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SOFTBALL
Schedule altered for weekend series between nationally-ranked Lions and Rambelles
COMMERCE – Due to anticipated poor weather this weekend, coaches modified the schedule for the Lone Star Conference softball series between Texas A&M University-Commerce and Angelo State University.
The highly-anticipated series between the two nationally ranked teams will begin with a 4:00 p.m. Friday doubleheader, followed by a single game at 1:00 p.m. Saturday.
The Lions come into the series ranked 14th nationally and fourth in the South Central Region with a 35-5 overall record, while the Rambelles are ranked sixth nationally and third in the region with an overall record of 38-6. Both teams had a Lone Star Conference record of 20-4 and tied for the lead in the league standings.
It is a “Pack The Park” weekend, and admission will be free of charge for Lion fans with local IDs. Friday will be Alumni Night, while Senior Day will be Saturday.
Please stay tuned to our social media channels and LionAthletics.com for any further changes due to weather.
SOFTBALL
Softball drops to No. 14 in NFCA Poll after hard-fought WT series finale.
LOUISVILLE, Ky.– The Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team is ranked 14th in the latest coaches poll released by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association as announced Wednesday. The Lions moved down seven spots from last week’s ranking after the final game of their series against West Texas A&M was factored into the rankings. The Lions, nationally ranked, is now for nine consecutive weeks.
The No. 14 Lions went 3-0 last week, sweeping Lone Star Conference foe Western New Mexico. A&M-Commerce outscored the Mustangs a whopping 58-10 in the series. The Lions are one of four teams from the LSC in the national rankings. Angelo State is ranked sixth, West Texas A&M is ranked 11th, and Tarleton State is ranked 17th.
The Lions are also highly ranked in three other rankings. They are No. 2 in the current rankings done by Hero Sports, which also takes into account strength of schedule, offensive and defensive ranking. The Lions are ranked No. 7 in the Massey Ratings and are No. 6 in the rankings by Fastpitch News.
The No. 14 Lions are currently 35-5 with a 20-4 record in conference play, which has them in a tie for first place. A&M-Commerce returns to the diamond for a three-game home series against No. 6 Angelo State. The teams tied for first place in the LSC rankings with an identical 20-4 conference record. The first game of the series will be on Friday at 7:00 p.m. The teams will then meet in a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. All games will be at the John Cain Family Softball Complex. It is Pack the Park week and admission is free to all three games with a local ID.
2018 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll – Apr. 18 (Week 9)
| Rank | Team (First Place) | Points | Record | Previous |
| 1 | Colorado Mesa (13) | 397 | 37-1 | 1 |
| 2 | North Georgia (3) | 387 | 47-2 | 2 |
| 3 | Chico State | 367 | 39-3 | 3 |
| 4 | Southern Arkansas | 350 | 38-4 | 5 |
| 5 | North Alabama | 334 | 35-4 | 8 |
| 6 | Angelo State | 311 | 36-6 | 9 |
| 7 | Lenoir-Rhyne | 287 | 40-5 | 11 |
| t-8 | Palm Beach Atlantic | 267 | 28-5 | 4 |
| t-8 | Winona State | 267 | 31-5 | 10 |
| 10 | Grand Valley State | 253 | 29-5 | 12 |
| 11 | West Texas A&M | 247 | 34-6 | 13 |
| 12 | California Baptist | 235 | 30-7 | 14 |
| 13 | Dixie State | 207 | 34-6 | 6 |
| 14 | A&M-COMMERCE | 200 | 35-5 | 7 |
| 15 | West Florida | 151 | 24-13 | 17 |
| 16 | Augustana | 145 | 26-8 | 21 |
| 17 | Tarleton State | 138 | 38-8 | 16 |
| 18 | Illinois-Springfield | 132 | 30-11 | 25 |
| 19 | Saint Leo | 100 | 31-10 | 20 |
| 20 | Indianapolis | 89 | 31-11 | 15 |
| 21 | Arkansas Tech | 68 | 32-12 | 19 |
| 22 | UC San Diego | 64 | 25-12 | 24 |
| 23 | Alabama-Huntsville | 54 | 28-12 | 22 |
| 24 | West Chester | 35 | 28-9 | RV |
| 25 | Georgia College | 30 | 31-11 | NR |
Softball ranked fourth in initial regional rankings.
INDIANAPOLIS– The No. 14 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team is ranked fourth in the initial NCAA South Central Regional rankings. The South Central Region consists of the Lone Star, Heartland and Rocky Mountain Athletic conferences. The rankings were released on Wednesday by the NCAA. It is the first release of the official NCAA rankings this season. It is the Lions’ highest regional ranking in program history. Regional poll since the program’s inception in 2015, ranked the Lions in every regular season.
A&M-Commerce is one of five teams from the LSC in the rankings. West Texas A&M is in the second spot, followed by Angelo State in third. Tarleton State is in the fifth slot while Cameron is sixth. The tournament champions of the LSC, HC, and RMAC, as well as five at-large teams, will advance to the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament, set to begin May 10. The top two seeds in the region will host a four-team double elimination tournament, with the two winners meeting in the Super Regional Tournament the following week.
A&M-Commerce currently has a record of 35-5 and 20-4 in the LSC. The Lions are in a tie for first place in the conference standings. The Lions have a current record of 7-4 against teams ranked in the South Central Region. The Lions swept Tarleton State, took two of three from Cameron and have a win over West Texas A&M and St. Mary’s. The Lions have six games remaining on their schedule.
The No. 14 Lions return to action on Friday as they host No. 6 Angelo State, the third seed in the regional rankings, for a three-game series. The teams will play a single game on Friday starting at 7:00 p.m. and a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2:00 p.m. All games will be at the John Cain Family Softball Complex. Admission is free for all three games of the series with a local ID. It is the final home games of the regular season for the Lions.
NCAA DII South Central Region Rankings
as of April 18, 2018
| Pl. | School | DII Record | In-Region |
| 1. | Colorado Mesa | 37-1 | 37-1 |
| 2. | West Texas A&M | 32-6 | 31-5 |
| 3. | Angelo State | 36-6 | 34-6 |
| 4. | A&M-COMMERCE | 35-5 | 30-5 |
| 5. | Tarleton State | 37-8 | 35-8 |
| 6. | Cameron | 26-15 | 26-14 |
| 7. | Regis | 27-17 | 27-17 |
| 8. | Colorado Christian | 34-7 | 34-7 |
| 9. | Lubbock Christian | 27-11 | 27-9 |
| 10. | St. Mary’s | 26-19 | 22-18 |
TRACK AND FIELD
Lion men move up to third, women in ninth in latest USTFCCCA rankings.
NEW ORLEANS – After winning the team titles at the East Texas Invitational on Saturday, the Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams remain ranked in the top 10 nationally by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, as announced Tuesday. The Lion men are ranked third in the nation, while the Lion women are ranked ninth nationally.
The Lion men set or improved four marks that counted toward the team standings at the East Texas Invitational. Florian Obst’s 16th-ranked time in the 110-meter hurdles and 12th-ranked long jump added to the total. Stadrian Taylor came into the rankings at 22nd in the 100-meter dash, and Sir Morgan Loudd entered the rankings in the long jump at 15th.
A&M-Commerce has the top mark in the decathlon (Obst, 7,681 points) and the 4×400 meter relay (Jude Christine, D’Lance Sharp, Dedrian Windham, and Rashard Clark – 3:07.91). Other top-five marks include Malcolm Woods (100-meter dash, 10.24, 3rd). Also Clark (200-meter dash, 20.95, 3rd), DeVontae Steele (triple jump, 15.67 meters, 3rd), Sharp (400-meter dash, 46.85, 4th), and Hudson Hall (pole vault, 5.15 meters, 5th).
It marks the 22nd time the Lion men have appeared in the outdoor top-ten team rankings since the USTFCCCA created the ranking system in 2010.
The Lion women had three new or improved marks from the East Texas Invitational factor into the rankings. Minna Svaerd ranks sixth nationally in the 400-meter hurdles at 1:00.18 and is 10th in the pole vault with her new school record of 3.85 meters (12-7 ½). Kamryn McKee entered the rankings in the long jump at 27th.
The 4×400 meter relay team of Svaerd, Joy Spann, Ro’Nisha Simpson, and McKee is the Lions’ top-ranked women’s event in fourth at 3:42.04. Jasmine Roberts also ranks fifth nationally in the triple jump (12.18 meters).
It marks the second time the Lion women have appeared in the outdoor top-ten team rankings since the USTFCCCA created the ranking system in 2010.
The Lions will split the squads for their action this weekend, with select student-athletes headed to the Mt. SAC Relays in California, and the others are going to the WT Invitational in Canyon.
MEN’S TOP TEN IN THE NATION
| 1. | Pittsburg State | 211.27 |
| 2. | Texas A&M-Kingsville | 175.31 |
| 3. | A&M-COMMERCE | 156.52 |
| 4. | Angelo State | 147.52 |
| 5. | Colorado Mines | 144.10 |
| 6. | Tiffin | 109.19 |
| 7. | Chico State | 102.20 |
| 8. | Adams State | 101.85 |
| 9. | Colorado State-Pueblo | 101.01 |
| 10. | Saint Augustine’s | 95.51 |
WOMEN’S TOP TEN IN THE NATION
| 1. | West Texas A&M | 182.05 |
| 2. | Grand Valley State | 149.38 |
| 3. | Angelo State | 148.27 |
| 4. | Pittsburg State | 125.84 |
| 5. | San Francisco State | 108.07 |
| 6. | Alaska-Anchorage | 103.55 |
| 7. | Lincoln (Mo.) | 102.18 |
| 8. | Saint Augustine’s | 97.70 |
| 9. | A&M-COMMERCE | 84.39 |
| 10. | Azusa Pacific | 81.67 |
Josh Manck
Associate Athletics Director for Marketing and Communications | Texas A&M University-Commerce