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Bears fall late in ASUN final to North Florida, ending season

Devonte Richards’ hat track in regulation not enough for UCA in third final over last four seasons

Published

7 months ago

November 16, 2024

UCA Bears coming up short in ASUN Championship final

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — After 110 minutes of back-and-forth action competing for an ASUN Championship, Central Arkansas fell in the penalty portion of the match, ultimately ending its season.

The Bears rounded out an 8-7-3 record on the year, reaching a third ASUN Championship Final in four seasons. Devonte Richards notched a hat trick in the match, scoring all three goals in regulation for UCA. It marked the second hat trick of the seasons for the Bears, with Richards’ and Pietro Fontana’s both coming against North Florida.

North Florida tallied the first goal of the match in the tenth minute, establishing an early lead. But Richards wouldn’t let that go unanswered, scoring his first goal of the match just a few minutes later in the 14th. The senior would give the Bears the lead in the 22nd, beating the keeper in a one-on-one situation and finding the open net score.

Both sides made some substitutions after the initial scoring spurt, putting in fresh legs to try and continue momentum. The moves eventually resulted in another UNF goal in the 39th. The Ospreys had two more shots on goal before the end of the first half, but Javier Ramirez was able to keep them out.

Even at 2-2, both teams went to work in the second half, with both sides getting shots on goal in the first 20 minutes of the half. It was the Ospreys, though, that would strike first in the final half of regulation, putting one in in the 67th to take control of the match. But just like in the first half, no goal would go unanswered, as Richards completed the hat trick just six minutes later to even the score again.

Tajio James put a shot on goal with less than five minutes to go, but the UNF keeper was on top of it, sending the teams to overtime. UNF controlled things in the first ten minutes of overtime, recording two shots on goal that threatened to end the match then and there. But Ramirez continued to play well, stopping both attempts and sending the teams to the second overtime period.

It was UCA’s turn to control an overtime period for the final ten minutes of action, as James hit the post and forced a team save late in overtime. With no scores in the overtime periods, it was on to PKs. Despite putting up a good fight, the Bears missed one too many, ending their season when UNF sunk their final attempt.

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Bears discontinuing women’s tennis program in ‘best interest’ of UCA

Moving forward, UCA will feature 10 NCAA Division I varsity women’s programs and eight varsity men’s teams

Published

2 weeks ago

June 6, 2025

andyhsports@gmail.com

CONWAY, Ark. — Central Arkansas will no longer offer women’s tennis as one of its varsity sports programs, it was announced Friday.

Moving forward, UCA will feature 10 NCAA Division I varsity women’s programs and eight varsity men’s teams.

“Decisions like this are incredibly difficult to make, and are not done without considerable thought and review,” said Matt Whiting, UCA director of athletics. “In this ever-changing landscape of college athletics, it is imperative that we constantly review and evaluate our sports portfolio to ensure that we are making the investments needed to position Central Arkansas Athletics for success now and in the future.

“Ultimately, this decision is in the best interest of the University and our athletics department at this time.”

UCA women’s tennis coach Casey Wharton recently stepped down for personal reasons after a long career at the University.

“We have been incredibly fortunate to have had Casey Wharton leading our women’s tennis program since 2014,” said Whiting. “I am deeply grateful for all that he has done for our program and the University of Central Arkansas. I also want to express my appreciation to all who have competed for our program and represented our University and athletics department in such a positive manner.

“We are committed to supporting our current women’s tennis student-athletes and assisting them in every way possible through this transition.”

The 2024-25 tennis roster consisted of eight student-athletes, with no seniors.

Whiting has been in contact with all of the current tennis student-athletes, all of which will receive full releases to transfer to another athletic program, and will be eligible to compete immediately according to NCAA regulations.

If they choose to remain at Central Arkansas, their scholarships will be honored throughout the remainder of their academic careers.

Since 2017, Central Arkansas athletics has added beach volleyball and STUNT, two fast-rising NCAA women’s sports, as varsity programs.

The 18 programs for the Bears and Sugar Bears in 2025-26 will be: indoor volleyball (W); beach volleyball (W); softball (W), golf (M&W); cross country (M&W); football (M); baseball (M); indoor track and field (M&W); outdoor track and field (M&W); basketball (M&W); soccer (M&W) and STUNT (W).

Information from UCA Sports is included in this story.

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Bears make history with double sweep at 2025 ASUN Outdoor Championships

UCA swept both men’s and women’s titles at the 2025 ASUN Outdoor Track & Field Championships, marking a historic milestone

Published

1 month ago

May 17, 2025

All Bears Plus

The Central Arkansas Bears etched their names into the record books in Jacksonville, Fla., by sweeping both the men’s and women’s titles at the 2025 ASUN Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

It marks the first time in program history that both teams captured Atlantic Sun Conference crowns in the same season, signaling a new era of excellence for UCA athletics.

Dominant Performances Across the Board

The UCA women’s team totaled an impressive 192 points, finishing well ahead of Lipscomb (132) and Eastern Kentucky (97).

Their success was built on victories in the sprints, throws, vaults, and relays. Event champions included Joia Perry in the Hammer Throw (62.89m), Jennifer Peake in the Javelin (43.84m), Bailee Villavaso in the Pole Vault (3.91m), the 4x100m Relay squad (44.56), and Raghan Allen in the 100m (11.42).

The men’s team was equally commanding, racking up 225.5 points and outpacing Lipscomb (141) and North Florida (130). Jeremiah Boudreaux emerged as the meet’s Most Valuable Performer, scoring 27 points with wins in the 110m Hurdles (13.98), 200m (20.95), and as a member of the championship 4x100m Relay team.

Podium Depth and Team Spirit

UCA’s depth was on full display, with numerous athletes reaching the podium.

Karis Martin finished second in the long jump (6.01m), Davin James took third in the high jump (1.64m), and Kylie Coleman secured third in the pole vault (3.48m). Madisyn Crandall earned third in the heptathlon (4707 points), while Brenae Allen was runner-up in the 200m (23.59).

“To see both teams come together and make history is a testament to their hard work and belief in each other. This is a special group, and I couldn’t be prouder of their commitment to our program’s vision,” Coach Josey Weaver said.

A Historic Milestone and a Bright Future

This sweep underscores Central Arkansas’s rapid ascent within the ASUN since joining the conference.

The Bears’ ability to win across multiple disciplines-sprints, throws, jumps, and relays-demonstrates the program’s depth and competitive edge.

With a roster featuring standout underclassmen like Joia Perry and Bailee Villavaso, UCA’s future looks promising.

As the Bears celebrate this historic achievement, the focus now shifts to building on this momentum for future championships and continued growth on the national stage.

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Beach Bears split in opening day of UCA Beach Invitational

In opening match of day, UCA showcased depth and resilience, defeating Mary Hardin-Baylor in four of five flights

Published

2 months ago

April 11, 2025

All Bears Plus

UCA's Naya Tan returns a serve Friday at the UCA Beach Invitational. / Ted McClenning-allBears+ Images

CONWAY, Ark. — Central Arkansas’ Beach Bears opened the UCA Beach Invitational with a solid showing on Friday, picking up a 4-1 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor before falling in a hard-fought 3-2 battle against Texas A&M-Kingsville at the Beach Bear Sand Courts.

In the opening match of the day, UCA showcased depth and resilience, defeating Mary Hardin-Baylor in four of five flights.

The Bears earned straight-set victories at the No. 3 and No. 4 positions, while the No. 1 and No. 5 pairs battled through three sets to secure wins.

Bears volleyball player Reegan Stewert returns a shot in the UCA Beach Invitational Volleyball. / Ted McClenning-allBears+ Images

The No. 1 duo of Anna Linskey and Riley Melton started strong with a 21-14 first set before needing a decisive third to down Farrar and Northup, 15-11.

In the No. 5 flight, Ella Weilert and Emmie Tidwell delivered one of the most thrilling finishes of the day, outlasting Sawyer and Perkins 17-15 in the third set after dropping the opener.

Madelyn White and Kenzie Foley cruised to a 21-15, 21-9 win at No. 3, while Liliana Irizarry and Audrey Cathcart turned in a consistent performance to win 21-17, 21-17 at No. 4.

UCA’s Katie Atkinson returns a serve Friday at the UCA Beach Invitational. / Ted McClenning-allBears+ Images

UCA’s momentum carried into the afternoon matchup with Texas A&M-Kingsville, where three of the five scoring flights went the distance.

The Beach Bears came up just short, falling 3-2 in a tightly contested dual.

White and Foley remained undefeated on the day, grabbing a straight-set win at No. 2, 21-17, 24-22. Irizarry and Cathcart also picked up their second win of the day at No. 5, bouncing back from a first-set loss to win 18-21, 21-19, 15-12.

Despite a strong opening set from Linskey and Melton at the top flight, TAMUK’s Pollard and Huesca stormed back to take the next two, 21-6 and 15-9. At No. 3, Katie Atkinson and Naya Tan nearly pulled off the win, falling in a tight third set 16-14.

UCA will return to the sand Saturday morning for a pivotal 8:00 a.m. matchup against UT Martin before closing out the tournament with a Senior Day celebration at 3:00 p.m. against Hendrix College.

UCA’s Liliana-Irizary returns a serve Friday at the UCA Beach Invitational. / Ted McClenning-allBears+ Images

UCA 4, Mary Hardin-Baylor 1

No. Linskey/Melton (UCA) def. Farrar/Northup (UMHB) (21-14, 18-21, 15-11)
No. 2 Green/Thoms (UMHB) def, Tan/Atkinson (UCA) (21-12, 21-19)
No. 3 White/Foley (UCA) def. Clark/Adkins (UMHB) (21-15, 21-9)
No. 4 Irizarry/Cathcart (UCA) def. Hughes/De La Fuente (UMHB) (21-17, 21-17)
No. 5 Weilert/Tidwell (UCA) def. Sawyer/Perkins (UMHB) (19-21, 24-22, 17-15)
No. 6 Dickerson/Siewert (UCA) vs. Salas/Rojas (UMHB) (16-21, 23-21)

UCA’s Naya Tan and Reegan Stewert returns a serve Friday at the UCA Beach Invitational. / Ted McClenning-allBears+ Images

Texas A&M-Kingsville 3, UCA 2

No. 1 Pollard/Huesca (TAMUK) def. Linskey/Melton (UCA) (19-21, 21-6, 15-9)
No. 2 White/Foley (UCA) def. Harrington/Vasquez (TAMUK) (21-17, 24-22)
No. 3 McCarthy/Betsa (TAMUK) def. Atkinson/Tan (UCA) (15-21, 21-13, 16-14)
No. 4 Stiefer/Daugherty (TAMUK) def. Wellert/Siewet (UCA) (13-21, 21-13, 15-6)
No. 5 Irizarry/Cathcart (UCA) def. Presmanes-Garate/Williams (TAMU) (18-21, 21-19, 15-12)
No. 6 Tully.Layzell (UCA) vs. Evans/Freeman (TAMUK) (21-7, 21-15)