UAPB Jones garnering interest from several NFL teams

Former Arkansas-Pine Bluff wide receiver Jason Jones may be the first Golden Lion to be drafted by the National Football League in five years later this month. The 6-foot-1 Jones is currently being scouted by several NFL teams as the NFL Draft looms on April 26-27. The Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, and Oakland Raiders have shown interest in the former UAPB receiver.

Jones led UAPB with 47 receptions for 793 yards and three touchdowns in 2007. His best season at UAPB was in 2006, when he had 38 receptions for 933 yards and 13 touchdowns, helping the Golden Lions win the Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division championship. The 24-year old Jones is a 2003 graduate of Forrest City High School.

During his workout with the Browns, Jones ran a 4.32 40-yard dash time. In the same workout, he ran a 4.35 40-yard dash. Jones plans on visiting Green Bay and St. Louis in the next week...

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UAPB Golden Lions split double header with Prairie View

The opening pitch was perhaps a symbolic gesture of the type of day it was going to be for Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

The Golden Lions booted a routine grounder by Rashad White to open the day, and Prairie View A&M went on to take advantage of five UAPB miscues in an 8-2 victory in the opening game a three-game Southwestern Athletic Conference series on Saturday at Regional Park.

UAPB came back in the second game of the doubleheader to defeat Prairie View 9-5.

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Weather changes plans for UAPB Golden Lions

File Photo: UAPB Golden Girls 2007 at JSU Homecoming.

Just as the Arkansas-Pine Bluff football team was getting back into football mode this week, Mother Nature’s method of madness has a way of scuttling plans.

UAPB head coach Monte Coleman called off Wednesday’s practice due to unfavorable field conditions at Old Pumphrey Stadium due to the weather. Although the Golden Lions returned to the field Thursday to practice for the second time this spring, Friday was UAPB’s scheduled day off, therefore they did not practice to make up for Wednesday. UAPB players lifted weights on Wednesday and Friday.

“It’s put a damper on us, as far as on paper,” Coleman said. “But the attitudes of the players and coaches are a blessing in disguise.”

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UAPB M4 Marching Band and Golden Girls 2007

UAPB using spring practice for evaluation

As spring practice begins today for the Arkansas-Pine Bluff football team, the Golden Lions are under evaluation by first-year head coach Monte Coleman.

Coleman, who has served as the Golden Lions’ defensive coordinator the last two seasons and will continue that role this season, said Monday that the next three weeks will be an evaluation period for his football team.

“I addressed the team and told them that the spring is an evaluation period,” Coleman said. “Every position is open.”

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Golden Lions bounce back with pair of victories over Texas Southern

After Arkansas-Pine Bluff lost 15-2 to Texas Southern on Friday, the Golden Lions’ morale was at an all-time low.

My, how quickly things can change.

Daniel Gathright pitched a complete game and UAPB pounded out 18 hits in a 15-9 win over the Tigers in the first game of a doubleheader, and the Golden Lions scored 10 runs in the final three innings — including five in the bottom of the ninth — of the nightcap to pull off a thrilling 12-11 victory to take their first Southwestern Athletic Conference series of the season on Saturday at Regional Park.

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UAPB Golden Lions head on down the Valley Road

Sometimes in sports, whenever a certain team has success, the other teams in that respective sport will “copycat” the formula that allowed the team before them to have success.

Guess what? (No, I don’t have a fever.)

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff went down The Valley Road.

No, Bruce Hornsby didn’t make the trip to southeast Arkansas. But George Ivory did.

Ivory is back in southeast Arkansas. He’s the new head men’s basketball head coach at UAPB and not a moment too soon for some folks.

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UAPB to name Mississippi Valley assistant George Ivory head coach

Mississippi Valley State assistant coach George Ivory will be named the new head men’s basketball coach at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, according to UAPB Athletic Director Louis “Skip” Perkins.

A press conference has been scheduled for 11 a.m. today at Golden Lion Stadium. The press conference is open to the public.

Ivory served under James Green at MVSU for one season as the Delta Devils won the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament championship and played UCLA in the NCAA Tournament last Thursday. Mississippi Valley State ended the Golden Lions’ season on March 14 in the semifinals of the SWAC Tournament in Birmingham, Ala.

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Coach Ivory is expected to sign a four year deal worth $ 85,000 annually, not including incentives.

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Nutt withdraws from UAPB basketball search

Former Arkansas State head coach Dickey Nutt has withdrew his name from the head coaching search at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

UAPB Athletic Director Louis “Skip” Perkins said Tuesday that Nutt called him and told him that he was taking his name out of the running. Nutt told Perkins that he was grateful for the opportunity, but that he wanted to pursue other opportunities.

Nutt praised the administration at UAPB and hopes that the Golden Lions can find themselves a “great head coach.”

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Former Arkansas State Coach interviews with Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions

Photo: Former Arkansas State coach Dickey Nutt (right) has a 189-187 (.502) career mark .

Former Arkansas State head coach Dickey Nutt has interviewed for the vacant head coaching position at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

Nutt, who resigned at ASU on Feb. 19, 2008, was 189-187 in 13 seasons at ASU. He was the school’s second-winningest coach behind John Rauth. In his 13 seasons at ASU, Nutt led the Indians to the NCAA Tournament in 1999. Nutt led ASU to the 2007 Sun Belt Conference West Division title and to the conference championship game, where the Indians lost to North Texas.

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UAPB gets $500,000 from Angel for complex

Photo: Torii Hunter donates half million dollars to build new UAPB baseball complex. Hunter did not attend UAPB or any other college.


PINE BLUFF, AR — Major league baseball player Torii Hunter committed $500,000 on Friday afternoon toward a proposed $9 million University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff baseball complex, which will bear his name.

UAPB Athletic Director Skip Perkins said Hunter closed the deal Friday morning.

Perkins said the complex will be named the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex. The donation is the largest ever to the school’s athletics department from a single person, Perkins said.

“We are very, very grateful,” Perkins said. “We’re ready to rock and roll now. That was a huge component to our fundraising efforts.” Perkins said the fundraising committee will begin its drive next month, although he wasn’t certain exactly when.

Hunter, a Los Angeles Angels outfielder and a 1993 graduate of Pine Bluff High School, was traveling with the team Friday afternoon and unavailable for comment, said Larry Babcock, a spokesman for the Angels. A message left on Hunter’s cell phone Friday was not returned.

Hunter did not attend UAPB or any other college. He was a first-round draft pick for the Minnesota Twins straight out of high school. He played his first major-league game in 1997.

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Arkansas-Pine Bluff basketball coach resigns

PINE BLUFF, ARK. — Arkansas-Pine Bluff coach Van Holt has resigned, saying he had “anticipated better results” but will continue to support the school. The school announced Tuesday that Holt offered his immediate resignation Monday and the school accepted.

“It has been a labor of love for me and I believe much has been accomplished,” Holt said in his resignation letter. “I take great pride in the improvements in the program and had anticipated better results and a brighter future. I will continue to be a supporter of UAPB.”

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PVAMU Lady Panthers one win away from second straight SWAC title

Photo: Shavonne Smith, 5-7 senior guard, Riverside, Calif.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- One more win is all the Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers will need to secure their second consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference Title after a convincing 83-70 win over the Lady Golden Lions of Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

The Lady Panthers shot a blazing 49 percent from the field which included a 54 percent showing from behind the arc. Candice Thomas scored a game high 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the floor. Thomas also went perfect from the charity stripe going 5-of-5.

Freshmen Dominique Smith contributed 17 points off the bench on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor. Smith helped ignite Prairie View A&M's fast break attack in the second half which subsequently helped the Lady Panthers secure momentum of the contest.

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UAPB Golden Lions struggle from start with MVSU Delta Devils

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — As was the theme for the regular season, a promising start gave way to a disappointing finish for the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions.

Sixth-seeded UAPB, which easily won its Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinal game Thursday, was no match for second-seeded Mississippi Valley State on Friday, losing 70-59 at Fair Park Arena.

The Golden Lions (13-18 ), who were picked in preseason to finish second and opened with a 5-2 conference record, lost nine of their last 13 games.

Mississippi Valley State (16-15 ) will take on the Alabama State-Jackson State winner in the final at 6 p.m. today. The tournament champion will get the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

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Golden Lions knock out Alabama A&M in SWAC first round

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Familiarity breeds confidence. The Arkansas-Pine Bluff men’s basketball team knows that motto, especially considering that they were going up against an opponent they had defeated twice during the regular season.

With their 72-59 victory over Alabama A&M Thursday afternoon in the first round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament, the Golden Lions defeated the Bulldogs three times this season.

UAPB (13-17, 8-10 No. 6 SWAC) will take on second-seeded Mississippi Valley State at 2:30 p.m. today in Birmingham, Ala. in the semifinals of the SWAC Tournament.

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UAPB heads to Birmingham for SWAC tourney

BIRMINGHAM Ala. — The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions men’s and women’s basketball teams will head out to Birmingham Alabama today in preparation for the 2008 Southwestern Athletic Conference postseason basketball tournament which gets underway on Wednesday. Both UAPB teams will play their first round games on Thursday with the No. 6 seeded Golden Lions taking on No. 3 seeded Alabama A&M at 2:30 p.m. The No. 5 seeded Lady Golden Lions are scheduled to match up with the No. 4 seeded Lady Jaguars of Southern University in the 5:30 p.m. game immediately following at the Fair Park Arena.

Both UAPB teams will arrive at the arena to partake in an afternoon shoot-around/practice today. Coaches and players will later attend the annual SWAC tournament banquet before that evening before getting in a final walk through before play tips off on Wednesday at noon with a men’s game between Alcorn State and Jackson State.

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Southern rolls by Arkansas-Pine Bluff

PINE BLUFF, Ark. -- The Southern baseball team started Southwestern Athletic Conference play on a positive note, sweeping Arkansas-Pine Bluff in a doubleheader Sunday. In the first game, Chase Richard (1-0) went the full seven innings, striking out nine and giving up one run in a 10-1 win.

In the second game, Southern won 10-0 behind another complete game, this time from Jared Maloy. Maloy (1-2) gave up only three hits and struck out 12 with just one walk.

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UAPB next up for Alabama A&M 'Dogs

Alabama A&M will have to get revenge against Arkansas-Pine Bluff if it is going to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament.

The Bulldogs, who wrapped up the third seed in next week's tournament at Fair Park Arena in Birmingham, will take on the Golden Lions Thursday at 2:30 p.m. UAPB swept A&M this season, winning 65-59 at Elmore Gym and 70-65 in Pine Bluff.

"We're hoping the third time is the charm for us," A&M coach Vann Pettaway said Saturday night. "I'm hoping my history will remain the same. I don't know of a team that has beaten me three times in the same season."

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Alabama State Hornets should waltz through the SWAC tournament and win the NCAA bid without being tested. The SWAC has been so weak this season, that it makes you question if the Hornets will be competitive in the NCAAs. Anyhow, AAMU is going to be home watching it all on television and grumbling about how the season got away from them. There is always a next year...

Cador 'concerned' as Southern opens SWAC play

Winless and yet to establish a consistent offense and left trying to regain the glory two years since a reign of conference domination ended, the Southern University baseball team begins Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division play today.

Southern (0-5) will play Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-7, 0-3 Western Division) in a doubleheader today and a single game Monday. The Jaguars then will host Alcorn State, a member of the Eastern Division, at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

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Jackson State sophomore Maxey steps up for seniors

It was Senior Night at Jackson State Monday night, but slender sophomore Grant Maxey made the biggest impact in the Tigers' 57-49 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Maxey scored 10 of his 16 points during a 2-minute, 19-second span of the second half. JSU increased its lead from 29-21 to 39-23 during that time.

Maxey, who missed all four of his first half shots, hadn't scored until he hit two free throws with 16:36 remaining, but he followed the freebies with a 3-pointer, a 10-foot jumper, and then another 3-pointer: bam, bam, bam, all swishes. "I really struggled in the first half with my jump shot," Maxey said afterward. "In the second half I just came out and was more focused and it paid off.

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UAPB Golden Lions knock off SEMO in 2008 opener

Now this is the way you start a season.

Traditionally slow starters, Arkansas-Pine Bluff bucked that trend Friday as the Golden Lions outlasted Southeast Missouri State 4-2 in nine innings in their season opener at Taylor Field.

Daniel Gathright (1-0) earned the victory on the mound by pitching three scoreless innings of relief and UAPB (1-0) managed to overcome six errors in the contest to get the win. Justin Moring started the game for UAPB. The junior pitched six innings and gave up two runs — neither of which was earned — to go along with three hits and four strikeouts.

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