Soaring GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC FOUNDATION
Spring 2013
INSIDE Joining a Tradition of Winning: Q & A with GSU Athletics Director Tom Kleinlein Campaign Update Sports’ Preview For All The Right Reasons
Joining a Tradition of Winning
Why was Georgia Southern an attractive job for you? There is a tradition of winning at Georgia Southern and a very loyal fan base. The opportunity to grow
A Q&A with GSU Athletics Director Tom Kleinlein
both Athletics and the University at the same time under the leadership of a president like Dr. Keel had tremendous appeal to me. What was the biggest surprise when you arrived here? The biggest surprise for me was how impressive the campus and campus life are at Georgia Southern. The
We recently welcomed Tom Kleinlein as the new Athletics Director for Georgia Southern. He has taken the opportunity to answer some of
academic and athletic facilities, and the beauty of the campus combined with the people of Statesboro provide our young people with a great college experience. What is your vision for Georgia Southern athletics? Our plan for the future of Georgia Southern is very simply to serve the mission of the University by being a source of pride and national distinction directly resulting from extraordinary results in academics, athletics and leadership development.
the questions you may have about the direction he will be taking the Athletics Department.
How do you see athletics in relationship to the rest of the University? We serve the University by uniting the Eagle Nation through our accomplishments, while helping define the profile and attractiveness of the overall university through the branding opportunities that exist with NCAA Division 1 athletics. Why do you believe it is necessary for Georgia Southern to move to the FBS at this time? In today’s world of college athletics things are changing very rapidly and there is division beginning to
take place. The BCS (Bowl Championship Series) football
it will also limit opportunities to market our University on a
helping improve the attractiveness of our University at the
playing conferences are leading these changes along with the
national stage in Football.
same time. It is also an opportunity to see a different level of
five non-AQ conferences (Automatic Qualifying conferences)
opponent in our stadiums and venues than has been here in
which make up FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) football.
What do you see as the future of FCS football, and given your
It’s important that Georgia Southern is a part of those
thoughts on that, how does this impact the fans — people ask, what’s
conversations and prepared for the movement so we can be in
in it for me?
What will a move to FBS do to ticket prices and other costs
a position of strength as a University. Right now we are not
Our movement to an FBS level conference is vital to the growth
associated with the program?
included in those conversations.
and existence of Georgia Southern Athletics. I understand
My challenge is to make sure that we increase revenue to
the past.
people are uneasy about the thought of changing the great thing
support this move without limiting opportunity. There are
Do you feel Georgia Southern is at risk of being left behind?
that has been built here; however, what people have known since
going to be changes associated with this move and I will be
I feel that the position of strength that Georgia Southern once
1981 is changing, and it may go away altogether.
working hard to make sure that communities that have gotten
had may be slipping away for a couple of reasons.
us here will have an opportunity to see the Eagles compete. People naturally want to know what is in it for them. The
• The one major identifiable thing that the public loved about
answer is, the same things that have always been there for our
If we get an invitation to an FBS conference, how do we afford it?
FCS football, the playoff system, will no longer be identified
fans, just on a bigger stage that helps sustain our program.
Are you going to increase ticket prices?
only with FCS football in the near future. By 2014, FBS
We need to grow revenue through corporate funding How will a move to the FBS impact the athletics department
opportunities and private donations in addition to ticket sales.
specifically and the entire University generally?
We will need to maintain our connections to our current fans
• A recent decision by the Big 10 to no longer play FCS schools
It’s the opportunity to be part of putting a program, which has
while moving to grow a new group of Eagle fans as loyal and
may be followed by other conferences at the FBS level. This
been more successful than all of the Universities that have made
as good as this group.
will not only severely impact revenue from these games, but
the move to FBS in the last 30 years, on a national stage and
football will also have a playoff system.
Champion the Champions —
Soaring to Victory
T
he Soaring to Victory Capital Campaign has entered Phase II which focuses on enhancing the student-athlete experience.
The Champion the Champions – Double the Donor Base Campaign addresses the annual campaign component of the larger Soaring to Victory Capital Campaign. By donating to the GATA Fund you will help to:
• Fully fund student-athlete scholarships • Implement a student-athlete laptop program • Fully staff and fund the Athletics Academic Support Center • Support the creation of a Career/Life Skills Program with appropriate staff and budget
• Hire additional recruiting staff members in many sports You may donate to this campaign by going to: www.RingsAndDiplomas.com/GATA to donate to the GATA Fund.
Double the Donor Base
HIGH FIVE OUR EAGLES! In addition to donating to the GATA Fund online, you may also reward the accomplishments of great student-athletes by texting a gift to the GATA Fund during a sporting event. Whether you are at a game, watching online or at home listening to an Eagle radio broadcast, please ‘High Five Our Eagles’ when they do something spectacular. All funds raised will be donated to the GATA Fund. An Eagle Slam-dunk! Touchdown! Sack! Big hit on defense! Field goal! Home run! Strike out! Stolen base! Scores a goal! WINS!! Good grades! For any outstanding achievement please give our Eagles a “High Five!”
High Five Our Eagles! Text ‘GATA’ to 20222 $5 Donation $5 will be donated to the Georgia Southern University Athletic Foundation. Charges will appear on your wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. You must be 18 years of age or have parental permission to participate. Message and data rates may apply. To unsubscribe text STOP to 20222. For help text HELP to 20222.
Spring Sports’ Preview
Scott Wolfes
Hayden Anderson
Andrew Dromsky
Golf
Rayane Djouad
The Eagle golf team was
and having the opportunity to digest some of that
off to a good start in the fall
Charlie Martin
Will Evans
Men’s Tennis
Oliver Webb
Matthijs Verdam
In the fall, six members
Andrew Dromsky, a sophomore, and Oliver Webb, a
and realizing that they do not have to play perfectly.
of the Men’s Tennis team
junior, are looking very good in doubles. “They are
playing in five tournaments
Sometimes, for a college golfer that is the hardest
competed at the ITA
going to be in a position, which is where our goal
with two big wins that were
thing.”
Regional at Florida State
is, to be able to qualify for the NCAAs – a long way
which proved to be a good
to go to get there but definitely a possibility, claims Zieziula.
back-to-back – the first time they have won back-
A coaching goal for Mays is to teach his golfers to
experience for them. It was
to-back since 1982.
focus on the next shot and not the big picture. “I
the first time they were able
think that for college golfers you sometimes have
to take that many players
Rayane Djouad, a freshman, posted an 8-2 record
perfectionists,” remarks Mays. “We are training them
and find success for each
this fall and played in either the top flight or the
counting only one senior on the roster, the core of
to focus on the small picture while on the whole golf
member of the team.
second flight in every tournament. “I am excited to
the team is mostly sophomores and juniors with the
course, and then we can do big picture while we are
head of the class a sophomore, Scott Wolfes.
in practice.”
As a very young team
see what he can do in the spring,” says Zieziula. Another boost for the program came from the amount of experience the freshmen, who are now
Coming off a tough spring with his foot, after he had
Another sophomore, Charlie Martin, had some
Strong academic responsibility is also critical to the
sophomores, got their first season. “Last year really
experience playing #1, senior Matthijs Verdam is
strong finishes in the fall. The rest of the top four
success of the team. “Our GPAs are usually better
changed their perspective and their expectations,”
back and healthy.
who carried the program in the fall are Hayden
than the rest of the student population and student-
says Head Coach Nick Zieziula. “They now have the
Anderson and Will Evans who are both juniors.
athletes are putting out a ton more time to compete
expectation that we can and should beat everybody
A new Big Brother Program aimed to help some of
in their sport,” remarks Mays. Over half the team
that we are going on the court with. There is a big
the freshmen adjust academically and athletically
“We got some confidence in the fall,” says Head
had a GPA over 3.0, a very strong showing in both
difference playing and losing close, and playing and
was started this year. All in-coming freshmen were
Coach Larry Mays. “We know we have the talent.
competition and academics in the fall.
winning.”
paired with one of the upper classmen to assist with balancing their school work with their training and
There have been some guys who have been here for a few years and played in a lot of tournaments. They
With an exciting spring schedule there are some
have gotten used to teeing up against some of the
great opportunities to step up the program and “we
best players in the country, week in and week out,
have the depth to do it this year on the roster as well,” says Ziezula.
competition.
Natalie Maffett
Caitlin Kitchen
Women’s Tennis Women’s Tennis had a great fall, especially the way it ended. A week after the school year started, all six players on the team played a tournament in Auburn giving them the opportunity to see what they needed to work on. “It was a little difficult because we kind of threw everyone to the wolves the first week of school, but it was really good for us in the sense that we played tough competition, some SEC and Sunbelt schools for example,” says Head Coach Amy Bonner. That created a baseline for the players to see where they needed to go with their preparation. “We did a lot of work on our conditioning, and we got a lot faster and a lot stronger enabling us to get to more balls than we were ever able to before,” Bonner adds. There were two newcomers in the fall who add strength to the team – Jordana Klein, a sophomore,
Jordana Klein
Paola Garrido
and Stephanie Woods, a freshman. January brought new players who will add depth to the team. Mary Phillips Smith, a talented freshman, was able to graduate from high school early and summa cum laude and Francescia Norgard a freshman from Denmark. This year, there is only one senior, Natalie Maffett, on the team. A four-year veteran of the team, she has the experience and know-how to bring the team together. Another big contributor who will play a key role is Paola Garrido a junior, who was All-freshman her freshman year and All Southern Conference last year. Junior Caitlin Kitchen was the doubles specialist, playing number one doubles last year along with Paolo. “Fall grades were a highlight with nothing lower than a B,” says Bonner. “We won the team GPA last year with a 3.52 over all sports, so I am eager to see what this year will bring.”
Jasmine Walker
Ebony Carter
Jasmine Billings
Track and Field Head Coach Marlo Mincey
Ones to watch include seniors Jasmine Billings and
says that she will be
Ebony Carter, and sophomore Jasmine Walker.
“expecting a great deal at meets this year – we expect
With the Indoor Season over, the team looked
to
forward to the Outdoor Season – to the relays that
be very competitive. We are
they put together. “Talent wise, person to person, we
trying to reach those places
will be able to put together a relay that we have not
where we will see a lot of
had for a while,” says Mincey. “Barring any injuries,
different faces and schools,
we should have a pretty strong showing in the 400
and not just our conference schools.”
hurdles. We are excited for those events we cannot contend in the Indoor Season.”
With 14 new members, the coaching staff looks to have them approach the sport in a consistent way as
On the academic side, the team is graduating four
a team. “There may be some bad habits that have
seniors this year and it will probably not be the end
to be changed. We go back to basics and take it slow,
of school for them. At least three of the four will go
sometimes making small but important changes.”
on to post-graduate work. Sarah Curry, a junior, has been a stellar athlete for Georgia Southern and is
But the focus is not just on the newcomers. “We are
always doing great academically. “We do not want
coaching everyone to be in the position to make
for that to go unnoticed,” remarks Mincey. And with
an impact this year,” says Mincey. “It is not a team
a strong team GPA in the fall, the entire team has
sport, but it will take a team effort to win.”
been doing well.
For All The Right Reasons Georgia Southern Sits in Eighth in Capital One Cup Standings
Soaring
Welcome to the 11th edition of the Georgia Southern University Athletic Foundation’s quarterly newsletter, Soaring. Support Georgia Southern University student-athletes. Call 912.478.5520 or visit www.ringsanddiplomas.com to find out how you can help.
On the Cover: Matthijs Verdam has shown a lot of resiliency in dealing with adversity in
O
his time at Georgia Southern. This year he is back on top of his game and ready
n the strength of a semifinal appearance in the NCAA Division I Football Championship and No. 3 ranking in the final FCS polls, the Georgia Southern men’s athletic programs are tied for eighth place in the Capital One Cup standings following the completion of the fall season.
to lead the Men’s Tennis team on their quest for a SoCon Championship. Jordana Klein has competed at the #2 position in singles all year, and she has competed at the #2 and #3 doubles positions. Jordana is a journalism major with a 3.71 overall GPA.
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The Capital One Cup is awarded annually to each of the best men’s and women’s Division I college athletics programs in the country. Points toward the Capital One Cup are earned and tracked throughout the year based on final standings of NCAA Championships and final official coaches’ polls. One winning men’s and one winning women’s program will be crowned after the completion of the final NCAA spring championships. Capital One will award a combined $400,000 in studentathlete scholarships and the Capital One Cup trophy to the winning schools at the ESPY awards in July.
The Eagles, with 30 points, are tied with Maryland. Alabama, Indiana and North Dakota State are tied for first and Notre Dame ranks fourth, while Georgetown, Oregon and Sam Houston State are tied for fifth. - GSU Athletics
Georgia Southern University Athletic Foundation www.ringsanddiplomas.co John Mulherin, President johnmul@georgiasouthern.edu David Beaubien Eagle Fund Executive Director dbeaubien@georgiasouthern.edu Frank Hook Director of Donor Relations fhook@georgiasouthern.edu Lindsey C. Randolph Atlanta Regional Athletics Development Director lrandolph@georgiasouthern.edu
Kathryn Bryant Operations Coordinator kathrynbryant@georgiasouthern.edu
John Ramfjord Athletics Ticket Manager jramfjord@georgiasouthern.edu
Dee Parker Donor Records Director dparker@georgiasouthern.edu
Writer/Editor: Bonnie Jaeger
Sally Scott Eagle Fund Program Coordinator swscott@georgiasouthern.edu Justin Callaway Eagle Fund Special Projects Coordinator justincallaway50@gmail.com
Graphic Design: Hilde Keldermans
PO Box 8115-01 Statesboro, GA 30460 8115
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