WAXAHACHIE – Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) announces the resignation of head football coach, Ryan Smith, who has indicated a desire to pursue other coaching opportunities. In the previous four years, SAGU football holds an 18-21 record and finished 9-3 in 2021 while winning the National Christian College Athletic Association’s Victory Bowl.

SAGU will begin the process of finding a new head coach immediately. SAGU Athletics has a mission to pursue spiritual formation in student-athletes, prepare student-athletes to be servant leaders, and provide an atmosphere of athletic excellence.

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SAN ANGELO – The Angelo State University Athletic Department today announced the hiring of Vinay Patel to lead the ASU Rams men’s basketball program as its new head coach.

Patel brings 17 years of coaching experience to ASU, most recently serving as the head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, where he led the Rangers to a 20-9 overall record and one of the biggest turnarounds in NCAA Division II last season.

“We are so excited to have Coach Patel join Angelo State as the next head men’s basketball coach, said ASU Director of Athletics James Reid. “Vinay brings a wealth of experience and success to the university and program, including time spent in the Lone Star Conference. Coach Patel’s background and commitment to excellence make him a great fit for our Athletic Department and university. We are excited to welcome him and his family into the Ram Fam!”

Prior to NWOSU, Patel spent four seasons at Oklahoma City University and compiled an overall record of 82-42. He led the Stars to a Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament championship in 2018-19 and a share of the regular-season championship in 2017-18. The Stars advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NAIA Tournament two years in a row while making the tournament all four years.

Patel was named the Sooner Athletic Conference and Oklahoma Sports Net Coach of the Year in 2018 when the Stars finished with a 24-9 mark and ranked No. 8 in the NAIA.

“I am honored and humbled to be given the opportunity to be the next head coach at Angelo State University,” Patel said. “I would like to thank President Ronnie Hawkins and Athletic Director James Reid for allowing me to lead such a storied basketball program. This is a dream come true for me! My family and I are excited to be a part of the community of San Angelo and the Ram Family!” Emphasizing success both on the court and in the classroom, Patel’s squads at NWOSU and OCU both recorded the highest team GPA in program history. He also coached four NAIA All-Americans and the SAC Player of the Year at OCU while eight former players have gone on to sign professional contracts.

No stranger to the Lone Star Conference, Patel started his coaching career at West Texas A&M University as a graduate assistant in 2005 before working his way up to associate head coach in 2013. In eight seasons on staff, Patel helped lead the Buffs to a 164-93 record and five NCAA Division II Tournament appearances.

“I would also like to thank everyone at Northwestern Oklahoma State for the past three years,” Patel added. “I was fortunate to work with a special group of people daily, and they are the reason for this incredible opportunity. I am excited to be back in the Lone Star Conference and am ready to get to work!”

A native of Shamrock, Texas, Patel received his Master of Science degree in sports and exercise science from WTAMU in 2007, and he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise and sports science from Texas Tech University.

An introductory press conference will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 2, in the VIP Room of the ASU Junell Center to welcome Coach Patel and his family

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RICHARDSON, Texas – The Lone Star Conference has released its 2022 football conference schedule, which features a 10-team, nine-game single round robin format.

The slate has LSC games predominantly in weeks 3-11, with two league contests in week two.  The first full week of league play will take place on October 1.

The LSC welcomes Central Washington, Simon Fraser, and Western Oregon as affiliate members in football in 2022.  The trio joins Angelo State, Eastern New Mexico, Midwestern State, Texas A&M-Kingsville, UT Permian Basin, West Texas A&M, and Western New Mexico for the 10-team conference in 2022.

In 2021, Midwestern State claimed the LSC football title for the fourth time, while Angelo State and Central Washington were selected for the NCAA Division II Football Championship.

The schedule is below:

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The first time the Wayland Baptist Flying Queens ever faced off against Loyola University (La.) wound up being an historic occasion for the home team.

The winningest collegiate women’s basketball program in the nation picked up its milestone 1,700^th win Thursday night in Hutcherson Center, coming away with a hard-earned 76-71 victory over the Wolf Pack on the first day of the 2021 Queens Classic

A strong finish by the eighth-ranked, undefeated Flying Queens (5-0) secured the triumph as Wayland used a late 10-2 run to break a 65-65 tie against No. 23 Loyola, which was making its season-opener. 

New Flying Queen Fapou Semebene hit both of her two field goals during the win-clinching run, while all-Americans Jenna Cooper and Kaylee Edgemon added a pair of clutch free throws apiece. Another new face, senior point-guard Angel Hayden, came up with numerous key offensive rebounds in addition to a bucket down the stretch.

Edgemon ended with 22 points while Cooper got 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Hayden, meanwhile, produced 13 points and 13 boards (eight offensive) in addition to her five assists. Ashlyn Shelley tacked on eight points, Semebene six, Taryn Shultz five and Lara Mason two.

Wayland didn’t have a particularly strong shooting night, hitting just 33 percent (22-of-66), and suffered 23 turnovers. But the Queens nailed 10 3s, sank 20-of-23 free throws and, maybe most importantly, out-rebounded the Wolf Pack, 52-35, including 24-14 on the offensive end.

Loyola was led by Tay Cannon, who got 22 points and nine rebounds. Kennedy Hansberry added 15 points.

The Queens Classic – featuring a single game each day of the three-day, three-team event – continues Friday when Loyola takes on Our Lady of the Lake at 4 p.m. The Flying Queens are back on the floor at 2 p.m. Saturday to face OLLU.

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AUSTIN, Texas — The University Interscholastic League announced trophy presentation dates for the 2021 UIL Lone Star Cup winners, presented by Texas Farm Bureau Insurance. Representatives from the UIL and Texas Farm Bureau Insurance will be on-site to present each winning school with the UIL Lone Star Cup trophy.

“The UIL Lone Star Cup rewards the best overall academic, athletic and music programs in the state of Texas,” said UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt. “To win, every student, teacher and coach across all areas of UIL competition must contribute. The winning schools and communities should be proud of this outstanding achievement.”

2021 UIL Lone Star Cup presentation dates:

• Friday, September 10: Presentation for Argyle High School (4A) during home football game vs. Celina.
• Friday, September 10: Presentation for Conroe The Woodlands High School (6A) during home football game vs. Bridgeland.
• Friday, October 1: Presentation for Nazareth High School (1A) during home football game vs. White Deer.
• Friday, October 8: Presentation for Dallas Highland Park High School (5A) during home football game vs. Longview.
• Friday, October 22: Presentation for Shiner (2A) during home football game vs. Weimar.
• Friday, October 29: Presentation for Brock (3A) during home football game vs. Peaster.

The UIL Lone Star Cup program began during the 1997-98 school year and recognizes six high schools (one in each of the six UIL conferences), based on their overall team achievement in a variety of sanctioned academic, athletic and music championships. The winning schools in each conference receive the UIL Lone Star Cup trophy presented by Texas Farm Bureau Insurance and a $1,000 award.

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AUSTIN — The State Executive Committee of the University Interscholastic League met Thursday to hand down decisions on eligibility of student-athletes and issue penalties for UIL rules violations.

A student-athlete from Valley Mills High School was denied an appeal for varsity eligibility, upholding the previous ruling of the district executive committee.

Hawkins High School Head Baseball Coach Derrick Conde was denied an appeal of an ejection from a contest and was issued a five-game suspension in baseball which includes practices. He was also issued a two-game suspension in football and a two-game suspension in basketball. Conde was placed on three years probation and issued a public reprimand.

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MAKUHARI, Chiba, Japan – From a host of national champions to inductees in the basketball hall of fame, Wayland Baptist University Athletics has realized its share of impressive accolades through the years.

Not until today, however, has Wayland had its own Olympic gold medalist.

With a wrestling style and personality all her own, Tamyra Mensah-Stock captured the top spot in the 68 kg weight class at the Tokyo Olympic Games, defeating Nigeria’s Blessing Oborududu, 4-1.

As described by Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling: “Mensah-Stock, the No. 1 seed, won a rough-and-tumble battle with the powerful Oborududu, who came in as the No. 2 seed. Mensah-Stock scored first on a spin-behind takedown to lead 2-0, but Oborududu was able to get a reversal to close it to 2-1. Mensah-Stock added a leg attack takedown later in the first period to make it 4-1 at the break.

“There was no scoring in the second period, although the athletes were both aggressive. Oborududu never got close to getting a takedown on Mensah-Stock. As the time ticked down, chants of USA, USA went through the arena from the American delegation and it ended with a 4-1 win for the American star.”

A two-time national champion at Wayland in 2015 and 2017, and the 2019 World Champion, Mensah-Stock becomes just the second U.S. female to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling, joining 2016 Olympic champion Helen Maroulis. She also becomes the seventh U.S. woman to win an Olympic medal in wrestling since the sport was added in 2004.

As always, Mensah-Stock was gracious in victory and overcome with emotion. As she did a day earlier after each of her three dominant wins leading up to the gold medal match, she flashed her signature “heart” sign to the audience.

In her post-match interview, Mensah-Stock – with the U.S. flag draped around her shoulders – showed why the world has fallen in love with the 28-year-old from Katy, Texas.

Asked if she ever dreamed of winning a gold medal, Mensah-Stock, who started wrestling in the 10^th grade at the encouragement of twin sister Tarkyia (also a former WBU wrestler), said, “100 percent yes! I knew it would be hard. I prayed I could do it (and) left it in (God’s) hands.

“I knew I could do it. From when I first started wrestling I felt I could be an Olympic champ. I did it!”

TV commentator Jordan Burroughs, an Olympic champion himself, said following Mensah-Stock’s post-match interview, “Only Tamyra could laugh, cry and sing karaoke all within a matter of 30 seconds of an interview. Her spirit is truly contagious. The way she reflects her radiance and her light on the world truly is from within.

“You can tell she has a strong faith. Her beliefs are strong and that’s why she was able to achieve this goal, because she believed in herself, her faith, her staff, her training partners, and they all helped her get it done.”

Mensah-Stock, who won the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2016 but didn’t get to compete in Rio de Janeiro because the U.S. didn’t qualify her weight, said she embraces being a role model to young girls.

“Just because you’re a female doesn’t mean you can’t accomplish the biggest of goals. Being an Olympic champ is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my entire life.

“I’m excited to see what I have next.”

With members of her family watching from Orlando, Mensah-Stock said she relishes representing the United States.

“I love it. I’m so happy I get to represent U-S-A.”

Finally, Mensah-Stock showed her shy, quiet side.

“I can’t wait,” she said, “to be at home with my husband and my dogs to celebrate with them.”

OLYMPIC GAMES WRESTLING
At Makuhari, Chiba, Japan, August 2

68 kg – Tamyra Mensah-Stock (Colorado Springs, Colo./USOPTC/Titan Mercury WC), gold medal
WIN Sara Dosho (Japan), tech, fall 10-0
WIN Feng Zhou (China), tech. fall 10-0
WIN Alla Cherkasova (Ukraine), 10-4
WIN Blessing Oborududu (Nigeria), 4-1

Group Two final results
68 kg
Gold – Tamyra Mensah Stock (USA)
Silver – Blessing Oborududu (Nigeria)
Bronze – Meerin Zhumanazarova (Kyrgyzstan)
Bronze – Alla Cherkasova (Ukraine)
5th – Sara Dosho (Japan)
5th – Battsetseg Soronzonbold (Mongolia)
7th – Zhou Feng (China)
8th – Khanum Velieva (ROC)
9th – Anna Carmen Schell (Germany)
10th – Elis Manolova (Azerbaijan)
Gold – Tamyra Mensah Stock (USA) dec. Blessing Oborududu (Nigeria), 4-1
Bronze – Alla Cherkasova (Ukraine) pin Sara Dosho (Japan), 2:33
Bronze – Meerin Zhumanazarova (Kyrgyzstan) pin Battsetseg Soronzonbold (Mongolia), 4:06

Group 3 women’s freestyle finals pairing

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MAKUHARI, Chiba, Japan – Former Wayland Baptist wrestler Tamyra Mensah-Stock will wrestle for an Olympic gold medal.

Mensah-Stock, competing at 68 kg (149½ pounds), won all three of her matches at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, the first two by 10-0 technical fall then in the semifinals, 10-4.

The 2019 World champion who was a two-time WCWA national champion at Wayland in 2015 and 2017, Mensah-Stock will compete in the gold medal match set for 5:30 a.m. Tuesday (Central time). The Katy, Texas, native will face Blessing Oborududu of Nigeria, who won her semifinal, 7-2, over Battsetseg Soronzonbold of Mongolia.

Facing a tough draw, Mensah-Stock opened her Olympics with power and poise against 2016 Olympic champion and 2017 World champion Sara Dosho of Japan, getting a 10-0 first-period technical fall. Mensah-Stock opened with a takedown and ankle lace for a 4-0 lead. She added a blast double takedown to make it 6-0 and two more ankle lace turns stretched it to the 10-0 technical fall. 

Dosho was fifth at the 2019 Senior Worlds, where Mensah-Stock defeated her 10-1 in the quarterfinals.

Her next opponent was two-time World medalist Feng Zhou of China, who also was unable to stop the powerful Mensah-Stock’s offense in another 10-0 technical fall. In this match, Mensah-Stock scored five straight takedowns, including three in the first period and two in the second period. Included were some powerful blast double legs for which Zhou had no ability to defend. 

Mensah-Stock then battled 2018 World champion Alla Cherkasova of Ukraine in the semifinals round, which took place at 5 a.m. Central time. Mensah-Stock went to the break with a 2-0 lead. Cherkasova got a spin behind and a gut wrench for a 4-2 lead, but Mensah-Stock got two points on a reversal to tie it at 4-4. 

Mensah-Stock continued on the attack, later putting Cherkasova on her back on a counter for a 10-4 lead. The clock ran out and Mensah-Stock won 10-4, to qualify for the gold-medal finals.

Mensah Stock was a 2019 World champion in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, and also won a World bronze medal in 2018. She was also a member of the 2017 Senior World Team. She won the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, but did not compete in Rio de Janeiro because the U.S. did not qualify her weight class for the Games. 

Mensah-Stock is one of three Olympians with WBU ties. 

Benard Keter, who competed at Wayland in 2015, qualified for the finals of the 3,000-meter steeplechase after he ran a personal-best time of 8 minutes, 17.31 seconds in the preliminaries on July 29. Keter’s time was the 12th-fastest among the 15 finalists.

The fastest qualifying time among the 44 competitors, 8:09.83, was turned in by Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia. 

A native of Kenya but competing for Team USA, Keter was the only one of three Americans to make the finals, set for 7:15 a.m. Monday, Aug. 2.

Keter ran a time of 8:21.81 at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., on June 25, finishing second and securing a spot on Team USA.

Keter still holds the Wayland record in the steeplechase, 8:42.94, and won NAIA titles in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. He later transferred to Texas Tech where he won NCAA Division I titles in the steeplechase in 2016 and 2017.

Meanwhile, current WBU senior Che Lara qualified with the Trinidad & Tobago 4×400-meter relay team. Preliminaries of that event are set for 6:25 a.m. Central time on Friday.

(Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling contributed to this article.)

OLYMPIC GAMES WRESTLING
At Makuhari, Chiba, Japan, August 2

U.S. women’s freestyle performances
68 kg – Tamyra Mensah Stock (Colorado Springs, Colo./USOPTC/Titan Mercury WC)
WIN Sara Dosho (Japan), tech, fall 10-0
WIN Feng Zhou (China), tech. fall 10-0
WIN Semifinals – Alla Cherkasova (Ukraine), decision 10-4

Finals – vs. Blessing Oborududu (Nigeria), 5:30 a.m. Central, Tuesday, Aug. 3

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NORMAN, Okla. – The 24 honorees for the 2021 All-Nicklaus Team presented by True Spec Golf have been announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America. Players selected represent Divisions I, II, III, NAIA and NJCAA, and are being recognized for their outstanding play during the 2020-21 collegiate season.

The All-Nicklaus Team was created in 2008, and is not only named for history’s greatest player, Jack Nicklaus, but also to pay tribute to his long-time support of collegiate and amateur golf. Nicklaus, a Big Ten and NCAA Champion at The Ohio State University, helped inspire and create the Jack Nicklaus Award in 1988 and it is now presented to the National Player of the year in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, as well as NAIA and NJCAA. Award recipients have combined for over 200 victories worldwide and claimed 23 major championships.

The All-Nicklaus Team is comprised of Ludvig Åberg (Texas Tech), Alberto Avila (Erskine), Andrew Beckler (Washburn), Cecil Belisle (South Mountain), Sam Bennett (Texas A&M), Dan Bradbury (Lincoln Memorial), Lucas Cena (Keiser), Eugenio Chacarra (Oklahoma State), Pierceson Coody (Texas), Harry Crockett (Hutchinson), Peter Fountain (North Carolina), Nick Gabrelcik (North Florida), Noah Goodwin (SMU), Ryan Hall (South Carolina), Will Hocker (Webster), James Mishoe (Guilford), James Morgan (Kirkwood), John Pak (Florida State), Ben Partridge (Hutchinson), Dawson Peters (South Carolina Beaufort), Turk Pettit (Clemson), Ruan Pretorius (Point), Davis Thompson (Georgia), Rob Wuethrich (Illinois Wesleyan).

2021 All-Nicklaus Team presented by True Spec Golf

Ludvig Åberg, Texas Tech
Alberto Avila, Erskine
Andrew Beckler, Washburn
Cecil Belisle, South Mountain
Sam Bennett, Texas A&M
Dan Bradbury, Lincoln Memorial
Lucas Cena, Keiser
Eugenio Chacarra, Oklahoma State
Pierceson Coody, Texas
Harry Crockett, Hutchinson
Peter Fountain, North Carolina
Nick Gabrelcik, North Florida
Noah Goodwin, SMU
Ryan Hall, South Carolina
Will Hocker, Webster
James Mishoe, Guilford
James Morgan, Kirkwood
John Pak, Florida State
Ben Partridge, Hutchinson
Dawson Peters, South Carolina Beaufort
Turk Pettit, Clemson
Ruan Pretorius, Point
Davis Thompson, Georgia
Rob Wuethrich, Illinois Wesleyan

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Former University of Texas and NFL linebacker Sam Acho has signed a multi-year deal to join ESPN’s comprehensive college football coverage, primarily serving as a lead studio voice on college football Saturdays on ESPN2. Acho will also call select college football matchups this fall.

“Sam is a welcome addition to ESPN,” said Lee Fitting, ESPN senior vice president of production. “Our viewers will quickly come to know and appreciate Sam’s trademark energy, his passion for the game, his dynamic analysis, and his ability to connect with commentators, coaches and players alike.”

In addition to his college football duties, which include regular appearances on SportsCenter, Get Up and College Football Live, the Lifetime Longhorn will contribute as an NFL analyst across ESPN studio programming.

“I’m beyond excited to be joining the talented team at ESPN,” Acho said. “You always want to be associated with the best, and the people at ESPN are just that. I’ll be breaking down college football and the NFL, and having a ton of fun along the way. Looking forward to the journey ahead and can’t wait to get started.”

The 2010 Big 12 Male Sportsperson of the Year, Acho played college football at the University of Texas, where he received the William V. Campbell Trophy as college football’s top scholar-athlete, and the NCAA Top VIII award, recognizing the top eight student-athletes in collegiate athletics. Acho graduated from the business honors program at UT’s McCombs School of Business in December 2010 with a double major in business and marketing.

Acho was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2011 and played four seasons as a linebacker with the team before signing with the Chicago Bears before the 2015-16 season, spending four years in the Windy City. He concluded his nearly decade-long professional career with stints suiting up for the Buffalo Bills and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Acho is a two-time nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, the league’s only award that recognizes both civic and professional contributions. Acho is also a vice president of the NFL Players Association, an organization in which he has served since his second year in the NFL.

He received his MBA in 2015 at Arizona State’s Thunderbird School of Global Management and is the founder and president of Athletes for Justice, an organization that unites professional and everyday athletes globally to fight injustice. Acho is also the vice president of Living Hope Christian Ministries, which provides aid to Nigeria through medical mission trips.

An author, ambassador and activist, Acho released Let the World See You: How to Be Real in a World Full of Fakes in October 2020, sharing anecdotes and lessons to reveal how readers can overcome their fears and discover their true selves. Acho is the brother of New York Times bestselling author and former ESPN football analyst, Emmanuel Acho.

The full roster of ESPN college football commentators for the 2021 season will be announced later this summer.

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