Today's Blue & White
The Citadel Brigadier Foundation's Official Electronic Newsletter
Friday, November 6, 2009

Opening Kickoff!

 It is Homecoming Weekend and our final home football game of the season as the Wofford Terriers invade Johnson Hagood Stadium for a 3 pm kickoff.  We're reminding everyone that Saturday is our annual "Blue Out Game" and we're not only hoping to capture our third consecutive victory, but hope that everyone wears blue to the contest.

Basketball tipped off their season last night with the 19th Annual Meet the Bulldogs outing and Blue-White scrimmage, and they begin play Sunday night at 7:05 pm against Georgia Southwestern in an exhibition at McAlister Field House.

Have you noticed that our list of Bulldog Business Partners is growing?

As you've come to expect, there's plenty of news and notes, including "Voice of the Bulldogs" Darren Goldwater's weekly column, so let's get to it and Go Bulldogs!!!

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;

• The Sea Store.

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.

Need Tickets?

Please consider this a friendly reminder that if you need tickets to any Citadel football game - home or away - please contact our Athletic Ticket Office at 843/953-DOGS (3647).  And be sure to ask about our aggressive group rates for all home contests.

Bob Winch Named SoCon Soccer Coach of the Year

 Soccer coach Bob Winch has been named the 2009 Southern Conference Women's Soccer Coach of the Year, the league announced.

Winch guided The Citadel to yet another historical season after winning their first SoCon game in program history in 2008.  This year, Winch guided the Bulldogs to a school-record of eight points and a ninth place finish in the SoCon, their highest league finish in program history.

The Citadel began their monumental season on Aug. 30 against Alabama State as the Bulldogs won their first home season-opener in school history, ousting the Hornets, 14-0.
This win marked a school record of game-highs in most goals, most shots (42) and most assists (16).

Winch led Nicole Martinoli to tie Kelly Pesterfield, Julie Austin and Miriam Crawford to a record a game-high of four goals while Nikki Mares tied Debbie White for three assists in a game.

The Citadel earned their best start in program history, going 2-0 after beating South Carolina State.  Winch helped the Bulldogs clinch their first win over a Big South opponent when they won, 1-0, against back-to-back regular season Big South champions Coastal Carolina on Sept. 16. 

In the second game of conference play, The Citadel claimed a 1-0 victory over Chattanooga at WLI Field.  Winch continued to make an impact for the Bulldogs as he guided the team to their first SoCon road win in program history as The Citadel made their way to Statesboro, Ga. to defeat Georgia Southern, 2-1.
 
The excitement did not stop there as the Bulldogs tallied their first 0-0 back-to-back ties against Appalachian State and Western Carolina.  The Citadel finished the  season with a 5-12-2 record (2-7-2 SoCon).  The Bulldogs tied the '02 season mark with five wins, the most won by any Citadel women's soccer team.

Off the field, Winch encourages his student-athletes to perform well in the classroom.  Senior Kristine Devine became the first women's soccer player at The Citadel to tally ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honor (see below).

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

Devine Tabs ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Academic Honors

 Soccer player Kristine Devine was named to the third team of the 2009-10 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District women's soccer team for District 3, CoSIDA announced last week.

The Alpharetta, Ga. native received this award for her academic performance in the classroom.  To qualify for the award a student-athlete must be a starter, own a 3.30 cumulative grade point average and participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games.

Saturday Is the Blue Out Game

Saturday is not only Homecoming at The Citadel, but it is also our annual "Blue Out Game" where we ask all fans to wear Citadel Blue to the contest, which kicks off at 3 pm.

Citadel Bulldogs Muzzle Samford Bulldogs

 Freshman walk-on quarterback Tommy Edwards and a stingy defense led the Bulldogs in a second half rally as The Citadel won the battle of the Bulldogs against visiting Samford, 28-16, on Saturday at Johnson Hagood Stadium.

After being down 10-0 at the half, the defense held Samford scoreless for almost three quarters, totaled 11 tackles for a loss of 41 yards, recorded two interceptions for 112 return yards and blocked a punt to hold Samford to 35 yards rushing and extend the Cadets' win streak to two games.

The Citadel ended with 284 yards of offense, passing for 179 yards and rushing for 105, while Samford totaled 259 yards, 224 of which were in the air.  The Citadel defense held Samford to 35 yards rushing.  Edwards completed 10-of-20 passes with no interceptions for 141 yards and two touchdowns.  Andre Roberts returned seven punts for 102 yards and caught seven passes for 54 yards, for an all-purpose total of 160.  Van Dyke Jones led the rushing game with 17 carries for 40 yards and also caught three passes for 53 yards.

Defensive lineman Kyle Anderson totaled six tackles, including two sacks for a loss of 16 yards while linebacker Tolu Akindele had nine tackles (four solo, five assisted), including one for a loss of two yards.  Cortez Allen totaled seven tackles, one pass breakup and returned two interceptions for 112 yards.  Linebacker Jordon Gilmore also contributed eight total tackles, including a half tackle for a loss of one yard.

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

Bulldogs Earn Two SoCon Players of the Week Honors for the Second Consecutive Week

 Defensive back Cortez Allen and quarterback Tommy Edwards highlight two of the Southern Conference Player of the Week award winners.  This is the second consecutive week that The Citadel has earned weekly honors with two players this season.

Allen captured the league's defensive player of the week citation after recording two interceptions and 112 return yards, both in the final quarter.  His first pick had a return of 30 yards and on the following series, Allen intercepted another pass at The Citadel 18-yard line, this time returning it 82 yards for a touchdown and sealed the victory at 28-16.  The 112 interception return yards mark the second-highest single game total in SoCon history.  He also registered six solo tackles for a total of seven stops.

In his collegiate debut, Edwards, a true freshman quarterback, garnered the circuit's freshman of the week award after rallying the Bulldogs to a come-from-behind 10-0 halftime deficit over Samford.  The walk-on logged 141 yards and two touchdowns with 10 completions on the afternoon.

Last week freshmen Miguel Starks and Van Dyke Jones were honored for their performances in the team's defeat of Furman.  This was Jones' second weekly freshman SoCon award, the first coming on Oct. 5 against Appalachian State.

Previewing The Citadel - Wofford Football Game

The Citadel and Wofford meet for the 62nd time on Saturday at 3 pm.  The series dates back to Nov. 4, 1916 when the Bulldogs defeated the Terriers, 37-0, in Charleston.  The Citadel leads the series, 40-20-1; however, The Citadel has not won in the last 10 matchups.  The most recent Citadel victory was a 40-14 win in Spartanburg on Sept. 12, 1998.  The two have met 36 times in Charleston, with the Bulldogs owning a win in 27 games.

The Coach Kevin Higgins Show: Whenever You Want It

Watch The Coach Kevin Higgins TV Show whenever you want at CitadelSports.com.  "Voice of the Bulldogs" Darren Goldwater joins Coach Higgins in reviewing the past game while previewing the upcoming contest.  That's the Coach Kevin Higgins TV Show, whenever you want it at CitadelSports.com.

Cougars Nip Bulldogs in Soccer, 1-0

On Thursday The Citadel soccer team fell, 1-0, to College of Charleston on WLI Field. 
Nikki Mares and Nikkita Persaud led the Bulldogs on the field.  Mares tallied two shots on goal while Persaud finished with four shots with one on goal.  Whitney Nave collected three saves at the net.  The Cougars outshot the Bulldogs, 16-11, and College of Charleston shot eight corners while The Citadel had two.

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

Volleyball Sets Milestone in Win over Catamounts; CofC Halts Win Streak

 Cross town and Southern Conference rival College of Charleston ended a season-long three-game winning streak by The Citadel by scores of 25-18, 25-16, 25-15 on Wednesday night at McAlister Field House.
 
Leading the team with 10 kills, Tatum Jestila reached double-digits for the 16th time this season.  Blaine McAllister added six, as the Bulldogs combined for 27 total kills in three sets. 

On Saturday, the team extended their winning streak to three games following a road sweep of Southern Conference foe Western Carolina (25-21, 25-23 and 28-26) at Cullowhee, NC as Jestila came through with another outstanding performance (18 kills and 17 digs), to capture consecutive conference victories for the first time in program history.

Junior Alyssa Holum had a solid performance, finishing with 38 assists and 16 digs.  Along with Rachael Farrell's 10 digs, the team held a 63-48 advantage. 

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

Men Finish Ninth, Women 12th at Cross Country Championships

Senior Brendan Kight led the men's cross country team to a ninth place finish at the Southern Conference Championships in Elon, N.C. on Saturday morning.  The men's team tallied 218 points while the women's team collected 357 points for 12th place.

The men improved from last season as the first Bulldog runner came in at 52nd place in '08.  This year Kight finished the 8k course first for the Bulldogs at 37th with a time of 26:49.  Freshman Kyle Keene followed a couple seconds later in 39th place (26:51) and John Gatewood placed 46th (27:07) while Atom Young rounded out the top 50 as he placed 50th (27:13).

The women finished with a disappointing 12th place.  Senior Katheryn Gatewood led the women as she finished the 5k run at 60th with a time of 20:11. Senior Natalie Wolin came in next posting a 20:43 for 72nd place and Suzanne Gay finished 91st (21:36).  Coming in at 96th was Sarah Stierwalt (22:01) and Micah Wessinger (23:51) for 98th place.

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

Rifle Marks Second Consecutive Win

 The Citadel Rifle team won their second straight NCAA competition, defeating five participating teams, at Wofford. The Bulldogs ended the competition with an 11-point victory over North Georgia College.

The Citadel scored 2224 points, followed by North Georgia College's 2213. The Terriers placed third with 2145, while Georgia Military and Birmingham Southern fired a 2093 and 2068, respectfully.

Individually, the Bulldogs Winston Dorian finished as the best male shooter with a 566. Teammate Julia McCullohs ranked atop the Bulldog women's competition with a 542.

The Citadel will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 7 for the SEARC 4 competition in Dahlonega, Ga. For more information on Bulldog Rifle, visit the official website of The Citadel Athletics, www.CitadelSports.com.

Golf Participates in Pinehurst Fall Challenge

The golf team completed the Pinehurst Fall Challenge in 14th place shooting a 669 on Tuesday in Pinehurst, N.C.  The Challenge was hosted by the Southern Conference rival College of Charleston and included 15 teams in a two-day event.

For the second consecutive tournament, sophomore Bree Baumgartner led the Bulldogs with a 164 (+20) and finished tied for 57th place.  Alanna-Jean Keith and Christine Clark tied for 68th place, while Sheri Rockefeller and Natalie Flores rounded out the scoring.  The hosting Cougars claimed the team title shooting a combined score of 548 (+8).

Basketball Picked Fourth; Cameron Wells Tabbed for Preseason All-SoCon Team

 College of Charleston and Western Carolina are the favorites to capture the Southern Conference's divisional basketball titles in 2009-10, according to a vote by the leagues head coaches.  The Citadel, which finished 15-5 in the league and tied for second in the South Division last season, were picked to finish fourth.  Cameron Wells was named to the preseason all-SoCon team.

This makes the second preseason nomination selection for Wells, who was recently selected as the Sporting News preseason SoCon player of the year.

SoCon Men's Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
North Division
Team (1st Place Votes) Total
1. Western Carolina   (10) 64
2. Appalachian State   (2) 55
3. Samford    44
4. Chattanooga   39
5. Elon    22
UNC Greensboro   22

South Division
1. College of Charleston  (8) 63
2. Wofford    (3) 54
3. Davidson    (1) 48
4. The Citadel    36
5. Furman    24
6. Georgia Southern   21

2009-10 Preseason All-Conference Team
Will Archambault, Davidson
Kellen Brand, Appalachian State
Noah Dahlman, Wofford
Brandon Giles, Western Carolina
Andrew Goudelock, College of Charleston
Harouna Mutombo, Western Carolina
Willie Powers, Georgia Southern
Junior Salters, Wofford
Cameron Wells, The Citadel
Tony White, Jr., College of Charleston

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

Wrestling Concludes Successful Blue-White Finals

The wrestling team hosted a successful blue-white competition on Saturday morning in the wrestling room at Vandiver Hall.

The Bulldogs took part in the annual inter-squad scrimmage in preparation for the start of the season on Homecoming weekend.  The starting spot in several weight classes has not yet been finalized and several members of this year's squad had chances to impress the coaches before they make final decisions for the NC State dual meet on Saturday.

Returning SoCon placers Tyler Sim and Richard Alarcon battled it out to start things off in the 125-weight class with Sim edging Alarcon, 5-3.  Sim will redshirt this season, however, and Alarcon will be the starter at 125.  The 133-pound weight class was one of the areas where coaches were looking for someone to stand out and freshmen Jordan Dix and Dustin Paridon battled to a 1-1 tie in the first match, while Dix was able to take Paridon, 3-1, in the second.  At 141, redshirt freshman transfer Nick LaFevre edged David Ivashchenko, 1-0, to further strengthen his case to be the starter.  At 149, returners Pierre Frazile and Derek Royster also fought a close match as Frazile nipped Royster, 3-2.

Impressive freshman Turogtokh Luvsandorj justified his starting status as he registered a 17-2 technical fall over freshman Cameron Childs at 157.  Returning SoCon placers Derek Sickel and J.C. Oddo cruised past their competitors at 165 and 174, as Sickel took out sophomore Justin Sparrow in a 13-3 major decision while Oddo registered a fall over
Casey Underwood.  At 184, Kelby Smith moved past Brian Hurley, 9-6, while Ivan Muller downed Manuel Camargo, 5-2, to solidify both of their starting spots.

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

Wrestling Picked to Finish Fourth; Delaney Named to Preseason All-Conference Team

 The wrestling team was picked to finish fourth by the Southern Conference coaches while Odie Delaney, the reigning SoCon Champion and NCAA qualifier was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team for the 197-pound weight class.

Delaney went 5-0 in SoCon play a year ago and won the SoCon Championships en route to competing at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis.

2009-10 SoCon Wrestling Preseason Coaches Poll
School (First-place votes) Points
1. Chattanooga   (4) 24
2. Appalachian State   (2) 22
3. UNC Greensboro   16
4. The Citadel    13
5. VMI    9
6. Davidson    6

The Citadel opens the 2009-10 season on Saturday at McAlister Field House as they host The Citadel Open starting at 9 a.m.  At 1 p.m., they will host NC State in dual meet action.

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

From the Press Box with Darren Goldwater

 Things are shaping up nicely for The Citadel football team.  A win over arch-rival Furman followed by a come-from-behind victory over Samford have the Bulldogs back to .500 overall and within a game of evening their Southern Conference record at 3-3.

Although coaches hate to look past the next opponent (and we'll get to that in a minute), it's well within the realm of possibility to finish the season with seven wins for just the second time in 17 years.  Suddenly the Elon/WCU swing seems like quite a distant memory.

As easy as it is to dream of running the table from here on out to end the year with five consecutive wins, fans and players alike can't afford to take any of these games for granted.  Sure, Wofford is fledgling more so than any team in the Southern Conference.  Injuries have crippled what was already going to be a fairly young Terriers team, sending them to what will be their first losing season in eight years.  Six players on Wofford's defensive two-deep weren't on the depth chart following spring practice, including three starters.  The Terriers are also without some of their top ball-carriers leading to a rash of turnover problems.

But they're still scary.  Especially if you're Kevin Higgins and the Bulldogs coaching staff.  Despite everything, Wofford continues to lead the nation in rushing at over 250 yards per game.  Until the Bulldogs can snap their longest current losing streak to any conference school, no game against Wofford can be an assumed win.

Fortunately, The Citadel has a lot of momentum and motivation on its side.  The Bulldogs come in having won two straight.  It's the final home game in the illustrious careers of Andre Roberts, DeWitt Jones, Terrence Reese and the rest of the seniors.  The crowd should be as strong as any at Johnson Hagood Stadium in the last two years.  And of course, the players and coaches are all aware this could be their best chance in years to finally beat the Terriers.

For more coverage of Saturday's game log onto www.THEcitadelsportsnetwork.com.  There you'll find daily interviews, highlights, previews, recaps and so much more.  We're on the air Saturday on our statewide network at 1:30 for the 3 o'clock kickoff.  Talk to you then!

(Darren Goldwater is in his second year as "Voice of the Bulldogs" and will be a regular columnist for Today's Blue & White.)

Next Bulldog Fan Club Breakfast Set for Nov. 13

The next meeting of the Bulldog Fan Club will be held on Friday, November 13, at 8 am at the Holliday Alumni Center.  A buffet breakfast will be served at a cost of $10 per person, and please feel free to invite a guest or two who would not otherwise attend.
 
Our speakers will be coaches Ed Conroy (basketball), Rob Hjerling (wrestling) and Bill Smith (rifle).  You will be given the opportunity to learn from these coaches their vision for their respective teams in terms of past achievements and future challenges and opportunities.  They will also encourage questions from the audience.

Future meetings will be held in February with the coaches of baseball, golf, tennis and track and again in September with coaches of football, volleyball, and soccer.

Please respond by e-mail (forsbergg@citadel.edu) or phone (843-953-5277) by November 6.

Tennis Holds Homecoming Fundraiser

The tennis team invites all alumni, friends and fans to the 8th Annual Homecoming Tennis Fundraiser and Cookout on Friday, Nov. 6, from 5-7 p.m. and on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 9 am-12 noon at the Earle Tennis Center.

For additional information, please contact Coach Toby Simpson at (843)953-4845 or email toby.simpson@citadel.edu.

Baseball Luau Is Tonight

All Citadel baseball fans are encouraged to join your favorite baseball alumni, coaches and friends for a Hawaiian Luau on Homecoming Friday, Nov. 6 from 7-10 pm at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. 

Guests will enjoy a Hawaiian buffet, drinks and live entertainment.  Tickets are $30 each and may be purchased at the door or by contacting Megan Chambers at mchambers2@citadel.edu or 843/953-7265.  However, guests are asked to RSVP to Megan prior to the event so we can be assured of plenty of food and refreshments.  You are encouraged to wear your favorite Hawaiian attire and get ready to hula the night away.  Proceeds help offset The Citadel's expenses for their March trip to Hawaii.

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.

3rd Annual Stray Dog Society Homecoming Jamboree Is Tonight

The 3rd Annual Stray Dog Society Homecoming Jamboree will be held tonight, Nov. 6, beginning at 7 pm at the Charleston Visitor's Center Bus Shed in downtown Charleston.  Sponsors for the event include Baker Motors, Community FirstBank, Hall's Chophouse and Cox-Schepp Construction Company.  Proceeds benefit the Department of Athletics and more information may be secured at www.citadelstraydog.com.

They Said It:

"It was a very competitive season for us.  The girls really brought in and gave themselves a chance to win every time out.  It certainly is an honor to work in this league as I feel all of the coaches are outstanding."

• Soccer coach Bob Winch, after capturing the Southern Conference Coach of the Year Award this week.

"This was a very hard game to play.  There really was no tempo.  We gave ourselves a chance a few times at the end but College of Charleston defended us very well.  I am pleased that we improved individually and as a team each time we played.  We will continue to move forward in the spring and I know we will use this last game as a starting point next fall."

• Coach Winch, after the Bulldogs fell to rival College of Charleston, 1-0, on Thursday at WLI Field.

"I was glad to see such a major improvement for our men's team this year. The freshmen really stepped up, and I was excited about that.  It's going to be hard to replace such a talented athlete like Brendan (Kight) but we are looking towards the future."

• Cross country coach Jody Huddleston, after the SoCon Championships.

"What a great win.  We gutted it out through several close sets.  We knew coming into this match that Western Carolina has strong hitters.  So the object was to serve them tough to take them out of their rhythm.  Our defense really picked up the last couple of matches and that we are now playing with an obvious confidence.  I am proud of our girls."

• Volleyball coach Carolyn Geiger, after the victory over Western Carolina.

"We'll have to determine who is physically better.  And then in terms of the game plan, we'll have to look hard at that and see what packages will work best against what Wofford does.  The good thing is, we've had them both playing in different packages all season.  If they both are healthy, I would anticipate both them having a chance to play, based on our packages and what our opponent does."

• Coach Kevin Higgins, on playing quarterbacks Bart Blanchard and Miguel Starks, both of whom have nagging injuries.

"I think in Major League Baseball, you have 200 players who are the best of the best.  The other 400 are interchangeable, and I that's where I fell in."

• Former St. Louis Cardinals infielder and Citadel Hall of Famer Tim Jones '85, reflecting on his baseball career that has him among the newest inductees of the Sumter (SC) Sports Hall of Fame.

"He's made a huge impact for us. ... Milford has shown no fear whatsoever.  He's not afraid to leave his feet and make a play."

• Coach Higgins, on the development of Milford Scott, the local redshirt sophomore defensive end from West Ashley High, who has been spectacular on special teams this season.

Upcoming Birthdays

Nov. 9  Caleb Davis    Brigadier Foundation

Upcoming Special Events

Nov. 6    3rd Annual Stray Dog Jamboree         City Bus Shed
Nov. 6    Baseball Team's Golf Outing             Legend Oaks Golf Club
Nov. 6-7 Alumni & Friends Tennis Fundraiser   Earle Tennis Center
Nov. 13  Fan Club Breakfast                           Holliday Alumni Center

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 to register under the Free E-News section at CitadelSports.com.
 

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