Lacy Stokes: A Lady Bear for Life
SPRINGFIELD–As long as she can remember, Lacy Stokes has been a lifelong fan of the Missouri State Lady Bears basketball program. The Mount Vernon product was a star guard for her high school and then, a star at Division II Missouri Southern State University.
But ever since Stokes transferred to Missouri State to fulfil her childhood dream of playing for her favorite team, she's made an impact that will long outlive her two years in maroon and white.
She's been the leader of the Lady Bears pack for only the past 2 seasons, but her love affair with Missouri State dates long before she arrived on campus.
'I think if you've heard my story, I've been a Bear since the very beginning,' said Stokes. 'And so, having the success I've had with this team, playing with the girls that I've been with, playing for coach Cunningham and this whole staff, this whole environment, Springfield, Missouri, you just feel the love everywhere.'
After transferring from Missouri Southern State last year, Stokes quickly endeared herself to the MSU faithful. Racking up nine conference Player of the Week honors, and nearly leading Mo State to the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title.
'I've coached a lot of kids along the way, I've coaches a lot of really good players, some great players, but I don't think I've ever had a kid play as hard on both ends of floor for the entire game as she does,' said Lady Bears Head Coach Beth Cunningham.
Saturday afternoon, when Stokes is honored on Senior Day, more tears will flow, especially from her teammates.
'She's…been the biggest blessing that I've had coming to this school,' said teammate Kaemyn Bekemeier. 'And I didn't commit here knowing she was gonna be here, but I'm really glad the Lord put us together and I'm really grateful.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
3 days ago
- USA Today
Tennessee, Arkansas baseball by the numbers ahead of 2025 Fayetteville Super Regional
Tennessee, Arkansas baseball by the numbers ahead of 2025 Fayetteville Super Regional The NCAA Tournament Fayetteville Super Regional will begin Saturday, hosted by No. 3 national seed Arkansas (46-13). The Razorbacks will face No. 14 national seed Tennessee (46-17) for a best-of-three series at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Tennessee enters super regional play ranked No. 13 in RPI and No. 15 for strength of schedule. The Vols have compiled a 9-6 road record in 2025, including 1-2 in games at Arkansas during a regular-season series finale. Arkansas ranks No. 3 in RPI and No. 19 for strength of schedule following regional play. The Razorbacks are 35-4 at home during the 2025 season. Arkansas lost to Missouri State (10 innings), Texas A&M twice and one contest to the Vols. Arkansas was undefeated (3-0) in the Fayetteville Regional, while Tennessee went 3-1 in the Knoxville Regional, losing one contest to Wake Forest. Below are team statistics for Tennessee and Arkansas ahead of the 2025 NCAA Tournament Fayetteville Super Regional. More: Tony Vitello discusses returning to Arkansas for Fayetteville Super Regional Tennessee, Arkansas baseball by the numbers ahead of 2025 Fayetteville Super Regional Category Tennessee Arkansas Batting average .304 .313 Home runs 128 120 Stolen bases 53 (17 caught stealing) 47 (15 caught stealing) ERA 3.93 3.95 Fielding percentage .969 .984 Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Fox Sports
2025 Belmont Stakes: Post time, TV schedule, horses, post positions, updated odds
Excitement is mounting at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, NY, as the 2025 Belmont Stakes approaches on Saturday, June 7. Serving as the final chapter of the Triple Crown, the race stands as a highlight of the horse racing calendar. The Belmont Stakes is a true test of endurance, where only the most prepared horses and skilled jockeys prevail. Fans from all over will be watching closely, eager to see who will cross the finish line first and etch their name into racing history. Check out what Mike Joyce's best bets are for the 2025 Belmont Stakes! Chris "Bear" Fallica and Geoff Schwartz preview the Belmont Stakes with horse racing insider Mike Joyce. Here's all you should know, including horses, morning line odds, schedules and post times after the draw: Belmont Stakes Schedule & How to watch TV: FOX, FOX Sports app, Location: Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, NY Date: Saturday, June 7, 2025 Post time: 7:04 p.m. ET Belmont Stakes Horses Eight horses will run in the Belmont Stakes. The draw took place on Monday, June 2. Here are the post positions, current odds and morning line odds as of June 6: Hill Road: 14-1 odds (10-1 ML) Sovereignty: 7-2 odds (2-1 ML) Rodriguez: 7-1 odds (6-1 ML) Uncaged: 23-1 odds (30-1 ML) Crudo: 13-1 odds (15-1 ML) Baeza: 3-1 odds (4-1 ML) Journalism: 6-5 odds (8-5 ML) Heart of Honor: 17-1 odds (30-1 ML) Related: Chris 'The Bear' Fallica's expert picks, best bets Typically, held annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY, this year's "Test of the Champion" will again be held at Saratoga Race Course due to construction at Belmont Park. The Belmont Stakes is run over a distance of 1.25 miles this year and is known to be the most difficult leg of the Triple Crown. What time is the Belmont Stakes? Post time is set for 7:04 p.m. ET and the race will be broadcast on FOX and the FOX Sports app. How much is the Belmont Stakes purse? This year, the purse for the Belmont Stakes is $2 million. recommended Get more from Horse Racing Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Liberty heartwarmingly honor Natasha Cloud's 1st Player of the Week nod
The post Liberty heartwarmingly honor Natasha Cloud's 1st Player of the Week nod appeared first on ClutchPoints. When Natasha Cloud was traded to the New York Liberty from the Connecticut Sun, fans were upset. The defending WNBA champions, led by an All-WNBA duo of Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu added another premier player to their lineup. Head coach Sandy Brondello has made the most of it, guiding New York to a 4-0 start to the season. Advertisement Cloud was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for her great start to the year. Throughout the opening week of the season, Cloud averaged 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game. Her all-around play has fit well next to Ionescu in Brondello's backcourt. The Liberty took the time to honor Cloud's efforts with a special video shared with her teammates in New York's locker room. Brondello congratulated the veteran guard on her recognition, shocked that this is the first time the 33-year-old has ever won the award. Cloud's award and the team's undefeated start is the first step on their journey for back-to-back championships. A'ja Wilson led the Las Vegas Aces to consecutive championships in 2022 and 2023, but the Liberty prevented the three-peat last year. Now, Stewart and Co. hope to bring another trophy back to New York. Advertisement One of the bigger questions the Liberty needed to address this offseason centered around their backcourt. Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot were great offensively, but struggled on the other end of the floor. They solved the problem by trading Vandersloot to the Chicago Sky and bringing in Cloud from the Sun. Since her arrival, Cloud's playmaking and ball-handling has made life easier for Ionescu and Stewart. The former Sun guard has thrived with her new team, both on the court and in practice. They have embraced their newest addition and everything she brings to the team. If the Liberty do secure back-to-back titles, Cloud's effort could be a big reason why. For now, the team is content celebrating their point guard's Player of the Week award to kick off the 2025 season.
