Today's Blue & White
The Citadel Brigadier Foundation's Official Electronic Newsletter
Friday, September 4, 2009

Opening Kickoff!

For the first time since 1986, approximately 60,000 fans will wear Citadel Blue on Saturday with approximately 55,000 of those fans pulling against us.  OK, some will be wearing Carolina Blue as the Bulldogs open the 2009 football season against the Tar Heels in beautiful Kenan Stadium, one of the most scenic venues in college football.  But it will be a sight to behold as the entire stadium will be filled with light blue and white.

The volleyball team greeted approximately 150 fans at Wednesday night's inaugural "Meet the Bulldogs" and the group certainly appreciated the support.  Their season, as well as that of soccer, has already begun.

Speaking of soccer, Coach Bob Winch's squad has started the season 2-0, the first time in program history that the team has started so well.  Here's hoping that the success continues throughout the campaign.

Veteran cross country coach Jody Huddleston's crew begins today (Friday) at the Gamecock Invitational in Columbia, and we join him hoping that both teams get off on the right foot (pun intended).

As you've come to expect we continue to have another packed issue of Today's Blue & White, so let's get to it and Go Bulldogs!!!

Are You Ready for Football?

Football opens the 2009 season on the road against the University of North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday, Sept. 5 with kickoff set for 6 p.m. at Kenan Stadium.

Fans around the world can listen to Voice of the Bulldogs Darren Goldwater, color analyst Walt Nadzak and sideline reporter Brad Franco, who makes his debut on The Citadel Sports Network, on Bulldog Insider at www.CitadelSports.com or those around the state can find it on the radio.  Locally in Charleston, the game airs on ESPN Radio 910 The Team.  The game will also be available on ESPN 360, ESPN's broadband network.

Saturday's matchup will be the fourth meeting against the Tar Heels, who lead the series, 3-0.  The previous three games were all played in Chapel Hill with the first game dating back to Oct. 2, 1915.  The last meeting was exactly 23 years ago on Sept. 6, 1986.

UNC will be the Bulldog's only FBS opponent during the '09 season and The Citadel is 7-37 overall against FBS opponents.  The seven wins were against Vanderbilt (1979), Navy (1988 and '89), South Carolina (1990), Army (1991 and '92) and Arkansas (1992), the most recent FBS victory.  The Citadel is 6-32-2 overall against current
ACC opponents and seeks their first win against North Carolina on Saturday.

Paul Maguire to Serve As Analyst for ESPN360.com

As noted, Saturday's football game at North Carolina will be broadcast on ESPN360.com, with Bob Picozzi handling the play-by-play chores and Paul Maguire '60 serves as the analyst.  Maguire, who splits time living in Buffalo and on the Isle of Palms, was a two-time all-Southern Conference performer who led the nation in touchdown receptions in 1959.   He was enshrined in The Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame's inaugural class in 1977.

Kevin Higgins Radio Show Begins Sept. 9

The Kevin Higgins Radio Show, hosted by "Voice of the Bulldogs" Darren Goldwater, begins on Wednesday, Sept. 9, and airs from 7-8 pm on ESPN Radio 910-AM and every Wednesday thereafter during the season.

Fans can call in at 843/721-9500 with questions for the coach.

Coach Higgins Teams with SC Highway Patrol for A Series of Public Service Announcements

Football coach Kevin Higgins recently teamed with the South Carolina Highway Patrol to create several public service announcements that will be seen on local television, heard on radio and seen on SpikeVision at our home football games.  Coach Higgins and Capt. Chris Williamson taped the spots on Aug. 19 at Johnson Hagood Stadium and they promote awareness of the issues that come with drinking and driving.  Stay tuned.

Soccer Sets Records in Opening Win over Alabama State; Starts Season 2-0 for First Time Ever

The soccer team topped South Carolina State, 4-2, Tuesday evening at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg.

Senior Kristine Devine wasted no time in the first half, scoring within the first three minutes.  Both teams put up a strong defensive effort for the next 25 minutes but sophomore Amy Loughran broke through State's defense with 15:35 left and The Citadel led 2-0 before SCSU tied the game just before the closing of the first half.

Nikkita Persaud scored and Loughran sealed the win with her second goal with 9:36 left in the game.

The Citadel continued to rewrite school history in game two, marking the first time that the Bulldogs have opened their season, 2-0.

On Sunday at WLI Field, the soccer team set school records as they ousted Alabama State, 14-0.  It marked the first time in history that the Bulldogs won their home season-opener.

Nicole Martinoli earned her first four-goal day and added two assists and six shots.  She opened the first half scoring within the first three minutes with Dianna Martin tallying the assist.  About 30 seconds later, senior Nikki Mares, assisted by Amy Loughran, drove in the ball for a goal. The Bulldogs became an unstoppable force as they recorded five
more goals before Martinoli and Leah Hawkins assisted the eighth goal from a corner kick to Angela Foyt to close the first half, 8-0. 

The Citadel continued to dominate as Mares scored back-to-back goals while Dominic Snyder and Miranda Johnson picked up their first career goals.  The Bulldogs outshot the Hornets, 42-2.

Volleyball Goes 1-3 at NC Central Tournament; Plays at USC Upstate This Weekend

he volleyball team went 1-3 in the RTP/North Carolina Central University Tournament over the weekend.  The Bulldogs won their opening match on Saturday, downing host North Carolina Central, 3-1 (20-25, 25-22, 25-16 and 25-21). 

Junior Jessica Maas had a team-high 12 kills to go along with three block assists while freshman Rachael Farrell provided a spark, contributing four service aces, seven kills and five digs to help with the victory.

In other matches, The Citadel took the first two sets from UNC Asheville, 25-23 and
25-19, but could not seal the deal as UNCA rallied to take the final three sets 25-22, 25-21 and 15-7.  On Friday, Georgia State stopped The Citadel, 3-0 (25-17, 25-16 and 25-19), and High Point bested the Bulldogs, 3-1 (16-25, 25-15, 25-12 and 25-15).

Tatum Jestila was named to the All-Tournament Team. The junior from Scottsdale, Ariz. finished the tournament with a team-high 44 kills and 34 digs and played in all 16 sets over the weekend.

Wrestling Welcomes 16 Newcomers

Wrestling coach Rob Hjerling has announced the addition of 16 newcomers to the program that come from eight different states and countries.  The new wrestlers have combined for a national championship, four All-America titles, six state crowns and 12 state finals appearances.

The 16 newcomers strengthen the roster and give options for Coach Hjerling who enters his 11th season at the helm of the program.

The newcomers in the 125-pound class include J.J. Hellinger, a state placer from Orlando, Fla. (Dr. Phillips High) and Hampton Motley, a two-time South Carolina state finalist from Lexington (Lexington High). 

At the 133-pound class, Jordan Dix is from Richmond, VA (James River High) where he was a four-time Virginia state placer, an NHSCA National Open Finalist and tallied a career record of 183-23.  Shane Lee joins the team as a two-time South Carolina state qualifier and a South Carolina state placer from White Knoll High in West Columbia.  With a career record of 161-15, Dustin Paridon of Mosley High in Panama City, Fla. arrives as a four-time Florida state qualifier, a two-time Florida state placer and a Florida state finalist while Zach Boyer is a two-time Florida state placer from Robinson High in Tampa, Fla.  Giazzi Segarra is a four-time South Carolina state qualifier, a two-time South Carolina placer and a South Carolina state finalist from Dorman High in Spartanburg.

At 141, Kevin Timothy racked up a career record of 200-12 at Brandon High in Brandon, Fla. and is a four-time Florida state placer, a three-time Florida finalist, a two-time Florida state champion, an NHSCA Senior National All-American (8th) and a Greco Junior National All-American (8th).  Rashad Palmer is a two-time North Carolina state qualifier, a North Carolina state placer and a South Carolina state qualifier who comes to The Citadel from Overhill High School in Fayetteville, NC.  Nick LaFevre, a transfer from Clarion University (Pa.), was a two-time New Jersey state qualifier out of Delaware Valley Regional School in Milford, NJ.

At the 149 weight class, Mike Harper comes from Northwest Guilford High in Greensboro, NC where he was a two-time North Carolina state placer while Max Morrill is a two-time Florida state qualifier from Hernando High in Brooksville, Fla.

At 157, Zane Newton is a four-time South Carolina state placer, a three-time South Carolina state champion and owned a career record of 179-3 at Emerald High in Greenwood, and from Cincinnati, Ohio, Cameron Childs joins the team after qualifying in Ohio and standing out at Glen Este High.

Turtogtokh Luvsandorj comes to the program at the 165-pound weight class after earning the title of New Jersey Prep State Champion.  He is also a prep National Champion, and an NHSCA Senior National All-American (6th), having wrestled at St. Benedict's Prep (NJ) and is originally from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

At 184, Scott Edelson is a three-time Georgia state qualifier and a Georgia state finalist.  He comes from College Park, Ga., where he wrestled at Woodward Academy.

Cardinals Select Swauger As Minor League Player of the Month

The St. Louis Cardinals have named former baseball standout Chris Swauger as their Minor League Player of the Month. The left fielder currently plays for the Palm Beach Cardinals, the organization's Advanced Class-A affiliate in the Florida State League.

The 2008 graduate batted .393 with 35 hits, including 11 doubles and a triple to along with 19 RBI in 25 games in the month of August.  The Tampa, Fla. native had an on-base percentage of .415 and a slugging percentage of .539.  He was drafted in 26th round of the 2008 MLB Draft by the St. Cardinals.

Swauger started his minor league season for the Quad Cities River Brandits (Class-A) before moving to Palm Beach.  He batted .296 there with 34 hits, 10 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 22 RBI in 31 games.

They Said It:

"In reviewing the ('08) season, we found that we had to throw the ball away 30 to 35 times.  I remember in 2007, we only had to throw it away four or five times the whole season. ... There's a lot of different reasons for that - receivers are not open, protection, not getting the ball out on time - and it makes it harder when you struggle to run the ball as we did last year.  But we want Bart (Blanchard) to have a little higher completion rate this year."

• Coach Kevin Higgins, on improving the quarterback completion rate in 2009.

"As a linebacker, it means a lot cleaner play, a lot less having to deal with offensive linemen.  It will help us make plays, and I know (Terrence) Reese is definitely happy to have Kyle (Anderson) beside him.  I think they can cause a lot of havoc in the SoCon."

• Linebacker Jordon Gilmore, on the advantages of having Terrence Reese and Kyle Anderson on the defensive line.

"I thought the team moved the ball very well.  Our communication throughout the game was also very good."

• Soccer coach Bob Winch, after the Bulldogs' 14-0 trouncing of Alabama State on Sunday.

"We definitely played much better overall today (Saturday).  I was proud of the win this morning.  The girls played more consistently overall.  Even thought we lost to UNC Asheville in five, we played a great match against them. We can build on that match ... but I think we performed better with each match we played."

• Volleyball coach Carolyn Geiger.

"Just a light-hearted kid who loves football."

• Defensive coordinator Isaac Collins, on lineman Terrence Reese.

"My father is the hardest working man I've seen in my life.  Now he drives trucks, but that's probably the 30th job he's had.  He was in the military, he worked construction.  I've always figured, if my father can't stop working, why should I?"

• Terrence Reese, on his father and the family work ethic.

"These freshmen are great additions to our program.  We now have some experience returning and solid depth in the room.  A few of the freshmen will be competing for a starting spot right away but they will all benefit from having good training partners. ... Beyond their credentials, most of these freshmen just started to tap into their potential.  We look forward to helping them jump to different levels in their wrestling careers."

• Wrestling coach Rob Hjerling, on his 16 additions to the program.

"We progressed as the match went on.  In the second half, we had to keep our heads in the game and we did not allow our intensity die."

• Soccer player Diana Martin, after the 4-2 victory over SC State that kept The Citadel undefeated in the early season.

"It will be my first experience, but I think the coaches have done a good job preparing me for the game.  I'm surprised, but this is football, and you never know when guys are going to go down."

• Freshman running back Remi Biakabutuka, who gains a start against North Carolina on Saturday because of injuries to others.

Sir, No Excuse Sir!

In last week's issue of Today's Blue & White, we made reference to running backs coach Everett Sands, a member of our Hall of Fame, as a graduate of the Class of 1994, when he is a proud member of the Class of 1993.  We regret the error, brace and shout, "Sir, No Excuse Sir!"

And Finally ¿

Congratulations are extended to Danny Morrison, former Southern Conference Commissioner and Director of Athletics at Wofford, who was named President of the NFL's Carolina Panthers on Wednesday.  Danny has been a good friend of The Citadel for many years and continues to vacation here in the Lowcountry.

Upcoming Birthdays

Sept. 10 Jody Huddleston   Cross Country/Track & Field
Sept. 20 Daryle Wong    Football
Sept. 26 Matt Smith    Sports Medicine
Sept. 28 Lt Gen John Rosa   President

Upcoming Special Events

Oct. 30  Hall of Fame Banquet   Holliday Alumni Center
Nov. 6  Baseball Team's Golf Outing  Legend Oaks Golf Club

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............Noelle Orr Blaney