JONESBORO -- Just over 30 years after its construction, the on-campus arena at Arkansas State University has a sponsored name.
Effective Jan. 1, the Convocation Center will be renamed First National Bank Arena, as the Arkansas State University Board of Trustees voted Thursday to approve the rebranding along with the bank's $5 million dollar donation to the Red Wolves Foundation.
"A-State is extremely grateful to the bank for their generosity and significant support," said Arkansas State University System President Charles Welch. "This is certainly a very exciting day for our university and community."
The naming rights extend through Dec. 31, 2029, and the new branding will be reflected in signage during the men's and women's basketball season.
The donation matches the 2014 contribution made by the Johnny Allison family, which helped pay for the renovation to the west side of Centennial Bank Stadium.
ASU Athletic Director Terry Mohajir said the donation funds will be used on a year-to-year basis depending on the athletic department's needs.
"We've got a lot of plans," said Mohajir, an ASU graduate and former football player. "Of course this is just another space to create a whole other entertainment center on the east side of campus, and this is just another step to get closer to enhancing the area."
The ASU Board of Trustees signed approval inside the arena on Thursday, after which Mohajir exclaimed, "We've got an arena now in northeast Arkansas. How about that?"
"We all know what the Convocation Center is because we're here locally," he said afterward. "But the fact that we're trying to attract, and you're telling people you're coming to play, or you're telling a potential concert or rodeo that you're coming to play in First National Bank Arena, I think just gives it a different meaning and a different feel as opposed to Convocation Center. What's a Convocation Center? We all know it's a nice facility, but outside of this area, people don't really know what it is. It could be a legion hall for all we know."
-- Brooks Kubena
BASKETBALL
UAM, ATU top men's preseason poll
The University of Arkansas at Monticello men's team earned 121 points and 11 first-place votes to finish atop the Great American Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released Thursday.
Arkansas Tech finished in second place, earning 98 points and one first-place vote. East Central (Okla.) (97 points), Southern Nazarene (91 points) and Harding (83) round out the top five.
Henderson State finished sixth with 58 points, followed by Southern Arkansas (57) and Ouachita Baptist (55).
TENNIS
Hogs men, women strong at regionals
The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville men's and women's teams made strong starts at their respective ITA Central Regional Championships.
The men, playing in Minneapolis, went 4-1 in singles matches. Freshmen Jose Alonzo, Josh Bortnick, Josh Howard-Tripp and Alex Reco all earned victories, while junior Branch Terrell suffered the lone loss to Davide Callegari of North Dakota. Arkansas tandems lost both doubles matches to teams from Wichita State and Nebraska.
On the women's side, the Razorbacks went 6-1 in singles play in Lawrence, Kan. Agne Cepelyte suffered the only loss, falling to Rosanna Maffei of Kansas State. All four doubles teams won, beating teams from Oral Roberts, Creighton, Northern Illinois and Minnesota.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services
Sports on 10/20/2017