Bearkat Wide Receiver Earns Invite From NFLPA
by Cheval John
With all the attention that the Sam Houston State Bearkat football team has received during their consecutive run at the FCS National Championship, many wondered could it get any better than this?
Well, it gets even better when Bearkat wide receiver Trey Diller received an invite to participate in the NFLPA All-Star Collegiate Bowl that’s set to be played in Carson, California on Jan. 19 on ESPN2.
Diller, who caught the ball 62 times for 927 yards and four touchdowns, became the first Bearkat to ever participate in the NFLPA.
The Woodlands, Texas native also was the return specialist, as he finished third in the Southland Conference with 354 yards in punt returns.
In addition, he became the first Bearkat to make the All-Southland Conference honors both as a wide receiver and a return specialist.
He played a huge part during the Bearkat playoff run at the FCS Championsip when in the quarterfinal round at Montana State, he caught a 56-yard pass TD pass from quarterback Brian Bell that allowed the Bearkats to blow the game wide open.
Diller completes his collegiate career with 1,190 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
Cooper-Dyke’s Tigers To Face Bearkats At Johnson Coliseum
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
One of the most decorated players in women’s college and pro basketball will be on the sidelines at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum Wednesday night when the Sam Houston women play host to Texas Southern in a 6:30 p.m. non-conference contest.
Cynthia Cooper-Dyke is in her first season as head coach of the TSU women’s basketball program.
The former college and WNBA pro star was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on August, 13, 2010.
Cooper-Dyke was an Olympic gold medalist and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Most Valuable Player.
She was a four-year standout at Southern California, playing on back-to-back NCAA championships in 1983 and 1984.
She began her professional career overseas and played 10 seasons in Spain and Italy.
She returned to the United States in 1997 to play with the Houston Comets of the newly-formed WNBA.
She subsequently led the Comets to four consecutive WNBA championships and was named WNBA Finals MVP four times. Cooper-Dyke was voted the league’s MVP in 1997 and 1998 and was a four-time WNBA All-Star before retiring in 2000.
The young Tigers team brings a 1-6 record into Johnson Coliseum to face a Sam Houston team that stands 2-3.
The Bearkats are coming off a 78-50 victory over A&M-Commerce in the fifth annual “Pack-the-House” game that attracted a record crowd of more than 3800 fans last Friday.
Sam Houston’s senior trio of forwards Britni Martin and Sequeena Thomas and guard Chanice Smith each are averaging in double figures.
Martin leads the team with 16.6 points per game. Thomas boasts averages of 10.8 points and 12.2 rebounds.
Smith is pouring in 10.6 points per contest.
For the Tigers, 6-1 forward Gianne Fleming is scoring 10.4 points per game while 5-9 guard Brijan Turner sports a 10.2 scoring mean.
Following the Texas Southern game, the Sam Houston women will begin a five-game road swing that starts with a trip to South Alabama Saturday.
Wednesday features a special Christmas toy drive. Fans may bring a new, unwrapped toy for donation to the sixth annual M.A.S.H. (Make a Smile Happen) presented by 101.7 KSAM, 104.9 The Hits & Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant to support the Community Toy Drive.
No.5 Bearkats Holds Off No.12 Mustangs 18-16
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
Huntsville, TX – Miguel Antonio kicked field goals of 20, 32 and 26 yards and running back Timothy Flanders rushed 17 times for 101 yards as No. 5 Sam Houston State held off No. 12 Cal Poly for an 18-16 victory in an NCAA Division I Football Championships second round game Saturday at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium.
Quarterback Andre Broadous rushed for 54 yards and passed for 113 more to lead Cal Poly.
The Mustangs cut the margin to two points on a 50-yard halfback reserve pass by Ryan Taylor to Willie Tucker with 1:34 to play.
But Sam Houston’s Trey Diller recovered the on sides kick attempt and the Bearkats ran out the clock.
Keshawn Hill scored the game’s only touchdown on an 18-yard pass from Brian Bell with 0:31 left in the third quarter to end a nine-play, 83-yard drive.
After trailing 8-0 at halftime after two Antonio field goals and a safety on a punt block by Vincent Dotson, Cal Poly scored on fields goals of 23 and 27 by Bobby Zalud at the 9:34 and 3:88 mark in the third.
Sam Houston, which reached the finals of the FCS playoffs last year, advances to the quarterfinals and will face No.3 Montana State Bobcats in Bozeman on Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.