BASEBALL
2 UALR players honored by Sun Belt
UALR third baseman Ben Crumpton and utility player Tanner Rockwell were named to the Sun Belt Conference’s All-Conference team Tuesday. Crumpton, a senior, was a first-team selection and Rockwell, a junior, earned a second-team nod. Crumpton had a team-high .324 batting average. He hit 3 home runs with 23 RBI and stole 33 bases. Rockwell batted .321 with 7 home runs and 43 RBI. No Arkansas State player was named to the all-conference team.
BASKETBALL
UAM’s Sharpe leaves for West Alabama
Arkansas-Monticello Coach Allen Sharpe resigned Tuesday to take the head coaching position at the University of West Alabama. UAM announced the move in a release Tuesday. Sharpe was 70-42 in four seasons at UAM, including a 21-9 record in 2011-2012. UAM has finished in the top three of the Great American Conference for three consecutive seasons under Sharpe. Sharpe leaves UAM ranked fifth all-time in victories, two spots behind his father Gary, who posted 102 victories as head coach for the Boll Weevils in 1985-1991.
JBU’s Sheehy takes over at Southwest Baptist
John Brown men’s Coach Clark Sheehy has been hired as the new coach at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo., John Brown announced in a release Tuesday. Southwest Baptist, which finished 14-15 last season, is a member of the NCAA Division II Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Sheehy went 154-77 in seven seasons at John Brown, an NAIA school in Siloam Springs. He led the Golden Eagles to their first Sooner Athletic Conference tournament title in 2010.
GOLF
UCA’s Angles, Brown honored by Southland
Central Arkansas junior Pep Angles and sophomore Sarah Brown were named the Southland Conference men’s and women’s golf student-athletes of the year, respectively, the league announced Tuesday. It is the second consecutive year that Angles, a Barcelona native, has earned the award, joining Southeastern Louisiana’s Cedric Scotto (2010, 2011) as the only men’s golfers to earn the distinction in consecutive years. Angles, a business administration major, posted a 3.54 grade-point average. He was also named the Southland golfer of the year earlier this month. Brown, a Mt. Pleasant, Texas, native, became the second UCA women’s golfer to be named student athlete of the year and golfer of the year in the same season, joining Rebecca Sorensen (2010). A marketing major, Brown earned a 3.51 GPA.
TRACK AND FIELD
ASU’s Nelvis earns Sun Belt award
Arkansas State hurdler Sharika Nelvis was named the Sun Belt Conference female athlete of the year Tuesday during the conference’s honors banquet in Destin, Fla. Nelvis, a senior, is the first ASU female athlete to earn the conference’s award. Nelvis was recently selected as the Sun Belt women’s most outstanding outdoor track performer following her performance as the conference championships held May 9-11 in San Marcos, Texas. She scored a conference-meet leading 38 points as a result of winning top individual honors in the 100-meter hurdles, 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash.
SOCCER
Fort Smith youth team to compete in Alabama
The U-14 Fort Smith Express boys soccer team will represent Arkansas at the Region III Presidents Cup June 12-15 in Decatur, Ala. The Express won the President’s Gold Division on Sunday at the Arkansas State Cup in Bella Vista, beating Arkansas Rush 2-0 in the final.
BASEBALL/SOFTBALL
High school coaches asked to report statistics
High school baseball and softball coaches are encouraged to report their end of year statistics to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Batting statistics needed include: At-bats, hits, runs, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI, stolen bases and batting average. Pitching statistics needed include: Wins-losses, innings pitched, earned runs allowed, earned run average, walks allowed and strikeouts. The players’ position and grade classification will also be needed. Statistics will be used in helping select the All-Arkansas Preps teams. Coaches may submit statistics by faxing them to (501) 378-3869 or by emailing [email protected].