TAMUC – This Week

THIS WEEK IN LION ATHLETICS

September 4-10, 2017

 

V – Video, A – Audio, LS – Live Stats

 

THE WEEK AHEAD

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

4 p.m. – Volleyball vs. Wayne State (at Steel & Silver Classic – Pueblo, Colo.) – LS TBA

6 p.m. – Women’s Cross Country (4k) hosts East Texas Shootout, Centennial Park, Commerce

6:45 p.m. – Men’s Cross Country (6k) hosts East Texas Shootout, Centennial Park, Commerce

7 p.m. – No. 15 Soccer vs. St. Mary’s – V, LS

8 p.m. – Volleyball at Colorado State-Pueblo (at Steel & Silver Classic – Pueblo, Colo.) – LS

 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

1:30 p.m. – Volleyball vs. Colorado Mines (at Steel & Silver Classic – Colorado Springs, Colo) – LS

6 p.m. – No. 5 Football vs. William Jewell – Radio: Lion Sports Network – V, A, LS

Credential Requests by Tuesday at 5 p.m., please

8 p.m. – Volleyball at UC-Colorado Springs (at Steel & Silver Classic – Colorado Springs, Colo) – LS

 

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

1 p.m. – No. 15 Soccer at St. Edward’s – LS

 

LAST WEEK’S ACTION

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Volleyball (at Tarleton Invitational) vs. Southwest Baptist – W 3-0

Volleyball (at Tarleton Invitational) vs. Central Oklahoma – L 0-3

No. 5 Football at No. 6 North Alabama – W 8-7

No. 15 Soccer vs. Florida Tech – W 2-0
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Volleyball (at Tarleton Invitational) vs. Maryville – W 3-0

Volleyball (at Tarleton Invitational) vs. Rockhurst – L 0-3

 

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

No. 15 Soccer vs. Central Oklahoma – W 2-1

Chris Smith named LSC Defensive Player of the Week after game-changing safety

RICHARDSON – Texas A&M University-Commerce safety Chris Smith has been named the Lone Star Conference’s Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the Lions’ 8-7 win at North Alabama.

Smith – a junior from Mansfield – had six tackles, including two tackles for loss against North Alabama. He made arguably the biggest defensive play of the game for the Lions, recording a UNA safety that not only gave the Lions two points, but also another possession. The Lions used that to drive down the field for the game-winning field goal. Smith also had a pass breakup.

Smith and the Lions are now ranked No. 3 nationally in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll. The Lions will host William Jewell (0-1) for the home opener on CommUniverCity Day this Saturday, September 9, with kickoff set for 6:00 p.m. Tickets are available at WeAreLionsTix.com, calling (903) 468-8756, or visiting the Lion Sales & Service Box Office in the Field House.

LONE STAR CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

OFFENSE
Sept. 4 – D’Angelo Bowie, WR, Western New Mexico

DEFENSE
Sept. 4 – Chris Smith, DB, A&M-Commerce

SPECIAL TEAMS
Sept. 4 – Bailey Hale, K, Eastern New Mexico

 

Lions vault to No. 3 in AFCA Coaches’ Poll

WACO – Following a thrilling 8-7 win at North Alabama on Friday night, the Texas A&M University-Commerce football team has vaulted to No. 3 in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll, as announced Monday.

The Lions came back from an early touchdown deficit at UNA to score the final eight points and pull out a win. A&M-Commerce was ranked No. 5 entering that game, with North Alabama ranked No. 6. UNA falls to 11th.

The Lions are the highest ranked team in the newly configured Super Region Four, which consists of the Lone Star, Rocky Mountain Athletic, and Great Northwest Athletic conferences. The region has four teams in the top 10 of the nation. Colorado State-Pueblo joins A&M-Commerce at No. 7, Azusa Pacific at No. 8, and Sioux Falls at No. 9.

A&M-Commerce has been ranked in 28 straight AFCA polls, dating back to the 2015 preseason poll. This rating is A&M-Commerce’s 34th all-time appearance in the AFCA poll since its inception in 2000.

The Lions host William Jewell (0-1) for the home opener on CommUniverCity Day this Saturday, September 9, with kickoff set for 6 p.m. Tickets are available at WeAreLionsTix.com, calling (903) 468-8756, or visiting the Lion Sales & Service Box Office in the Field House.

2017 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – September 4, 2017

Rk	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.
1.	Northwest Missouri St. (34)	1-0	850	1
2.	Ferris St. (Mich.)	0-0	799	3
3.	A&M-COMMERCE	1-0	776	5
4.	Shepherd (W.Va.)	1-0	726	7
5.	California (Pa.)	1-0	675	8
6.	Indiana (Pa.)	1-0	649	9
7.	Colorado St.-Pueblo	1-0	644	12
8.	Azusa Pacific (Calif.)	1-0	541	13
9.	Sioux Falls (S.D.)	1-0	502	17
10.	LIU-Post (N.Y.)	1-0	486	14
11.	North Alabama	0-1	468	6
12.	Minnesota St.	1-0	412	20
13.	Central Missouri	1-0	401	21
14.	Grand Valley St. (Mich.)	0-1	338	2
15.	Emporia St. (Kan.)	0-1	310	4
16.	Midwestern St. (Texas)	1-0	298	24
17.	Colorado Mesa	1-0	293	23
18.	Indianapolis (Ind.)	1-0	246	NR
19.	Winston-Salem St. (N.C.)	1-0	201	NR
20.	Albany St. (Ga.)	1-0	197	NR
21.	Minnesota-Duluth	0-1	139	10
22.	Tuskegee (Ala.)	1-0	138	NR
23.	Henderson St. (Ark.)	1-0	126	NR
24.	West Chester (Pa.)	1-0	101	NR
25.	West Georgia	1-0	79	NR

Dropped Out: Harding (Ark.) (15), Colorado School of Mines (16), Southwest Baptist (Mo.) (18), North Carolina-Pembroke (19), Southern Arkansas (22), Valdosta St. (Ga.) (23), Bemidji St. (Minn.) (25)

Others Receiving Votes: Valdosta St. (Ga.), 76; Florida Tech, 68; Arkansas Tech, 66; Colorado School of Mines, 60; Harding (Ark.), 53; Central Washington, 43; North Greenville (S.C.), 43; Ashland (Ohio), 32; Delta St. (Miss.), 28; Southern Arkansas, 22; Humboldt St. (Calif.), 20; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 19; North Carolina-Pembroke, 16; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 14; Slippery Rock (Pa.), 14; Bemidji  St. (Minn.), 13; Bowie St. (Md.), 13; Minnesota St.-Moorhead, 11; Assumption (Mass.), 8; Gannon (Pa.), 8; Eastern New Mexico, 7; Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 5; Virginia St., 5; Findlay (Ohio), 2; Notre Dame (Ohio), 2; Winona St. (Minn.), 2; Angelo St. (Texas), 1; East Central (Okla.), 1; Mars Hill (N.C.), 1; Ohio Dominican, 1; Washburn (Kan.), 1.