ENMU Athletics News

By Adam Pitterman

Greyhound Softball Team Gives Back to the Community

The ENMU softball team has given back to the Portales community on numerous occasions, including helping Central Christian Church sort, bag and distribute food.

The softball team helping out at First Methodist Church’s Thanksgiving dinner and Bazaar.

Photo by Claude Vigil

“We are so blessed to have everything we have,” Head Coach Katie Welborn said. “Sports should never be just about sports. We are on a platform to help our community and we take full advantage of that. I am lucky to have a coaching staff and wonderful girls who are willing to help whole-heartedly. We are not done with our community service, but I feel like this is a really great base for us to continue to build upon and rise.”

Along with the caring and sharing, Eastern did its fair share of scaring during the month of October, working with the Portales Rec Center at the haunted house. Other events the team has helped put on include Roosevelt General Hospital’s annual Clay Shooting Competition, the Maggie Lee for Good day, Hope Haven, and Thanksgiving dinner and Bazaar at First Methodist Church.

“My favorite part of community service has been seeing the people we helped and how it impacts them,” freshman Kaylee Rogers said. “I especially love seeing this around the holidays.”

Not only has the team helped the community, they helped the men’s and women’s basketball teams promote the Greyhound Madness event to tip off the 2016-17 basketball season.

“I am so proud of our girls,” Welborn said. “They give everything their all. They were great people before they became Greyhounds and now they are just making being a Greyhound even better.”

After Historic Grand Opening, Gridiron Hounds Follow Familiar Road to C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl

Although the ENMU football team played in a new, state of the art facility in 2016, their season followed a familiar road as previous years. Much like the 2013 Lone Star Conference championship season, the Greyhounds earned a hard-fought road win over Angelo State, erased a 21-point deficit to claim the Wagon Wheel, and defeated Midwestern State. In 2016, that road took the Greyhounds to Copperas Cove, TX, for the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl for the second straight season. The Greyhounds faced Fort Hays State (8-4), who took an early lead and handed the Greyhounds a 45-12 setback at Bulldawg Stadium.

The ball is handed off to junior running back Kamal Cass.

Photo by Claude Vigil

The team concluded a strong 2016 season which saw them Lone Star Conference wins over Western New Mexico, Angelo State, West Texas A&M, University of Texas of the Permian Basin, Oklahoma Panhandle, and Midwestern State.

Among the key performers that emerged over the season were freshman quarterback Wyatt Strand and senior receiver Larry Baker-Bruce. Baker-Bruce’s 30.11 yards per catch is the Hounds best since at least the 1998 season. Strand’s passer efficiency rating (182.4), average yards per pass (12.2), total offense per play (8.11) were also team bests since at least the 1998 season. The Hounds flourished offensively, marking the best season since 1998 in rushing yards per game (346.9), average yards per rushing attempt (5.77), average yards per play (6.68), and average yards per pass (11.4). The defense also stepped up their game, and their 10 rushing touchdowns allowed were the fewest since at least 1998. Against Oklahoma Panhandle, Strand’s 32.6 yards per completion is the programs best for the last 19 seasons at least.

Frye Becomes First Greyhound to Earn First Team All-Region

Volleyball senior Lauren Frye was named to the 2016 D2CCA South Central All-Region Volleyball Team this past November. It marks the first time an ENMU player received all-region honors since Lindsay Schiely earned Honorable Mention in 2004. Frye hit a blistering .312 with 552 kills on the year, the third-highest mark in team history.

Senior Lauren Frye attacks during their game against New Mexico Highlands.

Photo by Claude Vigil

With the First Team selection, the 6-0 senior also received All-America honors and was selected to the All-Lone Star Conference First Team for the second-straight season. The Amissville, VA native notched 341 kills in league play, hitting .331 with seven solo blocks and 29 total blocks. Frye was named five-time LSC Offensive Player of the Week and became the first player in ENMU history to record over 1,700 kills in her career, breaking the program record in her final game.

Resurgent Men’s Basketball Team Earns Dramatic Wins

With two overtime wins and another decided by just one possession, the Greyhounds head into conference play with a three-game win streak.

Although Wayne State hit a buzzer-beating three-point bucket to force a second overtime, the Greyhounds persevered and never trailed in the second extra sessions. Although WSU attempted another buzzer-beating trey, the Greyhound defense stood tall for the 89-86 win.

Senior guard CoRnell Neal before he made the game-winning shot.

Photo by Marty Saiz

That dramatic victory came just one day after CoRnell Neal’s trey with four seconds left lifted the Hounds to a stirring 76-73 win over Southern Nazarene. With the wins, Eastern will have a winning record headed into Lone Star Conference play for the third time in the last four seasons.

Neal’s Heroics Earn Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week Honors

Senior basketball guard CoRnell Neal was named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week in November. It marks the first time since Jan. 2016 that a men’s basketball player has earned a weekly award and the first time since Dec. 2014 that a Greyhound garnered the Offensive Player of the Week award.

“CoRnell’s performances prove that he is getting tougher and trusting in our program’s beliefs,” Head Basketball Coach Tres Segler said. “I couldn’t be more proud of how much he has grown already. I really look forward to seeing him continue to develop.”

Neal led the Greyhounds in the team’s 2-0 weekend at the PAK- A-SAK Thanksgiving Classic. Against Southern Nazarene, Neal made the game-winning shot, a three-pointer with four seconds remaining to give ENMU the 76-73 victory. The bucket capped a 16-point, six assist and four steal effort. The 6-0 guard scored a season-high 29 points in the double-overtime win over Wayne State with six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Neal hit a pair of free throws with 26 seconds left to send the game to overtime.

Women’s Basketball Team Off to One of Its Best Starts in Years

With a 6-2 record, the Greyhounds have won their first four Lone Star Conference games since the 1998-99 season, with a road win over rival West Texas A&M for the first time since the 1980-81 season. ENMU is ranked seventh in the South Central region after their rallies from deficits of 12 and nine to post victories over WT and Tarleton State. The win over the TexAnns snapped a 19-game losing streak. Defense has been key, as the team has limited the opposition to just 61.6 points per game and a .268 three-point percentage. Mikaehla Connor and Daeshi McCants have already earned LSC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

When conference play finished in Dec., ENMU was one of just two teams still undefeated in LSC play, with Angelo State being the other. Each of the Greyhounds’ previous opponents were undefeated in league play when they faced the Hounds. The fast start has Head Coach Josh Prock in third place on the ENMU women’s basketball list in career wins and conference wins. The Greyhounds will participate in the Holiday Hoops Classic and host Sul Ross State before returning to conference play against Western New Mexico University.