State sports briefs

FOOTBALL SAU coach resigns

Mike McCarty resigned Friday as head coach at Southern Arkansas University after one season.

Despite a 2-0 start, the Muleriders lost 7 of their final 9 games to finish 4-7 in 2021.

“We would like to thank Coach McCarty for his time as the leader of our football program for the past year and a half,” SAU Athletic Director Steve Browning said in a news release. “I wish him, and his family, nothing but the best moving forward.”

McCarty was promoted to head coach in November 2020 after serving as interim coach for five games when Bill Keopple retired. He arrived at SAU after spending two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Colorado State-Pueblo. The Oregon native had also worked at Arkansas State University, the University of Central Arkansas, Holmes College in Mississippi and Bryant University in Rhode Island.

VOLLEYBALL Arkansas Tech advances to GAC final; Harding loses

Arkansas Tech University will play in the Great American Conference volleyball championship match today after defeating Southwestern Oklahoma State in a semifinal match 25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 25-14 on Friday at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs.

Harding University lost to Oklahoma Baptist in the other semifinal match 25-21, 25-19, 25-17.

Arkansas Tech and Oklahoma Baptist will meet at 2 p.m. today for the GAC title.

For Arkansas Tech, Haylee Paladini posted a match-high 19 kills. Tymber Riley added 10 kills.

Madison Grantham led the Golden Suns with 22 digs, while Brianna Merkel finished with 19 digs and 42 assists. Megan Solberg had 14 digs.

Harding was led by Logan Smith, who finished with 11 kills and 11 digs. Sarah Morehead had 24 assists and 18 digs. Emma Winiger recorded 17 digs, while Amber Robin had 14 digs.

UAPB wins SWAC Tournament opener

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff earned a 25-15, 25-7, 22-25, 25-16 victory over Southern University on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament at Elmore Gymnasium in Huntsville, Ala.

Jayden James led the Lady Lions with 15 kills. Kaila Robinson had 14 kills and 13 digs, while Destiny Thomas added 11 kills.

Nikole Akamine finished with 26 assists and 12 digs. Nyah Ellis posted 20 digs.

UAPB will face Florida A&M at 4 p.m. today in the semifinals.