Lyon College Sports Inks 5 Athletes for Women’s Teams

 

Lyon College announces incoming players for softball, volleyball and basketball, including one junior college transfer.

Lyon College signs Ashala Watson for women's basketball

Lyon College signs Ashala Watson for women’s basketball

Carl Albert State College (Okla.) sophomore Ashala Watson has signed a NAIA letter of intent to play basketball for the defending American Midwest Conference Co-Champion Lyon College women’s basketball team, according to Lyon head coach Tracy Stewart-Lange.

Watson, a 5-3 guard from Magnolia, Ark., played the past two seasons at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) institution in Poteau, Okla. and now makes the jump to Lyon. She was one of five sophomores on the Lady Viking team in 2012-13 that finished 12-17 on the year, 7-11 in conference play.

“When I went and visited (Lyon College), I saw that it was a good school,” Watson said at the signing ceremony at CASC. “The facilities and the coaches are great, and I just thought I would be a good fit for me.”

During her sophomore season, Watson started 28 of 29 games for the Lady Vikings, averaging 28.3 minutes per game, which was 54th-highest in the NJCAA. She struggled with her field goal shooting, dropping in 6.3 points per game, while averaging 4.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.1 steals per contest.

“You hate to see the good ones go, but that’s the nature of this beast [college basketball] that we’re in,” said Carl Albert head women’s coach Jeff Tadtman. “It’s the cycle that we live in, but I’m happy for her. I think she’s going to be very successful. Lyon has really improved its program over there. I think she’ll do nothing but get better over the next two years and be tremendously successful.”

Another new Lyon College basketball player to sign is four-year Argyle (Tex.) High School standout athlete Morgan McInaney, Stewart-Lange announced.

McInaney, a 5-foot, 7-inch forward, contributed throughout her high school career at Argyle, helping the Lady Eagles to a combined 71-40 (.639) record and four consecutive playoff appearances.

She helped the Lady Eagles to a 25-7 season mark in 2012-13, advancing to the third round of the Texas High School Girls Class 3A state playoffs, after

Lyon College signee Morgan McInaney

Lyon College signee Morgan McInaney

placing second to Lone Star in District 5-3A action. Argyle recorded wins over Sanger (48-41) and Wilmer-Hutchins (55-39), before dropping a 62-40 decision to Krum in the semifinals of Region II play.

The Lady Eagles were 17-12 during her junior season (2011-12), also advancing to postseason play, after finishing second in District 5-3A action. Argyle dropped a 44-25 decision to Van Alstyne in the opening round.

In Inaney’s sophomore season (2010-11), Argyle posted a 17-9 overall mark, advancing to the second round of playoff action before the Lady Eagles fell to Lucas Lovejoy, 68-64, in the second round of Class 3A postseason play.

Argyle was 12-12 during Inaney’s freshman year (2009-10), but still advanced to the postseason, falling to Kennadale (60-54) in the first round.

Morgan is the daughter of Mark and Shari McInaney of Argyle and the granddaughter of Don and Jeanette McInaney and Rich and Annette McCormick, both of Colorado Springs, Colo.

Lyon College posted the most wins in program history this past season, finishing with a 28-5 overall mark, including a 14-0 record on the road. The Scots claimed a share of the AMC regular season crown, along with Columbia College, as both teams secured 17-1 regular season records.

The 2012-13 season marked the second consecutive trip to the postseason tournament for Lyon, the most in program’s history. The Scots have a combined 48-17 (.739) over the past two seasons. Stewart-Lange is entering her ninth season as head coach of the Scots.

Jonesboro West Side High School all-state athlete signs to play Volleyball at Lyon College

Former Jonesboro’s West Side High School all-state athlete Samantha Scalf has signed a NAIA letter of intent to play volleyball at Lyon College, Lyon head volleyball coach Ray Green has announced.

Scalf, a native of Brookland, Ark., was a four-year volleyball player, along with a two-year track athlete at Westside.

During her 2013 season she received Arkansas All-State status for her play on the volleyball court, while posting a grade point average of 3.5 or higher throughout her four years of high school play.

“Samantha will bring a lot of power to the outside hitting position,” said Coach Green, who is beginning his sixth season with the Scots’ program this fall. “She will also bring versatility, having played all three positions along the net, as well as spending a little time setting, while on her high school team.”

Green has not only gotten to know the play of Scalf, but knows her high school coach as well.

“Samantha’s high school coach is Julie Arnold Tubbs, who is a Lyon graduate who played for me her last two years as what was then a Piper,” Green explained. “Coach Tubbs’ volleyball system is similar to ours, so the transition from high school and club should be smoother than most for Samantha. I am looking forward to her impact on our volleyball program the next four seasons.”

Samantha is the daughter of Tracy and Roy Wiseman.

Lyon College is coming off a 14-27 campaign in 2012, including a 6-12 record and a trip to the conference’s postseason tournament in its first season in American Midwest Conference play. The Scots only lost one senior in the off-season and return 11 players off last year’s team. Lyon opens the 2013 season with a tri-match on Aug. 24 at John Brown University in Siloam Springs. The Scots will join the Golden Eagles and Benedictine College in play that evening.

Lyon College softball team adds two; All-State Athlete Katherine Bartley inks with golf team, too

Katherine Bartley signs with Lyon in two sports

Katherine Bartley signs with Lyon in two sports

One of the more decorated high school athletes that has joined the Lyon College athletic family in quite some time has committed to a dual sport role as a Scot recently when Mount Vernon-Enola graduate Katherine Bartley signed a NAIA letter of intent to play both softball and women’s golf at the College.

Bartley was a four-sport athlete for the Warhawks, playing softball, golf and basketball in each of her four high school years, while participating in cross country for two years. She received three all-state golf awards, while capturing the 2011-12 individual state championship during her junior season. She was also all-state in golf her sophomore through senior seasons. She was also all-state in softball her junior and senior seasons.

Not to be overshadowed was her play on the basketball court, as she earned all-state recognition her sophomore and senior seasons. Bartley’s all-state honors in cross country came her freshman and sophomore seasons.

An achiever in the classroom as well as on the field and on the court, Bartley achieved the ‘All-A’ honor roll during each of the four years of high school, climaxing by being named Valedictorian of the Class of 2013.

Other academic awards received by Bartley include: Civics Award (2009-10); English Award (2009-10); Pre-AP World History Award (2010-11); Pre-AP Biology Award (2010-11); Pre-AP English Award (2010-11); AP American History Award (2011-12); Pre-AP Pre-calculus/Trigonometry Award (2011-12); AP English Award (2011-12); AP Biology Award (2011-12); AP English Award (2012-13); AP Calculus Award (2012-13); and Governor’s Honor Day Student (2012-13).

Katherine is the daughter of Kevin and Ami Bartley of Vilonia, Ark.

In addition to Bartley, the Lyon College softball program has acquired a top-notch high school pitcher from Arizona with the recent signing of

New Lyon College softball player Lexi Reyes

New Lyon College softball player Lexi Reyes

Alexandria ‘Lexi’ Reyes to a NAIA letter of intent, according to Scots head softball coach Travis Owen.

Reyes is coming off an impressive season at Sunnyside High School in Tuscon, Ariz., posting an overall record of 15-2, with a dominating earned run average of 1.25. Reyes produced 123 strikeouts, while batting .291, with 11 runs batted in.

A four-year player during high school career, Reyes also excelled in the classroom, receiving the Digital Advantage Award in 2010 and the Digital Scholar Award in 2011. Her high school awards for her senior year have yet to be announced.

Reyes is the daughter of Manny and Stephanie Reyes of Tuscon, Ariz.

Reyes and Bartley join the Lyon College softball team that recently named Travis Owen as its fifth head coach since to inception of the team in 2008. The Scots are coming off an 11-39 record in 2013 and return nine players from that team. Lyon did qualify for the American Midwest Conference Postseason Tournament in the first year of competition in the new league.

Courtesy Lyon College Department of Athletics

Tags: , , ,