State sports briefs

FOOTBALL

SWAC to eliminate title game

The 95-yard touchdown pass that led to an overtime victory Dec. 8, 2012, was the highlight of the last time the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff played in a Southwestern Athletic Conference championship football game.

This season is the Lions' last chance for a return trip.

The SWAC announced Tuesday that after the 2017 season, the league will suspend the championship game format. Beginning in 2018, the conference title will be awarded to the team with the best regular-season conference record.

The SWAC championship game was introduced in 1999, and UAPB had two appearances: 2006 (a 22-13 loss to Alabama A&M) and 2012 (a 24-21 overtime victory over Jackson State).

The move shifts focus and resources to help grow the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl, which sets the SWAC champion against the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion, according to the SWAC in a news release. The last SWAC championship game will be Dec. 2 at NRG Stadium in Houston.

-- Brooks Kubena

BASKETBALL

UAFS gets Oklahoma transfer

Former University of Oklahoma basketball player Darrion Strong-Moore signed with the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith on Tuesday, UAFS men's Coach Josh Newman announced.

Strong-Moore's transfer from OU was announced April 13, nearly a month after the 6-1 guard finished his junior season with the Sooners (11-20, 5-13 Big 12). He played the two previous seasons at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College.

The Chicago native will sit out the upcoming season and have one season of eligibility remaining.

"Our staff had a goal to sign an impact guard, and we have done that with the addition of Darrion," Newman said.

Strong-Moore played in 29 games for the Sooners, starting nine, and averaged 3.8 points and 1.4 assists per game.

He played through a shoulder injury he suffered during his final season of junior college, according to The Oklahoman, and his right shoulder repeatedly popped out of socket. He wore a brace for most of the year, and he underwent shoulder surgery in March and was expected to miss four or five months before he was able to resume basketball activities.

Rated a three-star recruit by Rivals.com out of high school, Strong-Moore averaged 21.3 points and 2.2 assists per game as a freshman at Coffeyville, shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 42 percent from three-point range.

As a sophomore, he started all 30 games he played and averaged 17.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from three-point range.

-- Brooks Kubena

BASEBALL

Hogs second in national attendance

The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville finished second nationally in overall baseball attendance in 2017, up from fourth last year.

The Razorbacks had a combined 289,421 tickets sold for 38 games at Baum Stadium. Arkansas finished second in overall attendance for the ninth time in the past 11 years.

LSU led college baseball in total attendance (418,291) and average attendance (10,725).

The six largest total attendances belonged to SEC teams: LSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Texas A&M.

Arkansas' per game average of 7,616 was fourth behind LSU, Ole Miss (8,545) and Mississippi State (8,029).

Fletcher named Freshman All-American

Arkansas outfielder Dominic Fletcher has been named a second-team Freshman All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Fletcher started 56 games in center field for the Razorbacks. He batted .291 with 12 home runs and 37 RBI. He also had seven doubles and a triple.

Fletcher is the second member of his family to earn Freshman All-American by the NCBWA. His brother, David, earned the distinction as a freshman infielder at Loyola Marymount in 2014.

TRACK AND FIELD

UA men named program of the year

Arkansas was named the 2017 John McDonnell Program of the Year on Tuesday, an award given to the best all-around men's track program each year.

The award, which is presented by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, is based on team finishes at the NCAA meets in cross country, and indoor and outdoor track and field. The Razorbacks placed fourth at the outdoor meet last week, and they were fifth at the indoor meet in March and the cross country meet in November.

It is the first time since 2013 that Arkansas has won the McDonnell award, named for the longtime Razorbacks track coach who won 40 national championships. Arkansas was runner-up to Oregon the past two years.

The Razorbacks women finished third in the Terry Crawford Program of the Year rankings behind Oregon and Colorado.

GOLF

Two qualify for U.S. Junior Amateur

Wil Gibson of Jonesboro and Rhett Sellers of Longview, Texas, both shot a 1-under 71 on Tuesday at Texarkana Country Club to qualify for next month's U.S. Junior Amateur.

Gibson and Sellers led the field of 67 and will compete July 17-22 at Flint Hills National Golf Club in Andover, Kan.

Sagmin Park of Carrolton, Texas, and Alex Clouse of Flower Mound, Texas, led a group of four with an even-par 72 and will serve as alternates for the tournament after defeating Josh McNulty of White Hall and Blaine Calhoon of Ward in a playoff.

ATHLETICS

Hogs looking for play-by-play announcer

Alex Perlman will not return to his role as the Razorback Sports Network's play-by-play commentator for SEC Network broadcasts.

Perlman held the position since August 2014 and worked with all Razorback sports in some capacity. Most notably, he regularly called basketball and baseball games.

Perlman tweeted about the change Monday, and the job opening has been posted on the UA's website.

Sports on 06/14/2017

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