by Charissa Ricker | Jul 30, 2018 | News Slider, Sports
After their groundbreaking season last year, Lipscomb men’s basketball team is scheduled to play the Louisville Cardinals in a paid non-conference game on December 12 at the KFC Yum Center. Lipscomb’s Athletic Director Philip Hutcheson said that the basketball schedule has not been released due to contracts waiting on finalization. However, the Louisville Cardinals 2018-2019 schedule has been released and features the Bisons for a guaranteed game. “A lot of Division I schools are trying to find good competition in their non-conference schedule to play,” Hutcheson said. “We were both looking for a game on the same day and worked it out.” The men’s basketball team has gained a lot of attention this past season after making it into the NCAA tournament for the first time in history. In playing Division I teams like North Carolina and Louisville, the players have a chance to gain exposure and show that Lipscomb is a competitive team. “They are a well-known program, and they have a great fan following,” Hutcheson said. “If we can go up there and win, that would be a great promotion for our program.” According to the athletic department, the reports speculating Lipscomb will receive over 250 thousand dollars for this game are inaccurate, stating that non-conference games usually range around 80-100 thousand dollars. Lipscomb Athletics is unable to release the amount of money the department is being paid. However, according to the Louisville Courier Journal report, the Cardinals will be paying a total of 270,000 to play three different non-conference games this season, including Central Arkansas and Kent State. “It not only helps basketball, but it helps...
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 Cavin Jacobson | Jun 8, 2018 | News Slider, Sports
In 2013, Liberty University claimed all use of the abbreviation LU, banning Lipscomb from using it as an official logo. In 2018, Liberty and Lipscomb will face off again, though this time it will be out on the court and the field. Liberty University has officially joined Lipscomb in the Atlantic Sun conference to become it’s 8th member. The school, which was formerly a part of the Big South conference, has made the swap over to the ASUN conference for the 2018-2019 season. Lipscomb, who won the ASUN Men’s Basketball tournament to advance to the NCAA playoffs, has a potential rival in Liberty University. Both are Christian schools located in the South, and both appeal to the same demographics. They’re similar enough that there was quite the debacle involving the use of “LU” to represent Lipscomb in 2013. “On behalf of our coaches, staff, and student-athletes, we are excited and honored to join the ASUN as our all-sports conference,” said Liberty University’s Director of Athletics, Ian McCaw. “Moreover, we are deeply appreciative to Commissioner Ted Gumbart, the ASUN leadership and member institutions, for this opportunity. “The ASUN footprint will allow Liberty to further extend our brand into New Jersey, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. These states are fertile for recruiting students and student-athletes alike who fit Liberty’s mission.” All of Liberty’s athletics programs now in ASUN will be able to compete for any trophy awarded by ASUN for the 2018-2019 season. 17 of its 20 sports programs will join ASUN. Liberty’s football team will become independent this fall, the field hockey program will stay in the Big East conference and the women’s swimming...
