Current/Former Razorbacks inducted into Hall of Fame

FAYETTEVILLE – Current University of Arkansas assistant women’s basketball coach Tari Cummings and former Razorback Craig Gentry are among the 2013 inductees into the University of Arkansas Fort Smith Athletics Hall of Fame.

Cummings played her college ball at UA-Fort Smith (then Westark College), where she earned All-American honors in 1999 and helped the Lions place seventh in the NJCAA National Tournament in 1997-98. She finished with 1,262 career points, ranking third in the program’s history. She went on to play two seasons at Oklahoma State University, where she was an All-Big 12 performer in 2001-02, averaging 13.1 points per contest and leading the Cowgirls with 6.9 rebounds per game.

Cummings had coaching stops at UAFS where she helped the Lions to three NJCAA National Tournament appearances, including a pair of final fours and a consolation championship. She coached and mentored three NJCAA All-Americans during her tenure at UA-Fort Smith while being responsible for the development of the team’s post players and serving as the recruiting coordinator.  She moved on to the University of Cincinnati and the University of Houston before joining the Razorbacks in 2011.

Cummings assists Arkansas as the team’s recruiting coordinator, works with the Razorback posts and is the team’s liaison with the academic center.  Cummings on-the-court role continues to expand as she oversees in bounds plays and situational offense.

The 2012-13 season has Cummings tasked with handling All-SEC senior Sarah Watkins as well as developing post players Quistelle Williams, Jhasmine Bowen, Joey Bailey and Ana Carlota Faussiuer.

Gentry played at UAFS for two seasons helping the Lions to a 62-36 record and back-to-back NJCAA Region II Tournament appearances.  Gentry signed with Arkansas after his sophomore season and later that summer was drafted by the San Francisco Giants. He didn’t sign with the Giants and went on to play two seasons for the Razorbacks.

At Arkansas, he batted better than .300 with 27 doubles, four triples and four home runs and stole 34 bases. He helped lead the Razorbacks to a combined 78-43 overall record and consecutive NCAA Regional appearances.

After his senior season, he was selected in the 10th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Texas Rangers. After toiling in the Rangers farm system for 2 ½ years, he made his professional debut with the Rangers on Sept. 6, 2009.

Gentry has since become a regular on the Rangers’ roster and has played in the 2010 and 2011 World Series. He’s appeared in 216 games for the Rangers and batted a career-high .304 this past season.

The 2013 Class will be officially inducted on Friday, Feb. 1, with a banquet beginning at 5:30 p.m.