Johnell Davis withdraws from NBA Draft, will play for John Calipari at Arkansas

Johnell Davis has withdrawn from the NBA Draft and will play his final college basketball season at Arkansas. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the news Wednesday.

Johnell Davis has withdrawn from the 2024 NBA Draft and will play his final collegiate season with the Arkansas Razorbacks and coach John Calipari.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the news Wednesday.

The news isn’t entirely a shock. Davis had previously declined an invitation to the NBA’s G League Elite Camp in Chicago and did not participate in the NBA Draft Combine (also in Chicago).

Wednesday was the deadline for players to withdraw from the NBA Draft.

Davis is widely considered one of the top players in college basketball and was one of the biggest names in the transfer portal before joining Arkansas in late April; On3 had Davis listed as the best available transfer in its portal rankings.

A 6-foot-4 guard, Davis averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists last season at Florida Atlantic. He led the Owls on a Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2023.

Davis is one of eight players that have committed to play for Arkansas in 2024-25 since Calipari became head coach in early April. Other transfers to Arkansas’ roster are former Kentucky players Zvonimir Ivisic, Adou Thiero and D.J. Wagner, and former Tennessee forward Jonas Aidoo.

Highly touted recruits Karter Knox, Boogie Fland and Billy Richmond are all incoming freshmen that flipped their commitment from Kentucky to Arkansas.

Arkansas catcher Kennedy Miller named Freshman All-American

Arkansas catcher Kennedy Miller has landed on Softball America’s Freshman All-America Team after a terrific season.

Arkansas softball catcher Kennedy Miller was named to the Freshman All-America team by Softball America Tuesday.

Miller batted .331 with eight home runs and 36 RBIs in 52 games for the Razorbacks in 2024. Her .331 clip was second on the team behind only Reagan Johnson’s .380 mark in 55 games.

Against SEC opponents, Miller batted .273 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in 24 games. She was named SEC Freshman of the Week after batting .545 with two home runs in the Razorbacks’ series victory at Auburn to begin conference play back in mid-March.

A Georgetown, Texas, native, Miller had an on-base percentage of .400 and a slugging percentage of .574. She started all 52 games she played in for coach Courtney Deifel’s team, which advanced to the Regional round of the NCAA Tournament earlier this month before being eliminated by Villanova.

Behind the plate, Miller had only one error for a .997 fielding percentage. She helped Arkansas to a 37-18 season, which included a 14-10 mark in the SEC.

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Arkansas soccer nets transfers from Gonzaga, Utah

Former Gonzaga forward Kate Doyle and Utah midfielder Audrey Shackelford have joined the Arkansas soccer program as transfers.

The Arkansas soccer team and head coach Colby Hale announced the addition of two transfers on Friday.

Forward Kate Doyle joins the Razorbacks after four seasons at Gonzaga. Doyle had 16 goals in her career at Gonzaga to go with 12 assists and 44 points. She had six game-winning goals.

Doyle netted seven goals in an injury-shortened season in 2023. She scored in all six games she played after totaling three goals and six assists in 2022 while being named an All-West Coast Conference Honorable Mention. Doyle was named to the West Coast Conference All-Freshman Team in 2021.

“I felt like the opportunity to play for one of the best teams in the nation and challenge myself to compete at this level was something I couldn’t pass up,” Doyle said in a news release via the Arkansas athletics department. “Talking with the coaches made me feel it would be a great fit in terms of play style and my values as a player,”

Arkansas also landed freshman midfielder Audrey Shackelford, who joined the Razorbacks after enrolling early at Utah. Shackelford played for San Juan SC in the Elite Club National League. She was named an ECNL All-Conference player.

“I chose the University of Arkansas because of their winning mentality and competitive atmosphere. The coaches are awesome and will push me to be the best player and person I can be,” Shakelford said in the athletic department’s news release.

Arkansas went 15-5-2 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament a season ago before losing to Pitt, 4-3. The Razorbacks went 3-0-1 in their spring exhibition schedule, which concluded on April 14 with a 2-2 tie against Baylor.

Former John Calipari players headline NBA awards

Eight former John Calipari players appeared on the 2023-24 NBA awards.

A litany of former John Calipari players appeared on the NBA’s annual awards list for the 2023-24 season.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey was named the NBA Most Improved Player, beating out Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun and Chicago Bulls guard Cody White for the award.

Maxey averaged 25.9 points per game in 70 games for the Sixers. He totaled career-highs in points scored (1,816), assists (433), rebounds (258) and steals (69). Maxey was also the recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award.

Karl-Anthony Townes was named NBA Social Justice Champion. The Timberwolves’  center has helped lead Minnesota to a berth in the Western Conference Finals against Dallas. He has averaged 21.8 points per game to go with 8.3 rebounds.

Three former Calipari players were named to the All-NBA team: Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis, and Phoenix guard Devin Booker. Gilgeous-Alexander was named a first-team selection with Davis a second-team selection and Booker a third-team pick.

Gilgeous-Alexander was also a finalist for NBA Most Valuable Player, which went to Luka Doncic, Clutch Player of the Year (awarded to Steph Curry), and the NBA Sportsmanship Award.

Davis was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team as a first-team selection along with Miami’s Bam Adebayo. Adebayo was one of three finalists for Defensive Player of the Year (awarded to Rudy Gobert) and NBA Social Justice Champion.

Additionally, Sacramento guard Malik Monk was one of three finalists for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year, which was awarded to Minnesota’s Naz Reid. Oklahoma City guard Cason Wallace was named to the All-Rookie Team as a second team selection.

Where Arkansas baseball ranks in updated Field of 64 after winless SEC Tournament

Both D1Baseball and Baseball America kept Arkansas as the No. 5 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament in new Field of 64 postseason projections Saturday morning.

Where do the Arkansas Razorbacks rank as a projected national seed for the postseason after making a quick exit from the SEC Baseball Tournament?

In case you were beginning to sweat top-eight national seeding for the NCAA Tournament, fans of the Diamond Hogs can breathe easy according to D1Baseball’s latest Field of 64 projections for the postseason.

As of Saturday morning, veteran college baseball minds Mark Etheridge, Kendall Rogers and Aaron Fitt kept Arkansas as the No. 5 overall seed for the tournament in D1Baseball’s projections.

It’s the same projected seed the Razorbacks had entering the week before suffering losses to South Carolina and Kentucky on back-to-back days at the conference tournament in Hoover.

Joining Arkansas in D1Baseball’s projected Fayetteville Regional are Louisiana Tech, Kansas State, and Oral Roberts. Baseball America had the Razorbacks as the No. 5 overall seed in their latest projections Saturday, as well.

Tennessee remained the projected No. 1 overall seed as of Saturday morning. Kentucky was the projected No. 2 seed with North Carolina the No. 3 seed by D1Baseball.

Baseball America had the Tar Heels as the No. 2 seed with the Wildcats as the No. 3 seed. Texas A&M held as the No. 4 seed in both D1Baseball and Baseball America’s updated projections.

The unveiling of the 16 NCAA Tournament regional host sites is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CDT Sunday. The NCAA Tournament Selection Show will air live on ESPN2 Monday at 11 a.m.

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‘Years off my life,’ Texas A&M senior 1B Ted Burton recalls walk-off vs. No. 2 Arkansas

Texas A&M 1B Ted Burton’s critical at bat helped the Aggies earn the first win the their final regular season series vs. Arkansas.

The No. 4 Texas A&M baseball team walked off with a 1-0 extra innings win on Thursday night at Blue Bell Park thanks to an emphatic walk by graduate student first baseman Ted Burton.

With two outs in the 11th frame, No. 2 Arkansas gave a free pass to senior catcher Jackson Appel but the joke was on them as Burton drew a walk as well to score the go-ahead run in a pitchers’ duel. After the game, Burton spoke to the media.

“That game took years off my life, for the better or the good,” Burton said postgame. “Hats off to guys like Ryan and Aschenbeck, they kept us in the game. We thought the best way to beat the best pitcher that we’ve seen all year was to pitch with him and that’s exactly what they did. They picked us up in the field and did everything right. I’m just grateful for those guys.”

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‘Crowd was elite,’ Ryan Prager boasts about 12th Man after win vs. No. 2 Arkansas

“I thought the crowd was elite and that might even be an understatement. I don’t know if I can say enough good words about them tonight.”

The No. 4 Texas A&M baseball team was able to defeat No. 2 Arkansas 1-0 on Thursday night in an 11-inning pitchers’ duel thanks to sophomore Ryan Prager.

The left-handed star may have earned a no-decision but he kept the Aggies in the game. Prager pitched 7.0 scoreless frames and allowed 5 hits and 1 walk with 9 strikeouts on 101 pitches. After the win, he spoke to the media.

“It felt normal like another game. The outside noise is what it is. I thought it was great, one, that we got the game in first,” Prager recalled. “Then second, I thought for the weather and everything, we were all sitting here at 5 o’clock not knowing what the crowd was going to look like. People were probably going to be at home just watching from their couch.

“I thought the crowd was elite and that might even be an understatement. I don’t know if I can say enough good words about them tonight because normally I can’t really hear them or tell when I’m on the mound. But in the first I could tell they were with me all night long and they were with this team all night long through the last pitch.”

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’12th Man played a huge role,’ Jim Schlossnagle reflects on walk-off win vs. No. 2 Arkansas

“Teddy put together a really professional at-bat like an older player. I think the 12th Man played a huge role, there’s no doubt about it.”

It took 11 innings Thursday night at Blue Bell Park but the No. 4 Texas A&M baseball team walked off against No. 2 Arkansas with a 1-0 win in an SEC pitchers’ duel.

“That’s a lot of pitchers that are going to pitch for a long time. (Hagen) Smith, I was trying to remember a lefty I’ve seen that starts with that kind of arm. I can’t remember one in 35 years,” Aggies coach Jim Schlossnagle said postgame. “But Prager was in his own way just as good. We made some nice plays behind him and played really well in the outfield. Jace made a couple big plays, Sorrell made a big one. We have two really good teams and elite pitching, wow!

“(Will) McEntire has been a really huge part of their team and I’m sure we’ll see him again this weekend. He’s very trusted. I thought Teddy put together a really professional at-bat like an older player. It was awesome.

“I think the 12th Man played a huge role, there’s no doubt about it.”

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Hudson White’s go-ahead homer leads No. 2 Arkansas baseball team past No. 4 Texas A&M

Arkansas junior catcher Hudson White hit a go-ahead 3-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to defeat the Aggies 6-3 on Friday night.

Thanks to a 3-run home run from Arkansas junior catcher Hudson White in the top of the eighth inning, the Texas A&M baseball team was doubled up by its rival to even the three-game set.

The No. 4 Aggies (43-11, 18-11 SEC) lost 6-3 against the No. 2 Razorbacks (43-11, 20-9) on Friday night at Blue Bell Park. With a walk-off walk by senior first baseman Ted Burton in the bottom of the 11th inning, Texas A&M won 1-0 in a pitchers’ duel Thursday evening.

With 2 runs in the first frame of Game 2, the Aggies appeared poised to seize the series victory. The Razorbacks responded with a single run in the second and third innings to tie the game.

Texas A&M reclaimed the advantage with 1 run in the bottom half of the third. Arkansas evened the score again with 1 in the sixth. Then White put the Razorbacks ahead for good with a go-ahead homer.

The Aggies will attempt to win the series in the regular season finale Saturday at 2 p.m.

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No. 4 Texas A&M baseball team defeats No. 2 Arkansas in 11-inning SEC pitchers’ duel

Amid a torrential downpour in College Station, the Aggies were able to begin their final regular season series following a 90 minute delay.

Amid a torrential downpour in College Station, the Texas A&M baseball team was finally able to begin its final regular season set following a 90 minute rain delay this week.

The No. 4 Aggies (43-10, 18-10 SEC) defeated No. 2 Arkansas (42-11, 19-9) by a final score of 1-0 in 11 innings on Thursday night at Blue Bell Park. Texas A&M ended the Top 5 SEC series opener with an emphatic walk-off walk by senior first baseman Ted Burton with the bases loaded.

Redshirt sophomore left-handed pitcher Ryan Prager had another brilliant performance on the bump. He pitched 7.0 scoreless frames and allowed 5 hits and 1 walk with 9 strikeouts on 101 pitches. Senior LHP Evan Aschenbeck (4-1) picked up the victory after tossing the final 4.0 innings while giving up 4 hits with 4 Ks on 46 pitches.

The Razorbacks out-hit the Aggies 9-5. Arkansas stranded twice as many base runners, 10-5. Texas A&M drew more walks, 3-1.

Game 2 at Olsen Field is on Friday evening at 7 p.m. The regular season finale is Saturday at 2 p.m.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.