ON THE MALL
Matt Luther Named Men’s, Women’s Golf Coach The growing University of St. Thomas Athletic Department will introduce men’s and women’s golf teams to its intercollegiate roster in fall 2011. Helping to tee-off the new program is golf coach Matt Luther, who has already begun recruiting students for the teams. “St. Thomas has a great deal of potential for student-athlete golfers,” Luther said. “Houston is a hotbed for golf, and Southern Texas is home to some great junior players. I look forward to drawing from that pool of talented junior golfers in the area to build the golf program at UST.” Luther has spent the last five years working in player development and golf operations at Royal Oaks Country Club since 2008 and The Woodlands Country Club from 2006 to 2008. He is a member of the Professional Golfers Association of America and is also a Titleist Performance Institute Certified Golf Fitness Instructor. (more at stthom.edu/sports)
Mike Ricks to Coach Women’s Basketball Mike Ricks has been appointed as coach of the University’s inaugural intercollegiate women’s basketball team, set to take the court for the first time in the 2011-2012 season. Ricks joins the full-time coaching staff at UST after two seasons as an assistant coach with the UST men’s basketball team.
Ricks is no stranger to success in coaching. Prior to joining the UST staff, he led Kingwood’s Northeast Christian Academy to the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools State Basketball Tournament four times. He was also part of three state championship teams as a high school coach. “When we began our search for our first women’s basketball coach, we wanted someone who would build a lasting foundation for the program while recruiting and developing outstanding student-athletes,” said UST Athletic Director Todd Smith. “Coach Ricks is that person.” (more at stthom.edu/sports)
John Granato keynotes 2011 Sports Banquet John Granato, senior vice president of operations at 1560 The Game AM Radio since 2007, addressed the annual UST Champions Club Benefit Luncheon on May 3. Since 1997 Granato has hosted a morning sports talk radio show in Houston that is currently simulcast on Comcast Sports TV. Previously at SportsRadio 610, Granato came to Houston in 1993 as sports director at Channel 51. Prior to that he was sports director at the NBC affiliate in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the ABC affiliate in Lafayette, Louisiana. He began his career as a cameraman and then weekend sports anchor at the NBC affiliate in Flagstaff, Arizona. He has hosted various television shows and is an experienced play-by-play announcer.
Don’t just watch the team; be a part of the team! The Champions Club invites alumni and friends to be a part of intercollegiate athletics at the University of St. Thomas. Your support will go directly toward improving the student-athlete experience at St. Thomas. (stthom.edu/championsclub)
Maestro Roberto Porroni in Concert Monday, May 23, 2011 • 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM • Cullen Hall Under the patronage of Consul General of Italy Fabrizio Nava, renowned guitar virtuoso Maestro Roberto Porroni will travel from Milan to Houston to perform a concert of Italian music, honoring the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy. Flutist Luigi Arciuli will join Maestro Porroni in performing Italian music from the 1800s, with works by Paganini, Carulli (a Fantasy on Rossini’s Gazza Ladra), some popular Italian songs of the unification period (including a rare piece written by Giuseppe Mazzini, one of the Italian heroes of this period), and a second part devoted to 1900s Italian music, with music soundtracks by Nino Rota and Ennio Morricone. The concert is underwritten by Cathy and Giorgio Borlenghi and Hotel Granduca. Admission is free to the public. 3