LITTLE ROCK — FOOTBALL
UCA releases schedule
Central Arkansas announced its 2012 schedule Friday, which includes road games at SEC member Mississippi and Murray State of the Ohio Valley Conference.
The Bears open the 2012 season at Ole Miss on Sept. 1 before traveling to Murray State on Sept. 8. UCA’s home opener at Estes Stadium in Conway is Sept. 15 against NAIA member Bacone (Okla.) College.
The Bears begin their Southland Conference schedule on Sept. 22 in Conway against defending league champion Sam Houston State. UCA travels to Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 29 before returning home to host Nicholls State on Oct. 6.
UCA heads to McNeese State on Oct. 13 and hosts Lamar on Oct. 20. The Bears are at Southeastern Louisiana on Oct. 27 before returning home for their final two games against Northwestern (La.) State on Nov. 3 and Eastern Illinois on Nov. 17 in a nonconference game.
UCA finished 9-4 last season, defeating Tennessee Tech in the first round of the FCS playoffs before losing at Montana in the second round.
- Jeremy Muck
UAPB releases schedule
For the second consecutive season, Arkansas-Pine Bluff will open its football season at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock in the Delta Classic 4 Literacy.
This year’s game will be played at 5 p.m. on Sept. 1 against Langston (Okla.) University, which beat the Golden Lions 19-12 last season.
The Golden Lions, who finished 6-5 in Coach Monte Coleman’s fourth season last year, will also travel to Tennessee State for a nonconference game on Sept. 29 in Nashville.
That game against the Tigers, who are in the Ohio Valley Conference, will be the first nonconference game against a member of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, of which UAPB is a member, since it lost to Central Arkansas 41-17 on Sept. 13, 2008.
UAPB’s home opener will be Sept. 8 against Alabama A&M at 6 p.m., and the Golden Lions will also host Jackson State (Oct. 6), Mississippi Valley St. (Oct. 20) and Prairie View A&M (Nov. 17).
Southwestern Athletic Conference road games will be played at Alcorn State (Sept. 15), Alabama State (Sept. 22), Southern University of Baton Rouge (Oct. 20), Texas Southern (Nov. 3) and Grambling State (Nov. 10).
UAPB’s game at Grambling State will be its first visit to Grambling, La., since 2004.
MOTOR SPORTS
CCSDS heads to I-30 Speedway
The Comp Cams Super Dirt Series will complete its first weekend of the season tonight at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway.
The dirt late model series, which is based in Beebe, opened the season Saturday night at USA Speedway in Sterlington, La.
Several drivers are expected to compete for the series championship this season, including defending champion Brandon Smith of Floral, Trumann’s Kyle Beard, Jon Mitchell of Texarkana, Texas, Vilonia’s Curtis Cook, Sheridan’s Shane Harris and the Russellville trio of Jon Kirby, Johnny Virden and Dewaine Hottinger. Other drivers expected at I-30 tonight include Morgan Bagley of Longview, Texas, and World of Outlaws Billy Moyer Jr. of Batesville and Jack Sullivan of Greenbrier.
Also competing on tonight’s card will be I-30’s sprint car, IMCA modified and super stock divisions.
Gates open at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 7:30 p.m. Grandstand admission is $20 for adults, $1 for children aged 6-12 and children under 5 get in free. Pit passes are $30.
BASKETBALL
Ramsey, Altom honored by NAIA
Two Lyon College women’s basketball players were named NAIA honorable mention All-Americans on Wednesday.
Senior forward Lauren Ramsey and junior guard Phagen Altom were each named honored after leading Lyon to a 20-12 season, its most victories in two decades, and to the NAIA Tournament for the first time, where the Scots lost to Westmont (Calif.) 59-57.
Ramsey averaged 13.5 points and 5.7 rebounds, while Altom averaged 13.1 points and made 40 percent of her three-pointers (40 of 98).
Sports, Pages 23 on 03/24/2012