FOOTBALL
UAPB adjusts game time
Because of weather forecasts showing a significant chance of heavy rain Saturday evening, the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff's game against Alabama State has been moved up to an afternoon start time at Simmons Bank Field in Pine Bluff.
The Golden Lions (2-0, 2-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) and Hornets (2-1, 2-1) will now kick off at 4:05 p.m. in the spring football home opener for UAPB. A limited number of tickets are on sale at uapblionsroar.com/tickets, and CDC guidelines for the coronavirus will be enforced.
TRACK AND FIELD
UA has strong opening at Texas Relays
The first day of the Texas Relays included a strong start in several events for the University of Arkansas.
Current Razorback G'Auna Edwards and Arkansas alum Taliyah Brooks, both competing in a heptathlon for the first time since 2018, set career best first-day scores. Brooks leads the heptathlon with 3,767 points, while Edwards is the top collegian, and second overall, at 3,404.
Qualifying races for the 200 meters and 400 meters involved seven Razorbacks, and Shafiqua Maloney, Paris Peoples and Morgan Burks-Magee advanced to Saturday's finals.
In the 100 hurdles, Brooks ran in the only heat assisted by a wind over 2 meters per second as she clocked a leading time of 12.95 seconds (2.5 wind) for 1,132 points. Her previous best time in a heptathlon was 13.14, while her career best is 12.86 along with a windy 12.82.
Edwards ran 13.67 as the top collegian in the field of 15 and was second overall in generating 1,026 points. The previous best for Edwards in the heptathlon was 14.07 while her career best is a 13.35.
In the high jump, Edwards established an outdoor best of 5 feet, 8 inches for 891 points, while Brooks equaled her outdoor best of 5-11½) for 1,003 points.
Among nine heats in the 200, times for Arkansas included an outdoor best of 23.58 for Tiana Wilson, which ranked 12th among the 66 athletes who competed in the event. Kethlin Campbell ran 23.64, which ranked 13th, while Jayla Hollis had a 23.71 that ranked 15th and Jada Baylark posted a 23.98 to rank 21st.
Harding University's Mitchell Kessler set a school record in the hammer throw with a toss of 196-6. Harding's Fallou Gaye set a school record in the 400 hurdles with a time of 52.02. On the women's side, Anne-Noelle Clerima placed 17th in the 400 with a season-best 55.75, her first NCAA provisional time of the season.
GYMNASTICS
UA's O'Hara, Hambrick named All-Americans
Arkansas gymnasts senior Maggie O'Hara and junior Kennedy Hambrick have been named Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association regular season All-Americans, the organization announced Thursday.
It marks the second consecutive year the Razorbacks have had multiple gymnasts earn All-America honors for their regular-season performance.
Hambrick finished the regular season with three All-America honors. Her all-around national qualifying score of 39.600 is eighth-best in the country and earned her first-team All-America status as an all-around competitor. Hambrick also finished among the top-16 in the nation, garnering second-team All-America honors on both vault and balance beam.
O'Hara made Arkansas history with her recognition, as the first Razorback to secure a spot as a regular season All-American on the uneven bars. She closed out the regular season with an national qualifying score of 9.925 on bars and ranked 11th in the nation to earn second-team All-America.
VOLLEYBALL
UCA clinches spot in Southland Tournament
The University of Central Arkansas clinched a spot in the Southland Conference Tournament with a 25-9, 25-21, 23-25, 25-14 victory over Nicholls State on Thursday in Conway.
Amari Mitchell finished with 12 kills on a .364 hitting percentage, 6 blocks and 5 digs for the Sugar Bears (9-7, 7-4 Southland Conference). Bailey Waddington had 23 assists, and Emily Doss had 22 digs.
The Southland Conference Tournament is set to start Wednesday in Corpus Christi, Texas.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services