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March 9, 2010
MEN'S BASKETBALL

UK Head Coach John Calipari

On John Wall being awarded Player of the Year by Yahoo! Sports  …
“Good. He deserves it. They all deserve all of those awards. They have taken on all comers; they’ve taken on teams that have played out of their minds, and they’ve come back at them and they have responded and they are still standing. I imagine Pat (Patrick Patterson) will get all kinds of awards, DeMarcus (Cousins) will, and so will Eric (Bledsoe) along with John.”

On reaching the level of maturity they need in the few weeks left in the season…
“Oh I hope so. Well I don’t know, we could have a meltdown and we’ll all look and say that it’s been a heck of a year, and it’s been a fun ride. Now that’s a talk I don’t ever want to give. I just don’t want to give that talk. And I want you to know that I’ve given it to our team five times. From where we were at the beginning of the year to where we are now, the maturity and keeping the emotions in-check, it’s not even close. But it’s got to go more if we’re going to do something special.”

On if there is a different level of play in the conference tournament…
“No. We’re doing exactly what we’re doing. I gave them off yesterday; Tuesday is an individual workout day, Wednesday we’ll practice and travel, and we’ll have walk-through and practice on Thursday to get ready for the game, and that’s it. When we go into post-season, whether it’s conference or NCAA we do nothing different. We prepare for every team like we always do. I want them comfortable. I don’t want them to feel like this is different. It’s exactly the same. You’re playing a bunch of weekend tournaments. The problem with this one is there’s no day in between. If you win, you’re playing. If you win, you’re playing, and it’s hard.”

On handling the rotation differently given that it is a conference tournament…
“It depends on the game. The best thing that we have is when we talk about Ramon (Harris) and Perry Stevenson being 9 and 10, that could move down if DeAndre (Liggins) doesn’t get that energy back. He’ll probably move back and I’ll put Ramon in there. But we have room for error with foul trouble and other problems, and then one of those two (Harris or Stevenson) step in and play, we are fine. If you have anybody on the front line that’s not doing it, Perry steps in; or somebody in the backcourt that isn’t doing it, in any of those three positions, Ramon steps in. It gives us the depth that we need.”

On what the SEC Tournament means to him …
“Well if you’re going to be in a tournament, you want to win it. But our whole thing is that it’s bigger and it’s more important than winning. We’ve got to get ourselves prepared for that next weekend and that’s what we’ll do. Basically everything we do is based on how and where we finish the season. We’re trying to get ready and right physically and emotionally, and in every way so we can go in and do our very best. If you are your best and you do not win, then you can deal with it, as long as you’re your best. I want fresh legs. I want fresh minds. I want a competitive spirit. I want the players to expect to win so that when things get a little crazy, it’s ok. That takes a mature person. They don’t call a foul, ‘Oh well, we’re still winning.’ A player starts talking, ‘Oh well, we’re still winning.’ These kids are 19, they don’t know how to react when things get thrown at them. The good news is we’ve gone through just about everything, and we’re still standing.”

On Darius Miller’s play in the past few games…
“It’s been good for us. He and Darnell (Dodson) have stepped up for us. It’s nice when they pull up to shoot and you think the ball is going in versus please don’t shoot an airball. I’ll tell you, some of it is on John (Wall) and Eric (Bledsoe) because when they’re making shots it takes some pressure off our team. Because now those other guys know, ‘I can let it go and it’s not on me.’”

March 9, 2010
MEN'S BASKETBALL

Wall Named SEC Player of the Year

Cousins named Freshman of the Year

LEXINGTON, Ky. – UK freshman John Wall has been named SEC Player of the Year by league coaches as announced by the conference office on Tuesday.

Wall, a 6-4 guard from Raleigh, N.C., is UK’s all-time leading freshman scorer and assist leader. He leads the Southeastern Conference and ranks fifth nationally in assists (6.2). He is also fifth in the league in scoring (16.8).

Wall is the first Wildcat to be named SEC?Player of the Year since Keith Bogans received the honor in 2003 and is the 13th Wildcat to be named the league’s Player of the Year. He is also the second freshman to be named the conference’s Player of the Year. Chris Jackson won the award as a freshman in 1989.

Teammate and fellow freshman DeMarcus Cousins was named the SEC Freshman of the Year. He is the second Wildcat to receive the honor; however he is the first player in UK history to receive the award outright. Patrick Patterson was named the league’s Co-Freshman of the Year in 2008.

Cousins has set all-time records for Wildcat freshmen in double-doubles with 18, and rebounds with 312, while averaging 10.0 boards a game, second best in the SEC. His 18 double-doubles is the most in the league this season and the most by a Wildcat since the 1973 season.

Cousins, Wall and Patterson were all voted First Team All-SEC by league coaches, while Cousins, Wall and Eric Bledsoe were all named to the SEC All-Freshman team.

Patterson was also selected to the league’s All-Defensive team.

It is the first time in UK history the Wildcats have had three players named First Team All-SEC?by the coaches and the second time in three years that UK has had three players named All-SEC?by conference coaches.

This season also marks the first time in UK history the Wildcats have placed three players on the Freshman All-SEC team.

The 2010 SEC Champion Wildcats will be in action at noon CT on Friday in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament, taking on the winner of the Alabama-South Carolina game. The game will be televised live on the SEC Network.

March 9, 2010
MEN'S BASKETBALL
 
Mustang Cal-ly?

Paul Miller Ford announces new Coach Cal Edition 2010 Roush 427R Mustang

LEXINGTON, Ky. – It’s not so much a mid-life crisis as it is a March Madness diversion. With the post-season about to begin, Kentucky coach John Calipari will soon be seen cruising around town in a ROUSH® 2010 Mustang.

The new “Coach Cal Edition 2010 Roush 427R Mustang” is exclusively designed and released by Paul Miller Ford, Lexington, Kentucky’s Largest Ford Dealership.

“J.P. Miller asked if I wanted to drive a Mustang for a while,” said Coach Cal. “I said, “J.P., it’s a Mustang! How could I not want to drive it? It’s a really great car.”

The Coach Cal car is powered by the ROUSHcharger® which boosts the Mustang’s horsepower to 435 and offers 400 lb.-ft. of torque. The beautiful custom paint job reveals a jet black body, with University of Kentucky True Blue striping up the front fascia, stylishly split up by a sleek metallic silver outline.

“The inspiration for the outer appearance and the color scheme came from a Bill Keightley jersey that was given to me last year,” said Vice President/General Manager J.P. Miller. “It just seemed to be the perfect fit for this project.”

“It’s a great car,” said Coach Cal. “Really an unbelievable ride. “Brad’s wanting me to keep it until he gets his license in four years!”

Coach Cal wouldn’t say how long he’ll be driving the Roush Mustang, but he did seem to be enjoying it quite a bit on his first test-drive. In addition to Coach Cal's, five more of the special model are being built and are available for pre-order now at Paul Miller Ford. Go to www.paulmilleronline.com for more info and photos. Also visit www.CoachCal.com for video and photos with Coach in the Mustang.

The Coach Cal Mustang follows on the success of the exclusive 2009 Rich Brooks Edition F-150 Crew Cab Truck that hit the Paul Miler showroom in January of 2009.

“With (all the) positive and exciting news Ford Motor Company has received lately, coupled with the excitement of Coach Cal’s first season at UK, we feel this is just another thing for the Commonwealth to be excited about,” Mr. Miller said.

What else is in Coach Cal’s car?

This Coach Cal Edition Mustang includes an appearance package comprised of several components including:

• new front fascia and front splitter

• rear fascia

• side splitters

• three-piece rear wing. 

• Custom blue and black suede seating accents

• Coach Cal autograph on car

The Coach Cal edition Roush Mustang rides on 20-inch cast chrome wheels with high-performance Cooper Zeon tires. Cooper has designed these tires with an asymmetric tread and special racing compound that delivers a high dry grip. 

For more on the Coach Cal Edition Mustang, visit: www.paulmilleronline.com

March 8, 2010
MEN'S BASKETBALL

2010 SEC Men’s Basketball Community Service Team

Birmingham, Ala. -- In a continuing effort to recognize the accomplishments of student-athletes beyond the field of competition, the SEC once again highlighted a Community Service Team for men's basketball for the 2009-2010 season.

This marks the 12th year for the SEC Community Service Team for men's basketball as well as for women's basketball. All 20 league-sponsored sports have had a Community Service Team since 2004, with at-large teams for men's and women's sports being chosen from 1999-2003. The SEC began this concept with a football Community Service Team in 1994.

Senario Hillman – Alabama
Jr. • G • 6-1 • 192 • Irwinton, Ga.

Community Service Projects: Visited school children at University Place Elementary & read books to them in library ... Tuscaloosa Animal Shelter volunteer ... Attended Focus on Senior Citizens program where he spoke to elderly and participated in games ... Spoke to elderly and attended their tailgate party at Glen Haven Retirement Home ... Coordinated bucket toss game for kids at UA Halloween Extravaganza ... Several hours of various volunteer activities with the Tuscaloosa YMCA.

Rotnei Clarke – Arkansas
So.  • G • 6-0 • 184 • Verdigris, Okla.

Community Service Projects: Has been a featured speaker at several events including church groups and Fellowship of Christian Athletes ...  At Christmas was part of a group that went to a local game stop to play with underprivileged children ... Visited the Fayetteville Juvenile Detention Center on Thanksgiving day and served meals ... Participated in the campus event “Take a Walk in Her Shoes” to bring awareness to rape, sexual assault and gender violence ... Visited the Fayetteville Veterans Administration Hospital on Valentine’s Day to speak to those staying ... Has been asked to be a special guest to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Hall of Fame induction of former Arkansas Football Coach Ken Hatfield.

Lucas Hargrove – Auburn
Sr. • F • 6-6 • 218 • Pontiac, S.C.

Community Service Projects: 2010: Visited children and cancer patients at East Alabama Medical Center ... Ran in East Alabama Medical Center Cancer Race ... Served dinner at American Red Cross “A Meal for Haiti” event on Auburn’s campus. 2009: Signed autographs at City of Auburn CityFest ... Ran in East Alabama Medical Center Cancer Race ... Visited children and cancer patients at East Alabama Medical Center ... Signed autographs at City of Auburn Downtown Trick or Treat ... Donated toys for Student Athlete Advisory Committee Toys for Tots Drive ... Participated in the Miles for Myles 5K Run for Myles Brand.

Dan Werner – Florida
Sr. • F • 6-8 • 230 • Middletown, N.J.

Community Service Projects: Dan Werner is extremely active in the Gainesville community ... In addition to his leadership role in the Gators’ locker room as the team’s lone senior, Werner has spent countless hours giving back to the Gainesville area ... He has made numerous trips to the pediatrics ward at local Shands Hospital ... Werner has helped serve meals to the homeless at the famous St. Francis House in Gainesville ... In addition, he has visited numerous local elementary schools promoting the values of education ... Werner was also among a group of UF athletes that visited the set of Extreme Makover: Home Edition recently, as the Gators supported a huge community effort.

Trey Thompkins – Georgia
So. • F • 6-10 • 247 • Lithonia, Ga.

Community Service Projects: Participated in Habitat for Humanity home builds ... Participated in reading and mentoring programs through the Athens/Clarke County & Oconee County school systems ... Volunteered with programs that collected food products for distribution through the Northeast Georgia Food Bank ... Volunteered at the Athens/Clarke County Council on Aging ... Visited patients at St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens ... Participated in mentoring program for the Boys & Girls Club of Athens ... Played Santa Claus at the basketball team’s Christmas party for underprivileged children

Patrick Patterson – Kentucky
Jr. • F • 6-9 • 235 • Huntington, W.Va.

Community Service Projects: Repeatedly makes visits to UK Children’s Hospital to visit and sign autographs ... Has visited students at local elementary schools ... Made visit over Christmas holiday to UK Children’s hospital along with the team ... Involved in Hoops for Haiti project that helped raise over $1 million for Haiti earthquake victims. Other Activities, Awards, etc.: 2009 First Team All-SEC and NABC Second Team All-District ... SEC Player of the Week in 2009 and 2010 ... Member of UK’s prestigious 1,000-point club.

Alex Farrer – LSU
Sr. • G • 6-5 • 200 • Phoenix, Ariz.

Community Service Projects: Member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Board representing men’s basketball at LSU ... Helped setup the basketball activity for kids at the Halloween BOOzar ... Led the Christmas With The Tigers event for men’s basketball, where he led his team in adopting an underprivileged child for Christmas ... Also was part of the annual team visit to our Lady of the Lake Hospital children's ward where the team visits patients singing Christmas Carols.

Zach Graham – Ole Miss
Jr. • G • 6-6 • 218 • Suwanee, Ga.

Community Service Projects: Has participated in Reading with the Rebels (a program which helps promote reading to area students) ... Spent time with children at local day care centers during his time at Ole Miss ... He has joined teammates in visiting patients at the Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital and Children’s Cancer Clinic at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson ... This December, he and his Rebel teammates took time to visit with underprivileged children from the local Boys and Girls Club, while also delivering Christmas gifts to them.

Barry Stewart – Mississippi State
Sr. • G • 6-3 • 170 • Shelbyville, Tenn.

Community Service Projects: Reads books to kids at the library and at local schools ... Works with Boys & Girls Club and is a yearly guest speaker at Camp of the Rising Sun.               

Austin Steed – South Carolina
Jr.. • F. • 6-8. • 235. • Hephzibah, Ga.

Community Service Projects: Has participated in After School Kick Off at Alcorn Middle School, Ronald McDonald House Day, Columbia Parks and Recreation SEC Can Food Drive, NCAA Diversity Workshop Participant, Dodie Academic Enrichment Center Ambassador and is an SAAC Representative.

Bobby Maze – Tennessee
Sr. • G • 6-3 • 195 • Suitland, Md.

Community Service Activities: Maze has been an intricate part of Tennessee’s community efforts and has volunteered for numerous events during his two years in Knoxville ... In 2008-09, Maze assisted with the Hoops for Hope basketball tournament for children with Down Syndrome ... He also visited with patients at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and helped to raise the walls on a new home for a woman in need as part of a Habitat For Humanity project ... Maze was the featured speaker during the 2009 April Play Day event for the Boys & Girls Club at Apostolic Christian, as he helped to mentor at-risk youth ... During the 2009-10 season, Maze again took part in the Hoops for Hope tournament and has visited with patients at ETCH and the UT Medical Center in conjunction with the basketball program’s OUTLIVE initiative ... He also assisted with Knoxville’s Race For The Cure.

Joe Duffy – Vanderbilt
Jr. • F • 6-8 • 225 • Charlotte, N.C.

Community Service Projects: He is Vanderbilt men’s basketball SAAC (Student Athletic Advisory Committee) representative and is constantly involving his teammates in service projects through SAAC, like the annual SAAC Christmas Party and the organization’s Field Day with a local elementary school ... He is also organizing a charity basketball tournament this spring for “Nothing But Nets”, with the proceeds going towards buying mosquito nets to protect children in Africa from Malaria.

March 8, 2010
MEN'S BASKETBALL

Wall Named National Player of the Year

Cousins and Wall both named All-America

LEXINGTON, Ky. – UK freshman John Wall has been named National Player of the Year by Yahoo! Sports, while both Wall and DeMarcus Cousins were named First Team All-America by the online publication.

Wall was also named Yahoo’s Freshman of the Year while Patrick Patterson received Honorable Mention All-America honors.

Wall, a 6-4 guard from Raleigh, N.C., is UK’s all-time leading freshman scorer and assist leader. He leads the Southeastern Conference and ranks fifth nationally in assists (6.2) and ranks fifth in scoring (16.8).

Cousins has set all-time records for Wildcat freshmen in double-doubles with 18, and rebounds with 312, while averaging 10.0 boards a game, second best in the SEC. His 18 double-doubles is the most in the league this season and the most by a Wildcat since the 1973 season.

Additionally, National Freshman of the Year by Sporting News magazine, while DeMarcus Cousins received Freshman All-America status by the publication.

March 8, 2010
BASEBALL

MATT LITTLE NAMED NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

UK Right-Handed Reliever Struck out 11 in Five Innings During Week

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- After fanning 11 hitters in five innings and allowing only two hits, the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper has named Kentucky junior right-handed pitcher Matt Little one of its three National Players of the Week, it was announced Monday.

Little, a native of Virginia Beach, Va., had a dynamic week as UK’s lockdown reliever, totaling a save and a win in five innings of work and two relief appearances. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder came on in relief against Morehead State in the ninth inning and tossed a perfect ninth inning for his team-high third save of the season, striking out two MSU hitters. With UK trailing by six runs in the sixth inning of the win at Monmouth, Little came on in relief and kept UK in the ballgame for a dramatic comeback win, handcuffing the Hawks with four shutdown innings of relief, allowing only two hits, walking none and striking out a career-high nine. He struck out the first six hitters he faced and fanned seven of his first eight outs to give UK an emotional lift during its seven-run rally over the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

On the year, Little has totaled a 0.82 ERA and a 1-0 record, appearing in five games with three saves. Little has totaled 11 innings, allowing four hits and only one run, walking just three and striking out 14. Opponents have hit a measly .121 off Little, which ranks second in the SEC among qualifying pitchers (1.0 IP per team game). Little also ranks second in the league in ERA, saves and games finished (five) and seventh in games in relief (five), first in hits allowed (four), first in runs allowed (one) and fifth in walks allowed (three). Also on the year, Little has not allowed an extra-base hit, tops in the league.

“Matt Little’s performance out of the bullpen was outstanding,” UK head coach Gary Henderson said following the game Saturday. “It gave us a chance to get back into the game. It gave our club a shot of adrenaline and it brought some energy to our dugout. To go four innings with only two hits, nine punch-outs and no walks is a pretty special performance.”

Little is one of only three players honored by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and is the only pitcher. Mississippi State first baseman Connor Powers and Florida Atlantic shortstop Nick Delguidice were also honored.

 
KENTUCKY MOVES UP IN POLLS

After posting three wins on the week, including a road shutout of West Coast power San Diego on Friday, the Kentucky baseball team has moved up in the weekly polls, it was announced Monday.

The Wildcats have advanced to No. 22 in the weekly Baseball America top 25, up from No. 23 last week. Also, UK moved to No. 24 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper weekly poll, up from No. 25 last Monday, and advanced in the Rivals.com/Yahoo! Sports top 25, up from No. 22 to No. 19. In addition, for the first time this season, Kentucky cracked the USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll, moving to No. 22.

Kentucky returns to action Tuesday and Wednesday, hosting Evansville at 4 p.m. ET at Cliff Hagan Stadium. Both games will be broadcast live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio), with the Voice of UK Baseball, Neil Price, calling the action.

 
COACHES CLINIC SET FOR SATURDAY

The 2010 Kentucky Baseball Coaches Clinic is set for Saturday, March 13 at Cliff Hagan Stadium, from 8 a.m.-10 a.m. ET, it was announced by head coach Gary Henderson.

Join Henderson and the rest of the UK coaching staff as they engage coaches in an interactive session geared towards helping youth coaches in preparation for their 2010 team.

Admission is free. Please RSVP to Nathan Schwake at (859) 257-5526 or nschwake@uky.edu. Please include name, email address, age group, team name and league.

Each coach will also receive complimentary admission for themselves and a guest to Saturday’s game with IPFW at 1 p.m. ET.

March 8, 2010
BASEBALL

LOGAN DARNELL NAMED SEC PITCHER OF THE WEEK

UK Junior Twirled Complete-Game Shutout at San Diego

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- After twirling a complete-game shutout at San Diego Friday, Kentucky junior southpaw Logan Darnell has been named Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week, it was announced by the league office Monday afternoon.

Darnell, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound left-hander, had the game of his career against the west coast power Toreros. The Joelton, Tenn., native, tossed nine shutout innings in his third career start, handcuffing USD into just eight singles and one walk. He needed just 90 pitches to blank the Toreros, throwing 70 strikes and tossing first-pitch strikes to 22-of-32 hitters faced, facing only five hitters above the minimum. He forced USD, a team ranked No. 19 in the Baseball America preseason top-25, into 12 ground-ball outs and allowed his UK defense to turn a season-best four double plays.

“He was tremendous,” UK head coach Gary Henderson said following the game. “When you throw 70 strikes in 90 pitches that is getting it done at a high level. Not only did he throw a whole lot of strikes, but he did it with three pitches. It is pretty rare that you see a complete-game, 90-pitch effort in college baseball. I have to say if he doesn’t win some national and conference awards for this performance, something is seriously wrong.”

The complete-game shutout on the mound for UK marked the first since James Paxton tossed a shutout against Ole Miss on the final week of the regular season in 2008.

On the year, Darnell has made three starts and posted a 2-0 record and a 2.57 ERA. In 21 innings, Darnell has allowed only five walks and struck out 17, with UK winning all three games he started, with him not getting the decision in UK’s win at then-No. 12 ranked Coastal Carolina on opening weekend. In his career, Darnell has appeared in 46 games – 43 out of the bullpen – tossing 84.2 innings and totaling a 7-6 record and a 3.93 ERA, fanning 76.

March 8, 2010
BASEBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL: The Wildcats captured their 44th SEC Championship this week with wins at Georgia and against Florida. UK wrapped up a perfect season at home, going 18-0, tying the Rupp Arena 18-0 mark posted by the 1986 squad. UK finished with a record average of 24,110 fans per game, 85 more than the 1991 average of 24,025. This season’s total attendance was 433,989, 11,000 more than last season’s record of 422,547. The Wildcats are the SEC East’s top seed and have earned a first-round bye in this week’s SEC Tournament.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Kentucky advanced to its first SEC Tournament championship game since 1982 before losing to top-seeded Tennessee 70-62 on Sunday in Duluth, Ga. Victoria Dunlap and A’dia Mathies were named to the All- Tournament team. Dunlap averaged 22.3 points and 7.0 rebounds in three games of the tournament while Mathies followed with 17.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. The Wildcats defeated Auburn 65-54 in the quarterfinals and rallied from a 14-point second-half deficit for a 76-65 win over Mississippi State in the semifinals. UK discovers its seeding in the NCAA Tournament on March 15 on ESPN2.

GYMNASTICS: No. 15 Kentucky registered a season-high team score and held off host No. 27 Kent State 196.050- 195.950. Kentucky’s 196.050 is the fifth-highest team score under seventh-year head coach Mo Mitchell. The Wildcats also charted season-high team scores on the beam (48.675) and bars (49.150). Seniors Emily Rymer and Jamie Reimann shared title honors on bars (9.850). Emily Green and Hillary Ferguson shared title honors on the floor exercise (9.900). Rymer’s bars title was the first of her career. UK wraps up its regular-season home slate Friday when it plays host to Illinois State and George Washington.

SOFTBALL: With three victories this weekend at the Buzz Classic to wrap up non-conference tournament play, the Kentucky softball team is off to the best start in school history through 19 games with an overall 14-5 record. The 14 wins bests the 2007 season’s start of 13 victories through the same number of games. Kentucky was led this weekend by senior Natalie Smith’s tremendous 10-for-18 weekend at the plate. She now ranks eighth all-time in school history with 183 career hits and 10th all-time with 74 career RBI. Sophomore pitcher Chanda Bell had an equally impressive weekend. The right-hander went 2-1, with her lone loss coming to No. 9 Georgia Tech. She worked 20 innings and tossed 30 strikeouts. By fanning 30 more batters this weekend, she has now charted 327 career strikeouts, which ranks second alltime in UK history. Her two victories gives her 27 for her young career, which is the fourth most in school allure.

BASEBALL: The 23rd-ranked Kentucky baseball team had an excellent week, posting a midweek win over rival Morehead State on Tuesday before embarking on a three-game road swing in San Diego. Kentucky finished 3-1 on the week, suffering its first loss of the year at San Diego State on Thursday night, before rebounding with a pair of wins against San Diego at USD and a dramatic comeback win over Monmouth on Saturday. UK responded to its first loss of the season with a big win over San Diego, Friday afternoon at USD. Kentucky junior southpaw Logan Darnell tossed a complete-game shutout of the Toreros in just his third career start. In the win over Monmouth on Saturday afternoon, UK fell behind 13-6 entering the bottom of the seventh inning before mounting a spirited comeback over the final three innings. UK cut the lead to 13-12 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, when unlikely hero Neiko Johnson ripped a home run over the left-centerfield fence to even up the game at 13-13. UK then got hit by four consecutive pitches, with Braden Kapteyn getting plunked with the decisive pitch to force home the game-winning and walk-off run.

MEN’S TENNIS: The No. 8 Kentucky men’s tennis team gathered its fifth and sixth win against a ranked opponent when it defeated No. 40 Mississippi State 4-3 and No. 15 Ole Miss 5-2 in Lexington to open SEC play at 2-0. Freshman Anthony Rossi and junior Alberto Gonzalez each went 2-0 in singles on the weekend, with Gonzalez going 4-0 in singles and doubles. Sophomore No. 8 Eric Quigley defeated a ranked player and fellow sophomore Alex Musialek claimed the clinching point in the win over Mississippi State in singles. Junior Brad Cox and sophomore Graeme Dyce each posted big singles wins, with Cox beating the 101st-ranked player and Dyce posting a straight-sets win against Ole Miss. UK swept all doubles matches against Ole Miss.

TRACK AND FIELD: In the season's final weekend before NCAA Indoor Championships, the track and field team exploded with two automatic and four provisional qualifying marks. Ashley Muffet dismantled her own school record while acquiring an all-important NCAA automatic qualifying mark with a 17.46m/57-03.50 toss in the shot put. She was joined by Mary Angell and Jennifer Svoboda, who both claimed NCAA provisional qualifying marks. Ke'Undra Bishop also made the impressive move to a provisional qualifier in the women's triple jump with a mark of 12.70m/41- 08.00. Bishop had a previous mark of 12.38m/40-07.50, which was also set last weekend in Fayetteville, Ark. The second of two NCAA automatic qualifying marks came from junior Sharif Webb in the men's 800m run with a time of 1:47.86, moving him into second place all-time in the UK record books. The combination of Jenna Martin, Precious Nwokey, Jazmyn Shorter and Brittany Cabbler etched their names in the record books as the first Kentucky women's 4x400-meter relay team to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships. The group snapped its own school record by two and a half seconds with a time of 3:35.40.

WOMEN’S TENNIS: The UK women’s tennis team lost a pair of matches in the state of Mississippi this past weekend. The Wildcats dropped a 5-2 decision at Mississippi State on Friday and suffered a 6-1 setback at Ole Miss on Sunday. Senior Christine Johnston won both of her singles matches on the weekend. She is 7-3 in singles play this season. Caroline Lilley claimed a singles victory at Mississippi State. The Wildcats play their first home SEC match of the season on Friday when Georgia visits for a 4 p.m. contest. UK plays host to Tennessee on Sunday at 1 p.m.

March 7, 2010
WOMEN'S TENNIS

Women’s Tennis Drops 6-1 Decision at No. 38 Ole Miss

Christine Johnston Wins at No. 3 Singles

OXFORD, Miss. - The University of Kentucky women’s tennis team finished its two-match road trip in the state of Mississippi with a 6-1 loss at No. 38 Ole Miss on Sunday at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center. The Wildcats lost 5-2 at Mississippi State on Friday.

Kentucky senior Christine Johnston took the sole victory of the day for the Wildcats at No. 3 singles. Johnston, a Columbus, Ohio native, has been the most consistent player for the Wildcats this season in singles play, boasting a record of 7-3. Johnston earned a hard fought win over Abby Guthrie, rallying for a 5-7, 7-6 (10-8), 12-10 victory.

UK No. 1 singles player Megan Broderick fell to Karen Nijssen 6-2, 6-2. Such was the story on courts two and three for Wildcats sophomores Caroline Lilley and Minnette Pienaar. Lilley was defeated by Connor Vogel 6-0, 6-0 and Pienaar lost to Laura van de Stroet 6-4, 6-1.

The Rebels swept the doubles point to notch their first point of the match. UK’s pair of Lilley and Pienaar lost 8-4 to Nijssen and Kristi Boxx at No. 1. Johnston and Broderick lost a close match to Vogel and Gabby Rangel, 8-6, at No. 2 doubles. The Wildcat duo of Elle Coldiron and Nicole Scates saw defeat as well, losing at No. 3, 8-1.

No. 38 University of Mississippi (8-1, 2-0 SEC), No. 69 Kentucky (1-9, 0-2 SEC)

Singles
1. Karen Nijssen (UM) def. Megan Broderick (UK) 6-2, 6-2
2. Connor Vogel (UM) def. Caroline Lilley (UK) 6-0, 6-0
3. Christine Johnston (UK) def. Abby Guthrie (UM) 5-7, 7-6 (10-8), (12-10)
4. Laura von de Stroet (UM) def. Minnette Pienaar (UK) 6-4, 6-1
5. Gabby Rangel (UM) def. Elle Coldiron (UK) 6-1, 6-0
6. Soledad Podlipnik (UM) def.  Nicole Scates (UK) 6-2, 6-0

Doubles
1.Kristi Boxx/Karen Nikssen (UM) def. Caroline Lilley/Minnette Pienaar (UK) 8-4
2. Gabby Rangel/Connor Vogel (UM) def. Christine Johnston/Megan Broderick (UK) 8-6
3. Abby Guthrie/Laura van de Stroet (UM) def. Nicole Scates/Elle Coldiron (UK) 8-1

Order of finish: Doubles (3, 2, 1); Singles (5, 6, 2, 1, 4, 3)

March 7, 2010
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

FINAL SCORE: No. 1 Seed Tennessee 70, No 2 Seed Kentucky 62

Team Records and Series Notes

Kentucky falls to 25-7 while Tennessee improves to 30-2.

Tennessee owns a 46-7 lead in the all-time series, including a 4-1 edge at the SEC Tournament. UK’s lone win over Tennessee at the SEC Tournament, 80-74, came in the championship game in 1982. Tennessee won 81-65 in the only regular-season meeting earlier this season in Knoxville.

Kentucky’s all-time SEC Tournament record slips to 22-31.

Coach Matthew Mitchell’s overall record falls to 88-68, including a 58-39 mark at UK. Mitchell’s record against Tennessee drops to 1-5.

Up next: Kentucky will learn its seeding in the NCAA Tournament on March 15. The tournament selection show will be broadcast on ESPN2. It will mark UK's seventh overall appearance in the Big Dance, its first since 2006.
 

SEC Tournament Notes

This was UK’s second appearance in the SEC Tournament championship game, the first since the league went to a 12-team format in 1992. The Wildcats’ first appearance was in 1982.

Junior forward Victoria Dunlap and freshman guard A’dia Mathies were named to the SEC All-Tournament squad. It marks the first time a UK player has been named to the all-tournament team since Stacy McIntyre in 1992. Dunlap averaged 22.3 points and 7.0 rebounds in three games of the tournament while Mathies followed with 17.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
 

Team Game Notes

·Key run: After UK tied the game at 50-50, the Wildcats were held without a basket for 5:53 until Dunlap converted a layup with 4:11 left to pull UK within 59-53. The Cats could get no closer as Tennessee outscored UK 20-8 over the final 10 minutes of the game, holding on for the 70-62 win.

UK set the single-season mark for three-pointers made with 168. The previous record was 164 by the 1994-95 squad. 

Kentucky grabbed 10 steals against Tennessee. UK has swiped 10 or more steals in 23 games this season.

UK extended its streak of consecutive games with a three-pointer to 219 consecutive games, dating back to the 2003-04 season.

Kentucky has held its opponent under 50 percent field goal shooting in 31 of 32 games this season.

Kentucky forced Tennessee into 20 turnovers. The Wildcats have frustrated their foes into 10 or more turnovers in every game this season.

Kentucky started with the lineup of Keyla Snowden, Victoria Dunlap, Amber Smith Amani Franklin and A’dia Mathies for the fifth time this season. That lineup is 2-3.
 

Individual Game Notes

Junior forward and SEC Player of the Year Victoria Dunlap scored 21 points to go with six rebounds, two blocks and one steals.

Has scored 20 or more points in 13 games this season, including four of the last five.

Has scored in double figures in 29 games this season.

Moved into 15th place on UK’s all-time career scoring list (1,199 points).

Moved into sixth place on UK’s career rebounds list with 774.

Extended her single-season blocks record 63.

Has recorded at least one steal in 39 consecutive games.

Freshman guard and SEC Freshman of the Year A’dia Mathies scored 11 points, to go with six rebounds, two assists and three steals.

Has scored in double figures in 24 of 32 games this season.

Has pulled down at least four rebounds in 26 games this season.

Has grabbed three or more steals in 14 games this year.

Sophomore guard Keyla Snowden had 10 points thanks in large part to a pair of three-pointers.

Has made two or more three-pointers in 11 games this season.

Junior forward Lydia Watkins scored seven points off the bench, making 7-of-8 free throw attempts.

Junior point guard Amber Smith scored six points to go with seven assists, four rebounds and three steals.

Has handed out five or more assists on 10 occasions this year.

Ended the SEC Tournament with 20 assists in three games.

March 7, 2010
MEN'S GOLF

Former Wildcat Mark Blakefield Wins First NGA Hooters Tour Event of 2010

Former Kentucky Wildcat Mark Blakefield Posts 6-Under-Par 66 to Claim Tournament Title

OCALA, Fla. -- Former University of Kentucky men’s golf star Mark Blakefield started the 2010 golf season the right way by claiming the Ocala Marion Sports Commission Classic, the first event of the 2010 National Golf Association Hooters Tour Pro Series. 

Blakefield, a native of Maysville, Ky., sat at even-par and in a tie for fifth place heading into the final round on Sunday and posted a dazzling 6-under-par to claim the tournament title. A 2005 All-Southeastern Conference second-team selection, Blakefield’s round of 66 was tied for the lowest round of the tournament.

A member of the 2005 SEC championship team, Blakefield posted six birdies in the final round, parring the rest of the course. Blakefield’s birdie on the par-4 17th-hole helped seal the tournament crown, giving him a one-stroke lead heading into the final hole.

The UK alum started the tournament with a 1-over-par 73 in the first round but responded with a 1-under-par score in the second round and an even-par card in the third round. Blakefield’s total earnings reach $30,000 for the tournament.

The 2008 ADI Classic champion posted two top-10 finishes in 2009. In his career on the Hooters Tour, Blakefield has played in 63 tournaments, making 31 cuts.

Blakefield finished one stroke better then Ted Potter of Silver Springs, Fla., who shot a 3-under-par 69 in the final round and Russell Knox of Jacksonville Beach, Fla., who posted a 2-under-par 70.

The tournament was held at the Golden Hills Golf and Turf Club in Ocala, Fla. The course is par-72 with a yardage of 7,301. 


March 7, 2010
BASEBALL

Weekly Update

Overall Record: 9-1, 0-0 SEC

Record Last Week: 3-1, 0-0 SEC

Recent Results

Tuesday, March 2 * defeated Morehead State, 5-2
Thursday, March 4 * lost at San Diego State, 12-4
Friday, March 5 * defeated San Diego, 6-0 (at San Diego)
Saturday, March 6 * defeated Monmouth, 14-13 (at San Diego)

Upcoming Schedule (times Eastern)
Tuesday, March 9 * vs. Evansville * 4 p.m.
Wednesday, March 10 * vs. Evansville * 4 p.m.
Friday, March 12 * vs. IPFW * 4 p.m.
Saturday, March 13 * vs. IPFW * 1 p.m.
Sunday, March 14 * vs. IPFW * 1 p.m.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE

Logan Darnell
6-2 * Jr. * LHP * Joelton, Tenn.
Week Stats: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 9.0 IP, 8 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO
Season Stats: 2-0, 2.57 ERA, 3 GS, 21 IP, 6 R, 5 BB, 17 SO

Notes: Junior southpaw Logan Darnell had the game of his career in a win at San Diego Friday … Making just his third career start, Darnell tossed a complete-game shutout against the Toreros, hurling nine innings and allowing only eight hits and no runs, striking out four … Darnell needed just 90 pitches to blank USD, throwing 70 strikes and tossing first-pitch strikes to 22-of-32 hitters … Darnell completely handcuffed USD, a team ranked No. 19 in the Baseball America preseason top-25, facing only five hitters over the minimum of 27 and not allowing an extra-base hit … He pounded the low part of the strike zone, forcing USD into 12 ground-ball outs and allowing his UK defense to turn a season-high four double plays … After the game, UK head coach Gary Henderson raved on his performance: “He was tremendous. When you throw 70 strikes in 90 pitches that is getting it done at a high level. Not only did he throw a whole lot of strikes, but he did it with three pitches. It is pretty rare that you see a complete-game, 90-pitch effort in college baseball. I have to say if he doesn’t win some national and conference awards for this performance, something is seriously wrong.” … The complete-game shutout marked UK’s first since James Paxton twirled a shutout against Ole Miss on the final weekend of 2008 … On the year, Darnell has totaled a 2-0 record and a 2.57 ERA in three starts, tossing 21 innings and striking out 17.

**SUPLEMENTAL** PITCHER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE

Matt Little
5-10 * Jr. * RHP * Virginia Beach, Va.
Week Stats: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 save, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 11 SO, .125 opp. avg.
Season Stats: 1-0, 0.82 ERA, 5 App., 3 saves, 11 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 14 SO, .121 opp. avg.

Notes: Junior right-hander Matt Little broke out in a big way during UK’s 3-1 week, posting a save and a win in two appearances in relief … Little picked up his team-best third save of the season in Tuesday’s win over Morehead State, pitching a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts to close out the win for the Wildcats … In UK’s dramatic comeback win over Monmouth, Little entered with UK trailing by six runs in the sixth inning … Little immediately showcased his lockdown stuff striking out the first six batters he faced and fanning seven of his first eight opposing hitters … With the UK offense slowly mounting a comeback over the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, Little held strong, going the final four innings, allowing two hits and no walks, striking out a career-best nine … Little brought a competitiveness and spark that the Wildcats needed on the bump in the win over Monmouth, igniting the UK offensive resurgence … UK head coach Gary Henderson was impressed by the outing from Little: “Matt Little’s performance out of the bullpen was outstanding. It gave us a chance to get back into the game. It gave our club a shot of adrenaline and it brought some energy to our dugout. To go four innings with only two hits, nine punch-outs and no walks is a pretty special performance.” … Overall on the week, Little pitched five innings, allowing only two hits and issuing no walks, striking out 11 … On the year, Little owns a 0.82 ERA with a team-high three saves, fanning 14 in 11 innings and issuing only three walks, holding opponents to a .121 average.

TEAM NOTES

The 23rd-ranked Kentucky baseball team had an excellent week, posting a midweek win over rival Morehead State on Tuesday, before embarking on a three-game road swing in San Diego. UK will return to action with a pair of midweek games against Evansville, Tuesday and Wednesday, with both games slated for a 4 p.m. ET first pitch at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

Kentucky (9-1) finished 3-1 on the week, suffering its first loss of the year at San Diego State Thursday night, before rebounding with a pair of wins against San Diego at USD and a dramatic comeback win over Monmouth Saturday.

The Wildcats dropped their first game of the season at SDSU, 12-4, to a team coached by Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. UK starter Alex Meyer got roughed up and was pulled from the game in the fifth inning, while SDSU All-American right-hander Addison Reed locked the Wildcats down with six innings on the bump, allowing only two runs. UK got a multi-hit game from sophomore rightfielder Cory Farris in the SDSU game.

UK responded with a big win over San Diego Friday afternoon at USD, a team ranked No. 19 in the preseason by Baseball America. Kentucky junior southpaw Logan Darnell turned in a splendid performance, tossing a complete-game shutout of the Toreros in just his third career start. Darnell, a native of Joelton, Tenn., needed just 90 pitches to handcuff USD, tossing 70 strikes and hurling 22-of-32 first-pitch strikes, facing just five hitters over the minimum and not allowing an extra-base hit.

In the win over Monmouth Saturday afternoon, UK fell behind 13-6 entering the bottom of the seventh inning before mounting a spirited comeback over the final three innings, while UK right-hander Matt Little silenced the Hawks bat to keep UK in the game. Monmouth, the defending Northeast Conference champions, jumped all over freshman southpaw Taylor Rogers, making his third career start, for 10 runs in 2.1 innings, chasing him from the game. Little, a native of Virginia Beach, Va., kept UK in the game after entering in the sixth inning, tossing the final four innings, allowing only two hits and striking out nine for his first career win. UK cut the lead to 13-12 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, when unlikely hero Neiko Johnson, a speedy 5-foot-9, 160-pound infielder, ripped a 2-2 pitch over the left-centerfield fence to even up the game at 13-13. The roundtripper marked Johnson’s first career home run. UK then got hit by four consecutive pitches, with Kapteyn getting plunked with the decisive pitch to force home game-winning and walk-off run. In the game, UK got hit by 10 pitches, equaling an NCAA record, done only twice in college baseball history, once in 1998 and again in 2009.

UK’s games with Evansville will be broadcast live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio). 

March 7, 2010
MEN'S TENNIS

No. 8 Men’s Tennis Claims 5-2 Win Over No. 15 Ole Miss

Wildcats Notch Sixth Victory Against Ranked Opponent

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The eighth-ranked University of Kentucky men’s tennis team claimed its sixth win this season against a ranked opponent Sunday when it defeated No. 15 Ole Miss 5-2 at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex.

The victory marks UK’s first win in the series since 2002 and keeps the Wildcats undefeated at home after eight home matches.

UK claims its second win over a Southeastern Conference foe this weekend. The Wildcats topped No. 40 Mississippi State 4-3 on Friday in Lexington.

Kentucky (11-4, 2-0 SEC) swept the doubles point against Ole Miss (9-2, 1-1 SEC) and earned singles wins from No. 8 Eric Quigley (Pewee Valley, KY.) at No. 1, Anthony Rossi (Martigues, France) at No. 4, Alberto Gonzalez (Bradenton, Fla.) at No. 5 and Graeme Dyce (Edinburgh, Scotland) at No. 6.

The 15th-ranked doubles tandem of Quigley and Brad Cox (Duluth, Ga.) edged the Rebels duo of Tucker Vorster and Jonas Lutjen  in a tiebreaker 8-7 (7-5) at No. 1 doubles. Gonzalez and Alex Lambropoulous (Lake Forest, Ill.) defeated Chris Thiemann and Marcel Thiemann 8-4 at No. 2 doubles. UK clinched the doubles point when Rossi and fellow Frenchman Alex Musialek (Dax, France) charted an 8-6 win over Adrian Forberg Skogeng and Jaime Vazquez 8-4.

The Wildcats quickly carried their momentum over to singles action when Dyce earned a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Vazquez at No. 6 singles. After 53rd-ranked Tucker Vortster knocked off UK’s Musialek 6-3, 6- 2 at No. 2 singles, Kentucky won the next three singles matches in straight sets to claim the win.

“For us to play this well against such a good team that understands how to play at a championship level is a big step forward for our team,” head coach Dennis Emery said. “Winning the doubles point was a big key to winning the match today. It really gave us a lot of momentum in singles play where we won the first set in five singles matches.”

Quigley earned a 6-4, 6-2 win over No. 81 Marcel Thiemann at No. 1 singles. Rossi defeated Skogeng 6-3, 6-4 at No. 4 singles. Gonzalez secured the team win with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Chris Thiemann at No. 5 singles.

Cox went to the super tiebreaker with Lutjen of Ole Miss before dropping a 6-7 (7-5), 7-6 (7-2), 10-5 decision.

The match was Kentucky’s first of the spring season played outdoors.

“It’s not an easy transition, but the guys really showed a lot of mental toughness playing outdoors today even though we haven’t had any opportunities to practice outside,” Emery said. “It may be the best transition made by a team since I’ve been here.”

 
No. 8 Kentucky (11-4, 2-0 SEC) 5, No. 15 Ole Miss (9-2, 1-1 SEC) 2

 
Singles
1. No. 8 Eric Quigley (UK) def. No. 81 Marcel Thiemann (UM) 6-4, 6-2
2. No. 53 Tucker Vortster (UM) def. No. 37 Alex Musialek (UK) 6-3, 6-2
3. Jonas Lutjen (UM) def. Brad Cox (UK) 6-7 (7-5), 7-6 (7-2), 10-5
4. Anthony Rossi (UK) def. Adrian Forberg Skogeng (UM) 6-3, 6-4
5. Alberto Gonzalez (UK) def. Chris Thiemann (UM) 6-1, 6-3
6. Graeme Dyce (UK) def. Jaime Vazquez (UM) 6-4, 6-2

 
Doubles
1. No. 15 Quigley/Cox (UK) def. Vorster/Lutjen (UM) 8-7 (7-5)
2. Gonzalez/Lambropoulos (UK) def. M. Thiemann/C. Thiemann (UM) 8-4
3. Rossi/Musialek (UK) def. Skogeng/Vazquez (UM) 8-6

Order of Finish: Doubles: 2, 3, 1; Singles: 6, 2, 1, 5, 4, 3

March 7, 2010
SOFTBALL

UK Off to Best Start in School History with Win

Today’s win gives UK 14 victories through 19 games, the best start in school allure

MARIETTA, Ga.  – Behind a stifling defensive effort and hot hitting the 23rd-ranked Kentucky softball team posted its 14th win of the early going and marked the best start in school history with a 7-0 win over Liberty. Kentucky’s 14 wins through 19 games is the most in school history, besting the 13 wins to begin the year in 2007.

Kentucky (14-5) charted nine hits in the game, including home runs by senior Molly Johnson and junior Samantha DeMartine. Senior Natalie Smith was a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish including a two-run triple.

Sophomore ace Chanda Bell improved her record to 8-2 on the year with her complete game shutout. The right-hander tossed 10 strikeouts in the game, and has now posted over 100 for the season.

The Wildcats opened the scoring in the home half of the first inning after retiring the side to begin the game. Johnson led off the inning with a solo home run with a line drive shot over the left field fence for the first run of the game. Junior Megan Yocke earned a walk and then Smith earned a base with a bunt. Junior Meagan Aull shifted the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, and sophomore Brittany Cervantes brought in Yocke with a grounder to the shortstop for a 2-0 UK advantage.

UK tacked on three more runs in the second inning. DeMartine blasted a solo home run over the center field fence to lead off the inning for the first round tripper of the season for the first baseman. Junior Annie Rowlands then had a single through the left side, and Johnson reached base when the centerfield muffed a catch. Smith’s triple brought in both runs to make the score 5-0 in favor of the Blue and White.

The Blue and White added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 7-0. Smith charted her third hit of the game with a single through the right side gap. She advanced to second when freshman Jessica Adkins grounded out to first base. Smith then shifted to third on a wild pitch. Freshman Alice O’Brien was plucked with a pitch and then promptly stole second to shift both runners into scoring position. A muffed fielding error by the shortstop during DeMartine’s at-bat allowed both runners to tap home for the pair of runs in the inning.

March 6, 2010
TRACK & FIELD

UK Has Record Breaking Day at Last Chance Meets

Muffet and Women’s 4x4 Shatter School Records, Webb Moves to Second All-time

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- In the season’s final weekend before NCAA Indoor Championships the University of Kentucky track and field team exploded with two automatic and four provisional qualifying marks as the Wildcats competed Saturday at three separate venues across the country.

Ashley Muffet, in her final season as a Wildcat, established herself as one the greatest throwers in school history as she dismantled her own school record while acquiring an all-important NCAA automatic qualifying mark in the women’s shot put. Muffet saw the longest throw of her career land 17.46m/57-03.50 from the circle, eclipsing her previous mark of the season by an astonishing 3-04.25 to finish atop her collegiate competitors in the event.

The second of two NCAA automatic qualifying marks came from junior Sharif Webb in the men’s 800m run with a time of 1:47.86 moving him into second place all-time in the UK record books behind David Freeman. Webb’s previous best time of 1:49.84 was set at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships on the banked track of the Randal Tyson Track Complex.

The combination of Jenna Martin, Precious Nwokey, Jazmyn Shorter and Brittany Cabbler etched their names in the record books as the first Kentucky women’s 4x400-meter relay team to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships. The group snapped their own school record by two and a half seconds with a time of 3:35.40, set just one week ago at the SEC Indoor Championships.

“I have tinkered with the women’s order all year, after the SEC meet and setting the school record I sent the girls a text about the new order and they ran exactly the way I thought they would,” said Kentucky sprints coach Erin Tucker. “I am proud of them for being the first UK women’s 4x4 to run at the NCAA Indoor Championship but I am more proud of them stepping up to the challenge I gave them of carrying on the UK 4x4 legacy.”

Ashley Muffet was joined by her two counterpart shot putters Mary Angell and Jennifer Svoboda, who both claimed NCAA provisional qualifying marks. Angell threw 15.53m/50-11.50, her best throw of the year, and moved into the conversation to qualify for NCAAs. Svoboda was just behind the mark of Angell with a throw of 15.27m/50-01.25 but had a previous long throw of 15.66m/51-04.00 set in the first competition of the year. All of Kentucky’s women’s throwers, including Kristin Smith in the weight throw, have at least provisional qualifying marks.

Ke’Undra Bishop also made the impressive move to a provisional qualifier in the women’s triple jump with a mark of 12.70m/41-08.00. Bishop had a previous mark of 12.38m/40-07.50 also set last weekend in Fayetteville, Ark.

The Cats look to build on their record setting day at the NCAA Indoor Championships next weekend, March 12-14, at the Randal Tyson Track Complex in Fayetteville, Ark.

The final list of qualifiers who will make the trip back to Fayetteville for the NCAA Indoor Championship will be announced Monday at 7 p.m. ET and will be posted on the UK track and field page along with this seasons SEC award winners.

March 6, 2010
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

FINAL SCORE: No. 2 Seed Kentucky 76, No 3 Seed Mississippi State 65

Team Records and Series Notes

Kentucky improves to 25-6 while Mississippi State falls to 19-12.

Kentucky gains the lead in the overall series with an 18-17 mark, including a 4-2 edge when the teams meet at the SEC Tournament. Tonight’s contest was the first between the squads at the SEC Tournament since 2002 when Kentucky won 75-72 in Nashville, Tenn.

Kentucky’s win is the second this season against Mississippi State. The Wildcats topped the Bulldogs 69-59 on Jan. 31 in Starkville, Miss.

Kentucky improves its record to 22-30 all-time at the SEC Tournament.
UK head coach Matthew Mitchell’s overall record improves to 88-67, including a 58-38 mark at UK. Mitchell’s record against Mississippi State improves to 3-2.

SEC Tournament Notes

The Wildcats advance to the finals of the SEC Tournament for the first time since the league went to a 12-team format in 1992. It also marks UK’s first appearance in the final game since defeating Tennessee (80-74) for the 1982 championship title held in Lexington, Ky.

Junior forward Victoria Dunlap set a new school record for most Kentucky blocks in a single SEC Tournament game with five.

The Wildcats are 4-2 all-time vs. Mississippi State in SEC Tournament games.

UK forced MSU into 28 turnovers, the most by a Wildcat opponent in the SEC Tournament.

Freshman guard A’dia Mathies tied the UK record for most free throws made in an SEC Tournament game with 11. Mathies was 10-of-11 from the charity stripe in the game, including 8-of-9 free throws in the second half.
 

Team Game Notes

·Key run: Kentucky trailed 14 points in the second half at 38-24 with 19:34 remaining but used a 16-4 run, including 10 points from Victoria Dunlap to pull within two 44-42.

After the Lady Bulldogs managed to grow their advantage back to 53-46 at 11:16, Kentucky grabbed control of the game with a 23-6 run to take a 69-59 advantage with 4:17 to go.

A’dia Mathies led UK with 10 points during the second spurt, while Smith added five points.

Kentucky’s 25 wins tie the school record for most wins in a season with the 1980-81 team that compiled a 25-6 mark under former coach Terry Hall.

UK’s 14-point come-from-behind win is its largest rally this season. The Wildcats trailed by as many as 10 points in their 63-53 win over Vanderbilt in Lexington on Jan. 10.

The Wildcats forced Mississippi State into 28 turnovers, the most forced by the Cats in an SEC Tournament. UK has forced 20 or more turnovers in 23 of 30 games this season. The  Wildcats improve to 13-0 when forcing 25 or more turnovers.

Kentucky committed 18 turnovers against the Bulldogs, but made only four miscues in the second half.

Kentucky improves to 16-1 this season when scoring 70 or more points in a game.

UK won the battle of the boards 40-34 and remains undefeated at 17-0 when it out-rebounds the opponent.

Kentucky grabbed 13 steals against the Lady Bulldogs. UK has swiped 10 or more steals in 22 games this season.

UK extended its streak of consecutive games with a three-pointer to 218 consecutive games, dating back to the 2003-04 season.

Kentucky has held its opponent under 50 percent field goal shooting in 30 of 31 games this season.

Kentucky started with the lineup of Keyla Snowden, Victoria Dunlap, Amber Smith Amani Franklin and A’dia Mathies for the fourth time this season. That lineup is 2-2.
 
Individual Game Notes

Junior forward and SEC Player of the Year Victoria Dunlap scored 22 points to go with nine rebounds, five blocks and five steals.

Dunlap has scored 20 or more points in 12 games this season, including three of the last four.

Moved into 18th place on UK’s all-time career scoring list (1,178 points).

Moved into sixth place on UK’s career rebounds list with 768.

Swatted a career-high five shots to give her 124 career blocks, which ranks third all-time in school history.

Has 61 blocks on the season for the single-season school record. She surpasses Sarah Elliott’s 56 blocks during the 2007-08 season.

Ranks in ninth place on the school’s all-time steal list with 195.

Has recorded at least one steal in 38 consecutive games.

Freshman guard and SEC Freshman of the Year A’dia Mathies scored a game-high 25 points, making 11-of-12 free throws to go with five rebounds.

Has scored in double figures in 23 of 31 games this season.

Fifth 20-point scoring effort this season.

Has pulled down at least four rebounds in 25 games this season.

Tonight is the second time this season UK has had two players score 20 points in the same game Mathies (27) and Dunlap (20) accomplished the feat against Arkansas on Feb. 7, 2010.

Junior point guard Amber Smith scored 14 points to go with seven assists and three steals.

Has handed out five or more assists on nine occasions this year.

Has scored in double figures in 12 games this season.

March 6, 2010
SOFTBALL

Four-Run Third Inning Lifts Softball

Four runs in the third gives UK its 14th win of the season

MARIETTA, Ga.  – Behind a four-run third inning the 23rd ranked Kentucky softball team earned a 5-0 win over Western Carolina Saturday night on a brisk night at the Buzz Classic. The victory gives UK its 14th of the season.

Kentucky (14-5) had four different players register hits in the game, but it was UK’s stellar base running that propelled them to victory. The Blue and White swiped three bases in the decisive inning to capitalize on their offensive opportunities. Senior Natalie Smith had a triple, drove in a run and tapped home to lead the Wildcats, while freshman Alice O’Brien had two hits in her first two career at-bats.

Sophomore right-hander Rachel Riley earned her fourth win of the year in a complete game effort.

With two outs, Smith laced a triple into deep right field. The inning would end leaving her in scoring position as the Wildcats hit a zinger right to the second baseman.

UK had another opportunity in the second when Brittany Cervantes sent a well hit ball into right field, that the fielder mishandled and muffed allowing her to reach second. Kentucky had back-to-back fly outs leaving the runner aboard.

The Wildcats broke open the score with a four-run third inning. Molly Johnson and Megan Yocke both registered one-out walks to place runners on base. The tandem shifted into scoring position with a pair of stolen bases. Smith’s blooper back to the pitcher allowed the speedy Johnson to tap home. Meagan Aull drove in Yocke with a single through the right side. Aull would then shift to second with a swiped bag and a single by Cervantes plated the fourth run of the inning for a 4-0 advantage.

O’Brien earned her first career hit with a single through the right side in the fourth inning, but UK could not advance her past second and the score remained 4-0.

O’Brien and sophomore Macy Allen both had back-to-back two-out singles into centerfield to place two runners on base in the bottom half of the sixth. Johnson drove in O’Brien from second when she found a gap through the right side to make the final margin 5-0.

March 6, 2010
BASEBALL

NO. 23 KENTUCKY CLIMBS FROM SIX DOWN FOR WALK-OFF WIN

Neiko Johnson Leads Off with Game-Tying Homer in Bottom of the Ninth

SAN DIEGO -- Trailing by six runs entering the bottom of the seventh inning, No. 23 Kentucky rallied to score seven unanswered runs and posted a 14-13 walk-off win over Monmouth, Saturday afternoon at Cunningham Stadium.

UK trailed by six entering the bottom of the seventh inning but began chipping away with a run in the seventh and four runs in the eighth, before the heroic ninth frame. The Wildcats faced a one-run deficit entering the bottom of the ninth, when 5-foot-9, 160-pound infielder Neiko Johnson ripped a 2-2 offering over the left-centerfield fence for the game-tying home run, his first career homer. The Wildcats then loaded the bases with no out on three consecutive hit by pitches and Braden Kapteyn became the fourth consecutive UK hitter to get hit by a pitch to force the walk-off run to the plate.

“Anytime you come back from six down it is a good thing for your club that you know they can fight, they can compete and they can play from behind,” UK head coach Gary Henderson said. “Playing from behind is something that we have been working on this weekend and obviously we felt like we did a much better job of it today than we did on Thursday. When you come down from seven, you need a lot of good things to happen for you and we had that today.”

The Wildcats tied an NCAA record for hit batters in a game getting plunked by 10 pitches. Only twice in NCAA history has a team got hit by 10 pitches in a game; St. Joseph’s vs. Fordham in 2009 and Washington vs. Rice in 1998. Over the last two games, UK has been hit by 17 pitches and has now been hit by 39 in just 10 games. Nevada set the NCAA record in 1997 after getting hit by 125 pitches in their 60 games and the Wildcats are on pace for 218 hit batters on the year.

Kentucky (9-1) got a clutch bullpen performance from junior right-hander Matt Little, who came on with UK trailing in the sixth inning and tossed the final four innings of the game, showcasing lockdown stuff by allowing only two hits and striking out a career-high nine, including getting seven of his first eight outs by punch-out. On the year, Little owns a 0.82 ERA with a club-best three saves, fanning 14 in 11 innings and only issuing three walks.

“Well, Matt Little’s performance out of the bullpen was outstanding,” Henderson said. “It was obviously an outstanding performance and it gave us a chance to get back in the game. It gave our club a shot of adrenaline. It brought some energy to our dugout. To go four innings with only two hits, nine punch-outs and no walks is a pretty special performance.”

The Wildcats got breakout offensive performances from Kapteyn and Chad Wright, with Kapteyn totaling a 4-for-5, three-RBI game and Wright charting a 3-for-4, four-RBI, one walk game. Little (1-0) picked up the win with his four shutout innings. Wright’s two big RBI game in the bottom of the eighth inning with the bases loaded, sending a two-out, two-RBI single into left field to cut the lead to one.

UK starter Taylor Rogers (2-0) got roughed up in his third career start, surrendering 10 runs in 2.1 innings of work. Fellow freshman Jordan Cooper came on in relief of Rogers and allowed two hits and three runs in 2.2 innings of action. Monmouth reliever Andy McDonnell (0-1) took the loss, allowing the four decisive runs in one official inning of work. The Hawks started lefty Nick Vallillo, who didn’t make it through the first inning, getting two outs and allowing five runs.

With UK trailing by six entering the seventh inning, the Wildcats began the dramatic comeback, as Keenan Wiley led off with a single up the middle, scoring on Wright’s two-out single through the right side.

UK cut the lead to 13-12 with four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Johnson got hit by a pitch, pinch hitter Navarro Hall drew a walk and Glad got hit by a pitch to load the bags. Wiley singled into centerfield for an RBI and Kapteyn beat out a high-hopping infield single at third base to score Hall. After two hitters struck out, Wright came up with the two-out, two-RBI single into leftfield.

“One of the biggest moments in the game to me was the two-out hit in the eighth inning from Chad Wright, which was really crucial,” Henderson said. “He helped put us in position to win the game, instead of being down by three runs entering the bottom of the ninth we were in striking distance down just one.”

Johnson, a native of Redan, Ga., got the ninth inning started by working the count to 2-2 and belting his first career homer over the left-centerfield fence to even up the game. Freshman catcher Luke Maile then got hit by a pitch and freshman outfielder Sam Kidd was called upon to pinch run at first base. After a wild pitch moved Kidd into scoring position, Glad and Wiley loaded the bases with hit by pitches. That brought Kapteyn to the dish, who got plunked by the pitch to force home the game-winning run.

“Actually I was trying to stay back and drive it the other way but he just threw me inside and I just tried to turn on it,” Johnson said. “It is a big win for us. We showed a lot of toughness to come back from six down. We showed a lot of competitiveness and a lot of heart.”

The Hawks (0-2) jumped on the board just two pitches into the game, taking an early 1-0 lead. After Rogers got Josh Boyd to ground out on the first pitch, Ryan Terry sent the first pitch of the at bat sailing over the left-field fence.

UK immediately responded, plating five runs on four hits and four hit batters in the bottom of the first inning. Wright led off with a walk and Andy Burns got hit by a pitch. UK preseason All-American Chris Bisson followed and got hit by a pitch from Vallillo and was removed from the game. After Marcus Nidiffer struck out, Wright scored after a balk was called on Vallillo. Gunner Glad made good on the two runners in scoring position, ripping a double down the left-field line, scoring Burns and Bisson’s replacement, Johnson. Kapteyn then lined a hard-hit single up the middle, scoring one and bringing Brian Adams to the dish. Adams laid down a perfectly-placed bunt single down the third base line and Taylor Black got hit by a pitch to load the bases. Wright came up to the plate again and after a pitching change, got plunked by the first pitch, scoring another run.

Monmouth jumped all over Rogers in the top of the second, plating six runs on seven hits and a UK error. The big swing for the Hawks came on a grand slam by rightfielder Nick Pulsonetti.

The Hawks continued to add to its lead in the top of the third, as Danny Avella tripled into the right-centerfield gap with one out and Matt McEndy singled to shortstop for an RBI. Josh Boyd then drew a walk and Pulsonetti reached on a fielder’s choice. Jamie Rosenkranz followed and ripped a two-RBI double into left-centerfield, just out of the reach of Adams in leftfield.

UK got two runs back in the bottom of the third, taking advantage of two errors and three UK hits. Kapteyn reached on a one-out single up the middle, bringing Black to the plate, who lofted a hard-hit ball into rightfield, with the Monmouth rightfielder having the ball pop out of the glove for an error, with Kapteyn scoring from first and Black moving to second. Wright then singled to shortstop, with Black scoring after a throwing error on the MU shortstop.

Monmouth stretched its lead to 13-7 with two runs in the top of the sixth, as Cooper walked the two leadoff hitters, before being pulled for Little. Little fanned one but Bobby Dombrowski chopped a single through the drawn in infield, allowing two runs to score. Little responded with two more strikeouts to get out of the frame.

UK Head Coach Gary Henderson Postgame Quotes

On the comeback win …
“Anytime you come back from six down it is a good thing for your club that you know they can fight, they can compete and they can play from behind. Playing from behind is something that we have been working on this weekend and obviously we felt like we did a much better job of it today than we did on Thursday. When you come down from seven, you need a lot of good things to happen for you and we had that today.”

On Matt Little’s four shutout innings in relief …
“Well, Matt Little’s performance out of the bullpen was outstanding. It was obviously an outstanding performance and it gave us a chance to get back in the game. It gave our club a shot of adrenaline. It brought some energy to our dugout. To go four innings with only two hits, nine punch-outs and no walks is a pretty special performance.”

On Chad Wright’s two-out, two-RBI single in the eighth inning …
“One of the biggest moments in the game to me was the two-out hit in the eighth inning from Chad Wright, which was really crucial. He helped put us in position to win the game, instead of being down by three runs entering the bottom of the ninth we were in striking distance down just one.”

UK Infielder Neiko Johnson Postgame Quotes

On what the win means to the team …
“It is a big win for us. We showed a lot of toughness to come back from six down. We showed a lot of competitiveness and a lot of heart.”

On his mentality when he entered the game in the first inning …
“Actually I was ready before, because Black wasn’t feeling too well. So, I was ready just in case I needed to go in for him. But when I saw Bisson go down, I just knew that we needed someone to step in and perform.”

On the double play he turned in the ninth inning from the shortstop position …
“I was expecting a hit-and-run or something. I knew they were going to try to go opposite way towards the hole. I caught the ball and made a strong throw to get him at first.”

On his game-tying homer in the bottom of the ninth …
“Actually I was trying to stay back and drive it the other way but he just threw me inside and I just tried to turn on it.”

March 6, 2010
SOFTBALL

UK Falls in Back and Forth Battle with Georgia Tech

Ninth ranked Yellow Jackets top UK in offensive battle

MARIETTA, Ga.  – In a showdown of top-25 ranked teams, the game lived up to its billing in an offensive back-and-forth battle in which No. 9 Georgia Tech edged out 23rd-ranked Kentucky, 6-3. The Wildcats could not convert on its chances in the late innings leaving seven runners stranded throughout the game.

Kentucky (12-5) lost its second straight game for the first time this season. Georgia Tech hit three home runs to help overcome a gutsy performance by the Wildcats. Senior Molly Johnson was 3-for-4 on the day with two runs scored and a triple. Junior Megan Yocke drove in a pair of runs with two singles.

Sophomore pitcher Chanda Bell takes the loss in the circle despite striking out 11 Yellow Jacket batters on the night.

Johnson led off the first inning by earning a walk to put a runner on base. After swiping second, the Wildcats would leave her stranded with three consecutive outs following her leadoff base on balls.

Georgia Tech took a 1-0 edge early with a solo home run in the bottom half of the first stanza. Jen Yee, the reigning Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week, hit a solo home run over the left center wall for the tally.

After both pitchers retired the side in the second frame, Johnson rallied the Wildcats with a two-out single into the left-center gap. The senior shortstop then moved into scoring position with her second stolen base of the game. Yocke delivered an RBI single to knot the score at one apiece with a single along the right-field line.

UK had another prime opportunity in the top half of the third. Meagan Aull led off with a single through the right side and then moved into scoring position with a stolen base. A fly out into right field allowed her to tag up and move to third, but the inning ended with a pop-up to the second baseman leaving a runner aboard.

Bell and the UK defense escaped a jam in the bottom of the third frame. Yee earned her second hit of the game with a single to place a runner on base. Bell then yielded her first walk of the game to place two runners on base. After a sacrifice bunt to place both runners in scoring position, Bell was at her best. She forced a pop up to Brittany Cervantes at third and then sat her seventh batter down on strikes to end the inning.

Johnson helped the Wildcats break open a tie score with a two-out triple along the left field line. Yocke brought her in with her second RBI single of the game. Natalie Smith then roped a ball along the right field line and the right fielder mishandled the hopper allowing Yocke to round all the way home for the second score of the inning and a 3-1 UK advantage.

The Yellow Jackets responded quickly as Yee hit her second home run of the game, this time with two runners aboard to lift the designated home team to a 4-3 advantage.

Kentucky made things interesting in the top half of the sixth. With one out back-to-back runners reached base when Georgia Tech fielders muffed plays. Freshman Kara Dill hit a chopper to the shortstop and pinch runner Macy Allen headed for home, but was called out at the plate. The inning ended with a groundout leaving three runners stranded.

Georgia Tech added to its lead with two runs in the home half of the sixth. The Yellow Jackets plated their scores on a solo home run and an RBI double making the final 6-3 margin.

March 5, 2010
GYMNASTICS

No. 14 Kentucky Tops No. 27 Kent State 196.050-195.950

Wildcats Chart Season-High Team Score

KENT, Ohio -- The No. 12 University of Kentucky gymnastics team posted a season-high team score en route to edging host Kent State 196.050-195.950 Friday at the MAC Center.

The Wildcats built a 98.275-98.025 advantage after winning both the uneven bars and the vault, but withstood a rally by Kent State that saw the Golden Flashes win both the floor exercise and the balance beam.

Kentucky (5-6) started the meet by winning the uneven bars with a season-high 49.150. Senior Jamie Reimann (Johnston, Iowa) and Emilie Rymer (Medina, Ohio) led the Wildcats with matching 9.850 scores to share title honors with Kent State’s Erin Rothrock. The Golden Flashes finished the event with a 48.975 team score. UK’s Storey Morris (Tyler, Texas) and Caitlyn Ciokajlo (Brooklyn, Mich.) tied for fourth place with 9.825 scores.

The Wildcats extended their lead after claiming the vault title 49.125-49.050. UK’s Hillary Ferguson (Richmond, Ky.) posted a season-high 9.875 to tie teammate Whitney Rose (Frisco, Texas) for second place. Kent State’s Christina Lenny won title honors with a 9.900. UK’s Jasmine Minion (Memphis, Tenn.) tied Kent State’s Lauren Wozniak for fourth place at 9.825.

Kent State (7-3) edged Kentucky on the floor exercise 49.125-49.100. Ferguson and Emily Green (Penfield, N.Y.) shared title honors with 9.900 scores. Kent State’s Lydia Barrett took third with a 9.875. Green’s performance marks her fourth floor title of the season.

The Golden Flashes won the balance beam 48.800-48.675. UK’s Rymer and Morris tied for second place with 9.800 scores. Kent State’s Christine Abou-Mitri took title honors with a 9.875.

Kent State’s Abou-Mitri also won the all-around with a 39.275 score. UK’s Mitchell took third in the all-around at 38.450.

“It’s good to finally break the 196 barrier,” UK head coach Mo Mitchell said. “We’re looking to continue to build on that score, but we’re headed in the right direction.”

Final Score: No. 15 Kentucky 196.050, No. 27 Kent State 195.950

Vault: 1. Christina Lenny (KSU) 9.900; T2. Whitney Rose (UK) 9.875, Hillary Ferguson (UK) 9.875.
Bars: T1. Emilie Rymer (UK) 9.850, Jamie Reinmann (UK) 9.850, Erin Rothrock (KSU) 9.850.
Beam: 1. ChristineAbou-Mitri (KSU) 9.875; T2. Emilie Rymer (UK) 9.800, Storey Morris (9.800.
Floor: T1. Hillary Ferguson (UK) 9.900, Emily Green (UK) 9.900; 3. Lydia Barrett (KSU) 9.875.
All-Around: 1. Christine Abou-Mitri (KSU) 39.275; 2. Christina Lenny (KSU) 38.600; 3. Andrea Mitchell (UK) 38.450.

UK Scores
Bars: Reimann (9.850), Rymer (9.850), Ciokajlo (9.825), Morris (9.825), Mitchell (9.800), Behrendt (9.725).
Vault: Ferguson (9.875), Rose (9.875), Minion (9.825), Green (9.800), Reshard (9.750), Mitchell (9.725).
Floor: Ferguson (9.900), Green (9.900), Minion (9.850), Mitchell (9.775), Reshard (9.675), Rymer (9.125).
Beam: Morris (9.800), Rymer (9.800), Ferguson (9.775) Minion (9.700), Green (9.600), Mitchell (9.150).
All-Around: Mitchell (38.450).

March 5, 2010
BASEBALL

Errors Prove Costly, UK Falls to Georgia State

Three errors result in four unearned runs in 7-1 loss

MARIETTA, Ga.  – Three costly errors proved to be the difference in No. 23 Kentucky’s 7-1 loss to Georgia State, Friday evening on a cold, brisk night during the second game of the Buzz Classic. The Blue and White charted 10 hits but the offense could not overcome three costly errors as the Wildcats left 10 base runners stranded.

With the loss Kentucky falls to 12-4 on the year, and 1-1 on the day. Kentucky’s offense notched 10 hits with three players posting two singles apiece. Seniors Destinee Mordecai and Natalie Smith and junior Megan Yocke all had a pair of one-base hits on the day. Junior Annie Rowlands rounded home for the Wildcats’ lone score.

UK placed two runners on base in the opening frame when freshman Kara Dill leadoff the game with a single and senior Molly Johnson was plucked with a pitch.

Georgia State scored the first run of the game with a solo home run to centerfield for a 1-0 advantage in the top of the second.

The Wildcats knotted the score in the home half of the third inning. Junior Annie Rowlands reached base when the catcher interfered during her at bat. Rowlands moved to second when junior Megan Yocke had a one-out single through the left side. Senior Natalie Smith plated the score with a single through the right side to make the score 1-1 through three innings.

Georgia State answered with a four-run fourth inning. The Panthers plated their runs on a two-run home run and then the designated visitors benefited from a pair of UK miscues to bring in the two other runs for a 5-1 advantage.

Kentucky had three consecutive two-out singles in the bottom of the stanza. Sophomore Rachel Riley began the rally and Mordecai and Rowlands each followed with a single of their own, but the inning ended with a lineout to centerfield leaving three runners on the base paths.

Another error committed by the Wildcats allowed Georgia State to add two more runs in the top of the fifth increasing their lead to 7-1.

The Wildcats stranded three more runners in the home half of the inning. Yocke led off the inning after getting struck by a pitch. Johnson reached base on a single and sophomore Brittany Cervantes reached on a walk, but the inning ended with a groundout to the shortstop.

In a last ditch effort, Yocke began the seventh with a single through the left side. She then shifted to second on a passed ball by the Panthers’ catcher.  Smith’s second single of the day placed runners on the corners. The game would end with a pop up and then a grounder into a double play leaving another runner stranded.

March 5, 2010
BASEBALL

LOGAN DARNELL TWIRLS COMPLETE-GAME SHUTOUT AT SAN DIEGO

UK Junior Southpaw Needs Just 90 Pitches in Complete-Game Blanking of Toreos

SAN DIEGO -- Junior southpaw Logan Darnell tossed a complete-game shutout and the Kentucky defense turned four double plays, as the 23rd-ranked Wildcats posted a 6-0 win at San Diego, Friday afternoon at Cunningham Stadium.

A 6-foot-2, 210-pounder, Darnell (2-0) needed just 90 pitches in his third career start to irritate the Toreros, handcuffing San Diego – a team ranked No. 19 in the Baseball America preseason poll – to just seven hits and only facing five hitters over the minimum. The Joelton, Tenn., native allowed just one walk and fanned three USD hitters, tossing first-pitch strikes to 20-of-32 hitters faced and throwing a total of 70 strikes in his efficient 90 pitches.

“Well, he was tremendous,” UK head coach Gary Henderson said. “When you throw 70 strikes in 90 pitches that is getting it done at a high level. No question about that. Not only did he throw a whole lot of strikes, but he did it with three pitches. It is pretty rare that you see a complete-game, 90-pitch effort in college baseball. I have to say if he doesn’t win some national and conference awards for this performance, something is seriously wrong.”

The performance set a new career-high in innings pitched for Darnell, who set career highs in his first two starts of the year with six innings pitched. Entering the 2010 season, Darnell has appeared in 43 games out of the bullpen, and three starts into the season he has totaled a 2.57 ERA in 21 innings, striking out 17. 

“It was a good day today,” Darnell said. “We had a great defense out there. It really gave us the momentum the whole game. They would get a base runner on and then the next pitch would be a groundball double play. Seemed like that happened three or four times. I really think it helped our bats too with the momentum coming in each inning.”

“Oh man, he was great today,” UK catcher Marcus Nidiffer said. “He was working both sides of the plate. He had his curveball anytime he wanted too, he had his changeup and he made the hitters uncomfortable in the box. He was confident and he just came right at them. It was really fun to catch.”

Defensively, Kentucky (8-1) played excellent behind Darnell, turning a season-high four ground-ball double plays in the contest, with three coming to end an inning.

“It has been a long time since I have been involved in four double plays,” Henderson said. “It has been nine years, since I have been involved in four double plays. That was obviously an outstanding effort by our infield, all of them, all four of them did a great job today. Obviously, Logan did a great job of getting the ball to the bottom of the strike zone and doing a good job of getting us in situations where we had base runners. It was just an outstanding overall performance today.”

“I kept it down, I had good movement today, they really just gave me the ground balls that we needed and our defense was just awesome,” Darnell said. “(Andy) Burns at third made a really good double play ball backhanded and the play with (Chris) Bisson. Even (Taylor) Black at shortstop, he made two really good double plays that helped us get through the innings.”

Darnell outpitched San Diego (4-6) ace southpaw Sammy Solis in the contest, with Solis (2-1) suffering the loss, his first of the season. Solis, a 6-foot-4, 228-pounder, entered the game owning a 0.82 ERA. Solis lasted 4.1 innings, allowing six hits and five runs, walking one and striking out five.

UK did most of its damage in the third inning, plating five runs, all coming with two outs. Offensively, senior Gunner Glad led the way for the Wildcats, totaling a 4-for-5 game at the plate, setting a new career high for hits in a game. Senior Keenan Wiley added a 2-for-5 game, while Nidiffer, Chris Bisson, Andy Burns and Braden Kapteyn each contributed a hit. 

The complete-game shutout for UK was the first since James Paxton tossed a complete-game shutout against Ole Miss in Lexington, Ky., in 2008, coming on the final weekend of the regular season.

The Wildcats took a 5-0 lead in the top of the third, doing all of their damage with two outs. Neiko Johnson got hit by a one-out pitch and swiped second base for his fourth steal of the year. Bisson followed and lofted a single into centerfield. After Burns laced a line drive right at the USD shortstop for the second out, Nidiffer drilled an opposite-field double deep into the gap in right-centerfield, scoring Johnson and Bisson. With Nidiffer at second base, Wiley turned on a pitch and pulled an RBI single through the right side, scoring Nidiffer and allowing Wiley to scamper to scoring position on the throw. Glad followed and got his second hit of the game, a single ripped through the left side with the speedy Wiley hustling from second base and just sliding under the tag at home plate. After Black got plunked by a pitch, Chad Wright hit a grounder at the USD shortstop, who bobbled the ball and allowed Glad to score, with Wright just beating the throw to first base.

UK added another run in the top of the ninth, as Burns led off with a hard-hit single into rightfield, advancing to scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Nidiffer. Glad continued his hot hitting, ripping an RBI single through the left side, scoring Burns, who slide under the tag at the plate.

UK Head Coach Gary Henderson Postgame Quotes

On the pitching performance from Logan Darnell …
“Logan Darnell had an outstanding game for us today. He showed up in a big way. He got better as the game went along. He kind of gave us the boost that we needed after yesterdays overall performance. What we needed was someone to show up, take control of the situation and he did that today.”

On the UK defense turning four double plays …
“It has been a long time since I have been involved in four double plays. It has been nine years, since I have been involved in four double plays. That was obviously an outstanding effort by our infield, all of them, all four of them did a great job today. Obviously, Logan did a great job of getting the ball to the bottom of the strike zone and doing a good job of getting us in situations where we had base runners. It was just an outstanding overall performance today.”

On the efficiency of Darnell on the mound …
“Well, he was tremendous. When you throw 70 strikes in 90 pitches, that is getting it done at a high level. No question about that. Not only did he throw a whole lot of strikes, but he did it with three pitches. It is pretty rare that you see a complete-game, 90-pitch effort in college baseball. I have to say if he doesn’t win some national and conference awards for this performance, something is seriously wrong.”

UK Junior Pitcher Logan Darnell Postgame Quotes

On his pitching performance …
“It was a good day today. We had a great defense out there. It really gave us the momentum the whole game. They would get a base runner on and then the next pitch would be a groundball double play. Seemed like that happened three or four times. I really think it helped our bats too with the momentum coming in each inning.”

On when he felt like he knew he had lockdown stuff …
“Around the third or fourth inning, there was a play where Bisson kind of got tackled, middle linebacker style while trying to turn a double play. It really gave me an edge from then on out. Bisson got pumped up, I got pumped up and really the whole team just kind of rallied around that and the next pitch was a double play. Really from then on, I felt like we were rolling.”

On using just 90 pitches in his complete-game performance …
“The whole thing coach Henderson says is first-pitch strikes. I feel like I did a good job with that today. After the first pitch, I kept it down, I had good movement today, they really just gave me the ground balls that we needed and our defense was just awesome. Burns at third made a really good double play ball backhanded and the play with Bisson. Even Black at shortstop, he made two really good double plays that helped us get through the innings.”

On getting the five-run lead early …
“It is always a big boost when your hitters go out there and give you a big lead. It helps everybody relax and you go out and have a five-run lead. You just got out and let them hit it and they kept hitting it into the ground and it really just helped the team keep moving.” 

UK Senior Catcher Marcus Nidiffer Postgame Quotes

On catching Logan Darnell today …
“Oh man, he was great today. He was working both sides of the plate. He had his curveball anytime he wanted too, he had his changeup and he made the hitters uncomfortable in the box. He was confident and he just came right at them. It was really fun to catch.”

On if this is the best he has seen Darnell pitch in his three years …
“It is actually. I have seen him throw those kinds of bullpens and it absolutely showed up in a game today, which is good for us. I think we will have some more starts like that out of Logan. We are all looking forward to that.”

On if the performance from Darnell is the best outing he remembers in his five years at UK …

“That is up there. Just hitting against Logan during the fall, it is really hard to pick up his ball. When he can do that kind of stuff, where he wants to put it, when he wants to put it, it makes it really tough to hit. If he can keep doing that, we are going to be in really good shape.”

On his two-RBI double into the right-centerfield gap early in the game …
“That helped me out a lot. I had kind of been fighting it a little bit in the box. I haven’t felt as comfortable as usual in the box but I finally got a fastball up that I could drive and I hit it right there and it got us rolling for the runs and made me feel good.”

March 5, 22010
MEN'S BASKETBALL

BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES BOB COUSY AWARD FINAL SIX

Winner Announced April 1, Presentation at Final Four

SPRINGFIELD, MASS. - MARCH 5, 2010 – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame today announced the final six candidates in consideration for the 2010 Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. This annual award is given to college basketball’s top point guard and is named after Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtics guard Bob Cousy. An original list of 73 candidates made up of players from Division I, II and III schools was trimmed by a Hall of Fame appointed, nationally based committee to 20, down to 11 and now six candidates remain in consideration for one of college basketball’s most prestigious awards.

“These final six players have truly separated themselves from the rest of the pack in college basketball,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “Our committee has worked hard to narrow the field down and we look forward to recognizing a winner that represents Bob Cousy’s passion and skill for the game.” “We are so proud at The Hartford to play a part in this important program and offer congratulations to the six finalists,” said Kevin Connor, executive vice president and director of Hartford Life Distributors. “To make it to the final six in what is already a highly qualified slate of candidates is an extraordinary achievement.”

Each of the final six candidates will be reviewed by the Hall of Fame’s Blue Ribbon Selection Committee, chaired by former NABC President and Hall of Fame Trustee Ken Kaufman. The Blue Ribbon Selection Committee is made up of top college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, Sports Information Directors and Hall of Famers. The winner of the 2010 Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford will be announced on April 1 with the award presentation coming at the Final Four on Monday April 5 as part of the Bob Cousy Award Breakfast and Basketball Hall of Fame Class Announcement.

2010 Bob Cousy Award Final Six

Sherron Collins - Kansas
Scottie Reynolds - Villanova
Jon Scheyer - Duke
Evan Turner – Ohio State
Greivis Vasquez - Maryland
John Wall – Kentucky

March 5, 2010
WOMEN'S TENNIS

Women's Tennis Falls in Conference Play at No. 72 Mississippi State

Wildcats Take Closely Contested Points at No. 1 and No. 3

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The No. 72 Mississippi State Bulldogs defeated the Kentucky women’s tennis team 5-2 for their first Southeastern Conference loss on the young season on Friday at A. J. Pitts Tennis Center.

The 69th-ranked Wildcats (1-8) suffer their first conference loss at No. 72 Mississippi State.  The Wildcats stole wins on courts 1 and 3 by UK sophomore Caroline Lilley and senior Christine Johnston (Columbus, Ohio), respectively.

UK captain Johnston challenged Mississippi State’s Natalia Mayuk in the toughest match of the day at No. 3 singles, taking the first set 7-6 (4). Mayuk stayed tough in the second, but Johnston came out victorious with a 7-5 second-set victory that would seal the match for the Wildcat senior.

Lilley, a native of Portland, Ore., had a come from behind win to take Kentucky’s second point of the match. Lilley battled Bulldog Radka Ferancova to the wire on court No. 2. Lilley fell 4-6 in the first set, but stormed back in the second answering with her own 6-4 set win. With the team match having already been decided, the two faced off in the super tiebreaker and Lilley came out victorious 10-8.

Although she was coming off a great win at Indiana, sophomore Minnette Pienaar could not repeat, and underwent a tough loss at No. 4 singles to Mariia Ryzhova, 6-3, 6-2. Top Wildcat player, junior Megan Broderick faced Bulldog sophomore Olesya Tsigvintseva and almost had the first set, but ultimately was taking down 7-6 (2), 7-5. 

The Bulldogs nabbed the doubles point winning on all three courts. On court one, Wildcat tandem Lilley and Pienaar were bested by the team of Tsigvintseva and Mayuk, 8-6. UK’s junior and senior pair of Broderick and Johnston suffered defeat at the hands of Bulldog team of Ferancova and Ryzhova. It was the same story for the two Lexington natives who make up the No. 3 doubles duo, Elle Coldiron and Nicole Scates, freshman and junior, respectively. The score on court three was 8-0.

No. 72 Mississippi State University (8-1, 1-0 SEC), No. 69 Kentucky (1-8, 0-1 SEC)

Singles
1. Olesya Tsigvintseva (MSU) def. Megan Broderick (UK) 7-6 (2), 7-5
2. Caroline Lilley (UK) def. Radka Ferancova (MSU) 4-6, 6-4, (10-8)
3. Christine Johnston (UK) def. Natalia Mayuk (MSU) 7-6 (4), 7-5
4. Mariia Ryzhova (MSU) def. Minnette Pienaar (UK) 6-2, 6-3
5. Valeriya Makarycheva (MSU) def. Elle Coldiron (UK) 6-0, 6-0
6. Danielle Terpko (MSU) def. Nicole Scates (UK) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
1. Olesya Tsigvintseva/Natalia Mayuk (MSU) def. Caroline Lilley/Minnette Pienaar (UK) 8-6
2. Radka Ferancova/Mariia Ryzhova (MSU) def. Christine Johnston/Megan Broderick (UK) 8-3
3. Valeriya Makarycheva/Danielle Terpko (MSU) def. Nicole Scates/Elle Coldiron (UK) 8-0

Order of finish: Doubles (3, 2, 1); Singles (5, 6, 4, 2, 1, 3)

March 5, 2010
SOFTBALL

Aull’s Homer Seals Win Over Jacksonville State

Junior hits fourth home run of career to seal victory over Gamecocks

MARIETTA, Ga.  – Junior Meagan Aull’s sixth inning sealed a 4-1 victory for the Kentucky softball team over Jacksonville State to begin the Buzz Classic in Marietta, Ga. Aull also tapped home twice in the win as UK improves to 12-3 on the season.

Sophomore pitcher Chanda Bell picked up her seventh win of the year in the win as she tossed a complete game effort with eight strikeouts.

Kentucky had a prime opportunity in the top half of the first as senior Natalie Smith singled along the right field line to get a runner on base with two outs. Senior Molly Johnson then set a school record with her 47th career double to place two runners in scoring position. UK could not push across a run however, as the inning ended with a deep fly ball to centerfield.

Jacksonville State plated the first run in the bottom of the second with a solo home run over the left field wall for a 1-0 advantage.

UK took the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Johnson led off with a single by bunting along the left field line. Aull’s sacrifice bunt turned into another runner on base as the pitcher tossed the ball into the dugout placing both runners in scoring position. Sophomore Brittany Cervantes delivered a no-out double into the right-center gap to bring in both runs and give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead.

Aull added to Kentucky’s lead with a leadoff solo home run over the centerfield wall. It marked her first home run of the season and the fourth of her career.

Kentucky posted another run in the top half of the seventh. Junior Annie Rowlands claimed a leadoff walk and then promptly stole second. Freshman Kara Dill’s sacrifice bunt shifted the runner but another errant throw to first by the Gamecock’s pitcher allowed Rowlands to come home and plate another run for a 4-1 edge.

March 5, 2010
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

FINAL SCORE: No. 2 Seed Kentucky 65, No 10 Seed Auburn 54

Team Records and Series Notes

Kentucky improves to 24-6 while Auburn falls to 14-16.

Auburn leads the series 25-13 overall and owns a 5-2 mark in contests at the SEC Tournament.

Kentucky improves its record to 21-30 all-time at the SEC Tournament.
UK head coach Matthew Mitchell’s overall record moves to 87-67, including a 57-38 mark at UK. Mitchell’s record against Auburn moves to 3-2 and 3-3 in the SEC Tournament.

Team Game Notes

Key run: After trailing 19-14 with 8:45 left in the first half, Kentucky went on an 18-6 run to grab a 32-25 advantage at intermission. Victoria Dunlap scored seven of her 18 first-half points during the stretch while Rebecca Gray netted five points during the run.

Kentucky’s 24 wins are the most since the 1981-82 went 24-8 en route to the school’s firsts and only SEC championship title.

UK scored 65 points, improving to 23-3 when scoring 60 or more points in a game this season.

The Wildcats forced Auburn into 20 turnovers. UK has forced 20 or more turnovers in 22 of 30 games this season. The Cats scored 22 points off of the Tigers’ miscues.

Kentucky grabbed 10 steals against the Tigers. UK has swiped 10 or more steals in 21 games this season.

UK extended its streak of consecutive games with a three-pointer to 217 consecutive games, dating back to the 2003-04 season.

Kentucky has held its opponent under 50 percent field goal shooting in 29 of 30 games this season.

Kentucky started with the lineup of Keyla Snowden, Victoria Dunlap, Amber Smith Amani Franklin and A’dia Mathies for the third time this season. That lineup is 1-2. 
 
Individual Game Notes

Junior forward and SEC Player of the Year Victoria Dunlap scored a game-high 24 points, marking the 11th time this season that she has scored 20 or more points in a single game.

Moved into 20th place on UK’s all-time career scoring list and now has 1,156 career points. She needs 14 more to move into a tie for 19th with UK's SEC Great, Jocelyn Mills (1,170, 1989-93).

Brought down six rebounds to increase her career total to 760, which ranks seventh all-time in school history. She needs just two more rebounds to tie Kim Denkins (1994-98) for sixth-place all-time.

Swatted a career-high-tying four shots to give her 119 career blocks, which ranks third all-time in school history. She needs 37 more blocks to tie former great Valerie Still (1979-83) for second place all-time. Dunlap has charted four blocks on five previous occasions.

Tied the school’s single-season blocks record and now has 56 blocks on the 2010 campaign. That ties Sarah Elliott’s 56 blocks that came in the 2007-08 season.
Came up with three steals and moves into sole possession of ninth place on the school’s all-time list, passing Stacy McIntyre (1988-92), who recorded 189 blocks from 1988-92.

Freshman guard and SEC Freshman of the Year A’dia Mathies contributed 15 points to complement seven rebounds in 34 minutes of action. Has scored in double figures in 22 of 30 games this season.

Has pulled down at least four rebounds in 24 games this season.

Moved into eighth-place on the school’s all-time freshman list with 145 rebounds.

Junior point guard Amber Smith dished out a game-high five assists and has posted five or more assists on eight occasions this year.

Sophomore guard Rebecca Gray added seven points off the bench.

She has hit at least one three-pointer in 19-of-27 games played this season.

SEC Tournament Notes

The Wildcats advance to the semifinal round for the first time since 2008 and the third time in five years.

Junior forward Victoria Dunlap tied the record for most Kentucky blocks in a single SEC Tournament game previously set by Valerie Still vs. Tennessee in 1982.

The Wildcats are now 2-5 all-time vs. Auburn in SEC Tournament games.

March 5, 2010
VOLLEYBALL

Kentucky Selected for Runza/AVCA Showcase

UK will begin 2010 season with matchup against Nebraska

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky volleyball team was selected as one of four teams to begin its season at the premier Runza/American Volleyball Coaches Association Showcase in Omaha, Neb., to begin the season in 2010. The Conference Challenge format that was unveiled in 2008 will continue in 2010, with host school Nebraska, as well as Iowa State, representing the Big 12 Conference.  Kentucky along with Florida will represent the Southeastern Conference as the challengers.

“This showcase has been the long standing premier preseason event across the country, and we are looking forward to an exciting weekend” Kentucky coach Craig Skinner said.  “We are thrilled to be competing against two of the best teams in the country and representing the SEC along with Florida.”

Under the Conference Challenge format, each school plays the two teams from the other conference, and does not play the other school from its own league.

This year’s Showcase will be played on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Kentucky will play Nebraska in the second match of the Showcase on Saturday, Aug. 28, beginning at 4:30 CDT.  Sunday’s match for the Blue and White features Iowa State at 2 p.m. local time.

Now in its 16th year, the Showcase continually proves to be the country’s premier regular season collegiate volleyball tournament.  Six of the Showcase’s eight participating teams in the past two seasons have reached the NCAA Tournament round of eight later that same year; four of those six advanced to the national semifinals.  This year’s field promises to continue that tradition of excellence, as each of the four teams finished in the top 15 of the final 2009 AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll, as well as reached an NCAA Regional in 2009.

Kentucky has continued to soar to new heights under Skinner who is entering his sixth season at the helm of the Wildcat program. The Wildcats have appeared in a school-record five consecutive NCAA tournaments. The Blue and White captured the SEC Eastern Division crown in 2009 and finished the season ranked No. 12 in the nation after its first Sweet Sixteen appearance under Skinner.

The Qwest Center in Omaha will host its fourth consecutive, and fifth overall, Showcase in 2010.  The venue, which played host to an NCAA-record crowd of 17,430 during the 2008 national semifinals, has also hosted the four highest-attended Showcase sessions in the event’s 15 years.


March 5, 2010
MEN'S TENNIS

No. 8 Men's Tennis Uses Singles Dominance To Take Down No. 40 Bulldogs

Kentucky Takes Over Match in Singles; Claims Fifth Win Over Ranked Team This Season

ADDISON REED, SAN DIEGO STATE HANDS NO. 23 UK FIRST LOSS

Cory Farris Totals Two Hits, Two RBI in Second Start of the Season

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State junior All-American right-hander Addison Reed turned in a six-inning, six-strikeout performance, handing No. 23 Kentucky its first loss of the season, 12-4, Thursday night at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

Reed, who was named the top closer in college baseball last season after leading the NCAA in saves, lasted six innings, allowing only two UK runs and scattering just five hits. Reed, a 6-foot-3, 220-pounder, notched the win, improving to 2-1 after fanning six Wildcats and issuing just one walk.

Kentucky (7-1) dropped its first game of the season to the Aztecs, with San Diego State chasing UK starter Alex Meyer (2-1) in the fifth inning. Meyer, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound right-hander allowed seven runs and eight hits in his 4.1 innings, striking out seven and walking four. UK then turned to junior right-hander Kyle Jackson who tossed 2.2 innings and allowed three runs on just one hit – a homer – issuing three walks. Freshman Walter Wijas, making his second career appearance, pitched the final inning of the game, allowing two runs on two hits. 

Offensively, UK was led by sophomore rightfielder Cory Farris, who had a 2-for-3 performance at the dish, adding Kentucky’s first two RBI on a double into the left-centerfield gap in the second inning. Keenan Wiley, Braden Kapteyn, Chris Bisson, Andy Burns and Marcus Nidiffer each added hits for the Wildcats, with Burns and Kapteyn charting his second double of the season. In addition, UK freshman outfielder Brian Adams and sophomore catcher T.J. Daugherty each notched their first career hit in their first career at bats. Daugherty’s hit came with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the ninth inning a single up the middle. Bisson, a preseason All-American, extended his hitting streak to a team-best nine games, dating back to last season.

San Diego State (4-6) got on the board in the bottom of the first inning, as Jomel Torres reached on a bloop, one-out single into shallow centerfield. Rightfielder Brandon Meredith followed and ripped his second homer of the season over the leftfield fence.

UK responded with two runs in the top of the second inning, as Wiley reached on a two-out single into centerfield and Nidiffer followed with a single into left field. Farris plated them both with a hard-hit double into the left-centerfield gap, scoring both, with Nidiffer just sliding under the tag from the SDSU catcher for the game-evening run.

SDSU responded with two runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 4-2 lead. After Meyer sat down Chris Wilson, Matt Parker singled into right field with one out and Meyer loaded with bases with a pair of walks. Meredith continued his hot hitting, plopping a two-RBI single down the right-field line.

The Aztecs continued to pile on the runs, as Jordan Van Hoosier led off with a single into centerfield and stole second base. Meyer got the next two outs, but Parker singled into leftfield to make it 5-2.

SDSU added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning, pushing its lead to 6-2. Cory Vaughn led off with a double into centerfield, a bloop into shallow centerfield that popped out of Wiley’s glove. Van Hoosier then scored Vaughn with a chopping single through the left side. Van Hoosier stole second to move into scoring position and after Meyer got a lineout to Blair Moore, Meyer was pulled from the game. Parker followed and hit a tailor-made double play ball at Black at shortstop, but he bobbled it, with Van Hoosier scoring and the inning extended.

SDSU added three runs in the bottom of the seventh, as Parker launched a three-run homer. In the bottom of the eighth, the Aztecs added two runs off Wijas, with Blair Moore totaling a two-out, two-RBI double.

March 3, 2010
VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball Adds Jessi Greenberg to 2010 Squad

Melbourne, Fla., native joins 2010 freshman class

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky volleyball team is set to add Jessi Greenberg to its 2010 freshman class it was announced by coach Craig Skinner on Wednesday. Greenberg is a native of Melbourne, Fla., and was a second team member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association Under Armor High School All-America team.

“It was exciting to see Jessi named to the Under Armour All-American team in the fall, and we are thrilled to have her joining the program this year,” Skinner said.  “She’s a great player with a motor that never quits, and she brings great enthusiasm and energy to the court. Jessi is a very bright and motivated person who will be a great addition to our team.”

Greenberg enjoyed a successful high school and prep career as well as being a well-balanced student athlete excelling both in the classroom and on the court. She was a four-year letterman for Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy where she earned defensive player of the year and most valuable player honors in every season of her high school career. Holy Trinity claimed a District and Regional Championship during her final high school campaign and finished as the state runners up. Greenberg caps her career as the all-time career digs leader including charting 751 digs in her final two seasons.

As a senior, Greenberg hauled in honors from the AVCA as a second-team high school All-America athlete. She was also named to the All-Space Coast first team and the most valuable player of the All-County All-Star game. Greenberg has also taken to the sand courts and earned a first place finish in the AAU Junior Florida Open and qualified for the America’s Challenge in Waikiki, Hawaii, in 2009.

Greenberg also excelled in basketball and track and field. She holds the Trinity record in the 100m dash with a time of 12.67 seconds. As a freshman she was a 1A state champion in track and field. On the basketball court, her AAU team captured a national championship in the open division in 2007.

In the classroom, Greenberg holds the highest honors with an above 4.0 grade point average. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Society and the National Art Honor Society where she serves as secretary. She has also given her time in over 120 community service honors which includes being a camp counselor at Holy Trinity summer camps, Rockledge Sports Zone summer camps and the Satellite Rec Center camps.

Greenberg will join fall signee Elizabeth Koberstein to comprise the 2010 freshman class.

March 2, 2010
WOMEN'S GOLF

Wildcats Conclude Inaugural Kinderlou Forest Challenge in 15th

Freshman Betsie Johnson paces Kentucky with 5-over-par performance

VALDOSTA, Ga. – With 24 holes to complete on the second day of competition, the University of Kentucky women’s golf team concluded the inaugural Kinderlou Forest Challenge in 15th with a 953 (313-322-318) Tuesday at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club (6,265 yards, par 73) in Valdosta, Ga. In the final day of competition, teams played the final six holes of the second round and a third round of 18.

Play was suspended at 6:30 p.m. EST Monday with two to six holes remaining for most teams. The Wildcats entered the second and final day of competition in 14th.

Freshman Betsie Johnson concluded the event as the top Wildcat in a tie for 31st. With a 12-over-par 231 (74-79-78), Johnson registered Kentucky’s low score in the first round. In her final 18, Johnson went 4-over-par on the front nine and recovered from two bogies on the second nine with a birdie on par three No. 15.

Finishing the event at 21-over-par 240 (78-76-86), senior Kristin Vincent led the Wildcats in the second round with a 3-over-par 76. As Kentucky’s low scorer in the third round, sophomore Ashlee Rose came in two strokes behind Vincent, carding a 242 (79-87-76).

With a 79 in the final round, freshman Ashleigh Albrecht finished with a 239 (83-85-79), while senior Sara Hurwitch carded a 249 (82-82-85).

Tulane University finished the event in first with a 13-over-par 889 (293-296-300) behind a 2-under-par performance by TU’s eventual individual champion, Janine Fellows (74-73-70)

Final Results

T15 Kentucky, U. of 313 322 318 953 (+77)

T37 Betsie Johnson 74 79 78 231 (+12)
T67 Kristin Vincent 78 76 86 240 (+21)
T72 Ashlee Rose 79 87 76 242 (+23)
T81 Ashleigh Albrecht 83 85 79 247 (+28)
T84 Sara Hurwitch 82 82 85 249 (+30)

March 2, 2010
BASEBALL

ANDY BURNS POWERS NO. 23 BASEBALL TO 5-2 WIN

UK Third Baseman Andy Burns Launches Two Homers, Matt Little Records Third Save

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Behind a three-hit, two-homer performance from sophomore third baseman Andy Burns and the third save of the year from junior Matt Little, the No. 23 Kentucky Wildcats posted a 5-2 win over Morehead State, Tuesday afternoon at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

A native of Fort Collins, Colo., Burns belted two homers in the contest, the first multi-homer game of his young career. A 6-foot-2, 190-pounder, Burns finished a season-best 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI. On the year, Burns leads the Wildcats with three homers, also adding a double and a triple, stealing 4-of-4 bases.

In the ninth inning, UK turned to Little, who tossed a perfect ninth inning for his third save in as many tries. A 5-foot-11 right-hander, Little tossed first-pitch strikes to all three hitters faced, fanning two to finish the game. In four appearances this season, Little has totaled a 1.29 ERA, fanning five in seven innings, allowing only two hits.

The win marks the seventh consecutive win for Kentucky (7-0) to start the season, the best start since the 2007 and 2008 seasons, when UK posted a 19-0 record to open the year, setting the school record.

The Wildcats utilized six pitchers in the game, starting sophomore right-hander Sean Bouthilette, who lasted 2.1 innings with five hits allowed and no runs. UK then used freshman right-hander Jordan Cooper, who pitched 1.2 innings, allowing only one hit. Freshman Sam Kidd (1-0) got his first career win, hurling two innings in the middle of the game, striking out two and allowing one run. Walter Wijas and Mike Kaczmarek threw the seventh and eighth innings respectively, with Kaczmarek allowing one run on two hits.

Burns led the charge offensively with his three-hit performance but preseason All-American third baseman Chris Bisson added a 2-for-3 game, with a walk and a stolen base. UK also got hits from Lance Ray, Gunner Glad, Marcus Nidiffer and Keenan Wiley. Bisson, a native of Orleans, Ontario, extended his hitting streak to a team-high seven games. So far in 2010, Bisson is hitting .414 (12-for-29), with eight runs scored, a triple, two homers and 10 RBI.

Morehead State (4-6) starter Josh Schneider (1-2) took the loss, after allowing three runs and four hits in his 1.1 innings of work. Lanky right-hander Trey Smith had the best pitching performance for the Eagles, going 2.2 innings without allowing a run.

The Wildcats posted three runs in the first inning to take control of the game. The inning started with Bisson leading off with a broken-bat single up the middle, later stealing second to get into scoring position. After Chad Wright grounded out to first, Burns singled through the left side and advanced to second on a stolen base to put two runners in scoring position. UK would post the first run when Ray grounded out to second, scoring Bisson and advancing Burns to third. Glad then scorched and RBI single to left-centerfield to score Burns. Glad later scored when Nidiffer knocked his first double of the season over the left fielders head to give UK a 3-0 lead. 

Kentucky scored again in the third inning when Burns sent a laser over the left-centerfield wall. Leading off the third, Burns took the first two pitches for a 2-0 count before slamming a line-drive bomb over the leftfield wall.

UK posted its fifth run by the second homer of the day for Burns to almost the same spot in left center field. The native of Fort Collins, Colo., hammered the pitch deep over the left centerfield wall for his third homer of the year and his first multi-homer game of his career.

Morehead State got on the board in the sixth inning after a bloop single to left center by Andrew Deeds. The inning started with Kidd getting a strikeout of Drew Lee. Morehead State then got back-to-back singles from Michael Bottoms and Taylor Davis to put a runner in scoring position. Bottoms would score on the single by Deeds. Kentucky got out of the inning when Eric Bainer grounded out and Luke Bainer struck out looking.

The Eagles scored their second run of the game in the eighth inning when Lee led off with a triple and Bottoms drove him home with a sacrifice fly to center. Kaczmarek got out of the inning without any further damage, getting deeds to groundout to third and Eric Bainer to strikeout.

March 2, 2010
SOFTBALL

UK Softball Enters ESPN/USA Softball Top 25

National ranking is first in school history for the USA Softball poll

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – After an impressive 11-3 start to begin the season following its first postseason run a year ago, the Kentucky softball team entered the ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 Poll for the first time in school history, coming in at No. 23.

For the majority of the 2009 season the Wildcats were among the teams receiving votes in the ESPN/USA Softball poll. Kentucky has been among the receiving votes leaders to start the season and was No. 26 a week ago. After another notable weekend where UK went 3-1, Kentucky finally broke into the top 25 and registered a No. 23 ranking.

Head coach Rachel Lawson returned her entire starting lineup and full pitching rotation to the 2010 squad. Kentucky began the season with a bang by knocking off No. 5 Arizona State on its home field for its third consecutive lid-lifting victory under Lawson. The Wildcats then rattled off seven straight victories and went a perfect 5-0 to claim the Florida Atlantic Kickoff Classic.

The Wildcats’ pitching staff has been exceptional to begin the season as the Cats rank third in the Southeastern Conference with a 1.31 earned run average. UK is limiting opposing batters to a league-low .181 batting average while striking out 118 on the young season.

Senior Amber Matousek tossed the first no-hitter of her career and the second in school allure in an 8-0 victory against Evansville on Friday. Sophomore right-hander Rachel Riley picked up a pair of wins and did not allow a run in a 2-0 week at the FAU Kickoff Classic, while fellow sophomore Chanda Bell ranks second in the SEC with 81 strikeouts to her name this season.

The Blue and White made its first NCAA tournament run a season ago under the direction of Lawson. Senior Molly Johnson became the first All-America selection in school history to highlight the individual accolades in 2009’s incredible run.

March 2, 2010
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

UK Hoops Sweeps SEC Postseason Honors

Matthew Mitchell, Victoria Dunlap and A’dia Mathies Win League’s Major Awards

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Continuing one of the best seasons in school history, the 19th-ranked Kentucky women’s basketball team has been awarded three major postseason honors, the conference office announced Tuesday. Junior forward Victoria Dunlap was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, freshman guard A’dia’ Mathies was named Freshman of the Year and head coach Matthew Mitchell was named Coach of the Year.

It marks just the second time in SEC history that one team has won all three of the top honors. Tennessee’s Pat Summitt, Chamique Holdsclaw and Tamika Catchings also accomplished the feat in 1998 en route to its sixth NCAA Championship title.

Despite being picked to finish 11th in the preseason polls by the league’s coaches and media, Mitchell has led the Wildcats to a remarkable turnaround, going from 16-16 overall, 5-9 in the SEC last season, to an impressive 23-6 overall record, including a school-best 11-5 mark in conference play. He becomes just the second coach in UK history to earn SEC Coach of the Year honors.

Dunlap (Nashville, Tenn.) receives the school’s first Player of the Year nod after ranking in the top 10 of seven different SEC statistical categories. She is the only player in the league to rank in the top five in scoring (fifth - 17.2)?and rebounding (third - 8.4), and she also ranks 13th nationally leads the SEC in steals (3.1), ranks fifth in blocks (1.9) and is seventh in field goal percentage (.490).

Dunlap also was elected to the All-Defensive team and was a unanimous choice for first-team All-SEC. She is just the ninth player in school history to be named to the All-SEC first team and the first since Stacey Reed in 1994.

Mathies (Louisville, Ky.), who Mitchell calls a “difference marker,” was named UK’s first Freshman of the Year after following Dunlap in nearly every statistical category. She is averaging 12.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game and is tied for 11th overall in scoring and third overall in steals (2.5) in the SEC. Mathies has scored in double figures in 21 of 29 games, including 11 of 16 league contests. All four of her 20-point scoring outings were against SEC competition. She ranks among UK’s all-time freshman leaders in 11 categories, including setting a new school record for steals by a freshman with 72. She also was named to the All-SEC second team and was a unanimous choice for the All-SEC freshman team.

This is the seventh consecutive season UK has had at least one player selected to the All-SEC teams.

The 2010 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament begins Thursday, March 4 and runs through Sunday, March 7 in The Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Ga. SEC’s regional sports network (Fox Sports South, Fox Sports Southwest and Sun Sports) will televise all games on Thursday and Friday. Saturday’s semifinal games will be broadcast on ESPNU and ESPN2 will carry the championship game.

The Cats have secured the No. 2 seed and will face either No. 7 seed Florida or No. 10 seed Auburn on Friday, March 5 at 2:30 p.m. EST. The Cats’ No. 2 ranking marks their highest finish in the SEC’s current 12-team format and their highest since UK was the East’s No. 2 seed in 1983 when the SEC had a 10-team divisional format.

The complete 2010 SEC Women's Basketball Postseason Awards follow:

First Team All-SEC
 Ashley Houts, UG
*Victoria Dunlap, UK
*Allison Hightower, LSU
 Bianca Thomas, UM
Alexis Rack, MSU
*Angie Bjorklund, UT
 Kelley Cain, UT
 Jence Rhoads, VU

Second Team All-SEC
Alli Smalley, AU
A’dia Mathies, UK
Shekinna Stricklen, UT
LaSondra Barrett, LSU
Armelie Lumanu, MSU
Kelsey Bone, SC
Valerie Nainima, SC
Merideth Marsh, VU

All-Freshman Team
Jennifer George, UF
Jasmine Hassell, UG
*Jasmine James, UG
*A’dia Mathies, UK
*Kelsey Bone, SC
  Elan Brown, VU
*Tiffany Clarke, VU

All-Defensive Team
Victoria Dunlap, UK
Allison Hightower, LSU
Armelie Lumanu, MSU
Chanel Mokango, MSU
Kelley Cain, UT

Coach of the Year
Matthew Mitchell, Kentucky

Player of the Year
Victoria Dunlap, Kentucky

Freshman of the Year
A’dia Mathies, Kentucky

Defensive Player of the Year
Armelie Lumanu, Mississippi State

6th Woman of the Year
Alyssia Brewer, Tennessee

Cincinnati
Xavier
Miami
Northern Kentucky
Thomas More College
Mt. St. Joseph
Kentucky
Cincinnati State
UC-Clermont
Miami-Hamilton
Miami-Middletown
Dayton
Wright State

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