Moncrief to speak at NPC March 31

Former Arkansas and Milwaukee Bucks guard Sidney Moncrief will be the featured speaker at an event at National Park College Thursday, March 31.

Moncrief will present Living Your Best Life: Achieving Peak Performance by Understanding the Four Components of Emotional Intelligence at 1 p.m. in the Student Commons conference center.

Moncrief, along with Marvin Delph and Ron Brewer made up “The Triplets,” three star players who helped head coach Eddie Sutton revive the Arkansas basketball program in the 1970s. After leading the Razorbacks to the 1978 NCAA Final Four, Moncrief played 11 seasons in the NBA, 10 of which were for the Bucks.

Moncrief was a five-time NBA All-Star and won the first two NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1983 and 1984. He was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.

Moncrief is currently managing partner of Moncrief One Team, a Living Your Best Life: Achieving Peak Performance by Understanding the Four Components of Emotional Intelligence.

The event is free and open to the public.

NPC DOWNS UA RICH MOUNTAIN

MENA — The National Park softball team held on for a 6-5 win on the road against the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain Tuesday.

Nighthawk pitcher Jadyn Hart picked up the win going 6 2/3 innings while allowing 8 hits, 5 runs and tallying 6 strikeouts.

National Park accounted for 11 hits in the contest. Madyln Thompson, Allison Cowart, Bailey Williams and Brooke Nalley all registered multiple hits for the Nighthawks.

GAC AWARDS TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

RUSSELLVILLE — Harding’s Fallou Gaye and Austin Parrish picked up the men’s awards, and Ouachita Baptist’s Jaci McGregor and Harding’s Brylan Williams won the women’s honors.

Gaye registered a time of 52.47 seconds in his 400-meter hurdles win at the Harding Invitational. Gaye beat out teammate Nikolasz Csoka, and both Bisons produced an NCAA Provisional time in the event. Gaye’s time ranks as the fastest in the GAC.

Parrish cleared the NCAA Provisional height in the pole vault with a height of 5.12 meters at the Harding Invitational, and the senior owns the top vault in Division II.

McGregor accounted for two school records at the UT Tyler Ice Breaker Classic. The freshman finished first in the 800 meter with a school-record time of 2:23.15, and she finished second in the 1,500 meter with a school-record time of 4:46.18. Both times are good for the fastest in the GAC this season.

Williams cleared 1.68 meters in the high jump at the Harding Invitational to earn an NCAA Provisional mark in the event. Her height ranks sixth in Division II, and she missed her personal best by just 0.03 meters.

GAC ANNOUNCES WOMEN’S TENNIS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

RUSSELLVILLE — Arkansas Tech’s Lea Grinberg earned women’s tennis player of the week honors after a successful week from the Golden Suns.

Grinberg picked up wins in No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles in Arkansas Tech’s victories over Northeastern State and OBU.

The sophomore paired with Daniela Baez for a 6-4 doubles win against Northeastern State before she picked up a win over Maria Popova in straight sets.

The pair teamed up again for a 6-2 doubles win over the Tigers, and Grinberg beat Makeilah Turner (6-0, 6-1).

GAC LISTS GOLFERS OF THE WEEK

RUSSELLVILLE — Arkansas Tech swept the golfer of the week awards with Jacqueline Klemm earning the women’s honor and Francois Jacobs picking up the men’s award.

Klemm won the individual title at the Trophy Club Invitational with a three-round score of 8-over par. The Golden Suns placed fourth overall.

Jacobs helped the No. 6 Wonder Boys to a 17-shot win at the Trophy Club Invitational. The junior finished second in the individual competition with a 54-hole score of 2-under par. The invitational featured five teams ranked in the top 35.

HSU FIELD TO GET UPDATE

ARKADELPHIA — Henderson State University’s football field will be getting a facelift this spring with a new turf field.

The project was completely funded through private donations through the Henderson State University Foundation. GeoSurfaces, a construction firm that offers full design, development, construction and installation of high-performing sports surfaces and lighting systems, will handle the project and also made a significant lead gift for the naming rights to the new field.

The newly named GeoSurfaces Field at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium will feature a fresh design that includes Henderson State’s updated H-Reddies logo at midfield, as well as the white stylized “REDDIES” font in both end zones. The green turf will alternate between darker and lighter shades every 10 yards.

Installation is expected to begin later this month with completion set for this spring. The Reddies will open the new stadium on Thursday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. in their home opener against Southwestern Oklahoma State.