Bearkat Bowling Team Aims For A Great Season
by Cheval John
When the SHSU Bearkat bowling team reached the NCAA Bowling Championship in 2011, they made history by becoming the first-ever inaugural program to attain that feat.
They knew that they had to play even better in their second year in order to make two straight appearances in the NCAA Championships.
The championships only had eight spots and in order to be selected, a team had to be ranked nationally in the top eight.
Though they finished the season with a 79-35 record, they were not selected by the NCAA committee to participate in the tournament because they were ranked at No.9.
Now they are more focused than ever and will begin their third season ranked No.8 with the Tulane Invitational set to begin on Friday.
“It was tough for all of us,” head coach Brad Hagen said. “I’m a firm believer that it’s in the past for a reason and now we move forward.”
The Bearkats returns three letterman in senior Michelle Secours, junior Kim Davidson and junior Neishka Cardona.
They have a combined average of 190.22 total pins.
“It’s kind of a redemption year because our goal is just to go to nationals,” Davidson said.
In addition to her time at SHSU, Cardona representing her native Puerto Rico in international tournaments during the summer.
“She (Neishka Cardona)had a great summer at the international side again. … That’s positive momentum going into this year,” Hagen said.
They’ve also added five new faces to the squad that have in junior transfer Kelsey Smith (Arkansas State), Rebecca Pittser (McKendree University), and three freshman Erin Brown, Anna Groce and Hannah Harrison.
Hagen believes that he has recruited quality players because they understand the goal of the team and knows that they are aiming to make an immediate contribution.
“We been doing a lot of stuff already as a team. … They are bonding more quickly than I was hoping,” Hagen said.
“We had great teams in the past two years, but we are a lot deeper this year.”
The start time for the Tulane Invitational is at 9 a.m and will continue on Saturday.
Bearkats-Islanders Squares Off Tomorrow
by Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
The two teams tied for second place in the Southland Conference will square off Thursday night at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum, as the Sam Houston State (13-9, 8-2) plays host to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (15-6, 8-2) at 7 p.m.
The Bearkats are winners of eight consecutive matches, a streak that started Sept. 22 against the Islanders in Corpus Christi. Sam Houston has racked up six straight-set victories during the winning streak and has only dropped two sets total.
Deveney Wells-Gibson, the reigning Southland Offensive Player of the Week, is coming off a career-best 27 kills against Lamar. Her 317 kills this season is tops in the Southland.
Kim Black, who received Southland Defensive Player of the Week honors, has led the Bearkats in blocks in eight consecutive matches and 19 of 22 contests this year. The senior’s 109 blocks this season leads the conference.
Tayler Gray keeps the Bearkat offense clicking with 837 assists this season. Her 10.59 assists per set is second-best in the Southland Conference.
For the Islanders, Shannon Hullum leads the offense in kills with 226. Hullum, the lone senior on the team, ranks seventh in kills in the league.
A&M-Corpus is the only team in the Southland to beat Central Arkansas this year. The Islanders topped the Bears in five sets on the opening day of league play Brianna Brink (197 kills) and Ivy Baresh (181) also are top scorers for TAMUCC.
The next action for Sam Houston will be Thurday. Oct. 25 at Oral Roberts.
Beauchamp Named SLC “Defensive Player of The Week”
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
Sam Houston linebacker Jessie Beauchamp has been named as Southland Conference football “Defensive Player of the Week” after helping lead the Bearkats to their second shutout in the past two years at Nicholls State last Saturday.
In the 41-0 SHSU victory, the junior from Klein, Texas (Collins H.S.), totaled nine tackles and had two tackles for loss, including an eight-yard sack, to go with two pass breakups and a pair of fumble recoveries. The Bearkats limited Nicholls to only 20 yards rushing and 238 total yards.
Both fumble recoveries set up Sam Houston touchdown drives.
Beauchamp, who stepped into the SHSU lineup after an injury in the season opener to Eric Fieilo, has become a force for the Bearkat defense. He ranks as the squad’s third leading tackler this season with 37 stops including six tackles for losses.
Beauchamp is the fourth “Player of the Week” honoree for the Bearkat this season.
Sam Houston swept all three awards a week ago after a 51-43 victory over Stephen F. Austin in the “Battle of the Piney Woods.” Quarterback Brian Bell, linebacker Darnell Taylor and punter Matt Foster took offensive, defensive and special teams honors in that game, respectively.
The Bearkats play host to McNeese State at Sam Houston’s homecoming contest this Saturday at 7 p.m. at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium.
Don’t Take Life For Granted
by Cheval John
Sometimes we forget how precious life really is.
We are used to interacting with our friends, family, etc., on a daily basis that we get to the point of taking it for granted.
We believe that we have all the time in the world to tell a person how important they are in our lives and forget that they can be taken in an instant.
When that happens, we wonder if we did everything for that person or said what was needed to be said and ending up beating ourselves in the process.
For example, Deanna Brionnes has been the secretary of the Mass Communication Department on the campus of Sam Houston State for quite some time.
On a daily basis, she has to deal with the logistics of the department, whether it is helping a student register for a class or getting the schedule made for a professor.
In addition to her work, she helped in the planning of the MCM department’s annual spring banquet and collaborate with those that are in charge of putting it together.
Because of her dedication, she has received recognition from professors and student organizations in the department.
For example, Raven Films, a student film organization, gave her a baby blanket as their way of saying thank you because she and her husband are expecting their first child.
So the next time you see that person who makes life so fun and interesting, let him or her know how important they are to you.
Because you never know if you will get that opportunity again.
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