SEC Talk

Tennessee got a big time commit the other day.

Evan Berry, brother of All-American DB Eric Berry, took the Vols up on a scholarship offer and has said he will join the UT program… in 2013.

You see, Evan is 13… hasn’t even played high school football yet.

Now there is a lot of family history there. James Berry, dad to the Berry boys, played football at Tennessee in the 1980’s. And, of course, you have Eric tearing it up in the defensive backfield for the Vols these days.

So Evan figured, sure, I’ll go to Tennessee. And daddy James says that both Evan and his twin brother, Elliott, are ahead of the pace of Eric at the same age.

Woo hoo!

However… don’t get too excited Vol fans. The quotes from young Evan don’t exactly make you feel like he is set in stone:

“It’s the only college I know right now and it seems the best for me,” Evan told Rivals.com. “My dad went there and my brother is there now. I know I can do the same things there. I have a real friendly relationship with the coaches there. I don’t know them too well, but I know I will have plenty of time to get to know them.”

Ok…

He goes on to say that he can’t wait to play for Monte Kiffin. Now, I don’t want to throw more water on the situation here, but Monte is 69. A young 69, but still 69. So he would be 73 at the earliest when the Berry boys hit UT. That seems more like an age moving into retirement rather than coaching and recruiting…

unless, of course, you’re Joe Paterno.

This all kind of reminds me of another Vol commit. Jimmy Clausen announced his intentions to follow brothers Casey and Rick to Tennessee when he was about the same age. Only he never made it there, opting for Notre Dame.

Anyway, there is joy in Volville tonight. Just hope the fans aren’t counting the days till Evan gets there.

STELLAR YEAR FOR THE SEC

Following LSU’s dramatic title win in the College World Series, the Southeastern Conference is closing one of its most successful seasons. The SEC posted five national champions and five runner’s up during the 2008-2009 academic year.

National Championships came in football (Florida), men’s swimming and diving (Auburn), women’s indoor track & field (Tennessee), gymnastics (Georgia) and LSU (baseball). Runner’s up came from men’s golf (Arkansas), gymnastics (Alabama), softball (Florida), women’s swimming and diving (Georgia) and men’s indoor track & field (Florida).

The SEC has 179 team national championships in its 76 years of existence, including 63 since 2000. The only sports that haven’t won titles this decade are women’s cross country, volleyball, soccer and softball.

Not too shabby, huh?

NBA DRAFT

No SEC player was selected in the first round of Thursday’s NBA draft… no surprise there. A trio of guards went in the second round, led by Kentucky’s Jodie Meeks (41st pick, Milwaukee Bucks), LSU’s Marcus Thornton (43rd pick, Miami Heat - traded to New Orleans Hornets), and Florida’s Nick Calathes (45th pick, Minnesota Timberwolves).

HITTING THE BOOKS

The SEC didn’t only score wins on the field this year, but led all conferences in student-athletes recognized as ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans. Fifteen earned 1st team honors, 14 were named 2nd team, while 12 earned 3rd team recognition.

SEC Student-Athletes Earning CoSIDA Academic All-America Team Recognition
[NOTE: Listed in alphabetical order by last name
* - Sport does not have its own team, listed as At-Large Team by CoSIDA]

Listed in alphabetical order by last name
* indicates sport at-large selection, as sport does not have its own team

1st Team (15)
Mallory Blackwelder, Kentucky, *Women’s Golf, Versailles, Ky.
Sarah Bowman, Tennessee, Women’s Track & Field, Warrenton, Va.
Lisa Caprioglio, Georgia, *Women’s Swimming & Diving, Highlands Ranch, Col.
Kevin Greer, Alabama, *Men’s Swimming & Diving, Sylacauga, Ala.
Lillian Hammond, Tennessee, Softball, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Kristina Hilberth, Florida, Softball, Dunedin, Fla.
Tim Masthay, Kentucky, Football, Murray, Ky.
Courtney Kupets, Georgia, *Gymnastics, Athens, Ga.
Blakely Mattern, South Carolina, Women’s Soccer, Simpsonville, S.C.
Charlotte Morgan, Alabama, Softball, Moreno Valley, Calif.
Stacey Nelson, Florida, Softball, Los Alamitos, Calif.
Kassi Price, Alabama, *Gymnastics, Plantation, Fla.
Katie Stripling, Arkansas, Women’s Track & Field, Jonesboro, Ark.
Tim Tebow, Florida, Football, Jacksonville, Fla.
Phoebe Wright, Tennessee , Women’s Track & Field, Signal Mountain, Tenn.

2nd Team (14)
Amanda Alexander, Tennessee, Women’s Track & Field, Nashville, Tenn.
Sam Arthur, South Carolina, Men’s Soccer, Roswell, Ga.
Kelsey Bowers, Florida, Volleyball, Gainesville, Fla.
Chelsea Bramlett, Mississippi State , Softball, Cordova, Tenn.
Tara Diebold, Arkansas, Women’s Track & Field, Branson, Mo.
Chad Hagerty, Kentucky, Men’s Soccer, Louisville, Ky.
Tiffany Huff, Tennessee, Softball, Saugus, Calif.
Jenn Johnson, Auburn, Women’s Soccer, Loganville, Ga.
Ben Jones, Auburn, Baseball, Decatur, Ala.
Dan Mazzaferro, Auburn, * Men’s Swimming & Diving, Cheshire, Conn.
Blake Strode, Arkansas, *Men’s Tennis, St. Louis, Mo.
Grace Taylor, Georgia, *Gymnastics, Aiken, S.C.
Bram Ten Berge, Ole Miss, *Men’s Tennis, Maarssen, Netherlands
Dorian Ulrey, Arkansas, Men’s Track & Field, Port Byron, Ill.

3rd Team (12)
Sammie Jo Bailey, Mississippi State, Softball, Lithonia, Ga.
Denise Bargiachi, Arkansas, Women’s Track & Field, Memphis, Tenn.
Stephanie Brombacher, Florida, Softball, Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Clark Burckle, Florida, *Men’s Swimming & Diving, Louisville, Ky.
Rabun Fox, LSU, Track & Field, Houma, La.
Ali Gardiner, Florida, Softball, Waccabuc, N.Y.
Elliott Haynie, South Carolina, Men’s Track & Field, Atlanta, Ga.
Jen Lapicki, Tennessee, Softball, Oldwick, N.J.
Curt McGill, South Carolina, Men’s Track & Field, Spartanburg, S.C.
Lee Ellis Moore, Ole Miss, Men’s Track & Field, Cordova, Tenn.
Ashton Payne, South Carolina, Softball, Richmond, Va.
Christina Wirth, Vanderbilt, Women’s Basketball, Mesa, Ariz.

The LSU Tigers won their sixth NCAA baseball title tonight in Omaha, and left no doubt who the number one team in the nation is.

LSU defeated Texas, 11-4, taking the best of three series 2-1 in earning a sixth College World Series title.

The Tigers took off fast, taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on a Jared Mitchell homer. After adding a fourth run in the second inning, the Longhorns whittled away at the Tigers lead with two runs in the third and two in the fifth, knotting the game at 4-4.

But LSU broke the game open in the sixth, with five runs to take a 9-4 lead. The big hit in that inning was Mikie Mahtook’s tie-breaking double. The Tigers added one run in both the eighth and ninth innings to take the title.

Mitchell was named the CWS Most Outstanding Player. In winning the CWS, Mitchell added to his national championship hardware. Mitchell was a wide received on the LSU football team that won the BCS championship in 2007.

While the Tigers were top-ranked in virtually ever poll, they were not afforded a top seed in the tournament, instead playing at the #3 seed. But they will end the season right where they wanted to be… atop the polls and holding the trophy.

This story is even more amazing when you consider that the Tigers didn’t even qualify for the SEC tournament two years ago. Head Coach Paul Mainieri has done a fantastic job with the program in a short period of time.

The 2009 title will be added to the Tigers five others (1991, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 2000), all under former head coach Skip Bertman.

LSU took game one of the College World Series Championship, 7-6, in a classic batte in Omaha.

With two on and two out in the top of the 11th, freshman Mikie Mahtook hit a short fly to center, scoring D. J. D.J. Lemahieu from third and giving LSU a 7-6 lead.

Earlier, Mahtook had to get an IV in the locker room after he cramped up during the game. Obviously, he responded well to treatment!

In the bottom of the inning, LSU pitcher Matty Ott (nicknamed Matty Ice) worked his third inning of relief.   Shortstop Brandon Loy was up first, and Ott got him to chase an outside (way outside) slider, strking him out. Left fielder Tim Maitland was up next, and Ott went right after him.

Ott was on fire, striking Maitland out with a wicked comeback sinker that rode in on the hitter.

The last hope for the Horns was centerfielder Conner Rowe.  After running the count full, Rowe hit a grounder to second for the third and final out.

LSU kept fighting all night in what has got to be one of the classic College World Series games of all time.

Ott got his fourth win in a save appearance, going with his 16 saves this season, an LSU record.

If LSU beats Texas Tuesday night, it will win its sixth College World Series title in school history. LSU will have two tries to win the title in the best of three series.

Gametime Tuesday night is 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.

What a game!

After 10 innings in Game 1 of the Championship Round of the College World Series (that’s a mouthful!), LSU and Texas are still battling it out in what is looking like a classic battle of two titans. The game is knotted up 6-6.

Five solo homers by Texas looked to be the headline going into the top of the 9th, when LSU’s 2nd baseman D.J. Lemahieu hit a two run double with two outs, tying the game and eventually sending it into extra innings.

Texas junior designated hitter Russell Moldenhauer has two solo homers in the game, and the seven solo homers between both teams is a new CWS record.

And already the game, now in the 11th, is the longest game in College World Series finals history.

The Tigers are threatening in the top of the 11th, with men on first and third, but there are two outs. Both runners reached by walks.

The thing both coaches have to watch out for is burning through too many pitchers… this is only game one of a best two out of three series.

OK, I’m going back to the game. It’s on ESPN, so turn it on!

I got a kick when I checked out SECSports.com today. They have a calendar on the left side of the page that tells of upcoming sporting events.

Currently listed are games of the College World Series involving LSU and Arkansas. The next listing was USC at NCState.

I wondered what sport that was in.  Then I checked the date.

9-3

September 3.

Football.

And there they were, the first games of football season popping up.

Georgia at Oklahoma State on Sept. 5 (on ABC!)

Alabama vs. Virginia Tech, also on Sept. 5, and also on ABC.

LSU at Washington, Sept. 5 on ESPN.

Patience may be a virtue, but when it comes to SEC football, I am not a patient person. I want it all, and I want it now. Some of the preseason magazines are already out. Soon, when the doldrums of summer hit us square in the face, stories will start dribbling out about this team and that. Then the players will report. Fall practice will start. Then…

Kickoff!

Coming to a football field near you!!!

Arkansas (41-23) and LSU (53-16) will face each other for the second time in the College World Series Friday at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

LSU won the first matchup on Monday by a score of 9-1. During the regular season, the Tigers took two out of three games from the Hogs.

If LSU wins, it will advance to the Championship Series, getting underway Monday at 6 p.m. ET. If Arkansas wins, the two teams will battle again on Saturday at either 1 p.m. or 6 p.m., with the winner advancing to the Championship Series.

LSU has been on fire, winning 12 straight games. Top-ranked in three out of four polls, and the 3rd seed nationally, the Tigers are coming off three days of rest. Arkansas has had to battle through the losers’ bracket, defeating Virginia 4-3 in 12 innings on Wednesday to earn the right to face LSU.

In the other bracket, Arizona St. (51-13) will face Texas (48-14-1), an elimination game for the Sun Devils. That game is at 7 p.m. ET. ASU advanced to the game by defeating North Carolina 12-5 on Thursday.

Alabama announced today that it will appeal NCAA sanctions that were handed down by the NCAA last week.

The sanctions were in response to self-reported infractions where UA athletes were getting free textbooks for friends. While athletes from 15 sports were involved, football sustained the biggest hit, with orders to vacate 21 wins from 2005-2007. It’s been speculated that football was more harshly reprimanded because the program was still in a five year probationary window from previous infractions.

“We appreciate that the committee recognized the isolated nature of this violation as well as UA’s immediate and aggressive actions to correct the situation as soon as we discovered the problem. However, we are disappointed with the excessiveness of the sanctions in view of the facts of this case and the penalties in other textbook infractions cases.

“There is no evidence or allegations of other NCAA violations; no coaches or administrators were involved; no players obtained books and sold them for cash, and all the books were returned or charged to the student’s account as required by the UA textbook policy in effect at that time.”

Alabama President Robert Witt

Bama has until June 26 to formally file with the NCAA’s Infractions Appeals Committee.

IN OTHER SEC NEWS:

Sites for upcoming men’s and women’s basketball tournaments were announced on Wednesday, added to sites previously announced:

Men’s Tournaments:
2010 - Sommet Center, Nashville, Tn.
2011 - Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Ga.
2012 - New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, La.
2013 - Sommet Center, Nashville, Tn.
2014 - Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Ga.

Women’s Tournaments:
2010 - The Arena at Gwinnett Center, Duluth, Ga.
2011 - Sommet Center, Nashville, Tn.
2012 - Sommet Center, Nashville, Tn.
2013 - The Arena at Gwinnett Center, Duluth, Ga.
2014 - The Arena at Gwinnett Center, Dulluth, Ga.

LSU whipped up on fellow SEC Western Division team Arkansas in the College World Series, taking the game 9-1.

Mikie Mahtook, Austin Nola and Blake Dean all homered for the Tigers, who have won 12 straight in the tournament. LSU started ace-pitcher Louis Coleman, who gave up only one run and six hits while striking out seven in six innings of work. On May 2, Coleman pitched a two hit shutout against the Hogs in regular season action.

Arkansas’ lone run came in the first inning. Tigers hitters drove Hogs pitcher Brett Eibner out of the game in the second inning.  LSU led 4-1 after two innings, but the real damage came in the sixth, when LSU scored five runs to take an eight run lead, 9-1.

Arkansas will now have to play out of the loser’s bracket, where the Razorbacks will face Virginia on Wednesday at 6 p.m. CDT. While the loser of the game will be eliminated, the winner will advance to face LSU on Friday at 1 p.m. CDT.  Should LSU win that game, it will advance to the best of three series next week.

One other thought: The Tigers are the 3rd seed nationally behind Texas (#1) and Cal State Fullerton (#2), yet are ranked #1 in three of the four college baseball polls (Baseball American, Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA) and second in the other poll (USA Today/ESPN). Texas is ranked 4th, 5th, 5th and 4th respectively, while CS-Fullerton is 3rd, 3rd, 3rd and 5th.

Interesting, but at least the Tigers are getting a chance to prove it on the field.

IN OTHER SEC NEWS:

The Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) has announced it’s three national teams for the 2009 season, and eight current and former SEC players have made the rosters.

Making the USA Softball Women’s National Team from the SEC are: Monica Abbott (Tennessee), *Chelsea Bramlett (Mississippi St.), Ashley Holcombe (Alabama), Stacey Nelson (Florida) and Brittany Rogers (Alabama).

The Japan Cup roster features Courtney Bures (Mississippi St.), *Molly Johnson (Kentucky), Stacey Nelson (Florida), Brittany Rogers (Alabama) and *Taylor Schlopy (Georgia).

SEC athletes on the Pan Am Qualifying team are Monica Abbott (Tennessee), *Chelsea Bramlett (Mississippi St.) and Ashley Holcombe (Alabama).

* indicates a current SEC player.

Both Arkansas and LSU advanced into the Winner’s Bracket at the College World Series, Arkansas with a 10-6 upset of Cal State Fullerton, and LSU with a 9-5 win over Virginia.

But only one SEC team will remain in the Winner’s Bracket after tonight’s games.

Top-ranked LSU and #7 Arkansas will face off against each other at 6 pm CDT, meaning one team will advance in the Winner’s Bracket and the other will be forced to try to work it’s way out of the Loser’s side.

The two teams met in a three game series earlier this year, with the Tigers taking the series 2-1. The Razorbacks won game one by a score of 11-4, but LSU battled back to take games two and three by scores of 5-0 and 4-3.

LSU will start senior right hander Louis Coleman in tonight’s game. Coleman has a record of 13-2, with an ERA of 2.74 in 115 innings pitched. He gave up 19 walks while striking out a whopping 125 batters.

Arkansas will counter with sophomore righty Brett Eibner, 5-4 with a 4.61 ERA in 70.1 innings pitched. Eibner gave up 33 walks while striking out 66.

Tonight’s game, like all College World Series games, will be televised on ESPN.

IN OTHER SEC NEWS:

The NCAA’s Track & Field Championships, held in Fayetteville, Arkansas, ended this weekend. Here are the final results for SEC Schools:

WOMEN’S RESULTS:
LSU - 6th
Florida - 9th
Tennessee - 10th
Auburn - 25th
Arkansas - 29th
South Carolina - 40th
Mississippi - 70th (tie)
Mississippi St. - 70th (tie)

MEN’S RESULTS:
Florida - 2nd
LSU - 5th
South Carolina - 6th
Arkansas - 9th
LSU - 11th
Auburn - 12th
Kentucky - 15th
Mississippi St. - 17th
Tennessee - 58th
Alabama - 62nd

The NCAA College World Series is officially underway, and in the first game we got a huge upset.

Unseeded Arkansas topped #2 national seed Cal State Fullerton by a final score of 10-6. Entering the ninth inning, UA held a 10-5 lead, the biggest deficit for CS-Fullerton this season. The Titans managed one run in the ninth, but were unable to catch up to the Hogs and will now have to attempt to work their way out of the loser’s bracket.

The Hogs opened the game with two runs in the first off Titans pitcher Noe Ramirez. In the top of the third, UA’s Zach Cox hit a 2-run homer to add to the score, but the Titans answered back with two runs in the bottom of the inning, ending the third at 4-2 Hogs.

But most of the damage was done in the fifth inning, when Arkansas extended it’s lead to 9-2, led by Andy Wilkins’ 3-run homer. Arkansas finished it’s scoring off in the top of the eighth on a Wilkins single.

There was a bit of controversy in the bottom of the eighth when CSF’s Gary Brown was obviously hit by a pitch on the elbow pad, but as he started to take his base the home plate umpire called him back and called ball three.

LSU takes the field at 7 p.m. to take on Virginia. Catch the game on ESPN.

CWS NOTES:

This marks the 17th consecutive year that the SEC has been represented in the CWS, but the conference hasn’t won a title since LSU’s in 2000.

The news out of Tuscaloosa isn’t good today.

The NCAA is reportedly going to place Alabama’s football program on three years probation and strip the school of up to 10 wins as a result of violations of textbook disbursement policy.

Additionally, Alabama will pay a fine. There will be no reduction of scholarships or bowl penalties.

The penalties are the result of student-athletes arranging for free textbooks for friends. Five football players, including starting linemen Antoine Caldwell and Marlon Davis and running back Glen Coffee, were suspended for four games in 2007. Although Bama lost three of its next four games, they crushed Tennessee 41-17, the day after the suspensions were announced.

The infractions occurred during Bama’s five year probationary period, which meant the University could have faced much more serious penalties. UA self-reported the violations when they were discovered more than a year and a half ago, although did not announce the situation to the public until three months after appearing before the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions.

Football wasn’t the only sport involved. It has been reported that more than 200 UA athletes covering most sports participated. The problem was discovered by an employee of the University of Alabama Supply Store when a student account in excess of $1600 was found.

Bama hoped to avoid having to forfeit games, but the NCAA noted that the infractions went on for at least two years before being discovered, and that it could constitute a major infraction under the Lack of Institutional Control catagory.

Alabama has not decided whether to appeal the decision.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Tennessee’s Tyler Smith has withdrawn his name from the NBA draft and will return to the Vols for his senior season. Smith said the opportunity to stay and graduate, as well as be a part of what he called a “special” team, won out over the NBA.

Most likely the fact that most scouts projected Smith as an early second round pick weighed in the process, too.

Arkansas and LSU will both play their opening games of the College World Series (CWS) on Saturday, June 13.

Arkansas takes the field first, facing Cal State Fullerton in a 1 pm matchup. LSU will see action later that night, facing Virginia at 6 pm. (All times are CDT).

Both games will be televised by ESPN.

The Razorbacks and Tigers will both see action again on Monday, June 15, either through the winner’s or loser’s bracket bracket in the double-elimination tournament format.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Junior Mike Minor, LHP out of Vanderbilt, was taken 7th overall in the first round of the MLB draft, by the Atlanta Braves. The SEC’s only other first round pick was Junior Jared Mitchell, OF, out of LSU, who was taken 23rd overall by the Chicago White Sox. Mitchell is a two sport star for the Tigers, also playing wide receiver on the LSU football team.

Through 27 rounds of the Major League Baseball Draft, 55 SEC players had been drafted. Florida leads with nine draftees, followed by Georgia and Mississippi (7 each), LSU (6), Vanderbilt (5), Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee (4 each), Auburn and Kentucky (3 each), South Carolina (2) and Mississippi State (1)

LSU’s Tasmin Mitchell has withdrawn his name from the NBA draft. Mitchell, who averaged 16.3 ppg and 7.2 rpg last season, will be a 5th-year senior in 2009-2010. He shot 52.2% from the field last year.

The NCAA Track and Field Championships began Wednesday in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The site was hit with some foul weather, causing delays in competition on Day 1 of the four day competition.

Most SEC schools are advertising single game tickets now available for purchase. Kind of surprising, since so many of these schools never had to advertise in the past, but it looks like the economy is catching up with athletic departments, too

Sometimes it’s tough to find a college sports subject to write about, especially during the summer months. But Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin is keeping journalists and bloggers alike busy as bees, wondering where and when his next NCAA infraction will occur.

Sunday ESPN’s Outside the Lines featured a segment on Kiffin. In it, he is seen meeting with a recruit and his family… a violation according to the NCAA rule book:

A member institution shall not permit a media entity to be present during any recruiting contact made by an institution’s coaching staff member.

NCAA recruiting rule 13.10.1

Oops.

But the reaction of the coach is telling. Just another minor misstep. Can’t keep all of the rules, this stuff happens all the time. And besides, Kiffin repeatedly claims, he is doing all of this just to fire up the Vols fans, it’s all by design.

Athletic Director Mike Hamilton sounds like it is all just another day at UT, saying that self-reporting these things lets the NCAA know that the member institution is on top of things.

But what about this statement from the NCAA rulebook?:

By definition, a secondary violation is one that is isolated or inadvertent in nature, provides or is intended to provide only a minimal recruiting, competitive or other advantage and does not include any significant recruiting inducement or extra benefit.

Hmmm…. Isolated? For the record, this will be Kiffin’s sixth secondary violation in his seven months on the job. That’s not so isolated if you ask me.

I don’t know if Lane Kiffin is brash, arrogant, or just ignorant. I doubt it is the latter. He had a successful run at Southern Cal as offensive coordinator, and one of his biggest boosters is USC coach Pete Carroll.

One of two things is going to happen with the Lane Kiffin Experiment. Either he will win big and be gone to greener pastures, or he will lose and be gone anyway.

It will be interesting to see whether Tennessee survives the Kiffin era intact, or on probation.

Both Florida and Mississippi fell short in their bids to advance to the College World Series.

Ole Miss lost to Virginia 5-1, dropping the best of three series 2-1. The Rebels finish with a record of 44-20, and marked the fourth time in the last five years that they have been in a position to advance to the CWS. UM’s 44 wins ties the mark for second most wins in a season in school history set in 2006. The school record is 48 wins, set in 2005.

Florida is perhaps the biggest surprise of the Super Regionals, failing to win even one game. The Gators, ranked 9th took a lead into the 8th inning on Sunday, but #17 Southern Miss scored three to take the lead and the game. Florida led 6-1 in the third, but USM kept pounding away, eventually winning the right to advance to the CWS in Omaha this weekend.  Florida ends it’s season with a 42-22 record.

In a bit of irony, both Florida and Ole Miss were hosting regionals. So much for home field advantage.

Arkansas and LSU have already advanced to the CWS, along with Arizona State, Cal State Fullerton, North Carolina, Southern Miss and Virginia. Arkansas will play Cal State Fullerton and LSU will face Virginia in opening round action. Times and dates are TBA.

One spot is still open, to be decided on Monday. TCU and Texas will battle for the lone remaining slot, with the series tied at 1-1.