Razorbacks Football

FAYETTEVILLE — Wichita State announced Arkansas assistant Todd Butler as its new head coach on Sunday.

Butler was tabbed to replace long-time coach Gene Stephenson, who was fired earlier this month after his 36th season with the program. Butler, 46, will be formally introduced as the Shockers’ new coach during a press conference at 2 p.m. today.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas associate head coach Todd Butler will be named head coach at Wichita State, according to the Wichita Eagle.

The newspaper cited a source as saying Butler will be announced as the Shockers’ coach “within the next day or two” on Saturday afternoon. Butler and Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn could not be reached for comment about the report.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas infielder Dominic Ficociello and pitcher Brandon Moore didn’t close the door on a potential return to the Razorbacks after being drafted as juniors in the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft.

They did this week, though. Both are heading off to professional baseball.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas football was the program that came closest to the Academic Progress Rate benchmark of 930 after netting a four-year score of 938 in data released by the NCAA on Tuesday.

It also logged a single-year score of 924 for the 2011-12 academic year.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas has hired former Florida and Mississippi State coach Andy Jackson to lead its men’s tennis program.

Jackson, 51, comes to Arkansas after spending 11 years (2002-12) with the Gators, where he resigned after the 2012 season. He also has coached both the men’s (1989-2001) and women’s (1985-89) programs at Mississippi State.

FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas men’s basketball program has struggled through Academic Progress Rate headaches the past several years, resting well below the NCAA’s mandated cutline.

The Razorbacks finally had good news this year, though.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas will lose plenty of veterans from its 2013 team after an NCAA-leading 11 players were selected in last week’s Major League Baseball Draft.

But it appears as if the Razorbacks will get one returning starter back next season.

EUGENE, Ore. – The No. 7 Arkansas women’s track and field team capped its 2013 NCAA Outdoor Championships with the program’s first-ever national title in the 4x400-meter relay and finished in eighth place overall with 30 points.

Arkansas tallied three school-record performances at the meet. Two came Saturday in the 4x400-meter relay and in the 3,000-meter steeplechase by Grace Heymsfield.

EUGENE, Ore. – The No. 2 Arkansas men’s track and field team finished in third place at the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore.

The Razorbacks finished the four-day meet with 46.5 points and capped their weekend with a national runner-up finish in the 4x400-meter relay. It marked Arkansas’ highest NCAA outdoor finish under fifth-year coach Chris Bucknam.

FAYETTEVILLE — Dave Van Horn doesn’t have any regrets about 2013.

After looking back at the disappointing end to the season, which began with lofty expectations and a preseason No. 1 ranking, the Arkansas coach did concede some things he might have changed a few years ago.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said last Thursday he had no idea where infielder Dominic Ficociello would be drafted after a rough junior season.

He got his answer Saturday: The 12th round.

SPRINGDALE — Darren McFadden has grown accustomed to life in the NFL, where rosters are adjusted weekly and players come and go quickly.

“Things can change at the snap of a finger,” said McFadden, who was in Springdale on Friday directing a youth football camp at Jarrell Williams Bulldog Stadium. “It’s not like high school or college. It’s a business where a teammate one week could gone the next week and playing against you.”

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas pitcher Ryne Stanek had to wait through three stressful hours of the Major League Baseball Draft on Thursday night.

But a day later, Stanek had come to grips with his unexpected slide.

FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas pitching staff lived up to its preseason expectations as the best in the nation after posting a 1.89 earned run average in 2013.

The first two days of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft further proved just how productive the group was during their time with the Razorbacks.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas pitcher Ryne Stanek was expecting to find out where his professional baseball career would begin early in the first round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft on Thursday night.

Stanek did get his answer. But it took much longer than anticipated.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas baseball didn’t live up to its lofty expectations in 2013, falling well short of a return trip to the College World Series.

It’s hard to fault the Razorbacks’ pitching staff for its efforts, though.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas pitcher Colby Suggs wasn’t drafted out of high school.

So the Sulpher Springs, Texas, native’s nervousness as the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft to arrive is understandable. It’s his first experience after all.

FAYETTEVILLE — LSU coach Paul Mainieri paid the ultimate compliment to Ryne Stanek with a message after the pitcher led Arkansas to a win against the Tigers during last month’s Southeastern Conference Tournament.

He was really ready for Stanek’s college career to end.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas track and field coach Chris Bucknam has been impressed with his team’s performance throughout the 2012-13 season.

The Razorbacks won the Southeastern Conference’s triple crown, claiming cross country, indoor and outdoor track titles. They grabbed their first national championship under Bucknam, too, winning the NCAA Indoor title earlier this year.

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Arkansas reliever Jalen Beeks has been one of the Razorbacks most dependable arms out of the bullpen throughout the 2013 season.

But the left-hander would like to forget his first NCAA Tournament.