BASKETBALL
UALR adds fourth to class
New York City native Markquis Nowell has signed with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock men's basketball team, the athletic department confirmed Tuesday.
Nowell, a 5-8, 160-pound point guard, averaged 19.9 points, 8.1 assists and 3.0 steals per game at Bishop Loughlin High (Brooklyn) and is rated a two-star by ESPN and a three-star by Rivals, which listed his other offers as Rutgers and Saint Louis.
"Markquis may be 5-8, but he can flat out distribute the ball as well as score," UALR Coach Darrell Walker said in a statement. "Again, he was recruited by a lot of big name universities, and he is really something special to see at 5-8. He can shoot it from deep, he can handle the ball, he's quick and he's a floor general."
Nowell is the fourth signee under Walker, who was hired March 27. The freshman joins a 2018 UALR class that includes 6-7 forward Kamani Johnson (Holy Spirit Prep School, Atlanta); 6-7 forward Horace Wyatt Jr. (Mays High, Atlanta); and 6-11 junior transfer forward Ethan Steinbronn (Little Priest Tribal College, Winnebago, Neb.).
-- Brooks Kubena
TENNIS
UA dismisses women’s coach
Arkansas fired women’s tennis coach Michael Hegarty after the Razorbacks missed the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday. Hegarty spent 15 seasons as Arkansas’ head coach and had a record of 213-184. He took the Razorbacks to the NCAA Tournament nine times — including three consecutive seasons between 2015-2017 — and won SEC West championships in 2008 and 2009. He is the winningest coach in program history. In a statement released Tuesday night, Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek said he informed Hegarty of his dismissal “shortly after the completion of our competitive season.” The Razorbacks were eligible but were not selected for the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday afternoon. No reason was given for Hegarty’s dismissal.
— Matt Jones
BASEBALL
ASU's Alberius named pitcher of week
Arkansas State University junior pitcher Nate Alberius was named the Sun Belt Conference pitcher of the week Tuesday.
Alberius pitched 8 1/3 innings in the Red Wolves' 6-3 victory over South Alabama on Saturday, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits with 2 strikeouts.
Alberius leads the team in victories (5), innings pitched (65.1) and starts (11). He has a 3.72 ERA with 47 strikeouts and 18 walks on the year.
GAC honors players
Harding University first baseman Zach Beasley was named player of the week, and Henderson State University pitcher Bryant Haralson was named pitcher of the week.
Beasley went 10 for 15 as the Bisons won four games last week. He went 6 for 6 with 4 RBI in Saturday's doubleheader against Arkansas Tech University.
Haralson struck out 10 and allowed 3 hits in a 6-0 shutout of Ouachita Baptist University to improve to 9-2 on the season.
SOFTBALL
McEwen named freshman of the week
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville's Hannah McEwen was named SEC freshman of the week Tuesday.
McEwen paced Arkansas' offense with a .636 batting average (7 for 11) with 2 home runs, 7 RBI and 4 runs scored in the Razorbacks' first sweep of Ole Miss since 2001.
This marks McEwen's second SEC weekly honor of the year, and the Razorbacks' sixth overall. She was named co-SEC player of the week in early March.
GAC announces weekly awards
Jill Roye of Southern Arkansas University was named player of the week by the Great American Conference, and Paty Loredo of Arkansas Tech was named freshman of the week.
Roye had seven hits in the Lady Muleriders' series against Southeastern Oklahoma State. She had two home runs and three multihit games. She had at least two RBI in all four games.
Loredo hit .467 against Southwestern Oklahoma State. She had multihit games in three of the four games and had four RBI.
GOLF
Lyon finishes eighth in conference tournament
Lyon College men's team finished eighth at the American Midwest Conference Championships on Tuesday in Camdenton, Mo.
Lyon shot a 312 on Tuesday to finish with a three-round total of 953. William Woods won the team title with an 879.
Park's Wes Butenbach finished with the top score as an individual with a combined score of 212 (-1).
Lyon's Joshua Lunceford finished with the lowest score for the Scots as he shot an even-par 71 on Tuesday at Old Kinderhook, and ended with a three-round total of 228 (+15) to finish in a tie for 18th.
Lyon's Lunceford earns all-conference honor
Lyon College's Joshua Lunceford was named to the American Midwest Conference's second team Tuesday.
Lunceford posted a pair of top-10 finishes during the 2017 fall season, including a second-place finish at the Lyon College Fall Invite. He recorded two top-10 finishes during the 2018 spring season, including a fourth-place finish at the Williams Baptist Invite. Lunceford capped his career with a tie for 18th at the American Midwest Conference Championships.
UAFS golfers honored
University of Arkansas at Fort Smith's Chris Eckes and Zach Partin were named to the Heartland Conference's first team, and head coach Daniel Hayden was named coach of the year.
Eckes and Partin helped the Lions to one tournament victory and combined for seven top-five finishes and a runner-up finish in the Heartland Conference Tournament.
Hayden is leading the Lions into their first NCAA regional tournament since 2012.
Sports on 05/02/2018