Tarleton’s baseball team finished the 2013 season with a total record of 34 wins, 16 losses and a tie.

Tarleton State University had their baseball season ended in the Lone Star Conference Baseball Championships on May 5 at the hands of Texas A&'M University-Kingsville with a final score of 10-9.

The season, which started in Houston at Minute Maid Park, saw some big numbers from players on offense. Nico Moran led the team with 42 runs, 63 hits and 21 runs batted in. Colten Boothe posted good numbers with 42 runs batted in during the season and 58 hits. Other impressive numbers were Evan Robinson with 24 runs batted in, Jared Musgrove had 21 runs batted in and Ryan posted 60 hits. The Texans had a total of 312 runs, 477 hits, 24 homeruns and 268 runs batted in.

On the other side of the ball, Miguel Ramirez lead the team’s pitching with a 2.09 earned run average holding an impressive 9 wins to 1 loss. Matt Buckmaster also put up low numbers with a final earned run average of 2.18 and a record of 9-2. Tarleton had a collective earned run average of 3.59 as compared to opponent’s era of 5.69.

In fielding, Tarleton only had 48 errors on the season, which is low compared to opponents 79 errors.

Throughout the season some of TSU’s biggest games were against Arlington Baptist College when Tarleton swept the three game series against them by scores of 11-3, 19-3 and 9-0. Tarleton also posted an impressive game against conference rival Abilene Christian University with a final score of 15-5 on Feb. 28. They swept a four game series against Eastern New Mexico University with scores 17-2, 13-7, 12-0 and 6-3.

Pitcher Miguel Ramirez was named a Tino Martinez Award Semifinalist. This award is given to the most outstanding DII baseball player. Martinez is one of forty semifinalists. The winner of the award will be announced after the DII Baseball Championship on Saturday, June 1.

On May 16, the Cross Timbers Fine Arts Council (CTFAC) hosted the first of a new monthly series of classes entitled “Paint the Town.”  In these classes, attendees will bring their favorite bottle of wine or beverage, and paint along with an artist to create their own work of art that they will take home at the end of the evening.

This first class was successful and well-attended, boding well for the future class dates.  The class instructor is Liz Meiron, who teaches art at the Gilbert Intermediate School in Stephenville. The first project that she presented to the class was to tackle Vincent Van Gogh’s “Vase with 12 Sunflowers” or “Stilleben mit 12 Sonnenblumen” in the original German.

While imitating a famous painting might sound like a daunting task,Liz Meiron’s simple instructions were effective at taking the fear away.  Her straightforward, relaxed approach allowed the attendees to have fun; no previous painting knowledge was necessary to follow along.  Meiron adapted well to the odd narrow and long shape of the room, and made sure every attendee was able to participate.  Additionally, Wine and simple hors d'oeuvres reinforced the idea that this was a fun, social occasion, not a stuffy classroom.

Liz Meiron painted along with the class, and also presented two versions of completed paintings that she had done herself.  She encouraged the idea of variety and freedom of interpretation, so that the attendees did not feel like their works had to match exactly what she had done.

"It's refreshing that people are creating art for entertainment. Many people are horrified of the idea of painting and it's exciting for me to help them overcome that initial fear and find joy in creating their own art. When a student feels confident and proud of their piece, I feel I have succeeded as an instructor,” said Meiron. "Every one left with a smile and sense of pride tonight. I'm pretty excited still."

For $35, attendees get their own large canvas and all the paint they need, which in itself is a great deal. Add in friends, creativity, and wine, and one has themselves a worthwhile evening. Classes will be ongoing on the third Thursday of every month, or in other words, the dates for upcoming classes are June 20, July 18, Aug. 15, Sept. 19 and Oct. 17. The classes are held at the CTFAC River North Gallery, 204 River North Blvd. Those who would like to attend must reserve their seat by calling 254-965-6190.

Having been raised on Star Trek my entire life, I am one of those Star Trek fanboys that might have seemed impossible to please.  I grew up on Star Trek: The Next Generation and even went to a Star Trek Convention when I was 11 years old. However, to say that both the Trekkie and general moviegoer in me were completely satisfied with the second installment of J.J. Abram’s Star Trek movie franchise, Star Trek Into Darkness, would be the understatement of the year.

For moviegoers who were generally not invested in the Star Trek franchise prior to Abram’s 2009 Star Trek reboot, Into Darkness has much to offer for a summer blockbuster. Intense action, intriguing plot developments, excellent character development, and humor make the list.

Most importantly however, despite being more intense then the classic Star Trek movies, there is also an anti-war humanist message that I feel the original Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry would have been proud of. Some critics who have said that this movie continues to make Star Trek more violent and carries it away from its humanitarian vision must have been watching the movie with their fingers in their ears.  The whole message delivered at the resolution of the movie reasserts that Starfleet’s mission is not combative.

For the long-time Star Trek fans, there is much to appreciate. There is no shortage of scenes, sounds, and lines to make them squeal with glee. In the first Abrams Star Trek, I had some slight reservations about the alternate timeline created by the events that unfolded, and I feared from watching the trailers that the depiction of the famous villain Khan was going to be completely removed from it’s foundation in classic Star Trek canon. Without further illuminating any spoilers, I shall simply say that every last bit of reservation and fear was completely disintegrated with a phaser set to “kill.”

Even more than in the first, Star Trek Into Darkness has captured the inspiration of Star Trek without either copycatting or insulting the original.

On May 16, Nic Cantrell announced that he had resigned as assistant coach for Tarleton State University men’s basketball.

Cantrell was arrested April 26 and put into the Erath County Jail after being pulled over by Erath County Police at the 1400 block of North Belknap Street in Stephenville.

Charged with driving while intoxicated and possession of under two ounces of marijuana, Cantrell posted a $2,000 bond and was released from jail. He was given a departmental drug test the following Monday morning by Tarleton and passed.

Cantrell is a former Tarleton Texan basketball player. Playing two seasons for the Texans he then became graduate assistant for two seasons before being promoted to assistant coach prior to the 2012-13 season. He earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Tarleton in 2010, and added a master's in athletic administration in 2012.

“I appreciate everything that Nic did for this basketball program,” Head Coach Lonn Reisman stated. “He had great energy and a great work ethic for this program and I wish him nothing but the best in the future.”

Today at 6:30 p.m., the Cross Timbers Fine Arts Council (CTFAC) will be hosting a special event/class entitled “Paint the Town.”  Attendees will bring their favorite bottle of wine or beverage, and paint along with an artist to create their own work of art that they will take home at the end of the evening. 


The event will be held every third Thursday of the month at the CTFAC River North Gallery, 204 River North Blvd.  The cost is $35 per person.  Those who would like to attend must reserve their seat by calling 254-965-6190.

The Cross Timbers Fine Arts Council (CTFAC) is a non-profit, volunteer-driven fine arts organization that brings “the Arts to Life in Stephenville Texas and the Cross Timbers Area.” It is the goal of CTFAC to enrich and enhance the artistic environment of the Cross Timbers Area and make cultural activities accessible to all citizens. Each year CTFAC sponsors or co-sponsors a variety of events that include music, theater, dance and art exhibits. CTFAC also sponsors children's theater, youth concerts, art camps and public school Art-in-Education programs, many of which serve rural schools in the eight-county service area.

The dates for the upcoming classes include, June 20, July 18, Aug. 15, Sept. 19 and Oct. 17.

Inconspicuously nestled in the corner of the Bosque River Center next to Cinemark Cinema 6 is Golden China, one of the only two Chinese restaurants in town, where it has been for decades. Stephenville never been known for its Chinese food, however when one craves Asian, Golden China is a surprisingly decent choice to avoid a long drive to Fort Worth.

Having spent a couple of months in China and Taiwan, I've fashioned myself into something of an Asian food snob. My preferred establishments for Asian food typically are Phơ restaurants, Sushi bars, and traditional, authentic Chinese restaurants that I have to drive to an Asian district in Dallas to find. Being in Stephenville is not conducive to those kinda of preferences, but in the spirit of making do with what I’ve got, I gave Golden China the old college try.

First of all, rule number one to better Chinese food is to avoid the buffet.  The other Chinese restaurant in town is buffet-only, so I figured Golden China, which offers a buffet during certain periods but is primarily menu-driven, would be likely to offer the better quality food.

After being seated, I was quickly impressed.  After taking the drink order, I was brought a bowl of fried wonton skins with sweet and sour sauce for dipping.  While obviously not authentic, I thought it was a neat Chinese version of Mexican chips and salsa and was a very tasty appetizer.

After perusing the menu, I quickly realized the best deal is definitely the "family dinner" for $9.95. I got a choice of wonton or egg drop soup, an egg roll, a BBQ pork spare rib, white or fried rice, and a choice between about half a dozen or so entrees, which is quite a nice spread for being under $10.00. Since I was there with company, we each got a different soup.  Both soups tasted fine, as well as the egg rolls, and were just standard fare for Chinese restaurants.  The entrees chosen were sweet and sour chicken and pepper steak. I really liked the batter on the sweet and sour chicken, which was fried, and the pepper steak was very nice.  It was a bit heavy on the green bell peppers; I will pick a different entree next time I go, but it was still a good meal, and everything seemed very fresh.

The highlight of the food was definitely the barbeque pork spare ribs.  I had never tried any kind of Asian barbeque before that I can remember, but I was quite impressed. The magic was that it had been basted with the sweet and sour sauce while being cooked, which caused the sauce to be carmelized.  So much flavor came from this carmelization.

This quality offering was topped off with friendly service, therefore this dining experience goes down as a win in my book.  Granted, it's nothing like what one can find in the metroplex, but for a place to pacify the Chinese food craving in the Cowboy Capital of Texas, Golden China certainly holds its own.

As the year winds down so does the Virtual International Exchange “Cultural Capsule” Program. This was the first year that Dr. Janis Petronis, a Business Professor at Tarleton State University, over saw the Virtual Exchange, a program that enables students from around the world to interact with each other in their same career field and learn about each other’s culture while doing so.

Business and Accounting professor Christi Foster volunteered as the instructor for running this new program.  24 female volunteers ages 18 to 25 interacted with other female students in Dubai. The class successfully underwent a series of sessions with the Women’s College in Dubai after taking quizzes, learning lessons, and having class discussions about the women’s culture.

“It is studying abroad, but in a virtual way,” Foster said.

Foster also said that many of her students were “loving learning about the other culture.”

Lisa Deluca, a student who partook in the program, said, “It was astonishing to experience how technology can instantly connect people on opposite side of the world.”

The students were able to learn about how the United Arab Emirates live, and the Dubai women helped break down stereotypes surrounding people of different heritage.

“I hope that in the future this is something that Tarleton will continue to take part in,” Deluca said. Foster added, “I would like to see Tarleton host and call the shots on a program like this one.”

For more information about the Virtual International Exchange Program contact Christi Foster at cfoster@tarleton.edu.

Last month, it was announced that Kelli C. Styron, J.D. would be the new dean of Tarleton Staet University’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts. Styron has served as interim dean of the college for the past 18 months. Other applicants nationwide were interviewed and even visited the campus, but in the end, it was determined that Mrs. Styron was the best person for the job.

Having already spent a year and a half in the position, she knows and appreciates the spirit that the College of Liberal and Fine Arts brings at Tarleton.

“The opportunity to serve as Interim Dean over the past 18 months has given me the chance to get to know many students across the college. Their internships, theatrical performances, social media presentations, blogs, concerts, presentations, newscasts, musicals, literary readings, publications, field placements, public relations and event management planning, and art exhibits have been inspirational. The talent and skills that our students possess are amazing. I am excited to work with students at Tarleton as they pursue their academic dreams,” Styron explained.

Styron earned her Bachelor of business administration in 1990 and her doctor of Jurisprudencein 1994 from Baylor University. Mrs. Styron holds professional memberships with the State Bar of Texas, Southwestern Association of Criminal Justice and Texas Association of College Teachers.Past managerial positions include executive director of compliance, evaluation and institutional reporting, department head for Social Work, Sociology and Criminal Justice, and Faculty Senate president.

Mrs. Styron has already played an important role in the management of the planned O.A. Grant Humanities Building and Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Center renovations, proving she is a perfect fit for a quickly growing university.

“It’s a very important time in the history of Tarleton. I am grateful to have an opportunity as Dean to work with students, faculty and staff as we move forward in making Tarleton State University better than ever,” Styron said.

In addition to her role as interim dean, Styron has served as an associate professor of criminal justice at Tarleton since Sept. 1998, and received a tenured position in the fall of 2006. Her academic offerings include several presentations and publications in the Southern Law Journal, Sustainable Communities Review and the Encyclopedia of the U.S. Constitution.

This weekend, the Pistol Annies of the Cowboy Capital Rollergirls took on the Lightning Broads of the Oklahoma City Roller Derby in a bout at the Lone Star Arena in Stephenville. Spirits were high and excited in the crowd as this was the Pistol Annies first home bout since April 14 against the Femme Fatale Roller Dolls.

The Pistol Annies came out of the gate running, easily flying by the Lightning Broads in the beginning minutes. Jammer, Reckless Intimidator dominated every power jam that the Lightning Broads tried to put up against her. However, she had to serve time in the penalty box for a low blow against one of the Lightning Broads.

The second half began with major blows coming from both sides, with several of the Lightning Broad being kicked out of the game for more than one trip to the penalty box. Reckless Intimidator continued her relentless attack against the Lightning Broads, scoring nearly all the points for the Pistol Annies. The Pistol Annies trampled the Lightning Broads 284-110.

The Piston Annies go on to face the Wichita Falls Derby Dames in Wichita Falls, TX on May 11.

The TexAnn track team traveled to West Texas A&'M University in Canyon this past weekend to compete in the Lone Star Conference Championship and finished in fifth place with a total of 62 points.

Nikki McNorton was in the spotlight with her high jump victory and second place finish in the 100m hurdles.The Senior All-American hit the NCAA provisional mark in the high jump with a height of 1.72m (5’ 7.75”). This is her second event to qualify for this season.

Brittany Drolette competed in the javelin and finished ninth with a throw of 34.78m (114’ 1”). Marissa Westbrooks threw the discus 37.4m (121’ 6”) for 10^th place.

In the sprints and hurdles, McNorton set another provisional mark. McNorton finished second in the 100m hurdles and set the school record with a time of 13.82.

Diamon Wilson finished sixth in the 400m dash with a time of 58.61 and Jenna Duncan finished sixth in the 400m hurdles in 1:05.39.

The Tarleton relay teams highlighted the distance and relay races. The 4x100m relay team of DeLynn Garrett, McNorton, Hannah White and Wilson finished sixth and were 0.66 seconds shy of the NCAA mark with a time of 47.77.

The 4x400m relay team of Jasmine Owens, Payton Shoush, Shelby Greenwalt and Wilson took seventh with a time of 3:56.35.

Celeste Meyer ran the 5000m run in 18:53.58, giving her 10^th place.

Alltogether, the TexAnns finished with 62 points at the end of the meet and finished fifth behind Angelo State University, West Texas A&'M University, Abilene Christian University and University of the Incarnate Word.

Tarleton State University’s head baseball coach Bryan Conger was recently voted as the Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year after the Texans won their very first LSC baseball championship during Conger’s fifth year as the team’s head coach.

Since his start in 2009, Conger has gone 151-105-2, and finished out this season with three wins ahead of Texas A&'M-Kingsville, giving them the first place spot in the LSC. Conger has had three 30-season wins and a win percentage of .585 since he began coaching at Tarleton.

“This award is simply a reflection of the outstanding young men we have. It has been an honor to coach them and watch them compete. I was surprised to receive the award because there are numerous quality coaches in our conference,” said Coach Conger.

Along with Conger’s award, six Texan baseball players were recognized with LSC postseason honors. Each LSC honor is based on votes from the league’s head coaches.

Starting pitchers Miguel Ramirez and Pete Perez, closer Britt Robertshaw, first-baseman Colten Boothe, third-basebal Alvaro Moreno and outfielder Nico Moran were all named first-team All-LSC.

Ramirez, a senior from Gallup, NM, was granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA after having Tommy John surgery. He has 1.93 earned run average and tops in the LSC among pitchers with qualifying innings.

Senior Perez was 5-1 with a 2.45 ERA during the regular season. He also struck out 52 batters in 55 innings.

Robertshaw has six saves and 25 strikeouts in 20.1 innings and has a 2.66 ERA.

Boothe is currently ranked second in the league with his six home runs and 15 doubles. He bats .322 for the season and is ranked third in the LSC with 90 total bases, seventh with a .526 slugging percentage and eighth in runs batted per game.

Junior Moreno is second in the LSC with 42 RBIs, sixth with a .377 batting average and ninth with a .517 slugging percentage.

Junior Moran is eighth in the league with an on-base percentage of .453 and 12^th in batting average with a .362.

Tarleton also had three second-team choices: Buckmaster, catcher Jared Musgrove and second-baseman Ryan Small.

The Tarleton Texans were ranked 21st in the nation, fifth in the South Central Region and first in the LSC.

In the Lonestar Conference Tournament this past weekend in Canyon, TX, the Texans went into the conference tournament with the number one seed. However, they were unable to hold off the Texas A&'M University–Kingsville Javelinas in the fourth game of the tournament.

The Texans came out strong against the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals during May 3^rd’s game, with the Texans scored four runs in the first inning alone. Nico Moran, Rustin Thomas, Ryan Small and Fola Lajide all scored runs for the Texans, who were able to hold the Cardinals to just one run, flying by at 4-1.

The Texans returned Saturday afternoon ready to face the San Angelo State University Rams, but they were off their game. The Rams held the Texans to just seven hits and zero runs, shutting them out 4-0.

The Texans were given a chance to redeem themselves on Sunday at noon when they faced off against the West Texas A&'M University Buffs. The Texans came out early with runs from Rustin Thomas and Ryan Small. The Buffs bounced right back by scoring three runs in the second inning. Rustin Thomas scored two runs that help put the Texans over the Buffs 6-3.

Later on Sunday evening, the Texans squared off against the Texas A&'M-Kingsville Javelinas. Nico Moran, Rustin Thomas and Ryan Small once again played as all-stars by scoring seven out of the nine runs for the Texans. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to stop the Javelinas. Ben Villafuerta and Taylor Taska scored three runs each that put the Javelinas over the Texans 10-9.

The Texans’ season ended with the loss against the Javelinas. They finished the season (34-16-1) and  took first in the Lonestar Conference.

The Texan track team was in last place with 11 points at the end of the second day of the LSC Championships in Canyon this past weekend. Tarleton had 13 different athletes gain team points in nine different events to aid in their fourth place finish.

Davene Carter hit his first NCAA provisional mark with a second place finish in the high jump with a height of 2.07m (6’ 9.5”). Patrick McHale and Travis Allision finished third and fourth in the same event and both jumped a height of 2.02m (6’ 7.5”).

McHale also finished eighth in the long jump with a jump of 7.11m (23’ 4”).

With sprints and hurdles, Tarleton had six athletes score points for the team. In the 400m hurdles, Jeff Smith finished first with a time of 52.80 and broke the Buffalo Sports Park record at West Texas A&'M. Anthony Parisi (55.49) finished fifth, Randall Kadlacek (56.97) finished sixth and Kyle Johnson (57.80) finished seventh. Kadlacek (15.21) and Johnson (15.83) also ran in the 110m hurdles and finished fifth and seventh, respectively.

In the 400m dash, Cameron Krc (48.25) took fourth and Marquis Thompson (49.12) took seventh.

Both relay teams were able to add points to the team’s total. The 4x400 relay team of Thompson, Krc, Phillip Hayes and Clarencio Guerrero finished second with a time of 3:13.48. Their time set a stadium record and was only 3.24 seconds shy of the Tarleton all-time record.

Dylan Willet finished second in the 1500m run with a time of 3:59.04, and the 4x100m relay team of Brendan Williams, Peyton Best, Conner Wilkes and Jordan Jones finished eighth with a time of 42.78.

Chase Rathke ran the 5000m run and finished ninth in 15:41.74.

With a final team total of 82 points and three Buffalo Sports Park records broken, the Texans finished in fourth behind Angelo State University, West Texas A&'M University and Abilene Christian University.

Tarleton State University has been dealt yet another emotional blow with the death of sophomore Anthony Gonzalez. Gonzalez, 26, was killed Wednesday night when he collided head on with a Chevy pickup. This is the third death of a Tarleton student this week.

Gonzalez was an army veteran who served two tours in Iraq. He became certified as a personal trainer in Oct. of 2011, and worked at the Tarleton Rec Center for a little less than a year. 

When asked about his attitude and demeanor, his coworkers at the Rec Center described him as, “Genuine about everything he did,” and, “always thought of the big picture in life and how to help others.” He was also described as a free spirit who stayed true to himself. His coworkers say they will truly miss his smile, positive attitude, and seeing him running the track every day.

“Again, the Tarleton family is facing the loss of one of our own. Gonzales, from De Leon, had a bright future after serving in the U.S. Army. He enrolled at Tarleton where he was a Kinesiology major and worked as a personal trainer at the Recreational Sports Center. The deaths of three students in less than a week remind us yet again of human frailty, the fragility of life and the imperative to understand our limited time in this world. As we remember Anthony and others who have been taken from us too soon, let us vow to live a life of integrity, honor, laughter, and, above all, love. To all of Anthony’s family and friends, know that the Tarleton family joins you in your grief. You are in our thoughts and prayers,” Tarleton President Dr. F. Dominic Dottavio said in a statement.

Gonzales' funeral services will be held Monday, May 6, at 1 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in DeLeon, TX. On Sunday, his family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Nowlin Andres Funeral Home located at 340 South Austin Street in DeLeon. The Rosary will begin at 7 p.m.

The Heroes of Midlothian Foundation will host a 5K benefit run on Saturday, May 18 in honor of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield.

United States Navy SEAL Kyle and friend Littlefield were gunned down at Rough Creek Lodge located between Glen Rose and Stephenville on Feb. 2 while attempting to assist a veteran who was allegedly suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

All proceeds gained from this event will be donated through the foundation to help assist families of fallen heroes in their time of need. Donations will also be attained to establish a memorial scholarship fund in the names of Kyle, Littlefield, and Lyle Gordon.

After the completion of the race, participants can enjoy many arts and craft booths, housing artisan jewelry and food. There will also be an option for visitors to make donations through a silent auction and multiple raffles. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase at the registration table for $1 per ticket.

The race will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will start from the MISD Multi-Purpose Stadium in Midlothian, TX. The festival will follow at 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. and awards will be handed out at 9:30 a.m.

Runners who are interested in participating in the fundraising event can register for $25 until May 6. Afterwards the registration fee will increase to $30 per runner.

For more information about this event and The Heroes of Midlothian Foundation visit their website at www.heroesofmidlothian.org  

Another school year has come and gone, and with the onset of summer break comes new graduates from Tarleton State University.

Over 1,200 Texans and TexAnns will receive their diplomas on Saturday, May 11 during the spring commencement ceremonies which will be held at Tarleton’s Memorial Stadium.

This year’s graduation celebrations will be split into two different ceremonies with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the College of Science and Technology, and the College of Liberal and Fine Arts graduating at 10:30 a.m. The second group of students will walk across the stage at 7:30 p.m. and will include the College of Business Administration and the College of Education.  

President Dr. F. Dominic Dottavio will hand out 10 associate, 1,009 bachelor’s, 188 master’s, and 14 doctoral degrees over the course of the day.

Along with the diplomas, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees will be given to Michael J. Moncrief and his wife Rosie Moncrief.

Additional awards will be presented to the Departmental Outstanding Graduates who were individuals selected by the departments on the bases of going above and beyond normal requirements. This year over 20 seniors will be awarded this high honor.

For graduates receiving their master’s degrees during the morning ceremony, hooding ceremonies will begin at 9 a.m. Those who will walk across the stage during the evening ceremony will be hooded at 5:30 p.m.

Both morning and evening ceremonies will be video-streamed live online at www.tarleton.eduwhere visitors can click a link on the homepage to view the feed.

For more information about the upcoming graduation ceremonies visit www.tarleton.edu/graduation.

This past weekend, with the 15^th pick of the sixth round in the NFL 2013 draft, the New Orleans Saints picked Tarleton State University’s defensive end Rufus Johnson. He is the second Tarleton player to be selected in the NFL draft, the first being James Dearth in 1999, who was the 191^st overall pick for the Cleveland Browns.

Johnson, who began playing for Tarleton in the fall of 2011 as a transfer from Kilgore Junior College, started making moves as soon as he stepped on the field by leading the team and finishing just second in the Lone Star Conference with 15.5 tackles for loss. In his senior season with the Texans, Johnson recorded 50 tackles, with 28 of them being solo tackles. Johnson also earned Defensive Linemen of the year, and ranked eighth in the nation for tackles for loss, averaging 2.06 yards a game.

When asked about being drafted, Johnson said, “All I could think about was my family when I received the call from the Saints organization. This is what I have been playing for and training for my whole life. This is truly a blessing and I am proud to be a Saint.”

Johnson reports to the Saints’ rookie training camp on May 9.

The assistant coach for the Tarleton State University men’s basketball team and former Tarleton basketball player was arrested Friday night and put into Erath County Jail. Nic Cantrell was charged with driving while intoxicated and possession of marijuana, with an amount of under two ounces.

Cantrell was pulled over by Erath County Police late Friday at the 1400 block of North Belknap Street in Stephenville. Cantrell and the passenger were arrested and taken to the county jail.

After posting a $2,000 bond, Cantrell was released from the county jail. He was also given a departmental drug test on Monday morning by Tarleton and passed.

"I am aware of the situation involving Nic Cantrell. We are reviewing the matter and it should be known we do not condone these actions from any person within the athletic department. We hold our head coaches, assistant coaches and athletic administration accountable for their actions at all times and character and integrity will always be a priority. We will let the authorities continue with their investigation at this time and allow the criminal process to unfold," said Lonn Reisman, head coach for men’s basketball and Tarleton athletic director in an interview with the Stephenville Empire Tribune.

Cantrell is a former Tarleton Texan basketball player and is now the assistant basketball coach for the men’s team. After graduating from Tarleton, Cantrell was a graduate assistant for two years. Cantrell has earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and a master’s degree in athletic administration, both from Tarleton.

Already three games ahead in the Lone Star Conference, the Tarleton State University Texan baseball team solidified their place as champions by sweeping the Cameron Aggies in this past weekend’s contest. With the weekend’s weather made for baseball, the Texans wasted no time finishing off the Aggies at home.

Game one of Saturday’s double header started with a homerun from senior Fola Lajide in the second inning. Lajide also made moves for the Texans by forcing an error on pitcher Drew Reidt of the Aggies in the fourth inning. Lajide scored once again as well as junior Colten Boothe. The Texans began to dominate the Aggies by forcing three errors and taking the game 4-3.

Later on that evening, the Texans continued their dominance over the Aggies when sophomore Evan Robinson hit a single into left field, giving Luke Slentz the ability to score for the Texans. From there the Texans began a scoring frenzy with points from Noah Ringenberger, Boothe, Nico Moran, Rustin Thomas and Ryan Small. The Aggies were not able to sustain the Texans, getting pulverized 9-3.

Sunday’s game, one of the second double header was no exception. Boothe got the game heated up by stealing second base. Not to be outdone, Small stole third base in the first inning. Small and Boothe both later scored in the inning putting the Texans up 2-0. Once again, the Aggies were undermanned for the way that the Texans blew past them. The Texans took the game easily 5-1.

The Texans closed out the season and double header in style by blowing past the Aggies. Although they got off to a rough start by letting the Aggies score two runs in the second inning, the Texans got the ball running by a run from Small. The Texans never looked back as they wrapped up conference play. With runs from Landon Thompson, Robinson, Ringenberger and Matt Olive, the Texans flew by the Aggies 7-4, taking the series 4-0.

The Texans finished first in the LSC for the first time in Tarleton’s history; they will go on to face the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals in the LSC championship on Friday, May 3 in Canyon.

The TexAnns faced off against the University of the Incarnate Word Lady Cardinals this past weekend to wrap up play in the Lone Star Conference. The TexAnns mimicked their Texan brothers by sweeping their series.

In game one of Friday evening’s double header, the TexAnns wasted no time getting the flow started by scoring early in the first inning. Freshman Melody Mayse scored for the TexAnns due to junior Bailee Maudlin hitting a single out to center field. The Lady Cardinals then responded by scoring late in the seventh inning to avoid a shutout. This forced an extra inning where the TexAnns prevailed 2-1.

Game two of the double header involved some big plays from Mayse once again. She got the TexAnns started by scoring in the first inning, stealing home in the fourth and, bringing a homerun in the fifth inning. Not to be outdone, Courtney Vroman bombed a homerun down center field for the TexAnns. Then, Arianna Rodriguez hit a homerun through center field, leaving the Lady Cardinals lost in the Tarleton wind. The TexAnns then began to have a field day against the Lady Cardinals, easily scoring in each inning. Randi Fentress and Eryn Freitas also scored for the TexAnns, culminating in a 9-4 victory.

The final game of the season concluded on Saturday with the Lady Cardinals not wanting to get swept in the series. The Lady Cardinals showed the TexAnns that they came out to play by scoring four runs in the fifth inning. The TexAnns rallied back from the one point deficit by scoring two runs in the seventh inning, taking the game 6-5 and sweeping the series 3-0.

The TexAnns go on to face rival Midwestern State University Friday, May 3 in Canyon at the Lone Star Conference Tournament.