APRIL 2025 EDITION
WHAT'D YOU MISS?
INAUGURAL RACKETS ON THE ROCKS
Our inaugural Rackets on the Rocks was a smashing success – serving up plenty of prizes, drinks and food! Independence Bowl Foundation members, as well as plenty of others, joined us for a great night at Pierremont Oaks Tennis Club. Check out the action below!
NEARLY 200 YOUTH TENNIS PLAYERS PLAY IN JUNIOR TENNIS CLASSIC
The Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl hosted nearly 200 youth tennis players in Shreveport-Bossier City for the fourth edition of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Junior Tennis Classic. It was the highest attendance in the tournament’s four-year history.
The tournament brought youth tennis players and their families to the Shreveport-Bossier community from 15 different states – including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.
Maneuvering around weather troubles in the area on Saturday and Sunday, the USTA National Level 5 Tournament was hosted at Pierremont Oaks Tennis Club, Bossier Tennis Center and Querbes Tennis Center. The Independence Bowl Junior Tennis Classic featured singles draws for each Boys and Girls in the 12U, 14U, 16U and 18U age groups. The singles draw featured up to 32 entries for each age group in two flights of 16 in a “modified feed-in consolation” format. The doubles matches were canceled late Sunday due to weather.
The 2024 edition of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Junior Tennis Classic was named the 2024 Junior Tournament of the Year by the Louisiana Tennis Association.
WHAT'D YOU MISS?
INDEPENDENCE BOWL FOUNDATION ANNUAL MEMBER CRAWFISH BOIL
What a turnout! The Indy Bowl Foundation came out and enjoyed the beautiful weather and allyou-can-eat crawfish. The Member Crawfish Boil always brings the heat! Thank you to Shaver's Crawfish & Catering and Hurricane Alley for making the event a huge success.
IN THE NEWS
EIGHT INDEPENDENCE BOWL ALUMNI SELECTED IN 2025 NFL DRAFT
The 2025 NFL Draft is in the books, and the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl was highly represented throughout the weekend festivities, as eight Independence Bowl alumni were selected in the seven-round draft – including five players in the first three rounds.
The first Independence Bowl alumni came off the board in the first round, as former Houston wide receiver Matthew Golden was selected No. 23 overall by the Green Bay Packers. Golden, who caught two passes for 17 yards in the 2022 Independence Bowl before transferring to Texas, was the first former Independence Bowl player selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since Gregory Rousseau in 2021.
On day two of the NFL Draft, Independence Bowl alumni heard their names four times. Former Louisiana cornerback Trey Amos was selected in the second round with the 61st overall pick by the Washington Commanders. Amos started for the Ragin’ Cajuns in the 2022 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl before transferring to Alabama and then to Ole Miss. He was followed by three former Independence Bowl players in the third round – cornerback Nohl Williams, defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell and offensive lineman Caleb Rogers.
The draft concluded with three Independence Bowl alumni being selected in rounds four through six. Safety Craig Woodson was selected in the fourth round; defensive back Mac McWilliams was selected in the fifth round; and running back Tahj Brooks was selected in the sixth round.
The full list of Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl alumni drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft is as follows:
• Matthew Golden (Houston, 2022 – finished college career at Texas) – 1st round (23rd overall) by the Packers
• Trey Amos (Louisiana, 2022 – finished career at Ole Miss) – 2nd round (61st overall) by the Commanders
• Nohl Williams (Cal, 2023) – 3rd round (85th overall) by the Kansas City Chiefs
• Jamaree Caldwell (Houston, 2022 – finished career at Oregon) – 3rd round (86th overall) by the Los Angeles Chargers
• Caleb Rogers (Texas Tech, 2023) – 3rd round (98th overall) by the Las Vegas Raiders
• Craig Woodson (Cal, 2023) – 4th round (106th overall) by the New England Patriots
• Mac McWilliams (UAB, 2021 – finished career at UCF) – 5th round (145th overall) by the Philadelphia Eagles
• Tahj Brooks (Texas Tech, 2023) – 6th round (193rd overall) by the Cincinnati Bengals
Green Bay, WI – April 24, 2025 – Lambeau Field: Mark Murphy and Roger Goodell with Matthew Golden selected by the Green Bay Packers during the 2025 NFL Draft.
(Photo by Al Powers / ESPN Images)
IN THE NEWS
WINNER OF 2024-25 INNOVATION BOWL ANNOUNCED
The 2024-25 Radiance Technologies Innovation Bowl concluded with presentations from three university teams showcasing their innovative solutions at the company’s Huntsville headquarters on April 3, 2025. This year’s competition challenged participants to explore parasitic energy harvesting – the capture and conversion of typically wasted energy to enhance system efficiency or power auxiliary functions. Teams developed unique designs to transform waste energy into practical applications.
The University of Maryland’s “Team Transverse Terrapins” claimed the $25,000 grand prize with their project, “Solid-State Annular Power Generators for Waste Heat Harvesting in Directed Energy Systems.” The winning team – comprising of students Kenny McAfee, Stefan Popovski, Ryan Paxson, Keegan Guyett, and faculty advisor Dr. Oded Rabin – impressed judges with their zeromass-increase approach that transforms existing thermal management components into energy harvesting systems.
Two teams shared runner-up honors: Georgia Southern University’s “Team GATA Eagles,” represented by Daniel Meade and faculty advisor Dr. Hossain Ahmed, showcased their universal vibration monitoring system utilizing piezoelectric mechanical energy harvesting. The University of Memphis’s “Team Tiger Stripes Energy,” featuring Tepher Ward and Vik Sabapathi, demonstrated a parallel circuit powered by parasitic energy.
INDEPENDENCE BOWL SIGNS WITH TAYMAR SALES U.
The Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl and Taymar Sales U. have signed a multi-year agreement for the firm to handle outbound ticket sales and operations.
Taymar will hire a Director of Ticket Sales and Operations to lead these efforts in the ShreveportBossier City community. The Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl is Taymar’s 29th client, joining the Allstate Sugar Bowl as its second bowl game and representing the third client in the state of Louisiana (LSU).
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST!
TUNE INTO THE INSIDE THE I-BOWL PODCAST!
The Inside the I-Bowl Podcast, presented by The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate, is the official podcast of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl and Independence Bowl Foundation. We keep you updated on all the Independence Bowl news throughout the year, as well as college football news and current events. We also talk to former Independence Bowl players and coaches, sharing their college football and Bowl Season stories, as well as their experience in Shreveport. Click the buttons to subscribe and listen wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Full episodes of the Inside the I-Bowl Podcast, presented by The Shreveport Bossier City Advocate, are now on YouTube!
Watch the full episodes of the podcast on the official YouTube Channel of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl!
GET INVOLVED
WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS TO THE INDEPENDENCE BOWL FOUNDATION!
Our bowl spans over six decades, and the Independence Bowl Foundation is the main catalyst for our success! The Independence Bowl Foundation is an organization consisting of numerous volunteer committees, which carry out all of its functions, drawing upon its more than 350 members. Memberships are open for anyone who would like to become a part of the 11th most-historic bowl game in college football and start as low as $200.
Welcome to our new Independence Bowl Foundation members!
Willie Armstead
Amy O'Callaghan
