FOOTBALL
4 Hogs to NFL Combine
Former Arkansas linebacker Matrell Spaight and defensive lineman Darius Philon posted on social media Tuesday that they had received invitations to the NFL Scouting Combine.
The acceptance of Spaight and Philon gives Arkansas four representatives at the annual event, which will be held Feb. 17-23 in Indianapolis. Defensive end Trey Flowers and tight end AJ Derby had previously been invited.
Spaight, of North Little Rock, led the SEC in tackles with 128 during his senior season. He had a team-high tying five tackles for the South team in last Saturday’s Senior Bowl.
Philon declared for the NFL Draft earlier this month with two seasons of eligibility remaining. The redshirt sophomore had 46 tackles, 4.5 sacks and a team-high 3 fumble recoveries this season.
Flowers had a team-best 6 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss among his 68 stops this season. Derby was third on the team with 22 catches for 303 yards and 3 touchdowns. He missed the season finale and the Texas Bowl while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.
-- Tom Murphy
GYMNASTICS
Zaziski honored
Arkansas freshman gymnast Paige Zaziski was named SEC freshman of the week on Tuesday after her performance last Friday at Auburn.
Zaziski, of Chesterfield Township, Mich., had personal bests on the uneven bars (9.85) and the balance beam (9.8) and also put up a counting score on the vault with a 9.825.
The Razorbacks moved up to No. 8, their highest ranking since finishing the 2012 regular season at No. 6, after scoring 196.25 in a loss at Auburn. Arkansas is one of four SEC teams in the top 10, joining No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Florida and No. 6 Alabama. The Razorbacks compete Saturday at 6 p.m. at the MetroPlex Challenge in Dallas against No. 1 Oklahoma, LSU and Iowa State.
SOFTBALL
Murphy USA gives SAU $25,000 gift
The Southern Arkansas softball team received a $25,000 gift from Murphy USA of El Dorado to go toward a new field house.
The contribution will go toward a $1 million construction project that will begin later this year.
Over the past few years, SAU has moved the softball team from a city-owned park in Magnolia to an on-campus field with batting cages. The next phase will include the construction of a locker room, coaches’ offices, a concession stand, public restrooms and a press box.
For more information about being involved in the SAU fieldhouse project, contact Jeremy Langley, assistant director of development, at (870) 235-5375 or [email protected] [email protected].