The Baseball America college preseason Top 25 poll just came out and there are several reasons for Demon fans to be proud.
Texas A&M is the preseason No. 1. The Aggies' head coach is former Demon pitching coach Rob Childress (1995-1997), and their third base coach and recruiting coordinator is Matt Deggs, who was here at the same time on the staff of Dave Van Horn.
Van Horn is back at his alma mater, Arkansas, and the Razorbacks again are in the Top 25, at No. 22. Last year when the Demon basketball team was in Fayetteville, Van Horn reminisced fondly about his days at NSU during a halftime radio interview on the Demon Sports Network.
His program is one spot ahead of Alabama, where NSU alum Jim Wells has been head coach since 1995. Alongside Wells is Mitch Gaspard, who was Wells' assistant with the Demons in 1993-94, then at Alabama from 1995-2001, before he took over as NSU's head coach from 2002-2007. Gaspard returned to Alabama for the 2008 season and his recruiting has obviously provided a lift.
Wells is a Bossier City native and former head coach from 1982-86 at Loyola Prep. He got his baseball coaching staff in Dixie Youth ball in Bossier City.
Sitting at No. 6 in the poll is Ole Miss, where former LSU catcher Mike Bianco is head coach. Bianco was Wells' assistant coach in 1991-92 with the Demons.
Don't be surprised before the season ends to see former Demon head coach John Cohen (1998-2001) leading his first-year team at Mississippi State (his alma mater) into the rankings. If not in 2009, it will happen soon after. Just ask anybody who follows Kentucky. Cohen turned the Wildcats from SEC afterthoughts to SEC champs in his second year there as head coach.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Watch KTBS sports tonight at 10:25
Reporter and weekend anchor Leslie Spoon has produced a four-minute story on the McConathy family tradition and Demon basketball. It airs tonight during the Sunday evening extended sportscast on KTBS-TV Channel 3 in Shreveport.
If you miss it, KTBS does a great job of posting its content on the www.ktbs.com website on the sports page.
Spoon was a standout player at Benton High School who attended Coach Mike's camps in Bossier City when he was the Bossier Parish Community College coach and she was a little girl in the 1990s.
If you miss it, KTBS does a great job of posting its content on the www.ktbs.com website on the sports page.
Spoon was a standout player at Benton High School who attended Coach Mike's camps in Bossier City when he was the Bossier Parish Community College coach and she was a little girl in the 1990s.
Friday, January 16, 2009
How to reach out to the Burke family
Arrangements are complete for the funeral services for Gerald "Jere" Burke, father of NSU director of athletics Greg Burke.
Visitation is Sunday evening, with a burial mass at 11 a.m. (EST) Monday in Alliance, Ohio. Mr. Burke, an educator, taught at Marlington High School for 27 years, and in his final years of service was the head librarian.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Gerald P. Burke Scholarship, Marlington Alumni Association, P.O. Box 6001, Alliance, OH, 44601.
He passed away Wednesday at the age of 75.
Funeral services will be at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Sharer-Stirling-Skivolocke Funeral Home at 1000 South Union Avenue, Alliance OH 44601, phone 330-823-2159.
You can offer condolences through the funeral home website:
http://www.funeralquestions.com/obits/sharer2/memorial.asp?listing_id=123926
Additional information from the obituary on the funeral home website follows:
"Mr. Burke was very active with his church and in the community. As a dedicated member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Alliance, he served on parish council, volunteered as a lector and Eucharistic Minister and was an altar server and prayer leader.
"He and his wife Mary Ann served as Marriage Preparation Mentors for 20 years. He served as a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus and participated on their bowling team. He was also a member of the Alliance Senior Citizens Center.
"Mr. Burke and his wife Mary Ann were recently awarded the Ben S. Favazzo Sr. and Patrick H. Jeswold Founder’s Award for their outstanding dedication and service to the Carnation City Festival and to the community of Alliance, Ohio. Mr. Burke and his wife were members of St. Hilary parish in Akron for the past 2 ½ years.
"His hobbies included reading, bowling, coaching speech/debate, sports, and watching the activities of his grandchildren.
"He is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Mary Ann Sharshan Burke; his daughter, Susan Marie Burke of Dublin; and his sons, Gregory Scott (Susu) of Natchitoches, Louisiana, Richard William (Tracy) of Akron, and Gerald Michael (Jill) of Hudson. Mr. Burke also leaves eight grandchildren - Catherine Jean Burke of Natchitoches; Joseph, Nicholas, Abigail, and Nathaniel Gerald Burke of Akron; and Kelly, Maria, and Anthony Santa-Emma of Dublin. He also is survived by a brother, William (Gloria) Burke of Boardman, sister-in-law Betsy Mitchell of Austintown, and cousin Mary York (Ed) of Canfield.
"Mr. Burke will always be remembered as a loving and caring husband and father who worked tirelessly throughout his life to provide the best for his family, as a dedicated teacher who strived daily to make a difference in the lives of his students, and as a selfless gentleman who had a keen sense of humor, enjoyed helping others, and lived his Catholic faith every day of his life.
"The family extends its gratitude to the caring doctors and staff in the Alzheimer's Disease units at Pine Valley Care Center and Wyant Woods and the caring staff at Harbor Lights Hospice and Senior Independence Center in Akron."
Visitation is Sunday evening, with a burial mass at 11 a.m. (EST) Monday in Alliance, Ohio. Mr. Burke, an educator, taught at Marlington High School for 27 years, and in his final years of service was the head librarian.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Gerald P. Burke Scholarship, Marlington Alumni Association, P.O. Box 6001, Alliance, OH, 44601.
He passed away Wednesday at the age of 75.
Funeral services will be at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Sharer-Stirling-Skivolocke Funeral Home at 1000 South Union Avenue, Alliance OH 44601, phone 330-823-2159.
You can offer condolences through the funeral home website:
http://www.funeralquestions.com/obits/sharer2/memorial.asp?listing_id=123926
Additional information from the obituary on the funeral home website follows:
"Mr. Burke was very active with his church and in the community. As a dedicated member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Alliance, he served on parish council, volunteered as a lector and Eucharistic Minister and was an altar server and prayer leader.
"He and his wife Mary Ann served as Marriage Preparation Mentors for 20 years. He served as a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus and participated on their bowling team. He was also a member of the Alliance Senior Citizens Center.
"Mr. Burke and his wife Mary Ann were recently awarded the Ben S. Favazzo Sr. and Patrick H. Jeswold Founder’s Award for their outstanding dedication and service to the Carnation City Festival and to the community of Alliance, Ohio. Mr. Burke and his wife were members of St. Hilary parish in Akron for the past 2 ½ years.
"His hobbies included reading, bowling, coaching speech/debate, sports, and watching the activities of his grandchildren.
"He is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Mary Ann Sharshan Burke; his daughter, Susan Marie Burke of Dublin; and his sons, Gregory Scott (Susu) of Natchitoches, Louisiana, Richard William (Tracy) of Akron, and Gerald Michael (Jill) of Hudson. Mr. Burke also leaves eight grandchildren - Catherine Jean Burke of Natchitoches; Joseph, Nicholas, Abigail, and Nathaniel Gerald Burke of Akron; and Kelly, Maria, and Anthony Santa-Emma of Dublin. He also is survived by a brother, William (Gloria) Burke of Boardman, sister-in-law Betsy Mitchell of Austintown, and cousin Mary York (Ed) of Canfield.
"Mr. Burke will always be remembered as a loving and caring husband and father who worked tirelessly throughout his life to provide the best for his family, as a dedicated teacher who strived daily to make a difference in the lives of his students, and as a selfless gentleman who had a keen sense of humor, enjoyed helping others, and lived his Catholic faith every day of his life.
"The family extends its gratitude to the caring doctors and staff in the Alzheimer's Disease units at Pine Valley Care Center and Wyant Woods and the caring staff at Harbor Lights Hospice and Senior Independence Center in Akron."
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Passing of Gerald Burke, father of Greg Burke
NSU director of athletics Greg Burke lost his father Wednesday morning.
Mr. Gerald Burke passed away Wednesday morning after a long illness. Arrangements are incomplete in Alliance, Ohio, their hometown.
Services will be under the direction of Sharer-Stirling-Skivolocke Funeral Home, 1000 South Union Ave., Alliance, OH 44601 (phone 330-823-2159).
We'll update you on the arrangements.
Mr. Gerald Burke passed away Wednesday morning after a long illness. Arrangements are incomplete in Alliance, Ohio, their hometown.
Services will be under the direction of Sharer-Stirling-Skivolocke Funeral Home, 1000 South Union Ave., Alliance, OH 44601 (phone 330-823-2159).
We'll update you on the arrangements.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
New arrival
New NSU softball coach Donald Pickett and wife Paige have welcomed their first child. Ainsley Elizabeth was born last Friday, weighing 6 pounds, 4 ounces. Mother and baby are home, doing well.
Dad did not go buy her a bat and glove. Yet.
Dad did not go buy her a bat and glove. Yet.
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