C-USA baseball tourney to be held at USM

The 2015 Conference USA baseball tournament will be at Pete Taylor Park at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss., the league announced Wednesday.

The eight-team tournament May 20-24 will mark the second straight season the championship will be played at USM and the fifth time in league history.

Southern Mississippi was chosen as the host site following a bid process from the schools and a vote of the league’s athletics directors.

Southern Miss hosted the inaugural Conference USA baseball tournament in 1996 and again in 2005, 2009 and 2014. 

The 2015 Conference USA Championship will feature the top eight finishers in regular season league play. Those teams will play a double-elimination format. The championship game May 24 will be televised by CBS Sports Network. Rice is the defending tournament champion.

WKU’s Cavanaugh, Lucas honored by AVCA

Western Kentucky volleyball players Alyssa Cavanaugh and Jessica Lucas were named American Volleyball Coaches Association honorable mention All-Americans on Wednesday.

After earning AVCA All-South Region awards this month, Cavanaugh and Lucas give the WKU program 13 AVCA All-America selections since 2005. The two join Megan Argabright and Melanie Stutsman as Lady Topper freshmen to earn the distinction.

Named the C-USA Freshman of the Year, Cavanaugh led the team with 3.37 kills per set and finished with 411 kills. The Louisville native has 68 digs and 59 total blocks, including 24 solo blocks.

Lucas put in 10.88 assists per set, totaling 1,338 assists. Originally from Seymour, Ind., Lucas ranks in the top 45 nationally in assists per set. Named C-USA setter of the week twice this season, Lucas also had 166 kills and 85 total blocks and was second with 306 digs.

Boyan named Spirit of Service award winner

Former WKU volleyball player Heather Boyan was one of 14 student-athletes receiving the Conference USA fall Spirit of Service award, announced by C-USA on Wednesday.

The award recognizes community service of the league’s student-athletes, based upon significant community service, good academic standing and participation in their elected sport.

Boyan sported a 3.8 GPA in exercise science with a minor in nutrition. She was named to the C-USA all-academic team and was tabbed to the CoSIDA academic all-district team. In the community, the senior participated in the United Way Day of Caring each summer as well as the Stuff the Bus campaign to help give school supplies to the local community. She was also an active member of WKU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

A native of Munster, Ind., Boyan was a first team all-conference selection this year and named the C-USA tournament MVP. Boyan finished third in hitting percentage (.365), fourth in total blocks (376), fourth in block assists (292) and seventh in solo blocks (84) in WKU career history.

Old Dominion beats Georgia State in OT

NORFOLK, Va. — Trey Freeman scored 21 points – six in late-game heroic fashion – to lead Old Dominion over Georgia State in overtime 58-54 on Wednesday night.

Marcus Crider’s layup put Georgia State up two with 2:14 remaining in overtime, but Freeman scored on back-to-back possessions and Jonathan Arledge dunked it home to seal the game for Old Dominion.

The Monarchs trailed by eight with 3:44 left in regulation before Freeman led the charge to force overtime. His jumper with 59 seconds left tied it at 50 to prompt the extra session.

Aaron Bacote finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists and Richard Ross grabbed 11 boards for Old Dominion (8-1).

Ryan Harrow had 16 points, six assists and three steals, R.J. Hunter had 13 points and 10 rebounds and Crider added 11 and 6 boards for Georgia State (6-3).