LSC Roundup 11-4

LSC South teams again could share title
Abilene Christian did something unusual last year when it not only won the Lone Star Conference overall title as well as the South Division crown — and went undefeated doing it. No one can match that this year, but there could once again be an undisputed champ of the LSC and the South.

Since 2004, there have been five league champions with Texas A&M-Kingsville winning it in 2004; West Texas A&M winning it in 2005, 2006 and 2007; and ACU taking it in 2008. But the teams seem to like to share the division titles as there have been four shared division titles during that same time frame.

State college report: UCO's Terry Hardeman going out in style
The clock is winding down on Terry Hardeman’s long and distinguished career as a linebacker at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Hardeman came to UCO via Star Spencer. While this season hasn’t been a great one for UCO, it has been for Hardeman, who earned his third Lone Star Conference North Defensive Player of the Week award on Monday. For the season he has 73 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. The 6-foot-1, 235 pound linebacker will play his final college game when the Bronchos host NSU at 2 p.m. Saturday.

"It’s been a long five years,” Hardeman said. "It’s a great feeling. Obviously the season didn’t go as I figured it would, but it’s been a great ride. I have no regrets. I gave it my all for my four years and that’s all I can do.”

Mustangs maintain No. 2 standing in South Central Rankings
Midwestern State remained at No. 2 in the South Central Region Tuesday when the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Committee released its final weekly rankings. Championship selection is set for Monday, Nov. 10 and will be broadcasted live via Web streaming on NCAA.com beginning at 6 p.m. The top two teams from the South Central Region and top two sides from the Central Region will meet at the site of the Central Region's top team on the weekend of Nov. 13.

NCAA Regional Rankings
1. West Texas A&M (LW 1)
2. Midwestern State (2)
3. Truman State (3)
4. Incarnate Word (4)

Midwestern State inched ahead another spot to No. 9 in the latest National Soccer Coaches' Association of America/adidas national poll released Tuesday afternoon. The Mustangs (13-1-3) extended their current unbeaten streak to 16 matches last week with home wins over NAIA St. Thomas (Texas) and Northeastern State.

NSCAA/adidas Regional Rankings
1. West Texas A&M (#4 nationally)
2. Midwestern State (#9)
3. Truman State (#19)
4. Eastern New Mexico
5. Incarnate Word
6. Northeastern State
7. St. Edwards


Weekly Volleyball Release
West Texas A&M, Abilene Christian and Angelo State have each clinched berths in the Lone Star Conference Championship to be played November 12-14. The Lady Buffs have also earned the right to host the event with a perfect 12-0 league record. The remaining five spots are up for grabs this week. ACU, WTAMU, ASU, Cameron and Central Oklahoma were each unbeaten in league action last week.

LSC Volleyball Players of the Week
OFFENSIVE
Shawna Hines, Abilene Christian, Jr., MB, Aurora, Colo./Rangeview HS
Hines had a perfect week last week, leading the Wildcats to a 3-0 record. ... Hines recorded 33 kills on 58 total attacks and did not commit an attack error, hitting .569 on the week. ... Hines -- who leads NCAA Division II in both total blocks and blocks per set -- had 19 total blocks in three matches (1.73 per set) as ACU beat Texas-Permian Basin at home and East Central (Okla.) and Southeastern Oklahoma State on the road. ... Hines scored 46 points for the Wildcats in the three matches as ACU stretched its winning streak to 13 straight matches and improved to 25-5 overall.

Laura Prinsen, West Texas A&M, Sr., RH, Spring, Texas/Klein Collins HS
Prinsen continues to come on strong as the Lady Buffs wrap up their regular season. Last week, she averaged 4.60 kills per set, totaling 46 kills in three matches. She also recorded a .463 hitting clip. Prinsen tallied double-digit kills in all three matches, with her best match being against St. Edward's where she recorded 20 kills in 37 attempts with only one error to finish with a match-leading .514 hitting percentage.

DEFENSIVE
Kiara Jordan, Midwestern State, So., L, Gilmer, Texas/Gilmer HS
Jordan crushed Midwestern State's single-match record with 50 digs in the Mustangs' five-set loss to Texas A&M-Commerce. It was the second-best dig performance in NCAA Division II this season falling two shut of Central Arkansas' Crystal Roberts, who posted 52 digs against East Texas Baptist on Sep. 8. The total was the fourth most in NCAA Division II since rally scoring was adopted in 2001 as Central Missouri's Kate Tarka had 57 versus Drury (Mo.) on Oct. 3, 2003 and Washburn's Erica Cowhick had 541 against Pittsburg State (Kan.) on Sep. 13, 2006. Jordan's performance was the best in the LSC this season as she bested A&M-C's Lauren Flynn's 40-dig effort against Central Okahoma on Oct. 22. Jordan followed with a 29-dig outing in a five-set win over Texas Woman's on Saturday. She averaged 7.90 digs per set and added four service aces as MSU split matches with A&M-C and TWU.

Erin Lynn, Tarleton State, Jr., MB, Carlsbad, N.M./Carlsbad HS
Lynn had her best week of the season, recording 14 total blocks that included a season-high eight block assists in Tarleton's upset win over St. Edward's. The junior transfer averaged 1.40 blocks per set, while helping the TexAnns to a 2-1 record. Lynn added 19 kills, three digs and showed-off her setting skills as well, recording five assists over the three-match span.

SETTER
Katie Rickwartz, West Texas A&M, Sr., S, Canyon, Texas/Canyon HS
Rickwartz played well last week, averaging 14.0 assists per set with a total of 140 assists in the Lady Buffs' three matches last week. She also contributed three service aces, 29 digs, and four assists. Rickwartz added two more double-doubles to her season total, recording 46 assists and 11 digs against St. Edward's and 47 assists and 10 digs against Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Laura Ellerbrock, Cameron, Sr., S, Arlington, Texas/Lamar HS
The senior added another stellar match to her season against Texas Woman's leading both teams with 44 assists. She also recorded a solid 4 kills (1 error) on 12 attacks for a .250 hitting percentage. The talented setter finished the week with an outstanding 91 assists averaging a solid 11.38 assists per set. She added a total of 22 defensive digs to finish with an average of 2.5 digs per set. Ellerbrock also recorded 9 kills, one service ace and 4 blocks.