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Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?
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Author:  BallFan [ Wed May 20, 2015 1:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

UCA's had a terrible 2014- 2015 season. Can Coach Pennell generate the excitement that Coach Beard is generating for UALR?

http://www.d1coachcorner.com/Coaches/Russ_Pennell.htm
http://www.d1coachcorner.com/Coaches/Chris-Beard.htm

Author:  Beau [ Thu May 21, 2015 7:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

It is going to take time.

I think there will be improvement next year, but how much, I'm not sure.

When Coach Pennell was brought in, we had to basically blow up the roster and start from scratch.

I still think he is the right man for the job. We shall see......

Author:  JRK [ Thu May 21, 2015 8:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

Some bright spots near the end of the season but a long way to go.....need to come back without regressing then start making progress ...maybe by end of next season will be playing 500 or better ball the last 10 games....

Author:  joshuca [ Fri May 22, 2015 8:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

I feel that given our record there was a good bit of excitement this past season (as much as could be expected anyway). I think if he shows some improvement this season, then there will be legitimate reason to be excited. It just sucks that UCA has been so bad a men's basketball for a while now...the fans are apathetic.

Author:  Beau [ Tue May 26, 2015 7:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

JRK wrote:
Some bright spots near the end of the season but a long way to go.....need to come back without regressing then start making progress ...maybe by end of next season will be playing 500 or better ball the last 10 games....


I would tend to agree with you JRK, however, Rome was not built in a day. I'm not looking so much at the record for a while. Like you, I am looking for progress and I think we will be seeing that soon. Time will tell.

Author:  Beau [ Tue May 26, 2015 7:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

joshuca wrote:
I feel that given our record there was a good bit of excitement this past season (as much as could be expected anyway). I think if he shows some improvement this season, then there will be legitimate reason to be excited. It just sucks that UCA has been so bad a men's basketball for a while now...the fans are apathetic.


Your right Josh, in my wildest dreams I would have never thought I would have ever seen the program drop this far. I have had fans over the years want to place blame on someone for the downfall, but I can't do that. It just happened, but I still think that, in time, Pennell, will get it turned around. Just hope he can give the fans something to get excited about.

Author:  BallFan [ Wed May 27, 2015 2:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

Yeah. It's going to take a lot of time because more bad news came out today. UCA is amongst several teams who will face APR penalties next season.

http://www.d1coachcorner.com/Articles/Central-Arkansas-Basketball-to-Face-APR-Penalties-from-NCAA.htm

Author:  joshuca [ Wed May 27, 2015 2:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

BallFan wrote:
Yeah. It's going to take a lot of time because more bad news came out today. UCA is amongst several teams who will face APR penalties next season.

http://www.d1coachcorner.com/Articles/Central-Arkansas-Basketball-to-Face-APR-Penalties-from-NCAA.htm


That's what happens when you clean house!

Author:  SAP Bear [ Wed May 27, 2015 2:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

696 APR for 2013-2014 Men's basketball!!!

Multi-year APR for men's basketball of 847.

link below to APR report.

https://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/apr2014/ ... 14_apr.pdf

Author:  Beau [ Wed May 27, 2015 4:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

This has been known for a little while....yes, it is not good news, however, for the first time there is a plan in place. For the first time since we have been D-I, our student athletes in mens basketball are getting it done in the classroom.

It is going to be OK.....

Author:  joshuca [ Fri May 29, 2015 9:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

BASKETBALL BEARS GETTING IT DONE IN CLASSROOM

Quote:
The NCAA has denied an appeal by UCA to take its men’s basketball team off APR sanctions that resulted from transgressions from past teams and coaching staffs.

“This team didn’t cause the APR problems, but they began fixing them,” said UCA coach Russ Pennell, who endured a 2-27 season last year with all new players, except one, after he cleaned house because the players were not adding the student to student-athlete.

The group Pennell inherited had a 1.8 GPA, which tipped the scale toward NCAA APR penalties.

Since then:

This year’s team posted a 3.16 GPA last semester and placed 10 players on the Dean’s List for the fall semester (with a combined GPA OF 3.06.

Quantum leap.

“In college basketball, that is unheard of,” said Pennell.

There’s more.

“Our GPA for the second semester (3.16) was higher than the first,” he said. “It usually goes down the second semester because of games and travel. And if things go like we expect in summer school, it will be even higher with possibly a (perfect) 1,000 APR over three semesters.

Author:  Beau [ Fri May 29, 2015 3:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

joshuca wrote:
BASKETBALL BEARS GETTING IT DONE IN CLASSROOM

Quote:
The NCAA has denied an appeal by UCA to take its men’s basketball team off APR sanctions that resulted from transgressions from past teams and coaching staffs.

“This team didn’t cause the APR problems, but they began fixing them,” said UCA coach Russ Pennell, who endured a 2-27 season last year with all new players, except one, after he cleaned house because the players were not adding the student to student-athlete.

The group Pennell inherited had a 1.8 GPA, which tipped the scale toward NCAA APR penalties.

Since then:

This year’s team posted a 3.16 GPA last semester and placed 10 players on the Dean’s List for the fall semester (with a combined GPA OF 3.06.

Quantum leap.

“In college basketball, that is unheard of,” said Pennell.

There’s more.

“Our GPA for the second semester (3.16) was higher than the first,” he said. “It usually goes down the second semester because of games and travel. And if things go like we expect in summer school, it will be even higher with possibly a (perfect) 1,000 APR over three semesters.



Thanks for posting this Josh...alot of good information in there from Coach Pennell.

I know it is still REAL early, but if these young men will stay the course, things will Ok.

Author:  JRK [ Fri May 29, 2015 7:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

Thanks to the coaches and players for taking care of classroom business in UCA fashion......

NCAA is reknown for punishing the wrong people.....

Author:  Beau [ Sat May 30, 2015 5:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

JRK wrote:
Thanks to the coaches and players for taking care of classroom business in UCA fashion......

NCAA is reknown for punishing the wrong people.....


That is unfortunate.....however, progress is being made and it is time to move on.

Author:  joshuca [ Mon Jun 01, 2015 8:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Will Russ Pennell and UCA match the excitment of UALR?

LCD Article

Quote:
FRENCH CONNECTION

While the University of Central Arkansas men don’t have anything to look forward to in postseason because of academic sanctions, there is something special looming in preseason.

The Bears will go to France in August for 10 basketball games.

NCAA Division I teams are allowed such international games every four years. The UCA journey will be financed by money received from “money” basketball games against higher-level competition.

“We did an international trip when I was at Ole Miss and we had one of our best teams the next season,” said UCA coach Russ Pennell. “It is a real bonding experience. The players will face the most hostile crowd they have ever seen. They’ll experience some of the worst officiating they will ever see. They will learn to depend on and really help each other.

“Plus, it’s a great educational experience. Many of these players have never been outside the United States.”

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