Job and Internship opportunities for Sports Management Majors

On Twitter, I follow just about anything that's related to professional sports, especially if it relates to the media... There's a website called playerpress.com which is a social network for sports fans and professionals... Many pro athletes blog on Playerpress and the website also puts out the latest news in sports and much more.

Well Playerpress had a tweet on job openings in the field of sports marketing, promotion, sales etc across the country... So I figured I post a link on it.

www.playerpress.com/jobs

Job in sports sales

Always worth a shot!

RSU Men's and Women's basketball lights up Homecoming 2010

The eventful spirit week at Rogers State University capped off with the men’s and women’s basketball homecoming doubleheader on Saturday, Nov. 13.

RSU women tipped of the afternoon giving the homecoming crowd on-hand something to cheer about, defeating Langston University 75-68. It was the first time these two teams met since the Hillcats inaugural season in 2007.

Coming into the game, Langston took down Rogers State’s SAC opponents Oklahoma Baptist University 82-79 and Oklahoma Christian 72-53. But those wins didn’t faze the Hillcats as they shot 51.9% from the field, 72.9% from the free throw line and 33.3% from 3-point range.

Reserve player Brittani Smith can attest to the Hillcats steady shooting, as she sparked the Cats with 13 points shooting 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.

“I’ve been getting more comfortable around the three-point line,” said Smith. “Since they decided to slack off of me, I just decided to shoot them.”

“She logged a lot more minutes than she’s use to and played good defense while being a spark on the offensive end of the court as well,” said Amy Williams, RSU women’s basketball head coach.

The closest the Lady Lions could get within reach of the Hillcats was by four points. Point guard Cortney Crockett hit a double pumped clutch shot to extend the lead to six with 49 seconds remaining in the game. She finished the afternoon with 18 points.

Additional major contributors were junior Angie Criner with 16 points and senior Candice Stewart with 10 points and five boards.

Langston wouldn’t go down quietly as the beastly performance of forward Stephanie Madden led the Lady Lions in double figures with 24 point and 18 rebounds.

The Hillcats created 12 steals off of Langston’s 22 turnovers in the game. Sophomore Logan Froese and senior Andrea Miles both nabbed three steals a piece. It was a team effort for coach Amy Williams’ squad, using ten players on the night with all ten recording points while the Cats dished out 16 assists as a team.

“We just stayed together,” said Crockett. “We just focused on what we had to do to get the win.”

RSU women entered the homecoming match 2-0 beating Ecclesia College on the road 86-32 and Hillsdale Free Will Baptist 96-48 in their home opener at the Expo Center.

Next on deck was the men’s game. Senior Matt Kellogg drained the game-winning shot from long distance with 7.2 seconds left on the clock, sealing a 62-59 victory for the Rogers State men’s basketball team over Southeastern Oklahoma State.

“Thankfully, we had the last shot with Matt Kellogg hitting that big three,” Head Coach Justin Barkley said. “I don’t think we want anyone else on the floor shooting that shot, he came through when it mattered the most.”

The Hillcats kept the Homecoming crowd on the edge of their seats throughout the game. The Cats opened the game trading buckets with the Savage Storm but never trailed after the 16 minute mark.

Yet, the Savage Storm would not go away as they tied the game 59-59 on a layup drive with 2:08 left on the clock.

With time winding down Southeastern missed several chances to take the lead as power forward Alburey Doss came away with crucial rebounds to help lift the Hillcats to victory. Both Doss and senior John Boyd finished with double-doubles.

Boyd led the team, scoring 17 points while snagging 14 rebounds. Doss chipped in 13 points with 12 boards and four steals. And Kellogg drained four treys finishing with 14 points in the game.

“We wanted to come out and play good defensively and I think we did that,” said Kellogg. “This is the first time we held someone under 60."

RSU entered the homecoming game with a 2-1 record. The Hillcats fell to Oklahoma Wesleyan 78-92 in their season opener and to Texas Christian University in exhibition falling 53-70.

The Hillcats rebounded from their loss in their home opener win against Dallas Christian College with a 92-63 victory. Boyd finished the game with a team high of 22 points while adding five rebounds and three steals.

The Hillcats dropped their second exhibition on the road against Oral Roberts University 77-63.
Three players reached career highs in the win over Huston-Tillotson 101-92. Kellogg played all 40 minutes tying the single game record with 32 points. The record was set by Sylvester Spicer back in February 2009 vs. Oklahoma City University.

Deveric Taylor tallied 29 points in 37 minutes of play and junior Joey Twilley set a new career high of 21 points. Kellogg, Taylor and Twilley are the first trio to score 20 points in the same game.

Update:

RSU men are now 4-2. RSU fell 82-85 against Missouri State and defeated Williams Woods 75-53 in the Culver Stockton Classic in Canton, Missouri.

RSU women are now 4-1. RSU defeated Southwestern College on the road 76-55. The Hillcats fell to Langston Univeristy on the road 75-76.

Conference play begins Nov. 23 at home against John Brown University.

Photo by gssphotography.com

Possible new AD position for Wren Baker at Northwest Missouri State

Rogers State University athletic director Wren Baker is one of three final candidates competing for the next athletic director position at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Mo.

A revealing of the finalists was published in the Maryville Daily Forum. The candidates will meet members of the NWSU community during a series of town hall meetings. Baker will be the last interviewee for the position and is scheduled to be in Maryville Nov. 23.

Northwest competes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association of NCAA Division II for men’s and women’s sports. The University fields a total of 14 sports including a three-time national championship football program.

The school’s athletic directior position became available after NWSU’s former Athletic Director Dr. Robert Boerigter resigned in September of this year to become commissioner of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).

“It’s not surprising at all that another school would have an interest in Wren,” said Ryan Bradley Associate AD for External Relations. “He’s done a tremendous job here at Rogers State and helped build this program from scratch.”

Baker welcomes opportunities such as the Northwest position in the best interest for him and his family and knows it could be a difficult decision if and when the day comes of his acceptance.

“Heather and I love RSU and greatly appreciate being a part of this institution and community. It is an honor to be considered a candidate for other positions. We remain committed to RSU and the future of Hillcat Athletics,” noted Baker in an official statement on the Northwest Missouri State University AD’s opening.

Baker is expected to know the final outcome within the next few weeks.




Photo by gssphotography.com

RSU Cross Country's Caleb Clark is national contender

Rogers State’s inaugural cross country program set out to reach their ultimate goal of the season. Each runner ran their fastest race at the Sooner Athletic Championship meet in Shawnee, Okla., setting new personal records.

The men’s and women’s team rounded out their season finishing sixth and seventh respectively.

“I was very pleased with the results of both teams,” said Chris McCormick, RSU cross country head coach. “I don’t think that anyone would have picked us in our first season of our existence to get sixth and seventh in the conference.”

Caleb Clark led the way for the men’s team. His time of 25:04 in the 8k race not only rewarded the Bartlesville, Okla. native a 10th place finish, but also an at-large bid to compete at the NAIA Cross Country Championships in Vancouver Washington.

Freshmen Brandon Payne finished with a time of 26:52, placing 33rd and Oscar Reyes placed 47th with a time of 28:08. Sophomore Josh Maggard finished 75th followed by junior Josh Phillipi.

On the women’s side 5k, Coach McCormick’s top three runners finished less than 15 seconds from each other. Senior Kendall Clement came out on top for the Hillcats placing 27th with a time of 21:16. Senior Jessie Zingo crossed the finish line with a time of 21:29 placing 32nd followed closely by Breanna Harrison at 21:45 for 36th.

Freshman Tiffany Russell placed 52nd and sophomore Ashlie Fauchier rounded out the group finishing 63rd.

The 55th Annual Men’s 8k event will take place at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, Wash., on Nov. 20 at 11:45 a.m.

Update:

Caleb Clark placed 103rd out of 326 runners with a time of 26:37 in the 8k race at the 55th Annual Men's Cross Country National Championships in Vancouver, Washington.

Photo by Erica Taylor

Hager receives CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-American honors

In recognition of her efforts on the soccer field and in the classroom, sophomore midfielder Lauren Hager was selected to the 2010-11 CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-District Third Team by the members of the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Hager is the first RSU soccer player to be named to the list and is the second athlete in the four year athletic program of Rogers State University.

Since her arrival to RSU, the Belgrade, Montana native has accumulated 15 goals and dished out 6 assists while serving as a team captain for the Hillcats.

But what you probably won’t see on a stat sheet is the amount of work the sophomore puts forth both on and off the field.

Hager currently holds a 3.8 grade point average as a medical/molecular biology major. She credits one of her abilities to balance both school and soccer through her time commitment.

“I definitely have to be disciplined,” said Hager. “I have to set certain times of when to study and I have to stick to it, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to do well.”

Hager also spends her time participating in Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and Campus Crusades for Christ.

To be eligible for this award, student-athletes must be a starter or top reserve, maintain at least a 3.3 GPA and have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution. First, second and third teams are selected for both the University Division (NCAA Division I) and the College Division (NCAA Division II, III, NAIA and NJCAA).

Here are 5 random things you may have not known about Lauren:

My teammates say I am… hardworking

My favorite class at RSU has been… anatomy and physiology. I really like the professor; it’s something I’ve always wanted to study when I was younger

My first job was…a crew girl at my church Christian Ranch, I was fifteen, I spent the summer up in the woods at this camp. I helped cook, I cleaned and did laundry for all the staff.

If I could teleport back into time… I would probably go back to bible times just to see Jesus doing some crazy miracles.

The most important thing I’ve learned at RSU… probably to be more intentionally with my time; not just wasting these good years of my life, actually putting them into action and doing something valuable with my time

The most important thing I’ve learned as a Hillcat… knowing that it’s a privilege to play and being able to work hard every day

Photo by gssphotography.com

Hillcat women fall short in SAC Tournament

Throughout the 2010 season, the Rogers State women’s soccer team demonstrated the power of teamwork while overcoming challenges toward gaining victories.

The Hillcats opened their fourth season stomping rivalry opponent Oklahoma Wesleyan 5-1, spawning a four-game winning streak. A handful of Head Coach Derek Larkin’s young ‘Cats stepped up to the challenge making big impacts for the team throughout the season.

One of the most notable key components for the Hillcats was freshman goalkeeper Chelsea McMullin. The Plano, Texas native currently holds the single-season saves record accumulating 120 saves.

The impressive freshman tallied a total of 12 saves to help push the Hillcats to a 4-3 victory over SNU and made 11 saves against top 25 nationally ranked Oklahoma City University.

“We are so happy about the way she has stepped up as a freshman, not only in her play but just her role in the team as a leader and I think she’s really earned the respect of all the players on the team. She’s definitely proven herself,” said Larkin.

In the ladder of conference play, the Hillcat women shuffled in between stunning victories and disappointing defeats.

Rogers State took down Lubbock Christian University 3-0 at the Soldier Field. Sophomore Jessica Turner scored two goals in the game and freshman Melissa Subu pitched in one goal heading the ball into the net.

Later in the week, the Hillcats took a loss on the road at the University of Science and Arts 1-0 after USAO scored with five minutes remaining in the match. McMullin came away with 12 saves in the game.

The Hillcats closed their regular season home slate edging Oklahoma Christian University 3-2. RSU honored 4 seniors: Bailey Lynn, Casey Freeman, Adrianna Jefferis and Tiffany Roberts who played in their final game on the Soldier Field; a bittersweet evening for the program.

“It’s hard to see them go, but at the same time you’re excited to see them go because you know they’re getting ready to move on to bigger and better things,” said Larkin. “There’s always life after soccer and hopefully we played a part in helping them get there.”

Senior Bailey Lynn played 1:38; the Oklahoma City native received a season ending injury during her preseason keeping her off the pitch. Junior goalkeeper Jessica McCutcheon finished the game, making nine saves while allowing two goals.

The Hillcats earned their second straight victory cruising past Northwestern Oklahoma State University 4-0. All of RSU’s points came in the second half, beginning with Subu in the 47th followed by junior Shereen Clarke 10 minutes later. Roberts fired in two shots in the 76th and 86th minute of the game.

Defeating NWOSU would be their last win of the season. RSU women fell to Mid-America Christian University 1-0 on the road.

The Hillcats managed to capture a fourth place seating in the conference earning home field advantage for the SAC Tournament. Yet, on Nov. 6 the Hillcat women suffered a season ending blow falling to Southern Nazarene University 2-1 in the opening round of the Sooner Athletic Conference.

The Rogers State women ended the season with a 10-7-1 overall record. Second Team All-Conference honors were awarded to McMullin and juniors Abby Rickner and Shereen Clarke.

Roberts completed her four-year stint at RSU becoming second in scoring with 41 saves along with earning SAC Player of the Week for the week of Oct 25-31 this season. Lynn finishes holding the career record of 293 saves.

Though earning a conference championship title fell out of their grasp this season, RSU women were determined in clawing their way to the top.

Photo by gssphotography.com

RSU Soccer men end season in SAC quarterfinals

The 2010 Rogers State men’s soccer team certainly did not cease to have an impressive year. The Hillcats captured their first win of the season with a 1-0 victory over Oral Roberts University.

The win crowned the Hillcats as the first RSU sport in history to take down a NCAA Division I opponent, meanwhile handing ORU their first loss of the season.

From then on RSU men were unstoppable tying the program’s longest streak ever of nine wins, leaving most of their opponents scoreless and defeating nationally ranked teams like Oklahoma City University.

Yet, on Nov. 5 the Stars sought revenge ending the Hillcats season quest of making a national appearance with a 3-1 victory over Rogers State in the opening round of the Sooner Athletic Conference tournament.

The loss also ended the RSU soccer college careers for 10 players on the 2010 squad. Seniors Sean Surridge, Carlos Zuta, Des Fitzgerald, Matt Longaberger, Jaime Perez, Brett Jones, Trent Baker, Nikola Samac, Oscar Zelaya, and Sergio Guerra played their last match in a Hillcat uniform.

Leading up to the SAC tournament, RSU men battled through a variety of matches. The Hillcats drew even against Lubbock Christian University in a double overtime final score of 1-1. The Chaps were first to get on the scoreboard in the 68th minute.

The Hillcats replied nearly 15 minutes later in the 82nd minute as junior T.J. Martin scored his fifth goal of the year to tie the game. Both teams settled for a tie after 120 minutes of play.

A couple days later, RSU men received their third loss of the season falling to the University of Science and Arts 2-1 in another double overtime battle. Surridge made nine saves during the game while allowing only allowing two goals.

The Hillcats redeemed themselves on the chilly night of Oct. 26 toppling Oklahoma Christian University. A celebrated victory and in turn an emotional evening as it was senior night for the 10 seniors on Head Coach Derek Larkin’s team, who were honored prior to the game.

“It was very hard. We lose a lot of leadership and majority on the team and more importantly just that team chemistry,” said Larkin. “Those guys have meant a lot to this program; they’ve won a lot of games and they’ve been an intrical part of everything that we do in building the tradition.”

With the help of the women’s victory earlier in the evening, Larkin and the Hillcat soccer program achieved their 100th win of the season.

The memorable win would be their last of the year as the RSU men completed their regular season slate falling to Mid-America Christian 0-2 and in the quarterfinals of the SAC Tournament 1-3 against Oklahoma City.

Post season soccer honors were given to sophomore Bryan Jones earning Second Team All-Conference and Surridge as the SAC Goalkeeper of the Year.

In his final match, Surridge made seven saves while giving up two goals. The four year starter has been with the program since the inaugural season, playing in 51 games and making 380 saves. Jones, Fitzgerald, Zuta, Perez and Longaberger have also been a Hillcat since the inaugural season.

The Hillcats finished the season 11-6-2 overall with a 5-4-1 SAC record. RSU men’s soccer have nothing to hang their heads about as they have indeed left their Hillcat mark on Rogers State University.

Photo by gssphotography.com

RSU Men’s Golf Concludes Fall Schedule

The fall competition for RSU golf has come to a close. The Hillcats concluded its schedule finishing eighth out of eleven teams at the Northwood Fall Shootout in Arlington, Texas.

The eighth place finish landed the Hillcats ahead of host Northwood University and Sooner Athletic Conference opponent Lubbock Christian University.

Junior Bo Sarrat led the Hillcats with a two round total of 157 after tallying a first round score of 76 placing 25th in the tournament. Sarrat was one of only six players to record an eagle on the par 72 course.

Sophomore Jared Ward was the most consistent player for the Hillcats after carding two rounds of 79 for a two-day score of 158 tying for 30th. Not too far behind was sophomore Tanner Owens with a two-day total of 161 tying for 38th.

Rounding out the RSU scoring were sophomore Collin Turner and freshman Landon Morgan. Turner shot a 163 tying for 42nd while Morgan tied for 49th with a 167 two-day card.

RSU men will hit the green course again in February to compete in the Eddie Lucio Jr., Collegiate Golf Invitational from the South Padre Golf Club in Brownsville, Texas.

Lol: Hillpost Insider with RSU Men’s Basketball

The 2010-11 RSU men's basketball team is bursting with talent and personality on and off the court. Just for fun, I had the guys fill out a survey of 20 random questions. Players with more than one vote were listed and self-votes were not allowed.

John Boyd received the most votes in the most categories, totaling 31 votes in 4 categories.

• Voted best dunker


• Voted biggest prankster


• Voted biggest comedian


• Voted best overall athlete

Who's the smartest in the classroom?

Matt Kellogg: 10 votes

C.J. Sidorakis: 2 votes

Who's the smartest on the court?

Maurice Rutherford: 10 votes

Who's the loudest?

Deveric Taylor: 10 votes

Maurice Rutherford: 3 votes

Who's the quietest?

Ajuma Jaramogi: 8 votes

Sterling Jackson: 4 votes

Who will be the first to get married?

Deveric Taylor: 5 votes

Chris Francis: 3 votes

Who will be the last to get married?

Joey Twilley: 4 votes

Larry Cox: 3 votes

Brandon Mims: 2 votes

Ajuma Jaramogi: 2 votes

Who's most likely to be famous outside of basketball?

C.J. Sidorakis: 4 votes

John Boyd: 2 votes

Alburey Doss: 2 votes

Who's the best singer?

Deveric Taylor: 10 votes

Who's the best dancer?

Jordan Burrell: 9 votes

Joey Twilley: 2 votes

Brandon Mims: 2 votes

Who has the messiest locker?

Brandon Mims: 9 votes

John Boyd: 2 votes

Who's the most organized?

Maurice Rutherford: 4 votes

C.J. Sidorakis: 3 votes

Chris Francis: 2 votes

Deveric Taylor: 2 votes

Who would make the best college coach?

Maurice Rutherford: 7 votes

Who's the fastest from baseline to baseline?

Sterling Jackson: 3 votes

Alex Ewing: 3 votes

Matt Kellogg: 3 votes

Who's the most competitive?

Matt Kellogg: 4 votes

Maurice Rutherford: 2 votes

Deveric Taylor: 2 votes

Larry Cox: 2 votes

Who's the hardest worker?

Maurice Rutherford: 5 votes

Sterling Jackson: 4 votes

Joey Twilley: 2 votes

Who's the best dunker?

John Boyd: 8 votes

Brandon Mims: 4 votes

Who's the best dresser?

Deveric Taylor: 5 votes

Maurice Rutherford: 4 votes

Who's the biggest prankster?

John Boyd: 5 votes

Maurice Rutherford: 5 votes

Deveric Taylor: 2 votes

Who's the biggest comedian?

John Boyd: 11 votes

Who's the best overall athlete?

John Boyd: 7 votes

ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY

Lol: Hillpost Insider with RSU Women’s Basketball

The 2010-11 RSU women's basketball team is bursting with talent and personality on and off the court. Just for fun, I had the ladies fill out a survey of 20 random questions. Players with more than one vote were listed and self-votes were not allowed.

Angie Criner received the most votes in the most categories, totaling 31 votes in 5 categories.

• Voted best overall athlete
  
• Most impressive in the weight room
  
• Voted fastest from baseline to baseline
  
• Voted most competitive
  
• Tied for hardest worker

Who's the smartest in the classroom?

Taylor Jeffs: 6 Votes

Andrea Miles: 3 Votes

Who's the smartest on the court?

Cortney Crockett: 5 votes

Logan Froese: 2 votes

Hunter Peterson: 2 votes

Who's the loudest?

Hunter Peterson: 6 votes

Candice Stewart: 5 votes

Who's the quietest?

Taylor Jeffs: 6 votes

Andrea Miles: 5 votes

Who will be the first to get married?

Hunter Peterson: 6 votes

Candice Stewart: 2 votes

Logan Froese: 2 votes

Who will be the last to get married?

Kristy Henderson: 4 votes

Brittani Smith: 2 votes

Who's most likely to be famous outside of basketball?

Andrea Miles: 3 votes

Candice Stewart: 2 votes

Hunter Peterson: 2 votes

Who's the best singer?

Cortney Crockett: 4 votes

Kristy Henderson: 4 votes

Brittani Smith: 2 votes

Who's the best dancer?

Candice Stewart: 5 votes

Cortney Crockett: 3 votes

Taylor Jeffs: 2 votes

Who's the most competitive?

Angie Criner: 8 votes

Cortney Crockett: 2 votes

Who has the messiest locker?

Andrea Miles: 3 votes

Kristi Henderson: 2 votes

Candice Stewart: 2 votes

Who's the most organized?

Kristi Henderson: 5 votes

Taylor Jeffs: 2 votes

Who would make the best college coach?

Madison Harris: 4 votes

Logan Froese: 2 votes

Cortney Crockett: 2 votes

Who's the fastest from baseline to baseline?

Angie Criner: 5 votes

Candice Stewart: 3 votes

Andrea Miles: 2 votes

Who's the hardest worker?

Madison Harris: 3 votes

Angie Criner: 3 votes

Candice Stewart: 2 votes

Who's the best dresser?

Madison Harrison: 4 votes

Hunter Peterson: 3 votes

Who's the most impressive in the weight room?

Angie Criner: 9 votes

Who's the funniest?

Andrea Miles: 3 votes

Logan Froese: 2 votes

Kristy Henderson: 2 votes

Who's the cheapest?

Cortney Crockett: 6 votes

Kristi Henderson: 3 votes

Who's the best overall athlete?

Angie Criner: 6 votes

Logan Froese: 2 votes

FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY

This Weekend in Hillcat Sports

Friday will kick off an action packed weekend for sports on and off the Hill for RSU.

MEN'S & WOMEN'S SOCCER

• The top eight teams in the conference advanced to the SAC Tournament.
  

The men's soccer team finished league play in a three-way tie for fourth place. With the tie breaker the Hillcats (11-5-2, 5-4-1 SAC) are seeded sixth and will travel to third seeded Oklahoma City University (9-5-2, 5-3-1 SAC) on Friday, Nov. 5. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.

With a win over OCU on Friday, the Hillcat men would move on to play a semi-final against the winner of the OBU-St. Gregory's game on Monday, Nov. 8.

Last Meeting:

The Hillcats edged the Stars 1-0 in the regular season at OCU earning RSU their ninth straight victory.

WOMEN

With a fourth place finish in the conference, the Hillcat women (15-2-1, 8-2-1 SAC) open the SAC tournament hosting Southern Nazarene (9-8-1, 6-4-1 SAC) on Saturday, Nov 6 on the Soldier Field. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.

The winner of the RSU-SNU women's game will take on the winner of the OCU-Lubbock Christian match on Monday, Nov. 8.

Last Meeting:

RSU defeated SNU on the road, 4-3 in the regular season. The Hillcats scored four consecutive goals in the opening half however; they allowed the Crimson Storm to get back in the game after intermission.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

The RSU men's basketball team will have back-to-back game days this weekend. Friday will tip off their home season opener at the Expo Center against Dallas Christian College. Game time is 7 p.m. The Hillcats are back in action Saturday going traveling to Oral Roberts University (Exhibition). Tipoff is at 7 p.m.

Tune into 91.3 on your radio dial and on RSU Radio Online.

MEN & WOMEN CROSS COUNTRY

RSU cross country will be competing in their first SAC tournament meet in Shawnee, Okla. Competition begins at 9:30 a.m. Finishing in the top two, will grant the Hillcats to the NAIA National Championships in Vancouver, Wash.

In Photo: Deveric Taylor
by: gssphotography.com

RSU men's basketball strive toward common goal in new season

Consider the 2010-2011 basketball season for the Rogers State’s men’s team a season of rebuilding for the program. With a cast of seven new players in addition to eight returnees, coming together will be the main focal point for the team.

Last season, RSU relied heavily on 6’6’’ power forward Sylvester Spicer and 6’1’’ point guard Lance Sullivan with good reason. The pair ended their senior year earning all-conference honors while leading the Hillcats to its second straight SAC championship game.

This season, much will be expected from the returning seniors. Along with Matt Kellogg and Joey Twilley the Hillcats will look to guard Deverick Taylor and power forward John Boyd in putting up big numbers.

Taylor earned All-America honorable mention accolades after averaging 12.3 points and making 63 3-pointers during the 2009-10 season. In just 22 games of play last season Boyd averaged 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while shooting 46.7% from 3-point range.

Guard Chris Francis is also looking to step into the forefront to help guide the team.

“As a senior I think it’s my job to step up and lead some of the guys that hasn’t been in the SAC league before and just help them out and do the best I can on and off the court,” said Francis.

He started 15 out of 30 games averaging 7 points per game and shooting 37% outside the perimeter.

Guard Matt Kellogg rounds out the returning seniors. He shot 43.4 % beyond the arc and 44.3% from the field last season.

Point guard Maurice Rutherford will sit out for the first half of the season due to eligibility purposes. Rutherford took a medical redshirt after suffering an injury early in the 2009-10 season. He will be back on the court in time for conference play.

Head Coach Justin Barkley is hoping his new additions can step up to the challenge as well.

Power forward Brandon Mims is a senior transfer who appeared in 65 games over the last two seasons for LSU-Shreveport of the NAIA making him one of the most experienced players on the RSU roster.

Center Ajuma Jaramogi is a junior transfer who appeared in 11 games as a sophmore for the NCAA Division II University of Arkansas at Monticello. He’s originally from Trinidad.

Power forward Alburey Doss is a senior transfer from Missouri Southern. He began his basketball college career at Langston University where he averaged 16.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as sophomore in 2008-09. Doss was a teammate of Sullivan in the same year.

Larry Cox is a junior transfer from the University of South Carolina Salkehatchie Junior College. As a sophomore in 2008-09 he led the team in scoring with 12.5 points per game and rebounds with 8.7 per game.

Sterling Jackson is a junior transfer from Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa. He helped lead the team in scoring, assists and rebounds in the point guard position.

Barkley’s newly acquired freshmen will also have major roles to take on for the Hillcats. C.J. Sidorakis from Jenks High School will be a threat from the outside. As a senior he held a 37% 3-point average and averaged 9.8 points per game. His older brother Nick is a senior for Oklahoma State this season.

Until Rutherford is back in action, RSU will look to Jordan Burrell to help lead the way for the Hillcats. Burrell is from Valliant, Okla. And was an All-State selection during his senior season in 2009-2010.

To help prepare the men’s team for conference play, Barkley has scheduled three exhibitions against NCAA Division I competition.

“For us to get better we want to play the best,” said Barkley. “I think it’s a good way for us to see where we’re at.”

RSU will travel to battle Texas Christian University, Oral Roberts and the University of Houston.

In addition to the new faces, Hillcat fans can expect to see a new coaching staff. Though not new to the program Barkley is entering his first season as head coach for the men’s basketball team. The Hillcats will also be in the leadership of new assistant coaches Kyle Blankenship and Mike Cyprien. Blankenship come from Lamar State College-Port Arthur where he coached for one season and spent three seasons prior as an assistant coach as LSU-Shreveport.

It will be a challenge to replace Spicer and Sullivan but with the new mixture of experienced players added to the solid group of returnees, RSU fans can expect to see a growing team coming together for a common goal.

Photo: 2010-11 RSU men's basketball team

by gssphotography.com

Special thanks to former Hillpost Sports Editor Josh Haley.

New pieces fire up women's basketball quest for successful season

On March 3, 2010 the Roger State women’s basketball team suffered a bittersweet season ender against No. 4 ranked opponent Oklahoma Baptist University.

Although the opportunity of making their first national tournament appearance was put to a halt, the Hillcats reached high levels competing in the SAC tournament semifinals for the first time in the program’s history.

Last season the dominant All-Conference post duo of Yoda Woods and Jenny Harding were the driving force behind the team’s successful season.

RSU women’s head basketball coach Amy Williams says the graduation of Woods and Hardin along with former all-conference point guard, Autumn Thompson, may have left a hole in the team’s program. But with the addition of five new players, the Rogers State’s women’s basketball team is going into the 2010-2011 season with a new look and a new attitude.

All five newcomers are guards. Angie Criner comes to RSU by way of the University of Georgia looking to add spark to the team with explosive athleticism on the wing.

The Tulsa native played her freshman season at Arkansas State while averaging 9.3 pointers per game. As a sophomore she played at Butler Community College in Kansas during the 2008-09 season. She averaged 17.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 3.4 steals per game for the Grizzlies. Criner played in 14 games before missing the second half of the season due to a shoulder injury.

Courtney Crockett, senior transfer from Delaware State University, holds the point guard position for the Hillcats. Crockett averaged 8.4 points and 2.8 rebounds while starting 27 games at Delaware State last season. She was a teammate at DSU of current Hillcat Candice Stewart from 2007 to 2009

“I think she will have a really special impact on our team because she is very solid in a lot of different areas,” said Williams.

Kristi Henderson is a senior transfer from the University of Great Falls where she led the team in scoring last season with 19.4 pointer per game.

Sasha Barnes is a junior transfer from Johnson County Community College. She played in all 32 games averaging 8.2 points and 3.7 assists per game.

Freshman Taylor Jeffs from Oologah High School pose threats for other teams with shooting capabilities.

Williams has the pleasure of returning six Hillcats that poured in big numbers for the Hillcats. Seniors Hunter Peterson and Andrea Miles are the last two remaining Hillcats from the 2007-2008 inaugurated season to lead the way for the team this year.

“They know what to expect in this league,” said Williams. “They can help relay that information and be good leaders for the rest of our team.”

Peterson earned honorable mention all-conference accolades last season for the second time in her career. She averaged 9.6 points per game while shooting over 30% from three-point range along with 46 steals of the season.

Miles is a defensive threat accumulating 102 steals in her three years as a Hillcat. She shot nearly 40% from the field and averaged 4.3 rebounds per game last season.

In the post position, 6’0’’ senior Candice Stewart who played mostly on the wing last season will now join Sophomores Logan Froese, Madison Harris and junior Brittany Smith in the paint.

Stewart started 24 out of 32 games last season averaging 6.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. She led the team in steals with a season total of 52.

Froese will also be force to reckon with in the paint this season. In her rookie year, she led the team in rebounding averaging 6.5 per game while shooting 52% from the field.

All four post have experienced significant minutes along side Woods and Hardin making vast improvements going into their second season as a Hillcat.

Though short-hand on posts, that hasn’t taken away from the team’s determination.

“I feel like it’s something we can adjust to because we’re more focus and people are willing to do what ever to sacrifice or go the extra mile for the team,” said Miles.

Meanwhile, the load of athletic guards is helping to even things out which is what the Hillcats are looking to use to their advantage.

“We have players that can create their own shot and go make plays,” said Williams. “We have some good solid post players that understand post positioning and how to seal and that gives us a little balance.”

Going into the new season, the women’s basketball team say they are more determined than ever before. The Hillcat roster is packed with upperclassmen who are hungry to reach the next level. With their eyesight on nationals, the women are focusing their pre-season on minor details.

“Coach says it everyday; just doing the little things,” said Peterson. “We need to capitalize on those little things; that’s what’s going to make us a better team.”

Williams says she has a talented group of girls that are capable of another 20-win season with a shot of making nationals but knows talent is not enough to get them there. Still in the early stages, RSU women are looking to smoothen out all the wrinkles as they prepare for the 2010-2011 season.

Photo: 2010-11 RSU women's basketball team
Photo by gssphotography.com

Special thanks to former Hillpost sports editor Josh Haley!

Difficult matches spurs men's soccer to stay on top

Usually winning nine games straight for any team in any sport is a pretty big deal. But for the Roger State men’s soccer team, they’re concentration is focused on taking one game at a time and as a result, winning streaks tend to follow.

The Hillcats tremendous defense is to credit during their two week road trip. RSU accumulated a total of 15 offensive points while only being scored on twice in five games.

RSU men defeated Avila University 2-0 and Ottawa University 5-2 earning their sixth straight win of the season. Junior Griffin Kane played big in both matches to give the Hillcats early leads.

Rogers State kept their winning streak alive in their Sooner Athletic Conference opener easing past Southern Nazarene 1-0. Senior Sergio Guerra scored the lone goal in the 23rd minute of the SNU match.

Later in the week, the Hillcats cruised past Wayland University 6-1 giving RSU their 8th straight win of the season.

Once again the Rogers State men’s team pulled away with a victorious win on the road and it wasn‘t easy. The Hillcats claimed their ninth game streak with a 1-0 win over No. 26 nationally ranked Oklahoma City University.

“To play a team of that caliber after being on the road, tired, playing with out a starter or two, it was really big for them,” said Derek Larkin, Head soccer coach.

“We had some late night trips coming back off the road. We went to Kansas city twice in the same week. We’ve been to west Texas, Oklahoma city, a couple of times, so it took its toll on them and that’s what made the Oklahoma city game that much sweeter.”

Going into their conference home opener, the Hillcats may have met their match. The men’s team were handed their first loss of conference play against Oklahoma Baptist University. The Bison snapped the Hillcats winning streak with a 4-1 victory.

RSU was able to take avenge of their loss with a 6-0 domination over St. Gregory University. Junior Henrique Sousa and senior Des Fitzgerald scored a combined five goals while senior Carlos Zuta added the final goal, propelling the Hillcats to victory. Fitzgerald leads the team with six goals of the season.

In the same week, RSU suffered a disappointing defeat against John Brown University. The Hillcats were unable to overcome a two-goal halftime deficit. They had several chances to get back in the game in the second half but were unable to capitalize eventually falling to JBU 3-0.

“We gave up a couple shots and they scored when they had their opportunities and we didn’t score when we had our opportunities,” said sophomore Justin Friesen.

Five games remain before the start of the SAC conference tournament. Currently RSU men are ranked No. 2 in the conference. The Hillcats look to continue staying on top to gain home field advantage.

Update: RSU men fell 2-1 in double overtime to USAO. For more results go to rsuhillcats.com
Go to the soonerathletic.org website for current conference standings.

In photo: Senior goalkeeper Sean Surridge
Photo by gssphotography.com

Tough losses serve as motivation for RSU women soccer

The Roger State women’s soccer team has battled through a month long of stunning victories and disappointing defeats. As conference play winds down, the Hillcats will look to count on the one thing that has proven to pay off which is hard work.

RSU started their five game road trip on a down hill dropping a pair of games to Avila University 3-0 and to Ottawa 2-1.

The following week the Hillcats snapped their two game losing streak with a turnaround performance taking down Southern Nazarene 4-3 on the road in their Sooner Athletic Conference opener.

“For us to steal that win on the road was just huge,” said Derek Larkin, RSU head soccer coach. “It wasn’t one we were necessarily counting on because they’re a very good team but our girls worked really hard and they deserved the victory. “

Four different Hillcats scored on Southern Nazarene. Junior Chelsea Myers scored her third goal of the season with an assist by Junior Abby Rickner to give the Hillcats a 1-0 lead. Five minutes later freshman Demi Mullin added to the scoreboard giving RSU a 2-0 advantage.

Rickner earned another assist with a corner kick to junior Morghan Saliba for the 3-0 goal. Senior Tiffany Roberts kept the momentum going in the second half, scoring within 30 seconds of the half to put the Hillcats on top 4-0.

In the latter part of the night, the Crimson Storm came roaring back scoring three straight goals on RSU.

The Hillcats were able to hang onto the win, with freshman goalkeeper Chelsea McMullin earning the win in goal.

RSU battled for their second victory on the road topping Wayland Baptist University 1-0. Saliba scored the lone goal of the contest in the 76th minute and McMullin captured the shutout win, making four saves.

Larkin knows that when his girls work hard together they are able to bounce back from any defeat.

“They saw what was happening after two losses and were able to come out and perform,” said Larkin.

RSU winning streak was short lived as after No. 23 nationally ranked Oklahoma City University slipped past the Hillcats 1-0 giving RSU their first SAC conference loss of the season.

After a hard fought five-game road trip, the Hillcats ended their home conference opener in a 0-0 draw with Oklahoma Baptist University. McMullin tallied up nine saves in the OBU match up.

The women’s offense came alive running away with a 9-0 victory over St. Gregory University. Junior Lauren Hager filled up the stat sheet taking six shots with four on goal and two through the net while making an assist in the game.

The Hillcats took another blow falling to John Brown University 3-0. Both teams battled tough not allowing any points for either team in the first half . Yet in the second half the Golden Eagles came out hard taking a total of 16 shots compared to two shots for RSU.

Five games remain before the start of the SAC conference tournament. Currently RSU women are ranked No. 6 in the conference. As long as the Hillcats can continue to work hard and come away with wins, their chances of gaining home field advantage for the start of tournament play is still within reach.

Update: RSU women fell to USAO 1-0. For more results go to rsuhillcats.com athletic website.
Check out the soonerathletic.org website for current conference standings.

In Photo: Freshman goalkeeper Chelsea McMullin
Photo by gssphotography.com

Steady progress gives RSU cross country confidence boosters

RSU’s inaugural men’s and women’s cross country teams battled through challenging courses and fatigue while still managing to improve on personal times in the recent month.

RSU cross country ran at the OBU Bison Cross Country Invitational in Shawnee, Okla. A much flatter course compared to the hills of the OSU meet.

Seven out of eight Hillcat men completed the race all improving their personal best times. Leading the way for RSU was Brandon Payne crossing the finish line under 27 minutes.

Oscar Reyes finished the race improving his time by 30 seconds and redshirt freshman Jarrett Sanders finished over seven seconds faster than his personal best.

On the women’s side Breana Harrison and Tiffany Russell competed impressively in the OBU meet. Harrison ran a personal best by over a minute and Russell ran a personal best by 50 seconds. Both were happy with their performance.

“I think it just helps to build confidence and motivation as well as to try to beat that time and just keep improving,” Harrison said.

Battling through fatigue Kendall Clement and Jessie Zingo were still able to lead the Hillcat women through the 5k event.

In gearing up for the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Ark., the Hillcats had to prepare for their longest meet ever prepared. The men ran a 10k event and the women ran a 6k. The meet was also the largest for the Hillcats with over 900 runners and up to 30 NCAA Division I schools in attendance.

Junior Caleb Clark led the Hillcat men with a strong performance finishing 113th in the individual competition with a time of 31:53 out of 463 runners.

Clark started the race falling early to the back of the pack but in his remaining 5k, the junior runner kicked it into high gear catching over 100 runners.

“It wasn’t the best race strategy, I should have tried to get out a little faster but it ended up working out,” said Clark.

The good showing earned Clark the distinction of the sixth place finisher of NAIA in attendance.

Sanders also competed in the 10k event completing the race with a time of 34:1 for a 290th place finish as an unattached runner. Rounding out the Hillcat men’s contingent were freshmen Brandon Payne and Oscar Reyes. Payne finished with a time of 35:05 for a 353th placing with Reyes finishing 307th, with a time of 36:04.

Zingo led the Hillcat women with a time of 21:55 placing 427th. Clement finished the 6K course in 22:22 for a 433rd placing out of the 470 competitors in the Festival.

Harrison completed the course in a time of 22:51 finishing 441st while Russell placed 460th with a time of 25:07

The Hillcats will travel to Ada, Okla. for the East Central Tiger Chase on October 23rd to close out the regular season schedule before heading to the SAC regional tournament Nov. 6th.

Update: For results of the East Central Tiger Chase meet visit rsuhillcats.com athletic website
In Photo: Junior Caleb Clark
Photo by gssphotography.com

RSU golf looking to improve with more competition

The Rogers State’s men’s golf team slips through a close race taking tenth out of 17 teams in the U.C. Ferguson Classic, in Oklahoma City, Okla.

The Hillcats wrapped up the event with an 872 total and two shots behind Northwood (Texas) and Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) who tied for eighth.

Though overall team performance could have been better, RSU golf coach Lynn Blevins was pleased with individual efforts

RSU Freshman Landon Morgan finished with a score off 212 tying him for 17th place out of 89 golfers. It was Morgan’s first tournament since the season’s opener.

“I was happy with how I played since I hadn’t played that much golf recently,” said Morgan.

“I was very impressed with Landon Morgan,” said Blevins. “As an incoming freshman, he played to the level that I thought he could and would, so that was very encouraging.”

Not to far behind were Tanner Owens tying for 36th with a 219 total and Bo Sarratt tying for 38th place at 220. Mariano Newton tied for 46th with a 223 total and Jared Ward tied for 61st.

The Hillcat women’s golf team concluded their fall schedule with a sixth place finish in the OCU Stars Fall Classic in Oklahoma City, Okla. After shooting 335 as a team the first day, RSU bested their team total in day two with a 333 card.

RSU was led by a strong first day performance of freshman Whitney Hocutt as she shot a seven-over 79. The Claremore native finished the two-day event with a 161 tying for 19th. Jennifer Almy followed tying for 23rd after carding a total of 162.

Amy Aday finished tying at 37th with a two-day total of 170 and teammate Katy Seegar finished five strokes behind tying for 39th. Kelsey Short improved upon her first day total to shoot a 92 in the second day to tie for 49th.

Good ball striking are keeping the men’s and women’s teams competitive, but RSU is looking to improve in the scoring club in order to have an edge over their opponents.

“We’re losing mostly all of our shots compared to the schools that are beating us, from a hundred yards in,” said Blevins.

Along with eliminating mental mistakes Blevins says improvements in those areas will come with more competition.

RSU women will resume golfing competition in March while taking the off-season to improve their golf game.

“They now have a good idea where they are on the competitive scale with the other teams, and what they have do to get there,” said Blevins. “Come spring, we kind of have to step it up a notch and I think all the girls understand that.”

RSU men will close out their fall competition Oct. 24-26 as they travel to Mansfield, Texas to compete in the Northwood Fall Shootout.

In Photo: Freshman golfer Whitney Hocutt
Photo by gssphotography.com

Huge Win Over LCU Bumps RSU Women to 4th

"We really wanted this win and it showed today."

The teamwork put forth by Rogers State women’s soccer team was no match for the Lubbock Christian Lady Chaps. RSU’s turnaround performance against John Brown on Saturday led them to a 3-0 victory over LCU in Tuesday’s match up.

The Hillcats showed that hard work and team work go hand in hand.

“I thought we worked well together today,” said junior defender Abby Rickner. “We worked on defense well as a team and we all attacked together as a team.”

The first half of the game was an even battle for Rogers State and Lubbock Christian. Each team took a total of four shots, with RSU hitting three shots on goal and LCU hitting just one. Both teams walked away scoreless to end the first half.

By the start of the second half, the Hillcats were on the loose scoring their first goal in just 17 seconds of play. Junior Chelsea Myers dribbled down the line crossing the ball into the box for sophomore Jessica Turner who buried it past the Lady Chaps goalkeeper putting RSU on the board 1-0.

In the 78th minute, freshman Melissa Subu found herself in the right place at the right time. The freshman received a corner kick pass from junior Shereen Clarke sending a diving header through the net to give the Hillcats a 2-0 advantage.

The final score of the day came in the 88th minute again by Turner. The sophomore midfielder dribbled down the sideline racing past LCU’s defense and delivered the scoring goal to seal the deal for the Hillcats for a 3-0 victory.

“This win was extremely important for us,” said Clarke.

Going in today’s match up, RSU women were ranked 6th in the SAC conference. The win over the Lady Chaps bumped the Hillcats up two sports tying them for 4th place. The win was necessary to push the Hillcats in the running for home field advantage come playoff time.

“If we would’ve lost this game we would have been in 9th place, so this was a huge win for us,” added freshman goalkeeper Chelsea McMullin. She ended the game with a total of four saves for RSU and earned her fifth shutout win of the season.

The Hillcats (8-4-1, 4-2-1 SAC) will resume action on the road Saturday to battle No. 5 team in the conference USAO (7-5-1, 3-4 SAC). Kick off is set for 2 p.m.

Check out the Sooner Athletic website for the complete list of conference standings.

In Photo: Shereen Clarke
Credited by gssphotography.com

THE RSU-OBU BREAK DOWN (Women)

Coach Larkin: “They’ll be ready.”

After a hard fought 5-game road trip, the Rogers State women’s team will face conference opponent Oklahoma Baptist University.

The Hillcats kicked off their conference season on a 2-game winning streak but received their first lost of the conference going into Saturday’s game. OBU is also entering the match with a conference loss under their belt.

RSU STATS

Overall record: (6-3)
SAC record: (2-1)
Longest Streak: Won 4

LAST GAME

RSU suffered their first conference lost Tuesday to the No. 23 nationally ranked, Oklahoma City University 1-0.

WHY RSU COULD WIN

The Hillcats play hard together. After suffering defeats, RSU knows how to come back with a vengeance bouncing back to take down Southern Nazarene 4-3.

Tiffany Roberts: “If we come out hard, we won’t have a problem against them (OBU).”

OBU STATS

Overall record: (5-4-1)
SAC record: (2-1)
Longest Streak: Won 4

WHY OBU COULD WIN

In each win of their season OBU has beaten their opponents 4-0. The Bison appears to have a strong defense leaving their losing opponents scoreless.

RSU-OBU HISTORY MATCH-UP

2007 RSU defeated OBU 6-1
2008 RSU defeated OBU 2-1
2009, Oct. 7 OBU defeated RSU 1-0
2009, Nov. 7 RSU defeated OBU 1-0 in the SAC tournament

THE RSU-OBU BREAK DOWN (Men)

Coach Larkin: “This is probably one of the toughest team’s we’re going to play all season.”

After coming off a 5-game road trip, the Rogers State men’s soccer team will go heads up against conference opponent Oklahoma Baptist. RSU currently holds the No. 1 spot in the conference with OBU not too far behind in third. The Hillcats are determined in staying focus for Saturday’s match up.

RSU STATS

Overall record: (9-1-1)
SAC record: (3-0)
Longest Streak: Won 9

LAST GAME

RSU closed their two week road trip with a crucial win on Tuesday taking down the No. 26 ranked team in the nation Oklahoma City University 1-0.

WHY RSU COULD WIN

“Defense wins games”: RSU has proven that to be true. Out of twelve games, the Hillcats have only been scored on a total of three times meanwhile tallying up 28 points on the offensive end, in addition to leaving some of their opponents scoreless.

Jaime Perez: “We’re taking it game by game.”

OBU STATS

Overall record: (7-2)
SAC record: (2-1)
Longest Streak: Won 6

LAST GAME

OBU claimed an overtime victory against Southern Nazarene in the final seconds of the game Tuesday winning 2-1.

WHY OBU COULD WIN

There’s no doubt that the Hillcats are facing a tough Bison team. OBU is a different team with a new style compared to last year, being more aggressive with attacks on offense.

RSU-OBU HISTORY MATCH-UP

2007 RSU defeats OBU 4-1
2008 RSU ties OBU 2-2
2009 RSU defeats OBU 3-0

Sean Surridge: “It’s another big game for us, so hopefully if we get that win we’ll be 4-0 and stay on top of the conference.”

RSU Cross Country Tackles Tough Course

Roger State’s inaugural cross country team dug deep through their toughest challenge of the early season. The Hillcat men and women finished 17th and 27th respectively at the Cowboy Jamboree on the campus of Oklahoma State University, Saturday morning.

Up first were the women races with duo Kendall Clement and Jessie Zingo leading the way for the Hillcats. After breezing through the first mile the OSU soon began to reveal itself taking the runners through staggering hills and gullies growing more intense by the third mile.

“It was all mental,” said Clement.

“It was tough to have a lot of kick left since you had just pushed up all those other hills,” said Zingo.

Clement recorded the best time for the RSU women, placing 117th with a time of 22:11 followed by Jessie Zingo finishing with a time of 22:28, earning 125th out of over 200 runners.

Sophomore Breana Harrison took 163rd with a time of 24:56 and freshman Tiffany Russell finished 174 with a time of 26:23. Softball senior Brittany White rounded out the scoring for the Hillcat women with a time of 26:51, placing 179.

Next up were the men races. The Hillcat men also felt the challenges of the course while managing to stay close to their personal times.

Junior Caleb Clark led the way for the Hillcat men finishing 13th overall out of over 200 runners with a time of 26:33. Brandon Payne was the runner up for the Hillcats placing 75th with a time of 28:30.

Freshman Oscar Reyes finished with a time of 30:17 placing 117. Josh Maggard placed 148th with a time of 38:44 and Josh Phillipi rounded out the scoring with a time of 38:40 placing 149.

“We did pretty good,” said Payne. “We’re trying to just stay consistent with our times.

Though the Hillcats were looking to make better time, running a course like OSU’s was not easy.

“The fact that it was a much tougher course than last week, I thought they did good so I was definitely happy with the team’s score,” said Chris McCormick, RSU cross country coach.

“Getting a course like this out the way gives us high hopes of what’s to come,” added Clement.

RSU cross country will get a two week layoff before hitting the trails again Oct. 9 at the OBU Bison Cross Country Invitational.

(Photo by gssphotography.com)

"Unstoppable Once Airborn"

A Dream Come True for Spicer

If you had the chance to witness the 6’6’’ power forward showcase in action, “unstoppable once airborn” would probably best describe this power forward’s skyrocket ability.

Yet, the phrase is not limited to former Rogers State University Hillcat, Sylvester Spicer’s production on the court; it only extends in his opportunity of achieving the basketball career he has worked hard for.

“After my last game at RSU, all I could see myself doing is overseas basketball,” said Spicer.

The Dallas native spent most of his summer living in Skiatook, Okla. putting in overtime with his former Oral Roberts University teammate Mickey Michalec.

“Just about everyday, I worked out three times a day… 5am, 9am and noon.”

After word was announced on former RSU teammate, Lance Sullivan of signing pro, some were curious about when Spicer would make his professional leap.

Along with the help of an agent, Spicer was in search of the right team that would best escalate his basketball career.

As of August 20, 2010 Spicer became a professional basketball player for the team of Elitzur Ramla BC of Ramla, Israel.

Spicer says coming from a NAIA, he wasn’t being looked at as a top player. Already scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in his recent scrimmage, the 225 lb solid beast is looking to prove otherwise going into his rookie season.

Through out his three years at Rogers State, Spicer has experienced highs and lows while managing to come out on top on the hardwood.

“His ability to persevere on the floor, he has a strong work ethic when it comes to the game of basketball and the ability to finish plays, “ said RSU head basketball coach, Justin Barkley.

“His strength and his athleticism is something he has been blessed with and if he continues to work hard on the intangibles of the game, he’ll have an opportunity to play for quite a while, said Barkley.”

Now overseas, the dominant force in the paint, is doing what he loves best and also enjoying the fruits of his labor.

“Being in Israel is fun, I’m loving it! I have learned a couple words now and still learning,” said Spicer. “My team is full of great guys who looks to be a potential champion team this year.”

To all recent RSU teammates and future Hillcats looking to follow Spicer‘s footsteps, he has a bit of advice to share.

“It’s all about dedication and connections! Play hard, smart, and together. Put up good numbers and have someone in your corner to help you get to where you are trying to go.”

Spicer’s pro season is set to kick off Oct. 5.

Check Spice's Stats at Basketball Beyond Borders

(Photo by gssphotography.com)

FCA Spotlight

Once a week RSU athletes huddle together combining the passion for sports with the passion for Christ through fellowship.

FCA AT RSU

• Fellowship of Christian Athletes began at Rogers State University three years ago by former assistant women’s basketball coach Michael Wells.
  
• “It’s a faith based organization; non-dominational. It’s designed just to give student athletes a place where they can come together and fellowship,” said Ryan Bradley, associate athletic director for external relations.
  
• Bradley holds fellowshipping to be most important in giving a chance for students from different teams, programs and backgrounds to come together for a single purpose.
  
• FCA brings in guest speakers of former athletes and current coaches to motivate and inspire RSU athletes to grow in their relationship with Christ.
  
• FCA partners with Baptist Collegiate Ministry in helping to provide food and games at each huddle followed by a guest speaker.

FCA INVOLVEMENT

• Encourages members to be leaders in supporting other programs and to be involved in campus activities and other faith based organizations.
  
• The organization has more coaches and administrative staff participating in FCA this year than ever before.
  
  “I think it’s really important for those athletes to see that,” said Bradley. “To see their coaches and the people that are running their athletic program; that this is important to them and that their faith is important to them too.

FCA GAME DAY

• Every year FCA has game day... a chance to go to a college football game. The past games days were at Tulsa University.
  
• This year FCA was able to have game day at the University of Oklahoma season opener football game.
  
  “I thought that would be a great opportunity to kind of kick off FCA for the year and get people excited and involved in what we’re doing,” said Bradley.
  
• FCA teamed up with Jamey Gilliland of BCM in securing OU tickets for half price. RSU students paid only $20.00 for a game ticket, a free Hillcat bus ride to Norman and a free OU T-shirt.

FCA WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT…

The organization is open to any and all students at RSU. Whether you have a love sports, know little about the game, or just simply want to be apart of something, FCA welcomes you!

FCA HUDDLE

Where: Bushyhead
When: Wednesday nights at 9:00 P.M.
Who: Everyone
Why: To eat, plays games, and fellowship

(Photo courtesy of Bailey Lynn)