by Russell Vannozzi | Jul 21, 2018 | News Slider, Sports
Former Lipscomb golf standout Eric Ansett hasn’t taken much time to slow down following his graduation in May. The Washington native is spending the summer playing in various amateur golf tournaments, with plans of turning professional in September. “It’s been a solid summer so far,” Ansett said. “I’ve had a lot of top-20 (finishes). I feel like I’m getting better and getting close to some really high finishes.” His pro timeline is still on track, as Ansett shot an 8-under 134 at Burning Tree Country Club on Monday in Decatur, Alabama. His performance qualified him for the U.S.Amateur, which is slated for Aug. 13-19 at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course in California. Ansett has missed qualifying for the U.S. Amateur by less than two strokes each of the past three years, making Monday’s performance especially memorable. “It was sick,” he said. “Honestly, a big reason why I stayed amateur is because I wanted one more chance to try to make the U.S. (Amateur). The second round was up and down, but I birded five of the last seven holes, and that’s what got me in.” Ansett said he plans to turn professional following the U.S. Amateur, which will be televised by Fox Sports 1 and FOX. Although he hasn’t played in a U.S. Amateur before, he said he doesn’t believe the big stage will be too much for him. “I’ve played in a ton of tournaments with all the best amateur golfers in the world, so this isn’t a huge step up in terms of level of play,” he said. “The goal is to always make match play,...
by Russell Vannozzi | Jul 19, 2018 | News Slider, Sports
It’s been nearly a year and a half since Josh Williams played his last college game, but the former Lipscomb star hasn’t given up on his pro basketball dreams. BBC Arantia Larochette, a professional team in Larochette, Luxembourg, announced Tuesday that they have signed Williams for the 2018-19 season. “It’s good to be back after taking a year off,” Williams said. “I’m glad (BBC Arantia) felt they could go ahead and take that chance on me. The level of competition is a lot higher, but I’m going to be ready.” The 6-foot-5 guard signed with Sims Basketball Agency last summer in hopes of landing a pro contract overseas. Despite some interest, Williams decided to stay at Lipscomb and complete his business degree. “It was a situation where I didn’t want to start playing without closing the door on school,” he said. “Obviously, I’m not going to go through all that school for no reason. Basketball was just a way to get the education.” After being lightly recruited out of high school, Williams blossomed into a star for the Bisons. He started 12 games as a freshman and averaged 16.9 points per game as a sophomore in 2014-15. However, he tore his ACL in a non-conference game against Princeton in December 2015, causing him to miss the remainder of his junior season. Williams later returned for his senior year in 2016-17, averaging 13.4 points per game and helping the Bisons to a 20-13 record. He totaled 1,506 career points at Lipscomb. He kept training throughout the past year and said his ACL injury is now completely behind him. “If I would’ve...
by Russell Vannozzi | Jul 17, 2018 | News Slider, Sports
Kyle Kemp is returning to the state where his baseball career began. After spending four years at Lipscomb, the right-handed pitcher announced via Instagram Monday evening that he will finish his career at UCF as a graduate transfer. “The UCF coaching staff has the same values as they do at Lipscomb,” Kemp said. “They really love their players. I’ll also be two-and-a-half hours away from home instead of 12-and-a-half, so that really helps me.” The Port Charlotte, Florida, native redshirted during the 2015 season while rehabbing his throwing elbow after having Tommy John surgery. He then pitched for the Bisons from 2016-18 and was honored with the team’s seniors in an on-field ceremony in May. Kemp informed the Lipscomb coaching staff before the season began that he intended to finish his eligibility elsewhere. “I tried to take the most appropriate way of doing it,” Kemp said. “I told (the coaches) that my grad school option at Lipscomb was a basic MBA or nothing, in terms of business. I wanted to go to a school that offered an MBA with a sports management concentration.” Kemp is currently playing for the Hyannis (Mass.) Harbor Hawks of the prestigious Cape Cod League. He touts a 2.84 ERA in 6.1 innings pitched for the Hawks, who are currently in second place in the West Division with a 16-10-2 record. At age 22, he is one of the Hawks’ oldest players and sees himself as a team leader. Kemp also pitched for the Cotuit Kettleers in his first Cape Cod stint in 2017. “Being a leader in a league full of guys that are...
by Russell Vannozzi | Jul 3, 2018 | News Slider, Sports
Former Lipscomb soccer standout Ivan Sakou is hoping his foot skills – not his math skills – help him get a job soon. The Cameroon native is spending the summer playing for Inter Nashville FC, a National Premier Soccer League team based at the International Indoor Soccer Complex in Antioch. He’ll then return to school this fall to complete his degree in mechanical engineering. Sakou leads the team with eight goals and said he is enjoying playing in the NPSL, which is widely considered to be part of the fourth tier of American soccer. “This season has been up and down,” Sakou said. “NPSL teams have a lot of guys coming in and out, and I think that’s affected us a lot. But we’re on an upward slope.” He first landed at Western Nebraska Community College in 2014 and then transferred to VCU for the 2015 season, before playing his final two years at Lipscomb. Sakou finished his college career with 30 total goals and 14 assists, and he was named MVP of the 2017 ASUN tournament, which Lipscomb won with a 2-1 victory over Jacksonville. Not bad for a guy who came to the United States to focus on school, not soccer. “Coming from Cameroon, I didn’t think I would have this many opportunities to play soccer,” he said. “I came to the U.S. to study more than anything else. But I’m thankful for the opportunity to keep playing.” Along with former Bison teammates Ivan Alvarado and Eduardo Reza, Sakou was a trialist for the USL’s Nashville SC in a friendly match against his former Lipscomb team on...
by Russell Vannozzi | Jun 7, 2018 | BREAKING NEWS, News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb infielder Lee Solomon was scrolling through his Twitter feed Wednesday, looking to find out if any of his friends had been selected in the MLB Amateur Draft. Around 2 p.m. central time, the Ohio native opened his laptop to see his own name appear on the screen. The San Diego Padres had taken Solomon in the 25th round with the 741st overall pick. “It was an intense day, for sure,” Solomon said. “My mom was blowing up my phone trying to see what was going on. It’s a blessing to go to a great school like Lipscomb and come out with a chance to play professionally.” Solomon had previously connected with Padres area scout Tyler Stubblefield, a former Kennesaw State and Padres minor league player. “I heard from some other teams, but I built a strong relationship with the Padres over the past few years,” Solomon said. “I was happy to be taken by them.” Solomon missed nearly three weeks of the 2018 season with a broken hamate bone in his left hand. After a minor surgery and some rest, the second basemen returned to the lineup and went on a tear at the plate. He clubbed five home runs in his final eight games to finish the season with a .286 average and 25 RBI. “Getting healthy helped me a lot,” he said. “I tried not to press too much. After you’re out for a while, you just want to be back out there to help the team win.” Solomon ended his four-year stint at Lipscomb with 174 hits, 13 home runs, 102 RBI, 64 stolen bases and a...
