Alabama baseball: Tide cruises past Vols, keeps SEC Tournament hopes alive. 4C
Sports
F R I D A Y , M A Y 21 , 2010
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BALL 4 from UA named CoSIDA Academic All-District TUSCALOOSA | Four Alabama student-athletes were voted to the 2009-10 CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District At-Large Team, which was announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America on Thursday. Senior diver Elizabeth Hughes, senior tennis player Saketh Myneni, senior gymnast Kassi Price and sophomore golfer Hunter Slatton were all voted to the At-Large team. Hughes, Myneni and Price were all named to the first team and will move onto the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration. “This award speaks to the dedication that each has to their sport and academics,” assistant athletics director for student services Jon Dever said. “To have one student-athlete earn a spot on the at-large team is quite an accomplishment, but to have four, with three on the first team, is remarkable.” Alabama and Ohio State both led the way with three first-team honorees. Price is a three-time member of the all-district first team, while Hughes and Myneni were both second team all-district honorees last season. Hughes posted a 4.0 grade point average in psychology with a minor sociology. Myneni, who is currently playing in the NCAA Singles Championships, holds a 3.805 grade point average in finance and economics. Price, a three-year All-American, carries a perfect 4.0 GPA with a double major in advertising and marketing. Slatton, a sophomore golfer from Tuscaloosa, holds a 4.0 grade point average with a major in accounting.
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ALABAMA BASKETBALL
Knox expected to make transfer decision next week By Chase Goodbread
Former University of Alabama player Justin Knox, of Tuscaloosa, has narrowed his choices of schools to transfer to and is expected to make a decision next week.
Sports Writer
TUSCALOOSA | Former University of Alabama basketball player Justin Knox said he has narrowed possible transfer destinations to include Georgia Tech and North Carolina, and will likely decide between the Atlantic Coast Conference schools early next week. The 6-foot-9 forward, who made 17 starts for the Crimson Tide last season, will remain enrolled at UA through the summer. “I’m still going to make (a decision) before I start summer school just so I can focus on academics, and make sure I pass all my classes (at Alabama),” Knox said. The Tuscaloosa native is on track to graduate this summer, which would allow him to transfer
STAFF FILE PHOTO
to a Division I school’s graduate program without sitting out next season under NCAA transfer rules. UA announced that Knox would leave the program on April 26. Days later, he received a letter from UA which granted a conditional release from his scholarship, excepting schools on UA’s 2010-11 schedule, Southeastern Conference schools and schools in the UA system — including UAB. The Blazers were Knox’s top choice, and he subsequently appealed UA’s decision to block a UAB transfer on May 13. That appeal was denied Monday, and Knox made visits to both UNC and Georgia Tech. “I was kind of disappointed, but I know the decision made was something that was bigger SEE KNOX | 4C
STATE AMATEUR TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL
CRIMSON ACE
Dunne the driving force behind Tide’s win streak
By Bobby Fulmore Special to The Tuscaloosa News
By Tommy Deas
TUSCALOOSA | Karlin Beck of Auburn defeated top qualifier Sara Grantham of Wilsonville on Thursday in the semifinals at the 78th Women’s State Amateur Golf Championship at Ol’ Colony. The final round of match play in the championship flight will pair Beck against Kathy Hartwiger of Birmingham in a 36-hole showdown starting at 7:30 a.m. Cammie Gray, the 17-year-old Northport golfer who came into the day tied at fifth after the opening Ol’ Colony Golf Complex round of stroke play, came within one shot of advancing to the quarterfinal round in the first flight, but came up short to Cynthia Navis of Point Clear. Gray lost in a one-hole playoff. “I hit the ball right today but got a stroke penalty due to taking too long,” Gray said. “We tied after 18 because she made a four on the par 5. “It was a really close game.” Gray’s father, Alan, was a quarterback at the University of Alabama during the Paul W. “Bear” Bryant era. Cammie Gray has been playing golf for a little over three years and is home schooled. “Home schooling helps me with my game,” the younger Gray said. “If I went to a regular high school, I wouldn’t get out until 3 (o’clock) and would have more homework. Being home schooled allows me to get my SEE FINAL | 4C
Executive Sports Editor
TUSCALOOSA | When the season got tough for the University of Alabama softball team, Kelsi Dunne got going. The Crimson Tide’s junior ace pitcher from Port Orange, Fla., has been a driving force in Alabama’s 24-game winning streak. She has been the winning pitcher 15 times since the Tide started on its winning roll, giving up more than one earned run just once in those appearances. Alabama was 24-9 and coming off a two-of-three series loss to Florida with its season at a crossroads at the end of March. Now, the Crimson Tide is 48-9 and the hottest team in the nation, heading into the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed. Over the course of the winning streak, Dunne has compiled a 1.31 earned-run average. She has struck out 143 batters in 852⁄3 innings and holding opponents to a collective .158 batting average. More importantly, Dunne has found a shutdown gear in tough situations. SEE DUNNE | 4C
PHOTO | UNIVERSITY OF WEST ALABAMA
West Alabama football coach Bobby Wallace
UWA’s Wallace tabbed for Div. II Football Hall FLORENCE | The University of West Alabama’s Bobby Wallace will be inducted into the Division II Football Hall of Fame along with Ken Sparks of Carson-Newman College and Mel Tjeerdsma of Northwest Missouri State on Dec. 17, making up the 12th induction class of the Hall of Fame. The coaches were chosen by a selection committee and announced by Division II Football Hall of Fame Chairman Jeff Hodges. Wallace, who led UWA last season to its first NCAA appearance since 1975, has led seven teams to Div. II postseason play, including last season. Wallace became the first coach in college football history to win as many as 40 games in just three seasons when he led the University of North Alabama to a 41-1 record and three straight NCAA Division II national championships from 1993-95. He is also the only coach in Division II to ever win three straight national championships. He was previously named Division II Coach of the Quarter Century (1972-97). The trio of coaches will be inducted Dec. 17 as part of a combined Harlon Hill Trophy and Division II Football Hall of Fame Banquet at 6:30 p.m. at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center in Florence. Tickets are $50 each or $400 for a table of eight and are available by calling the Shoals Chamber of Commerce (256) 764-4661 or the UNA Sports Information Office at (256) 765-4595.
Hartwiger, Beck reach final round
TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL The Alabama Softball Complex Today Game 1: UAB (36-20) vs. Lipscomb (48-11), 3:30 p.m. Game 2: Alabama (48-9) vs. Alcorn State (23-23), 6 p.m. Saturday Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1:30 p.m. Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 4 p.m. Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 6:30 p.m. Sunday Game 6: Championship game, 1:30 p.m. Game 7: If necessary, 4 p.m.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tide slips to third after shooting 6-over From combined reports
PHOTO | UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
University of Alabama freshman Jennifer Kirby tees off on the first hole of Thursday’s third round of the NCAA Championships in Wilmington, N.C. Kirby shot a 2-under 70 to lead the Tide, which fell from second to third place after shooting a 6-over.
WILMINGTON, N.C. | The University of Alabama women’s golf team slipped into a tie for third place in the NCAA Championships after shooting a 6-over-par round of 294 Thursday during the third round on the par-72, Dye Course at the Country Club of the Landfall. The Crimson Tide enters today’s final round at 7-over-par INSIDE 871, tied with Arizona State. Purdue charged into the lead with a ■ Alabama men’s third-round 8-under-par 280. The golf team in fifth at Boilermakers have a 13-shot lead regional | 4C over Alabama and a seven-shot lead on Southern California. “Today was an important day to measure yourself,” Alabama head coach Mic Potter said. “We are certainly not used to competing for national championships — that is something that you have to go through. Our three girls that have played well all year, played well today. They did what they had to do, but we just didn’t get that fourth score, which has been our nemesis all year.” SEE TIDE | 4C
STAFF PHOTO | MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER
Cammie Coleman Gray, of Northport, takes a swing on the fairway during the Alabama Women’s State Amateur Golf Championship at Ol’ Colony Golf Course on Thursday.