Rest for the Weary

I am living out my dream of being a radio play-by-play voice (women's basketball) for a NCAA Division-1 university. But hey, I like a break as much as anyone else! The Lady Demons won't hit the hardwood again until December 16th at Jackson State. The nine days between games come at a good time. It will give me the chance to catch my breath, and give the players time to concentrate on academics. It will also put some distance between the first nine games and the rest of the season. As Head Coach Jenifer Graf said following Tuesday's loss at Texas Tech, it's been a up and down year so far.

However, in that loss to the Lady Raiders, NSU played--at times--their best ball of the season. In fact, at times, the best word to describe their style of play was "beautiful". The Lady Demons played with energy, enthusiasm, and--as color analyst Matt Bonnette said--"intensity". Some of the assists NSU dished out were the prettiest you will ever see--in either a women's or men's game. I wish I had a set of dishes that nice!

Bottom line is that this team is loaded with talent. But that talent is young. It is taking time--with seven new players and just two seniors--for everything to come together. But in being courtside for every game and at practices on the road, I can tell you that Head Coach Jennifer Graf and her staff are working hard--teaching this team how to play as a team. Remember, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is the Conference season. That begins January 8th. There are still a few more games for the Lady Demons to work out some kinks before the league season begins. If things come together, considering this team's talent and potential, good things will come.

So until December 16th at Jackson State, I will rest up--and look forward to the rest of the season!

Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons

Back Home, But Not For Long

After five days in Chicago (along with four plane rides in which I was in the last row for three of the four, and in the next to last row for the other one) for the Maggie Dixon Classic hosted by DePaul University, the NSU Lady Demons basketball team is back home. Despite a valiant rally--NSU trailed by 20 with nine minutes left--the Lady Demons came up five points short against Morgan State in the Consolation game. What's even more impressive is that NSU spotted the Lady Bears the game's first 15 points. The Lady Demons could have started packing early, but they didn't--and that says a lot. Head Coach Jennifer Graf's focus--as she stated in her post-game radio interview--is to get her team playing with that same heart, effort, and intensity, the entire game. Their next chance to do just that will be Tuesday, in the friendly confines of Prather Coliseum. The women and men will host Centenary College in a doubleheader. The Lady Demons' game will tip at 5:45. After that, their next three games will be on the road (Alcorn State, Texas Tech and Jackson State). So Tuesday is the time to show your support for both the Lady Demons and Demons. Of course, if for some reason you just can't make it, be sure and tune in to 100.7 KZBL-FM, and nsudemons.com, for all the action. See you on the radio!

Tony Taglavore

Voice of the Lady Demons

It's Windy (Surprise) and Cold in the Windy City!

Greetings from Chicago, where yes, it is windy, but it's also downright cold!

The Lady Demons have been here since Wednesday for the Maggie Dixon Classic, hosted by DePaul University. Friday, NSU played what Head Coach Jennifer Graf called their best game of the year (and I agree), despite losing to the Blue Demons 93-56. Had the Lady Demons not given it everything they had against a much-taller DePaul squad (6'3, 6'2, 6'2) it could have been a repeat of the Texas game. But NSU put together some nice runs, had some open looks, and deserve an "A" for effort. This afternoon (Saturday), the Lady Demons will take on Morgan State for third-place in the tournament. You can listen to all the action beginning with the pre-game show at 4:45 on 100.7 KZBL in Natchitoches, and around the world at nsudemons.com.

I interrupt this post to ask a question. How did I end up on the last row from Alexandria to Houston, AND Houston to Chicago? I thought Coach Bob Austin (who coordinates travel) was my friend???

For some players, like Ronikka Drake and Jordan James, a trip to Chicago is nothing new. They are both from the Midwest. Ronikka has been our tour guide, and has a large group of family and friends here cheering her on. How large? When we pulled up to the arena Friday, there was a bus out front. One of the other teams? No, it was full of Ronikka's family and friends! Jordan's parents are here as well, and let me just say this--her mom can cook! Meredith Graf's family flew up from Natchitoches to spend the Thanksgiving holiday watching Meredith play. It's nice to see the players receiving so much support. It must pay off--Ronikka led the team with 13 points Friday!

For others, this is their first trip to Chi-town. It was neat to see the look on their faces as they starred at the skyscrapers and squealed over the shopping possibilities. For those of us who have been blessed to travel over the years, we are tempted to take for granted just how fortunate we are.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, it's tough for everyone to be away from home. However, Head Coach Jennifer Graf and her staff do all they can to make it as pleasant as possible. She came through big time, hooking us up with Thanksgiving Dinner at Ditka's in downtown Chicago, named for legendary (at least in this town) Bears head coach Mike Ditka, now an ESPN analyst. With 21 in our group, we had a room and waitstaff all to ourselves, complete with a HD, big-screen TV showing the Cowboys-Saints game! It was neat to walk around and look at all of the Ditka memorabilia.

It's been a nice trip (despite the single digit wind chills). Just one more thing, and it will have been a really nice trip. Let's get a win Saturday and come back home! See you on the radio!

Tony Taglavore

Voice of the Lady Demons

Savona checks in from Cancun

NSU freshman soccer player Ashlee Savona checks in from the Gold Cup in Cancun, Mexico

Hey Demon fans!

I heard about the loss today (NSU's 3-0 loss to Southeastern Louisiana) and I am really sorry that I wasn't able to help the team get to the tournament this year. I can't imagine how Sara (Sadler) and (Heather) Burt are taking it right now but please give them my regards and congratulations on a great senior season.

The last time I updated you was the day before our first game against Mexico. If you didn't hear already, we lost that game 7-2. Walking out into that full stadium of 9,980 Mexican fans and the 20 Guyanese fans (our families) was an un-real experience. You could tell that they were a very strong team tactically, and they kept possession of the ball extremely well.

We put up a fight against them and did what we could with a week of practice and playing together in this new system of 4-2-3-1 and we managed to score 2 goals out of it. Our coaches were extremely proud on how well we did and considering we were not expected to score a goal, they couldn't be happier.

The next day after the game, we watched the game at the hotel and it showed our constant mistakes that we would need to fix before playing Canada. That day we didn't have a practice, however we were able to go shopping for a couple hours and go into downtown Cancun as well.

Today (Sunday) was the day I have been looking forward to since I joined this program, the day we play Canada. I was extremely nervous to be honest but I was also full of excitement. Walking on to the field with a much smaller crowed, I looked at the Canadian team on the other side of the field and I saw players I used to look up to when I was a kid It was a huge shock to me when I realized I was going to play against them.

Lining up to appreciate the national anthems, it was hard not to sing the Canadian anthem but then again, it was a great honor to hear it in a FIFA Qualifing game.

As the game started, I quickly lost the nerves I had coming into the game and played my heart out. In the end we lost 8-0 but I was extremely happy after the game. Not very many people get to have this chance to play at the highest level possible and I have learned so much from it. We are preparing for our next game on Tuesday against Trinidad. I will update you soon.

Ashlee

Greetings from The Gold Cup in Cancun

This is a day-by-day blog from Ashlee Savona, NSU freshman soccer player, who is currently participating in the Gold Cup as part of the Guyana National Soccer Team

I'm sorry I haven't been able to post as frequently as I've liked to, but the internet here is limited and I need to use that time to do my school work online.

The past few days have been hectic but we have found some time to relax. We lost to a boys U17 team 12-7 in florida the day before we left but it was a much needed game to pick up the intensity and speed of our game.

We arrived in Cancun on the 26th and our coaches gave us the day off to go to the beach right outside of our hotel. We have had a practice everyday in the morning following with an ice bath back at the hotel and a pool recovery session as well. We have also played a game of beach soccer as well.

It is really hot down here but it is expected to start raining throughout the upcoming week. We went to walk around the stadium this morning and it is a really well kept field, almost as good as ours, but the stadium itself isn't that big.

We are going to watch the U.S. play Haiti tonight (Thursday) and we are all really excited to get a feel of the environment. Our first game is tomorrow (Friday) at 7. I want to wish the girls (NSU) good luck and I know they can bring home two wins this weekend and make the tournament.

I will update you soon.

"Paint the Town Purple" and "Wear Purple Days" issued by City of Natchitoches Proclamation

On Monday, October 25th, at the Natchitoches City Council Meeting, Mayor Wayne McCullen and the Natchitoches City Council issued a proclamation declaring Tuesday “Paint the Town Purple Day” and Friday and Saturday “Wear Purple Day” in honor of the Homecoming Festivities at Northwestern State University. Pictured are Natchitoches City Council member Sylvia Morrow and NSU Associate Director of Athletics Dr. William Broussard.

Must be seen to be believed

John Kulakowski was a rough-and-tumble defensive end for the Demon football team from 1984-87, famous for his fiery play and for doing a "Nubian Roll" after making a quarterback sack. He had 22 sacks and led the team in his final three seasons, including a school record 15 as an All-America senior in 1987.

A couple of years later, while standing on the NSU sideline for the 1989 home game vs. SFA, "Kul" drew an unsportsmanlike conduct flag in the final two minutes that was costly, moving NSU backwards on a potential game-winning field goal. Each team missed two FG attempts in the final minutes in a 17-17 tie -- and that SFA team played for the national championship. It is laughing matter now, and Coach Sam Goodwin long since has forgiven one of his favorite Demons for that gaffe.

Now "Kul" is doing something to get attention once again. Checking the website "The Dead Pelican" today to track state political news, we came across the following link.

http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2010/10/bonnabel_principal_is_dressed.html

Friends of "Kul" can't really be surprised - first, that he would do something outrageous, because that's our hero; and second, that he would be leading kids to higher achievement, because that's who he is, too.

Quiet few days for home events

Even though football, volleyball and soccer will be on the road for the next few days, there's still a couple of things going on around campus that the sports enthusiasts can take in.

The Lady Demons softball team will kickoff their fall schedule on Saturday with a noon doubleheader against Bossier Parish Community College. And the Demon baseball team continues their fall practice schedule and will play three intrasquad scrimmages over the next three days.

The Demons will also hold their annual Demon World Series on Oct. 28-30 to close out fall practice and will conduct their Scout Day on Oct. 22 for the draft eligible players.

The next home fall sport in season event will be on Oct. 20 when the Lady Demon volleyball team hosts Centenary.

Torn between two schools

Okay… not really, but it is always a special time for me when Northwestern State and McNeese State hook it up in any sporting event.

I grew up a McNeese Cowboy. My dad has been the sports information director there for 45 years now. McNeese sports is all I ever knew.

I started working for dad as a young kid selling game programs at football and basketball games, earning a quarter for each program I sold. Then moved up to press box duty as I got older helping out with stats and such.

I eventually “graduated” to traveling with the men’s basketball team my first couple of years in college before I decided to take a new career direction for a while before coming back to my true calling.

Being a kid growing up around McNeese sports… I wouldn’t want it any other way.

I can remember lining the baseline of the basketball court with 50 other kids waiting for the game to end as we all rushed onto the court to swipe the wrist bands off of the players. Occasionally you would hit the jackpot and get a knee pad. My favorite player was John Rudd.

Then there was the time I made an overnight trip with dad and the basketball team to Arkansas State. I was 12 at the time and remember waiting to board the bus, I was overlooking the construction of the area that is now the recreation swimming pool on the McNeese campus, when a young freshman came up to me and started talking to me like we were best friends. It was Joe Dumars.

There were times at baseball games when I’d get to go down onto the field and into the dugout. That’s a huge thrill for kids. I called my favorite player on the team back then “The Incredible Hulk” but his real name was Jim Young. He always did the Hulk flex and growl when he saw me.

Football games were always special.

From hauling up fluid operated, hand cranked copiers to getting stuck in the press box elevator… those are events that you would think don’t mean much, but those minute memories will last forever.

I remember getting to meet the San Diego Chicken when McNeese lost to Syracuse at the Independence Bowl but was also there when it played in its first-ever FCS Championship game in 1997 against a Jim Tressel-led Youngstown State team.

Never would I have thought I’d end up at archrival Northwestern State. But I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.

Now, in my eighth year at NSU, I still get excited when McNeese comes to town, but it’s more than getting to watch the team I grew up with or see my alma mater, it’s more because I get to see my family.

I bleed purple and white with a little bit of orange these days.

And those great memories I had growing up around McNeese athletics, I’m hoping 30 years from now my daughters can say the same about growing up around NSU athletics.


Matthew Bonnette
NSU Associate Sports Information Director

Birthday wishes

New Lady Demon cross country coach Heather McDaniel got a birthday surprise Monday when her team worked out at the Demon Hills Golf Course, site of next Monday's NSU Invitational.

Pretty sweet - although not as sweet as the brownies that she had to cook for Coach Black after she bet him that her alma mater and home state flag-bearer, West Virginia, would win last Saturday night at LSU.

Heather was able to attend the game since the NSU cross country teams competed that morning at the LSU Invitational - a happy coincidence.

Good pub for NSU on a popular state site

Louisiana Football Magazine publisher Lee Brecheen, whose printed magazines are hot sellers around the state each summer and early fall, has ramped up his website offerings in 2010.

There's a bustling daily audience, which today is good for NSU. Lee, based in Baton Rouge, circulates e-mail notices about his daily features to a large list of media and avid followers. Today's notice:

Check out today’s story on the Northwestern State University’s Adrian Reese at this link: http://tinyurl.com/26tcwks

"A" for Academics

The annual "Academic Achievement Banquet" for the NSU Athletic Department was held last evening and I have to say that this is one of my favorite functions of the year to attend because it places emphasis on what is paramount not only for the athletic program but for our university.....academic success!

Kent Gresham and The Landing Restaurant once again donated a wonderful meal for all student-athletes whose GPA last year exceeded 3.0 either or both semesters. Dr. Randy Webb in a brief address lauded the student-athletes for their achievements and told them how well-prepared they will be for the future. A nice touch to this evening is having endowed scholarship donors in attendance and sitting with the student-athlete who is the designee of their scholarship. As a sidenote, the number of endowed athletic scholarships is now up to 58 through the hard work of someone who himself once sat at the Academic Banquet - Associate Athletic Director William Broussard. And finally, I would be remiss for not recognizing the hard work of our academic support staff - Jodie Heinicka, Carrie Crowell, and Cary Bruno - in planning the banquet but more importantly, for what they do throughout the year to help and encourage the academic success of nearly 400 student-athletes.

One final note - among the scholarship donors in attendance were Roddy and Ashley Rodriguez, parents of the late Kurt Rodriguez (#58) who was a four-year starter at linebacker for NSU and passed away unexpectedly a year or so after graduating. Kurt's parents established the scholarship in his memory and to this day continue to raise money for it. They are two very special people and it meant so much to me that they made the trip from New Orleans to Natchitoches for the banquet.

Greg Burke
Athletic Director

NSU leaps into the FTP world

The Northwestern State athletic department, in conjunction with JumpTV and Davey Antilly of NSU 22, has recently implemented a new video file sharing system to better promote not only Demon athletics, but also University news in general.

JumpTV, the website provider for NSU athletics, has created a separate FTP account that allows video to be downloaded. Television stations from around the world are able to log onto the site and pull the video clips or soundbites to run on their newscasts.

With the help of Antilley, this project is not only beneficial and helpful for stations in Shreveport and Alexandria who can not make it to Natchitoches but once a week, it's also extremely positive for the University in showing our dedication and willingness to continue a great professional relationship with the media while promoting our school.

Only one other school in Louisiana is currently doing this type of thing, and that's LSU.

Huge props needs to go out to Antilley for his time in shooting and editing the pieces.

Saturday night guests

1994 Demon All-America pitcher Reggie Gatewood and wife Tamara, and Lady Demon tennis great Vicky Simms Newsom and hubby Dr. Tommy Newsom, had their broods in tow Saturday night as they cheered on the Demons.

Tommy was our first assistant SID in 1991-92, right out of a football career at Austin College, and fell for his future bride while here. Tommy and Vicky moved to Waco, where he worked in the Sports Info office at Baylor, and he briefly was the media relations contact for the Southland Conference before entering the private sector as publisher/editor/janitor at the Little Elm (Texas) Journal.

He's come a long way. He's now president of the Art Institute of Dallas and vice chancellor of South University.

The Newsoms and the Gatewoods live near each other in McKinney, Texas. It is a small world! Joining Tommy and Vicky at Turpin were his parents, Don and Carol Newsom. Dad was a high school and college football coach who turned down a chance to join Jim Wacker's staff at North Dakota State for five reasons: Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska, he said, the states above Texas on the way to Fargo. He wanted no part of that climate.

The photo above is Team Newsom plus the Gatewood's blonde-headed boy, Tyler, the grandson of NSU president Dr. Randy and first lady Brenda Webb.

Reggie and Tommy made the trip to Colorado Springs two weeks earlier to enjoy watching the Demons at Air Force. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Tamara and Vicky enjoyed a man-free weekend with the kids!

We're baaaaaack

With apologies and a renewed commitment to revitalize the Daily Demon blog!

Inexcusable lapse in posting - yes, it seems technology has added work, not simplified it - but our bottom line is the Daily Demon Blog allows us a chance to recognize people, events and news which may not be able to reach you otherwise.

And it's fun.

So pardon the stall - and know that we'll aim for at least a blog post a day, but at least 3-4-5 each week.

Melotakis shining early in summer baseball

Courtesy: The Hutchinson News
By Brad Hallier, The Hutchinson News, bhallier@hutchnews.com


Three batters into Friday's game at Hobart-Detter Field, and Hutchinson Monarchs pitcher Mason Melotakis didn't look sharp.

He struck out Tanner Gurtner to start the game, but his next eight pitchers were balls, and Salina had two on with one out.

Melotakis was far from concerned. After the two walks, he proceeded to have one of the best outings in the Monarchs' brief history in their 5-0 win in front of a sizeable crowd on Cancer Awareness Night.

Melotakis, who pitches at Northwestern State in Louisiana, allowed two hits in seven innings and had a team-record 14 strikeouts.

"I didn't think I was loose and fully prepared," Melotakis said about the two first-inning walks. "I had to get my mindset right and calm down."

That didn't take long to accomplish. Instead of complicating things in the first inning, Melotakis struck out the last two hitters. He had at least two strikeouts in six innings and struck out at least one Bluejay in every inning.

"Mason has a real good arm," Monarchs coach Andrew Ehling said. "He's good and he has talent. He's worked hard every outing and gotten better each time."

Melotakis provided the third straight outstanding performance by a Monarchs starter. In Thursday's doubleheader sweep of the Wichita Wheatkings, Patrick Clysdale allowed one run on four hits in a five-inning complete game. Then Alex Schell took a no-hitter into the last inning before allowing a one-out double, the only hit Schell gave up.

Friday, it was Melotakis' turn.

"When you have a good pitching staff, it helps the whole team," Melotakis said. "You go out wanting to do the same as they do, if not better. You want to be right there with those guys."

Stephen Gandy, an infielder who was the designated hitter Friday, is a collegiate teammate of Melotakis, so he wasn't surprised with the strong performance.

"Fourteen strikeouts is amazing," Gandy said. "He was just a freshman last year, but he was our Sunday guy toward the end of the season."

Scott Keffer came in relief of Melotakis and threw two perfect innings, striking out four. That's 18 strikeouts out of a possible 27 outs.

With the pitching the Monarchs have gotten lately, runs don't need to be plentiful. Friday, the Monarchs still scored more than enough, getting 10 hits along the way against Salina pitchers Hayden Shirley and Matt Eshleman.

"Those were two pretty good arms Salina threw," Ehling said. "My hat's off to them. They competed in the zone with two pitches. It's tough to stay focused in the box when you know they have two pitches with two speeds."

The Monarchs jumped on Shirley, the losing pitcher, in the second inning. Thomas Holiday continued his hot hitting with a leadoff double. With two outs, Gandy hit the first of his two doubles, scoring Holiday. Tyler Sterling singled and Gandy moved to third. Ryne Head walked, loading the bases, and Ian Atkinson also walked, scoring Gandy.

In the fourth inning, Gandy led off and doubled, moved to third on Sterling's single and scored when Head grounded into a double play.

The Monarchs added two more runs in the sixth inning. Sterling and Head singled, and with two outs, Jordan Pearson reached on Conner Martin's throwing error. Sterling and Head scored on the play.

Six of the Monarchs' hits came from Gandy, Sterling and Head, who hit at the bottom of the batting order.

"The top guys get on, because that's what they do," Gandy said. "When the guys at the bottom of the order come up and hit, that's where the big innings come. I think we can do that the rest of the year."

Especially with the pitching the Monarchs have had.

2 Demons on to Super Regionals

While we are cheering for Trecey Rew in the NCAA Track and Field Championships, we have two former Demon head coaches to root for in the 16-team NCAA Super Regionals in baseball.

Dave Van Horn (NSU head coach 1995-97) and his Arkansas Razorbacks will try to make it back to the College World Series for a second straight year, but it's a tough road. They beat Washington State in Fayetteville to win their regional, and now must visit No. 1-ranked Arizona State in a best-of-three series beginning Saturday.

Arkansas (43-19) takes on the Sun Devils (50-8)at 8 Saturday night on ESPNU, at 9 Sunday night on ESPN2 and perhaps at 6 Monday evening on ESPN2.

Mitch Gaspard was the Demons head coach from 2002-07, and is in his first year in that capacity with Alabama. He's gotten the Crimson Tide to rise at the right time. They rode an eight-game win streak into the SEC Tournament finals, before falling to LSU, but surprised high-seeded Georgia Tech to win the Atlanta Regional Sunday.

Bama (41-23) visits Clemson (41-22) beginning Saturday. The first game is at 5 on ESPNU, then Sunday's game is at 6 on ESPN2 and if there's a third game, it will be either at noon or 6 Monday on ESPN2, pending other Super Regional results.

Late nights for rooting for Trecey Rew

Here's the schedule for NSU standout Trecey Rew's competition next week in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., at storied Hayward Field:

Discus final – Wednesday 7:15 our time.

Shot put final – Friday 6:45 our time.

For the full rundown on the NCAA Championships, visit:

http://www.ncaa.com/sports/c-otrack/champpage/c-otrack-div1-index.html

Her 179-0 discus mark ranks 9th nationally.

Her 54-11 ¼ shot put mark is 6th nationally.

The op 8 finishers, and the top 8 American-born finishers, make the USA Track and Field Coaches Association's All-America team.

Trecey and Lady Demon head coach Mike Heimerman travel Sunday, arriving in Portland about 9:30 and driving down to Eugene. That was the only connection available - and with her competing Wednesday, it was not a good plan to travel Monday.

This way, says Heimerman, she will be able to practice both events on site before the competition begins. The venue should be a tremendous improvement over the East regional site.

There, the shot put ring was directly underneath the scoreboard with public address speakers blaring, and the landing area of the discus was about a foot to 18 inches higher than the ring, which means throws hit the ground earlier than they should have and perhaps a few inches would have been added.

Just sayin' ...

Former Demons in baseball postseason

If you're looking for rooting interests in college baseball's postseason, as an NSU fan, you have plenty.

Fomrer Demon head coach Dave Van Horn (1995-97) has his Arkansas Razorbacks hosting Grambling in the Fayetteville Regional. Van Horn requested copies of the Demons' media guides for his seasons in Natchitoches over the winter to reflect on those three years.

Some of the players, especially pitchers, he left behind could be pregame topics of conversation this weekend at the regional because also in Fayetteville is Kansas State, with pitching coach Sean McCann, who was John Cohen's pitching coach at NSU from 1998-2000. Joining him on the K-State staff is Andy Sawyers, the second-year hitting coach for the Wildcats who was Cohen's assistant in 1999-2000 when NSU was second in the Southland. The K-State sports information director is Kenny Lannou, who was assistant SID at NSU in 2002-03. The fourth team in that regional is Washington State, the first round foe for the Wildcats.

Mitch Gaspard, Demon head coach from 2002-2007, guided his first Alabama team to a strong finish and the Southeastern Conference Tournament finals, where the Tide fell in 11 innings to LSU. The Crimson Tide is the No. 2 seed in Atlanta playing Elon, with top-seeded Georgia Tech hosting Mercer in the other matchup there. Bobby Barbier, an Academic All-America first baseman for the Demons in 2004, is on Gaspard's staff as a volunteer coach, with his duties including third base coach. Barbier finished four seasons at NSU ranked in the top 10 of eight offensive categories and helped Gaspard's Demons reach the 2005 NCAA Tournament after winning the Southland Conference regular-season title.

Former Gaspard assistant Travis Janssen (2002-04) is an assistant at Jacksonville State, which swept through the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament unbeaten. The Gamecocks' reward is one of the toughest regional draws. Jacksonville State is in the Auburn regional, playing the home team, and Southern Mississippi plays Clemson on the other side of the bracket.

Former Van Horn pitching coach Rob Childress (at NSU 1995-97), in his third year as head coach at Texas A&M, guided the Aggies through the Big XII Conference Tournament unbeaten, highlighted by a 9-3 whipping of rival Texas. In the Coral Gables Regional as the No. 2 seed, A&M meets local favorite Florida International, who has Garrett Wittels, whose 54-game hitting streak is four back of the NCAA record 58 by Oklahoma State's Robin Ventura in 1987. Childress will call the pitches trying to stop him. No. 1 seed Miami and Dartmouth are the other two teams there. Another former Van Horn assistant at NSU, Matt Deggs, is the Aggies' associate head coach, and runs A&M's offense.

Former Jim Wells assistant (1991-92) Mike Bianco and his Ole Miss team are headed to the home of Thomas Jefferson. Ole Miss is a No. 2 seed at Virginia, the national No. 5 seed. The Rebels are playing St. John's and Virginia Commonwealth is the four seed in the Charlottesville Regional. Wonder if Bianco will take the boys by Monticello?

It goes beyond the NCAA Division I level.

Former Demon assistant Kyle Crookes and former Demon outfielder Stephen "Skunk" Adams are coaching Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College in the NJCAA (junior college) World Series. Crooks is head coach and Adams is his No. 1 assistant for a team that took a 37-22 record into postseason. Some former Hutchinson players on the Demon roster were 2010 senior Eric DeBlanc, slugging junior infielder Adam Roy and former SLC Player of the Year Jordan Robison. Crookes is in his sixth season as head coach at Hutch after being an assistant for four, and those 10 seasons have been the most successful in Hutchinson history. Crookes is 217-122 in six years as head coach. Adams, an All-Southland pick as a junior and senior for the Demons, is in his fifth season on the staff.

NSU Baseball Weekly Report - May 3, 2010

Northwestern State Baseball Report – May 3, 2010
Overall Record: 28-16 (15-8 in Southland Conference)

Last Week: 2-2
April 27 lost 2-1 (10) at Centenary
April 30 won 4-3 at Central Arkansas
May 1 lost 5-4 (13) at Central Arkansas
May 2 won 11-4 at Central Arkansas


Nominee for Pitcher of the Week
Dustin Northcott, Jr.-RS, 6-1, 210, Alberta, Canada, West Central HS, Indian Hill CC
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO

Northcott was the third pitcher entered in the game for the Demons on Sunday and pitched NSU out of a third-inning jam. He then went on to get the win after throwing 7.0 relief innings while holding Central Arkansas to just two hits and no runs and striking out four. He retired the last 10 batters to end the game.

Nominee for Hitter of the Week
LF Eric DeBlanc, Sr.-1L, 6-0, 200, Scott, La., St. Thomas More HS
.450, 4 G, 4 GS, 9-20, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 2B, .750 SLG, .500 OB, 2 BB, 3 SO
DeBlanc improved his career-long hitting streak to 17 games after he hit safely in all four games for the week… his 2-run, 2-out home run in the top of the ninth inning on Friday lifted the Demons to a 4-3 win over UCA…he has had multiple hits in seven straight games and is hitting .449 and slugging .679 during his current hitting streak… for the week, he also had three doubles, knocked in five runs, and scored four times.


Weekly Notes
NSU went 2-2 on the week and won its fifth SLC series of the season after taking two out of three from UCA… that series wrapped up a 9-game road swing away from home… NSU went 3-6 during that span… catcher Aaron Munoz picked off his 11th runner over the weekend which ranks him No. 1 in Division I baseball… Eric DeBlanc extended his hitting streak to 17 games, a career high. That’s one game shy of the season high of 18 set by Chase Lyles earlier this season. That 17 game streak ranks as the third longest in school history… with two strikeouts on Saturday, Luke Irvine now has 85 for the season which ranks tied as the 5th most in school history in a single season. The record is 110… relief pitcher Heath Hennigan needs five Ks to set the mark as the school’s all-time career strikeout king. He has 237 with the record being 241 set by Jimmy Heard last season… after hitting 19 home runs in their first 28 games, the Demons have matched that with 19 in the last 16 games.


The Week Ahead
Saturday, May 8 vs. Lamar, 2 p.m. DH
Sunday, May 9 vs. Lamar, 1 p.m.

NSU Baseball Weekly Report

Northwestern State Baseball Report – April 19, 2010
Overall Record: 25-10 (12-5 in Southland Conference)

Last Week: 4-0
April 13 def. Jackson State 17-5 (7)
April 16 def. Texas-San Antonio 10-0 (8)
April 17 def. Texas-San Antonio 6-5
April 17 def. Texas-San Antonio 12-2 (8)

Nominee for Pitcher of the Week
Luke Irvine, RHP, Jr.-TR, 6-1, 200, Liberty, Missouri, Liberty HS, MCC Maple Woods
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 SO

Irvine ran his record to 4-2 on the season after he threw seven shutout innings while allowing just two hits in a 10-0, 8-inning win over Texas-San Antonio on Friday. After he gave up a lead-off double to start the game, he did not allow another hit until the sixth inning as he struck out nine and walked just two. He lowered his season ERA to 2.05.

Nominee for Hitter of the Week
RF Tyler Baisley, Sr.-1L, 6-6, 200, Gilbert, Arizona, Greenway HS
.563, 4 G, 4 GS, 9-16, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 2 2B, 1.063 SLG, .529 OB, 0 BB, 3 SO, SF, 2-2 SB

Baisley hit safely in all four games for the week with multiple hits in all but one… knocked in a career-high 5 runs in Saturday’s game two of a double-header against UTSA when he went 4-for-4 with 5 RBIs, two runs scored, two home runs, and a double… in the first game of the DH on Saturday, he had one hit but it scored the winning run as the Demons rallied from a 5-3, 9th-inning deficit to win 6-5… he started out the week with a 2-for-3 game with 4 RBIs in a 17-5 win at Jackson State… he had two hits and scored two runs in Friday’s win… also stole two bases in two attempts.

Weekly Outlook
The Demons went 4-0 for the week and increased their winning streak to six games… Three of the four wins came via the 10-run mercy rule… NSU outscored its opponents 45-12 for the week while hitting .450 at the plate… three starters hit over .500 while a total of six hit .400 or better… Colin Bear celebrated his birthday on Saturday by hitting two home runs in the second game of a doubleheader vs. UTSA – they were his first two round-trippers of the season… the Demons hit 7 homeruns in the weekend SLC series. They came into the series with 7 home runs total in the previous 14 SLC games… Saturday’s game 1 starting pitcher Ryan Zimmerman saw his consecutive scoreless inning streak snapped at 16 straight… Friday’s 10-0 shutout win was the fourth of the season for the Demons and third in conference play – the most since the 2005 SLC championship team had three league shutout wins and seven total.

The Week Ahead
Tuesday, April 20 vs. LSU, 6 p.m. (Fair Grounds Field – Shreveport, La.)
Wednesday, April 21 at LSU, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, April 23 at Texas State, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 24 at Texas State, 2 p.m.
Sunday, April 25 at Texas State, 1 p.m.

Chief Caddo is cool, ESPN says

Thursday evening on ESPN's SportsCenter, Chief Caddo got called cool.

The biggest trophy in sports, the prize in the NSU-Stephen F. Austin football rivalry, was featured in a piece spotlighting what ESPN called "the coolest trophies in sports."

Getting into that exclusive club: the green jacket for the Masters' golf champion; the Stanley Cup for the NHL king; the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the Super Bowl winner; and the Heisman Trophy for the top player in college football.

The feature included a significant amount of footage of the Chief in action, which is to say, the Chief standing there not moving and hoping like the dickens the Demons were coming to pick him up and bring him home, which is usually what happens each year.

Former Demon Miles Durham gets hit, RBI against Stephen Strasburg

All of the baseball world's eyes were focused on the pitching debut of last year's No. 1 draft pick by the Washington Nationals in Stephen Strasburg on Sunday as his team, the Harrisburg Senators, a AA club, visited Altoona, whose roster contains former Northwestern State star Miles Durham.

Strasburg, who reported throwing in the upper 90s for most of his five innings of work, gave up four hits and four runs in the game. One of those hits came off the bat of Durham who pasted a line drive single up the middle to score a run.

Durham finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate and is hitting .308 for the Curve, a AA squad affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates and a member of the Eastern League.

Durham's Curve lost the game 6-4, but you can bet Miles' confidence jumped a few notches knowing that he can be successful against a future Major League star.

Sympathy for our friend Tony Taglavore

Tony Taglavore's mom passed away Thursday evening and we felt you'd want to know. Tony is the play by play voice of the Lady Demon basketball team, does some play by play in the spring baseball and softball coverage by the Demon Sports Network, and is the color analyst for Demon football on the Demon Sports Network.

His passion pours through the microphone. He's a frequent contributor to the Daily Demon blog, too.

To send your condolences: Tony Taglavore, 127 Presido Lane, Shreveport, LA 71115 ... and he is also on Facebook.

For arrangements, and much more about a remarkable woman, read the beautiful obituary below.

OBITUARY FOR LOU ANNA RICHARDSON TAGLAVORE


Anyone who had the pleasure of knowing Lou Anna Richardson Taglavore is invited to pay their respects by attending visitation Monday, April 12th, from 5-8pm at Osborn Funeral Home, 3631 Southern Avenue, in Shreveport. You are also invited to attend funeral services Tuesday, April 13th, at 10am at Osborn. Interment will follow at Forest Park Cemetery. Dr. Pat Day, Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church in Shreveport, will officiate.

Lou was called home to be with the Lord April 8th after a extended illness. It is there where she will be reunited with her parents, Ola Wilson and C.A. “Pete” Richardson.

Lou was born November 16, 1937, in Grant Parish, Louisiana. She worked at Dow Chemical Company in Shreveport, was for many years the backbone of a family business, and retired from Dillard’s department store in Shreveport after 16 years of service. She is survived by her son and only child, Anthony (Tony) Michael Taglavore, her sister, Claire Richardson Evans and husband Charles E. “Chuck” Evans of Williana, Louisiana, and several nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Mark Barnard, Chuck Evans, Mark Evans, Robert (Bob) Griffin, Raymond (Skip) Kordas, and Sam Schachter. Honorary Pallbearers will be Lou’s closest friends: Janell Bullard, Linda Hammond, Gayle Monsour, Mickie Parr, Evelyn Rogers, and Pat Tharpe.

The family would like to express its sincere appreciation to Germaine Cassiere, M.D., for providing Lou’s longtime medical care. The family would also like to thank Robert Goodman, M.D., Robert Schuler, M.D., Jennifer Alford, R.N., Joni Cannon, R.N., Ricky Larimer, R.N., Kevin Toups, R.N., the doctors of Northwest Louisiana Nephrology Clinic, the staff of Willis-Knighton Pierremont, Cornerstone Hospital, and First United Methodist Church in Shreveport for their compassionate care and concern over the past several months.

A special feeling of appreciation is expressed to Al Taglavore for his acts of thoughtfulness throughout Lou’s illness.

A special expression of thanks is extended to Dr. Charles and Kimberly Lyon of Vitreo-Retinal Associates, and Greg Burke, Doug Ireland, and Matt Bonnette of the Northwestern State University athletic department , for their understanding in allowing Lou’s son, Tony, to spend time with her in her final months.

Lou was a true Christian, a wonderful person, a great mother, and her son’s best friend. She understood that life’s most important things are the simple things. The love and wisdom she gave will remain with us.

Wanna see FAST?

Watch the video from Flotrack and check out the back stretch charge by Michael Green on the final leg of the Demons' winning 4x400 relay performance at the Texas Relays!

http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view_video/236783/324269

That's what covering 400 meters in 45.55 seconds looks like. He eats up some fast fellows from North Texas, Kansas, Louisiana Tech and Houston, and wins going away. The Demons begin in lane 6 and in the second lap all the runners come inside. NSU is in purple uniforms.

Pretty impressive surge at about the 250-275 meter mark on the second leg by Kendal Taylor.

Michael Batts ran the first leg and Jamie Emery had leg No. 3.

Seen this weekend

Demon linebacker Yaser Elqutub among the ringleaders for a dodgeball tournament Sunday in Prather Coliseum. Yes, that's right, DODGEBALL. About 100 people on hand, lots of hollering, lots of laughs, and that was just watching a couple minutes worth as they played on the Lady Demon volleyball court ....

... Demon football greats Don Guidry and Lawrence Nugent watching Saturday morning's practice and telling stories, including Guidry talking about the Demons having a comfortable first-half lead at USL and some players taking the chance to chat up the majorettes in the USL band that was right behind the Demon bench at McNaspy Stadium ...

... Six radar guns up by scouts Saturday when Demon closer Chad Sheppard faced UTA star Michael Collins in the ninth inning. Sheppard got him on a 1-1 grounder, sharply hit to shortstop Trent Grondin, who made a nice play to his right and a strong throw. Collins is the nation's No. 5 outfield prospect for this June's major league baseball draft, and had two home runs Sunday. He looks the part.

A Demon to the Final Four!

They're not players, or coaches, but former Demons Kenny Lannou and Dr. Rocky Colavito are on opposite sides Saturday when Kansas State plays Butler for a berth in the NCAA Final Four.

Lannou was assistant SID at NSU in 2003 and is now the head man at K-State. Colavito was on the NSU English faculty for several years before taking a position at Butler last year, although remaining a staunch Demon basketball supporter.

Lannou is obviously in the thick of things for the Wildcats, while we're sure Rocky misses no Bulldogs home games and probably has gotten to know some of the Butler hoopsters.

ON that basis, we're pulling for K-State Saturday!

Scrimmage Saturday in doubt

Right now the Demon football team has only six able-bodied offensive linemen. That puts a big question mark on plans to conduct an extended scrimmage, the first of spring practice, Saturday morning in Turpin Stadium.

Final decision will be made Friday morning, but in any case, the scrimmage or the team portion of practice will get going about 10:15 Saturday morning in Turpin.

Check nsudemons.com tomorrow after lunch for the update.

Noteworthy from SLC softball this week

The same Sam Houston State team that NSU swept on Sunday turned around and exacted revenge on NSU's most prominent softball "alumnus." Baylor is coached by former Lady Demon assistant coach (1991-93) Glenn Moore, a former Demon tight end in football who married Lady Demon school high jump record setter Janice Miller.

Glenn's head softball coaching friend from his NSU days, Ricky McCalister, dropped by Thursday to visit and told us about the following upset. Here's the Southland Conference's recap:

Sam Houston State Upsets No. 23 Baylor

In game one of a doubleheader Tuesday, Sam Houston State upset the No. 23 ranked Baylor Bears. Senior Morgan Mikulin pitched a four-hit shutout to record her eighth win of the season. Mikulin had four strikeouts and did not allow a walk. She also contributed offensively driving in one of four RBI scored by the Bearkat offense.

Meanwhile, another indication of the high caliber of softball in the SLC took place a night later. Again, courtesy of the SLC, here's the scoop:
Texas State Stuns No. 15 Texas

Texas State senior Leah Boatright hit a three-run walk-off home run to upset the No. 15 ranked Texas Longhorns at Bobcat field Wednesday. The win ends a three year streak of losing to the Longhorns at home. Boatright went two-for-two with five RBI and two home runs.

Update on Terrence McGee

Picked up an update on Demon great Terrence McGee from a story posted on BuffaloBills.com yesterday:

McGee still shouldering load
By Chris Brown, Lead Journalist, buffalobills.com

Posted Mar 22, 2010

New England wide receiver Randy Moss is never going to be confused with a Mack truck when it comes to collisions on a football field. At 6’6” and 210 pounds he’s not exactly the picture of power. Tell that to Bills cornerback Terrence McGee, who in a freak Week 15 head on collision with Moss suffered a major shoulder injury that required surgery.

Almost four months removed from the procedure, McGee still has significant ground to cover as his shoulder rehab has put all of his other offseason training on hold.

“I was injured in December and right now I couldn’t do a push-up to save my life,” McGee told Buffalobills.com. “But I’ve been working hard doing rehab on it to get the range of motion on it, but it was way worse than it looked.”

McGee had a severe shoulder separation along with a bicep tear and damage to his rotator cuff and labrum. Surgery has fixed all of the problems, but rehab has been a slow and steady process. Doing anything slow when it comes to football doesn’t sit well with McGee.

“I feel like Homer Simpson because I can’t work out or anything,” he said. “I can’t do a whole lot of anything right now in terms of maintaining a fitness level. The only thing I’ve really been doing is working on getting my range of motion back.”

The Bills cornerback had his shoulder in a sling for two months before he began his range of motion exercises. All of the inactivity has cost him muscle mass as McGee had to buy some new clothes that were not hanging off his body.

“I put on one of those tank top undershirts and I’m not filling it out like I had been,” he said.

McGee is anxious to train and prepare his entire body for the rigors of a regular season, but he knows that his recovering shoulder is the priority.

“It’s definitely annoying because by this time in the offseason I’m working out regularly and doing cardio work and getting ready for the offseason program,” said McGee. “But all I’m allowed to do right now is work with the arm band on range of motion. It’s definitely different from what I’m used to doing at this point in the offseason.”

His hope is that he can begin lifting weights in May. McGee is not worried about regaining his speed and endurance. Where his concern lies is knocking the rust off of his technique following this extended down time in the offseason.

“As far as trying to jam receivers and things like that will be the biggest thing that sets me back in terms of the OTAs and minicamps coming up,” he said. “So obviously the summer is going to be critical for me to go full blast and catch up on a lot of stuff.”

That can be a nerve racking process, even for a proven veteran player like McGee, especially with a new coaching staff on board. Fortunately for him his position coach is unchanged as defensive backs coach George Catavolos was retained by head coach Chan Gailey.

“You definitely want to get out there in practice and show the new staff what you can do,” said McGee. “They’ve seen you on film, but it’s important to show them in person that you can play. So having George still on the staff is a bit reassuring for me. The first time I met the coaches George introduced me and he was hyping me up a little bit so that felt good. But you definitely want the opportunity to impress the new coaches and show them what you’ve got.”

But that in all likelihood will have to wait for McGee. Nevertheless, the veteran cornerback believes if he can begin training in a couple of months he’ll have enough time to be fully prepared for training camp.

“I’ve never had an injury that’s kept me out of OTAs,” he said. “So this is way different for me. I feel like the rehab is going pretty good. I might not see progress every day, but I am seeing a difference in what I can do week by week. So everything looks to be on schedule. That’s why I’m targeting May to really start doing some stuff and catch up with the other guys. If I can start working out in May I should be fine.”

Great news for Wendy

Former Lady Demon assistant (1992-2000) Wendy Luebbers Schuller got a nice reward Tuesday on the heels of her Big Sky Coach of the Year honor last week. Eastern Washington extended her contract for four years! Read all about it in this EWU press release:


Eastern Washington University’s Wendy Schuller has been given a four-year extension to her contract to remain as head coach of the women’s basketball program at EWU, athletics director Bill Chaves has announced.

Schuller is in her ninth season as head coach, and led the Eagles to a 19-11 record overall and a 12-4 finish in the Big Sky Conference. Under her direction, EWU won its first-ever regular season Big Sky Conference title this season, and hosted the league tournament for the first time in school history.

She was selected as the Big Sky Coach of the Year as the Eagles advanced to the Women's National Invitation Tournament. The appearance in the WNIT was the first national postseason appearance for the Eagles since the 1987 season.

“We look forward to Coach Schuller continuing to lead our women's basketball program,” said Chaves. "Wendy has been able to balance our student-athlete's academic success with success on the court, and we are excited for this to continue for the next four years.”

“I am honored to be the women’s basketball coach at Eastern Washington University, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to remain as such for the future,” Schuller said. “Our future is exciting -- we have an excellent nucleus of players returning and some incoming prospects who will help us continue to move forward. We have had outstanding success in the classroom over the past several years and I am proud of the recent strides we have made on the court. I want to thank our fans and administration for their support and patience as we have worked to build the program to a Big Sky champion.”

Schuller has now collected 113 wins in nine seasons at the helm -- the second-most victories in school history -- with a 56-78 conference record. In her first five seasons, the Eagles qualified for the Big Sky Tournament and have now made Big Sky Championship appearances in six of her nine years at the helm of the program.
Over the past eight campaigns, the team has been ranked amongst the top 10 squads on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic Top 25 Honor Roll, something only achieved by one other team (Indiana State). The Eagle squad of 2003-04 placed first nationally with a 3.63 grade point average.

A native of Redlands, Calif., Schuller and her husband, Mark, have an 9-year-old son, Rory (born Oct. 16, 2000), and a 6-year-old daughter, Megan (born July 15, 2003). The family resides in Cheney, Wash.

“Cheney is a city that our family loves, and Mark and I are happy that we will get to continue to raise our kids in such an outstanding community,” she added. “I am blessed with a wonderful, hard working staff and a group of committed players who have continued to believe in the foundations of our program.”

Picked to finish seventh in the league by both the coaches and media, EWU's run to the conference regular season title was sparked by winning its first seven conference games. Eastern placed two players on the 2009-10 All-Conference Team in juniors Julie Piper and Kyla Evans. Piper was named to the first team, while Evans was named to the second team. Sophomore Brianne Ryan received the honor of being named the league’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year with Montana State’s Sarah Strand.

Piper earned regular-season MVP honors and was a unanimous first team selection. She became the program’s first-ever league MVP, and had earned honorable mention All-Big Sky honors as a sophomore. The Eagles haven’t had a first team All-BSC selection since Julie Page was honored in 2006.

Prior to arriving at Eastern, Schuller began her coaching career at Northwestern State University in Louisiana. In 1992, she started coaching as a graduate assistant for the Lady Demons while earning a master's degree in sports administration. Following graduation, she became a full-time assistant, and in 1997, she was promoted to associate head coach.

Schuller earned her bachelor's degree in business in 1992 from Fresno Pacific University after playing for the Sunbirds as a shooting guard.

Still cheering for former Demons in March

Murray State pulled the big upset Thursday, beating No. 4-seeded Vanderbilt, and tries to get another Saturday against No. 5 Butler, where former NSU English prof Dr. Rocky Colavito is on the faculty.

The Racers are coached by Billy Kennedy, a New Orleans native whose first college job was as an assistant at NSU on Dan Bell's first Demons staff in 1988-89 - the team that beat Kentucky in Rupp Arena.

Billy became head coach at Centenary, then Southeastern, before taking an assistant's post at Miami (Fla.) and getting the Murray State head coaching post. He coached the Lions to the 2005 NCAA Tournament, including an SLC Championship Game upset win in Prather Coliseum over the Demons.

Watching Billy's postgame press conference yesterday reminded me how low key and deadpan he is. You would have thought they just beat Tennessee State, not Vandy!

Another NSU connection comes at New Mexico State, where former Mike McConathy graduate assistant Paul Weir is an assistant coach. The Aggies were playing Michigan State Friday evening.

Weir was on Steve Alford's staff at Iowa for the 2006 NCAA Tournament, a year after being with the Demons. He had some mixed emotions that March 17, for sure.

Baseball organization talks about the Demons and Chad Sheppard

Nick Herfordt of Ping!Baseball recently did a nice article about the Demon baseball team, and in particular, NSU closer Chad Sheppard.

Check out the writeup here:

http://ow.ly/1nUpl

Sorting through new NCAA track rules

The NCAA qualifying landscape has taken a radical change for outdoor track and field in 2010. Below, Tom Lewis of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association tries to educate sports information directors about the changes in how athletes qualify for the national meet.

A sportswriter tells me he's heard from a good NCAA track source that this system will be revamped after the season. But this spring, you won't hear about provisional and automatic NCAA qualifiers, and the national championships will be very different than in past years. Turning to Tom Lewis:

Hello All,

While we’re recovering from the indoor season, this is probably a good time to go over what’s going to happen during the outdoor season. I’ve had several questions about this and I figured this would be a good time to fill every one in on the latest news at once.

First, everything you remember from the four-region system from the past seven years has changed. This year, the championships will have a totally different format and instead of a hard-line performance standard to qualify, we will have an absolute, field-size cut-off per event, meaning that season-best rank within the “region” will overshadow the mark itself.

Regional standards to qualify does not exist for this season, and, instead of having four regions, we will have two “preliminary sites” for the national championship. The national championship will technically begin at Austin and Greensboro and will essentially be the start of one continuous meet, held in three locations over two separate weekends and concluding in Eugene.

The season will be a constant “scoreboard watch” as the top 48 per “region” – that declare – in each individual event and the top 24 relays per region, that declare, will compete at the preliminary sites. The caveat to this rule would be for the combined events. The top 24 OVERALL that declare for the heptathlon/decathlon will contest their event at the national-final site in Eugene.

Some events, like the sprints and up to the 1500m will have four rounds as part of the national championship: two contested at the preliminary sites and two at the finals site. Some events contest one round at the prelim site, and two at the finals site. The 5000 and 10,000 will have a national semifinal at the preliminary sites and the national final in Eugene. Every round will have a “national” component to its title since this is essentially one big meet. For example, we’ll contest the 100-meter national first round and national quarterfinal, not a regional final, at the preliminary sites.

The meet can be pretty cut throat as advancement through the rounds relies more on placing than time which will lead to some interesting races. In addition, the “safety net” that used to apply the regional rounds of protecting those at the top of the descending-order lists no longer exists. Again, advancement through the rounds will be determined on the round in question and not on prior performance during the season.

Without any hard-line standards or solid ground to stand, it will be interesting to see how everyone describes in-season meets. Before, there were headlines like “Lobos with 11 Regional Qualifiers at Kentucky” or “Davis Runs to NCAA Qualification, Tops Auto Mark” … Now, it seems you may have to be more creative without really saying anything, “Wheating, Morris Highlight Great Danes’ Day in Arkansas” … “Clayton Claims Collegiate-Leading Mark” … “Morrison Among Nation’s Elite After Saturday’s Bomb” (now in nation’s top 20, etc.).

Thanks,
Tom



---
Tom Lewis
U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
Communications Manager
1100 Poydras St., Suite 1750
New Orleans, LA 70163

4th anniversary of the best St. Patrick's Day ever

Coach of the Year

Great news today from Cheney, Washington, about James Smith's former Lady Demon basketball assistant (1992-2000) Wendy Luebbers Schuller (you can send her a note at wschuller@mail.ewu.edu via e-mail, and she's also on Facebook.

Here's the press release from Eastern Washington University, home of the Big Sky Conference basketball champion Lady Eagles:

Eastern Washington University women's head basketball coach Wendy Schuller has been selected as the Big Sky Conference Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year, the league announced on Tuesday (March 16). The 2010 recipient was chosen in a vote by the league coaches earlier this week.

The Eagles are 19-11 overall and won the Big Sky regular season with a 12-4 record. The Eagles hosted the 2010 Big Sky Women’s Basketball Championship last week -- the first time that the tournament has been played in Cheney, Wash.

Eastern Washington returned to Big Sky tournament play after missing the postseason three-straight seasons. Not only did the Eagles get back to the tournament , but they secured the outright regular season title for the first time in program history.

Picked to finish seventh in the league by both the coaches and media, EWU's run to the conference regular season title was sparked by winning its first seven conference games. Included was a home sweep of Montana and Montana State on back-to-back nights.

Under Schuller, Eastern Washington placed two players on the 2009-10 All-Conference Team in juniors Julie Piper and Kyla Evans. Piper was named to the first team, while Evans was named to the second team. Sophomore Brianne Ryan received the honor of being named the league’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year with Montana State’s Sarah Strand.

Piper earned regular-season MVP honors and was a unanimous first team selection. She became the program’s first-ever league MVP, and had earned honorable mention All-Big Sky honors as a sophomore. The Eagles haven’t had a first team All-BSC selection since Julie Page was honored in 2006.

Schuller has now collected 113 wins in nine seasons as the head coach at Eastern Washington and has posted a 56-78 record in the conference play. In her first five seasons, the Eagles qualified for the Big Sky Tournament and have now made Big Sky Championship appearances in six of her nine years at the program.

The 2009-10 season pushed the program to new heights, and with the regular season title the Eagles secured a spot in the Women's National Invitation Tournament. The appearance in the WNIT is the first postseason appearance for the Eagles since the 1987 season.

A native of Redlands, Calif., Schuller and her husband, Mark, have an 9-year-old son, Rory (born Oct. 16, 2000), and a 6-year-old daughter, Megan (born July 15, 2003). The family resides in Cheney.

March Madness and NSU

Proud NSU supporter Dustin Cross called this morning to ensure we knew about the latest national pub for Demon basketball.

ESPN analyst Fran Fraschella, speaking during a discussion on ESPN last night about the 2010 NCAA Tournament, talked about NSU and coach Mike McConathy.

When discussing Wisconsin's tournament chances, Fraschella brought up the Demons' 2006 NCAA Tournament win over Iowa and called McConathy "the Demons' great coach."

That's pretty special on national TV ....

... NSU alumnus and Lady Demon basketball great Sandy Pugh has coached Southern's Lady Jags back into the NCAA Tournament. Southern swept the regular-season and tournament titles in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and will get its first-round matchup in the NCAA women's bracket announcement tonight ....

... Not as fortunate was former Lady Demon assistant coach Wendy Luebbers Schuller, whose top-seeded Eastern Washington team fell in the semifinals of the Big Sky Conference Tournament at home to the sixth-seed, Montana State. EWU was missing its point guard, who could not play with a back injury, and the Big Sky Player of the Year was limited to 18 minutes with foul trouble in a heart-breaking 65-57 loss. Schuller's Eagles will play in the WNIT ....

... Friday night semifinals in the Big East Tournament were unkind to former NSU point guard Mike Brey (head coach at Notre Dame) and former McConathy assistant and now Marquette head coach Buzz Williams. The NCAA Tournament bracket was much more complimentary as both at-large selections earned regional No. 6 seeds, essentially ranking both teams among the best 24 in the country.

And That's a Wrap!

I feel a little like a fish out of water.
For the first time since last November, there is no women's basketball game broadcast for which to prepare.
I can only imagine how the Lady Demons players and coaching staff feels.
The 2009-10 season came to an end last Thursday afternoon in the semi-finals of the State Farm Southland Conference Tournament in Katy, Texas. 48 hours after a thrilling dismantling of division-rival Stephen F. Austin in the quarter-finals, NSU came up short against Texas A&M Corpus-Christi, which fell to Lamar in the finals.
Three seniors, Lyndzee Greene, Sherion Thomas and Anna Cate Williams, played their final college game. Good players, and even better people.
Now, it's time to look ahead to next season, and there is reason to be excited, even though next November seems like a long way off. Trudy Armstead, who had an outstanding freshman season, will be a year older. Armstead is conference Player of the Year material, and is looking at a very bright future. She will get help inside from Jasmine Upchurch, who despite limited playing time as a freshman, showed her potential when being forced into a big role, after Armstead got in early foul trouble against TAMU-CC.
Kottia White, who missed the season because of injury, will be healthy. Head Coach Jennifer Graf is really high on White, who was cleared to practice the final few weeks of the season. From the guard position, White can penetrate and score, draw contact, or pass.
Players expected to return who have lots of experience include Brittiany Houston, Jessica McPhail and Brooke Sheppard. Meredith Graf showed she can bury the three, and hustles every second she is on the floor.
Laneisha Jennie will be a sophomore, and will be joined by some incoming freshmen, as Coach Graf and her staff are out on the recruiting trail.
A heartfelt thanks to Athletics Director Greg Burke and Sports Information Director Doug Ireland for once again allowing me the privilege to work as the radio Voice of the Lady Demons. My thanks to Matt Bonnette for his behind the scenes help all year, as well as his efforts as the color analyst on road broadcasts (not to mention filling in for me while I had to miss three games). And my thanks to Coach Graf, her staff and players, for all of their help and hospitality.
The 2009-10 season is over, but I am already looking forward to next season. And I hope you are too!

Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons

Rooting interests this weekend

Former Demon point guard Mike Brey is head basketball coach at Notre Dame.

Former Mike McConathy assistant coach Buzz Williams is head coach at Marquette.

Former James Smith Lady Demon assistant coach Wendy Luebbers Schuller is the head coach at regular season Big Sky champion Eastern Washington.

Former Pat Pierson player and James Smith graduate assistant coach Sandy Pugh is head coach of the Southern Lady Jags. Her team won the SWAC regular-season title.

All are playing tonight in conference tournament semifinals.

Brey's Fighting Irish beat No. 16 Pittsburgh Thursday, while Williams' Warriors toppled No. 10 Villanova, in quarterfinal upsets at the Big East Tournament in Madison Square Garden. They could meet in the championship game.

Plenty of reason to root for NSU friends in March Madness! Seems likely Notre Dame and Marquette are in the NCAA Tournament with at-large bids if one doesn't win the conference tournament. Pugh and Schuller will have to get it done on the court as they're in "one bid" leagues.

GOOD LUCK!

Four a Crowd?

Here's a little behind-the-scenes tidbit from the 2010 State Farm Southland Conference Basketball Tournament in Katy, Texas...Four of the eight women's teams which began play Tuesday were staying in the SAME hotel (Northwestern, TAMU-CC, Lamar and Texas-Arlington). A quick look at your bracket and you will notice that all four won their Quarterfinal round game. So...everyone is still here! However, I am happy to report there has not been any trash-talking over the waffle machine.

The Lady Demons practiced today at Katy High School. Tonight, it's a early dinner at the Rainforest Cafe', followed by a evening of meetings and film study. I am sure the team will have a early "lights out", as they zone in on Thursday's semi-final game against Lamar at 12:05.

A couple of interesting notes as I prepare for the broadcast (of course, all notes are courtesy of Associate Sports Information Director Matt Bonnette):

-NSU is just one made three-pointer away from setting a single-season school record. The current mark of 192 was set just last year.

-Trudy Armstead scored just six points in the regular season loss to TAMU-CC. She is a different player now than she was in mid-January (see Tuesday's career-high of 25 points and 13 rebounds). Somehow, I think she will have a much better game Thursday than she did two months ago.

-NSU and TAMU-CC combined for 195 points in their respective Quarterfinal round games. The Lady Demons pride themselves on defense, so I don't expect them to give up 99 points the way Sam Houston did.

In case I don't get to blog before tip-off, I invite you to join Matt and I for the broadcast on the Demon Sports Network (100.7 KZBL in Natchitoches, 92.1 in Shreveport, 92.7 KBDV in Leesville, and KTEZ 99.9 in Many, as well around the world at nsudemons.com). The pre-game show starts at 11:50. A win Thursday, and your Northwestern State Lady Demons will be just one win--40 minutes--away from their third-ever trip to the NCAA tournament!

Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons

Not So Fast, My Friend!

So...Those who thought NSU would be one-and-done in the 2010 State Farm Southland Conference Tournament...I direct your attention to the above headline.
Wow!
In one word, that sums up the way the Lady Demons played Tuesday afternoon at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas.
NSU, the tournament's seventh-seed, looked like the the Los Angeles Lakers during their "Showtime" era--passing and shooting their way to a 96-82 win over second-seeded Stephen F. Austin.
Trudy Armstead--still technically a freshman--looked like a seasoned veteran. She wanted the ball and she got the ball on her way to a season/career-high 25 points and 13 rebounds. Jessica McPhail, who hasn't had the quite the season she had hoped, shinned with a season-high 22 points. Three more Lady Demons tallied double-digits, and afterwards, everyone was wearing smiles.
Next up, dinner at Dave and Busters. Oh, next up on the court? Texas A&M Corpus-Christi, which beat Sam Houston in Tuesday's second game.
So it's time to unpack the luggage. We are going to be here at least until Thursday. And the way NSU played Tuesday, we might not be going home until after Friday's championship game.
And no one is complaining.

Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons

Greetings from Katy

For the fourth straight year, the Lady Demons find themselves getting ready to play in the State Farm Southland Conference Tournament.
Making the tournament is not a given. Just ask the three teams who were eligible, but did not qualify.
But while NSU is happy to play another day, I don't think they will be satisfied unless they are playing Friday--for the tournament championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
The road will not be easy, starting with Monday's quarterfinal game against long-time rival Stephen F. Austin. SFA is the league's hottest team, having won seven straight. However, NSU has a couple of things in their favor.
The Lady Demons beat SFA earlier this season--in Nacogdoches. Even though they dropped the return game in Natchitoches, NSU knows they can beat SFA--if they play well as they did in their win.
Also, NSU comes into the tournament on the heels of last Saturday's confidence-booster, a double-digit win over Southeastern Louisiana that snapped a four-game losing streak.
On the bus ride Monday morning (well, okay, most everyone slept), at their Noon shootaround, and at lunch and dinner, the team was relaxed--and focused. They know if they play like they are capable of playing (and like they have shown at times this year), they have as good a shot as anyone of winning the tournament.
Everyone packed for a week-long trip, and when we leave the hotel Tuesday morning for the Noon tipoff, we are not bringing our luggage. We have every hope of staying in Katy a little longer.
I hope you listen to all the action Tuesday on the Demon Sports Network (100.7 KZBL in Natchitoches, 92.1 in Shreveport, and here at nsudemons.com). Matt Bonnette and I will be on the air at 11:45 with the Lady Demons pre-game show.
Fork 'Em, Lady Demons!

Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons

Baseball Buzz

Everyone I've talked to, from NSU in-house sports analyst and long-time employee Thomas Foster to boosters who have watched practice to some from within the program, have told me how good they think J.P. Davis' Demon baseball team is going to be this year.

Apparently, there are others a bit further removed from Natchitoches who think the same thing.

Former NSU baseball clubhouse manager Ray Meade, now living in Tennessee but still very much in-tune with what is happening on the NSU athletic scene, called to tell me about the Demons being the topic of conversation on the national Rivals.com radio morning show recently. The discussion centered around teams, outside of the preseason 25, that might make some postseason noise....and the NSU Demons were included in that category.

Also mentioned was the rich coaching history that has been a part of Demon baseball for the past two decades and how those coaches have moved on to head positions at major programs, starting with newly retired Alabama skipper Jim Wells in 1990 and continuing with Wells' former graduate assistant, Mike Bianco (Ole Miss); Dave Van Horn (Nebraska and now Arkansas); his pitching coach, Rob Childress (Texas A&M); John Cohen (Kentucky and now Mississippi State); and Wells' replacement at Alabama, Mitch Gaspard.

Southland Conference preseason polls, by the way, have picked the Demons middle-of-the-pack at best.

I like the Rivals.com prognosticators better.

Greg Burke
Athletic Director

The way it ought to be

NSU-McNeese is a great rivalry. In any sport.

In men's basketball, it's the ideal rivalry - even down to after the game ends.

It's been a tradition since McNeese head coach Dave Simmons left the NSU Demon basketball staff to take over as the Cowboys boss, that NSU supporters cook for both teams after they play at Prather Coliseum.

Now McNeese is returning the favor. The Cowboys fed both teams a wonderful brisket dinner at Burton Coliseum after last night's Demon win. You talk about sportsmanship and building relationships, that's what we saw during and after.

That postgame hospitality is nothing new in many sports, but it's always great to see.

Doing it right

Received the following e-mail early this morning. It requires no setup except to say the NSU Demon basketball team played at Stephen F. Austin Wednesday night.

"I would like you to congratulate Coach Mike McConathy on the character of his team.

They were all standing and giving respect to the National Anthem. They all had their hand over their heart and looking at the flag.

There are some teams where the coaches may not observe any respect themselves and the players may be talking and joking around.

This respect is a result of your coaches true goal to teach young men about life and being a good God loving American and preparing them for the future.

My Father-In-Law (Ted Jefferies) was a football coach here at SFA during the late 40's and 50's and would have known coach Turpin. He always had his players dress up when they travelled. He said if you look nice you are more apt to act nice.

I see Walter Ledet and his wife here at church with his son and family.

Please pass this on to Coach McConathy and his players so they know that people notice how young people behave and these guys are a blessing.

God Bless You


Roland Muckleroy
SFA Grad 1956

Refreshing Honesty

I was a bit nervous as Lady Demons Head Coach Jennifer Graf settled into the chair next to me for her post-game radio interview Wednesday night. After all, the Lady Demons had just lost by 18 points to conference rival Stephen F. Austin--after trailing by as many as 35 points.

When you interview a coach on the short end of a score--especially one as lopsided as this one--you never know what you are going to get. Except with Coach Graf. You always get honesty. And that's refreshing.

She didn't try to sugarcoat anything. She told it like it was. Coach Graf said her team got a good 'ol fashioned whippin'. She questioned her team's heart. She questioned her team's effort. She questioned her team's desire.

Those are things you wouldn't hear from most coaches. But Coach Graf is as honest as the day is long. She also has too much respect for the fans to think she could pull the wool over their eyes. The Lady Demons' performance was not up to the high standards set by previous NSU teams. Coach Graf knew it, and it's a pretty good bet the players knew it also. If they didn't, I'm sure they got the message in the locker room after the game.

In victory, Coach Graf is humble, giving all the credit to her players and assistant coaches. In defeat, Coach Graf tells it like it is.

In sports, and in life, it would be nice if we were all more like Coach Graf.

Tune in for the all the action Saturday afternoon, as the Lady Demons regroup against Eastern Division leader Central Arkansas. Tip-off from what is sure to be a snowy Conway, Arkansas, is 2pm. Matt Bonnette and I (road conditions permitting) will be on the air with the Lady Demons pre-game show at 1:45 on 100.7 FM (KZBL) and the Demon Sports Network.

Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons

Quite a roster tonight

The guest list for the Demon basketball team's game at UT-Arlington tonight reads like an alumni reunion of former players for coach Mike McConathy:

Mike Edwards, Alann Polk, Michael Byars-Dawson, Chris Lynch, Kory Wilson, and Brentt Shropshire, all from the 2001 NCAA Tournament team ... and Judith Hawkins, mother of the NBA-D League All-Star Trey Gilder, who is coming home to Dallas next weekend to play during the NBA All-Star Weekend.

Also here: former Lady Demon softballer Brittany Card, and Shreveport native and veteran sportswriter Nico Van Thyn and his family. Nico works for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and comes to see Coach Mike when we play here.

Super experience

Brian Duval, the former NSU baseball/softball public address announcer now with the Saints Radio Network as an engineer, is having a mind-bending experience since arriving Thursday night in Miami.

He called Friday afternoon from the media center. As we were talking, the actor/comedian Adam Sandler walked by. Brian sent me a photo, which for some reason I can't extract, of him with comedian Chris Rock and actor/comedian David Spade.

Wonder if paparazzi work INSIDE a media center where credentials issued by the NFL are necessary? Doubtful. But surely they were camped outside.

Of all the stars, from the entertainment and sports worlds, that Duval encountered Friday, he had no doubt who had the biggest entourage -- the smallest celebrity he saw, and pound for pound no doubt the toughest: boxing champ Floyd Mayweather Jr., he said.

Or else.

Doug Ireland, SID

Noticed Wednesday...

... 2001 Demon All-America offensive tackle Gene Tennison, looking very fit, among those attending the Signing Day Luncheon at Prather Coliseum. Gene, who earned an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship after his Demon days, says he'll be coming around more frequently and that's great to hear we'll see more of the Texan chosen as part of the Top 100 Players in Demon Football History in the centennial season of NSU football (2007) ...

... 2006 Demons of Destiny basketball star Clifton Lee at the NSU-McNeese game Wednesday night. "Big Smooth" has a couple of weeks home, and then is heading back overseas to Asia to play pro ball. He had a successful season in Japan and now is going to the Philippines to play. Clifton visited with the current Demons before the game ...

... Beau Hebert, the youngest son of Demon legend Bobby Hebert, signed as a quarterback at Nicholls State yesterday. Bobby's younger brother played at Nicholls in the 1980s. It's near the family home in the Cut Off area and near where Dad lives in New Orleans. Beau was quite a basketball player as a young boy but is now a quarterback, and one with interesting potential, much like his dad had coming to Northwestern. Good luck to Beau in what will be a pass-heavy offense at Nicholls ...

Still pulling for their boy

Parents never stop supporting their kids. We got a sweet reminder of that early today on National Signing Day, when the fax machine in the office buzzes with the rapid-fire arrival of National Letters of Intent of new signees.

The first fax of the day came in at 7:25 a.m. and read:

"Good luck today fellows! I'd be sure to give your recruiting coordinator a big hug later today! He's a peach"

The recruiting coordinator is 27-year-old Matt Kubik, and he earned a healthy dose of praise for a brilliant job of coordinating efforts for NSU.

The fax came from "The Kubik's" ... probably a justifiably proud papa, based on the handwriting.

NSU well-represented at 2010 Krewe of Gemini Grand Bal

pictured: Jill Bankston, NSU Foundation; Jennifer Maggio and Dr. Chris Maggio, Dean of Students; NSU Capital Campaign Co-chair Lynne Manno; NSU Assoc. Director of Athletics Dr. William Broussard

On January 30th, I had the distinct pleasure of being an invited guest of John and Lynne Manno of Bossier City at the Krewe of Gemini Grand Ball at the Shreveport Convention Center. John and Lynne, devoted members of the NSU Athletic Association and co-chairs of the "Excellence: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Capital Campaign" are past King and Queen of Krewe of Gemini. Added to that roll of honor this year were King and Queen Cliff (NSU Alum) and Donna Poimboeuf, Select 100 Athletic Association members, and joining in on the festivities were NSU Alums Jeff and Linda DeLaune, NSU Foundation development officer Jill Bankston and husband Jay, NSU WRAC wellness coordinator Kendra Broussard, Dean of Students Chris Maggio and wife Jennifer, retired NSU professor Cathy Seymour, NSU Foundation Accountant Janet Vienne, NSU Psychology professor Cynthia Lindsey, and NSU Athletic Association members Mike and Marti Vienne.

The 2010 Grand Bal and Tableau were quite a spectacle and the evening was made even more enjoyable by the friends and alumni of NSU in attendance.

Chilly Conway, Icy on ice

The Demon basketball team's trip to play at Central Arkansas included wintry weather. This group of staff members enjoyed the Friday night snowfall. By the time it ended Saturday morning, there were about 2-3 inches on the ground in Conway, making for some pretty scenes on the UCA campus. Up I-40 about 30 miles in Russellville, where former Demon assistant coach Steve Mullins is the AD/head football coach, wife Liz Mullins told Facebook friends they got about 5 inches.

Roads were OK but dodgy. As the Demons pulled onto I-40 east to head back, we got word of a jacknifed 18-wheeler a few miles ahead. Bus driver Bill Greer took a detour before we got caught in the logjam on the interstate, and we worked around the wreck.

Bill was the perfect driver for this trip, with more than a million miles experience, mostly with 18-wheelers. His skills and faith were tested just south of Little Rock, when it seemed as if we had passed all remaining ice until an 18-wheeler just ahead of us fishtailed while trying to avoid an erratic car.

That 18-wheeler driver did a magnificent job holding the road and Bill's skill gave us the best chance of avoiding any trouble.

Earlier, the Demon team was treated to a much funnier show thanks to the ice outside the entrance to our hotel. Radio voice Patrick Netherton and I eschewed the team bus trip to a nearby dining spot and decided to walk the 300 yards through the snow to a nearby Chili's. Getting out of the ice on the driveway was challenging ... and I was told entertaining for the team to watch me trying (successfully, I might add) to keep my balance sliding down a slight incline. Graceful? No. Effective? Thankfully.

That happened just after I snapped a picture of our own "Icy," senior guard Michael McConathy, in front of the hotel. I was sliding standing to take the picture. Michael has carried the "Icy" nickname since he arrived at NSU due to his pale skin. We hoped to find a nearby convenience store and have the "Icy with Icee on Ice" shot, but not much was open and even if it had been, it would have been inaccessible.

BTW, the Conway Log Cabin newspaper went to print with its Sunday edition at 1 Saturday afternoon due to the road conditions.

Doug Ireland, SID

Bobby Hebert in a dress - designed by his daughter

Saints fan and NSU supporter David West passed this along:

http://tinyurl.com/yek67u3

Cut and paste, and chuckle.

Who Dat!

Calling the Game--and Calling Home

There are many things I enjoy about the privilege--and I do consider it a privilege--to be a member of the Demon Sports Network. Near the top of that list is that my mom is able to listen to me when certain games are carried on KSYR, the Shreveport affiliate of the Demon Sports Network.

Unfortunately, she hasn't been able to listen to many games this season.

Healthy for the vast majority of her 72 years, she has hit a rough spot the past few months. In and out of the hospital, she is in again.

For whatever reason, we can't get a radio to pick up the station's signal inside the hospital. So, she has relied on me calling her--which I do after each game I broadcast--to let her know what happened. She has become a Demon/Lady Demon fan in the two years I have been part of NSU's football/basketball/baseball broadcasts.

This time, her illness is much more serious than before. When I call the Lady Demons Saturday basketball game for first place against the University of Central Arkansas, I will be thinking of her. And on the way home, I will call her. But this call will mean a little more. There may not be many more calls left to make.

I hope I can tell her about a Lady Demons win.

I also hope you can make it to Prather Coliseum to cheer on your first place Lady Demons. But if you can't, I hope you join us on the Demon Sports Network (110.7 KZBL in Natchitoches, 92.1 KSYR in Shreveport, and here at nsudemons.com).

Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons

Lady Demon-Ladyjack tradition

The Lady Demon basketball team won an exciting game Wednesday night at Stephen F. Austin and afterward, associate SID Matt Bonnette got further confirmation that head coach Jennifer Graf and staff stress NSU tradition in their program.

The team was obviously excited leaving the floor and heading into the lockerroom. Matt goes in with the team postgame so he can help get Coach Graf back out in time for her Demon Sports Network radio interview with Tony Taglavore. The routine once they make it to the lockerroom is she speaks to the team, they say a prayer, and it's time for the interview and any newspaper or TV interviews.

Sometimes players speak up before Coach Graf "circles 'em up" for the prayer. One Lady Demon newcomer did, and asked, since NSU beat SFA, "does this mean we get to take (Chief Caddo) back home?"

As you probably know, the biggest trophy in sports goes to the winner of the NSU-SFA football game each year. So no, the Chief isn't at stake for hoops.

But there nearly was a similiar trophy in this fantastic Lady Demon-Ladyjack rivalry. When James Smith was early in his tenure as NSU's head coach, and Gary Blair was at his peak at SFA, and the two were fast friends, the games had extra fun.

They each would take a quarter and put them at the scorebook, with the half-dollar going to the coach who kept his jacket on the longest. It never took a lot of time to settle that bet.

Blair and Smith talked about creating a knockoff of Chief Caddo, a female equivalent, to further spice up the NSU-SFA women's hoops rivalry -- not that it needed any added intensity. The idea never took root, though.