New AD is Lady Eagles basketball standout

Rainy Crisp, a graduate of and long-time basketball and volleyball coach at Navajo Prep School, was hired July 1 as the school’s new athletic director. The decision was announced last week after the school board finalized the matter.

Crisp, a 1998 graduate of Prep and former all-state basketball player, was named the school’s interim athletic director after Mike Tillman resigned the job in March. The half black, half Navajo Crisp is a graduate of Arizona State University, where she also played basketball.

“I’m happy to still be associated with the program,” Crisp told the Sun this week. “I know the school. I know the program. The...

Antonio was three-time All-State player for Lady Bears

Ashanti Antonio and Nizhoni Young of the Wingate High School volleyball team are headed to Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kan. The two signed individual letters-of-intent June 24 to attend the school.

“I’m excited and ready to learn a new system and meet new friends,” Antonio said. “It will be a challenge, but I’m ready.”

Antonio is a highlight film waiting to happen on the volleyball court. She possesses a 15-inch vertical leap and emerged over the past three years as one of the most dominant volleyball players at the net in New Mexico. Antonio and Young also played basketball for the Lady...

Even after 23 years, Wild Thing Championship Bullriding continued to draw old and new fans to Red Rock Park for a two-performance extravaganza full of testosterone, fireworks, the baddest bulls, the toughest cowboys, and a cowboy poker game that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Add to that a little wooley riding by the younger set – some call it mutton busting – and a yearly contribution from parking fees and a concession stand benefitting the Manuelito Navajo Children’s Home and Gallup Christian School … and Wild Thing pretty much has it all in one package.

The heavily sponsored event, which was held at Red Rock Park on July 8 - 9, also made the persistent...

It has become somewhat the norm in Pee Wee Reese play – baseball for the U12 set – for Gallup to capture the South Plains Regional Tournament as they did for the third straight year, July 7 - 10. What is not so normal is for another Gallup team to battle eight out-of-town teams and come in a close second to the eventual champion Giants.

Both the Red Sox and the Giants started strong and, except for minor blips resulting in a narrow loss for each, which pushed the final game to Sunday morning, all the players handled the pressure and the competition very well. Unfortunately, one team had to lose for a second time so the other could advance to the next round in Puerto Rico on August...