State sports briefs

FOOTBALL UAPB releases 2014 schedule

Arkansas-Pine Bluff released its 2014 schedule Wednesday, which includes a trip to Sun Belt Conference member Texas State and three of its final games at Golden Lion Stadium.

UAPB, 2-9 last season, opens the season Aug. 30 at Texas State. It will be the second consecutive season the Golden Lions will face a Sun Belt Conference team in their season opener. They lost 62-11 at Arkansas State last season.

The Golden Lions’ home opener is Sept. 6 against Concordia (Ala.) College. After an open week, UAPB begins Southwestern Athletic Conference play Sept. 20 at Alabama State. UAPB hosts Jackson State on Sept. 27 before beginning a three-game road swing at Southern University of Baton Rouge (Oct. 4), Grambling State (Oct. 18) and Texas Southern (Oct. 25).

Three of UAPB’s final four regular-season games are at home. The Golden Lions face Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 1 and Prairie View A&M on Nov. 8 in Pine Bluff. They will travel to Alcorn State on Nov. 15 before finishing the regular season at home Nov. 22 against Alabama A&M.

  • Jeremy Muck

Arkansas Tech adds two assistants

Former West Georgia offensive coordinator Chase Harp has joined the Arkansas Tech staff as offensive coordinator, while former Texas Tech and Valdosta State assistant Paige Anders has been hired as the safeties coach and recruiting coordinator.

Assistant coaches Kurt Corbin and Raleigh Jackson were named co-defensive coordinators Wednesday. Corbin will coach the defensive line and Jackson will coach linebackers.

In other staff realignment, Derek Cosper will work with strong safeties and Josh Jones will work with cornerbacks. Reggie Fish will coach running backs and serve as director of high school relations, while Blake Sorey will coach tight ends and direct football operations.

GOLF ASU men finish ninth, UALR 10th

The Arkansas State men’s team finished in ninth place Wednesday at the Sun Belt Conference Championship after shooing 302-299-294-895 in Saucier, Miss. The UALR men’s team finished 10th at 902.

The Red Wolves were led by senior Easton Key, who finished seventh individually after shooting 69-71-74-214. Johann Voss was UALR’s top finisher, shooting a 4-over 220 (74-75-71) and tying for 14th.

Georgia State won the team title with an 863, followed by South Alabama (864) and Texas-Arlington (865). Texas State’s Stuart Smallwood earned medalist honors after shooting an 8-under 208, including an even-par 72 on Wednesday.

UCA men tie for third

Central Arkansas junior Pep Angles finished second while leading the Bears to a third-place tie at the Southland Conference Championship in McKinney, Texas.

Angles, the leader after the first two rounds with consecutive rounds of 68, shot a 3-over 75 on Wednesday to finish at 5-under 211. Sam Houston State’s Zach Cabra won medalist honors after shooing 69-69-72-210.

UCA shot 296-300-302-898 and tied with Stephen F. Austin. Sam Houston State won the title with an 878, and Southeastern Louisiana finished second at 884.

SOFTBALL Farfan leads SAU over UAPB

Audrey Farfan went 4 for 5 with 2 doubles, 2 runs scored and 1 RBI on Wednesday to lead Southern Arkansas to a 9-4 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Pine Bluff.

Maddie Dow, Sarah Higginotham and Courtney Hudgins had two hits each for the Lady Muleriders (29-22), who blew open the game with four runs in the third inning to take a 6-0 lead.

UAPB (7-31) got a run in the fourth inning to make the score 7-1 and scored three runs in the sixth inning to cut the lead to 7-4.

BASEBALL

State teams ranked in Central Region poll

The initial NCAA Division II Central Region poll was released Wednesday and Arkansas schools occupy three of the top four spots in the poll.

Arkansas Tech (36-8) is the top-ranked team in the poll, with Southern Arkansas (32-14) at No. 2 and Arkansas-Monticello (31-12) at No. 4.

BASKETBALL

Tubner joins Arkansas Tech women’s staff

Roman Tubner, who spent three years on the men’s and women’s coaching staffs at Arkansas-Monticello and a former Division I player, has joined the Arkansas Tech women’s staff, Coach Dave Wilbers announced Wednesday.

Tubner assisted in all aspects of both programs at UAM, including recruiting, on-court instruction, operations and academic development. Tubner played three years at Centenary.

Sports, Pages 23 on 04/24/2014

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