January 31, 2008
WILSON, NC – Defending NCAA D-II National Champion Barton blitzed Coker 70-51 Thursday night with a strong second-half showing in Conference Carolinas men’s basketball action.
The Bulldogs and Coker were tied 31-31 at intermission, but Barton blasted past the Cobras by outscoring them 39-20 in the second 20 minutes.
Barton is 13-6 overall and 9-3 in the league while Coker left at 5-13, 3-8. The Bulldogs host Erskine at 7:30 Saturday night in Wilson Gym.
Junior guard Errol Frails paced Barton with 14 points and freshman point guard Greg Mammel scored 13, including 12 in the second half. Sophomore forward Eddie Kershaw added 10 points, as did sophomore forward L.J. Dunn, who also snared a game-high 10 rebounds.
For Coker, guard J.C. Hafner had 12 points and Josh Poston netted 11.
The Bulldogs put the clamps on Coker in the second half defensively, evidenced by 16.7-percent shooting (5-of-30) by the visitors after the break. Barton also outrebounded the Cobras 42-37.
For the game, Coker was 16-of-58 for 27.6 percent while Barton finished 24-of-55 for 43.6 percent.
The first half featured eight ties and four lead changes, but Barton got a field goal from Dunn and back-to-back 3-pointers by Mammel to open the second half and never looked back.
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January 31, 2008
WILSON, NC – Six players scored in double figures Thursday night to power the Barton College women’s basketball team to an 87-70 conquest of visiting Conference Carolinas foe Coker.
Sara Fleming scored 14, Destiny Hamlin and Jamila Johnson 12 apiece, Blair Burke and Casey Moore 11 each and Esty Flores 10 for the Lady Bulldogs, who rose to 10-7 overall and 8-4 in the league. Coker exited Wilson Gym at 3-15 overall and 2-9 in league play.
Henna Koponen enjoyed a fine night for Coker, cashing in a game-high 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting. She also had nine rebounds and four assists. Temeca Spain contributed 18 points.
The Lady Cobras roared to a 28-18 lead with 9:24 left in the first half, but Barton responded with an 11-0 run to take a 29-28 lead, its first of the game, at 7:33. The lead changed hands several times before intermission, when Barton led 44-40.
Moore and Fleming scored the first baskets of the second half for Barton, making it 48-40. The Lady Bulldogs’ lead was 10 points or more for the final 12-plus minutes of the game.
Barton finished with a 46-35 rebounding advantage, led by Hamlin, a 5-foot-8 sophomore from Lugoff, S.C., who had her best game with 12 points, 11 rebounds and two steals in a reserve role. The Lady Bulldogs shot 45.7 percent (32-of-70) while Coker was 29-of-64 for 45.3 percent.
Barton is home with Erskine at 5:30 Saturday night.
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January 27, 2008
GREENSBORO – Gary W. Hall put North Carolina high school soccer players first on his recruiting lists for 23 years as a college head coach at Lenoir-Rhyne, Campbell and Barton.
On Saturday night in the Koury Convention Center, that unfailing allegiance to his home state’s talent, his passion for the development of young players and a lifetime of devotion to the sport earned him an induction into the North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame.
Enshrined alongside Hall were Mia Hamm, easily the most decorated women’s soccer player in the history of the sport, and Paul M. James III, a referee of 30-plus years and 25-year member of the N.C. Youth Soccer Association board. N.C. Hall of Famer and legendary University of North Carolina women’s soccer coach Anson Dorrance accepted on behalf of Hamm, already a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Membership in the N.C. Soccer Hall of Fame, which began in 1997, rose to 32. Fourteen of the Hall’s members are native North Carolinians.
“Thank you to the Hall of Fame selection committee,” Hall, a Winston-Salem native, said as he was concluding his remarks. “I am so proud to join this elite group. It is special because it includes so many friends and colleagues. Also, I offer my congratulations to Mia Hamm and Paul James. Soccer is a team sport. I have been blessed to share my journey with so many wonderful people in North Carolina. Thank You.”
Hall, who was introduced by long-time friend and former Atlantic Christian College teammate Rhine Sharp, started his ascent up the soccer ladder at Kernersville Wesleyan Academy, where he and his teammates only lost five games during his career. He was a two-time All-Dixie Conference performer and MVP at Methodist College, then transferred to Atlantic Christian (now Barton), where he served as captain for teams that won the school’s first NAIA Carolinas Conference championship in 1978 and first District 26 Championship in 1979. Hall, who was primarily a central defender at AC, was the Bulldogs’ MVP as a junior and the school’s Male Athlete of the Year as a senior.
He graduated magna cum laude with majors in English and Physical Education in 1980 and completed his Master of Arts in Sports Psychology at Wake Forest in 1981.
Hall served as an assistant coach at Wake Forest from 1980-83, then as head coach at Lenoir-Rhyne from 1984-86. He spent the next two years as head coach at Campbell University, leading the Camels to a 17-3 record and No. 14 national ranking in 1988, when they won the conference championship. In 1989, Hall was persuaded by Atlantic Christian College President Jim Hemby, trustee Bobby Dunn and Sharp to return to his alma mater as head men’s soccer coach and director of athletics.
“If you live in Wilson, you know that you cannot get by with telling Jim Hemby, Bobby Dunn and Rhine Sharp “no” about anything,” Hall told the audience of some 250 people. “With prayerful consideration, I reached one of the biggest decisions of my life…and decided I would take a leap of faith and return to Wilson. I had a sense that in following this calling, that something special was in store for me.”
Something special was in store for the Wilson soccer scene as well.
Not only did Hall lead his alma mater to conference titles in 1991, ’93 and ’98, he was also instrumental in impacting the lives of thousands of youngsters through clinics and summer camps, as Director of Coaching for the Wilson Youth Soccer Association for 15 years and as a member of the Board of Directors for the highly successful Brittany Willis Memorial Soccer Showcase at Gillette Park.
Hall retired from coaching men’s soccer at Barton after the 2006-07 season, but still serves as the school’s director of athletics. He finished his coaching career with a 188-176-35 record, ranking him 33rd nationally for career wins among NCAA D-II coaches, and coached seven players that continued their soccer careers professionally. He led Barton squads that, as promised, were comprised primarily of North Carolina residents, to 11 winning seasons over a 12-year period.
“Aside from his astonishing record as a coach, coaching numerous All-Americans, being named Coach of the Year many times over and winning championships, I think that Gary (the professor, as we affectionately called him), would be most proud of the fact that every senior that went through his program graduated, and that 70 percent were Dean’s List,” Sharp said. “They are now doctors, lawyers, ministers, teachers, coaches and businessmen…all of whom have been touched by Gary. They will continue on in the tradition of a long line of young men who will rise to the standards that this man has set before them.”
Upon his return to Wilson in 1989, Hall became reacquainted with Jean Daughtrey, who returned to AC that same year to finish her degree. They were married a year later and have two children, Andrew and Ashley.
“The three of them inspire and uplift me every day, and I thank them for doing so,” Hall said.
Both Sharp and Hall saluted the coach’s parents, Wayne and Sue Hall.
“When we were at AC,” Sharp recalled, “there was never a game that Mr. and Mrs. Hall were not there, and they continued that through Gary’s coaching career.”
Hall thanked some 40 family members, colleagues, former players and teammates who were present to watch him be inducted.
With his voice breaking up, Hall recognized his sister, Dr. Betty Jean Crosby, for all her support over the years, and “my mother, Sue Hall, who now lives with us in Wilson and has been there for anything I have ever needed. Then, there’s my father, Wayne Hall, deceased just under three years ago. His physical presence is missed here tonight, but what he invested in me and others will never be lost.”
Neither will the contributions of Gary W. Hall to the Wilson soccer landscape.
As Sharp said in concluding his remarks: “Yes, Gary has retired from college coaching, but he continues to teach young kids this wonderful game through his involvement with the Wilson Youth Soccer Association. What a blessing for Wilson!”
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January 24, 2008
James "Rabbit" Fulghum, who earned his education and played baseball at Atlantic Christian College (now Barton) from 1957-61, then excelled as a baseball coach at Greene Central High School in Snow Hill, is among seven high school coaches who will be inducted in the inaugural class of the N.C. Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.
Fulghum, who amassed 600 high school wins and led his teams to five state championships, will be enshrined at 1:30 Saturday afternoon at Appalachian State University. Also selected for the N.C. Hall were Greenville Rose's Ronald Vincent, Sylva-Webster's Charles "Babe" Howell, Richmond County's George Whitfield, Caldwell County's Fred Lanford, Wilmington's George "Buck" Hardee and Chatham Central's Ronald Scott.
Fulghum, also a long-time American Legion coach, was inducted into the Barton College Hall of Fame in 1989.
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January 24, 2008
Barton College has designated home basketball doubleheaders on January 31 and February 16 as Watchdog Sponsor Nights. In recognition of sponsorships at the Coaches Circle level, the games to be played on January 31 against Coker College will be designated as BB+T Night and the games to be played on February 16 against Belmont Abbey College will be designated as AT+T Night. The women’s game will be played at 5:30 p.m. both evenings with the men’s game to follow at 7:30 p.m.
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January 23, 2008
(THOMASVILLE, NC) Conference Carolinas head softball coaches voted Mount Olive College as their preseason poll favorite for the 2008 season. Mount Olive is coming off its best season in school history, setting a school record for wins in a season and capturing a share of the regular season conference title for the first time in a decade. The Trojans posted an overall record of 39-17 and a conference mark of 16-4.Leading the Trojans is 2007 conference player of the year Jenny Jackson, who was among the conference and national stats leaders in both pitching and hitting. On the mound, her 0.87 earned run average was the seventh-lowest in the nation. At the plate, her .442 batting average and .769 slugging percentage ranked nationally in the top 30.
Mount Olive returns seven starters altogether, including 2007 conference player of the year Jenny Jackson, who was among the conference and national stats leaders in both pitching and hitting. She is joined by two-time All-Conference selection Bailey Harrell and 2007 All-Conference catcher Kensie Cobb.
The Coker College softball team returned to the top of conference standings in 2007 as they were Co-Regular Season Champions with Mount Olive and Tournament Champions, after a year hiatus. The Cobras are returning All-Conference first team performers in first baseman Allie Bragg and outfielder Jessica Blackwell, along with All-Conference second team, All-Region, and league Tournament MVP, pitcher Shelly Catlett. The Cobras will also have league All-Tournament team members Ashton Williamson and Eunice Nettles back.
Coker completed the 2007 season with a record of 38-12 overall, while going 16-4 in conference play. Newcomers looking to make their mark with the Cobras this season are pitcher Sydney Greenwalt and third baseman Whitney Wallett.
Anderson University has high hopes for the upcoming season. The Lady Trojans were 25-16 overall and 14-6 in conference play last spring while hitting .308 and averaging 5.68 runs per game as a team. While almost half of this year's roster - eight players - are freshmen, head softball coach Tommy Hewitt is optimistic. "There's something we can always be doing and working on. I'm happy with our freshmen group. I think the team chemistry is the best we've had and we had a good fall. We're going to be young. We've got just two seniors - Kayla Thrasher and Melissa Carmichael." In 2007, Thrasher, a two-year starter at shortstop, batted .320 with six homers and 30 RBI, while Carmichael recorded six assists in right field and batted .259.
Rounding out the softball preseason poll 4-11 was: Pfeiffer, Limestone, Queens, Erskine, Belmont Abbey, Barton, Lees-McRae, and St. Andrews respectively.
Conference Carolinas Pre-Season Coaches Poll
(First place votes in parenthesis)
1. Mount Olive College (5) 93
2. Coker College (4) 91
3. Anderson University (1) 72
4. Pfeiffer University (1) 70
5. Limestone College 68
6. Queens University of Charlotte 62
7. Erskine College 48
8. Belmont Abbey College 33
9. Barton College 30
10. Lees-McRae College 20
11. St. Andrews Presbyterian College 18
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January 22, 2008
(THOMASVILLE, NC) Conference Carolinas head baseball coaches voted Mount Olive College as their preseason poll favorite for the 2008 season.
Mount Olive is ranked No. 6 in this year’s Collegiate Baseball Division II Preseason Poll and returns the 2007 Daktronics Division II Baseball National Player of the Year in first baseman Erik Lovett.
The Trojans were the top seed and tournament host for last year’s NCAA II South Atlantic Regional and came within one win of advancing to the NCAA II National Finals. The Trojans set a school single-season wins mark with a 49-13 record last season.
Mount Olive has won the conference tournament in each of the last two years and posted a 20-3 mark in conference play to win last year’s regular season title.
The Trojans set a record with 12 All-Conference players last season. Along with first team All-American and region and conference player of the year Lovett, the Trojans return All-Conference first team member David Cooper at shortstop, second team members Casey Hodges at starting pitcher, closer Patrick Ball and regional All-Tournament team member Anthony Williams at second base.
The Trojans will have to deal with the loss of four All-Americans, three of whom played pro ball last summer. Mount Olive faces another challenging conference and non-conference schedule, opening the season February 2 at home with a three-game series against nationally seventh-ranked Tusculum.
The Belmont Abbey College Crusaders place second in the coaches’ preseason poll. The Abbey looks to carry momentum into the 2008 season as they are coming off a year in which they finished second in the conference regular season and eighth in the final regional poll with 31-23 overall and 16-7 league record. Belmont Abbey also received votes in the national poll for 14 consecutive weeks last year.
The Crusaders have five returning positional starters, highlighted by sophomore All-American second baseman Alex Castellanos and senior All-American designated hitter Seth Waller. The Crusaders also have 24 wins returning on the mound showcasing senior starting pitcher Andy Helms. Castellanos, Waller, and Helms were all first team All-Conference members as well. With the addition of a sizeable recruiting class there is reason for optimism in Belmont.
Erskine College has good reason for being voted in the third spot in this year’s poll after going 36-24 overall and 13-11 in league play last year. Under Head Coach Kevin Nichols, the Fleet has averaged a 39-18 record over the past three seasons on the way to over 250 wins over the past eight years.
The 2008 Fleet return 40 players from last season that include their entire starting pitching staff. First team All-Conference sophomore outfielder Bryan Fogle, second team sophomore outfielder Chas Anthony, and second team sophomore starting pitcher William Buzhardt will be called upon to help deliver throughout the season.
Rounding out the baseball preseason poll 4-9 is: Pfeiffer, Barton, Anderson & Limestone, Coker, and St. Andrews respectively.
Conference Carolinas Pre-Season Coaches Poll
(First place votes in parenthesis)
1. Mount Olive College (7) 63
2. Belmont Abbey College (1) 52
3. Erskine College (1) 49
4. Pfeiffer University 42
5. Barton College 33
T-6. Anderson University 28
T-6. Limestone College 28
8. Coker College 21
9. St. Andrews Presbyterian College 8
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January 22, 2008
WILSON, NC — Barton College baseball coach Todd Wilkinson, who is beginning his 16th season at the helm of the Bulldogs, received the prestigious Willis Hackney Award Monday night during the annual Wilson Hot Stove League Banquet.
The award is given to the person making the best overall contribution to the sport of baseball in the Wilson community. Wilkinson, who has 402 wins as Barton head coach, has been running several baseball camps for years. The Bulldogs also participate in numerous community service projects throughout the year. The student-athletes give back to the community while maintaining one of the top fields in the country (Nixon Field), playing 50-plus games a season and upholding high standards in the classroom.
The Hot Stove League Banquet featured numerous former and current professional baseball players, highlighted by current Major League players Freddie Bynum (from Wilson), Trot Nixon and Josh Hamilton.
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January 21, 2008
WILSON, NC – Visiting Queens University of Charlotte outscored Barton College 18-10 in the final six minutes Monday night to claim a 94-84 Conference Carolinas men’s basketball victory in Wilson Gymnasium.
The conference loss was the first suffered by Barton in the “Dog House” since the final regular-season game of the 2005-06 season. The setback also ended a streak of 18 home victories. The matchup pitted two the league’s top three teams since Barton, Queens and Mount Olive all entered Monday’s action with one league loss apiece. Barton, the defending NCAA D-II National Champion, fell to 11-5 overall and 7-2 in Conference Carolinas while Queens rose to 12-3 overall and 7-1 in the league. Barton visits Mount Olive (8-1 in the league) at 7:30 Thursday night.
Queens was red-hot from the floor Monday night, but had a hard time shaking the Bulldogs. The first half featured eight ties, with the Royals shooting 51 percent to take a 49-43 lead at the break. Senior guard Darnell Evans (21 points), scored the first basket of the second half for a 51-43 cushion, but Barton went on a 10-2 run to tie score at 53.
Barton took a 56-55 lead on a 3-pointer by sharp-shooting junior guard Bobby Buffaloe (game-high 23 points on 5-of-9 shooting from downtown) with 16:22 left. Queens finally regained the lead (63-61) at the 12:17 mark on a layup by 6-4 forward John Thompson, who had a monster game with 18 points, 17 rebounds and two blocks. Queens never trailed again, although the Bulldogs were within a basket for most of the next six-plus minutes. However, in the final 6:01, Barton went cold, making just 3-of-16 shots while Queens canned 3-of-5 shots and 11-of-12 from the foul line. Freshman guard Reggie Hopkins (17 points) delivered the dagger to the ‘Dogs with a pair of clutch 3-pointers down the stretch.
Junior 6-6 post David King had the best game of his career for Barton with 12 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. He matched his career-high for points and set a new mark for rebounds. Eddie Kershaw and Greg Mammel added 11 points apiece for Barton.
Queens finished 36-of-70 from the floor for 51.4 percent, hit 6-of-11 3-pointers and nailed 16-of-17 foul shots (94.1 percent). Barton shot just 31 percent in the second half and finished 31-of-83 overall for 37.3 percent. The Bulldogs were 9-of-31 (29 percent) from 3-point land and hit 13-of-16 foul shots. The Bulldogs did win the rebounding battle, 47-42.
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January 21, 2008
WILSON, NC – Four players scored in double figures Monday night as the Barton College women’s basketball team overcame a horrific shooting night to stop Queens University of Charlotte 66-57.
The victory raised the Lady Bulldogs’ record to 9-5 overall and 7-2 in Conference Carolinas. Queens, which was victimized by 37 turnovers, slipped to 3-12 overall and 3-5 in the league. Barton, a winner in seven of its last eight games, travels to Mount Olive for a 5:30 p.m. contest on Thursday.
The Lady Bulldogs shot a miserable 27.6 percent (21-of-76) from the floor, including 2-of-14 (14 percent) from 3-point range, but did sink 22-of-28 foul shots (78.6 percent). The Lady Royals were 22-of-49 from the floor (44.9 percent) and 11-of-15 (73.3 percent) from the foul line. Queens claimed a 49-43 edge in rebounding.
Barton took a quick 4-0 lead in the first minute and never trailed. The lead was 37-26 at halftime, but the Royals battled within 48-46 with 10:23 left on a bucket from Jacquia Winstead, a Wilson Beddingfield graduate. The Lady Bulldogs responded by pounding the ball down low to junior 5-10 center Kendra Thomas, who cashed in two straight layups, then made two foul shots for a 54-46 cushion. Five points was as close as Queens would get the remainder of the contest.
Thomas finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds, her fifth double-double of the season. Sara Fleming and Kim Butts added 12 points apiece and point guard Esty Flores scored 10. Butts also had four assists and four steals.
For Queens, 5-11 forward Markiesha Hicks had a stellar night with 17 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks. Marissa Hudley added 17 points. Queens blocked nine of Barton’s shots.
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