SOCCER
UA's Goins earns All-America honor
Arkansas forward Parker Goins was named first-team All American by the United Soccer Coaches on Thursday afternoon.
The senior from Brokeen Arrow, Okla., was honored for the second straight year after becoming the third Razorback All-American last year, making the third team. Goins also earned SEC Midfielder of the Year honors and is a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Award, honoring the best Division I soccer player.
She led the Razorbacks in assists with 14, and has tallied 38 in her career, a school record. Her 11 goals this year helped Arkansas win 14 consecutive matches, a program record. She also led the team in shots (80) and shots on goal (37). Her 80 shots were second-best in the SEC. She started all 24 matches, logging a career-best 1,657 minutes. Goins earned All-SEC first-team honors for the third straight year and also was named to the SEC All-Tournament team and was recently named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region first team.
Goins helped the Razorbacks to their third straight SEC regular-season title and led them to the first Elite Eight appearance in school history before falling 2-2 (4-2) in penalty kicks at Rutgers.
Among the 47 players honored nationally, Goins is one of 14 to earn the recognition for the second time in their career.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
ASU assistant heading to Ga. Southern
After just one season back at his alma mater, Arkansas State running backs coach Ryan Aplin is leaving Jonesboro.
Brad Bobo of KNEA-FM, 95.3, first reported that Aplin was departing the Red Wolves on Thursday night and a source close to the ASU program confirmed Friday that Aplin will be an assistant on Coach Clay Helton's first staff at Georgia Southern.
Aplin was a two-time Sun Belt Player of the Year, helping the Red Wolves to consecutive conference titles in 2011 and 2012 while setting program records for total offense, completions and passing yards. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Auburn in 2014 and 2015, then made stops at North Alabama, Tennessee-Chattanooga and Western Kentucky before returning to ASU as part of Coach Butch Jones' inaugural staff.
It was initially reported that Aplin would be the Eagles' co-offensive coordinator but reports out of Statesboro indicate that Aplin may be taking a different role.
-- Mitchell Gladstone
SAU hires new coach
Southern Arkansas University announced the hiring of Northwestern (La.) State offensive coordinator Brad Smiley as its new head coach Friday.
Smiley had served as Northwestern State's offensive coordinator and tight ends coach since 2018. Prior to his stint at Northwestern State, Smiley has also coached at Tulane and Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas, where he was head coach from 2007-17.
SAU finished 4-7 in 2021 under former coach Mike McCarty, who resigned after one season in November.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services