The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

Student news without fear or favor
The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

Student news without fear or favor
Freshman Nick Hornsby helps set up the Hornets offense. He finished with 15 points. 

Hornsby’s maturity helps push men’s basketball past North Dakota

State Hornet Staff February 21, 2014

The University of North Dakota found out why Sacramento State head coach Brian Katz believes Nick Hornsby is the maturest freshman in the country.Hornsby scored a career-high 15 points, helping the Hornets...

The WAC is whack

State Hornet Staff February 12, 2014

“Shuffle up and deal” are words normally heard throughout casinos, but unfortunately for the Sacramento State baseball team playing in the Western Athletic Conference, the Hornets have been dealt seemingly a new conference schedule the past three seasons.

The WAC, has undergone a remodeling of sorts in recent seasons, leaving affiliate member Sac State wondering about the stability of the conference. Division. I conferences should not be changing, it’s an epidemic that is happening across the NCAA landscape.

There are six new schools that have been added to the conference in 2014 including Grand Canyon University, Utah Valley, Northern Colorado, Chicago State, University of Texas-Pan American and the University of North Dakota. The remaining four are Sac State, New Mexico State, Seattle University and CSU Bakersfield.

Utah Valley, Chicago State, North Dakota and UTPA came over from the now defunct Great West Conference.

It is difficult to adjust to playing teams you are not used to because of the high turnover, studying new tape and having to recruit differently because the conference has expanded in distance, is now a challenge for the Hornets. The WAC is no longer just a conference that lies in the western part of the country.

This season, Sac State has been selected in the WAC coaches poll to finish third. The two teams picked ahead of the Hornets are New Mexico State and CSU Bakersfield, both remaining from 2013. This shows teams coming into the conference are at a disadvantage and could be a mystery to some coaches. The selection for fourth place was Utah Valley, which had an 18 point drop off from Sac State’s 68.

10 head coaches in the WAC picked the order they thought each team would finish. If the team was picked to get first place, then that team would get nine points and the point total decreased by one as the teams are lower in the standings. The coaches could not vote for their own teams.

The WAC has become a turnstile for teams in the west looking to move on to bigger conferences. Schools from last season that have departed the WAC are now in stabler conferences.

San Jose State moved to the Mountain West Conference for baseball as well as other sports. Texas State, UT Arlington and UT San Antonio went to the Sun Belt Conference. Dallas Baptist is now a member of the Missouri Valley Conference and Louisiana Tech is a part of the Conference-USA.

For Sac State’s affiliate sports, it should try and find conferences where there is stability. The competition will likely be better because of the familiarity between teams.

The WAC needs to go all in and try and keep its members, even the affiliate like Sac State. If they do not, the WAC may fold.

Curtis Manlapig can be reached on Twitter @CTMstatehornet

Record breaking performance pulls women’s basketball out of slump

Satchi Hover January 23, 2014

Sacramento State women’s basketball needed to break out of its recent offensive slump and three game losing streak.The Hornets (12 4, 4 3) were able to do just that with a record-breaking 110 104...

Late comeback not enough in North Dakota, men’s basketball 2-8 away

State Hornet Staff January 23, 2014

Sacramento State’s precise shooting in the second half was not enough to leave North Dakota with a win.Although the Hornets shot 56 percent in the second half, the University of North Dakota exceeded...

Hornets fall in straight sets to North Dakota

Satchi Hover November 10, 2013

Sacramento State’s volleyball team fell in straight sets (23-25, 17-25, 19-25) Saturday on road against the University of North Dakota.With the loss, the Hornets fall back to .500 at 13-3 (8-7) and find...

Sac State improves to 3-1 in Big Sky with win over North Dakota

Curtis Manlapig October 19, 2013

The offense and defense of the Sacramento State football team were dominant Saturday as the Hornets took down the University of North Dakota.Sac State won the game 31-7 behind great play from senior linebacker...

Sac State defense looks to improve Saturday at North Dakota

Curtis Manlapig October 17, 2013

The Sacramento State defense will look to rebound from a poor showing in the loss to Northern Arizona last week when it takes on North Dakota Saturday in Grand Forks, North Dakota.The Hornet defense surrendered...

Women’s soccer opens up conference play with victory

Clifton Jones September 27, 2013

Sacramento State women’s soccer started Big Sky Conference play strong as it beat the University of North Dakota at Hornet Field Friday.Sac State continued their winning ways taking the game 1-0. Hornet...

Big Sky Conference cancels softball’s series in North Dakota due to bad weather

Clifton Jones April 17, 2013

Sacramento State softball will not travel to North Dakota for its three-game series this weekend because last week’s snow storm left conditions on the field. Although there are three more conference...

Men’s basketball loses to UND by 1 point in Grand Forks

Gabe Pacheco February 15, 2013

Down by five points with two minutes remaining in regulation, Sacramento State came up short by one point despite holding North Dakota scoreless during its late run. The Hornets had their opportunities...

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