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Anderson boots Thomas off team for rules violation

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Dustin Thomas apparently can’t keep himself out of hot water.

This time, though, will likely be his last at Arkansas as Mike Anderson booted the senior forward off the team just ahead of the SEC Tournament, which starts Thursday for the Razorbacks.

“Senior forward Dustin Thomas has been dismissed from the team effective immediately for a violation of team rules,” Anderson said in a statement. “It is a privilege to represent the University of Arkansas as a student-athlete. We will continue to hold the student-athletes in our program to a high standard on and off the court.”

This has become a pattern with Thomas.

He was one of three Razorbacks arrested on counterfeiting charges in the summer of 2015, but was reinstated when the legal matter was resolved in December 2015.

At the beginning of this season, Thomas was suspended for Arkansas’ two exhibition games and first three regular-season games because of a “violation of team rules.”

Thomas started 17 of the 26 games he played in this season, averaging 5.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 19.2 minutes.

He had come on strong late in the season, starting the final seven games. During that stretch, he shot 58.3 percent from the floor and had an 11-point game against Alabama and a 10-rebound game against Kentucky.

His career started at Colorado before transferring to Arkansas in 2015. He sat out one season because of the NCAA’s transfer rules and then played on last season’s NCAA Tournament team.

Thomas’ dismissal likely means forwards Adrio Bailey, Arlando Cook and Gabe Osabuohien will receive extended minutes this postseason.

Hogs race up leaderboard to seventh in Cabo

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LOS CABOS, Mexico — No. 19 Arkansas moved four spots up the leaderboard on Monday during the second round of the 2018 Querencia Cabo Collegiate, firing a 2-under 282 at Querencia Golf Club.

The Razorbacks raced up the leaderboard and are now alone in seventh place in the field of 15 teams and lead six different top 25 programs, including No. 2 Vanderbilt and No. 5 Baylor.

Top-ranked Oklahoma State has a narrow one-shot lead at 10-under, while No. 13 California is 9-under and No. 29 Arizona State is 4-under overall.

Arkansas’ 2-under 282 was its second-lowest score at the event in five years, only behind a 5-under 279 during the final round last year.

Alvaro Ortiz, Luis Garza and William Buhl all signed for a 2-under 69 to lead the charge and Ortiz played his way into the top 15 entering the final round, currently T-11th overall.

Garza had a stretch of four birdies in seven holes, but ended the day with back-to-back bogeys, while Ortiz made the turn at 2-over, but rallied down the stretch with a 4-under 32 on the back nine to get into red figures for the tournament at 1-under.

The third and final round tees off Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. CT at Querencia Golf Club. Live stats will be available at Golfstat.com or via the Golfstat Live app.

Razorback Lineup Day 2 Results


Querencia Cabo Collegiate Day 2 Team Results

Schultz qualifies for NCAA diving championships

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Freshman diver Brooke Schultz punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships on Monday afternoon, finishing fourth overall in the one-meter springboard event at the NCAA Zone D Diving Championships in Minneapolis.

Schultz becomes the second Razorback this season and first diver to qualify for the Championships in Indianapolis next week, joining freshman Peyton Palsha (1650 freestyle).

Schultz started the day finishing fourth overall among 47 athletes in the one-meter prelims with a score of 303.55.

Among the 18 divers who advanced to finals, Schultz needed to finish in the top 11 to move on the Indianapolis.

The Fayetteville native added 312.25 points in finals to her prelim score to finish fourth overall with a running score of 615.80.

In prelims, senior Nicole Gillis missed the finals by 3.35 points, scoring a 258.85 for a 21st-place finish. Junior Marissa Green was right behind Gillis, scoring a 257.50 to finish 23rd, while freshman Maha Amer (236.95) and sophomore Caroline Welch (233.20) finished 30th and 34th, respectively.

Action from Minneapolis will continue tomorrow at 11 a.m. with the men’s one-meter prelims. The women’s three-meter prelims and finals will follow.

Schedule of Events/Results
Monday, March 5
One-Meter Prelim
4th – Brooke Schultz – 303.55
21st – Nicole Gillis – 258.85
23rd – Marissa Green – 257.50
30th – Maha Amer – 236.95
34th – Caroline Welch – 233.20

 One-Meter Final
4th – Brooke Schultz – 615.80

Tuesday, March 6
11 a.m. – Women’s Three-Meter Prelim/Final

Wednesday, March 7
11 a.m. – Women’s Platform Prelim/Final

Martin takes home first weekly honor from league

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Freshman infielder Casey Martin was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday after his huge weekend at the plate that helped the Razorbacks sweep the two-game series against Dayton, then take a crucial weekend series against USC.

Martin started in all five games last week against the Flyers and Trojans at either second base or third base.

The Lonoke native led all Razorback hitters with a .444 average over the five-game span and slugged .474. For the year, his .414 average is currently ninth best in the Southeastern Conference and his .793 slugging percentage is sixth best.

Among freshmen in the league, his average is the third highest and his slugging is the best.

He now has a hit in five-straight games, which is the second-longest streak on the team and has multi-RBI performances in four of his 11 games played.

Martin had a big game to open the week against Dayton when he went 2-for-5 with two three-run home runs in the 18-1 victory.

He was the first Razorback since Chad Spanberger in last year’s SEC Tournament to homer twice in the same game and drive in six or more runs. Martin currently is tied for the team lead with three home runs and has 12 RBIs.

The next day against the Flyers, he went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI while also swiping two bases, becoming the first Hog to achieve that feat in the last two seasons.

Against USC, Martin was 4-for-10 (.400) with a double and a walk, making the start at third base all weekend.

His 2-for-4 day on Sunday was important for the Hogs as his second inning double led to the game’s first run. His lead-off single in the sixth started a four-run comeback inning that eventually led to the 7-6 victory.

Up Next

Martin and the Razorbacks won’t play again until next weekend when they take on the Kent State Golden Flashes for a three-game series starting on Friday at 3 p.m.

Game two will be on Saturday at 2 p.m., followed by the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m.

All games will be televised on SEC Network+.

McEwen, Haff earn weekly honors from SEC

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — On the strength of their standout performances that helped the Razorbacks to a 7-0 home stand, the freshman duo of Hannah McEwen and Mary Haff have been recognized with SEC weekly honors as announced by the league Monday afternoon.

McEwen has been named the SEC Co-Player of the Week while Haff was been selected as the SEC Freshman of the Week for the second time this season.

Arkansas (16-1) next hits the road for a Tuesday doubleheader at Wichita State. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Wilkins Stadium on the WSU campus.

The two teams have met eight times previously, most recently playing 2012 but have not played in Wichita since 2008.

Wichita State (9-8) will be playing its home opener Tuesday.

McEwen registered a .500 batting average (10-for-20) with three home runs, 16 RBI and seven runs scored. She had at least one RBI in each game including four in each of the first three games of the week.

She also tallied at least one hit and one run in six of seven games including three multi-hit performances. McEwen opened the week against Missouri State with her second grand slam of the season.

The San Diego, Calif., native enters the week second in the SEC and third for third in the NCAA with 29 RBI.

McEwen also leads the Razorbacks with five home runs and 16 runs scored.

With Monday’s announcement, McEwen is the third freshman in program history to win SEC Player of the Week and the first to do so since the 2000 season.

In five appearances last week, Haff was 4-0 with a save and a 0.00 ERA.

She recorded 40 strikeouts, gave up just six hits and issued only four walks in 26.1 innings of work while holding the opposition to a .072 batting average.

In her second start of the week, Haff threw the seventh no-hitter in program history in Arkansas’ win over Northern Colorado. She capped her week with a save against Central Connecticut State.

The Winter Haven, Florida, native currently ranks third in the SEC and tied for 10th in the NCAA with 90 strikeouts this season.

Haff carries a 9-0 record and a 0.50 ERA through the first month of the season and becomes the second player in program history to win SEC Freshman of the Week twice.

Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Monday

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Monday

Brooks, Arkansas coaches pick up regional awards

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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NEW ORLEANS — All-American Taliyah Brooks was named the 2018 NCAA South Central Region Field-Athlete of the Year by the USTFCCCA for her performances this season in the long jump and pentathlon.

Brooks was joined in regional recognition by Arkansas coach Lance Harter and associate coach Chris Johnson who swept the NCAA South Central Region Coach and Assistant Coach top awards.

The trio last dominated the South Central Region honors together during the 2017 NCAA outdoor season.

No. 2 x Two
A two-time NCAA runner-up in the pentathlon and 2017 finalist in the NCAA indoor long jump, Brooks heads into her final NCAA Indoor Championships positioned to attain gold in both.

The Wichita Falls, Texas, native currently sits at No. 2 in the NCAA standings in both the pentathlon and the long jump off a season best in the former (4,422 points) at the SEC Indoor Championships and a PR and program record in the latter (6.57m/21-6¾) at the Tyson Invitational.

Razorback Leadership
Excepting Brooks and senior leader Nikki Hiltz, Harter, Johnson and assistant coach Bryan Compton managed to maintain Arkansas’ potency following the loss of exceptional performers, primarily through the strength of juniors and underclassmen.

The trio guided Arkansas to its 12th-consecutive Southeastern Conference title, not only winning the championships, but doing so decisively by a 23.5 point margin.

Harter coached Hiltz to an SEC gold medal in the mile while Johnson did the same for Brooks in the pentathlon.

Arkansas will open up competition at the indoor national meet with the pentathlon 60-meter hurdles on Friday, March 9 at 12:15 p.m.

Razorbacks maintain 10th spot after highest RQS in history

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas maintained its No. 10 ranking following its record 197.275 performance against Arizona last Friday, giving the program its highest Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) in team history of 196.660.

The Razorbacks have now scored multiple scores of 197 or higher twice in one season for just the second time in program history, joining the 2012 season.

Arkansas posted a 197.175 against Georgia earlier this season. It’s the first time in program history that Arkansas has posted multiple 197’s during the regular season.

Arkansas began the year as the preseason 19th-best team and has not held a ranking below No. 11 since week one’s rankings were released Jan. 8.

The Razorbacks remain in fifth place in the Southeastern Conference, now less than a tenth of a point behind Kentucky.

The top four teams in the league make the second session of the SEC Championships on March 24, as the Razorbacks are looking to make their first appearance in the evening session in program history.

Event Rankings
After posting its highest score on bars in team history of 49.575 against Arizona, the Razorbacks moved up to No. 7 in the nation as its highest ranked event.

Arkansas places three in the top-50, led by Senior Amanda Wellick who is ranked No. 25. Freshman Sarah Shaffer is just behind Wellick, ranked No. 36, while fellow senior Braie Speed comes in at No. 41.

Speed tied the program record on bars against Arizona with a 9.950.

Remaining one of the top beam squads in the country, the Razorbacks rank No. 9 on the event with an RQS of 49.250.

Freshman Sophia Carter is the Razorbacks top-ranked athlete on the event, coming in at No. 13 with an RQS of 9.900. Carter has the two highest scores in program history on the event, scoring a 9.975 twice.

Sophomore Michaela Burton ranks No. 27 with an RQS of 9.885.

Arkansas ranks 13th on the floor and 21st on vault. Speed is the Razorbacks’ top vaulter, ranked No. 25 with an RQS of 9.875, while Shaffer leads the way on the floor coming in at No. 18.

Shaffer has recorded a 9.900 or higher in five of the last six meets on the floor.

The Razorbacks return to action this Friday in Norman, Oklahoma, for the OU Quad. Arkansas will be paired up with the top-ranked Sooners, as well as No. 12 Arizona State and No. 15 Denver.

Morning Rush Hour 3

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Morning Rush Hour 2

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Morning Rush Hour 1

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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