Razorback Roundup -- Aug.30

RAZORBACK ROUNDUPAug. 30, 2010MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: The 2010 season begins Friday with the Arkansas Invitational. The men’s 6,600K race begins at 5:30 p.m. at Agri Park in Fayetteville. Head coach Chris Bucknam returns 10 lettermen from the 2009 season, including All-American senior Dorian Ulrey and 2009 SEC Freshman of the Year Solomon Haile. Along with Ulrey, Bucknam will also rely on leadership from seniors Lane Boyer, Michael Chinchar and Patrick Russell.WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: The 2010 season begins Friday with the Arkansas Invitational. The women’s 4K race begins at 5 p.m. at Agri Park in Fayetteville. Head coach Lance Harter returns six letterwinners from the 2009 season, including All-SEC and all-region performers senior Miranda Walker and junior Jillian Rosen. The Hogs also welcome five true freshmen and two redshirt freshmen to the mix in 2010.FOOTBALL: The Razorbacks finished the last week of August workouts, concluding a much-hyped preseason to the 2010 campaign. Offensive lineman DeMarcus Love was named to the 2010 Rotary Lombardi Award watch list. The award is given annually to the college football lineman, offense or defense, who in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi. Arkansas kicks off this Saturday in Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium against Tennessee Tech at 6 p.m. The game will be televised on a pay-per-view basis. The game is presented by AT&T and produced by Razorback Sport Properties as part of the Razorback Sports Network from ISP. The cost of the pay-per-view broadcast is $34.99 and fans should contact their cable and satellite providers for ordering information. A limited number of season tickets are still available, including upper deck bench and East indoor club at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Single tickets may still be available for the opener against Tennessee Tech while only scattered singles remain for the game in Little Rock against Louisiana-Monroe. Season and individual game tickets are available by logging on to ArkansasRazorbacks.com or by calling the Razorback ticket office at 1-800-982-HOGS (4647).WOMEN’S GOLF: The Razorbacks reported for their first week of practice and photos last week. The Razorbacks continue workouts until the traveling five make the cut for the opening event at the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic in Norman, Okla., Sept. 24-26.SOCCER (1-1): Arkansas gave up two second-half goals and dropped a 2-1 decision at Stephen F. Austin on Friday. Senior Kelsey Allison scored the second goal of her career. Allie Chandler and Laurel Pastor had assists. Counting the exhibition game, in three games, Chandler has two goals and an assist. Pastor was last year’s assists leader with five. Goalkeeper Britni Williams is still one win away from matching the school’s career record of 28 set by Carrie Dillsaver (2003-06). Arkansas is on the road for two this week, against Miami on Friday and Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday. Both games are in Fort Myers, Fla.MEN’S TENNIS: Former Razorback All-American Blake Strode, who enrolled at Arkansas on a Bodenhamer Fellowship and maintained the fellowship while graduating with honors, advanced to the second round of the U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament in Flushing, N.Y. He beat Great Britain’s Alex Bogdanovic, who was ranked No. 215 in the world, before falling to Ivan Dodig, 7-5, 7-5, who is ranked No. 148. Strode won 10 matches and two tournaments over the last three months to reach the second round. He won the first-ever U.S. Open National Playoffs to earn a wild card spot in the qualifier. He was an All-American in 2009 for head coach Robert Cox.VOLLEYBALL (3-0): The Razorbacks picked up three wins on their way to capturing the title of the season-opening Arkansas Invitational last weekend at Barnhill Arena. Arkansas beat UMKC in four sets Friday in front of 1,185 fans, the fourth-largest volleyball crowd at Barnhill and the largest non-conference attendance figure. On day two, the Razorbacks beat Grambling State and swept Samford in the title match to earn the first-place trophy. Junior Kelli Stipanovich was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Sophomores Amanda Anderson and Cassie Clarke were also named to the all-tournament team. Arkansas is 3-0 for the first time since the 2006 season. The Razorbacks return to action Tuesday for their first road match of the season, a matchup at Oral Roberts in Tulsa at 7 p.m. Non-conference tournament play resumes this weekend with the Jayhawk Classic in Lawrence, Kan. In addition to Arkansas, the tournament field includes Akron, Chattanooga and host Kansas.