State sports briefs

Defensive end says he’ll be Razorback

Highly regarded defensive end Jeremiah Ledbetter of Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College orally committed to Arkansas on Wednesday evening.

Ledbetter, 6-4, 270 pounds, 4.72 seconds in the 40-yard dash, unofficially visited Arkansas in the spring and took an official visit to Fayetteville on June 25-27.

He chose the Razorbacks over scholarship offers from Florida, Georgia, Miami and Oklahoma State.

“The coaches showed me a lot of love, and the people of Arkansas all came as one and made me want to commit,” said Ledbetter, who also took an official visit to Florida.

Ledbetter recorded 69 tackles as a freshman, including 11 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 11 quarterback hurries, 2 pass break-ups, deflected 3 passes and returned an interception 7 yards for a score. He has 21 tackles, 6 1/2tackles for loss, 3 1/2 sacks and 1 blocked kick in 3 games this season.

He called Coach Bret Bielema and told him the good news.

“He was very excited,” Ledbetter said. “He was ecstatic that I committed.”

Ledbetter was recruited by Bielema, defensive coordinator Robb Smith, offensive line coach Sam Pittman and defensive line coach Rory Segrest.

He said he is looking forward to being coached by Segrest, who spent five seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.

“I’m glad he’s my D-line coach,” Ledbetter said. “He has experience in the league.”

Hutchinson Community College Coach Rion Rhoades has said Ledbetter is among the best he’s coached and that he believes he can play inside or outside.

“The thing about Led that I think makes him a special player is he’s physical and strong and he can play big because of that,” Rhoades said. “He’s close to 280, and he’s got good speed where he could play on the edge and rush the passer too.”

Ledbetter plans to graduate in December and enroll at Arkansas in January.

He is the Razorbacks’ 13th commitment for the 2015 class. Oral commitments are nonbonding.

— Richard Davenport

GOLF

Baker eliminated in U.S. Senior Amateur

Ron Carter of Monticello, Ind., defeated Bobby Baker of Little Rock 2 and 1 on Tuesday in the round of 32 at the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach, Calif.

Baker, who was the 12th seed after two rounds of stroke play, won his round of 64 match 1 up over Kenneth Bakst of Riverhead, N.Y. on Monday but could not get past Carter.

Carter jumped out to a 4-up lead against Baker after nine holes, but the War Memorial Golf Course general manager won the next two with birdies to cut the deficit in half. The two swapped winning the 12th and 13th as Carter maintained his 2-up advantage, but Baker couldn’t get any closer.

VOLLEYBALL

UALR gets first SBC victory

UALR earned its first Sun Belt Conference victory of the season Wednesday with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-6) sweep of Louisiana-Monroe at the Jack Stephens Center. The third set was the second-best set victory in program history. The largest victory in one set came on Sept. 17, 2011, when the Trojans got a 25-3 third-set victory in a sweep of Texas Southern. Senior Edine Begic led UALR (7-4, 1-0 SBC) with 15 kills and 10 digs. Junior Sonja Milanovic added 12 digs and six kills.

CROSS COUNTRY

Chase, Langley earn GAC honors

Harding’s Russell Chase and Carli Langley of Southern Arkansas were named the Great American Conference’s male and female runners of the week Wednesday.

Chase, a sophomore from Reno, Nev., led Harding to a second-place finish at the Commodore Classic. He finished the 8K course in 26 minutes, 29.9 seconds, marking the first time in his career that he finished as Harding’s top runner at an event. He has placed in the Bisons’ top five three times.

Langley, a senior from Beaumont, Texas, claimed her second consecutive weekly honor as she broke the school’s 5K record for the second consecutive race. She ran a 17:44 at the Lois Davis Invitational, 15 seconds faster than her time at the Bob Gravett Invitational, and led the Cotton Blossoms to a team title.

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