TRACK AND FIELD
Distance runner Robinson leaves Arkansas
FAYETTEVILLE -- Katrina Robinson, the SEC freshman cross country runner of the year in 2018, has left the University of Arkansas, Coach Lance Harter said Monday.
Robinson won the NCAA South Central Regional title and finished second at the SEC Championships as a freshman, but she hasn't competed since the 2018 cross country season because of a series of injuries. She finished 41st at the 2018 NCAA Championships two years ago.
Harter said Robinson decided to leave Arkansas and return to Brisbane, Australia, where she has lived most of her life after being born in Austin, Texas.
"She's a phenomenal talent," Harter said. "She's looking forward to being at home with her family. This is a long ways for her to be away from home. She's healthy now and hopefully she'll stay that way, because I think we'll see her down the road as an international athlete.
"She's so, so gifted. It's just a matter of, 'Could you keep her healthy?' She just proved to be very fragile."
Robinson posted on her Instagram account that returning to Australia is the best thing for her.
"The place where you're happiest is the place where you'll thrive, and for me that's at home," she wrote. "This was a very hard decision because I truly enjoyed my time at the University of Arkansas and I will forever be thankful for all that I was offered there and all the amazing people that I met. ... But I am so excited to get home and hopefully get back to competing at a high level against."
-- Bob Holt
ASU men, women lead SBC
Arkansas State University's men and women lead after the first day of the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Ala.
The men have 39 points through five events and the women have 51. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock women have two points.
Arkansas State's Elizabeth Martin, Kyndall Hudson, Kayla Wade and Sammy Brainard finished second in the distance medley relay in 12 minutes, 9.55 seconds. Elizabeth Gillette (17:21.18) and Sophie Leathers (17:25.31) finished fourth and fifth in the 5,000.
Bennett Pascoe led Arkansas State's men by winning the 5,000 in 14:35.56. Garrett Becker, K'Den Johnson, Alejandro Vargas and Coleman Wilson finished second in the distance medley relay in 10:20.94. Eron Carter finished third in the shot put in 51 feet, 6 inches.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
UALR's Johnson wins SBC honor
Kamani Johnson of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock was named Sun Belt Conference player of the week after setting career highs in points (32) and rebounds in an 81-78 victory over Arkansas State University on Saturday.
He went 9 of 12 from the floor and 14 of 19 from the free-throw line, scoring 21 points and grabbing nine rebounds in the second half. He also had a block in the final minute to help close out the victory.
The 32 points marked the second time he scored at least 30 points this season. He scored 30 in a 92-89 victory against Texas-Arlington on Jan. 4.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Lyon's Henderson wins weekly award
Liz Henderson of Lyon College was named player of the week by the American Midwest Conference on Monday.
Henderson had a team-high 22 points and 10 rebounds in a 65-52 conference victory over Freed-Hardeman. She also scored the game-winning bucket on a three-point play with 3.2 seconds remaining in the contest. Henderson had a career-high 32 points in a 79-52 victory at Park.
MEN'S GOLF
ASU fourth at Border Olympics
Arkansas State University is in fourth place after the first two rounds at the Border Olympics in Laredo, Texas.
The Red Wolves shot a 578. Sam Houston State is first at 565. Texas-San Antonio is second at 570, and Louisiana-Monroe is third at 572. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is in seventh place at 584.
Individually, Adam Thorp of Arkansas State is in fifth place at 141. His teammate Zan Luka Stirn is tied for 13th at 144 with UALR's Danial Durisic and Marcel Rauch.
WOMEN'S GOLF
Arkansas Tech second in Texas
Arkansas Tech University trails West Texas A&M by five strokes after the first round of the SEU Crosswind Gloves Invite in Austin, Texas.
The Golden Suns shot a 295. Southern Arkansas University is in 12th place with a 319, and the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith is tied for 15th with a 349.
Individually, Josie Roberson of Arkansas Tech is tied for third with a 71. Her teammates Katie Whitfield and Makenzie Douglas are tied for 11th at 74.
Chelsea Chow of Southern Arkansas is tied for 28th at 77, and Ali Rodriguez and Emily Martin of Arkansas-Fort Smith are tied for 56th at 82.
SOFTBALL
UCA whips Lyon
The University of Central Arkansas (11-5) defeated Lyon College (9-2) 16-0 in five innings on Monday at Farris Field in Conway.
The Bears scored six times in the first inning, three times in the second and seven times in the third. The Bears had 15 hits. Kayla Crutchmer led Central Arkansas by going 2 for 2 and scoring 2 runs. Cylia Hill went 2 for 3 and scored 2 runs. Reagain Sperling went 2 for 2, scored 3 times and had 2 RBI.
Jordan Johnson (4-2) allowed 1 hit to Lyon's Mikayla Mullen and struck out 8 and walked 3 in the victory.
Shyanne Pedroza (5-1) took the loss, allowing 10 runs -- 4 earned -- on 11 hits in 2 innings.
Sports on 02/25/2020