Written by John Mark Adkison
by J.M. ADKISON sports editor
It was a year very reminiscent of this year. Every sport in Harding’s athletic program was wrapping up a great season. During the days of the AIC, the All-Sports Trophy was awarded to the school with the strongest athletic participation. Due to spacial issues, this story has been trimmed.
by JILL SHIREY student writer
A tennis ball is a golf ball is a baseball. So it is when the AIC tallies the points to determine which college will be the recipient of the All-Sports Trophy, given to the school who excels in sports participation.
Harding is a serious contender with its successes in all of its sports. However, asalways, it has come down to the very end of the year, and there is no clear winner. All four of Harding’s sports are at or near the top of the conference, but nothing is certain.
This year’s tennis teams claim the two best records in Harding history and both are ranked second in the conference. The men are 12th in the nation with a 21-4 season record.They are waiting on an at-large bid for the national tournament in hopes of continuing theirwinning season.
The women were all aloneat first place in the conference. But a player on the team had dropped below 12 credit hours in school, which forced the team to forfeit those matches in which she had played, and the women lapsed into second place.They are still ranked 14th in the nation, holding a 20-3 season record.
“These are the all-time best two tennis teams we’ve had,” Coach Elliott said.
Harding’s baseball team seems to be holding on to a middle position in the conference. They swept a double header against the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) last week. UAM still has three more games to play, and these games are critical, not only to their own standing. The team is hoping for a fourth place finish, although a fifth place. Harding has games against Ouachita Baptist and Lyon College left to play.
The golf team is presently in second place. However, as they are finishing the AIC tournament,they have a chance to tie for the championship.
The track teams’final standings are the most difficult to predict. Both the men and women have been competing and placing well in their meets thus far. But their standings in the previous track meets will have no consequence outcome. All placings will be determined by the conference track meet.
