Men's Cross Country 1/25/2021 3:15:00 PM

This week in Lees-McRae Athletics: Jan. 25-31

BANNER ELK, N.C. - The Lees-McRae men's volleyball team opens the week with a non-conference contest on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at Tusculum, before both the men's and women's basketball team visit Belmont Abbey for a conference doubleheader on Thursday, Jan. 28 starting at 5:00 p.m. Both of the men's and women's swimming teams visit Catawba on Friday, Jan. 29 at 3:00 p.m.

The first Conference Carolinas championship takes place on Friday, Jan. 29 with the Men's and Women's Cross Country Championship at Frank Liske Park in Concord, North Carolinas. The women's races are slated for 1:30 p.m. and 2:20 p.m., while the men race at 3:10 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. For more information on the championship, click HERE.

The women's basketball team closes out their week by hosting Erskine in the Williams Gymnasium on Saturday, Jan. 30 at 2:00 p.m., while the men's basketball team visits Barton in the reschedule conference clash from last Friday. The Lees-McRae men's volleyball team closes out Saturday's slate with its home opener against Bluefield College at 7:00 p.m.

The Bobcat skiing/snowboarding club returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 30 and Sunday, Jan. 31 as it travels to Bryce Resort in Virginia for a two-day event.

Lees-McRae: 0-1 (0-0 Conference Carolinas)
Tusculum: 0-2
Game Information:
Date - Jan. 26, 2021
Time - 7:00 p.m.
Location - Pioneer Arena - Greeneville, Tennessee
Live Video
Players to Watch
Nic Brewster (Lees-McRae) - 2.00 kills/set, .200 attack percentage
Bradley Peters (Lees-McRae) - 5.33 assists/set
Shaun Kampshoff (Tusculum) - 3.57 kills/set, .172 attack percentage
Lucas Blanco (Tusculum) - 7.14 assists/set, 0.43 blocks/set
Series History:
Lees-McRae is 1-0 all-time against the Pioneers, after claiming a 3-1 victory over Tusculum in the Williams Gymnasium on Feb. 18, 2020.
Ethan Gardner, Max Kuntz and Ace Backer combined for 19 kills in the non-conference win.
Previewing the Pioneers:
Tusculum enters Tuesday's contest with an 0-2 overall record.
The Pioneers dropped the first contest of the season to Conference Carolinas foe North Greenville, before losing to No. 2 Campbellsville on Jan. 16.
Tusculum was picked to finish sixth among the nation's independents by the Off the Block poll released on Dec. 31.
Lees-McRae: 3-2 (3-2 Conference Carolinas)
Belmont Abbey: 8-2 (4-1 Conference Carolinas)
Game Information:
Date - Jan. 28, 2021
Time - 5:00 p.m.
Location - Wheeler Center - Belmont, North Carolina
Live Video - Conference Carolinas Digital Network
Players to Watch
Destiny Johnson (Lees-McRae) - 13.0 points/game, 5.8 rebounds/game, 2.8 assists/game
MaKayla Smith (Lees-McRae) - 11.7 points/game, 4.0 assists/game, 2.0 steals/game
Brittany Autry (Belmont Abbey) - 13.0 points/game, 5.5 rebounds/game
Maria Kuhlman (Belmont Abbey) - 12.6 points/game, 5.4 rebounds/game, 2.4 assists/game
Series History:
Lees-McRae is 2-16 all-time against the Crusaders, including losing the previous eight meetings.
The Bobcats dropped a 68-49 loss against Belmont Abbey in the most recent meeting on Feb. 1, 2020.
Previewing the Crusaders:
Belmont Abbey enter Thursday's contest riding a four-game winning streak, that includes wins over Barton on Jan. 16, Southern Wesleyan on Jan. 19 and a sweep of Emmanuel this past weekend.
The Crusaders were picked as the Conference Carolinas preseason favorite and were receiving votes in the most recent D2SIDA Regional Poll
Lees-McRae: 3-0 (3-0 Conference Carolinas)
Belmont Abbey: 6-2 (4-1 Conference Carolinas)
Game Information:
Date - Jan. 28, 2021
Time - 7:00 p.m.
Location - Wheeler Center - Belmont, North Carolina
Live Video - Conference Carolinas Digital Network
Players to Watch
Quay Kimble (Lees-McRae) - 15.0 points/game, 2.7 rebounds/game, 5.7 assists/game
Jamarius Hairston (Lees-McRae) - 13.0 points/game, 1.3 assists/game
Sean Halloran (Belmont Abbey) - 12.8 points/game, 3.4 assists/game
L.J. McCoy (Belmont Abbey) - 11.3 points/game, 1.9 rebounds/game
Series History:
Lees-McRae is 11-21 all-time against the Crusaders, but has won four the previous seven meetings.
The Bobcats used 18 points on 4 of 5 shooting from distance from Kimble to post a 92-87 win in the most recent meeting on Feb. 2, 2020.
Previewing the Crusaders:
Belmont Abbey enters Thursday's showdown by winning four of its previous five contests. The lone loss came last Saturday at Emmanuel.
The Crusaders enters with the conferences third-ranked defense and will try to stop the league's highest-scoring offense in Lees-McRae.
Meet Information:
Date - Jan. 29, 2021
Location - Frank Liske Park - Concord, North Carolina
Live Video - Conference Carolinas Digital Network
Schedule of Events
1:30 p.m. - Women's Championship Heat 1 (5K)
2:20 p.m. - Women's Championship Heat 2 (5K)
3:10 p.m. - Men's Championship Heat 1 (5K)
4:00 p.m. - Men's Championship Heat 2 (5K)
4:45 p.m. - Awards Presentation
Championship Website: https://conferencecarolinas.com/tournaments/?id=1
Previewing the Bobcats:
Head Men's and Women's Cross Country Coach Ley Fletcher announced the additions of Walker Cummins (Satellite Beach, Fla.), Hunter Sizemore (New Port Richey, Fla.), Megan Deal (Salisbury, N.C.) and Josias Mickens (Baltimore, Md.) on Sept. 12.
The men's team was picked third in the Preseason Poll on Dec. 3, with defending All-Conference Carolinas performer Tristin Bertie, Garrett Ybarra and Elias Zajicek all being recognized as Athletes to Watch.
The women's team was picked ninth in the Preseason Poll with Deanna Betzer, McKenzie Lawrence and Megan Deal all recognized as Preseason Athletes to Watch.
Meet Information:
Date - Jan. 29, 2021
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Location - Johnson Pool - Salisbury, North Carolina
Last Time in the Pool:
The men's swimming team split the tri-meet on Jan. 23 with a win over Mars Hill and a loss to Conference Carolinas rival King.
J.D. McCray and Christian Nishimura each finished with a pair of individual wins, while also teaming up with Cooper Gobble and Josh Dowdy to win the 200-medley relay and 400-free relay.
The women's team swept both Mars Hill and King in the tri-meet, thanks in large part to Tate Abbott and Anastasia Johnson who broke their own school records in the 100 free (53.19) and 100 fly (1:00.32) respectively.
Molly Layde captured two individual events, while Kayla Fleming won the 100 breast (1:11.76).
Lees-McRae: 3-2 (3-2 Conference Carolinas)
Erskine: 0-3 (0-2 Conference Carolinas)
ALL NOTES, STATS AND STANDING WRITTEN PRIOR TO THURSDAY'S GAME IN BELMONT
Game Information:
Date - Jan. 30, 2021
Time - 2:00 p.m.
Location - Williams Gymnasium - Banner Elk, North Carolina
Live Video - Conference Carolinas Digital Network
Players to Watch
Destiny Johnson (Lees-McRae) - 13.0 points/game, 5.8 rebounds/game, 2.8 assists/game
MaKayla Smith (Lees-McRae) - 11.7 points/game, 4.0 assists/game, 2.0 steals/game
Osha Makerson (Erskine) - 20.0 points/game, 4.3 assists/game
Anzya Cook (Erskine) - 9.7 points/game, 2.3 rebounds/game
Series History:
Lees-McRae is 13-5 all-time against the Flying Fleet, including winning six of the previous seven meetings.
The Bobcats used a combined 37 points by Davinique Campbell, Destiny Johnson and Jessica Henderson to claim a 67-62 win over Erskine in the most recent meeting on Jan. 23, 2020.
Previewing the Flying Fleet:
Erskine has lost all five competition it has competed in, including conference losses to Southern Wesleyan and Emmanuel on Jan. 18 and 19.
The Flying Fleet were picked 10th in the Preseason Poll, with Makerson, Megan Jones and Raina Hall all recognized as Preseason Players to Watch.
Lees-McRae: 3-0 (3-0 Conference Carolinas)
Barton: 0-3 (0-3 Conference Carolinas)
ALL NOTES, STATS AND STANDING WRITTEN PRIOR TO THURSDAY'S GAME IN BELMONT
Game Information:
Date - Jan. 30, 2021
Time - 4:00 p.m.
Location - Wilson Gymnasium - Wilson, North Carolina
Live Video - Conference Carolinas Digital Network
Players to Watch
Quay Kimble (Lees-McRae) - 15.0 points/game, 2.7 rebounds/game, 5.7 assists/game
Jamarius Hairston (Lees-McRae) - 13.0 points/game, 1.3 assists/game
Brandon Burford (Barton) - 16.0 points/game, 1.3 assists/game
Melvin Worley (Barton) - 10.7 points/game, 5.0 rebounds/game
Series History:
Lees-McRae is 7-23 all-time against the Crusaders, but has won three the previous six meetings.
The Bobcats dropped a 92-74 loss at Barton in the most recent meeting on Feb. 8, 2020.
Previewing the Crusaders:
Barton enters the contest 0-3 overall, after losing to Chowan on Jan. 13 and a pair of contests to Belmont Abbey on Jan. 15 and 16.
The Bulldogs enter with the league's lowest-scoring offense (64.0 points/game) and are giving up nearly 85 points/game this season.
Lees-McRae: 0-1 (0-0 Conference Carolinas)
Bluefield College: 0-1
ALL NOTES, STATS AND STANDING WRITTEN PRIOR TO TUESDAY'S GAME AT TUSCULUM
Game Information:
Date - Jan. 26, 2021
Time - 5:30 p.m.
Location - Williams Gymnasium - Banner Elk, North Carolina
Live Video - Conference Carolinas Digital Network
Players to Watch
Nic Brewster (Lees-McRae) - 2.00 kills/set, .200 attack percentage
Bradley Peters (Lees-McRae) - 5.33 assists/set
Alberto Chiaparini (Bluefield College) - 4.00 kills/set, .353 attack percentage
Leonel Fernandez (Bluefield College) - 2.60 assists/set, .250 attack percentage
Series History:
Lees-McRae is 2-0 all-time against the Pioneers, with both wins coming in the Williams Gymnasium.
The Bobcats posted a straight-sets win over Bluefield College in the most recent meeting on Jan. 15, 2019.
Previewing the Pioneers:
Bluefield College enters Tuesday's contest with an 0-1 overall record.
The Rams dropped its home-opener to St. Andrews on Jan. 21 with a 3-2 loss.
Bluefield will visit St. Andrews on Friday, prior to traveling to Banner Elk on Saturday.
Event Information:
Date: Jan. 30 - 31, 2021
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Bryce Resort - Bryce, Virginia

Previewing the Bobcats:
The Bobcats finally open their 2021 campaign after having their first two weekend's of events canceled.
19 student-athletes comprise the Skiing/Snowboarding team under head coach Aaron Maas
Lees-McRae will return to the slopes next Saturday at Bryce Resort.

Lees-McRae College

This week in Lees-McRae Athletics: Jan. 25-31

Here is the full breakdown of this week's schedule:

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