ATHLETICS The UCA Bears and Sugar Bears transitioned to the ASUN (Atlantic Sun Conference) on July 1, 2021, ending a highly successful, 15 year partnership with the Southland Conference (SLC). UCA’s more than 425 student-athletes maintained a combined overall GPA of 3.20 for the 15th consecutive semester. Under the SLC, UCA was awarded the Academic Performance Award for the second year in a row as the member institution with the highest Academic Progress Rate (APR). More than 200 student-athletes were named to the SLC Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, and UCA’s Will Siler ’21 claimed one of Southland’s two prestigious 2021 F.L. McDonald Postgraduate Scholarships to attend medical school. Despite COVID-19, the Bears and Sugar Bears maneuvered through the pandemic using rigorous, thorough testing procedures in conjunction with the Student Health Clinic and Conway Regional Health Systems. UCA athletics continued to compete throughout the year as they were one of few teams at the FCS level to complete a full season in the traditional fall season.
FOOTBALL
WOMEN’S SOCCER
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Robert Rochell was selected by the Los Angeles Rams, making him the Bears’ fourth NFL draftee in the past six years.
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Gibson were named to the All-SLC team. ◊
were named to the Southland Conference
2020 Fall All-Southland Conference team,
All-Academic team, all with GPAs above 3.3.
Hudson. Hudson and Rochell were named finalists
MEN’S BASKETBALL ◊
span of five days in December 2020.
Buchanan Award, respectively.
VOLLEYBALL
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SLC selection after finishing third in the conference in scoring, second in assists and
named to the All-Southland Conference
first in minutes played per game.
Charlie Tidwell was named to the SLC All-Tournament team.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ◊
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Head coach Allen Gum retired after 11
semifinals in Katy, Texas. ◊
honors, including SLC Newcomer of the
Freshman Tyler Cleveland was named the
Year, first-team All-SLC Honors and SLC All-
All-SLC selection.
MEN’S SOCCER
Defensive Team recognition.
CROSS-COUNTRY ◊
back-to-back NCAA Tournaments.
The UCA women’s cross country won its second consecutive Southland Conference
The Bears won the Missouri Valley
championship.
Conference Tournament in 2017 and 2018 in ◊
Lucy Ibeh earned three SLC postseason
seasons and 310 victorious games. SLC Relief Pitcher of the Year and a first-team
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The Sugar Bears won two games at the 2021 SLC Tournament before losing in the
BASEBALL ◊
Rylan Bergersen was a third-team All-
Emily Doss and Bailey Waddington were team.
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The Bears played consecutive games at Arkansas, Ole Miss and Mississippi within a
for the Walter Payton Award and the Buck
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Hawkins, Hadley Dickinson and Gracie Hair
Twelve student-athletes were named to the including Offensive Player of the Year, Tyler
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Sophomores Emma Hawkins and Abby
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Head coach Beau Theriot was named the SLC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year for
UCA had three players named to the All-Sun
the second consecutive year.
Belt team. ◊
Both the women’s and men’s squads were named NCAA Division I All-Academic teams by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
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