Athletics Highlights

Ladyjack Bowling Ranked Second in NTCA Poll

The reigning national champion Ladyjack bowling team entered the 2016-17 season ranked second in the National Tenpin Coaches Association preseason poll. The Ladyjacks finished with 1,302 points in the preseason poll, 10 points behind preseason favorite University of Nebraska’s 1,312. The second-place ranking came despite SFA receiving 22 of the possible 37 first-place votes. The Ladyjacks return almost their entire squad from last year’s national championship run, including reigning NTCA National Player of the Year, Stephanie Schwartz.

The ‘Royal’ Treatment

Former Lumberjack standout Hunter Dozier has moved up the ranks within the Kansas City Royals organization, the 2015 World Series champion, to officially join Major League Baseball. Dozier played shortstop for the Jacks from 2011-13. Upon entering the minor leagues, he switched to third base, a position he now plays the majority of the time. Dozier is the first former Lumberjack baseball player to don the colors of an MLB squad since 2012, when Steven Hill played nine games for the St. Louis Cardinals. Dozier is one of only two active Southland Conference players in the MLB ranks. “It’s a special feeling to the SFA baseball program to have a player in the big leagues, but I’m more happy for the young man,” said Lumberjack baseball head coach Johnny Cardenas. “He has worked hard and done everything the right way, whether it was here or in the minors, and now he’s getting his chance.”

Walkup Heads to Chicago

After helping the SFA men’s basketball team become the talk of the nation in March, former Lumberjack Thomas Walkup will spend the upcoming season playing for Chicago’s D-League team, the Windy City Bulls. During the summer, the former Lumberjack star signed an NBA Summer League contract with the Golden State Warriors and proceeded to play in six of the seven summer league games for the defending Western Conference Champions. During those games, Walkup logged 16 minutes per game and averaged 3.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He left the Warriors to sign a training camp contract with the Chicago Bulls. Walkup will play on Windy City’s 10-man roster of players who serve as a developmental team to the Chicago Bulls.