ADA, Okla. – The 2021 East Central University Athletics Department will be in full swing this week, with 10 games on the schedule by five different teams. The week opens with the softball team playing its first two games of the season at Newman, Tuesday, Feb. 2.
The volleyball team continues its 10-match schedule, Wednesday, Feb. 3 at Southwestern Oklahoma State. The men's and women's basketball teams will hit the road Thursday, Feb. 4 at Southern Nazarene and will return home to face Southwestern Oklahoma State, Saturday, Feb. 6.
The baseball team will also open its 2021 season when they travel to Southeastern Oklahoma State for a three-game series Friday, Feb. 5-Sunday, Feb. 7.
Tiger's Week at a Glance
Tuesday, Feb. 2
Softball at Newman (DH) – 2/4 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 3
Volleyball at Southwestern Oklahoma State – 7 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 4
Women's Basketball at Southern Nazarene – 5:30 p.m.
Men's Basketball at Southern Nazarene – 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 5
Baseball at Southeastern Oklahoma State – 2 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 6
Baseball at Southeastern Oklahoma State – 2 p.m.
Women's Basketball vs. Southwestern Oklahoma State – 2 p.m.
Men's Basketball vs. Southwestern Oklahoma State – 4 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 7
Baseball at Southeastern Oklahoma State – 2 p.m.
While the teams will be back on the court, the GAC Council of Presidents approved return to play protocols. The ECU Athletics Department has announced that ECU student-athletes and non-student coaching staff may invite two immediate family members to home contests. ECU remains committed to enforcing a mandatory mask and social distancing mitigation effort on the entire campus. All seating will be arranged to adhere to current, local and, state guidelines for combating COVID-19. No tickets will be available to visiting teams.
Fans can still have chance to be part of the games, with your own Tiger Fan Cutout. The cutouts will be placed in the stands, so you can still support the ECU student-athletes. Fan can purchase a 16"x24" cutout starting at $25. Tiered pricing is available for the purchase of 2-5 cutouts as well ($50 for 2, $65 for 3, $75 for 4, $85 for 5). Cutouts will be featured on the ECU Athletics game stream before the game, half time and between double-headers.
Orders need to be placed online and then the photo needs to be sent to
Teri LaJeunesse, Assistant Athletic Director of Athletic Communications at
tlajeune@ecok.edu. For more information check out the official release on the fan cutouts.
ECU Athletics Tiger Fan Cutouts
Softball Quick Hits
- The 2020 softball season was cut short after just 19 games were played due to the COVID 19 Pandemic
- The Tigers went 4-15, 1-11 GAC
- Played three Great American Conference series
- Two of the teams were in the top-5 in the GAC standings
- ECU returns 14 players, including four pitchers from a season ago
- The Tigers lost seven players, including one pitcher
- The Tigers have three players that were hitting over .300 returning
- RJr. Tatiana Bryant: .415 batting avg., 53 AB, 9 R, 22 H, 3 HR, 11 RBIs, 92 PO, 8 A, .962 fielding pct.
- RFr. Kaleigh Ham: .371 batting avg., 62 AB, 14 R, 23 H, 6 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 14 RBIs, 19 PO, 26 A, .918 fielding pct.
- RFr. Megan Lesko: .309 batting avg., 55 AB, 14 R, 17 H, 5 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBIs, 4-of-4 SBA, 57 PO, 19 A, .962 fielding pct.
- ECU top returning pitcher is RSo. Paige Leschber
- 3-5, 11 appearances, 9 games started, 1 shutout, 34 SO, .289 opponent batting avg.
- The Tigers will open the season against Newman
- Played the Jets for the third-straight season
- ECU leads the series 3-1 (all at home)
- First meeting in Wichita, Kan.
- The Tigers went 2-0 in 2020
Volleyball Quick Hits
- ECU opened the 2021 season at Northwestern Oklahoma State
- SWOSU leads the all-time series with the Tigers, 6-13 (all conference contests)
- ECU is 2-8 when playing in Weatherford, Okla.
- Last Meeting: Nov. 14, 2019 – L, 1-3 (11, 25, 29-27, 19-25, 13-25) (H)
- Dungen is currently ranked in the top 10 in three ECU Career lists
- No. 3 Assists (1,887)
- No. 4 Kill Pct. (.242)
- No. 6 Service Aces (77)
- No. 7 Double-Doubles (15)
- Sr. Kasey Beeler is ranked No. 7 in Digs (788)
- Sr. Kellie Smith is ranked No. 10 in Solo Blocks (22)
Women's Basketball Quick Shots - Game Notes
• All GAC Basketball Games are closed to the general public for COVID 19 precautions
• ECU student-athletes and coaches will get two tickets for close family members at home games
• Live stats and video are available for all games on www.ecutigers.com on the women's basketball schedule page
• The Tigers are on an eight-game winning streak
• Best winning streak since Dec. 9, 2018-Jan. 17, 2019 (9 Games)
• ECU's longest winning streak is 13 games during the 1988-89 season
• The Tigers win at Southwestern (No. 13) was the first win over a ranked team since Dec. 30, 2018
• W, 75-56 vs. No. 22 Central Oklahoma
• Jr.
Hannah Ladd was named the GAC Player of the Week for Jan. 25
• Averaged 19.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, .682 (15-of-22) FG, .667 (8-of-12) 3PT FG, 5 assists, 1 block
• Ladd recorded her first career double-double vs. Southern Nazarene (1/21/21)
• 22 pts., 13 reb., 2 assists, 1 block, .642 (9-of-14) FG, .500 (3-of-6) 3PT FG
• ECU has three players averaging in double-digits
• Sr.
Kendall Schulte: 14.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 14 assists, 7 steals, .584 (52-of-89) FG,
.500 (13-of-26) 3PT FG
• Fr.
Mackenzie Crusoe: 11.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 16 assists, 23 steals, 3 blocks, .359 (33-of-92),
.818 (27-of-33) FT
• Sr.
Madison Rehl: 11.6ppg, 3.4 rpg, 16 assists, 12 steals, .444 (28-of-63) FG,
.455 (10-of-22) 3PT FG, .760 (38-of-50) FT
• Nine of the 11 players who have seen action have scored, 11 have recorded a rebound and
nine tallied an assist
• Average between 14.3 to 1.1 ppg
• Average between 5.4 to 0.5 rpg
• Garnered between 19 to 2 assists
• Schulte is currently ranked No. 8 on the ECU Career 3PT Field Goals Made list (118)
• Rehl is currently ranked in the top-10 on three ECU Career lists
• No. 5 Games Started (91)
• No. 7 Free Throws Made (331)
• No. 8 Free Throws Attempted (420)
Men's Basketball Quick Shots - Game Notes
• All GAC Basketball Games are closed to the general public for COVID 19 precautions
• ECU student-athletes and coaches will get two tickets for close family members at home games
• Live stats and video are available for all games on www.ecutigers.com on the men's basketball schedule page
• ECU is under the leadership of first-year head coach
Chris Crutchfield
• Recorded his first career victory at Southern Nazarene (1/9/21) - W, 72-64
• Sr.
Josh Apple recorded his fourth career (second of the season) double-double vs. Southeastern
• 17 pts., 10 reb., 2 blocks, .778 (7-of-9) FG, 1.000 (3-of-3) FT
• The Tigers have four players averaging in double-digits in the scoring column
• Jr.
Jalen Crutchfield: 16.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 10 assists, 3 block, 9 steals, .455 (46-of-101) FG,
.407 (24-of-59) 3PT FG
• Jr.
Tylor Arnold: 15.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 14 assists, 10 steals, .480 (48-of-100) FG,
.367 (11-of-30) 3PT FG
• Apple: 12.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 10 assists, 9 blocks, 5 steals, .621 (41-of-66) FG
• Jr.
Jakeem Acres: 11.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 9 assists, 4 blocks, 1 steal, .456 (36-of-79) FG
• All 12 players who have seen action have scored and have an assist, 11 have recorded a rebound
• Average between 16.7 to 1.0 ppg
• Average between 7.1 to 0.7 rpg
• Garnered between 23 to 1 assists
• All but two players have recorded a steal
• Arnold is currently ranked No. 7 on the ECU Career Minutes Played list (1,951)
• Jr.
Gerren Jackson is currently ranked No. 8 on the ECU Career Minutes Played list (1,936)
Baseball Quick Hits
- The Tigers will open the 2021 season with a three-game road series at Southeastern Oklahoma State
- Play a single game Feb. 5-7 at 2 p.m.
- ECU played 23 games before the season was cancelled due to the COVID 19 Pandemic
- 8-15 overall, 5-7 in the GAC
- Went 9-41 overall and 9-23 in the GAC in 2019
- The Tigers return 30 players, including 11 pitchers, from a year ago
- Lost 15 players and added 11
- ECU return two players hitting over .300 in 2020
- RSr. Hayden George: .373 batting avg., 83 AB, 17 R, 31 H, 7 2B, 11 RBIs, 8-of-10 SBA, 36 PO, 40 A, .916 fielding pct.
- RFr. Mason Glowacki: .313 batting avg., 64 AB, 13 R, 20 H, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 10 RBIs, 4-of-4 SBA, 16 PO, 25 A, .854 fielding pct.
- RSr. Ryan Collins and RFr. Justin Chitty are the top returning pitchers for the Tigers
- Collins: 1-0, 5 games started, 4.67 ERA, 2 CG, 27 IP, .318 opponent batting avg.
- Chitty, 1-0, 6 appearances, 3 games started, 21 IP.341 opponent batting avg.
- ECU and Southeastern have battled 84 pervious times
- The Savage Storm lead 61-23 overall, 60-23 when playing as conference opponents
- ECU is 8-29 when playing on the road
- The teams met just once in 2020
- Feb. 18, 2020 – L, 6-19 (A)
