Unfortunately for her, it was just a little short in her attempt to make the team.

For Arkansas star Ellis-Watson finished fourth in the 400m final, running a 50.25 in the event. She was .08 seconds behind Natasha Hastings, whose time of 50.17 was enough for third place.

Allison Felix claimed first place in the final with a sub-50 time of 49.68. Felix is a six-time Olympic medalist with two silvers and four golds, including the 200m championship in 2012.

Phyllis Francis finished second at 49.94. The top three will represent the United States in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August at the 2016 Olympics.

The post Ellis-Watson comes up just short in 400m at Olympic Trials appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.

Thursday, Sept. 1
Houston Baptist at Central Arkansas
Opening weekend provides a conference game right off the bat in the Southland. It will also be broadcast on the American Sports Network, but if you’re in the Conway area, it looks to be a great time to get to a game and break in the season, and one night before most high school football in the state gets underway.

Saturday, Sept. 3
Oklahoma Baptist at Harding
This one was a lot closer than most expected last year in Shawnee as OBU played its first game in D-II. (HU won 20-19 in overtime after a missed OBU extra point.) But the Bisons, and Bison for that matter, are in Searcy for this year’s opener where Harding has won its last three home openers by a combined total of 153-6.

Saturday, Sept. 10
Hendrix at Lyon
The Scots didn’t win a game in their first football campaign last season, and that includes a 42-7 loss at Hendrix. But Lyon has a year now under its football belt and this is a game that could develop into an in-state rivalry with time.

Saturday, Sept. 17
Southwestern Oklahoma at Ouachita
Southwestern stopped the Tigers’ 13-game regular season winning streak in Weatherford last year. But the Dawgs to Arkadelphia this season where a strong offense should be waiting for them.

Saturday, Sept. 24
Central Arkansas at Arkansas State
The teams combined for 16 wins in 2015 and this will be first time the two teams have squared off in five years and 25th time overall. It will be the final non-conference game for the Red Wolves before trying to extend a nine-game Sun Belt wining streak.

Saturday, Oct. 1
Henderson State at Arkansas Tech
The all-time series is pretty tight with Tech holding a 43-41-4 lead. The Reddies handed the Wonder Boys their first loss of the season, but the ATU defense did a solid job holding HSU to just 17 points, the lowest total in GAC play.

Saturday, Oct. 8
Arkansas Tech at Ouachita
Three of the four games Ouachita lost in 2015 were away from Cliff Harris Stadium. The Tigers get another chance to host one of the teams to pull off one of those wins as the Golden Boys head to Arkadelphia in October.

Saturday, Oct. 15
Berry at Henrix
The Warriors took only one loss last season in conference play and that was on the road at Berry. Hendrix will get to host this one at Crafton-Faulkner Field and a win in this one could go a long way toward winning the SAA again.

Ole Miss at Arkansas
Anyone remember last year’s game? 4th and 25. Overtime. Lateral. Two-point conversion. Henry. Collins. Allen. Six touchdown passes. The sequel may not be as exciting as all that. Or will it?

Saturday, Oct. 22
Henderson State vs. Southern Arkansas (Murphy USA Classic at El Dorado)
These two teams faced each other in this Classic, now in its eighth edition in 2016, two years ago with HSU winning 55-41. Oddly enough, it means the Reddies will have now gone without playing in Magnolia since 2012.

Saturday, Oct. 29
East Central at Arkansas-Monticello
The Boll Weevils scored 15 unanswered points and missed a 50-plus yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds as they came up three points short for the second consecutive weekend on the road. UAM will get the Tigers in Monticello this year.

Southeastern at Southern Arkansas
The 35-13 loss in Durant last year to the Storm was an aberration of late as this matchup is has become a one-possession game in recent years, and regularly comes down to the final minute – and even final play. The Muleriders tied the last game between the two in Magnolia on a touchdown pass on the last play of the game and the PAT won it, 30-29.

Saturday, Nov. 5
Mississippi Valley State at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Both of the Lions’ wins in 2015 came in overtime. UAPB held off MVSU in the final game of the season last year, 25-19, and this year’s game is at Golden Lion Stadium.

Saturday, Nov. 12
New Mexico State at Arkansas State
The Red Wolves have six home games, but this one is the final one and the final three are on the road. NMSU may be an easy game for Senior Day, but it is also Heroes Day and a great time to recognize our military and celebrate the soldiers.

Henderson State at Ouachita
The Battle of the Ravine. The Shortest Road Trip in College Football. HSU leads the series 43-40-6.
Enough said.

Saturday, Nov. 19
Prairie View A&M at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
It’s the final regular season college football game in the state in 2016. And the Marching Storm and the M4 will be performing. A great way to close out the year.

The post 16 Games to Watch in ’16 appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.

Ellis-Watson came in third in the firsr of two semifinal heats in the 400m and is one of eight runners to advance to the finals on Sunday.

The former Arkansas star had a time of 50.60, which was the fourth-best time overall on the day.

Ellis-Watson took nearly a full second off her time of 51.54 from the first round on Friday.

The final 400m qualifying race is scheduled to start at 6:38 p.m. (CDT)

The post Ellis-Watson advances to finals in 400m at U.S. Olympic Trials appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.

Ellis-Watson, a recent graduate of Arkansas and member of the national championship team this spring, ran a 51.54 in the second heat of the day.

The top three in each of the four heats advanced along with the next four fastest times. Ellis-Watson’s time was sixth best on the day.

She is ranked 23rd in the world in the 400m and had a personal best of 50.78 at the LSU Invitational on April 30.

The post Ellis-Watson advances in 400m at U.S. Olympic Trials appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.

Taylor Ellis-Watson (Arkansas), Aundrea Gamble (Arkansas State), Katie Huff (Arkansas Tech), Haley Hatcher (Ouachita) and Sireta Roach (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) were among 517 student-athletes from Divisions I, II and III in the NCAA recognized on this year’s list.

The award honors graduating female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership. Student-athletes are nominated only once in their career by their school.

Taylor Ellis-Watson, from Philadelphia, Pa., ran track at Arkansas. She is a four-time outdoor All-American as a sprinter and helped her team to an outdoor national championship this spring. She had a world-leading time at 400 meters of 52.26 at the Razorback Invitational.

Aundrea Gamble, who played basketball at Arkansas State, is from McKinney, Texas. Three times she was the Sun Belt Conference Student-Athlete of the Year and seven times was the Player of the Week. Gamble finished her career with 1,932 points and 479 assists.

Katie Huff, from Springdale, played volleyball at Arkansas Tech. She was on the First Team All-Great American Conference and led the league with a .325 hitting percentage.

Haley Hatcher, who played soccer at Ouachita, is from Maumelle. She is a three-time Great American Conference women’s soccer Player of the Year and was the 2015 Academic All-America Division II Women’s Soccer Player of the Year.

Sireta Roach, from Kingston, Jamaica, was a track and field athlete at Arkansas-Pine Bluff. She was a two-time conference champion in the shot put and had six individual victories during her senior year. Roach competed in the shot put, discus throw and hammer throw.

The post Five Arkansas college athletes nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year award appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.