- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Spectac��Vlog��ýLR to Honor Warren and Cindy Simpson

John Hill — Thu, 20 May 2021 14:14:30 +0000

Little Rock Athletics is excited to announce Warren and Cindy Simpson as the honorees for the 13th annual Spectac��Vlog��ýLR event benefiting Little Rock Athletics on Thursday, Oct. 7, at the Jack Stephens Center on the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock campus. “Warren has been a tremendous friend and supporter of Little Rock athletics and our university,” said Director of Athletics George Lee. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to honor Warren and Cindy for their service and what they have meant to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Warren played an instrumental role in making the Jack Stephens Center become a reality. “I still remember it like it was yesterday. Warren, myself, then Men’s Basketball Head Coach Porter Moser, Chris Peterson along with Warren Stephens toured the fieldhouse on campus. At the time the discussion was to renovate it for us to play in. During that visit is where the idea of a brand-new arena came about and that doesn’t happen without Warren being such a strong advocate for our program.” Simpson has been a longtime supporter for Trojan Athletics and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. He currently serves on the Trojan Athletic Council, the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Board of Visitors and is a past president of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Foundation Board. In addition to serving the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock campus, Simpson has served as an ambassador to many Little Rock and central Arkansas organizations, including as a past president and treasurer of the Easter Seals Foundation Board, past president of Little Rock Downtown Partnership, and chairman of the Advertising and Promotion Commission. He has also served on the board of the War Memorial Stadium Commission, Fifty for the Future and the Episcopal Collegiate School Board. Simpson currently serves as executive vice president of Stephens Inc., managing director of Stephens Capital Management and member of the Stephens Choice Investment Committee. He has been in the investment business since 1982 and with Stephens since 1987. Simpson served as director of investments for Stephens Sports Management from 1990 to 1994. “Cindy and I are both so excited and appreciative to be asked to be this year’s Spectac��Vlog��ýLR honorees,” Simpson said. “We both care so much for Little Rock and believe that what is good for the university and Little Rock Athletics is best for the city. “Dr. Ted Bailey, who I consider my second dad, was really who got me involved with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. He knew that this university serves as a strong economic engine for the economy and health of our city. He instilled that importance in me, and Cindy and I are both so grateful to be able to support and represent the university.” In addition to his long-standing ties with the university, Warren has also been a longtime friend with Head Coach Darrell Walker. “Darrell and I have been friends close to 30 years since the Stephens Sports Management days back in 1991 or 92,” Warren said. “I can’t tell you how much I think of Darrell not only professionally but both he and Lisa personally as well. They’ve both been such great friends and I am so excited about the future of Trojan basketball.” “I’ve known Warren for a long time and proud to call him a friend,” Walker said. “He has done so many things behind the scenes for this university, and I can’t think of a better way to honor and recognize Warren and Cindy than having them be the honorees for this year’s Spectac��Vlog��ýLR.” Over the past 12 years, Spectac��Vlog��ýLR has brought in more than $2.5 million since its inaugural event in 2009. These generous donations are used to help fund the 15 Trojan athletic programs, annually benefitting more than 240 student-athletes who represent Little Rock athletics. The year’s event will feature a new twist with a casino night. Every ticket holder will receive chips that can be used to play games to win tickets for prizes. There will also be a silent and live auction with items ranging from memorabilia, gift packages and one-of-a-kind experiences. All proceeds from the event directly support Little Rock student-athletes. To order a table for Spectac��Vlog��ýLR 2021, or for more information on how to become a sponsor, contact Melinda Spradling, director of athletic development, at (501) 414-3220 or via email at mkspradling@.

Little Rock Announces Extension For Head Coach Darrell Walker

John Hill — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 19:29:37 +0000

Little Rock has announced a contract extension for men’s basketball head coach Darrell Walker, with the new deal running through the 2023-24 season. “Coach Walker has done a fantastic job bringing a talented and exciting group of young men together,” said Director of Athletics George Lee. “The future of Little Rock basketball is bright, and we are proud to have coach Walker leading the program.” Walker helped engineer one of the best turnarounds in Division I basketball in his second season in 2019-20. Picked to finish 11th in the Sun Belt preseason poll, Little Rock flipped its record from the previous season to post a 21-10 overall mark, going 15-5 in Sun Belt play and capturing the league’s regular-season championship. “I want to thank George Lee, Dr. Christina Drale, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for its faith and confidence in me to lead this program,” Walker said. “Little Rock is my home, and I feel fortunate to be able to coach in front of friends and family. We’re building something special here and I’m excited about the future of this program.” Behind the success of the Trojans, Walker was named the Sun Belt’s Coach of the Year before the Trojans’ quest for an NCAA postseason run was cut short due to the global coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, Little Rock boasted a pair of All-Americans in Ruot Monyyong (Lefty Driesell Defensive) and Markquis Nowell (Lou Henson) as the duo were both named first team All-Sun Belt honorees. Walker and the Trojans are eager to defend their Sun Belt Conference title, returning nearly the entire roster for the 2020-21 season. The team has adopted the mantra “Unfinished Business” as it looks to build on last year’s success and elevate the program to new heights under Walker’s leadership.

Walker Announces A Pair of International Additions

John Hill — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 21:55:52 +0000

Little Rock head coach Darrell Walker has announced a pair of additions to the Trojan basketball roster. Marko Andric, of Belgrade, Serbia, and Yacine Toumi, of Meudon, France, have both signed letters of intent and will join the program as freshmen this summer. Both Andric and Toumi bring impressive resumes at the international level as both have been members of their respective national teams. With their additions, Little Rock will add to a roster that already spans the globe as the Trojans will head into the 2020-21 season with six international players on the team. “I’m very excited to bring these two players to Little Rock and add them to our team,” said Walker. “We were fortunate with everything going on with the epidemic that we only had two spots to fill, and we were able to fill needs that we had. I wanted another true point guard, and we got that, and I wanted an athletic player with some length, and we got that. There will be a learning curve for both of them as they are both freshmen, but with the talent level they both have, they’ll fit right in with what we’re building here.” Andric competed for BC Mega Bemax in 2019-20 as part of the Adriatic Basketball Association. He has been a member of the Serbian FIBA National team for the past seasons, winning a bronze medal at the 2017 European Championships in Montenegro. Andric won U15 and U17 National Championships with BC Mega Bemax while finishing second on U18 Euroleague Adidas Next Gen Tournament in Spain. “Marko is a true point guard that is all about running the team and helping out his teammates,” Walker said. “We need that depth, and I think he’s going to be a real good backup to Markquis (Nowell) early in his career as he continues to learn and develop. He’s athletic, he thinks the game, and he has a very high basketball IQ. If you can play on your country’s national team, you’re a pretty good player.” Toumi competed at Lee Academy in Lee, Maine, as a senior. He also competed at the Impact Basketball Academy In Sarasota, Florida. Toumi is a native of Tunisia and competed on the Tunisian National Team in the FIBA U18 African Championships, where the team placed seventh.

Yacine Toumi (Center)

“He’s an athletic 6-9 player that will need to find John Barron in the weight room once he gets here,” Walker said. “But he’s very skilled, very athletic, and shoots the ball pretty solid. He has a real upside and we’re lucky to be able to get a player with his length and wingspan. He can put the ball on the floor and can play multiple positions so he will add some depth to a number of players right away.” Little Rock is coming off a season for the ages in 2019-20, putting together one of the best turnarounds in Division I basketball. The Trojans captured the Sun Belt regular-season championship by two games and posted a 21-10 record after a 10-21 campaign in 2018-19. Little Rock was one of just two teams in the nation that won its respective league title after being picked 11th in the preseason poll.

Trojans to face Razorbacks in Charity Exhibition Match

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 16:17:41 +0000

University of Arkansas at Little Rock basketball fans will have an opportunity to get an early look at the 2019-20 Trojan squad when Little Rock takes on Arkansas in a charity exhibition on Sunday, Oct. 20. The game will be played at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, tipping at 3 p.m. All tickets for the game are $10 and seating will be on a first come-first served basis. Proceeds from the exhibition will go towards charities benefiting Arkansans impacted by the flooding of the Arkansas River this past spring. Prior to the game, there will be a pregame ceremony to officially unveil “Nolan Richardson Court.” Parking for the exhibition is free and fans are encouraged to park in the following lots: 56 (Razorback Road); 46, 56B, and 60 (Leroy Pond Road); 47N, 74A, and 74B (Center Street); 55, 59, and Meadow Street Parking Garage. ADA parking is available in all lots listed. The game will serve as an early season warm-up for Little Rock, who will begin their 2019-20 season on the road at Missouri State on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Head Coach Darrell Walker and his squad will hold its first official practice of the season on Thursday, Sept. 26, at 2 p.m. on Fisher Court at the Jack Stephens Center. Season tickets for the 2019-20 Little Rock basketball season are on sale by contacting the Trojan ticket office at 501-565-8257. The complete 2019-20 schedule for the Trojans is available .

Coach Walker to be featured in upcoming art event in Chicago

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 13:36:05 +0000

Off the court, University of Arkansas at Little Rock head men’s basketball coach Darrell Walker has a reputation for his love of art. The former NBA star is one of the most prolific African American art collectors in the country and will give a talk on his evolution as a collector on Saturday, July 20, at Loyola University. The event, “Darrell Walker: In the Paint,” will take place from 6-9 p.m. at the Edward Crown Center for the Humanities at Loyola University in Chicago. Moderating the discussion will be Tracie Hall, director of the Joyce Foundation’s Culture Program, while Dionne Miller, ABC 7 Chicago Sports anchor and reporter, will serve as the emcee. Walker and his wife Lisa collect art by modern and contemporary black artists, and their collection has been featured in exhibitions around the country. The couple has donated nine works to the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s permanent collection and loaned additional works to be displayed at the university. Prior to the event, Walker will attend Pigment International’s art exhibition and sale, followed by a meet and greet with local high school and college art students. During the salon talk, Walker will also discuss how he helps build artist’s careers and the legacy he hopes to impart within the African American art world. More information about the event, hosted by Pigment International, can be.

Trojans Unveil ‘We Are One’ Season Ticket Campaign

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 13:15:39 +0000

With the 2019-20 athletic season on the horizon, Little Rock Athletics officially launched its “We Are One” season ticket campaign for the upcoming Trojan basketball season. The campaign builds off the familiar theme of “Our City. Our Team” which was utilized for the past two seasons to help promote the Trojans as Little Rock’s Team. The concept also helps encompass the vision to unite the city of Little Rock, with the Trojans helping serve as a valuable component in that idea. “Our primary focus continues to be creating a synergy between the capital city and our student-athletes that represent Little Rock’s Team,” said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque “‘We Are One’ further demonstrates the unity college athletics can bring to our community. We look forward to another exciting year of Trojan basketball and hope fans of all ages will join us in our quest to continue to compete for championships.” “We Are One” will soon have a prominent presence throughout the Little Rock metro area, including digital through Lamar Outdoor Advertising as well as radio and television commercials through local media outlets. Affordable price points continue to be available for season tickets at the Jack Stephens Center, and season ticket packages include all men’s and women’s home games. Upper Leather season tickets can be purchased for $350, and Lower Chairback seats are only $250 with each additional Lower Chairback costing $100. End Zone General Admission tickets for every home game are only $99. University of Arkansas Little Rock employees will receive a 30 percent discount on selected sections as university employees have the option of payroll deduction. Premium seating and other game day experience options remain available as we head into the 2019-20 season. The Junior Trojans Club will return for another season and remains priced at $50 per child with each additional child costing $40. Faculty and staff of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will receive a discounted rate of $35 for the Junior Trojans Club. Season tickets can be purchased by contacting the Trojan ticket office at 501-565-8257. Online purchases will be available in the coming weeks. Excitement is high heading into the 2019-20 season for the Little Rock Trojans. Head coach ‘s women’s team is coming off its 10th Sun Belt title and sixth NCAA tournament appearance, all of which have come since 2008. On the men’s side, head coach is entering his second season and brings a mix of veteran players with talented newcomers. Schedules for both the Trojan men and women are still being finalized with the full schedules expected to be released in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to LRTrojans.com as well as the Little Rock social media outlets for all the latest information surrounding Trojan Athletics.

Walker honored with Kindred Spirit Award

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 15:12:24 +0000

Darrell Walker, head men’s basketball coach at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, received the Kindred Spirt Award on Sept. 18 for his contributions to the arts in central Arkansas. Walter Hussman, publisher of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, presented the award to Walker at the Muses Creative Artistry Project’s gala-style concert and dinner at the Governor’s Mansion. Walker, who is an enthusiastic collector of art, was selected for the award for inspiring excellence in the arts in central Arkansas. Walker and his wife Lisa collect art by modern and contemporary black artists, and their collection has been featured in exhibitions around the country. Over the summer, the couple donated nine works to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s permanent collection and loaned additional works to a curated exhibition. The Muses Creative Artistry Project employs professional artists, musicians, and teachers from within the state and across the country to create diverse performance opportunities and presentations in all genres of highest quality artistic collaboration: instrumental and vocal music, fine art, literature, poetry, drama, and dance. The Muses Project is a member of the Arkansas Arts Council Arts on Tour program. Support for the project is provided, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment for the Arts. In addition to the arts, Walker has dedicated his life to Arkansas basketball, playing at the University of Arkansas and now coaching at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Walker brings with him extensive basketball experience at both the collegiate and professional level. His playing experience includes three years at the University of Arkansas and 10 seasons in the National Basketball Association, followed by a 20-year professional coaching career, including serving as head coach for two different NBA franchises. Walker earned his degree in human resources from the University of Arkansas. He was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2003, enshrined into the University of Arkansas Hall of Honor in 2008, and will be inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame on Oct. 27 at the Robinson Center Performance Hall in Little Rock.

Coach Walker selected as Arkansas Black Hall of Fame honoree

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 14:08:44 +0000

Darrell Walker, head coach of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock men’s basketball team, has been named an inductee for the 2018 Arkansas Black Hall of Fame. Walker will join the at the induction ceremony on Oct. 27 at the Robinson Center Performance Hall in Little Rock, which will offer a variety show featuring comedy, dance, and music. Walker has dedicated his life to Arkansas basketball, playing at the University of Arkansas and now coaching at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Walker brings with him extensive basketball experience at both the collegiate and professional level. His playing experience includes three years at the University of Arkansas and 10 seasons in the National Basketball Association, followed by a 20-year professional coaching career, including serving as head coach for two different NBA franchises. Walker earned his degree in human resources from the University of Arkansas. He was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 and was enshrined into the University of Arkansas Hall of Honor in 2008. A native of Chicago, Walker played one season at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith before spending three seasons at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Under head coach Eddie Sutton, Walker amassed 1,325 points, ranking 18th all-time on the Razorback scoring list, while ranking fourth in program steals (230) and sixth in free throws made (524). He was named a second team All-American and a first team National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District selection in 1983, helping Arkansas reach the Sweet 16 in both 1981 and 1983. Walker was the two-time Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year, being named to the 1983 NABC All-Star game. Walker was the 12th overall pick by the New York Knicks in the 1983 NBA draft, beginning a 10-year NBA career in which he suited up for five different teams. Walker averaged 8.9 points, 4.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game during his professional career, playing for NBA Hall of Fame coaches Hubie Brown, Wes Unseld, Chuck Daly and Phil Jackson. Walker described his years at ��Vlog��ý as important to his learning to become a man. He’s been living in Little Rock since 1983. Although born in Chicago, Walker now calls himself a “native son” of Arkansas. “I’ve tried to always be an ambassador for the state of Arkansas,” Walker said. Walker will be joined by five other inductees, including Kevin Cole, celebrated painter, printmaker, and sculptor; Brent Jennings, a film and stage actor and director; Lt. Gen. Aundre Piggee, the U.S. Army deputy chief of staff for logistics at the Pentagon; Florence Price, the first black woman recognized as a symphonic composer and to have a composition played by a major orchestra; and Mary Louise Williams, an education advocate and sorority and political leader. The Arkansas Black Hall of Fame was established in 1992. Walker and the other inductees will join the Hall of Fame’s more than 140 members. The organization generally inducts five living black Arkansans and one posthumous honoree each year. This year’s posthumous honor went to Price, who died in 1953. Two of Price’s descendants will accept the award on her behalf, and a string quartet will perform some of her music. Price regained national prominence after a person in Chicago found a collection of her work while renovating a home. Price also was a recipient of the Music Teachers National Association Foundation Fellow Award earlier this year after Linda Holzer, a ��Vlog��ý Little Rock professor of music, campaigned for Price to receive the award from the national organization after the state organization, the Arkansas State Music Teachers Association, denied Price entry due to her race nearly a century ago.

Graduate student added to Trojan Basketball Roster

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 13:53:11 +0000

University of Arkansas at Little Rock head men’s basketball coach has announced the addition of to the Trojan roster for the 2018-19 season. Koljanin comes to Little Rock as a graduate student after earning his bachelor’s degree from Marshall and has one year of eligibility remaining. Koljanin played in 21 games with seven starts for the Thundering Herd in 2017-18, averaging 2.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game. He notched a career-high 11 points in the win over Old Dominion and was a member of Marshall’s Conference USA tournament championship and NCAA tournament team, playing in Marshall’s second round game against West Virginia. Prior to his time in Huntington, Koljanin spent two seasons at Monroe College in New Rochelle, New York, where he was an honorable mention junior college All-American in 2016 after averaging 13.7 points and 6.5 rebounds in 34 games. The Pula, Croatia, native registered five double-doubles on the year, scoring in double figures in 28 games. Koljanin arrived in Little Rock and has begun official workouts with the team as the Trojans set their sights on the 2018-19 season which opens at the Jack Stephens Center on Thursday, Nov. 8, against Southeastern Oklahoma. Season tickets are available by visiting �� or by calling 565-8257.

Windgate Center freshens galleries with new art, paint

Janea Snyder — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 18:53:07 +0000

New art from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s permanent art collection is on display in the Windgate Center for Art and Design through July 20, including three works of art donated or loaned by ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Basketball Coach Darrell Walker and his wife Lisa. The Walkers collect art by modern and contemporary black artists, and their collection has been featured in exhibitions around the country. The couple has donated nine works to the university’s permanent collection and loaned additional works to the curated exhibition currently on display in the Brad Cushman Gallery. Two works included in this exhibition are “Separation II,” a 1998 acrylic on paper work by artist Herbert Gentry, and “Council of Convenience,” a 1995 lithograph by artist Juan Logan.

Separation II by Herbert Gentry

Walker is also loaning “The Heartbeat of Something Unanimous,” a 1990 oil on canvas by artist Moe Brooker to the exhibition. The Cushman Gallery has been newly repainted and the works re-installed. Other additions to “Works from the Permanent Collection” include art by Alice Leora Briggs, Helen Phillips, Francoise Gilot, Elsie Bates Freund, Arnold Zimmerman, Adrian Louis Brewer, Alecia Walls-Barton, Gustave Baumann, Lorre Hoffman, Ron Meyers, Hugo Crosthwaite, Jack Radcliffe, John Harlan Norris, William Bailey, Allison Short, Chris Jenkins, Mamma Andersson, Jockum Nordström, Alex Leme, Jaime Erin Johnson, Robyn Horn, Heidi Hogden, and Trevor Bennett. The exhibition is comprised of drawings and paintings; fine art prints and photographs; sculptural objects, ceramics, and contemporary crafts. The collection represents the work of professional artists with regional, national, and international reputations and art produced by students studying art and design at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. The Brad Cushman Gallery is open 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Basketball Coach Darrell Walker poses with an oil painting, “The Heartbeat of Something Unanimous,” by artist Moe Brooker in the Brad Cushman Gallery in the Windgate Center for Art and Design. Photo of Benjamin Krain

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

Spectac����Vlog��ýLR to Honor Warren and Cindy Simpson