Today's Blue & White August 19, 2011

Today’s Blue & White

The Citadel Brigadier Foundation’s Official Electronic Newsletter

Friday, August 19, 2011

Opening Kickoff!

The Citadel's class of 2015 marks the fifth consecutive year the school has enrolled a freshman class of more the 700 students - a first in the college's 169-year-history.  The Citadel had between 725 and 750 freshmen report for academic orientation and military training over the weekend, and classes begin on Wednesday.

Football starts with the annual Coke Zero “Meet the Bulldogs Day” on Saturday, so enjoy some sunshine, free refreshments and watch some early-season football at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field (see below).

The Citadel welcomes Kemper Baker, formerly of Samford, as the new tennis coach.  Kemper spent the last nine years at Samford and is coming off a 2011 Southern Conference Championship and NCAA tournament appearance.  We also greet warmly Danny Reed as the new “Voice of the Bulldogs” as we bid adieu to good buddy Darren Goldwater, who will seek more television opportunities but will remain in Charleston.

Our volleyball and soccer teams are already amidst their fall practices while the cross country teams report this weekend with the remainder of the Corps of Cadets.

We hope that those who participated in yesterday’s Kickoff Golf Classic and last night’s Shrimp and Beer Night at the Beach House had an enjoyable time.  As you’ve come to expect, we have another packed issue of news and notes, so enjoy and Go Bulldogs!!!

Citadel Places 203 Cadet-Student-Athletes on SoCon Academic Honor Roll

The Citadel placed 203 cadet-student-athletes on the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll for the 2010-11 academic year.

The Citadel was one of seven institutions to increase their numbers from the previous year (139 in 2009-10), and the list includes Appalachian State, Chattanooga, College of Charleston, Elon, Furman and Wofford.

More than 1,900 student-athletes from 12 member institutions were named to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll for the 2010-11 academic year.  The 1,985 students recognized are the most honorees since the inception of the honor roll, surpassing the previous high set a year ago.

The average GPA of the 1,985 student-athletes was 3.45, and 44-percent of the recognized student-athletes achieved at least a 3.5 grade point average, including 80 students who posted a 4.0.  The Citadel placed four cadet-student-athletes among those with a 4.0 GPA, including Shanna Couch (soccer), John Dunn (tennis), Michael Paul (football) and John Synovec (football).

Those 871 student-athletes who attained a 3.5 GPA or higher were further honored with the Commissioner’s Medal.

On an institution basis, the Bulldogs’ football program led the list with 36 cadet-student-athletes on the SoCon Academic Honor Roll, followed closely by track & field (32), baseball (16) and cross country (14).

Southern Conference athletics directors established the honor roll prior to the 1988-89 athletic season as a way to recognize the league’s outstanding student-athletes.  The academic honor roll consists of student-athletes who participated in varsity sports at member institutions and posted a 3.0 grade point average or higher while passing at least 24 hours in two semesters of classes or its equivalent for other academic calendars.

Citadel SoCon Academic Honor Roll Honorees (by team)

Football            36 
Track & Field   32
Baseball           16
Soccer             16
Cross Country  14
Wrestling          11
Volleyball         11
Basketball        8
Rifle                 7
Tennis              5
Golf                  5

Coke Zero “Meet the Bulldogs” Set for Saturday

The annual Coke Zero “Meet the Bulldogs Day” for football has been set for this Saturday (Aug. 20) at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field on campus.  A complimentary hamburgers and hot dogs lunch (hamburgers are provided by Costco Wholesale while Aramark is supplying the hot dogs), will be served in the McAlister Field House lobby at 1 pm, with the Blue-White Scrimmage commencing at 1:15.  Posters, schedule cards and other collateral will be available and the popular autograph session will begin at 3:15 in the McAlister Field House lobby.  Coca-Cola will also be introducing their new relaxation drink, Simmer, with a relaxation station set up in the lobby.

The hamburgers and hot dogs will be cooked by the B.I.T.E.S. (Bulldog Intense Tailgaters Extreme Seniors)  Committee that consists of Gil Pohl, Ed Zur and Chip Nimmich.

There is no cost to attend “Meet the Bulldogs Day.”  The food and collateral are free, so enjoy the fresh air and getting a first-hand glimpse of the 2011 football team. 

Danny Reed Replaces Darren Goldwater as “Voice of the Bulldogs”

Danny Reed, currently the “Voice of the Charleston RiverDogs,” will replace Darren Goldwater as the “Voice of the Bulldogs” and Director of Broadcasting at Kirkman Broadcasting.  Reed, who spent the last three years as The Citadel Sports Network studio host and fill-in announcer, assumes the role from Goldwater, who resigned to pursue a variety of television play-by-play assignments.

Along with his previous duties with The Citadel Sports Network, Reed primarily served as the Charleston RiverDogs play-by-play broadcaster since the end of the 2008 season.

The Citadel Sports Network, in conjunction with Kirkman Broadcasting, enters its 27th year broadcasting Bulldogs Athletics. Reed becomes the eighth “Voice of the Bulldogs” following, in order, George Norwig, Larry Ward, Tom Taylor, Ted Byrne, Craig Shemon, Robby Robinson and Darren Goldwater.

Originally from Cumberland, Md., Reed graduated summa cum laude from Waynesburg University in Waynesburg, Pa., in May 2007 with a bachelor of arts in communication emphasizing sports broadcasting/sports information with a minor in marketing.  While at Waynesburg, he called play-by-play for men and women's basketball, baseball and high school football on the school's flagship station WCYJ-FM 88.7.

Individual Football Game Tickets Are Now on Sale  

Are you able to attend only the night games (or the day games) this year?  Have you been waiting for VMI and the Military Classic of the South to return to Johnson Hagood Stadium?  Do fall weddings get in the way where you can only attend selected games?

Then you are candidates to secure individual game tickets as a season ticket may not be for you.  Our Athletic Ticket Office is now prepared to take individual game orders (and, of course, we’ll still take season ticket orders).

In order to purchase individual game tickets, please call our Ticket Office at 843/953-DOGS (3647) or online at www.CitadelSports.com.

Sweet Johnson Hagood Stadium Suite May Become Available

An environmentally-controlled luxury suite at Johnson Hagood Stadium could possibly become available in time for the 2011 football season.  If you have an interest, please contact Associate Athletics Director John McAleer ’72 at 843/953-1354 or email him at john.mcaleer@citadel.edu.

Attention Suite & Club Seat Patrons

A limited number of single-game club seats are now available for purchase.  Only current suite and club seat holders are eligible to secure them.  Please contact Bryson Young in the Athletics Development Office at 843/953-6710 (byoung5@citadel.edu) for additional information and to request additional seats.

Basketball Announces Availability of 24 Courtside Seats

The 2011-12 basketball season will offer Brigadier Foundation and Citadel Basketball Association (CBA) members a unique experience as they watch the games at McAlister Field House. This week, the Department of Athletics announced that 24 courtside seats will be available for purchase in a season-ticket format.

The courtside seats, which line the baseline across from the scorer’s table, are priced at $300 per seat for the entire season.  The seats are blue with a Citadel logo embroidered into the leather, including a cup holder and leg covers at the base.

The Citadel will have 14 games in McAlister Field House during season.  The home-opener is with in-state rival Clemson, who is making its first appearance on The Citadel campus since Nov. 28, 1989 when the facility opened after a $8 million renovation.  Other non-conference opponents include Florida Christian (Nov. 11), Coastal Carolina (Dec. 6), Charleston Southern (Dec. 14) and UVA-Wise (Jan. 2).  The Bulldogs host nine Southern Conference games, starting with a three-game set in January against Samford (Jan. 7), Elon (Jan. 12) and UNC Greensboro (Jan. 14).  The season concludes on Feb. 25 when The Citadel squares off against intra-city rival College of Charleston.

To purchase or obtain more information about the new courtside seats that are available, please contact assistant coach Rob Burke at (843) 953-5905 or 513-5956 or email him at  rob.burke@citadel.edu.

Kemper Baker Named New Tennis Coach

Director of Athletics Larry Leckonby last week named Kemper Baker, formerly of Samford, as the new head tennis coach.

Kemper, who spent the last nine years at the helm of the Samford program, is coming off a 2011 Southern Conference Championship and NCAA tournament appearance.  The Bulldogs went 19-7 overall and 6-4 in SoCon action in 2011 and ranked No. 6 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's (ITA) final 2011 regional listings.

In 2007 and 2008, Baker brought in two Top 25 mid-major recruiting classes according to TennisRecruiting.net, and in 2008, led the Bulldogs to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship title and an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Samford finished the season with an overall record of 15-9, including a remarkable 11-1 mark in conference play.

In 2005, Baker's team posted an undefeated 8-0 record in conference play and finished second in the OVC Tournament in both 2005 and 2006. He was named the OVC's Coach of the Year in 2005 after finishing as the conference team champions.  In nine years as a head coach, Baker has coached 29 All-Conference selections.

He is a native of Richmond, Va., and is a 1997 graduate of the University of Mississippi. However, he played tennis for Samford from 1997-98 before becoming an assistant coach for the Bulldogs in 1999.

Soccer Picked Third in Preseason Poll; Garcia Named Preseason All-Conference

The soccer team was selected to place third in the Southern Conference preseason coaches poll that was released this week.  This marks the Bulldogs’ highest preseason ranking in program history and their first player selected to the conference's preseason all-league team.

The Bulldogs finished behind UNC Greensboro and Samford.  Samford ended The Citadel's 2010 season with a 4-3 loss at the SoCon Tournament semi-finals.  The Spartans will compete for their seventh consecutive league title.

The Cadets are led by two-time (2009 & 2010) SoCon Coach of the Year, Bob Winch, who returns 15 players, including preseason all-conference and 2010 Freshman and SoCon Player of the Year selection Mariana Garcia.   Eight seniors, seven sophomores and five freshmen create the 20-person roster that has no juniors.

Garcia, a sophomore forward from Bogota, Columbia, finished last season with 10 goals, one assist and 21 points on 53 shots.  She recorded the team's game-winning goal on five occasions, including a two-goal performance against Georgia Southern on Oct. 14 to lead the 2-1 victory.

Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
1. UNCG (7)                           112
2. Samford (5)                          111
3. The Citadel                         89
4. College of Charleston           86
5. Elon                                     82
6. Furman                                 77
7. Davidson                              69
8. Western Carolina                  46
9. Appalachian State                 42
10. Wofford                             32
11. Georgia Southern                26
12. Chattanooga                       20

Women's Soccer Preseason All-Conference Team
F       Mariana Garcia, The Citadel
F       Martha Hall, Furman
F       Donna-Kay Henry, Chattanooga
MF    Sarah Schaidle, College of Charleston
MF    Rachel Shelnutt, Furman
MF    Jaimey Etten, UNCG
MF    Michelle Moll, Samford
D       Hannah Gmerek, College of Charleston
D       Andrea Keller, Elon
D       Cat Barnekow, UNCG
GK    Kelsey Kearney, UNCG

SoCon Inks Deal with ESPN3.com

The Southern Conference announced this week that it has signed a four-year extension with ESPN3.com to deliver a minimum of 45 live regular season league games and conference championships per year.  The addition of games on ESPN3.com extends ESPN’s current four-year deal with the Southern Conference, which continues through the 2014-2015 season..

ESPN3.com is currently available in more than 70 million households through computers, tablets and smart phones and in 25 million households via Xbox gaming consoles.

As part of the agreement, the eight regular season football games that the league produces for public television will be made available through ESPN3.com.  Additionally, eight regular season men’s basketball games along with the men’s and women’s basketball tournament semifinals and the championship game of the women’s basketball tournament will be delivered live.  The men’s basketball tournament championship game is already slated to be televised by either ESPN or ESPN2.

The Southern Conference will also produce at least 25 events that will be exclusive to ESPN3.com.  Regular season games from football, basketball, baseball, softball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and volleyball selected by the conference office and ESPN will be shown in addition to conference championship events.

Will Wilson Memorial 5K Run and Walk Benefits TBCF

Registration is open for the 2nd Annual William Wilson 5K Run/Walk that will be held tomorrow (Saturday, Aug. 20) at the Maxcy Gregg Park in Columbia.

William Wilson ‘07 was tragically killed while riding his bicycle through the Shandon neighborhood in September 2008.  William was an avid athlete, competitor and member of The Citadel cross country and track teams from 2003-07.

Strictly Running, a running and walking shop in Columbia, will be assisting in the race. To register for your spot today, please refer to http://www.strictlyrunning.com/index8.asp and for more information – including sponsorship opportunities – please contact The Brigadier Foundation (843/053-6277), email williamwilson5k@gmail.com or refer to http://www.williamwilson5k.com.

Keep Up With Citadel Athletics

For the latest on all athletic events and giveaways, visit the official Facebook and Twitter accounts of The Citadel Athletics at www.facebook.com/citadelbulldogs and at www.twitter.com/citadelsports.  Also, the baseball and football teams now have their own Twitter accounts at www.twitter.com/citadelbaseball and www.twitter.com/citadelfootball.  Follow them today!

Bulldog Business Partners

The Citadel Brigadier Foundation has started the “Bulldog Business Partners” for the 2012-12 academic year and the first to sign up are:

• Charleston Comfort Inn
• Piggly Wiggly

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

August Birthdays

Aug. 19            Britt Reames                 Baseball

Aug. 31            Bill Mottola                  Football

They Said It:

"I just want to embrace the position.  If you play a position that you don't really want to play, you'll just be OK.  But if you embrace the position, you will be a much better player. … Last year was frustrating for me.  Going out there and practicing so much, and then still having bobbled snaps in the games, that was frustrating.  And then going through the whole knob year at The Citadel -- it was a lot to handle."

• Sophomore fullback-turned-center Mike Sellers.

"On behalf of The Citadel Athletics Department we would like to thank Darren (Goldwater) for the outstanding job he has done for us over the last three years and wish him much success in his future endeavors.  We look forward to Danny joining us in the fall and welcome him as an official member of the Bulldog Family."

• Director of Athletics Larry Leckonby.

“Danny Reed is a talented young broadcaster.  … I’m excited and confident Danny will continue the long line of broadcast excellence for The Citadel Sports Network.”

• Gil Kirkman, owner of Kirkman Broadcasting, on new “Voice of the Bulldogs” Danny Reed.

"Every morning, we have three coaches at all five battalions.  We spend time with the TAC officers (who oversee the barracks), get around our players and the student body.  That has really helped with the relationship with the Corps of Cadets, and that's something I didn't even think about doing the first five years I was here."

• Coach Kevin Higgins.

Upcoming Events

Aug. 20                        “Meet the Bulldogs (Football)” @Maybank Triplets Facility

William Wilson 5K Walk/Run @Columbia

Nov. 11                       21^st Annual Homecoming Golf Tournament @Shadowmoss

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.citadelsports.com/list-signup

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

Layout…………………Mike Petrini