In this Weeks Update:
• CANOES AND KAYAKS FOR RENT AT LAKE SPRINGFIELD
• FIVE TIGERS SIGN CONTRACTS
• PREP STANDOUT COMMITS TO LADY BEARS
• DRURY’S WILBURN TO PLAY IN NCAA-II EAST REGION
• MCGINNIS NAMED TO ALL-CONFERENCE GOLF TEAM
• SIX EU ATHLETES TO RECEIVE TRACK AND FIELD HONORS
• EU SOFTBALL PLAYERS HONORED AT AWARDS BANQUET
• SBU PUTS FOUR ON ALL-MIAA LIST
• LADY BOBCATS GET TWO MORE TRANSFERS
Scroll down to read these stories and “This Week in Sports History”
CANOES AND KAYAKS FOR RENT AT LAKE SPRINGFIELD
The Springfield-Greene County Park Board started the canoe and kayak rentals May 3, at the Lake Springfield Park, 2312 E. Lake Springfield Park Board.
The Park Board’s special Facilities Division will rent both for $8 per hour; $25 for four-hour rental; and $45 for an eight-hour rental, from the Lake Springfield Boathouse and Marina.
Park hours are sunrise to sunset. Canoes and Kayaks will be available for rent 8 am to one hour prior to sunset, May 3 through the month of September.
For park or rental information, call (417) 891-1550.
FIVE TIGERS SIGN CONTRACTS
Five former standout University of Missouri football players are reported to have signed free agent contracts shortly following the 2008 NFL Draft, which concluded Sunday, April 27 in New York.
They will join WR Will Franklin and TE Martin Rucker, who were both taken in the fourth round of the draft, with Franklin going to Kansas City, and Rucker going to Cleveland.
Joining Rucker in Cleveland will be a pair of Tiger teammates. Running back Tony Temple and defensive back Darnell Terrell, who also worked out as wide receiver for NFL teams during pre-draft workouts, both signed free agents contracts with the Browns.
Defensive lineman Lorenzo Williams signed a contract with the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, April 27, and he was joined by center Adam Spieker (Oakland) and tackle Tyler Luellen (San Diego).
Pictures courtesy University of Missouri
PREP STANDOUT COMMITS TO LADY BEARS
Missouri State women’s basketball head coach Nyla Milleson has made another addition to her 2008 recruiting class, as Jaleshia Roberson, a 5-7 guard from Kansas City’s Hickman Mills High School, has officially committed to join the MSU program for the 2008-2009 season. Roberson’s pledge brings the total membership in the Lady Bear’s recruiting class to five, as Lacey Boshe, Casey Garrison, Jasmine Malone and Regan Soldner committed to MSU last November.
The Kansas City Star’s All-Metro of the year, Roberson capped a standout prep career by averaging 19 points, six assists and three steals per game in leading Hickman Mills to a 29-2 overall mark in 2007-2008, which culminated in a fourth-place finish at the Missouri Class 5 State Tournament. She was a first-team all-state selection and the Suburban Small Six Conference MVP, as well as Metro Sports’ player of the year and a Direnna Award finalist as a senior for head coach Steve Cassity’s Cougars.
Roberson, a four-year letter winner and three-year starter, totaled 1,568 points in helping the Cougars compile a 101-111 record during her high school career. Hickman Mills captured conference titles in each of her four years and claimed district crowns twice, advancing to the State quarterfinals in 2007.
Picture courtesy MSU Photo Services
DRURY’S WILBURN TO PLAY IN NCAA-II EAST REGION
Drury sophomore Katie Wilburn has been selected to play in the NCAA-II East Region in Allendale, Mich., when the NCAA women’s golf championships kick off this week. Wilburn is one of four individuals selected to join teams from Grand Valley State, Ferris State, Indianapolis, California (Pa.), Northern Kentucky and Southern Indiana in the regional event to be played Monday through Wednesday at The Meadows course in Allendale, hosted by Grand Valley State.
The 54-hole event will advance the top two teams and top two individuals not from those teams on to the NCAA-II Championships May 13-16 in Houston, Texas.
Wilburn is the only returning player from last year’s East Region champion that went on to finish fourth at the NCAA-II Championships. She tied for sixth at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships last month in Marion, Ill., helping the Panthers to a third-place finish.
Picture courtesy Drury University
MCGINNIS NAMED TO ALL-CONFERENCE GOLF TEAM
Tim McGinnis, a freshman golfer on Evangels men’s team, has earned All-Heart of America Athletic Conference honors. The Kingston, Ohio, product finished the conference tournament with a 3-over par 147 (74-73) to place third overall in the tournament. The Crusaders finished fourth (613) in the two-day event, which was played at “The Outlaw” at Paradise Point Golf Club in Smithville, Mo., on April 24-25.
SIX EU ATHLETES RECEIVE TRACK AND FIELD HONORS
Five Lady Crusaders and one male athlete earned all-conference honors at the 2008 Heart of America Athletic Conference Meet on April 25-26. The meet was held at Missouri Valley in Marshall.
Women winning all-conference plaudits are junior Kristin (Metzger) Piatt (shot put, discus), sophomore Kim Pasche (400 meter hurdles), junior Whitney Pollard (discus) and junior Taylor Viles (triple jump). Piatt, the defending shot put champion from a year ago, Pasche (400 hurdles) and Viles also won medals, placing second in their respective events. In addition, Piatt’s throw of 41-feet, 2.25-inches meets the standards for a provisional qualification in the shot put for the NAIA National Meet on 22-24 at the Ralph Korte Stadium in St. Louis. Another highlight of the meet for EU was Pasche’s school-record time (1:07.34) in the 400-meter hurdles. It is the third time she has set a new standard in that event this season. Pasche also set a new school record in the pole vault, clearing 9-feet, 2.25 inches.
Dexter Henderson, a senior, was the only EU male to win all-conference honors. He placed sixth in the pole vault.
EU SOFTBALL PLAYERS HONORED AT AWARDS BANQUET
Several players on the 2008 Evangel University softball team were honored at their annual banquet, which was held April 28 at the Crusader Hall on the EU campus. The team ended their season with a 24-14 record and is co-champion of the Heart of America Athletic Conference with Central Methodist. The conference championship is the ninth for the EU girls and their fifth in a row.
Award Winners:
• MVP – Stef Beaverson (Senior, OF, Lewisberry, Pa.) -- .387 batting average, .782 slugging average, 35 runs, 40 RBIs, 3 doubles, 4 triples, 12 home runs.
• Offensive Player of the Year – Stef Beaverson
• Defensive Player of the Year – Elizabeth LeClaire (Junior, OF, Green Bay, Wis.) – 1.000 fielding average, 0 errors, 2 assists, 65 putouts, 67 total chances, 1 double play
• Slugger of the Year – Stef Beaverson
• Newcomer of the Year – Breanna Canclini (Junior., OF, Placerville, Calif) -- .295 batting average, 495 slugging average, 15 runs, 21 RBIs, 6 doubles, 5 home runs
• Rookie of the Year – Anna McKinny (Freshman, New Hampton, Mo.) – 2.93 ERA, 3-1 record, 1 save, 7 appearances, 6 starts, 1 complete game, 28.2 innings, 16 walks, 15 strikeouts
• 3-D Player of the Year – Elizabeth LeClaire – third in a row (dedication, desire, determination)
• Teammate of the Year – Cara Bowling (Junior, P/IF, Girard, Ill.)
• ACE Pitcher of the Year – Brooke Ragan (Senior, P, Wynne, Ark.) – 2.36 ERA, 10-6 record, 1 save, 20 appearances, 17 starts, 12 complete games, 107 innings, 31 walks, 92 strikeouts
• Presidential Award (academics) – Cara Bowling
Photos Courtesy Evangel University
SBU PUTS FOUR ON ALL-MIAA LIST
The SBU Lady Bearcats have placed four on the All-MIAA softball team, which is their best showing since 2002, when they also were represented four times.
McKenzie Mortimer (OF, 5-6, So., Pleasant Hope) was a 2nd team selection. This season, Mortimer led the team in batting average (.370), slugging percentage (.610), hits (54), triples (3), and home runs (7).
Josie Rose (P. 5-11, Fr., Belton, Mo.) was selected as an honorable mention. Rose set a school record for strikeouts this season by fanning 187 opposing batters. She finished with an 11-15 record and a 4.00 ERA.
Teressa Gomez (SS, 5-8, Jr., Lincoln, Calif.) was selected as an honorable mention. Gomez batted .344 on the season, and led the team in doubles with 13.
Sarah Brison (UT, 5-5, Jr., Lincoln, Calif.) was selected as an honorable mention. Brison led the team with 33 RBIs.
LADY BOBCATS GET TWO MORE TRANSFERS
George Wilson announced last week that the Lady Bobcats have grown by two more players. Getting two commitments from local transfer students. The addition to the team will be Northark transfer Emily Bell and Evangel transfer Megan Jewell.
These two additions bring College of the Ozarks up to 5 transfers. Bell and Jewell are joining Kayli Combs, Lindsy Murray and Emily Nichols as transfer students.
Bell is a Berryville, Ark., native and Jewell is from Willard.
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