TAMUC – Sports

SOFTBALL

Jameyson named LSC Preseason Player of the Year, and the Lions predicted to finish sixth in preseason softball poll.

RICHARDSON– Texas A&M University-Commerce softball player Mariah Jameyson has been selected as the Lone Star Conference Preseason Player of the Year. Also, the team is predicted to finish sixth in the LSC in the 2018 preseason poll. The poll results were announced Wednesday by the conference office.

Jameyson– a senior from Seattle, Wash.– led the nation in home runs per game in 2017 during her debut season with the Lions. For her efforts, she was named a Second Team All-American by three different organizations (NFCA, D2CCA, Fastpitch News), making her the second All-America selection in program history. Jameyson was also the first player in Lion Softball history to be named LSC Newcomer of the Year and was the first player to be named First Team All-Region. During the regular season, she also led the nation in RBIs and was top 10 in slugging percentage and total bases.

Jameyson holds the single-season school records for highest batting average (.407), highest slugging percentage (.868), most home runs (20), most hits (68), most RBIs (70) and most total bases (145). During the 2017 season, she had four games with multiple home runs, 18 games with multiple RBIs, 21 games with multiple hits and 12 games with multiple runs scored. She also was a proficient defender behind the plate, finishing with a fielding percentage of .963 and caught 13 baserunners stealing.

“It is a testament to her accomplishments last year, and all the hard work that she has put in,” head coach Richie Bruister said of Jameyson. “It is great for the conference to honor her by the conference and have the respect of the coaches, sports information directors, and media members. She will be excited about it, and it is wonderful publicity. She is a great ball player and can hit any pitch. We are looking forward to another outstanding year from her.”

The Lions finished the 2017 season with a record of 34-20 last season, qualifying for the Lone Star Conference tournament for the third consecutive season. The team finished second in the nation in stolen bases and finished in the top 25 in double plays turned, fielding percentage, home runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and scoring. The team returns 12 players from last season, including all five All-Conference selections and two golden glovers. The Lions have also added ten new players to this year’s squad. While the Lions were picked sixth in the preseason poll, Bruister and his team have their sights on the program’s first conference championship.

“We will have to go work for it,” he said. “That’s what we have to do. We have to outwork our opponents. And we have to have things go our way. You create that by hard work, teamwork and love for your teammates. We will have to go out and earn it on the field. That’s what our plans are.”

A&M-Commerce begins its season with a five-game tournament in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, starting Friday. The Lions face five regional opponents, including No. 22 St. Mary’s and No. 8 Colorado Mesa on Saturday. All games will be at Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho.

After the tournament, the Lions will then return to Commerce to host their home opening series against St. Edward’s. A&M-Commerce will host the Hilltoppers in a doubleheader on Feb. 7 at 3:00 p.m. at the John Cain Family Softball Field.

2018 Lone Star Conference Preseason Softball Poll

Rank	LSC Softball	1st	TOTAL
1	Angelo State	29	359
2	West Texas A&M	3	306
3	Texas Woman’s	1	267
4	Tarleton State		257
5	Cameron		250
6	A&M-COMMERCE		223
7	A&M-Kingsville		170
8	Midwestern State		135
9	Eastern New Mexico		108
10	UT Permian Basin		64
11	Western New Mexico		39

Preseason Player of the Year: Mariah Jameyson, Texas A&M-Commerce
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Brandy Marlett, Angelo State

 

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Lions stay in NABC Poll at No. 22.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s basketball team is ranked No. 22 in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II Poll, as released Tuesday. It is the fifth consecutive week the Lions have been ranked in the top 25 by the NABC.

The Lions went 2-1 since the last voting round for the NABC poll, defeating Dallas Christian in non-conference action last Monday, then pulling out a dramatic overtime victory over Midwestern State on Thursday before dropping a tough loss to Cameron on Saturday. A&M-Commerce is 16-4 on the year.

The Lions are on the road for two games this week in Lone Star Conference action, starting with an 8:30 p.m. CST (7:30 p.m. MST) tipoff at Western New Mexico on Thursday, followed by a 5 p.m. CST (4 p.m. MST) start at Eastern New Mexico on Saturday. All Lion basketball games are broadcast on the Lion Sports Network, with KETR 88.9 FM as the flagship station, streaming online at KETR.org.

NABC/Division II Rankings
(Jan. 30, 2018 – Poll No. 10)

		Record	Points	Last
1.	Lincoln Memorial, Tenn. (14)	19-1	397	2
2.	Queens, N.C.	20-1	380	3
3.	Ferris State, Mich. (1)	21-1	367	4
4.	Western Oregon (1)	19-1	346	6
5.	West Liberty, W.Va.	18-1	340	1
6.	Northwest Missouri State	17-2	319	7
7.	Morehouse, Ga.	18-0	294	10
8.	UT Permian Basin	18-2	287	9
9.	Bellarmine, Ky.	18-2	268	5
10.	West Texas A&M	19-2	258	11
11.	Findlay, Ohio	20-2	231	13
12.	Valdosta State, Ga.	19-2	216	14
13.	Virginia State	17-2	193	8
14.	Southern Nazarene, Okla.	16-1	190	16
15.	Arkansas-Fort Smith	18-3	154	17
16.	Northern State, S.D.	21-3	144	12
17.	Fort Lewis, Colo.	17-3	138	21
18.	Dallas Baptist, Texas	17-3	120	22
19.	Cal Poly Pomona	16-3	115	25
20.	West Florida	18-3	108	15
21.	Clark Atlanta, Ga.	18-1	88	NR
22.	A&M-COMMERCE	16-4	51	18
23.	Shippensburg, Pa.	15-3	34	NR
24.	Bridgeport, Conn.	17-4	30	NR
25.	Barry, Fla.	13-4	25	NR

Others receiving votes: Wheeling Jesuit (W.Va.) 24, California Baptist 22, Minnesota State 20, Le Moyne (N.Y.) 13, Central Missouri 9, West Chester (Pa.) 5, Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 4, Cal State San Marcos 2, Fairmont State (W.Va.) 2, St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.) 2, UNC Pembroke 2, Claflin (S.C.) 1, Dixie State (Utah) 1.

Dropped out: Wheeling Jesuit (19), West Chester (20), Western Washington (23), Claflin (24).

Records are through games of Jan. 28, 2018.

 

WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

 

Alicke, Wanoreck named LSC Women’s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week.

COMMERCE– Texas A&M University-Commerce, track and field athletes Laura Alicke and Hailey Wanoreck, have earned Lone Star Conference indoor track athlete of the week honors. Alicke was named Female Indoor Track Athlete of the Week while Wanoreck was named Female Indoor Field Athlete of the Week. The awards were announced Tuesday by the conference office.

Alicke ­– a freshman from Bad Lausick, Germany – continues to impress in her freshman campaign with another strong performance in the distance races. She set a school record in the 5,000-meters at the Pittsburg State Invitational, finishing with a time of 18:27.39. It beat the school record by six seconds. It is the best 5,000-meter time in the LSC this season, beating the next best time by nearly 31 seconds.

Wanoreck – a junior from Beaumont – broke her school record and set an NCAA Division II provisional mark in the weight throw at the Pittsburg State Invitational. She recorded a streak of 56′ 8.75″ (17.29m), breaking her school record by nearly three inches. She finished fifth in the event. It is the second-best weight throw mark in the LSC this year. Wanoreck also competed in the shot put at the same meet and finished in 20th place, setting a season-best mark of 40′ 11.0″ (12.47m).

The Lion track and field teams return to action this week, splitting athletes between two meets. Some athletes will compete in the Texas Tech Open in Lubbock while others will compete in the Lion Open/Multi meet hosted by Missouri Southern State in Joplin, Mo. The meets take place on both Friday and Saturday.

LSC INDOOR TRACK & FIELD WEEKLY AWARDS
Men’s Track
J-30 Marcus Parker, Eastern New Mexico

Men’s Field
J-30 Charles Greaves, Texas A&M-Kingsville

Women’s Track
J-30 Laura Alicke, Texas A&M-Commerce

Women’s Field
J-30 Hailey Wanoreck, Texas A&M-Commerce