A-State athletics busy this spring, set for fall sports

News and notes from Red Wolves programs highlight football, basketball, more

Arkansas State University It’s been a busy spring for Red Wolves Nation. The Arkansas State University Athletics Program has a full slate of news and announcements for the upcoming summer sports season and fall athletics.

A-State Football Establishes 1200 Club

JONESBORO — The Arkansas State football program announced Wednesday it has established the “1200 Club,” designed to engage the Red Wolves’ fan base, foster relationships within the community, offer premier rewards and provide exclusive events. Featuring private events, pregame and postgame tailgates, and opportunities to interact with head coach Butch Jones and the Red Wolves’ football family, 1200 Club members will make up a unique inner circle of the A-State football program.

Membership to the 1200 Club is available to all fans, who can join with one annual $1,200 donation or 12 monthly $100 installments each year per person. “Your investment in this club will aid our quest to achieve Sun Belt Conference championships, future bowl-game appearances and top-25 national rankings,” said Jones.

“The 1200 Club will allow our program to invest in the immediate needs necessary to develop and maintain a championship-caliber program.”

In addition to the club’s private activities and events, members will receive authentic A-State apparel and 1200 Club mementos. Every member will be recognized with their name appearing on Centennial Bank Stadium’s main concourse and the south end zone video board during each game.

Fans can join the 1200 Club by visiting RedWolvesFoundation.com , as well as by contacting the Red Wolves Foundation at 870-972-2401.

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Jonesboro Native Sills Joins A-State Men’s Basketball

JONESBORO — A Jonesboro native is returning to his hometown.

Jonesboro High School product Desi Sills has signed an Athletics Financial Aid Agreement to join the Arkansas State men’s basketball program ahead of the 2021-22 season, head coach Mike Balado announced Tuesday. Sills, who played at the University of Arkansas from 2018-21, will have two years of eligibility remaining.

“We’re extremely excited for our program and community to have Desi joining our team,” said Balado. “It’s great to have a young man who was so successful at Jonesboro High School and the University of Arkansas to come back home and continue to build this program. Desi can score in multiple ways, but people don’t give him enough credit for how hard he plays. He brings infectious energy, is a phenomenal defender, he rebounds and he does everything that you would want to help a team win. To add somebody like Desi to the fold, makes this team stronger at every position.”

Sills averaged 7.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while playing 20.8 minutes per contest as the Razorbacks finished the 2020-21 season at 25-7 and advanced to the Elite Eight, losing to eventual national champion Baylor. He was the only player to compete in all 98 of Arkansas’ games over the last three seasons, logging nearly 2,240 minutes.

He was named to the 2021 SEC Winter Honor Roll and made the honor roll for Fall 2020.

A Preseason All-SEC Second Team choice by the league’s coaches ahead of the 2020-21 season, Sills showed great improvement from his freshman to sophomore season as nearly all his numbers virtually doubled, including his scoring (5.3 avg. to 10.6 avg.), minutes (from 16.9 avg. to 31.2 avg.), 3-pointers made (29 to 47) and rebounds (1.3 avg. to 3.0 avg.).

In his sophomore season, Sills started 24 of 32 games and shot 32.9 percent from 3-point range, including a team-best 45.6 percent (31of-68) over the last 14 games. Sills finished the 2019-20 campaign averaging 10.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. He capped his freshman season with 18 points at Indiana in the NIT and had four other doublefigure scoring games against SEC opponents while averaging 5.3 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 34 games played.

A two-time, first team 6A All-State selection at JHS, Sills helped the Hurricane to back-to-back 6A state championships. He averaged 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists alongside A-State senior guard Marquis Eaton as the duo led Jonesboro to a perfect 32-0 record and the state title in 2017, the first undefeated season since 1954. In his senior season, Sills averaged 20 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists and was rated the No. 3 player in the state of Arkansas by

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247Sports.com and ESPN while being a consensus top 50 pick among the nation’s top point guards.

For the latest on A-State men’s basketball, follow the team on Twitter (@AStateMB), Or on their Facebook page (/AStateMB) and Instagram (@astatemb).

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JONESBORO — The Arkansas State Athletics Department has announced that all tailgating areas and activities at A-State home football games will be open and resuming normal procedures beginning with the 2021 season.

While COVID-19 pandemic precautions and protocols required that all tailgating activities be completely paused in 2020, fans will once again be able to enjoy the same tailgating experience during the upcoming year that they had in previous seasons without any new restrictions.

The two premier tailgating locations, including “Halsey Thrasher Harpole Tailgate City” and “Artents Tailgate Promenade,” will both be available and include numerous gameday activities. Additionally, tailgating will resume at Red Wolf Run near Johnson Avenue, student areas in The Pines and personal locations where space allows.

Tailgate City is located on the west side of the stadium on both sides of the sidewalk leading through Mike Watson Park, while Artents Tailgate Promenade is located on the southwest side of the stadium near the current A-State practice fields.

The 2021 season will bring with it the return of live music acts, interactive games and additional activities to the Artents Tailgate Promenade, which will once again include the Hijinx Family Fun Zone.

The A-State Athletics Department will announce additional details this summer regarding tailgating opportunities and activities, including specific areas where tents may be placed and times when fans can set up their tailgate area in advance of each game.

Fans can contact the Red Wolves Foundation at 870972-2401 for pricing and availability in the paid tailgate areas. Arkansas State opens the 2021 season with a pair of non-conference home games against Central Arkansas and Memphis on Sept. 4 and Sept. 11, respectively, and its home schedule also features four Sun Belt Conference contests against Coastal Carolina (Oct. 7), Louisiana (Oct. 21), Appalachian State (Nov. 6) and Texas State (Nov. 27).

Season tickets for the Red Wolves’ 2021 campaign are available for purchase through the A-State Ticket Office, located at First National Bank Arena’s lower red entrance, in person, by phone at 870-9722781 or online at AStateRedWolves.com.

NORMAN, Oklahoma — Arkansas State men’s golf senior Julien Sale has been voted to the 2021 PING All-Central Region team, the Golf Coaches Association (GCAA) announced today.

The only Sun Belt player ranked in the top-100 via Golfstat, Sale led the Sun Belt Conference with a 71.42 stroke average of 24 rounds played. Earning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year honors, Sale finished the season at 14under par for a -0.58 score versus par, posting 15 of 24 rounds of par or better. Of those 15 rounds, eight were in the 60’s, including a season- best 7-under par 65 to win the Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate. He finished top-10 in five of eight events, including a tie for ninth at the SBC Championship. His 71.42 stroke average ranks second in program history.

Sale helped the Red Wolves to four wins over top-25 ranked teams and 14 wins against top-50 programs. He also helped AState to its best finish at a NCAA Regional, placing seventh at the NCAA Noblesville Regional earlier this month.

For the latest on A-State

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men's golf, follow the team on Twitter (@AStateMGolf), Facebook (/AStateMGolf) and Instagram (@astatemensgolf).

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JONESBORO — Following a remarkable season that ended with a runner-up finish at the NCAA Collegiate Bowling Championship, all nine members of the Arkansas State bowling team receiving Southland Bowling League All-Academic recognition, the league office announced Monday.

Brooklyn Boudreau, Averi Brown, Lauren Bunting, Taylor Davis, Montana Meyer, Sarah Sanes, Emma Stull, Sheila Sutfin and Faith Welch each earned the academic recognition.

The SBL Academic Honor Roll was put into place during the 2018-19 school year and is currently in its third season of recognition.

All nominees for the Southland Bowling League’s Academic Honor Roll team must have earned at least a cumulative 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale and demonstrated athletics achievement for at least one year at the nominating institution.

Welch, a NTCA First Team All-American, carries a 3.55 GPA in psychology.

The sophomore received NTCAAll-Region honors and First Team All-Southland Bowling League honors after finishing third in the final regular season report on PCPI at 94.35 percent. She rolled a traditional average of 214.4 and a Baker average of 212.3 for an overall average of 213.4.

Davis, a NTCA Second Team All-American, graduated with a 3.18 cumulative GPA in biological sciences.

An All-Tournament Team selection at the NCAA Collegiate Bowling Championship, Davis also garnered NTCA All-Region and First Team All-Southland Bowling League honors. She anchored the Red Wolves and ranked fifth in PCPI at 93.3 percent.

Named to the NTCA All-Freshman Team, Boudreau manages a 3.89 cumulative GPA in marketing. She was a Third Team All-Southland Bowling League selection and rolled an average of 200.70 with a high game of 253. Sanes, also a Third Team All-Southland Bowling League pick, has a cumulative GPA of 3.48 in creative media production.

Stull possesses a 3.48 GPA in Psychology and bowled an overall average of 19.26 per frame. Meyer carries a 3.56 GPA in Computer & Technology Information while rolling an average of 209.0 in 20 traditional games. Brown has registered a 3.17 cumulative GPA in Interdisciplinary Studies and rolled a traditional average of 186.8.

Bunting graduated with a cumulative GPA of 3.95 in Graphic Design while Sutfin has posted a 3.66 GPA in Elementary Education.

A-State finished runner-up at the 2021 NCAA Collegiate Bowling Championship, tied for the best finish in program history, in their 13th consecutive trip to the championship. The Red Wolves played five regular season events, winning three and finishing runner-up in the other two.

Fans can keep up with the Arkansas State women’s bowling team by following the squad on Twitter (@AStateBowling), Facebook (/AStateBowling) and Instagram (@redwolvesbowling).