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

Trojans claim Sun Belt title

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 14:58:48 +0000

For the second time in three years, the Trojans women’s basketball team has won the Sun Belt championship. Little Rock clinched an outright Sun Belt regular-season championship and the No. 1 seed in the league tournament with a 52-45 victory over Georgia State Feb. 25 at the Jack Stephens Center. As the tournament’s No. 1 seed, Little Rock will get a first-round bye and will not have to play a game until the second round on Thursday, March 9, at 11:30 a.m. Little Rock will play the winner of the March 7 first-round game between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds. The win also completed Little Rock’s perfect Sun Belt Conference home record, as the Trojans went 9-0 against league foes at the Jack Stephens Center this year. The win was Little Rock’s 18th straight conference win at home. Lastly, Little Rock guaranteed itself a spot in the national postseason, as the regular-season conference champion from every league earns an automatic bid in the Postseason WNIT if it does not make the NCAA Tournament. The Trojans (21-7, 15-1 Sun Belt) got a strong offensive game from the forward corps of , , and as the trio scored 38 of the team’s points on Saturday. Pratt led the way with 16 points and had six rebounds, and DeGray had 14 points and six rebounds as well. Dillard finished the night with 8 points. was the top Trojan rebounder with 10 boards, and had a team-high five assists. The outcome was in doubt until the final minutes. With Little Rock leading by as many as 12 in the third quarter, Georgia State fought back to get within 2 points at 43-41 with 2:20 left. But Little Rock got consecutive baskets from offensive rebounds as DeGray got a layup and Collier followed with a layup of her own on the next possession. That made it a 47-41 Little Rock lead with 52 seconds left and all but clinched the victory. The Trojans outrebounded Georgia State 41-29 including an 18-10 margin on the offensive glass. Little Rock scored 18 second-chance points in the game. The Trojan guards struggled to score in the first half, but the forwards picked up the slack by scoring 27 of the team’s 30 points in the first 20 minutes. Little Rock’s guards did not make a shot until hit a 3-pointer with four seconds left in the half, and the group of guards was 1-14 from the field in the first half. Little Rock will close out the regular season with a trip to Alabama, facing South Alabama on Thursday at 5 p.m. and Troy on Saturday at 2 p.m.

��Vlog��ýLR student-athletes achieve record semester in the classroom

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Tue, 03 Jan 2017 16:42:05 +0000

Little Rock’s were excellent in the classroom during the fall semester, finishing with a combined semester grade point average of 3.28 and a combined cumulative GPA of 3.25. The semester GPA is the best ever for the Little Rock Trojans. Among Little Rock’s nearly 200 student-athletes, 76 percent earned a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, while 29 earned perfect 4.0 GPAs. “Our entire department celebrates the success of our student-athletes and their strong fall semester,” ��Vlog��ýLR Athletics Director Chasse Conque said. “Today, being a Division I student athlete is demanding, and it is not easy to collectively achieve a 3.28 GPA. I am proud of our coaches and young people for their dedication to the classroom. Senior Associate A.D. Richard Turner and his staff should also be commended for their commitment to our student-athletes’ academic progress as they provide much needed support to our young people during their time as a Little Rock Trojan.” Twenty-nine different Little Rock student-athletes across all sports made the Chancellor’s List for the fall semester, while 55 others made the Dean’s List. Students on the Chancellor’s List finished the semester with at least nine credit hours earned, a 3.9 grade point average, and nothing below a C in any one class. To be named to the Dean’s List, a student must maintain a GPA above 3.5 while earning at least nine hours and nothing below a C. The women’s golf team had the highest fall semester grade point average with an incredible 3.9 GPA as a team. Five golfers were represented on the Chancellor’s List – all five with perfect 4.0 GPAs – while three were named to the Dean’s List. Each student-athlete earned at least a 3.6 GPA for the fall semester. The team enjoys a 3.58 cumulative GPA. The men’s golf team posted a 3.43 semester GPA while putting five on the Dean’s List. Nine of the 10 golfers earned GPAs of 3.0 or higher. Cumulatively, the team’s GPA stands at 3.31. Swimming and diving boasted a 3.53 team GPA for the fall semester. The team put eight each on the Chancellor’s and Dean’s Lists as seven earned perfect 4.0 GPAs for the semester. Twenty-three of the team’s 26 student-athletes boasted a GPA of 3.0 or above. Overall, the team’s cumulative GPA is 3.5. The soccer team posted a team GPA of 3.49 for the semester and put 10 student-athletes on the Dean’s List. Five more made the Chancellor’s List, with all five boasting perfect 4.0 GPAs. Of the team’s 29 members, 27 earned GPAs of 3.0 or better. The team’s cumulative GPA is at 3.57. The baseball team earned a team GPA of 3.42, with 32 of 38 student-athletes posting GPAs of 3.0 or better. In total, 14 were represented on the Dean’s List and five posted perfect 4.0 GPAs and were members of the Chancellor’s List. The baseball program boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.24. The volleyball team put up a 3.33 GPA in the fall semester. Ten of 13 student-athletes earned 3.0 GPAs or above, and the team had five represented on the Dean’s List and two represented on the Chancellor’s List, both with 4.0 GPAs. The team’s cumulative GPA is at 3.55. The women’s basketball team posted a 3.01 team GPA, with six of its members earning a GPA of 3.0 or above. Three student-athletes were named to the Dean’s List. The women’s basketball cumulative GPA is at 3.1. Men’s cross country earned a team GPA of 3.0, with 13 of 19 student-athletes posting individual GPAs of 3.0 or above. Two members of the team posted perfect 4.0 GPAs and were named to the Chancellor’s List. Three were represented on the Dean’s List. Thirteen of the 20 women’s cross country student-athletes posted GPAs of 3.0 or better. Two members of the team earned 4.0 GPAs and were named to the Chancellor’s List. Two more were named to the Dean’s List. The program boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.04. Five men’s basketball players earned GPAs of 3.0 or better.

Spectac��Vlog��ýLR raises over $228k for Trojans Athletics

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 21:07:11 +0000

The eighth annual Spectac��Vlog��ýLR raised more than $228,000 for student-athletes at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Presented by Triple-S Alarm, Spectac��Vlog��ýLR enjoyed tremendous success as over 500 people attended the Oct. 13 event at Jack Stephens Center and raised the second-largest total in the event’s history. “The success of Spectac��Vlog��ýLR 2016 will certainly have a significant impact on our student-athletes again this year,” Director of Athletics Chasse Conque said. “We are most grateful to all of our sponsors, especially presenting sponsor Triple-S Alarm for their continued commitment to this event and our student-athletes.” Marilyn and Greg Brown were recognized as Spectac��Vlog��ýLR’s honorees. The Browns’ name is prominently displayed at the Jack Stephens Center, as the building’s Academic Success Center for Student Athletes was dedicated in their name in 2009. They also provide their home to the Little Rock men’s golf team on a near-annual basis when the team travels to Utah for tournaments. The Browns recently hosted the Trojan golf team for its tournament in Utah, in addition to trips in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, and 2015.

Spectac��Vlog��ýLR’s honorees, Greg and Marilyn Brown, are photographed with Athletics Director Chasse Conque.

The success of this year’s event was made possible in large part due to the efforts of the Spectac��Vlog��ýLR committee, led by co-chairs Mary Katherine Henderson and Mike Castleberry. “The Department of Athletics appreciates all our friends, fans, and alumni that were in attendance as it was a special night celebrating the Little Rock Trojans,” Conque said. “Last night’s event was another example of our city rallying around the Trojans, and we continue to be grateful for the outpouring of support for Little Rock’s Team.” The $228,000 will play a major role in helping the Department of Athletics enhance the student-athlete experience at Little Rock. Spectac��Vlog��ýLR has now raised more than $1.7 million since its inception in 2009.

Spectac��Vlog��ýLR to honor the Browns Oct. 13

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 17:45:06 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s eighth annual Spectac��Vlog��ýLR will honor Greg and Marilyn Brown Thursday, Oct. 13. Spectac��Vlog��ýLR, which raises money for , is set for 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center. The event will be presented by Triple S Alarm. The honorees are tremendous benefactors of the Little Rock athletic program as well as alumni of the university. Their name is prominently displayed at the Jack Stephens Center, as the building’s Academic Success Center for Student Athletes was dedicated in their name in 2009. “Marilyn and Greg Brown’s association with our university and Trojan Athletics dates back many years,” said Little Rock Director of Athletics Chasse Conque. “Their passion for the Little Rock Trojans and sincere interest in the well-being of our student-athletes is evident by their continued support. I am thrilled they have accepted our invitation to honor them this year for their many contributions to Little Rock athletics.” The Browns also provide their home to the Little Rock men’s golf team on a near-annual basis when the team travels to Utah for tournaments. The Browns hosted the Trojan golf team in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, and 2015. Furthering their commitment to education, the Browns also participated in the creation and continue to support the Benton Learning Center from the 1990s to the present day. “When Chasse told us we had been selected as the 2016 Spectac��Vlog��ýLR honorees, our reaction was, ‘Why us?’ the Browns said. “We left Arkansas eight years ago, but we discovered that the Trojan spirit never left us. We are thrilled and humbled by this honor. We look forward to working with Chasse and his staff to make this the most successful Spectac��Vlog��ýLR ever.” Over the last seven years, Spectac��Vlog��ýLR has raised nearly $1.5 million in support of Little Rock student-athletes. This year’s event will be led by co-chairs Mary Katherine Henderson and Mike Castleberry. The evening will feature unique silent and live auction items with all proceeds directly impacting Little Rock’s current student-athletes. Cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served, and the attire will be business casual. Tickets for the event are $75. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact at 501.569.3382 or tmwhipple@ualr.edu. Fans are able to purchase tickets online at this link. More information about the Browns: Greg Brown got his Bachelor of Business Administration from ��Vlog��ýLR, then Little Rock University, in 1970. He later received his Juris Doctor degree from ��Vlog��ýLR in 1976. Greg Brown served on the university’s Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2001 to 2010, the Foundation Board from 2005 to 2010, and the Board of Visitors from 2001 to 2010. Marilyn Brown graduated from ��Vlog��ýLR in 1993 with a Bachelor of Business Administration. She was named the Outstanding General Business Student. During the senior year of Little Rock basketball great Derek Fisher in 1995-96, Marilyn Brown worked closely with head coach Wimp Sanderson. Marilyn Brown served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2001 to 2010 and on the Athletic Foundation Board of Directors from 2007 to 2009.

Former Trojan signs with professional Swedish women’s basketball team

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 19:30:55 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate has signed on to play professional basketball with the Norrkoping Dolphins. , who graduated in May, will join the Dolphins, who play in the Basketligan Dam, the highest level of Swedish women’s basketball. James, originally from St. Louis, left the Trojans as the team’s all-time leader in offensive rebounds and free throws attempted. She is second all-time in program history in rebounds and made free throws, and she is top five in Trojan history in defensive rebounds, made field goals, blocks, games started, points, and field goal percentage. She was named a member of the All-Sun Belt First Team in 2016 and was also on the league’s All-Tournament Team during her senior and freshman years. This summer, James spent time playing with the St. Louis Surge of the Women’s Blue Chip Basketball League, a 37-team league. The Surge won the league’s national championship in San Antonio, Texas, in August. James joins former Trojan teammate Taylor Gault in Sweden, as Gault signed earlier in the summer with Swedish team Visby Ladies. James and Gault played together during the 2012-13, 2013-14, and 2014-15 seasons in Little Rock. James and Gault will meet as rivals during their teams’ first game of the year on Sept. 24. The two will face off twice more during the season on Nov. 12 and March 11.

��Vlog��ýLR student-athletes earn high marks over summer

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 16:36:15 +0000

The summer academic semester was another chance for student-athletes at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to shine, as they posted a combined 3.06 grade point average over the summer semester. The Trojans had 63 student-athletes enrolled in summer classes representing seven Little Rock teams. Five of those teams saw its student-athletes finish the semester with grade point averages higher than 3.0. Overall, 40 of those 64 student-athletes posted GPAs of 3.0 or higher in the summer months. The Little Rock women’s track and field/cross country squad had the highest grade point average of any team over the summer, finishing with a semester GPA of 3.3. Two of the three Trojans finished with a GPA above 3.0 for the summer, and one of them earned a perfect 4.0 for the semester. The Trojans’ cumulative GPA stands at 3.31. The Trojan men’s golf team had the second-highest semester GPA, ending the term with a combined 3.2. Three of its four student-athletes posted GPAs above 3.0, and two earned perfect 4.0s. Little Rock men’s golf now has a cumulative GPA of 3.28. Little Rock volleyball’s semester GPA was 3.14, with 10 of the 14 volleyball players earning grade point averages of 3.0 or higher in the summer. Four players on the team came away with perfect 4.0 averages for the semester. Trojan volleyball’s cumulative GPA is now up to 3.34. The Trojan men’s cross country and track team combined for a 3.1 grade point average. Three of its four student-athletes get a GPA of 3.0 or better. One had a perfect 4.0. Little Rock women’s basketball had a grade point average of 3.08 over the summer. Twelve of the program’s 14 student-athletes earned a GPA of at least 3.0 during the summer, and four of them came away with 4.0s. The program now has a cumulative GPA of 3.1. The Trojan baseball team saw eight of its 12 student-athletes from the summer semester earn 3.0 GPAs or better, and the team earned a semester GPA of 3.06. Those 12 players now have a cumulative GPA of 3.37. In the upper right photo, ��Vlog��ýLR women’s track and cross country team member Anika Charles (second from left) is one of the ��Vlog��ýLR student-athletes who earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average during the summer semester.

Former Trojan Natasha Wood competing in 2016 Olympics

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 17:22:51 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock alumnae will compete in the 2016 Olympics, making her the second Trojan in ��Vlog��ýLR history to take part in the Olympics. Natasha Wodak, a former distance runner for the ��Vlog��ýLR track team, has qualified to run the 10,000-meter race for her native country of Canada Friday, Aug. 12. Wodak, of Surrey, British Columbia, ran cross country and distance track races for Little Rock in 1999 and 2000. She is the second Trojan to make the Olympics. Dawn Williams-Sewer competed at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, running the 800-meter race for Dominica. Despite not running for the Trojans in 16 years, Wodak’s name still appears in multiple places in the school’s record book. She was named All-Sun Belt in cross country in 1999 after placing ninth at the league’s championship meet. She also remains 17th all-time in program history in the cross country 5K with a time of 18:26 in 2000. Wodak’s 3K time of 10:21.56 is the ninth-fastest time in program history outdoors. Since leaving Little Rock, Wodak has improved her 3K personal best (indoors) by more than a minute, racing to a finish of 9:02.57 in 2013. Wodak’s 10,000-meter race personal best is 31:41.59 – the current Canadian record – set in 2015 during the Payton Jordan Invitational in Stanford, California. She also holds the Canadian record in the 8,000-meter race. The women’s 10,000-meter race will start at 9:10 a.m. Central time Aug. 12 at Olympic Stadium. NBC will provide live television coverage, with live streaming available at .

��Vlog��ýLR hosts $10 Alumni Night Aug. 27 at Dickey-Stephens Park

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 17:44:27 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host Alumni Night Saturday, Aug. 27, at Dickey-Stephens Park. For $10, ��Vlog��ýLR alumni and friends can enjoy an all-you-can-eat picnic and a night at the ballpark to watch the final Arkansas Travelers home game of the season. All ��Vlog��ýLR alumni, friends, family, faculty, and staff are invited to watch the Arkansas Travelers battle the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. The picnic will begin at 6:10 p.m. at the Club Car on the concourse overlooking the field, followed by the game at 7:10 p.m. The menu will include hot dogs, hamburgers, baked beans, potato chips, popcorn, soft drinks, sweet tea, and water. ��Vlog��ýLR Alumni Night is a new event meant to strengthen connections between alumni and the university. “During the summer, most people travel and go on vacations. Their schedules are very hectic,” said Derek Boyce, ��Vlog��ýLR Alumni Association director of annual giving and alumni membership. “We want to start a new summer tradition for alumni and their friends and families to stay connected with each other and the university.” Tickets can be purchased online through Aug. 25 or while supplies last. For more information, contact the ��Vlog��ýLR Alumni Association at 501.683.7208.

Sacramento Kings invite Josh Hagins to NBA Summer League

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 21:54:19 +0000

Former University of Arkansas at Little Rock basketball guard will play for the Sacramento Kings in the 2016 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Hagins will report in early July, with practice set for July 3-7. Games will be played July 8-18 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the campus of UNLV. Hagins enjoyed a banner year as a senior in the 2015-16 season. The four-year letterman was a First Team All-Sun Belt and NABC All-District pick. He finished his senior season averaging 13.2 points, 4.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. He ended his career ranked third on Little Rock’s all-time scoring list (1,475 points), third in assists (468), third in steals (179), fifth in made field goals (525), and fifth in made 3-pointers (175). He played more games (128) than any player in program history and trails only Derek Fisher on the program’s list for career minutes (3,496). Sacramento will play at least five games, beginning with its first contest set for Friday, July 8, against the Toronto Raptors at 9 p.m. Central at Cox Pavilion. The Kings next game will be on Sunday, July 10, against the Houston Rockets at 5:30 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center. The final preliminary game for the Kings will be on Monday, July 11, at 7 p.m. against the New Orleans Pelicans at Cox Pavilion. ESPN will present all 67 games from Las Vegas across ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU and WatchESPN.

Trojans 3-pointer makes Top 10 Plays List of NCAA Tournament

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 16:03:20 +0000

Big time blocks, rim rattling dunks, and buzzer beaters rounded out the list for the 2016 Men’s NCAA basketball tournament, and the Trojans made the cut for the competitive list of memorable tournament moments. During the first round NCAA matchup against No. 5 Purdue, the Trojans trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half before an incredible late-game comeback forced overtime. , a senior guard from Bossier City, La., forced the overtime with a deep 3-pointer, tying the game at 70-70 as time wound down. The Trojans used an 18-5 run over the final 3:30 to cause the game to go to the extra period, eventually winning the game 85-83 after double overtime. Hagins’ 3-pointer was named No. 8 in the Top 10 Plays list of the Men’s NCAA Tournament. The video featuring the Top 10 Plays list can be viewed.

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

Trojans claim Sun Belt title

����Vlog��ýLR student-athletes achieve record semester in the classroom

Spectac����Vlog��ýLR raises over $228k for Trojans Athletics

Spectac����Vlog��ýLR to honor the Browns Oct. 13