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Appalachian State Not Chosen for 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, But Earned NIT Berth; Opening Round on Wednesday March 20

March 18, 2024 Despite having the credentials to qualify for the 2024 National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Men’s Basketball Tournament, Appalachian State was not one of the 68 teams picked by its selection committee Sunday to play in it. And while the Mountaineers would have been a definite long, long shot to win the tournament and bring the national championship to Boone, they would have been generally considered a dark horse to advance far in the tournament. They possess the over-all talent, combined offensive and defensive power, and needed depth that would have given them a chance to make a good showing in the tournament. By Tim Gardner

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App State Falls on Heart-Breaking Buzzer Beater as the Mountaineers Fell 69-67 in the Sun Belt Tournament Semifinals on Sunday

March 11, 2024 After clawing their way back from a first-half deficit, the App State Mountaineers took the lead courtesy of a Justin Abson slam dunk for the first time since the early stages of the first half. The Mountaineers would reclaim the lead after Arkansas State took the lead back at 62-63, but the Red Wolves scored the last four points in the game, including a buzzer-beating shot as the Mountaineers fell 69-67 in the Sun Belt Tournament semifinals on Sunday. App State (27-6, 16-2 SBC) came back from down by as much as much as 11 in the second half to take the lead, showing their resilience. Arkansas State’s (18-15, 11-7 SBC) defense stepped up in the final seconds, forcing two App State misses which allowed it to score the game-winning shot.

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Barton, Lees-McRae Claim Atlantic Casualty Conference Carolinas Cheer and Dance Championship Crowns for Second Straight Year

March 11, 2024 Lees-McRae claimed the team title in Cheerleading for the second straight year, while Barton claimed its second consecutive Dance team title at the annual Atlantic Casualty Conference Carolinas Spirit Championships.  Lees-McRae was also chosen as the Advanced Co-Ed Division winner in cheerleading, while North Greenville captured the Intermediate All-Girl championship in cheerleading.

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Lees-McRae Basketball Advances to Conference Carolinas Quarterfinals with 79-75 Win over North Greenville; Faces No. 3 Chowan on March 8

March 5, 2024 Lees-McRae men’s basketball moves to the Atlantic Casualty Conference Carolinas Men’s Basketball Championship Quarterfinals after defeating No. 12 North Greenville, 79-75, on Monday evening. Nico Ashley posted the fourth-most blocks in NCAA Division II this season with nine and Ja’Quavian Florence led the Bobcats in the scoring column with 20 points.

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Mountaineers Claim First Outright League Title Since 1978-79 Plus Many More Season Records

March 3, 2024 In a highly anticipated game to close the regular season, App State Men’s Basketball claimed its first outright regular season conference title in 45 years by thrashing the Arkansas State Red Wolves 80-57 in front of 7,047 fans at the Holmes Center on Friday night. It was an incredible scene in Boone as head coach Dustin Kerns and the team cut down nets as outright champions for the first time ever as a member of the Sun Belt Conference.  The win for App State (26-5, 16-2 SBC) set a program record for single-season victories while also securing the best conference record in program history. As of App State’s win over Arkansas State (16-15, 11-7 SBC), only James Madison has more wins in the entire country.

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App State Announces 2024 Football Schedule

March 1, 2024 With six home games for App State Football, including three Kidd Brewer Stadium appearances before October and five Saturday game days at The Rock, the Sun Belt Conference on Friday announced the complete 2024 regular season schedule for the Mountaineers. Friday’s announcement revealed the order and dates for every Sun Belt game to go with previously announced nonconference schedules for each league member. According to ESPN, the Mountaineers return 68 percent of their overall production from a nine-win season that included a Sun Belt East Division title and Cure Bowl victory under the direction of head coach Shawn Clark in 2023.

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Avery County Resident Tommy Burleson’s 1974 National Collegiate Championship Basketball Team Honored by North Carolina State University

February 29, 2024 North Carolina State University’s 1974 National Collegiate Basketball Championship team on which High Country and Avery County native Tommy Burleson starred was honored during a 50th Anniversary reunion ceremony hosted by the school last weekend. The official highlight of that reunion was when the university celebrated that historic team throughout its game versus Atlantic Coast Conference rival Boston College last Saturday, February 24 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, particularly when the 1974 team members still living were introduced to the crowd of 14,642 at halftime. By Tim Gardner

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App State Basketball Throttles ODU to Clinch One Seed in SBC Tournament; Final Home Game is This Friday with Tipoff Slated for 6:30 p.m.

February 29, 2024 In the penultimate contest at the Holmes Convocation Center, the App State Mountaineers led by as much as 28 points while also never trailing to secure a convincing 89-64 win on Wednesday against Old Dominion. The win clinched the one seed in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament and at least a share of the regular season title for the first time since the 1999-00 season. App State’s (25-5, 15-2 SBC) thrashing at the Holmes Center tied the program record for wins in a season at 25 while also tying the program record for conference wins in a season. Securing the one seed at the conference tournament also marks the first time since the 1978-79 season that App State will enter the conference tournament as the one seed. The Mountaineers are one of just six teams in the country with at least 25 wins.

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Mountaineers Pull Away Late in Come-From-Behind Win Beating Marshall 65-58

February 25, 2024 A sluggish first half plagued by poor shooting and tired legs led to a six-point deficit after the first-half horn sounded for the App State Mountaineers. But a strong second-half performance by Myles Tate and the Mountaineers allowed them to pull away late and secure a 65-58 victory in Huntington on Saturday. It’s the Mountaineers’ third win in front of a national TV audience this season. The win on the road over Marshall (12-17, 7-9 SBC) secured App State’s third season of at least 24 wins in program history. The last time a Mountaineer team posted 24 wins in a season was 2009-10. It also secured an 8-4 road record for the season. The Mountaineers wrap up the regular season with two straight home games next week, starting with a rematch against Old Dominion on Wednesday.

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Mountaineers Set to Close Out Road Schedule on National TV Saturday Night at 6 pm; Back Home Wednesday to Start Final Homestand of Season

February 24, 2024 After securing a winning season on the road last Thursday, the App State Mountaineers (23-5, 13-2 SBC) close out their road schedule with their third nationally televised game this season at Marshall (12-16, 7-8 SBC) on Saturday. App State will look to sweep its fifth season series of the year on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2. The Mountaineers’ 82-67 road win at Old Dominion last Thursday marked win No. 7 away from the Holmes Center this season, which is the most road wins in a season since 2021-22. It also secured App State’s fourth winning record on the road this century. With just four losses away from home this season, a win on Saturday would clinch the fewest road losses in a season since the 1997-98 team lost just four road contests. At 23-5 and 13-2 in Sun Belt play, the Mountaineers enter this week’s action in sole possession of first place in the league and have won 22 of their last 25 games. App State is one of just 10 Division I teams with at least 23 wins and one of only 17 teams in the country with five or fewer losses entering the weekend.

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Avery Compiles Runner-Up Finish at 2024 1-A Individual/Over-All State Team Wrestling Championship; Crowns Four Individual Champions 


February 21, 2024 Avery County High added major team and individual accomplishments this season to further solidify its standing as one of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s most consistently dominant wrestling programs on all levels of classification.  And Avery has been its top 1-A dynasty since championships have been held in each of its four classifications for its Individual/Over-All Team State Tournament the past fifteen years (starting in 2010). From 1931 until 1987, one over-all state championship team from all levels of competition was crowned from the Individual/Over-All Team Tournament.  Then, from 1987 until 2010, 4-A, 3-A, and 2-A/1-A championship Individual/Over-All Team State Tournaments were held. By Tim Gardner

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Sugar Mountain Adult Ski League Finishes Their Race Series and Here Are the Winners for 2024

February 14, 2024 Matt Leonard of Ski Country Sports said it has been a fabulous six weeks of Monday night racing this year that was held on the Oma Meadows Racing Course each race, and with perfect weather each night.  On behalf of the family run ski shop, Ski Country Sports, the sponsor of the race series, Leonard said the Sugar Mountain facilities makes it all happen. “From top to bottom and from bottom to top they run a first class operation over there. And that was evident for our race series. We thank the resort and the race crew who took care of the course and the many volunteer timekeepers for taking good care of us.” The annual awards presentation was full of camaraderie as well as cheers for the winners.

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Avery Falls to Uwharrie Charter in 2024 North Carolina High School Dual Team Wrestling State Championship; Will Still Compete for Individual, Over-All State Team Title

February 7, 2024 The North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s (NCHSAA) Dual Team Wrestling Playoffs were held January 26 through February 3 at various sites and concluded on Saturday in the Novant Health Field House at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.Uwharrie Charter claimed its second consecutive Dual Team State Championship with a 36-33 win against Avery County.  The schools have met in the last four dual team finals.  Avery won the first two (2020 and 2022) during that span. No tournament was held in 2021 due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

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Lees-McRae Wins Inaugural Developmental Women’s Basketball Championship

February 6, 2024  The inaugural Conference Carolinas Developmental Women’s Basketball Championship was held on Monday, Feb. 5 in Belmont, North Carolina inside the Wheeler Center on the campus of Belmont Abbey. Lees-McRae went 2-0 on the day to claim the title. The Bobcats began the afternoon with a 54-50 victory over the host Crusaders. Barton then defeated Erskine 96-38 and the Crusaders took third with a consolation game win over Erksine, 53-23.

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Sugar Mountain Adult Ski League Monday Night Race Results Are Here for Week Four of SMARL

January 23, 2024 SMARL held its fourth week of racing Monday night and Matt Leonard of Ski Country Sports pointed out this was the fourth Monday in a row with awesome weather and ski conditions. He added that by saying that he hopes that doesn’t jinx the conditions for the final two weeks. Leonard said the course was quite fast this week, keeping the racing challenging and competitive. Leonard wanted to also point out the outstanding efforts of the race and timing crew that keeps the races on time and running smoothly.

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Strelow: First-Place App State Thrives With Assist From Top-Notch Holmes Crowd

January 29, 2024  Immediately after directing App State past host James Madison in a packed, raucous arena on Jan. 13, coach Dustin Kerns challenged the fans of his program to return the favor when the late-January rematch occurred in the High Country. Kerns could sense that App Nation was ready to answer the challenge well before tipoff Saturday. The game sold out, drawing a crowd of more than 8,000 fans, including a group of students who lined up outside the Holmes Center in rainy conditions roughly five hours before an 82-76 victory that was also seen by a national-television audience on ESPN2.

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App State Basketball Sweeps JMU in Front of a Crowd of 8,052 Fans at the Holmes Center

January 29, 2024  For the second time this season – and ever – at the Holmes Center, the App State Mountaineers took the floor for a nationally televised bout and won. This time, the Mountaineers completed the season sweep of James Madison, winning 82-76. The arena reached as loud as 106 decibels and the crowd played a major factor on Saturday. With the win, App State (17-4, 8-1 SBC) completed an undefeated four-game home stand and are now 10-0 at the Holmes Center. A crowd of 8,052 people showed up to watch the game.

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Sugar Mountain Adult Ski League Monday Night Race Results Are Here for Week Three of SMARL

January 23, 2024 The 2024 Sugar Mountain Adult Racing League’s third Monday of racing was held on what many have said was probably the best day of skiing of the season. With clear skies, no wind and comfortable temperatures, racers had a terrific night on the slopes. Matt Leonard of Ski Country Sports reports that spirits were high with great conditions on the slopes and good times at the bar. Matt said the the race course was more “curvey” this week making the race more challenging and competitive.

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Sugar Mountain Adult Ski League Monday Night Race Results Are Here for Week Two of SMARL

January 16, 2024 The 2024 Sugar Mountain Adult Racing League’s second Monday of racing was held under snowy conditions with almost a foot of fresh powder snow on the Sugar Mountain slopes. Matt Leonard of Ski Country Sports reports that last night found the race course a bit challenging, “With lots of new snow on the course and the grooming that took place, the course was pretty fast. Plus the snow was still coming down with these huge snowflakes.” The turnout was off a bit for the second race with road conditions a bit challenging as well. But Matt said that for those who did make it out for the race, they found some awesome slope conditions with many racers enjoying a night of skiing and snowboarding after the race before heading to the bar for some hot food and drinks.

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App State’s Armanti Edwards Elected to College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024

January 9, 2024 The National Football Foundation announced Monday that Edwards, a record-setting and title-winning quarterback for the Mountaineers from 2006-09, is one of 22 members of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class. The official induction ceremony will be held Dec. 10 during the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Yes, App State’s Armanti Edwards is being enshrined — as a first-ballot Hall of Famer, no less.

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App State Headed to Orlando to Face RedHawks in Cure Bowl

December 4, 2023 BOONE, N.C. — App State is going bowling again, this time with the program’s first postseason visit to Orlando, Fla., for the Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 16.Champions of the Sun Belt Conference’s East Division, the Mountaineers will face MAC champion Miami (Ohio) at 3:30 p.m. in UCF’s FBC Mortgage Stadium. The game, which will be televised by ABC, will be the first football ­­meeting between App State (8-5) and the RedHawks (11-2).”Orlando is a great destination for the App State football team and our passionate Mountaineer fan base,” App State Director of Athletics Doug Gillin said. “Thank you to Alan Gooch and his team for the invitation. We are thrilled to represent Appalachian State University and the Sun Belt Conference in the Cure Bowl.”

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2023 Outdoor Hockey Classic

November 21, 2023 On the night of November 17th, 4,200 fans gathered at Truist Field in Charlotte, NC for the 2023 Outdoor Classic between Appalachian State and UNC Charlotte’s hockey teams. It marked the first time in the 25-year history of App’s hockey program that they played a match outdoors.  By Josh Floyd

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The Boys of Summer

September 19, 2023 Since it was first codified in the middle of the 19th century, the uniquely American game of baseball has largely survived the winds of change. Technology brought instant replay to TV monitors, digitized strike zones, and aluminum bats, but the bases are still roughly 90 feet apart, and the pitcher’s mound is 60 feet from home plate.  By David Rogers

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