MonticelloLive

UAM Rodeo Team Members with awards are (from left,  kneeling) Katie Bandy, Stephanie Zakrzewski, Lana Chastain, Coach Jolyn Wells, (standing) Bart Brunson,  Megan Fisher, Wes Brunson, and Casey Greer. 

The women’s rodeo team at the University of Arkansas at Monticello has captured the 2007-08 overall team points championship of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Ozarks Region.
            The UAM women won in dominating fashion, piling up 4,387.5 points to finish more than 2,500 points ahead of their closest competitors from the University of Tennessee-Martin. Missouri Valley College finished third, followed by West Alabama, Troy, Southern Arkansas, Murray State, Arkansas State, Abraham Baldwin, and Northwest Mississippi Community College.
            Individually, UAM swept the top three spots in the all-around competition. Lana Chastain, a sophomore from Drasco, won the title of top all-around female competitor. Megan Fisher, a senior from DeWitt, placed second with Stephanie Zakrzewski, a sophomore from Vilonia, in third.
            UAM Rodeo Coach Jolynn Wells was named the Ozark Region Coach of the Year.
            In individual events, Chastain placed first, Fisher second, and Zakrzewski eighth in goat tying. Katie Bandy, a senior from Summerville, Ga., tied for second in breakaway roping followed by Zakrzewski in fourth, Chastain fifth and Fisher in eighth.
            In the men’s competition, UAM placed fourth in the overall team standings behind Missouri Valley, Tennessee-Martin, and Troy. Southern Arkansas finished one spot behind UAM in fifth, followed by Murray State, North Arkansas Community College, West Alabama, Northwest Mississippi, Missouri State, Arkansas State, and Abraham Baldwin.
            Wes Brunson, a junior from Terry, Miss., nearly duplicated Chastain’s dominance, placing second in the men’s all-around competition. Bart Brunson, also a junior from Terry, Miss, placed fourth.
            In individual events, Cody Harrington, a freshman from Sheridan, placed seventh in bull riding. Bart Brunson finished second in tie-down roping while Wes Brunson placed fourth. In steer wrestling, Wes Brunson took second with Bud Bogan, a senior from Keithville, La., in fifth. Bart and Wes Brunson placed third and fourth respectively in team roping.
            UAM will compete in the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming June 15-21.