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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WICHITA FALLS – A record-shattering second half for the No. 3 ranked Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s basketball team helped the Lions cruise to an 81-35 win over the Midwestern State Mustangs at D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Thursday night and move to 10-0 on the season.
 
Midwestern State was held to just seven points in the second half, which is the least amount of points allowed by the Lions in a half under coach Jason Burton. The one point allowed in the fourth quarter is the lowest mark since the NCAA implemented quarters in women’s basketball in 2015-16. The Mustangs were held without a field goal in a quarter for the first time in program history.
 
The Mustangs, who fall to 5-4, did not make a field goal in the last 16 minutes and 50 seconds, scoring just two points in that stretch. The Lions’ margin of victory of 46 points is the most by either team in Wichita Falls in the 50 meetings between the two teams.
 
A&M-Commerce fell down 4-2 in the first two minutes of the game, but responded by scoring the next 11 points in a span of three minutes. Chania Wright (DeSoto) had four of the 11 points. The Lions held Midwestern State to shoot 0 for 5 in that stretch.
 
Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) knocked down a three pointer with 2:48 to go in the first quarter to give the Lions their largest lead of the first half, 18-8. Midwestern State cut into the Lion lead by holding them scoreless for the next two minutes and trailed 20-14 at the end of the first half.
 
The Lions were held without a point for the first three and a half minutes in the second quarter. The Mustangs capitalized and cut it to 20-18. A jumper by Dyani Robinson (Langham Creek) with 4:55 to go in the quarter was A&M-Commerce’s first made field goal of the second quarter, giving the Lions a 23-20 lead.
 
Midwestern State stayed within one possession of the Lions for most of the second quarter and took its first lead of the half on a layup by Frances King at the 2:55 mark at 26-25. Robinson regained the lead for the Lions with an and-one. The Lions closed out the first half with a mini 4-0 run on jumpers by Wright and DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) to lead 32-28 at the half.
 
Laila Lawrence (Lewisville) was halfway towards a double-double in the first half with eight points and six rebounds. She also had 2 steals.
 
The Lions started the third quarter on a 6-0 run to match their largest lead of the game at 38-28. Lawrence gave the Lions a 48-33 lead with 4:03 to go in the third quarter, which was their largest lead up to that points. A&M-Commerce held the Mustangs without a made basket for six minutes and 50 seconds during the third quarter. Yasmine Sifaoui ended the Mustangs’ scoring drought with a free throw.
 
Heading into the fourth quarter, the Lions led by 53-34. The Mustangs were held to shoot 2 for 15 from the field in the third quarter and made one of their two free throw attempts, scoring one point in the last seven minutes of the third quarter.
 
The scoring drought for the Mustangs extended into the fourth quarter. They were held to a point in the quarter. A&M-Commerce scored 28 in the quarter.
 
Lawrence and Kernal nearly missed double doubles. Lawrence totaled 19 points on 8 for 16 shooting as well as nine rebounds and two blocks. Kernal grabbed 13 rebounds and scored nine points, she also had three assists.
 
Robinson led the team in scoring with 18, she also tallied three assists. Asiyha Smith (Conway, Ark.) scored seven points in the fourth quarter, while Wright scored six in the game.
 
Ravae Payne (Pearland) recorded four points and two rebounds. Deck scored six, while Victoria Hinton (Potomac, Va.) totaled four points and four rebounds.
 
No Midwestern State player had more than six points in the game. The two teams meet again in two weeks in Commerce to open Lone Star Conference play on Friday, December 31 at 2 p.m.

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WICHITA FALLS – UT Tyler exploded for 43 second-half points to negate a halftime deficit and move to 7-0 for the first time in program history with a 75-63 win over Midwestern State on Monday night in Wichita Falls, Texas.

The non-conference win over the Mustangs betters the 6-0 start to the season for the 2017-18 UT Tyler team, establishing the best start in UT Tyler men’s basketball history for the 2021-22 Patriots. Graduate student Eysan Wiley led the charge back from a 36-32 Midwestern State first-half advantage with 18 second-half points, connecting on 5-of-6 from the field in the half alone in route to 22 points for the game.

The Patriots connected on 13-of-27 from the field in the final 20 minutes, and held Midwestern State to 0-for-14 from beyond the three-point line in the second half while continually pushing forward with steady offense. UT Tyler scored the first two baskets of the second half on jumpers from Micah Fuller and Milan Szabo, the second of which from Szabo knotted the game up at 36-36 with 18:35 left in the game.

Another dunk from Szabo and a successful and-one opportunity for Fuller capped off the seven unanswered for UT Tyler out of the halftime break and established a 41-36 lead for the Patriots. Midwestern State settled in after the hot second-half start for the Patriots and kept the deficit to around a one-possession ball game before Eysan began his second-half onslaught of scoring at the 12:48 mark.

Eysan changed the course of the remaining of the contest at that point with a jump-shot make and then three-consecutive made three-point buckets to break open the game at 57-46 with 10:28 left on the clock. That turning point allowed UT Tyler to control the tempo for the remainder of the contest with the lead firmly in tact, and led by as many as 13 on three different occasions in the final 10 minutes of play.

Midwestern State narrowed the margin to just seven with 1:14 remaining, but were eventually held at a comfortable distance thanks to 14 free-throw makes in the second half by the Patriots.

Szabo added 14 points and nine rebounds to help compliment the solid outing from Wiley, who’s 22-point total on Monday night is the second time the graduate transfer has gone for 20 or more points this season. Szabo has now reached double-digit scoring totals in three out of his last four games and has totaled nine rebounds in each of the last two wins for the Patriots.

Senior Da’Zhon Wyche scored 10 points to follow up consecutive 19-point outings against Mississippi College and Dallas Baptist in the last two Patriot victories.

UT Tyler finished the game 25-of-53 (47.2 percent) from the field and went 6-for-16 (37.5 percent) from behind the three-point line. The Patriots won the rebounding battle for the sixth time in seven games this season, finishing with 40 while Midwestern State had 33.

The Patriots will return home with their undefeated 7-0 record on Thursday of this week to begin a two-game home stand. Thursday’s game is set for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off against UAFS and Saturday’s game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. tip against Oklahoma Christian.

Thursday’s game against UAFS will consistent of a toy drive hosted by the UT Tyler Police Department. The UT Tyler Police Department is asking that attendees please bring a new unwrapped toy for donation. Each toy brought to the women’s or men’s game will equal one free entry into that night’s contests. Only new and unwrapped toys will be accepted.

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RICHARDSON, Texas – Following a first win of the season for the Angelo State women’s basketball team, the Rambelles’ Madeline Stephens has been named the LSC Offensive Player of the Week, the conference announced this afternoon.

The Lubbock native earns the award after posting her fifth-career double-double and her first double-double of the season in the Rambelles’ victory over St. Edward’s on Saturday in Brownwood. Stephens shot 7-9 from the field and was perfect from the free-throw line in five attempts to score 19 points and grab ten rebounds.

On the season, the second-year guard has started all ten games for the Rambelles, averaging 6.7 points per game and 8.9 rebounds per contest. She is shooting 53 percent from the floor and is tied for the team lead for blocks with five.

Stephens becomes the first player under head coach Alesha Ellis to win a weekly award and is the first Rambelle to win a weekly conference honor since Sawyer Lloyd and De’Anira Moore swept the defensive and offensive player of the week honors back on December 9^th, 2019.

Stephens and the Rambelles are back in action inside the Junell Center tomorrow against Huston-Tillotson, with that game scheduled to tip off at 5:30 p.m.

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The Lone Star Conference will begin its 90th season of competition tomorrow as the league kicks off its year-long celebration with the release of a new public service announcement (PSA).

The new announcement highlights the 90-year history of one of the oldest and most distinguished conferences in all of Division II, narrated by one of the greatest players in LSC and NFL history in former Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelina and NFL Hall of Famer Darrell Green.

Green, a two-sport all-American, was the LSC Football Outstanding Back of the Year in 1982 and was named the Outstanding Male Track Athlete of the Year in back-to-back outdoor track and field seasons in 1982 and 1983. His LSC and Division II 100-meter dash record of 10.08 seconds from 1983 stood for nearly 38 years until it was broken West Texas A&M’s Benjamin Azamati in March 2021.

The release of the PSA marks the beginning of the 90th anniversary celebration in the league that will include online features recognizing the achievements of student-athletes, coaches and administrators. In addition, the conference will highlight important days and games in LSC history, commemorate some of the 76 team national champions, commend top performances in conference history and feature several of the nearly 60 LSC Hall of Honor members.

Founded on April 25, 1931, the LSC has grown from a five-team conference of Texas-based schools to an 18-member league that spans four states (Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arkansas). With 18 members, the LSC is the largest conference in NCAA Division II.

While the LSC has maintained a long-standing tradition of competitive athletic programs for its members, many teams and individuals have gone on to distinguish themselves on the national stage. Entering its 90th year, LSC member institutions have collected 76 NCAA team national championships since the league joined the Division II membership in 1982. 

The LSC’s mission is to foster student participation and success among member institutions in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of each institution’s total educational program. The LSC pursues student-athlete development with the highest regard to the principles of academic excellence, graduation success, sportsmanship, ethical conduct, resourcefulness, community service, gender equity and diversity.

Throughout the league’s 90-year history, various institutions have competed under the LSC banner. Today, only Texas A&M-Commerce (then East Texas State) remains from the original group formed in 1931 when North Texas State, Southwest Texas State, Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin withdrew from the old Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

Since its founding, several institutions have made the LSC their home with the most recent members joining in 2019. Texas A&M-Kingsville (formerly Texas A&I) joined in 1954, and Angelo State in 1968. Conference membership remained within the Texas borders until 1984 when Eastern New Mexico received admittance. Since then, the LSC has included members from Arkansas and Oklahoma. Cameron (1988, 1996) was added near the outset of an expansion phase, while Texas Woman’s (1989) and previous member West Texas A&M (1986, 1993) joined the league soon after. Midwestern State entered early in 1995. In 2016, UT Permian Basin and Western New Mexico were added, with DBU, Lubbock Christian, Oklahoma Christian, St. Edward’s, St. Mary’s, Texas A&M International, UAFS and UT Tyler joining in 2019.

The LSC conducts conference championships in 18 sports (nine men and nine women). Men’s championships include football, soccer, cross country, basketball, baseball, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, golf and tennis. Women’s titles are determined in volleyball, soccer, cross country, basketball, softball, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, tennis and golf.

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WICHITA FALLS – Dominic Rhodes earned induction into the 2021 class of the Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor Tuesday afternoon.

He is the first Midwestern State representative to receive the league’s highest honor.

The Abilene Cooper High product honed his skills helping to change the fate of an MSU football program four seasons after making the jump to NCAA Division II.

Rhodes needed just two seasons to amass a then-program record 2,541 yards earning third-team Don Hansen Football Gazette All-America honors as a senior leading MSU to its first winning ledger in nine seasons. The program remained on the plus-side for the next 19 seasons.

He gained entry into the MSU Athletic Hall of Honor in 2016.

The versatile Rhodes ranked third in NCAA Division II during his senior campaign in 2000 accounting for more than 185 all-purpose yards per game finishing the season with 1,387 yards on 229 carries with 17 touchdowns while also serving as the team’s primary punt and kick returner.

The 5-11, 205-pounder ran for at least 100 yards seven times as a senior including in each of his last five games as went for 192 yards and four TDs against Oklahoma Panhandle State, 153 yards and two TDs versus Southeastern Oklahoma, 163 yards and two scores at Northeastern State, 126 yards and three touchdowns at Tarleton State and 180 yards and a score against Southwestern Oklahoma.

Rhodes’ efforts helped MSU to a 7-4 mark for its first winning season since going 9-3 in 2001 as a member of the NAIA. It was the start of MSU’s current run of 17 consecutive winning ledgers.

As a junior, he became just the third running back since MSU resurrected football 12 years prior to run for 1,000 yards amassing seven 100-yard performances to finish with 1,154 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Following his MSU career, Rhodes signed as undrafted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts where it didn’t take long to make a splash.

Taking over for the injured Edgerrin James, he ran for the most yards by an undrafted rookie in NFL history going for 1,104 yards despite only playing the final nine games of the season.

It was the first of eight seasons in the NFL for Rhodes, who accounted for 3,286 yards and 26 touchdowns during stints with Indianapolis and Oakland.

Rhodes ran for 113 yards and a touchdown in Indianapolis’ 29-17 win over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.

Prior to MSU, he earned NJCAA All-America accolades and was a two-time all-conference performer at Tyler JC.

Rhodes also earned entry into the Abilene Cooper High School Hall of Fame in 2016. The 1997 graduate led the Cougars to the 1996 Class 5A title game amassing the second best single-season rushing total in school history with 2,183 yards.

He is also the school’s all-time playoff rushing leader with 1,202 yards and stands fourth on CHS’ all-time rushing list with 3,102 yards.

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Texas A&M-Commerce was the top choice to win the Lone Star Conference football title in the 2021 LSC preseason poll announced Monday.

The league’s preseason poll reflects the opinions of LSC head coaches and sports information directors, plus various media representatives from throughout the region.

TAMUC earned first-place votes on 15 of the 23 ballots for 175 total points.

Angelo State received two first-place nods to finish second with 152 points, while West Texas A&M ranked third with 125 points and one top vote.

UT Permian Basin, with five first-place nods, and Midwestern State tied for fourth with 112 points each. Eastern New Mexico (60), Texas A&M-Kingsville (59), and Western New Mexico (33) rounded out the poll.

The season kicks off Thursday, September 2 and the LSC has eight teams set to compete in 2021. Each team will play seven conference games to determine the LSC Champion.

The 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The LSC did not sponsor a spring season in the sport of football.

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The University of Texas at Tyler received the eighth annual Lone Star Conference Academic Excellence Award presented by Balfour.

UT Tyler earned both the men’s and women’s awards for the first time as the athletic departments with the highest collective team GPA among its teams for the 2020-21 academic year. The Patriots will receive a cash reward and custom trophy.

“We are thrilled to reward the outstanding academic success of UT Tyler student-athletes during a challenging 2020-21 academic year,” said LSC Commissioner Jay Poerner. “Thank you to Balfour for their continued support of this most prestigious award.”

UTT featured the top team GPA in five of the nine men’s sports – baseball, cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field, and soccer – with 10 student-athletes posting a flawless 4.0 GPA.

On the women’s side, UTT boasted the top team GPA in four sports – soccer, indoor and outdoor track and field, and tennis – with 25 student-athletes recording a perfect 4.0 GPA.

The award winners were determined by a point system, with points distributed according to finish by sport in those that the LSC sponsors after a conference-wide comparison of team GPA’s. The member institution with the highest team GPA in each sport was named the sport’s Academic Champion and earned five (5) points toward the overall award. Each sport’s runner-up picked up four (4) points and third-place three (3) points toward the overall award. Any program with a Team GPA of 2.00 and above earned one (1) point. Points for each member institution were totaled by gender and then divided by that institution’s number of counter programs in that gender to arrive at the comparison value.

The following are the sport academic champions:

Lone Star Conference Academic Excellence Award presented by Balfour

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