BASEBALL
McKinney throws for first time since surgery
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville pitcher Keaton McKinney threw off the mound this week for the first time since his Tommy John surgery in February.
"He got to throw 20 pitches and to celebrate that we let him do it off the game mound," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said, adding that 18 of McKinney's pitches were strikes. "All the pitchers were out here watching and were pretty excited, so that was good to see."
The redshirt junior right-hander is ahead of schedule in his rehab, Van Horn said, although it's unclear whether he will be ready to pitch when Arkansas opens the season in mid-February. McKinney has 30 career starts and could factor into the Razorbacks' starting rotation when he returns.
McKinney looks different after his Tommy John rehab. He is listed at 6-5, 225 pounds, about 5 pounds lighter than his program weight this time last year.
"He stayed with a relative in Iowa and had a summer job, but before he went to the job he worked out every morning and then he worked out after his job in the afternoon," Van Horn said. "He came back bigger, stronger, no baby fat -- he looked like a full-grown man to me.
"I told him that it's going to pay off. I was proud of him. He has changed his body."
McKinney was a freshman All-American on the Razorbacks' 2015 team that went to the College World Series, but he has struggled with injuries since late that season when he injured his hip at the SEC Tournament. He underwent hip surgery in 2015 and struggled the next season, going 1-5 in 12 starts with a 6.66 ERA.
-- Matt Jones
BASKETBALL
Harding top GAC women's team in poll
Defending Great American Conference champion Harding University was selected as the top team in the coaches poll announced Wednesday. The Bisons finished 13-4 last season and advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite 8, where they lost to Ashland University.
Arkansas Tech University, which went 22-8 last season, was picked third, behind Southwestern Oklahoma State. Ouachita Baptist University was fifth, Henderson State University eighth, the University of Arkansas-Monticello 11th and Southern Arkansas University 12th.
Sports on 10/19/2017