Bulldogs picked second in MSC West Division

Cumberland was selected second in the Mid-South Conference West Division in a vote of league football coaches announced Friday.

The Bulldogs received a pair of first-place votes and finished with 31 points in the seven-team division, just behind division favorite Bethel, which picked up four first-place votes and had 34 total points. Cumberland posted a 7-3 overall mark last season, 4-2 in the MSC West Division, ending the year in a tie for second place.

Coach Dewayne Alexander, beginning his seventh season with the Bulldogs, returns 14 letterwinners and both specialists from last year’s squad. CU fall sport athletes report to campus on Friday, Aug. 10 and practices start Monday, August 13. Cumberland opens the season Sept. 1 versus Kansas Wesleyan in the Big River Bowl in Dyersburg, and takes on the University of the Cumberlands on Sept. 8 in the home opener at Nokes-Lasater Field.

Campbellsville was picked third by the coaches, finishing with 23 points, with Lindsey Wilson right behind with 20 points. Belhaven, Faulkner and first-year program Bluefield College round out the West Division poll.
Georgetown was essentially the unanimous choice as the East Division favorite, registering five first-place votes and 25 points in the six-team division. The Tigers reached the semifinals of the NAIA Playoffs last season.

The Univ. of the Cumberlands was picked second with 17 points, with Virginia-Wise, Union College, Pikeville and Kentucky Christian rounding out the poll.

McChurch, Wood earn Preseason All-America honors

Cumberland seniors Connor McChurch and Ryan Wood were voted Third Team on the 20th Annual USA Football News Preseason All-American Teams as selected by coaches, sports information directors, certified players' agents, pro scouts, media and staff of USA Football News.

McChurch is one of six returning starters on defense after compiling 83 tackles in 2011, second-most on the club. The senior from Mt. Juliet added eight tackles for loss with three sacks, two pass breakups, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception. The linebacker, who played for Wilson Central High School, has registered 153 tackles in 20 career contests on defense for the Bulldogs.

Wood has been a stalwart on the offensive line for CU, starting the last 29 games at four different positions. The senior from Kennesaw Mountain, Ga., has started 24 of those outings at right guard while playing in all 32 career contests at CU.

All members of the Class of 2013 with no remaining college eligibility who have been chosen to the All-American teams are candidates to participate in the 2013 Hansen Bowl – USA Football Holiday Bowl, a four-day, three-night event that is the only post-season football game approved by the NAIA will be held Dec. 14 – 17. The complete list of Preseason All-Americans may be found at http://www.usacollegefootball.org/naiafb.htm.

Softball adds transfer Kirk

Cumberland softball coach Heather Stanfill announced the signing of Lakewood, Calif., native Shawnee Kirk to scholarship papers for the 2012-13 academic year.

Kirk is the sixth signee for the program for next season.

She lettered four years for Coach Andy Miramontes at Lakewood High School, earning Second Team All-Moore League honors as a sophomore and First Team All-Moore League accolades as a junior and senior. She served as Team Captain and was named LHS Athlete of the Spring as a senior.

Her club team, Nemesis Elite and coach Manny Garcia, won the 16-and-under 2006 Western National Championship.
Kirk spent two years at Cerritos College in Norwalk, Calif., after graduation, playing with current Bulldog players Natalie Garcia and Jessica Lozano. Kirk was named First Team All-South Coast Conference in her sophomore year at Cerritos.

She is the daughter of Stacee Kirk and Jay Boehmer.

Kirk joins Jessica Roper, Devon Jamerson, Megan Kelley, Brittni Veyna and Caroline Curran in this year’s signing class.