BASKETBALL
Batiste granted release from UALR
Tyson Batiste signed with the UALR men's basketball team in November, but his stint with UALR has ended before he ever suited up for a practice.
Batiste posted on his Twitter page Tuesday night and a UALR spokesman confirmed Wednesday that he has been given a release from his scholarship at UALR. The 6-2 guard from Springfield, Mo., was the last player signed by former coach Steve Shields, and was the only player UALR signed in last year's fall period.
Batiste, a point guard, averaged 6.6 points, 3.5 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game at Springfield Kickapoo High School.
Batiste's release leaves UALR with nine scholarship players for next season. The NCAA Division I limit for men's basketball is 13.
-- Troy Schulte
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
UA's Long recognized at top AD
Arkansas' Jeff Long was named athletics director of the year Wednesday at the Sports Business Awards in New York.
Long was one of four finalists for the award, along with Kentucky's Mitch Barnhart, Baylor's Ian McCaw and Clemson's Dan Radakovich. The award was one of 78 presented during the annual event hosted by Sports Business Journal.
Long also was one of four administrators named athletics director of the year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics in 2013.
APR recognition for 3 UA teams
Arkansas' men's and women's golf teams and volleyball team earned public recognition from the NCAA Wednesday for being among the top 10 percent of teams in their sports in their four-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores compiled for the 2013-14 school year.
All three Arkansas teams had perfect 1,000 scores for the 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.
The women's golf was honored with a public recognition award for the sixth time in the past 10 years. The men's golf team and volleyball team each earned their third consecutive honor.
Sports on 05/21/2015