TAT: Razorbacks Build on Record-Breaking Season

This article originally appeared in the August 19, 2013 Move-In issue of The Arkansas Traveler.

Coming off of a season in which the Arkansas soccer team made several strides, second-year head coach Colby Hale said he thinks the team will continue improving this year.

Last year, the Razorbacks beat a ranked opponent for the first time in school history, broke the UA record for Southeastern Conference wins in a season and reached the SEC tournament for the first time since 2000.

“We took a lot of steps (last year), and that’s exciting, but that being said, that’s not our goal,” Hale said. “Ultimately, our end goal is much higher than just making the SEC tournament.”

Hale’s main focus this season is the culture and identity of the program. Of course, making the SEC and NCAA tournaments are some of the goals, but the “branding of the program” is the most important goal, Hale said.

On the field, the Razorbacks return three of their top four scorers from last season, including sophomore forward Ashleigh Ellenwood, who led the team with six goals.

They also have four seniors on the roster, which is twice as many as last year, as well as eight juniors.

“It’s a way more veteran team,” Hale said. “We have way more questions answered this year than we did this time last year. Our leadership group is much stronger and we return a lot of really good players.”

Along with the upperclassmen, Arkansas had a solid recruiting class that will bring 11 freshmen to Fayetteville. Over the past four seasons, the Razorbacks have had at least one freshman named to the Freshman All-SEC team each year.

Despite these freshmen coming in as talented high school and club players, Hale said that he doesn’t know how they’ll transition to the college level.

“The SEC is a different game; it’s stronger and quicker,” Hale said. “Some of them are going to help us and play roles, but I wouldn’t be able to tell you (who) until we’re deeper into the season.”

The most obvious hole on the team was left by the graduation of midfielder Allie Chandler, a two-time Second Team All-SEC selection. Chandler tied for the team lead in points last year, with 13, and scored six game-winning goals in her career at Arkansas.

Hale said that he doesn’t expect a single player to replace Chandler’s scoring. Instead, he sees everyone on the team improving their scoring by a couple of points.

“(Chandler) was a great attacking player,” Hale said. “I think everyone is going to have to step up a little. We’re going to pick up her offensive production as a group.”

Arkansas’ season starts with a tough non-conference schedule, as three of their eight non-conference opponents reached their respective conference championship games last season.

“We don’t want our highs to get too high and our lows to get too low,” Hale said. “Coach (Bret) Bielema uses the ‘win every day’ phrase. We don’t use that phrase, but we have the same mentality.”

The most difficult part of the non-conference schedule is the last two games. After five of the first six games are played at Razorback Field, Arkansas travels to Utah State Sept. 13, then travels to TCU two days later. Hale describes the trip as an “SEC weekend.”

“That’s going to be a good test for us and going to give us an idea of who we are and who we have,” Hale said. “It’s also going to be good for the younger players to get a taste of life on the road.”

Another key for the Razorbacks this season is winning close games, Hale said. Thirteen of Arkansas’ 20 games last season were decided by one goal and they won eight of those games.

“We hit our peak toward the end (of the season),” Hale said. “We just need to continue doing the little things. I have full confidence in where they’re at from a mental standpoint.”

Hale also emphasized the importance of fan support. Last season, Arkansas had three crowds over 1,000 at Razorback Field, including the second highest attended game of all-time, against No. 18 Kentucky.

“The support of Razorback nation is second to none, pro or collegiate,” Hale said. “It’s one of the reasons I came (to Arkansas) and is a massive influence on the game.”

The Razorbacks begin their regular season Friday against Kansas at Razorback Field. The game starts at 7 p.m.

TAT: One-on-One With a Razorback - Allie Tripp

This article originally appeared in the August 19, 2013 Move-In issue of The Arkansas Traveler.

Defender Allie Tripp begins her junior season with the Razorback soccer team Friday against Kansas. She led the team with four assists last season, after missing most of her freshman season with an injury. Traveler senior staff writer Andrew Hutchinson had the opportunity to catch up with Tripp and discuss her career so far, as well as the upcoming season.

In your freshman year, you were a part of the forward rotation until a knee injury ended your season. What was the rehab like to get you ready for last season?

I had the same injury in high school, so I knew what to expect, but it was a lot more intense at the college level because they want to get you back faster and make sure you stay healthy when you come back. It was pretty intense, but it was worth it.

What was it like to get back on the field for the first time after your injury?

It was overwhelming. I think the hardest part was that the coaches expected us to guide the freshmen in the backline, but I felt like I was a freshman myself. Even before I got hurt, I played forward, so I was at a new position, plus I was coming back from injury.

Against Auburn last season, you took a free kick in the 62nd minute and placed it perfectly so that Sam Wolf could score the game-winning goal. How did you feel after getting the assist on the game-winning goal?

It was a really great feeling. After playing that many minutes, you’re exhausted and you just really want to finish the game and win. It feels great to be a part of the goal, but even better to have your team score.

You also tallied two assists in the upset win over No. 18 Kentucky. What was the emotion like in the locker room after beating the first ranked opponent in school history?

The whole locker room had a great vibe to it. Everyone was excited and into it. After my freshman year when we struggled so much, getting a win like that really showed us that this program could do great things with the people we have.

Now that you’ve finished your “freshman” year, what do you think your leadership is going to be like on the team?

We have a lot of freshmen coming in, so having leaders on the team is important. There’s so many of us that are considered leaders, that I think my leadership role is as important as everyone else’s. All of the upperclassmen are going to stand out as leaders.

Last year, the team made it to the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2000. What was that experience like?

It’s something that you dream about doing when you come to an SEC school. To actually get there and play in it, even though we didn’t make it as far as we hoped, was awesome. Now that we have that under us, we know we can get there and that’s good for this season.

Now that you have played one year under Coach Hale, what are your goals this season?

We know what to expect and what (Hale) is like now. We’re excited to get to where we were last year. We know that one of his major things is “exceeding expectations” and obviously the expectations are higher this year. Getting to the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament is expected.

MLB Thoughts: Instant Replay, A-Rod

There have been a couple things happen in baseball over the last several days that I feel strongly about, but could not fit my feelings in a tweet. Instead, I decided to share my thoughts on here.

Instant Replay

It isn't set in stone, but it looks like MLB is going to expand their replay system next season. Managers will get one challenge (similar to the NFL) in the first six innings and two challenges for the last three innings.

I think it's great that they are finally embracing technology the NFL and NBA are already using, but I am not sure if this is the best system.

I love baseball, but sometimes games seem to drag on forever and I know a lot of my friends don't like baseball because it is "boring." This system will not help this. There is a potential for six challenges in one game, and if each challenge takes five minutes (the time for the manager to come out of the dugout, talk to the umps, the umps to talk to each other, then the time for the actual review), that is an extra 30 minutes.

Some managers may use the challenges strategically to give their players extra time (example: for a guy warming up in the bullpen to have more time).

My replay system would be similar to the NFL. I think both managers should be allowed one challenge in the first six innings. If they successfully challenge a play, then they should be allowed to have a second challenge.

From the seventh inning on, all replays should be "booth reviews," like the final two minutes of each half in the NFL. All close plays can be determined by another official (other than the four on the field) either in the press box at each stadium or in another location in the country, watching on a monitor, similar to college football.

This would prevent managers from using the challenges "strategically," and the umps wouldn't have the pressure of reversing/upholding the call they made on the field.

A-Rod

I hate the Yankees. I hate Alex Rodriguez even more. Not only did he cheat, not only did he lie, but it sounds like he was also a snitch. Forget Miguel Cabrera, A-Rod went for the Triple Crown of scumbags.

HOWEVER, he gained a small amount of respect back from me tonight (Saturday, Aug. 18). When he was beamed by Ryan Dempster of the Red Sox, he could have easily charged the mound. But he didn't. Which is especially surprising because (in my opinion) it was blatantly obvious he was beamed on purpose.

His manager, Joe Girardi, went ballistic in his defense and the benches cleared, just like a classic Yankees-Red Sox game.

Two at-bats later, A-Rod came up to bat and crushed a home run to centerfield. This all happened as he was bombarded with boos and negative chants from the fans at Fenway Park.

Instead of charging the mound, he just went out and did his job.

That being said, I hope his suspension is upheld and he has to sit out at least a full season.

The Greatest Baseball Game You've Never Heard Of

One reason I love baseball is because of its rich history. The players and games live on in the form of statistics unlike any other sport. These stats open the door for many interesting and fun hypothetical discussions. Who is the greatest shortstop of all-time? Which team is the greatest of all-time?

Earlier today, I stumbled upon an answer to one of my favorite hypothetical questions: "If you could go back in time and watch any baseball game, which game would you choose?"

I have heard great arguments for many games. Babe Ruth's "Called Shot" in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series. Harvey Haddix's near perfect game in 1959. Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'Round the World" in 1951. Bill Mazeroski's Game 7 walk-off home run in 1960 or Joe Carter's Game 6 walk-off home run in 1993.

The list goes on and on, but one game that I bet you have never heard of, and I had never heard of before today, was a June 3, 1932 regular season match up between the Philadelphia Athletics and New York Yankees at Shibe Park in Philadelphia.

The lineups alone are enough to raise your eyebrows. Of the 31 players that saw action that day, eight are in the Hall of Fame, four combined to win eight MVP Awards, and 14 combined to appear in 57 All-Star Games. (Keep in mind, the first All-Star Game wasn't until 1933, so many of these players didn't have the opportunity to appear in an ASG until late in their careers.)

This doesn't even include the two Hall of Fame managers, Connie Mack for the A's and Joe McCarthy for the Yankees. Mack managed for 53 years (50 with the A's) and won 3,731 games (most all-time), nine pennants and five World Series titles. McCarthy managed for 24 years (16 with the Yankees) and won 2,125 games (eighth most all-time), nine pennants and seven World Series titles.

The Yankees won the game 20-13 in a slugfest that featured 36 hits, of which four were doubles, five were triples and nine were home runs.

However, the most amazing part of this game was the rare feats that occurred.

Yankees Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig hit four home runs in his first four at bats of the game. After grounding out in his fifth at bat, he came up to the plate in the ninth inning for a second chance at five home runs. Gehrig hit a deep shot to the deepest part of the park, where A's center fielder, and future Hall of Famer, Al Simmons robbed him of a home run. Instead, Gehrig had to settle for the third four-home run game in MLB history, a feat that has only happened 16 times ever.

Not to be outdone, fellow Yankees Hall of Famer Tony Lazzeri went 5-for-6 and hit for the cycle. Making it more unique, Lazzeri collected a single, double, triple and home run in that order, hitting for what's called a "natural cycle." It was the third "natural cycle" in MLB history and is one of only 13 ever.

If my calculations are correct (I need Elias to confirm it), the odds of a player hitting four home runs and another player on the same team hitting for the "natural cycle" in the same game are almost 1-in-800 million. To put that in perspective, it is nearly nine times more likely that someone will hit a hole in one in golf AND die in a plane accident in their lifetime (1-in-90 million odds).

The Yankees other three Hall of Famers, Earle Combs, Babe Ruth and Lefty Gomez, also didn't disappoint. Combs went 3-for-5 with a home run, while Ruth went 2-for-5 with a double and home run. It was the 626th career home run for Ruth, who finished with 714. Gomez allowed two hits and one earned run in two innings of work, but picked up the save.

Despite losing the game, the Athletics had solid performances from their three Hall of Famers, as well. Mickey Cochrane hit a home run and Jimmie Foxx collected a triple and home run. It was the 135th career home run for Foxx, who finished with 534. Foxx challenged Ruth's single-season home run record that year, finishing with 58, two shy of Ruth's 60.

Along with Simmons' home run-robbing grab in centerfield, he went hitless in four at bats and struck out once, but walked and scored twice.

In the field, the Yankees committed five errors, but still found a way to win the game. I couldn't find any stats on the subject, but I imagine a team doesn't win often when they commit five or more errors and the other team commits none.

This illustrates the Yankees' dominance in baseball during that era. They went on to win the World Series that year and four more times in the '30s.

Are there any games similar to this that you know of? If so, let me know. I love learning new things and having friendly arguments. Feel free to comment on this post, tweet me or leave a post on my Facebook.

ONEOK Field (Tulsa Drillers) - Tulsa, OK

What started as a simple trip to Tulsa to watch my girlfriend, Kelcee, play softball and catch a Tulsa Drillers (AA affiliate of the Colorado Rockies) game before coming back to Arkansas quickly turned into a much more exciting trip.

I arrived in Broken Arrow, where Kelcee’s games were, without incident. Her first game ended in a 4-4 tie, as she went 0-for-2 with a walk. However, she gave me a few more gray hairs. In the bottom of the last inning (they played hour and 35 minute games and they hit the 1:35 mark during her at bat), Kelcee was batting with a runner on third with two outs and the score tied. She worked the count full and fouled off three two-strike pitches before finally grounding out to the pitcher to end the game. Although they lost their next game 15-5, Kelcee played a lot better, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.

After eating dinner with Kelcee and her family, I headed into downtown Tulsa for the Drillers game…at 5:00 on a Friday afternoon. The traffic, coupled with several streets that my phone was telling me to take being closed, was enough to frustrate me enough to park in the first parking lot I found. It just happened to be about half of a mile from the ballpark.

Walking to the stadium, I realized there was a bicycle race going on, which was why several of the streets were closed. Once at the park, I bought my ticket at went inside. If you have never been to a game at ONEOK Field, I highly recommend you do; it’s beautiful. Opened in 2010, it’s only a few years old and the Tulsa skyline in right field looks pretty cool at night.

My first mission inside the stadium was to try to get 3-time NL All-Star Roy Oswalt’s autograph. Oswalt is getting in shape for a midseason call-up to the Rockies’ pitching rotation. Unfortunately, I struck out, as he never came into the dugout before I got kicked out and forced to go to my seat. Instead, I had former Razorback Brett Eibner sign my baseball when I got to my seat, which was close to the Naturals’ dugout.

The game itself wasn’t too exciting. The Drillers crushed the Naturals 8-1 and three of their first four hits of the game were solo home runs. The most excitement came in the bottom of the 3^rd, when Tulsa centerfielder Rafael Ortega lined a foul ball that ricocheted off the boxes in the upper deck and nailed the lady sitting two seats away from me in the back. The ball bounced off her into the seat between us, where I picked it up. I felt bad for her, but I really didn’t want to give her my ball!

The Drillers were having postgame fireworks, but I didn’t have any interest in that and I thought I could beat the traffic by leaving before they started. Little did I know, I’d run into the freakin’ Tour de Tulsa (okay, it’s not really called that, but that’s what I nicknamed it – I have no idea what the race was actually called). That dang bicycle race was STILL going on! And it had ballooned into a huge crowd and a lot more bicyclists. In order to get to my car, which was a half-mile away, I had to weave in and out of the race course, through the stench of alcohol, cigarette smoke and possibly other illegal scents, while avoiding the bicyclists, the pace VW Beetle and the trail motorcycles. It appeared to me that not many of the “fans” cared much about the race. I did get a few “Go Hogs!” yelled in my direction because I was wearing a Razorback shirt, though.

When I finally got back to my car, I got the heck out of there before the race and fireworks ended. I was extremely happy to find my car and even happier when I made it home. Nothing beats laying in your own comfortable bed after a long day of travel and sports!

TAT: Allen Named Starter After Spring Practice

This article originally appeared in the 2013 Orientation Issue of The Arkansas Traveler.

After going into spring practice with two quarterbacks at the top of the depth chart, Arkansas named redshirt sophomore Brandon Allen as their starter at the end of the 15 practices.

Allen, who has appeared in five games and started one for the Razorbacks, separated himself from senior Brandon Mitchell over the three-week spring practice period.

“Brandon Allen really made progress all the way along,” head coach Bret Bielema said. “The last two weeks (of spring practice) were exceptional.”

Last season, he completed 21 out of 49 passes (42.9 percent) for 186 yards and one touchdown.

Some Arkansas fans are weary about Allen as the starting quarterback. They point to his performance in his only start, against No. 1 Alabama, when he was 10-for-18 for 60 yards.

However, Allen’s high school quarterback coach and former Razorback Zak Clark don’t think this is fair.

“That’s a tough spot. It’s always tough going into the game after an injury and then to start against (Alabama), who is really good on defense,” Clark said. “I’m proud of him. You can forget what the fans are saying. In my opinion, he played really well for his first start.”

The decision to name Allen the starter came down to protecting the football, Bielema said.

In the Red-White game, Allen did not commit a turnover, while Mitchell threw an interception.

“One thing we can’t do is turn the ball over and I think Allen did a much better job of that overall,” Bielema said.

Allen credits his success to his confidence, which has been aided by the extra reps he has received in practice compared to past years.

“I think my confidence has grown a lot from the beginning of spring to the end,” Allen said. “I’m the kind of guy that needs to get those reps in on the field.”

Because he had taken a majority of the first team reps, being named the starter “wasn’t really a shock” to the other players, senior center Travis Swanson said.

Being in that role has forced Allen to take more leadership responsibilities, as well.

While he was working on his on-the-field leadership ability, Allen also recognized the importance of being a leader off the field.

“As a quarterback, you’re always expected to put in extra work,” Allen said. “I’m trying to learn how to be the real quarterback, and that’s not just on the field, but it’s behind the scenes.”

Even his teammates are noticing his locker room presence.

“I feel this year he just really stepped up and has become a huge leader in the locker room and letting his voice be heard,” senior kicker Zach Hocker said.

Allen thinks being the starter is an “honor,” but he is not satisfied, he said. This summer, he will continue to throw passes with his receivers and study film.

He will also have the opportunity to pick the brain of offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.

Before coming to Arkansas, Chaney was the offensive coordinator at Tennessee, where he helped guide quarterback Tyler Bray to a 3,619-yard, 34-touchdown season in 2012.

He was also the offensive coordinator at Purdue when Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees led the NCAA in total offense in 2000, with 349.1 yards per game.

“He’s had great quarterbacks in the past, so obviously he knows what it takes to be a great quarterback,” Allen said. “He’s definitely someone that I can write down everything he says.”

Following the announcement that Allen was the starter, Mitchell decided to “utilize the NCAA graduate transfer exception” and was granted his release from the football team May 6, according to a statement by Bielema.

With Mitchell gone and Chaney as the offensive coordinator, Allen could have a solid season.

“I played against him in high school and I hated playing him because he was so athletic on the field,” Hocker said.

Allen’s athleticism will be on display for the first time as the full-time starter August 31, when the Razorbacks play Louisiana-Lafayette in Fayetteville.

TAT: Berna Preparing for Another Solid Season

This article originally appeared in the 2013 Orientation Issue of The Arkansas Traveler.

Following a sophomore season in which she broke the UA single-season assists record, Arkansas’ starting point guard said she knows the women’s basketball team did not play as well as they could have.

Junior Calli Berna collected 208 assists last season, breaking Amy Wright’s record of 205, but the Razorbacks lost in the second round of the Women’s NIT.

“We were a little disappointed with the end of our season,” Berna said. “We knew what we were capable of, but it never happened for us.”

At Fayetteville High School, she won three conference championships and one state championship and in her freshman season, Arkansas went 24-9 and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, so this was Berna’s first experience on a team that struggled during the season.

“It’s a humbling experience and definitely something to learn from,” Berna said. “It’s cliché, but when you get knocked down, you have to get back up.”

Despite the Razorbacks’ struggles, they finished with a 20-13 record. Eight of their 13 losses were by six or fewer points and eight were against top 25 teams.

In order to turn those close losses into victories, they must work on creating a better team chemistry on the court during the offseason, Berna said.

“It’s going to take everyone being on the same page,” Berna said. “We had games where one person is on, but we need to have games where everyone is on.”

In addition to the assists record, she also led the team in minutes played, with 35.4 per game. She played just over 87 percent of Arkansas’ total minutes. The next closest player averaged only 26.9 minutes per game.

“A lot of people ask, ‘Aren’t you tired?’ But that’s just part of it,” Berna said. “Getting to play that much is just going to give me more experience, and ultimately I’ll get better from it.”

With the extra minutes, Berna nearly doubled her scoring. In just 25.8 minutes per game last season, she averaged 3.6 points per game.

This season, she averaged seven points per game, and she plans to increase her scoring again next season.

“One thing I need to work on is getting my shot off quicker,” Berna said. “Overall, I think I need to score a little more. My role is going to be different because of losing the seniors.”

The Razorbacks will lose their top two leading scorers, Sarah Watkins and Quistelle Williams, as well as their second leading player in assists, Erin Gatling, to graduation. Kelsey Hatcher was also a senior.

Those four players accounted for 45.8 percent of the team’s scoring and 34.4 percent of the team’s rebounds.

“(The seniors) were vital players to our team, so it’ll be hard to replace them, but I feel like we have players that are willing to step up,” Berna said.

She said she thinks junior Jhasmin Bowen and sophomore Joey Bailey could help fill the holes left by last year’s seniors. Bowen and Bailey averaged 6.8 and 1.1 points per game, respectively.

Arkansas also had the No. 20 recruiting class, according to ESPN. The class is headlined by the No. 17 recruit in the country, Jessica Jackson from Jacksonville, Ark.

“We were excited to get Jackson,” Berna said. “She was a very wanted player.”

Because she is from Fayetteville, Berna has the opportunity to play in front of family and friends at Bud Walton Arena, like she did at Fayetteville High just down the road.

“My family has been my rock. They came to every game in high school and now I’m here,” Berna said. “It’s a great program where my family can come watch.”

Berna and the rest of the women’s basketball team begin their season in November.