Mavnotes

MAJOR LEAGUE MAV. Pitcher John Lackey became only the third former UTA baseball player to make it to the major leagues as he made his debut with the Anaheim Angels during the 2002 season. Ironically, Lackey was called up to pitch his first game for the Angels in June when they were in Arlington facing the Texas Rangers. Lackey played first base and pitcher during his only season at UTA in 1998. The only previous UTA baseball players to reach the major leagues were Dave Owen, shortstop with the Chicago Cubs (1983-85) and Kansas City Royals (1988), and Steve Foster, pitcher with the Cincinnati Reds (1991-92).

BASEBALL DRAFT. Daniel Ortmeier, an All-Southland Conference outfielder the past two seasons, has signed with the San Francisco Giants, while K.J. Hendricks, an all-conference infielder, has signed with the Colorado Rockies. Ortmeier was drafted by the Giants in the third round, the highest any UTA player has been drafted since shortstop Lawrence Hanlon was selected in the third round by the Texas Rangers in 1991, and was assigned to the Giants' rookie league team in Keizer, Ore. Hendricks was drafted in the 26th round and assigned to the Rockies' rookie league affiliate in Casper, Wyo.

DORSEY FOURTH. Senior Ashely Dorsey finished fourth in the shot put at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in June. The fourth-place finish was the highest in school history by an individual female UTA athlete. Dorsey's throw of 54 feet, 11 1/4 inches earned her All-America honors for the third time in her college career.

SMART RUNNERS. Three UTA track and field athletes-Erik Petersson, Kajsa Haglund and Rebecca Johansson-have been selected to the 2002 All-Southland Conference Academic Team. All three are from Sweden.

CONFERENCE TRACK CHAMPS. Sophomore Kajsa Haglund was UTA's only double gold medallist at the Southland Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May, winning both the women's 800 and 1500 meters. UTA boasted two other individual champions-senior Ashely Dorsey in the shot put and junior Rebecca Johansson in the 3000-meter steeplechase.

WHEELCHAIR TENNIS. Hoping to follow the winning tradition of the wheelchair basketball team, the Office of Students with Disabilities has announced that UTA will offer wheelchair tennis for women, beginning this fall. Jim Hayes, Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator and head coach of the six-time national champion Movin' Mavs basketball team, said the team will award two scholarships and will compete in the wheelchair tennis division of the U.S. Tennis Association.

ATHLETES RECOGNIZED. The Maverick baseball team, tennis player Andy Leber and multi-sport star LaQuinta Manahan were recently honored at the Dallas All-Sports Award Banquet. The baseball team, which won 39 games and the Southland Conference Tournament in 2001, received the Gary Bridwell Courage Award, presented to a team that has "shown courage and perseverance in the face of life challenges." Leber, the SLC Player of the Year, and Manahan, a track and basketball standout, were tabbed the UTA Male and Female Athletes of the Year.

PLAYER RETURNS AS COACH. Former Mavericks point guard Reggie Brown has been named an assistant basketball coach. Brown, who played from 1993 to 1997 under head coach Eddie McCarter, has spent the last three years as an assistant coach at Bowie High School in Arlington.