Sports Update For Feb. 18

PROMOTIONS HIGHLIGHT FINAL DOUBLEHEADER

The Hillcrest Ford "Shots for a New Car" contest in which a lucky fan could win a new automobile, the CenturyTel "Shot of the Century" contest, and another pre-game tailgate party outside Johnson Coliseum highlight activity surrounding the Sam Houston State-Southwest Texas game.

Throughout February, fans at Johnson Coliseum have been registering for the Hillcrest Ford "Shots for a New Car" contest. One name will be drawn and the fan can win a new car if he can hit a lay-up, a free throw, a three point shot, and a half court shot in the halftime contest.

The "CenturyTel Shot of the Century" will allow one full-time undergraduate student to take one shot from anywhere beyond the half-court line. Through the financial support of CenturyTel, if the student makes the shot, he or she will be entitled to the cost of in-state, undergraduate, full-time tuiton for the fall and spring semesters of the 2001-2002 academic year.

Students may register for the contest at the entrance to Johnson Coliseum Saturday afternoon. Game time is 2 p.m. for the men's game with the women's game to follow at 4:15.

CenturyTel, Inc., serves as the title sponsor of the CenturyTel Classic Post-Season basketball tournament for the SLC. The 16-team, 14-game Classic will consist of first-round games being played on campuses March 6 with semifinal and final play in Bossier City, LA, March 8-10. Winners of the men's and women's tournaments advance to the NCAA Tournament.

WOMEN 5TH, MEN 7TH AT SOUTHLAND INDOORS

Carol Dyer, Karina Mancias, and Precious Madison posted the top finishes for the SHSU women. Dyer was third in the 800 meter run with a time of two minutes, 14.23 seconds. Mancias was third in the 5,000 meter run with a clocking of 18 minutes, 33.73 seconds. Madison was third in the long jump (19 feet, 1.5 inches), fourth in the 200 meter dash (25.29 seconds), and fifth in the 60 meter dash (7.66 seconds).

The SHSU men placed seventh in the SLC Indoor team competition. Chris Stewart was the high point athlete for the Bearkats as the runner-up in the long jump with a leap of 23 feet, two inches, a fourth place finish in the 200 meter dash (22.10 seconds), and sixth place in the triple jump (48 feet, 8.75 inches).

MEN'S GOLF WINS FIRST TOURNAMENT

The Bearkats posted a team score of 303-292-294 - 889. University of Tennessee was the runner-up team with a 898, followed by Louisville 903, South Florida 903, Louisiana-Monroe 906, Southeastern Louisiana 907, Southern Mississippi 914, Tulane 914, Memphis 920, Middle Tennessee 921, South Alabama 923, Florida State 928, Denver 928, Cincinnati 932, Wyoming 935, and Troy State 939.

Other Bearkat individual scores were Doug Sinitiere 12th place (73-78-74 - 225), Jeff Grace 20th place (77-73-76 - 226), James Beston 22nd place (79-71-77 - 227) and David Ward 40th place (79-77-77 - 233).

The victory is the second intercollegiate tournament team championship for the Bearkat men's golf team this season. Sam Houston State won the opening tournament of the fall schedule at the Nebraska Fairway Classic on Sept. 11-12.

The individual medalist championship is Polzin's first tournament win as a Bearkat. The last time a Bearkat golfer won an individual medalist title was when Brandt Kieschnick won the Southland Conference medalist trophy in 1999. Polzin was named as Southland Conference Men's Golf "Athlete of the Week" following the tournament.

BASEBALL TEAM PLAYS HOST TO A&M

The Bearkats posted their first two victories of the 2001 season with a pair of victories over Prairie View A&M. SHSU won the first game 12-2 and took the nightcap 10-4.

The baseball team now stands 2-7 for the season. The seven losses came at the hands of two top 20 teams, Tulane and Rice, and the University of Texas at Austin.

SOFTBALL TEAM SWEEPS EAST TENNESSEE STATE

Centerfielder Ashlye Hylton is the leading hitter for the Bearkat softball team this year with a .520 average after the team's first nine games. Three other Kats are hitting over .400 -- Kim Hargis (.467), Teri Thomas (.455), and Lindsay Kaltwasser (.400).

Next action for the softball team with be a 1 p.m. doubleheader with Prairie View A&M on Thursday at the Bearkat softball complex.

BASKETBALL TEAMS SEEK TO END LOSING STREAKS

The men's team dropped into a tie for fourth place in the Southland Conference standings after losing to first place McNeese State 76-56 in Lake Charles, LA, last Monday night and to fifth place Nicholls State 82-69 Saturday night.

The women's team dropped into eighth place in the Southland Conference standings after falling on the road to Southeastern Louisiana 83-68 on Thursday and to Nicholls State 73-66.

The top eight finishers in the final regular season standings in both men's and women's play qualify for the CenturyTel Southland Conference Post-Season Classic tournament which decides who will be the SLC's NCAA national playoff representative. The top four seeds in the tournament will host first round playoff berths on Tuesday, March 5.

TENNIS TEAM TRAVELS TO COLORADO

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Media Contact: Paul Ridings
Feb. 18, 2001
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