Arkansas Track & Field Hall Inducts Former SAU Coach and Standout
By: Houston Taylor
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Former Southern Arkansas track and field and cross country coach and standout Dan Veach was inducted into the Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame Saturday at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel in North Little Rock.
Veach served 20 years (1988-2008) as both the men’s and women’s 
head cross country and track and field coach at SAU before retiring in 2008, and was an All-America performer for the Muleriders, competing from 1965-69.
As a member of the Mulerider 440 and 880-yard relay teams, Veach and his teammates set school and Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) records in 1966 and 1967. The 1966 440 squad placed fourth in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national championship meet in a time of 40.8. Veach was a three-time All-America selection from 1966-1968 and was a four-time All-AIC honoree.
A native of Southampton, Pa., Veach completed his B.S.E. in 1969 at what was then Southern State College and received his master’s degree from Auburn University in 1975. He began his career in education as a social studies teacher at Emerson High School, where he also initiated a track and field program. Veach’s teams at Emerson captured three cross country and three track and field state championships. He also served as the principal at Emerson from 1981-1988, before returning to coach at Southern Arkansas and serving as assistant professor of education and director of field experience of student teachers.
During his tenure at SAU, Veach coached 84 All-AIC picks and 28 track and field All-Americans. Five women’s teams won AIC championships and the men’s program finished runner-up four times. In 1992, his Mulerider 400-meter relay team won the NAIA national championship held in Abbotslord, Canada. Veach was named the AIC Coach of the Year five times.
After Southern Arkansas’ move to the NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference in 1995-96, Veach, in cross country, coached 12 Lady Mulerider All-GSC selections and two All-South Region picks and 11 Mulerider all-conference and two all-region honorees.
Veach joins four other members with Southern Arkansas ties in the Hall dating back to 1995 in All-America teammate Wayne (Pug) Roper, who was inducted last year, former All-American Sammy Epps (2004), NAIA Hall of Fame member and former coach George Henry (2003) and Veach’s collegiate coach, Raymond (Rip) Powell (2002).
Southern Arkansas Hosts Annual All-Sports Banquet
By: Houston Taylor
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Tennis student-athlete Caitlin Korensek (Ennis, Texas) and baseball standout Cannon Lester (El Dorado) were honored Wednesday with the coveted Auburn Smith Awards at the annual Southern Arkansas University All-Sports banquet in the Grand Hall of the Donald W. Reynolds Center.
Also receiving laurels were volleyball’s Maggie Glover (Waxahachie, Texas) and cross country and track athlete Michaela Krcova (Trnava, Slovakia), and baseball’s Andrew Whittington (Texas City, Texas) and football’s Ben Williams (Texarkana, Texas), all being named as this year’s Scholar-Athlete Award winners. Director of Athletics, Jay Adcox, presented the annual honors.
The Auburn Smith Award, given annually to both a women’s and men’s student-athlete, is the most prestigious honor a student-athlete can receive at SAU. The award is named in memory of Auburn Smith, who served as athletics director, administrator, coach, and instructor at Southern Arkansas. Athletic ability, performance, character, and scholastic achievement are all considerations by a selection committee of head coaches and athletic administrators at the university who select the honorees.
Korensek, a four-year member of the Lady Mulerider tennis team, holds 
a 3.88 GPA in early childhood education, and was honored on the courts this season in being a second team All-Gulf South Conference selection.
Three times Korensek has been named an Intercollegiate Tennis Association scholar-athlete and has twice been selected to the Gulf South Conference All-Academic Team. She is a three-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll, a five-time member of the SAU President’s List (4.00 GPA) and a two-time member of the SAU Dean’s List (minimum 3.50 GPA).
A 5-11, 185-pound third baseman on the Mulerider baseball team, Lester is the fourth consecutive baseball student-athlete to win the Auburn Smith honor. A senior, Lester has compiled a 3.06 GPA in physical education, wellness & leisure.
Leading the team in hitting with a .426 batting average, Lester has helped lead Southern Arkansas to a 39-6 record, a school record 24-game winning streak, the national No. 1 ranking, and to its 12th consecutive, and 13th overall, Gulf South Conference tournament 
appearance.
Lester was a first team All-America selection on both the ABCA/Rawlings and Daktronics teams and a second team pick on the NCBWA team in 2009. He was named to the first team on three All-South Region squads, and was a first team All-GSC and GSC All-Tournament honoree. Five times Lester has been named the GSC West Division player of the week, twice this season, and the most in league history. This season he set a new conference record with 69 career doubles, and he currently owns seven SAU career records, one season record and two single-game records.
In the classroom, Lester is a three-time member of the GSC academic honor roll, and has been named to the SAU Dean’s List.
The esteemed Scholar-Athlete Award is also given to both a female and male student-athlete. The nominee must have a minimum of a 3.00 GPA, have completed at least 56 semester hours, with at least one semester at SAU. Selection of the honorees is done by a committee considering GPA, athletic accomplishments, and citizenship.
The SAU scholar-athlete honors are normally awarded to only one female and male student-athlete, but a tie in the voting provided four winners this year.
Glover, a junior with the Lady Mulerider volleyball team, carries an impressive 3.73 cumulative GPA in psychology, with a minor in sociology.
Glover was named this past fall to the conference all-academic team. She is a four-time member of the conference academic honor roll, a three-time member of the Southern Arkansas President’s List, and is a two-time member of the school’s Dean’s List.
On the court, she was named a second team All-Gulf South Conference selection for the second consecutive year, and led the squad this season with a .242 attack percentage, 77 blocks and 316.5 points scored, and added 237 kills.
A senior, Krcova sports a perfect 4.00 GPA in business administration-finance. She has twice been honored as first team on the prestigious ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 6 team and selected twice to the GSC all-academic team. She is a three-time member of the GSC academic honor roll and a seven-time member of the Southern Arkansas President’s List with all “A’s” in her seven semesters.
In competition, Michaela placed 15th at this year’s GSC cross country championship, earning second team All-GSC accolades.
A 6-0, 200-pound shortstop, Whittington has a 3.93 GPA in physical education, wellness and leisure. He is a past member of the conference academic honor roll, a two-time member of the SAU President’s list, and has also been named to the Dean’s List.
On the field this season, Whittington set a new Gulf South Conference record by hitting safely in 37 consecutive games. Last year, he was honored as a NCBWA third team All-America selection and was named first team on both the NCBWA and ABCA/Rawlings All-South Region teams. Whittington was also a first team All-GSC pick and has twice been named the GSC West Division player of the week. He currently holds one SAU school career record, two season records and shares one single-game mark.
Williams graduated Cum Laude this past December with a 3.58 GPA in Chemistry-Science. The 6-1, 218-pound linebacker was a four-year letterman and started the past two seasons for the Muleriders.
Last year Williams received a nuclear and radiochemistry fellowship from the American Chemical Society and did his studies in California over the summer. He was voted three times to the GSC all-academic team, is a four-time member of the honor roll, a member of the SAU President’s list, and a four-time member of the Dean’s List.
In other honors, outstanding athletes were named in their respective fields by their head coaches or sponsors. Maggee Becker (Glenwood, Colo.) received the accolade for women’s golf, Peyton Mitchell (Quitman, La.) in men’s golf, Hannah Thomas (Waycross, Ga.) for women’s rodeo, Korensek and Krcova in tennis and women’s cross country, respectively, Kevin Perez (Cabot) for men’s cross country, Heather Rochelle (Texarkana, Texas) in women’s track, Colton Connelly (Comfort, Texas) for men’s track, Lester in baseball, Katie Lenderman (Plano, Texas) for softball, Elizabeth Myrick (Hot Springs) in cheerleading, Sanchez Dade (El Dorado) for men’s basketball, Lynzi Williams (Martin’s Mill, Texas) in women’s basketball, Glover for volleyball, Cedric Thornton (Star City) in football and Jessica McKenzie (Camden) received the student athletic training honor.
Dan Gregory, with KVMA/KVMZ radio served as emcee for the evening’s event.
Mulerider Track Team Competes at Memphis Invitational
By: Houston Taylor
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Southern Arkansas’ men’s track team was among a number of schools participating Saturday in the Memphis Invitational at the Murphy Sports Complex. Both SAU’s men’s and women’s teams were scheduled to participate this weekend in the Michael Johnson Invitational at Baylor, but the men instead opted for Memphis, with the women’s team not competing.
The Muleriders’ weekend was highlighted by junior Colton Connelly 
(Comfort, Texas), who set his second school record in as many years with a second-place performance in the 3000 meter run. Connelly’s time of 8:56.00 was just shy of Arkansas State’s James Ngwiri, who finished first in 8:55.60.
Connelly’s mark in the 3000 surpasses former Southern Arkansas runner Nathan Hall’s (Hot Springs) time of 9:04.31 during the 2007 season. Connelly also owns the Mulerider record in the 5000, set last year.
Freshman Mickey Hammer (Marshall) also competed in the 3000, placing ninth in 9:31.30.
Junior Dusty Hardin (Banks) had a top-10 finish at eighth with a 1:57.37 in the 800, while teammate freshman Will Allen (Atlanta, Texas) was 21st in a time of 2:09.11.
Junior Mickey Mojica (Royse City, Texas) competed in sprints in both the 400 and 200 meters, placing ninth in the 400 in 51.43 and 18th in the 200 at 23.60. Freshman Quinton Hagan (Houston, Texas) was 18th in the 400 with a time of 56.52.
Sophomore Dewey Noles (Jessieville) rounded out SAU’s events, finishing 15th in the 100 meters in a time of 12.01.
Southern Arkansas’ men’s and women’s teams close out their seasons next weekend, participating in the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawk Classic on Saturday in Monroe.
#SAU#
Southern Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame will Induct Eight
By: Houston Taylor
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Five athletes from the modern era, two from the golden era, and one individual for meritorious service comprise the 2009 Southern Arkansas University Sports Hall of Fame class. SAU’s seventh hall of fame class will be inducted Friday in the first-ever hall of fame banquet at 7 p.m. in the Donald W. Reynolds Center on Southern Arkansas’ campus. The inductees will also be recognized Saturday at halftime of the Mulerider football Homecoming game against Ouachita Baptist. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. following the Homecoming queen and court ceremony at 2 p.m. at Wilkins Stadium.
Modern era athletes to be inducted are Kenneth Brown (football), Russell Hester (baseball), Shawn Mason (basketball), Tracy Morgan-Smith (volleyball and track & field), and Wayne Ross (swimming). Wayne Roper (track & field) and the late P.T. Waller (basketball and coach) are being inducted from the golden era, and the late Sue Bailey for meritorious service.
Kenneth Brown (Modern Era – Football)
A native of Pine Bluff, Kenneth Brown played at wide receiver for 
Southern Arkansas football teams from 1983-1986. He was named National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) first team All-America in his senior season, after being a NAIA Honorable Mention All-America selection as a sophomore in 1984. In addition, Brown was a three-time first team pick on both the NAIA All-District 17 and All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference teams his final three seasons (1984-1986), also making the 1985 conference team as a punt returner.
Brown still holds school records for pass receptions in both a game and season, snaring 14 catches on two occasions against Southeastern Oklahoma State and Henderson State in 1986, and finishing with a total of 75 that same season, which also was a league record. He stands at third all-time at SAU in career receptions with 142; third in career touchdown catches with 20; is fourth with 831 receiving yards in a season (1986); and tied at fourth in touchdown receptions in a season with eight (1984).
As a return specialist, Brown also held school records in those areas for a number of years with the most recent being broken in 2005 of 54 career kick returns. He stands at third all-time in career kick return yards with 960 and fourth in career punt returns with 36. Brown has the fifth longest punt return at SAU, 74 yards against Arkansas-Monticello in 1985.
Brown also spent time in the professional ranks in both the National 
Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). He began his pro career with the New England Patriots in 1987 and was later picked up that same year by the Cincinnati Bengals. He was with the Atlanta Falcons in 1988, and after sitting out a year was with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger Cats, both in 1990. He also had a year of Arena Football with the Dallas Texans in 1991.
Brown currently lives in Dallas where he works for DHL Packaging at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport as a cargo screener. He has a son, Quandon, who also lives in Dallas, and two daughters, Jessica Brown of Houston, and Kennedy Brown of Dallas.
Russell (Boggie) Hester (Modern Era – Baseball)
Russell “Boggie” Hester was a pitcher for the Mulerider baseball team 
in 1974 and 1975 after playing two years at what was then WestArk Junior College in Fort Smith.
Coached by former SAU baseball and basketball coach and hall of fame member Monroe Ingram, Hester was a NAIA All-District 17 selection in both his seasons and was named All-AIC in 1975. He had a combined 17-6 record in 24 appearances over his two years, pitching in 12 games each season. In 1974 he was 7-4, struck out 72, and posted a 1.90 ERA, and in 1975 had a conference best 10-2 record, with 88 strikeouts and an impressive 1.10 ERA.
Hester teamed with Southern Arkansas Hall of Fame member Gary Wilson to lead the Muleriders to the AIC championship in 1975, and like
Wilson, pitched for the USA All-Stars in the summer of 1975 on a trip to the Orient to play Korea and Taiwan. He also was a member of the ’75 AIC All-Star team that played the Arkansas Travelers in an exhibition game. Hester and Wilson combined on a Mulerider pitching staff that led the NAIA in 1975 with a 1.16 ERA.
Hester and his wife, Joyce, have four children; daughter Dara Hensley of Clinton; and sons Brent Hester of Springdale, Brian Hester of Farmington, and Bart Hester of Rogers; and 12 grandchildren.
A native of Little Rock, Hester now resides at Greer’s Ferry and is superintendent of schools at Heber Springs.
Shawn Mason (Modern Era – Basketball)
A 6-2, 190-pound guard, Shawn Mason played basketball at Southern 
Arkansas from 1998-2002. Prepping at Shirley High School, near Fairfield Bay, he made an immediate impact upon his arrival to the Mulerider basketball team. A four-year starter, he averaged 14.8 points and 6.2 rebounds, and shot 44.7 percent from the floor, 34.5 percent on three-pointers, and 80.9 percent at the free throw line in 105 games over his career.
Mason led SAU to four consecutive Gulf South Conference tournament berths and was the league’s West Division freshman of the year for the 1998-99 season. He went on to become one of only 13 players at the time in GSC history to be a three-time first team All-Conference pick, making the team his sophomore through senior years. He was an All-South Region player both his junior and senior seasons, and was an honorable mention All-America selection his senior year of 2001-02.
As a senior, the fiery red-head not only led Southern Arkansas in scoring with a 17.8 average, but as a blue-collar worker, led his team in rebounding with an 8.2 average, astonishing for a 6-2 guard. Mason also dished out 58 assists and picked off 32 steals his senior season.
Mason scored a career-high 41 points against Arkansas Tech as a senior. In that game, he set a school and conference single-game free throw record that still stands, by converting 20 of 22 attempts at the line. Mason is second all-time in Mulerider history with 436 career
free throws, converting 73.8 percent as a freshman, 84.8 percent as a sophomore, 83.5 percent as a junior and 82.4 percent as a senior.
Mason scored 462 points his senior year to finish sixth all-time in Southern Arkansas scoring history with 1,556 career points. His 400-plus points that season placed him in the university’s 400-point club, while making the 300-point club each of his first three seasons. As a junior Mason averaged 17.0 points and 6.8 rebounds a game, and had 43 assists and 37 steals.
Shawn and his wife, Andrea, now live in Bald Knob. He is presently taking courses in preparation for employment with the Arkansas State Police.
Tracy Morgan-Smith (Modern Era – Volleyball and Track and Field)
A native of Crandall, Texas, Tracy Morgan-Smith arrived at Southern 
Arkansas and became a legendary two-sport athlete in volleyball and track and field for the Riderettes, before they became known as the Lady Muleriders. She played volleyball during the 1989 and 1991 seasons and participated in track and field in the spring seasons of 1990 and 1992, sitting out volleyball in 1990 and track in 1991 due to injury.
As a junior in 1989, Morgan-Smith led the volleyball team to the AIC championship and was named both All-Conference and All-NAIA District 17, being named the district player of the year. Her career only blossomed when she returned in 1991, again receiving All-AIC and District 17 accolades, as well as being selected to the All-Southwest Region team, and highlighted by being a NAIA honorable mention All-America pick. She also helped lead the volleyball squad into the national rankings that year.
Morgan-Smith still holds SAU volleyball records for season and career blocks per set, both at 1.52; attacks in a single match with 71 against Arkansas Tech in 1991; and kills per set in a career at 4.13. She led Southern Arkansas to its best finish ever with a 42-4 season in 1989 and was a part of 16 and 18-match winning streaks that year.
In track and field, Morgan-Smith led the 1992 team to the AIC championship, scoring high-point honors with 52.5. She set a conference record in the triple jump with a leap of 37-9 ¾” and won both the long jump and shot put. The team placed fourth in the District 17 championship, with Morgan-Smith again winning the triple jump. The team advanced to the NAIA National Championship and 
placed 16th in the nation. Morgan-Smith competed in three events, placing fourth in the nation in the long jump, fifth in the triple jump, and was the anchor of SAU’s 400-meter relay team that placed third.
Her track and field accomplishments earned Morgan-Smith NAIA All-America and All-AIC honors in both 1990 and 1992.
Morgan-Smith still holds the Southern Arkansas record in the triple jump at 40-2 ½, and has a hand in two others as anchor on the 400-meter relay team in a time of 46.88 and the 800-meter relay in a time of 1:42.96.
Morgan-Smith currently is employed as a police officer in Dallas, and is married to Charles Smith. She has two sons, D.J. Grigsby and Dalen Morgan.
Wayne Ross (Modern Era – Swimming)
Wayne Ross, a Magnolia native, was an All-AIC swimmer at Southern 
Arkansas four consecutive years from 1980-1983.
Ross set and still holds numerous Mulerider swimming records for the 50, 100, 200, and 1,000-yard freestyle, the 100 breaststroke, the 200 individual medley, and as a member of the 400 freestyle, the 400 medley, and the 800 freestyle relay teams. His 1982 team participated in the NAIA national swim meet held in Vancouver, British Columbia, and at the NAIA national meet hosted by Ouachita Baptist in Arkadelphia in 1983.
Wayne was coached by his father, Dr. Delwin Ross, who also coached baseball, men’s basketball, and football in his long SAU career, and 
also played sports at what was then Magnolia A&M and a junior college. In his freshman season of 1980, Wayne helped provide his father with the AIC and District 17 coach of the year honors. Playing his final two years at Henderson State, Dr. Ross was recently inducted into their Hall of Honor.
Wayne and his wife, Judy, have two daughters, Christie Malone of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Cindie Nokes of Magnolia, and a grandson. Wayne resides in Magnolia where he manages Radio Shack.
Wayne (Pug) Roper (Golden Era – Track and Field)
Wayne “Pug” Roper began a long track and field career at Stamps 
Public Schools, performing for Coach Raymond “Rip” Powell. Roper finished a spectacular high school career in 1965 with a third-place finish in the 880-yard run in the Golden West Invitational Meet in Sacramento, Calif. that invited only the very best high school leaders from across the country. He set the overall high school state 880-yard record of 1:53.6 in the Meet of Champions as a senior in 1965, a mark that stood until 1970. That same year, Roper was selected Arkansas track & field athlete of the year for his classification.
Later that fall, Roper rejoined his high school coach, Powell, at Southern Arkansas. As a freshman in 1966, he was undefeated in the AIC and set a conference 880-yard record of 1:53.3 at the AIC Championship Meet. The next season, he had only one loss in the conference at the AIC Meet, but managed to set a school record for the 880-yard run in 1:52.9. He was an All-AIC selection in 1966 and 1969; was selected captain of the team his junior and senior seasons; and was also a NAIA All-American.
After college, Roper returned to athletic competition at the age of 33, running road races from 5,000-meter distances to marathons. From 1980 to 1995, he ran 127 5K races and placed first in his age group 104 times, and in the top three in his age group 17 other times. At the age of 57 Roper competed in the Northwest Louisiana District Senior Olympics, winning first place overall in the 400 and 800-meter 
events from 2005-2007. He serves as President of the Red River Road Runners and as the director of road races in the Shreveport/Bossier, La. area. Roper is currently on the board of directors of the Northwest Louisiana District Senior Olympics.
In 2009 Roper was inducted into the Arkansas Track & Field Sports Hall of Fame. Wayne and his wife, Carolyn, live in Waskom, Texas. They have two daughters, Wendy Russell of Stamps, and Misty Manshack of Waskom, and two grandsons. Wayne works in Bossier City for a real estate firm.
P.T. (Duddy) Waller (Golden Era Athlete and Coach – Basketball)
The late Prentice T. “Duddy” Waller was one of the purest shooters to 
ever step on the basketball court for Southern Arkansas. He played when SAU was still a junior college and after his Mulerider career, played at the University of Arkansas.
A native of Emerson, Waller might still hold the Mulerider record for scoring had the three-point shot been in effect when he played.
Waller was an All-AIC selection his freshman season of 1947-48, leading Southern Arkansas in scoring 453 points in 27 games, a 16.8 average, and scored 446 points in only 21 games, a 21.2 average, as a sophomore in 1948-49. He poured in 39 points to lead SAU to an upset of powerful Arkansas Tech in 1947-48.
After playing for the Muleriders and Razorbacks, Waller returned as head basketball coach at Southern Arkansas for three years from 1954-1957. SAU posted 42 wins against 24 losses in the three seasons, giving Waller the second-best winning percentage of .636 all-time, second only to W.T. Watson’s .665 percentage.
Waller left the Muleriders to become head basketball coach at Arkansas, where he coached the Razorbacks for four years from 1966-1970, winning 31 games.
Waller’s son, Steve, was an All-AIC defensive back for a strong Southern Arkansas football team in 1974. Waller’s nephew, Ted Waller, won state basketball championships in 1980 and 1985, and also the state overall championship in 1985, as coach of the Magnolia Panthers, after winning a state title at Village.
Waller is buried in the Stephens cemetery near another Mulerider legend and hall of fame member, Charlie McClendon, who coached LSU to the most football wins in school history. Waller and his wife, Rita, had two children, Steve, who lives in Texarkana; and daughter Teri West of Stephens; and four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Sue Bailey (Meritorious Service)
The late Sue Bailey served Southern Arkansas by volunteering to work 
as a secretary for the late and former athletic director and head basketball coach, W.T. Watson, and served in that capacity from 1980-1995.
Mrs. Bailey graduated from Draughn Business College in Camden with an emphasis on office management. She worked for Dr. Henry Hearnsberger in Stephens, where she self-trained as his nurse and doubled as office manager. She then worked for Dr. John Wilson in Magnolia as his nurse, where she was fondly referred to by many patients as “Dr. Sue”. In 1978, she suffered a back injury while at work, and after back surgery and partial recovery, was told by doctors she would not be able to continue as a nurse.
During her time at SAU, Mrs. Bailey not only served as secretary to Watson, but assisted with pre-game receptions, often bringing food and refreshments from home to serve guests. Twice each year, Sue and husband, Welton Bailey, would host a fish fry for the entire SAU coaching staff and their spouses, serving fresh catfish harvested from their farm pond.
Mrs. Bailey was honored with an award of merit in recognition and 
appreciation of her loyalty and 15 years of voluntary service without compensation to the Southern Arkansas athletic department, and she was also selected as radio station KVMA’s citizen of the week in August of 1991.
An excellent cook, Mrs. Bailey baked many pies to serve as dessert at dinners, including her famous burnt caramel pies, one of which sold at a church auction for $110.
Mrs. Bailey passed away March 1, 1996, with SAU coaches serving as honorary pall bearers.
Mrs. Bailey and her husband, Welton, who still lives in Magnolia, had three children, son Alan Bailey of Rockwell, Texas, and daughters Connie Hendrixson, and Regina Watkins, both of Little Rock, with all three graduating from Southern Arkansas. The Baileys also had six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Southern Arkansas Athletic Department to Host Golf Classic
By: Houston Taylor
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas athletic department will sponsor the Southern Arkansas University Golf Classic on Friday, July 17 at the Magnolia Country Club. The classic is a 4-person scramble with registration set for 8 a.m. on the day of the event and a tee time of 9 a.m.
The classic will have a shotgun start, with foursomes placed in flights and prizes awarded to the top three teams in each flight. The cost is $100 per person and includes lunch, Southern Arkansas University shirts, hole and door prizes and complimentary beverages. For those only wanting to participate in the 12:30 p.m. lunch and social, the cost is $15.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for individuals and businesses, including T-shirt sponsor for $1,000; SAU gear for $500; Blue and Gold Tee sponsor for $200; SAU Hole sponsor for $100; and Cart sponsor for $50. Donations to the athletic department are also accepted and appreciated.
For more information on the classic, contact Southern Arkansas golf coach Leonard Biddle at 870-235-4382 or 870-904-8563, or football coach Bill Keopple at 870-235-4105. Registration forms and information can also be found on the SAU athletic website at www.muleriderathletics.com.
Southern Arkansas Host Annual All-Sports Banquet
By: Houston Taylor
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Mallory McKee and James Schroeder were honored Wednesday with the coveted Auburn Smith Awards at the annual Southern Arkansas All-Sports banquet in the Grand Hall of the Donald W. Reynolds Center. Also receiving laurels were Sarah Bell and Jack Crowley, being named this year’s Scholar-Athlete Award winners. Director of Athletics, Jay Adcox, presented the annual honors.
The Auburn Smith Award, given annually to both a women’s and men’s student-athlete, is the most prestigious honor a student-athlete can receive at SAU. The award is named in memory of Auburn Smith, who served as athletics director, administrator, coach, and instructor at Southern Arkansas. Athletic ability, performance, character, and scholastic achievement are all considerations by a selection committee of head coaches and athletic administrators at the university who select the honorees.
McKee (Coppell, Texas) is a 5-4 libero for the Lady Mulerider volleyball team, and is also a two-year member of the golf team. A senior, she holds a 3.61 GPA in criminal justice, with a minor in psychology.
McKee was a Second Team All-Gulf South Conference selection this season in volleyball. Four times she was named the GSC West Division Defensive Player of the Week over her four-year career, including twice this past season. McKee currently holds the Gulf South Conference career record of 55 matches with 20-plus digs. Over her four years, she shattered the SAU record book for digs. McKee finished her career as the all-time leader in total digs with 2,297 and averaged 5.47 digs per set over her four seasons. She owns the top four seasons all-time for digs per set, averaging a school-record 6.08 in 2007. McKee posted four of the top five matches all-time at SAU for digs in a match, setting the school record of 44 against Ouachita Baptist in 2007. During her career she recorded 18 matches with 30-plus digs, including four matches of 40-plus digs.
McKee is a four-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll and is a six-time member of the SAU Dean’s List.
A 6-0, 205-pound third baseman and starting pitcher on the Mulerider 
baseball team, Schroeder (Montgomery, Texas) is the third consecutive baseball student-athlete to win the Auburn Smith honor. A senior, Schroeder holds a 3.55 GPA in physical education, wellness & leisure.
With a .365 batting average and an 8-2 won-loss record on the mound this year, Schroeder has helped lead Southern Arkansas to a 44-9 record, a school record 23-game winning streak, a national No. 1 ranking, and to its 11th consecutive, and 12th overall, Gulf South Conference tournament appearance.
Schroeder is a three-time GSC West Division Player of the Week, including once this season in which he has also received the league’s pitcher of the week honor, one of only six players in the conference’s history to do so. Last year, Schroeder was a second team All-GSC selection and was named to the Natural State baseball honorable mention All-Arkansas team. Schroeder is tied at second all-time at SAU for hits in a game with five, accomplishing that feat three times in his two-year career, including twice this season. He stands third all-time for at-bats in a season with 225 last year. His 18 home runs this year are three shy of the school record, and with 75 RBI, needs 13 more to tie the school mark in that category.
Schroeder is a member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll and a two-time member of the SAU Dean’s List.
The esteemed Scholar-Athlete Award is also given to both a women’s and men’s student-athlete. The nominee must have a minimum of a 3.00 GPA, have completed at least 56 semester hours, with at least one semester at SAU. Selection of the honorees is done by a committee considering GPA, athletic accomplishments, and citizenship.
Bell (Houston, Texas), a senior with the Lady Mulerider volleyball team, carries an impressive 3.68 cumulative GPA in exercise science, with a minor in Spanish.
Bell was named in the fall to the prestigious ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI Third Team. She is a four-time member of the Gulf South Conference Academic Honor Roll, a two-time member of the Southern Arkansas President’s List carrying a 4.00 GPA for both those semesters, and is a four-time member of the SAU Dean’s List.
On the court, Bell was second on the squad this season with 282 kills, 2.54 kills per set, 239 digs, and 328 points scored. She matched a career-high with 16 kills against Ouachita Baptist, and finished her four-year career with 524 kills and 606 digs.
A senior, Crowley (Dryden, Mich.) sports a 3.83 GPA in business administration-finance. He is a past member of the Gulf South Conference Academic Honor Roll, a three-time member of the SAU 
President’s list, garnering a 4.00 each of those semesters, and is a four-time member of the SAU Dean’s List, carrying at least a minimum of a 3.50 in each of those terms.
On the course, Crowley was the second leading scorer on this year’s squad, and was the team’s highest finisher at the GSC championship. He also led SAU at the Harding Natural State Classic, and finished fourth with a two-round total of 151 in the SAU Invitational.
A cancer survivor, Crowley sat out a season before resuming play in his senior season for the Muleriders.
In other honors, outstanding athletes were named in their respective fields by their head coaches or sponsors. Hannah Sutton received the accolade for athletic training, Jill Fennell for women’s golf, Peyton Mitchell in men’s golf, Payden Emmett for men’s rodeo, Caitlin Korensek in tennis, Kendall Mears in both women’s cross country and women’s track, Kevin Perez for men’s cross country, Michael Wooten in men’s track, Brandon Graves for baseball, Katie Lenderman in softball, Xavier Johnson for cheerleading, Justin Stuart in men’s basketball, Shanaye Davis for women’s basketball, Ryan Terry in football, and McKee received the volleyball honor.
Dan Gregory, with KVMA/KVMZ radio served as emcee for the evening’s event.
Photos by Houston Taylor, SID
Southern Arkansas Track Teams Compete at Hendrix
By: Houston Taylor
CONWAY, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas track and field teams were one of six squads competing Saturday in the Hendrix Invitational in Conway. Others participating were Central Arkansas, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Arkansas-Little Rock, Arkansas Tech, and host Hendrix.
The Lady Muleriders’ performance was highlighted by sophomore Bailey Dulaney’s (Keller, Texas) third-place finish in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:26.27, while senior Kendall Mears (Simms, Texas) placed fifth (19:45.11) in the 5000.
SAU ran four contestants in the 1500, with sophomore Jessica Gadlin (Commerce, Texas) (5:22.5) finishing ninth. Junior Michaela Krcova (Trnava, Slovakia) was 11th, sophomore Sarah Banman placed 15th, and sophomore Lindsay Spooner was 18th.
Junior Nyisha Pirtle competed in the 100 and 200 meter dashes, finishing sixth (13.75) in the 100 and ninth (28.83) in the 200.
True freshman Todd McAdoo (Bryant) paced the Muleriders with a fourth-place showing in the 3000 meter steeplechase in a time of 
10:43.15.
Southern Arkansas ran four contestants in the 5000, with sophomore Nathan Blim (Lufkin, Texas) (15:53.34) and junior Kevin Perez (Cabot) (16:02.93) finishing fifth and sixth, respectively. Sophomore Colton Connelly (Comfort, Texas) (16:14.63) was eighth, while sophomore Ryan Laws (Cabot) was 11th.
Senior Michael Wooten (Houston, Texas) (2:00.35) was sixth in the 800; while sophomore Dusty Hardin (Banks) (4:17.91) had an eighth-place finish in the 1500. Senior Josh Mitchell (Aiea, Hawaii) was 11th.
Sophomore Mickey Mojica (Royse City, Texas) was ninth (53.64) in the 400 meter dash, and placed 13th (11.90) in the 100.
SAU will compete next in the Rhodes (Tenn.) College Invitational on March 28 in Memphis.
