TAMUC – Sports

 

Soccer’s LSC Quarterfinal match moved to 5 p.m.

COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team has announced a schedule change. The Lions’ soccer match against Eastern New Mexico has been moved to 5:00 p.m. The game will still be played at the Lion Soccer Field.

The Lions are the fourth seed in the LSC Tournament while ENMU is the fifth seed. The winner of the match will advance to the semifinal round of the LSC Tournament, scheduled to be played in Canyon on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Stay tuned to LionAthletics.com for further schedule updates.

 

 

Volleyball holds at No. 21 in AVCA rankings headed into the final week of regular season.

COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team is ranked 21st in the latest national rankings released by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. The rankings were released Monday. The Lions held their same position from last week. For nine consecutive weeks, they have ranked the Lions nationally.

The Lions won all three of their matches last week. On Tuesday, the Lions won a five-set match against Cameron on the road. The Lions then swept both Western New Mexico and UT Permian Basin at home, ending their regular season with a home record of 10-1. The Lions have won six matches in a row and have won 16 or their last 17 games.

A&M-Commerce is one of two teams from the Lone Star Conference in this week’s rankings. Tarleton is ranked No. 10. The Lions have faced five different nationally ranked teams and have a record of 4-2 against top-25 ranked opponents this season.

The No. 21 Lions finish the regular season with two road matches this weekend. They will face Eastern New Mexico in Portales N.M. on Friday at 6 p.m. MDT. They will then face West Texas A&M on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Canyon.

2018 AVCA Division II Top-25 Coaches Poll – Oct. 29 (Week 10)

Rk.	School (First Place)	Pts.	Record
1	Cal State San Bernardino (24)	1149	22-2
2	Western Washington (20)	1137	21-3
3	Nebraska-Kearney (1)	1020	28-2
4	Minnesota Duluth	974	22-5
5	Northern State (2)	951	23-3
6	Concordia – St. Paul	900	21-6
7	Tampa	823	25-2
8	Ferris State	810	21-4
9	Southwest Minnesota State	771	19-7
10	Tarleton State (1)	739	26-2
11	Washburn	711	26-2
12	Cal State L. A.	627	20-3
13	Drury	608	24-4
14	Cal Poly Pomona	590	21-3
15	Central Missouri	576	21-6
16	Palm Beach Atlantic	496	25-3
17	Central Oklahoma	450	25-5
18	Wheeling Jesuit	384	28-3
19	West Florida	312	22-7
20	Gannon	273	25-1
21	Texas A&M-Commerce	260	23-5
22	Lewis	231	21-6
23	Barry	163	24-3
24	Michigan Tech	144	21-4
25	Wingate	102	24-1

 

Lions jump one spot to No. 6 in Super Region Four rankings.

INDIANAPOLIS– The Texas A&M University-Commerce football team is ranked sixth in the second release of the NCAA Division II Super Region Four rankings, as announced Monday.

The Lions are 7-2 overall with a 5-2 record in-region. Super Region Four consists of the Lone Star, Rocky Mountain Athletic, Great Northwest Athletic, and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate conferences. The top seven teams in the region at the completion of the season will advance to the NCAA Division II Football Championship.

Four undefeated teams are remaining in the region. Minnesota State (9-0) is ranked first, followed by second-ranked Tarleton (8-0), and third-ranked Minnesota-Duluth (9-0), and fourth-ranked Colorado School of Mines (9-0).

Also in the rankings are Colorado State-Pueblo (8-1) in fifth, MSU Texas (6-2) in seventh, Central Washington (7-1) in eighth, Azusa Pacific (6-2) in ninth, and Chadron State (6-2) in 10th.

The Lions have two games remaining on their regular season schedule. A&M-Commerce’s final regular season road contest is at UT Permian Basin in Odessa’s Ratliff Stadium at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 3.

NCAA Division II Super Region Four Rankings – October 29, 2018

Rk.	School	In-Region	DII Record
1	Minnesota State	9-0	9-0
2	Tarleton	8-0	8-0
3	Minnesota-Duluth	9-0	9-0
4	Colorado School of Mines	9-0	9-0
5	Colorado State-Pueblo	8-1	8-1
6	A&M-COMMERCE	5-2	7-2
7	MSU Texas	5-2	6-2
8	Central Washington	7-1	7-1
9	Azusa Pacific	6-2	6-2
10	Chadron State	6-2	6-2

Games in the Regional Rankings This Week
Sioux Falls at No. 1 Minnesota State – Noon
Lincoln (Mo.) at No. 2 Tarleton – 2:00 p.m.
Mary at No. 3 Minnesota-Duluth – 1:05 p.m.
No. 4 Colorado School of Mines at Dixie State – 2:00 p.m.
No. 5 Colorado State-Pueblo at Black Hills State – 2:00 p.m.
No. 6 A&M-Commerce at UT Permian Basin – 6:00 p.m.
No. 7 MSU Texas at Western New Mexico – 1:00 p.m.
No. 8 Central Washington at Southwest Baptist – 1:00 p.m.
No. 9 Azusa Pacific at Humboldt State – 3:00 p.m.
No. 10 Chadron State at South Dakota Mines – 2:00 p.m.

 

 

Kristov Martinez named LSC Special Teams Player of the Week after breaking LSC field goal record.

RICHARDSON– Texas A&M University-Commerce kicker Kristov Martinez has been named the Lone Star Conference Special Teams Player of the Week. It is the third time this season Martinez has won the award, and the fifth time a Lion special teamer has been awarded. The conference office on Monday announced the accolade.

Martinez- a senior from Edinburg- became the LSC’s all-time leading field goal kicker in the Lions’ 41-16 Homecoming win over West Texas A&M. His 25-yarder in the first quarter was his 63rd career field goal. He added a 28-yard field goal in the third quarter to run his career total to 64, which tied for fourth in Division II history. He finished the game with 11 kicking points, going 2-for-2 on field goals and 5-for-5 on PATs. He now has 405 career points, becoming only the third player in conference history to go over 400 points. He also had two rushes for 2 yards, picking up a first down on a fake field goal.

Martinez and the No. 16 Lions return to action on Saturday with a road contest against UT Permian Basin. The game will be played at 6 p.m. at Ratliff Stadium in Odessa.

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
O-15 Juwan Johnson, Midwestern State
Xavier Turner, Tarleton State
O-22 Xavier Turner, Tarleton State (2)
O-29 Xavier Turner, Tarleton State (3)

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
O-15 E.J. Speed, Tarleton State
O-22 Noah Sweitzer, Eastern New Mexico
O-29 Jai Edwards, Tarleton State

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)
O-15 Reggie Kincade, Texas A&M-Commerce
Larry Johnson, Angelo State (2)
O-22 Connor Flanigan, Angelo State
O-29 Kristov Martinez, Texas A&M-Commerce (3)

 

 

Lions move up to No. 16 in AFCA Coaches’ Poll.

WACO – The Texas A&M University-Commerce football team is ranked No. 16 in this week’s 2018 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll, as announced by the AFCA on Monday morning.

The Lions asserted their strength early in the second half on the way to a 41-16 Homecoming victory over West Texas A&M last Saturday. A&M-Commerce is now 7-2 overall on the season with a 5-1 Lone Star Conference record.

Three Lion opponents for 2018 are in the top 25. Tarleton held steady at No. 8, and Colorado State-Pueblo is No. 12, and MSU Texas is now No. 18.

A&M-Commerce has been ranked in 49 consecutive AFCA polls, dating back to the 2015 preseason poll. This is A&M-Commerce’s 55th 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 known as a nationally ranked team 104 times since joining Division II in 1981.

The Lions play their final regular season road game this week, taking on UT Permian Basin in Odessa’s Ratliff Stadium at 6:00 pm. on Saturday, November 3.

2018 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll
October 29, 2018

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.
1.	Minnesota St. (30)	9-0	818	1
2.	Ferris St. (Mich.) (3)	9-0	794	2
3.	West Georgia	9-0	754	3
4.	Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)	9-0	692	4
5.	Minnesota-Duluth	9-0	677	5
6.	Colorado School of Mines	9-0	657	6
7.	Valdosta St. (Ga.)	8-0	615	7
8.	Tarleton	8-0	608	8
9.	Grand Valley St. (Mich.)	8-1	549	9
10.	Northwest Missouri St.	8-1	525	11
11.	West Chester (Pa.)	8-0	496	12
12.	Colorado St.-Pueblo	8-1	463	13
13.	Notre Dame (Ohio)	9-0	432	14
14.	Indianapolis (Ind.)	7-1	347	16
15.	Tiffin (Ohio)	9-0	338	17
16.	A&M-COMMERCE	7-2	289	18
17.	LIU-Post (N.Y.)	8-0	268	19
18.	MSU Texas	6-2	258	10
19.	Central Washington	7-2	201	20
20.	Southern Arkansas	8-1	193	21
21.	Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)	8-1	136	24
22.	Indiana (Pa.)	7-2	121	22
23.	Kutztown (Pa.)	7-1	120	15
24.	Harding (Ark.)	7-2	112	23
25.	Hillsdale (Mich.)	8-1	88	25

Dropped Out: None

Others Receiving Votes: Slippery Rock (Pa.), 46; Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 36; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 26; New Haven (Conn.), 19; Ashland (Ohio), 13; Bowie St. (Md.), 9; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 5; Fairmont St. (W.Va.), 4; Missouri S&T, 4; West Florida, 4; Central Oklahoma, 3; Virginia Union, 3; Chadron St. (Neb.), 1; Ohio Dominican, 1.

Lion Soccer finishes fourth in LSC standings, will host THE quarterfinal against Eastern N.M. on Wednesday

RICHARDSON– The Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team will be the fourth seed in the Lone Star Conference tournament, as announced Sunday by the conference office. As the fourth seed, the Lions will host the quarterfinal match on Wednesday against fifth-seed Eastern New Mexico. The game will be at 7:00 p.m. at the Lion Soccer Field. The Lions and the Greyhounds split their matches this season, with the home team winning each game.

Tickets to the match will be available at WeAreLionsTix.com, by visiting the Lion Sales & Service Box Office in the Field House, or by purchase at the gate at the Lion Soccer Field.

No. 18 Lions delight Homecoming crowd with 41-16 win over West Texas.

COMMERCE – The No. 18 Texas A&M University-Commerce football team prevailed in all three phases of the game on the way to a 41-16 Homecoming win over West Texas A&M at Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night.

With the victory, the Lions are now 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the Lone Star Conference, while the Buffaloes are 5-4 overall and 3-3 in LSC play.

The Lions play their final regular season road game next week, taking on UT Permian Basin in Odessa’s Ratliff Stadium at 6:00 pm on Saturday, November 3.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

– The Lions outgained the Buffs 375 yards to 286 and limited West Texas to 23 rushing yards on 26 carries.
– Kicker Kristov Martinez (Edinburg) became the LSC’s all-time leading field goal kicker with a 25-yarder in the second quarter for his 63rd career field goal. He finished the game with 11 kicking points, going 2-for-2 on field goals and 5-for-5 on PATs. He now has 405 career points, becoming only the third player in conference history to go over 400 points.
– Kane Wilson (New Orleans, La.) completed 12-of-15 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown. He also had a pair of rushing touchdowns to push his season total to eight rushing scores.
– Ovie Urevbu (Plano – Legacy Christian) had 20 carries for 118 yards. Carandal Hale (Greenville) had nine carries for 89 yards and a 7-yard touchdown.
– Ryan Stokes (St. Louis, Mo.) had three receptions for 85 yards. Vincent Hobbs (Mesquite – Horn) was the recipient of a 2-yard touchdown completion.
– Kader Kohou (Euless – Trinity) had six tackles to lead the Lions, including two tackles for loss and a key pass breakup.
– Dominique Ramsey (Converse – Judson) had an 84-yard interception return for a touchdown.
– L.A. Dawson (Austin – LBJ) and D.D. Fletcher (Arlington – Martin) each had fumble recoveries at critical moments in the game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Buffaloes were the first team to find their way to the scoreboard after the teams traded punts on their opening drives. West Texas converted on third down three times in the drive and punched in a 3-yard touchdown run to go up 7-0 with 6:18 left in the first quarter.

A&M-Commerce answered with a seven-play, 67-yard touchdown drive. Urevbu had a 12-yard carry, Hale busted a 24-yard run, and Marquis Wimberly (Duarte, Calif.) had an 11-yard reception on the drive. Hale’s 7-yard touchdown plunge tied the game at 7-all with 4:14 left in the opening frame.

After trading punts, the Lion defense forced a turnover in a pivotal position to set up the next score. Pierre Leonard (Tyler – John Tyler) sacked WT quarterback Justin Houghtaling and forced a fumble, which Fletcher recovered at the Buff 11-yard line. Three plays later, Wilson pushed across the goal line from the 1-yard line to give the Lions a 14-7 lead with 10:25 left in the first half.

West Texas scored less than four minutes later, as a 46-yard pass completion set up a David Leonty 2-yard touchdown carry a 6:34 mark. The PAT went wide left, and the Lions still led 14-13.

The teams traded punts, but the Lions blocked the Buffs’ boot deep in their own territory. The Lions recovered at the WT 10-yard line and would eventually settle for Martinez’ record-breaking field goal from 25 yards out. The kick made it a 17-13 game, and that score would carry to halftime.

A&M-Commerce received the opening kickoff of the second half and took advantage of a 33-yard return on a short kick by Reggie Kincade (Everman). The Lions needed only 42 yards to reach paydirt, most of which was taken up by a 31-yard Urevbu carry. Wilson’s second touchdown of the night made it a 24-13 Lion lead with 13:04 left in the third quarter.

Wilson found Stokes for a 68-yard completion on the first play of the next Lion drive, then connected with Hobbs in the back of the end zone from two yards out. That touchdown pushed the advantage to 31-13 with 8:13 left in the third quarter.

After the Buffaloes scored a field goal on their next drive, the Lions responded in kind. Martinez was the recipient of rushing first down on a fake field goal attempt, then booted a 28-yarder right with 46 seconds left in the quarter. The Lions took a 34-16 lead into the final period.

West Texas was driving near midfield in the early portion of the fourth quarter when Houghtaling’s shot downfield was snagged by Ramsey at the A&M-Commerce 16. His weaving return eluded multiple Buffaloes as he went 84 yards for the final touchdown of the game. His score provided the 41-16 margin.

While the visitors threatened to score again, the Buffs’ Marshawn Brown fumbled near the goal line after a hard hit by Jalon Edwards-Cooper (Spring – Dekaney). Dawson recovered in the end zone for a touchback against his former school, snuffing out the Buffaloes’ final chance at points.

No. 21 Lions sweep UTPB on Senior Day.

COMMERCE– The No. 21 Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team swept UT Permian Basin on Saturday. The Lions ran away with all three sets. The set scores were 25-16, 25-12 and 25-17.

The win brings the Lions to 23-5 on the season and 15-3 in the Lone Star Conference. The Falcons falls to 12-14 and 7-10 in conference play.

The Lions return to action on Friday in the final week of the regular season. They will face Eastern New Mexico on Friday at 6:00 pm MDT in Portales. The team will then travel to Canyon to face West Texas A&M on Saturday at 1:00 pm.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Celeste Vela (Guadalajara, Mexico) led the team with 12 kills and added 16 assists and nine digs. She hit .500 in the match.
– Senior Bina Njikam (Keller) had 10 kills, hitting a team-high .563.
– Senior Jaryn Wacker (Austin – Vista Ridge) had nine kills while Shelley Chapron (Houston – St. Pius X) had six.
– Senior Preston Lienemann (Loveland, Colo.) had four kills, and seniors Payton McMillan (Denton – Guyer) and Jaslyn Wacker (Austin – Vista Ridge) had three kills apiece.
– Rylie Fuentes (Robinson) led the team with 17 assists while senior Carolina Machado (Sao Paulo, Brazil) had eight.
– Savannah Rutledge (The Woodlands – College Park) led the team with 10 digs. Daniela Santos (Caracas, Venezuela) had nine digs.
– The Lions hit .340 as a team in the match while holding UTPB to a .056 average.
– Five different Lion servers recorded aces.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Lions got off to a hot start in the match, taking the first four points. The Falcons battled back to within three before the Lions sunk their teeth in, scoring six points in a row to take a 15-6 lead. The Falcons could not battle back, and the Lions took the set 25-16. Vela had five kills in the game. The Falcons hit -.062 in the set.

It was a back and forth start to the second set, with the Lions ahead 6-5 early. A&M-Commerce then began to roll, taking seven of the next eight points to take the lead. With the Lions leading 18-12, they scored the final seven points of the set to win 25-12. Njikam led the team with six kills in the game while Chapron had four. The Lions hit .433 in the set.

It was again an even start to the third set, as the Lions held an 11-10 lead near the midway point. The Lion attack then caught fire again as the team scored four in a row to build a lead. The Lions scored the final two points of the game to win 25-17, sealing the sweep. Jaryn Wacker had five kills in the last set while Vela added four.

Kotlik header pushes Lions past MSU Texas 1-0 on Senior Day.

ROCKWALL– The Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team defeated MSU Texas 1-0 on Friday night. The Lions scored their goal in the 50th minute of the match.

The win brings the Lions to 9-7-0 on the season and 6-6-0 in the Lone Star Conference. The Mustangs fall to 2-12-2 and 1-9-1 in conference play.

The Lions now await their seeding for the LSC tournament. The Lions will face Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday but must wait for ENMU’s match on Sunday to know if they will be the fourth or fifth seed. Should ENMU win against Angelo State, the Lions would head to Portales for the match. If the Greyhounds tie or lose, ENMU will come to Commerce. Stay tuned to LionAthletics.com for updates.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

– Senior Michelle Kotlik (Grapevine) scored the Lions’ goal in the 50th minute. It is her sixth goal of the season.
– The goal was assisted on a corner kick by Karissa Rulander (Clear Falls).
– Senior Sabrina Munguia (Baytown – Sterling) had five shots on goal in her eight shots in the match.
– Senior, Caitlin Duty (Crandall) made three saves, recording the 24th shutout of her career. The Lion defense held the Mustangs without a shot on goal in the second half.
– The Lions outshot MSU 14-7.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Mustangs had an early shot on goal that was saved in the second minute. Munguia then had a header shot saved in the sixth minute. The Lions also had the first chance from Jeorgia Carr (Peterborough, England) that went high.

Duty made another save in the 17th minute as the teams continued to battle. Munguia had another shot on goal in the 25th minute, but it was protected. She added yet another shot on goal in the 32nd minute. Duty then made a save in the 34th minute. The match was scoreless at halftime.

Munguia had an early chance in the second half, but it was saved in the 49th minute. The Lions continued to attack and were successful. After drawing a corner kick on the right side in the 50th minute, Rulander directed the ball toward the goal and Kotlik got a good jump and headed the ball into the net.

Munguia had another shot on goal in the 69th minute, but it was saved. The Lion defense held MSU Texas without a shot on goal in the second half and was able to bleed the clock to get the 1-0 win.

No. 21 Lions roll to sweep of Western New Mexico.

COMMERCE – The No. 21 Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team rolled to a sweep of Western New Mexico University in the Field House on Friday evening. Set scores were 25-21, 25-20, and 25-17.

With the victory, the Lions are now 22-5 overall and 14-3 in the Lone Star Conference. Western New Mexico is now 9-16 overall and 5-11 in the LSC.

The Lions have one more home match in the regular season and will welcome UT Permian Basin to the Field House for a 1 p.m. match Saturday. The Lions will celebrate the careers of the senior class before the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

– The Lions out-hit WNMU by a .302 to .109 margin. The Mustangs did not record a kill until the 26th point of the match.
– Shelley Chapron (Houston – St. Pius X) led the Lions with 13 kills and a .478 hitting percentage, also chipping in on three blocks.
– Celeste Vela (Guadalajara, Mexico) had another strong all-around performance with 12 kills on a .588 hitting percentage, 19 assists, and seven digs.
– Bina Njikam (Keller) had 10 kills on a .533 hitting percentage and also had two solo blocks.
– Savannah Rutledge (The Woodlands – College Park) was excellent in the back row, as the libero had 19 digs for an average of 6.67 digs per set. Riley Davidson (Commerce) also had 10 digs.
– Rylie Fuentes (Robinson) passed out 24 assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Neither team was able to establish an advantage early in the match, as the Lions’ ordinarily potent offense also gave away points. While kills were falling, A&M-Commerce gave away four points on errors and four on blocks before hitting their stride and pulling away. Njikam had two kills to put the Lions up 20-15, and a Vela kill at 22-15 gave the Lions their largest lead of the set. The Lions had set point at 24-17 before WNMU scored four straight points before a Mustang service error gave the Lions the first set. A&M-Commerce hit .186 in the game but stayed alive in multiple points with 24 digs, including a stunning 12 from Rutledge.

The Lion offense awoke in the second set, hitting .459 with two errors, only one of which was enforced. A&M-Commerce had a four-point lead at 13-9, then rattled off five straight points to go up by nine at 18-9. The Mustangs would cut that lead to as few as four in the late stages of the set, but a monster kill by Chapron emphatically ended the game.

A&M-Commerce scored four straight points to snap a 4-all tie early in the third set and would not see the lead shrink to fewer than three points the rest of the match. The lead was down to three points at 19-16 when the Lions came out of a timeout and scored six of the next seven points to close out the sweep. The hosts scored the final four points of the match with a Vela kill, a Daniela Santos (Caracas, Venezuela) ace, a Njikam solo block, and a Jaryn Wacker (Austin – Vista Ridge) hammer kill put the bow on the sweep. The Lions hit .278 in the set with Jaslyn Wacker (Austin – Vista Ridge) earning five kills in the frame.

Josh Manck
Associate Athletics Director for Marketing and Communications | Texas A&M University-Commerce
Office: 903.886.5131
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3011 | Commerce, TX 75429

Marcus Jensen
Assistant Director of Athletic Communications | Texas A&M University-Commerce
Office: 903.468.3027
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