Category: Sports

The OLLU men’s cross-country team ran its first meet for the season, and one runner set an OLLU record during the Alamo City Opener held at the Olmos Basin Park and hosted by Trinity University.

Freshman Jonathan Yanez finished first of the Saints runners in the men’s 6000m heat and fifth overall. Yanez erased David Duque’s previous 6000m school record from 2012 by 48 seconds when he crossed the finish line with the time 20:11.70. Having a handful of NCAA runners behind him, Yanez showed the crowed that he will be a runner to count on this year for the Saints. Read more online.

The Cross-Country Teams have partnered with Lids Team Sports to sell OLLU gear to the public. Funds raised will support the teams in their travels throughout Texas and various states throughout the country.

Cross-Country Coach Stephen Sherman said, “The selections we are offering are attractive and each honors OLLU’s brand and spirit. We hope the OLLU community will support us by purchasing these items for themselves and for their family.”

The fundraiser began on Sunday, Aug. 25 and will conclude Sunday, Sept. 15.

Download the fundraiser flyer for instructions on how to order the products.

The men’s soccer team did what no other team in OLLU history had done before. Last season, the Saints’ historic season resulted in winning both the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) regular season and the conference tournament championship. In addition, for the first time in history, the men’s soccer team will enter the season receiving votes in the 2013 Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll. The Saints, who lost 1-0 to Concordia University – California in the first round of the NAIA National Championship Tournament last year, received 14 votes in the poll released on Aug. 20. No other member of the Red River received votes. As the team enters its seventh season, Head Coach Shane Hurley and Assistant Coach Arthur Salazar have their goal set for another successful year. Read more.

The women’s soccer program led by head coach Shane Hurley and assistant coach Arthur Salazar are set to kick off its 2013 season on Aug. 23 against NCAA Division III Texas Lutheran University in Seguin, Texas. This year’s home opener takes place on Aug. 31, when the Saints host the University of Houston – Victoria, a member of the Association of Independent Institutions in the NAIA. The Saints finished the 2012 season ranked fifth in the conference and lost against the University of Texas at Brownsville in the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals. The Saints fell to Brownsville 2-1. Read more.

The volleyball team, led by Head Coach Mark Lee, is getting ready for another competitive year as preseason is set to start on Aug. 23. The Saints will host NCAA Division II St. Mary’s University for a scrimmage. The Saints finished the 2012 season in fourth place in the Red River Athletic Conference and suffered a tough loss in the conference tournament quarterfinals against Texas Wesleyan University. The Saints fought hard, but lost 3-1 (25-21, 20-25, 25-20, 27-25). According to Lee, last year’s team was a very young team that had a season filled with close games that resulted in a lot of tough losses. He hopes that his returning players learned a lot from previous mistakes and will be able to turn tight games into victories this year. “I feel confident that the players returning to the team will come back with their heads in the right place,” Lee explained. Read more.

OLLU has signed junior point guard Warren “Theo” Plowden, a transfer student from Daytona State College in Daytona, Fla.

Head Coach Russell Vanlandingham said, “Theo has all the qualities I look for in a recruit on and off the court. I expect him to display his keen abilities as a point guard immediately, and I fully expect him to excel in the classroom and to become one of our team leaders.”

Plowden, who is 6’0″ and 183 lbs., is a native of Ocoee, Fla., where he attended Ocoee High School. While there, he averaged 16 points, five rebounds and four assists per game his senior year. He graduated with honors as part of the National Junior Honor Society with a 3.75 GPA. Plowden was a member of the Central Florida All-Star Team. Read more online.

The third annual 8v8 soccer tournament sponsored by OLLU concluded last week, and according to officials, it was a huge success.

Bianca Ramirez, OLLU 8v8 Program Coordinator said, “We look forward to holding our event again next year, and we are hoping to add a men’s version, as well. Everyone had a great time, and even though we had three games rained out, the girls still came out to play.” Read more online.