COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Notae, Umude at Portsmouth
Former University of Arkansas guards JD Notae and Stanley Umude will play in the 68th annual Portsmouth (Va.) Invitational Tournament today through Saturday.
The 6-2 Notae, who is from Covington, Ga., averaged 18.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 33.2 minutes per game this season when he was named a third-team All-American by The Associated Press and The Sporting News and voted a first-team All-SEC player by the coaches and members of the media.
Umude, 6-6 transfer from South Dakota, averaged 11.9 points and 4.6 rebounds and shot 37.1% on three-pointers (53 of 143) this season.
The Portsmouth Invitational is the oldest amateur basketball tournament in the United States and the only postseason camp restricted to college basketball seniors.
— Bob Holt
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Morgan on his way to Russellville
Trent Morgan was the driving force behind England’s impressive trek through Class 2A for the past three seasons, but he’s ready to embrace a new journey after being named the new boys head coach at Russellville.
The 33-year-old was hired for Kyle Pennington, who left for the same position at Little Rock Christian after leading Russellville to four consecutive 5A-West championships.
“We are excited to bring Coach Morgan to Russellville,” Cyclones Athletic Director Johnny Johnson said. “He is one of the top young coaches in the state. He will be a perfect fit for our players and community.”
Morgan went 59-24 in three seasons at England and guided the Lions to the Class 2A state title in 2020.
— Erick Taylor
Fannin heading to De Queen
Jarrod Fannin, who led Dierks to back-to-back conference titles, will be the new head coach at De Queen.
The move was made official during a school board meeting Monday.
The 41-year-old is replacing Brad Chesshir, who resigned earlier this month to become the head coach and athletic director at Murfreesboro. Fannin went 25-20 in four seasons at Dierks and led the Outlaws to four straight playoff appearances.
Fannin, who was the defensive coordinator at De Queen from 2012-2016, previously spent time coaching at Lafayette County from 2004-08 and Ashdown from 2008-10.
— Erick Taylor
GOLF
ASU women win ORU Spring Invite
With a 5-over par 293 performance in Tuesday’s final round, the Arkansas State women slid past host Oral Roberts for the team title at the ORU Spring Invite at The Club at Indian Springs in Broken Arrow, Okla.
ASU’s second-round even-par 288 was the best single-round showing from any of the 10 participating teams, and the Red Wolves’ 874 was the fourth-lowest 54-hole total in program history.
Junior Olivia Schmidt was one of three ASU players among the top five individuals, shooting 3-under 213 to top the field. Sophomore Kayla Burke finished fourth with a 1-over 217 and junior Casey Sommer was one shot behind in fifth.
The University of Arkansas-Little Rock struggled in the third round, finishing fifth as a team with a 53-over par 917. Freshman Katja Mueller led the Trojans with a 4-over 220, good for sixth as an individual.
— Mitchell Gladstone
HSU men, women win GAC titles
The Henderson State University men’s and women’s teams won the Great American Conference championships, with the men’s team doing so in a playoff, at Hot Springs Country Club on Tuesday.
Henderson State and Southwestern Oklahoma State finished the 54-hole event on the Arlington Course tied at 3-over, with the Reddies posting the low round of the day at 5-under as a team to force a playoff on the 10th hole. Henderson State played it in 6-under as Alex Hadden and Josh McNulty eagled the hole, while Miller Harris and Nick Shaprio both had birdies. Southwestern Oklahoma State played the hole at 2-under.
Arkansas Tech University’s Henry Frizzell birdied the last hole to win the men’s medalist honors for the second consecutive year. Shaprio and McNulty finished one stroke behind Frizzell. Shapiro carded the low round of the day with a 3-under 69.
On the women’s side, Henderson State successfully defended its title on the Park Course as the Reddies led wire-to-wire. GAC Player of the Year Gracen Blount defeated Arkansas Tech’s Jacqueline Klemm by one stroke to earn medalist honors. Blount shot an even-par 72 to become the second HSU player to win medalist honors and all five Reddies finished in the top 10.
UCA men finish 14th at Tiger Intercollegiate
The Central Arkansas men finished 14th of 17 teams during the Tiger Intercollegiate at The Club at Old Hawthorne in Columbia, Mo., on Monday and Tuesday, ending the 54-hole event with a 28-over 892.
UCA had just one individual card a round under par, with Fayetteville native Palmer McSpadden turning in a 1-under 71 Tuesday. Juniors Josh Turnock and Spencer Jenkins tied for 40th as individuals, finishing with scores of 6-over 222.
— Mitchell Gladstone
ASU men 15th at Mossy Oak Collegiate
Senior Christofer Rahm had the best showing for the Arkansas State men in the Mossy Oak Collegiate at Mossy Oak Golf Course in West Point, Miss., tying for 20th with a 1-under par 215.
But he was the only ASU player under par as the Red Wolves’ 17-over 881 was 15th among 19 teams in the field. Junior Luka Naglic joined Rahm in red numbers during Tuesday’s final round — both carded a 4-under 68 — but Naglic finished tied for 46th after opening with a pair of 76s Monday.
— Mitchell Gladstone
TRACK AND FIELD
SEC honor for Fassold
University of Arkansas pole vaulter Amanda Fassold was announced as SEC Field Athlete of the Week Tuesday after clearing a personal-best 14 feet, 41/2 inches to win at the John McDonnell Invitational on Friday.
Fassold, a sophomore transfer from Azusa (Calif.) Pacific, ranks eighth on Arkansas’ all-time list.
— Democrat-Gazette Press Services
