COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Bears’ Poe, Dugger picked as first-team All-Americans

HobbsDailyReport.com HICKORY – Two Lenoir-Rhyne University football stars are on D2Football.com’s first-team preseason All-America team released on Monday. Offensive lineman Jason Poe, a sophomore from Fitzgerald, Ga., and defensive back Kyle Dugger, a senior from Fayetteville, Ga., were selected. The Bears open the season on Saturday at 6 p.m., playing St. Augustine’s in Moretz Stadium to begin Drew Cronic’s second …

LENOIR-RHYNE: Pate promoted to vice president of athletics

HobbsDailyReport.com HICKORY – Kim Pate, director of athletics at Lenoir-Rhyne University since 2016, has been promoted to vice president of athletics. In her new role, she will continue to provide leadership to the Bears’ athletic department as well as serve on the president’s leadership team to support broader campus missions and strategic decisions. Last school year, LRU had its best …