LOCAL ROUNDUP: Lenoir-Rhyne leads Echols Cup standings through fall sports

HobbsDailyReport.com

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Through fall sports, Lenoir-Rhyne University is leading the chase for the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Echols Athletic Excellence Award.

The Bears have 487.5 points after winning league titles in football and sharing the title in men’s soccer, tying for second in women’s soccer and taking third place in women’s cross country.

LRU was third in last year’s Echols Cup standings.

The Cup is presented annually to the SAC athletic department that earns the highest points total based on cumulative final standings in each of the conference’s 20 sports.

The conference champion in each sport receives 100 points and other points are awarded based on conference finish.

LRU leads Wingate by 58 poins and Anderson, S.C. by 77.5 points heading into winter sports.

ECHOLS CUP STANDINGS

(after fall sports)

  1. LENOIR-RHYNE, 487.5
  2. Wingate, 429.5
  3. Anderson, S.C., 410
  4. Carson-Newman, 391.5
  5. Queens, 386
  6. Lincoln Memorial, 341.5
  7. Tusculum, 314
  8. Catawba, 263
  9. Mars Hill, 184
  10. Newberry, S.C., 144
  11. Coker, 93

Red Hawks’ Hudson wins Region Coach of Year

HICKORY – Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) volleyball head coach Shannon Hudson has won a Two-Year College Northeast-Southeast coaching honor from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).

HUDSON

“What an honor to be recognized by the AVCA with this award,” Hudson said in a CVCC press release. “It is humbling to be considered among such a seasoned group of respected coaches.”

Hudson just completed her 10th year as head coach at CVCC and the Red Hawks (36-10) posted her sixth season with at least 30 victories.

CVCC went 14-0 this season in Region X, going unbeaten in the league and winning the conference title for the seventh consecutive season.

Hudson picked up her 300th career win in October.

CVCC won a district title this season and, in its fifth National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) tournament appearance, won three matches for the first time in school history and finished ninth.

Hudson will receive her coaching award this month at a luncheon in Minneapolis.

Poe, Dugger make All-Super Region 2 team

DUGGER

POE

Two Lenoir-Rhyne University football players – offensive lineman Jason Poe and return specialist Kyle Dugger – have earned spots on the Division 2 Conference Commissioner’s Association (D2CCA) All-Super Region 2 team.

Poe made the first-team, and Dugger was a second-team pick.

Poe was the Jacobs Blocking Trophy recipient for the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) and was first-team All-SAC this season. His blocking helped the Bears go 12-2, and they were fifth nationally in rushing offense (280.0) heading into their game on Saturday at Valdosta (Ga.) State.

Dugger, who ranked fourth in the nation in punt return average at 17.2 yards heading into the Valdosta game, made All-SAC first-team as a return specialist and also as a defensive back. He has set a school record for most punt return yards, 534 going into Saturday’s game.

Crawdads’ Winter Caravan Luncheon set

HICKORY – The Hickory Crawdads’ annual Winter Caravan Luncheon is scheduled for Jan. 10.

The luncheon will feature a slate of Rangers personnel and members of the Crawdads coaching staff.

Details of the attendees are still developing and will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets for the event are available now for $25. The price includes the main event and a picnic-style buffet.

Contact the Crawdads at (828) 322-3000 for more ticket details.

Ticket purchases: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/7186786/2019-winter-caravan-hickory-lpfrans-stadiumhickory-crawdads

KIPLAGAT

LRU’s Kiplagat competes at NCAA Championships

PITTSBURGH – Lenoir-Rhyne University senior Domtila Kiplagat finished 82nd on Saturday in the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships, running a cold and wet 6K course.

A native of Kenyan, she finished in 24:17.2 in a field of 264 runners.

Kiplagat was the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Runner of the Year this season.

LRU opens the track and field season on Sunday in Winston-Salem.

QUEEN

Bears’ Queen competes at USA Winter Nationals

GREENSBORO – Jacob Queen, a junior at Lenoir-Rhyne University from St. Stephens High, wrapped up his swims at the USA Swimming National Championships on Saturday.

He participated in the time trails of the 200-meter individual medley on Thursday (2:10.009) and the 100-meter breaststroke (1:05.25) on Saturday.

On Friday, Queen swam in the 100-meter breaststroke and finished 28th in a time of 1:04.70. That was the 17th-best time among American swimmers at the event.

— LRU items reported on by LRU Sports Information; CVCC item reported on by CVCC Sports Information

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