Stuttgart hires Dardanelle coach
Stuttgart has hired Dardanelle coach Josh Price as its new coach and athletic director.
The Stuttgart School Board approved Price's hiring Tuesday night.
Price was an assistant coach at Stuttgart in 2006 under Bobby Bolding. The Ricebirds went 11-1 in 2006, losing to Warren in the Class 4A semifinals.
Despite the Ricebirds' record in his lone season as an assistant, Price understands at Stuttgart -- a school with seven state championships -- the fans expect more.
"12-1, 13-1, that's not good enough," Price told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Tuesday. "They want to win it. That's one of the big draws for me. You want those expectations as a football coach.
"There's a lot of community support. It's a football town."
Price, a Beebe native, had coached at Dardanelle since 2007, compiling a 70-37 record with the Sand Lizards. He led the Yell County school to two consecutive 4-4A Conference championships in 2014 and 2015. Dardanelle was 25-2 over the past two seasons, led by wide receiver/safety Chris Kershner, who will continue his football career at Navy.
Price met with the Dardanelle football team Tuesday morning in what he called a short and sweet meeting.
"There's no beating around the bush about it," Price said. "It's been a sad day. One of those bittersweet deals."
The Ricebirds were 5-6 in 2015 under Vince Perrin, who resigned last week to take the Dierks coaching position. Stuttgart lost to Ashdown in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
Price expects to meet with the Stuttgart players today.
"I want to get down there and play my brand of football," Price said. "We'll be sound on defense and sound on special teams."
-- Jeremy Muck
BASKETBALL
Isom to transfer to Texas
Former UALR forward Mareik Isom will transfer to Texas, his father, Kendall, told the Austin American Statesman on Tuesday.
UALR announced Isom was departing the Trojans last month, and his father told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette then that Texas was one of his options. Kendall Isom said his son chose to transfer to play his final season of basketball closer to home. Isom graduated from Bowie High School in Austin, and his mother works at the university.
Isom started nine games for UALR last season, averaging 5.9 points in 19.1 minutes per game. He shot 40.6 percent from the floor and 39.6 percent from three-point range. As a graduate transfer, Isom is eligible immediately.
BASEBALL
UAM's Wood adds All-American honors
Arkansas-Monticello's Corey Wood was named to two All-American teams from the American Baseball Coaches Association and the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association.
He had been selected previously to the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association All-American team.
Wood set single-season UAM records with 26 home runs, 90 RBI, 67 runs scored, 183 total bases and .847 slugging percentage. He tied the school record for hits in a season with 81. He had 35 home runs in his career.
Henderson's Hawkins earns Gold Glove honor
Henderson State outfielder Tadarious Hawkins was named to the American Baseball Coaches Association Gold Glove team.
Hawkins started 56 games in center field and had 134 putouts with 3 assists and no errors.
During his career, he played in 195 games with a .990 fielding percentage with 5 errors in 470 chances.
Sports on 06/01/2016