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Today's Blue & White
The Citadel Brigadier Foundation's Official Electronic Newsletter
Friday, October 16, 2009
Opening Kickoff!
 The football-playing Bulldogs head to Western Carolina this morning (Friday) and will enjoy the fall colors from the bus while concentrating on defeating the Catamounts. This is a key game for the Cadets as they need to get back on the winning track.
We're proud of all of our cadet-student-athletes, but we tip our caps to volleyballer Tatum Jestila, who was named the SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week (see below). Congrats, Tatum!
Another tip of the cap is extended to our soccer team which garnered its first road conference win with a huge victory over Georgia Southern in Statesboro, Ga. Congratulations Coach Bob Winch and his squad of greatly-improved Bulldogs.
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!!!
Jestila Selected SoCon Student-Athlete Of The Week
 Tatum Jestila, a junior outside hitter for The Citadel volleyball team, has been honored as the Southern Conference Student-Athlete of the Week for October 14, as announced by the league office Wednesday.
The Scottsdale, Ariz., native has a 3.746 GPA and is majoring in health exercise and sports science.
Jestila posted double-doubles in both of the Bulldogs' matches last week. Against Georgia Southern, she recorded 11 kills and 10 digs, and went on to tally 15 kills and 15 digs in The Citadel's match versus Davidson. Against the Wildcats, with the score tied 29-29 in the second set, Jestila drove a kill past the Wildcats defense that helped set up Amanda Beal for the game-winning point.
Jestila has recorded seven double-doubles on the season, including four in her last five matches. She also posted two service aces and an assist last week. On the season, she ranks atop the team in kills (196), kills per set (2.72), digs (181) and digs/set (2.51).
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
- Hyman's Seafood;
- Lloyd's Soccer Sports;
- Moe's Southwest Grill;
- Moe's Tavern;
- Nash Oil Company, Inc.; and
• 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.
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.
Phoenix Dominate Bulldogs
The Citadel took a hard loss at No. 10 Elon, 43-7 on Saturday as the Bulldogs, plagued by penalties, were held to 120 yards of offense and allowed 29 Phoenix first downs. The Cadets got off to a slow start and the Phoenix took advantage, putting the first points on the board just 2:13 into the game and held The Citadel scoreless until halfway through the fourth quarter.
The Citadel managed 120 yards of offense. Quarterback Bart Blanchard completed 14-of-25 passes for 102 yards with two interceptions and a touchdown. Van Dyke Jones led the receiving effort with four passes for 29 yards while Kevin Hardy totaled 116 all-purpose yards, of which 102 came on kickoff returns. Elon totaled 543 yards of total offense.
For more information, please refer to www.CitadelSports.com.
Citadel ¿ Western Carolina Football History
 The Citadel faces Western Carolina for the 34th time in the programs' history on Saturday. The Citadel leads, 19-13-1, in the series which dates to 1972. The teams are an even 8-8 in games played in Cullowhee, and the Bulldogs have won the last five outings against the Catamounts, including last year's 34-14 win at Johnson Hagood Stadium.
For more information, please refer to www.CitadelSports.com.
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.
Soccer Records Historic Road Victory
 On Thursday in Statesboro, Ga., The Citadel defeated Georgia Southern, 2-1, for the second straight year. The victory marks the first Southern Conference road win in program history and second conference win this season. It is also the second time in program history that the Bulldogs have recorded five wins with the first dating back to the 2002 season.
Amy Loughran led the Bulldogs - which led 2-0 at halftime - with two goals while Leah Hawkins and Nikkita Persaud each recorded an assist. At goalie, Whitney Nave finished with two saves as the Cadets outshot the Eagles, 13-11.
On Sunday, the Bulldogs suffered a 1-0 defeat to Davidson at WLI Field. It was a good defensive match for both teams but the Wildcats came out on top, outshooting the Bulldogs 24-6. In the second half, Dianna Martin had a chance to score with 27:42 on the clock, but it was saved by the Wildcats' goalkeeper.
For more information, please refer to www.CitadelSports.com.
Volleyball Drops Two on the Road; Tops Savannah State
 On Wednesday the trio of Tatum Jestila, Jessica Maas and Alyssa Holum led The Citadel to a sweep of Savannah State, 3-0, at McAlister Field House. Jestila (11 kills, 9 digs), Maas (10 kills, 3 assisted blocks) and Holum (30 assists) finished the Tigers off by scores of 25-8, 25-13 and 25-17.
Shannon Frain led the Bulldogs defensively with 10 digs, followed by Jestila's nine. As a team Citadel drove home 43 kills, highlighted by Jestila and Maas. Maas' three assisted blocks anchored a front row that tallied 10, with Jestila and Blaine McAllister each adding a pair.
On Friday The Citadel dropped a 3-0 (25-11, 25-15 and 25-20) contest to Georgia Southern in Statesboro, Ga. Jestila finished with her sixth double-double following an 11 kill, 10 dig performance. Teammate Holum dished 25 assists in the match. Complimenting Jestila on the front row was McAllister (seven kills) and Maas (six kills).
Despite a double-double by Jestila, her fourth in the last five matches, The Citadel was downed by Davidson, 3-1 (17-25, 31-29, 22-25 and 15-25), in Davidson, NC. Jestila led the way with 15 kills and 15 digs, notching her seventh double dip of the season. Maas pounded out 12 kills and blocked a match-high four attempts by Davidson, while defensively, Kathryn Johnson added 11 digs.
For more information, please refer to www.CitadelSports.com.
Cross Country Men Finish Sixth, Women Eighth at Furman Invitational
 The cross country teams participated in the Furman Invitational on Saturday in Greenville, and freshman Kyle Keene led the men to a sixth place finish with 123 points while Katheryn Gatewood guided the women to eighth place with 203 points.
Keene finished the 8k course with a time of 27:38.68 and Brendan Kight followed in 17th place (27:51.78). Chris Fallis came in next at 19th place (27:53.03) while a minute later, Zach Yereb finished 41st (28:57.46). John Gatewood crossed the finished line 43rd (29:03.70) and Atom Young finished out the top 50 at 45th place (29:04.62).
For the women, Gatewood completed the 5k course at 38th with a time of 21:08.19 while Natalie Wolin finished 40th (21:14.12). Suzanne Gay wasn't far behind as she finished 47th (21:32.29) and freshman Micah Wessinger rounded out the top 50 for The Citadel finishing 49th (21:51.77).
For more information, please refer to www.CitadelSports.com.
From the Press Box with Darren Goldwater
Last Saturday was a long afternoon, one which we as fans would like to forget. But let's try and restore a sense of calm and normalcy here. At the start of the year, the idea of a 2-3 start to the season with two conference losses was, at the very least, a decent possibility. Having seen Appalachian State and Elon, there's little doubt in my mind they're the top two teams in the league, with the Phoenix currently holding a slight edge.
For whatever reason, Saturday just wasn't the Bulldogs' day. But starting tomorrow at Western Carolina, every game remaining presents a much better opportunity for a win. The Catamounts have been hit hard all year by the injury bug and are still in search of their first overall win. By the looks of things, you couldn't have asked for a better "bounce-back" game than the only winless team in the league (except for playing them at home of course).
Remember, this is the same Bulldogs team that just two weeks ago had fans at the rooftops singing their praises. The Citadel has one of the most exciting young running backs in the league in Van Dyke Jones, a multi-threat freshman quarterback in Miguel Starks and a defensive end, Chris Billingslea, who Terrence Reese recently compared to former Bulldogs great Trevar Broughton. The list goes on here with a common theme ... the Bulldogs are relying on youth to play big roles alongside established veterans like Andre Roberts, Bart Blanchard and Reese.
Naturally, with so many underclassmen playing vital roles, we have to expect some highs and lows. The Appalachian State game was likely a sign of things to come while the Elon game will prove to be a valuable lesson. There's still plenty of football left and my hunch is that we'll see The Citadel team that played against the Mountaineers far more often than the one that struggled at Elon.
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 2:30 for the 4 o'clock kickoff. In Charleston, tune to WTAT Fox-24 for television coverage, mute the volume, and crank up your radios for the Bulldogs at Western Carolina. 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.
Citadel Athletics Begin to Twitter
Bear with us as The Citadel Department of Athletics begins to tweet as we've recently joined the twitter rage.
To start receiving our regular tweets, visit www.twitter.com and click on the green "sign up" box. Once registered, click on "find people" (at the top) and type in CitadelAthletic (singular), and then click on "follow." You'll soon be receiving tweets from us and will be informed with results and can't-wait-news.
Memorial Fund Banquet Set for Oct. 29
The 28th Annual Memorial Fund Banquet is set for Thursday, October 29, at 6:30 pm at the Holliday Alumni Center.
This longstanding event provides the unique opportunity to seat the recipient of an athletic scholarship with his/her donor in a banquet setting and is widely appreciated by both the donor and cadet-student-athlete.
Formal invitations are forthcoming, but please reserve the date. Should you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us at 843/953-5277.
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 Set for Nov. 6
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.
And Having Absolutely Nothing to Do with Athletics
In a recent CNN/Travel + Leisure magazine survey rating 30 popular American cities, Charleston fared well, coming in at No. 1 in the "Thanksgiving Travel" and "Best B&Bs/Inns" categories. That's great news, but what really caught our eye about this poll was that it included some categories we don't often see in travel surveys. Here's how the Holy City fared in five of them.
- Most Attractive People: We're No. 3, behind Miami and San Diego, respectively;
- Most Stylish People: No. 5, behind New York, Miami, San Francisco and Los Angeles;
- Farmers Markets: No. 5, behind Seattle, Portland (Ore.), New Orleans and Cleveland;
- Safety: No. 3, behind Portland (Ore.) and Minneapolis/St. Paul; and
• Peace and Quiet: No. 2, behind Santa Fe.
Courtesy: CharlestonCurrents.com.
They Said It:
"Although we didn't play pretty soccer today, the scoreboard is what really counts. The team hustled to the last minute and it paid off."
- Soccer standout Amy Loughran, after The Citadel's 2-1 victory at Georgia Southern.
"I'm pretty embarrassed about how we played. We've just to go back and accept it as men, and try to get better."
- Linebacker Jordon Gilmore, after the Elon game.
"I'm shocked. Disgusted with myself. We have to protect better. It was all our fault, and I won't blame anybody but myself. I love my teammates, and all we can do is keep pushing on through."
- Offensive tackle Dan DeHaven, after the Elon game.
"We talk some on Facebook, but I'm sure we'll talk more after this game and after this seasons. We both have aspirations for the NFL, so we'll have a lot to talk about."
- Wide receiver Andre Roberts, on his relationship with Elon wide receiver Terrell Hudgins, both of which are consensus All-Americans.
"He's going to be a great player, and he's already developing into one this year. I think the sky's the limit for him."
- Coach Kevin Higgins, on defensive end Chris Billingslea.
"This was a good win for us. This was our first home win and much needed for us to get back on track. It will certainly give us momentum for our eight hour road trip this weekend. Tatum was very close to her eighth double-double, however I more pleased with her being recognized as SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week."
• Volleyball coach Carolyn Geiger, after the Savannah State match.
Upcoming Birthdays
Oct. 16 Nick Toth Football
Upcoming Special Events
Oct. 29 28th Annual Memorial Fund Banquet Holliday Alumni Center
Oct. 30 Hall of Fame Banquet Holliday Alumni Center
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............Noelle Orr Blaney
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