May 13, 2010
Dear Gamecock Fans:
With graduation ceremonies taking place this past weekend, another academic year is winding down. The University of South Carolina had 46 student-athletes graduate in May, led by the equestrian and men’s track & field programs with seven graduates each. Special mention goes to the men’s basketball program, which had five players participate in commencement exercises. Congratulations to all student-athletes who earned their degrees on a job well done and best of luck to them as they transition to the next stage of their lives.
What an impressive showing turned in this past weekend by our women’s golf team! Under the direction of third-year head coach Kalen Anderson, and led by individual medalist Katie Burnett, the Gamecocks captured the NCAA East Regional title with an even par score of 864 in the 54-hole event. Burnett shot a six-under par 210 over the three-day event to take the individual crown. The Gamecocks went into the meet ranked 29th in the country and seeded 10th in the region, but played extremely consistent throughout the event in earning the first regional championship in program history. The squad will look to put together another strong showing at the NCAA Championship, which runs May 18-21 at the Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, N.C.
Congratulations are also in order to a couple of support staffers – Craig Fitzgerald and Billy Anderson. Both Fitz and Billy received the blue jacket last week from the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches association, recognizing them as Master Strength and Conditioning Coaches. The honor is the highest given in their profession. For our teams to have success on the field, an important but often overlooked support area is strength and conditioning, and we are blessed to have two of the nation’s best in Fitz and Billy.
Another big weekend is on tap for Gamecock Athletics. The women’s tennis team travels to Tallahassee, Fla., for the first two rounds of the NCAA Championships. The nation’s 18th-ranked team is making its 16th-straight NCAA appearance and will face TCU on Friday with the winner likely to face the homestanding Seminoles in the round of 32. Arlo Elkins’ squad reached the national quarterfinals a season ago, matching their deepest run in the tournament. Meanwhile, Carolina’s nationally-ranked track & field teams travel to the SEC Outdoor Championships. The four-day event begins Thursday in Knoxville, Tenn. And finally, the Gamecocks’ highly-ranked baseball squad looks to keep its SEC regular-season title hopes alive as it travels to Arkansas to face the Razorbacks. The Gamecocks final two regular-season SEC series are against Arkansas and Florida, both ranked among the nation’s Top 10. I would expect Carolina Stadium to be rockin’ when the Gators come to Columbia May 20-22 with at least a division and maybe a conference title on the line. See you at the ballpark!
We announced last week that our participation in the Wounded Warrior Project helped the organization net over $140,000. The amount of positive publicity and feedback we received from this effort was phenomenal. I received numerous letters and emails from all around the country thanking us for what we had done to help those wounded while serving this great nation. It truly was one of the best programs we have been involved with in my time at South Carolina. Thanks to all, especially those fans that purchased the jerseys and Wounded Warrior attire, who made this venture a tremendous success.
Unfortunately, renovations for the Farmers Market parking complex will not be finished in time for the 2011 football season as we had hoped. It’s disappointing, but we simply have too many details to work through before we can move forward with this project. I think when all is said and done, the Gamecock Nation will be very pleased with the results. The delay means that the Farmers Market will likely be able to offer grass and/or field parking only for the 2011 season. Permanent parking spaces in that area will not be assigned until the renovations are completed.
As most of you know, we have two head coaching searches currently underway, as we look to replace Carolina legends and Hall of Famers in men’s tennis coach Kent DeMars and softball coach Joyce Compton. While those two searches may not generate the same media interest as our basketball searches did, the process remains the same. I have spent time with the current student-athletes in those sports and with former Gamecock athletes to first develop a profile of the characteristics they consider important for the next head coach. We then talk to numerous respected people in the industry to determine which names surface time and time again. As I put together a “short list”, we do extensive background checks to identify each candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. The final piece is the in-person interview during which we assess the commitment level of the candidate and envision how well he/she would embrace the Gamecock family. Hiring coaches is certainly not an exact science, but I am as thorough as I can be and trust the process. As far as timing, I will move the process along as quickly as possible, while taking as much time as we need to find the best person for the job who is also the right fit for the University of South Carolina.
Finally, please remember that all 2010 Football Ticket Applications are due with full payment by Friday, May 14. The excitement level at Williams-Brice Stadium in 2010 will be at a fever pitch with a great home schedule that features Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Arkansas. We need you in the stands to be a part of the home field advantage for which we are known. We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you on September 2 against Southern Miss!
Go Gamecocks!
Eric
