Lyon will field its first women’s soccer team next fall. The men’s soccer team recently completed its inaugural season.

Nichols, who began his duties Monday, formerly was a graduate assistant soccer coach at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. He is scheduled to receive a master’s degree in sports management in May.

“We think Derek is the right person to start our women’s soccer program,” Garner said. “He is a bright young coach with a high energy level and he knows what it will take to get the program up and going. It’s a pleasure to have him on the staff.”

Nichols said, “As a player, I have been part of two programs that were just starting and know what the players will experience. I understand the time and commitment needed for starting a new program and look forward to that challenge.”

As a graduate assistant at UCA since January 2000, Nichols assisted the head coach with all duties of the program, including recruiting, planning, training and game strategy.

Nichols is also a staff coach for the Arkansas State Soccer Association and a head coach/trainer for various youth teams in the Conway Soccer Club. He has also served as an assistant coach for men’s and women’s soccer at Hendrix College in Conway.

Nichols was a member of the first soccer team in UCA’s history (1996-97) and was team captain. He started every game during his two years as a player and led the team to the conference tournament in the second year of its existence.

He transferred to UCA from Allen County (Kansas) Community College, where he was a two-year starter on the soccer team. He led the team in assists and was team captain his sophomore year.

He played high school soccer at Winfield, Kansas, where he made the All Ark-Valley first team his junior and senior year.

He holds an Associate of Arts degree from Allen County Community College and a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from UCA.

Attending will be teaching and learning mentors and other faculty members from a consortium of Arkansas independent colleges and universities. In addition to Lyon, the colleges include Williams Baptist College, Central Baptist College, Ouachita Baptist University, Philander Smith College, Hendrix College, John Brown University and the University of the Ozarks.

The session will be conducted by Ed Mansouri, president of Ucompass, a Tallahassee, Florida, company, that developed the Educator course management system (CMS).

All to pieces And the walls came a ‘tumblin’ down! The venerable Smith Science Center was reduced to broken, contorted rubble by the skillfully controlled arms of powerful mechanical equipment early this week. Classes that were formerly held in the Smith building will now be held in the Bellingrath Wing of the new Lawrence H. and Marilyn Church Derby Center for Science and Mathematics when the spring semester begins Monday, January 13.

Friday, January 17 - The film, “The Smell of Burning Ants,” will be shown at 6:30 p.m. in the Morrow Lounge.

Sunday, January 19 - A service at Bethel AME Church, 9th and Oak will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Monday, January 20 - The Black Students Association reception will begin at 7 p.m. in the Bevens Music Room.

Tuesday, January 21 - A memorial convocation will be held at 11 a.m. in Brown Chapel.

Wednesday, January 22 - A panel discussion on the role of women accompanied by the film: “Home is Struggle,” will beginning at 7 p.m. in Nucor.

Thursday, January 23 - A lecture by Dr Sylvia Fernandez titled, “The Metanoia of the Self and the Quality of the Work Environment of Professional Women,” will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Nucor. Dr. Fernandez is an associate professor in the counseling department at Barry University in Florida and a former Lyon faculty member.

Saturday, January 25 - International Night: “Bringing the World to the Community” will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Edwards Dining Hall.

Tuesday, January 28 - The film by Arthur Dong, “Family Fundamentals,” will be shown at 6:30 p.m. in the Morrow Lounge.

Sports

Basketball

Scots

The Scots lost two games in the Columbia (Missouri) College Classic last weekend.

Columbia defeated Lyon 70-62 in overtime Friday and Central Methodist beat Lyon 75-60 on Saturday.

Brandon Byrd led the Scots with 20 points and three steals in the first game. Jon-David Parker had 11 points. Norris Weintz had 10 rebounds

In the game against Central Methodist, Lyon led 35-32 at halftime but fell behind in the second half. The Scots’ shooting percentage dropped from 54 percent in the first half to 41 in the second half.

Byrd led Lyon with 17 points and Weintz added 15.

Byrd made the all-classic team.

The Scots, 5-9, were to play Central Baptist at home Thursday night. They will host Lee University in a conference game January 16.

Pipers

The Pipers also dropped two games at the Columbia College Classic last weekend. The fell to host Columbia 89-57 on Friday, then lost to William Woods 78-76 on Saturday.

Mika Seay and Sarah Adcock scored 13 points each to lead the Pipers in the first game.

In the second game, Adcock scored 28 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had six assists. Jennifer Steele had 10 points and four steals.

The Pipers, 6-9, were to play Union University in a conference opener Thursday night in Jackson, Tennessee. They will play Trevecca Nazarene, at 2 p.m. Saturday in Becknell Gymnasium.

Lyon College Campus Calendar

Friday, January 10

 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Larry Shaw Racing Seminar             Lyon, Nucor Auditorium

10 a.m. Institutional Advancement Staff Meeting             Lyon, Citizens Bank Room

2 p.m. Rueter’s Staff Meeting             Union Conference Room

Saturday, January 11

7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. PRAXIS Testing             Lyon, 2nd floor

8 a.m.-5 p.m. Larry Shaw Racing Seminar             Lyon, Nucor Auditorium

2 p.m. Basketball: Pipers vs. Trevecca Nazarene University             Becknell Gym

Sunday, January 12

5 p.m. Alpha Xi Delta Meeting             Lyon, Rooms 200 & 202

6 p.m. Kappa Sigma Meeting             Alphin, Arkansas Room

7 p.m. Tau Kappa Epsilon Meeting             Alphin, Patterson Room

8 p.m. Phi Mu Meeting             Lyon, Nucor Auditorium

Zeta Beta Tau Meeting             Lyon, Citizens Bank Room

Monday,  January 131

2 noon Alpha Chi Meeting             EDH 002

Spanish Table             EDH 003

4-8:15 p.m. APPLE             Lyon, Alphin

7:30 p.m. Highlander Staff Meeting             Alphin, Louisiana Room

Tuesday, January 14

10 a.m. International Community Night Committee Meeting             Lyon, Seminar West

12 noon Wesley Fellowship             EDH 002

Episcopal Campus Ministry             EDH 003

Convocations Committee             Union Conference Room

5 p.m. SAC Meeting             Union Conference Room

5:30 p.m. Senior Sequence Workshop – Career Development             EDH 002

6 p.m. Scot Yearbook Staff Meeting             Alphin, Louisiana Room

Wednesday, January 15

11:30 a.m. Sigma Tau Delta Meeting             EDH 002

12 noon Tau Kappa Epsilon Meeting             Union Conference Room

SP&BC Meeting             Lyon, Worthen Bank Room

4-8:15 p.m. APPLE             Lyon, Alphin

9 p.m. BCM Meeting             Morrow Building

Thursday, January 16

11 a.m. Chapel Services             Small Chapel

12 noon French Table             EDH 001 Area

Campus Ministry Board             EDH 002

Black Students’ Association             EDH 003

5/7 p.m. Pipers/Scots vs. Lee University             Becknell Gymnasium

6 p.m. Residence Life Staff Meeting             Citizens Bank Room

Friday, January 17

12 noon Hispanic Club         EDH 001 Area

Catholic Campus Ministry Meeting             EDH 002

6:30 p.m. Film: The Smell of Burning Ants             Morrow Lounge

8 p.m. Starlight Club - SAC             Lower Union