FORT SMITH, Ark. – University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Volleyball looks to continue its hot start to the season as the Lions head to Pittsburg State for the Gorilla Classic September 8-9.
The Lions will once again have an early match, facing off against No. 11 Southwest Minnesota State at 9 a.m. Friday in the first match of the weekend. They will then end the first day at 4:30 p.m. against Drury.
Saturday sees the Lions take on Northwestern Oklahoma State at 11:30 before concluding the weekend against host Pitt State at 7 p.m.
Live coverage links can be found at uafortsmithlions.com. All matches will be streamed on the MIAA Network.
NOTES:
LAST WEEK: The Lions went 4-0 at the Newberry Invitational, collecting wins over Lander, Belmont Abbey, Newberry and Francis Marion.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Middle blocker Hannah Watkins was named the Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week after totaling 18 blocks (1.2/s) and racking up 29 kills on a .333 attack percentage. UAFS held opponents to a .115 attack percentage for the weekend, including holding Belmont Abbey and Francis Marion under .100.
BALANCING ACT: The Lions had six players record at least 20 kills last weekend. Twice the Lions had at least five players record at least seven kills in a match.
CAREER HIGH: Middle blocker Angelina Hardison recorded a career-high 16 kills on a .517 attack percentage in the four-set win over Newberry.
RECORD WATCH: Setter Chloe Price moved into third on the career assists list with 1,413, now 58 behind Bailey Katzfey for second all-time.
SCOUTING SMSU: The No. 11 Mustangs have started the season 3-1, led by outside hitter Brooklyn Kusler at 4.0 kills per set. Libero McKenzie Tolk averages 4.85 digs per set while setter Alisa Bengen is averaging 12.0 assists per set.
SCOUTING DU: The Panthers won just two sets on opening weekend as they went 0-4 in Florida. Outside hitter Juliana Squire leads Drury with 2.93 kills per set and 3.79 digs per set.
SCOUTING NWOSU: The Rangers went 2-2 at the Missouri Southern State Invite, alternating wins and losses. Outside hitter Erika Asencio Soriano paces the Ranger attack with 2.85 kills per set with setter Cameron Lobb dishing out 5.5 assists per set. Asencio Soriano is second in digs with 3.08 per set.
SCOUTING PSU: The Gorillas went 1-3 to open the season with a pair of losses to ranked opponents. They are led by outside hitter Janae Thurston with 3.47 kills per set and setter Jadyn Jackson at 8.33 assists per set. The duo also leads the Gorillas in digs.
THE SERIES: The Lions lead the all-time series with Drury, 3-2, after sweeping the Panthers las season. UAFS is 0-1 against both Southwest Minnesota State and Pitt State while this will be the first ever meeting with Northwest Oklahoma State.
Excerpt from a letter to Governor Harvey Parnell from El Dorado, AR. 1931. “Governor, we are hungry. I am writing you because we haven’t anything to eat. We have seven children and no income at all and nothing to eat but a little bit of flour for bread.” Another letter dated Marked Tree, Jan. 10, 1931: “I am getting in a bad way. I lost my sharecrop and they put me out of my house and lease. I am working for the levy board for $2 a week. With five kids, I just can’t make it.” Another note, “I want work for me and my boy, that is all want and some pay for it. I’ve got to have relief in some manner.”
The letters, all hand-written, signed and dated cry out to you of the desperation and heart-ache of trying to care for your family during the height of the Great Depression. Scattered from areas around the state, they speak of hardship few of us could believe. They tell of food insecurity, deprivation, extreme poverty, and absence of jobs. Even more, these letters describe the underlying absolute lack of hope.
Even during the roaring twenties, Arkansas was experiencing hardship. With an economy built on agriculture, the fluctuation in farm goods, especially cotton, triggered hardship. Arkansas lead the nation in per capita indebtedness before the depression. When agriculture failed due to droughts or floods, people could not pay their taxes; without taxes the schools and state infrastructure deteriorated leading to a downward spiral. With the collapse of the stock markets and resultant bank failures, Arkansas farmers had nowhere to turn. Individuals had no ready cash, could borrow no more money, and had no means to pay taxes. Property was confiscated, leaving the destitute farmer devoid of subsistence. Tent cities and shanty towns sprang up around the state. These included camps around Forrest City and even near the capitol in Little Rock. Many individuals, including my grandparents, packed up and trekked west, hoping to find “okie” jobs in Arizona and California. One letter stated that Crawford County had lost 3,200 people in the first few years of the depression and the state as a whole lost over 120,000 people from 1930-40.
Beginning in 1932, Franklin Roosevelt instituted the New Deal to help alleviate the effects of the depression. Arkansas was fortunate in that, in order to get his many aide bills through congress, FDR needed the assistance of Senators Joe T. Robison and Hattie Caraway. Robison, as the majority leader of the senate, was especially powerful and both worked to ensure relief programs for Arkansas. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) alone placed 200 young men to work in each of the 65 camps formed around the state. Many of our parks and hiking trails are a legacy of their work. Dyess, Arkansas, famous home of Johnny Cash, was created as a part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) efforts to create farm colonies in Arkansas. Others were put to work building bridges, painting murals in post offices, and even in building schools as the New Deal pushed through a multitude of new programs to assist the poor.
The New Deal provided opportunity for people to work and gave many a sense of accomplishment and pride in achieving something through their efforts. Many of those buildings, bridges, and parks still stand today as a memorial to their efforts. It also provided valuable skills and training for youth and offered them an alternative to watching the south side
of a north bound mule as it plowed the fields of tenant farms. The various programs forever changed our view of the government’s role in economics as well as increased the number of people employed by the government itself. Today, over 15% of our total workforce are employed by state, national, or local government agencies, a process that really increased during the New Deal.
My grandparents lived through that period of time. Tough people in tough times, I never fully realized the depths of poverty and hardships they faced until I read through the letters to Governor Parnell.
JONESBORO: After a tough opening week loss on the road at Oklahoma, Arkansas State returns home to take on their annual rival, the Memphis Tigers, in a 6 p.m. game at Centennial Bank Stadium on the campus of Arkansas State.
Here are pregame notes as provided by Arkansas State University:
MEMPHIS AMERICAN CONFERENCE GAME 2 • SEPTEMBER 9, 2023 • 6:00 PM • CENTENNIAL BANK STADIUM • JONESBORO, ARK.
ARKANSAS STATE: Head Coach Butch Jones Record at A-State 5-20 (3rd Season) Career Record 89-74 (14th Season) Record vs Memphis 0-2
MEMPHIS: Head Coach Ryan Silverfield Record at School 22-16 (4th Season) Career Record Same Record vs A-State 3-0
MEDIA COVERAGE TV: ESPN+ Play-By-Play Roger Twibell Analyst Pete Cordelli Sideline Darrell Greene
SERIES HISTORY Overall Memphis leads 32-24-5 In Jonesboro A-State leads 13-8-1 In Memphis, Memphis leads 24-11-4. At Neutral Site — Last Meeting 32-44, L (9/17/2022) First Meeting 18-6, W (10/27/1914) Current Streak Memphis W4
1 A-State begins its 50th season in its home stadium with Saturday’s contest against Memphis.
2 The Red Wolves have won 15 of the last 18 home openers and stand 35-14 all-time in-home openers at Centennial Bank Stadium.
3 A-State is set to play three consecutive home games in September for the first time in program history.
4 This is the second consecutive season A-State plays all 12 games on Saturdays. From 2009-21, A-State had 28 weeknight games on Tuesday (9), Wednesday (2), Thursday (14) and Friday (3). 5 A-State is 73-27 (.730) at home since the 2005 season. The 73 home wins since 2005 are sixth most among Group of Five programs since 2005.
6 A-State and Oklahoma are the only FBS teams with 15-plus consecutive seasons with a game- scoring 50 or more points.
7 The A-State roster features 46 players who have played in 10+ career games at the FBS or FCS level.
8 For the eighth time in program history, A-State meets Memphis in its home opener. The Red Wolves are 4-3 in the seven home openers against the Tigers.
9 In the season opener, seven transfers made starts — five on offense and two on defense, while six true freshmen appeared. In total, 21 players made their A-State debut — 12 FBS/FCS transfers, one JUCO addition and seven true-freshmen.
10 FBS and FCS transfers account for 26 percent of the A-States roster this season. Among 32 total FBS/FCS transfers on the roster, 18 were added prior to the 2023 season.
Note to Our Readers: This story was sourced in part from Arkansas State University.
Oh, my it is Week 2 already, but the third week for some. Last week I correctly picked 7 out of 8 games, the only one I missed being Mountainburg versus Danville. It was a close game though. Pocola pulled off a win against Hackett in the Lock of the Week game for Week 1. I tried to tell you Pocola magic is real, in a phrase heard all weekend “Do you believe now?!” Congrats to all the teams last week that won. Ozark and Booneville, gosh what a game…. what a game you two.
Projected winners in BOLD
RNN Sports Stone Cold Lock Of The Week:
Camden Fairview @ Booneville
I don’t know what Head Coach Doc Crowley had in mind for this non-conference schedule, but gosh, what a tough one. Ozark last week, Camden Fairview this week, then perennial small Private School powerhouse Harding Academy next week. Camden Fairview is a on upward trajectory in Class 5A South and would give Greenwood a run for their money in the playoff’s when Greenwood was in 5A. I am hoping I am wrong about this prediction, and I hope the Bearcats and crew make me regret this. Looking at Camden Fairview’s record and teams they have played the last two weeks in Arkadelphia and El Dorado makes me lean to the Cardinals coming into Logan County and bringing the W home. Like I said, make me regret it Booneville! Do your thing Bearcat Nation!
The Rest
Greenwood @ Mountain Home
Greenwood and Mountain Home have played more times in the past 3 seasons than any other team on Greenwood’s schedule. The kicker is, Greenwood last travelled to the Baxter County school once and it was during the 2020 season, the rest of the games have been at Greenwood. Mountain Home is riding a 2 game win streak against Nettleton and rival Harrison. It’s a 3 hour 40 minute drive from Smith-Robinson to Bomber Stadium, which is well a long ride on a bus. The Bulldogs are not looking to go trout fishing on the White River at Gaston’s this week, they are hungry for another victory. The well publicized offense has now been taken over by the stout defense in headlines, as they have only allowed 21 points in the past two games. Junior Defensive End Cash Archer sits top in the state in all classification with 7 sacks and 13th Nationally according to MaxPreps. Mountain Home will have their hands full, Greenwood comes out on top.
Mansfield @ Bye Week
The Tigers will still find a way to score 40 points this week. Not sure how, but just in case…. Mansfield wins bigly. 🙂
Hackett @ Panama
Last week it was mentioned to me “Hackett will beat Pocola.” “How is that a game of the week?” Well Pocola rose to the occasion. But that is last week, I just wanted a “I told you so.” moment for myself. Panama is building their program, where it takes them, we will for sure see. They have the talent on the coaching staff to make it happen. I just have a tough time believing Hackett goes into Oklahoma twice and drops two. Won’t happen, calling it now, the Hornets bring a victory back across the state line.
Charleston @ Ozark
I wanted Charleston against Elkins to be a tough hard fought game, truly did. But, the Elks had other plans. I also thought Ozark against Booneville was going to be a rout with Booneville handling Ozark, thank goodness I was wrong on that and the fans got a show. So this week what do we got…. Charleston traveling to Ozark. This one will for sure be close, but Ozark will get the victory. I have a feeling the Tigers are building on a big run through Conference and it will be a battle between Charleston, Mansfield, and Booneville. The Tigers and the Bearcats will have to travel to Alumni Field 10/6 and 10/20 respectfully.
West Fork @ Paris
West Fork is lead by Sophomores Cooper Ridenoure and Shawn Swinson (Writers note: Ridenoure and Swinson played on the same team as Paris’ Jayden Carter, Greenwood’s Kane Archer and Akira Fujibayashi during their travel ball days in the Impact Youth League.) West Fork has a physical defensive line that will be pressured by Paris’ running game. Paris fell to Mansfield last week 47-9, no time to dwell on that as there is a lot more football left to be played. Paris bounces back at home in this game.
Mountainburg @ Cedarville
The Dragons proved me wrong! I have a feeling they roll into Crawford County rival Cedarville and bring a victory back to the valley. Mountainburg beat the Danville Little Johns 26-20 last week in Danville’s first game in nearly year.
Horatio @ Lavaca
The Golden Arrows hit their mark last week against the Magazine Rattlers winning 47-6. Horatio comes into the game 1-1 with both games being decided by nearly the same margin. A week 0 win against Foreman ended 35-6 they then turned around against Dierks losing 36-6. Lavaca proved score wise against Magazine they are on par with Mansfield, but we will have to wait until October 22nd to see that match-up. Next week is the Battle of Highway 22 against Ratcliff, just kidding it’s Charleston and it will definitely be one to watch. Will it be the RNN Sports Stone Cold Lock Of The Week guess you’ll have to wait and see!
Waldron @ Fouke
I have a feeling this will be a close game and it will come down to who has the ball last. Fouke is coming in 1-1 while Waldron is 0-2. I was wrong in something I thought was a sure thing with Danville and Mountainburg, just as I said with Booneville and Camden Fairview, I want to be proved wrong on this.
Because I heard of a request
FS Northside @ Fayetteville
Northside has faced a tough non-conference schedule. Heartbreaker against rival Fort Smith Southside and then absolute domination from Greenwood has the storied Grizzlies at 0-2 heading into Fayetteville. Fayetteville has Minnesota Commit Drake Lindsey at the helm and some good offensive weapons. Northside will have their hands full again this week, luckily Northside will have a bye week before meeting 5 time consecutive 7A State Champion Bryant.
FS Southside @ Wynne
Southside rolls into Wynne and handles the Yellow Jackets. Southside will have a bye week next week before 7A West conference play starts and they get a very talented Rogers Mounties.
LITTLE ROCK — According to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s recently released “2023 Hunting Incident Report,” Arkansas hunters last year reported the fewest number of hunting accidents requiring medical attention since 2010. Sixteen incidents were recorded, including two resulting in fatalities.
“With nearly 307,000 licensed hunters in the woods last year, that’s one serious injury out of every 20,000 hunters and one fatality out of every 150,000 hunters, which is lower than most outdoor sports, but one injury or death is still too many,” Joe Huggins, Hunter Education Coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said.
Far and away, falls from treestands remain the leading cause of hunting injuries and fatalities.
“Ten of last year’s 16 injuries were falls from treestands, and one of the two fatalities was from a fall,” Huggins said. “It doesn’t take a huge height to make a fall fatal, we’ve had fatalities and major injuries occur from as little as 8 feet. If you land on your head or neck or fall on your hunting equipment, bad things can happen.”
Huggins points out that the number of injuries might be more if you count preseason preparation. The report only counts injuries when a person is hunting, and many people preparing stand locations face the same danger of a fall when clearing shooting lanes and hanging stands before the season begins.
“A lot of people will leave hang-on stands up all year, and the strap that holds the stand to the tree gets weathered, gnawed on by rodents and otherwise compromised,” Huggins said. “It may look OK until you put your full weight on it; then it snaps. We also have stands where metal components rust and weaken, causing catastrophic failure at some point during the season.”
Huggins stresses that the best way to avoid injury from treestand falls is to always use a full-body safety harness. In every treestand injury reported last year, the victim was not wearing a safety harness at the time of the fall.
“You need to be connected to the tree from the time you leave the ground until you are back down,” Huggins said. “Probably two-thirds of falls occur when people are climbing into the stand or getting back down, and we’ve had many people who were wearing their harness but only had it connected to the tree when they were sitting in the stand.”
Huggins says a lifeline running up to the stand enables hunters to have that constant contact with the tree to be secure throughout the climb.
“It’s also important to have at least two people present while placing a stand to help secure it, and use all the braces that come with the stand according to the instructions,” Huggins said. “Take some extra time to practice using your stand at home and get familiar with it before heading to the woods. The more time you prepare for the hunt, the safer and more comfortable you will be when it’s finally time to get in the tree.”
Treestand safety is one of many topics covered in AGFC Hunter Education courses. Hunter education is mandatory for anyone born after 1968 to hunt in Arkansas. Children under 16 may hunt without hunter education as long as they are under the direct supervision of an adult who is 21 years old. Visit www.agfc.com/huntered for more information.
Hello everyone! Getting a nice break from the heat. Fall is right around the corner.
Y’all, know I do some crazy things. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree with my grandson, Ethan. His always calling things the wrong name and I do that all the time. I used to make fun of my mom for doing that, now I’m doing the same thing. The other night Evan and I went to Walmart to get groceries and I asked Ethan if he wanted anything, and he said yes, some of that General Tsao’s chicken. Keep in mind, I’m talking in an Arkansas hick voice. I asked the lady for some colonel shows chicken and she says, “honey, we don’t have that here.” I see it in the deli, and I said, “yes, it is right there.” She says, “Oh, you mean General Tsao?” Yes, I reply, and she says, “thought the poor thing thinks she’s at KFC wanting the Colonel. Good gravy, I don’t know my Army ranks. Told y’all I done crazy things.
Ethan comes home from Fort Smith one evening and he’s telling me all about him and Evan helping a guy that had a flat tire. They are such good boys. He said they got the tire off and went to get the dummy tire to put on. Wait, dummy tire? Yes, he says. “The little tire, the dummy tire.” I said, “Ethan, that is called a donut.” I’m rolling at this point and wondering if he asked the man where his dummy tire was. By the way, donut sounds as crazy as a dummy tire. Did I tell y’all he’s real smart. I mean real book smart.
My momma used to get all kinds of stuff mixed up. I had a friend, and her husband’s name was Reg and my mom called him “Ronge” every time she referred to him. I would correct her, but she done it every time. Do you ever wonder what people are really thinking about you when you get stuff mixed up like I do? Now that I’m 60, I’ve noticed that people call me honey and sweetie a lot more than they used to. They probably say bless her, she doesn’t know what she’s doing. Oh well, if I can give someone something to laugh about, then it has been a good day. Since fall is right around the corner, I’m going to do a pumpkin ooey gooey cake recipe. This cake is delicious. My grandkids love anything pumpkin.
PUMPKIN OOEY GOOEY BUTTER CAKE 1 package yellow cake mix 1 egg 8 tablespoons melted butter Filling: 18 oz. cream cheese, softened, 1 15 oz. can of pumpkin, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 8 tablespoons butter, melted, 16 oz. of powdered sugar (about 3 1/2 cups), 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of nutmeg Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cake mix (dry), 1 egg and the melted butter together and mix well. Pat the batter into a lightly greased 9×13 pan and spread with your hands till even. Filling – In a large bowl beat the cream cheese and pumpkin till smooth then add the 3 eggs, vanilla, butter and beat well. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well. Spread this mixture over the cake mixture and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Be sure to not over bake. The center will be a little gooey. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Have a blessed week!
LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas’s bear season kicks off Sept. 13, and hunters should check out some of the new regulations from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission if they plan to be loaded for bear this year in The Natural State.
Get “Permit”-tion Both residents and nonresidents are now required to have a bear permit to pursue and check a bear in Arkansas. The new Resident Bear Permit (TBEAR code in the license system) is free. The new Nonresident Bear Permit (NRB) costs $300. These permits are in addition to a Sportsman’s License (license code CS or RS) for residents or a Nonresident Annual Hunting License (NBG) for nonresidents. Both permits are available through the AGFC’s new license system online, through license vendors and through the AGFC’s mobile app.
According to AGFC Bear Program Coordinator Myron Means, the permits are an effort to learn more about bear hunters’ experiences and successes in The Natural State.
“We know how many bear hunters are successful each year through game checks, but these permits will give us critical data on the number of people actually pursuing black bears in Arkansas. We can also reach out to our bear hunters through the contact information on these permits to learn more about all the hunters who pursue bears here.”
Pulling Teeth (and Hair) Successful hunters also must submit a premolar tooth from the bear they harvest as part of the checking process. This isn’t a new requirement, but is one of the most overlooked portions of checking their harvest hunters forget during their excitement of tagging a bear.
When a hunter initially checks their bear, they will receive a packet in the mail from the AGFC within a few days. They will have seven days from the arrival of that packet to pull and return a premolar tooth to the AGFC.
“We cut the tooth and count rings on it similar to aging a tree by growth rings,” Means said. “It’s easiest to pull the tooth right after harvest and save it until your packet arrives in the mail. That way you don’t have to thaw out a frozen skull or make a trip to the taxidermist to retrieve it or get a ticket for failure to finish checking your bear.”
The tooth packet also will include a separate envelope for a hair sample. While this is currently voluntary, it takes seconds to collect.
“The hair sample is needed to continue building our genetic database of bears,” Means said. “Our research staff is really stepping up our game in learning more about our bears and differences in the population around the state on a genetic level.”
Means stresses that hair samples should be pulled from the bear’s hide, not cut, as the hair follicles are the portion of the sample most needed for analysis.
An instructional video on how to collect these samples is available at the AGFC YouTube Page.
Liver Samples Wanted AGFC State Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Jenn Ballard says hunters also can help bear research by collecting another sample from each harvested bear. The AGFC is studying an apparent increase in mange in Arkansas bears, and liver samples from bears with and without mange are important to compare any environmental differences that may be affecting the bears.
“Whether the bear has mange or not, we really would like to get a sample of the bear’s liver,” Ballard said. “Hunters can cut a piece about the size of a softball and place it in aluminum foil or a zip-sealed bag. They can then submit it through one of the dozens of chronic wasting disease sample containers throughout the state for deer hunters.”
Ballard says the locations of all CWD containers are available and updated at www.agfc.com/CWD.
“Also, anyone who sees a bear with signs of mange can report it to the AGFC Wildlife Health Program (agfc.health@agfc.ar.gov),” Ballard said. “Those reports and liver samples will help us track the disease throughout the state.”
Look Close Means adds one last precaution for hunters taking advantage of this year’s early bear season opener.
“We opened bear season earlier to try and get ahead of the acorn drop this year and provide added success for bear hunters,” Means said. “When we’ve had early opening days in the past, we did have some concerns about a high percentage of female bears being harvested. We prefer hunters to harvest the male segment when they can, so the females can replenish the population.”
Means says one surefire way to separate male bears from females is the presence of cubs.
“If the bear has cubs with it, it’s a female and those cubs need to overwinter with her for another year,” Means said. “After that it can be a little trickier to determine their sex.”
Means teamed up with social media influencer Clay Newcomb to develop a video highlighting ways to determine a bear’s sex using trail camera footage and key markers.
“Identifying male from female and adult from yearling can be difficult for some hunters when it comes to bears, but most of our bear hunters tend to be more avid and willing to take a few extra steps to promote the resource,” Means said. “With these precautions in place, I’m hopeful that we can continue to offer these early seasons and not impact the resource.”
Visit www.agfc.com/bear for more information on bears and bear hunting in Arkansas.
FAYETTEVILLE– Former Razorback quarterback Kevin Scanlon will be among nine honorees inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame on Wednesday, October 11, 2023 in a luncheon at the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco, Texas.
Hosted by the Texas Sports Hall of Fame (TSHOF), the home to the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame, the event will honor Scanlon as well as other legends from schools previously affiliated with the Southwest Conference.
“Kevin Scanlon is a Razorback football legend and will soon be a distinguished member of the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame,” University of Arkansas Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek said. “Kevin helped lead the Hogs to a Southwest Conference championship in 1979 and along the way was recognized as the conference player of the year.
“Afforded the opportunity to meet him later in his professional life, it is easy for me to identify the leadership skills that has led to Kevin’s tremendous success both on and off the field. Whether it is in his role with Stephens, Inc. or as the chair of the Razorback Foundation Board, Kevin is always serving others while also being an advocate for the Razorbacks and our state. We look forward to celebrating with Kevin and his family in October as he is honored as one of the best to ever compete in the Southwest Conference.”
Scanlon played for the Razorbacks for just two years (1978-79), but during that time made an indelible mark on the Arkansas program. Named the starting quarterback prior to the 1979 season, he earned Southwest Conference Player of the Year honors after he completed 92-of-139 passes for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns.
In 1979, the Razorbacks finished eighth nationally with a record of 10-2 including a 17-14 win over No. 2 Texas. Scanlon helped Arkansas claim a share of the Southwest Conference championship before leading the Razorbacks to the 1980 Sugar Bowl where they faced eventual national champion Alabama. His 66.2 completion percentage in 1979 set a then single-season school record as did his school record at the time for most passes completed in a bowl game (22) which he recorded against the Crimson Tide.
Originally a transfer to the Razorbacks from North Carolina State, Scanlon was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 1980 following his Razorback career. Kevin was inducted into the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor in 2010. He was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.
In addition to Scanlon, the 2023 class includes Baylor basketball great Terry Teagle, University of Houston women’s track and field star Jolanda Jones, Rice track and field standout Ken Stadel, SMU women’s golfer Amy Benz, University of Texas swimming great Shaun Jordan, Texas A&M football star Terry Price, TCU football and track and field standout Bubba Thornton and Texas Tech baseball great Gary Ashby.
The Southwest Conference Hall of Fame is one of four separate halls of fame housed within the Texas Sports Hall of Fame’s physical structure. They include the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame, the Texas Tennis Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and now, the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame.
Individual tickets start at $75 and tables of eight at $600. To purchase tickets, tables or sponsorships, please visit www.tshof.org or call 254-756-1633.
Note to Our Readers: This story was sourced directly and in its entirety from the University of Arkansas Office of Communcations, Kevin Trainor.
FAYETTEVILLE – The Southeastern Conference has revealed the 2024 women’s basketball league schedule, as announced on Wednesday. Arkansas will start league play on Thursday, Jan. 4 in Lexington, Kentucky and host Georgia for the SEC home opener on Sunday, Jan. 7. This year marks the 15th of the 16-game schedule and 12th with 14 teams in the league.
The SEC continues to be one of the most competitive conferences in the country, as seven teams earned bids to play in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and four teams, including Arkansas, received invitations to play in the Postseason WNIT. Last year marked the second consecutive year 11 of the 14 SEC teams played in postseason tournaments, as well as the second straight year the National Champion was a league member.
Arkansas opens league play on the road this season for the first time since 2020 when the Hogs also started their league slate at Kentucky on Thursday, Jan. 4. The Hogs defeated the Wildcats, 71-50, last season with that victory marking the first in Lexington since 2003. Arkansas has won two of the last four against Kentucky and hoping to extend that winning streak. As one of the Hogs three home-and-away opponents, Arkansas will host Kentucky three weeks later on Thursday, Jan. 25.
The Hogs’ SEC home opener is set for Sunday, Jan. 7, as Georgia comes to town. Arkansas’ last win to the Bulldogs was in 2019 with an 86-76 victory in the squad’s run at the SEC Tournament that year. The Hogs will remain home that following Thursday, Jan. 11, playing host to the other Bulldogs in the league, Mississippi State. Arkansas is looking for three straight home wins over Mississippi State.
Arkansas will play at Alabama on Sunday, Jan. 14 before their bye the following Thursday, Jan. 18. The Hogs hold a 26-16 edge in the all-time series against the Crimson Tide, as well as nine straight wins in Tuscaloosa. As the second home-and-away opponent for Arkansas this season, the Hogs will host Alabama the following month on Thursday, Feb. 1. Arkansas has the 11-2 advantage in the last 13 contests against the Tide.
Following their first of two byes during the conference season, Arkansas will hit a tough test on the road, as the Hogs travel to Baton Rouge to face the reigning National Champion LSU Tigers on Sunday, Jan. 21. After a tough 3-point loss, 79-76, on the road last season, the Hogs will look to win at LSU for the first time since 2021.
Arkansas’ permanent home-and-away opponent, Missouri, will play the Hogs on Sunday, Jan. 28 in Columbia, Missouri before Arkansas hosts on Sunday, Feb. 18. The Hogs are 21-12 all-time versus Missouri, while owning a 10-game winning streak.
After hosting Alabama on Feb. 1, the Hogs will remain home to host Auburn on Sunday, Feb. 4, looking to extend their winning streak against the Tigers to six games. The last three games against the Tigers have been by a point differential of five points or less.
Arkansas will then spend two weeks away from home, traveling to Florida for the fourth time this season for a game against the Gators on Thursday, Feb. 8 before playing at Tennessee on Monday, Feb. 12. Arkansas is 4-2 in the last six games against Florida and will look to win in Knoxville for the first time since 2019. The Hogs will have their second bye Thursday, Feb. 15.
The Hogs will play at Texas A&M on Thursday, Feb. 22. Arkansas is looking to defeat the Aggies for the second straight time after breaking a three-game losing streak to the team last season.
The last two home SEC games for the Hogs starts with a game against Vanderbilt on Sunday, Feb. 25. The last time the Hogs and Commodores played at Bud Walton Arena resulted in a thrilling 84-81 win off a buzzer beater from Makayla Daniels. Arkansas will wrap up the home slate with a date with South Carolina on Thursday, Feb. 29. The Hogs will look to snap an eight-game losing skid to the Gamecocks.
Arkansas’ final SEC game will be on the road at Ole Miss on Sunday, March 3. Arkansas has a 7-4 advantage over the Rebels in the last 11 games and will look to snap a three-game losing streak.
The SEC Tournament is set to take place at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina from Wednesday, March 6 to Saturday, March 9. This marks the second straight year, and seventh time overall Greenville will host the tournament.
Tipoff times and television information will be released at a later date.
Season Tickets
Season tickets for the 2022-23 season are on sale. General admission season tickets are $45 and reserved seating season tickets at $75. Click here for more information.
SEC Schedule
Date
Opponent
Location
Thursday, Jan. 4
Kentucky
Rupp Arena (Lexington, Ky.)
Sunday, Jan. 7
Georgia
Bud Walton Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Thursday, Jan. 11
Mississippi State
Bud Walton Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Sunday, Jan. 14
Alabama
Coleman Coliseum (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
Sunday, Jan. 21
LSU
Pete Maravich Assembly Center (Baton Rouge, La.)
Thursday, Jan. 25
Kentucky
Bud Walton Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Sunday, Jan. 28
Missouri
Mizzou Arena (Columbia, Mo.)
Thursday, Feb. 1
Alabama
Bud Walton Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Sunday, Feb. 4
Auburn
Bud Walton Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Thursday, Feb. 8
Florida
Exatech Arena at Stephen C. O’Connell Center (Gainesville, Fla.)
Monday, Feb. 12
Tennessee
Thompson-Boling Arena (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Sunday, Feb. 18
Missouri
Bud Walton Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Thursday, Feb. 22
Texas A&M
Reed Arena (College Station, Texas)
Sunday, Feb, 25
Vanderbilt
Bud Walton Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Thursday, Feb. 29
South Carolina
Bud Walton Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Sunday, March 3
Ole Miss
SJB Pavilion (Oxford, Miss.)
Wednesday, March 6 – Saturday, March 9
SEC Tournament
Bon Secours Wellness Arena (Greenville, S.C.)
MORE INFORMATION
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Note to Our Readers: This story was sourced directly and in its entirety from the University of Arkansas Office of Communications, Kylie Magar.
PARIS- Booneville head volleyball coach Bailey Stringer brought her much-improved Lady Bearcats squad into Paris on Tuesday night to see just how far their program has progressed against the established Paris program that has been one of the state’s top programs for over ten years. And although it was Paris winning a critical 3A West match on Tuesday night, Booneville can be proud of how they competed and for the future that lies ahead for Booneville volleyball.
Paris began the match by jumping out to a 25-17 win in the first set. But the Lady Bearcats would fight back, sending the second set beyond 25 points. Booneville defeated Paris 28-26 to even the match at one set apiece.
But Paris would survive several calls for being out of alignment or rotation and came out strong in the third to retake the advantage in the match by a set score of 2-1. Paris won the third set by the score of 25-20.
Both teams would continue to battle in the fourth. The Paris front line was dominant in the match, as the Booneville backcourt played “lights out” saving many volleys along the way. The Lady Bearcats’ back line, led by the All-State junior libero Lillian Downs, kept Booneville in the match all night.
Paris would eventually pull away from a Booneville team that refused to give up, winning the fourth and final set by the score of 25-20 to win the match by the set score of 3-1.
As a result of the Paris win, the Lady Eagles improve their conference record to 2-1 and will travel to Elkins on Thursday for another 3A West matchup with the Lady Elks. Booneville suffers their first conference loss of the season, and their record falls to 2-1. The Lady Bearcats will play at Hackett on Thursday. The Paris win also gives the Lady Eagles a head-to-head win over Booneville which could be important next month in determining who the possible runner-up in the conference regular season, as well as the number two seed in the district tournament could be. It is also important to note that finishing in the top two of the conference guarantees a bye to the semifinals of the district tournament and guarantees a berth in the state tournament.
So, a lot was on the line for the Lady Eagles tonight, as well as answering the question of how the team would respond after the road loss to Hackett last week. Paris fans can be very proud of how the team responded tonight.
RNN Sports will be in Paris again on Tuesday, September 12 for the Lady Eagles conference match with the West Fork Lady Tigers. Stay with RNN Sports for the most complete coverage of River Valley high school volleyball.
