- University News Archive - 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock /news-archive/tag/sara-wikstrom/ 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Mon, 22 Apr 2019 15:39:04 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Bridgett Norwood announces retirement from Trojan golf program /news-archive/2019/04/22/norwood-retires/ Mon, 22 Apr 2019 15:39:04 +0000 /news/?p=74087 ... Bridgett Norwood announces retirement from Trojan golf program]]> Trojan women鈥檚 golf head coach Bridgett Norwood announced her retirement on April 22 after being a part of the program for more than 25 years.

Norwood has been the head coach of the since 2003 and has been associated with the department since the program started in 1992, serving in both assistant coach and volunteer assistant roles. During her time with the Trojans, Norwood has helped mentor nearly two dozen All-Sun Belt Conference players.

A nationwide search for Little Rock鈥檚 next head women鈥檚 golf coach will begin immediately.

鈥淭his has been one of the greatest experiences of my life to be able to be a part of this program and coach these young women,鈥 Norwood said. 鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly grateful I was given this opportunity to be able to build those relationships, and this decision is very bittersweet. Little Rock Athletics will always be a special place for me.鈥

Under Norwood鈥檚 guidance, Little Rock captured 11 team tournament championships and 19 individual tournament titles, including three Sun Belt Conference tournament champions in Mallory Fraiche (2009), Stina Resen (2015), and Shania Berger (2016).

Twenty-six of Norwood鈥檚 golfers picked up All-Sun Belt Conference honors, including 23 of which were first team honorees. Additionally, she recruited and mentored the 2015 Sun Belt Conference Golfer (Stina Resen) and Freshman (Sabrina Bonanno) of the Year, as well as All-American Sara Wikstrom, the first Trojan women鈥檚 golfer to enter the Little Rock Hall of Fame.

鈥淚 am personally grateful for the many years of service Bridgett has given to our golf program,鈥 said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque. 鈥淥ver the years, she has not only grown our women鈥檚 golf program, but she has made a significant impact on our young women and their families. The Norwoods are synonymous with Little Rock golf, and this department will forever be grateful for their many contributions.鈥

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Women’s golf has consistently remained in the mix in tournaments across the country. Little Rock finished in the top five at the Sun Belt Conference Championship 10 times from 2003-2019, including runner-up finishes in both 2008 and 2009 while placing third in 2010, 2011, and 2015. During Norwood鈥檚 time as head coach, Little Rock finished in the top 10 among the team standings in nearly 80 percent of the tournaments it competed in.

The Trojans have not only been successful on the golf course, but also in the classroom. Little Rock regularly has been recognized by the Women鈥檚 Golf Coaches Association for its academic accomplishments, placing five Trojans on the All-American Scholars Team four times in the last five seasons.

Additionally, Norwood has been an instrumental part in the success of the Trojans鈥 annual Little Rock Women鈥檚 Golf Classic at Diamante Country Club in Hot Springs Village. A tournament that routinely is referred to as one of the favorites by opposing teams, Norwood organizes the effort which involves dozens of area volunteers, as well as host families for the competing teams to stay with during the tournament.

Norwood will continue to serve as the tournament鈥檚 director. She and her husband Wyn, Little Rock鈥檚 former men鈥檚 coach and Trojan Hall of Fame inductee, will continue in their roles as ambassadors for the Little Rock golf program.

Norwood has been active in the Arkansas women鈥檚 golf circle for more than 25 years, including serving on the Executive Committee of the Arkansas Women鈥檚 Golf Association. She bolsters an impressive playing career herself as past champion at both North Hills Country Club and Chenal Country Club, where she claimed the title in 1997, 2000, and 2001.

]]> 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock announces 2019 Hall of Fame Class /news-archive/2018/11/09/2019-hall-of-fame-class/ Fri, 09 Nov 2018 16:52:20 +0000 /news/?p=72614 ... 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock announces 2019 Hall of Fame Class]]> “Where this athletic department stands today is because of the efforts and successes of those who have come before, and this Hall of Fame class certainly have been foundation builders as they have left their legacy on the program,” said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics聽Chasse Conque. “This year we have five honorees who have represented our program at the highest level, both as student-athletes and among the coaching ranks, and we’re excited to honor them and celebrate their achievements in February.” Little Rock will hold an induction ceremony for the five honorees on Friday, February 1, the night prior to the Trojans’ basketball doubleheader against Arkansas State as part of Letterman’s Weekend. A Letterman’s social will be held Friday, Feb. 1, at the Jack Stephens Center following the induction ceremony. Former letter winners will have the opportunity to visit with their programs through individual activities the morning of February 2 and will receive two complimentary tickets to the doubleheader while being honored at halftime of the men’s game. With the additions of Aston, Ballard, Morrison, Reed. and Wikstrom, the Little Rock Athletics Hall of Fame now consists of 68 individuals and four teams. More information about the 2019 Hall of Fame inductees: KAREN ASTON (Women’s Basketball, 1987) 32636 Karen Aston is a 1987 graduate of Little Rock, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in physical education. A native of Benton, she played two seasons of standout basketball for the Trojans after transferring fromOuachita Baptist, leading the team in scoring and field goals made in 1985-86. Following graduation, Aston entered the coaching ranks where her experience ranges from high school to the collegiate ranks. She was named the Arkansas Basketball Coach of the Year after leading Vilonia to a 36-1 record and the Class 2A state title in 1992-93. Her stops at the collegiate level include Charlotte and North Texas as Aston is currently the head coach of the University of Texas, boasting an overall coaching record of 243-125. The 2016-17 Big 12 Coach of the Year, Aston has led her teams to six NCAA Tournament appearances. including three Sweet 16 finishes and an Elite Eight appearance in 2016. Aston was named a finalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year award in 2016-17 and has led Texas to 22 or more victories in each of the past five seasons, finishing second in the Big 12 for the last three years. BILL BALLARD (Men’s Basketball/Administrator) 32637 Coach Bill Ballard came to Little Rock from the College of the Ozarks in the late 1950s and began his extensive involvement with the Trojan Athletic Department. Serving as an instructor in health and physical education, Ballard served as the Trojans’ men’s basketball coach from 1961-65 and won 44 games during his tenure. Ballard’s experience was not limited to the court, however, as he was tasked with creating the Little Rock baseball program, along with serving as the program’s first head coach. He earned the title of Dean of Men and was named the head of the health and physical education department. Ballard later served as the program’s Athletic Director, making a number of notable hires, including Trojan Hall of Fame coaches Dr. Newman McGee and John Torbett. He continues to be one of the department’s biggest fans, serving as an ambassador for the Lettermen’s Association and creating the Bill and Juanita Ballard Endowed Student Scholarship in 2015. He remains a fixture at Trojan athletic events and remains a staunch supporter of Little Rock’s Team. MIKE MORRISON (Men’s Golf, 1968) Mike Morrison Headshot (2019 HOF) Mike Morrison was one of the foundations of the Little Rock golf program, competing for the Trojans for three seasons. During his time with the Trojans, Morrison ranked among the national leaders in scoring average and was named an NAIA All-American in both 1967 and 1968. After earning his degree from Little Rock in 1968, Morrison remained active in the golf community, winning a number of tournaments. He captured the prestigious KB Rand Tournament in Searcy as well as the annual Fourth of July Tournament at War Memorial Golf Course. Morrison captured the club championship at Maumelle Country Club in both 1974 and 1975. Morrison worked as a furniture sales representative for over 40 years, moving to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma after his time in Little Rock. He continued to be an avid golfer and passionate advocate for the sport until his passing in 2010. CHASTITY REED (Women’s Basketball, 2011) Chastity Reed Headshot (2019 HOF) One of women’s basketball’s all-time greats, Chastity Reed helped build the Little Rock basketball program into the dynasty that it is today. Reed was a three-time All-Sun Belt Conference first team selection for the Trojans, being named the Sun Belt’s Player of the Year and earning AP All-America Honorable Mention recognition in 2010. Reed’s name is listed throughout the Trojan record book as she is the program’s all-time leading scorer, becoming the only player in program history to surpass the 2,000-point mark. Reed is also the program’s all-time rebounding leader with 896 and ranks second all-time in career steals, fifth all-time in career assists and fifth all-time in career blocks. Reed was a Regional Finalist for the State Farm Coaches All-American award in 2009 and 2010 and helped guide the Trojans to their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. Following her playing days for聽, Reed played in the WNBA for the Tulsa Shock and Phoenix Mercury before continuing her playing career overseas in Israel, Romania, Lithuania, and most recently in Switzerland. SARA WIKSTROM聽(Women’s Golf, 2009) Sara Wikstrom Headshot (2019 HOF) Sara Wikstrom made her mark on the Little Rock women’s golf program from 2005-09, going down as one of the top golfers in school history. She holds the record for the Trojans’ all-time lowest scoring average at 74.63, competing in 126 rounds of golf for Little Rock, the most in program history. Wikstrom also holds the program’s single-season scoring average record, posting a 73.78 average in 2006-07, en route to competing in the NCAA Regional tournament. Of her 126 career rounds played, 35 of them were par-or-better, including seven rounds in the 60s, the most of any Trojan golfer. She is also the program’s all-time career leader with 309 birdies, 59 better than the number two total. During her Trojan career, Wikstrom won eight individual titles, which ranks among the top-25 in NCAA Division I golf history. She was a three-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection and was a three-time NCAA regional qualifier in 2005, 2006 and 2007.]]>