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Fayetteville

Art Adamson Invite awaits Arkansas in College Station

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas hits the road this weekend to compete in the annual Art Adamson Invitational in College Station, Texas, from Thursday to Saturday.

The prestigious invite will host 10 women’s programs, including three that are ranked in the CSCAA Top 25. Two are in the top three, with No. 1 Stanford and No. 3 Texas A&M. Arizona State, who is ranked 24th, will also be attendance. Other programs joining Arkansas are Boise State, Hawai’i, LSU, SMU, Incarnate Word and Utah. In the latest CSCAA Top 25, Arkansas was receiving four votes, being ranked tied for 28th in the country.

“We are really excited to come to College Station and see how we perform this weekend,” said head coach Neil Harper. “We have been working hard and I am excited to watch these ladies compete against some of the fastest swimmers in the world. This is a great test to compete against Olympic gold medalists and NCAA Champions.”

Arkansas enters the invite with a 6-2 record, including a 2-1 mark in conference action. Last time out, Arkansas picked up its second conference road win of the year, knocking off Vanderbilt 133-67, after opening the meet with nine consecutive victories. The day prior, Arkansas defeated Nebraska at home 154-84, claiming each of the first 11 events of the meet.

Arkansas has recorded 39 individual wins this season. Of the 39 first-place finishes so far this season, 34 are split between the freshman and senior classes, as each freshmen account for 13 and seniors have 21.

The three-day meet will feature swimming prelims beginning at 9:30 a.m. and evening finals at 6 p.m. Diving preliminaries and some finals will occur between the morning and evening swim sessions with one diving final in the evening session.

Live swimming results will be available here, while much of the meet will be on SEC Network+ and can viewed with the WatchESPN app. Diving results will be available here.

SCHEDULE
Thursday, Nov. 16
200 Freestyle Relay
500 Freestyle (Macias, Palsha, Lemon)
200 Individual Medley (Tatlow, Hannam, Garrison, Angell, Umberger, Strathman, Edwards, Porporis)
50 Freestyle (Weekley, Kelly, Thaman, Carney, Michailoff-Russell, Chambliss, Gregson, Lemon, Holland, Strathman)
1-Meter Diving (Gillis, Green, Schultz, Welch)
400 Medley Relay

Friday, Nov. 17
200 Medley Relay
400 Individual Medley (Hannam, Garrison, Macias, Palsha, Umberger, Porporis)
100 Butterfly (Weekley, Garrison, Pigliacampi, Weiss, Chambliss, Hale, Degnan, Torkelson, Roberts, Holland)
200 Freestyle (Macias, Tatlow, Carney, Lemon, Michailoff-Russell, Thaman, Gregson, Kelly, Holland)
100 Breaststroke (Strathman, Edwards, Hale, Angell)
100 Backstroke (Tatlow, Angell, Umberger, Degnan, Hannam, Chambliss, Gregson, Porporis, Holland, Torkelson)
3-Meter Diving (Gillis, Green, Schultz, Welch)
800 Freestyle Relay

Saturday, Nov. 18
Platform (Gillis, Green, Welch)
1650 Freestyle (Macias, Palsha, Lemon)
200 Backstroke (Hannam, Umberger, Degnan, Porporis, Macias, Holland, Torkelson)
100 Freestyle (Weekley, Pigliacampi, Thaman, Chambliss, Kelly, Carney, Michailoff-Russell, Gregson, Lemon, Strathman)
200 Breaststroke (Strathman, Angell, Palsha, Edwards, Hale)
200 Butterfly (Tatlow, Garrison, Weiss, Pigliacampi, Roberts, Degnan)
400 Freestyle Relay

U of A: Statement from Jeff Long

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017

Statement from Jeff Long

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The following is a statement from former University of Arkansas Director of Athletics Jeff Long:

My family and I would like to thank the University community, Fayetteville community, all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as the friends we have made across the great State of Arkansas.

My wife Fanny and I have raised two wonderful daughters in Fayetteville, one of which has her name etched in Senior Walk. For my family, this will always be home.

I want to thank our outstanding coaches for their efforts on behalf of our student-athletes. Our coaches are not only great teachers but also care deeply about our students and worked tirelessly to achieve our mission of assisting student-athletes in reaching their full potential through intercollegiate athletics. Winning was always an important part of our Mission, as was doing it the right way with honesty integrity and a focus on preparing our young athletes for the rest of their lives. Collectively, all of our coaches exemplified that mission.

In addition to our coaches, we have numerous support staff members who are outstanding in their own right, including operations, compliance, academics, nutrition, media relations, business, equipment, IT, strength & conditioning, psychologists, athletic trainers and team physicians etc. This list represents people who assist our student-athletes in competing and winning while keeping them safe, healthy and on track to reach the ultimate goal of graduation from the University of Arkansas.

To our facility and maintenance staff, I wish to say a heartfelt thank you for your dedicated service to our program. I travel to many campuses and I see firsthand other athletic departments and I know your work is second to none. I appreciate the pride you take in your work and it shows. I am sure you often feel your work goes unnoticed and unappreciated but I wanted you to know how much I notice and how much I appreciate your efforts!

I have been very fortunate to have the support of my incredible Executive and Senior Staffs made up of assistant, associate and senior associate athletic directors as well as my executive assistant. I cannot adequately express my deep appreciation for their efforts on behalf of our student-athletes and coaches. Their intelligence, energy and commitment motivated me to be the best I could be on a daily basis. These dedicated professionals were not just a part of the reason we have transformed our program, they are the reason! Thank you is not nearly enough to express my gratitude but it is the best I can offer at this time.

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve under four Chancellors during my 10 years of service and to participate on their executive staffs. I wish to thank Chancellor White, Chancellor Gearhart, President Sugg and Trustee Reed for believing that I could fill the formidable shoes of Coach Broyles and Bev Lewis. I will always be grateful for the incredible opportunity to come to the University of Arkansas; it has been a 10-year labor of love.

I would also like to thank Chancellor Steinmetz and President Bobbitt for their support during their tenures and especially over the past several weeks. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to work with you and wish you the best as you lead the Flagship Institution and the UA System.

Most of all, I want to offer a heartfelt thank you to the incredible student-athletes that I have had the sincere honor and privilege to support over my 10 years as Athletic Director. You truly are the most important piece of our program. Your success academically and athletically is beyond all else, the reason we have athletics in the University setting. Most people will never know the sacrifices you make to wear the cardinal and white. You literally push your bodies and minds to greater heights to achieve success for the Razorbacks! You have inspired me and lifted me up with your successes in and out of competition! The greatest gift an athletic administrator is given is watching as student-athletes arrive on campus and the growth that happens over the course of their education career. Four to five short years later, we all watch with abundant joy as they walk across the Graduation stage, diploma in hand and prepared to take on whatever in life comes their way!

And finally, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Razorback fans throughout our state and around the world. Your passion for this university and for this athletics program makes the University of Arkansas a very special place. I have said it on numerous occasions the Razorbacks need the entire State behind us to be successful in the SEC and nationally. I wish nothing but continued success for this program and this institution.

With regard to the media, I have always appreciated the job you do and understand your interest in speaking with me. However, I would like to take some time with my family to collect my thoughts before reflecting on my tenure here at the University of Arkansas.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve our University the last 10 years. It has been a true honor.

Sincerely,

Jeff Long

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CONTACTS:

Steve Voorhies, manager, media relations

University Relations

479-575-3583, voorhies@uark.edu

Members of the media can subscribe to the Arkansas Newswire weekday email by sending a note to editor@uark.edu.

With Long out, search for new coach may be speeding up

Andy Hodges
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0

Jeff Long’s firing Wednesday had been rumored for a couple of weeks so it really wasn’t that surprising.

For a lot of fans, it’s confusing. They are just looking at part of the picture and, to be honest, none of us know the entire story … yet.

But you just have to use a little common sense when you see that the UA is going to honor his contract, which runs through 2022 at about $1 million a year plus some change.

You don’t pay someone that kind of money to NOT be the athletic director over football wins. There has to be something deeper, more serious, at play here. Exactly what that is likely won’t be known for awhile.

It’s not the main thing right now. What IS going to be entertaining is the search for a new one. Hey, it’s really the first one at Arkansas where so little is known about the direction or even exactly how the process works.

Long was hired by John White, who set the UA athletics back 10 years with his decisions. Don’t forget, he was the one who called Frank Broyles about Nolan Richardson’s comments in Kentucky, not the other way around.

The only thing we’re pretty certain of is the next athletic director will be somebody from the state of Arkansas with an understanding of dealing with a complex fan base from all four corners.

Don’t worry about the coach. We wouldn’t be surprised to hear there’s been a group working on that for a few weeks now. Yes, Bret Bielema has been an interim for awhile now.

The incoming athletic director won’t be hiring the new football coach.

Whether you or I think that’s right or wrong is not relevant. That decision is being made in other places.

And the process is underway as we talk.

Three names keep surfacing:

• Gus Malzahn, Auburn: The choice of a lot of Razorback fans for the popular former high school coach in the state who made his reputation as an offensive genius. He has turned into more of a CEO-type coach at Auburn as he has changed in his five years on The Plains.

• Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M: A lot of discussion in some circles for the Aggies coach, who is likely to be fired at the end of the season. For whatever reason, his teams have tailed off at the end of every season, but apparently his offensive prowess and recruiting ability have drawn the interest of some in the search.

• Mike Norvell, Memphis: Behind Malzahn, his is the name being thrown out most often by Hog fans. He’s a hot topic of discussion lately at a lot of the openings in the SEC, which seem to be growing daily. He’s a native of Texas, played at Central Arkansas and is, for lack of a better term, a Malzahn starter kit.

There will be others, but Arkansas first needs to fire Bielema, who is still merely going about his business as if he doesn’t have a care in the world. Some would considering what he’s going to be paid to NOT be the coach of the Razorbacks he doesn’t.

Lots of people question why Malzahn would leave Auburn for what they perceive to be a worse job at Arkansas, especially considering he has the Tigers poised to be in the College Football Playoff discussion if they beat Alabama in about 10 days or so.

Well, there is precedent for coaches leaving successful programs and coming home:

• Bear Bryant did it in 1957, leaving a Texas A&M program at the top of the college football world for Alabama that was wallowing around with a couple of wins a year.

• Steve Spurrier did it in 1989 leaving Duke after winning an ACC championship for Florida, that was in NCAA jail and really had never done anything to amount to much in college football other than have a lot of potential.

• Johnny Majors walked away from a national championship program at Pittsburgh in 1976 to take over a Tennessee program that was stuck in mediocrity.

Would Malzahn be interested in doing the same thing? We’re hearing he’s going to have to say no and if he does, then Sumlin is going to get a chance to say no.

But these are the names we’re hearing … at least the last couple of days.

It’s almost certain to change.

Anderson addresses Long firing, Fresno State

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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0

It was a huge gaggle of media for Mike Anderson’s press conference Wednesday (at least for an early nonconference game).

He addressed the firing earlier Wednesday of athletics director Jeff Long and he met with Julie Cromer Peoples and wanted to just “keep moving forward … stay focused.”

U of A Photo Update

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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0

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017

We are currently experiencing technical difficulties with the University’s photo archive. If you need photos from the University of Arkansas please contact Steve Voorhies directly (contact information is included below). We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

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CONTACTS:

Steve Voorhies, manager, media relations

University Relations

479-575-3583, voorhies@uark.edu

Members of the media can subscribe to the Arkansas Newswire weekday email by sending a note to editor@uark.edu.

Bret Bielema is asked about Jeff Long

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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0

Hogs’ women’s team gets six in first rankings of year

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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0

TEMPE, Ariz. — Oracle and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced the first Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Division I National Singles and Doubles Rankings of the 2017-18 season on Wednesday.

The Arkansas women’s tennis team was well represented as a program-best six players earned a spot in either the singles or doubles rankings.

“It’s great to see six Razorbacks featured in the new national rankings,” coach Michael Hegarty said. “It’s a testament to an extremely successful fall season across the board. We are excited to move toward the spring season taking more confidence from these rankings.”

After turning in an impressive fall campaign that included a singles round of 16 appearance at the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships, senior Léolia Jeanjean earned a No. 67 singles ranking.

In doubles, Jeanjean and sophomore Giulia Parione checked in at No. 25, sophomore Jackie Carr and freshman Tatum Rice surged into the rankings at No. 34, and senior Mia Jurasic and junior Ana Oparenovic landed at No. 57.

During the fall season, Jeanjean and Pairone advanced to the round of sixteen at the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships and finished runner up at the ITA Central Regional Championships. Carr and Rice picked up three wins over ranked opponents and had an impressive run into the semifinals of the central regional championships. Jurasic and Oparenovic, who went 9-2 in the fall, earned a runner-up finish at the prestigious Milwaukee Tennis Class in September.

Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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0

Morning Rush Hour 3

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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0

Morning Rush Hour 2

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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0

UPDATE: Long issues statement

Derek Ruscin
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2

The University of Arkansas fired Athletic Director Jeff Long on Wednesday.

Long has been at Arkansas since 2007, taking over officially at his post on January 1, 2008.

Long issued a statement through the University Wednesday night.

My family and I would like to thank the University community, Fayetteville community, all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as the friends we have made across the great State of Arkansas.

My wife Fanny and I have raised two wonderful daughters in Fayetteville, one of which has her name etched in Senior Walk. For my family, this will always be home.

I want to thank our outstanding coaches for their efforts on behalf of our student-athletes. Our coaches are not only great teachers but also care deeply about our students and worked tirelessly to achieve our mission of assisting student-athletes in reaching their full potential through intercollegiate athletics. Winning was always an important part of our Mission, as was doing it the right way with honesty integrity and a focus on preparing our young athletes for the rest of their lives. Collectively, all of our coaches exemplified that mission.

In addition to our coaches, we have numerous support staff members who are outstanding in their own right, including operations, compliance, academics, nutrition, media relations, business, equipment, IT, strength & conditioning, psychologists, athletic trainers and team physicians etc. This list represents people who assist our student-athletes in competing and winning while keeping them safe, healthy and on track to reach the ultimate goal of graduation from the University of Arkansas.

To our facility and maintenance staff, I wish to say a heartfelt thank you for your dedicated service to our program. I travel to many campuses and I see firsthand other athletic departments and I know your work is second to none. I appreciate the pride you take in your work and it shows. I am sure you often feel your work goes unnoticed and unappreciated but I wanted you to know how much I notice and how much I appreciate your efforts!

I have been very fortunate to have the support of my incredible Executive and Senior Staffs made up of assistant, associate and senior associate athletic directors as well as my executive assistant. I cannot adequately express my deep appreciation for their efforts on behalf of our student-athletes and coaches. Their intelligence, energy and commitment motivated me to be the best I could be on a daily basis. These dedicated professionals were not just a part of the reason we have transformed our program, they are the reason! Thank you is not nearly enough to express my gratitude but it is the best I can offer at this time.

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve under four Chancellors during my 10 years of service and to participate on their executive staffs. I wish to thank Chancellor White, Chancellor Gearhart, President Sugg and Trustee Reed for believing that I could fill the formidable shoes of Coach Broyles and Bev Lewis. I will always be grateful for the incredible opportunity to come to the University of Arkansas; it has been a 10-year labor of love.

I would also like to thank Chancellor Steinmetz and President Bobbitt for their support during their tenures and especially over the past several weeks. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to work with you and wish you the best as you lead the Flagship Institution and the UA System.

Most of all, I want to offer a heartfelt thank you to the incredible student-athletes that I have had the sincere honor and privilege to support over my 10 years as Athletic Director. You truly are the most important piece of our program. Your success academically and athletically is beyond all else, the reason we have athletics in the University setting. Most people will never know the sacrifices you make to wear the cardinal and white. You literally push your bodies and minds to greater heights to achieve success for the Razorbacks! You have inspired me and lifted me up with your successes in and out of competition! The greatest gift an athletic administrator is given is watching as student-athletes arrive on campus and the growth that happens over the course of their education career. Four to five short years later, we all watch with abundant joy as they walk across the Graduation stage, diploma in hand and prepared to take on whatever in life comes their way!

And finally, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Razorback fans throughout our state and around the world. Your passion for this university and for this athletics program makes the University of Arkansas a very special place. I have said it on numerous occasions the Razorbacks need the entire State behind us to be successful in the SEC and nationally. I wish nothing but continued success for this program and this institution.

With regard to the media, I have always appreciated the job you do and understand your interest in speaking with me. However, I would like to take some time with my family to collect my thoughts before reflecting on my tenure here at the University of Arkansas.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve our University the last 10 years. It has been a true honor.

Sincerely,

Jeff Long

Long continues to serve on the College Football Playoff selection committee. He was the first chairman of that committee when it was formed in 2014.

Here is an official statement from the University:

UA Chancellor Joe Steinmetz

University of Arkansas Chancellor Joseph Steinmetz announced today that Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long will no longer serve in his position effective today and that he has appointed Associate Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Senior Associate Athletics Director Julie Cromer Peoples as interim director of athletics.

The university will honor the provisions of Long’s contract, which currently runs through June 30, 2022.

“The decision to change leadership in our Athletics Department is not an easy one, and was made after great deliberation, discussion and thought, after consultation with the Board of Trustees and President Bobbitt,” said Steinmetz.  “Since coming to Fayetteville in 2008, Jeff has led our department with character and integrity and helped move us forward in so many ways.  However, over the past year, Jeff has lost the support of many of our fans, alumni, key supporters, and members of the university leadership, support that I believe is critical in our pursuit of excellence. I want to thank Jeff for his commitment and service to our University and to the State of Arkansas and, on behalf of the Razorback Family, I want to wish Jeff and his family all of the best in the future.”

Peoples brings extensive experience to the interim director of Athletics role.  She came to Arkansas in 2014, after successful tenures at Indiana University and the NCAA. Among other duties, as a member of the department’s executive leadership team, Peoples directs the sport administrator group responsible for day-to day administration of 19 varsity sports and serves as liaison to the Southeastern Conference.  She has been recognized for her outstanding work at both the institutional and national levels.  A native of the region, Peoples holds a master’s degree from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University.

The university will identify and announce members of a search committee, representative of the university, to assist Chancellor Steinmetz in the search for a new vice chancellor and director of athletics.

 

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