Arkansas-Pine Bluff moves up to sixth place in final SWAC Commisioner Cup standings
2009 SWAC Commissioner Cup Rankings
Over the course of the past two years the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Athletics Program has steadily improved its stance as one of the premiere athletic programs within the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
When looking at UAPB’s recent rise to its place among the conferences’ athletic programs one will begin to notice an overall commitment to excellence to the 16 sports the university sponsors. Currently Arkansas-Pine Bluff sits in 6th place in the 2009 SWAC Commissioner’s Cup standings.
The Commissioner’s Cup is awarded annually to the SWAC member institution which accumulates the most points during the athletic year. Points are awarded based on the final rankings of the respective sports within each university’s athletic programs at the end of their seasons of competition. UAPB’s current 6th place ranking is highlighted by an overall improvement in both its men’s and women’s sports. Last season Arkansas-Pine Bluff finished the Commissioner’s Cup in last place (10th).
Where they stand now
Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s men’s programs finished the year in 4th place overall among its peers with a total of 56 points. The Arkansas-Pine Bluff women’s teams compiled a total of 55.5 points during the 2008-09 athletic season good for a 7th place overall finish within the conference.
In 2008-09 five Arkansas-Pine Bluff athletic teams finished their respective seasons of play with winning records in the conference. The men’s basketball team went 11-7, women’s basketball finished 10-8, women’s soccer compiled a 3-1 mark while baseball notched a 13-11 record.
The Golden Lions tennis team rounds out the list of Arkansas-Pine Bluff winning programs as they went undefeated during conference play (7-0) en route to earning the programs first birth to compete in the 2009 Southwestern Athletic Conference Men’s Tennis Championships.
A Year to Remember
The 2008-2009 University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Athletics Year was one filled with many program highs and achievements. Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams finished above .500 in SWAC play for the first time in school history. Additionally women’s soccer and baseball also finished above .500 in conference play for the first time in each of the programs’ history. Lady Lions softball also clinched a 3rd place finish in the SWAC’s Western division as they were able to qualify for the SWAC Softball tournament for only the second time in the programs history.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff Student-Athletes-The Best of the Best
Lady Lions Soccer
Last season Jade West, a member of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women’s soccer team led the nation in goals per game as well as point per outing. For her outstanding play on the field West was named the 2008 NCAA Statistical Champion in both categories.
The 5-7 midfielder from Ajax, Ontario led the nation in goals per contest as she tallied 17 goals in 16 games. She also led the nation in points per game averaging 2.94 points per game. West concluded what was a spectacular freshman campaign with an All-SWAC First Team selection as well as Offensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors.
West was joined on the All-SWAC Team by fellow teammates Erika Forbes, Rachel Harker, and Nicole Parks-Powell.
Lady Lions Basketball
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s Ciara Shields was selected as the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s 2008-09 Defensive Player of the Year while fellow teammate Shay Holmes was named the SWAC’s Newcomer of the Year.
Shields, a 5-11 senior from Brooklyn, NY, averaged 10.8 points (11th in SWAC) and 7.2 rebounds (3rd in SWAC). She notched a season-high 23 points at Southern Methodist while also tallying five games of at least 10 rebounds, including a season-high 14 at Alabama State on Feb. 7. The standout athlete also earned 2009 First-Team All-Conference Honors.
Holmes, a 6-1 junior from Tulsa, Okla., averaged 11.0 points and 7.0 rebounds for the Lady Lions. Holmes was also a first-team All-SWAC performer, tallying season-highs of 22 points and 14 rebounds at Alabama A&M on Jan. 12 as well as four double-doubles on the season.
Lady Lions Softball
Arkansas-Pine Bluff soccer player Markia Herron was named to the 2009 All-SWAC First Team for her play over the course of the season. She was also selected to the SWAC All-Tournament First Team along with fellow teammate Valerie Higarda. Herron was a key player on a team that tripled their win total from last season as well as qualified for the SWAC softball tournament for only the second time in school history.
Lady Lions Cross Country and Track and Field
In 2007 the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Lady Lions Cross Country team captured the SWAC Championship in dominating fashion marking the UAPB Athletic Programs’ first title in over four decades.
In 2008 UAPB runner Vasity Chemweno claimed the SWAC Freshman of the Year award as she won the individual Cross Country title with a time of 18:22.98 at the SWAC Championships. Teammate Jackline Chumo finished third with a mark of 19:20.91 at the meet.
While competing in track and field Chumo would eventually go on to be named the Women's Outstanding Track Performer at the 2009 SWAC Track and Field Championships after stellar finishes in the events she competed. In the longest running event of the meet, it was Chumo that endured the 5000 meter run for the first place finish and a SWAC conference record with a time of 18:34.57.
Golden Lions Cross Country and Track and Field
UAPB's Moses Alukunyang won the individual Cross Country title in 2008 with a time of 24:49.24. Alukunyang concluded the meet 19 seconds off the course record.
Members of the Arkansas-Pine Bluff men’s track and field team competed well throughout the course of the 2008-09 season. Arthur Thomas was named the 2009 SWAC Outstanding Male Field Events Athlete at the 2009 Southwestern Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships held on the campus of Texas Southern University.
Thomas finished the meet in first place in the men’s hammer throw (48.24m) and discus (47.91m). He also garnered a fourth place finish in the men’s shot put event (14.38m).
With his first place showings at the SWAC Championships Thomas subsequently qualified to participate in the NCAA Regional Meet set to be held in Louisville, Ky. at the University of Louisville on May 29th.
Golden Lions Football
The Golden Lions football team placed a total of four players on the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s All-SWAC Team. Martell Mallet was a First-Team All-SWAC selection along with defensive back Kevin Thornton. After an impressive season in 2008 Thornton has also received Honorable Mention on the 2009 Consensus Draft Services All-America Team.
UAPB’s Tim Turner and Ladarius Anthony were selected to the All-SWAC Second Team after serving as key contributors on a Golden Lion defensive unit that ranked 4th in the SWAC in total defense.
In addition the Canadian Football Leagues' Toronto Argonauts recently announced the signing of former Arkansas-Pine Bluff linebacker John Keith to a free agent contract. Keith will officially report to training camp on June 3rd.
The 6-0, 210 Palmdale, California native was a standout player while a member of the Golden Lions football squad. In 2008 Keith amassed a total of 119 stops in the 12 games in which he competed ranking first on the team in tackles and second in the SWAC overall.
Golden Lion running back Martell Mallet was also able to land a contract with the CFL as he has signed a deal to play for the British Columbia Lions. Last year Mallet was one of the conference’s premiere rushers as he led the Golden Lions in rushing yards.
Golden Lions Basketball
At the conclusion of the 2008 season Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s William Byrd was named to the All-SWAC First Team after an impressive season. Byrd would subsequently get an opportunity to play professional basketball overseas.
In 2009 Terrance Calvin was UAPB’s lone All-SWAC selection as he was selected to the All-SWAC Third team. Calvin was a key offensive and defensive weapon for a Golden Lion team that set a school record for conference victories in a season (10).
Golden Lions Tennis
The Golden Lions Tennis Teams’ historic season was capped of by Hugo Gomez being selected to the SWAC All-Tournament team. Gomez went undefeated in tourney play as he led UAPB to the SWAC Tournament Finals.
Golden Lions Baseball
The Golden Lions Baseball Team finished the 2009 season strong by winning their last four conference series and finishing in second place in the western division of the conference. Senior Justin Moring was named 2009 SWAC Pitcher of the Year and he also joined senior outfielder Jerome McCollum on the 2009 First-Team All-SWAC.
A look ahead towards the future of UAPB Athletics
After achieving groundbreaking success during 2008-09 with several of its athletic programs its reasonable to assume that the state of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Athletics will only continue to improve. The men’s football team and basketball team return a large portion of their key contributors form last season.
During the offseason UAPB was also able to make significant strides towards taking the women’s volleyball program to new heights with the addition of first year head coach Lakyva Walton. The women’s basketball team returns SWAC Newcomer of the Year Shay Holmes while the Lady Lions soccer team will be headlined by the return of Jade West.
With a plethora of talent returning within all of its programs next season it should be safe to say that next season Arkansas-Pine Bluff Athletics will be back and even stronger.
2008-09 SWAC Commissioner’s Cup Final Rankings
UAPB Men’s Program- 4th Place
UAPB Women’s Program- 7th Place
UAPB Athletic Program- 6th Place
UAPB Soccer- Finished the season tied for 5th place
Jade West- 2008 NCAA Statistical Champion, Offensive Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, 1st Team All-SWAC
Erika Forbes- 2008 2nd Team All-SWAC
Rachel Harker- 2008 2nd Team All-SWAC
Nicole Parks-Powell- 2008 2nd Team All-SWAC
UAPB Women’s Basketball- Finished the season in 4th place
Ciara Shields- 2008-09 1st Team All-SWAC, 2008-09 SWAC Defensive Player of the Year
Shay Holmes- 2008-09 1st Team All-SWAC, 2008-09 SWAC Newcomer of the Year
Arica Green- 2008-09 2nd Team All-SWAC
UAPB Softball- Finished the season tied for 5th place
Markia Herron- 2009 1st Team All-SWAC, 1st Team All-SWAC Tournament Team
Valerie Higareda- 2009 1st Team All-SWAC Tournament Team
UAPB Women’s Cross Country/Track and Field- Finished the season in 3rd, 5th and 7th place respectively
Vasity Chemweno- 2008 SWAC Freshman of the Year, 2008 SWAC Cross Country Individual Champion
Jackline Chumo- 2009 Women’s Outstanding Track Performer
UAPB Men’s Cross Country/Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field- Finished the season in 3rd,5th and 6th place respectively
Moses Alukunyang- 2008 SWAC Cross Country Individual Champion
Arthur Thomas- 2009 SWAC Outstanding Male Field Events Athlete
UAPB Football- Finished the season tied for 6th place
Martell Mallet- 2008 All-SWAC 1st Team
Kevin Thornton- 2008 All-SWAC 1st Team
Tim Turner- 2008 All-SWAC 2nd Team
Ladarius Anthony- 2008 All-SWAC 2nd Team
UAPB Men’s Basketball- Finished the season in 4th place
William Byrd- 2007-08 1st Team All-SWAC
Terrance Calvin- 2008-09 2nd Team All-SWAC
UAPB Men’s Tennis- Finished in 2nd place
Hugo Gomez- 2009 1st Team All-SWAC Tournament Team
UAPB Baseball- Finished in 2nd place in Western division, tied 5th place overall
Justin Moring- 2009 1st Team All-SWAC, 2009 SWAC Pitcher of the Year
Jerome McCollum- 2009 1st Team All-SWAC, 2009 All-SWAC Tournament Team