BASKETBALL UCA men hire assistant coach
Central Arkansas men’s Coach Russ Pennell has hired Mark Nelson as an assistant coach on his new staff.
Nelson was an assistant at Grand Canyon University in Arizona in 2009-2014. He was on Pennell’s staff at Grand Canyon in 2009-2013. Pennell wasn’t retained as GCU’s coach after the 2013-2014 season and Nelson served on new coach Dan Majerle’s staff last season.
Nelson has been a college coach for 19 seasons, spending 11 years as a head junior college coach at Cowley County in Kansas and Wabash Valley in Illinois, compiling 243 victories. He was also a coach for the U.S. Junior National Team in 2002, which included future NBA stars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Deron Williams, Also, Nelson was the junior college coach for Tony Allen at Wabash Valley. Allen is currently with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Pennell hired West Helena native Anthony Boone to his staff last month.
- Jeremy Muck
GOLF GAC tournament postponed
The second round of the Great American Conference tournament at Hot Springs Country Club was postponed Monday due to inclement weather.
The second round was delayed for 90 minutes following heavy rain during the overnight hours. Midway through the second round, additional rain and lightning entered the Hot Springs area forcing officials to clear the course at approximately 12:15 p.m.
After a two-hour delay, officials elected to postpone play for the day and resume action at 8 a.m. today. All scorers will be discarded and the round will restart.
Everyone will play 36 holes today. The women are playing on the Hot Springs Country Club Park Course and the men are playing the Arlington Course.
If there are any further delays, the tournament will be reduced to 36 holes with 18 being played today.
BASEBALL UAM’s McKnight honored
Arkansas-Monticello pitcher Zach McKnight was named Great American Conference co-pitcher of the week with Eddie Crumpston of Northwestern Oklahoma State.
McKnight threw 7 innings in a 13-1 victory over Southern Nazarene, allowing 3 hits while striking out 9 in a complete-game victory.
RUNNING Kastor sets record
Former Arkansas distance runner Deena Kastor set a meet record at the More Magazine/Fitness Magazine Women’s Half Marathon Sunday in New York City in 1 hour, 11 minutes, 38 seconds, breaking the old record of 1:13.25 in 2013.
“This is a another great weekend in New York City, the New York Road Runners always put on a first-class event, and teaming up with the More/ Fitness teams just makes this a celebration of women, health and fitness through running, and it’s always been a really fun weekend for me here in New York,” Kastor said.
Sports, Pages 21 on 04/15/2014