JONESBORO, Ark. – The Red Wolves fell to the OSU’s Cowgirls at A-State Soccer Park on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. The Red Wolves will take on the James Madison Duke Dogs next Friday, Sept. 15 at home.
Red Wolves Emma Riley (6) kicks the ball away from OSU’s Nicole Ray (12) during first-half action at A-State Soccer Park in Jonesboro, Ark. on Sept. 7, 2023. Red Wolves fell 0 to 1 against the Cowgirls. Photo by Atsuki Ohbuchi.
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Atsuki Ohbuchi | 大渕純暉
Atsuki Ohbuchi | 大渕 純暉 is a junior in the Neil Griffin College of Business at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. He can be reached at: atsuki.ohbuchi@smail.astate.edu
A-State Women’s Soccer vs Northwest Mississippi Community College
Delta Digital News Service
August 11, 2023
By Atsuki Ohbuchi 純暉 | Staff Photographer
JONESBORO, Ark. – Head Coach Brian Dooley and the Red Wolves defeated Northwest Mississippi Community College Rangers 4-0 during an exhibition match at A-State Soccer Park in Jonesboro, Ark., Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. The team will head to Fayetteville next Thursday for their regular season opener against the Razorbacks.
A-State forward Emma Riley (6) battles Raegan Tucker (20) of Northwest Mississippi Community College during an exhibition match at A-State Soccer Park in Jonesboro, Ark., Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. The Red Wolves defeated the Rangers 4-0. Head Coach Brian Dooley and the team will head to Fayetteville next Thursday for their regular season opener against the Razorbacks. Photos by Atsuki Ohbuchi
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Atsuki Ohbuchi | 純暉
Atsuki Ohbuchi | 純暉 is a junior in the Neil Griffin College of Business at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. He can be reached at: atsuki.ohbuchi@smail.astate.edu
JONESBORO, Ark. – The Arkansas State Red Wolves outlast the South Alabama Jaguars on senior day 18-11, completing a sweep of the Jaguars in the process.
The Jaguars would first add a pair of runs in the first inning. Second baseman Erik Orbeta (2) would start the game with a triple and was brought home thanks to an errand pickoff attempt from Red Wolves’ starting pitcher Tyler Jeans (14). Center fielder Will Turner (6) would reach home on a wild pitch, making it a 2-0 South Alabama lead.
Arkansas State would get a run from a wild pitcher from Jaguars’ starting pitcher Tyler Smith (23), letting second baseman Wil French (10) score. With the deficit now to 2-1, Red Wolves designated hitter John Hoskyn (19) would homer to right center, giving Arkansas State a 4-2 lead heading into the second.
Red Wolves Infielder Daedrick Cail (3)
South Alabama would tie it up in the top of the second inning with an Orbeta double and a Turner single, both driving in a single run each making it a 4-4 game.
A-State would take the lead right back as left fielder Brayden Caskey (15) sac flew, driving home French. A-State would head into the third with a 5-4 lead.
Three singles in the bottom of the third would drive home four more runs for A-State, expanding the lead to 9-4.
The Jaguars would cut the deficit down to two, as right fielder Austin Thrasher (19) walked in a run and left fielder Joesph Sullivan (7) singled driving home two runs. South Alabama would not only trail 9-7.
The Red Wolves would add two more runs in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a French fielder’s choice that batted in a run and third baseman Daedrick Cail (3) driving in a run of his own being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. After four long innings, Arkansas State would lead 11-7.
Red Wolves Second Baseman Wil French (10)
After South Alabama trimmed the deficit by scoring three runs in the sixth, the Red Wolves would only add to their lead with first baseman Brandon Hager (11) homering to center, making the score 13-10.
The Jaguars would add a single run in the bottom of the sixth, though the Red Wolves would explode for five runs in the bottom of the seventh. After an inning and a half of scoreless baseball, the Red Wolves would win by a score of 18-11.
Following the win, Red Wolves fielder Blake Burris (9) pointed out his team’s quality at-bats, nearly setting a team record.
“We almost set a new record today, I think 38 quality at-bats,” Burris stated. “Even when we were making outs, we were hitting the ball hard. We didn’t strike out often, but when we did strike out it was eight to nine-pitch at-bats.”
On the series sweep, Red Wolves head coach Tommy Raffo emphasized the challenge that his team faced.
“It was a challenge for our guys this week. We felt like we were playing a lot better at the back end and scoring a lot of runs,” Raffo said. “The challenge for this core group was to finish the right way and finish in front of this home crowd with a three-game series, and win it.”
“It was a challenge for our guys this week. We felt like we were playing a lot better at the back end and scoring a lot of runs,”
Tommy Raffo, Red Wolves Head Coach
On how his seniors have impacted him, Burris stated that they truly made him a better person.
“The seniors do such a great job of leading this team,” Burris said. “I’m really proud and really glad that God has brought them into my life. On or off the field, they have made me a better person.”
On the topic of his seniors, Raffo could only praise them and the effect they have had on his team.
“It’s been fantastic. Those guys have been some of the leaders and vocal guys in the locker room,” Raffo stated. “We’re going to miss them, but they’re a part of our Arkansas State family now.”
The Red Wolves will look to play for postseason baseball in the Sun Belt Conference tournament, which begins Tuesday, May 23.
Jacob Wicinski is a 2021 graduate of Florida State University with a bachelor’s in communication and is currently seeking a masters of science in mass communication with a specialization in journalism at Arkansas State University.
JONESBORO, Ark. – The Arkansas State Red Wolves baseball team win their penultimate game against the South Alabama Jaguars, 13-6.
The Red Wolves would get the scoring started in the first inning. first baseman Brandon Hager (11) singled to right center, driving home center fielder Blake Burris (9) who was situated on second base, making it a 1-0 ballgame.
Red Wolves Pitcher Kyler Carmack (2)
Despite Red Wolves outfielder Nathan VerMaas’ (30) robbing a South Alabama home run, the Jaguars would tie the game 1-1 with South Alabama catcher Cole Kitzner (20) doubling and driving home third baseman Hunter Donaldson (4).
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Red Wolves would take back control of the lead. Second baseman Wil French (10) would walk in a run, while Hager would ground into a fielder’s choice, and third baseman Daedrick Cail (3) would walk in a run of his own. By the time the final out was made in the inning, the Red Wolves were up 4-1.
In the top of the fifth inning, Arkansas State pitcher Kyler Carmack (2) allowed a single and a walk but was able to get out of the inning unscathed. Carmack would leave the game with a 4-1 lead, allowing seven hits, one earned run, two walks, and two strikeouts on 92 pitches and five complete innings.
“Kyler was phenomenal. He just gutted it out,” said Red Wolves head coach Tommy Raffo after the game. “He had some moments to where he had runners on base, and he had to make pitches.”
Red Wolves Catcher & First Baseman Dylan DeButy (23)
A-State would only expand on their lead, with catcher Dylan DeButy (23) hitting a three-run home run giving the Red Wolves a 7-1 lead going into the sixth inning.
“I didn’t really feel the ball off the bat, so I knew something good was going to happen,” DeButy said after the game. “I just tried to put something in play there and it just got up and went.”
However, at the top of the sixth, the Jaguars would come back to score four runs , hitting a combined six hits in the top stretch alone. After a South Alabama sac fly, four singles, and a wild pitch, all driving home a run, South Alabama would now only be trailing 7-5.
Arkansas State would immediately answer in the bottom of the inning with Wil French singling to left field, driving home designated hitter John Hoskyn (19) and shortstop Kody Darcy (36), expanding the lead to 9-5.
Wil French would also add to his total RBI, producing a sacrifice fly with Kody Darcy scoring on the play, with the lead now being 10-5. First baseman Brandon Hager would add to his team-leading slugging percentage with a three-run homerun of his own, enlarging the lead to 13-5.
“I didn’t really feel the ball off the bat, so I knew something good was going to happen,”
Dylan Deputy (23), Red Wolves First Baseman & Catcher
Red Wolves Catcher John Hoskyn (19)
“As you pressure a team, you then get an opportunity for two guys that have some power,” Tommy Raffo said on DeButy and Hager’s homeruns. “They took advantage of some swings with some balls that were in the zone. When you see the ball fly out of the yard, it makes everyone happy in the dugout.”
South Alabama would add a run in the ninth, making Arkansas State’s lead now 13-6, with that being the final score.
With the Red Wolves scoring a combined 20 runs in their last two games, DeButy stated that he and his offense were striving for quality at-bats.
“We’ve been getting a lot of jobs done,” DeButy said. “We’re going for quality at-bats, or as we call them ‘QABs.’ In the dugout, it’s very important that every guy gets in there and gets a QAB.”
DeButy would also highlight his pitchers, speaking on how they handle adversity.
Red Wolves Short Stop Kody Darcy (36)
“The unsung heroes are our pitchers,” DeButy said. “Those guys face a lot of adversity. They just get in there and get after it. Whether we put up three runs or however many, it doesn’t matter as those guys come in and shove it.”
Raffo was excited though about his team winning a series at home after the year that they have had.
“We’ve played some very close games throughout the year, and they didn’t come out in our favor,” Raffo stated. “At the same time, these guys have been getting after it all year long and just excited to see them win a series here.”
Arkansas State will look to sweep their final series of the season against the South Alabama Jaguars today at 1 p.m.
Jacob Wicinski is a 2021 graduate of Florida State University with a bachelor’s in communication and is currently seeking a masters of science in mass communication with a specialization in journalism at Arkansas State University.
JONESBORO, Ark. – The Arkansas State Red Wolves baseball team downed the South Alabama Jaguars 7-2 during the series opener at Tomlinson Stadium on Kell Field in Jonesboro, Ark. on Thursday, May 18, 2023.
After back-to-back batters hit-by-pitch and a successful bunt loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning, South Alabama Pitcher Leif Moore (46) would walk consecutive batters. Arkansas State would go into the second inning up 2-0.
The Jaguars would answer with a run of their own, as Micah Morgan (8) singled to right field driving home shortstop JG Bell (9), making it a 2-1 ballgame.
In the bottom of the second, Moore would hit another batter and give up a single, as he was taken out. The Red Wolves would extend their lead to 3-1 after center fielder Blake Burris (9) grounded into a double play, driving home a run in the process.
The Jaguars would add a run though in the top of the fourth inning as third baseman Hunter Donaldson (4) would drive home Bell, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Red Wolves would extend their lead by three runs, with a walk, single, and fielder’s choice, all with the bases loaded, each driving home a run. Arkansas State would enter the sixth with a 6-2 lead.
Red Wolves Head Coach Tommy Raffo
After giving up a single and a walk in the top of the sixth inning, Red Wolves starting pitcher Hunter Draper (18) was removed. He would exit with 5.2 innings, two runs allowed, and seven hits given up on 99 pitches.
The Red Wolves would get yet another run in the bottom of the seventh, with right fielder Brayden Caskey’s (15) single forcing two errors on the same play. Third baseman Daedrick Cail (3) would score on the play, extending Arkansas State’s lead to 7-2.
Red Wolves relief pitcher Arlon Butts (16) tossed 3.1 scoreless innings, giving Arkansas State a 7-2 win over South Alabama. The win would snap a three-game losing streak for the Red Wolves, while the Jaguars would extend their losing streak to eight games.
On his team’s win, head coach Tommy Raffo applauded his team’s cleanliness.
“Anytime you get a Friday night win at home in the Sun Belt, it’s a big deal,” Raffo stated. “I’m proud of our guys. I thought we played pretty clean baseball, we had a great quality start from Hunter Draper and Arlon Butts followed it up right after that.”
“I’m proud of our guys. I thought we played pretty clean baseball,“…
– Tommy Raffo, Red Wolves Head Coach
In terms of how his team performed behind him, Hunter Draper stated that they made some huge plays that helped him get through his 5.2 innings.
Red Wolves Pitcher Hunter Draper (18)
“I was able to throw the ball in the zone and made [my teammates] stay ready in the field,” Draper stated. “They definitely made some good plays that saved me.”
When asked about where he felt Draper performed best, Head Coach Tommy Raffo stated that there was one area that particularly stood out.
“The Strike Zone. We were able to get some early outs in some at-bats that helped him,” Raffo said. “His pitch count later in the game got a little elevated, but he just competes, has a big heart, and we love him on the mound.”
On Arlon Butts’ scoreless relief effort, Raffo would praise his effort and celebrate his attitude in terms of finishing games.
“All year long, he’s been our guy out of the bullpen, he’s our first guy up. We want him to have the ball to win a game,” Raffo said. “It’s fun to see him feel good about finishing a game.”
With many of his team’s runs coming from a Jaguars mistake, Raffo expressed how important quality at-bats are to his team.
“Quality at-bats are a big deal for us. We went deep in counts and we were able to win some of those,” Raffo stated. “Our guys just played good team ball.”
The Red Wolves will face off against the South Alabama Jaguars for the second game of this three-game series today at 3 p.m.
Jacob Wicinski is a 2021 graduate of Florida State University with a bachelor’s in communication and is currently seeking a masters of science in mass communication with a specialization in journalism at Arkansas State University.
JONESBORO — The world of Electronic Sports continues to expand into pop culture in the United States and around the world, but it includes more than just playing video games.
According to www.statista.com, over 1.435 billion people knew about esports in 2018, but the number could grow to 1.57 billion in 2019. At the collegiate level, over 130 schools and more than 3,000 students participate in esports, according to www.nacesports.org, the governing body of college esports. A large number of the worldwide population know about esports and the number grows every year.
In fall 2015, Matthew Strack started the Arkansas State Rocket League Club with some friends. It started as something innocent; just a way to blow off steam after class. However, he quickly realized that it could become something more, especially at the collegiate level. The professional esports ranks featured players who make money playing games like “League of Legends,” “Counter Strike: Go” and of course, “Rocket League.” Strack tried to find collegiate “Rocket League” competition but realized it had not yet been created. So Strack, along with help from students at Purdue University and Rochester Institute of Technology, decided to create it and thus the “College Carball League” began in spring 2016.
“We really just played for fun. Our first real scrimmage was against Purdue’s team and we won,” Strack said. “As esports grew, ‘Rocket League’ grew, and we formed the College Carball Association, which helped found the ‘College Rocket League.’ It’s the official body for ‘Rocket League.'”
“Rocket League” is one of the newer esports on the rise with the likes of “Fortnite” and “Apex Legends,” among others. It may be easy to think competitive gaming formed recently, but quite the opposite occurred. According to www.medium.com, the first-ever esports competition began in 1972 at Stamford University, with the game of choice being “Spacewar!” From then on, the United States and the world became hooked on video games.
Arkansas State senior Jakobe Hardee trains extensively to stay on top of his game. (Photo by Denton Postlewait)
A-State “Rocket League” President Jakobe Hardee said he started his esports career by wanting to become a professional “Call of Duty” player. However, after discovering “Rocket League,” his gaming path changed. Hardee played video games as a child and knew early on that if he really worked hard at them, it would pay off.
“I played a lot of ‘Call of Duty’ and had hopes and dreams of becoming a professional,” Hardee said. “The first time I played ‘Rocket League,’ I enjoyed it, but it really didn’t catch my eye.”
While certainly not love at first sight, Hardee gave “Rocket League” another chance a few months later.
“I went back to ‘Call of Duty’ for a couple more months, but decided I wanted to play something else,” he said. “One day I saw it in my game library, played it again and I was hooked. I’ve been playing it ever since.”
Hardee said it takes a lot of hard work to become competitive in esports. Some days he plays for 10 hours or more, working on different skills to stay atop his game. Aside from physically playing the game, Hardee says he does a lot of replay analysis to see what areas of the game he can improve on and then practices those skills, while also learning new mechanics of the game. With “Rocket League” only being a few years old, the way the game is played is constantly evolving.
“You have to split your time between playing the game and reviewing the clips to see where you can improve,” he said.
When he’s not going to class or training, Hardee runs a practice discord (an app that allows for communication between users in a chat) for aspiring players. Hardee says what makes “Rocket League” so intriguing is players do not form preconceptions about what the game is like. Players who compete in “Rocket League” started from the same level.
From the outside, esports may not seem to be expanding. However, the Arkansas Athletic Association recently partnered with Play Vs, an esports league from California that primarily focuses on high schools. With this partnership, over 80 schools in the Natural State have formed esports teams and will begin competition in the fall of 2019. This announcement marked a huge win for the esports community, especially in Arkansas. Within weeks of the announcement, Arkansas State University announced the launch of an esports team and over 200 interested students reached out.
Another avenue for players in Arkansas who want to become competitive is The Southern Amateur Esports League. Based out of Little Rock, SAE allows players from Arkansas a chance to grow as players and gain valuable “big stage” gaming experience. Co-Founder and Community Director of Southern Amateur Esports Drew Foote said his company formed to be basically AAU for gamers.
Launched Feb. 4, 2019, Apex Legends boasts over 25 million active players. Photo by Denton Postlewait
“The Amateur Athletic Union is known for one thing, but they govern a lot of different sports,” he said. “With esports, each game is a different sport. I based SAE off of the AAU system.”
SAE continues to grow exponentially since its inception. Foote said the first event held only brought in about 30 people. However, the last event hosted by SAE brought in over 120 people and only 60 were players. Foote said the goal of SAE will be to give players an experience like the professional players that they’ll never forget. Foote does not just want to help players grow, he wants to grow the industry.
“I want to bring the esports experience and economy to Arkansas,” he said. “I want to create jobs in this industry. For me, it is about providing an opportunity to change lives through esports.”
Today video games seem to be more popular than ever. With revenue expected to topple $1 billion in 2019, the gaming community will see an even larger influx of interested players. Connectivity and competition form the foundation for the growth of esports. Esports represent the future of competition.
JONESBORO — International student-athletes provide rich culture, diversity and fierce competition to all Arkansas State University athletic programs.
According to www.ncaa.org, over 20,000 international student-athletes compete at NCAA-compliant schools. A-State happens to be one of those schools; Amelia Guevremont is one of those student-athletes.
Amelia Guevremont (Photo by Denton Postlewait)
Guevremont, a sophomore studying mechanical engineering, plays tennis for A-State. She grew up in Montreal, Canada and said her sister influenced her decision to come to America.
“I saw my sister grow up playing tennis and she wanted to go to the states,” she said. “I wanted to do the same thing as her.”
Canada’s different educational system meant Guevremont graduated from high school a year earlier than her American-born competition. She thought she wanted to go straight to the states after graduation but ended up staying in Canada another year. This decision costed her numerous offers from college coaches. Eventually, she decided to attend the University of Illinois at Chicago. After a year in the city, Guevremont decided she wanted to transfer and began emailing coaches. During this process, she received a full-ride scholarship to A-State and decided to move to Jonesboro and become a Red Wolf.
The process of transferring colleges can be difficult. Students must make sure their classes transfer and that they stay academically eligible to compete. Apart from the academic stress, students may not know any of their new teammates, let alone a new city. Thankfully, A-State employs academic coordinators to help with the social and academic transition.
“There is always a bit of a disconnect when they come in because it’s such a shock-and-awe,” said A-State academic coordinator Nate Carr. “Our position as an academic coordinator for athletics is to reduce that shock-and-awe.”
Carr, a former international student-athlete at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, understands the transition better than most. He said one of the biggest hurdles for international students can be the language barrier between them and the general population. Shannon O’Brien, a junior from Cleveland, also competes on the tennis team and said the language barrier can be tough to overcome.
“I’m pretty sarcastic,” she said. “Sometimes when I try to make a joke, they don’t always get it.”
Carr said being at the university makes most international student-athletes happy. They do not mind putting in extra studying or tutoring because it helps them succeed academically and socially. He said the best part of being an academic coordinator comes from seeing the personal growth the athletes show.
“You meet their parents on graduation day and they say, ‘They’re such a different person,'” he said. “I always say, ‘Your son or daughter disappeared for four or five years and now they have a degree and became a man or woman.'”
Carr said the uniqueness of international students makes his job great.
“A student may have trouble writing or speaking English, but then you find out it is their fifth language,” he said. “International students, like all students on campus, are a little bit unique.”
Guevremont said her coach does not really consider her international because of Canada’s proximity to the United States, but she still considers herself foreign.
“I’m not as foreign as them, English is something I might have learned at a younger age,” she said. “It is easier for me than them.”
Guevremont said the difficulty of her first semester stemmed from not being close with the team. Part of that disconnect came from her being new to the team and to the university. She said she became really close to the team this semester and that she trusts her teammates and can talk to them about anything. Guevremont said if she could, she would not change the path that led her to A-State.
“I believe everything happens for a reason,” she said. “There are ups and downs, but that’s part of life. I’m really happy to be here.”
For more information about A-State Tennis, go to www.astateredwolves.com, click on the Sports Tab and select “Tennis” under Women’s Sports.
JONESBORO —Arkansas State’s Women’s Bowling may be the best team in Jonesboro.
A-State picked up its first title in Dallas at the Prairie View A&M Invitational Feb. 3. The Red Wolves knocked off SEC foe Vanderbilt University 4-2 (171-130, 213-176, 194-189, 182-161, 181-167, 223-216). Prior to the win, A-State finished sixth and third, respectively in the fall semester. Since then, they bowled for the championship in four of the last five tournaments. At the most recent tournament in Dallas, the Red Wolves took sixth place.
A-State returned only three athletes after finishing fifth at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis last season. With such a high turnover rate, head coach Justin Kostick said it took some time for the team to mesh.
“As the season has gone on, we’ve gotten better and better and better and better. I’ve had a new team this year. I have seven new players and only three returning,” he said. “It took us a little while to get going.”
Sophomore Leah Glazer of Henderson, Nevada, said the team grew together and gathered momentum heading into the home stretch of the season.
“It’s motivating to know that with such a young team we are able to accomplish so much,” she said. “I have no doubt that we will be bowling for a national championship.”
Julia Huren, a junior from Westlake, Michigan, said the work the team puts in outside of scheduled practice sets them apart.
“We work really hard,” she said. “Even when we don’t have practice, we come in on our own and put the time in. That’s going to pay off in the long run and at nationals.”
A-State Bowling will compete in two tournaments to close the regular season: March 1-3 in Lincoln, Nebraska and March 15-17 in Symara, Tennessee. Following these tournaments, A-State will travel back to Dallas for the Southland Bowling League Championships March 22-24 and then to the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio on April 11-13.
To stay up to date with all things A-State Bowling, go to www.astateredwolves.com, click on the Sports Tab and select “Bowling” under Women’s Sports.
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Editor’s Note: Featured photo shows head coach Justin Kostick (center, right) and assistant coach Tanner Seal (center, left) look on while the team practices. The Red Wolves practice at Hijinx Family Entertainment Center. (photo by Denton Postlewait)
JONESBORO — Baseball fields ignite nostalgia. The crisply painted lines, clean-cut outfield and raked dirt take anyone who has ever picked up a ball glove back in time.
Some people forget about the crew that puts it all together. Arkansas State baseball managers, aka the unsung heroes of the team. They put in hours behind the scenes to make sure the field and the team stay ready for game day.
“We’re normally here three or four hours before a game,” said Brandon Little, a sophomore manager from Pocahontas. “The first thing we do is batting practice. Then we put the bases in, drag and water the field, and bring out the baseballs for pregame and the game.”
Little, along with Dylan Owens, a sophomore from Cabot and Tristan Thompson, a freshman from Pocahontas, make up the managers for the A-State Baseball team. They balance their school and social lives around a sport that they love. They do more than just make the field look pretty, though.
A-State baseball managers (from left) Brandon Little, Dylan Owens and Tristan Thompson (Photo by Jesse Kutzke)
“We set up the L-Screens in the batting cages to protect the person running the drill. We set up the ‘Turtle’ for batting practice and our biggest job is making sure the infield is properly managed,” Owens said. The “Turtle” — a large, shell-like cage — does not allow foul balls to go up or outside of the batter’s box.
Another part of the managers’ job involves what Little called “dirt maintenance.” This entailed adding a substance to the field to absorb the excess water. However, if the field is extremely wet, they use another method.
“We have sponges … that’s fun. We love that,” he said.
Most of the time, the managers and players will tarp the field to make sure the dirt does not get soaked. The spring, also known as “tarp season” and the managers will tarp the field several times a week. Tarping is a team effort, especially when it rains a lot.
To get the tarp off the infield with water on it, the managers and players make a funnel. Players and managers drag the tarp and the water down the first base line. Once everyone is in position, they all hold the tarp up and the water runs down towards the drains behind home plate. Then, one person gets under the tarp and pushes up to get the water off the tarp. This responsibility goes to Noah Stone, aka “The Lion,” according to the managers.
When the team travels, the managers do not get a break. They also travel with the team to away games to ensure the team can fully focus on the opponent. During home games, the managers also handle the opposing team’s laundry and they coordinate their weightlifting schedule on campus.
A lot of work goes into preparing everything, but the hardest part: laundry and “hula-hoeing.”
“Laundry takes the longest and it is the worst,” Thompson said. “Louisiana made me rewash their uniforms. They complained that it was wrinkled or something. Most of the time teams are not specific, so we do it the same way we maintain our uniforms. I guess they didn’t like it.”
Owens said hula-hoeing cuts weeds. According to www.planetnatural.com, the hula hoe “slices away weeds and other undesirable growth, without displacing topsoil.”
“If you go into the outfield, it’s a disaster because we weren’t here to maintain it during the break. It’s hours of work to get the weeds out,” he said.
Being a manager requires a lot of hard work and dedication. Little, Owens and Thompson said the best part of being a manager is being with the team.
“We’re all pretty good friends at this point. They don’t throw things at us too often,” he said. “They’re really good guys and it adds a lot to the job.”
Although the managers do not play, their love for the game keeps them close to the sport.
It may seem like the managers do a ton of work, but they love the sport. As the saying goes, “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.”Laundry, hula-hoeing and waking up early for practice may tough, but the managers love America’s game. When driving past a baseball field, take a second and think about those who prepare it. Being a manager requires a balancing act, but A-State baseball would not be the same without theirs.
JONESBORO — The reigning Sun Belt Conference champions get ready to take the track and prepare for the upcoming 2018-2019 season, led by several returning All-Conference runners.
The Red Wolves are hungry and ready to attack on the track this upcoming season. With some key athletes returning, they look to be in good shape.
Head coach Jim Patchell said, “There is no relaxing; we enjoy what we do. We work hard, but it is harder to repeat then it is to win.”
The team’s goals haven’t changed. The Red Wolves plan on winning another championship and being a consistent top 25 team.
Jonesboro native Nick Hilson (photo by Marvin Davis)
“I don’t expect any falloff this year,” junior sprinter Nick Hilson said. “We may have lost a lot of key runners from last year that gave us a lot of points, but with the freshmen class we have coming in, I have no doubt that we will can expect great things.”
The former Nettleton High standout earned second team All-Conference honors in the spring. He will be running the 110-meter hurdles, 200-meter hurdles, 1×400-meter relay and 4×400-meter relay this season.
No one expects anything to be given to them.
La’Carol Baynes (photo by Marvin Davis)
“I expect to get out what I put in,” senior hurdler La’Carol Patricia Ann Baynes said. “This year I’m putting in more work than I have these past years. With that I hope to set the hurdle record and win a ring. The (women’s) team is capable of a lot if we put in the work so I hope to set a standard that will encourage the team. I know not every race will be the best but I expect every race and every practice to be full effort.”
The two-year member of the women’s track and field team said A-State’s program is the best she has been a part of. She participates in the 400-meter hurdles, 400-meter dash and the 4×400 meter relay. Baynes said the intensity has picked up in practice.
“We found out what we are capable of, the areas needing work and we have to execute a new plan,” she said. “If it was more relaxed we wouldn’t see improvement … can’t become stagnant or comfortable.”
Junior runner Kden Johnson agreed the track program is a great experience.
“Last year we all were all hitting on all cylinders,” Johnson said. “It was a great atmosphere at practice. We pushed each other and held each person accountable in order to reach our goal, which was winning a conference championship. This group is young, but the sky is the limit for us.”
Johnson said Patchell tells the team, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.” He said the coach also sends motivational text messages to team members throughout the year so they will stay focused and hungry.
The quest to repeat starts at 2 p.m., Dec. 2 during the “Kickoff Klassic” at the First National Bank Arena.
JONESBORO – The Arkansas State University track and field teams’ history attracts athletes who are willing to work.
A-State track alumni include special athletes like Earl Bell, an Olympic pole vaulter, and Jaylen Bacon, an All-Conference runner.
Junior Christopher Hill chose A-State because of the traditions and competitiveness.
“I came to Arkansas State’s program because of its tradition of bringing in athletes with a solid ethical foundation, which make us want to be more than just conference champions. We want to be national championship contenders,” Hill said.
Christopher Hill relaxes in the union after one of his classes.
Many memories can be made on the track team that result in creating bonds with teammates.
“During my freshmen indoor season at New Mexico Don Kirby Meet, I had a great experience watching professionals and collegiate run together, as well as enjoying my time with my teammates,” Hill said. “One of the benefits of being on the track team is creating memorable moments, friendships and inside jokes.”
The A-State coaching staff has new members and things are still running smoothly.
“The new staff members have suggested new ideas, which complements the ideas of staff members with years of experience. It’s phenomenal to see all of us working together,” Hill said.
This season, Hill will run the 60-meter and 200-meter for the indoor season. He will run the 100-meter, 200-meter and the 4×100-meter during the outdoor season.
Junior sprinter and hurdler Amari James of Little Rock decided to attend A-State because of the competitiveness of other athletes and the memorable moments experienced during his initial visit.
“A-State has produced multiple Olympians and the program is successful,” he said. “A-State was the only university that gave me a chance to run at the Division I level.”
James will compete in the 60-meter hurdles, 4×400-meter relay and the triple jump for the indoor season. During the outdoor season, he will compete in the 110-meter hurdle, triple jump and the 4×400-meter relay. James recalled some memorable moments on the track team.
“Going to Arizona and racing against Aries Merritt, the world-record holder for the 110-meter hurdles, was one of my most memorable moments,” he said.
James said he feels adding funds to the track program can improve the team capabilities and push the track program over the top.
“If we had more money, the team could own its indoor back track and weight room,” he said.
Sophomore Jadyn Lewis prepares for a workout with coach Jim Patchell. (photo by Marvin Davis)
Other members on the track team like sophomore Jadyn Lewis, a North Little Rock native, had different reasons to come.
“The coaching staff, performance expectations and the campus atmosphere during my visit was the reason that landed me at A-State,” Lewis said.
Lewis will compete in the 400-meter and possibly the 200-meter and 4×400-meter relay.
“I feel as though the students and community should come out more to the track meets to enhance the atmosphere, that’s just my theory,” she said. “With the resources we have, the program is doing great. The men’s team won the indoor and outdoor conference titles and the women are right there.”
JONESBORO – Arkansas State University freshmen track and field runners are adapting to the new lifestyle as a college athlete on and off the track.
With a new practice routine and school schedule, the freshmen look to take on the challenge.
Courtney Thomas, a jumper and hurdler originally from Memphis, attended Central High School in Little Rock. Like other freshmen, he’s adjusting to college life.
“Coming from high school to college academics is different because in high school you work to pass a standard state test at the end of the year,” Thomas said. “In college, it is more about the professors giving you information they feel will help you in the real world.”
Thomas will compete in the 400-meter relay, long jump and triple jump.
“The tools that were taught in high school have carried over to college because school and track is about grinding, staying humble and taking care of your body,” Thomas said.
Steffan Mallory hails from Daytona Beach, Florida, where he attended Mainland High School.
“You get more of a workload in college on a regular basis, where in high school you probably had homework two times a week,” Mallory said.
Mallory will compete in the 200-meter, 400-meter and long jump.
“The responsibilities have also changed,” Mallory said. “College athletics is like a job and high school was more for fun. Being on the team comes with benefits like helping you stay on top of your work.”
Daidren Davis attended Bartram Trail High School in St. John’s, Florida. He said classes are easy to manage.
“I didn’t really plan out my time in high school. I didn’t take structured notes or use a planner, and I still don’t,” Davis said. “Track is different. The work is harder so I have to pay attention to my body. I have to manage my eating schedule since my classes get out at different times.”
Davis will run in the 110-meter hurdles and the 400-meter hurdles.
“The track team is friendly and you get a sense of self-satisfaction from being on the team,” Davis said.
The freshmen will continue to work on and off the track as they get ready for their first collegiate track meet.
JONESBORO — A returning junior at Arkansas State University plans to impact this track-and-field season.
Kden Johnson earned his first Sun Belt Conference Championship last year and wants another one this year.
A sprinter from Atlanta, Georgia, Johnson attended high school at Benjamin Banneker High School. In high school, he ran the 400-meter, 200-meter, 1×400 meter relay and the 4×400 meter relay. Johnson’s high school relay team ranked No. 1 in the country in the 4×400. It also broke the Georgia state record in the event.
“I knew I wanted to run track as a career my sophomore year in high school,” Johnson said. “I knew I was pretty good at it. I wanted to be great.”
He was inspired by watching Michael Johnson, who won four Olympic gold medals and eight World Championship gold medals as a sprinter.
Track and field head coach Jim Patchell expects big things from A-State’s Johnson.
“Kden didn’t run as well in conference as we would have liked, so we have to get there. Kden is a good teammate and does a good job in practice,” Patchell said.
Johnson will run the 400-meter, 200-meter, and the 4×400 meter relay this season. Johnson has made major strides to improve and said he aims to become a better teammate and athlete on-and-off the track.
“Kden is doing really well. He seems more motivated and pushes through workouts this year,” senior women’s hurdler La’Carol Baynes said. “Kden’s attitude improved a lot, and I see that his drive has grown since last year, as well.”
When Johnson goes home to Atlanta, he talks to the children at the local Boys and Girls Club he attended at a young age. Johnson gives the kids advice on how to make it in any sports they are pursuing.
“Keep grinding because your time will come,” Johnson said. “Keep working hard and something will happen for you.”
A creative media production major with an emphasis in audio and video, Johnson also participates in Brother to Brother, an organization that promotes brotherhood, academic success, professionalism and social skills.
Johnson and the A-State track team run their first meet Dec. 2 at the First National Bank Arena in Jonesboro.
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EDITOR’s NOTE: This story has been updated to correct the first meet to Dec. 2 instead of Dec. 4.
Delta Digital News Service 