LSC Roundup 10-21

Suspended players to return for ENMU
Eastern New Mexico University football coach Mark Ribaudo said Tuesday that four players suspended last week for “violation of university policy” will be active for Saturday’s Lone Star Conference South Division game at 14th-ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Included were sophomore quarterback J.J. Harp, the NCAA Division II leader in passing yards per game (463), and starting sophomore wide receiver Darian Dale, who has 34 catches for 427 yards and two touchdowns.

The others suspended were backups Michael Henderson and Shonte Patterson. Ribaudo said Henderson is a key member of Greyhounds special teams. Ribaudo didn’t say whether Harp or Dale would start in Saturday’s game.

Russell: Key games to shuffle rankings
This week’s shakeup in the NCAA Division II Super Region Four rankings — Abilene Christian falling to No. 4 and Midwestern State going from unranked to sixth — is just the first in what could be a weekly event. The rankings, which were released on Monday, have three MIAA schools — Northwest Missouri, Missouri Western and Washburn; two Lone Star Conference schools — ACU and MSU; and one GNAC school _ Central Washington — in the top six.

If the playoffs were to start today, Central Washington and Northwest Missouri would get first-round byes. The first-round pairings would have MSU at Missouri Western and Washburn at ACU. But the playoffs don’t start today. And the regional rankings on Sunday, Nov. 8 should look a lot different. Just looking at the LSC schedule over the final three weeks could contribute to a lot of changes.

Oklahoma small college football power poll
Interesting rankings to say the least. We won't steal their thunder and post the rankings here, but they have NAIA schools in the #1, 3, 4, and 10 slots, Panhandle State and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M ranked ahead of 4 Lone Star Conference Schools.

UCO's Cason, Southwestern's Corbin play key roles for football team
With Southwestern winless and Central Oklahoma 2-6, bright spots on either team have been few and far between this season.

But even in the worst of seasons, there's always some positives to be found in the development of young players. Former Heritage Hall standout Tucker Cason has taken on a pivotal role for UCO's defense this season. At Southwestern, lanky tight end Ryan Corbin has shown flashes of what could be in store for him as his career progresses.

Dallas Baptist sweeps Mustangs
Midwestern State’s Sesley Graves put down a match-high 10 kills Tuesday night in a road non-conference match. Unfortunately, the rest of the Mustangs managed a combined 15 kills as Dallas Baptist swept to a 25-13, 25-18, 25-23 win to improve to 12-13 on the season.

Lady Buffs rebound to beat LCU in five
The Division II No. 6-ranked West Texas A&M Lady Buffs ventured out of Lone Star Conference volleyball play Tuesday night and received a big challenge from NAIA Lubbock Christian.

Javelinas Sweep Dustdevils
ECU drops 3-0 decision at SOSU
Volleyball: Volleyball Sweeps ECU, 3-0
Bronchos Lose Thriller
'Belles swept by UTPB
W. Volleyball. Lady Buffs Top Lubbock Christian in Exciting Five-Set Match


COLLEGE GOLF: Home win: Rambelles roll to victory at Make-Up tournament
Led by senior Raelyn Smith and sophomore Megan Cisneroz, the Angelo State University Rambelles golf team came away with first place at the ASU Make-Up tournament Tuesday at San Angelo Country Club. The Rambelles held a three-shot lead over Tarleton State heading into Tuesday’s second and final round of play at the six-team event and finished six shots ahead of the Texans.

W. Golf. Lady Buffs Conclude 2009 Fall Golf Season with Fourth Place Finish
TexAnns finish second at ASU tourney
ECU finishes second; Blanton ties for fourth

Mustangs move up in soccer rankings
Men's Regional Rankings
1. West Texas A&M (6 nationally)
2. Midwestern State (11)
3. Truman State (17)
4. Incarnate Word
5. Eastern New Mexico
6. Northeastern State

Women's Regional Rankings
1. St. Edwards (7 nationally)
2. Incarnate Word (16)
3. West Texas A&M (19)
4. Truman State
5. Midwestern State (RV)
5. Nebraska-Omaha
7. Abilene Christian
8. Central Oklahoma
9. Central Missouri
10. Northwest Missouri

USTFCCA Regional Rankings (Cross Country)
Men
1. Central Missouri
2. Missouri Southern
3. Tarleton State
4. Abilene Christian
5. Pittsburg State
6. Southwest Baptist
7. Eastern New Mexico
8. Truman State
9. Emporia State
10. Northwest Missouri

Women
1. Missouri Western
2. Dallas Baptist
3. Truman State
4. Pittsburg State
5. Fort Hays State
6. Northwest Missouri
7. Central Missouri
8. Midwestern State
9. Emporia State
10. Angelo State


Lone Star Conference Volleyball weekly release (10/20/09)

LSC play heats up
Lone Star Conference action continues this week with 13 games including seven on Thursday and six on Saturday.
West Texas A&M, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Abilene Christian, Angelo State and Texas A&M-Commerce were each unbeaten in league action last week.
LSC teams are vying for one of eight spots in the LSC Championship to be played November 12-14 at the No. 1 seed.

LSC Volleyball Players of the Week
OFFENSIVE
Jordan Schilling, Abilene Christian, Jr., OH, Irving, Texas/Coppell HS
Schilling led ACU to a 3-0 record last week with wins over Dallas Baptist, Central Oklahoma and Southwestern Oklahoma State. ... Schilling finished the week with 42 kills, including a career-best 23 kills in last Thursday’s 3-2 win at Central Oklahoma. ... Schilling hit .356 on the week, including .419 against the Bronchos.

Natalie Johnson, West Texas A&M, Sr., OH, Cortez, Colo./Montezuma-Cortez HS
Despite multiple team hurdles, Johnson stepped up to the plate last week, leading the Lady Buffs in kills in their two wins over Cameron and Midwestern State. She totaled 23 kills in 50 attempts for a .340 hitting clip and an average of 3.83 kills per set. She also contributed two block assists, and six digs. Johnson led the team in points with 24.0. Her best match was against Midwestern State where she recorded a match-leading 12 kills in 26 swings for a hitting percentage of .385. She also had two digs and a block assist. Johnson is currently third overall on the team in total kills.

DEFENSIVE
Lauren Thedford, West Texas A&M, Jr., OH/DS, Carrollton, Texas/Newman Smith HS
Thedford led the Lady Buffs’ defensive stand in their two wins last week against Cameron and Midwestern State. She totaled 30 digs in six sets, averaging 5.00 digs per set. Against Midwestern State, WT totaled 62 digs to the Mustangs 46 digs, with Thedford contributing 19 digs by herself. She also contributed 15 kills (.250 hitting percentage), two assists, two service aces, and two block assists. Thedford is currently second on the team in digs, totaling 308 digs this season for an average of 3.69 digs per set. She is also nearing a the 1,000 career digs mark. She has 971 career digs, only 29 away from the mark.

Virginia Hernandez, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Jr., L, Katy, Texas/Katy HS
Hernandez led the Javelina defense with 4.2 digs per set for the week. She tallied a season high 27 digs in the team’s five-set win at Southeastern Oklahoma. She added 15 more digs in a win at East Central.

SETTER
Tara Grier, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Sr., S, Poth, Texas/Poth HS
Grier extended her string of double-doubles to 11 straight matches. First, she dished out a career high 32 assists, had six kills, 20 digs and a .217 attack in a five set win at Southeastern Oklahoma. She bounced back with 22 assists, 11 digs and two blocks in a five set win at East Central. She averaged 5.4 assists and 3.1 digs per set while playing out of the 6-2 formation.

Katie Rickwartz, West Texas A&M, Sr., S, Canyon, Texas/Canyon HS
Rickwartz posted similar stats in the Lady Buffs’ matches against Cameron and Midwestern State as she did last week. She tallied 74 total assists for the week, averaging 12.3 assists per set, and led the team to a .276 hitting percentage. She also contributed four service aces, six kills, 15 digs, and one block assist. Against Midwestern State, she recorded her 13th double-double outing this season, with 34 assists and 13 digs. Her digs this week also put her over the 1,000 career digs mark. She now totals 1,009 career digs.