Today's Blue & White
The Citadel Brigadier Foundation's Official Electronic Newsletter
Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Opening Tipoff!
Spike joins everyone at The Citadel Brigadier Foundation and in the Department of Athletics in wishing you and your family a happy, healthy and safe Thanksgiving Holiday.

But while you're digesting your turkey dinners, don't forget that the basketball team hosts a pair of games on Saturday and Sunday nights as Central Connecticut State, UVa-Wise and Savannah State come to McAlister Field House for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award Tournament.

And speaking of the holidays, consider doing your shopping online at The Citadel Gift Shop.  For specific ideas for the Citadel fan in your family, please refer to http://giftshop.citadel.edu.  Gift cards are also available.

As you've come to expect, there's plenty of news and notes, so let's get to it and Go Bulldogs!!!

The Citadel Ends Football Season with 13-6 Loss at Georgia Southern
A late fourth quarter rally fell short as The Citadel ended the 2009 season with a 13-6 loss to Georgia Southern.  The Bulldogs turned the ball over on seven occasions and Georgia Southern took advantage to claim the season-ending victory.

The Eagles held the Bulldogs scoreless for three quarters, while The Citadel defense stopped GSU from scoring in the third and fourth periods.  However, the offense was unable to capitalize and put its first points on the board with one minute left in the game.

All-America wide receiver Andre Roberts ended his collegiate career leading the offense with five catches for 81 yards and one touchdown, a run for 12 yards, one punt return for nine yards and three kickoff returns for 66 yards for an all-purpose total of 168 yards.  Defensive lineman Terrence Reese, who also played his last game, finished with seven total tackles, two-and-a-half for a loss of five yards.

The Citadel totaled 359 yards of offense with 19 first downs, while Georgia Southern finished with 245 yards and 15 first downs.  Rod Harland led the defense with eight total tackles, seven of which were solo and one for a loss of a yard.

The Citadel ends the season 4-7 overall and 2-6 in the Southern Conference.

For more information, please refer to www.CitadelSports.com.

Basketball Takes Two of Three in Missouri; Visits West Virginia Tuesday Night
The basketball team took two of three games over the weekend at the Hispanic College Fund Challenge in Springfield, Mo.

On Sunday 7-foot center Joe Wolfinger's 17 points led five players in double figures as The Citadel cruised past Maryland-Eastern Shore, 88-62.  Cameron Wells scored 14 points and dished out eight assists and moved to within three points of J'Mel Everhart for 23rd on the all-time scoring list.  Zach Urbanus knocked down three 3-pointers en route to a 14-point performance, moving into sole possession of fifth place among the all-time 3-point shooters.  Backcourt mate Austin Dahn found his rhythm with a 4-of-7 performance, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, and scored 11 points as he took over eighth place from Jamie Jenkins. 

On Saturday Wolfinger scored a team-high 18 points and Wells netted 12 points but the Bulldogs fell, 72-55, to host Missouri State.  Wolfinger knocked down 6-of-9 shots from the field, including 3-for-4 from 3-point range, while grabbing a team best seven caroms. 

On Friday the Bulldogs won the opening game of the Hispanic College Fund Challenge in Springfield, Mo., staving off a late charge by Eastern Michigan, 63-56.  Wells scored a game-high 24 points and became the 26th member of the Bulldogs' 1,000-point club.  Wells, who reached the milestone in 66 games, became the quickest player in history to reach the plateau.

On Tuesday night, the Bulldogs visited the nationally ranked Mountaineers of West Virginia University, and that recap will appear in next week's issue.

For more information, please refer to www.CitadelSports.com.

Wells, Wolfinger Named to All-Tournament Team
Guard Cameron Wells and center Joe Wolfinger were named to the Hispanic College Fund Challenge All-Tournament team.  Wolfinger finished 17-for-26 from the field, including 9-of-12 from the 3-point line, and anchored the paint with 22 boards.  He totaled 49 points and led the team with 18 points in the loss to Missouri State.
Meanwhile, Wells scored 50 points and dished 17 assists, moving into The Citadel's list of all-time 1,000 point scorers.  He shined in the victory over Eastern Michigan, hitting 7-of-18 shots and 10-for-12 from the charity stripe en route to 24 points.

Michigan State Game Tickets Are Going Fast
We are expecting a tremendous crowd for the game against No. 2 ranked Michigan State - and possibly a sellout - so if you're planning to come to that contest in McAlister Field House on Dec. 7, go online to Citadelsports.com or Etix.com to purchase tickets or even call the ticket office at 843/953-DOGS (3647) while our ticket supply lasts.
 

Bulldogs Place Eight Wrestlers, One Champion at NC State Open
The wrestling team placed eight grapplers, including one champion at the NC State Open on Saturday in Raleigh, NC as Odie Delaney captured the 197-pound weight class to lead the Bulldogs' effort.

The Citadel again had an impressive team performance with 15 pins to lead all participating squads.  Delaney dominated his way to the top as he went 3-0 and won all three matches by pin.

Junior J.C. Oddo went 6-1, and registered two pins, two major decisions and a technical fall on his way to a third place finish at the 174-lbs. weight class.  Redshirt sophomore Justin Sparrow and sophomore Richard Alarcon both took home fourth place finishes as Sparrow went 3-2, and Alarcon fell to teammate Tyler Sim in the third-place match by injury default. The sophomore went 4-2 in the Open with a major decision.

Sim and freshman Kevin Timothy both placed as unattached wrestlers in the Open as Sim downed teammate Alarcon to take third place at125 and went 5-1 in the Open while registering a pin.  Timothy took fourth place after going 5-2 in action.

For more information, please refer to www.CitadelSports.com.

Track & Field Teams Donate Time and Food
The men's and women's track and field teams donated more than 150 pounds of turkey for their annual Thanksgiving feast to the Neighborhood House on America Street in downtown Charleston prior to leaving for Thanksgiving furlough last week.  Senior Lauren Fleming (right) and freshman Micah Wessinger (left) are pictured in front of the goodies that the teams collected and donated, as they do every year.  Coaches Kris Kut, Gary Wilson and Jamel Brown, Assistant AD/Compliance Todd Lair and team members Natalie Wolin, Kevin Flood, Lauren Fleming delivered the food that was donated from each class and it included more than 65 lbs. of turkey that came from the freshman class.

Baseball Releases 2010 Schedule
Coach Fred Jordan released last week the 2010 baseball schedule and the Bulldogs will host 34 games at Riley Park, including the first seven contests of the year.  Also highlighting the slate are games against teams that participated in NCAA Regionals as South Carolina, Coastal Carolina, Kansas State, Elon and Georgia Southern appear on the slate.
The non-conference schedule is highlighted by a four-game set at the University of Hawaii, March 4-6, after competing against the Warriors in 2004.  The season starts with home games against East Tennessee State, Delaware and Kansas State (Feb. 19-22) followed by three games against St. Joseph's, Marshall and Radford (Feb. 26-28) at Riley Park.
USC Upstate, VMI, Coastal Carolina, Winthrop, Charleston Southern, South Carolina, College of Charleston and Mercer are included in midweek contests.
The Southern Conference Tournament returns to Riley Park in 2010, a year after Greenville hosted the event.  The format from 2009 will remain the same with only the top eight teams qualifying.  The tournament begins May 26 with the championship game set for Sunday, May 30.
For more information, please refer to www.CitadelSports.com.

Bulldog Business Partners
The Citadel Brigadier Foundation has inaugurated the "Bulldog Business Partners" and among the first to sign up to this growing list include:

• Andolini's Pizza;
• Brush Law Firm;
• Charleston Crab House;
• Hyman's Seafood;
• Kickin' Chicken;
• Lloyd's Soccer Sports;
• Lutheran Hospice;
• Moe's Southwest Grill;
• Moe's Tavern;
• Nash Oil Company, Inc.;
• Terrance A. Rivers '94, Agent - New York Life;

We encourage you to please stop by and thank these supporters.  If you want more information on how your business can partner with The Citadel Brigadier Foundation, please call us at 843/953-5277.

Alumni Basketball Game Set for Jan. 23
The 8th Annual Alumni Basketball Game (a.k.a. "Time To Lace 'Em Up Again") has been set for Saturday afternoon, Jan. 23, prior to the Bulldogs' 7:05 pm game against Furman.

More information is forthcoming, but save the date and help spread the word.

 
Pat Conroy to Autograph Books Prior to the Michigan State Game
Prior to The Citadel-Michigan State basketball game on Dec. 7, acclaimed author Pat Conroy '67 will autograph books on the second floor of McAlister Field House.  The Citadel Gift Shop will have an array of Conroy's books for sale, including his most recent work "South of Broad."

In order to receive an autograph, all one needs is a ticket to the game.

 
Win A Pat Conroy Autographed Basketball Jersey
For those who remember, point guard-turned-author Pat Conroy earned the team's most valuable player award from the 1967 basketball team, his senior season.  Now you can own a piece of Citadel history as the nationally-acclaimed writer has autographed a No. 22 jersey, similar to the one he wore during his playing years.  One lucky person will be presented with the autographed jersey during the Dec. 7 Michigan State game, possibly by Mr. Conroy himself.

Raffle tickets are only $10 each and will be sold by the cheerleaders, with the proceeds benefitting the Basketball Excellence Fund.  To secure your ticket, contact Associate Athletics Director Andy Solomon at 843/953-6300 or email him at andy.solomon@citadel.edu.

Win A Trip to Hawaii With The Bulldogs
The baseball team travels to Honolulu, Hawaii this March 1-7 to play a four-game series with the University of Hawaii.  This is a great opportunity for these young men as they will also get to tour the island of Oahu, visit Pearl Harbor and enjoy a Luau.  While this will be an incredible experience for the ballplayers, it does not come without great expense.  To help defray the costs of airfare, hotels, meals, ground transportation and other necessary costs, the team is holding a raffle.  The winner receives a trip for two with the ballclub and included airfare, six nights of accommodations, ground transportation, two Pearl Harbor tickets, two Luau tickets and game tickets for all four games. If you are interested in securing tickets (a $10 donation) please contact assistant coach Randy Carlson at 843-953-7265 or randy.carlson@citadel.edu.

Dallas McPherson, Oakland A's Agree to Minor League Deal
The Oakland Athletics and former Citadel standout Dallas McPherson have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training camp.

McPherson, who played for The Citadel from 1999-01, has not played in the major leagues since a stint with the Florida Marlins in 2008.  He suffered back problems that kept him sidelined during the majority of the 2007 and 2009 seasons.  Last season, he signed a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants, but underwent back surgery in July.

The former third baseman/pitcher has 18 career home runs in the major leagues (with the Marlins and Angels) to go along with 45 RBI, 21 double and five stolen bases.  McPherson's career minor league numbers include 150 home runs and a .586 career slugging percentage in 608 games.  In 2005, Baseball America rated him the No. 2 prospect in the Angels system behind Casey Cotchman.

Braves' Dale Murphy to Be Hot Stove Banquet Speaker
Former Atlanta Braves outfielder Dale Murphy, a two-time National League MVP and seven-time All Star, will be the featured speaker at the 6th Annual Hot Stove Banquet & Silent Auction on January 22 at the Holliday Alumni Center.

The Hot Stove Banquet is an annual collaboration between the Charleston RiverDogs and The Citadel to whet the appetite of Charleston area baseball fans.  In addition to the banquet, a silent auction will be held with proceeds going to The Citadel Foundation and to MUSC's Storm Eye Institute.

Murphy enjoyed 18 successful seasons as a major leaguer, predominantly with the Braves from 1976-90, then with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1990-92 and concluding his career with the Colorado Rockies in 1993.

The reception and auction begin at 6 p.m. with the dinner to start at 7:30.  Tickets are $65 per person and include dinner, beverages and admission to the auction.  Tables with preferred seating for eight individuals are available for $500.

For individual tickets and additional information, please contact the RiverDogs at (843) 577-DOGS (3647).  Tickets may also be purchased online at www.riverdogs.com.

A Great Holiday Present
Perhaps you saw our "teaser" on the videoboard during the Homecoming football game, but what a great gift idea for the Bulldog fan in your house.  To get a specially-made poster with an individual name spelled out by the Corps of Cadets at Johnson Hagood Stadium, please call The Citadel Brigadier Foundation at 843/953-5277 and inquire how to get yours.

Need a Tax Deduction?
In this whacky year of our up-and-down (or is it down-and-down?) economic situation where our 401(k)s are slowly getting back to 301(k) status, there isn't much we can do but grin and bear it.
Since Spike has been constructing this weekly publication, he rarely makes predictions (he usually reports), but this time he makes an exception.
Spike predicts that when fellow Americans are muddling through their receipts and documentation in February, March or early April for tax purposes, his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) will invariably ask, "Do you have any more deductions?"
That said, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to The Citadel Brigadier Foundation before the end of the year so when the CPA asks that question - and he will - you can answer, "Sir, yes sir!"

They Said It:
"We've got to take some hard looks at things.  We're going to look philosophically at what we're doing, particularly on offense, but also on defense as well. ... On defense, we didn't tackle as well as I would have liked, and we weren't as sound as I would have liked.  And on offense, we have to revisit what is the best way to move the football based on the players that we have. ... We've got to look at more ways to move the football down the field.  If that means going to more option, we're going to look at that."
• Coach Kevin Higgins, after the Georgia Southern game.

"The three turnovers were the story of the day.  For the most part, the defense did a nice job today.  They had their backs to the wall, and our offense just couldn't get anything going."

• Coach Higgins, on the Georgia Southern game.

"I am happy for Cameron that his hard work has paid off.  With a talented player like Cameron, and as hard as he works, there are going to be a lot of records and different accolades that come his way."

• Coach Ed Conroy, on Cameron Wells becoming the fastest player in Citadel history to join the 1,000-point club.

"Growing up in the Midwest, people will say that the game is called the same way all
over the country, but it is really not.  You saw that tonight, it was a very physical contest and we explained that at halftime how Eastern Michigan was getting into us.  In the second half, because we cut well, and shot the ball well and drove the ball well that was a huge key to the basketball game."

• Coach Conroy, after the Eastern Michigan game.

Have a Friend Who Might Be Interested?
Today's Blue & White is the sister publication of the The Blue & White, the official publication of The Citadel Brigadier Foundation that is printed monthly.  In order to receive the printed version, one has to be a member of TCBF.  However, we've opened Today's Blue & White to anyone and everyone who has a computer and who is interested in activities of TCBF and, of course, The Citadel's Department of Athletics.  Today's Blue & White is free.  All one has to do is sign up is to click on this link:  http://www.nmnathletics.com/main/NewsMailSetup.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9700&DB_OEM_ID=9700&DB_LANG=&IN_SUBSCRIBER_CONTENT=&DB_OEM_ID=9700&DB_LANG=&IN_SUBSCRIBER_CONTENT=&KEY=&DB_OEM_ID=9700&DB_LANG=&IN_SUBSCRIBER_CONTENT=
 

Today's Blue & White is the official electronic publication of The Citadel Brigadier Foundation, Inc. with its office located at The Citadel, McAlister Field House, 171 Moultrie Street, Charleston, SC  29409 (office 843/953-5277).
Publishers..................Jerry Baker & Larry Leckonby
Editor.....................Andy Solomon
Photographer.............Russ Pace
Layout/Design............Montesia C. Deas