LITTLE ROCK — In a pep rally-like atmosphere, D’Vone McClure signed a national letter of intent to play baseball for the University of Arkansas on Wednesday morning at the Jacksonville High School gymnasium.
With the Red Devils’ band playing and his family, friends, teammates and classmates looking on from the stands, McClure became the first Jacksonville baseball player to sign with the Razorbacks.
“Arkansas is the first offer I got and that’s the place I’ve always wanted to go,” said McClure, a 6-3 centerfielder who helped the Red Devils claim the Class 6A state title last spring. “I didn’t have to look anywhere else.”
McClure batted .460 for the Red Devils last spring, hitting 9 home runs, driving in 31 runs and hitting a team-high 9 doubles. He was the Red Devils’ lead-off batter and his .589 on-base percentage and 44 runs scored were also team highs.
“The thing is he has always been able to swing that bat,” Jacksonville Coach Larry Burrows said. “That’s what people want to see him do. You put the wood in his hands and he can do it. He’s been gifted with that.”
“Arkansas first saw me play as a freshman and I have since moved to center field, so they saw I could run a little more,” McClure said. “But I think when they saw me swing the bat, that’s what caught theirattention.” - Tim Cooper VOLLEYBALL Collins selected
Central Arkansas sophomore setter Marissa Collins was named to the Southland Conference’s second team on Wednesday.
Collins, the conference’s freshman setter of the year and a firstteam selection last season, helped lead UCA to its fourth consecutive Southland East Division title and a No. 4 seed in this weekend’s conference tournament, which will be played in Conway.
BASKETBALL UCA women sign three
The Central Arkansas women signed three in-state players on Wednesday. Guards Kelsey Smith of Little Rock Christian and twin sisters Jameka and Janeka Watkins of England will join Coach Matt Daniel’s team next fall.
Smith averaged 12 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals last season, leading the Warriors to the Class 5A semifinals.
Jameka and Janeka Watkins led England to the Class 2A state title last season. Janeka averaged 25.3 points, 5.3 assists and 3.4 steals last season while Jameka had 17.5 points, 4.9 assists and 4.3 steals.
Sports, Pages 21 on 11/17/2011