Well here it is, we are headed down the home stretch for the athletic season and all of the teams have either qualified for or are still in contention for a playoff spot.
The tennis teams continue on their amazing streak of American Southwest Conference victories and they will put those streaks on the line this weekend at UT-Tyler in the ASC Championships. The Cowgirls are looking for their eighth straight title and the Cowboys are looking for their seventh. The Cowgirls have a 74-match ASC winning streak and the men have won 68 matches in a row.
This year will mark the first time that either team will face another ranked team as UT-Tyler is ranked in both men and women. The finals are slated for Sunday. Both teams have first round byes and would need to win a semifinal match on Saturday.
The golf teams will play the ASC Championship next week in Anna, Texas. Freshman Ashley Luecke is one of the favorites for the individual title on the women’s side and the Cowgirls should be one of the contenders for the league crown. The Cowboys will be one of about six teams that could win the tournament.
Softball has their backs against the wall and need to come up with wins at Howard Payne and the final series of the year against Mary Hardin-Baylor, which wall mark senior day for Lydia Bradley and Sadye Hill. Only the top three teams in the ASC West make the tournament and currently the Cowgirls are in fourth place, two games behind Howard Payne for the third slot.
The Cowboy baseball team is hot and has won nine straight games heading into this weekend’s three-game set at Texas Lutheran. The Cowboys can finish anywhere from second to fifth in the ASC West. The Cowboys need one win to secure a playoff berth. There are several scenarios for the Cowboys this weekend. Those games can be heard on the Internet at www.hsuathletics.com.
One key date for former Cowboy and Cowgirl athletes is the Lettermen’s Golf Tournament on Friday, June 27. It will be played at Fairway Oaks and it is a great opportunity to catch up with old teammates and also support the HSU Athletic’s Department. You should be getting an invitation in the mail in the next few days, if you do no please contact us and we will make sure you are invited.
There was a reunion of sorts last weekend as former Division III Player of the Year Kendra Anderson got married in Abilene. Several former teammates were in town for the event and I got the chance to see former Cowboy baseballer John Schlaffer and his new son at the baseball game on Saturday. John was handling baby duty very well. Schlaffer is married to former Cowgirl basketballer Terri Robinson (the 6,000-point scorer out of Ira) and they live in the Metroplex. Both are physical therapists.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Make The Big Time Where You Are
Coach Keeling is known for his crazy sayings and quirks. One of the first things you notice on his desk is a “Make The Big Time Where You Are” plaque. Those are the words of former Pacific Lutheran coach Frosty Westering and the title of one of his books. Those words were ringing home as I realized yesterday how great it is to be at Hardin-Simmons.
Anybody that really knows me knows that I am a die-hard Oklahoma State fan. I earned a bachelor’s from there (albeit with a gentleman’s D in Spanish), spent four years there (after two years at junior college), met my wife there, worked four years in the sports information office there. I totally enjoyed my time there and love the place.
However, today I am ashamed by the fact that is my school. They fired (don’t buy the resigned line) a legend’s son after two years with a winning record. No one in the history of Division I men’s basketball has been fired after two years with a 10 game over .500 record.
There are many reasons flying around about the reason for the dismissal. From everything I gather it had to do with a conflict between the athletic director and Eddie Sutton. Even if there are some long term grudges it makes little sense to take it out on Sean.
I could ramble on forever, but it just made me realize is the glamour of Division I what it is all about. If firing a coach because he did not make the NCAA Tournament with a roster that included only one senior that played and two juniors makes it the big time then no thank you.
I am blessed to work every day with hard-working coaches that could make a lot more money at “the Big Time” that make a lot of sacrifices to be at Hardin-Simmons.
I feel pretty confident in saying that you will not be fired at Hardin-Simmons if you have a winning record for two consecutive seasons for your job performance.
One of many things that makes Hardin-Simmons a great place, is that it is not all about winning, but winning is nice, too.
Around The Campus
Make sure to make it out to the baseball and softball fields as the two teams are fighting hard for postseason berths. Both teams are having solid seasons, but as I say in this blog a lot the league just keeps getting better and better.
The men’s and women’s tennis teams are through the rugged non-conference section of their schedule and now return to ASC play. Golf is winding down its season as well.
There is a chance for the second straight year all 12 HSU teams will qualify for some sort of postseason play. HSU became the first school in the conference for that to happen to last year.
Anybody that really knows me knows that I am a die-hard Oklahoma State fan. I earned a bachelor’s from there (albeit with a gentleman’s D in Spanish), spent four years there (after two years at junior college), met my wife there, worked four years in the sports information office there. I totally enjoyed my time there and love the place.
However, today I am ashamed by the fact that is my school. They fired (don’t buy the resigned line) a legend’s son after two years with a winning record. No one in the history of Division I men’s basketball has been fired after two years with a 10 game over .500 record.
There are many reasons flying around about the reason for the dismissal. From everything I gather it had to do with a conflict between the athletic director and Eddie Sutton. Even if there are some long term grudges it makes little sense to take it out on Sean.
I could ramble on forever, but it just made me realize is the glamour of Division I what it is all about. If firing a coach because he did not make the NCAA Tournament with a roster that included only one senior that played and two juniors makes it the big time then no thank you.
I am blessed to work every day with hard-working coaches that could make a lot more money at “the Big Time” that make a lot of sacrifices to be at Hardin-Simmons.
I feel pretty confident in saying that you will not be fired at Hardin-Simmons if you have a winning record for two consecutive seasons for your job performance.
One of many things that makes Hardin-Simmons a great place, is that it is not all about winning, but winning is nice, too.
Around The Campus
Make sure to make it out to the baseball and softball fields as the two teams are fighting hard for postseason berths. Both teams are having solid seasons, but as I say in this blog a lot the league just keeps getting better and better.
The men’s and women’s tennis teams are through the rugged non-conference section of their schedule and now return to ASC play. Golf is winding down its season as well.
There is a chance for the second straight year all 12 HSU teams will qualify for some sort of postseason play. HSU became the first school in the conference for that to happen to last year.
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