Tag: Jill Gillen

These are the 10 Best Arkansas Athletes of 2023

Who was the best player for the Arkansas Razorbacks this season?

The calendar year of 2023 for Arkansas sports as a whole was a bit of a mixed bag.

But on an individual basis, several Hogs athletes made the most of things and had seasons to remember.

Our annual Top 10 Arkansas Athletes list this year includes one baseball player, one softball player, two football players, one women’s basketball player, two men’s basketball players, two volleyball players and a soccer player.

On the honorable mention list: two softball players, one soccer player, one baseball player, one volleyball player, one basketball player.

Check out the complete list of our honorees for the 2023 calendar year below.

Jill Gillen, Taylor Head named All-Americans, Hogue honorable mention

Arkansas’ best volleyball season saw three players named All-Americans.

The greatest season in Arkansas volleyball history resulted in some personal honors for the players, as well.

Outside hitters Jill Gillen and Taylor Head were both named All-Americans on Wednesday and setter Hannah Hogue was named All-American honorable mention. Gillen’s and Head’s inclusion marks the first time Arkansas has eer had two players from the same team named to the honor. It’s also the first time since 1998 the Razorbacks have had any player named to the honor.

Gillen, named to the second team, led Arkansas in kills, aces and points. Her career-kill total, 2,075, is the second in school history and she is one of just five players in SEC history to reach the 2,000-kill mark.

Head was right behind her in most stat accumulations. She was second on the team in kills and digs and her career-kill total of 1,537 is fifth in school history while her career-dig total of 1,272 is sixth. Head notched 22 double-doubles in 2023, the most an Arkansas player has had since 1999.

Hogue assisted on 1,413 points in 2023, the second highest total in Division I and the seventh most in a single season in Arkansas history. She was named SEC Setter of the Week five times and her 51 aces were second on the team behind Gillen.

Arkansas finished the year 28-6 overall and 15-3 in SEC play. The Hogs made the Elite Eight for the first time in school history, falling to No. 1 and national powerhouse Nebraska.

Volleyball team rallies to defeat Ole Miss on road

Arkansas volleyball showed the resiliency they’ve displayed all year in a five-set win at Ole Miss on Wednesday.

No. 10 Arkansas put itself into a two-set hole on Wednesday in Ole Miss’ Gillom Arena.

It would’ve been easy to just pack it in and say it wasn’t their night, but that’s not this team’s modus operandi.

The Razorbacks (23-4, 13-2) came roaring back to sweep the next three sets (25-21, 25-15, 15-8) and escape with a 3-2 victory.

Jill Gillen had a match-high 24 kills from her outside hitter position and Taylor Head contributed 17, while Head had 17 digs and Gillen 16 to tally double-doubles.

Ole Miss was led in kills by Julia Dyess, who had 19.

Arkansas, who is a half game behind SEC leader Kentucky and a half game ahead of Tennessee, will next be in action on Sunday in Barnhill Arena against No. 20 Florida.

Next Wednesday they will host Kentucky and then close the regular season Nov. 24 against Auburn.

Gillen leads 11th-ranked Hogs to volleyball sweep over Alabama

The No. 11 Razorbacks volleyball team now has its most wins in over a decade.

The No. 11 Razorback volleyball team had another successful road test on Friday, going to Tuscaloosa to sweep through Alabama in straight sets, 25-15, 25-16, 25-21.

The Razorbacks, who are now 7-2 in road matches, already defeated the Crimson Tide at home on Oct. 15 for the season sweep.

With four regular-season matches remaining, the 22 victories is the most in a season for Arkansas Head Coach Jason Watson, since he took the reins in 2016. It is also the most wins for the program since it went 22-10 in 2012.

The Razorback offense had a stellar showing against the Tide, with a .422 hitting percentage – the second-best for Arkansas all season – and five players hitting over .400.

Graduate outside hitter Jill Gillen had a team-high 15 kills on 31 swings, for a .452 hitting clip, and also had seven digs and a solo block. Junior setter Hannah Hogue led the offensive attack with 43 assists and 11 digs, for her 11th double-double of the season.

Arkansas jumped on Alabama early in the first set, taking a quick 8-3 lead. A four-point run, including three kills and a block, pushed the Razorbacks’ lead to 20-8. Back-to-back kills from Taylor Head and Gillen pushed it to set point, before the Tide rattled off three straight points. But a kill from junior Sania Petties put the first set away, 25-15.

Alabama grabbed the early momentum in Set 2, taking a 7-4 advantage, before Arkansas put together four straight points. The got a spark with an Hogue ace, which gave the Razorbacks a 9-7 lead. A pair of Gillen kills then increased the Hogs’ lead to 13-8. The Tide couldn’t get more than one point at a time, as the Razorbacks boosted the lead to 23-13. A kill by graduate Maggie Cartwright, along with an attack error, ended the set 25-16 in favor of the Hogs.

The Tide continued to put up a fight in the third set, staying within striking distance. After Arkansas eased out to a 17-14 lead, Alabama kept the pressure on. But three straight points on kills from Gillen and Zoi Evans pushed it to set point for the Hogs. Bama bounced back with two points, but Cartwright quickly slammed the door at 25-21, to secured the match sweep.

Arkansas hits the road again on Wednesday to face Ole Miss at 8 p.m., broadcast live on the SEC Network. The Razorbacks will then return to Barnhill Arena on Nov. 19, to host Florida at 3 p.m.

No. 8 Arkansas volleyball sweeps Mississippi State in home return

The No. 8 Razorbacks volleyball team returned from from a five-match road trip to sweep Mississippi State on Sunday.

After going 3-2 on a dauting five-match road trip over the past two weeks, the The No. 8 Arkansas volleyball team returned home with a purpose on Sunday, drilling Mississippi State 3-0 in front of 3,298 rowdy fans at Barnhill Arena.

It was the second-highest attendance mark in program history, behind only the 4,299 for No. 1 Wisconsin on August 30. Seven of the 10 all-time most-attended matches have come this season.

Arkansas (21-4, 11-2 SEC) remains one game behind conference leader Kentucky in the standings, after defeating the Bulldogs 26-24, 25-12, 25-22. It was the Razorbacks’ 12th sweep of the season, and sixth against at SEC opponent.

Senior outside hitter Taylor Head led the Hogs offense on the day with her 15th double-double of the season, tallying 13 kills and 10 digs. Junior setter Hannah Hogue equaled that double-double effort with 32 assists and 11 digs, while junior Courtney Jackson added a team-high 16 digs and three service aces.

The first set was tight throughout and was tied 23-23, until Head made a kill to lead the Hogs to a 26-24 victory. Arkansas jumped out early in Set 2, Consecutive kills from graduate Maggie Cartwright and Head put the Razorbacks up 12-7. They kept the pressure on with a four-point run, highlighted by two kills from junior Sania Petties, that doubled up the advantage at 18-9. Graduate outside hitter Jill Gillen had two kills late in the set to put it away, 25-12, for a two-set advantage.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the third set, before Arkansas rebounded with an 8-1 run that featured two aces – one from Cartwright and one from Jackson – as the Razorbacks claimed a 12-8 lead. Mississippi State clawed back to take a 17-14 lead, before Arkansas regrouped with a timeout and proceeded to make a six-point run with two Gillen kills, a solo block by junior Zoi Evans and capped with an ace from Hogue, to take a 20-17 lead. The Bulldogs tied it at 21-21, before the Razorbacks scored three straight, getting an ace from Jackson. Petties, a transfer from MSU, then closed out the 25-22 win against her former team with her eighth kill of the day.

The Hogs now go back on the road with trips to Alabama and Ole Miss this week, before returning home to host No. 20 Florida on Nov. 19, followed by a home showdown with No. 13 Kentucky on Nov. 22.

No. 10 Arkansas volleyball splits pair on road with Top 20 teams

The 10th-ranked Razorbacks split a pair of volleyball road matches this weekend.

After breaking into the Top 10 for the first time in program history last week, the No. 10 Arkansas volleyball team split a pair of road matches against Top 20 opponents this weekend.

The Razorbacks (18-3, 8-1 SEC) defeated No. 12 Tennessee (16-3, 7-2) on Friday night, 25-27, 25-16, 25-22, 25-20, earning their first win in Knoxville in nine seasons. On Sunday, the Hogs dropped a five-set heart-breaker at No. 20 Kentucky (10-7, 8-1), 25-16, 16-25, 22-25, 25-19, 10-15.

After dropping the first set to Tennessee, Arkansas stormed back with three straight set wins to capture the match victory.

Senior Taylor Head had a career night for the Hogs against the Volunteers, tallying a personal-best 24 kills on 58 swings for a .362 hitting percentage. She also added 21 digs for her 12th double-double of the season.

Junior setter Hannah Hogue had two of Arkansas’ four aces on the night, while also posting a double-double, with 49 assists and 28 digs. That is the most single-match digs by a Razorback this season.

The Razorbacks fell behind Kentucky 2-1 in sets, before taking the fourth set, 25-19, to send it to the fifth set. The Wildcats were able to eek out a 15-10 win to claim the match inside legendary Rupp Arena.

It ended Arkansas’ 16-match win streak, and was the Hogs’ first loss since August, when they fell to No. 1 Wisconsin in consecutive matches.

Head came up big for the Razorbacks yet again, with her second consecutive 24-kill match, equaling her career-best on Friday. Her team-high 18 digs also gave her a double-double for the 13th time this season.

Graduate outside hitter Jill Gillen also posted a double-double with 23 kills and 15 digs, adding a team-high five blocks and a team-high four service aces.

Arkansas will continue its lengthy road stretch with three more conference matches away from home this week, beginning at South Carolina (8-10, 2-7) on Friday, the at Florida (13-4, 5-3) on Sunday, followed by a trip to Georgia (13-7, 4-4) on Nov. 1.

The Razorbacks will finally return to Barnhill Arena on Nov. 5 to host Mississippi State (10-9, 3-6) at 3 p.m.

Arkansas volleyball ranked Top 10 for first time in program history

The No. 10 Arkansas volleyball team is currently riding a 15-game win streak, including a 7-0 record in the SEC.

The Arkansas volleyball team has entered rare air this week, as the Razorbacks entered the Top 10 of the NCAA Top 25 rankings for the first time in the program’s 30-year history.

The No. 10 Hogs have compiled a 17-2 overall record, including 17-0 against teams not ranked No. 1. The only team to defeat Arkansas this season is top-ranked Wisconsin, who did it twice in late August. Of those 17 wins, 10 have been 3-0 sweeps.

The Hogs are on a current 15-game win streak, their longest in 20 years, and at 7-0 in the SEC, are the only unbeaten team remaining in the conference. They have only lost a total of three sets, of the 24 they have played, in conference matches.

Since Jason Watson took over as head coach in 2016, the upward climb has been steady. Prior to his arrival from Arizona State, the Razorbacks had not had a winning conference record since 2012, and hadn’t won an NCAA Tournament game since 2005. The team went 9-21 in Watson’s first season.

After making it into the Top 25 last season, for the first time in seven years, the Razorbacks advanced to their first NCAA postseason tournament in nine years. When they defeated Utah State in the first round, it was their first tournament win since beating St. Mary’s (Calif.) in 2005.

Arkansas entered this season ranked No. 25, its first preseason ranking since 1999. After opening the slate with wins over Michigan State and Tulsa, the Razorbacks lost a pair to the top-ranked Badgers. Since then, it’s been 15 straight victories.

The Razorbacks have also made it into the prestigious Michella Chester’s Power 10 rankings for the first time ever. They have done it will stellar play in all aspects of the game, from serves to net play. Arkansas ranks No. 5 in the nation in aces per set, averaging 2.24.

Junior setter Hannah Hogue and graduate Jill Gillen lead the team with 28 service aces each, while Hogue currently ranks No. 4, nationally, in assists per set, averaging 11.43. Gillen is the team leader in kills, with 240.

Junior Courtney Jackson leads the team with 233 digs, averaging 3.91 per set. Junior Zoi Evans leads the team with 56 blocks, averaging 1.04 per set.

The Razorbacks are getting ready to put their resiliency to the test, with five straight road matches, beginning Friday at No. 12 Tennessee, then Sunday at No. 20 Kentucky. The road trip will also include a visit to No. 17 Florida the following week.

No. 12 Razorback volleyball team tops Tide, extends win streak to 15

The Razorbacks volleyball team has extended its win streak to 15, the longest in 20 years.

The No. 12 Arkansas volleyball team extended it’s longest win streak of the last two decades, on Sunday, while claiming sole possession of first place in the SEC.

The Razorbacks (17-2, 7-0 SEC) toppled Alabama, 25-10, 25-13, 23-25, 25-13 in front of a rowdy crowd of 1,593 at Barnhill Arena — thus extending their streak to 15 straight match victories. The Hogs, who wore pink on Sunday in honor of breast cancer awareness, have not lost a match since late August, when they dropped a pair to No. 1 Wisconsin.

After No. 10 Tennessee was swept by Kentucky earlier Sunday, Arkansas is the only undefeated team remaining in the conference. The 7-0 record to begin SEC play is the Razorbacks’ best start since 2003, when they finished 27-7 overall and 15-1 in conference.

Senior Taylor Head had another stellar day for the Razorbacks, turning in a hit percentage of .361 and 18 kills against the Crimson Tide (10-8, 0-7). She now has a total  of 1,311 kills in her career, which moved her to No. 9 all-time in program history.

Junior middles Sania Petties and Zoi Evans each had six blocks to lead the Razorback defense. Both also had great effort on offense, with Petties contributed 10 kills and Evans adding a career-high six.

After Alabama opened the first set with a 3-0 lead, Arkansas quickly stormed back with nine unanswered, and never looked back. While the Tide got the first three points of the set, the Razorbacks rattled off nine straight and got an early advantage that sent Alabama to a timeout. The Hogs led 17-8 lead, which prompted Alabama’s second timeout of the set. After the Tide score a point, the Hogs went on a 5-0 run that featured three Jill Gillen kills and an ace from Hannah Hogue made it 22-9. They ended it with three straight points, and pout it on ice with a kill by Head..

Arkansas jumped out quickly in the second set. A six-point run, highlighted by two kills and two blocks, stretched the lead to 12. Head’s kill again finished off the set and put the Hogs up 2-0 in the match.

After the Tide squeaked out a two-point win in Set 3, the Hogs answered back in the fourth set with an 8-1 run, including four kills and two blocks, for a 10-4 lead. Gillen finished the match with five service aces and 15 digs, as Arkansas cruised to victory.

The Razorbacks have a five-match road swing over the next two weeks, which begins with consecutive matches against ranked teams – at No. 10 Tennessee on Friday and at No. 13 Kentucky on Sunday,

The will return home on Nov.5 to host Mississippi State.

No. 13 Arkansas volleyball team tops Missouri to win 13th straight

The Razorbacks volleyball team won it’s fifth straight SEC match, extending its overall streak to 13 victories in a row.

The 13th-ranked Arkansas volleyball team continues to steamroll its way through the SEC, winning it’s fifth straight conference game, and it’s 13th consecutive victory overall.

The Razorbacks (15-2, 5-0 SEC) took out Missouri 3-1 on Sunday at Barnhill Arena, and now have their longest win streak in 20 years.

A familiar face led the Arkansas charge, once again, as graduate outside hitter Jill Gillen tallied 15 kills and 15 digs for her 10th double-double of the season. She needed just 12 kills on the day to reach the No. 2 spot on the program’s career kill list. Her 1,803 kills in tops in the current scoring era, dating back to 2008.

The Hogs used a balanced attack to knock off the Tigers (10-7, 2-4 SEC) 25-15, 19-25, 25-16, 25-22. In addition to Gillen, three other Razorbacks finished with double-doubles, as senior Taylor Head had 10 kills and 16 digs, graduate Maggie Cartwright finished with 14 kills and 15 digs, and junior Hannah Hogue had 47 assists and 10 digs. Junior Zoi Evan posted four of Arkansas’ seven blocks.

The Razorbacks got off to a hot start in Set 1, jumping to a 9-3 lead., then had a 7-1 run that put them up 17-7, before winning by 10 points. After Missouri rallied to take the second set, 25-19, Arkansas bounced right back with two straight.

The third set began neck-in-neck, before a 7-1 run put the Razorbacks in command. Two blocks, four kills and an ace by Cartwright gave Arkansas a 10-4 advantage. After the Tigers started to get some momentum, a 6-1 streak by the Hogs pushed the lead to 19-11. A Missouri attack error led to the set-point.

After jumping out to a 9-3 lead in the fourth set, Arkansas had to fight off a 6-1 Tigers run. Missouri kept in close throughout, cutting it to 18-16 late. But Gillen’s final call of the match put the icing on the cake,

Arkansas continues its three-match homestand with two this weekend. The Hogs will host Ole Miss on Friday at 7 p.m., then will take on Alabama on Sunday at 6 p.m. Friday’s match will be streamed on SEC Network+ and Sunday’s will air live on SEC Network.

Arkansas volleyball team sweeps South Carolina in SEC opener

The Razorback volleyball team opened SEC play Friday night with a straight-set win over South Carolina.

The 16th-ranked Arkansas volleyball team returned to Barnhill Arena Friday night and opened its SEC slate in dominant fashion, cruising to a straight-set sweep over South Carolina, 25-11, 25-15, 25-18.

Three Razorbacks – graduate Jill Gillen, senior Taylor Head and junior Hannah Hogue – finished the night with double-doubles. Gillen led Arkansas with 15 kills and 10 digs, while Head contributed 18 digs and 13 kills. Hogue tallied 35 assists and 13 digs.

Head also led the Hogs with three of their eight service aces, while holding the Gamecocks to zero. Carolina’s .018 hitting percentage was also a season-low for an Arkansas opponent.

The Razorbacks got off to a hot start in the first set with a 9-2 run, then extended it to 12, before closing it out with two straight points. Set 2 started a little tighter, before a pair of kills by junior Sania Petties doubled the lead to 10-5. Arkansas pushed it to seven off a dump kill and an ace from Hogue. A Carolina service error pushed the Hogs to 20 points, then back-to-back kills from Gillen finished it off for the Razorbacks.

The Hogs hit .237 in the second set, while the Gamecocks were held to minus-.056.

Carolina seemed rejuvenated early in the third set, taking the lead on four occasions. But a four-point Razorback run, capped off by kills from graduate Maggie Cartwright and Gillen, got the Hogs an 11-9 advantage. Another four-point run made it 17-12, before another Gillen kill sealed the sweep.

Arkansas’ current three-match homestand will continue Sunday at 3 p.m., as Texas A&M enters the Barn. The match will be streamed on SEC Network+.