Quick hits
Sports report
Women hoopsters rewarded
Senior forward Candice Champion was named to the all-Southland Conference first team. She finished the regular season leading the conference in scoring with 19.9 points per game and rebounding with 10.8. She became only the 15th player in UT Arlington women’s basketball history to score more than 1,000 career points. Fellow senior Erin Dixon earned second-team honors after leading the Mavericks in rebounding. UT Arlington posted a 22-11 record (14-2 in conference) and won the SLC regular-season championship. The Mavericks participated in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament in March.
Post-season recognition
Senior forward Anthony Vereen was named to the all-Southland Conference first team. Vereen was the second-leading scorer in the conference at 17.7 points per game and ranked among the top 10 in the league in field goal percentage and rebounding. Junior guard Marquez Haynes was a second team all-conference selection. He averaged 15.9 points per game and led the Mavericks in assists. The men finished the season with a 16-14 record.
Hall-of-fame coach
The late Jim Hayes, founder and long-time coach of the Wheelchair Movin’ Mavs basketball team, has been named to the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Hall of Fame. He led the team to seven national championships. Hayes, who died in May, was selected in the contributor’s category.
Volleyball players honored
Outside hitter Amanda Aguilera was named to the first-team all-Southland Conference volleyball squad. She becomes the eighth UT Arlington freshman to earn first-team honors and the first since 1993. Aguilera led the SLC in kills last season with 3.68 per game in conference matches. In other volleyball news, 10 players were named to the Fall 2008 Capital One/Southland Conference Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll. UT Arlington was one of only four SLC programs to have at least 10 student-athletes named to the list. The honor roll recognizes student-athletes who competed in league championship sports during the fall semester and maintained a 3.0 semester grade-point average.
Running down a dream
Former sprinter Jared Connaughton participated in his first Olympic Games in August as a member of the Canadian track and field team. He reached the 200-meter dash semifinals and was on the 4x100-meter relay team that finished sixth in Beijing.
