Arkansas

Top 25 Arkansas high school girls basketball rankings (1/20/2025)

Published

1 year ago

January 20, 2025

Top 25 Arkansas high school girls basketball rankings (1/20/2025)

It was expected to come soon, but this week featured the most movement thus far — especially past the Top 10, which saw some teams move down due to no fault of their own, but to multiple lower-ranked squads notching wins over higher-ranked ones.

While top-ranked Conway took care of Link (Mo.) Academy in a nonconference matchup and has shown to be the current stand-alone favorite in the 6A-Central, the 6A-West appears to be wide open, as previously third-ranked Springdale Har-Ber took a loss to a very good, and rising, Fayetteville team.

Class 5A features a host of headliner matchups this week, and the most notable move in Class 4A was unbeaten Pulaski Academy elevating to the Top 10. A very impressive Class 1A squad earned its way in the Top 25, checking in at the final spot.

See the full Top 25 below.

January 20, 2025

Last week: 1

After handling Cabot in a 6A-Central contest Tuesday, the Wampus Cats took a two-point lead to halftime during Friday’s nonconference matchup against Link (Mo.) Academy, and then Emerie Bohanon happened. The Central Arkansas signee finished with 30 points and hit seven three-pointers to help secure Conway’s 14th consecutive win.

Last week: 2

The Cardinals once again imposed their will, this time over Harrison and Greenwood, headlined by big weeks from Easton McCollough and Kaycee McCumber, along with Marin Adams, who filled the stat sheet against Greenwood. This week starts with a trip to No. 3 Mountain Home for a matchup between Class 5A’s highest-ranked squads.

Last week: 4

The Bombers keep rolling and are winners of 14 consecutive contests after handling Siloam Springs and then getting past Van Buren on Friday. Many eyes will be focused on Tuesday’s matchup when No. 2 Farmington comes to town before Mountain Home closes the week at Alma.

Last week: 5

A three-game week was no problem for the Red Dogs, as the closest margin of victory in those contests was a 16-point win over Rogers on Monday. They will have all week to prepare for Friday’s trip to nearby rival No. Fayetteville, a squad that is beginning to open eyes.

Last week: 6

The Bears have been rolling since dropping their 6A-West opener to Springdale as they went unblemished through last week’s three-game slate that included Top 25 wins over Fayetteville and Bentonville.

Last week: 8

Friday’s eight-point triumph over a solid Nettleton squad notched the Eagles their 10th consecutive win. It is a huge week for GCT with consecutive Top 25 matchups against No. 15 West Memphis and No. 19 Valley View, but the good news is both will be on the Eagles’ home court.

Last week: 9

Convincing victories over Bryant and Cabot put the Tigers at 3-0 to start conference play. They are off this week until Friday and could certainly use the extra preparation with No. 1 Conway coming to town.

Last week: 3

A red-hot shooting night for Fayetteville was too much for the Wildcats to overcome in a Monday makeup game, but Har-Ber responded with consecutive wins over Bentonville and Fort Smith Southside to close the week strong. Only Rogers Heritage is scheduled for this week before two crucial matchups against No. 5 Fort Smith Northside and No. 4 Springdale to finish January.

Last week: 10

It was a pretty painless week for the Charging Wildcats as the defense did not yield an inch in 6A-Central victories over Little Rock Southwest and Jonesboro, allowing 38 combined points. NLR has won six of its past eight, with both losses to Top 10 opposition, and heads to Buzz Bolding Arena Tuesday for a showdown with top-ranked Conway.

Last week: 11

The Bruins got past a sneaky Stuttgart squad and then left no doubt in dominant wins over Joe T. Robinson and Morrilton to close the week, holding the Senators and Devil Dogs to 18 points each.

Last week: 14

It was a matter of when, not if, the Eagles would get on another roll after enduring a December rollercoaster. Top 25 5A-Central wins over Beebe and Little Rock Christian, plus a convincing triumph over Parkview to cap the week, keep their 2025 unblemished streak intact.

Last week: 7

The Warriors suffered their first defeat of 2025 at the hands of a heralded Vilonia squad that continues to jell with each game, but they rebounded with a win over Mount St. Mary. They start this week against Maumelle at home before finishing with a trip to No. 22 Beebe.

Last week: 12

Tuesday’s anticipated 4A-7 showdown with unbeaten De Queen lived up to the expectations, and the Scrapperettes ran away with the victory late behind Caroline Dean’s 30-point performance. They showed no signs of fatigue in Friday’s contest as they held Magnolia to 11 points.

Last week: 13

The Patriots are 3-0 in 5A-East play and sit in a tie for first place after a close win over Nettleton and then getting past Searcy on the road. They cannot afford letdowns this week against Paragould and Batesville with a crucial final week of January following that slate.

Last week: 15

A tough loss to rival Marion was quickly forgotten as the Blue Devils came out on top in close matchups, first against Batesville before taking a defensive battle against Valley View in a Top 20 matchup. There is no time to rest with No. 6 Greene County Tech and Nettleton on the schedule this week.

Last week: 16

A busy week is ahead for the unblemished Pirates. They tip it off against Glen Rose and end it at Jessieville, but all eyes will be on Wednesday’s makeup game at Baptist Prep, which sits at the top of the 3A-5 conference at 8-0 alongside Dover.

Last week: 23

They might not have a large body of work, but the Purple Dogs do have a quality resume and notched their first signature win of the season last Monday against Springdale Har-Ber. They split the other two games, falling to Fort Smith Northside and running away from Rogers to finish the week.

Last week: 18

It is worth noting both were to Top 10 competition, but regardless, the Tigers are on a two-game skid, and they look to get back on track with consecutive trips this week to face Rogers and Bentonville West.

Last week: 19

There is still a lot to play for, but the Blazers are hunting their first signature win since the season opener against Mountain Home after falling in a tough one to West Memphis on Friday. They’ll get another prime opportunity Friday against No 8 Greene County Tech but for now must focus on Tuesday, when Searcy comes to town.

Last week: 20

They fell in a very competitive battle at Nashville, but the Leopards notched huge victories over Camden Fairview and Arkadelphia while proving to the state during the three-game slate they are one of Class 4A’s top contenders.

Last week: 21

As if the Bulldogs have not impressed enough already, they locked down on defense and scored points in bunches in victories over South Side Bee Branch and White County Central. This week features crucial conference matchups against Bigelow and two-time defending Class 2A champion Mount Vernon-Enola.

Last week: 22

The Badgers were not able to get it done on the road against Vilonia, but they responded nicely with consecutive victories over Jacksonville and Sylvan Hills to keep within a half-game of first place in the 5A-Central behind Vilonia and Little Rock Christian. Speaking of Little Rock Christian, Beebe hosts the Warriors Friday after a Tuesday trip to Mount St. Mary.

Last week: 17

A sneaky Forrest City squad caught the Wolves off guard as the Mustangs handed Lake Hamilton its second loss in the past three games, but they were able to get back in the win column with a close victory over Benton and now remain a half-game back in the 5A-South standings.

Last week: 24

The Bulldogs won their fourth consecutive game against Alma to open the week, but they ran into the buzzsaw that is Farmington on Friday, though they did have a few rallies before the Cardinals ran away. This is a team that expects to keep improving in the back half as they set their focus on Russellville and Siloam Springs this week.

Last week: NR

Multiple new Eagles who were already familiar with each other have meshed well and certainly proved their status as one of the state’s best 25 teams, Class 1A or not. On top of multiple wins over much higher classifications, their three losses were to No. 10 Pulaski Academy, Class 5A Nettleton by a point and No. 9 North Little Rock.

Brookland

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Arkansas

Report Assesses Access to Primary Care in Arkansas – ACHI

Published

3 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Report Assesses Access to Primary Care in Arkansas – ACHI

Arkansas has made significant investments to strengthen its primary care physician workforce over the past decade. New medical schools have opened in the state, residency program slots have increased, and loan forgiveness programs have been established to incentivize residency graduates to remain in the state to practice. Despite these efforts, access to a usual source of care (i.e., a place where one goes for routine healthcare needs) remains a challenge for many Arkansans, according to a new report.

Published February 12 by the Milbank Memorial Fund, the report, “Investing in Primary Care: The Missing Strategy in Americaâs Fight Against Chronic Disease,” evaluates statesâ primary care performance. Among its findings is that 18% of Arkansas adults report not having a usual source of care, which is comparable to the national estimate of 17%. That means that nearly 1 in 5 Arkansans do not have a consistent way of interacting with the stateâs healthcare system.

Access to a Usual Source of Care

Nationwide, the report finds that among adults with chronic disease, having a usual source of care is associated with lower odds of hospitalization and lower total spending on health care. These findings are particularly relevant for Arkansas, where chronic disease prevalence remains high. The most recent Americaâs Health Rankings report from the United Health Foundation ranked Arkansas 44th among all 50 states and the District Columbia for its percentage (15%) of adults with three or more chronic conditions â such as arthritis, diabetes, or cancer â in 2023, with the top-ranked state having the lowest percentage.

The Arkansas Primary Care Payment Improvement Working Group, established under Act 483 of 2025, is currently examining primary care investment in the state. The group, which includes a representative from ACHI, is tasked with measuring current primary care spending, evaluating the adequacy of the primary care delivery system, and recommending spending targets for Medicaid and commercial insurers. These efforts align with national recommendations to track and increase primary care investment, an issue we highlighted in a previous post.

Arkansasâs Primary Care Workforce

The countryâs primary care workforce supply is another focus of the Milbank report. The report estimates that Arkansas had 58 primary care physicians per 100,000 residents in 2023, below the national average of 68 per 100,000 residents. The Milbank report also finds that 29% of Arkansas physicians were working in primary care in 2023, compared to 27% nationally.

The stateâs higher-than-average share of physicians choosing primary care is encouraging, but long-term retention and geographic distribution remain challenges. ACHI developed the Arkansas Primary Care Physician Workforce Dashboard, an interactive tool that allows users to view data on primary care physicians practicing in Arkansas. The dashboard â which uses a broader definition of âprimary care physicianâ than the Milbank reportâs â shows that per capita rates of primary care physicians vary widely between urban and rural counties, and that two counties, Montgomery and Newton, had no active full-time primary care physician in 2022. The dashboard also shows that 26% of fill-time primary care physicians in the state were 60 or older in 2022, raising concerns about future supply as many approach retirement.

The Milbank report finds that in communities with higher levels of social deprivation â measured by the social deprivation index, a composite indicator of socioeconomic hardship â primary care physician availability in Arkansas is lower on average than in similarly deprived communities nationwide. Given the high burden of chronic disease among Arkansans, this is a concerning finding.

Recommendations

States that invest in primary care, as highlighted in the Milbank report, experience downstream improvements in population health and lower healthcare costs. Arkansas has established the infrastructure to evaluate and potentially increase those investments. ACHI will continue to track physician supply, distribution, and access to help inform primary care policy discussions.

Find more information about Arkansasâs healthcare workforce on our topic page.

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Arkansas

Arkansas to honor Nolan Richardson with statue outside arena

Published

15 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Arkansas to honor Nolan Richardson with statue outside arena

Myron MedcalfMar 5, 2026, 12:03 AM ET
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- Covers college basketball
- Joined ESPN.com in 2011
- Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

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Former Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson, who led the Razorbacks to the 1994 national title, will be immortalized with a statue outside Bud Walton Arena, the school said Wednesday.

Richardson was on the court at halftime of No. 20 Arkansas’ 105-85 win over Texas in the team’s regular-season home finale Wednesday night when athletic director Hunter Yurachek surprised him and told him the school had commissioned a statue to commemorate his achievements.

Per the school’s announcement, work on the statue is set to begin soon.

“Coach Richardson’s impact on the game of basketball and our state is immeasurable,” Yurachek said in a statement. “He represented Arkansas with a toughness and intense work ethic that endeared him to our fans while changing the lives of numerous athletes, coaches and staff under his direction. His ’40 minutes of Hell’ changed college basketball and led to the 1994 national championship that changed Arkansas and our university forever. Coach Richardson will stand tall outside the arena for the rest of time.”

BUILD THE STATUE. LIVING LEGEND. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/2nJPh1d6zo
— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) March 5, 2026

Richardson coined the phrase “40 Minutes of Hell” in reference to the ferocious, full-court defense his Arkansas teams played during his tenure (1985-2002). Between Arkansas and his first Division I job at Tulsa, Richardson amassed 508 wins (389 with the Razorbacks), reached the Final Four three times and secured Arkansas’ only national title.

Richardson also was a member of the Texas Western (now UTEP) teams that preceded the school’s victory over Kentucky in 1966, when five Black players started an NCAA championship game for the first time and won. That game paved the way for Black players to compete at schools that had previously rejected them.

Richardson, one of six SEC coaches to win a national title since 1990, was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.

After Wednesday’s game, current Arkansas coach John Calipari joked that he’s contractually obligated to clean the statue once it’s finished.

“Which I will do in a pleasant way because I love it,” he said. “He’s been so good to me since I’ve been here.”

Richardson and Arkansas were not on good terms when they divorced in 2002. But the two sides have repaired the relationship over the years. The university renamed the floor at Bud Walton Arena “Nolan Richardson Court” in 2019. Richardson praised Calipari’s hiring in 2024 after he left Kentucky, and he has been around the program since Calipari’s arrival.

“He should have been had a statue, I think,” said Trevon Brazile, who finished with 28 points on his senior night Wednesday. “They won the national championship.”

Added Darius Acuff Jr., who finished with 28 points and 13 assists against the Longhorns: “It’s great to see that for sure. Coach Richardson is a big part of our team. He’s been to a couple of our practices, so it’s always good to see [him]. He’s a legend.”

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Autopsies rule Arkansas mothers death a suicide; twin children’s deaths homicides

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Autopsies rule Arkansas mothers death a suicide; twin children’s deaths homicides

BONANZA, Ark. (KATV) — According to our partners at 40/29 News, autopsies show that Charity Beallis died by suicide, and her six-year-old twin children died by homicide.

Beallis and the children were found on December 3, 2025, in their home in Bonanza. All three had gunshot wounds.

Records show that Beallis and her husband were in the process of divorcing when the murders happened. 40/29 reports that Beallis’ son has asked that their divorce be considered final, while her husband, Randall Beallis, has asked the court to dismiss the divorce proceedings.

The news release listed the following evidence:

— An examination of the transcripts of the deposition of Mrs. Beallis in the divorce/custody case and the final hearing on the case on 12-2-2025, reveal that she wished to be reconciled to her estranged husband, which did not happen. Mrs. Beallis, after being represented by four different attorneys, represented herself in the contested divorce/custody hearing. At the conclusion of the hearing, Mrs. Beallis was ordered to begin joint custody of her children with her estranged husband.

–Mrs. Beallis’ estranged husband was a driver of a Tesla electric vehicle at that time. Tesla has compiled location data on Tesla vehicles, and according to the information provided by Tesla, Mrs. Beallis’ estranged husband’s vehicle was not near the residence in Bonanza on the night in question. Also, the estranged husband’s phones did not “ping” any of the cell towers proximately related to Ms. Beallis’ location.

–Information from the home security alarm company shows the alarm was deactivated by Mrs. Beallis by her phone (she had exclusive access to the security system) at around 10 pm on the night in question. Even though deactivated, the alarm company was able to provide information showing no doors or windows to the home were opened during that time. When law enforcement arrived after 9:30 am on 12-3-2025, there were no doors or windows open, and they had to use a key to enter the home. SCSO rigorously tested the functioning of each door and window and found them to be operating properly.

The court released an order on Wednesday stating that it does not have jurisdiction to rule on those motions regarding the divorce. Beallis’ body has been released to her son, while the children are with Randall Beallis.

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