by Hunter Patterson | Feb 29, 2012 | News Slider, Sports
Bison basketball players Damarius Smith and Marvin Williams have been suspended from the team and are not present at Wednesday’s Atlantic Sun tournament game versus Mercer. Lumination alluded to the possibility of this on Monday when the two were not at the team’s practice. As of Wednesday night at 7 p.m., Smith and Williams are no longer members of the Bison basketball team. In an official announcement from the athletic department, the two players have been “suspended” from the team permanently. “Damarius Smith and Marvin Williams have been suspended indefinitely and will not participate in postseason play. They are not traveling with the team,” the statement reported. On Monday, Lipscomb head coach Scott Sanderson said that it was mainly a “disciplinary issue” with Smith. Sanderson did not elaborate on Williams’ status at the time but said he had missed the last four games because he has been “banged up” with a knee injury. Saturday was not the first time Smith had been held out of playing. Earlier this season against Belmont, Smith dressed and warmed up with the team but did not enter the game. “It was just a discipline issue,” Sanderson said of Smith’s status in the Belmont game. “We handled it internally, and we moved forward.” “We’re just trying to learn and do what’s right,” he said. “Sometimes being young is difficult, and we are just trying to learn from day to day and do the right thing.” However, with the suspension of the players, it seems the team, as well as Smith and Williams, had reached their breaking point. This makes for eight players that have either...
by Hunter Patterson | Jan 9, 2012 | News Slider, Sports
Since Lipscomb defeated Belmont at the Curb Event Center, the folks in the athletic department have been very busy. On Sunday night, GoVolsExtra.com reported that Clemson transfer point guard Cory Stanton is reportedly enrolling at UT. The tip was given to the site via an anonymous source. You may remember that Stanton transferred into Lipscomb before the Fall semester began. According to the site, Stanton will join the Vols as a walk-on. Tennessee has already used their allotment of scholarships for the next academic year. This is not the first time that this has happened between the two schools. You may remember Rob Murphy from two years ago when he left the team and the university for the University of Tennessee. He also joined the team as a walk-on. Stanton will not be able to play this season, and will not be allowed to practice until officially enrolled. You may also want to look inside Allen Arena before The Gathering on Tuesday. Remember the basketball court that was there? Over the break the department gave the court a facelift. Well, really, a whole new face. One of the first things one will notice is the lighter shade of the court. Also, the logo that is in the center is a very large gold and purple “Lipscomb” stretching across mid-court. Of course, Don Meyer’s name also appears on the court. There may be even more news from the department around lunchtime. Check back then for pictures and any more developing news....
by Ashlan Williams | Apr 19, 2011 | News Slider, Sports
Freshman Oliver Strecker was named to the Atlantic Sun All-Conference First Team on Tuesday. The second semester transfer from Auburn University is the first Bison to ever receive first-team honors. Freshman David Salazar also received honors, earning a spot on the A-Sun’s All-Freshman team. Head coach Andrew Harris said both players were well deserving of their honors. “Both Oliver Strecker and David Salazar deserve a tremendous amount of credit this year,” Harris said. “They were both put in difficult situations as freshmen but, obviously, have shown great strength competing in one of the strongest tennis conferences in the country.” Strecker, who is originally from Gemmingen, Germany, finished the season 11-6 overall, 5-5 in the A-Sun, spending the entire season at the No. 1 spot. “Oliver has been playing No. 1 singles since the beginning of the spring,” Harris said. “He transferred here from Auburn, which has been helpful for him this year, because he has seen the competition at this level and understands what it takes to be successful. “We are looking for even stronger things from him next season stepping more into a leadership role. This summer and next fall will be critical for his development.” Spending time at both No. 2 and No. 3, Salazar posted a 9-8 overall record and finished 6-4 in the A-Sun. “Salazar has been playing primarily between No. 2 and No. 3 singles this spring and has been a great warrior on the court,” Harris said. “Everyone I talk to says they enjoy watching Salazar compete and the way he fights for every point. He is a true grinder in the tennis...
by Ashlan Williams | Mar 11, 2011 | News Slider, Sports
With their first weekend of conference play tucked away under their belts, the Bisons and Lady Bisons tennis teams are preparing to face the Atlantic Sun’s top competitor, East Tennessee State University on at 1 p.m. Saturday in Johnson City. After picking up wins on both the men’s and women’s side in their opening weekend of A-Sun play, head coach Andrew Harris said the teams are working to improve for ETSU this coming weekend. “Both teams are looking forward to another conference weekend,” Harris said. “After the matches against Mercer and Kennesaw State this past weekend, the teams recognize things we need to continue to work on as well as building on things we did well. Both ETSU’s men’s and women’s teams ranked first in the A-Sun preseason poll and pose a tough challenge for the Bisons and Lady Bisons this weekend. And with Spring Break just around the corner, Johnson City will be the teams’ first stop out of a series of three road matches. Harris said ETSU will bring strong competition to begin their road play. “ETSU has restructured their coaching staff similar to ours this past summer with Yaser Zaatini now overseeing both teams,” Harris said. “Their women’s program last year lost to UNF in the A-Sun finals, and their men’s program has annually been one of the more consistent teams in the country the past five years. This will be our first of three road matches over the next week, so we know we will have our work cut out for us come Saturday.” The women, coming off a successful weekend, picked up their first...
by Hunter Patterson | Mar 2, 2011 | Sports
After what has been an up-and-down season, the Lady Bisons are set for their matchup against number one ranked ETSU. Lipscomb is slated to take on ETSU in the first round of the Atlantic Sun tournament today on the campus of Mercer University. The Lady Bisons saw ETSU twice earlier this season, losing both times. However, just over a week ago Lipscomb was only down by three with a few minutes left to play. “We fouled too much the second half, and that cost us the game,” assistant coach Billy Snell said. “We felt like it was a game we let get away from us. We have had success against them, we just have to finish them off.” Finishing them off will not be an easy task, though. The Lady Bisons know what it takes to win big games like this. It will take a total team effort. Coach Snell believes that the team’s effort will start underneath the basket. “We have to win the boards,” Snell said. “We have to do a better job of keeping [ETSU] off the glass and limiting their shots.” Lipscomb’s coaches do not believe that ETSU is going to just beat them simply because their record is better. Lipscomb’s strong play against the Lady Bucs in their last matchup proves to the team that the Lady Bisons have a chance of pulling off the upset today. “When we played defense and didn’t foul, we got stops,” Snell said. “We have to make them earn every one of their points.” Another key for the Lady Bisons is getting production from everyone that is on...
