My message to you this week is simple - Our football program continues to make this a season of firsts and "…wow, this hasn't happened in a long time!...". With the 38-21 win at SFA on Saturday in front of a Fox Sports Net regional television audience, we accomplished both of those statements. The win clinched our first eight win season since moving to I-AA in 1984. That, my friends, is impressive. Another point of pride for Bobcat faithful is the fact that we won in Nacogdoches for the first time since 1991. To give you a frame of reference on that, our entire football senior class was in grade school. Way to go, Cats! Now, we turn our attention to this Saturday and hopefully beyond. When we kickoff against Sam Houston State at 3 p.m., we have a chance to win nine games, to at least share a Southland Conference championship for the first time, and to advance to the I-AA playoffs, which would also be a first. If you need more motivation to be there (and I certainly hope you don't!), it is a chance to come out and help us honor a VERY, very special senior class that is playing in their final regular season home game. A number of student-athletes in this class have played under three different head coaches and have given their heart and soul to this program. I know we will make Saturday very memorable.
Unfortunately, our volleyball program did not have a great wrap-up to its regular season, dropping two matches to Louisiana-Monroe and Northwestern State. We finished the year 12-6 in SLC play as the fourth seed, and I am very confident that Karen Chisum will have her team ready to play this weekend as the Southland Conference Tournament gets underway in Arlington. Follow our Bobcats this weekend here on the web site. Our opening match is Friday at Texas Hall, as we face McNeese State, the fifth-seed, at 5 p.m.
Since my last update, our soccer team finished third in the SLC and dropped a 3-1 decision to Northwestern State in the semi-finals of the conference tournament. Congratulations to head coach Kat Conner and her young squad, which played most of the season without returning SLC Player and Freshman of the Year in 2004 Danielle Holloway. With a great recruiting class coming in and plenty of experience returning, it should be a great 2006 for Bobcat soccer. I can also guarantee that we have more than four home matches scheduled!
With all the deserved hoopla surrounding the football game this weekend, I also remind you that it is our annual T-Association weekend. The weekend festivities begin with our Hall of Honor Banquet on Friday night, as we induct Glenn Gundy, Corky Nelson, and Dee White into the Hall. It is the highest honor bestowed on a Bobcat letter-winner, and I congratulate these three on their accomplishments. On Saturday, we will have our semi-annual letter-winner brunch at 11:00 a.m. at the San Marcos Activity Center. Due to the UIL Volleyball State Tournament being played in Strahan Coliseum and other facility conflicts on campus, we had to take it off-site. It is, however, an easy drive from the center to Bobcat Stadium for football at 3 p.m.
Both basketball teams hosted their exhibition games last week as final tune-ups begin for the 2005-2006 season on the hardwood. Our men open with a weekend in Utah, as they tip-off Friday night against the Mountain West favorite University of Utah. On Saturday night, they will play a very good Utah Valley State team that is coached by Dick Hunsaker, who coached some great Ball State teams in the mid-90's and has been to numerous post-season tournaments. The women's team opens on the road Friday night at Oklahoma State before returning home for the CenturyTel Classic on Thanksgiving weekend. A complete schedule for the classic is posted here on the site.
We began this update by talking about football, so I am going to finish it that way. Not only do I congratulate Coach David Bailiff and his hard-working staff (I happen to agree with him that we have the best staff in the country), but I also congratulate our student-athletes. I hope they will always remember 2005 for what they accomplished, and I also hope they have a lot more left in the tank. With that in mind, stay tuned to the web site for an announcement regarding a Selection Show party on Sunday at noon to announce the I-AA football playoff pairings. Wow, that has a nice ring to it! Eat 'Em Up Cats!!!
Larry Teis
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