TAMUC – Sports

 

Celeste Vela named LSC Setter of the Week for the second time

RICHARDSON– Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball player Celeste Vela has been named the Lone Star Conference Setter of the Week. This is the second time Vela has won the award this year. The award was announced by the conference office on Tuesday. Lion setters have received the award in five of the first seven weeks of the season.

Vela– a freshman from Guadalajara, Mexico– recorded her fifth triple-double of the season and led the Lions with 55 assists in their two games last week. She had a career-high 34 assists and a career-high 20 digs to go with 10 kills in the team’s five-set comeback win over West Texas A&M. She then had 21 assists to go with 14 kills in the Lions’ five-set win over Eastern New Mexico. The Lions hit .256 for the week in the two victories. It was the second week in a row that Vela averaged a triple-double (12.0 kills, 27.5 assists, 12.0 digs). Her five triple-doubles are the third most in Division II this season and the most by any freshman.

Vela and the No. 22 Lions return to the court tonight to face MSU Texas. The game will be played at 6 p.m. at D.L. Ligon Coliseum in Wichita Falls. The Lions will then host two home matches over the weekend. They will host No. 15 Tarleton State on Friday at 6 p.m. and Angelo State on Saturday at 1 p.m. Tickets for both matches are available at WeAreLionsTix.com, by calling (903) 468-8756 or by visiting the Lion Sales & Service Box Office in the Field House.

LONE STAR CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Offense
Aug. 28 – Madison Brabham, Texas A&M-Kingsville
Sept. 4 – Shelley Chapron, Texas A&M-Commerce
Sept. 11 – Audrey Fragniere, Angelo State
Sept. 18 – Jaryn Wacker, Texas A&M-Commerce
Sept. 25 – Jennifer Martinez, Eastern New Mexico
Oct. 2 – Lindsey Smith, West Texas A&M
Oct. 9 – Madison Brabham, Texas A&M-Kingsville

Defense
Aug. 28 – Sundara Chinn, Angelo State
Sept. 4 – Savannah Rutledge, Texas A&M-Commerce
Sept. 11 – Hannah McManus, Tarleton State
Sept. 18 – Hannah McManus, Tarleton State (2)
Sept. 25 – Alba Ontiveros, Eastern New Mexico
Oct. 2 – Shelley Chapron, Texas A&M-Commerce
Oct. 9– Bailey French, Texas Woman’s

Setter
Aug. 28 – Rylie Fuentes, Texas A&M-Commerce
Sept. 4 – Rylie Fuentes, Texas A&M-Commerce (2)
Sept. 11 – Sundara Chinn, Angelo State
Sept. 18 – Celeste Vela, Texas A&M-Commerce
Sept. 25 – Blanca Izquierdo, Tarleton State
Oct. 2 – Rylie Fuentes, Texas A&M-Commerce (3)
Oct. 9 – Celeste Vela, Texas A&M-Commerce (2)

 

 

Lions wrap up chilly RMAC Fall Preview in seventh

WESTMINSTER, Colo. – Miserable weather and course conditions cut the RMAC Fall Preview to a 36-hole tournament Tuesday, with the Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s golf team finishing in seventh place.

The Lions shot 611 (302-309, +35) at the Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in their third fall tournament.

Lucas McCubbin (Midland) was A&M-Commerce’s top finisher in seventh place at 148 (75-73, +4). He carded two birdies on the back nine of the second round and four birdies in the event.

Blake Hartford (Spring – Klein Collins) placed 16th in the event at 150 (73-77, +6), followed by Jonathon Welch (League City – Clear Springs) in 26th at 154 (77-77, +10) and Garrett Landers (Sulphur Springs) in 45th at 160 (77-83, +16).

The Lions complete their fall season at the MSU Texas Invitational in Wichita Falls next Monday and Tuesday.

Rank	Team	Scores		Total	Par
1.	Colorado State-Pueblo	292	302	594	+18
2.	Colorado School of Mines	305	293	598	+22
3.	Colorado Mesa	299	303	602	+26
	Regis	308	294	602	+26
5.	West Texas A&M	306	298	604	+28
6.	Colorado-Colorado Springs	296	309	605	+29
7.	A&M-COMMERCE	302	309	611	+35
8.	Colorado Christian	312	300	612	+36
9.	Fort Lewis	322	313	635	+59
10.	South Dakota Mines	326	310	636	+60

A&M-Commerce	302	309	611	+35	7th
Lucas McCubbin	75	73	148	+4	7th
Blake Hartford	73	77	150	+6	16th
Jonathon Welch	77	77	154	+10	26th
Garrett Landers	77	83	160	+16	45th
Joe Wolcik	dq	82	82

 

 

Lions finish fifth at weather-shortened DBU Women’s Classic

DALLAS – The Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s golf team was able to complete the second round at the DBU Women’s Classic on Tuesday before Mother Nature cut the tournament short at 36 holes. The Lions tied for fifth in the event.

After shooting a 307 in the opening round, the Lions shot a 302 team score in the second round, which is their second-best score of the season through three tournaments. The 33-over par total tied the Lions with Oklahoma Christian for fifth on the team leaderboard.

Sarah Wongsinth (Udon Thani, Thailand) earned her third top 10 finish in as many attempts, placing eighth at even par 144 (73-71). She had an eagle and four birdies in the second round.

Paige-Lee Garris (West Palm Beach, Fla.) tied for 21st on the leaderboard at 152 (75-77, +8), while Lauren Leslie (Fair Oaks Ranch – Clear Brook) placed 29th at 155 (77-78, +11) competing as an individual contestant.

Makena Thomas (San Antonio – Reagan) placed 31st at 156 (81-75, +12), Sophie-Charlott Hempel (Pirmasens, Germany) placed 37th at 157 (78-79, +13), and Lexi Bubenchik (New Concord, Ohio) placed 68th at 172 (90-82, +28).

The Lions have placed in the top five in all three of their fall tournaments so far. They have one more tournament in the fall portion of the schedule, playing in the Skyhawk Women’s Fall Intercollegiate, hosted by Fort Lewis College at the University of New Mexico’s Championship Course in Albuquerque, N.M., on October 22-23.

Rank	Team	Scores		Total	Par
1.	Dallas Baptist	287	282	569	-7
2.	Arkansas Tech	282	295	577	+1
3.	St. Mary’s	289	290	579	+3
4.	St. Edward’s	306	300	606	+30
5.	A&M-COMMERCE	307	302	609	+33
	Oklahoma Christian	302	307	609	+33
7.	Henderson State	307	304	611	+35
8.	Rogers State	314	302	616	+40
9.	Newman	314	318	632	+56
10.	Texas Wesleyan	318	322	640	+64
11.	Colorado Christian	336	312	648	+72
12.	UT Tyler	332	319	651	+75
13.	Tex. A&M-Kingsville	329	334	663	+87
14.	Lubbock Christian	337	335	672	+96
15.	East Texas Baptist	361	347	708	+132

A&M-Commerce	307	302	609	+33	t-5th
Sarah Wongsinth	73	71	144	E	t-8th
Paige-Lee Garris	75	77	152	+8	t-21st
Lauren Leslie#	77	78	155	+11	t-29th
Makena Thomas	81	75	156	+12	t-31st
Sophie-Charlott Hempel	78	79	157	+13	t-37th
Lexi Bubenchik	90	82	172	+28	t-68th

 

 

Lions in fourth place in darkness-suspended DBU Women’s Classic

DALLAS – The Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s golf team sits in fourth place in the second round of the DBU Women’s Classic. Darkness has suspended the tournament, which was also delayed by lightning in the afternoon.

The Lions shot a 307 in the opening round, and have moved up two places on the leaderboard. A nationally ranked trio of Dallas Baptist, Arkansas Tech, and St. Mary’s are ahead of the Lions.

Sarah Wongsinth (Udon Thani, Thailand) is in the top 10 at even par 144 through two completed rounds. She scored a 73 in the first round with three birdies. In the second round, she eagled her second hole and had four birdies on the way to a 1-under par 71.

Paige-Lee Garris (West Palm Beach, Fla.) had a 3-over par 75 in the opening round with two birdies. She is currently 2-over par in the second round.

Sophie-Charlott Hempel (Pirmasens, Germany) shot a 6-over par 78 in the opening round, and Makena Thomas (San Antonio – Reagan) shot a 9-over par 81. Thomas is 1-over in the second round with five holes to play, while Hempel is 2-over par with six holes to play.

The Lions will complete the second round Tuesday morning, followed by the third and final round.

 

 

Lions tied for sixth as darkness suspends RMAC Fall Preview in the second round

WESTMINSTER, Colo. – The Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s golf team sits in a tie for sixth place at the RMAC Fall Preview at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve, as darkness suspended play during the second round Monday.

The Lions and West Texas A&M are tied at 25-over par while on the back nine of their second round. The tournament will be completed Tuesday.

A&M-Commerce shot a 302 in the first round. Blake Hartford (Spring – Klein Collins) was the Lions’ top scorer in the first round, shooting a 1-over par 73. After a rocky start, the reigning Lone Star Conference champion carded three birdies on the back nine.

Lucas McCubbin (Midland) carded a 3-over par 75 with two birdies. Garrett Landers (Sulphur Springs) and Jonathon Welch (League City – Clear Springs) each carded 5-over par 77s. Landers had a run of four consecutive birdies during the round.

In the second round, the Lions are currently 11-over par. Hartford, McCubbin, and Welch are each 2-over par.

 

 

Lions’ hat-trick first half, hold off MSU Texas for a 3-2 road win

WICHITA FALLS– The Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team defeated MSU Texas 3-2 on Monday afternoon. The Lions scored three goals in the first half and held on down the stretch to get the win.

The win brings the Lions to 6-4-0 on the season and 3-3-0 in the Lone Star Conference. The Mustangs fall to 2-7-2 and 1-4-1 in conference action.

The Lions return to the field on Friday for a road match against Angelo State. The match will be played at 7:00 p.m. at the ASU Soccer Field in San Angelo.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Michelle Kotlik (Grapevine) headed in the opening goal in the seventh minute off of a corner kick assist from Karissa Rulander (Clear Falls). Kotlik also had an assist in the match. She leads the Lions with five goals so far this season.
– Kara Blasingame (Oswego, Ill.) scored her first goal of the season in the ninth minute. She scored from eight yards out on a cross pass assist from Lindsey McDonald (Joshua).
– Sabrina Munguia (Baytown – Lee) scored her fourth goal of the season in the 23rd minute. The goal was assisted by Kotlik. Munguia had three shots on goal in the match.
– Caitlin Duty (Crandall) had three saves in the match. Both teams had five shots on goal.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions got on the board quickly. Drawing a corner kick in the seventh minute, Rulander directed the ball toward the net. It was headed in by Kotlik to give the Lions the lead.

The scoring did not stop there. In the ninth minute, McDonald had the ball on the right wing and found Blasingame, who found the back of the net. The Lions held a 2-0 lead at the 8:11 mark of the first half.

After a Munguia shot was saved in the 18th minute, she got another chance in the 23rd minute and this time she found the mark. Kotlik took the ball and dropped the ball in on a dime for Munguia to take a shot. The eight-yard kick found its mark, giving the Lions a 3-0 lead.

MSU began to control the ball a little more, taking multiple shots, but each missing the goal. A late shot from Julia Orozco got the Mustangs on the board with 58 seconds left in the half. The Lions took a 3-1 lead into halftime.

Duty had two early saves to open up the second half before the Mustangs cut into the Lion lead again in the 62nd minute. The Lions held a 3-2 lead.

The Lions again went on the offensive as Munguia had another shot on goal. This one was saved to keep it a one-score game. The Lions also had multiple shots barely miss the goal, including a shot off the post from Kotlik. The Lions also drew four consecutive corner kicks in the 80th minute. Duty made a save in the 87th minute and the Lions ran out the clock to get the win.

 

 

Lion Volleyball comes in at No. 22 in AVCA Poll

COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team is ranked No. 22 in this week’s American Volleyball Coaches’ Association poll. The Lions were ranked No. 21 in last week’s poll. It is the sixth consecutive week the Lions have been nationally ranked.

The Lions picked up two home wins last week, both in dramatic fashion. They defeated both West Texas A&M and Eastern New Mexico in five sets. In both games, the Lions had to win the final three games to come away victorious. The Lions have won nine games in a row and continue their home win streak with 20 wins in a row inside the Field House.

The Lions are one of two teams from the Lone Star Conference in this week’s AVCA rankings. Tarleton State is ranked 15th. The Lions have faced five teams in the top-25 rankings and have a record of 4-1 against top-25 ranked teams so far this season.

The No. 22 Lions return to action on Tuesday with a road match against MSU Texas at 6:00 p.m. in Wichita Falls. The Lions will then host two home matches over the weekend. They will host No. 15 Tarleton State on Friday at 600 p.m. and Angelo State on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Tickets for both matches are available at WeAreLionsTix.com, by calling (903) 468-8756 or by visiting the Lion Sales & Service Box Office in the Field House.

2018 AVCA Division II Top-25 Coaches Poll – Oct . 8 (Week 7)

Rk.	School (First Place)	Pts.	Record
1	Cal State San Bernardino (35)	1170	18-1
2	Northern State (8)	1121	18-1
3	Nebraska-Kearney (2)	1081	22-1
4	Concordia-St. Paul	993	16-4
5	Ferris State (1)	962	16-3
6	Western Washington	945	15-3
7	Minnesota Duluth	930	16-4
8	Tampa	887	18-1
9	Washburn (1)	822	21-0
10	Rockhurst	719	20-2
11	Southwest Minnesota State	670	13-6
12	Drury	638	17-3
13	West Florida	618	17-4
14	Cal State L.A.	572	16-1
15	Tarleton State	487	18-2
16	Central Missouri	469	16-5
17	Central Oklahoma	375	19-4
18	Palm Beach Atlantic	334	16-3
19	Lewis	319	14-5
20	Wheeling Jesuit	302	18-3
21	Colorado School of Mines	231	17-2
22	A&M-COMMERCE	216	16-4
23	Gannon	158	19-1
24	Cal Poly Pomona	142	16-3
25	Michigan Tech	70	16-3

 

 

 

No. 7 Lion Football’s Thompson, Saathoff, and Martinez sweep LSC Player of the Week awards

RICHARDSON – Texas A&M University-Commerce football players E.J. Thompson, Brucks Saathoff, and Kristov Martinez have been named the Lone Star Conference Football Players of the Week. Thompson was named Offensive Player of the Week, Saathoff was named Defensive Player of the Week, and Martinez came away with Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards were announced by the conference office on Monday.

Thompson – a sophomore from Cypress (Cy Ranch) – rushed for a career-high 150 yards in the Lions’ 20-19 win over No. 4 MSU Texas. He accounted for more than 200 all-purpose yards and set up multiple scores in the victory. His long rush of 32 yards was the catalyst for the Lions’ first score, and two consecutive receptions set up another long drive.

Saathoff – a senior from San Antonio (Reagan) – was the Lions’ top tackler, making nine stops, including a tackle for loss. He also blocked a potential go-ahead field goal attempt in the fourth quarter which kept the Lions in front.

Martinez – a senior from Edinburg – went 2-for-3 on field goals in the Lions’ win over the Mustangs. His second field goal of the game was his 62nd career field goal, which ties the Lone Star Conference career field goal mark. He also consistently booted the ball through the end zone on kickoffs, including a touchback on a free kick from the 20 after a safety. It is Martinez’ second Player of the Week award of the season.

Thompson, Saathoff, Martinez and the No. 7 Lions host No. 16 Tarleton State in another key LSC matchup this Saturday. The game – which is Youth Sports Day – is set for 4 p.m. Tickets are available by visiting WeAreLionsTix.com, calling (903) 468-8756, or visiting the Lion Sales & Service Box Office in the Field House.

Lion fans can get up to four (4) general admission tickets to the Tarleton game for 50% off through Monday at 10 p.m. at WeAreLionsTix.com by using the coupon code “BEATTARLETON”.

LONE STAR CONFERENCE FOOTBALL WEEKLY AWARDS
Offensive
S-3 Layton Rabb, Midwestern State
S-10 Layton Rabb, Midwestern State (2)
S-17 Vincent Johnson, Midwestern State
S-24 Layton Rabb, Midwestern State (3)
O-1 Duke Carter IV, West Texas A&M
O-8 E.J. Thompson, Texas A&M-Commerce

Defensive
S-3 Hunter Kyle, Angelo State
S-10 Paul Manus, Midwestern State
S-17 Prince Robinson, Tarleton State
S-24 Dante Urrea, Eastern New Mexico
O-1 Chris Hoad, UT Permian Basin
O-8 Brucks Saathoff, Texas A&M-Commerce

Special Teams
S-3 Kristov Martinez, Texas A&M-Commerce
S-10 Larry Johnson, Angelo State
S-17 Daniel McCants, Tarleton State
S-24 Dominique Ramsey, Texas A&M-Commerce
O-1 Tyler Vargas, Eastern New Mexico
O-8 Kristov Martinez, Texas A&M-Commerce (2)

 

 

Lions move up to No. 7 in AFCA Coaches’ Poll

WACO – The Texas A&M University-Commerce football team is ranked No. 7 in this week’s 2018 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll, as announced by the AFCA on Monday morning.

The Lions needed two days to complete the victory after numerous weather delays, but a 20-19 win over MSU Texas vaulted the Lions two spots up the rankings. This now sets up another battle of nationally-ranked teams, as undefeated and 16th-ranked Tarleton comes to town Saturday.

Kickoff on Saturday – which is Youth Sports Day – is set for 4:00 p.m. Tickets are available by visiting WeAreLionsTix.com, calling (903) 468-8756, or visiting the Lion Sales & Service Box Office in the Field House.

Lion fans can get up to four (4) general admission tickets to the Tarleton game for 50% off through Monday at 10:00 p.m. at WeAreLionsTix.com by using the coupon code “BEATTARLETON”.

Three Lion opponents for 2018 are in the top 25. Along with this week’s opponent at No. 16, MSU Texas is now ranked No. 12, and Colorado State-Pueblo is ranked No. 14. Also receiving votes is West Texas A&M.

A&M-Commerce has been ranked in 46 consecutive AFCA polls, dating back to the 2015 preseason poll. This is A&M-Commerce’s 52nd all-time appearance in the AFCA poll since its inception in 2000.

In the polls recognized by Division II as the top rating system, the Lions have been recognized as a nationally ranked team 101 times since joining Division II in 1981. This is the Lions’ 13th straight appearance in the top 10, and the Lions have been in the top 10 for 32 of the last 33 polls.

2018 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll
October 8, 2018

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.
1.	Minnesota St. (29)	6-0	819	1
2.	Grand Valley St. (Mich.)	6-0	780	2
3.	Ferris St. (Mich.) (4)	6-0	770	3
4.	West Georgia	6-0	708	5
5.	Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)	6-0	665	6
6.	Minnesota-Duluth	6-0	630	7
7.	A&M-COMMERCE	5-1	594	9
8.	Valdosta St. (Ga.)	6-0	584	10
9.	Colorado School of Mines	6-0	525	12
10.	West Florida	5-1	496	11
11.	West Chester (Pa.)	6-0	463	13
12.	MSU Texas	5-1	450	4
13.	Northwest Missouri St.	5-1	448	16
14.	Colorado St.-Pueblo	5-1	406	15
15.	Southern Arkansas	6-0	356	17
16.	Tarleton	5-0	319	21
17.	Notre Dame (Ohio)	6-0	296	20
18.	Pittsburg St. (Kan.)	5-1	281	8
19.	Kutztown (Pa.)	5-0	220	23
20.	Indianapolis (Ind.)	4-1	215	22
21.	Central Washington	4-2	111	25
22.	Tiffin (Ohio)	6-0	93	NR
23.	Indiana (Pa.)	4-2	71	14
24.	Harding (Ark.)	4-2	66	19
25.	LIU-Post (N.Y.)	5-0	64	NR

Dropped Out: Fort Hays St. (Kan.) (18), Azusa Pacific (Calif.) (24)

Others Receiving Votes: Ohio Dominican, 57; Davenport (Mich.), 46; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 37; Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 33; Morehouse (Ga.), 23; Florida Tech, 19; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 17; Slippery Rock (Pa.), 17; West Texas A&M, 13; Hillsdale (Mich.), 11; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 7; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 5; Colorado Mesa, 5; Virginia Union, 2; Winona St. (Minn.), 2; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 1.

 

 

No. 9 Lions pull out an epic 20-19 victory over No. 4 MSU Texas in Sunday Special

DENTON – The football series between Texas A&M University-Commerce and Midwestern State University has had its share of close games, dramatic finishes, and stunning storylines over the last few years. None will top No. 9 A&M-Commerce’s 20-19 victory over No. 4 MSU Texas at Apogee Stadium on Sunday.

After the game was suspended at halftime Saturday in a 10-10 tie and the Lions could not find lodging within two hours of Wichita Falls, the game was moved to Denton. Both teams executed well on offense and defense, but special teams errors proved to be the difference.

With the win, the Lions move to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the Lone Star Conference. MSU Texas is now 5-1 overall and 3-1 in LSC play.

The Lions turn around and host another top matchup in the LSC, welcoming Tarleton (5-0 overall, 4-0 LSC) in the battle for the President’s Cup. Kickoff on Saturday – which is Youth Sports Day – is set for 4 p.m. Tickets are available by visiting WeAreLionsTix.com, calling (903) 468-8756, or visiting the Lion Sales & Service Box Office in the Field House.

Lion fans can get up to four (4) general admission tickets to the Tarleton game for 50% off through Monday at 10 p.m. at WeAreLionsTix.com by using the coupon code “BEATTARLETON”.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

– The game was evenly played, with MSU Texas earning 431 yards to A&M-Commerce’s 428.
– E.J. Thompson (Cypress – Cy Ranch) had 150 rushing yards on 26 carries for a 5.8 yard per carrying average. The Lions had 190 rushing yards as a team.
– Kane Wilson (New Orleans, La.) completed 17-of-28 passes for 238 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
– Ryan Stokes (St. Louis, Mo.) was the Lions’ top receiver with seven catches for 93 yards and a score.
– Kristov Martinez (Edinburg) was 2-for-3 on field goal attempts and tied the LSC career record for made field goals at 62 with his 26-yarder in the third quarter.
– Brucks Saathoff (San Antonio – Reagan) was the Lions’ leading tackler with nine stops, while Michael Onuoha (Edmond, Okla.) had eight tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss.

HOW THE FIRST HALF HAPPENED

The Lions opened the scoring with 9:42 to go in the first quarter when Martinez made a 20-yard field goal. The score was set up by an interception and 43-yard return by Dominique Ramsey (Converse – Judson).

MSU took a 7-3 lead on the ensuing drive when quarterback Layton Rabb ran the ball in from eight yards out to cap an eight-play, 75-yard drive with 6:42 left in the first quarter.

The Lions retook the lead two drives later. Stokes made a leaping touchdown catch on a 24-yard pass from Wilson with 47 seconds remaining in the first quarter, giving the Lions a 10-7 lead.

In the second quarter, the teams traded missed field goals. MSU snagged an interception near midfield, then drive inside the Lion 5-yard line before the defense held, limiting the Mustangs to a field goal to tie the game at 10-all with 5:38 left in the half.

The Lions drove near the Mustang red zone, but the hosts intercepted a Wilson pass in the end zone. A&M-Commerce forced a punt going into halftime, followed by a lengthy weather delay before game officials determined the game should be completed Sunday.

SUNDAY’S SECOND HALF

The Lions opened Sunday’s action with three first downs before the drive stalled and they were forced to punt. MSU Texas responded with a seven-play, 80-yard drive, scoring on Vincent Johnson’s 9-yard touchdown carry. The Mustangs led 17-10 with 8:12 left in the third quarter.

Reggie Kincade (Everman) returned the ensuing kickoff for 41 yards, setting up a 51-yard drive that ended in Martinez’ 26-yard field goal. He tied the LSC career record and cut the MSU Texas lead to 17-13 with 4:14 left in the third quarter.

On MSU’s final drive of the third quarter, a favorable roll on a punt was downed at the A&M-Commerce 2-yard line. That set up a 98-yard, 13-play touchdown drive which spanned into the fourth quarter. The Lions converted on third down twice in the drive and were aided by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Wilson carried the ball to paydirt from four yards out, giving the Lions a 20-17 lead with 11:22 to play.

Both teams were forced to punt on their next drive, but a miscue on A&M-Commerce’s punt proved costly. An errant snap flew over Perry’s head through the back of the end zone, cutting the lead to 20-19 with 8:53 to play.

The Mustangs drove down to the Lion 22 and attempted a field goal. The 39-yarder with 3:15 to play was blocked at the line by Brandon Bascue (Flower Mound), maintaining the Lions’ one-point margin.

A&M-Commerce was able to earn a first down on the next drive and force MSU to use all of its timeouts, but the Mustangs still got the ball back at their own 45-yard line with 52 seconds to play.

Midwestern earned a pair of first downs and got down to the Lion 13 after a substitution penalty. With the game in the balance, a 30-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right, sending the Lion sideline into jubilation as the blue and gold pulled out the win.

 

 

Lion Soccer game against MSU Texas moved to Monday

WICHITA FALLS– The Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team has announced a schedule change. The Lions’ game against MSU Texas, originally scheduled to be played today will be moved to Monday at 2:00 pm.

Due to persistent rain and thunderstorms in the area, the programs made the decision Sunday morning. The game will still take place at Mustangs Park in Wichita Falls.

Further schedule updates will be found on LionAthletics.com and the Lion Soccer Twitter page (@Lion_WSOC).

 

 

No. 9 Lions’ battle with No. 4 MSU Texas suspended at halftime, will resume at 2 p.m. Sunday at UNT’s Apogee Stadium

WICHITA FALLS – The football game between No. 9 Texas A&M University-Commerce and No. 4 Midwestern State University has been delayed by weather at halftime, resuming on Sunday afternoon.

The game is currently tied at 10-10 at halftime and will resume at 2 p.m. Sunday at the University of North Texas’ Apogee Stadium in Denton. There will be no admission charge for the remaining half of the game.

“We are so appreciative to UNT Vice President/Director of Athletics Wren Baker, Associate Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jared Mosley, Coach Seth Littrell and their staffs for graciously allowing us to complete our game under such unique circumstances,” stated A&M-Commerce Director of Athletics Tim McMurray. “On behalf of our colleagues at Midwestern State, we appreciate the Best In Class efforts of the entire UNT athletics program.”

GAME IN PROGRESS

The Lions opened the scoring with 9:42 to go in the first quarter when Kristov Martinez (Edinburg) made a 20-yard field goal. The score was set up by an interception and 43-yard return by Dominique Ramsey (Converse – Judson).

MSU took a 7-3 lead on the ensuing drive when quarterback Layton Rabb ran the ball in from eight yards out to cap an eight-play, 75-yard drive with 6:42 left in the first quarter.

The Lions retook the lead two drives later. Ryan Stokes (St. Louis) made a leaping touchdown catch on a 24-yard pass from Kane Wilson (New Orleans, La.) with 47 seconds remaining in the first quarter, giving the Lions a 10-7 lead.

In the second quarter, the teams traded missed field goals. MSU snagged an interception near midfield, then drive inside the Lion 5-yard line before the defense held, limiting the Mustangs to a field goal to tie the game at 10-all with 5:38 left in the half.

The Lions drove near the Mustang red zone, but the hosts intercepted a Wilson pass in the end zone. A&M-Commerce forced a punt going into halftime, followed by a lengthy weather delay before game officials determined the game should be completed Sunday.

 

 

No. 21 Lions play comeback kids again, defeat ENMU in five to win ninth straight

COMMERCE– The No. 21 Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team defeated Eastern New Mexico in five sets at the Field House on Saturday afternoon. The Lions fell behind 2-0 but rallied for the second-consecutive match to win in five sets. The set scores were 19-25, 25-27, 25-17, 25-13, 15-8.

The win brings the Lions to 16-4 on the season and 8-2 in the Lone Star Conference. The Greyhounds fall to 7-12 and 5-6 in conference action. It was the ninth consecutive win for the Lions.

The Lions return to the court on Tuesday with a road match against MSU Texas. The match will be played at 6:00 pm at D.L. Ligon Coliseum in Wichita Falls. The Lions swept the Mustangs at home on Sept. 22.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

– For the second consecutive match, the Lions rallied from down 2-0 to win the match. A&M-Commerce is 5-3 in five-set matches this season.

– The win was the 20th consecutive home win for the Lions and their ninth consecutive win overall.

– Shelley Chapron led the team with 17 kills, hitting .600 in the match. She also had six blocks.

– Celeste Vela had 14 kills and also led the team with 21 assists. She hit .344 in the match.

– Savannah Rutledge led the team with 16 digs and tied a career-high with four service aces. Daniela Santos had 15 digs and two aces.

– Jaryn Wacker and Jaslyn Wacker both had 11 kills in the match. Jaslyn added a team-high eight blocks while Jaryn had eight digs.
– Rylie Fuentes had 17 assists and eight digs and Carolina Machado added 15 assists and nine digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

It was a back-and-forth start for both teams as the match was tied at 7-all early. ENMU then went on two mini-runs to push their lead to 19-12. The Greyhound attack found its mark often, hitting .463 in the set. The Lions could not fight their way back into the set and fell 25-19.

The Lions took four of the first five points of the second set to take an early lead. After the Greyhounds cut the Lion lead to one, A&M-Commerce scored five points in a row, including two kills from Madison Luther, to take a 12-6 lead. The Greyhounds chipped at the lead before the Lions again went on a run, leading 23-17. The Greyhounds then rallied again. They scored 10 of the next 12, including a 6-0 run, winning the set 27-25.

ENMU started well in the third set, taking a 6-3 lead. The Lions then scored five in a row, including back-to-back assisted blocks from Bina Njikam and Luther. The Lion serving attack was also on point, netting three aces. The Lions kept building their lead and did not look back, winning the set 25-17. The Lions hit .323 in the set, with Chapron leading the attack with four kills. Vela added three kills. The Lions also had seven blocks in the set.

The Lions took early control of the fourth set and did not relent. After scoring four of the first five, the Lions added a 5-0 run, including two kills from Jaryn Wacker, to take a 9-3 lead. The Greyhounds scored five points out of six to cut the Lion lead to two. The Lions answered back by scoring nine of the next 10 points, including three kills from Vela and back-to-back aces from Rutledge. The Lions won the set 25-13. Chapron led the team with six kills in the set while Vela had five. The team hit .310 in the set.

ENMU scored the first four points of the deciding fifth set. The Lions then rallied to win five points in a row. Another 5-0 run from A&M-Commerce put them ahead 10-5. The Greyhounds could not respond and the Lions scored the final three points of the match to win 15-8. Chapron had the final two kills of the match.

 

No. 21 Lions battle back from down two to knock off West Texas A&M in a five-set thriller

COMMERCE– The No. 21 Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team defeated West Texas A&M in five sets on Friday night. The Lions lost the first two games but battled back to win the match. The set scores were 23-25, 23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 15-5.

The win brings the Lions to 15-4 on the season and 7-2 in the Lone Star Conference. The Lady Buffs fall to 10-7 and 5-4 in conference play. It was the 19th consecutive home win for A&M-Commerce and the Lions’ eighth win in a row.

A&M-Commerce returns to the court on Saturday for a 2:00 pm match against Eastern New Mexico. The match will be played at the Field House. Tickets for the match are available at WeAreLionsTix.com or by visiting the Lion Sales & Service Box Office in the Field House.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

– It was the first time all season the Lions had trailed 2-0 in a match. The Lions are now 4-3 in five-set matches this season.
– There were a total of 37 ties, in the match, with 28 of them coming in the third and fourth sets.
– Jaslyn Wacker (Austin – Vista Ridge) led the team with a season-high 19 kills in the match, hitting .432. She also led the team with three blocks.
– Jaryn Wacker (Austin – Vista Ridge) had 17 kills and Bina Njikam (Keller) had 15 kills, hitting .407.
– Celeste Vela (Guadalajara, Mexico) achieved her fifth triple-double of the season. She set career-highs with 34 assists and 20 digs while also adding 10 kills.
– Madison Luther (Sealy) had 12 kills, giving the Lions five hitters with double-digit kills. The Lions also had four players with double-digit digs and four players with double-digit assists.
– Savannah Rutledge (The Woodlands – College Park) led the team with 25 digs while Daniela Santos (Caracas, Venezuela) and Rylie Fuentes (Robinson) had 16 digs apiece. Carolina Machado (Sao Paulo, Brazil) had 11 digs and 21 assists.
– A&M-Commerce had 30 more kills than the Lady Buffs (86-56). WT had 13 blocks and was aided by 31 Lion attack errors.
– It was the 19th consecutive home win for the Lions, the second-longest home win streak in program history.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Lions got off to a 5-1 start in the first set. While trailing by three at the midway mark of the set, WT began to chip away at the Lion lead and then went on an 8-0 run to take a 19-14 lead. The Lions battled back to within one point late but WT won the final point to take the first set 25-23. Luther had five kills in the set while the Wacker twins each had four kills.

It was a back-and-forth affair to begin the second set as the teams split the first 12 points of the set. WT then went on an 11-3 run to take a commanding lead in the set. Trailing 22-14, the Lions flipped a switch. Jaslyn Wacker had four kills as part of an A&M-Commerce 8-0 run to tie the set at 22 and ignite the Lion faithful. It was not meant to be as WT scored three of the final four points to win 25-23. WT had six blocks in the set.

The teams went back and forth throughout the third set as well. The teams traded leads to start as the teams were tied at 10 early. The Lions went on a 4-0 run to take a lead and built their lead to as many as five. The Lady Buffs answered back to get within one point. The Lions would not be denied, however, winning the set 25-21. Jaslyn Wacker had five kills in the set. The score was tied 10 times and there were six lead changes in the set.

The fourth set was an even closer affair as the teams were tied a total of 18 times with five lead changes. Jaslyn Wacker had six kills while Njikam had five in seven attacks. Neither team scored more than three consecutive points or led by more than three points in the set. With the score tied at 15, A&M-Commerce scored three in a row before WT scored four of the next five points to take the lead. The teams were tied at 21, 22 and 23 before the Lions scored the final two points to push the game to five sets.

The Lions dominated the fifth set. After splitting the first four points, A&M-Commerce scored six of the next seven points to take an 8-3 lead at the midway mark. They would not relent, scoring seven of the final eight points to win the set with ease.

 

 

Fourteen Lions named 2017-18 Easton/NFCA Scholar-Athletes

LOUISVILLE, Ky.– Fourteen Texas A&M University-Commerce softball players have been named Easton/NFCA NCAA Division II Scholar-Athletes for the 2017-18 academic year. The list of awardees was announced Thursday by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Softball players who achieved a 3.5-grade point average or higher received the designation.

“It is impressive to have 14 of our student-athletes from last year’s team achieve such high marks in the classroom,” A&M-Commerce softball coach Richie Bruister said. “Here at A&M-Commerce, our athletes have incredible support, led by Judy Sackfield and her great staff. And we have a truly ‘Best In Class’ facility in the James Thrower Center. Our athletes take pride in their school work and use these resources to help them achieve their academic goals at the highest level. After advancing to Super Regionals for the first time in program history and seeing our student-athletes also achieve outstanding grades in the classroom, I could not be prouder as a coach.”

With 14 student-athletes, A&M-Commerce had the highest number of scholar-athletes of any school in the Lone Star Conference. With a team GPA of 3.528, the Lions ranked in the top-30 in the nation in team GPA. More than 1,300 athletes in NCAA Division II were recognized.

Texas A&M University-Commerce Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes
Lacie Bullard
Monica Cherry
Katie Dean
Kinsie Hebler
Baylea Higgs
Chloe Horn
Mariah Jameyson
Kayla Kilcrease
Ciera Nunez
Bri Sims
Chealsea Slider
Allie Thompson
Precious Thompson
Alex VanSickle

 

Josh Manck

Associate Athletics Director for Marketing and Communications | Texas A&M University-Commerce

Office: 903.886.5131