Wallace State’s cross country, volleyball teams wrap up 2019 seasons; basketball teams split at Vol State
Both Wallace State cross country teams advanced to the NJCAA Division I National Championships.
HANCEVILLE, ALA. – Wallace State’s cross country teams concluded their 2019 seasons at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I Cross Country Championships in Albuquerque, N.M., over the weekend.
Wallace State’s 23rd-ranked men finished 23rd out of 45 teams at nationals, collecting 625 points. The Lady Lions placed 26th out of 38 teams, garnering 660 points.
Both Wallace State teams qualified for the national championships after each cruised to consecutive Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) crowns.
The men won the program’s seventh championship and the women won a fourth.
At nationals, for the men, freshman Jonathan Jenkins had Wallace State’s top finish, placing 68th overall. He finished the 8K in 26:40.71.
Sophomore Tanner King, the 2018 ACCC Runner of the Year and the 2019 ACCC individual runner-up, placed second for Wallace State with a 26:55.40.
Taylor Nails (27:57.05), Hamza Abusammour (28:14.24) Jaden Vance (28:17.92), Joshua Jenkins (29:35.36) and Carson Levario-Slaten (29:45.02) rounded out the national championship field for the Lions.
Abusammour, a Haleyville native, was the 2019 ACCC Runner of the Year after winning the ACCC individual championship. Abusammour and King competed at nationals in both seasons with the program.
On the women’s side, sophomore Tatiana Padgett continued to lead the pack. After finishing runner-up at the conference meet, Padgett had Wallace State’s best mark at nationals, clocking in with a 20:51.07 in the 5K.
Ashleigh White had Wallace State’s next best finish with a 21:49.15.
Hannah Huntley (22:04.71), Makala Worrell (22:35.07), Maggie Graham (22:40.77) and Malia Howell (22:51.60) rounded out the Lady Lions’ competitors at nationals.
Padgett and Worrell advanced to the nationals in both seasons with the Lady Lions.
Both Wallace State teams ran in meets this season at Jacksonville State, UAH, Montevallo and UAB.
Wallace State cross country is coached by Stan Narewski and assistant Tony Crider.
Wallace State volleyball
Wallace State’s volleyball team finished the 2019 season with a 38-3 record, winning the program’s 12th straight regular-season title.
Coach Randy Daniel was named the ACCC Coach of the Year, guiding the Lions to only one loss during the regular season. Daniel, the all-time winningest coach in program history, has a 475-101 career record at Wallace State after 13 seasons.
Wallace State had multiple players earn individual accolades this season.
Freshman Diamond Jones and sophomore Karlee Hale were each named to the All-ACCC/Region 22 First Team.
Jones, a Louisiana native, finished the season with 389 kills and 154 digs. She was third overall in the conference in kills, earning ACCC Player of the Week status on two occasions.
Hale, from Geraldine, led the conference with a .435 hitting percentage. She registered 288 kills this season.
Anna Renshaw, Kaitlyn Doyle and Amryi-Grace Paris were each selected to the All-ACCC/Region 22 Second Team from Wallace State.
Renshaw racked up a team-high 917 kills for the Lions – good for second in the conference.
Doyle finished the season with 211 kills and 135 digs, while Paris added 214 kills and 104 digs.
Doyle, Hale, Paris, Jordan Hollis, Kate Kent, Kayla Thomas and Kaden Edenfield were the sophomores on the team. Six of the seven were a part of 71 wins, one conference tournament championship and two regular-season ACCC titles in two seasons.
Wallace State basketball
Wallace State’s basketball teams split a doubleheader at Volunteer State on Nov. 9.
The 21st-ranked Wallace State women prevailed 76-54, collecting a second win this season versus the Lady Pioneers.
Sophomore guard Imari Martin paced the Lady Lions, finishing with a team-high 18 points and adding four steals and four rebounds.
Kyra Williams had 14 points and seven rebounds for Wallace State, Jiselle Woodson finished with 13 points and seven rebounds and Tawana Nevels added eight points off the bench.
Wallace State’s women moved to 4-0 on the young season. The Lady Lions also registered a 76-61 win at Motlow State on Nov. 6. Martin led the way with 18 points, Nevel recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds and Jasmine Baker finished with 11 points, eight rebound and four assists.
Wallace State’s men dropped its first game of the season at Volunteer State, losing 91-75.
Juwan Johnson poured in a game-high 18 points off the bench for Wallace State. Eugene Leonard had his first collegiate double-double, finishing with 14 points and 10 assists. Kendrick Foster added 10 points.
Against Motlow State on Nov. 6, Wallace State squeaked out an 87-83 win behind four players finishing with double figures.
Leonard had 20 points and dished out five assists, and Christopher Samson finished with a double-double, scoring 16 points and collecting 11 boards. Kendall Cotner added 12 points for the Lions, while Markise Davis contributed 13 points and five rebounds.
Both Wallace State teams travel to Northeast Mississippi on Thursday for a doubleheader.
For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit www.athletics.wallacestate.edu or the athletics Facebook page at www.wallacestate.edu/athleticsfb.
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