McAlester News-Capital, McAlester, OK

Sports

June 4, 2008

DeBriyn to speak at Junior Sunbelt Banquet

By GLEN ELLER

The 12th Annual Junior Sunbelt Classic will kick off officially Thursday evening with a banquet at 6:30 p.m. at the Southeast Expo Center.

Brian DeBriyn, 33-year coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team will be the guest speaker at the event.

DeBriyn was elected to the American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 2002.

He guided the razorbacks to two Southwest Conference titles, one Southeastern Conference title, one SEC Western Division title, 15 NCAA Tournament appearances and four NCAA College World Series appearances.

DeBriyn ranks 14th all-time in career wins among NCAA Division I head coaches with a record of 1,161-650-6 and a career winning percentage of .639.

After the banquet host families will get to meet the young athletes who will be staying at their homes.

“Our family has kept athletes for the past several years, said Debra Wood.

“It’s a good experience. Our family really does enjoy it. You get to thinking of them as if they are part of your family.

“We have also kept in touch with a lot of the players that stayed at our home. Several of them have went on to play college baseball.

McAlester has been very supportive of the Junior Sunbelt.

Once it started being played in the city, it has quickly become an expected summer treat for baseball fans in McAlester.

Teams competing range from as far away as Ontario, Canada. Other teams that play in the tournament are Arizona, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma Gold, Oklahoma Blue, California and Tennessee.

Tickets for the banquet and passes for all the baseball games during the tournament can be purchased at the door.

Contact Glen Eller at geller@mcalesternews.com

Text Only
Sports
Seasonal Content
Poll

A recent study of southern tornadoes has found that storm shelters did not protect them. Where do you take shelter when tornadoes threaten?

A basement or cellar
A storm shelter
A hallway or closet
Bathtub
Other
I don't take shelter
     View Results
AP Video
Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
NDN Video
Woman, 80, Falls Out of Skydive Harness Mid-Jump Dog runs alonside cyclists for 1,100 miles Lady Gaga Cancels Indonesian Show After Threats Obama Honors Fallen Troops at Arlington Cemetery Long Story Short: Beyonce back on stage Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD Raw Video: Man Rescued From River in China Celtics crush Sixers in Game 7 Alleged Lego Thief Faces Felony Charges Has Snooki Named Her Baby? Heat Wave Warms Holiday Weekend Beyonce Entertains the First Family Inspiration for the class of 2012 Colorado College Student Shot While Trespassing Will Smith & Josh Brolin on "Men in Black 3" 80-Year-Old Skydiver's Nightmare Jump JWoww Sizzles in a Black Bikini Sliders on the Grill Cruise ship crunch Backstage With Beyonce
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.