Western Carolina University sports notes

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Baseball

(2009-01-06) The College Baseball Blog is uncertain about Western’s pitching for this season, and suggests that the Cats might merely be best of the SoCon’s rest in 2009 • Among the top ten Spartanburg-area stories of the year from Todd Shanesy of the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, these two pieces: 7. Tolleson following his father: Steve Tolleson from Dorman High School and South Carolina appears on his way to becoming a major leaguer just like his dad, Wayne Tolleson … After a standout year on the diamond, the younger Tolleson was added to the ’ 40-man roster. The shortstop was a fifth-round draft pick by the Twins in 2005 and this season was selected as a double-A all-star. In the Arizona Fall League, he batted .383 with seven doubles, two homers and a .449 on-base average in 27 games … Tolleson will report to spring training with a chance of making the 25-man roster. His father played for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox. 10. Adair stays in majors: Rick Adair will once again be walking out there to major league pitching mounds … The Spartanburg native, pitching coach for the from 1991-93 and from 1996-99, was named to that position for the . Since 2004, he has been minor league pitching coordinator for the Texas Rangers … Seattle was the team that drafted Adair in 1979 out of Carolina University. He played seven seasons in the minors before injuries forced him to retire and concentrate on teaching others how to pitch.

Women’s Basketball

(2009-01-06) A workmanlike 68-57 win for the Lady Cats last night in Greenville, their third straight. Freshman Kaila’Shea Menendez continued to assert herself, scoring a career-high 20 to eclipse her 17 Saturday at ASU; she’s converted 12-of-15 from the field and 11-of-11 from the line over the past two games • (01.04.09) Appalachian’s women’s team is bottoming out, and the Cats didn’t play down to the competition yesterday — they throttled the Mountaneers 92-55. Coach Harper played everybody double-figures minutes and got a career and game-high 17 from freshman guard Kaila’Shea Menendez • (01.04.08) Coach Kellie Harper hoped to have Brooke Johnson back in high gear (after knee surgery) for the league slate. The timing seems to be working itself out: Johnson got 15 points and eight boards in only 13 minutes yesterday • (12.31.08)The Catamounts closed out 2008 yesterday with a win over a solid UNCW program, moving back to .500 (6-6). will look to improve upon its 2-2 league mark with a must-win game Saturday at App (1-10,0-3), and Monday at Furman (6-6,1-3) • Catamount hall-of-famer Judy Stroud featured in this piece from Tyler Goode at the Citizen Times • Coach Harper is featured in this piece from the AP on Pat Summitt’s influence on women’s • After an up-and-down first half of the season, the Lady Cats face UNCW on the 30th to open the after-holiday slate. closed out the early part of the season with an 11-point home loss to Georgia Southern. • WCU is 5-6, with a dumbfounding loss to a bad UNCA team, but a strong win over mid-major bully MTSU. Two losses are against Tennessee and UNC.

Men’s Basketball

(2009-01-06) NBA.com breaks down Kevin Martin’s game; Jarvis “could’ve-been-Martin’s-teammate” Hayes lends a hand. Martin has scored 45 and 36 points respectively in his last two outings, but the Kings are awful.

(01.04.09)Those were the days … This snippet from the Morganton (NC) News Herald’s “50 years ago this week” section:

At Lenoir-Rhyne’s game with Carolina College all the action was not on the court. Spectators staged a knock-down, drag-out fight of their own. Several bodies came flying over the iron railings. Police and college officials finally brought the melee under control. Carolina won the game 69-58, but it was unknown who won the unscheduled battle.

(01.04.09) The current Catamount Network radio team of Ayers, Hooker and Crumpler is strong. Hooker and Crumpler are good with the on-court details that make a radio broadcast successful, Ayers has the long view of an “old hand” • (01.04.09) JUCO guard Joey Parker, a junior who disappeared without a trace after finals four games ago, is accounted for. The Citizen Times’ Tyler Goode tells us in today’s paper Parker left for playing-time reasons. Parker wasn’t getting a ton of time in guard-heavy lineup, but he was in the rotation. One of his highlights in an irritating-lil-white-guy sort of way had to be at UConn, where his defense so frustrated Husky stud-bolt A.J. Price that Price slugged him one and got tossed. ’s administration is understandably jumpy about defections, particularly in men’s basketball, but these things are just a fact of life and should be reported matter-of-factly • (01.04.09) Kevin Martin lit the Pacers up for 45 last night in a losing effort • (01.04.09) Nick Aldridge turns up • (01.04.09) Western topped Furman yesterday 68-57 in its league opener. Coach Hunter is tinkering with his lineup quite a bit after the recent three-game skid, but most important, probably, was Brandon Giles’ 25 point, nine rebound performance. Giles has been quiet recently, but the team seems to need a leader, and he’s the most obvious candidate  • (01.03.09) WCU vs. Furman preview from the Sports Network via the Kansas City Star • (01.02.09) Slam Magazine fires off a lowly or two • (01.02.09) The Citizen Times reported that ’s 3-point loss at Wednesday was followed by an hour-long closed door meeting between Coach Larry Hunter and his team before the team dressed or the coaches spoke to the media. No surprise there — if the Cats can’t master middle-of-the-pack Big South competition, they aren’t going to put butts in the seats in . • (12.31.08)The Catamounts play at UNCA (4-8,1-1 Big South) tonight, and at Furman(2-8,1-1) Saturday. A loss to either would be disappointing • ’s loss at #23 Marquette (94-77) was disappointingly lopsided, but still serves as a measure of Catamount improvement. WCU spread its scoring deep into the bench, and outscored the Golden Eagles 50-41 in the second half. Youngsters like Keaton Cole and Greg Avery played hard-nosed ball against tough competition, and JUCO’s Kendall Russell and Adrian Gailliard continued to contribute. WCU’s newfound depth, along with the apparent weakness of the SoCon’s south division and a relatively friendly schedule, should lead to ’s best record in a decade.   • Hypertrivia: WCU’s win at Arkansas on Dec. 22, 2003, remains the Razorback’s last non-conference home loss • A disappointing loss for the WCU men against Gardner-Webb.

Football

(2009-01-07) 2007 WCU offensive coordinator Doug Malone named interim head coach at Presbyterian (after coaching the offensive line for the Blue Hose in 2008) • (2009-01-07) Former WCU assistant Tim Beckman named head coach at Toledo • (2009-01-06) Former Catamount assistant Ted Roof hired as defensive coordinator at Auburn • (2009-01-06) WCU’s recruiting team has stiff competition for this Pennsylvania prospect • (01.05.09) North Buncombe QB/DB Randy Pressley, a shrine-bowler and much sought-after recruit, has committed to WCU • (01.02.09) Cats to play Vandy Sept. 5 according to Vandy blogs • (01.02.09) Former WCU assistant Marcus Satterfield has joined Russ Huesman’s new staff at UTC. Huesman was most recently defensive coordinator at Richmond, and is a UTC grad • Rashawn Grate of South Columbus (NC), recruited as an “athlete”, has committed to WCU. More here from Josh Hoke at the Myrtle Beach Sun News • Jordan Miller, a 6-8, 270 lb. offensive lineman from Kennesaw (GA) Harrison High, has a standing offer from WCU. Memphis offered him last week, as well • Former Western coach Bill Bleil is new assistant head coach at Iowa State • Asheville Citizen Times’s Tyler Goode on Brad Hoover • (12.18.08) The Observer blogs today that West ’s Brandon Grier is on ’s radar • (12.19.08) Two fullbacks from Thomasville’s little Ledford High will face off this weekend in the NFL. Hoover is one of them … • (12.17.08) The Observer blogs that Brian Johnson, a defensive end from Myers Park High, has committed to the Catamounts. Johnson is 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, and was an All-Southwestern 4A pick this season. He had 51 tackles, four sacks, seven quarterback hurries and a deflected pass. • WCU football is in the running for Linebacker Devin Wherry (6-0, 220) of South Pointe (Columbia) The State reports. He also has offers from S.C. State, Liberty and Presbyterian. • WCU football was in the running for South Brunswick defensive end A.J. Ferguson, according to the Wilmington Star-News, but he’s made his verbal to NC State • SEC blogs are reporting that WCU football will play at Vandy in 2009 • Wesley Cook, 6-8, 265lb. Hendersonville lineman, has had a standing offer from for some time • The Atlanta Journal Constitution blogged today (12.08.08) that Southwest DeKalb receiver Jacoby Mitchell had a nice visit to , and is impressed; he already has offers from Delaware, Furman, Georgia Southern, Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, Alabama-Birmingham, Middle Tennessee and Akron. • The Citizen Times blogged today (12.07.08) that one of the mountains’ most sought-after football recruits has committed to WCU. Rudy Cabral, an AC Reynolds linebacker, said this to Andrew Pearson of the Citizen: “I’m a Catamount and it’s a decision that I feel confident about. They’re going to get some talented guys and we’re going to turn this program around under coach Wagner. It’s the place to be.”

From the blogosphere: GhostsofNeyland at the UT blog thirdsaturdayinblogtober says he trusts Volunteer AD Mike Hamilton to make the right hire to replace Fulmer. One of his reasons: “He hired Todd Raleigh, who had turned Carolina into a juggernaut, and after one season as the Vols baseball coach, has recruited a top-30 class. He also re-instilled the discipline in the program that had been missing and appears to be on his way to restoring the program.”

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