championship game will be aired on ESPN2. The Razorbacks can be heard on the Razorback Sports Network on the radio with Phil Elson and former Razorback Bubba Carpenter on the call.
No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 5 South Carolina/No. 12 Missouri | WATCH SEC NETWORK
RAZORBACK PRIME 9
• Arkansas makes its 23rd appearance at the SEC Tournament this week in Hoover, Alabama and holds its second-straight top-four seed in the field.
• The Razorbacks won a share of the SEC Western Division title this year by finishing with an 18-12 conference record. It’s Arkansas’ first division title since 2011 and fourth under Dave Van Horn.
• Seven different Razorbacks were named to the various All-SEC teams this week, led by freshman Heston Kjerstad, who was named the SEC Freshman of the Year, the first such recipient in school history.
• Infielder Carson Shaddy was named to the All-SEC First Team, while Eric Cole, Blaine Knight, Casey Martin, and Heston Kjerstad were named to the Second Team. Grant Koch and Dominic Fletcher made up the SEC All-Defensive Team.
• Jake Reindl has still yet to give up an extra-base hit in SEC play, making 11 appearances and 21.2 innings pitched. In his last 11.0 innings pitched, he has only allowed one earned run.
• Kjerstad is the third Razorback in school history to win a major conference award (Andrew Benintendi – 2015; Nick Schmidt – 2006).
• Kjerstad is the only freshman in the SEC with a batting average of .345 or higher and a slugging percentage of .575 or higher.
• Carson Shaddy has a hit in seven-straight games since returning from a hand injury on May 6. Since then, he is hitting .346 with eight RBIs, three doubles, nine hits, and five runs scored.
• Right-hander Blaine Knight finished the regular season with a perfect 9-0 record and a 2.88 ERA over 81.1 innings pitched and 14 starts. He’s the only pitcher in the SEC with an undefeated record and an ERA under 3.00.
Harris first team, 6 other Hogs named to Athlon’s All-SEC list
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas landed seven players on Athlon Sports’ SEC Football 2018 All-Conference Team, which was released Tuesday.
Below is the list of Razorbacks’ who were selected to one of the publication’s four all-conference teams — two on offense and five on defense. Arkansas’ five defensive selections tied with Georgia and Texas A&M for the most defensive players from a team in the conference.
LB De’Jon Harris — First-Team Defense
Behind seven games with double-digit tackles, Harris racked up 115 total stops to rank third in the SEC last season. He was also third in the conference with 66 solo tackles. Of his seven 10-plus tackle performances, six came against SEC opponents to tie for the league lead.
DL McTelvin Agim — Second-Team Defense
The Hogs’ active career leader in tackles for loss (13.0) and sacks (5.0), Agim started 11 of 12 games played last season. He turned in 37 tackles, including 7.5 for loss with 2.5 sacks. The Texarkana, Texas, native had a career day against Mississippi State in 2017 when he forced two fumbles, recorded 2.5 tackles for loss, including one sack, and finished with nine tackles.
KR De’Vion Warren — Second-Team Specialists
Warren led the SEC and ranked 13th nationally with a 26.38 kickoff return average. He returned 29 kicks for 765 yards, which ranks third in single-season school history, including one for a 100-yard touchdown against Auburn. It was the longest kickoff return for a score since Felix Jones’ 100-yard kickoff return in 2006 against Ole Miss, it equaled the longest touchdown in Arkansas history.
OL Hjalte Froholdt — Third-Team Offense
Froholdt was the second-highest graded guard in the SEC at 85.8 last season, earning a spot on Pro Football Focus’ All-SEC first team. He started all 12 games at left guard in 2017 to run his streak to 25 straight dating back to last season. Froholdt played 89.2 percent of the team’s offensive snaps and didn’t allow a sack across 388 snaps in pass protection.
S Santos Ramirez — Third-Team Defense
A team captain in 2017, Ramirez was one of only three players in the FBS in 2017 to record at least 60 tackles, an interception, eight pass breakups and three fumbles forced. Known for his heavy hitting and ball-hawking efforts, Ramirez racked up eight or more tackles four times this past season, including a career-high 10 stops and a game-changing forced fumble at Ole Miss.
LB Dre Greenlaw — Fourth-Team Defense
Greenlaw, from Fayetteville, racked up more than 100 tackles (103) for the first time in his career last year to finish No. 2 on the team for the second time in his three seasons. He joined Harris as the only SEC teammates to each record 100 or more tackles in 2017. Greenlaw will enter his senior season with 240 career tackles, the fourth most by an SEC player across the last three seasons.
CB Ryan Pulley — Fourth-Team Defense
Pulley returns in 2018 after sustaining a right pectoral injury in the second quarter of last year’s season opener and missing the rest of the season. The Fort Myers, Florida, product has shown impressive ability in coverage throughout his career. In 2016, he started the final 12 games, led the team with 13 pass breakups and finished with 47 tackles and two interceptions.
Fassi named to coaches’ All-American women’s team
STILLWATER, Okla. — Arkansas junior Maria Fassi was selected as a Women’s Golf Coaches Association First-Team All-American the organization announced today.
The honor is Fassi’s second WGCA recognition following up on her honorable mention selection as a freshman in 2016. Fassi is one of six Razorbacks to earn All-America honors and her selection is the 15th in program history. It is the ninth first-team selection.
Fassi paced the Razorbacks to a record-setting season that included the program’s first Southeastern Conference and NCAA Regional titles.
The Pachuca, Mexico, native has won six individual titles and tied for the individual title at the SEC Championship falling in a two-hole playoff. She won the program’s first individual Regional title and is only the second player in program history to win four or more events in a single season joining former Razorback Stacy Lewis with that distinction.
Fassi leads the Razorbacks with a school record 70.5 stroke average and has carded a school record 25 rounds of par or better. She has scored 12 rounds in the 60s and counted a season/career-best 64 twice this year. That score is the second-best round in program history.
The criteria used to determine the WGCA All-American Teams include:
• Head-to-head competition
• Comparison with common opponents
• Scoring average
• Place finishes in regular season events and tournament wins
• Strength of schedule
The WGCA Second Team and Honorable Mention Teams will be announced later in the NCAA Championship.
Fassi’s accomplishments include:
• Women’s Golf Coaches Association First-Team All-American
• Southeastern Conference Women’s Golf Player of the Year
• First-Team All-Southeastern Conference selection
• Ranks No. 1 in Golfweek, No. 1 in Golfstat
• Selected to the inaugural Palmer Cup Team (International)
• No. 1 in the final ANNIKA Award Watch List standings
• Named to WGCA Player of the Year Watch List – 5.15.18
• Four-time selection to the Arkansas’ Athletics Department Academic Honor Roll
• 7 Wins (tied for medalist honors at the SEC Championship but lost on the second hole of the playoff) – 7 is a program record in a single season
• Second player in program history to win more than four events in a single season (Stacy Lewis, 6; 2007-08)
• 10 individual titles in her career
• First NCAA Regional medalist in program history
• First player in program history to finish the season with a negative score versus par
• 801-92 (.897) win-loss record this season
• Arkansas’ top finisher in 8 of 11 events
• Leads team with 137 birdies and 8 eagles
• Had a run of six consecutive birdies at the EDE
• School record round of 200 at Mason Rudolph
• Four tournament totals rank in the top-10 in program history
• Rounds of 200, 202 and 206 rank in the top-5 in program history
The Razorbacks
• School record 7 team titles
• Program’s first-ever SEC Championship
• Program’s first-ever NCAA Regional title
• NCAA record-tying 41-under par shooting 823 in win at the Mason Rudolph Championship
• Arkansas has played 11 tournaments a total of 48-under par
• Nine of Arkansas’ 34 rounds rank in the program’s top-10 lowest scores
• NCAA Regional second round score of 271 is second lowest round in program history
• Arkansas’ 17-under 271 in the second round of the NCAA Regional is the second-best round versus par in program history
• Arkansas’ 823 at the Mason Rudolph Championship is the lowest score in program history
• Ranked as high as No. 1 in the fall
• Paced team to a 10th place finish at the NCAA Championships and contributed to two final rounds of 289 which are a program best at the NCAA Championship
