
Atlantic Sun champion Lipscomb hires Kevin Carroll as men's head basketball coach to replace Lennie Acuff
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Atlantic Sun Conference champion Lipscomb has hired Kevin Carroll as its men's basketball head coach.
Carroll returns to Lipscomb after leading nearby Division II Trevecca Nazarene University to record-breaking success the last two years, including the most wins in program history and the school's first-ever South Region Poll ranking. He previously served as an assistant coach for the Bisons from 2019 to 2023, helping recruit and develop multiple all-conference players.
'We are thrilled to welcome Kevin back to Lipscomb,' Lipscomb athletic director Philip Hutcheson Hutcheson said in a statement. 'Kevin is an elite basketball mind. More importantly, he embodies the values of Lipscomb University and is gifted at building meaningful relationships with young people as evidenced by the deep connections he maintains with former and current players.'
Carroll replaces Lennie Acuff, who left to take the head coaching job at Samford.
Acuff spent six seasons as head coach at Lipscomb, guiding the Bisons to their second NCAA Tournament appearance this past season with a 25-10 record overall record and a 14-4 mark in the Atlantic Sun. Lipscomb beat North Alabama to win the conference championship.
The Bisons had three straight 20-win seasons under Acuff, who compiled a 110-82 record overall at Lipscomb.
'I have a tremendous amount of respect for the people who have come before me and the level of success that has been reached,' Carroll said. 'My staff and I will work tirelessly to maintain the standard that everyone has come to expect while shining a light on one of the top Christian universities in the country. I can't wait to get started … Horns Up!'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Five takeaways from LSU baseball's super regional win vs. West Virginia
Five takeaways from LSU baseball's super regional win vs. West Virginia LSU baseball is headed to Omaha. After sweeping West Virginia in the Baton Rouge Super Regional, LSU punched a ticket to the College World Series. The Tigers erupted for 16 runs in Game 1 before plating 12 more in Game 2. It was just what we wanted to see from the LSU offense after the Tigers' bats were inconsistent at points this spring. Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson didn't pitch at the elite level they did in the regional, but both were good enough to get the wins. Anderson allowed six earned runs, but made it through seven innings in Game 1. Eyanson held WVU to three runs and struck out seven of the course of five innings in Game 2. Tigers' head coach Jay Johnson has now led LSU to Omaha in two of his four years in Baton Rouge. LSU's last CWS trip came in 2023, when the Tigers won it all with Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews. Before LSU continues its quest for another national title, here are five takeaways from LSU's Super Regional win. 1. LSU responded in the seventh inning LSU controlled the game early, scoring six runs in the first two innings. WVU began to stage a comeback. The Mountaineers scored three runs in the fourth and plated another in the fifth. Then, LSU had a response of its own. LSU scored six runs in the seventh inning, putting the game out of reach. It started with a two-run single off the bat of Chris Stanfield. Not long after, Derek Curiel scored on a throwing error. Steven Milam kept the rally going with an RBI double. Jake Brown capped it off with a two-run shot to center field. West Virginia had the momentum entering the seventh, and the Mountaineers were a couple of swings away from tying it up. Good teams respond like LSU did in the seventh. 2. Anderson and Eyanson were good enough Good pitchers find a way to do enough even when they don't have their best stuff. Neither Kade Anderson nor Anthony Eyanson had their best, but they combined to pitch 12 innings and both got the win. Anderson held WVU to one run through five innings, which allowed LSU to build a substantial lead. West Virginia put up some runs in the later innings, but Anderson hung in there and threw 109 pitches, keeping LSU's bullpen rested. On Sunday, Eyanson held WVU to three runs in five innings. Between the regional and the super regional, Eyanson allowed just three runs over 13.2 innings. LSU can't expect eight shutout innings from Anderson and Eyanson every night, but the Tigers proved they can win a different style of game vs. West Virginia. 3. Steven Milam was a star Steven Milam had ups and downs in the regular season, but he's been a star for LSU in the NCAA Tournament. He stayed hot vs. West Virginia. On Saturday, Milam came to the plate with LSU up 3-1 and the bases loaded. Milam put one in the bleachers to give LSU a 7-1 lead. Milam walked twice and scored two runs. On Sunday, Milam had two more extra-base hits with four RBI. Again, he walked twice and scored twice. If Milam is going to hit like this, it changes the outlook for LSU's lineup. It gives the Tigers another all-around bat in the middle of the lineup. "He will play baseball for a very long time if he takes the caliber of at-bats that he has," Jay Johnson said of Milam last weekend. 4. Potential emergence of Cooper Williams Aside from Casan Evans, LSU's bullpen has struggled in recent weeks. Even Zac Cowan has faltered after being one of the nation's most effective relievers for most of the year. LSU needed another bullpen arm to emerge -- it might just be Cooper Williams. Williams, a true freshman, was ranked as the No. 12 left-handed pitcher in the 2024 class by Perfect Game. He began his career without allowing an earned run in his first 12 appearances, but didn't see a ton of high leverage spots in the regular season. After LSU struggled to get outs last Sunday vs. Little Rock, Williams entered and pitched 3.2 scoreless innings. Then, a week later vs. West Virginia, Johnson called on Williams with the tying run at the plate. Williams delivered and gave LSU 2.2 innings, allowing just one run. That'll play. In 19.2 innings, Williams owns a 1.83 ERA this year. LSU will need a strong effort from the freshman in Omaha. 5. LSU looks like a complete team The Super Regional was LSU at its best. The Tigers have not played two straight complete games like vs. a quality opponent all year. Sure, the Tigers have found ways to win, but LSU was dominant in every phase of the game vs. the Mountaineers. This team is good enough to go all the way in Omaha. We had questions about the lineup entering the weekend. Those were answered. We know guys like Derek Curiel and Daniel Dickinson are going to produce, but when Milam, Brown, and Josh Pearson are showing off the power too, it's hard to find outs vs. this group. And Tiger fans should feel better about the bullpen now, too. LSU finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the polls for a reason. When this squad plays to its potential, it's the best in the country.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Arizona Wildcats head to College World Series after Super Regional comeback
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Baseball mitts and navy caps were strewn about the infield at Boshamer Stadium. Players jumped for joy and embraced one another. The Arizona Wildcats had pulled off a miracle. And now they're headed to Omaha. Advertisement With its season on the brink of expiration, Arizona rallied past No. 5 national seed North Carolina in highly improbable fashion Sunday. Down by two runs in the eighth inning, the Wildcats dug deep and defeated the Tar Heels 4-3 in the third and deciding game of their Super Regional series. Arizona's Casey Hintz shows off the championship trophy after the Wildcats defeated North Carolina in Game 3 of their NCAA Super Regional series on Sunday, June 8, 2025, at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. Arizona will be making its 19th appearance in the College World Series, its first since 2021 and its first under UA alum Chip Hale, who won the CWS as a player in 1986. The Wildcats will be seeking their fifth national championship. They will open CWS play Friday or Saturday against Coastal Carolina, which defeated Arizona in the CWS final in 2016. Junior shortstop Mason White — a Salpointe Catholic High School graduate whose father and grandfather played for the UA — delivered the winning hit in the top of the eighth, lining a two-RBI single to center field with the bases loaded and one out. Advertisement After the game, White — a lifelong UA fan — barely could comprehend what had just transpired. 'This is just unbelievable,' White said. 'It's almost like a dream. I just can't believe it.' White was Hale's first recruit when he took over the program in July 2021. Hale has guided his alma mater to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Leading the Wildcats to the College World Series for the first time conjured a range of emotions for the 60-year-old coach — empathy for North Carolina, relief for himself and joy for Arizona's players and supporters. 'I'm just so happy for these kids,' Hale said. 'I'm happy ... for these families. They have grinded so hard, spent so much money coming here and raising these kids, putting them in travel baseball and high school baseball. Advertisement 'And now they get a payoff to go to Omaha. We're going to go there, put our best foot forward and try to win our fifth national championship.' It didn't look promising for the longest time Sunday. Arizona got a badly needed quality start from freshman right-hander Smith Bailey, but the Wildcats couldn't solve his counterpart, freshman righty Ryan Lynch. Lynch pounded the zone with a mid-90s fastball and a sharp slider, landing first-pitch strikes against 19 of the 26 batters he faced. After compiling 10 runs Saturday and 26 hits in the first two games of the series, the Wildcats managed just one run on two hits against Lynch entering the eighth inning. Sophomore Andrew Cain — another Tucson-area product, via Ironwood Ridge High — had one of those two hits. He led off the eighth with a single. Advertisement Then came one of two critical North Carolina errors. Tommy Splaine hit a grounder to second base that had all the makings of a 4-6-3 double play. But UNC's Jackson Van De Brake — whose three-run homer off Bailey in the third inning had given the Tar Heels a 3-1 lead — booted the ball. Cain and Splaine were safe. 'The way this game was going, we just needed a crack,' White said. 'Chip said it before it happened. 'They gave us a crack. That's what this team was looking for. It happened, and we took advantage of it.' Lynch's velocity was diminishing by that point, so UNC coach Scott Forbes summoned another freshman right-hander, Walker McDuffie, to face No. 9 hitter Easton Breyfogle. Advertisement Hale called for a sacrifice bunt. Breyfogle dropped the ball down the third base line. UNC's Gavin Gallaher charged it and fired to first base. The ball, Breyfogle and hulking first baseman Hunter Stokely arrived at the bag at the same time. Breyfogle collided with Stokely's left arm. The ball bounded past the first baseman. Cain scored, Splaine advanced to third and Breyfogle — who was safe — lay injured on the ground. Breyfogle had to leave the game after experiencing concussion-like symptoms. TJ Adams pinch-ran for him. Brendan Summerhill walked to load the bases. Aaron Walton then popped out, setting the stage for White. Advertisement UNC brought in senior righty Aidan Haugh. The Tar Heels shifted their infield to the right side. White swatted the third pitch he saw through the vacated shortstop hole, scoring Splaine and Adams. 'I was just trying to put the ball in play — specifically in the air just to get the guy in, tie the game,' White said. 'They'd been shifting me the whole weekend. So I knew: Just stay middle of the field, and it'll find a hole.' Suddenly ahead 4-3, Arizona turned to junior right-hander Casey Hintz for the bottom of the eighth. Hintz had allowed a go-ahead home run Saturday, and he got himself into trouble Sunday by issuing a pair of walks. But Hintz induced an inning-ending groundout to send the game to the ninth. Closer Tony Pluta had thrown a season-high 52 pitches Saturday but was willing to go again with a trip to Omaha on the line. He retired the side 1-2-3, ending the game by striking out No. 9 hitter Carter French with a changeup. Advertisement Pluta set the UA record with his 14th save of the season. Arizona improved to 38-0 when leading after the eighth inning. After the final out was recorded, Pluta looked skyward. He flung his glove to the grass. The celebration was on. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Wildcats head to College World Series, downs North Carolina


USA Today
18 hours ago
- USA Today
LSU-West Virginia baseball weather update: NCAA super regional game delayed
LSU-West Virginia baseball weather update: NCAA super regional game delayed Show Caption Hide Caption LSU baseball's Derek Curiel on LSU's defense during NCAA Tournament LSU baseball freshman leftfielder Derek Curiel details how the team has performed on defense during the NCAA Tournament so far. LSU and West Virginia baseball's super regional matchup on Sunday was delayed due to weather near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The game was originally scheduled for 6 p.m. ET, before it was delayed until 7:06 p.m. ET. The game was then delayed again and is currently set for a 9:06 p.m. ET first pitch. The No. 6 Tigers have a 1-0 lead in the three-game super regional series after defeating West Virginia 16-9 on Saturday. With a win, LSU clinches a berth in the College World Series, which it missed out on in 2024 after winning the national championship in 2023. Anthony Eyanson, who has a 2.5 ERA in 93⅔ innings pitched this season, is starting on the mound for LSU. NCAA BASEBALL: Scores, times, TV channels for Sunday super regional games Here's everything to know about the LSU-West Virginia baseball weather delay on Sunday: LSU-West Virginia baseball weather update Game 2 of LSU-West Virginia baseball in the Baton Rouge Regional has been delayed to 9:06 p.m. ET, the Tigers' social media account posted on Sunday afternoon. The game was originally scheduled for 6 p.m. ET but was pushed back to 7:06 p.m. ET. The game was then delayed again to its currently scheduled first pitch time. Officials told The Lafayette Daily Advertiser that the delay was made to "protect the integrity of the game." Baton Rouge ran into weather issues during the regional round, as play was delayed for over five hours before the first game between LSU and Arkansas-Little Rock started.