Athletic Conference Change Update
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The chief executive officers of nine universities in Arkansas and Oklahoma announced on Tuesday, July 13, 2010, that they intend to apply to the National Collegiate Athletic Association for permission to create a new NCAA Division II conference.
The members of the proposed new conference would be the University of Arkansas at Monticello, Arkansas Tech University, East Central (Okla.) University, Harding University, Henderson State University, Ouachita Baptist University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Southern Arkansas University and Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
“The intent of the conference is to group together similar institutions in terms of budgets and goals,” said the presidents, chancellors and directors of athletics from the nine institutions in a joint statement. “Furthermore, the conference is intended to be made up of universities that field an intercollegiate football program. Our most important goals in this new endeavor are to limit time away from class and limit our travel costs.”
The nine member institutions plan to submit a conference strategic plan, a conference constitution and conference by-laws to the NCAA by Dec. 1, 2010.
No decisions have been made regarding the name of the new conference or the location of the conference office.
The pursuit of creating the new conference will not affect athletic schedules for the 2010-11 academic year.
STATEMENT REGARDING POSSIBLE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHANGE
STATEMENT FROM:
Jack Lassiter, Chancellor, University of Arkansas at Monticello
Robert C. Brown, President, Arkansas Tech University
John Hargrave, President, East Central University
David Burks, President, Harding University
Charles Welch, President, Henderson State University
Rex Horne, President, Ouachita Baptist University
Larry Minks, President, Southeastern Oklahoma State University
David Rankin, President, Southern Arkansas University
Randy Beutler, President, Southwestern Oklahoma State University
The presidents, chancellors and directors of athletics from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, Arkansas Tech University, East Central (Okla.) University, Harding University, Henderson State University, Ouachita Baptist University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Southern Arkansas University and Southwestern Oklahoma State University held a meeting in Russellville, Ark., Friday to discuss the possibility of forming a new NCAA Division II conference.
Our ongoing discussion is producing positive results as we analyze the feasibility of creating a new conference that would reduce the amount of missed class time by our student-athletes and reduce our operating costs.
We found during the course of our meeting that we have similar concerns and that we are like-minded in our approach to intercollegiate athletics.
Regardless of the final results of these discussions, our athletic schedules for the 2010-11 academic year will not be affected.
Official SAU Statement on Possible Athletic Conference Changes
It has been noted that discussions have taken place between the Arkansas member institutions of the Gulf South Conference (GSC) and some Oklahoma institutions gauging interest in forming a new athletic conference.
Most of the GSC presidents and chancellors are attending the NCAA Division II President’s and Chancellor’s Summit in Indianapolis this weekend and will be meeting there Friday to further discuss this issue. The GSC presidents and chancellors’ annual summer meeting will be held at the end of next week in Birmingham where more discussion will take place.
“The GSC is a great conference, but the geographic expanse does pose travel length and expense issues,” stated SAU President Dr. David F. Rankin. “No official decision has been made, but discussions are ongoing and advanced.”
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.
GSC Announces 2009 Fall All-Academic Teams
By: Houston Taylor
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Gulf South Conference has released the 2009 Fall All-Academic Teams and Academic Honor Roll, which includes 28 Southern Arkansas student-athletes, six of them named to the elite conference All-Academic Teams. A total of 78 student-athletes across the league were named All-Academic, including five three-time selections and 20 two-time members.
The GSC All-Academic Teams are nominated by the conference sports information directors (SIDs), and selected by the SIDs and faculty athletic representatives in a joint vote. Nominees must have an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.20 or better on a 4.00 scale for their entire academic career and may not be a freshman or first-semester transfers.
Members of the GSC Academic Honor Roll must post a minimum of a cumulative 3.00 GPA and have competed during their respective season. All student-athletes, including freshmen and first-semester transfers, are eligible for the honor roll.
Highlighting Southern Arkansas’ All-Academic Team honorees is football’s Benjamin (Ben) Williams, one of five across the league to receive the accolade for the third time. Teammates Noé Cuevas and Isaac Marrufo made the team for the second time, as does Lady Mulerider cross country member Michaela Krcova. Football’s Cedrick Powell and volleyball’s Mary (Maggie) Glover round out the SAU contingent with their first selections.
Williams (6-0, 218, Sr., Texarkana, Texas) graduated Cum Laude in December with a B.S. in chemistry-science, sporting a 3.58 GPA in making the team for the third consecutive year. He was a 2009 American Chemical Society Nuclear & Radiochemistry fellowship recipient and did his coursework at San Jose State in California this past summer. Williams is now a four-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll and is a member of the Southern Arkansas President’s List (4.00 GPA) and four-time member of the SAU Dean’s List (minimum 3.50 GPA). A two-year starting linebacker, Williams finished this past fall with 45 tackles, 24 unassisted, including 4.5 for 12 yards in loss, recovered one fumble and had one quarterback hurry.
The kicker for the Muleriders, Cuevas (5-9, 175, Jr., Pasadena, Texas)
is a double-major, posting a 3.28 GPA in engineering-science and math. Along with his second conference all-academic honor, he is now a three-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll and is also a member of the SAU Dean’s List. A three-year starter, Cuevas led the 2009 squad in scoring with 41points, hitting 9 of 14 field goals, with a long of 40 yards, and connected on 14 of 16 point-after attempts.
Marrufo (6-0, 194, So., Princeton, Texas) had a 3.68 GPA in accounting for his second all-academic selection. He has now twice been named to the GSC honor roll and is a four-time member of the Southern Arkansas Dean’s List. A wide receiver, Marrufo finished the season with 22 receptions for 225 yards and one touchdown.
After missing the 2008 cross country season with an injury, Krcova (Jr., Trnava, Slovakia) made up for it this past fall, highlighted with 
her second selection to the all-academic team. She holds a perfect 4.00 GPA in business administration-finance through seven semesters. Krcova is a past ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District VI honoree, is a three-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll, and has been named to the SAU President’s List seven times. She was the leading runner on the Lady Mulerider cross country team this past fall, placing 15th at the GSC championship to earn second team all-conference laurels. Krcova had four top 15 finishes in five meets, winning one.
Powell (6-0, 193, Sr., Houston, Texas) graduated in December with a B.B.A. in business administration-organizational management, posting a 3.25 GPA. He is a four-time member of the conference honor roll and a three-time member of the SAU Dean’s List. A defensive back, he played in all 10 games this year, recording three tackles.
Glover (5-9, Jr., Waxahachie, Texas) recorded a 3.73 GPA in psychology, with a minor in sociology. She is now a three-time member of the league honor roll, is a three-time member of the SAU
President’s List, and has twice been named to the Dean’s List. On the court this fall, Glover was a second team All-GSC pick at middle blocker for the second consecutive year and was named to the Texas Woman’s All-Tournament team. She led SAU this season with a .242 hitting percentage, 77 blocks, 0.69 blocks per set and 316.5 points. Glover was second on the squad with 237 kills and 2.12 kills per set, and also had 20 service aces and 90 digs.
Mulerider football team members joining Williams, Cuevas, Marrufo and Powell on the GSC Academic Honor Roll include Lantz Castleman, a freshman undecided major with a 3.29 GPA; Zachery (Zach) Massingill, a junior with a 3.09 in business administration-general business; Ryan McCombie, a sophomore with a 3.00 in biological science; Timothy (T.J.) Mead, a sophomore with a 3.37 in physical education, wellness and leisure; Josh Proffit, a freshman with a 3.00 in athletic training; and Isaac (Sonny) Roseborough, a sophomore with a 3.18 in exercise science.
Members of the Southern Arkansas men’s cross country team making the honor roll are Colton Connelly, a sophomore with a 3.15 in physical education, wellness and leisure; Mikell (Mickey) Hammer, a freshman with a 3.47 in exercise science; Ryan Laws, a sophomore with a 3.72 in exercise science; Samuel (Todd) McAdoo, a sophomore with a 3.20 in physical education, wellness and leisure; and Kevin Perez, a senior with a 3.20 in exercise science.
Other Lady Mulerider cross country team members joining Krcova on the honor roll are Sarah Banman, a junior with a 3.91 in physical education, wellness and leisure; Sydney Erwin, a freshman with a 3.64 in physical education, wellness and leisure; Lindsay Spooner, a junior with a 3.34 in exercise science; and Lindsey Toups, a freshman with a 3.33 in physical education, wellness and leisure.
SAU volleyball team members along with Glover on the honor roll are Katy Kidwell, a sophomore with a 3.72 in chemistry-science; Kaci Matthews, a junior with a 3.64 in accounting; Kristen Maureau, a junior with a 3.32 in exercise science; Courtney Nutt, a freshman with a 3.06 in biological science; Crystal Roberts, a freshman with a 3.00 in pre-medicine; Michaela Scroggins, a junior with a 3.44 in exercise science; and Courtney Smith, a red-shirt freshman with a 3.20 in psychology.
Southern Arkansas’ Glover Named to All-GSC Volleyball Team
By: Houston Taylor
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas middle blocker Maggie Glover (Waxahachie, Texas) has been named to the All-Gulf South Conference West Division volleyball team, released Wednesday by the league office. Glover is a second team selection for the second 
consecutive year.
A 5-9 junior, Glover led the Lady Muleriders in attack percentage (.242), blocks (77) and points (316.5). The three-year starter was second on the squad with 237 kills, and added 20 service aces and 90 digs.
Senior outside hitter Manuela Nesheva of Harding earned her second straight West Division player of the year honor; Ouachita Baptist libero Allison Frizell was selected West freshman of the year; and Arkansas-Monticello’s Nicole Smith received her first coach of the year accolade.
SAU Volleyball Nipped by OBU in Season Finale
By: Houston Taylor
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas (1-32, 0-12 GSC) did its best to end the program’s longest losing streak on record, but fell 3-2 (25-22, 19-25, 16-25, 26-24, 8-15) to Ouachita Baptist (14-20, 2-9 GSC) in Gulf South Conference volleyball action Tuesday at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.
Trailing 6-9 in the first set, the Lady Muleriders scored five unanswered points for an 11-9 advantage that they never relinquished in taking the 25-22 win.
SAU couldn’t get on track in the Lady Tigers’ second and third set wins, but held off a furious OBU rally to claim the 26-24 fourth set victory. Southern Arkansas rattled off an 8-0 run in the midst for a 20-13 margin, before Ouachita Baptist came roaring back to knot it at 24-24. But the Lady Tigers settled things in the fifth, when leading 8-6, scored seven unanswered to claim the match.
The Lady Muleriders posted a second-best 54 kills on the year in a season-high 203 attacks, but were plagued again by attack errors in committing 28 to hit just .128. OBU had 50 kills and hit .187.
Playing in her final match at SAU, senior outside hitter Danielle Sneed (Duncanville, Texas) recorded a match-high 14 kills and added 26 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Jordan White (Longview, Texas) finished with 12 kills, junior middle blocker Maggie Glover (Waxahachie, Texas) had 11, and red-shirt freshman Courtney Smith (Mansfield, Texas) chipped in 10. Junior setter Michaela Scroggins (The Colony, Texas) served up a match and season-high 52 assists to her hitters.
Freshman libero Crystal Roberts (Hutto, Texas) led defensively with 30 digs, pacing five teammates who finished in double-figures.
Megan Askew led Ouachita Baptist with 13 kills and teammate Libby Merritt had 10. Allison Frizzell had a match-high 39 digs for the Lady Tigers.
The five-set affair brought an end to a long year for Southern Arkansas as it closed the season by dropping its final 23 matches. The Lady Muleriders started the year 0-9 before picking up their lone win in a 3-2 decision at East Texas Baptist on September 8. The season also marked the first time that SAU has gone winless in GSC play since joining the league in the 1995 season.
Southern Arkansas went through the year with a lone senior in Sneed and six newcomers, depending heavily on four first-year players. Two sophomores saw significant action for just the first time, and only three other returnees with experience made up the rest of the squad.
