To speak.
INDEX Opinion Events COVID Update Sports
No. 1
Vol. 3
1 2 3 4
August 19, 2021
Another pandemic The Extraordinary
Session on Act 1002 Blanton Matthews Staff Reporter
Photo by Lance Brownfield
A bust of Donald W. Reynolds was adorned with a cloth mask on the first day of class in the Reynolds Sciene Center at Henderson.
Lance Brownfield Editor-in-Chief
It was about 9:50 a.m. Monday morning, the first day of classes for the semester at Henderson. My first class was about to begin in Reynolds Science Center. As I entered the hallway to look for room 120, I heard a professor accosting two students saying that masks are to “protect others.” It occured to me at that moment that no mask can protect from overreactions. I brushed it off as just another example of someone going way over the top. Yelling at someone for not wearing a mask won’t save anyone’s lives, but I’m not going to make a scene in response to someone else’s argument. When we see someone being berated in the public square over the wearing of masks, we often look the other way. It’s like a mother spanking her child in the supermarket. We keep our heads down, don’t make eye contact, try not to speak as we pass and tell ourselves that it’s none of our
business, just so we can make our comments to the people in our circle later. The children of the COVID generation have suffered greatly at the hands of lockdowns and virtual learning. Children and teen suicides have risen dramatically across the country since the pandemic began. The message all around them for the past almost two years is that you can’t visit family, you should stay away from your friends, we’re all helpless and we’re all doomed. Yet, there has been no program created during the pandemic for our children’s mental health or the very real circumstances they deal with during lockdowns. My call to the responsible adults of today is to not sacrifice our children on the altar of COVID-19. The church of Fauci and Pope Biden won’t be able to fix the problems we’re creating today once the pandemic is over. I don’t like the precedent that has been set for treating our fellow
man and the youths of the COVID era. We need to pay more attention to what’s happening around us. It’s harder than it has ever been to notice the telling signs of abuse because kids are staying home for weeks at a time and abusers are getting used to using them as punching bags. Going virtual can be a prison sentence to students around the nation as school and other public spaces can sometimes be a child’s only relief from mistreatment. Even with the Delta variant, we need to consider long and hard if going virtual once more will do more damage than good. In 2019 Arkansas had a rate of 12 children per 1,000 of reported abuse and neglect, which is higher than the national average of 8.9. That’s about 1%. There is not enough data for 2020 or 2021. If you know someone under the age of 18 that is being abuse or neglected, call the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4825964.
Mayberry said in an interview “Too many legislators voted for the original bill [1002] that I was not going to get them to budge,” but that she felt we needed “guardrails” in place to protect children under 12 who are not yet eligible for any of the vaccines for SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19. The limited scope of the bill was also in part because of the limited scope of the Governor’s call to enter an extraordinary session. Since Hutchinson only opened the special session to make an exception to act 1002 for districts to make policy for schools that held children under 12, the bill could not have allowed for exceptions for all schools. The Governor’s limited scope and lack of foresight not to sign 1002 in the first place, along with the overwhelming initial support for 1002 therefore made the attempt to allow local freedom an uphill battle. Mayberry, who was not present for but said she would have voted against 1002, said “I really didn’t like the bill, I was concerned that we cannot
When Governor Asa Hutchinson called for a special session of the state legislature in hopes of amending Act 1002, which barred mandates of face coverings in the state of Arkansas, Representative Julie Mayberry (R-32) thought she was introducing “common sense” legislation to give some local control back to school districts. Such sense, it seems, was not common enough to gain the votes needed to pass. House bill 1003 would have amended Act 1002 to allow school districts to enact 60-day temporary mask policies if their area had cases of COVID-19 numbering at least 50 per 10,000 residents. 50 cases is where the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement classifies a district as a COVID “red zone”. Mayberry held a committee meeting shortly before the session exploring a change to a shorter time allowance to 21 days from 60 if the bill could expand another way to include “orange zones” of 30 cases.
predict the future, if COVID has taught us anything.” Mayberry also said that she had been receiving hundreds of emails both for and against allowing local mask policy options, but said that more people in her district were for allowing local control, whereas messages with the blanket anti-mask position were mass emails to all legislators which could have come from anywhere. These messages could indicate astroturfing, the generation of a loud messaging campaign that seems to be grassroots organizing but is actually a small group of people who are outside the affected region. Still, the majority of the legislature did not want to allow anyone to enact mask policies, and were it not for Judge Tim Fox of the Pulaski County Circuit Court, Act 1002 would have survived unscathed. “I felt alone in a very large room,” said Mayberry. The Governor’s office ignored attempts by The Oracle Community Edition to reach out.
Photo courtesy of HSU Youtube channel
In lieu of an in-person Pine Tree Speech this year, Henderson instead screened a previously recorded recitation of the famous speech at 7 p.m. Monday. The speech is a tradition that marks the beginning of the academic year.
The Oracle Editor-in-Chief Kaela McKim and Oracle Community Edition Editor-inChief Lance Brownfield pose with adviser Steve Listopad at the organization fair Monday in Henderson's Garrison ball room.
Photo by Juliann Reaper
Henderson students enjoy watermelon at the Watermelon Fest / Karaoke Competition Monday night. Info from Weather.com
FRI - Aug 20 partly cloudy
SAT - Aug 21 partly cloudy
SUN - Aug 22 mostly sunny
MON - Aug 23 sunny
TUE - Aug 24 mostly sunny
WED - Aug 25 mostly sunny
THU - Aug 26 mostly sunny
92o 74
93o 73
95o 72
99o 73
100o 72
99o 72
95o 71
Precipitation: 24% Wind: SW 9 mph Humidity: 79%
Precipitation: 21% Wind: SW 7 mph Humidity: 73%
Precipitation: 10% Wind: SW 7 mph Humidity: 67%
Precipitation: 5% Wind: WSW 6 mph Humidity: 60%
Precipitation: 13% Wind: WSW 5 mph Humidity: 58%
Precipitation: 5% Wind: NE 5 mph Humidity: 58%
Precipitation: 10% Wind: ENE 5 mph Humidty: 63%
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2 News
Thursday, August 19, 2021
Arkansas Dairy Bars: Nostalgic and Pandemic Perfect Asa Hutchinson AR Governor LITTLE ROCK – Today I’d like to talk about a sector of our culinary industry that is the perfect business model for dining establishments during a pandemic. Ninety-four of these eateries dot the Natural State’s rural landscape, and next week, Arkansas PBS will release a documentary about these short-order diners. The subject of the film is the Arkansas dairy bar, a remnant of the time before the proliferation of franchised restaurants. The idea for this project came to Arkansas foodie Kat Robinson in the early months of COVID-19. Kat, a 1995 broadcasting graduate of Arkansas Tech, has made her name as a food historian, author, and foodie, with some public television shows thrown in. She is a member of the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame’s selection committee. She grew up eating sugar on her rice for breakfast and countryfried venison. Her books include Another Slice of Arkansas Pie and two volumes of Things to Eat in Arkansas Before You Die.
One day when Kat was hankering for an ice cream, as she says, she traveled to Malvern to see whether the dairy bar from her childhood was still in business. Mel's Dairy Bar was still standing, it looked just like she remembered, and the place was hopping. That’s when she decided to write a book. In March, she and the team at Arkansas PBS began to work on the companion documentary. The documentary, Arkansas Dairy Bars: Neat Eats & Cool Treats, will premiere at 7 p.m. Thursday, August 19, on Arkansas PBS. This week, Arkansas PBS hosted a free advance screening at the Kenda Drive-In in Marshall. Dairy bars evoke nostalgia for many of us who had the good fortune to live in a town with a dairy bar or whose grandparents lived near one. That was the initial appeal for Kat. But as she traveled more than eight thousand miles to visit all ninetyfour of Arkansas’s diners, she realized that by their very design, dairy bars may be the perfect restaurant for a pandemic. Think about it. A dairy bar generally doesn’t
have a dining room. You order your food through a window. You eat in a car or at a picnic table. Textbook social distancing. Arkansas PBS sustained the socialdistancing theme by holding its premiere of Arkansas Dairy Bars at a drive-in theater. The Arkansas PBS event was perfectly crafted as public family entertainment during a worldwide pandemic. Kat is an Arkansan who understands Arkansans. Like the 3 million other people who live here, Kat took the pandemic headon and blazed a different route. In one of her books, she writes about the character of her state. “Arkansas is a stubborn, hang-on-by-your-teeth subsistence land that adapts to weather, new folks, and the lay of the land.” That’s an accurate description. W i t h t h i s documentary, Kat Robinson and Arkansas PBS preserve a piece of our culinary history. They also demonstrate that with imagination, sweat of the brow, and a dash of courage, we can work our way through anything.
Governor Retains the Law Firm of Matthews, Campbell, Rhoads, McClure & Thompson as counsel in the case regarding Act 1002 Asa Hutchinson AR Governor “The Attorney General has always done an outstanding job in representing my office and the state of Arkansas, but it is her duty as the attorney for the state to defend Act 1002,” Governor Asa Hutchinson
said. “I have expressed the view that Act 1002 should have been amended and questions need to be raised as to the constitutionality of the law. Generally speaking, I support the decision of Judge Fox, and my position creates an unavoidable conflict; for that reason I have
asked David R. Matthews of Matthews, Campbell, Rhoads, McClure & Thompson, P.A. to represent me. “David Matthews has a special expertise in school law, and I have confidence that he will represent me effectively in the current litigation.”
As Arkansans begin looking forward to plans of a final summer getaway, law enforcement officers are preparing to saturate the highways with additional patrols during the Labor Day holiday. The mission is to keep streets and highways safe by identifying and arresting drunk drivers. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over impaired driving awareness campaign begins Friday, August 20th and will remain active through September 6th. Arkansas State Troopers, sheriff’s deputies and city police officers will be unified during the operation designed to arrest drunk drivers who threaten the safety of others traveling on Arkansas road. Lives lost in highway crashes across the nation involving alcohol impaired drivers during 2019 totaled 10,142, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That’s one person killed every 52 minutes in a drunk driving crash. On average, more than 10,000
people were killed in drunk driving crash each year from 2015 to 2019. “The statistics left behind from these deaths each year represent thousands of sad and troubling stories from the families of each victim,” said Colonel Bill Bryant, Director of the Arkansas State Police and Governor’s Highway Safety Representative. “That’s why law enforcement agencies in Arkansas are working together with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, but also a matter of life and death for those who count on us to keep the highways safe by arresting drunk drivers.” The Arkansas Highway Safety Office and NHTSA are reminding everyone of the many resources available to get them home safely and offer these tips: If you plan on drinking, plan not to drive. Plan a safe way home before you leave. It’s never okay to drink and drive, even if the driver has consumed only one alcoholic beverage. Designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation to get to your destination safely. If you’ve been drinking,
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Fall Events Upcoming Events August 20 6 - 10p.m. Henderson Street Fair Food,Music, & Vaccine Clinic August 24 8:30 - 9 p.m. OBU Spotlight Event Community fair for local businesses, organizations, and churches. Location: OBU's Heflin Plaza and Student Village. September 15-18 Clark County Fair September 22 Motorcycle Cannonball
Recurring Dog Days of Summer July 20 - August 26 (TWR 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.) Now showing at the Arkadelphia Arts Center, “Dog Days of Summer,” a collection of dog themed art and objects. Cat art is also included in this fun exhibit. Some of the proceeds from sales will go to the Humane Society of Clark County. Visitors may bring Purina dog and cat food to the center during this show, which will then be donated to the humane society at the exhibit’s conclusion. Other items needed at the shelter include bleach, cat litter, laundry soap, and old towels. Tue, Wed, Thur. (870-245-7982) ♦♦♦ Friday Night Magic The Gathering - Atlas Gaming ♦♦♦
Planning a Labor Day getaway? Start with drive sober or get pulled over Arkansas State Police
call a taxi or someone who is sober to drive you home. If you see a drunk driver on the road, call 9-1-1. If you know someone who is about to drive or operate a motorcycle or any other vehicle while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to their destination safely. Buckle up, always. Your seat belt is your best defense against the drunk driver. “The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is more than just a partnership among law enforcement to remove drunk drivers from the highway during the Labor Day holiday,” Colonel Bryant said. “We need the commitment from communities and citizens to work with law enforcement every day and help keep the streets and highways safe for everyone.” For more information on impaired driving, visit https://www.nhtsa. gov/risky-driving/ drunk-driving or call the Arkansas Highway Safety Office at (501) 618-8136. For more on Arkansas’ ongoing Toward Zero Deaths campaign to eliminate preventable traffic fatalities, visit www. TZDArkansas.org
Alcoholics Anonymous hosts two meetings a week in Arkadelphia. The meetings are open to anyone interested in AA’s program of recovery. The Arkadelphia Group meets at 7 p.m. every Tues. in the Sturgis Building at North 9 and Caddo Streets. For more information on the Arkadelphia Group Meetings, call 870-403-3001. The U-Turn Group meets at 7 p.m. every Thurs. on the front, upper level of Park Hill Baptist Church, 3163 Hollywood Road. For information on that group’s meetings, call 870-230-2975 or 870-260-9277. ♦♦♦ With Late ‘til 8, local businesses stay open to 8:00 pm so that customers can shop and also win door prizes! this is a monthly event that happens every first Thursday of every month. ♦♦♦ Pediatrics Plus is excited to announce that our brand new facility is now open. Our new facility is located at 702 Hickory Street. The new facility offers includes a Developmental Preschool and Therapy Services that include: ABA, Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapy. In addition, our brand new, state-of-the-art facilities include a House Next Door suite which offers a homey feel for children learning daily living activities like cooking, feeding therapy, making the bed, getting dressed, and more! Other features of the new facility include a new playground, gross motor gym, high stimulation and low stimulation gyms, and a library! Enroll Now to get a spot in our new location! ♦♦♦ Al-Anon meetings, designed to help family and friends affected by alcohol, are held three days a week in the Arkadelphia area: • Tues. at 7 p.m., Sturgis Building, corner of 9 and Caddo. • 870-403-2019; Thurs. at 6:30 p.m., Park Hill Baptist Church. • 870-403-2019; Fri. at noon, Clark County Library, 609 Caddo St., side door. 512-750-2292.
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Thursday, August 19, 2021
News 3
Thank You, Teachers Bruce Westerman Congressman As summer moves to a close, families and teachers begin to prepare for children to return to the classroom. Hopefully, this school year will look much different than the last. Families and students have endured significant hardship in the past year. Virtual learning may
have been necessary for a time, but national test scores showed how vital it is for students to be in the classroom to succeed. Parents and families were stretched to their limits staying indoors and too many parents were unable to go to work when children were unable to go to school. I am grateful to every educator who worked
diligently to keep children engaged with their lessons. During my Hometown Heroes tour, I visited an elementary school in Dierks, Arkansas, to honor Todd and Lori Finley, who serve in the school as a teacher and an administrator. Lori and Todd navigated substantial challenges including a significant lack of sufficient broadband for virtual
learning. Despite these challenges, Todd and Lori successfully maintained the children’s quality of education while keeping students and faculty safe. As we navigate yet another transition, I want to thank the teachers who have worked so hard for the children of Arkansas’ Fourth District, and we look forward to great school year!
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HOW TO REACH YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Arkadelphia Mayor Scott Byrd 700 Clay Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923 (870) 246-6745 Arkadelphia Treasurer Shacresha Wilson (870) 246-9864 shacresha.wilson@ arkadelphia.gov Prosecuting Attorney Dan Turner 414 Court Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923 (870) 246-9868 dan.turner@ClarkAR.us Clark County Judge Troy Tucker 401 Clay Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923 (870) 246-5847 Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson 406 South 5th Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923 (870) 246-8859 Governor Asa Hutchinson 250 State Capital Bldg. Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 682-2345
Attorney General Leslie Rutledge 323 Center Street, Suite 200 Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 682-2007 State Senator Alan Clark P.O. Box 211 Lonsdale, AR 72087 (501) 844-6800 Congressman Bruce Westerman 130 Cannon House Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-3772 U.S. Senator Tom Cotton B33 Russell Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-3772 U.S. Senator John Boozman 1 Russell Courtyard Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-4843
Photo courtesy of The Arkadelphia Parksk and Recreation Center
Arkansas Department of Health COVID-19 update
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4 Sports
UPCOMING EVENTS
8/23 4-7pm Tennis - Dequeen at AHS 8/24 4-8pm Volleyball Mayflower at Arkadelphia 8/27 AHS football vs. Camden Fairview (non-conference) 8/30 4-7pm Tennis: Fountain Lake vs. Arkadelphia 9/02 4'30-8pm Volleyball Bauxite at Arkadelphia 9/03 AHS football @ Hot Springs (non-conference) 9/10 AHS football @ Greenbrier (non-conference) 9/24 AHS football vs. Nashville (conference) 10/01 AHS football @ Robinson (conference)
10/08 AHS football vs. Fountain Lake (conference)
Thursday, August 19, 2021
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Henderson State unveils 2021 Hall of Honor Class David Salley HSU Sports Henderson State will bestow the highest athletic honor the university has to offer on nine Reddie greats once again this fall when they are added to the Hall of Honor as a part of the 2021 class. The ceremony, which will take place on Friday, Oct. 8 in the Garrison Center Grand Ballroom, will kick off with a social hour at 6 p.m., followed by the induction of the 24th Hall of Honor class at 7 p.m. Tickets to the event cost $25 and can be purchased through Angie Bradshaw by calling 870230-5161. The 2021 class includes football legends Darius Davis and Johnny Gross, baseball stars Robert Gilbert and Curtis Thurston, softball record-holder Sarah Gipson, women's basketball standout Aungelique Sledge, and Arkansas high school coaching icon C.W. Keopple. Receiving special recognition as a part of this year's Hall of Honor class are longtime Henderson State cross country and tennis coach Brenda Joiner, who is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, and former baseball player Cody Culp, who was selected as the Willie Tate Meritorious Humanitarian Award winner. DARIUS DAVIS (Category I: Football and Men's Basketball) One of the greatest players in Reddie football history, Darius Davis was a two-time All-American for Henderson State and became the school's first unanimous First Team All-American of the NCAA era as a senior in 2014. The native of Frisco, Texas, racked up an astounding 179 receptions for 3686 yards and 47 touchdowns in his career with the Reddies — all of which rank first in school history. His 47 receiving touchdowns are 13th alltime at NCAA Division II level. Davis went over the 100-yard receiving mark in 14 different games during his time at Henderson, which included a career-best 232 yards against Southern Arkansas in 2013. He caught 18 touchdown passes as a senior in 2014, which was second-best in the nation that season, and racked up a single-season school record 1597 receiving yards in 2013 when he caught 75 passes and averaged 133.1 yards per game. Davis is the all-time leader for career receiving yards and touchdowns in the state of Arkansas for any level of college football. JOHNNY GROSS (Category I: Football and Men's Basketball) A three-time All-AIC selection on the defensive line, Johnny Gross earned honorable mention honors in 1973 and 1974 before being named to the All-AIC First Team in 1975. Gross
Nine athletes will be added to Henderson's Hall of Honor Friday, Oct. 8.
was a key member of the Henderson teams that won three consecutive AIC titles in 1973, 1974 and 1975. The 1974 Reddies, who were inducted into the Hall of Honor as a team in 2010, finished as national runnersup and the 1975 squad won the Bicentennial Bowl. Gross helped lead some of the best defenses in school history during his time in Arkadelphia. The Reddies led the AIC in total defense in both 1973 and 1975, and held opponents to under 200 yards per game in each of Gross's final three seasons. ROBERT GILBERT (Category II: Other Men's Sports) A two-time All-Gulf South Conference first baseman in 2008 and 2009, Robert Gilbert is Henderson State's all-time leader in hits (194), RBIs (128) and doubles (52). He ranks third in program history in runs scored (122), total bases (273) and games played (185). A terrific hitter, Gilbert carried a career .336 batting average, hit .351 as a senior in 2010, and struck out just 38 times in 576 career atbats. He never had a batting average under .318 for a season at HSU and racked up 21 doubles in 49 contests as a junior in 2009. During his last two years in Arkadelphia, Gilbert helped lead the two winningest teams in school history to that point -- the 2009 group that finished with a still-standing school record of 34 wins and the 2010 squad which won 31 games. The Reddies were 65-34 in Gilbert's junior and senior seasons. CURTIS THURSTON (Category II: Other Men's Sports) A three-time First Team All-AIC outfielder, Curtis Thurston was also a two-time All-District 17 selection for Henderson from 1980-1983. He helped lead the Reddies to the 1982 AIC Championship with a .328 average, 37 RBIs and six home runs. Thurston claimed the AIC batting crown in 1981 with an astounding .429 average at the plate and was the team recipient of the "Mr. B" Harry Butler Baseball Reddie Spirit Award. He ended his career hitting .349 (111-for-320)
with 12 home runs and 77 RBIs. Following his career with the Reddies, Thurston was drafted in the 24th round of the 1983 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. SARAH GIPSON (Category III: Women's Sports) One of the greatest softball players in school history, Sarah Gipson played in 216 career games and started 207 of those contests for Henderson State from 20112015. A 2015 Third Team All-American according to Daktronics, she recorded 242 hits, 46 doubles, 25 home runs and 161 RBIs in her career and also scored 109 runs. Gipson struck out just 41 times in 672 career at-bats and had a fielding percentage of .989 for four seasons. She is Henderson's all-time leader in RBIs and ranks second in hits, doubles, and total bases. The 2015 GAC Player of the Year, Gipson led the Reddies to the program's first-ever conference title and NCAA regional appearance that season by batting .435 with a school-record 84 hits and 66 RBIs. HSU finished with a record of 43-15 and Gipson was named a D2CCA and NFCA First team AllCentral Region honoree. AUNGELIQUE SLEDGE (Category III: Women's Sports) A two-time GAC Defensive Player of the Year, Aungelique Sledge was a star for the Reddies from 20112015. Sledge was a two-time First Team All-GAC honoree, a Second Team All-Central Region selection in 2015, and became the program's first Capital One Academic All-American as a senior. She averaged 19.6 and 20.1 points per game, respectively, in her last two seasons at HSU and ranks fifth all-time in scoring at Henderson with 1341 points. A prolific shooter, Sledge holds the program record for 3-pointers made in a game without a miss after going 7-for-7 from beyond the arc against Southern Nazarene in 2014. In her last two seasons at Henderson, Sledge scored 30 or more points in a game on nine different occasions and had 15 other contests where she scored 20-plus.
C.W. KEOPPLE (Category IV: Heritage Era) A 1952 graduate of Henderson State and an ROTC and Reddie Football alum, C.W. Keopple is one of the greatest high school football coaches in the history of the state of Arkansas. Keopple served as the head football coach at Little Rock Hall from 19641985 and finished with an astonishing career record of 167-56. Keopple is one of just seven coaches in Arkansas high school football history to win six or more state championships, as he led the Warriors to titles in 1964, 1966, 1969, 1977, 1979 and 1982. The recipient of the 1989 Arkansas High School Coaches Association Distinguished Service Award, Keopple was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2000 and was posthumously inducted into the Little Rock School District One Rock Legends Hall of Fame in 2020. BRENDA JOINER (Distinguished Service Award) A legendary figure in Henderson State history, Brenda Joiner served as the Reddies' women's tennis coach from 19932021, women's cross country coach from 1995-2021, and men's tennis coach from 1996-2001. Joiner coached over 40 all-conference selections during her 28 years at Henderson and three Hall of Honor inductees: Stephanie Devine-Fincher (Tennis), Carrie Freeman (Tennis), and Penny Whelchel (Cross Country). In tennis, Joiner's teams qualified for the conference tournament 27 times and made the program's first NCAA Tournament berth in 1997, while in cross country HSU captured 14 meet titles during Joiner's tenure. A lifelong Reddie, Joiner is a 1979 graduate of Henderson State, the niece of Duke Wells, and played tennis under the legendary Bettye Wallace. Both of Joiner's parents worked at Henderson and her two children, Reid and Leah, are each graduates of the university. CODY CULP (Willie
Photo courtesy of HSU Sports
Tate Meritorious Humanitarian Award) A 2007 graduate of Henderson State and a Reddie Baseball alum, Cody Culp defines the spirit of the Willie Tate Meritorious Humanitarian Award. Culp, who played catcher for the Reddies from 2002-2005, battled numerous injuries during his career but earned the ultimate respect of his teammates through his grit, determination and commitment to the team. While still a student at Henderson in 2003, Culp enlisted as a reserve in the Army National Guard. When his third shoulder surgery sidelined him for the spring 2005 season, Culp went to active duty and was deployed to Iraq in December of 2004. He served three months as an infantry soldier, 240 Bravo Gunner before returning to the Reddies for the 2005 season and ultimately playing in 15 games. Following his graduation from Henderson, Culp enlisted in officer training in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. After completing Ranger School, he was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division and was deployed to Afghanistan on December 2, 2010. While on patrol, Culp's Humvee ran over an IED and he suffered severe damage to his legs. Upon his return home, Culp spent five years in a wheelchair before eventually undergoing below the knee amputation on his right leg. His titanium prosthetic, along with a special brace for his left leg, allowed him to stand and walk again. He retired from the Army as a Captain in 2011. Despite all of the hardships of war and the suffering he experienced, Culp maintained the same infectious spirit he displayed to his teammates as a member of the baseball team at Henderson State. He is now a board member of the Cal Ripken Youth Baseball League in his hometown of Fordyce, Arkansas and is a youth group leader at Fordyce's Zion Baptist Church.
Tigers tabbed for First in GAC Women's Soccer preseason poll OBU Tigers
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OBU's female soccer team was named no. 1 in GAC's preseason poll after winning the conference tournament last season.
The defending Great American Conference Tournament Champions finished atop the conference's 2021 preseason poll, as announced Tuesday. The Tigers edged out defending regular season champion Oklahoma Baptist, taking three first-place votes, compared to the Bison's two. 2020-21 GAC Coach of the Year Kevin Wright returns seven starters, including six All-GAC selections for the fall season. First Team All-GAC honoree Jaymee
Dotson, Second-Team selections Jamie Fowler, Josilyn Kispert, Erica Gaddie and Michele Snow, and Honorable Mention honoree Gracen Turner are among the 16 returning letterwinners from the 2020-21 squad. Receiving the remaining two first place votes was Southwestern Oklahoma State, which finished third in the abbreviated 2020-21 spring season. The Tigers begin their season September 2 when they host Texas Woman's at 4 p.m. at Kluck Field.