LITTLE ROCK — Oklahoma LB Gaston orally commits to UA
Arkansas received a big boost to the 2010 recruiting class Tuesday night when linebacker Courtney Gaston orally committed to the Razorbacks.
Gaston, 6-5, 225 pounds, 4.7 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Fort Gibson, Okla., is one of the state's top prospects and chose the Hogs over scholarship offers from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech and Louisville.
"My mom, brother and I have been talking and decided it would be the best choice for me since it's not too far from home," said Gaston, who visited during Arkansas' senior camp and made an unofficial visit for the Georgia game. "I felt comfortable up there and I liked the coaches and the players. I really liked the fans."
Gaston, who recorded 115 tackles, 4 recovered fumbles, 2 forced fumbles and 3 interceptions with 1 returned for a touchdown as a junior, cited quarterbacks coach Garrick McGee and Arkansas being only an hour and 15 minutes away from home for helping him pick the Razorbacks.
"He had a pretty good influence on my decision," Gaston said of McGee. "He talked to me a lot and told me Arkansas would be my best choice because it's not far from home and my mom could drive there and that I would have a lot of support."
Gaston is Arkansas' 12th commitment. Oral commitments are nonbinding.
- Richard Davenport BASKETBALL UA women have 5 games added to TV
Arkansas' women's team will have five road games air as part of the SEC television package - at Alabama on Jan. 24, at Tennessee on Feb. 4, at South Carolina on Feb. 14, at LSU on Feb. 25 and at Georgia on Feb. 28.
The Alabama, Tennessee and LSU games will air on FSN while the South Carolina game is scheduled for ESPN2. The Georgia game is part of the SEC Network package.
Two of the games had tipoff times change because of TV. The LSU game moves to 8 p.m. Central while the Georgia game moves up 30 minutes to 1 p.m. Central.
Arkansas said it will likely add a pair of road games on the Cox Network as well. Those dates are still being decided.
GOLF UALR men fall in playoff
UALR entered the final round with a five-stroke lead in the Purple and Red Invitational, but the Trojans ended up losing by a stroke to Utah in the first round of a playoff Tuesday in Layton, Utah.
After posting a 12-under-par 276 total in the first round, the Trojans shot a 305 in the second round. The Utes had the lowest round of the day (285) in the 11-team field and rallied from 20 strokes back to force the playoff.
UALR junior Linus Gillgren was the team's top finisher, tying for 10th place with an even-par 216 total (76-65-75). Gillgren was joined in the top-15 by junior Felipe Velazquez (73-69-75) and freshman Nicklaus Benton (73-68-76), who shared 14th place with matching one-over par 217 totals.
MOTOR SPORTS Results to run in Thursday's editions
The local motor sports results that normally appear in Wednesday's editions will instead run in Thursday's editions due to space limitations.
Sports, Pages 21 on 09/30/2009