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

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.

��Vlog��ýLR graduates 1,000 students in 2016 spring commencement

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 17 May 2016 20:56:56 +0000

For Jermaine Ruttley, the chance to play basketball at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock meant a way out from his poverty-stricken hometown in Kentucky. “Where I came from, there is a lot of poverty,” he said. “To make it out and make something of myself, that’s a blessing.” Ruttley was one of nearly 1,000 students who graduated from ��Vlog��ýLR in one of three commencement ceremonies May 14 at the ��Vlog��ýLR Jack Stephens Center. Ruttley transferred to ��Vlog��ýLR after playing two years at Kaskaskia College and one year at Florida A&M. As a senior at ��Vlog��ýLR, Ruttley played in all 35 games with 18 starts in the 2015-2016 season. Now armed with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a full-time job, Ruttley sees his graduation from ��Vlog��ýLR as a new beginning. “I just feel overwhelmed and happy that I got to this point in my life,” he said. “No one ever thought I would get to this point in my life.”

A love of words

Kayla Burns’ graduation cap

For Kayla Burns, of Flippin, Arkansas, the best thing about graduation is the opportunity to devote more time to the activities she loves. “It’s a relief to go home and read a book and not have to do homework,” she said. Burns graduated with a degree in professional and technical writing and a second degree in French. As a tribute to one of her favorite books, the words on her graduation cap proclaimed: “Words are a most inexhaustible source of magic.” The words on her cap are a paraphrase from a line in J.K. Rowling’s book “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” Having already scored a full-time position as a computer specialist at NATCO Communications in her hometown, Burns thanked the Donaghey Scholars program for supporting her at ��Vlog��ýLR. “The Donaghey Scholars program is what motivated me to succeed – the faculty, staff, and my peers. I had the best support system ever,” Burns said.

Never too late

Deonna Elliott’s graduation cap

On her graduation day, Deona Elliott donned a cap stating: “Better late than never.” The words were a tribute to Elliott’s six-year journey to earn a bachelor’s degree in studio art with an emphasis in applied design. Elliott had planned to graduate in 2014. After she switched majors from art education, it took an additional two years to finish her program. For her, the words served as a lesson to others that it is never too late to graduate. To students who are struggling to finish their coursework, Elliott offered the following advice: “Stay on top of everything and keep strong. You will finish at your own pace.”

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.

��Vlog��ýLR to hold celebration for men’s and women’s basketball teams

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:03:38 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host a celebration of the 2015-16 Little Rock men’s and women’s amazing basketball seasons Monday, April 11. The event, presented by Golden Corral, will run from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center. The location has been moved from the River Market Pavilion because of inclement weather. Fans will have a chance to meet with members of both teams. Commemorative give-a-ways and free food will be available, as well as the Junior Trojans Club Kids Zone. Season tickets for the 2016-17 basketball season will be on sale, as well as commemorative T-shirts celebrating Little Rock’s win over Purdue in the NCAA Tournament. Admission is free for existing or new season ticket holders and donors. Admission will be $25 for non-season ticket holders and donors. Fans are asked to (season ticket holders and donors) or .

Trojans’ success raises university profile

Shanna Fitzgerald — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 21:23:55 +0000

Students who gathered at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Donaghey Student Center shouted in celebration, danced, and raised their hands in triumph. They had just watched senior men’s basketball player Josh Hagins sink an off-balance three-point shot, completing an improbable 14-point second-half comeback and keeping alive a record-breaking season. The shot — replayed over and over on sports highlight shows — sent the first round March 17 NCAA March Madness Tournament game into overtime, with the 12th-seeded Little Rock Trojans eventually prevailing in double overtime over fifth-seeded Purdue. Little Rock and Josh Hagins instantly started trending on Twitter, with tweets mentioning Little Rock Trojans reaching nearly 2 million people. A Facebook post on the celebrating the Trojans’ win reached almost 150,000 people. The world was watching. Hundreds of national, regional, and state news stories followed, raising the profile of a program that already was getting more than its usual attention. Although the Trojans’ season ended in the second round, the 30-5 team continued to be a topic of conversation. “Millions of people were talking about the Little Rock Trojans last week,” ��Vlog��ýLR Chancellor Joel E. Anderson said. “You can’t buy that kind of positive media exposure. There is so much emotion involved in athletics that engages people with an institution and strengthens the emotional attachment.” Related: 7-year-old from Milwaukee adopts the Trojans University leaders say they hope to build on that momentum and extend it to other parts of the campus. A higher profile for the basketball program could pay dividends for not only season ticket sales, but also admission applications and private fundraising. “With so many folks watching the Little Rock Trojans play and celebrating with us the incredible victory over Purdue, ��Vlog��ýLR is enjoying a surge of community support,” Anderson said. “We are proud to be a source of pride for Little Rock, for Arkansas, and alumni across the nation.”

Trojans fans celebrate at the 2016 NCAA Tournament

Preparing for success

Even before the games began, the athletics department had a plan for engaging the campus, connecting with the Little Rock-area community, and positioning the program for long-term strength. “I’m very proud that we had ourselves in a position to handle all the success and take advantage of it,” said Chasse Conque, who joined ��Vlog��ýLR in January 2015 as athletic director. Three months later, he hired a new coach, rebranded the team as the Little Rock Trojans rather than the traditional ��Vlog��ýLR acronym, started a robust season ticket campaign, and created the student booster group. Conque said the collaboration with other parts of the campus was “unbelievable,” noting the support he received from students, administrators, the communications and advancement teams, and faculty and staff. “Athletics has a unique way of bringing a lot of different folks, a lot of different areas, a lot of different disciplines together,” Conque said. “It promotes the collegiate experience. We’re just one part of that, but I feel a very important part.”

Building ties, promoting collaboration

Before the season, athletics and university officials worked to solidify connections with the business community in central Arkansas and with organizations such as the and the . The goal was to get people engaged early on.

A Trojans fan holds up a Hagins 4 Prez sign

Thanks to those efforts, a record-breaking season, and a promotional push for the final home games of the season, the Trojans set attendance records and sold out two of their final three home games. “The city was incredible. The support, especially down the stretch was super,” Conque said. “To see our city respond in that fashion was really encouraging.” Anderson said, “In my 13 years as chancellor, I have not been part of anything like the positive attention the university has received from the success of our men’s basketball program this year,” Anderson said. “Wherever I have been in Little Rock — meetings downtown, a restaurant, church, walking across campus — people stop me and talk about the Little Rock Trojans and how proud they are of them.” Support from the city will be a key part of the Trojans’ continued success, Conque said, and one of the best ways the city can support the program is by.

Moving forward

“The next step is to be consistent,” Conque said. He noted the women’s team — which finished second in the Sun Belt Conference this year and earned a trip to the NIT, its eighth postseason trip in nine seasons — already has that consistency. The combined accomplishments of the two teams really stood out this season, Anderson said. “I have been a fan of ��Vlog��ýLR athletics for more than 30 years, and there has never been a season that matched this one with 30 wins by the men’s team of Coach Chris Beard’s and an outstanding 20 wins by the women’s team of Coach Joe Foley—a total of 50 basketball victories,” he said.

NCAA Tournament exposure

For only the second time in team history, the Trojans men’s team reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In addition to the players and coaches, national TV cameras captured images of Conque, Anderson, and prominent ��Vlog��ýLR alumni and fans during various stages of the tournament. “While watching the Purdue game, I received more text messages in a short period of time than I ever have before — from family, friends, alumni around the country,” Anderson said. “What fun it was.” He noted that many of the messages arrived because he often was in the shot when cameras focused on , the former ��Vlog��ýLR and NBA player who also has coached in the NBA. “But the impressive thing is that all these people were watching the game.” Conque said he stayed up until early in the morning responding to all the congratulatory messages he received.

Merchandise sales

While the effects of the team’s tournament run might take time to accurately measure, one area where the team’s success had an instant impact was the demand for merchandise. Clothing sales at the ��Vlog��ýLR Bookstore were up more than 200 percent in March from the previous year, and the run on clothing started with the Trojans’ Sun Belt Tournament appearance. “Those Trojans fans really helped us out,” said Brenda Thomas, bookstore manager. “We had parents and people from the community coming in and buying shirts. Everyone wanted the new logo.” Other merchandise items, like umbrellas, cups and hats also were popular. “Anything that had the ��Vlog��ýLR logo just seems like it was walking out the door,” Thomas said.

Desire to return

Now that the team and the university have tasted success, they want to get back to the NCAA tournament. The Athletics Department is poised for continued success under Conque and its head coaches, Anderson said. “All of them are committed to success in athletic competitions, and their trophies document that,” Anderson said. “All of them are also committed to success in the classroom, and the high grade-point averages and graduation rates of our student athletes document that. Fans of the Little Rock Trojans have much to be proud of.”

Looking ahead

How far can the Trojans go in future years? A quality coaching staff, the necessary resources and the continued support of the campus will play major roles in the program’s continued success, Conque said. The team’s connection to the Little Rock area also will continue to be critical. “We can go only as far as our city will help us go,” Conque said. Conque is convinced the athletics department is just getting started. “I truly believe this isn’t lightning in a bottle,” Conque said. “We can be whoever and whatever we want to be.” Angie Faller contributed to this story.�� Note: Since this story was originally published, Chris Beard, the men’s basketball coach .��

Little Rock’s Big Fan

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 20:25:25 +0000

One of the Trojans’ biggest, and littlest, fans is Charlie Teich from Milwaukee. The 7-year-old chose Little Rock to go all the way in the NCAA Tournament, because “I’m little and I like rocks,” from his father, Mitch Teich.�� As the Trojans played two games in the NCAA Tournament, Charlie’s dad posted photos of Charlie carrying a sign that read “��Vlog��ýLR Rocks!” all over the streets of Milwaukee. Charlie’s bracket predicted Little Rock would win the tournament championship against the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. After the Trojans lost to Iowa State in the second round, Charlie changed his sign to proclaim “��Vlog��ýLR Still Rocks!” A final tweet from his dad asserts that young Charlie is now a ��Vlog��ýLR fan for life.

[]

Trojan men and women headed to NCAA and WNIT tournaments

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 18:09:01 +0000

The Little Rock Trojans men’s and women’s basketball teams are headed for national tournament play on Thursday. The men will face Purdue in the NCAA Tournament in Denver, while the women will take on Saint Louis in the Women’s NIT. Men’s team The Sun Belt-champion Little Rock men’s basketball team (29-4) has earned a No. 12 seed in the 2016 NCAA Tournament and will face No. 5 seed Purdue (26-8) on Thursday in Denver, as part of the Midwest Region. Little Rock and Purdue are set for tipoff 3:20 p.m. CST Thursday on TBS. Little Rock won the Sun Belt Tournament and regular-season championships following a season that saw it set program records for wins (29), conference wins (17) and road wins (12). Purdue finished the regular season with a 26-8 overall record, a Top 15 national ranking and advanced to the finals of the Big Ten Tournament where it fell to No. 2 seed Michigan State by a 66-62 final score. A.J. Hammons leads the Boilermakers in scoring at 14.9 ppg. Hammons, who was recently named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, pulls down 8.0 rebounds per game and has blocked 78 shots this season. Like Little Rock, Purdue boasts one of the top defenses in the nation. The Boilermakers rank 26th nationally in defensive field goal percentage and 26th in scoring defense. The Trojans’ scoring defense ranks second nationally and their defensive field goal percentage sits ninth. Little Rock’s 29 wins are tied for the most in a single season by a Sun Belt Conference program. The Trojans will have a chance to become the first team in league history to win 30 games in a season. This is Little Rock’s fifth-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament and first since 2011. Little Rock is 1-4 all-time in NCAA Tournament games, with its lone win coming as a No. 14 seed against No. 3 seed Notre Dame in the First Round of the 1986 NCAA Tournament in Minneapolis. Head coach Chris Beard will make his debut as a head coach in the NCAA Tournament Thursday. While serving as an assistant under Bobby Knight at Texas Tech, Beard went to four NCAA Tournaments, including the Red Raiders’ Sweet 16 run in 2005. Last season, Beard led Angelo State to its first-ever NCAA Division II Sweet 16 appearance in his second year with the team. The Trojans left for the NCAA Tournament in style Tuesday morning. An excited crowd of fans, the Little Rock band, dance team, and mascot were on site at the Jack Stephens Center to cheer members of the basketball team as they departed for the airport. Thursday’s game will be broadcast on TBS. All games in the 2016 NCAA Tournament will be available via March Madness Live. MML will be available across 12 platforms, including desktop, Amazon Fire tablets, Amazon Fire TV, iPhone, iPad, Android handset, Android tablet, Windows handset, Windows desktop, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Roku players and Roku TV models. Additionally, MML will offer Google Cast and Airplay support. A watch party will be held 3 p.m. Thursday in Donaghey Student Center Conference Rooms B and C with free food and drinks. Trojan fans can also catch the game during a watch party at the Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development atrium. Women’s team The Little Rock women’s basketball team received an at-large bid for the Women’s NIT and will play at Saint Louis at 7 p.m. CST Thursday. Little Rock will be making its fourth appearance in the WNIT and its first since 2013 when it played at Pacific. The Trojans are 0-3 lifetime in WNIT games after losing at Southern Miss in 2008 and at home against Murray State in 2009. Little Rock has played Saint Louis just once, losing a contest on the Billikens’ home court in 2003. A win Thursday would pit the Trojans against the winner of Thursday’s game between Iowa and Ball State. The Trojans are coming off a Sun Belt Tournament that saw them earn the No. 2 seed and make it to the championship game before losing to Troy. Little Rock began the year 5-11 before winning its next 15 games to finish the regular season and Sun Belt Tournament with a 20-12 overall record. In the upper right photo, Little Rock Trojans men’s basketball team supporters send-off the team before they head to Denver for its NCAA Tournament game with the Purdue Boilermakers at the Jack Stephens Center on March 15.

Alumni, friends can win Trojans basketball tickets

Taylor Aldana — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 20:30:56 +0000

University of Arkansas at Little Rock friends and alumni have a chance to win basketball season tickets — while helping current and future students. As the ��Vlog��ýLR Alumni Association nears its 500th lifetime membership, anyone who becomes a new lifetime member and purchases an Alumni Brick between now and Aug. 15 will be entered to win a pair of to watch the Trojans men’s and women’s teams. During the 2014-15 season, ��Vlog��ýLR’s women’s squad won a program-record 29 games while making its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in six years. The Trojans — the Sun Belt Conference regular-season champions — beat teams including LSU and Oklahoma during the non-conference schedule. The men’s team has a fresh start and renewed enthusiasm as it embarks on its upcoming season with new coach Chris Beard. Beard was an assistant under hall of fame coach Bob Knight and most recently had a successful run as the head coach of Angelo State. People who join the Alumni Association help maintain a connection with ��Vlog��ýLR while supporting scholarships to current students. Membership also provides alumni benefits, with access to programs, events and activities, volunteer opportunities, a ualr.edu email, and countless local and national discounts.

��Vlog��ýLR Alumni Association is nearing its 500th Lifetime Membership

The association funds numerous scholarships each year and helps ��Vlog��ýLR students obtain a quality education. Fourteen scholarships were awarded through this program for the 2015-16 academic year. Each lifetime membership provides $500 to current student scholarships. For more than 25 years, the ��Vlog��ýLR Alumni Association has been offering lifetime memberships to graduating students. The association has alumni members in all 50 states and more than 10 countries. Alumni Bricks, which can be personalized by the donor, are placed in the Alumni Brick plaza in the center of campus between Ottenheimer Library and the Donaghey Student Center. To become a member of the alumni association, visit: . Payment plans are available. To purchase an Alumni Brick, visit: /giving/product-category/product

Trojan fans encouraged to ‘think pink’ in support of breast cancer Feb. 14

Gloria King — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 18:29:04 +0000

The Trojan basketball teams are romancing fans with special Valentine’s Day packages, giveaways, and activities in support of breast cancer awareness during their annual Pink Game Night against Georgia Southern on Saturday, Feb. 14. Tip-off for the ��Vlog��ýLR women’s basketball team is set for 3 p.m., followed by the men’s basketball team at 5 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center. Fans are encouraged to wear pink; the first 200 will get a free rally towel. ��Vlog��ýLR students are admitted free and will receive a free hot dog and drink. One lucky student will even have a chance at being selected for a half-court shot attempt to win a Bale Chevrolet vehicle. Raffles for a signed pink basketball, rally towels, and season baseball tickets will also be part of the fun. In addition, a commemorative pink and silver T-shirt will be available at the game. All proceeds support breast cancer awareness and the women’s basketball program. For the true romantic, a special bistro date night package that includes two premium terrace seating tickets, two glasses of wine, two T-shirts, a parking pass, and popcorn is available for $40. ��Vlog��ýLR will honor breast cancer survivors during the starting lineup ceremony as well as the half-time performances, and Trojan players will don pink accessories for the night. For tickets, call 501.565.��Vlog��ýLR (565-8257) or visit ualrtrojans.com.

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