FOOTBALL
Hogs' DT Jackson in portal
Another University of Arkansas football player has entered the NCAA transfer portal.
Enoch Jackson, a sophomore defensive tackle, announced his intent to leave the program Wednesday. He becomes the second player to transfer since the end of spring practices.
Wide receiver Mike Woods, who was expected to be among Arkansas' top playmakers in 2021, said Tuesday he is entering the transfer portal as a graduate transfer.
"I have entered the portal. 4 years of eligibility left," Jackson wrote on Twitter.
Jackson, 6-0, 298 pounds, was in competition for playing time at defensive tackle during the spring, but Isaiah Nichols, Taurean Carter, Eric Gregory -- who has a combo role at end and tackle -- and others appeared to be ahead of him on the depth chart.
He played in three games over the last two seasons -- against Mississippi State and Western Kentucky in 2019, and against LSU in 2020. He did not record any statistics.
Jackson finished Saturday's spring game with 5 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 1 sack for the Red team.
A 3-star prospect from Mansfield (Texas) Legacy, he was rated the No. 28 defensive tackle nationally by Rivals. Jackson initially signed with the Razorbacks over scholarship offers from Florida, Georgia, LSU, Missouri and other programs.
-- Scottie Bordelon
BASKETBALL
UALR women sign JUCO transfer
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock announced the signing of Grayson College (Texas) transfer Sali Kourouma on Wednesday. The 5-11 forward from Kati, Mali, joins the Trojans as a sophomore.
Kourouma was named the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year in 2021 after averaging 18.7 points and 10.3 rebounds in her lone season at Grayson. She recorded 15 double-doubles and eclipsed 30 points five times times as the Vikings finished with a 19-4 record. Kourouma shot 51.5% from the field and 34.5% from three-point range.
Kourouma likely will slot into the interior alongside Trojans forward Krystan Vornes, who will return in 2021-22 after suffering a knee injury in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in March.
-- Eli Lederman
BASEBALL
UALR's Arnold honored
UALR right-hander Hayden Arnold was named the Sun Belt Conference pitcher of the week on Wednesday.
Arnold struck out a season-high 10 batters over seven scoreless innings in UALR's 2-0 win over Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday. The senior from Rison allowed four hits and issued only one walk against the Warhawks en route to his fifth win of the season.
Arnold enters this weekend's home series against Louisiana-Lafayette leading the Trojans starters in wins (5), ERA (3.71), innings pitched (51.0) and strikeouts (49).
-- Eli Lederman
UALR alters Friday game time
UALR baseball has moved first pitch of Friday's series opener against Louisiana-Lafayette to 2 p.m. due to expected rain later in the day. The game originally was scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday.
The Trojans (16-17, 7-5 Sun Belt Conference) enter the weekend series at Gary Hogan Field tied with Louisiana-Lafayette and Texas-Arlington atop the Sun Belt West Division. Game 2 is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, followed by Sunday's finale at 1 p.m.
-- Eli Lederman
UAPB loses at Oklahoma State
The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4-24) was held to one hit Wednesday and could not overcome four errors in a 12-2, 7-inning loss to No. 19 Oklahoma State (23-10-1) in Stillwater, Okla.
The Golden Lions' only hit came from outfielder Davion White, and their two runs came in the fourth inning when catcher Edwin Delacruz reached base after center fielder Caeden Trinkle dropped his fly ball. That allowed Lawrence Noble and Declaudio Irvin to score.
Left-hander Justin Rieschick (1-1) took the loss after allowing 11 runs -- 8 earned -- on 12 hits with 5 walks and a wild pitch over 6 innings.
TRACK AND FIELD
John McDonnell Invitational schedule altered
The John McDonnell Invitational hosted by the University of Arkansas will be Saturday and Sunday, rather than Friday and Saturday. The meet was moved because of thunderstorms forecast for Friday.
Teams scheduled to compete with Arkansas include Alabama, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Arkansas State University, the University of Central Arkansas, Kansas, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State, Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Wichita State.
Field events begin at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, while the decathlon starts at 11 a.m. and running events start at 5 p.m. Sunday's schedule opens with field events at 10 a.m., the continuation of the decathlon at 11 a.m. and running events starting at noon.
Tickets purchased for Saturday's events can still be used on Saturday, while tickets for Friday's events can be exchanged for Sunday tickets or can be refunded.
-- Bob Holt
VOLLEYBALL
Fayetteville's Powell named All-American
Fayetteville native Ella May Powell, the Pac-12 setter of the year, was named first-team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association on Wednesday.
Powell, who leads the University of Washington into tonight's national semifinals against Kentucky, was named to the 14-person first team after being a third-team selection last season. The 6-0 junior averaged 10.41 assists per set in the regular season. She has totaled more than 3,500 career assists to rank fourth all-time in school history.
She is a two-time All-Pac 12 selection and was also named to the 12-person Team USA roster that competed in the FIVB U20 World Championships in 2019.
-- Paul Boyd
GOLF
UCA women finish second
Camila Moreno and Elin Kumlin finished in the top five individually Wednesday, helping the University of Central Arkansas women's team to a second-place finish in the Southland Conference Tournament at Mystic Creek Golf Club in El Dorado.
Moreno finished in third place after finishing at 12-over 228. She had three of her tournament-leading 10 birdies Wednesday to shoot a 7-over 79. Kumlin also shot a 7-over 79 Wednesday and finished in a tie for fourth place at 15-over 231. Tania Nunez moved up six spots on the final day, shooting a 7-over 79 to finish in a tie for 10th place at 23-over 239.
The Bears finished the tournament with a 936 team total, 19 strokes behind tournament winner Sam Houston State.
SOFTBALL
Blankenship earns GAC honor
Harding University freshman catcher Chelsea Blankenship was named the Great American Conference player of the week Wednesday.
Blankenship went 9 for 15 (.600) and drove in 9 runs to lead the Bisons to a 5-0 record. She hit three home runs in the five-game stretch, including a grand slam in the second game of Harding's series against Northwestern Oklahoma State.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services