ENMU Athletics News

By Sara Hill and Adam Pitterman

Lone Star Conference Football Festival

The Greyhound football team enters the 2015 season in search of its third consecutive winning season after a pair of seven-win seasons. For the fourth straight season, Eastern will appear in the Lone Star Conference Football Festival at AT&T Stadium. On Saturday, Sept. 19, the Hounds will face Midwestern State in a rematch from last season’s 42-17 setback, which marked the first time ENMU suffered defeat in the home of the Dallas Cowboys. Eastern dominated the first quarter and the early part of the second quarter to build a 10-0 lead, but an interception returned for a score reversed the Mustang’s fortunes.

Jeremy Buurma returns for his third season as a starter at quarterback for the Hounds. Eastern has posted a 14-7 record over his two seasons as the primary signal caller and earned a Lone Star Conference championship in the 2013 campaign.

Greyhounds huddle before kick off against the Midwestern State Mustangs for the 2014 LSC Football Festival.

Photo by Sports Fanatic Photography

Also, making the trip to Arlington is National Football Foundation Honor Society (NFFHS) honoree, defensive back Seth Bailey. NFFHS recognizes college football players in all divisions for excellence both on the field and in the classroom. Bailey also led the Greyhounds with tackles, solo tackles, and interceptions.

The Greyhound Club in conjunction with Alumni Affairs and the ENMU Foundation mark the Lone Star Festival with several alumni and friends gatherings. Friday, Sept. 18, ENMU encourages fans to attend the Texas Rangers baseball game in the evening with the group. Saturday morning there will be a send off for the football team from the team hotel (TBD) and a pre game party at AT&T Stadium will follow in the Miller Lite Club.

For more information on the Football Festival and alumni and friends events, please visit the event website at enmu.edu/greyhoundsinarlington.

Women’s Rodeo Repeats as South Central Champions

The ENMU women’s rodeo team claimed its second straight National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association South Central Region title after it compiled 2,267 points. Hayden Segelke-Todd won the women’s all-around for the region and finished more than 140 points ahead of the runner up.

Segelke-Todd and Cassidy Boggs won regional champions in the goat tying and breakaway roping, respectively. Lindsey Adcock was fourth in the goat tying, while Kortney Cleveland placed fifth in the barrel race.

Hayden Segelke-Todd throws her hands up to signal her completion of the goat tying to the judge so the timer will stop. Segelke-Todd has been a fierce competitor for the ENMU Rodeo team for 2 years in the goat tying, barrel racing, breakaway roping, and team roping.

Photo by Sports Fanatic Photography

Tarleton State was the women’s runnerup in the region, but finished nearly 200 points behind ENMU. Odessa College finished third.

The men’s team finished ninth in the region and were paced by Levi Lord’s third place finish as a heeler in the team roping. Clay Bonner finished sixth in the tie-down roping.

As the region’s all-around winner, Segelke- Todd competed in the barrel race and goat tying at the College National Finals. She entered as the defending champion in the goat tying. Joining her at the CNFR were Boggs, Adcock, Cleveland, and Lord. The women’s team ended the CNFR with a third place finish for the second year in a row. The team garnered a total of 350 points overall, falling behind McNeese State University and Blue Mountain Community College. Segelke- Todd earned the reserve all-around and Cleveland finished sixth in the short go round and fifth in the barrel racing. Cleveland was the only ENMU athlete to reach the short go.

Softball Shows Improvement in 2015

For the third consecutive season, the ENMU softball team picked up more wins than the previous year and managed to earn some dramatic victories. The Greyhounds faced a 9-2 deficit against University of the Southwest and rallied to seize a 10-9 win on a sixth-inning sacrifice fly from Amanda Martinez. The win gave ENMU its best 16-game start since the 2001 season that saw the team claim a spot in the NCAA Championships.

Freshman, Aja Secheslingloff, makes history at ENMU becoming the first pitcher to win her first five decisions in an entire season.

Photo by Sports Fanatic Photography

Eastern also claimed its first home victory over Angelo State since the 2006 season and earned a victory over NCAA Division II South Central region finalist, Cameron University. A key part of the Hounds’ success was freshman pitcher Aja Secheslingloff, who won 12 of her first 16 decisions. Secheslingloff also became the first pitcher in ENMU history to win her first five decisions in a season.

Senior, Amanda Martinez, steals a base against the University of Colorado - Colorado Springs.

Photo by Sports Fanatic Photography

Other milestones in the season included Martinez’s 29-game reached base streak, which was the second-longest streak in team history. Jacqueline Candelaria also broke the team record for sacrifice bunts in a career.

Volleyball

Head Coach Sia Poyer will look to continue his programs resurgence as he opens his third season. Eastern has reached the Lone Star Conference championships in each of his two seasons after missing the postseason since 2004. The Hounds closed the 2014 regular season in grand fashion, with their first win over Texas Woman’s University since the 2005 season. The stirring five-set win also marked the first home victory over the Pioneers since 1996.

Women’s Soccer

Head coach Omar Morales will look to duplicate the success of his first year with the Greyhounds after a season which

saw Eastern nearly claim the Lone Star Conference title. Morales inherited a team which finished last in the LSC in 2013, but came within a 1-0 setback to league champion Texas A&M-Commerce on the final day of the season of its first title. For their efforts, the Hounds reached the LSC tournament for the third time in program history and won six games in conference play.

Men’s Soccer

Head Coach Paul Tate will make his debut for the men’s soccer team on Thursday, Sept. 3, against University of Colorado- Colorado Springs. He came to ENMU from McMurry University and is the fourth coach in the program’s history. The Hounds have posted four straight winning seasons, which dates back to the 2011 season.

Cross Country

Entering her second season as head coach, Danielle Kcholi will look to continue the success of the cross country program. Last year, the men’s team finished second in the Lone Star Conference, while the women were third.

EAC to Change Name to Greyhound Club

ENMU Athletic Director Dr. Jeff Geiser announced the name of the Eastern Athletic Club has been changed to the

Greyhound Club. The move was made in consideration of the University’s recent rebranding/trademark decision and approved by the club’s board of directors.

The name change is the second in two years for the organization, after it abandoned the Bench Club moniker in July, 2013.

“In 2013 we conducted a survey of our membership and found that 47 percent supported a name change, 35 percent were neutral, and 17 percent opposed, said Geiser. “When asked what the new name should be we received a majority of responses indicating Greyhound Club or Greyhound/Zia Club. At that time the Board felt it was imperative that the new name be inclusive of both mascots or we had to come up with a “mascot neutral” name and this resulted in the Eastern Athletic Club. Since we have operated under this banner for a relatively short time and given the fact that we are all now united under one banner, it is appropriate to make this change, one that will last into perpetuity. I applaud the board of directors. Now go greyhounds!”