Kyra Collier, freshman, Little Rock (North Little Rock H.S.)

Collier closed out 2016 averaging a double-double in her final two games, while very nearly getting a triple-double on New Year’s Eve, and was actually on pace for a quadruple-double if her team hadn’t been in such complete control of the game that her efforts weren’t needed. The freshman averaged 14.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in wins over Louisiana and Louisiana-Monroe last week. Collier also recorded 13 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the 78-34 win over ULM, of which she had nine points, five rebounds, eight assists to go with five steals by halftime and LR was on top comfortably, 41-9.

Bennie Lufile, senior, and Alex Brown, sophomore, Arkansas Tech

Arkansas Tech finished the calendar year and the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 91-88 overtime win over Missouri S&T and got big play from both Lufile and Brown to get it done. Lufile recorded a big time double-double with 18 points and 22 rebounds, 11 offensive and 11 defensive. The rebounding mark is a new school record. And Brown simply put the ball in the basket. The sophomore scored 40 points, making seven three-pointers on the night and scoring seven of the Wonder Boys’ 11 points in the extra period for the win.

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ATU didn’t have to win any games to move up the ranking as the team has been idle since picking up its sixth straight victory in a 77-74 out-of-conference contest at home against then-No. 11 Drury.

The Golden Suns are now 7-1 on the season and in a three-way tie for third in the Great American Conference at 3-1.

Here is the complete poll for Dec. 21:

Dropped Out: No. 20 Queens, NY (9-3); No. 21 Limestone (7-3); No. 25 West Texas A&M (8-4).

Others receiving votes: Minnesota State-Moorhead (9-1) 42; Regis, CO (10-1) 34; Saint Mary’s, TX (10-2) 30; Limestone (7-3) 28; Caldwell (10-2) 26; Queens, NY (9-3) 26; Saginaw Valley State (8-2) 26; North Alabama (9-0) 26; Eckerd (9-2) 24; Fort Hays State (10-2) 21; West Texas A&M (8-4) 13; Central Missouri (10-1) 12; Adelphi (9-2) 11; Chowan (10-2) 8; Simon Fraser (10-2) 5; Anderson, SC (8-2) 4; Glenville State (9-1) 4; Point Loma Nazarene (9-2) 4.

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RUSSELLVILLE – A buzzer-beating three-pointer from Justin Graham gave Arkansas Tech a 103-100 win over Graceland in overtime on Saturday. Graham and Montrell Williams each scored 14 points in the victory, while Trevin Woods led the Wonder Boys with 15 points.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Arkansas Tech (3-0, 2-0 GAC) struggled from the floor in the first half, shooting just 36.8 percent. Graceland took a 48-39 advantage into halftime with a field-goal percentage of 59.4 percent.
• The Yellowjackets controlled the paint through the first 20 minutes of the contest, outscoring Tech 22-10 inside.
• Graceland’s largest lead of 13 points came less than three minutes into the second half, but back-to-back threes from Montrell Williams sparked an 18-2 run that last nearly five minutes. Williams ended the run with another three-pointer to give the Wonder Boys a 62-59 lead.
• The final 15 minutes of regulation featured seven ties and 11 lead changes. With 55 seconds to play, Bennie Lufile scored on a fast-break layup to put Tech ahead, 87-83. The Yellowjackets scored on the very next possession, however, to keep the deficit at two points.
• With three seconds remaining in the second half, Graceland’s Frank Cimino missed a game-winning attempt from three-point range, but a foul by the Wonder Boys sent Jeremy Deemer to the line with a chance to tie the game. Deemer drained both free-throws to send the game into overtime.
• The five minutes of overtime featured five ties and eight lead changes. After a layup by Deemer put Graceland ahead, 100-99 with 20 seconds remaining, Freddy Lee drew a foul and converted 1-2 free-throws to tie the score at 100.
• On Graceland’s final possession, Lee forced on offensive foul by the Yellowjackets, giving Tech possession with four seconds to go. Then, at the buzzer, Graham’s deep three-point attempt dropped through the net to give the Wonder Boys the win.

NOTABLES

• Arkansas Tech greatly improved its shooting in the second half and overtime, posting a field-goal percentage of 50 percent in the final 25 minutes. Tech finished the game shooting 44 percent from the floor.
• Tech committed just 12 turnovers in the game while forcing 24 by the Yellowjackets. The Wonder Boys took advantage of Graceland’s mistakes, scoring 27 points off turnovers, including 19 in the second half and overtime combined.
• Graham’s 14 points came with a team-high five assists. Montrell Williams added four assists and four blocks to go with his 14 points.
• Alex Brown and Lufile added 13 points each, and Branden Williams finished with 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

COACH KLINE SAYS

• “They had us on the ropes all day long, and it was good to see we did not back down. In a week where you give thanks, I am thankful that we survived that one.”
• “When we play Freddy and Justin at the same time, we have two good ball handlers, and I think that is what has helped us cut down on turnovers.”

NEXT UP

• The Wonder Boys will return to the Great American Conference on Thursday, as the Wonder Boys travel to Shawnee, Okla. to take on Oklahoma Baptist. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita Tigers’ volleyball team defeated Arkansas Tech in three straight sets (26-24, 25-11, 25-19) on Thursday night to clinch their share of the 2016 Great American Conference regular season title, their first ever conference title under head coach Danny Prescott.

It was the fifth straight win for Ouachita, who finish the regular season with a conference-high 22 wins. Junior Kori Bullard led the Tigers with 10 kills and six blocks. As a team, Ouachita finished the match with a .342 attack percentage.

Arkansas Tech jumped out to a commanding lead in set one, forcing Ouachita to take an early timeout down 6-1. Down 14-6 in the set, the Tigers got a kill from Katie Camp to start their comeback. Behind the service of senior Ashley Wake, the Tigers cut the Golden Suns’ lead to four. Back-to-back blocks by Kori Bullard and Stormi Leonard made it 14-10.

After a Tech kill halted the rally, Ouachita got the serve right back thanks to another kill from Camp. She then held serve for four straight points to tie the set at 15-15. The two teams exchanged leads until Tech gained a two-point advantage and forcing another Ouachita timeout. Trailing 21-19, the Tigers again rallied to lock the game up at 24-24. The Tigers scored two straight with the set point coming off a kill from senior Jayme Shell.

Set two was dominated by Ouachita, winning it 25-11. Arkansas Tech was forced to take a timeout down 12-6 and then again in the second set after the Tigers extended the lead to 16-6. Camp held serve for six straight points during the Tigers’ run.

Senior Anna LeTourneau would pick up one of her two service aces on the night in the second set. Ouachita would hit .353 in the second set, committing only two attack errors to Tech’s 10. Shell led the way with three kills in set two. Junior Caitlin Cantrell came up big defensively, getting three blocks in the set.

Ouachita never trailed in set three, taking the final set 25-19. Ouachita was able to take advantage of Tech’s seven service errors and hit .294 in the finale with Bullard and Tabatha Huckabee leading the Tigers with two kills each in the set. Back-to-back errors by Tech would give Ouachita the set and the match and a share of the GAC regular-season championship.

After the match, the team recognized their four seniors Emily Alderson, Anna LeTourneau, Jayme Shell and Ashley Wake.

The win also secures the second seed in the GAC Tournament for the Tigers. They will face the seventh-seeded University of Arkansas-Monticello in the quarterfinals.

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Today on the GAC Weekly, we get to hear from Oklahoma Baptist football coach Chris Jensen and Arkansas Tech volleyball player Hunter Eshanur.

GAC Weekly Sept. 28, 2016

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CONWAY – The Arkansas Tech cross country team put together some record-setting performances as the Golden Suns came away from the UCA Open with a third-place finish Saturday morning at Beaverfork Lake Park in Conway, Ark.

The Suns scored a 92 as a team in the 4K race, finishing ahead of conference foes Southern Arkansas, Ouachita Baptist, and Arkansas-Monticello as well as ahead of Division I schools Arkansas-Little Rock and Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the 11-team race.

Cami Hedstrom pitched another head-turning performance, setting the Golden Suns individual record in the 4K with a time of 15:27.5 and coming away with a ninth-place finish. Hedstrom broke the previous record of 15:45.67 set by Eimear O’Brien back in 2005. Hedstrom also got the opportunity to run against her twin sister, Carmen Hedstrom who competes for Arkansas-Fort Smith.

Shannon McLaughlin also cashed in on a 15^th place finish, crossing the finish line in 15:36.1 and setting the Golden Suns’ second-best time in the 4K. Amy Riera came away with 17^th(scoring 16^th) with a time of 15:45.9, setting the fourth-best 4K mark in Tech history.

Logan Edwards and Mary Simmons finished back-to-back in 35^th and 36^th respectively (scoring 32^nd and 33^rd) with times of 16:34 and 16.34.2 to round out the scoring for the Suns.

GOLDEN SUNS TIMES AND PLACES

• Cami Hedstrom – 15:27.5 – 9^th
• Shannon McLaughlin – 15:36.1 – 15^th
• Amy Riera – 15:45.9 – 17^th
• Logan Edwards – 16:34 – 32^nd
• Mary Simmons – 16:34.2 – 33^rd
• Kami Ward – 16:47.6 – 39^th
• Mallory Morris – 17:34.4 – 60^th
• Megan Bradley – 17:39.3 – 62^nd
• Adrianna Simmons – 18:05.2 – 70^th
• Angel Mapp – 18:41.3 – 77^th

NEXT UP

• Next Saturday, the Golden Suns will travel to Joplin, Mo. for the Southern Stampede hosted by Missouri Southern. Start time for the race is slated for 8 a.m.

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RUSSELLVILLE – Ty Reasnor completed 22 of 26 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown, Bryan Allen rushed for 76 yards and a score, while Michael Fine racked up 99 receiving yards as the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys football team (1-0) opened its season with a 46-0 shutout of Southern Nazarene (0-1) on Thursday night at Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field.

SCORING PLAYS

• Arkansas Tech 7, Southern Nazarene 0 – 11:36 1^stquarter – Braden Stringer 3-yard run (Perez kick). 10 plays, 65 yards, 3:24.
• Arkansas Tech 9, Southern Nazarene 0 – 11:24 1^st quarter – Team Safety.
• Arkansas Tech 16, Southern Nazarene 0 – 2:22 1^st quarter – Kristian Thompson 2-yard run (Perez kick). 6 plays, 44 yards, 1:58.
• Arkansas Tech 23, Southern Nazarene 0 – 14:13 2^nd quarter – Jabyes Cross 31-yard pass from Ty Reasnor (Perez kick). 3 plays, 33 yards, 0:47.
• Arkansas Tech 30, Southern Nazarene 0 – 11:15 2^nd quarter – Bryan Allen 5-yard run (Perez kick). 5 plays, 44 yards, 1:29.
• Arkansas Tech 37, Southern Nazarene 0 – 4:24 2^nd quarter – Jandt Weary 2-yard run (Perez kick.) 13 plays, 50 yards, 4:58.
• Arkansas Tech 40, Southern Nazarene 0 – 7:34 3^rd quarter – Eric Perez 35-yard field goal. 11 plays, 74 yards, 3:53.
• Arkansas Tech 46, Southern Nazarene 0 – 4:21 3^rd quarter – Michael Fine 31-yard pass from Jabyes Cross (Perez kick blocked). 5 plays, 63 yards, 1:29.

NOTABLES

• The shutout was the first for the Wonder Boys since November 2, 2002, when Arkansas Tech downed West Alabama 25-0.
• With 23 rushing yards on the day, Braden Stringer went over 1,000 yards rushing for his career.
• The Wonder Boys racked up 28 first downs to SNU’s seven.
• While rushing yards were relatively close between the teams (Tech picked up 204, SNU picked up 133), Arkansas Tech dominated the air, outgaining SNU 287 to 30 in passing.
• The Wonder Boys offense converted seven of 13 third-down opportunities, while the Tech defense held SNU to just four of 14 conversions.
• Tech’s defense did an exceptional job holding SNU out of the red zone, giving the Crimson Storm just two opportunities inside the 20. Tech’s offense made six trips inside the 20, scoring points on five.
• Cross was able to get it done in multiple ways during the game, completing two of three passes for 37 yards, rushing for another 20 yards, and hauling in six passes for 67 yards.
• Bruce Livingston led the Wonder Boys with nine tackles, including one tackle for loss of five yards.

NEXT UP

• The Wonder Boys will be back in action on Saturday, Sept. 10, traveling to Shawnee, Oklahoma for a matchup with Oklahoma Baptist. Kickoff is set for noon. The game will be carried live on 102.3-FM (KCJC) in Russellville, with live audio, video,  and statistics available at www.arkansastechsports.com.

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This marks the third consecutive year and fifth time in the six years of the GAC preseason volleyball poll in which the Golden Suns have been tabbed the favorite to win the league.

It seems appropriate as ATU has won the regular season title the last two years and three times in the last five. The Golden Suns received 116 points and seven first-place votes.

Oklahoma Baptist garnered 106 points and a first-place vote in the poll. The Lady Bison finished 14-2 in league play in 2015, good enough for second place in the GAC, although they were ineligible for Division II postseason play due to the transition process from the NAIA.

Defending GAC tournament champion Southwestern came in third in the voting with 103 points also picked up two first-place votes.

The remaining two first-place votes went to Southern Nazarene. The Crimson Storm were third in the conference standings in 2015.

2016 GAC preseason volleyball coaches’ poll

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We wrap up the 2015-2016 athletic season with a series of Podcasts visiting with the coaches of the conference champions during the year. Today’s visit is with Arkansas Tech women’s basketball coach Dave Wilbers.

GAC Weekly July 19, 2016

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We wrap up the 2015-2016 athletic season with a series of Podcasts visiting with the coaches of the conference champions during the year. Today’s visit is with Arkansas Tech women’s golf Amy Anderson.

GAC Weekly July 14, 2016

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