The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

When Travis Munnings returned to the University of Louisiana-Munroe Warhawks for his senior season, head coach Keith Richard knew the roster would rely heavily on the Grand Bahama native if they hope to contend in the Sun Belt.

The Warhawks opened practice Sunday at Fant-Ewing Coliseum in Monroe, Louisiana, and Munnings' presence was the main talking point for Richard on the afternoon.

"I'm really proud of Travis. He has gotten better every year, freshman, sophomore junior seasons. All-Conference selection last year, second team. He has really worked on his game since he's been here and he's improved again for his senior year," he said. "He's looked just like you want a senior returning All-Conference player to look in the summer and in our preseason practices. We need him to play well this year for us to have a good season."

After testing the market and facing evaluation from scouts and coaches, Travis Munnings withdrew from the NBA Draft and decided to return to the Warhawks.

Munnings was named a Louisiana Sports Writers Association (LSWA) Men's College Basketball Team Third-team selection to add to his postseason accolades.

As a junior, he averaged 15.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He was previously honoured as Second-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection and won Sun Belt Player of the Week.

En route to winning Conference Player of the Week honours, Munnings averaged 21 points and 5.5 rebounds while helping ULM to a homecourt sweep over UT Arlington (84-71) and Texas State (79-71). He also made 9-of-21 three pointers (41 per cent) during that two-game stretch. Munnings led the team in both scoring and rebounding and is a member of the 1,000-point club. As a freshman, the 6'6" forward averaged 7.2 points and 5.4 rebounds and increased those numbers to 13.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore.

"Travis is having an outstanding career. What I hope for him is that we're really good his senior year."

Calvin Anderson, a senior guard and another Grand Bahama native, also enters his senior season with the programme.

Last year, ULM finished 16-16, 9-9 in the Sun Belt and reached the conference tournament quarter-finals. They won eight of their last 11 regular-season games and extended their season with a berth in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, where they lost to Austin Peay in the first round.

"We've finished in the top half of the Sun Belt three of the last four years and that's what you want to do with any programme is consistent winning," Richard said.

"Obviously, the goal is to go to the NCAA Tournament, win your league and do all those things, every team in every league has that goal and hopefully we can do that this year.

"At the very least, you would like to establish a programme that is consistently winning, finishing in the top half of your league."