HobbsDailyReport.com
HICKORY – Lenoir-Rhyne University has added an assistant coach to its softball staff who has previously worked at USC Aiken.
Lindsey Jones, also the recruiting and schedule coordinator for the last two years at USC Aiken, played four seasons of softball there.
JONES
USC Aiken played in the Peach Belt Conference tournament championship and earned a spot in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional last season.
“I’m very excited to hire Lindsey as an assistant coach,” LRU head softball coach Shena Hollar said in an LRU press release. “She has a good reputation in the softball community and brings a lot of experience to our program.”
Jones started at USC Aiken for four years (2010-13), earning second-team All-Peach Belt Conference honors in 2013. She was the team MVP in 2012, a three-year captain and led the Pacers to the playoffs in 2011.
She graduated from USC Aiken with a bachelor’s degree in history in 2015 and is working on a master’s degree in sport administration from Liberty University.
Jones was also on the coaching staff at North Augusta (S.C.) High in 2015.
The Bears went 46-13 last season and captured a share of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) regular-season title at 16-4 in league games. They also played in the Southeast Regional.
Bessey joins staff: LRU has hired a new associate athletic director for marketing and promotions from Georgia State University.
Aaron Bessey has been athletic director at GSU for the past two years and implemented the school’s Blue Pride Student marketing organization and oversaw its Spirit Team (cheerleader and dance programs).
BESSEY
Bessey also directed the oversight of planning, coordinating and handling marketing and game day promotions for all of the Panthers’ home football, men’s basketball and baseball events and assisted with all of Georgia State’s sports.
The primary responsibilities for Bessey at LRU will be procuring corporate sponsorships and enhancing their brand awareness and guiding the athletics marketing and promotional strategy in its goal of enhancing fan experience and game day environment.
His background includes working in similar duties at Appalachian State, where he oversaw the Mountaineers’ Kid Club.
“He is the ideal person to take our marketing and corporate partnership strategy to the next level,” Bears athletic director Kim Pate said in the release. “I look forward to seeing him make an immediate impact on our game environment and fan engagement experience.”
Bessey graduated from N.C. State in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in sport management/PRT (parks, recreation and tourism) with a double minor in business administration and law and justice.
Volleyball recognized for grades: LRU’s women’s volleyball team had a team 3.51 grade point average for the spring semester, earning honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).
The AVCA honors college and high school teams that have a GPA of at least 3.30 on a 4.0 scale or 4.10 on a 5.0 scale.
LRU joined 118 other college teams to earn the honor.
Four Bears had GPAs or 3.9 or higher – senior Serina Nickle of Colorado Springs, Colo., junior Kathryn Sizemore of Arden, freshman Anna Smith of Harmony and junior Ada Thompson of Huntersville.
LRU opens the 2017 season on Sept. 1 against St. Leo at 11:30 a.m. and plays America International at 4:30 p.m. the same day in the Nova Southeastern Shark Invitational in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
More academic honors: With a team grade point average of 3.36, LRU’s women have been recognized as a IWLCA (Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association) Zag Sports honor squad.
The Bears and 307 other NCAA Division I, Division II or Division III or National Association of Intercollege Athletics (NAIA) were honored.
LRU had two players on the individual academic honors roll, senior Taylor Winters of Marietta, Ga., (3.65 GPA) and Noreen McAllister of Bayport, N.Y. (3.84 GPA).
— Reported by LRU Sports Information