BASEBALL
Hogs preseason No. 3
The Arkansas Razorbacks were No. 3 in Collegiate Baseball Magazine's preseason rankings, the first poll of the preseason, released Tuesday.
The Razorbacks under 16th year Coach Dave Van Horn are coming off a 45-19 season, which included an 18-11 record and second-place finish in the SEC West.
Arkansas returns six of its top eight hitters from 2017 along with a pitching staff led by Blaine Knight and Isaiah Campbell.
-- Tom Murphy
Knight receives honor
Arkansas Razorbacks right-hander Blaine Knight has been named as a Louisville Slugger third-team preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball Magazine, it announced Tuesday.
Knight, a junior from Bryant, compiled an 8-4 record and a 3.28 ERA in 90⅔ innings and 16 starts last season. Knight's eight victories were the most by an Arkansas pitcher since Chris Oliver had the same number in 2014.
As a draft-eligible sophomore, he was taken in the 29th round of the MLB first-year player draft last summer, but he elected to return for his junior season.
Knight had 96 strikeouts to rank 10th in the SEC and his 20 walks were the 13th lowest among all qualified SEC pitchers. The 6-3, 165-pounder went 6-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 10 SEC starts, including five consecutive quality starts to open conference play.
The Razorbacks are coming off a 45-19 season that included an 18-11 mark for a second-place finish in the SEC West. Arkansas lost to Missouri State 3-2 in the final of the NCAA Fayetteville Regional.
Arkansas opens the 2018 season with a three-game set at Baum Stadium against Bucknell on Feb. 16-18.
-- Tom Murphy
RUGBY
ASU rugby player killed in car crash
An Arkansas State University rugby player was killed in a wreck late Friday, the school said Tuesday.
Garrett Soileau, 22, reportedly died near his Texas hometown of The Woodlands, a suburb of Houston.
"Garrett's strong and calm demeanor seemed to always put people at ease and he was among the most affable students on campus," according to a Tuesday statement from head rugby Coach Blake White and Executive Director of Student Health and Wellness Matt Huckaby. "To say he will be dearly missed would be an understatement."
Soileau joined the rugby team as a freshman in 2014 and immediately caught the attention of the coaching staff, the release stated.
As a student, he made the dean's list, the school said.
Memorial donations will be directed to the Woodlands Youth Rugby Club and to Arkansas State University Rugby Club, according to the release.
-- Rachel Herzog
Sports on 12/20/2017