Memphis Tigers News Archives

August 2005

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08/31/05		U of M Students, Faculty and Staff Commit to Help in Relief Effort -- Student-Athletes to assist in collecting monetary donations at Memphis-Ole Miss game on Labor Day (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - There are several efforts currently being made by the University of Memphis to assist with the effects of Hurricane Katrina. A blood drive will be held on Sept. 1 and 2, and Tiger student-athletes will collect money for the Red Cross at the Memphis-Ole Miss football matchup on Labor Day. For those of you who wish to give blood, you may visit any Lifeblood or Red Cross center. The closest donation site is actually on the U of M campus. Lifeblood operates a center on the second floor of the Rawlins University Services Building, just above the bookstore. They will be open Thursday and Friday, September 1 and 2, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monetary gifts are best for the Red Cross. Cash is acceptable, and checks should be made out to the American Red Cross. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggests that monetary donations be given directly to the Red Cross rather than gifts of food, clothing, or other such supplies. On Thursday and Friday, September 1 and 2, there will be Red Cross collection sites set up around the campus. Sites include the circulation desk at the McWherter Library, the information desk at the FedEx Institute of Technology, the "Ask Tom" desk in Wilder Tower, and the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs in Room 235 of the Administration Building. Online donation can be made directly to the Red Cross on their Web site: https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation-form.asp Also, during the Labor Day football game against Ole Miss, University student athletes, dressed in their uniforms, will be collecting monetary donations.

08/31/05		University of Memphis Appreciation Night Now Includes Redbirds Doubleheader -- Tiger fans can prepare for Monday's football game with a pep rally between the first and second games of the doubleheader (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis Appreciation Night being sponsored tonight by the Memphis Redbirds is now a doubleheader. The University of Memphis will have a pep rally between the first and second games of the doubleheader from the field, led by the U of M Spirit Squad and pep band. U of M pre-game festivities on the plaza will include Tom II. Fans wearing Tiger blue shirts will receive field box tickets for $5.00 a piece. They can be purchased at the gates or by phone at (901) 721-6000 and giving code UM05 to receive the discount. The Redbirds' first game against the Nashville Sounds will begin at 6:05 p.m.

08/31/05		Tiger coaches hope to increase Doss's involvement in the offense this season (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 31, 2005 Joe Doss is soft-spoken to a fault. Ask him a question, and he returns a thoughtful response, although it's often barely audible in the quietest of settings. As a University of Memphis freshman running back a year ago, Doss performed in somewhat of a similar manner. He was a solid contributor when called upon, but served mostly as a backup to All-America tailback DeAngelo Williams. When the Tigers open the season on Labor Day against Ole Miss at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Doss is expected to be more involved. A year ago, the former Melrose High standout averaged 5.5 touches per game. He rushed for 183 yards on 54 carries and caught 13 passes for 139 yards. This year the Tiger coaching staff is looking to Doss to significantly impact a Tiger offense that lost its share of playmakers, from record-setting quarterback Danny Wimprine to receivers Tavares Gideon, Darron White and Chris Kelley. Tiger coach Tommy West said the key to the offense's success could be how well the running backs behind Williams and Doss perform. ''Is one of them going to be a capable backup for DeAngelo to where we can afford to have Joe Doss on the field?'' West said. ''For Joe Doss to get only 10 or 12 plays a game would be a tragedy for us. He needs to be getting 35 to 40 plays a game for us. He's that kind of player. He can change a game.'' Doss got a considerable amount of work in the spring while the Tigers withheld Williams from scrimmages. Williams fractured his right fibula in the GMAC Bowl in December, and the coaching staff kept the two-time Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year out of scrimmages as a precautionary measure. The move gave Doss a taste of the increased workload he could receive. ''The spring helped me out a lot as far as getting me ready for the fall,'' Doss said. ''I got a lot of reps, and I got to feel what it feels like to be in DeAngelo's shoes. You get tired sometimes, but you have to keep going.'' Doss said he spent the offseason getting stronger and heavier to prepare for the added responsibilities. The Tiger offense would benefit greatly from having both Williams and Doss on the field at the same time. ''My offseason was more getting mentally ready for the game and gradually gaining weight so I could take more shots (to the body),'' he said. ''Last year coming out of high school I was about a buck-77 (177 pounds), and my body was going all over the place (when getting hit by defenders). I tried to get my weight up to take those hits.'' Doss weighs 193 pounds -- down slightly from the spring -- and said it's a comfortable playing weight. West hopes it makes Doss more productive, whether as a running back or a slot receiver. ''We like Joe in that slot position because he can run and catch and he runs reverses well,'' West said. ''We kind of had a little package and different ways to get him the ball a year ago. ''Joe is getting used to his role and playing that slot and moving around. He's a running back, but we're doing what we have to do to get him in the game to make plays. I'm not interested in Joe Doss being on the sidelines all the time. I want him in the game. He's a good player.'' Running backs coach Jeep Hunter said Doss is ideal for the slot receiver position because ''he has great hands.'' ''He runs reverses and sweeps well, too,'' Hunter said. ''He just gives the offense another weapon.'' Doss appreciates the vote of confidence. He'd like to help the offense approach the 460.3 yards per game it did a year ago. ''After the spring, coach was telling me he trusts me with the ball in my hands,'' Doss said. ''He said I'm someone he can depend upon. I did some good things coming into (preseason) camp. I got my mind ready for it. I'm going to keep working hard.'' -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543 --------------------------------------------------------- Tickets Available for $45 at the UofM box office, by calling 678-2331 or at gotigersgo.com. Tiger season tickets are also available for as little as $75.

08/31/05		Tiger Football Notes (Hurricane Katrina, Pratcher, LB field) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Marlon W. Morgan and Phil Stukenborg Contact August 31, 2005 Among those that evacuated New Orleans and drove to Memphis as Hurricane Katrina approached earlier this week was the family of Tiger reserve linebacker Mike Snyder. Snyder's grandmother, Althea Taormina, his mother, Gina, and his brother, Matt, were among six family members who made the trip. The group attended the UofM's practice Tuesday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Taormina, 77, said it's been a difficult ordeal. 'I just wish that when we go back we'll find what we've been working for all of our lives,'' she said. Snyder is one of several Tiger players from the New Orleans area. Tight end John Doucette and defensive tackle LaVale Washington also are from New Orleans. Doucette hadn't been able to reach his family Tuesday. Tiger quarterback Patrick Byrne's family lives 90 miles northwest of another hard-hit area, Mobile, but said his hometown of Brewton, Ala., was spared. ''They are fine,'' Byrne said. ''They got the outer bands of the hurricane. It was nothing like Ivan (a year ago). That looked like someone had dropped a bomb.'' Pratcher injured Tiger receiver Mario Pratcher, who had missed several days in preseason camp with a strained arch, suffered a leg injury in Tuesday's practice at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. His condition was not immediately known. Pratcher, who had 15 catches for 185 yards last season, was injured midway through the workout while landing after making a pass reception. He had to be helped off the field and taken to the hospital. Pratcher was the co-MVP of the spring game. Fringe benefit The installation of an artificial surface at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium during the offseason proved beneficial to the Tigers Tuesday. Heavy rains caused by Hurricane Katrina made the practice fields at the Murphy Athletic Complex unplayable. Instead of retreating to the complex's indoor turf room, the Tigers conducted the workout on the Liberty Bowl's FieldTurf. ''It's great because our fields were in bad shape,'' Tiger coach Tommy West said. ''So getting a chance to come down here and work on the game field is good. If it had been last year, we would have been in the turf room in split sessions (offense and defense). This helps give us a chance to get prepared for this football game.'' Permanent captains Seniors Michael Bozeman and Tre Stallings were rewarded for their outstanding leadership during preseason camp by being named permanent team captains by Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron. Bozeman, a nose tackle, has dominated play on the defensive line while Stallings has helped lead a relatively inexperienced offensive line. ''I wanted to name two linemen because we have to be strong and physical on the offensive and defensive lines,'' Orgeron said. Bozeman said while it wasn't something he was seeking, it's an honor nevertheless. ''I've just been working every day,'' Bozeman said. ''I don't talk much. I just show leadership by playing.'' Getting their kicks While the quarterbacking duties will remain in question until game day, Orgeron has made a decision on the kicking duties. Junior Will Moseley will handle kickoffs, punts and long field goals. Redshirt freshman Matt Hinkle will kick the short field goals. A little motivation While Orgeron views the defensive line as a strength, he is still pushing senior starter McKinley Boykin and sophomore backup Brandon Jenkins, of East High School, to be more consistent. To push Boykin, Orgeron has placed sophomore Jeremy Garrett as his backup. Garrett has responded with solid play. ''McKinley Boykin is coming along,'' Orgeron said. ''He has not progressed at the speed at which I hoped he would. I believe that his knee injury is not 100 percent so we put Jeremy Garrett behind him, who had an excellent camp and he'll be in the rotation there.'' Jenkins has been getting more work at the tackle positions after being moved from defensive end. But his playing time has diminished recently. ''Brandon Jenkins has dropped off a little bit,'' Orgeron said. 'We're still going to play Brandon. He has to have a good week of practice. We're trying to find out if Brandon is more suitable for us to play inside or outside.'' ----------------------------------------------------- C-USA this week Thursday's games Oregon at Houston, 6 p.m.; ESPN2 William & Mary at Marshall, 6 p.m. UCF at S. Carolina, 6:30 p.m.; ESPN Minnesota at Tulsa, 9 p.m.; ESPN2 Saturday's games UAB at Tenn., 11:30 a.m.; WLMT (30) Duke at East Carolina, noon; CSTV Baylor at SMU, 7 p.m. UTEP at New Mexico St., 9:30 p.m. Sunday's game Tulane at Southern Miss, ppd. Monday's game Ole Miss at Memphis, 3:30 p.m.; ESPN

08/31/05		Lady Tigers crush TTU in season opener (Daily Helmsman)
		by Matthew Laurie Staff Reporter August 31, 2005 Loretta McNamee and Lisa Wourms, goalkeepers for the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles, may not want to see the color blue for a long time. When they saw it last Sunday it usually meant the scoreboard was going to change for the worse. The University of Memphis women’s soccer team blitzed TTU for almost the entire 90 minutes of the match that ended with the Tigers’ win, 7-0 in its season opener. “It was great to see us score that many goals,” said head coach Brooks Monaghan. “You don’t know what to expect that early (from the team).” The scoring started a little over eight minutes into the match with a 40-yard free kick. Five goals and 80 minutes later, the last goal was scored unassisted by fellow Japanese player Asuka Kubota. Kubota was the star of the match tallying two goals and two assists. She is a sophomore for Memphis and a transfer from Martin Methodist College. Mikami also had two goals and an assist to Nicky McLeod. Mikami, a junior, missed the first eight games of her 1st season at Memphis fresh off a transfer from Division II Christian Brothers University, where she led the nation in goals, goals per game and points per game. Monaghan’s team is already benefiting from his team’s youth. His 2005 recruiting class was ranked 27th in the nation, according to soccerbuzz.com. Freshman Kylie Hayes scored an early goal to make it 2-0, and freshmen Kate Murphy and Sarah MacGregor each had an assist. “We’ve got a really young team,” said Monaghan, who has depth to go along with the youth. Last year the Lady Tigers beat the Golden Eagles only 2-0 and Monaghan said a big different between this year and last is the amount of depth. “This year’s squad is much deeper,” he said. “(It’s) quite better.” On a team with only two seniors, redshirt junior MeLeod will help Monaghan prepare the youth for this season and the future, and she is doing it by example. McLeod had a goal and an assist in the win and her first game since she tore her ACL in the spring of 2004. “They’re stepping in like they were returnees,” said McLeod of the freshmen. “They’ve shown a lot of maturity and confidence.” However, the win wasn’t perfect no matter what the scoreboard said. Monaghan said the defense of the Lady Tigers still has work to do if they want to get to the next level. And, since the defense is what gets the offense started it means that much more. The improvements may need to come quickly if Memphis wants to continue this type of success. “It’s going to get tougher,” Monaghan said. The next game for the Lady Tigers is Friday in Birmingham, Ala. at the Samford Bulldog Soccer Classic against the host school. The next home game is one week from today against UT-Martin at 7 p.m. at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex. Injury report: Caroline Allen, GK — day-to-day (back), Elaine Sedgewick, MF/D - MCL tear.

08/30/05		Men's Tennis Adds Two Signees for 2005-06 -- Tigers joined by Michael Jetter from Germany and Oskar Saarne from Estonia (GoTigersGo.com)
		Tiger men's tennis coach Paul Goebel added two more recruits for his first signing class which he announced Tuesday. Joining the Tigers for the upcoming season will be Michael Jetter from Germany and Oskar Saarne from Estonia. Jetter comes to Memphis from Neuenbuerg, Germany. There, he attended Gymnasium Neuenbuer. He has participated in three Futures tournaments in Thailand, advancing to the singles quarters at the F3 Futures tournament in 2004. The son of Gundi and Karl-Eugen, Jetter is the first German player to sign with the Tiger program. He will be a junior for the Tigers in 2005-06. Saarne comes to Memphis via a pipeline of sorts. Saarne was known to former Tiger Marten Tamla, who completed his eligibility last year and is completing his degree at Memphis this coming season. Saarne is another player who brings a lot of international competition to the college game, after competing in tournaments in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. As a junior tennis player, Saarne owned 18 singles victories in ITF tournaments and 20 doubles victories. He won fell in the finals of the Siaulai Mayors Cup in March of 2003 in Lithuania and advanced to the quarters of the Estonian Junior Open, also in 2003. In doubles, he won the doubles title at the Estonian Junior Open and two months later, fell in the Dorint Berlin Junior Open. Saarne, the son of Madis Saarne and Eda Mallmann, started playing tennis at age six and was coached in Tallinn, Estonia, also the hometown of Tamla, by Alti Vahkal. Saarne attended Audentes High School in Tallinn and was coached by Harri Neppi. The duo joins freshman Matthew Brewer for the 2005-06 season. Brewer capped a solid junior career last month, ending the season ranked No. 23 in the nation in the USTA and No. 3 in the Southern USTA rankings. The Tigers will open the 2005-06 season at the Middle Tennessee Fall Classic, Sept. 16-18th.

08/30/05		After last season, Tigers becoming familiar with playing on national TV (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 30, 2005 Maybe it was the letter Tommy West received from the high school football coach in South Dakota. Or the speech he heard by former NFL coach Steve Spurrier at last year's GMAC Bowl luncheon. It could have been ESPN college football analyst Bob Davie's familiarity with the program when he made a scheduled stop at preseason practice two weeks ago. When the University of Memphis opens its football season on Labor Day against Ole Miss at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, the Tigers will find themselves in familiar territory ... not because they'll be playing at home, but because they'll be playing before a national television audience. The UofM, coming off back-to-back bowl seasons, will be making an appearance on ESPN or ESPN2 for the fifth time in six games. Memphis ended the regular season by playing nationally televised Conference USA home games against Louisville and Southern Miss and a road game at South Florida. Its bowl game, against Bowling Green in Mobile, Ala., also was carried by ESPN. Only a late-season C-USA game at East Carolina escaped the national spotlight. The exposure is unprecedented for a program that had made only four national appearances the previous three seasons and one appearance on ESPN in the 1990s (a 1993 game at ninth-ranked Miami). "We've been on television as much as anyone in the country the past few games," said Tiger quarterback Patrick Byrne. "That's remarkable. For any program. "When I signed here I can only remember seeing one or two Memphis games on TV." Despite neither team being ranked, the game has national appeal. It will be the first game as head coach for Ole Miss's Ed Orgeron, the former USC defensive line coach. And it will be the first game for Tiger All-America running back DeAngelo Williams since he declared he'd return for his senior season. Tiger coach West has resurrected a program that hadn't been to a bowl game since 1971 -- and hadn't had a winning season since 1994 -- and directed it to 17 wins in two seasons. National television exposure has followed. West said he received a letter from a high school coach in South Dakota who had become familiar with program through the televised games. Spurrier spoke about his familiarity with the UofM football program when he said, jokingly, in his speech that it seemed the Tigers were playing on ESPN every Thursday night. And Davie had significant knowledge about the program, background culled not only from his preparation -- he'll be the analyst for the Labor Day game -- but from the UofM's TV appearances. "You can't put a price on it," West said. "It's been unreal. "I got a letter from a high school coach in South Dakota," West said. "I called him up and said, `How in the heck did you know about us?' He said 'I watched you a lot on TV last year.' " West spent five seasons as Clemson's coach in the 1990s and led those Tigers to three straight bowl games (1995,'96 and '97). But he said the national TV run the UofM is on is unprecedented. "I don't think it's ever happened to me anywhere I've ever been, not that many times," he said. "Back-to back, national audiences, almost unopposed. "We had a Friday night game (Southern Miss), a Thursday night (Louisville), an early morning Saturday (USF) and this one's 3:30 in the afternoon unopposed." Center Blake Butler's father, Keith, played for the Tigers in the 1970s -- a successful era for the program, but one without television exposure. His father rejoined the program in the 1990s as an assistant, but television exposure was minimal as the program struggled. Blake said it's a different time than his father experienced. "It's exciting," Butler said. "There were years where there might be one game on regional television and now we're getting three, four, five games on national TV. It's bringing exposure to this university that it's never had before. "(A coach) could go into a (recruit's) house in California and they've probably seen us play. It helps getting the program's name out. It does so much. And it's helped that we've played well on national TV." Williams, who has performed well in televised games, said the team's explosive offense has attracted the cameras, too. The Tigers averaged 35.8 points and 460.3 yards last year. Williams averaged nearly 200 yards in the TV games. "I mean it's fun, people want to see those high-scoring, high-octane offenses going head-to-head," Williams said. "No one wants to see a 6-3 ballgame." While Butler said the benefits to the program are enormous (ESPN and ESPN2 have nearly 90 million subscribers each), there are drawbacks. "Friends and family back home get to watch the games," Butler said. "And they'll call me and tell me when I've done something wrong." -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

08/30/05		Tiger Football Notes (Injuries; Fan Fest; Redbirds) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg and Marlon W. Morgan Contact August 30, 2005 Tigers lose two defenders to injury When the Tigers open the season on Labor Day against Ole Miss, they'll be without some of their defensive depth. Backup right tackle Van Houston underwent minor knee surgery last week and will be out at least three weeks. Reserve safety Javar Pollard broke his collarbone last week and is out at least four weeks. Houston (6-6, 280) played in 12 games for the Tigers last year after transferring from Itawamba (Miss.) Community College. He finished with eight tackles, including a tackle for lost yardage. Putting in overtime Some members of the Tiger football team, who appeared at the program's FanFest Saturday at the Murphy Athletic Complex, stayed well beyond the 5 p.m. finish. Among those who remained was Tiger All-America running back DeAngelo Williams. Williams didn't leave until around 7:30 p.m., after every autograph and photo request had been met. "I thought I'd seen a lot in 26 years of coaching," said Tiger coach Tommy West. "But I'd never seen anything like that." Appreciation night The Memphis Redbirds will host a UofM Appreciation Night on Wednesday. Fans wearing blue Tiger T-shirts will be allowed to purchase a field box seat for $5. The Redbirds play the Nashville Sounds in a Pacific Coast League game at 7:05 p.m. Tom II, the U of M's bengal Tiger mascot, the spirit squads and the marching band are scheduled to appear. Sending prayers With Hurricane Katrina making her way into Louisiana on Monday morning, Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron sent out his prayers to the families not only in Louisiana, but Mississippi and Alabama as well. The Rebels have 16 players on their roster from Louisiana, including four from New Orleans. Orgeron is from Larose, La., in the southern part of the state. His parents, who still reside there, along with his brother and his family, all made their way to Oxford on Saturday morning to escape Katrina's path, packing the Orgeron household with 12 members. ''They're currently at my house right now and the gumbo is cooking,'' Orgeron said. ''We were worried about all the wooden houses down there getting knocked down.'' Running backs coach Frank Wilson, from New Orleans, also had his family seek shelter with him. Orgeron made sure the players made contact with their families over the weekend. They attempted to do so again Monday night. ''I got in touch with my mom for the first time around midnight (Sunday) because something was wrong with the cell phone towers,'' said freshman linebacker Robert Russell, of New Orleans. ''I started trying like three days ago to call her and finally got through.'' Russell learned that most of his relatives went to Texas to stay with other relatives. But his grandmother, who works in a hospital, remained in New Orleans to help out. ''She's the one I'm really worried about right now,'' Russell said. Back in the fold After meeting with running back Alan Abrams on Monday, Orgeron said the sophomore was allowed to rejoin the team. Abrams was suspended Friday after walking out of Thursday's practice. Orgeron said there are guidelines that Abrams must abide by to remain with the team. Abrams, who rushed for 275 yards last year as a freshman, is eligible to play in Monday's season opener against Memphis. He is behind Jamal Pittman and Brandon Jacobs, while competing with Mico McSwain for the playing time. Help on the way The Rebels' banged-up offensive line should get some help this week. Orgeron said he expects redshirt freshman David Traxler to return at some point this week. Junior Andrew Wicker should be back Friday. Sophomore Darryl Harris, who practiced in a helmet and shoulder pads Monday, is listed as questionable, but Orgeron said he isn't counting on him to be ready for the Memphis game.

08/30/05		Tiger Basketball Notes (Hunt; Recruit Visits) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact August 30, 2005 Assault charge shadows Hunt General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Joyce Broffitt ruled in a preliminary hearing Monday that there is probable cause to move forward with the case against Jeremy Hunt, meaning the University of Memphis basketball player will likely enter his senior season with a domestic assault charge pending. "He's a young man, and this is trying on his mind," said Hunt's attorney, Leslie Ballin. "But he denies these allegations." Hunt was arrested last January following an incident with his ex-girlfriend, Tamika Rogers, and charged with misdemeanor assault. Ever since, any on-the-court success has been overshadowed by these in-the-court proceedings that still seem far from complete. It's probable a grand jury will get Hunt's case before the end of the year, and an indictment could follow, perhaps during basketball season. It's doubtful such a development would have an impact on Hunt's availability, considering the UofM has already punished the Craigmont High graduate with a two-game suspension, and indicated it will now take an innocent-until-proven-guilty approach. Hunt averaged 9.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game last season. He is expected to compete for the starting shooting guard spot with freshmen Chris Douglas-Roberts and Antonio Anderson. Visits scheduled Midnight Madness was already going to be a big deal, what with the ESPN cameras and a possible preseason Top 10 ranking. But now, the importance of putting on a good show has been increased, as at least three elite-level prospects will visit the UofM that Oct. 14 weekend. Stanley Robinson, a 6-9 forward from Birmingham, Derrick Jasper, a 6-5 guard from Paso Robles, Calif., and Trevon Willis, a 6-3 guard from Fresno, Calif., are expected to be at FedExForum for the festivities. Rivals.com ranks them as the 14th, 35th and 136th-best senior prospects in the nation, respectively. In addition to Memphis, Robinson is also considering Connecticut, Florida, Georgia Tech and Alabama. Jasper is also looking at Kentucky, Connecticut, Washington and Illinois. Willis is still considering a host of schools, but he has reportedly been offered by USC, Miami and Fresno State. In another recruiting development, Quincy Pondexter, a 6-7 wing from Fresno, Calif., has scheduled an official visit to Memphis for Sept. 16-18. ScoutHoops.com ranks him as the 27th-best senior prospect in the nation, and he indicated to that recruiting web site that Memphis is one of three finalists for his services, along with Washington and Connecticut. "John Calipari is an ex-NBA coach, and in a way, he's really turned that program around," Pondexter told ScoutHoops.com. "They're at the top right now, and I think that's going to be one of the top teams soon." The Tigers already have two commitments for the Class of 2006. They are Hashim Bailey, a 6-10 center from Wayne, N.J., and Pierre Niles, a 6-8 power forward from Memphis who told The Commercial Appeal on Sunday that he will withdraw from Ridgeway High and spend the next year at Lake Suzy Florida Prep. -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

08/30/05		'Pushed' Tigers get set for Ole Miss (Daily Helmsman)
		by Daniel Ford Sports Reporter August 30, 2005 Less than a week before its first game and, like most teams in the nation, there are plenty of questions surrounding the Tiger football team. Coach Tommy West attempted to address all these questions and then some at a preseason luncheon Monday afternoon. And what ever answers he couldn’t provide will no doubt be answered Sept. 5 when The University of Memphis hosts rival Ole Miss at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium and on ESPN. “I felt like we’re coming out of a productive solid camp,” West said. “This is a team. I probably pushed more than any other team I’ve had here. They’re not a great focus team. They’re a great effort team, but we’re not a great focus team. A lot of that has to do with being a young team with some inexperience in positions, and they needed to be pushed.” The Tigers came out of preseason camp relatively intact. The only injury casualties were corner back Javar Pollard (broken collarbone), defensive lineman Van Houston (knee surgery) and offensive lineman Jared McGowan (hand surgery). Another major question mark surrounds the offensive line, the unit partially responsible for the success of the Tigers’ best answer — Heisman candidate DeAngelo Williams. With four new starters, the unit was wrapped with uncertainty throughout spring workouts and into the preseason camp. One of the new men up front is Andrew Handy, who was a regular starter before red-shirting last season with a broken leg. “But I feel really confident about our number-one offensive line,” West said. “We’re going to get a great test because I think (Ole Miss is) really strong at defensive line, and I think their two inside guys (Michael Bozeman and McKinley Boykin) are as good as any we’ll face this season.” Defensively, Memphis will be looking for redemption. Nearly last in the country in pass defense a year ago, the Tigers had trouble pressuring opposing quarterbacks and in defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn’s approach, if you can’t hurry the passer, then it leaves the corner backs on islands of man-to-man coverage. “What I hope I see is a little bit of defensive temperance and a little different personality,” West said. “We start three senior defensive lineman (Marcus West, LaVale Washington and Rubio Phillips). We’ve got to play good on the defensive side (because) we’ve got to help our offense out to start with.” Last year against Ole Miss, the Tiger defense frustrated the Rebels’ scrambling quarterback Micheal Spurlock with interceptions and broken passes that had Spurlock benched by the second half. But All-Conference safety Wesley Smith said he doesn’t necessarily expect a repeat performance. “I believe (he’ll be better),” Smith said. “I don’t think the old system (under former Ole Miss coach David Cutcliffe) fit him. This system (under first-year coach Ed Orgeron) fits him better, because they’re not asking him to throw over the middle as much.” But the biggest question isn’t the defense or the offensive line or the secondary. It’s unproven quarterback Patrick Byrne. Following in the shoes of record-setting passer Danny Wimprine isn’t an easy feat, but West assured that Byrne, a red-shirt junior, has the confidence of the entire staff and has distanced himself in preseason camps from freshmen Will Hudgens and Billy Barefield. “He’s our starting quarterback,” West said. “If he throws a pick, I’m not going to jerk him out of the game. He’s going to make mistakes. I know that. He just better not make too many of them.”

08/29/05		Lifeblood Gets Memphis vs. Ole Miss Rivalry Started Early -- Fans of both teams can compete to see who donates the most blood to the Mid-South blood bank (GoTigersGo.com)
		In preparation for next Monday's football season opener between Memphis and Ole Miss, Lifeblood is sponsoring an off-the-field competition for all fans, the U of M - Ole Miss Lifeblood Challenge. Fans donating blood at any of the 12 Lifeblood Donor Centers throughout the city of Memphis, including the on-campus donation center located adjacent to the University Bookstore, can tell the Lifeblood staff members which team they are donating for, Memphis or Ole Miss, and their donation will get credited to their favorite team. The winner of the blood drive will be announced during the football game on Monday. Lifeblood is one of about a hundred community blood centers in the nation that collect blood from location volunteer donors. As a full-service blood center, Lifeblood performs all aspects of blood processing, including recruiting donors, drawing blood from donors, testing it for infectious diseases, processing it into therapeutic components and testing its compatibility for specific patients. The eight-largest medical center in the U.S., Lifeblood is the community blood center of the Mid-South, and as of Sunday, had just 53 percent of the blood supply needed in the region. There is a special need for Type O and B donors. Questions about donating? Click here to go to Lifeblood's website: www.lifeblood.org.

08/29/05		Memphis Redbirds to Host U of M Appreciation Night -- Fans wearing Tiger blue shirts will receive box seat admission for $5.00 (GoTigersGo.com)
		The Memphis Redbirds will host a University of Memphis Appreciation Night, Wed., Aug. 31st in AutoZone Park. Tiger fans wearing a blue Tiger t-shirt will receive a Field Box Seat for only $5.00. The Redbirds will host the Nashville Sounds beginning at 7:05 p.m. The gates will open at 6 p.m. and Tom II, the Memphis Spirit Squads and the marching band will all be in attendance in downtown Memphis before the gates open. To purchase tickets prior to this game, please call (901) 721-6000 and give the code UM05 to receive your discount. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the gate.

08/29/05		C-USA Shuffle -- Conference USA adds six new teams, four to Tigers’ 2005 schedule (Daily Helmsman)
		by Justin Kissell Sports Reporter August 29, 2005 The entire landscape of college football is changing quickly as teams jump to new conferences, and Conference USA is getting in on the action this season. The University of Memphis will have six new foes in the newly rebuilt C-USA, two of which played in bowl games last season (Marshall and UTEP). Marshall, Rice, Southern Methodist University, Tulsa, The University of Central Florida and The University of Texas at El Paso join the conference as football schools. Memphis adds four of those to this season’s schedule. U of M junior running back Joseph Doss looks at the situation as practically a do-over. “It’s my second year here and with more new teams, it’s kind of like starting my freshman year again,” he said. Players pointed to the loss of Louisville to the Big East as the biggest change, but feel new rivalries will develop over time. “When you lose a top 10 team like Louisville, it’s big, but I like it better now with 12 teams and a chance to compete for a conference championship each year,” said Will Hudgens, a redshirt freshman quarterback. Sophomore defensive back Jake Kasser said Southern Miss is the biggest in-conference rival right now, but feels a team like Tulsa could develop into a rival. But the Tigers still have local rival Ole Miss on the schedule first, and that’s a move that came long before C-USA even existed. A team-by-team look: Marshall Thundering Herd Location: Huntington, W. Va. Head coach: Mark Snyder 2004 record: 6-6, including loss in Fort Worth Bowl Potential offensive star: Sophomore RB Ahmad Bradshaw rushed for 462 yards last season. Potential defensive stars: Senior DBs Curtis Keyes and Chris Royal had 108 tackles and six interceptions last season, respectively. Tiger all-time record against: None Notes: Marshall has produced NFL stars Randy Moss, Chad Pennington and Byron Leftwich, as well as three-time Super Bowl winner Troy Brown of the New England Patriots. Rice Owls Location: Houston, Texas Head coach: Ken Hatfield 2004 record: 3-8 Potential offensive star: Sophomore QB Joel Armstrong rushed for 608 yards and five touchdowns last season and threw for 341 yards and two TDs. Potential defensive star: Senior defensive lineman John Syptak had 69 tackles in 2004. Tiger all-time record against: None Notes: The Heisman Trophy is named after former Rice coach John Heisman. SMU Mustangs Location: Dallas, Texas Head coach: Phil Bennett 2004 record: 3-8 Potential offensive stars: Senior QBs Jerad Romo and Tony Eckert combined for 2,005 passing yards and 327 rushing yards last season. Potential defensive star: Senior Alvin Nnabuife had 80 tackles and one interception in 2004. Tiger all-time record against: 1-0 Notes: The Doak Walker Award was named for the first junior to win the Heisman in 1948 at SMU. Running backs nationwide compete for the trophy today. Tulsa Golden Hurricane Location: Tulsa, Okla. Head coach: Steve Kragthorpe 2004 record: 4-8 Potential offensive stars: Senior RB Uril Parrish and Junior RB Brandon Diles rushed for a combined 1,661 yards and 15 TDs last year. Potential defensive star: Junior linebacker Nick Bunting had 88 tackles in 2004. Tiger all-time record against: 14-6 Notes: Veteran QB Gus Frerotte of the Miami Dolphins attended Tulsa. UCF Golden Knights Location: Orlando, Fla. Head coach: George O’Leary 2004 record: 0-11 Potential offensive star: Junior QB Steven Moffett threw for 1,721 yards and nine TDs last season. Potential defensive star: Senior CB Travonti Johnson had 50 tackles in 2004. Tiger all-time record against: 1-0 Notes: Minnesota Vikings star QB Daunte Culpepper threw for 11,412 yards and 89 TDs in four seasons at UCF. UTEP Miners Location: El Paso, Texas Head coach: Mike Price 2004 record: 8-4, including loss in EV1.net Houston Bowl Potential offensive star: Junior QB Jordan Palmer threw for 2,818 yards and 26 TDs in 2004. Potential defensive star: Senior LB Thomas Howard had 62 tackles last season. Tiger all-time record against: None Notes: NFL Hall of Fame receiver Don Maynard attended UTEP when it was called Texas Western. Maynard set numerous NFL records before he was enshrined at Canton in 1987.

08/29/05		Defense, secondary look to rebound after poor 2004 campaign (Daily Helmsman)
		by Daniel Ford Sports Reporter August 29, 2005 Last year was embarrassing. It’s a year that Memphis cornerback Dustin Lopez and the rest of the Tiger defense would probably like to forget. “But we’re not,” Lopez said. “Last year was embarrassing for everybody here, and we want to prove that that’s not who we are, that we can play.” One thing is for sure, the Tiger secondary can only be better this time around. As a unit Memphis ranked 114th in the nation in pass defense, giving up a whopping 276 yards a contest. What was most troubling to coaches and players was that the very poor numbers weren’t from lack of talent. “The problem last year was everybody was trying to do everybody else’s job instead of doing their job first,” said senior linebacker Carlton Baker. “This year it seems like everybody knows to just worry about themselves and about what they have to do, and it’s going to make us a much better defense than we were last year.” That would also ease the burden on the offense. “We’ve got to be a help to our offense this year,” said Lopez, who had four interceptions in six starts last year. “They’ve got DeAngelo (Williams) but he’s not going to be able to do it by himself. We’ve got to make stops and give our offense more chances.” Another factor working for the Tiger defense will be experience. They return almost everyone, and linebacker Tim Goodwell said that itself can make all the difference. “This is really our second year together,” Goodwell said. “So many of us were new last year and now we’re going into our second year together. Now we understand each other more, we know what’s going to happen and what’s not going to happen. We know what we have to do to be better.” Goodwell also echoed what seems to be this year’s defensive motto: “worry about yourself first.” “That’s one of our major issues that we talk about,” Goodwell said. “If everybody gets their job done then, as a unit, we’re going to take care of things. That’s the main thing (defensive coordinator Joe Lee) Dunn has been telling us is do your job and let the person next to you do their job and everything will click.” As for Dunn, don’t expect, just because of last year’s disappointments, to see any changes in his famous, if not infamous, blitz-heavy strategy. “It’s just Coach Dunn,” Goodwell said. “He’s not going to change the way he coaches. He’s going to run a defense his way until he can’t run it anymore, and that’s not going to happen.”

08/29/05		Gridiron Guide (Daily Helmsman)
		by Tim Miller Sports Reporter August 29, 2005 Everyone knows who will be lined up in the Tiger backfield come Sept. 5 when The University of Memphis faces off against long-time foe Ole Miss, but until last Wednesday Tiger fans didn’t know who Heisman candidate DeAngelo Williams would line up behind? Head coach Tommy West named Patrick Byrne the starter for the Sept. 5 season opener against Ole Miss. Throughout spring practice and into summer scrimmages, it was a three-man competition for the starting quarterback position. Patrick Byrne brings leadership and composure. Will Hudgens can rocket the ball downfield. Billy Barefield can create plays with his feet. But, it will be Byrne stepping into the shoes left vacant by graduating senior Danny Wimprine. And those shoes are big. Wimprine shattered school records during his four years as quarterback, including being the first player in U of M history to rack up more than 7,000 career-passing yards. He also led the Tigers to their first back-to-back bowl trips. Byrne, Wimprine’s former roommate, has been the No. 1 man on the depth chart since the spring, getting the nod over Hudgens and Barefield. Byrne, a redshirt junior, was co-MVP of the 2005 Blue-Gray Game, completing 12 of 17 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns. Although he has never started a game at quarterback for the Tigers, he has spent three years as a backup and knows the system well. “He knows what we like and what we expect,” said head coach Tommy West. “He’s a smart guy.” Don’t look for Byrne to put up Wimprine-like numbers, but look for him to provide consistency and stability as a leader on the team. “There will be plays he’ll have to make for us, but don’t make mistakes,” West said. “Don’t beat us at quarterback.” If Byrne can’t get the job done, West still hasn’t made a decision on who the No. 2 man will be. Will Hudgens, a redshirt freshman listed at 6’4”, is the biggest of the three competing for the job and may have a lead over Barefield for backup duties. Hudgens started all four years at local Ridgeway High School and threw for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior. As a pocket passer, Hudgens can make the long throw. “Will’s a big, strong-arm guy,” West said. Hudgens’ ability to launch the deep ball will keep opposing defenses honest and prevent them from stacking the defensive line against the run. Freshman Barefield can keep a defense honest, too. He just does it differently than Hudgens. According to West, “Billy is a smaller guy with great feet.” At 5’10”, Barefield is not likely to stand in the pocket. He’ll be the first to admit that. “I’m more of a run-around Michael-Vick-type,” Barefield said. As a junior at Cornerstone Christian High in San Antonio, he racked up 5,052 yards of total offense, the ninth highest total ever in prep football ,according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. Senior Maurice Avery who has seen limited time at quarterback may also sneak in a few snaps if Byrne is sidelined. Although Byrne, Hudgens and Barefield offer different qualities on the field, they all want the same thing. “We’re all competitive inside, but we want to succeed,” Hudgens said. “We try to help out each other as much as we can.” The wide receivers will also be helping out the quarterbacks as well. The Tigers must have veteran receivers step up and make big plays and Maurice Avery and Mario Pratcher will play key roles in the air attack. “They’re (Byrne, Hudgens, and Barefield) coming along quickly,” Avery said. “But wherever they throw the ball we need to make plays to make them look good.” And they will throw the ball. Don’t look for the Tigers to change their philosophy and rely on DeAngelo Williams running the ball just because they have a new quarterback. “We can’t do that,” West said. “We can’t limit what we do, or we’re falling into a trap. I think we need to be even more wide open then we’ve been. We have to be able to throw the ball. That’s what we do. We’re a throwing team.”

08/29/05		Massive turnover on line and in receiving corps will test Tigers (Daily Helmsman)
		by Matthew Laurie Staff Reporter August 29, 2005 Of the 11 players who saw the majority of the action for The University of Memphis last season, only three will step foot on the brand new FieldTurf Sept. 5 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The squad has lost four of five offensive line starters from last year, four of its five top receiving yardage leaders and a quarterback who holds five single game passing records, four single season passing records and five of seven career passing records. The biggest piece of the new offensive puzzle is Patrick Byrne, who was appointed to the position just last week in time for the season opener against Ole Miss. Byrne has yet to attempt a pass for the Tigers in his career. However, with the news in January that running back DeAngelo Williams would return for his senior season, the offense can still plant fear in opposing defenses. The men paving the way for Williams and his race for the Heisman trophy will be very different from last year. Blake Butler is the lone returning starter and will move from guard to center. Senior Andrew Handy, a three-year starter, will return to his guard position one year after injuring his leg. The development of the offensive line will help both Williams and Byrne. Although summer scrimmages riddled with mental errors and poor execution aren’t to head coach Tommy West’s liking, Handy said the line will be ready for the Rebels. “We try to do it to perfection and try to make as few mistakes as possible,” he said. “We’re getting better. Everybody is doing their jobs. (There have been) no problems. “We’re real close now. These past couple weeks everything has just been clicking.” Offensive Coordinator Randy Fichtner’s spread offense will still be in full effect this fall and it should help Byrne. The system allowed the Tigers to average 6.1 yards per play and 30.2 points per game in 2004, which contributed to a second straight bowl appearance and an 8-4 record. The unpredictability of the offense played a large role in the success the Tigers had in moving the ball. Although the team has a running back with NFL talent, the team will still be deceptive with the ball. “You never know where the ball is going,” said Williams. “It could go to the receiver, quarterback (or) running back. It’s just wide open right now. “It’s very important (to be unpredictable) because when you’re predictable it’s easier to contain the offense and pickup on your plays.” The squad will also rely on Maurice Avery and Mario Pratcher to pick up slack left by the departure of Tavares Gideon and Darron White. Pratcher missed the Aug. 20 scrimmage with a foot problem, which progressively got worse to the point he had to wear a protective boot. At last Tuesday’s post-scrimmage practice, Pratcher took a few passes at half speed. Joseph Doss, backup running back, will see a lot of action this year and play along side Williams in the backfield. Doss has put on muscle to match his quickness, but does not see himself as a change of pace back. “DeAngelo is back there and he’s quick, too. I’m another weapon,” he said.

08/29/05		FROM MY SEAT -- Adding up the known quantities and variables for the '05 Tiger football season (Memphis Flyer)
		BY FRANK MURTAUGH AUGUST 29, 2005 FORECAST...FOOTBALL! Labor Day will take on new meaning for the University of Memphis football squad when it takes the field at the Liberty Bowl next week for the 2005 opener against Ole Miss. Herewith, a look at the season ahead. OFFENSE Known quantities: running back DeAngelo Williams, receivers Maurice Avery and Ryan Scott, tight end John Doucette, center Blake Butler Variables: three rookie offensive linemen, rookie quarterback As goes Heisman hopeful Williams, so goes the U of M offense in 2005. With junior Patrick Byrne taking over the quarterback duties from Danny Wimprine, coach Tommy West’s approach will be run first, pass when necessary. Which makes the development of this year’s offensive line so critical. The return of Andrew Handy at one guard position (he sat out 2004 with an ankle injury) will help ease the transition from guard to center for Butler. The three rookies -- tackles Willie Henderson and Abraham Holloway and guard Andy Smith -- each weigh more than 300 pounds. Will their feet be quick enough to open the kind of holes Williams attacks? This could well be the biggest question for the season ahead, particularly for any Heisman aspirations among Tiger faithful. If the line develops and Williams stays healthy, life is going to be much easier for Byrne, who has a rather deep receiving corps to target. Senior tight end John Doucette converted three of his 11 receptions last season into touchdowns, not bad for a guy who pushes 270 pounds. It’s unlikely the Tigers will average 35.8 points as they did a season ago. Wimprine’s talent and experience at the most important position on the field are too much to replace in one season. But with an All-America tailback as the engine, this machine should eat up ground, even with a few new parts. DEFENSE Known quantities: end Marcus West, three starting linebackers, safety Wesley Smith Variables: freshman nose guard, heightened expectations I’m of a mind that the nose guard in a 3-4 defensive scheme is the most underrated player on the field. He won’t pick up sacks, won’t even accumulate many tackles, but he’s the first domino in a snap-sequence that determines if an opponent has the opportunity for a big play. If he can occupy a pair of linemen and prevent an interior gap, the nose guard allows the linebackers behind him to chase down ball carriers instead of fend off blockers themselves. That said, defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn appears to be trusting the position to a redshirt freshman, Ryan Williams. A 278-pound product of Christian Brothers High School, Williams replaces Albert Means and will be sandwiched between seniors West and Rubio Phillips. As Rickey Ricardo would put it, the Tigers’ veteran linebackers have some ‘splaining to do. Carlton Baker, Tim Goodwell, and Quinton McCrary return from a unit that gave up 31.2 points per game in 2004. This figure is going to have be shaved for Memphis to compete for the C-USA title. Veteran defensive backs Wesley Smith and O.C. Collins will be invaluable as the unit’s watchdogs. SPECIAL TEAMS Known quantity: place-kicker Stephen Gostkowski Variable: punter Michael Gibson Gostkowski -- the school’s career scoring leader with 268 points -- may get some All-America votes if Williams doesn’t score so many touchdowns that his field-goal skills become a moot strength. As for Gibson (originally an Auburn signee), the junior-college transfer averaged 44.6 yards per punt at Itawamba Community College. He’ll be an improvement on Wimprine’s fourth-down rugby kicks. OUTLOOK The Tigers have essentially five gimmes on their schedule: Chattanooga, Tulsa,UCF, Houston, and East Carolina. If they can win two of three games against UAB, Southern Miss, and Marshall, they’ll likely play in the first C-USA championship game December 3rd. And if they can at least split their two games with SEC opponents -- Ole Miss and Tennessee (November 12th) -- they’ll be on their way to a third consecutive bowl game. FORECAST: 8-3

08/29/05		Top prep star chooses Tigers -- Ridgeway's Niles will transfer to Fla. Prep (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact August 29, 2005 Pierre Niles was raised on the University of Memphis, and, as a child, dreamed of playing for the Tigers in front of friends, family and thousands of fans. Now, he will. Niles told The Commercial Appeal on Sunday that he plans to sign a national letter of intent with his hometown school in November. Consequently, John Calipari and staff have their second commitment for the Class of 2006, which follows a 2005 class ranked in the Top 5 in the nation by multiple recruiting services. "I grew up watching Memphis, and have always wanted to play there," said Niles, ranked as the 94th-best senior in the nation by Rivals.com. "This is a dream." Niles's commitment is a Memphis victory on many levels. For starters, it gives the Tigers one of the premier big players in the country. But, more importantly perhaps, it gives the UofM its first commitment from this local class, considered by many to be the best group of area players since Tony Harris, Robert O'Kelley and Cory Bradford dominated the Memphis prep scene. Of that group, none became Tigers, instead opting to join Tennessee, Wake Forest and Illinois, respectively. But Niles ensured Memphis will not completely miss this time, and indicated he'll start working on other area prospects immediately, namely Mitchell High's Thaddeus Young and Bolivar Central High's Willie Kemp. "With Willie, it's down to Memphis and Tennessee, I think," Niles said. "But I'm going to talk to him." When Niles does talk to Kemp, it'll have to be via a long distance provider. Because in addition to disclosing his college choice Sunday, Niles said he is going to withdraw from Ridgeway High and transfer to Florida Prep, where he can rid himself of distractions and focus on academics and training. "I love Ridgeway," said Niles, who added he will leave for prep school this morning. "My family and I have discussed it, and we feel this is the best thing to help prepare me to be a college student and athlete. I have to do what's best for me." Commitments from Niles and Hashim Bailey mean the Tigers have filled two of what will be at least five available scholarships, seven if NBA prospects like sophomore Darius Washington and freshman Shawne Williams turn pro early. Other UofM possibilities in this class are six prospects in Rivals.com's Top 100: Stanley Robinson (No. 14), Derrick Jasper (No. 35), Quincy Pondexter (No. 50), Hamaday N'diaye (No. 55), Lawrence Westbrook (No. 75), and Jonathan Mandeldove (No. 92). Junior college standout Sonny Weems, originally from West Memphis, is another possibility. Rivals.com ranks him as the third-best junior college player in the nation. -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

08/29/05		A vehicle for fun -- Fans turning out-of-commission bus into Tiger tailgating machine (Commercial Appeal)
		By Zack McMillin Contact August 29, 2005 In this, the preseason of the University of Memphis Tiger football team's utter and complete contentedness, there is ample evidence that the program has arrived. There is the Heisman hopeful at running back, DeAngelo Williams, and the likely prospect that he will finish his career holding at least one all-time NCAA yardage record. There is the coach, Tommy West, and his $800,000 contract, meant to ward off (or at least forestall) potential suitors. And then there is the big blue school bus. The blue school bus belonging to Ethan Edwards and Greg Donahue, two determined -- or slightly nutty (take your pick) -- U of M students. The blue school bus that once ferried children to school somewhere in Michigan but is now being retrofitted by some clever -- or, if you like, slightly nutty -- U of M students into a tailgating monster. The blue school bus that sits underneath a big shade tree, not far from the banks of the Loosahatchie River in northeast Shelby County, overlooking a field recently bulldozed to accommodate a planned housing development. It looks like a jurassic creature of some sort, basking in the shade, awaiting its mission. Marking their calendar "We'll get this done by Sept. 5," Greg Donahue is saying one hot afternoon, between sessions devoted to finishing the paint job. This is how they refer to the UofM season-opener against Ole Miss game -- as, simply, Sept. 5. That in itself is an indication of the program's new direction, that their fans see a game not as simply a three-hour experience in the stands but something to which they will devote an entire day. This is nothing new for fans at so many other Mid-South schools, of course. At Ole Miss, wealthy boosters pay graduate students to arrive in the wee hours at the famed Grove to set up what becomes a tent city. Tennessee has that fan with the orange hearse and others who have put gobs of money into buses of another kind, built for country music stars. Even some U of M diehards, despite the losing, have long established their gameday traditions. But coming off consecutive bowl trips, featuring one of the nation's most exciting players and harboring hopes of a conference championship, the program has now come to this -- students willing to sacrifice an entire summer for their school's football program. "We've been wanting to do this since high school," says Edwards. "We figured," said Greg, "we like to tailgate, so why not make it a tailgate bus?" Edwards, 22, and Donahue, 21, are not unlike many University of Memphis students. Taking 12-15 hours per semester, the path to a diploma is following a five-year course. They work not quite fulltime, not quite part-time for FedEx, out at The Hub. They went to high school together, at St. Benedict. But they are undeniably the only two U of M students who, when seen at parties this summer, would attract this question: "So, how's the bus going?" It was Ethan who found the bus, a 1991 Bluebird, from a company called Midwest Transit Equipment in Kankakee, Ill. When he drove up at the beginning of the summer, Edwards was greeted by acres and acres of buses of all types, most of them old yellow school buses. He paid $2,000 for it, drove it back to Memphis ("Kind of like driving a de-icer at the hub," Edwards said) and brought it out to the house where Brandon Etheridge and Grant Straughan, two other friends, live near the Loosahatchie. Then came the hard part, but, fortunately for them, they have friends -- including ace carpentry by Nick Denilsback -- willing to help make the absurd vision a reality. "Some people just really started getting behind us,'' Edwards says. They unbolted row after row of seats, put down flooring provided by Tim Hogan's, framed up cabinets to hold the coolers and kegs, built couches out of the cheapest wood they could find. From the foam they out of the bus's old bench seats, they fashioned cushions. They painted it what is best described as Rustoleum blue. "We weren't handy at all," says Donahue. "It's been a lot of trial and error, but we haven't made a trip to the emergency room." Maybe the most difficult task was the most important -- eliminating the top on the back third of the bus. They used a heavy-duty reciprocating saw, a host of friends and, well, luck, cutting it loose and dumping it near the pile of scrap that has grown since the bus's arrival. "I'm not sure how we did that," Donahue says, "without cutting someone's head off." Road warriors They have plans to take the still-unchristened bus on at least one road trip -- to Knoxville in November for the Tennessee game. For that, Edwards and Donahue have no real clue how to follow proper visiting team protocol. At this point, they aren't altogether sure exactly where they will park for home games, and, having spent so much on rertrofitting they know it wouldn't take much to put them out of commission, entirely. So they aren't sure how the trip will work out. "C'mon," Donahue says, "it's a giant blue Memphis school bus going to UT." Adds Edwards: "I'm sure they'll hassle us a little bit." Maybe, but perhaps Vols fans will know just what to make of that big blue bus. It will look like a long-suffering football program finally has enjoyed enough success to create some irrational exuberance among the fan base. It will look like the Tiger football program has finally arrived. -- Zack McMillin: 529-2564

08/28/05		Lady Tigers Put on Offensive Display, Top Tennessee Tech 7-0 in Season Opener -- Kubota and Mikami each score two goals; seven different players record assists (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis, Tenn. - Asuka Kubota scored two goals and recorded two assists while fellow Japan native Shoko Mikami also scored two goals and had one assist to lead the Memphis women's soccer team to a season-opening 7-0 win over Tennessee Tech at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex on Sunday afternoon. Seven different players recorded assists in the game. The seven-goal differential is the largest margin of victory for Memphis since the 1999 season and the seven goals scored are also the most scored since a 9-0 win over Rhodes that opened the 1999 season. Freshman Kylie Hayes also scored a goal and had an assist while redshirt junior Nicky McLeod, who made her first appearance since the 2003 season, also had a goal and an assist. Memphis began it offensive explosion just 8:05 into the game when Mikami, a junior who led the nation in scoring two years ago while playing at Division II Christian Brothers University, scored on a free kick from about 40 yards out the skidded off the hands of Tech goalkeeper Loretta McNamee. Just over two minutes later at 10:17, Hayes, a prolific goal scorer in her prep career in Ohio, scored her first collegiate goal off assists from McLeod and fellow freshman Kate Murphy. The play began when Murphy served a ball from the left side of the field across the field to McLeod on the right flank. McLeod then put a pass into the box for Hayes, who touched it once and beat McNamee from a few yards out. The Tigers added one more goal before halftime at the 37:39 mark when Kubota sent in a cross from the right flank to sophomore Caroline Barrett, who gathered the ball just inside the left post and beat McNamee to the lower right of the goal for a 3-0 Tiger lead. Less than five minutes into the second half, Mikami struck again, when she took a pass from Hayes from the right side and beat new keeper Lisa Wourms. Memphis goalkeeper Isabel Briones was also credited with an assist on the play, as she had punted the ball to Hayes beyond midfield. The goal by Mikami surpassed her goal total from all of last season. At the 67:20 mark, Kubota passed the ball from the left side to Mikami atop the box, who shoveled it over to McLeod on the right side, where she dribbled into the box and beat Wourms to the bottom left for her first goal of the year. Kubota, an NAIA All-American last year, then scored her two goals at the 70:29 and 88:45 marks, respectively. She was assisted on the first goal by freshman Sarah MacGregor, who had just entered the game prior to a corner kick that began the play that the goal was scored on. Her final goal came on a breakaway in which she beat the keeper one-on-one. "This was certainly a nice way to start the season and we are pleased with the result," said Memphis coach Brooks Monaghan. "We still have some things we need to work on and we will in time. But is certainly nice to begin the season with a win." This is the second straight year that the Tigers have opened the season with a win and is also the second straight in which it was in a shutout, as the Tigers shut out Alabama A&M 4-0 in last year's opener. Ironically, it is not the largest margin of victory ever on opening day, as the aforementioned game against Rhodes on September 1, 1999 was the largest margin of victory, both on an opening day and tied for the largest margin overall. Briones made four saves to record the shutout in goal for the Tigers. Memphis played 22 of the 26 active players on the roster. The Tigers outshot the Golden Eagles 21-7, though no Tiger individual had more than four shots. Memphis also had 12 shots on goal to TTU's four. Memphis will return to action next Friday when the Tigers take on Samford in the opening game of the Samford Bulldog Soccer Classic in Birmingham, Ala. at 7:00 p.m. The next home game for the Tigers is next Wednesday, September 7 against UT-Martin at 7:00 p.m.

08/28/05		Glad he stayed -- Avery has blossomed into Tigers' top wide receiver (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 28, 2005 Maurice Avery was gone. No, not toward the end zone after making an over-the-shoulder reception in full stride, but in his car, headed toward his home in Atlanta with his belongings stuffed in the trunk. It was after his freshman season at the University of Memphis and Avery, a heralded high school quarterback, was being asked by the Tiger coaching staff to make the move to receiver. Avery resisted. He contemplated making a move of his own. Rather than change positions, Avery would change programs. He told teammate DeAngelo Williams, also a freshman at the time, he was transferring to a Division 1-AA school where he could not only play immediately, but at the position he desired. "I was already in Atlanta," Avery said. "I was telling (Williams) I was fixing to transfer and leave. I told him I wasn't going to play receiver." Williams remembers the conviction with which Avery spoke. "Oh, he was going to leave," Williams said. "He was definitely about to go. He called me and said 'I'm fixing to get out of here, man.' " Williams listened intently and then began his sales pitch, in essence re-recruiting Avery. He spent several hours on the phone with Avery. "(Williams) told me, 'You're better than that, you're too good to be going down a division,' " Avery said. "And then he called all of the (UofM) coaches and told 'em I was going to leave. So all of them then started calling me." It was a veteran move by the freshman running back. Williams was able to persuade Avery to make the best of the position change. "I threw everything at him but the kitchen sink," Williams said. "He was back with us the next day." And he was back contributing the following season. As a sophomore, Avery, despite missing two late-season games with a knee sprain, led the team in receiving. He caught 49 passes for 742 yards and eight touchdowns and was named second-team All-Conference USA. He also set a school record with 13 receptions in a game against UAB. Minus Avery's contributions, the Tigers likely would not have snapped a 32-year postseason drought and earned an invitation to the New Orleans Bowl. "My sophomore year, both of us (Avery and Williams) had our breakout year," Avery said. "Before the season, we had talked about who was going to score the most touchdowns. I think he got me by one." As the Tigers enter the season, Avery is the team's leading returning receiver. And he's the only one back who had at least 18 receptions a year ago. The veteran among the receivers, Avery understands his role. He's spent the preseason camp leading by spectacular example, from reaching behind to make one-handed grabs to shielding defensive backs in traffic for leaping receptions. "We were watching (NFL highlights on ESPN) the other night when Larry Fitzgerald (of the Arizona Cardinals) caught a ball behind his back," said Williams, who rooms with Avery. "Mo and I just looked at each other. Then Mo turned to me and said 'I can do that.' And he did it in our scrimmage (Tuesday). He walked to the sideline after he made the catch and told me: 'See, I told you I could do that.'" Tiger coach Tommy West isn't looking for Avery to make one acrobatic catch after the other. He's looking for the consistent game-to-game performances that characterize an all-conference player and leader. Since preseason camp began three weeks ago, Avery has given West a sampling of those traits. "Mo is having the best camp he has ever had," West said. "His weight is under control (210 pounds) and he looks the quickest and fastest I've seen him look. "He is working like a horse. He is working like a leader. He is a team guy trying to help the younger guys lead by example." Receivers coach Clay Helton said the first-year receivers -- Carlton Robinzine, Antonio McCoy and Earnest Williams -- will benefit from Avery's presence. So will offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner. "When you have a lot of young wideouts it gives Randy a level of sanity knowing you have an old guy out there who knows the position," Helton said. "He's a guy who's played four years in the system and a guy who's made a lot of plays for you." West remembers a not-too-distant time when Avery wouldn't have been considered such a role model. But as Avery enters his senior season -- and prepares for a possible professional career -- his approach has improved. "It's no secret," West said. "I've always liked Mo, but I haven't always been a fan of his work habits. But I think he has learned how to be a leader. Right now he is as good as anybody out there. He comes to work every day. He's really been good for us." He's also been extremely versatile. In a scrimmage last week at the Liberty Bowl, West inserted Avery at quarterback and said a package is being developed for him. Avery could possibly play a backup quarterback role while freshmen Will Hudgens and Billy Barefield continue to develop. West also has considered using Avery as a punt returner for the first time in his career. "He's got good hands and he's strong," West said. "When I was (an assistant) at Tennessee we had a guy like him, Dale Carter, returning punts. He was one of those strong guys that the first guy couldn't tackle. He didn't necessarily make the first guy miss, he just couldn't be tackled by him." But Avery's value will be as quarterback Patrick Byrne's go-to receiver, a complete player with all-league potential who has made the most of his decision to stay. "He has really taken to coaching," Helton said. "I'm really proud of him. He's a great example of what we're looking for at wide receiver." -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

08/28/05		Evaluating: Memphis (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 27, 2005 The past: For the first time in the program's history, it enters a season having appeared in back-to-back bowl games. After snapping a 32-year postseason drought in 2003 and earning a New Orleans Bowl bid, the Tigers played in the GMAC Bowl last year. They've also won 17 games during that stretch. It represents the most victories during a two-year period since the 1962 Tigers won eight games and the 1963 squad won nine. Tiger coach Tommy West, the former Clemson coach entering his fifth season, is 25-23. With seven wins this season he'd become the fourth-winningest coach in the program's history. The present: Having Heisman Trophy candidate and two-time Conference USA offensive player of the year DeAngelo Williams in the backfield gives the Tigers an opportunity to overcome some significant losses. Record-setting quarterback Danny Wimprine, a four-year starter, has been replaced by junior Patrick Byrne, a former high school quarterback who has handled kickoffs the past two seasons. Four of the team's top five receivers have departed and four starting offensive linemen completed their eligibility. The defense returns its starting linebackers -- Carlton Baker, Quinton McCrary and Tim Goodwell -- and all-conference performers Wesley Smith at free safety and Marcus West at defensive end. The future: As long as Williams is making a serious run at a third conference offensive player of the year award, the Tigers will find themselves in the postseason once again. For Williams to be productive, Byrne must be efficient, distributing the ball to the team's playmakers, such as Williams and receiver Maurice Avery. Defensively, the pass defense must avoid a repeat of last year's 114th-place finish among 117 NCAA Division 1-A teams. Last Man catching Senior Maurice Avery is the only returning Tiger wide receiver who caught at least 18 passes last season: Receiver No Yds TD Tavares Gideon 54 665 11 Maurice Avery 36 422 1 Darron White 26 359 1 Tavarious Davis 19 196 1 Chris Kelley 18 304 2

08/28/05		Calkins: It's all fun and games for Tiger followers (Commercial Appeal)
		By Geoff Calkins Contact August 28, 2005 On the morning of his 70th birthday, George Kellett rose at 6 a.m. and went out to fetch the newspaper. He flipped to the sports section, naturally. "The University of Memphis will host it's annual Football Fan Fest today," a story said. Well, that did it. Kellett and his wife, Martha, had planned to go visit their son at his place on the Tennessee River. Sorry, kid. It's a big year for the Tigers. The Kelletts piled in their truck. They drove from Arlington to Memphis, stopped at a grocery store and bought themselves some spinach dip. "We sat in the truck, ate and had a big time," Kellett said. "I won't lie to you, I also drank a Corona beer." Here's to Memphis football, and all that. Seventy years isn't too long to wait for this much fun. "This is awesome," said Kellett. "It's great," said Martha, his wife. "It's fun to look out and see all the people," said Memphis coach Tommy West. And it was, too. Fun to see so many show up at South Campus Saturday to celebrate the team, the time and each other. "This is something Memphis fans have been waiting for all of our lives," said Henry Groves, the Tiger mascot in 1975. "A community behind our football team and getting out here and enjoying it." That's the point of the enterprise, isn't it? Even more than wins and losses? There have been Memphis teams as good or better than this one. But there's never been a better time to be a Memphis football fan. There's never been a Heisman Trophy candidate before. There's never been this kind of party. Fans showed up two or three hours before the Fan Fest began. Some actually tailgated. "Getting the kinks worked out," said Will Hampton. At that very moment, the trailer hauling Tom II to the event started billowing smoke. "We fried a generator," said Scott Forman, one of the tiger's handlers. "But we have another one." Note the importance of depth, sports fans. Over at the autograph tent, Millie Pullen stood and waited. The players were not due to show up until 3 p.m. Pullen started the line at 1:30 p.m. "If they can practice in the heat, if they can get beat up and still play, we can stand in line," she said. And so they stood in line, a line that curved back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and . . .. "It's amazing what winning can do," said John Flowers, the director of football operations. "It's solid people from one end of the field to the other." Nobody knew exactly how many. For one thing, how do you keep track of all those No. 20s? Some kids started up an impromptu touch football game at the far end of the field. At one point, there were -- here's an idea, Coach Fichtner! -- six DeAngelo Williamses running through the secondary. The real DeAngelo had an autograph line as long as three football fields. "I'm getting a little jealous about that," West said. "But if he'll come back next year, I'd be willing to put up with it." He can't, of course. Which is another reason to savor the moment. Nothing stays the same in college football. Nothing is guaranteed or promised. So you enjoy the celebrations, the highs, the days like Saturday, when everything seems right and perfect. The rains cleared. The fans stayed cool. The tiger roared, oh, there's a story. A scrum of kids gathered around Tom II's trailer. They tried, in vain, to get the big cat to roar. "Here, let me try," said Jeff Sheffield, one of the Shelby County Sheriffs assigned to help transport the tiger. Sheffield leaned in. ROAR! The kids scattered merrily. "Wow, what's your secret?" someone asked. Sheffield beamed. "He doesn't like me." To reach Geoff Calkins, call him at 529-2364 or send an e-mail.

08/28/05		Higgins: Williams facing uphill battle in Heisman chase (Commercial Appeal)
		By Ron Higgins Contact August 28, 2005 Memphis senior running back DeAngelo Williams's engines are revved. If you take ESPN.com's preseason Heisman Trophy poll and used it on a NASCAR grid (since DeAngelo has that nifty race car model promoting his race to the Heisman), he'd be starting the Heisman race this week on the outside of the third row. In the poll, Williams starts the season in sixth place in the voting, which wouldn't earn him a trip to New York for the Heisman ceremony. Ahead of Williams (in order) are quarterback Matt Leinart of Southern Cal (the '04 Heisman winner), running back Reggie Bush of Southern Cal, running back Adrian Peterson of Oklahoma, quarterback Vince Young of Texas and flanker Ted Ginn of Ohio State. Because of two things working against Williams -- a lack of national TV appearances and playing in a non-BCS league -- if he ends up in the top five in voting and gets a trip to the Heisman ceremony, it should be considered a victory. Southern Cal, Oklahoma and Texas are scheduled to play seven, six and five games respectively on national networks (with more games to be scheduled). Memphis has just two games on national TV (Ole Miss, ESPN, and UAB, ESPN2). That's tough to overcome. But the burden of the UofM offense will be on Williams. He rolled the dice by not turning pro, knowing he'd be working with a new quarterback and some new offensive line members. But this is a guy who has never played it safe, who has never backed down from a challenge. If he stays healthy, he's the kind of back that could carry an offense. If he does that, if he has something close to a 2,000-yard rushing season with a bundle of touchdowns, and the Tigers have at least a seven-win season, he may just very well beat the factors working against him. Here's hoping that Williams runs far and fast every week. --------------------------------------------- While it seems puzzling that the Memphis-Ole Miss season opener Sept. 5 isn't close to a sellout, common sense tells you that if you can watch the game in the comfort of your cool living room, why do want to go to a sweat festival that kicks off in mid-afternoon? Early prediction: The team that has fewer players fall over with cramps is the winner. The one drawback of the new artificial turf in Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, just like the type Ole Miss uses in Vaught-Hemingway, is that it absolutely cooks the players. They practically have to pour water on their feet on hot days. ... Speaking of the Tigers, practice observers say that the best quarterback in camp is transfer Martin Hankins, who has to sit out this season after transferring from Division 1-AA Southeastern Louisiana. Somebody might want to tell USA Today that Hankins is a Tiger. In the paper's Friday college football special section, they had Hankins still at SLU and listed as one of the players to watch in Division 1-AA.

08/28/05		Pigskin futures -- Tiger Football Inc. hopes winning nudges bottom line into black (Commercial Appeal)
		By David Williams Contact August 28, 2005 It's not like any of this surprises those who run the business that is Tiger Football Inc. at the University of Memphis. The 20,000 or so season tickets they've sold. The near-sellout of sky boxes. The projected $4 million in total ticket income. The possibility of breaking even -- perhaps even eking out a profit -- at a sport whose bottom line has been written in red ink for as long as they can remember. Winning -- with consistency, with flair -- puts butts in seats. They've always suspected it and now they know. "You can have all the other plans and ideas," said Bill Lofton, associate athletic director for finance and management, "but if you don't win, it doesn't matter." Lofton was the university's manager of financial planning before moving to the athletic department in 1994, so he's had his eye on Tiger football finances for more than two decades. He can't remember a break-even season. But this one -- behind the stream of two straight bowl trips, a bona fide Heisman Trophy candidate in DeAngelo Williams and a season-opening, Sept. 5 date with best-enemy Ole Miss -- could change that. That would mean total football revenues rising to about $6 million. "We used to have about two-thirds more expenditures than income in football," said athletic director R.C. Johnson. Johnson's first football season at Memphis was 1996, the year the Tigers upset the University of Tennessee. He remembers how that stirred Tiger fans, the faithful and the strayed. He remembers thinking, "Boy, if we could get it going in football. ... " In 2003, Tommy West's third season as coach, it happened -- the school's first nine-win season since 1963, its first bowl trip since 1971. In 2004, it happened again -- eight more victories and back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history. Along the way, U of M graduate Doug McKelvey, 46, pretty much became a regular at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. This season, he's sprung for season tickets. "That sounds bad," he said of the bandwagon mentality, "but you don't want to go see a team that's not competitive with everybody else." Jason Ward, 35, is another new season-ticket holder after enjoying himself with friends at a couple of games last season. "Now that the Tiger football program's coming around," he said by way of explanation, "you know. ... " Season ticket sales are at about 20,000, the highest total since 1992, when sales were driven by the guest list -- home games with Mississippi State, Arkansas and Tennessee. Thirty-five skyboxes have been leased for the season, at prices of $15,000 and $20,000. "I've been here nine years. I've never seen the hype, the excitement," Johnson said. "A lot of it obviously is DeAngelo. But what Tommy's done for us has just been huge." But at Tiger Football Inc., much work remains. There is sustaining what West and company started on the field, and overcoming challenges that remain off the field. Take the stadium, for example. Or rather, take a chunk out of the stadium. At 62,380 seats, it's too spacious unless Tennessee or Ole Miss is in town -- too spacious to create a great demand for season tickets. "People today still know," Johnson said, "that Saturday morning, they can wake up and decide if they want to go or not, unless probably (the opponent is) Ole Miss or the Vols." Stadium capacity may be reduced in the coming years when wheelchair spaces and ramps are added to conform with the Americans With Disabilities Act. But that's still in the planning stages and it's not known how many seats could be lost. As for what they can control, the Tigers will attempt to create demand and sway fans the old-fashioned way -- by winning. And that other old-fashioned way -- bargain pricing. You can buy a Fun Zone (end zone) season ticket for $75. (Season tickets are $160 for prime seats and $210 for box seats.) "We did (the Fun Zone) to get people into the stadium, and then hopefully they'd want to get a little better seat (in future seasons)," Johnson said. To boost single-game sales, he said Kroger-sponsored discounts will again be offered. "Yes, I'd love to have a 60,000-seat stadium, all full-priced tickets," Johnson said. "I don't think that's probably going to happen for a long, long time." So Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium won't be mistaken for Tennessee's Neyland Stadium, with its 105,000-plus regulars. And Tiger Football Inc. may still look like a mom-and-pop operation in the shadow of Big Orange Industries, where football revenue topped $46 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2004, according to U.S. Department of Education numbers. But for a long-struggling program that plays in an oversized stadium and doesn't belong to a dominant conference, the case could be made that business at Tiger Football Inc. is like a well-struck football on a fall afternoon: Booming. -- David Williams: 529-2310

08/27/05		Williams finds success off the beaten path (ESPN)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The secret to DeAngelo Williams' gift -- and it is a gift, really -- is his ability to see what's in front of him and pick the right crease, even if no one else sees it. That might seem obvious, given that the senior tailback at the University of Memphis ran for 1,948 yards and 22 TDs last season, if that gift was limited to when Williams is in uniform. But it's Williams' ability to pick the right hole off the field that has made him a preseason All-American and the first Heisman Trophy candidate in school history. Twice in his life, Williams has been faced with making the popular choice or doing what he believed was best for him. Both times, he has peered down the road lined with the cheering public, given a head fake, and gone in the other direction. DeAngelo Williams rushed for 1,948 yards and 22 TDs in 2004. In three seasons at Memphis, Williams has rushed for 4,062 yards and 37 touchdowns. He averages 6.2 yards per carry. He is listed at 5-foot-10, 217 pounds, and the height might be generous. He introduced himself as "DeAngelo," but it's more a gesture of friendliness than of one-named ego. Williams is so friendly that every few weeks he has to change his cell phone number. He gives it out and pretty soon, it doesn't stop ringing. On a summer afternoon in Memphis, so hot and humid that thinking about exercise would make you sweat, Williams stood in the office of his head coach, Tommy West. "Coach, I didn't know you weren't always gray," says Williams, his voice a little too innocent. "There's a picture back there where your hair is brown." West took the insult with a shake of his head. He enjoys playing the role of aggrieved straight man for his tailback. Their relationship is somewhere between coach-player and father-son. "I've never had so good a player with his personality," said West, 51. "He's a pleasant guy who never has a bad day. He's a good student. He likes school, which is really unusual. There's nothing that takes away from him being a great player. I've been lucky, really fortunate with him. The players are always going to follow the good players, I think more so than the coach. This guy is charismatic and he's the hardest worker on the field. He gets after it in practice." The first time West saw Williams practice, at Wynne (Ark.) High in 2001, Williams ignored him. That's when West knew Williams was special. "He really didn't care that I was there," West said. "He was more concerned about his workout. He really wasn't bothered by coaches who were there to watch it. Most of them like the attention of a coach watching them. They'll stop working out and come over and talk." How unusual is that? "One in a 100," West replied. "The rest of the kids like the attention." That's what West saw in Williams four years ago. It's just as interesting what Williams saw in West, who took over as head coach at Memphis for the 2001 season. After the 2001 season, in which the Tigers went 4-7, West had been a head coach for seven years. He had a record of 39-42 (.481). As a senior, Williams led the Wynne Yellowjackets to the 4A title. He rushed for 194 yards in the state championship game and scored four touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving, one returning). He was the offensive player of the year, and if he had signed with Arkansas, he could have been elected governor. "I came in. Coach West sat me down," Williams said. "He said, 'I can't predict if you'll play for us, or start for us. I can't even tell you if you'll start or play here at all. I can tell you that you have enough talent to at the Division I level. We're interested in you. You can play for us.' "I'm thinking, 'We just won the state championship. All those other coaches at Arkansas, Ole Miss, Iowa, guys in big conferences, tell me that I have a chance to do this, and you tell me you don't know if I can play for you for four years?' "I took that as a slap in the face," Williams said. "I also took it as a challenge. He told me what I wanted to hear but what I didn't want to hear." His principal wanted him to sign with Arkansas. His head coach wanted him to sign with Arkansas. Shoot, everybody in Wynne, a town of 8,615 about 290 miles east of Fayetteville, wanted Williams to go to Arkansas. On the day before signing day, Williams committed to become a Razorback. "Everybody was excited," Williams said, "but me. "On signing day, my mom brought me the national letter of intent to Arkansas. I should feel like I'm making the right decision. You get that many people telling you that. I had been dreaming about it. I signed 'No' where I was supposed to sign my name and put an exclamation point. "I didn't know she was going to fax it back to them. I thought, 'Oh Lord, what has she done now?'" West thought about that time, and looked at Williams. "How long did you let me hang? A month? 26 days?" "It was 26 days, 23 or 26," Williams replied. "I was young. Too much pressure on a young kid." Williams visited the schools again, and waited until it felt right. "The University of Memphis didn't have the flashy profile or the national exposure," he said. "It's a great university. I love the offense. I love the atmosphere, the big city. They have everything I want. The only knock against them is they are not a great team. My [Wynne High] head coach came in and told me I was making the biggest mistake of my life. I was going to a graveyard and I could never help them win. "When I go home now, he tells me, 'You made a good decision. Good luck in all your endeavors.' You know how it is." Last January came the second time Williams found his crease. The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft has become nearly as important on the college football calendar as signing day. News is made, careers are changed, teams grow suddenly stronger or weaker. The NFL let Williams know he would probably be drafted around the end of the first round or the beginning of the second. How do you put off the realization of a lifelong dream? How do you tell millions of dollars to wait a year? All your life, you've wanted to grow up. There's the door to adulthood. Walk through it. "It's a private decision gone public," Williams said. "People told me, 'You should get paid for injuries, get paid for your time on the field.' Who cares about a million dollars? I didn't see it then. I won't see it now." Williams figured out you can't put a price on friendship, on an offensive line that serves as his posse on and off the field, on the only chance you'll ever have to be a college senior. "I'm really close to the team," Williams said. "This team is really, really close. We horseplay and wrestle all the time. We feed off of each other. Going to another team, or an organization, if I leave, everything changes now." He snapped his fingers. "If I stay, everything stays the same." West understood all the forces tugging at Williams. He tried to serve as a conduit. Even when Williams tried to engage West's emotions, the coach resisted. "My thing was that he be totally educated to all sides, and not just to the Memphis side, the agent side, or the NFL side," West said. "I knew if he had all the facts, he would do what was right for him and he would make an educated, rational decision. "He told me, 'Coach, I'm coming back.' "After the bowl, he told me, 'Coach, I'm going.' "He tried to meet with me for two days after that. I didn't meet with him. 'No, I am busy.' One of them was Christmas Eve! 'Coach, we need to talk.' "Man, it is Christmas Eve! We are not going to talk. "It was important to him that I put my blessing on it. Hey, I'm OK either way. If you want to go play, I'll back you 100 percent. If you want to come back, we'd love to have you. I don't want you, if that isn't what you want to do." Williams received an unlikely assist. After last season, he went to Los Angeles as a finalist for the John Wooden Cup, an award that honors teamwork, character and citizenship. While out there, Williams met USC quarterback Matt Leinart. "I just bumped into him," Williams said. "I asked him, 'Are you going to go or are you going to stay?' He said, 'Are you going to go or are you going to stay?' "I thought, 'You're the No. 1 draft pick and you're having a hard time on whether you're going to go or stay?' It hit me. He's going through the same thing I'm going through." Said West, "[Williams] just wants to have fun. It stresses him when he has to get serious. That's not him. But he can do it. He did it with signing day. Right, wrong or indifferent, he can do what he needs to do." West might be wrong. Williams wants to have fun but anyone who can handle those kinds of situations with maturity is, beneath the smiles and laughter, dead serious. "You'd be amazed how much attention $1 million will get you," Williams said. "I've lived by this quote: If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything. I'm going to stand up for what I need to do, not what everybody else wants me to do." As Williams prepares for his senior season, he waits for another crease to open, the one that leads to New York and the Heisman Trophy. The odds of a player from Conference USA winning the Heisman are slight. On the field, Williams has done everything he can do. Off the field, Memphis media relations director Jennifer Rodrigues developed the ingenious idea of promoting Williams with a NASCAR-like scale car, done up in Memphis colors and the No. 20. The rest begins on Labor Day at the Liberty Bowl against regional rival Ole Miss. "If you've never had anything, and you get something, it changes you," Williams said. "If you've never had anything, and you never want anything, then you never let it get to you. All the hype is nothing if I don't do anything on my end." Ivan Maisel is a senior writer at ESPN.com. He can be reached at ivan.maisel@espn3.com.

08/27/05		Tiger Volleyball Splits Matches with North Texas and Arkansas -- Memphis finishes as Arkansas Invitational runners-up (GoTigersGo.com)
		FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - North Texas (0-2) 30 30 23 16 Memphis (2-0) 26 32 30 30 Memphis (2-1) 24 23 24 Arkansas (3-0) 30 30 30 The Memphis volleyball squad battled to a 3-1 win over North Texas in the early match, but was swept by a strong Arkansas squad in the championship contest, to finish the weekend as runners-up of the 2005 Arkansas Invitational tournament. Sophomore middle hitter Shelby Burton and junior libero Christen Clayton were each named to the Arkansas Invitational All-Tournament team. Memphis advanced to the title meeting with Arkansas by way of a tough four-set win over UNT. Despite dropping the opening set, Memphis was able to regroup and claim the next three. Four Tigers reached double figures in the kills category, led by Ashley Liford's 16. Junior Melissa Nance finished with 15 kills and Burton posted 12 kills with a .500 attack clip. Senior outside hitter Nancy Nellans posted her second consecutive double-double, downing 12 kills and adding 13 digs. Defensively for Memphis, Clayton had a match-high 19 digs. The Tigers won the battle in the kills department 70-50 and hit .287 for the match, including posting a .387 percentage in the fourth and final game. The Lady Razorback defense proved to be a tougher task to overcome in the title match. Arkansas held Memphis to a dismal .074 hitting percentage. The Arkansas attack was powered by 13 total blocks. Nance was the leading attacker for the Tiger offense that recorded just 34 kills in the. The junior slammed eight kills for Memphis. Nellans paced the squad with 14 digs, while Clayton chipped in 10. Memphis will hit the floor next, when they take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the O'Charley's Tiger Invitational on Friday, Sept. 2. Match time is slated for 2 p.m.

08/27/05		Experienced lineman flashing old form -- U of M senior Handy taking coach's words, loudly spoken ones, to heart (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 27, 2005 Rick Mallory, the University of Memphis's offensive line coach, admits he had waited, sometimes not too patiently, for the moment. It came during a Tiger football scrimmage earlier this week at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Left guard Andrew Handy, expected to be the leader of a revamped offensive line, began to show flashes -- in a sweltering morning workout -- of the player he was two years ago before an injury sidelined him for the 2004 season. The blazing sun only shed more light on Handy's progress. "He started to play like his old self," Mallory said. "And when I say that about players, I mean they're seeing things (develop) almost before they happen. I saw that (Tuesday) in the scrimmage." It was a welcome development for a Tiger offense that will be relatively young and inexperienced when the season opens Sept. 5 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium against Ole Miss. The Tigers, coming off back-to-back bowl seasons, lost Danny Wimprine, a record-setting four-year starter at quarterback, four offensive linemen and four of their top five receivers. Against the Rebels, Memphis will start Patrick Byrne, who has yet to take a snap, and three linemen -- Andy Smith, Willie Henderson and Abraham Holloway -- who have yet to make a start. Handy's experience should smooth the transition. While he is one of four new starters on the line, to include him among the newcomers is somewhat deceiving. He started nine games as a sophomore and 10 as a junior. The only games he missed those two seasons were because of injury. He missed three games with an ankle sprain in 2002 and three in 2003 after breaking his leg in a late-season victory at Louisville. Mallory's impatience had more to do with his background knowledge of Handy's ability. Mallory remembers the level at which Handy performed in the past. And even though Handy had missed a season with the injury, Mallory pushed the senior from Miami to play to his potential. "I know I'm pushing and pushing and pushing him and sometimes he gets frustrated," Mallory said. "I get frustrated. But it's great when things start clicking. It was fun to watch." Handy doesn't necessarily like being the target of Mallory's outbursts, but he understands they're motivational tirades. "He's yelling at me, but he's not yelling at me because he hates me," Handy said. "He's really yelling at me, or everybody, because he sees the potential we have and he's trying to push us to the limit to see if we're going to make it or break it." While he's being tabbed the leader of the unit, Handy says he's not the loud, boisterous sort. "I feel like I do my job and I try to do it as perfect as I can," he said. "I'm not a big talker, I'm not a rally guy. I lead by example. I go out there and block forever and hopefully try to coach up the guy behind me and tell him that's what he needs to do. But I don't go out and (single people out)." Tiger coach Tommy West knows Handy is not a particularly "vocal guy," but he's got to be a leader. "Coming out of this (preseason) camp, he has tried to be a leader," West said. "He's had his ups and downs, but he's playing pretty solid right now." Perhaps the most difficult part of his absence during the past two years has been his omission from bowl participation. The broken leg late in the 2003 season kept him out of the New Orleans Bowl and redshirting last year cost him an opportunity to participate in the GMAC Bowl. If Handy exhibits the skill and leadership qualities he possesses, he realizes he's got the opportunity to finish his career with a postseason game. "I'm excited about this year," Handy said. "I think our line is stronger across the board. We're still getting mentally prepared, as far as recognition of coverages, but I think we're right where we need to be." Extra points The U of M ticket office will be open the weekend before Labor Day. School officials said the ticket office, located in the school's Athletic Office Building off Southern, will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 3 and from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 4. On game day, tickets will be sold (cash only) at the Liberty Bowl only beginning at 10 a.m. . . . West said Friday that true freshmen Clinton McDonald and Greg Jackson will get a chance to play this season. West said McDonald, a defensive lineman from Jacksonville, Ark., "is very mature and has done a nice job. Physically and mentally he is very mature for a freshman." Jackson, a linebacker from Marietta, Ga., "has also shown a lot of maturity, is really fast and has been good on special teams throughout this camp." . . . About 20-25 Platinum-level Tiger Scholarship Fund members attended Friday's morning workout and also had a Q&A session with coordinators Randy Fichtner and Joe Lee Dunn. "They got to watch how we practice and I think that's important," West said. "It helps people see these guys are paying a price to play for their football team." U of M Fan Fest The University of Memphis will host its annual KFC Football Fan Fest today on the UofM South Campus. The event begins at 3 p.m. and will offer fans opportunities for games, autographs and pictures with their favorite Tiger players until 5 p.m. Fans are asked to limit autographed items to one per person. For more information, call 678-4142.

08/26/05		Nancy Nellans Posts 1,000th Dig in 3-2 Tiger Volleyball Win -- Memphis notches third-straight season-opening victory (GoTigersGo.com)
		FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Belmont (1-1) 30 21 26 30 8 Memphis (1-0) 24 30 30 20 15 The University of Memphis volleyball squad got its season underway with a hard-fought five-set win over Belmont in the Arkansas Invitational Friday evening at Barnhill Arena. Nancy Nellans downed 16 kills, but more notably had 16 digs to become the 17th Tiger to reach the 1,000-kills, 1,000 digs milestone. Memphis will now face North Texas on Saturday at 2 p.m., followed by a match with the homestanding Lady Razorbacks at 7 p.m. Memphis clinched the match with a strong fifth set in which they hit .700 behind three kills from Nellans. Belmont jumped out to a 6-3 lead, forcing the Tigers to take a timeout. From then on it was all Memphis, as a pair of service aces from Melissa Nance tied the final frame at 6-6 and gave the Tigers the momentum. The U of M then outscored the Bruins 9-2 in the remained of the match for the win. Belmont extended the match to the maximum with a 30-20 over the Tigers in the fourth. BU's defense was the key in the game as they rejected seven Tiger attempts en route to holding Memphis to a match-low -.053 attack percentage. The Tigers, who hit just .181 for the match, got off to a slow start in the first set, falling behind 8-4 early. The Tigers battled back to tie the frame on four occasions, but Belmont went on a 10-4 run to finish the game. Ashley Liford hammered five kills in the opening game, but the Bruins countered with four blocks. A more relaxed Memphis club came out in the second frame. Shelby Burton fueled a strong defensive effort with four block assists. Memphis posted five total blocks and held Belmont to a .024 attack percentage. The U of M led early, but BU made a 7-3 push to knot the contest at 13-13. A trio of kills by Nellans paced an 11-3 Memphis run that gave the Tigers a 27-19 cushion. Nellans put down five kills on six attempts after just one kill in the first game. Memphis raced out to a 6-1 advantage in the third frame and never lost control of the set. However, the Bruins battled to keep it close with a 13-4 run that cut a 20-12 Tiger lead to a 25-25 tie. Setter Hristina Slancheva came big in the final five points of the game, downing a kill to break the tie. She then served up an ace to seal the victory and put Memphis up 2-1. Slancheva finished the contest with five kills and 47 assists. Sophomore outside hitter Ashley Liford was the only other Tiger to reach double figures in kills with 11. Shelby Burton and Colette Ramirez slammed seven kills each. The duo also had a solid night defensively with seven and six blocks, respectively. Junior libero Christen Clayton added 18 digs for Memphis.

08/26/05		O'Brien, Metcalf and McCarty Score Big in 6-0 Shutout of Lambuth -- Metcalf scores hat trick in first 30 minutes (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Led by seniors Dayton O'Brien and Andy Metcalf, the No. 27 University of Memphis men's soccer team scored four goals in the first 32 minutes to put Lambuth University away 6-0 in an exhibition at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex on Friday night. Metcalf (Jackson, Tenn.) scored the first two goals, knocking in his first from the right side in the 2nd minute on an assist from O'Brien (Memphis, Tenn.). Seven minutes later on a cross from O'Brien, Metcalf scored his second goal to give the Tigers an early 2-0 lead. O'Brien, who was named to the 25-player Hermann Trophy Watch List given to college soccer's best player of the year, scored the Tigers' third goal in the 30th minute on an unassisted blast from about 25-yards out in the center of the field. Two minutes later, Metcalf completed his hat trick on a one-on-one with Lambuth goalie Brenton Saylor from a ball dished by Memphis freshman Robert Sausaman (Gainesville, Fla.). The goal put Memphis up 4-0 at the end of the first half. Both sides remained quite to begin the first 25 minutes of the second half until Memphis sophomore Marcus McCarty (Fort Worth, Texas) scored in the 77th minute. McCarty earned his first goal of the spring from the left side on an assist from freshman Kyle Minter (Rockwall, Texas). Less than two minutes later, McCarty scored again from the left side on a ball served up by freshman Thomas Hyland (Dublin, Ireland). Sophomore goalkeeper Tyler Strom (Thornton, Colo.) earned a complete-game shutout. Strom had three saves, helping the Tigers earn its third-straight shutout in exhibition play. Memphis has yet to allow a goal in 2005. The Tiger defense allowed nine shots in the game with three on goal while the offense had 23 shots with 13 on goal. The Tigers open up the season at home on Saturday, Sept. 3 against Centenary at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex at 7:30 p.m. The game is the second of a doubleheader in the seventh-annual Memphis Diadora Tournament. Oral Roberts takes on Belmont at 5 p.m. in the first game of the tournament.

08/26/05		Lady Tigers Top Alumni 3-0 in Annual Alumni Match -- Hayes tallies two more preseason goals (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis, Tenn. - In their final tuneup before the regular season begins on Sunday, the women's soccer team defeated a team of women's soccer alumni 3-0 in a scrimmage on Friday afternoon at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex. Freshman Kylie Hayes scored two more goals, bringing her preseason exhibition total to four. The game was played with just two 30 minutes halves instead of the regular 45. Hayes scored her first goal about midway through the first half, intercepting a goal kick and putting it home in the lower left corner of the goal. It remained 1-0 at halftime. About midway through the second half, Hayes added her second tally of the scrimmage when she was fed a ball by Asuka Kubota from the left side and she chipped a shot over the oncoming goalkeeper, who was attempting to intercept the pass. Finally, with just under two minutes remaining in the second half, freshman Lauren Everhart scored her second goal of the preseason when her shot from about 15 yards out hit the crossbar on the right side of the goal and bounced down and into the net on the left side for the final margin of victory. The Tigers will now open the regular season on Sunday against Tennessee Tech at 1:00 p.m. at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex.

08/26/05		Taking in a Tiger Home or Road Football Game? Do Not Forget the Alumni Association's Pre-Game Activities -- Barn Bashes scheduled for home weekends and True Blue Tailgates scheduled for some road games (GoTigersGo.com)
		The University of Memphis Alumni Association has pre-game activities scheduled for a number of home and road football games for the 2005 season. For home games, starting with the UT-Chattanooga game on Sept. 17th, the Alumni Association will host a Barn Bash in the silver barn on the west side of Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. There, you can get your fill of live music, BBQ, and true blue fun and fellowship. Barn bashes will be held in that barn for the Oct. 22nd East Carolina game, the Nov. 1st UAB game and the Nov. 26th Marshall game. The Barn Bash will be a 'tent bash' for the Oct. 1st UTEP game as the Mid-South fair will occupy the fairgrounds that weekend. For Tiger road games, True Blue Tiger Tailgates have been scheduled for the Oct. 8th UCF game, the Oct. 15th Houston game and the Nov. 12th Tennessee game. For more information on any of these events, please contact the Alumni Office at (901) 678-ALUM or by email at alumnievents@memphis.edu.

08/26/05		Memphis Alumni Association Sponsoring Tiger Trek for UT Football Game -- Departs U of M Friday, Nov. 11th and returns Sunday, Nov. 13th (GoTigersGo.com)
		The University of Memphis Alumni Association is sponsoring another Tiger Trek for the 2005 football season. Tiger fans are welcome to join the Tiger Trek to UT-Knoxville for the Memphis/Tennessee football game on Nov. 12th. The cost for a single occupancy slot for the trip is $465 for Alumni Association members and $500 for non-members. That cost includes 2 nights room and tax at the Hilton Knoxville, 1 ticket for the football game, 1 roundtrip seat on the bus and snacks and soft drinks. The double occupancy cost for members is $635 for Alumni Association Association members and $670 for non-members. That includes all the amenities of the Single occupancy trip, but with two tickets for the game. The Tiger Trek will leave the Alumni Center at 8 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 11th and will stop in Nashville at noon for lunch. The bus should arrive in Knoxville around 6 p.m. On game day, the Alumni Association is trying to put together a Memphis Pep Rally and True Blue Tiger Tailgate before the game. On the Sunday after the game, the bus will department the Knoxville Hilton at 9 a.m. and will again stop for lunch in Nashville at 12:30 p.m. The Tiger Trek will return to the Alumni Center around 5 p.m.

08/26/05		Women's Soccer Opens Season Sunday vs. Tennessee Tech -- Golden Eagles are first of three in-state opponents this year (GoTigersGo.com)
		Game #1 Tennessee Tech (0-0-0) at Memphis (0-0-0) Sunday, August 28 • 1:00 p.m. Mike Rose Soccer Complex (3,000) • Memphis, Tenn. This Weekend Memphis opens the 2005 season by playing host to Tennessee Tech for the second straight year. The Tigers and Golden Eagles kick off at 1:00 p.m. The Lady Tigers will be the second Memphis athletic team to open the season this year, after the Volleyball team opens with matches on Friday and Saturday. Looking Ahead The Lady Tigers will travel to Birmingham, Ala. for a tournament being hosted by Samford next weekend. On Friday, September 2, the Tigers take on the host Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m., followed by a game against Evansville on Sunday, September 4 at 11:30 a.m. The matchup against Evansville will also be the second straight year that the Tigers have faced the Purple Aces and it will also be Memphis' first regular season neutral field game since the 2002 campaign. Series vs. Tennessee Tech Memphis is 1-1-0 all-time against the Golden Eagles, with each team having won on its home field. Tennessee Tech won the first contest in the series in 2001 in Cookeville by a 1-0 score on October 10. Last season, the Tigers evened the series with a 2-0 win at Mike Rose on September 10. Last Year vs. Tennessee Tech Memphis improved its record to 5-1 with the 2-0 win over the Golden Eagles. Caroline Barrett scored the game-winning goal just 6:32 into the game off an assist from Robyn Smart. Carla Scanniello made it 2-0 just over 21 minutes in. The Tigers outshot TTU 18-9 and held an advantage in shots on goal 9-2. Natalie Haerens recorded the shutout in goal with two saves. Scouting Tennessee Tech This will be the second game of the year for the Golden Eagles, who are on a two-game weekend roadtrip to open their season that took them to Ole Miss on Friday night. Last year, TTU had a 7-6-4 record last year, but just a 2-3-3 record in the Ohio Valley Conference, which placed them in seventh place. In the preseason poll, Tech was picked fifth in the 10-team OVC. The Golden Eagles return their top five point scorers from last year, including leading scorer Jill Burns (11g, 2a, 24p). They also add freshman Hannah Bromley, who is a member of the New Zealand National Team. TTU tied with Western Kentucky 3-3 in its only exhibition contest. The Coaches Brooks Monaghan (Memphis, 1994) is in his sixth year as head coach at Memphis, where he holds a 39-52-5 career record. Prior to his tenure as head coach, he was the assistant coach in charge of goalkeepers for five years, serving since the program's inception in 1995. Just the second head coach in program history, Monaghan became the program's all-time winningest coach last year with his 35th career win. Carrie Proost (James Madison, 1995) is in her second season as head coach at Tennessee Tech. She led the Golden Eagles to a 7-6-4 record in her first season as a head coach. She was an assistant coach at Virginia Commonwealth and James Madison prior to coming to TTU. For Starters Memphis is 4-6-0 all-time in season openers. The Tigers won their season opener last season, which also came on the final Sunday in August, at Alabama A&M by a 4-0 score. Home Openers Memphis holds a 6-3-1 record all-time in home openers. Memphis has lost its last two home openers, including last year to Middle Tennessee, but prior to that, was undefeated in home openers from 1996-2002, which included winning five straight wins from 1996-2000. In-State Battle Today's game against Tennessee Tech will be the 27th game in program history against an in-state opponent. Memphis holds a 17-9 all-time record against other schools from Tennessee. Today's game will the first of three this year against teams from Tennessee. Memphis vs. The OVC Tennessee Tech will be just the first of four opponents that Memphis will face from the Ohio Valley Conference this year, the most of any league in non-conference play. Last year, the Tigers played two OVC opponents, Tennessee Tech and UT-Martin, who they will also play this year, and went 2-0. In its history, Memphis is 8-4-1 all-time against members of the OVC. Where's the Offense One of the things the Tigers will be looking to find this year is some offense to replace exactly 75 percent of the scoring from last year. Memphis recorded 84 points last year (28g, 28a) but lost five of its top six point scorers from last year. The 10 returnees that played last year combined for exactly 25 percent of the points recorded by the Tigers last year (21 of 84). Melton's Return to Bolster Defense Memphis set a school record for team goals against average last year at 1.19. However, the Tigers lost three defenders to graduation and a goalkeeper that started 15 of 19 games last year. One very valuable addition to the defense, however, is senior Courtnee Melton, who missed the last eight games last year with a knee injury. Below is a comparison that shows how important Melton was the Tiger defense. With Melton Games GA GAA Sho. Rec. 11 7 0.63 6 8-3-0 Without Melton Games GA GAA Sho. Rec. 8 16 1.96 1 3-5-0 Get Back There Last year, then-junior Robyn Smart was moved from forward and midfield, where she had played her first two seasons, to defense. She responded by helping contribute to the school record 1.19 GAA and also managed to record six points on a goal and four assists. This year, two more players, junior Beth Keating and sophomore Halley Jo Sullivan, will be moving from midfield back to defense as well in an effort to improve the depth in the backfield after three graduations. McLeod Returns After Year Off Junior Nicky McLeod is returning to the active roster this year after sitting out last year as a redshirt while recovering from a torn ACL suffered during the spring season of 2004. McLeod, who was a 2003 All-Conference USA selection at midfield, was also a preseason All-C-USA pick last year and was named to the C-USA Preseason Players to Watch List this year. Conference Champions Memphis will play four opponents this year that won either their conference regular season or tournament championship last year. Samford (9-2) won the regular season Ohio Valley Conference Championship, Middle Tennessee (9-18) was the regular seasons champs of the Sun Belt, UAB (10-15) was the tournament champions of Conference USA in 2004, while SMU (10-30) won both the regular season and tournament championships in the WAC. Additionally, both Rice and UCF finished in second place in their respective conferences in both the regular season and conference tournament. Recruiting Class Ranked Highest Ever at Memphis The incoming recruiting class of this year, consisting of 14 freshman and one sophomore transfer, was ranked 27th in the country by Soccer Buzz, the highest ever ranking for Memphis. The Tiger newcomers were the highest ranked team in Conference USA in the rankings and they were also ranked eighth in the Central Region. Below is a list of how other C-USA teams ranked in the national rankings, followed by teams that were ranked in their region. National 27. Memphis 42. Rice 44. UCF 70. SMU 72. Tulane 76. UAB 96. UTEP Regional 8. Memphis (Central) 8. UCF (Southeast) 13. Rice (Central) 13. UAB (Southeast) 17. SMU (Central) 19. Tulane (Central) 23. UTEP (Central) 23. East Carolina (Southeast) From National Team to Memphis Three newcomers on the Tigers have come to Memphis with national team experience for their respective countries. Sophomore Asuka Kubota played on the Japanese Under-19 National Team, freshman Joanna Alexopulos played for the Canadian Under-17 National Team, while freshman Aika Young is a member of the Guam National Team. W-League Experience Freshman Joanna Alexopulos spent her summer playing with Toronto Lynx of the W-League. The W-League is part of the United Soccer Leagues, which is the largest organization of soccer leagues in North America. The USL sponsors both professional and amateur leagues in both the U.S. and Canada. The W-League is now recognized as the highest level of women's soccer in North America due to the WUSA folding a few years ago. Alexopulos saw action in 12 games for the Lynx, whose roster also included former Tiger Yuiko Konno. All-Americans Two members of the Tiger roster were named All-Americans at their previous school. Sophomore transfer Asuka Kubota was an NAIA All-American at Martin Methodist College last year while freshman Chloe James was a high school All-American as a senior at Roger Bacon High in the Cincinnati area. Alaskan Pipeline to Memphis Memphis has a very diverse roster, boasting representatives from 10 states and five countries. One of the more unique things about the Lady Tigers is that two members hail from the State of Alaska, which is remarkable considering that Memphis is over 4,000 miles from Anchorage, where both sophomore Halley Jo Sullivan and freshman Kate Murphy hail from. According to research conducted by Matt Beltz of the Memphis athletic media relations office, Memphis is one of only three Division I women's soccer teams in the country that have at least two players from Alaska on its roster. The only other teams in the country that have as many players from Alaska as Memphis are Montana and Valparaiso, which both have three players each from The Last Frontier. Improvement on the Road Last year, Memphis won its first three road games of the year, which was remarkably the first time in program history it had won back-to-back road games. Exhibition Contrasts The Tigers played two exhibition games last weekend in Indiana and put together two very contrasting performances on back-to-back nights. They fell to the Indiana Hoosiers 5-0 last Friday night but then rebounded to beat Indiana State 6-1 on Saturday afternoon. Both Shoko Mikami and Kylie Hayes scored two goals apiece in the win. From All Corners of the World For the second straight year, the Memphis roster has representatives from a number of different states and countries. Last year, the Tigers had players from 12 different states and five different countries on their roster and 40 percent of the roster was made up of foreign players. This year, Memphis has representatives from 10 different states and five different countries and just over 30 percent of the roster is made up of foreign players. Mike Rose is Home Once Again For the second straight year, the women's soccer program will play all of its home games at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex. Last year was the first year that all home games were played there after only playing conference games there for the previous two years. Home, Sweet Home Having a permanent home field can only serve to benefit the Tigers, as they have a much better record over program history at home at 50-41-5, as they have had a .500 record or better at home in seven of their 10 seasons. The road has not been as friendly, as Memphis is just 21-66-3 away from home in its history and is yet to have a road record of over .500 in any one season in program history.

08/26/05		KFC Football Fan Fest Set for August 27th -- Annual football kick off set for South Campus (GoTigersGo.com)
		The University of Memphis will host its annual KFC Football Fan Fest on Saturday, August 27th on the U of M South Campus. The kickoff will begin at 3 p.m. and will offer fans opportunities for games, autographs and pictures with their favorite Tiger football players until 5 p.m. In order to accommodate all the fans typically at the Fan Fest, we ask that fans limit autographed items to one per person. For more information, please call 901-678-4142. Tiger season football tickets are still on sale and can be purchased off the Tigers' official website at www.gotigersgo.com or by calling the ticket office at 901-678-2331.

08/26/05		UofM Notes (basketball, tennis, golf, soccer, volleyball) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact August 26, 2005 N.J. forward commits to Louisville -- Caracter: Pitino beat Calipari for 'my personal development' The plan, as Derrick Caracter described it last month, was simple. Chronologically, it was to go like this: Visit Louisville again. Visit the University of Memphis again. Pick a college. But unfortunately for the UofM, things didn't transpire quite that way. Because after revisiting Louisville over the weekend, Caracter decided to commit to Rick Pitino's Cardinals instead of John Calipari's Tigers, the 6-9 forward announced at a Thursday press conference. "It came down to two great coaches in the end, but I think Pitino was the best for my personal development," said Caracter, a New Jersey native ranked by Scout.com as the 13th-best prospect in the nation. "Coach Pitino's strong relationships with his players also impressed me." For Memphis, the development offered more bad news on the recruiting front. Caracter is the third prospect in the past three weeks to reject a scholarship offer from the Tigers and choose a different school. The others are Bolivar Central High's Wayne Chism (Tennessee) and Mitchell High's Brandon Powell (Florida). Regardless, Calipari and staff remain involved with multiple elite-level prospects. In fact, at least 10 of Rivals.com's Top 100 recruits in the Class of 2006 are still considering Memphis. They are: Thaddeus Young (No. 3), Stanley Robinson (No. 14), Derrick Jasper (No. 35), Willie Kemp (No. 46), Quincy Pondexter (No. 50), Hamaday N'diaye (No. 55), Tiki Mayben (No. 67), Lawrence Westbrook (No. 75), Jonathan Mandeldove (No. 92) and Pierre Niles (No. 94). Junior college standout Sonny Weems, originally from West Memphis, is another possibility. Hashim Bailey, a prep school standout form Wayne, N.J., is the lone UofM commitment thus far. The Tigers have at least five scholarships available, but they could sign as many as seven prospects under the impression that sophomore Darius Washington and/or freshman Shawne Williams might declare early for next June's NBA Draft. Hall of fame inductions Former Lady Tiger tennis standout Christina Ladyman will be inducted into the school's Hall of Fame next month. She'll join her late father, Henry Ladyman, who also played tennis at Memphis. Henry Ladyman's college coach, Tommy Buford, will come in from his home in Idaho to also be inducted. Golf tournament Former Tiger basketball player Detric Golden is holding a golf tournament at Plantation on Sept. 22 to raise money so his organization -- Golden Child Ministries -- can purchase its first van. "There will be a lot of familiar faces," Golden said. "People can expect to take a lot of shots because I don't think we'll have too many good golfers. But it will be an enjoyable day with good company." The tournament will feature an 8 a.m. shotgun start, and Golden is trying to register 22 teams at $300 each. There will also be a silent auction that morning featuring items from, among others, Penny Hardaway. Former U of M broadcaster Jack Eaton is scheduled to emcee the event. For more information, contact GCM at 644-2646. Briefly Former Lady Tiger basketball player Princess Swilley has been hired as an assistant coach at East Central Community College. ... The UofM men's soccer team will close its exhibition season tonight at 7 when it plays Lambuth at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex. The Tigers, ranked 27th nationally, open the regular season Sept. 3 against Centenary. ... The Memphis volleyball team opens its regular season today against Belmont in the Arkansas Invitational Tournament.

08/26/05		Williams set to purchase insurance -- Elite NCAA football players can seek $3 million policy (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 26, 2005 University of Memphis senior running back DeAngelo Williams, considered by several NFL Draft experts to be a top 10 pick in next year's draft, has applied for an exceptional student-athlete disability insurance policy offered through the NCAA which offers a maximum coverage of $3 million. Williams, a Heisman Trophy candidate and the UofM's career rushing leader, would be the first Tiger football player to seek such a policy since it first was offered 15 years ago. Disability insurance was initiated for exceptional student-athletes at NCAA institutions in football and men's basketball in October of 1990. Jeff Konya, the UofM athletic department's director of compliance, said Thursday he had received Williams's application and would fax it to the company that administrates the program for the NCAA -- ASU International, a Wakefield, Mass., company that specializes in the development and management of sports-related disability insurance programs. The program enables qualifying athletes -- as approved by ASU International -- to purchase a disability insurance contract with pre-approved financing. The program allows an athlete the opportunity to protect against future earnings loss as a professional athlete if a disabling injury or sickness occurs during his college career. Konya said ASU International seeks information from NFL draft analysts to determine an applicant's draft status. A player must be projected to go in the first three rounds to be eligible. Williams, who rushed for 1,948 yards and 22 touchdowns last season, is projected to go as high as fourth senior in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft by ESPN analyst Mel Kiper. Kiper listed Williams behind Heisman Trophy winner and USC quarterback Matt Leinart, Virginia offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Iowa linebacker Chad Greenway shortly after the 2005 draft. If a player is considered a candidate for the first three rounds, ASU Internatonal determines the amount of coverage -- up to $3 million -- based upon the player's specific draft projection. ''I don't think he'll have a problem getting approved,'' Konya said. ''The insurance starts at $3million (for the top picks) and goes down from there on a sliding scale. "He's obviously considered one of the top players (for the 2006 draft).'' Konya said he expects to hear back from a representative from ASU International ''by the middle of next week.'' Williams has encountered injuries each of the past two seasons, but none required surgery. He suffered a torn medial collateral ligament during a late-season game against Cincinnati in 2003 and missed the regular-season finale against South Florida and its bowl game against North Texas in New Orleans. Last year, Williams did not miss a regular-season game, but broke his right fibula in the third quarter of the team's GMAC Bowl loss to Bowling Green. ''This is not something where I said 'I need to get this in case I get hurt,''' Williams said. ''It was one of those things that Coach (Tommy West) presented to me and told me to take advantage of. So we (Williams's family) are going to take advantage of it and have it done before the first game.'' Applications must be received directly from student-athletes, parents, legal guardians or institutional representatives. If approved, the athlete is automatically eligible for a loan, if necessary, through U.S. Bank in Cincinnati. Williams would be obligated to repay the loan when any of the following transpires: he signs a professional contract; the disability benefits become available due to a covered injury or sickness or when the coverage is no longer in effect and the loan note matures. UofM assistant athletic director Eddie Cantler, a former athletic trainer, said he only recalls two Tiger athletes -- basketball players Penny Hardaway and David Vaughn in the early 1990s -- taking advantage of the program. Maximum coverage for men's basketball is $4.4million. West said he's had players -- at his previous coaching stops -- take advantage of the insurance program. ''Some people think it's something you should do,'' West said. ''And there are others that think, outside of spinal injuries, there are no career-ending injuries today. It's just kind of up to the individual and what he thinks.'' Extra points Tiger reserve defensive back Javar Pollard, a junior from Batesville, Miss., will be out 4-to-6 weeks recovering from a broken left collarbone suffered during a scrimmage earlier this week at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. ... The Tigers began working on their Ole Miss game plan Thursday in preparation for the season-opener Sept. 5 at the Liberty Bowl. ''We got a lot of time and we've got to be careful about how early we start 'em,'' West said. ''(Thursday) is the day you would normally start (preparations for an opener), but that's for a Saturday game. And with ours being on a Monday, we're starting a little early." -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

08/25/05		Princess Swilley Steps Into Coaching Ranks at ECCC -- Former Lady Tiger named assistant coach at East Central Community College in her native Mississippi (GoTigersGo.com)
		DECATUR, Miss. - Former Lady Tiger guard Princess Swilley was named the assistant women's basketball coach at East Central Community College it was announced by Warrior head coach Billy Smith, Thursday. Swilley, a four-year letterwinner for the Lady Tigers, capped her career in 2004, scoring exactly 1,000 career points while helping the Lady Tigers to the second round of the WNIT tournament. A native of Hazelhurst, Miss., Swilley battled through off-season shoulder surgery in her senior year to cap her career as the school's 16th 1,000 point scorer. She also finished her career with 251 assists, 179 steals and 266 rebounds. Swilley played in 113 career games, averaging 8.8 points and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 40.8 percent from the floor. She scored double digits in 51 career games and forced a steal in 84 games. One of the Lady Tigers' offensive cornerstones, she also handed out an assist in 92 career games. The Warriors are under first-year head coach Billy Smith after previous head coach Brad Hodge was hired at Birmingham Southern College in June. The Warriors finished 31-4 under Hodge in 2003-04 and won a Mississippi Junior College Athletic Association state title, the Region XXIII title and an appearance in the Elite Eight of the National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament. The Warriors were 20-10 last season and were runners-up in the Region XXIII tournament. Swilley becomes the third Lady Tiger from the past two graduating classes to move into the coaches ranks. Swilley's classmate, Jordie Soso, is currently in her second year as a graduate assistant coach at Christian Brothers University, while 2005 Lady Tiger graduate, Jennifer Sullivan, was named the assistant coach at Rhodes College last week.

08/25/05		Memphis Soccer Closes Preseason Schedule at Home with Lambuth -- Exhibition reunites Grant with former team (GoTigersGo.com)
		Exhibition Reunites Grant with Former Team University of Memphis men's soccer head coach Richie Grant will reunite with his former team Lambuth University in an exhibition match at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex on Friday at 7 p.m. Grant, who is in his seventh season at Memphis, began his head coaching career at Lambuth University in 1995. In four seasons at Lambuth (1995-99), Grant compiled a 53-29-2 record and won back-to-back Mid-South Conference Championships in 1997 and 1998. In his final season at Lambuth, Grant led the Eagles to the NAIA Region XI Championship. "I'm delighted at the opportunity to meet up with Lambuth again," Grant said. "I have nothing but praise for the university. It is where I began my head coaching career, and I believe my success at Lambuth provided me with the opportunity to coach at Memphis." The Lambuth match-up is the final exhibition game for the Tigers who begin their season at home against Centenary on Saturday, Sept. 3 in the seventh-annual Memphis-Diadora Tournament. Memphis is perfect through two exhibition games this season and has not lost at home since falling to Oral Roberts last year on Sept. 4, 2004. Since that time, the Tigers have gone 7-0 at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex. Lambuth Head Coach Takes on Mentor Lambuth University head coach Paul Conway will battle his former mentor and instructor, Memphis head coach Richie Grant. While Grant coached for Lambuth, he recruited Conway and brought him over from his native Ireland. Conway played for Grant at Lambuth from 1996-99, helping lead the Eagles to back-to-back Mid-South Conference Championships in 1997 and 1998 and the NAIA Region XI Championship in 1998. Conway then joined Grant at Memphis as an assistant for three seasons from 2000-2002 before taking the head coaching job at his alma mater in 2003. Memphis vs. Lambuth Memphis and Lambuth have never met during the regular season, but have met several times in preseason and spring competition. The last time the Tigers took on the Eagles came in the spring during the Tim McCage 7v7 Tournament hosted by Memphis. Lambuth beat Memphis 3-2 in the Tigers only loss in the tournament. The loss was only the second for Memphis in the spring with the other being against Major League Soccer's FC Dallas. The last full-team game against Lambuth took place in the spring of 2004 in the Memphis Cup. The Tigers beat the Eagles 7-0. Scouting Lambuth Competing in the NAIA affiliated Mid-South Conference,the Eagles finished 8-8 overall and 2-2 in league play to finish third in 2004. The team has a 133-108-8 all-time record and won the program's most season wins in 1997-98 with 15 under current Memphis head coach Richie Grant. Former University of Memphis assistant soccer coch Paul Conway serves as the Eagle's head coach. He is in his third year with Lambuth and has a 19-19 record. Last Week - Tigers Earn a Pair of Shutouts in Exhibition Play The Tigers began the 2005 season with a pair of 1-0 shutouts in exhibition matches against Christian Brothers University and Missouri State (SMS). At home against CBU on Saturday, August 20, senior Dayton O'Brien's corner kick goal gave Memphis its 1-0 victory. O'Brien bent one of his 10 corner kicks on the night into the net from the left side. The goal provided more than enough defense for the Tigers who after allowing only one shot in the first half held the Buccaneers to seven total shots in the game. The Tigers then traveled to Springfield, Mo., where they shutout Missouri State 1-0 on Tuesday, August 23, on a goal headed by sophomore midfielder Jared Britcher. Britcher's goal came off a well-crafted play involving three other Tigers. In the 58th minute, sophomore defender Michael Coburn drove the ball in from behind the defense to senior forward Andy Metcalf. Metcalf back handled the ball, dishing it to freshman forward Tripp Harkins who kicked a perfect cross to Britcher. For the second-straight game, the Tiger Irish Defense held the opponent scoreless with sophomore goalkeepers Gavin McInerney and Tyler Strom teaming up for their second shutout. Memphis In Top 30 Nationally to Begin Season For the first time ever in the program's history, Memphis opens the season nationally ranked. The Tigers come in at No. 27 in College Soccer News Top 30 poll. The U of M is one of three Conference USA teams to be ranked by CSN with SMU ranked at No. 10 and Tulsa at No. 15. UAB, Kentucky and FIU also received votes in the preseason poll. O'Brien Named to Hermann Trophy Watch List Senior midfielder Dayton O'Brien was named among the 25 players selected to the 2005 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List. The list, announced by the Missouri Athletic Club, was compiled by a panel of coaches from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). He is the first player from the University of Memphis to make the list. A list of 15 semifinalists for the award will be announced in early November, with the three finalists announced in December. The trio will be invited to St. Louis for a news conference and dinner held at the Missouri Athletic Club on Jan. 6, 2006, where the winner of the award will be revealed. The winner is determined through voting of NCAA Division I members of the NSCAA. O'Brien Selected to CSN Preseason All-America First Team Senior midfielder Dayton O'Brien was named to College Soccer News Preseason All-America First Team. O'Brien is the first Tiger player in the program's history to receive the preseason national honor. The selection comes after O'Brien became the first Tiger soccer player to earn All-America status after the 2004 season when he was named to the Second Team of both the CSN and NSCAA/adidas All-America teams. Joining O'Brien on the CSN All-America First Team is the C-USA preseason Defensive Player of the Year, Kentucky's goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum. C-USA preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year Leandro de Oliveira of UAB was a Second Team selection. Tiger Irish Defense When the Tigers open its 2005 season, the possibility is good for of an all-Irish defense. In its first two preseason games, all four Memphis starting defenders hail from Ireland. All-Conference senior Gary Connolly (Dundalk, Ireland) returns to stable the back while sophomore Michael Coburn (Dundalk, Ireland) is resumes his spot at right fullback. After playing primarily as a midfielder/forward during his junior season and in the spring, senior Cormac McArdle (Dundalk, Ireland) moves to left fullback to replace the departure of Mark Gourlay. Filling the hole left by the graduation of Justin Dyer, freshman Thomas Hyland (Dublin, Ireland) has settled into the center position. Through the first two exhibition games, the Tiger Irish Defense has held opponents scoreless and limited them to a combined six shots on goal. The 2004 defense led Conference USA in virtually every defensive stat and the 2005 backside looks to continue the tradition. Another ingredient that could figure in the mix is sophomore goalkeeper Gavin McInerney who is also from Dublin, Ireland. O'Brien Tabbed as Preseason C-USA Co-Offensive Player of the Year Senior forward Dayton O'Brien, the defending C-USA Offensive Player of the Year, and UAB's Leandro de Oliveira have been named the Preseason C-USA Co-Offensive Players of the Year. Kentucky senior goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum was chosen as the Preseason C-USA Defensive Player of the Year. O'Brien, a second team All-America selection, led the Tigers to their first C-USA Championship with eight goals on the season. He also enters the 2005 season holding the school record for career assists with 26. Senior forward Andy Metcalf also joins O'Brien on the C-USA Player's to watch list. Metcalf led the Tigers with 12 goals in 2004 and has compiled 27 goals and 7 assists in his career. Tigers Picked Third in C-USA Preseason Poll The defending Conference USA champion Tigers were selected to finish third in the conference by the league's coaches in the C-USA preseason poll. Under the guidance of 2004 C-USA Coach of the Year Richie Grant, Memphis won its first C-USA regular season and tournament championships in 2004, earning the program's second-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament with a 16-4-1 record. No. 7 SMU, under the direction of 2004 NSCAA/adidas Midwest Region Coach of the Year Schellas Hyndman, was selected to win the conference championship. The Mustangs posted a 16-4-1 overall record last season as they advanced to their 11th consecutive NCAA postseason appearance, and 20th out of the last 21 years. SMU was ousted in the third round of the NCAA Tournament by No. 14 Tulsa, who was picked second in the coaches' vote. The Golden Hurricane returns 13 letterwinners from a team that finished the season ranked No. 8 nationally and lost to national champion Indiana in the NCAA Tournament. Tigers Kick Off 2005 with Midnight Run With a midnight run on Wednesday, Aug. 17, the Tigers kicked off its training for the 2005 season. Not much has changed from last year for the Tigers. Although the program is coming off its best season in school history, the team's approach remains the same. "Last year we played with the purpose to prove that we are a really good team," said Memphis head coach Richie Grant. "It was a team that was highly motivated and achieved a taste of success as a result. Our players want to continue with those experiences. They want to advance the program to a higher level than where we currently are. We're well aware that there is a lot more for us to do." After winning both the Conference USA regular and tournament championships in 2004, Memphis plans to build on its success with an experienced and talented team in a competitive realigned conference. In 2004, Grant took a team comprised of 14 freshmen and turned it into the 10th-most improved team in the nation from 2003. This year the Tigers again have a large freshman group with 10 signees joining the squad in the fall, but the team returns several sophomores with championship-playing experience and six upperclassmen with proven leadership abilities. "The quality and maturity of the players will ultimately determine the success of the team," Grant said. "We have a great balance of experienced veteran players mixed in with young players that played last year and got to experience winning a conference tournament." A Successful Spring The Tigers had one of their most succesful springs, finishing 9-2-1. Seven of the nine wins were shutouts as Memphis outscored its opponents 29-13. Six of the allowed goals came in a 6-2 loss to Major League Soccer's FC Dallas. The Tigers won both the Memphis Cup and Tim McCage 7v7. 2005 Schedule Three top 15 teams headline the 2005 fall schedule. The Tigers will face new Conference USA foes No. 14 University of Tulsa and No. 7 Southern Methodist University as well as travel to meet No. 12 Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. After entering the NCAA Tournament for only the second time in school history, Memphis hopes to make a repeat appearance with a stronger schedule. As the returning C-USA regular season and tournament champions, Memphis will face an entirely revamped conference schedule. Gone this year from C-USA are Charlotte, Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, Saint Louis and South Florida. Taking their place to join Memphis, East Carolina and UAB are Tulsa, SMU, South Carolina, Kentucky, Marshall, Florida International and Central Florida. Five of the seven incoming schools competed in the NCAA Tournament last year. Tigers in the NCAA Tournament Memphis played its first NCAA Tournament game since 1993 at No. 30 Ohio State in the first round. It is the second appearance in the program's history. The Tiger lost to Indiana in the first round of their previous appearance, 6-0. The 1-0 loss to Ohio State was the first meeting between the two schools. The Buckeyes received an at-large bid after tying with Indiana for the Big Ten regular season title. OSU was knocked out of the Big Ten Tournament in the first round by Michigan. Ohio State made its third NCAA appearance in five years. They then went on to upset No. 5 Notre Dame in the second round.

08/25/05		Volleyball Set to Open Season at Arkansas Invitational Tournament -- Tigers to face Belmont, North Texas and Arkansas in season-opening weekend (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis volleyball team will get the regular season athletic schedule underway when they travel to Fayetteville, Ark. to participate in the Arkansas Invitational Tournament. Memphis will open the season against Belmont on Friday, August 26th. Match time is scheduled for 5 p.m. Memphis will return to the court on Saturday for a pair of matches against North Texas at 2 p.m., before taking on the home team Lady Razorbacks in a 7 p.m. nightcap. The Tigers, who were picked to finish third in the Conference USA Preseason Poll, return eight letterwinners, including four starters and a pair of liberos. Nancy Nellans headlines a solid returning group after finishing second on the team in kills and digs a year ago. Alongside Nellans will be junior middle blocker Melissa Nance and sophomore outside hitter Ashley Liford, who downed 306 and 305 kills, respectively in 2005. Also returning are middle blockers senior Fehi Tuivai and sophomore Shelby Burton. Tuivai paced the team with 98 total blocks, while Burton led the team and ranked third in Conference USA with a .336 hitting percentage. Friday's meeting with Belmont will mark the earliest start ever to a Memphis volleyball season. The Bruins were picked to finish second in the 2005 Atlantic Sun Preseason poll. 2004 A-Sun Coach of the Year, Deane Webb returns seven letterwinners from last year's team that posted a strong 21-8 mark and finished second in the A-Sun standings. BU returns a strong core, highlighted by A-Sun Freshman of the Year setter Colleen Nilson and senior Lindsey Copeland, who hammered a team-high 434 kills. Six of the Bruins' seven returnees started last year and recorded at least 100 kills. North Texas enters the season on the heels of a 7-23 mark in 2004. The Mean Green returns eight letterwinners, four of which saw action in starting roles last year. A young squad, UNT showcases just one senior on this year's team in Brittany Gregory. Gregory led the team with 335 kills (3.22/game), and 82 total blocks in 2004. Junior setter Heidi Johnson returns after passing out 1,108 assists. The Mean Green was picked to finish third in the Sun Belt's West Division standings. After claiming the SEC West title and making an appearance in the 2004 NCAA Tournament, the Lady Razorbacks look for another strong campaign with the return of nine letterwinners and four starters. Arkansas went 17-16 overall and 10-6 in SEC action last year. The Lady Razorbacks are led by junior outsides Denitza Koleva and Kele Brewer. The duo downed 344 and 339 kills, respectively in 2004. Also returning for the U of A is 6-2 middle blocker Karla Crose. The senior pounded 224 kills, while coming back as the Ladybacks leading blocking threat with 182 a year ago. The Arkansas defense should be solid with libero Ashley Miller back for the sophomore campaign. Miller led the team with 510 digs in her rookie season. The Lady Razorbacks are guided by Chris Poole, who has led the program to seven NCAA appearances in his 11 years as head coach. Memphis has fared well in season-openers under Head Coach Carrie Yerty. The Tigers have won two straight and seven of nine in Yerty's tenure. Overall Memphis is 19-15 in season-openers.

08/25/05		Byrne named Tigers' starting QB -- Confident junior separates himself from pack; West hasn't picked No. 2 (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 25, 2005 The auditions are over, at least for the No. 1 job. University of Memphis football coach Tommy West Wednesday named junior Patrick Byrne his starting quarterback for the Tigers' Sept. 5 opener against Ole Miss at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Byrne entered preseason camp two weeks ago atop the depth chart and held the position through four scrimmages, including one Wednesday at the Liberty Bowl that was closed to the media. Byrne was challenged by redshirt freshman Will Hudgens, a former Ridgeway High standout, and freshman Billy Barefield, a highly-regarded prospect who attended Evangel Christian in Shreveport, La. ''Patrick Byrne is going to be our starting quarterback,'' West said. ''He's earned it. I wanted to go through this camp and give Will and Billy a chance to compete. I felt like they deserved that. ''Patrick has withstood some competition and separated himself more. I think he's playing really solid right now. He's doing the things we ask him to do, and I'm very confident with him being our starting guy.'' A quarterback in high school in Brewton, Ala., Byrne has not had the opportunity to take a snap at the UofM. Danny Wimprine was the team's starting quarterback the past four seasons, shattering most of the school's passing records and helping the team to back-to-back bowls. After redshirting in 2002, Byrne spent the past two seasons handling kickoffs. He played quarterback in spring games and twice was named MVP, including a co-MVP award last spring. Since the preseason camp opener, Byrne has continued to make strides. ''I think he's more confident, and he's letting the ball go with better timing,'' West said. ''I said confidence first because I think that has a lot to do with it. Now that ball is coming out -- whether it's a three-step or five-step drop or play-action stuff -- the ball is coming out on time. ''I think he's done well, and I believe our football team believes in him. Now he's got to keep practicing -- and he will -- and get ready to go play in a game.'' Offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said Byrne has earned that confidence with his play. ''We've put him in a lot of different situations all over the field,'' Fichtner said. ''He's done well and his reactions have been consistent. He's done a good job stepping up in the pocket, and he has been good protecting the ball. He's been pretty consistent.'' After going 11-of-15 for 77 yards and a touchdown in Tuesday's abbreviated scrimmage, he was 8-of-13 for 76 yards in Wednesday's workout. ''It's been a consistent camp from my perspective,'' Byrne said. After a scrimmage last weekend at the Murphy Athletic Complex, West said Hudgens was showing signs of making the race competitive. But Byrne never relinquished his spot. ''As a quarterback, he is a lot more mature than the other guys because he's been in the system,'' West said. ''This will be his fourth year in the system. So he's been sitting in meetings and watching and learning for three years. He should be ahead of those other guys.'' As for Byrne's backup, West said the choice is not as clear. Hudgens, Barefield and possibly receiver Maurice Avery could see playing time at No. 2. Avery, a senior, was signed as a quarterback and played the position as a freshman before moving to receiver. Considered the team's top receiver, he appeared briefly at quarterback in Tuesday's scrimmage. ''We have not decided on a backup quarterback,'' West said. ''We'll just have to keep going. It's an either/or/or situation. It could be Maurice, Will or Billy right now.'' If he uses a quarterback other than Byrne in a game, West said the choice could depend on the situation. ''Are we ahead, or we behind, are we protecting the lead, or are we trying to come from behind,'' West said. ''It could be a situational thing, particularly in this first ball game because we've got a game, then an open date, then Chattanooga and then we've got to go to Tulsa. ''There's a period of time here of almost three weeks before we really have to have a solid backup quarterback. We've just to be able to play whatever hand is dealt us in the opening game and the Chattanooga game. I hope by after Chattanooga the direction we want to go is cleared up. But we are going to have a plan for whatever.'' Extra points West said Wednesday's closed scrimmage was a productive one. ''We just had a really good day,'' West said. ''The guys brought their thinking hats and really tried to pay attention to detail. I was really pleased when we left (the stadium). It was a focused atmosphere. And we got a lot done.'' ... Among the defensive highlights in the scrimmage were a fumble recovery from freshman defensive tackle Ryan Williams, an interception by linebacker Greg Hinds and a sack by defensive end Marcus West. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543 ----------------------------------------------- The Tigers' QB Depth Chart Starter Patrick Byrne, 6-1, 213, Jr. Backups (listed alphabetically): Maurice Avery, 6-1, 214, Sr. Billy Barefield, 5-10, 170, Fr. Will Hudgens, 6-4, 223, Fr.

08/25/05		U of M football players thrill kids at Farmington (Commercial Appeal)
		By Barbara Taylor Special to Germantown Appeal August 25, 2005 The children of Farmington Presbyterian Church's summer camp had the privilege of having two University of Memphis football players, Will Hudgens and Trey Adams, as their counselors this summer. On July 15, Trey and Will invited Tigers players DeAngelo Williams, Maurice Avery, Derek Clenin, Wesley Smith and Brett Russell to the center. The invited guests talked to the children about their practice sessions, attending classes, etc. The children were given the opportunity to ask questions. The seven players did an autograph session that was enjoyed by all. It was a pleasure and privilege for all the children and adults to meet and visit with such outstanding young men. We thank them for sharing their time and thoughts with us. Barbara Taylor is director of the Farmington Presbyterian Church's summer program.

08/24/05		Fortin-Simard Bows Out in First Round of Match Play at U.S. Amateur -- Drops closely-contested match 1 up to fellow Canadian (GoTigersGo.com)
		Ardmore, Pa. - Memphis sophomore Keven Fortin-Simard was defeated by fellow Canadian Ryan Yip 1 up in the first round of match play on Wednesday at Merion Golf Club. The match was extremely close throughout, as neither golfer led by more than two for the entire match and went all 18 holes. Fortin-Simard won the first hole and led through the first three. The matched evened up at #4, Yip took the lead after #5, it evened up again at #6, before Fortin-Simard took the lead again through #7 and #8. The front nine ended with Yip winning #9 to even up the match again. Things remained square through #11 but after Yip took the lead on #12, Fortin-Simard would not lead again, trailing by either one or two shots the remainder of the way. He trailed by two after #16 but won #17 to give himself a chance to force a playoff by winning #18. Fortin-Simard hit his approach shot over the green on the 505-yard par four 18th hole while Yip left his short short of the green. Yip hit first and hit the flagstick with his shot, dropping the ball just a few feet short of the hole for an easy par putt. Fortin-Simard, knowing he had to make the birdie putt from off green in the second cut of grass to win the hole and force a playoff, putted hard and the ball hit the back of the cup, jumped up, and trickled past the hole several feet, leaving both players with par putts, which were both conceded, leaving the final margin at 1 up in favor of Yip. This week at the U.S. Amateur capped a busy summer for Fortin-Simard, who won the Quebec Amateur last month as well as the U.S. Amateur qualifier in Syracuse, N.Y. Last week, he also played in the Canadian Amateur, which runs under the same format at the U.S. Amateur, and lost in the second round of match play. Fortin-Simard was one of just four golfers in the field to shoot under par in his stroke play round at Merion, despite not having had a single practice round. Fortin-Simard will now drive from Philadelphia to Memphis to arrive for the beginning of classes next Monday. He and his Tiger teammates will open their fall season by playing in the Minnesota Collegiate Invitational September 17-18 in Wayzata, Minn.

08/24/05		Tiger Football Camp Update...Aug. 24, 2005 -- Tigers have closed scrimmage and show improvement (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The Tigers had a closed scrimmage this morning at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium and Coach Tommy West appeared to be pleased with the level of intensity and focus. The scrimmage lasted for about 83 plays. Quarterback Patrick Byrne had a good showing, going 8-of-13 for 76 yards. His long play of the day was a 24-yard pass to Maurice Avery. Avery finished the day with four catches for 41 yards. DeAngelo Williams had four carries for 22 yards while Jamarcus Gaither had seven carries for 14 yards. Defensive highlights included a fumble recovery by Ryan Williams and an interception by Greg Hinds. Marcus West also recorded a sack for a loss of 12 yards. Kicker Stephen Gostkowski booted several field goals, including ones for 41, 39 and 32 yards. The Tigers came back later in the evening for a practice of almost two hours. The countdown is on for the KFC FanFest which will take place Saturday at South Campus from 3-5 p.m. Players and coaches will be available for autographs and there will be some food and beverages provided. Because of the number of fans that have attended in the past we are asking that people limit their autograph pieces to one per person so that as many fans as possible will have the opportunity for an autograph.

08/24/05		O'Brien Named to Hermann Trophy Watch List -- Memphis native among list of 25 (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 MEMPHIS - Senior University of Memphis men's soccer midfielder Dayton O'Brien was named among the 25 players selected to the 2005 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List announced on Wednesday. The list, announced by the Missouri Athletic Club, was compiled by a panel of coaches from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). O'Brien enters his senior campaign after ranking fourth in the nation in assists per game in 2004. The native of Memphis who prepped at Evangelical Christian set a new Tiger record with 14 assists, helping the U of M win its first ever Conference USA regular and tournament championships. O'Brien also shattered the school's all-time assist record of 22, compiling 26 in his three years at Memphis. He is one of three Tigers who have scored 20 goals and 20 assists with Memphis, the last to do so being Rogerio Lima in 1997. The reining C-USA Offensive Player of the Year, O'Brien was selected to College Soccer News' Preseason All-America First Team. He has also been named as the C-USA Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year along with UAB's Leandro de Oliveira who was also named to the Hermann Trophy Watch List. A list of 15 semifinalists for the award will be announced in early November, with the three finalists announced in December. The trio will be invited to St. Louis for a news conference and dinner held at the Missouri Athletic Club on Jan. 6, 2006, where the winner of the award will be revealed. The winner is determined through voting of NCAA Division I members of the NSCAA. Men's 2005 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List Compiled by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Player, Class, School, Hometown Gerardo Alvarez, Jr., Northwestern, Aurora, Ill. Medhi Ballouchy, Jr., Santa Clara, Casablanca, Morocco Blake Camp, Sr., Duke, Danielsville, Ga. Greg Dalby, Jr., Notre Dame, Poway, Calif. Leandro de Oliveira, Sr., UAB, Bryan, Texas John DiRaimondo, Jr., Saint Louis, St. Louis, Mo. Jason Garey, Sr., Maryland, Gonzales, La. Matt Groenwald, Sr., St. John's, Mt. Prospect, Ill. Patrick Ianni, Jr., UCLA, Lodi, Calif. Julius James, So., Connecticut, Maloney Gardens, Trinidad Scott Jones, Jr., UNC-Greensboro, Dallas, Texas Sacha Kljestan, Jr., Seton Hall, Huntington Beach, Calif. Mpho Moloi, Sr., Connecticut, Soweto, South Africa Justin Moose, Sr., Wake Forest, Statesville, N.C. Dayton O'Brien, Sr., Memphis, Memphis, Tenn. Dominic Oduro, Sr., Virginia Commonwealth, Accra, Ghana Randi Patterson, Jr., UNC-Greensboro, Hackensack, N.J. Jacob Peterson, Jr., Indiana, Portage, Mich. Brian Plotkin, Sr., Indiana, Lisle, Ill. Tyler Rosenlund, So., UC Santa Barbara, Port Coquitlam, B.C. Jeff Rowland, Sr., New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M. Nathan Sturgis, So., Clemson, St. Augustine, Fla. Michael Videira, So., Duke, Milford, Mass. Marvell Wynne, So., UCLA, Poway, Calif. Jed Zayner, Jr., Indiana, Overland Park, Ill.

08/24/05		Tiger Tennis to Face 11 Ranked Opponents in 2005-06 -- Tigers return four letterwinners for upcoming season which finds four top 20 teams on the schedule (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The No. 73 ranked University of Memphis men's tennis team will face 11 ranked opponents on its 2005-06 regular season schedule it was announced by head coach Paul Goebel, Wednesday. Included in those 11 ranked teams are four top 20 teams from the NCAA ranks and the No. 3 ranked team in the NAIA. Memphis will open its 2005-06 season with a fall tournament at Middle Tennessee, the No. 36 ranked team in the country. From one ranked opponent hosting a tournament to another, the Tiger schedule will then veer eastward to the Virginia Fall Classic. Virginia ended last year the No. 5 ranked team in the nation. Virginia advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships last year, falling 4-1 to UCLA. Memphis will then host the ITA Southeast Regional for the third consecutive season, as the top ranked singles and doubles teams from Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Florida all travel to Memphis in search of a tournament win that qualifies them for the ITA All-America Championships. The Tigers will wrap up the fall schedule by participating in the USTA Future #27 tournament in Baton Rouge, La. The spring schedule opens at former C-USA member USF, participating in the USF Invitational in Tampa, Jan. 13-15th to get in some early team play. Memphis then opens its 2006 home portion of the schedule against Samford, Jan. 27th, beginning at noon. The Tigers will then embark on a four-match road swing through Tulsa, Okla., playing at Oral Roberts, No. 17 Oklahoma State, No. 48 Tulsa and facing No. 45 Oklahoma before returning to the state of Tennessee and traveling to face No. 11 Tennessee and No. 32 Vanderbilt to wrap up a six-match road trip. Memphis will then host UT-Martin on Feb. 16th, before traveling to Orlando, Fla. to face new C-USA opponent UCF and long-time member East Carolina in a pair of conference contests. The Tigers will then head westward, facing Pacific (Calif.) at the University of Washington on Mar. 4th before facing the Huskies, the No. 14 ranked team in the country last year, the following day. The Tigers will wrap up the west coast trip with a match at No. 70 Oregon, Mar. 7th. Following a 10-day break in action, the Tigers will host Murray State on St. Patrick's Day, then will face No. 3 Ole Miss five days later in Oxford. Cal-Riverside will make its first-ever appearance on the U of M courts, Mar. 28th, before the Tigers venture to Dallas to face C-USA newcomer SMU, the No. 43 ranked team in the country last year, on April Fools' Day. Memphis will wrap its home schedule against Auburn-Montgomery, the No. 3 ranked team in the NAIA last year on Apr. 7th. The Tigers will then wrap their regular season with a pair of non-conference road matches, facing UALR on Apr. 12th, and No. 36 Middle Tennessee, Apr. 15th. The Conference USA Championships will be hosted by the University of Tulsa, Apr. 20-23rd. Memphis returns four letterwinners for the 2005-06 season, led by seniors James Spence and Alex Jago. Spence spent some time last season in the national doubles rankings, as he and Scott Felsenthal were ranked for two weeks. But the New Zealand native will have a new doubles partner in 2005-06 as Felsenthal is currently in law school in Nashville after graduating in May. Jago had a solid summer, participating in two ITA Summer Tournaments, and winning the consolation singles title at one of them.

08/24/05		Poor play cuts Tiger scrimmage short -- Livid West sends team back to campus to practice (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 24, 2005 The shotgun snap from center slipped through quarterback Will Hudgens's hands and bounced off the artificial turf surface behind him. As he scrambled to recover the loose ball, he inadvertently kicked it farther from the line of scrimmage. When the football finally came to rest -- in defensive lineman Cortez McCraney's possession at the defense's 29-yard line during Tuesday's University of Memphis scrimmage -- Tiger coach Tommy West lost his cool. And it had nothing to do with the hot, steamy, uncomfortable conditions Tuesday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. West was miserable because of what he had witnessed. There were turnovers inside the red zone, missed field goals, penalties, substitution problems and a dropped touchdown pass that would have covered 60 yards. So West huddled his team around him, chastised them for not being mentally focused and abruptly ended the scrimmage ... about 50 plays short of completion. He told the players to board the team buses and meet him back at the Murphy Athletic Complex to resume practice. ''I'm disappointed in us mentally,'' West said. ''We are a very weak football team. We've tried to push them. We've tried to have some tough days. We've been in pads for five days in a row, trying to push them, trying to make them better. And they are giving in to it right now. I can't shoot concentration and focus and want-to into them.'' West said his team will scrimmage again today at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, but, for the first time in his five years as coach, the session will be off-limits to media, boosters and parents of players. Scrimmages are routinely closed to the public, but open to those groups. With less than two weeks before the Tigers' opener at home against Ole Miss on Labor Day, West is trying to sell a sense of urgency to a team that incurred key losses at quarterback, on the offensive line and at wide receiver. ''I'm disappointed in the mistakes,'' West said. ''I want perfection. We want it to be absolutely perfect. That's what it will take for us to win. ''We lost a lot of people. We cannot make mistakes. We cannot get on the 14-yard line and have an offsides penalty. We can't get down at the goal line and snap the ball over the quarterback's head. We can't play run defense the way we're playing run defense right now. We've got to get better, and we've got to get better pretty quick. We don't have time.'' West said he had been encouraged by a 50-play scrimmage that ended Monday's practice. He had expected it to carry over into Tuesday's full-scale scrimmage. ''I had really hoped we'd come in here and it would be a lot better,'' he said. ''It wasn't. We don't come into the Liberty Bowl and play like that ... right now we're a bad football team, and I'm a bad football coach. It's my job to bring them down here and have them ready to go.'' West's explosion caught some of the players off guard, although they could see the frustration mounting. ''This is the first time I've seen him blow up like that,'' DeAngelo Williams said of West. ''But you can almost see it in his eyes, even when he has his (sun)glasses on. You can tell by his body language.'' Before the scrimmage came to an abrupt halt, there were several highlight-reel plays. Receiver Maurice Avery made a one-handed grab, reaching behind him, for a 20-yard pickup that led to Williams's 11-yard touchdown run. Two series later, Hudgens opened a 67-yard scoring drive by hitting 6-8 freshman Carlos Singleton for a 34-yard gain on a perfectly thrown post route. Five plays later, Hudgens hooked up with Earnest Williams on a slant for a 20-yard TD. Avery later scored on a 60-yard reception. Also scoring in the scrimmage were tight end John Doucette, on a 14-yard pass from quarterback Patrick Byrne, and running back Joseph Doss, on a 3-yard run. Both TDs came on drives that began at the defense's 14 and both came shortly before the miscue that ended the scrimmage. Byrne was 11-of-15 for 77 yards and a touchdown, and Hudgens was 6-of-11 for 71 yards and a TD. Avery had four receptions for 89 yards and a TD. DeAngelo Williams rushed 10 times for 38 yards and a TD, and Doss added 39 yards on eight rushes. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543 --------------------------------------------------- U of M Fan Fest The University of Memphis will host its annual KFC Football Fan Fest Saturday on the U of M South Campus. The event begins at 3 p.m. and will offer fans opportunities for games, autographs and pictures with their favorite Tiger players until 5 p.m. Fans are asked to limit autographed items to one per person. For more information call 678-4142.

08/24/05		Tiger Football Notes (Avery, TSF, practice, M. West) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 24, 2005 Star receiver may take on a backup QB role -- Avery began college career as a signal caller Senior receiver Maurice Avery, who began his college career as a quarterback, could return to the position, in some capacity, in his final season. Avery lined up at the position in Tuesday's scrimmage at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium for four snaps. ''We're trying to develop a package for Mo,'' West said. ''I'd really like for our second and third quarterbacks (Will Hudgens and Billy Barefield) to be playing better than they're playing, to be honest,'' he said. ''I'm not comfortable right now, so I have to exercise every option I think we have. So I think we have to prepare Maurice for that possibility. You got to have a plan for everything.'' Avery was a highly regarded quarterback coming out of McNair High in Atlanta and spent his first season as a backup to Danny Wimprine. He moved to receiver his sophomore season and led the team with 49 catches for 742 yards and eight touchdowns. ''Right now I don't think there's any secret that Will and Billy are not game ready,'' West said. ''I hope they get that way. We still have a week and a half before we play. But if they don't get that way, I'm not putting them out there.'' Giving back A portion of the Tiger Scholarship Fund's record donation total of $4.9 million during the fiscal year that ended June 30 came from a first-time donor with extremely close ties to the athletic program. Tiger football coach Tommy West donated $10,000 to the TSF, the fund-raising arm for the athletic program. Money donated to the fund goes into the general athletic fund and helps offset the cost of athletic scholarships. Scholarship costs were about $5 million for the 2004-05 year. ''I just thought it was the right thing to do,'' said West, beginning his fifth year as Tiger coach. West, 25-23 in four seasons at the U of M, has taken the program to back-to-back bowl games for the first time in its history. He was rewarded before last year's GMAC Bowl with a contract extension through 2009 and a boost in pay from $600,000 to $800,000. With seven wins this season West would become the fourth-winningest coach in the program's existence, passing Chuck Stobart (29-36-1) and Richard Williamson (31-35) and trailing Billy 'Spook' Murphy (91-44-1), Ralph Hatley (59-43-5) and Zach Curlin (43-60-14). No admittance Today's scrimmage at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium will be closed to the media, a first in West's stint at Memphis. West said he needs a players-and-coaches-only session with this team at this juncture of the preseason camp. ''I want to shut it so we can be with our football team with no distractions, no media, no parents, no Highland Hundreds, there's not going to be anybody but us,'' West said. ''And whatever it takes for us to get it right, we're going to get it right in the morning. If my dad calls and wants to come, he'll have to wait until the afternoon (practice).'' West ended Tuesday's scrimmage early and ordered the team back to the Murphy Athletic Complex to practice. Before the scrimmage ended, Tiger linebacker Quinton McCrary came down on his right ankle after attempting to intercept a tipped pass. He watched the practice at the complex on crutches with his ankle iced. The injury is not believed to be serious. DE on the list Tiger defensive end Marcus West has been named to the updated watch list for the Rotary Lombardi Award, which honors offensive and defensive linemen. West is one of 123 players on the updated list. West, a senior, was a second-team All-Conference USA selection in 2004 after finishing with six sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss among his 52 stops. The Lombardi Award winner will be announced Dec. 7 in Houston.

08/24/05		U of M player in match play at Amateur (Commercial Appeal)
		From Staff and Wire Reports August 24, 2005 An astonishing round of golf at one of the country's most prestigious courses helped University of Memphis sophomore golfer Keven Fortin-Simard of Canada take one of the top seeds going into match play at the U.S. Amateur in Philadelphia. Fortin-Simard shot a 5-under 31 on the front side at Merion Country Club, including an eagle 3 on the second, and hung on for a 1-under par 69 to tie for fifth, at 1-over par 141, after the two rounds of stroke play. Another Canadian, James Lepp, took medalists honors after a 65 at Philadelphia Country Club put him at 5-under for two rounds. The other Memphis-area player into match play is West Memphis's Jordan Payne, an incoming freshman at Arkansas whose 2-over 72 at Merion on Tuesday put him at 5-over. Area players who did not make the 64-man match-play field: Clayton Ellis (10-over), Danny Green (11-over) and Brice Bailey (13-over). Lepp, the NCAA individual champion this year as a junior at Washington, and Eastern Michigan senior Korey Mahoney were the only players to break par in qualifying for the 64-man match-play tournament on Merion's Hugh Wilson-designed East Course. "I had a good round yesterday, but I wanted to have a positive outlook today," Lepp said. "There are so many players in the field that a little hiccup here and a little hiccup there and you could get near the cut line even though I had a good round yesterday."

08/23/05		Memphis Soccer Shuts Out SMS 1-0 -- Strong defense and creative scoring drive give Tigers victory (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - A goal headed by sophomore midfielder Jared Britcher helped the University of Memphis men's soccer team defeat Southwest Missouri State 1-0 on Tuesday night at the Cooper Sports Complex. The goal came off a well-crafted play involving four Tigers. In the 58th minute, sophomore defender Michael Coburn (Dundalk, Ireland) drove the ball in from behind the defense to senior forward Andy Metcalf (Jackson, Tenn.). Metcalf back handled the ball, dishing it to freshman forward Tripp Harkins (Jackson, Miss.) who kicked a perfect cross to Britcher (Knoxville, Tenn.) who then headed in the lone goal. "The scoring play was a lovely bit of futbol," said Memphis head coach Richie Grant. "The set up of the drive was very creative. Britcher was great tonight. He covered a lot of ground and was superb in the tackle and in the air tonight. He has started the season the way he ended the spring." The Tigers complete a 1-0 shutout for the second-straight time. Led by seniors Cormac McArdle (Dundalk, Ireland) and Gary Connolly (Dundalk, Ireland), sophomore Michael Coburn (Dundalk, Ireland) and freshman Thomas Hyland (Dublin, Ireland), Memphis held SMS to 10 shots. The Bears were limited to four shots in the second half and only one shot on goal in the first half. "Our defense once again was rock solid," Grant said. "It didn't concede many opportunities against a good division I team. Our defenders worked all night and they are proving to be solid as a unit. As it was last year, our team defending is very strong this year." Sophomore goalkeeper Gavin McInerney (Dublin, Ireland) played the first 60 minutes and captured one save. Sophomore Tyler Strom (Thornton, Colo.) completed the final 30 minutes of the shutout, saving three SMS opportunities. Memphis returns home to host Lambuth in its final exhibition game at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex on Friday at 7 p.m. The Tigers game will take place following the Lady Tigers exhibition game against the alumni at 5 p.m. Tickets for the game are $5 for adults, $3 for youth and free for children under six and U of M students with student ID cards.

08/23/05		Fortin-Simard Finishes Fifth in Stroke Play; Advances to Match Play at U.S. Amateur -- Was one of only four golfers to shoot under par at Merion Golf Club (GoTigersGo.com)
		Ardmore, Pa. - Keven Fortin-Simard shot a two round score of one-over par 141 to finish the stroke play portion of the 105th U.S. Amateur in a tie for fifth place and advance to match play, which begins Wednesday morning at Merion Golf Club. He tied with four other golfers for fifth. Fortin-Simard was one of just 20 players out of 311 that shot under par in the second round with a one-under 69 at the tougher Merion Golf Club after shooting a two-over 72 at Philadelphia Country Club yesterday. He also led the entire field for a brief period of time after finishing his front nine in which he shot a five-under 31 score to bring his total to three under par. The 31 included an eagle on the par five second hole and a string of three straight birdies on holes 6-8, all par four's. He ran into some trouble on the back nine, however, shooting a seven on the par four 12th hole and also having two other bogeys to go along with just one birdie for a four-over 38 score. For the two days of stroke play, Fortin-Simard had one eagle, eight birdies, 18 pars, eight bogeys, and one triple bogey. He was one of just four players in the 311 man field that was able to break par at Merion. This all came despite not having a single practice round, since traffic caused him to miss his flight from Montreal to Philadelphia, delaying his arrival to Philadelphia by a day. Fortin-Simard was given the eighth seed in the match play pairings and will be matched against the 57th seed, which will be determined by a Wednesday morning playoff. His match is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. eastern time. The playoff scheduled for the morning will have 19 players competing for 17 spots in match play. Clayton Ellis shot a second round of six-over 76 at Philadelphia Country Club to finish in a tie for 114th at 10-over 150 (74-76). He finished four strokes shy of making the cut. He posted identical two-over par 38s on both the front and back sides. Incoming freshman Josh Ray improved upon his first round score but still finished well atop the cutline, finishing with a two-day score of 25-over 165 (87-78) after shooting an eight-over 78 at Philadelphia Country Club. There will be television coverage tomorrow of the first round of match play. The Golf Channel will carry two hours of live coverage from 2:00-4:00 p.m. central time.

08/23/05		Marcus West on Lombardi Award Watch List -- Tiger defender among 123 players listed as hopefuls for the award (GoTigersGo.com)
		The Executive Committee of the Rotary Lombardi Award has released the updated version of their official Watch List, featuring the names of 123 players. The preliminary 2005 list had been released in early May and contained 54 names. Included in this year's watch list is Memphis defensive lineman Marcus West. West was named to the All-C-USA Second-Team in 2004, and was Memphis' leading sack contributor through 12 games. He totaled six sacks for a loss of 43 yards. In 2004, he tallied 52 tackles, with 9.5 TFLs for 50 yards. He also had a forced fumble and a pass break up. He recovered his third career fumble in the win over Houston, and his fourth over Louisville. He was picked in March to NationalChamps.net's 2005 preseason All-America team as an honorable mention selection. The Rotary Lombardi Award will celebrate its 36th year of honoring the finest linemen in college football n December 7 at the Hilton Americas Hotel in Downtown Houston. All net proceeds from the dinner and related activities are donated to the American Cancer Society. Since the first dinner in 1971, nearly $3.1 million has been raised through the efforts of Rotarians and their guests This year's Watch List is divided up nearly equally, with 58 offensive players and 63 defensive players who meet the playing criteria currently on the list. To be eligible for the Rotary Lombardi Award, a player my play on the line of scrimmage (including tight ends on offensive) or must be a linebacker who lines up within five yards of the football. The 123 members of the Watch List earned a place on the Watch List by earning All-American honors at the end of the 2004 (or previous seasons), by being named to their respective All Conference team as selected by the conference's head coaches or by being named to one of the pre-season honor teams. Additional players will be added to the list, based on performance, prior to the start of the first round of voting at the end of September. Last year, two of the 12 semifinalists for the award were not included on the Watch List at the start of the 2004 season (Erasmus James and Jonathan Goddard), but were recognized for their performances at the start of the year. James eventually was one of the four finalists for last year's award. While the Watch List highlights players who have already received national recognition, any Division I player who meets the position requirements is eligible for initial consideration from the Rotary Lombardi Selection Committee. The Rotary Lombardi Award Selection Committee is comprised of over 500 members, including all past finalists, all Division I head coaches and a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The Rotary Lombardi Watch List is intended as a reference tool for the Selection Committee and is not intended in any way to represent the complete list of candidates for the 36th Rotary Lombardi Award. Alexander Rufus LB Oklahoma Baker Sam OG USC Bazuin Dan DT Central Michigan Beekman Josh OG Boston College Birdine Larry DL Oklahoma Blades H.B. LB Pittsburgh Blalock Justin OT Texas Boone Jessie OL Utah Boykin McKinley DT Mississippi Bray Trent LB Oregon State Brisiel Michael OL Colorado State Brooks Ahmad LB Virginia Brown Manaia DT BYU Bullock Toby OT Marshall Cannon Anthony LB Tulane Carrington Paul DE UCF Colledge Daryn OL Boise State Cook Ryan OL New Mexico Cottrell Jimmy LB New Mexico State Davis Bernard LB Troy Degory Mike C Florida Detering Will LB Washington State Dvoracek Dusty DL Oklahoma Eslinger Greg C Minnesota Ferguson D'Brickashaw OT Virginia Fifita Steve DL Utah Greenway Chad LB Iowa Hall Korey LB Boise State Hand Randy OL Florida Harris Aaron LB Texas Harris Clark TE Rutgers Haralson Parys DE Tennessee Havner Spencer LB UCLA Hawk A.J. LB Ohio State Hilliard Corey OG Oklahoma State Hodge Abdul LB Iowa Hoffschneider Dusty DL Wyoming Hopoi Manase DT Washington Howard Thomas LB UTEP Jackson D'Qwell LB Maryland Jackson Lawrence DE USC Jean-Gilles Max OL Georgia Jensen Cameron OL BYU Johnson Marcus DL Miami (OH) Joseph Davin OL Oklahoma Justice Winston OT USC King Jeff TE Virginia Tech Kennedy Ryan TE SMU Kiwanuka Mathias DL Boston College Koehl Wade LB Houston Koonce Richard LB East Carolina Kuresa Jake OL BYU Lawson Manny DL North Carolina State Leaders Nick DL Iowa State Lee Javan LB Northern Illinois Leffew Travis OT Louisville Lentz Matt OG Michigan Lewis Marcedes TE UCLA Lineberry Dylan OG North Texas Lips Aaron OL Louisiana Tech London Justin LB UCLA Love Grayling OL Arizona State Mahelona Jesse DT Tennessee Mangold Nick C Ohio State Mann Kurt C Nebraska Massaquoi Tim TE Michigan Matua Fred OG USC McCloskey Mike C UCLA McGarigle Tim LB Northwestern McGlover Stanley DE Auburn McIntyre Garrett DE Fresno State McNeill Marcus OL Auburn McSwain Larry DL UAB Mendenhall Mike DE Temple Miller Zach TE Arizona State Mills Garrett TE Tulsa Mineo Chris DL UTEP Mohoric Mike LB New Mexico Montgomery Will OL Virginia Tech Mozes Dan OL West Virginia Nande Terna LB Miami (OH) Ngata Haloti DT Oregon O'Callaghan Ryan OL California Osemwegie Moses LB Vanderbilt Palmer Tony OL Missouri Parker Marcus DL New Mexico Parrish Justin LB Kent State Philip Marvin C California Pope Leonard TE Georgia Raiola Donovan C Wisconsin Ralph Kyle OL North Carolina Ray Ranorris DL TCU Reid Nick LB Kansas Roach Freddie LB Alabama Ryans DeMeco LB Alabama Sears Arron OL Tennessee Scheffler Tony TE Western Michigan Scott Johnathan OT Texas Setterstrom Mark OG Minnesota Siler Brandon LB Florida Sims Ernie LB Florida State Snyder Cole LB Idaho Stenavich Adam OL Michigan Syptak John DE Rice Tapp Darryl DL Virginia Tech Thomas David TE Texas Thomas Joe OT Wisconsin Toone Spencer LB Utah Vallos Steve OL Wake Forest Van Acker Brian C Northern Illinois Wadkowsk John TE Wyoming Warren Rob OL Bowling Green Watson Gabe DL Michigan West Marcus DT Memphis Whitworth Andrew OL LSU Williams Kyle DT LSU Williams Mario DL North Carolina State Williams Travis LB Auburn Wilson Jon OL Air Force Winston Eric OL Miami Wright Rodrique DT Texas Wyche James DE Syracuse Yisrael Zarah OG Troy

08/23/05		Football Camp Update...Aug. 23, 2005 -- West disappointed in scrimmage (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - A day after Coach Tommy West left practice feeling good about the way the squad came out and worked hard and was focused, he left disappointed and brought the squad back to the complex for additional work after the scrimmage. The Tigers went back to the Liberty Bowl this morning for a scrimmage of about 62 plays. There were a couple of highlights, but once again there were excessive penalties. In the third series of the scrimmage, Patrick Byrne threw a 12-yard completion to Maurice Avery, and three plays later hit Avery again with a 20-yard completion. A seven-yard pass to Earnest Williams and then a two-yard run by Williams set up DeAngelo Williams' 11-yard touchdown run. Earnest Williams scored on the next series off a 20-yard pass from Will Hudgens that had been set up earlier by a 32-yard pass to Carlos Singleton and a couple of short gains by Joseph Doss. Byrne was 11-of-15 for 77 yards and one touchdown - a 14-yard pass to John Doucette, while Hudgens was 6-of-11 for 71 yards and a touchdown. Avery caught four passes for 89 yards and Carlton Robinzine caught three passes for 18 yards. On the ground, DeAngelo Williams gained 38 yards on 10 carries and Doss totaled 39 yards on eight carries and scored on a two-yard run late in the scrimmage. Jamarcus Gaither also totaled 25 yards on six carries. Defensive highlights included a sack of Byrne by Sam Brewer and Quinton McCrary, tipped passes by Wesley Smith and Marcus West, and a fumble recovery by McCrary. West called everybody to the center of the field and sent the group back to the Murphy Complex for an additional hour of practice. "I am just really disappointed in this team right now," said West. "We as coaches are pushing them as hard as we can, and they are just giving in. We are a bad football team right now, and I am a bad coach because it is my job to get these guys ready to play." The squad will have two practices on Wednesday, including another scrimmage at the Liberty Bowl that will be completely closed.

08/23/05		Big-play scrimmage encourages Tigers, West -- Five touchdowns, few mistakes follow tough workout (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 23, 2005 Freshman defensive back Deante Lamar didn't realize what he started. Midway through a 50-play scrimmage -- one that ended a University of Memphis early-morning preseason workout Monday at the Murphy Athletic Complex -- Lamar picked off a tipped Billy Barefield pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown. On the next play, the first-team offense sprinted onto the field and quarterback Patrick Byrne quickly dropped back and spotted receiver Ryan Scott behind the defense. Byrne hit Scott in stride for a 70-yard touchdown play. Some friendly back-and-forth taunting began. More big plays followed. Three plays after Byrne and Scott hooked up, All-America running back DeAngelo Williams -- who'd been the recipient of some verbal abuse by the defense for a relatively quiet preseason -- answered his critics. He took a handoff from Byrne and raced 48 yards down the left sideline for a TD. Big plays -- mostly absent from the team's first two full-scale scrimmages -- dominated the latter portions of the session, too. There was senior receiver Maurice Avery using his muscular, 207-pound frame to position himself for a 52-yard reception on a throw from second-team quarterback Will Hudgens. The defense ended that drive when freshman defensive back Bernard Key made an acrobatic interception at the goal line to deny another freshman, 6-8 receiver Carlos Singleton, a touchdown opportunity. Two plays later, it was Williams again breaking into the open, this time dashing 42 yards for the score. On the final play, freshman defensive tackle Ryan Williams scooped up a ball fumbled in the backfield by Brandon Stewart and went 30 yards for a TD. It was an encouraging sign for coach Tommy West, particularly when he recalled parts of what his team had endured the previous 16 hours. There was a rigorous late-Sunday workout in the intense heat and the defense battling through three periods of grueling Packer Day drills Monday morning before the scrimmage. ''We did all that after Packer Day and all the running involved (in those drills),'' West said. ''And what you saw was some of our players making plays. (Williams) made some, (Avery) made some and (Scott) made some. ''But behind them, some of our younger people are busting everything. Again, we had too many busts defensively ... from getting lined up to hitting the right gaps to adjusting to formations.'' There was one touchdown in the opening scrimmage Wednesday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium and only two plays of 20 or more yards. There were four touchdowns and three plays of 20 or more yards in Saturday's scrimmage at the Murphy Athletic Complex. Those were full-scale scrimmages with 80 or more plays. Even though Monday's scrimmage was abbreviated, it included six plays of 20 or more yards and five touchdowns. ''I liked their (effort),'' West said. ''They tried to push coming off a long, hot day Sunday. We worked them pretty good Sunday.'' Defensive tackle LaVale Washington said it was an impressive performance considering the amount of effort expended by the defense before the scrimmage began. ''I have never seen us come from Packer Day to a scrimmage and play like this,'' he said. ''There were no offsides penalties, no mistakes.'' Williams rushed six times for 119 yards and the two TDs. Avery caught three passes for 67 yards. Byrne was 5-of-8 for 95 yards and Hudgens was 2-of-5 for 51 yards. The Tigers will hold a full-scale scrimmage today at the Liberty Bowl. It's closed to the public. Extra points Ticket manager Melissa Moore said Ole Miss's allotment of 8,500 tickets has been sold for the Sept. 5 opener at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Coupled with the 19,376 season tickets sold as of Monday (and single-game ticket sales), Moore said ticket sales for the game are approaching 40,000 with two weeks before kickoff. A crowd of at least 50,000 is expected. ... Several players on the two-deep missed Monday's workout. Defensive tackle Van Houston (knee) and receivers Mario Pratcher (foot) and Taz Knockum (back) were held out. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

08/23/05		Tigers' Fortin-Simard leading locals in U.S. Amateur with 72 (Commercial Appeal)
		From Staff and Wire Reports August 23, 2005 It was a mixed day for area players in the first round of stroke-play qualifying at the 2005 U.S. Amateur in Philadelphia. Keven Fortin-Simard, a University of Memphis sophomore from Canada, managed the best score on Monday with a a 2-over 72 at Philadelphia Country Club, tying him for 44th place overall, but teammate Clayton Ellis, a former White Station standout, and Jackson, Tenn., veteran Danny Green may have bettered him by shooting 4-over par 74s at the much-tougher Merion Country Club layout. "This tournament now is a kids tournament," Green said. "It's about college-age players and how far they can boom it. But if the course gets firmer and faster, it will play into my hands. If a kid drives it 40 yards past me in the rough, that's not an advantage for him." Jordan Payne of West Memphis, an incoming freshman at Arkansas, shot 3-over 73 at PCC, while Brice Bailey of Ole Miss struggled with an 11-over 81 at Merion. Charlie Beljan of Mesa, Ariz., is in the lead after a 6-under 64 at PCC, while Mark Strickland of Woodstock, Ga., and Todd Mitchell of Bloomington, Ill., had the best rounds at Merion, 1-under 69s. Texas A&M senior Andrew Parr, Kent State senior Ryan Yip, Duke senior Ryan Blaum, Saint Mary's College (Calif.) junior Chandler Cocco and New Mexico senior Jay Choi were tied for second after 68s, all at PCC. The players will switch courses today, with the low 64 in the 312-man field advancing to match play on Merion's historic Hugh Wilson-designed East Course. The 36-hole final is Sunday. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Beljan, the 2002 U.S. Junior Amateur champion, had nine birdies and three bogeys. He recently returned from a two-month break because of two bulging discs in his back. Canadian Jason Lepp, the 2005 NCAA individual champion from the University of Washington, shot a 70 at Merion. U.S. Junior Amateur champion Sihwan Kim and young Walker Cup players Oliver Fisher and Brian Harman also got off to good starts. The 15-year-old Kim, from Fullerton, Calif., shot a 70 at Merion, while the 18-year-old Harman had a 71 at Merion, and the 16-year-old Fisher shot a 70 at PCC.

08/23/05		In the news -- Tiger soccer player an All-American (Commercial Appeal)
		Memphis soccer midfielder Dayton O'Brien was named to College Soccer News'S Preseason All-America first team on Monday. O'Brien, a former Evangelical Christian School standout, is the first Tiger player in the program's history to receive the preseason national honor. The selection comes after O'Brien became the first Tiger soccer player to earn All-America status after the 2004 season when he was named to the second team of both the CSN and NSCAA/adidas All-America teams. O'Brien became the all-time U of M assist leader last year when he racked up a school-record 14 assists to give him 26 in his three-year career, surpassing the previous record of 22.

08/22/05		Tiger Football Camp Update...Aug. 22 -- Tigers show better focus on Monday (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The Tiger football team showed improvement in their focus today as they had a double practice session. The squad came out at 6:30 a.m. and ran through about an hour and a half of practice before Coach Tommy West put the ball down to initiate a short scrimmage. The Tigers ran through almost 50 plays, and the highlights of the scrimmage were touchdown runs of 47 and 42 yards by DeAngelo Williams, as well as a 70-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Byrne to Ryan Scott. Williams totaled 119 yards on six carries, and Byrne finished the day having completed 5-of-8 passes for 94 yards and a solo touchdown. Will Hudgens had a long pass of 54 yards to Maurice Avery who ended the day with two catches and an 11-yard run. Bright spots defensively included a 38-yard interception return by Deante' Lamar in a pass thrown by Billy Barefield, and an interception in the endzone by Bernard Key off Hudgens' pass. The scrimmage ended with a fumble recovery and a 30-yard touchdown return by Ryan Williams. "We are pushing as hard as we can push these guys and it was a little better today," said West. "We saw some players make some plays today. I liked their push today and how hard they come out for the scrimmage even after practice and running. We came off a long, hot day yesterday and it was a good sign that they came out hard today." West also noted that receiver Maurice Avery is having the best camp that he has had in his career. West said he looks faster and stronger and is working like a leader. The Tigers came out in the early evening for a relatively light second session with about 12 periods of practice and 30 minutes of special teams work. The squad will head to Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Tuesday for a closed scrimmage that is expected to begin around 8:15 a.m. It will be the second chance for the players to experience the new FieldTurf surface.

08/22/05		Three Tiger Golfers Complete First Round of U.S. Amateur -- Fortin-Simard currently in position to make cut (GoTigersGo.com)
		Ardmore, Pa. - Three members of the Memphis men's golf team completed the first round of play at the U.S. Amateur on Monday. The first two rounds of the 105th Amateur Championship are being held at two different courses in the Philadelphia area. At the end of one round, one of the three Tigers, sophomore Keven Fortin-Simard, sits in a tie for 44th place, which is in position to make the cut after the second round. Fortin-Simard, who played his first round at the Philadelphia Country Club, shot a two-over 72 and is tied with 20 other golfers for 44th place. The top 64 players out of a field of 311 make the cut after the second round of stroke play and move on to match play beginning on Wednesday. Fortin-Simard shot an even par 35 with two bogeys and two birdies on the front side and two-over 37 on the back with four bogeys and two birdies. Senior Clayton Ellis kept himself in contention for making the cut by shooting a four-over 74 at the Merion Golf Club and is tied for 98th place with 26 other golfers. Ellis shot two-over par on both the front and back sides of the course to keep himself close to the cutline. The other member of the Tigers, incoming freshman Josh Ray, struggled and shot a 17-over 87 at Merion, putting himself in 301st place. The second round is tomorrow with each golfer playing the course that he did not play today. All of the match play from Wednesday through the final match on Sunday will be played at Merion Golf Club.

08/22/05		O'Brien Selected to CSN Preseason All-America First Team -- Memphis native becomes men's soccer program's first preseason All-American (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Senior University of Memphis men's soccer midfielder Dayton O'Brien was named to College Soccer News Preseason All-America First Team announced on Monday. O'Brien, a native of Memphis who prepped at Evangelical Christian, is the first Tiger player in the program's history to receive the preseason national honor. The selection comes after O'Brien became the first Tiger soccer player to earn All-America status after the 2004 season when he was named to the Second Team of both the CSN and NSCAA/adidas All-America teams. O'Brien became the all-time U of M assist leader last year when he racked up a school record 14 assists to give him 26 in his three-year career, surpassing the previous record of 22. His 0.67 assists per game average ranked fourth nationally in 2004. O'Brien also scored eight goals with four game-winners to help Memphis earn its first Conference USA regular season and tournament championships. He was named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year in 2004 and comes into the 2005 season as the league's preseason Co-Offensive POY. Joining O'Brien on the CSN All-America First Team is the C-USA preseason Defensive Player of the Year, Kentucky's goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum. C-USA preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year Leandro de Oliveira of UAB was a Second Team selection. College Soccer News 2005 Preseason All America Teams 2005 First Team Preseason All-America Jason Garey Sr F Maryland Randi Patterson Jr F UNC-Greensboro Jeff Rowland Sr F New Mexico Sacha Kljestan Jr MF Seton Hall Medhi Ballouchy Sr MF Santa Clara Dayton O'Brien Sr MF Memphis Blake Camp Sr MF Duke Trevor McEachron Sr D Old Dominion Patrick Ianni Jr D UCLA Jeff Curtin Sr D Georgetown Andy Gruenebaum Sr GK Kentucky 2005 Second Team Preseason All-America Aaron Chandler Jr F San Francisco Dominic Oduor Sr F VCU Jacob Peterson Jr F Indiana Scott Jones Jr MF UNC-Greensboro Greg Dalby Jr MF Notre Dame Leandro de Oliveira Sr MF UAB Justin Moose Sr MF Wake Forest Julius James So D Connecticut Jed Zayner Jr D Indiana Andy Iro So D UC Santa Barbara Andrew Kartunen Jr GK Stanford 2005 Third Team Preseason All-America Charlie Davis So F Boston College Alex Harrison Jr F Central Connecticut Willie Sims Jr F CS Northridge Gerardo Alverez Jr F Northwestern David Walters Sr MF Penn State Ryan McMahen Sr MF Michigan State Michael Videira So MF Duke Matt Wieland Sr D Creighton Brandon Owens Jr D UCLA Kyle Veris Sr D Ohio State Chris Dunsheath Sr GK Bradley

08/22/05		Men's Golf Team to Host College-Am on October 2 Prior to Memphis Intercollegiate -- Proceeds to benefit men's golf program (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis, Tenn. - For the second straight year, the Memphis men's golf program will host a College-Am tournament as part of the Memphis Intercollegiat. The College-Am, similar to a pro-am but with college players instead of professionals, will take place on Sunday, October 2, at Colonial Country Club South Course, prior to the Memphis Intercollegiate, which will be October 3-4, also at Colonial. Four different levels of sponsorship are available. Included in each sponsorship package are greens fees, a cart, range balls, an extensive gift package, snack and beverages on the course, and dinner and prizes. Registration begins at noon on October 2nd, followed by shotgun start at 1:00 p.m. Dinner and awards immediately follow play. In the tournament format, teams of four amateurs join up with one college player in a modified captain's choice best ball event. One player from each of the 15 teams entered in the Memphis Intercollegiate will be participating. The deadline for entry is September 15 and entries are limited to the first 24 teams. All proceeds from this event benefit the Memphis men's golf program. For more information, contact head golf coach Grant Robbins at 901-678-4136. An entry form is available at the Memphis athletics website www.gotigersgo.com.

08/21/05		Football Camp Update...Aug. 21, 2005 -- Tigers push through sweltering heat in afternoon session (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The Tigers battled a heat index near 108 degrees during a late afternoon practice session on Sunday. And here's some interesting numbers provided by the Athletic Training staff - the Tigers went through 300 gallons of water and 1400 pounds of ice for the session. The squad worked out once today for over two hours with special teams work following the team practice. Several Tigers are out with injury, including freshman quarterback Will Hudgens who injured his ankle in practice yesterday. Senior receiver Maurice Avery took a few snaps today, but Coach Tommy West does not intend to use Avery as a signal caller this season. "Having Maurice take some snaps today is more of an insurance policy," said West when asked by a local television station about spotting Avery with the quarterbacks. "We are not preparing him to be a quarterback, but we have him take a few snaps a day to keep him in the mix." Avery was a backup quarterback for the Tigers in 2002 as a freshman and completed four of his nine passes for 32 yards. He spent very little time with the QBs today and a majority of time leading the receiving corps. West indicate that he was pleased with the work he got out of the Tigers today. "Today was a little better," said West. "They worked harder, but we are still not there. This was probably one of the hottest days yet." When West was asked about the leadership on the field, he had this to say: "We are too young to have a bunch of leadership. To be honest I really don't care that much about that. Everybody needs to be pulling their own weight. Camp is a tough time and all we want is for everyone to be working as hard as they can. As coaches, we need to be the leaders. We have to help these guys fight through this." The Tigers will practice twice on Monday in preparation for their first game which will feature Memphis against Ole Miss on Labor Day. The game is slated for a 3:30 p.m. start and will be broadcast on ESPN.

08/21/05		West: Tigers not sharp mentally -- Offsides penalties aplenty; Hudgens stands out at QB (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 21, 2005 The message appeared to have gotten across. In the latter stages of Saturday's 100-plus play scrimmage at the Murphy Athletic Complex, University of Memphis coach Tommy West motioned for his team to join him at midfield, take a knee and listen intently. A scrimmage that had been marred by an inordinate amount of offsides penalties -- on both sides -- had West miffed. He asked for better concentration and a crisp final dozen plays. For a brief period, he seemed to have gotten his wish. The last segment opened with four consecutive completions by quarterback Will Hudgens, before another offsides penalty disrupted the flow. What followed were seven straight plays and no yards gained. A Patrick Byrne-to-John Doucette completion against the blitz led to a 43-yard pickup -- the biggest play of the scrimmage -- but it was followed by another mistake. Running back Jamarcus Gaither fumbled a handoff inside the 20. Cortez McCraney recovered and West blew his whistle for the final time. ''I thought that we had way too many offsides penalties,'' West said. ''We probably had eight or nine. That's mental. Mentally, right now, we are not a very strong team. I'd feel a lot better if we didn't have (the penalties). That would tell me we are a little more in synch and can concentrate when we're a little tired. ''I don't care if we went twice in pads (Friday) and got after 'em pretty good. I don't care. Neither does anyone we play. I would have liked to have seen us be a lot better mentally.'' The Tigers return to the practice field today and have two weeks to prepare for their season opener against Ole Miss on Labor Day at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. ''This is push time for everybody in the country,'' West said. ''Every football team in the country is pushing right now. We're not the only ones tired. We just think we're the only ones tired.'' West didn't excuse either side of the ball. While there were some bright spots on both sides -- receiver Maurice Avery had five catches for 76 yards, running back Joseph Doss rushed seven times for 42 yards and defensive back Javar Pollard returned a fumble 35 yards for a TD -- there were as many shortcomings. ''Defensively, we don't have near the intensity we need to have,'' West said. ''And offensive line-wise, we don't have the intensity they need to have. We have a long way to go.'' Tiger defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn was vocal throughout the two-hour session. He's trying to revive a unit that struggled last season, including finishing 114th nationally against the pass. Dunn's defense came up with Pollard's big play, McCraney's fumble recovery and several tipped passes. But there also were three pass interference calls, two during one series that led to a 33-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal. ''We've got to get a lot better,'' Dunn said. ''We're making too many dadgum mistakes. I think (West) hit the nail right on the head when he said they are going to have to get a lot bigger heart if they are going to win ballgames.'' What intrigued West about the scrimmage was the play of second-team quarterback Will Hudgens. Hudgens, a redshirt freshman from Ridgeway High, was 12-of-22 for 79 yards and a touchdown. He had two potential TD passes juggled in the end zone. Byrne, who has held the No. 1 job since the spring, was 10-of-18 for 89 yards. He rushed for two short TDs. ''Quarterback-wise, I thought Patrick was not very good mentally today,'' West said. ''I felt like Will Hudgens threw the ball probably the best he has thrown. I would love to see some competition right there. I would love to see it.'' West said Hudgens is ''a long way off from running our system, he's a freshman, but he looked a lot better throwing the ball and that caught my eye.'' Hudgens, who is 6-3, missed last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and didn't begin practicing with the team until last spring. ''I'm feeling a lot more comfortable within the offense, with all my calls and where I'm supposed to take the ball,'' Hudgens said. ''I'm much more comfortable than I was in the spring. In the spring I was always looking back (to the sidelines) and making sure what I was doing.'' -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

08/21/05		Tiger Football Notes: Pratcher, season tickets (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 21, 2005 Pratcher misses scrimmage -- Wide receiver out with hurt arch, but expected back soon Junior receiver Mario Pratcher did not participate in the scrimmage because of a sprained right arch. Also, reserve defensive back Jermaine Chambers went down early in the scrimmage with a bruised thigh, but the injury isn't considered serious. Pratcher, the co-MVP of the spring game, had a TD catch in the first scrimmage of the preseason Wednesday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. He had 15 catches for 185 yards last season and is considered to be one of the team's top receiving threats this fall. At Saturday's scrimmage, Pratcher wore a protective boot on his right foot. ''Pratcher has a little bit of an arch problem,'' coach Tommy West said. ''It had kept getting worse. It wasn't getting any better. So we'll probably hold him (out) until Monday because I don't want it to get any worse and then it end up being two or three weeks.'' Inching closer University of Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson said Saturday that football season tickets sales have moved closer to his goal of 20,000. Johnson said 19,400 had been sold as of Friday, or about 5,000 more than last year. He also said the 40 skybox suites on the stadium's east side are sold out. ''That's great,'' he said. ''Because people are buying tickets for the right reason (based on the Tigers' success).'' School officials expect a crowd of between 40,000 and 45,000 for the Labor Day game between the Tigers and Ole Miss at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Sports information director Jennifer Rodrigues said Saturday a full media contingent will attend. There are no seats remaining in the press box. Johnson also said the U of M's allotment of 5,500 tickets for the Tennessee game has been sold. The Tigers play the Vols Nov. 12 at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.

08/21/05		Sound off: Tiger Football (Commercial Appeal)
		Stop hating the Tigers; focus on your teams I am a huge Memphis fan, who currently lives in cowbell country (Starkville, Miss.). I read The Commercial Appeal every day online, and quite frankly I am sick of hearing all of these fans of other teams hate on the Memphis program. It seems like every time I read Sound Off, someone has something bad to say about the Tigers. I personally think it's funny, though. I mean, instead of talking about their programs, they always want to hate the Tigers. Why? Why hate on a team that they say is so bad? Maybe because they're afraid of where this program is heading. Every part of the university is heading in the right direction, and every fan of the SEC and Louisville hates to think about that. Has anyone else noticed that neither Louisville nor the SEC schools want anything to do with us as of late? Just look at them all try to get out of playing us. Remember what coach West said at media days: "We stopped doing our part," meaning we aren't going to let them walk over us anymore. If I was an Ole Miss or Louisville fan, I would be mad at my school for trying to get rid of such a great rivalry. But then again, why would they want to have to worry about a loss when they could go out and play The Citadel? Go Tigers! Brad Posey Starkville, Miss. Doesn't think Tiger fans should dislike schedule I was amused by the writer's letter, 'Unhappy with additions of ASU, MTSU (8/14/05),' in reference to the Memphis Tigers. Does he actually believe that the UofM has a big-time football program, like the Southern Cals, Nebraskas and Miamis of the world? The fans of those programs would feel the same way with Memphis on their schedule. Someone should inform the writer that schools from the Big 6 "power conferences" view the UofM the same way that he does Arkansas State, Middle Tennessee State, and Chattanooga. Who does he think Memphis is -- some national power? Give us a break! Ed Williams Memphis

08/20/05		O'Brien Bends in Corner for Memphis Soccer Victory -- Tigers shutout CBU 1-0 in exhibition play (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Senior midfielder Dayton O'Brien's corner kick goal in an exhibition with Christian Brothers University helped the University of Memphis to a 1-0 victory on Saturday night at Echles Field. The preseason C-USA Co-Offensive Player of the Year and the program's first All-American bent one of his 10 corner kicks on the night into the net from the left side. The goal provided more than enough defense for the Tigers who after allowing only one shot in the first half held the Buccaneers to seven total shots in the game. "This was definitely a competitive game," said Memphis head coach Richie Grant. "CBU was very organized, but I'm pleased with the performance our defenders gave us today. "I'm also pleased with Dayton's performance. He showed us again why he is such a threat in our offense. He continues to capitalize on dead ball situations." O'Brien, a native of Memphis, led the Tigers with four shots and had three on-goal. Sophomore Gavin McInerney (Dublin, Ireland) started the game for the Tigers in the keeper position and held CBU scoreless for the first 62 minutes, knocking down two saves. Sophomore Tyler Strom (Thornton, Colo.) then came in to preserve the final 28 minutes of the shutout. Grant said he was pleased with the amount of players who gained experience in the team's first exhibition. Three freshmen, Thomas Hyland (Dublin, Ireland) at defense, Tripp Harkins (Jackson, Miss.) at forward and Grant Wise (Anna, Texas) at midfield, started the game and had significant playing time. Freshmen Patrick Elkins (Tupelo, Miss.), Jordan Lynn (Rockwall, Texas), Robert Sausaman (Gainesville, Fla.), Kyle Minter (Rockwall, Texas) and Michael Crider (Birmingham, Ala.) also saw time on the field. Senior Andy Metcalf (Jackson, Tenn.), the Tigers' leading goal scorer from 2004, did not play in the game due to a stomach virus. Memphis continues its exhibition schedule with a game at Missouri State in Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Tigers will then play its final exhibition game at home at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex against Lambuth on Friday at 7 p.m. Memphis opens its 2005 schedule at home with the seventh-annual Memphis Diadora Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 3.

08/20/05		Tigers Rebound to Top Indiana State 6-1 in Second Exhibition Match -- Mikami and Hayes each score two goals (GoTigersGo.com)
		Terre Haute, Ind. - Less than 24 hours after losing its exhibition opener in a shutout at Indiana on Friday night, the Memphis women's soccer team rebounded to post a 6-1 win over Indiana State on Saturday afternoon, ending the exhibition season with a 1-1 record. Both Shoko Mikami and Kylie Hayes scored two goals apiece for the Tigers. Once again, the game was played with three 30-minute periods instead of the usual 45 minute halves. Indiana State took the early lead with a goal by Shae Fehribach at 14:13, who shot the ball from the center of the field about 10 yards from the goal. It remained 1-0 in favor of the Sycamores until just before the end of the first period, when freshman Kate Murphy netted a goal from 25 yards out at the 28:06 mark, shooting it just out of the reach of ISU keeper Rachel Rudzis. Mikami scored the only goal of the second 30-minute period at 49:12, putting home a corner kick that was taken by Courtnee Melton, who was credited with an assist on the play, making it 2-1 in favor of the Tigers. Memphis then turned up its offense another notch in posting four goals in the final period. Mikami scored her second of the day at 64:49, taking a shot from the upper left corner of the box that went into the far corner of the goal. The Tigers made it 4-1 at 78:42 as freshman Lauren Everhart redirected a corner kick that was taken by Candace Halvorson into the back of the net. Hayes then scored both of her goals in the final 10 minutes of the game, one coming on a breakaway and the other on a shot from the right side of the box. "We played better today than we did yesterday. We corrected some of the mistakes that we made last night and made an improvement from where we were last night but we still can do better," said Memphis coach Brooks Monaghan. "The good thing is that we still have a week until our first game so that should give us enough time to work out the kinks." The Tigers will scrimmage a group of women's soccer alumni on Friday night, August 26 at Mike Rose Soccer Complex prior to the men's soccer exhibition against Lambuth, which is scheduled for 7:00. The Tigers then open the regular season next Sunday, August 28 at Mike Rose against Tennessee Tech at 1:00 p.m.

08/20/05		Tiger Football Notes (Liberty Bowl field, practice, television) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 20, 2005 High school games should help turf round into shape They'll be back on natural grass today when they conduct their second scrimmage of the preseason. The University of Memphis football team will work out at the Murphy Athletic Complex on the south campus, three days after getting its first look -- and first feel -- of the artificial surface installed at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium during the summer at a cost of $931,700. Most of the reviews of the FieldTurf surface were favorable, from Tiger quarterback Patrick Byrne to defensive back Dustin Lopez. Tiger running back DeAngelo Williams, who had eight carries for 27 yards in the scrimmage, expects the turf to become more accommodating with use. "It's (plastic blades of artificial grass) set up high right now," Williams said. "It hasn't had any weight on it and it hasn't rained much on it. We were kind of tripping up on it our first time out. "It's similar (playing on a natural surface) with high grass. Once it lays down it will be like Cincinnati's turf, or Louisville's turf or Ole Miss's (all have similar surfaces)." Three high school games in the Bridges Kickoff Classic will christen the field today. Six hours of play should help with the break-in period. "The field's perfect, it's a fast turf," said Tiger defensive end Marcus West. "The Liberty Bowl had some of the greatest grass you could play on. And it was fast itself. "Besides having the grime in your mouth when you get up off the ground, it's great. When you are face down, you are spitting out (bits of) rubber (that cushion the surface)." If there is a concern -- for the high school teams today and the UofM and Ole Miss players Sept. 5 -- it's how hot will the surface get on a blistering afternoon. The first high school game kicks off at 2:30 p.m. The Memphis-Ole Miss game starts at 3:30. Liberty Bowl administrator Terry Norman said the heat problem can be addressed. He said the field is equipped with six water cannons that can be used to spray the field two hours before kickoff. Norman said a recent 90-degree afternoon had on-field temperatures approaching 130 degrees. "We've been told to spray the field down two hours before a game," Norman said. "It's supposed to drop the (on-field) temperature by the time the game starts. "But we can't turn the water cannons back on after the game has started. With wind blowing, the water would spray into the stands." Norman said he addressed the heat issue with the high school coaches whose teams are participating in today's Bridges Classic. "They are aware of it," Norman said. "We told the coaches to make sure their players have plenty of water. We'll have cooling fans on the sidelines, too." The Tiger football team conducted a two-hour workout at the stadium Wednesday, but played under mostly cloudy conditions. "I loved playing on it," said UofM assistant coach Chris Rumph. "But we were fortunate. The big light bulb in the sky was covered up." Not too pleased Tiger coach Tommy West had planned to run his team through a light afternoon workout Friday, but the morning practice session changed his mind. "I just didn't like our body language and our giddy-up," he said. "I think we've made some strides physically from a toughness standpoint, but mentally we're not tough enough. We're feeling a little sorry for ourselves. We're a little tired and a little sore. "They wish we could take a day off, but we can't. I was wanting to throw them a bone and (practice) in shorts (Friday evening), but they wouldn't let me do that." West said today's scrimmage, which is closed to the public, will be slightly longer than the 80-play session Wednesday at the Liberty Bowl. More television It was announced Friday that WLMT-TV (Ch. 30) will broadcast road games at Tulsa (Sept. 24) and UCF (Oct. 8), meaning the Tigers could have as many as 10 games televised this season. The only UofM game that definitely won't be televised is the Sept. 17 home game against Chattanooga. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

08/20/05		Tiger Notes (soccer, baseball, Elma Roane) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact August 20, 2005 Tigers facing 'healthy pressure' -- After C-USA title, soccer team has high hopes It was dark and muggy and minutes before midnight Wednesday. Dayton O'Brien stood outside the University of Memphis men's soccer team's locker room and pondered the inquiry just presented to him. "What are college students usually doing at midnight on a Wednesday the week before classes start?" O'Brien repeated while he thought aloud. "Probably anything but this." By this, O'Brien meant a two-mile run at the stroke of midnight that would ensure the Tigers were training as a team at the first moment the NCAA allows. Call it Midnight Madness for soccer, minus the fans, TV cameras, autograph session, player introductions and scrimmage. This was just a two-mile run around the South Campus. Finish in 12 minutes. Then go to bed. "This run is just to see where we are," said Richie Grant, the reigning Conference USA coach of the year. "If the (players) know (all offseason) that they're going to have to do this, then they'll come in fit because the days of using the preseason to get in shape are gone." So too are the days of low expectations for Memphis soccer. After winning C-USA last season and advancing to the NCAA Tournament, the Tigers are now the hunted rather than the other way around. They are ranked 27th in the College Soccer News Top 30 Preseason Poll and were picked third in the league behind only 10th-ranked SMU and 15th-ranked Tulsa. "We've set standards, but we're always going to be looking to raise those standards," said O'Brien, the reigning C-USA Offensive Player of the Year. "So I think it's a healthy pressure." The Tigers play their first exhibition tonight at 7 against Christian Brothers at Echles Field. Their season-opener is Sept. 3 against Centenary. Lady Tigers under way After an exhibition at Indiana on Friday night, the UofM women's soccer team is scheduled to play a second tune-up today at Indiana State. For senior Robyn Smart and freshman Sarah MacGregor, this serves as a trip to their home state. The Lady Tigers, picked to finish fifth in C-USA, have one more exhibition -- next Friday against an alumni team at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex -- before starting the regular season at home against Tennessee Tech on Aug. 28. Baseball transfer The UofM baseball team's pitching staff was bolstered this week when the school announced Marcus Davis, a transfer from Virginia Commonwealth, was joining the program. Davis went 7-5 last year with a 5.77 earned run average. He'll have one year of eligibility at Memphis. "We are excited that Marcus made the decision to spend his final year of eligibility at the University of Memphis," said Tiger coach Daron Schoenrock. "We expect him to compete for a frontline pitching job for the 2006 season." On the coaching front, former Tiger reliever Corey Kines has been promoted to the volunteer assistant position. The Germantown High and UofM graduate will handle camp coordination, field maintenance and instruction of infielders and pitchers. He will also handle day-to-day administrative duties. Kines replaces former volunteer assistant Greg Olson, who spent one year at Memphis before taking the head coaching position at Seminole (Fla.) High following last season. Roane to be honored It was announced last week that former UofM women's athletic director Elma Neal Roane will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) in an Oct. 9 ceremony in Kansas City. Four others will also be recognized for their efforts to advance women's athletics. -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

08/19/05		Women's Soccer Falls to Indiana in Exhibition Opener -- Tigers play at Indiana State on Saturday (GoTigersGo.com)
		Bloomington, Ind. - The Memphis women's soccer team fell to Indiana by a score of 5-0 in exhibition action on Friday night. The game was played with three 30 minute periods instead of the usual two 45 minute halves. Indiana scored three times in the first 30 minute period. Carrie Defreece netted the first goal of the match off a throw in from Megan Pipkens at the 17:21 mark. About seven minutes later, Kristin Radcliffe scored to make it 2-0 at 24:19. Pipkens made it 3-0 at the 26:09 mark by putting home a corner kick taken by Ali Brown. Indiana outshot the Tigers 6-0 in the first period. The Hoosiers added one more goal in the second period just over two minutes in as Radcliffe scored her second of the night at 32:17. It remained scoreless until the third period at the 67:51 mark when Ashley Seib scored an unassisted goal for the final score of the night. For the Hoosiers, Radcliffe had two goals while Pipkens had a goal two assists. Memphis was outshot just 12-4 in the game, but Indiana was efficient with its shots, as it put 10 of its 12 shots on goal and scored on five of them. The Tigers were held without a shot for the first 60 minutes of play, not recording a single shot until the third period. Freshman Kylie Hayes recorded three of the Tigers' four shots. Isabel Briones played all 90 minutes in net for the Tigers and allowed all five goals while making five saves. "This was a bit of a rough beginning for us but the good news is that it doesn't count in our overall record and that we still have enough time to work out the mistakes we made and improve," said Memphis coach Brooks Monaghan. "The fact that we have a quick turnaround with another exhibition tomorrow will allow us to put this game behind us quickly except to learn from our mistakes and hopefully improve upon them tomorrow. I'd rather not lose at all but if we have to lose 5-0, I'd rather have it happen in an exhibition than during the regular season. Eighteen Lady Tigers saw action, including eight of the Tigers' 14 freshmen. Both natives of Indiana on the Tigers, Robyn Smart and Sarah MacGregor, started the game at midfield for Memphis. Memphis returns to exhibition action tomorrow with a game at Indiana State at 1:00 p.m. in Terre Haute.

08/19/05		No. 27 Memphis Soccer Opens 2005 Season with a Pair of Exhibition Games -- Tigers Prepare for Upcoming Season (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 484-1263 The University of Memphis men's soccer team will open its 2005 season with an exhibition game against cross-town rival Christian Brothers University at Echles Field on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Tigers will then travel to play an exhibition game at Missouri State (SMS) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The U of M has faired well in preseason games, beating both Missouri State and CBU in exhibition matches last year. Tickets for the game are $5 for adults, $3 for youth and free for children under six and U of M students with student ID card. The Tigers will host Lambuth in an exhibition game at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex on Friday, Aug. 26 before beginning the season at home with the seventh-annual Memphis Diadora Tournament on Sept. 3 and 5. The U of M will battle it out with Oral Roberts, Centenary and Belmont in a tournament that has been won by six different schools, including Memphis in 2002. Christian Brothers University Buccaneers (0-0-0) MEMPHIS VS. CBU The Tigers are 13-2-1 all-time against CBU and have outscored them 51-16. The first official eeting between the two schools came in 1985 with Memphis winning 6-0. The last time the Tigers have met the Bucs in official competition was in 2000. Last year Memphis beat CBU in exhibition play 2-1. The U of M then went on to beat the Bucs in the spring, 1-0. SCOUTING CBU The Bucs began preseason play with a 1-0 defeat of Drury after finishing 2004 9-6-3 and 5-1-1 in the Gulf South Conference. CBU was picked fifth in the preseason GSC Coach's Poll and returns six starters. The team is led by preseason All-GSC selections Mariano Ilari, Chris Marwood and Nathan Chantara. Missouri State Bears (0-0-0) MEMPHIS VS. MISSOURI STATE The Tigers are 3-3-1 all-time against Missouri State, formerly known as SMS, and have outscored them 11-8. The first official eeting between the two schools came in 1987 with Memphis winning 8-1. The last time the Tigers have met Missouri State in official competition was in 1999. Last year Memphis beat the Bears in exhibition play 1-0 at Echles Field. SCOUTING MISSOURI STATE The Bucs begin preseason play against Rockhurst on Friday after finishing 2004 11-6-2 and 4-4-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Bears were picked to finish third in the MVC Preseason poll. Sophomore Danny May returns after an impressive freshman campaign. May is the lone Bear named to the 2005 MVC preseason team after being named to the league's All-Freshman team last year. ------------------------------------ MEMPHIS IN TOP 30 NATIONALLY TO BEGIN SEASON For the first time ever in the program's history, Memphis opens the season nationally ranked. The Tigers come in at No. 27 in College Soccer News Top 30 poll. The U of M is one of three Conference USA teams to be ranked by CSN with SMU ranked at No. 10 and Tulsa at No. 15. UAB, Kentucky and FIU also received votes in the preseason poll. TIGERS PICKED THIRD IN C-USA PRESEASON POLL The defending Conference USA champion Tigers were selected to finish third in the conference by the league's coaches in the C-USA preseason poll. Under the guidance of 2004 C-USA Coach of the Year Richie Grant, Memphis won its first C-USA regular season and tournament championships in 2004, earning the program's second-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament with a 16-4-1 record. No. 7 SMU, under the direction of 2004 NSCAA/adidas Midwest Region Coach of the Year Schellas Hyndman, was selected to win the conference championship. The Mustangs posted a 16-4-1 overall record last season as they advanced to their 11th consecutive NCAA postseason appearance, and 20th out of the last 21 years. SMU was ousted in the third round of the NCAA Tournament by No. 14 Tulsa, who was picked second in the coaches' vote. The Golden Hurricane returns 13 letterwinners from a team that finished the season ranked No. 8 nationally and lost to national champion Indiana in the NCAA Tournament. O'BRIEN TABBED AS PRESEASON C-USA CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Senior forward Dayton O'Brien, the defending C-USA Offensive Player of the Year, and UAB's Leandro de Oliveira have been named the Preseason C-USA Co-Offensive Players of the Year. Kentucky senior goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum was chosen as the Preseason C-USA Defensive Player of the Year. O'Brien, a second team All-America selection, led the Tigers to their first C-USA Championship with eight goals on the season. He also enters the 2005 season holding the school record for career assists with 26. Senior forward Andy Metcalf also joins O'Brien on the C-USA Player's to watch list. Metcalf led the Tigers with 12 goals in 2004 and has compiled 27 goals and 7 assists in his career. TIGERS KICK OFF 2005 WITH MIDNIGHT RUN With a midnight run on Wednesday, Aug. 17, the Tigers kicked off its training for the 2005 season. Not much has changed from last year for the Tigers. Although the program is coming off its best season in school history, the team's approach remains the same. "Last year we played with the purpose to prove that we are a really good team," said Memphis head coach Richie Grant. "It was a team that was highly motivated and achieved a taste of success as a result. Our players want to continue with those experiences. They want to advance the program to a higher level than where we currently are. We're well aware that there is a lot more for us to do." After winning both the Conference USA regular and tournament championships in 2004, Memphis plans to build on its success with an experienced and talented team in a competitive realigned conference. In 2004, Grant took a team comprised of 14 freshmen and turned it into the 10th-most improved team in the nation from 2003. This year the Tigers again have a large freshman group with 10 signees joining the squad in the fall, but the team returns several sophomores with championship-playing experience and six upperclassmen with proven leadership abilities. "The quality and maturity of the players will ultimately determine the success of the team," Grant said. "We have a great balance of experienced veteran players mixed in with young players that played last year and got to experience winning a conference tournament." A SUCCESSFUL SPRING The Tigers had one of their most successful springs, finishing 9-2-1. Seven of the nine wins were shutouts as Memphis outscored its opponents 29-13. Six of the allowed goals came in a 6-2 loss to Major League Soccer's FC Dallas. The Tigers won both the Memphis Cup and Tim McCage 7v7. 2005 SCHEDULE Three top 15 teams headline the 2005 fall schedule. The Tigers will face new Conference USA foes No. 14 University of Tulsa and No. 7 Southern Methodist University as well as travel to meet No. 12 Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. After entering the NCAA Tournament for only the second time in school history, Memphis hopes to make a repeat appearance with a stronger schedule. As the returning C-USA regular season and tournament champions, Memphis will face an entirely revamped conference schedule. Gone this year from C-USA are Charlotte, Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, Saint Louis and South Florida. Taking their place to join Memphis, East Carolina and UAB are Tulsa, SMU, South Carolina, Kentucky, Marshall, Florida International and Central Florida. Five of the seven incoming schools competed in the NCAA Tournament last year. TIGERS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT Memphis played its first NCAA Tournament game since 1993 at No. 30 Ohio State in the first round. It is the second appearance in the program's history. The Tiger lost to Indiana in the first round of their previous appearance, 6-0. The 1-0 loss to Ohio State was the first meeting between the two schools. The Buckeyes received an at-large bid after tying with Indiana for the Big Ten regular season title. OSU was knocked out of the Big Ten Tournament in the first round by Michigan. Ohio State made its third NCAA appearance in five years. They then went on to upset No. 5 Notre Dame in the second round.

08/19/05		Football Camp Update -- Tigers have second two-a-day session on Friday (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The Tigers had another double session of practice on Friday, coming out at 6:30 a.m. and then again at 5 p.m. Coach Tommy West was less than thrilled with the way the squad came out in the morning, and tried to wake the group up by starting practice with up-downs and then beginning the practice session again. "I think we have made some strides physically, but we are not being mentally tough," said West after the morning session. "We came out this morning a little tired, a little sore, and feeling sorry for ourselves. "We are going to come out this afternoon and get after it," added West. "I wanted to throw them a bone and go in shorts this afternoon, but they wouldn't let me. We are basically going to come out and repeat this practice later this evening." The squad seemed to respond with increased effort and intensity and worked for almost two hours before starting special teams work. The Tigers returned to the field, again in full pads, for the early evening session. They will have a single practice Saturday morning that will also feature another closed scrimmage. The scrimmage will be the second one of camp as the Tigers held their first scrimmage Wednesday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Tiger Athletic Department officials announced today that WLMT-UPN30 will carry the Tulsa and UCF road games this season, which now means that all but the Chattanooga game will be broadcast on either local or national television.

08/19/05		WLMT/UPN 30 to Carry Two Tiger Football Road Games -- Memphis will now have 10 games televised; the most in one season in school history (GoTigersGo.com)
		Two more Tiger football games will be added to the fall TV schedule as WLMT/UPN30 in Memphis will carry the Tulsa and UCF road games it was announced by R.C. Johnson, Friday. "UPN30 has been an invaluable asset to University of Memphis athletics for many years," Johnson said. "They have aired Tiger football and basketball games for a long time and it has helped spread the message of U of M athletics throughout the Mid-South. "With the addition of the Tulsa and UCF games on WLMT/UPN30 we will now have the most television coverage for Tiger football in any one season in school history." The total number of Tiger football games now being aired during the 2005 season is 10. The Tigers will open the season with a nationally-televised contest against Ole Miss on ESPN. Greg Gaston will do play-by-play for the broadcast and Rob Fischer will handle color commentary.

08/19/05		Football Single Game Tickets for Memphis/Tennessee Game Sold Out -- Road tickets still available for Memphis' first road game at Tulsa (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Memphis allotment of 7500 tickets for the Tigers' Nov. 12th game at the University of Tennessee have been sold out it was announced by University of Memphis officials, Friday. According to the UT website, there are no more single game tickets available for that game. Tiger single game tickets are still available for road games at Tulsa, UCF, Houston and Southern Miss. Tickets for all Tiger road games can be purchased through the University of Memphis ticket office at 901-678-2331. All single game home tickets can still be purchased from the Tigers' official website at www.gotigersgo.com.

08/19/05		Tigers have a fan in ESPN personality Davie (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 19, 2005 Former Notre Dame coach Bob Davie, now an ESPN college football analyst, said the nation should have an unmistakable impression of University of Memphis football after the strides the program has made the past few seasons under coach Tommy West. Davie attended Thursday's University of Memphis football practice along with the other members of the ESPN crew -- play-by-play announcer Ron Franklin and sideline reporter Holly Rowe -- to observe the team and meet with Tiger coach Tommy West and his offensive and defensive coordinators. He had praise for a Tiger offense -- led by all-America running back DeAngelo Williams -- that averaged 35.8 points and 460.3 yards per game last season. ''I know one thing,'' Davie said. ''I like the scheme. It fits what kind of athlete they have ... the uptempo offense, the spreading the field. They have an identity. When you say Memphis, you know exactly what they are on offense and what they are on defense.'' Davie was critical of an ineffective UofM defense during ESPN's telecast of last season's GMAC Bowl. Bowling Green won, 52-35, and amassed 558 yards and seven touchdowns in the process. But Davie, overall, gives the resurgent program high marks. Memphis has put together back-to-back bowl seasons for the first time in its history. ''There's a plan,'' Davie said. ''And it ties together in recruiting, not only the kind of athletes they get, but the work ethic of the players they get. You can see there is a plan.'' Franklin expects the immediate future to be bright. ''They've got some great-looking young kids, too,'' he said. ''Especially at running back and wide receiver.'' While freshmen like running back T.J. Pitts, receiver Maurice Jones and linebacker Jeremy Rockette may be the future, Davie said the present is in good shape with Williams in the backfield. ''No question about it, he could play for anyone in the country,'' Davie said. ''Knock on wood, if he stays healthy, the next NFL Draft will confirm it. I think he has the potential to be the No. 1 back taken.'' Davie said Williams, who rushed for a school-record 1,948 yards a year ago and led the nation with 22 rushing TDs, will make an impression when he attends the NFL Combine next spring. ''In the hotel, all those general managers and coaches (from NFL teams) will interview the players,'' Davie said. ''After they talk with DeAngelo, that's when he'll add some zeros to his contract. At the end of the day, he's someone you'll want to have on your team.'' The ESPN crew was getting its pregame homework done in advance of the Sept. 5 game between the Tigers and Ole Miss at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The Memphis-Ole Miss game is on Labor Day and Franklin, Davie and Rowe have a game to call the Saturday before, which precludes them from doing their advance a few days out. Next scrimmage With three high school games scheduled for Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Saturday, the Tigers will conduct their second scrimmage of the preseason at the Murphy Athletic Complex. The scrimmage will be closed to the public. West said he considered going to the Liberty Bowl early Saturday and finishing his scrimmage before the high school games, but it wasn't logistically possible. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

08/19/05		Tigers talking with UK, Arizona -- Boosting schedule will help attract prospects (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact August 19, 2005 Though the decline of Conference USA hasn't helped, it appears John Calipari is still capable of having what he's always desired at the University of Memphis. A national program. With national players. And a national schedule. "We're going to supersede this league," Calipari said. "We're going to be on national television and play a national schedule." Calipari declined comment Thursday on the specifics of that national schedule. But two months ago, he told The Commercial Appeal he was in discussions that could lead to a home-and-home series with Arizona, and on Thursday UofM associate athletic director Bill Lofton confirmed there have also been talks with Kentucky. Both series could start as early as the 2006-07 season. "John's been talking to the coaching staffs at (Arizona and Kentucky)," Lofton said. "We don't have signed contracts. But we are in discussions with both schools." Asked if it was realistic to expect Arizona and Kentucky to each be on the UofM's schedule in two years, Lofton answered, "Yes, I think so." But later Thursday, a Kentucky official told The Commercial Appeal that talks between UK and Memphis haven't reached the point where contracts or specifics were discussed. Regardless, just the possibility of two of the most high-profile basketball programs in the nation joining the UofM schedule lends proof to the theory that Calipari is qualified to keep the Tigers relevant even if their league, perhaps, is not. Why is this important? Actually, there are many reasons, from fan support to RPI rankings. But mostly, it's crucial for recruiting. "There's no doubt," said Rob Harrington, a recruiting analyst at PrepStars.com. "All of the major schools have two or three rivals to sell, and the overall mystique of their conference, but Memphis doesn't have that in its favor anymore. "So to overcome that they're going to have to schedule big names, and playing teams like Arizona and Kentucky on television would help level the playing field in recruiting." Right now, that playing field stretches from coast-to-coast, where Memphis -- named Thursday as the 10th-ranked team in the nation in ESPN.com's preseason poll -- is involved with multiple elite-level prospects. Locally, there's Willie Kemp (Bolivar Central), Thaddeus Young (Mitchell), Brandon Powell (Mitchell), Pierre Niles (Ridgeway) and junior college standout Sonny Weems (Arkansas-Fort Smith), originally from West Memphis. Nationally, there's Stanley Robinson (Birmingham, Ala), Quincy Pondexter (Fresno, Calif.), Derrick Caracter (Elizabeth, N.J.), Jonathan Mandeldove (Snellville, Ga), Lawrence Westbrook (Chandler, Ariz.), Soloman Tat (Stockbridge, Ga.) Tyler Smith (Pulaski, Tenn.), Travis George (Roxbury, Mass.) and Hamady N'diaye (Senegal). All together, that's 14 potential recruits, any of whom could over the next three months announce they'll join prep school standout Hashim Bailey (Wayne, N.J.) as a Tiger commitment for the Class of 2006. Still, Harrington said it's safe to assume other schools are using C-USA against Memphis in recruiting, meaning the Tigers have to counter their lack of marquee league games with an impressive non-league schedule. That's why the possibility of playing Arizona and/or Kentucky is huge for Calipari. Combined with previously arranged games against Cincinnati, Ole Miss and Tennessee -- and a planned trip to the Maui Invitational next November -- it might just be enough to offset the obstacle of recruiting to a subpar league. "Memphis doesn't have to play the same type of schedule as Duke or Kentucky, they just have to get it close," Harrington said. "They don't have to outdo those schools. "They just have to do enough to where the schedule can't be used against them because recruiting is a very high-stakes, cut-throat game, and people will take advantage of whatever opportunity they can." -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

08/18/05		Women's Soccer Team Heads to Hoosier State for Pair of Exhibition Matches -- Tigers take on Indiana and Indiana State on back-to-back days this weekend (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis, Tenn. - The Memphis women's soccer team, now a week into preseason training after beginning practice on August 12, will travel to Indiana for two exhibition games this weekend. The Lady Tigers face the Indiana Hoosiers of the Big Ten Conference this Friday, August 19 at 7:00 at Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. They will then travel to the Western edge of the state to face Missouri Valley Conference member Indiana State on Saturday, August 20 at 1:00 p.m. in Terre Haute. Though the games will not count in their overall record, the Tigers will debut the 2005 recruiting class, which was ranked 27th in the country. Memphis also returns 11 players from last year's team, including a 2003 All-Conference USA selection in junior Nicky McLeod, who sat out last year as a medical redshirt. Melissa Savage, another junior, was an All-Conference pick last year. Sophomore Isabel Briones will look to keep ahold of the starting goalkeeper position after having a strong spring season, but she will be pushed by freshman Caroline Allen, who was the Gatorade State Player of the Year in Arkansas a year ago. Also figuring to make their Memphis debuts, among others, are sophomore transfer Asuka Kubota, an NAIA All-American last year at Martin Methodist College, freshman Chloe James, a high school All-American last year, and freshman Aika Young, a member of the Guam National Team. Indiana finished eighth in the Big Ten last year with a and the Hoosiers were recently picked sixth in the Big Ten preseason poll. Kristen Zmijewski and Megan Pipkens are two of the top players for the Hoosiers. Zmijewski, a team captain, recorded one goal and four assists last year. Pipkens, a junior, led the team in assists last year with seven and was second on the team in points (15), shots (40) and shots on goal (23). Last year, IU had just one senior on its roster and finished 9-7-3 and 3-5-2 in the Big Ten. The Sycamores return their top two goals scorers from a year ago in junior forward Nichole Tiggs and sophomore forward Lauren Podolski, who scored eight and seven goals last year, respectively. Indiana State finished with a 9-10-0 record last year, and a 4-3-0 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference, which was tied for second place. The Tigers have never met Indiana or Indiana State in the regular season. Two members of the Tigers will have an opportunity to play in their home state. Senior Robyn Smart, one of the two seniors on the Tiger squad, hails from the Indianapolis suburb of Noblesville, while freshman Sarah MacGregor is from Indianapolis. Smart has only played in her home state once in her Tiger career and that came in 2003 when Memphis visted Evansville. "This will be a welcome change in pace for the girls since they've been concentrating on conditioning and playing against each other for the last week," said Memphis coach Brooks Monaghan. "It's an opportunity to get out of town and see how we stack up against two teams that I feel are both going to have strong seasons. It will also help us get used to the quick turnaround of playing on back-to-back days, because in order to get where we want to go this season, we will have to be able to perform on short rest." Memphis will have one more exhibition after this weekend, a matchup against the women's soccer Alumni, next Friday, August 26, prior to the men's exhibition game against Lambuth at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex. The regular season starts on Sunday, August 28 at home against Tennessee Tech.

08/18/05		Men's Tennis Pro-Am Rescheduled -- Fundraiser had to be postponed because of court resurfacing (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Due to court renovations to the U of M Varsity courts and to other local tennis tournaments going on the same weekend, the Tiger men's tennis team rescheduled its Pro-Am Fundraiser to Oct. 8th from 8:30 a.m. - noon on the U of M courts. Participants who are registered for the Pro-Am should receive a letter shortly with the new date and format. Further questions can be directed to (901) 678-5309.

08/18/05		Jennifer Sullivan Begins Coaching Career -- Becomes second Lady Tiger in as Many Years to Move Into Coaching Ranks (GoTigersGo.com)
		Former Lady Tiger basketball player Jennifer Sullivan was named the Assistant Women's Basketball Coach at cross-town rival Rhodes College, it was announced by Lynx Head Coach Matt Dean, Thursday. "I am ecstatic that Jennifer has joined our staff," Dean said. "After speaking to Coach Savage and meeting with Jennifer, it was apparent to me that she would be the perfect fit for this position. She had an excellent career at Memphis, and we are thrilled to have her begin her coaching career as a member of the Lynx staff." Sullivan, a four-year letterwinner for the Lady Tiger program, graduated with a degree in Communications in May after being named the team MVP following the 2004-05 season. A native of Jonesboro, Ark., Sullivan capped her collegiate career with 800 career points, 310 rebounds and 99 steals. She was a two-time honoree on the Lady Tiger Classic All-Tournament Team and was named to the Fun in the Sun Shootout All-Tournament team as a senior after scoring 30 points over the two games of the Cancun tournament. Sullivan, a graduate of Jonesboro High School, played in 102 career games at Memphis after coming back from a triple knee injury her senior year of high school. Sullivan came back from her prep injury and by her junior and senior seasons, started 60 straight games at Memphis. The Lynx are a member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and finished 16-10 overall and 8-6 in the SCAC, fourth overall in the league standings. Rhodes advanced to the semifinals of the SCAC Championships last season and had two players named second team all-SCAC and one Newcomer of the Year honoree. Rhodes will open its 2005-06 schedule in the Johns Hopkins Tournament in Baltimore, Md., Nov. 19th and 20th. The Lynx will face York (Pa.) on the 19th at 1 p.m. to kick off the season. Sullivan becomes the second Lady Tiger in as many years to move into the coaching ranks in Memphis, following Jordie Soso, who is a graduate assistant coach at Christian Brothers.

08/18/05		Elma Roane to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award From NACWAA -- Roane to receive recognition from her peers on Oct. 9th in Kansas City (GoTigersGo.com)
		This year, the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) will honor Elma Neal Roane, University of Memphis, as one of its Lifetime Achievement Award recipients. Joining Ms. Neal are four other very special women, each of whom has provided outstanding leadership in intercollegiate athletics. They include Linda Jean Carpenter, Ph.D., Brooklyn College, Joanne "Jo" Kuhn, Texas Woman's University, Marya Welch, Ph.D., University of California, Davis and Jeannette Lee (posthumously), St. Paul's College. "It is such an honor to pay special tribute to the women who dedicated their efforts to the enhancement of opportunities for women in intercollegiate athletics," said Jennifer Alley, Executive Director. The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented annually to athletics administrators who have dedicated their professional careers to advancing women in sport and because of their tireless efforts girls and women participating in sport truly can enjoy competitive athletics or athletic career opportunities. The 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award Luncheon, sponsored by NIKE, will be held on Sunday, October 9, 2005, at the NACWAA National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. Elma Neal Roane is recognized as a pioneer and foremost leader in physical education and sport in Tennessee. Ms. Roane was one of the founders and second president of the Tennessee College Women's Sports Federation, formed in 1969, to reinstitute intercollegiate athletic programs and competitions for women. She was also the first recognized women's athletics director at Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). Ms. Roane's numerous achievements and contributions have distinguished her as a leader in education and in women's athletics. She was responsible for bringing equity and media attention to women's athletics at her alma mater when it wasn't considered fashionable and committed her career to seeing it through, are testaments to her athletic and leadership achievements. When Roane retired, her students and colleagues joined her in establishing the Elma Roane Scholarship Fund at the University of Memphis. That fund has now grown to almost $100,000 and supports education students who aspire to careers in teaching, coaching, sports leadership or athletic training. She was chair for Hospitality, Southern Region II AIAW Gymnastics Championships, and co-chair, Hospitality, Southern District AAHPERD Convention, Nashville, Tennessee. In the 1980-81 season, she was a chair of the Women's Committee, Metro Athletic Conference, and also director, Metro Volleyball Championships, Memphis. She was a member of the Council of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators and also a member of the American Association of University Women. Elma's honors and recognition's are numerous. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Omicron Delta Kappa, Who's Who of American Colleges and Universities, the University of Memphis Educator of the Year, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, and many more. Elma is truly recognized as a role model and leader for intercollegiate athletics and women in sport.

08/18/05		Baseball Inks Transfer Marcus Davis for 2006 Campaign -- Virginia Commonwealth pitcher coming to Memphis for final season (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis baseball Head Coach Daron Schoenrock continues his efforts for improvement in 2006 as he announced the signing of Virginia Commonwealth transfer Marcus Davis. A rising senior, Davis will have one year of eligibility at Memphis. Davis logged a 7-5 record with 84 strikeouts, a 5.77 ERA and one save in 33 appearances on the mound while at Virginia Commonwealth. Davis progressively improved every year at VCU and posted a 4-2 mark in 11 starts while fanning 47 as a junior in 2005. The righthander also saw five appearances out of the bullpen for the Rams last year. VCU has claimed the Colonial Athletic Association title and advanced to the NCAA Regionals each of the last two seasons. "We are excited that Marcus made the decision to spend his final year of eligibility at the University of Memphis," said Schoenrock. "We expect him to compete for a frontline pitching job for the 2006 season." A native of Luray, Va., Davis had a stellar summer campaign for the Luray Wranglers of the Valley League. He led the Wranglers and finished third in the Valley League statistics with a 1.98 ERA. A 22nd round draft pick of the Montreal Expos in the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft, he finished the summer 4-1 with 30 strikeouts and was tabbed a 2005 All-Valley League performer. Davis also received the honor of being the starting pitcher for the North Division in the 2005 Valley League All-Star game. Davis is the third four-year transfer to sign with the Tigers for the 2006 season.

08/18/05		Corey Kines Promoted to Baseball's Third Assistant Position -- Former Tiger pitcher now moves into volunteer role (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis baseball coach Daron Schoenrock announced that former student assistant coach Corey Kines has been elevated to the volunteer assistant coach position. Kines will handle camp coordination, field maintenance and instruction of Tiger infielders and pitchers. He will also oversee the day-to-day office administrative duties. "I feel privileged to have this opportunity to work under coach Schoenrock for another season," said Kines. "As an alumus of the University of Memphis, I am excited for the chance to help rebuild the baseball program with coach Schoenrock and his staff." Kines will replace former Tiger volunteer assistant Greg Olson. Olsen spent one year at Memphis before taking the head coaching position at Seminole High School in Seminole, Fla. at the end of the 2005 season. "I am excited for Greg and Jill," said Schoenrock. "This is a great opportunity for them. At the same time I am happy that we were able to promote Corey. He is familiar with the program after having spent the last year as the student assistant. I look for his transition into this role to be a smooth one." Over the summer Kines supervised the Tigers' youth camp and the Top Tiger High School Showcase camp. In addition, Kines serves as an assistant coach for the APAK All-Stars 18-under team this summer. Kines was a two-year letterwinner at Memphis in 2003-04. An anchor in the Tiger bullpen, the Germantown native made a staff-high 26 appearances in 2004 and 43 total appearances in his two years at the U of M. He also posted 46 strikeouts and five saves as a Tiger. Kines graduated from Memphis in May 2005 with a degree in Sport Management.

08/18/05		West sees good and bad in first scrimmage (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 18, 2005 The early-morning scrimmage was seven plays old when University of Memphis football coach Tommy West walked to the sidelines in Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium's northwest corner and addressed his huddled offense. The group had seen its opening drive of the workout stall at the defense's 44-yard line, a march plagued by a 5-yard penalty on second-and-10 from midfield. In a rather pleasant, but firm, tone West asked: ''What stopped the drive?'' Although the question seemed rhetorical, an answer quickly followed: ''The penalty.'' ''That's what we can't have,'' West shot back. As first scrimmages of the preseason go, West was pleased with the absence of turnovers in the 80-play workout -- and the tough, physical play of the defense -- but he wasn't as enamored with the penalties, including the one that halted the first drive. ''There was a lot of good,'' West said. ''I thought our defense was a little more physical than it was a year ago, and that's what I wanted to see. Offensively, we did some pretty good things, but we made way too many errors -- like jumping offsides one time. But we didn't repeat penalties, and we didn't repeat missed assignments. ''We've got a lot of work to do, which we should at this time. I'd be scared to death if I thought we were game ready right now. But I think we're in pretty good shape.'' Offensively, senior running back DeAngelo Williams, the all-America candidate and Heisman Trophy hopeful, had eight carries for 27 yards. Junior quarterback Patrick Byrne, who entered the preaseason atop the depth chart, completed 8-of-16 for 84 yards. Backup QBs Will Hudgens and Billy Barefield contributed, too. Hudgens, the former Ridgeway High standout, was 6-of-10 for 33 yards and the scrimmage's only touchdown -- a 2-yard quick slant to Mario Pratcher. Barefield was 5-of-6 for 77 yards, completing three of his passes to 6-8 freshman Carlos Singleton for 50 yards. Singleton had four receptions for 54 yards. ''Mentally, sometimes we did things well and sometimes we didn't,'' Byrne said. ''We've got to get to a point we're doing every play exactly how it's supposed to. Until we get there I don't think I'm going to be happy. I don't think coach is going to be happy." West wasn't as hard on Byrne as Byrne was on himself. ''I thought Patrick did pretty good,'' West said. ''I don't know what his numbers were and I'm not interested in 'em, really. I thought he handled things pretty well and, again, I thought he acted comfortably running the offense. And I think he'll get better every time he comes out.'' Having Williams, the school's career rushing leader in the backfield, should make some of Byrne's team goals possible. In Wednesday's scrimmage, Williams didn't have a rush for more than 10 yards, but West liked another aspect of Williams's makeup. What he saw was a fit and healthy Williams, who was limited in spring workouts after suffering a fractured right fibula in the GMAC Bowl. ''I thought DeAngelo had a good day, he had a good bit of work,'' West said. ''I think DeAngelo is probably in the best football shape he's been in to start a season. He didn't look winded at all, and we ran him four or five times in a row.'' It was the defense's ability to contain Williams that bolstered that unit's confidence. The defense was much maligned after last season, one in which it ranked seventh in Conference USA in total defense. ''One play that stood out to me was a play we had on DeAngelo,'' defensive back Derek Clenin said. ''He was trying to get outside and we held containment and he had to try to reverse.'' Williams was unable to escape. Marcus West and Rubio Phillips combined to stop him for a 10-yard loss. ''I thought that was a big play because in the spring he didn't play much," Clenin said. "It gave us confidence that when he was out there we held him. Last year (in the preseason) I don't remember a scrimmage where he didn't have at least one big, long run. He'd get that and sit down. Today we did a good job containing him and just running to the ball. That's what coach (Joe Lee) Dunn teaches ... getting 11 hats to the ball.'' Preseason all-conference defensive end West enjoyed the swarming nature of the unit. ''Defensively, we played as a team,'' West said. ''That's what's been missing for a while. We played great team ball, running to the ball and making plays for each other, working with each other.'' -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

08/18/05		Tiger Football Notes (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 18, 2005 Potential of freshman WR intrigues -- Covering Singleton, especially near the goal line, is a tall order One of the more interesting facets of Wednesday's first preseason scrimmage was to see what kind of potential weapon 6-8 freshman receiver Carlos Singleton could be. Singleton was a two-year starter for coach Bart Stowe at Haywood High in Brownsville, Tenn., where he caught 26 passes -- including 11 for touchdowns -- for 580 yards. A matchup problem for practically any defensive back, Singleton caught back-to-back passes for 27 and 19 yards by outjumping Bernard Key for the football. "That's something I said I'd really like to do -- get into a scrimmage-type situation where we could just throw the ball up there," Tiger coach Tommy West said of Singleton. "He is an unusual commodity. He's a 6-8 guy (who can be a threat) when you put a 5-10 or 5-11 corner on him." West said he's intrigued about the possibility of using Singleton in former 6-4 Tiger receiver Tavares Gideon's role. Gideon often was matched against smaller defensive backs in situations near the goal line. Singleton also played basketball for Haywood. "I thought he did a nice job of playing high ball," West said. "He didn't try to let the ball come to him. He tried to go up and get the ball. We'll keep doing that. "No decision has been made on any of these young guys, whether they'll be red-shirted or not. If he'll continue to do that there may be a place for him this year, being a Gideon-type guy down on the goal line that we throw the ball up to." Tigers add TV dates The Tigers will make at least four appearances on CSTV -- and one each on ESPN and ESPN2 -- as part of the updated Conference USA television package announced Wednesday. C-USA announced the Tigers' game at Houston (Oct. 15 at 4 p.m.) and a home game against East Carolina (Oct. 22 at 2:30 p.m.) will be carried by CSTV and possibly the U of M's Nov. 26 home game against Marshall (1 p.m.). Games on ESPN (Sept. 5 vs. Ole Miss) and ESPN2 (Nov. 1 vs. UAB) had been previously announced, along with CSTV games against UTEP (Oct. 1) and at Southern Miss (Nov. 26). Williams on Camp list Tiger running back DeAngelo Williams is one of two C-USA players named to the Walter Camp Player of the Year watch list. Williams, the conference's two-time offensive player of the year, is one of 40 candidates for the award. Also on the list from C-USA is Tulsa kick return specialist Ashlan Davis, who set an NCAA record last season with five returns to touchdowns. The watch list, which includes Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson and Texas quarterback Vince Young, will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists in early November. The winner, as voted on by the 119 NCAA Division 1-A coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on the ESPN football awards show in December. Had an inkling West said he was pleased with the play of junior quarterback Patrick Byrne, who handled some difficult situations Wednesday. Byrne has been the No. 1 quarterback since last spring and has held the top spot through the first week of the preseason. "I thought he looked pretty sharp," West said. "In warmups you could tell he (was pumped) because his ball had more velocity on it. "I thought he threw some good balls. We put him in some tough situations against blitz, where (the defense) had one player (the offense) couldn't block. We tried to make him find the guy, read the defense and get it out of there. I think now he should feel good about how he played in the first scrimmage and come back and do better."

08/17/05		Tigers Get First Feel of the Liberty Bowl Turf -- Squad had early morning scrimmage in first two-a-day session (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The Tigers loaded the buses this morning and made the short trip to Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium for their first scrimmage in the early morning practice. It was also the first time for the squad to experience the new FieldTurf surface that was installed this summer. The team stretched and then had about an hour practice, which also included some punting, prior to the start of the scrimmage. The scrimmage went about 80 plays and also included field goal kicks by Lou Groza Award candidate Stephen Gostkowski. The quarterback race continues for hopefuls Patrick Byrne, Will Hudgens and Billy Barefield. Byrne was 8-of-14 for 81 yards, while Hudgens was 6-of-10 for 33 yards and a touchdown. Hudgens' score was a two-yard pass to Mario Pratcher. Barefield recorded a couple of long passes, hitting freshman Carlos Singleton for receptions of 27 yards and 20 yards in back-to-back plays. Barefield was 5-of-6 for 77 yards and also had a 21-yard run. I thought Patrick did pretty good today," said Coach Tommy West. "He seemed comfortable running the offense. I think he will get better every time he comes out." Heisman Trophy candidate DeAngelo Williams had his first game-type action since breaking his leg in the GMAC Bowl. He rushed for 27 yards on eight carries. Joseph Doss totaled 18 yards on 11 carries. Senior receiver Maurice Avery totaled 13 yards on three catches and also had runs of four, seven and two yards. "I thought DeAngelo did a good job today," added West. "He got some good work in, and I think he is probably in the best football shape that he has ever been in to start the season." Defensively, Jamaal Rufus, O.C. Collins and LaVale Washington had pass breakups. Quinton McCrary sacked Barefield late in the scrimmage for a loss of eight yards. "It was a good scrimmage," said West. "I thought our defense was a little more physical than they were a year ago. Offensively we did some good things, but we made way too many mental errors. We have a lot of work to do, but I think we are in pretty good shape." The Tigers came back at 4 p.m. to watch film of the scrimmage and to meet with position coaches before taking to the field in shoulder pads and shorts for the second practice of the day. The squad will return to the field Thursday morning at 6:45 a.m., and will have just a single practice.

08/17/05		Football To Appear on Six TV Games As Part of C-USA TV Package -- Tigers will make four appearances on CSTV, one on ESPN and one on ESPN2 (GoTigersGo.com)
		The University of Memphis will make at least four appearances on CSTV, one on ESPN and one on ESPN2 as part of the Conference USA television schedule that was announced Wednesday. The schedule features nearly 50 games to be nationally-televised on CSTV, ESPN, ESPN 2 or i (formerly known as PAX). This season marks the first year of C-USA's partnership with CSTV: College Sports Television. CSTV and Conference USA recently signed a six-year initial term that includes significant national and regional exposure for football, men's and women's basketball and other C-USA sports. CSTV, the fastest growing independent cable network, has agreements with distributors that serve more than 65 million households nationwide. It deals with the top six distributors - Comcast, DirecTV, Time Warner, Charter, Cox and Adelphia, and is expected to be available on cable in all C-USA markets when the partnership commences this fall. Memphis will kick the year off with an ESPN game against Ole Miss, Sept. 5th, beginning at 3:30 p.m. (CT). The Tigers' next TV appearance as part of the C-USA package will be Oct. 1st when UTEP comes to town for a CSTV game that begins at 7 p.m. (CT). Two weeks later, the Tigers' contest at Houston will be televised, also on CSTV, beginning at 4 p.m. (CT). It will be back to Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium for the Tigers and CSTV when East Carolina comes to town for the Tigers' homecoming game. That game was pushed back to 2:30 p.m. (CT) to accommodate CSTV. Memphis will then slip over to ESPN2 for a Tuesday night game against nemesis UAB, Nov. 1st. The airing of that game will begin at 6:30 p.m. (CT). The last confirmed broadcast date for the Tigers as part of the league schedule will be Nov. 19th when Memphis travels to Southern Miss. A seventh game may be added to the schedule as plans for the Memphis/Marshall game are still pending. Tentative plans are to make that a fifth CSTV game beginning at 1 p.m. (CT). CSTV is also tentatively carrying the Rice at Houston game that same afternoon, beginning at 3 p.m. (CT). Memphis will make at least one other TV appearance outside of the Conference USA package, as the Tigers' Nov. 12th game at Tennessee is scheduled to be aired on Comcast Sports. Two other Tiger road games may be aired locally in the Memphis market, but are pending contract completion. The complete Conference USA television schedule is listed as a .pdf file above.

08/17/05		DeAngelo Williams Named to Walter Camp Watch List For Second Straight Season -- Memphis tailback one of two C-USA players listed for prestigious award (GoTigersGo.com)
		Conference USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year DeAngelo Williams and Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year Ashlan Davis were two of 40 athletes named as "players to watch" for the Walter Camp Foundation's Player of the Year Award. The award is the nation's fourth-oldest individual college football accolade. Williams, a senior at Memphis, is the league's two-time reigning Offensive Player of the Year and led the nation in rushing touchdowns last season with 22. Davis set NCAA records last season at Tulsa for kickoff returns for touchdowns with five and returns for touchdowns in consecutive games with four. Davis is just one touchdown return shy of tying Anthony Davis of USC(1972-74) for the NCAA career record of six. The watch list will be narrowed to ten semi-finalists in early November. The 2005 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 119 Division I-A head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on the ESPN/Home Depot College Football Awards Show in December. The winner will then receive his trophy at the Foundation's annual national awards banquet on February 11, 2006 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven. Last year's recipient was USC quarterback Matt Leinart who led the Trojans to their second consecutive national title. Leinart has returned for his senior year and is once again on the Walter Camp "Watch List." Walter Camp, "The Father of American football," first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp - a former Yale University athlete and football coach - is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation - a New Haven-based all-volunteer group - was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team. 2005 Walter Camp Player of the Year "Watch List" Reggie Bush, RB/KR, Junior, USC Steve Breaston, UTY, Junior, Michigan Ahmad Brooks, LB, Senior, Virginia Ashlan Davis, WR/KR, Senior, Tulsa Bruce Gradkowski, QB, Senior, Toledo Ted Ginn Jr., WR, Sophomore, Ohio State Charles Gordon, DB, Junior, Kansas Chad Greenway, LB, Senior, Iowa Andre Hall, RB, Senior, South Florida Michael Hart, RB, Sophomore, Michigan Mike Hass, WR, Senior, Oregon State A.J. Hawk, LB, Senior, Ohio State Devin Hester, DB/KR, Junior, Miami (Fla.) Spencer Havner, LB, Senior, UCLA Santonio Holmes, WR, Junior, Ohio State Omar Jacobs, QB, Junior, Bowling Green Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Senior, Boston College Chris Leak, QB, Junior, Florida Greg Lee, WR, Junior, Pittsburgh Matt Leinart, QB, Senior, USC Marcedes Lewis, TE, Senior, UCLA Marshawn Lynch, RB, Sophomore, California Laurence Maroney, RB, Junior, Minnesota Reggie McNeal, QB, Senior, Texas A&M DonTrell Moore, RB, Senior, New Mexico Tyler Palko, QB, Junior, Pittsburgh Adrian Peterson, RB, Sophomore, Oklahoma Gerald Riggs, RB, Senior, Tennessee Brad Smith, QB, Senior, Missouri Drew Stanton, QB, Senior, Michigan State Drew Tate, QB, Junior, Iowa Jamario Thomas, RB, Sophomore, North Texas Leon Washington, RB, Florida State LenDale White, RB, Junior, USC DeAngelo Williams, RB, Senior, Memphis Jimmy Williams, DB, Senior, Virginia Tech Mario Williams, DE, Senior, North Carolina State Garrett Wolfe, RB, Junior, Northern Illinois Vince Young, QB, Junior, Texas Jared Zabransky, QB, Junior, Boise State

08/17/05		Memphis Wins Two Sport Academic Awards From C-USA -- Women's tennis and volleyball tops in the league in team GPAs (GoTigersGo.com)
		IRVING, Texas - Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky named the recipients of its Institutional Excellence Award and Sports Academic Awards, Wednesday. The Sport Academic Award is given to the team in each conference-sponsored sport with the highest grade point average for the current academic year. The Lady Tiger tennis team capped the year with all six members being named to the C-USA Academic Honor and posting a team GPA of 3.45 Volleyball advanced to the C-USA Semifinals before falling to eventual champion, Louisville, 3-0 The Tiger volleyball team posted a cumulative team GPA of 3.45 to win the league award. Following is a list of the Sports Academic award honorees: Sport Recipient GPA Baseball Saint Louis 3.14 Men's Basketball Louisville 2.66 Women's Basketball DePaul 3.22 Men's Cross Country Saint Louis 3.50 Women's Cross Country DePaul 3.68 Football Cincinnati 2.60 Men's Golf Charlotte 3.37 Women's Golf Louisville 3.59 Men's Soccer DePaul 3.13 Women's Soccer Saint Louis 3.48 Softball Saint Louis 3.54 Women's Swimming Saint Louis 3.52 Men's Tennis Southern Miss 3.24 Women's Tennis Memphis 3.45 Men's Track and Field Marquette 3.16 Women's Track and Field Marquette 3.33 Volleyball Memphis 3.45

08/17/05		West expecting maturity -- Youth, inexperience no excuse for poor play, Tiger coach says (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 17, 2005 Blessed with a veteran quarterback and offensive line -- and stocked with senior receivers -- the University of Memphis offense entered last year's opening preseason scrimmage expecting to hit Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium's natural grass surface running. And passing. And having fun. Not fumbling. Not suffering two early interceptions. Not frustrating coach Tommy West. When the Tiger football team conducts its first preseason scrimmage today -- on a newly installed artificial surface at the Liberty Bowl -- it won't have an experienced quarterback, offensive line or receiving corps. But that's not an excuse West likely will tolerate. Even though his three quarterbacks -- Patrick Byrne, Will Hudgens and Billy Barefield -- have yet to take a snap in competition, West expects few mistakes. Or, at least, fewer than last year's unit committed its first time out. "I think the scrimmage will be a good measuring stick of where we are," West said. "Are we mature enough to not be turning the ball over, fumbling snaps and jumping offsides? Can we go down there (to the Liberty Bowl) and look like a mature team? "We've got so much youth and inexperience. What I really want to see is us go and execute. I don't care if anyone can go jump over a building or do any of those (extraordinary) things. I just want to see if they can do the things they've been coached to do for five days." The Tigers, who open the season Sept. 5 against Ole Miss at the Liberty Bowl, began preseason workouts Friday, practiced in full gear for the first time Tuesday and will have their first two-a-day sessions today, beginning with the morning scrimmage. The 100-plus play scrimmage will be closed to the public. While All-America running back DeAngelo Williams will be scrimmaging extensively for the first time since fracturing his right fibula in December's GMAC Bowl, much of the spotlight will be directed at the UofM quarterbacks. Byrne settled into the No. 1 spot after a solid spring, but West hasn't named a starter and is looking for better execution from a player who earned co-MVP honors in the spring game. He's also looking for a healthier competition. "I'm not overly pleased with any of the three," West said. "I think Patrick is doing OK. He's got to do a little better than he's doing and he's working at it to be better. As for Will and Billy, I wish they'd come on a little faster. They've got to be better than they are right now." Byrne, a junior from Brewton, Ala., completed 12-of-17 passes in the spring game for 192 yards and two touchdowns. It marked the second time he had earned MVP honors in a spring game, first winning the award in 2003. Hudgens and Barefield also played in the spring game, but Barefield graduated from Evangel Christian High in Shreveport in December and enrolled at the UofM in January. "I expect Billy to know the calls and Will to look like he's been there before," said offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner. "It's going to be great for the quarterbacks because it's going to be live." Barefield said the offense "is coming quicker to me." "I feel comfortable playing quarterback again (after mostly spending his senior season at running back/receiver)," Barefield said. "I'm getting some of the rust knocked off." West said the scrimmage could approach 120 plays. Fichtner likes the amount of work his young quarterbacks will get. "We haven't done anything live to this point and that separates a lot of people," Fichtner said. "This is as close as you can get to a game situation. "We'll see who's tough, who's going to make the decisions and who's going to come back after a bad decision." -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

08/17/05		Tiger Football Notes (Commercial Appeal)
		By PhilStukenborg Contact August 17, 2005 Media will keep DeAngelo busy Closing in on its first completed week of preseason workouts, the University of Memphis football team is finding its off-field schedule somewhat crowded. Tiger All-America running back DeAngelo Williams, considered a Heisman Trophy candidate, is, as one would expect, the busiest. Williams, a senior who holds virtually every school rushing record, will be followed by a camera crew from CSTV (College Sports Television) today and Thursday. CSTV is bringing in three camera crews to complete its "Dog Days of Summer" features on college football offseasons. Additionally on Thursday, Williams will be interviewed by Sports Illustrated. The magazine plans a feature on Williams in an upcoming issue. And, also on Thursday, the ESPN announcers -- Ron Franklin, Bob Davie and Holly Rowe -- for the telecast of the Memphis-Ole Miss game on Labor Day will be on campus for interviews with West, offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner and defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn. Missing from action Two reserve Tiger offensive linemen -- Jared McGowan and Michael Denning -- did not practice. McGowan, a Kentucky transfer, is recovering from a broken finger and will be out at least three weeks after he undergoes an operation. Denning, a transfer from Northwest (Miss.) Community College, missed Tuesday's practice at the Murphy Athletic Complex because of heat exhaustion. West said he expects Denning to participate in today's scrimmage. "I was anxious to see McGowan," said offensive line coach Rick Mallory. "He's worked hard to change his body and get in shape." Not missing from action As was the case last preseason, Williams isn't expected to get extensive work in scrimmages, including today's, which is closed to the public. "He'll get some scrimmage work," West said. "He can't go into the first game and never been hit. ... But I'm not interested in gutting him to see how tough he is." Williams did not participate in spring scrimmages after fracturing his right fibula in the GMAC Bowl. Opening day in full gear Memphis practiced in full pads Tuesday for the first time and West said he was generally pleased with the effort. The Tigers will go through their first two-a-day practice sessions today.

08/17/05		Former Rebel Mills headed to U of M -- Ex-CBHS lineman will rejoin several former teammates (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 17, 2005 Former Christian Brothers High and Ole Miss defensive lineman Corey Mills will enroll at the University of Memphis for the fall semester and join the Tiger football program by the spring of 2006. "I dropped out of Ole Miss (Tuesday) morning and will start taking classes on the 29th," Mills said. Mills said late Tuesday he has not received his release from Ole Miss. At Memphis he'll have three years of eligibilty remaining after sitting out this fall. CBHS football coach Kevin Locastro said Mills is looking forward to the opportunity to resume his career with several of his former high school teammates. Philip Beliles, Brandon Pearce, Brett Russell and Ryan Williams are beginning their redshirt freshman seasons at the UofM. "He seems to be excited about the decision," Locastro said. "I think he missed the game." Mills left the Ole Miss football team in the spring and joined the Rebel track team. He lettered four years in the sport at CBHS and was a two-time state champion in the discus and the state champion in the shot put as a junior. Memphis recruited Mills, along with his teammates, but Mills, considered the nation's No. 35 defensive tackle coming out of high school by Rivals.com, chose the Rebels. He was ranked No. 1 on The Commercial Appeal's Shelby-Metro Area Most Wanted List. Joining the Memphis program -- he'll be eligible to participate in spring drills -- will make for a smooth transition. Not only does Mills have friends on the team, he is familiar with the Tiger coaching staff. "He's always liked the Memphis coaching staff," Locastro said. "He won't be walking into a strange situation. I think he's comfortable with the decision he's made." In addition to attending the UofM, Mills will spend this fall as a volunteer assistant for the CBHS ninth-grade football team. Mills will work with the offensive and defensive lines. "He came out toward the end of the summer and (worked) with our ninth-graders some," Locastro said. "I didn't know what he wanted to do, but if he wanted to coach I told him I'd have to turn his name into the TSSAA (Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association). Last Friday he said he wanted to coach." Mills, a 6-5 lineman, played as a freshman at Ole Miss, but a severe groin injury limited him to two games. As a senior at CBHS, Mills had 72 tackles, including 18.5 for loss and eight sacks. He also forced three fumbles, recovered three fumbles and had an interception. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

08/17/05		Tigers, Vols set Jan. 18 game date -- After haggling, teams will renew basketball rivalry at FedExForum (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact August 17, 2005 There was discussion and disagreement on when to play the game. But on Tuesday, the University of Memphis and Tennessee finally settled on a date to renew their basketball rivalry. "It's Jan. 18 at FedExForum," said Tiger coach John Calipari. "It's done. We're happy with it." The development ends months of back and forth between the schools and ensures the series will not be delayed a year, which is something UT athletic director Mike Hamilton threatened as a possibility last week. At that time, his counterpart at Memphis, R.C. Johnson, downplayed the reality of such a scenario and insisted the two schools would eventually reach common ground. Turns out, that common ground is a Wednesday night in January. And though that's a time typically reserved for league games, Calipari said he has no issue with his team taking a break from the norm to play Tennessee for the first time since 2001. "We only have 14 league games, so it's fine," he said. "We wanted one of these in January. We'd like to have one in February, too." UT coach Bruce Pearl was glad the game found a home. "I know life in the SEC will be tough enough as it is,'' Pearl. "This is not ideal for us; it's not going to be in a spot where I want to play it, but I'd rather play it then than not at all.'' As a whole, the UofM's schedule is still weeks from being finalized, but it is taking shape. The Tigers will play non-league games at Ole Miss, Providence and Cincinnati. Meanwhile, they already have home games scheduled against Tennessee, Texas, Purdue, Lamar, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana Tech and Jackson State, and are in discussions that could lead to Middle Tennessee State and Fordham also visiting FedExForum. But before any of that, there's the Preseason NIT, in which Memphis will open at home against Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Nov. 15. Calipari also said Tuesday that he has been contacted by ESPN, and that the network will broadcast live from FedExForum during the Tigers' Midnight Madness festivities, which will officially launch the 2005-06 season. Because of a change in NCAA rules, schools are now allowed to start practice at 7 p.m. local time on Oct. 14. Consequently, ESPN will spend one hour each at five different schools for a program that will start at 7 and end at midnight. Memphis, according to Calipari, is one of those schools, and will probably be featured from 8 to 9. "They called and asked if we'd let them do it, and of course I told them they could," Calipari said. "It should be great." -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365 Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel contributed to this story. ------------------------------------------------ Tigers vs. Vols The UofM and Tennessee men's basketball teams will renew their rivalry Jan. 18, 2006, at FedExForum. The Tigers won the last meeting, 71-69, on Dec. 15, 2001 at The Pyramid. The Vols won the previous five meetings and lead the all-time series, 10-6.

08/16/05		Tigers Have First Full-Pad Session -- Squad to have two practices on Wednesday, including a scrimmage at the stadium (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The University of Memphis Tigers had their first practice session in full pads this morning at the Murphy Athletic Complex. The squad opened practice with a spirited tackle drill and then broke into positions. After some individual work, the secondary worked against the receiving corps, while the offensive line worked with the defensive line. Offensive guard Jared McGowan missed practice today with an injured finger. He had surgery and is expected to be out for a couple of weeks. Just as in the other practices, the special teams unit worked on punt return once the full scale practice was complete. Once the 30-minute special teams session was complete, the individual groups met with their position coaches and watched film. "So far our practices have been good," said Coach Tommy West. "It's been a typical camp where some days we have to speed them up mentally. The effort in this camp has been really good. We just need a little more concentration." The Tigers will head down to the Liberty Bowl on Wednesday morning for their first of two practices. This will be the first time for the squad to experience the new FieldTurf surface at the stadium. Wednesday's practice at the stadium will be closed to the public as the Tigers are also expected to scrimmage in the morning. The team will also have an evening practice session at the Murphy Complex Wednesday. "Tomorrow will be a big day because we will scrimmage in the morning and I hope we don't just go haywire when we start scrimmaging each other," added West. "Tomorrow will be a big day for evaluating where we are." When asked about how pleased he is about how quarterback hopefuls Patrick Byrne, Will Hudgens and Billy Barefield are doing, West had this to say... "I am not overly pleased with any of the three (quarterbacks) right now. Patrick is doing o.k. He has to do a little better than he is doing, and he is working at it. I wish Will and Billy would come on a little bit faster. They have to be better than they are right now."

08/16/05		Men's Soccer Picked to Finish Third in C-USA -- Dayton O'Brien selected Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 IRVING, Texas - The No. 27 defending Conference USA champion University of Memphis men's soccer team has been selected to finish third in the conference by the league's coaches in the C-USA preseason poll announced today. Senior forward Dayton O'Brien, the defending C-USA Offensive Player of the Year, and UAB's Leandro de Oliveira have been named the Preseason C-USA Co-Offensive Players of the Year. Kentucky senior goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum was chosen as the Preseason C-USA Defensive Player of the Year. Under the guidance of 2004 C-USA Coach of the Year Richie Grant, Memphis won its first C-USA regular season and tournament championships in 2004, earning the program's second-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament with a 16-4-1 record. O'Brien, a second team All-America selection, led the Tigers to their first C-USA Championship with eight goals on the season. He also enters the 2005 season holding the school record for career assists with 26. Senior forward Andy Metcalf also joins O'Brien on the C-USA Player's to watch list. Metcalf led the Tigers with 12 goals in 2004 and has compiled 27 goals and 7 assists in his career. No. 7 SMU, under the direction of 2004 NSCAA/adidas Midwest Region Coach of the Year Schellas Hyndman, was selected to win the conference championship. The Mustangs posted a 16-4-1 overall record last season as they advanced to their 11th consecutive NCAA postseason appearance, and 20th out of the last 21 years. SMU was ousted in the third round of the NCAA Tournament by No. 14 Tulsa, who was picked second in the coaches' vote. The Golden Hurricane returns 13 letterwinners from a team that finished the season ranked No. 8 nationally and lost to national champion Indiana in the NCAA Tournament. Conference newcomer South Carolina followed Memphis in fourth. The Gamecocks earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament in 2004. The Blazers were runners-up in the 2004 Conference USA standings and have been slotted fifth in the preseason rankings. Oliveira enters his much-anticipated senior season at UAB as the Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row. A two-time All-American, he was a first team All-Conference USA midfielder in 2003 and 2004. Joining affiliate member South Carolina, Kentucky and Florida International have been tabbed to finish sixth and seventh, respectively, in the league this season. Kentucky is counting on a strong presence in goal from preseason Defensive Player of the Year pick Gruenebaum. The senior goalkeeper ranked 19th nationally last season with a 0.814 goals against average. In 2003 as a sophomore, he recorded 10 shutouts as the Wildcats set a school record for fewest goals allowed in a season with 15. UCF, under new head coach and former SMU assistant coach Brent Erwin, has been picked to finish eighth. Marshall and East Carolina fill in the last two slots, respectively. The top eight finishers in the regular season earn a spot in the 2005 Conference USA Tournament. Quarterfinal matches will be hosted the weekend of Nov. 4-6 at home site's of the top four seeds. The 2005 semifinals and final will be hosted by the top remaining seed on Nov. 11 and 13. The league's 11th season kicks off Thursday, Sept. 1. 2005 C-USA PRESEASON AWARDS C-USA PRESEASON Co-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR Dayton O'Brien, Sr., F/MF, Memphis Leandro de Oliveira, Sr., MF, UAB C-USA PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Andy Gruenebaum, Sr., GK, Kentucky CONFERENCE USA PLAYERS TO WATCH Brian Pope, Jr., GK, East Carolina J.W. Gallagher, So., F, East Carolina Carron Williams, Sr., F, Florida International Lucas Scudeler, Sr., MF, Florida International Andy Gruenebaum, Sr., GK, Kentucky Brandon Stewart, Sr., D, Kentucky Jared Dombrowski, Sr., D, Marshall Kirk Gibson, Sr., MF, Marshall Dayton O'Brien, Sr., F/MF, Memphis Andy Metcalf, Sr., F, Memphis Kellan Zindel, Sr., MF, SMU David Chun, Sr., MF, SMU Josh Alcala, Sr., MF, South Carolina Eric Szeszycki, Sr., MF, South Carolina Kyle Brown, Sr., F, Tulsa Daniel Wasson, Sr., MF, Tulsa Leandro de Oliveira, Sr., MF, UAB Sandy Gbandi, Jr., MF, UAB Ryan McIntosh, Sr., GK, UCF Phillip Michael Hall, So., D, UCF 2005 C-USA PRESEASON POLL (as selected by C-USA men's soccer coaches) 1. SMU 2. Tulsa 3. Memphis 4. South Carolina 5. UAB 6. Kentucky 7. Florida International 8. UCF 9. Marshall 10. East Carolina

08/16/05		Men's Soccer Exhibition with CBU Changed to Echles Field -- Tigers open ehibition schedule at on-campus field (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis,edu, (901) 678-2444 MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The location for the No. 27 University of Memphis men's soccer home opening exhibition against Christian Brothers University has been changed to Echles Field it was announced today. The Tigers will host cross-town rival CBU at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the university's on-campus field. Tickets for the game are $5 for adults, $3 for youth and free for children under six and U of M students with student ID card. The Tigers will host Lambuth in an exhibition game at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex on Friday, Aug. 26 before beginning the season at home with the seventh-annual Memphis Diadora Tournament on Sept. 3 and 5. The U of M will battle it out with Oral Roberts, Centenary and Belmont in a tournament that has been won by six different schools, including Memphis in 2002.

08/16/05		Special teams aspire to be boost to Tigers (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 16, 2005 Tyson Helton's first season as University of Memphis special teams coach had its memorable moments. There was Stephen Gostkowski's 35-yard field goal with six seconds left that lifted the Tigers past East Carolina, 38-35, in a late-season Conference USA road game. There was Darron White's first-quarter, 60-yard punt return against Tulane in October that triggered a lopsided win at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Paced by Gostkowski, a Lou Groza Award candidate, the Tigers ranked second in the conference in field goals, and behind White, who completed his career last season, the UofM ranked third in C-USA with a 10.3 yards-per-punt return average. But Helton is a perfectionist. He remembers what went wrong, moreso, perhaps, than what went right. Memphis ranked last in the league in kickoff returns (a 16-yard average) and had a punt returned for a touchdown at East Carolina. ''We grew as a special teams last year,'' he said. ''But I was nowhere near happy or satisfied with what we did. I'll just say there's big room for improvement. ''I thought as the season progressed we did a lot of things really well. But at the end of the year, when you look and evaluate the tapes, there's a lot of things we need to get a lot better on.'' Tiger coach Tommy West is depending on the special teams unit to give his young offense -- one that includes a quarterback yet to take a snap -- time to develop into a productive unit. Quarterback Patrick Byrne, a junior, has spent his first two seasons, coincidentally, as a special teams player, kicking off. If he earns the starting nod against Ole Miss Sept. 5, he'll be throwing to several receivers making their debuts, among them Antonio McCoy, Carlton Robinzine, Earnest Williams and Maurice Jones. ''The way to take pressure off of a young quarterback isn't to give him less to do,'' West said. ''It's to play great field position. ''To me, (special teams are) the first play of a series offensively or defensively. You can really create field position with your special teams. And if you are a threat to score some points, or steal some possessions, now you can change a game.'' West has watched his special teams improve as he has gradually built depth without sacrificing starters -- although starting receiver Maurice Avery is a candidate to return punts. West said he began taking starters off the special teams after seeing them become fatigued in a 2003 loss at Southern Miss. ''I thought last year we got close to average,'' West said. ''We started way below average. Again, we've been doing the same things for a couple of years. This year I expect our special teams to be a positive part of our team. We've won nine games (in 2003) and eight (in 2004) and haven't been really good on special teams.'' Last year, the Tigers returned 46 kickoffs, but none for more than 30 yards. Opponents returned 43 kicks for a 22.8-yard average, including a long of 75 yards. ''I think the thing we are looking for this year on special teams is that we need to go and contribute and win games,'' Helton said. ''Like coach (West) was saying, it's not good enough to just be out there and be a non-factor. ''We've got to be a huge factor, whether it's kicking the winning field goal or blocking a punt or having a punt return for a touchdown or the punt team pinning (the opponent) back every time they go out there. We've got to establish field position every time out there.'' Helton said the upside is most of his special teams players are back. ''Since we've been together for a while we should be able to make more plays than we have in the past,'' said Cato Mott, a fearless special teams member who broke his leg covering a Tulane kick return in 2004. ''That's the key to helping out the offense ... and the defense.'' -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

08/15/05		Women's Soccer Picked to Finish Fifth in Conference USA Preseason Poll -- Tigers picked behind four NCAA teams from last year (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis, Tenn. - The Memphis women's soccer team has been picked to finish in fifth place in the Conference USA coaches' preseason poll released Monday by the conference office. The Lady Tigers came in behind 2004 NCAA Tournament participants SMU, UCF, defending C-USA champion UAB, and Rice. The Tigers, which finished 11-8-0 last year, tying a school record for victories and setting a school record for winning percentage, return 10 players from last year and also return midfielder and 2003 All-C-USA first team pick Nicky McLeod, who redshirted last year. All-Conference pick Melissa Savage also returns to the midfield as well as a healthy forward in Shoko Mikami, who led the nation in scoring two years ago playing for Division II Christian Brothers but missed part of last year due to injury after transferring to Memphis. Both McLeod and Savage were also part of the C-USA Preseason Players to Watch List. The Tigers also add 15 newcomers to the team, including 14 freshmen. The incoming class was ranked the 27th best in the country out of over 300 teams in the country by Soccer Buzz, an online publication devoted to women's soccer. Highlighting the newcomers are forward Asuka Kubota, who was an NAIA All-American last year while playing at Martin Methodist College, defender Chloe James, who was a high school All-American last year, goalkeeper Caroline Allen, the Gatorade State Player of the Year in Arkansas last year, and midfielder Aika Young, who is a member of the Guam National Team. UTEP, East Carolina, Tulsa, Tulane, Houston, Marshall, and Southern Miss rounded out the poll. Olivia O'Rear of SMU was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year while UAB's Pam Cooney was the league's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The top eight finishers in the league earn a spot in the conference tournament, which will be held November 2-6 at Rice University in Houston, Texas. The Tigers will play a pair of exhibition games this Friday and Saturday at Indiana and Indiana State, respectively. The regular season opens for the Tigers in less than two weeks with a home game against Tennessee Tech on Sunday, August 28 at 1:00 p.m. Conference USA Release

08/15/05		Practice Update -- Tigers in shoulder pads and shorts for fourth practice (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The Tiger Football team met early in the morning for a 6:30 a.m. session at the Murphy Athletic Complex for the fourth day of practice. The squad donned shoulder pads and shorts for the second straight day and worked out for almost two hours. Coach Tommy West spent a good deal of time monitoring the progress of the quarterbacks and receivers. "Our effort and our intensity is very good," said West. "Our attention to detail is absolutely horrible. Effort does not win games. We have a long way to go. I think all of our guys are trying really hard, but they are not doing things very well." The special teams unit met for an additional 30 minutes while the offensive and defensive lines went to lift in the weight room. The Tigers will have a single practice again on Tuesday before enduring their first two-a-day session on Wednesday at the Liberty Bowl. Three camera crews from CSTV will be in town on Wednesday and Thursday continuing a feature on the Tigers which is titled Dog Days in reference to the grueling workouts. This season, CSTV picked the Memphis and Utah football teams to feature. The feature is expected to air in early September.

08/15/05		Last Chance to Sign Up to Play in Tiger Soccer Golf Tournament -- Tournament to kick off Memphis preseason schedule (GoTigersGo.com)
		Fans, friends, supporters and alumni of the University of Memphis men's soccer team are invited to take part in the second annual Tiger Soccer Golf Tournament on Friday, August 19 at the Memphis National Country Club. A free breakfast and range balls will be provided at 8:15 a.m. followed by a 9 a.m. shotgun start time. The tournament takes place a day before the defending Conference USA Champion Tigers begin their exhibition schedule at home against cross-town rival CBU. Memphis will take on the Buccaneers at 7 p.m. at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex. "Some of our supporters have organized this tournament that allows us to raise funds to help the program," said Memphis head coach Richie Grant. "We wanted the tournament to kick off the season to get people into watching the preseason games." Money raised from the tournament will go to help improve the Tigers' facilities and help strengthen the program. After remodeling the locker room last year, Memphis still has plans to improve the project. The team intends to build a history of Memphis soccer display cabinet outside of the locker room on South Campus at the Billy J. Murphy Athletic Complex. Grant said he also has plans to improve the practice facility at South Campus. "The benefits always go back to the athletes," he said. A tournament lunch with prize presentations will take place after the event. The tournament includes two flights based on scores with multiple winners. Four hole-in-one prizes are also available with one for $5,000. Mulligans may be purchased for $10 each (two max/person) on the day of the tournament. The entry fee is $80 per person or $320 per team.. "There will be a lot of familiar faces," Grant said. "People can expect to take a lot of shots because I don't think we'll have too many good golfers. It will be an enjoyable day with good company." A printable form can be found by clicking on the PDF link above. Complete and send the attached entry form with check made payable to Tiger's Supporter Club. Mailing instructions are on the form. Businesses and supporters can also sponsor a hole for $250. Each sponsorship includes signage of the business or supporter at the tee area of the sponsored hole. Sponsorship forms are also found in printable form by clicking on the PDF link above.

08/15/05		Stapp and Schmulian Pick up First Career Doubles Title -- Schmulian also advances to singles quarterfinals in Mexico (GoTigersGo.com)
		COMITAN, MEXICO - Former Tiger tennis players Joe Schmulian and Ben Stapp claimed their first Futures doubles crown in the Copa Ciro Farrera 2005 in Comitan, Mexico, on Sunday. The former Tigers entered the tournament as the top-seeded doubles team, and downed the No. 2 team of Marcelo Amador and Daniel Garza of Mexico, 7-5, 6-3 in the final. The duo did not drop a set en route their first career doubles title. Schmulian also advanced to the quarterfinals of the singles draw. He opened the tournament with a win over No. 6 seed Jason Marshall, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, and followed that with a 6-2, 7-6 (3) win over Italy's Marco de Sanctis in the second round. Schmulian's run came to an end in a 7-5, 6-3 loss to No. 1 seed Daniel Garza of Mexico on Saturday. Stapp now has 20 points in the ATP Individual Doubles race, while Schmulian has 19 points. This was the second doubles final appearance for Stapp in 2005., He also advanced to the finals of the New Zealand F2 tournament in Auckland on Feb. 21st on an indoor hard court while teaming with fellow Aussie Clinton Thomson. He and Thomson fell to the No. 4 seed team of Mark Nielsen and Matthew Prentice of New Zealand in that final. Stapp now has $1,291 in prize money for the 2005 season, while Schmulian has $545 in prize money for the season following last weekend's doubles win and singles quarterfinal appearance. Tiger tennis fans can follow the duo's results by going to www.stevegtennis.com and looking at the Futures Schedule/Results there. The next event in Mexico is the F10 event, another $10,000 tournament.

08/15/05		DeAngelo Williams to Participate in Live On-Line Chat on ESPN.com, Aug. 25th -- Fans can post their questions for Williams now (GoTigersGo.com)
		Senior tailback DeAngelo Williams will participate in a live on-line chat that will be posted on espn.com on Aug. 25th at 11 a.m (CT). Fans can post questions for DeAngelo that will be answered on that chat from the following link: http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=8946

08/15/05		Redbirds to Host University of Memphis Appreciation Night -- Tiger fans can receive a Field Box Seat for $5.00 when wearing a Tiger Blue T-Shirt (GoTigersGo.com)
		The Memphis Redbirds will host a University of Memphis Appreciation Night, Wed., Aug. 31st in AutoZone Park. Tiger fans wearing a blue Tiger t-shirt will receive a Field Box Seat for only $5.00. The Redbirds will host the Nashville Sounds beginning at 7:05 p.m. The gates will open at 6 p.m. and Tom II, the Memphis Spirit Squads and the marching band will all be in attendance in downtown Memphis before the gates open. To purchase tickets prior to this game, please call (901) 721-6000 and give the code UM05 to receive your discount. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the gate.

08/15/05		Maturation process helps Tiger tight end -- Doucette buckles down, shapes up in the offseason (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact August 15, 2005 Spring practice, last March. University of Memphis football coach Tommy West pulled John Doucette aside and delivered the news. Hey, big fella. Been thinking about it. We're going to try you at offensive tackle. No more tight end. You'll never catch a pass again. Trade in that No. 82 jersey. Go get something in the 60s. Doucette's reaction? "I got sick," he said. "What was that virus that was going around Memphis at the time?" Offensive lineman virus? "Nah," Doucette answered with a smile. "But whatever it was, I was out for about a week." But now, he's back. Back healthy. Back at tight end. Back in great shape, the best shape of his life, down 15 pounds from his playing weight last season. "I think I motivated him a little bit to lose that weight," West said Sunday following a two-hour practice. "He had that funny look when I talked to him about being an offensive tackle." That offensive tackle experiment, by the way, only lasted a few days because Doucette, now a senior, didn't necessarily look like the next Wade Smith. Furthermore, he didn't want to be the next Wade Smith. The next Kellen Winslow or Jason Witten had always been the dream, and that dream hadn't changed. So what did Doucette do once spring practice ended? He started working harder and focusing more than he ever had. Nobody had to tell him to eat right. He just did. Nobody had to tell him to get in the gym. He just did. An offseason program became a summer obsession. Over the months, something strange happened to Doucette. Here's offensive line coach Rick Mallory to explain it. "He became a man," Mallory said. "And this is what you hope happens, that guys come in and really take this thing hard, take some ownership and finally grow up. And he has. The guy is a man now. He looks great." And talks great, too. That's the other thing everybody is already noticing after just three practices this preseason. Used to be, Doucette was the guy having to be told to get in line, to run, to stop slacking off and start getting serious. He wasn't bad, but he wasn't perfect, either. Now, he's hardly recognizable, taking on more of a leadership role, like any veteran should. "I definitely have," Doucette said. "I feel like the offensive line is on my shoulders." And he acts like it, and makes sure others understand. "His behavior wasn't always ideal, but now he's holding himself to a standard, and he's holding other guys to that standard," Mallory said. "I like guys like that, guys who call people out and call people what they are." Meanwhile, don't forget what Doucette is. He's a tight end, one who's started three years, and caught four passes for 92 yards against Ole Miss in 2003. To this point, that's been the best game of Doucette's career. Far as he can tell, it'll remain just that for only a few more weeks when the slimmer, faster, more-agile New Orleans native meets the Rebels for the final time. "I can run a lot better now; I'm much faster on the field at this weight," Doucette said. "I can't wait until Sept. 5. I might cry before the game."

08/14/05		Practice Update - Day 3 -- Tigers add pads and heat for third day of practice (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The U of M football team took to the field for its third practice in what will presumably be similar temperatures for the Labor Day meeting against Ole Miss when the kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. The Tigers took to the practice fields at 4 p.m. and had on shoulder pads and shorts for the first time. There was limited contact during pass drills and when the offensive line met up with the defensive line. The squad worked for a little over an hour before Coach Tommy West called the group up and gave them a short break. Once the break was over, the defense took to the field for up-downs and some running while the offense worked on setting up plays and some passing for an additional 15 minutes. Once the group practice was over, the special teams unit, under the watch of Tyson Helton, worked out for about 35 minutes. Despite the stifling heat and humidity, the Tigers had a productive workout that seemed to please West. "We started out a little slow and I had to call everybody up and basically start practice again," said West. "But once we got going, I was very pleased with the work we got out of these guys. Our practices are going to start getting a little more physical in the nest couple of days." "It's hard to really single anyone out at this point," added West. "Once we get to the point that we can start scrimmaging, we are going to be able to evaluate where we are and who is standing out a little bit better." The Tigers will have single practices again on Monday and Tuesday before enduring their first two-a-day session on Wednesday. Three camera crews from CSTV will be in town on Wednesday and Thursday continuing a feature on the Tigers which is titled Dog Days in reference to the grueling workouts. This season, CSTV picked the Memphis and Utah football teams to feature. The feature is expected to air in early September.

08/14/05		Race for the Heisman -- University of Memphis star running back DeAngelo Williams heads into the backstretch in his bid for the Heisman (U of M Magazine)
		by Greg Russell Go ahead, fast-forward into the future — it doesn’t hurt to imagine. It is early December in New York City, and DeAngelo Williams has already been named as one of five finalists for the Heisman Trophy. The emcee is at the podium, he opens the envelope and announces, “The winner of the 71st Heisman Trophy is ...” OK, so we won’t jinx him, but with the 2005 season upon us, Williams has already established himself as a legitimate candidate for college football’s most coveted individual award. A Tiger player as a Heisman Trophy winner? You can pinch yourself, but this is no dream — it could happen if the cards fall just right. No question that Williams has to post similar astronomical numbers as he did last year — 1,948 yards on the ground; 22 rushing touchdowns (tops in the nation). But more importantly, the star tailback has to find a way to win over the 900 or so sports writers and former Heisman winners who vote on the award. The U of M has already unleashed the clever Race for the Heisman campaign (www.racefortheheisman.com). But playing well on national TV and a seven- or eight-win season by the team might be the formula that kicks Williams’ bid into overdrive. And just making it to New York would be prize enough. The charismatic Williams recently stopped by The University of Memphis Magazine’s offices to offer his perspective on the Heisman campaign and the upcoming season, which kicks off with a home game against Ole Miss Sept. 5. Last season you were considered a long shot for the Heisman. Going into the fall, many people still feel it will be hard for you to win the trophy playing for a school without a national reputation for football. What do you think will have to happen for you to take home the Heisman? A lot of what you have to do to win the Heisman depends on what school you go to. If I went to an SEC school and rushed for 1,500 yards, I’d be up for it automatically. But for me [playing at a school without a national football reputation], if someone from one of the big schools is a 1,200-yard rusher, it means I have to pick up 1,600 or 1,700 yards to have a chance. Are you happy with the race car-themed campaign the U of M came up with? When I first saw it, my jaw dropped. Jennifer [Rodrigues, U of M director of athletic media relations] did a great job coming up with the race car idea. It’s perfect. It is clever. Are you a NASCAR fan? I am now. How does it feel to even be mentioned as a candidate for the Heisman? The whole thing is amazing to me. I never imagined I’d be in this position. It still doesn’t seem real. But I can tell you it has been a pleasure being mentioned with the likes of Eddie George, Jason White, Desmond Howard. To win it would mean a lot to the University and to the city of Memphis. I want it for the fans. Has it really hit you that you are getting so much national attention? Coach West tells me to enjoy these things now. When you get old, he says, you know to appreciate these things, but when you’re younger you may not really appreciate it. I am trying to enjoy it, but the whole thing still hasn’t hit me just yet. One national publication likens your abilities to former Auburn star Carnell “Cadillac” Williams (NFL first round draft pick). How do you feel about that comparison? He was in the top five of the draft this year. I’d say I am just like Cadillac if it comes down to getting drafted so high and making his salary. The Liberty Bowl has installed artificial turf. Does that change your game? It [artificial turf] is a lot faster than grass and makes cuts a lot more crisp. I don’t have to worry about high grass or low grass — the surface will always be the same. I love it. I am looking forward to it. You’ve said before that you enjoy college life. What do you do when you’re not playing football or attending classes? My teammates and I, we take road trips. Road trips are the best. They’re better than going to Hawaii or to the Bahamas. When you road trip with people on the team, to like Atlanta or Arkansas, the things you encounter and the things you and your teammates go through, you can’t get anywhere else — crazy things. We can turn anything into a joke. You never know where you’re gonna end up, what’s gonna happen. That’s the fun part of it. In the NFL, it’ll be a little different. Their road trips aren’t like ours. A road trip to them is like three in a limo. With us, we’re college students on a budget so everything is trimmed up drastically. What else do you do in your spare time? We play a lot of pickup basketball. If we’re playing against non-football players, it is more of a finesse game — we’re trying not to get hurt. But we hate to lose in any sport. You could have taken the money and literally run with it if you’d entered the draft after last season. Money is not the most important thing to me. When I get out of here, I want to have something with a logo on it. So you are on course to graduate? I’m on pace to graduate ... it will happen in December or next spring. Are you still an accounting major? I’ve changed to marketing. In the preseason, you’ve already been named to some All-America lists and you’ve attended some award ceremonies. What has that been like? I just got back from the Playboy All-America ceremony in Phoenix. I roomed with Derek Hagan, the wide receiver from Arizona State. Matt Leinhart, last year’s Heisman winner and the quarterback from USC, was next door. We grew kind of fond of each other. I also had a chance to meet a pair of Tennessee players, Jason Allen and Jesse Mahelona. We were talking about our upcoming game against them and they said something that interested me. They said they had a harsh schedule, and they told me they consider us as one of their hardest games. I was like, “Times are changing.” That made me feel good. What is your outlook for the upcoming season? I feel we’ll be favored in every game we go into except against UAB, UT and Marshall. Two of those three are on the road. UAB has always been the thorn in our side. The team lost most of the offensive line to graduation. Do you have any concerns over that? The guys that will be in front of me are guys that I am used to playing with — I have run behind them in practice for a couple of years, and I have a lot of confidence in those guys. They will get the job done up front. We’ll be as good or better. What will be the team’s most improved area? At wide receiver, we’re going to be a lot bigger and a lot faster. What about on defense? The team seemed to have some porous areas last year. I think we’ll be a lot more mature and more aggressive on defense. With coach [Joe Lee] Dunn, you never know what we’re going to do. I put my faith in him. Are you fully recovered from your injury? It was a broken fibula, and it is completely healed up. After it happened, I played one more series before I came out. Last year your mom was ill and that had to play on your thoughts. How is she doing now? Mom is doing great. She had surgery last year right after the South Florida game — that took care of her cancer. She is fine. Your son, Jacobi, was a toddler last summer. How is he doing? Jacobi is 2 now, and he loves playing with his football. I’m trying to break him from that. We want to do something that doesn’t involve hitting, spitting or a ball. Something non-aggressive. Anything you would like to tell Tiger fans? I believe this will be our best season ever, and I want all the fans to experience it. We need everyone to be in their seats. More fans in the stands means more adrenaline pumping. It gives us that extra boost to win. We’re like race cars. The fans keep us gassed up; they keep us going. ------------------------------------------- Campaign Revs its Engines When Jennifer Rodrigues went searching for an idea to promote DeAngelo Williams for the Heisman Trophy, she didn’t have to venture too far from home — literally. “My husband collects the Dale Earnhardt die-cast model cars,” says the U of M director of athletic media relations. “I was walking by my entertainment center at home and besides the fact that I was thinking, ‘These cars really need to be dusted,’ that is when the idea hit.” Rodrigues had spent several days looking for something unique, something that would separate Williams from other Heisman hopefuls, when she struck upon the idea to create a NASCAR-like model race car to be the centerpiece of the campaign. The resulting “DeAngelo car,” complete with Tiger blue and gray colors and Williams’ number 20 painted on the side, has been overwhelmingly successful. At least 30 newspapers in major cities across the country carried some mention of the unique campaign when it was announced in early summer. ESPN.com, CBSSportsline.com and Foxsports.com were just a few of the online outlets to pick up the story. “We wanted something that wouldn’t go straight to the trash; something that would sit on a desk, that a media member would keep and maybe even give to his kid,” Rodrigues says. Rodrigues had 3,550 of the cars produced, with 1,100 designated for local and national media members, including members of the Football Writer’s Association. Tiger fans were given the opportunity to buy into the car, too — 2,450 were offered to the public. It took just four days for the supply to be exhausted. Revenue generated from the sale of the cars went into the U of M’s general fund. “We wanted something with a ‘wow’ factor and I believe we’ve accomplished that,” Rodrigues says. Williams says the car theme “is just perfect.” “I am the car, coach West is the driver and my offensive line is the pit crew,” quips Williams. Williams rushed for 1,948 yards last season and led the nation with 22 rushing touchdowns. Despite projections that he could have been a late first-round pick in the NFL draft, Williams decided to return to Memphis for his senior season. ESPN’s Mel Kiper says Williams will be “one of the top five players to be selected in the 2006 NFL Draft and the No. 1 running back to be taken.”

08/14/05		Calkins: New Tiger quarterback has plenty of determination (Commercial Appeal)
		By Geoff Calkins Contact August 14, 2005 Patrick Byrne hasn't started a game at the University of Memphis and he already has a big head. Not just a big head, a huge head. "Gigantic," said his older brother, Brad. "He's got the biggest head I've ever seen." We're talking the actual head, understand. The cranium, the melon. It's, like, really large. While the actual size is a deeply held secret, suffice it to say that when Brad tries on one of Patrick's hats, it falls down over his ears. Which breaks them up every time. Because of the irony of it all. That's irony, right? The guy with the big head doesn't have a big head. The guy with the big head is as modest as you'll find. The other day, for example, Byrne did a telephone interview with a local radio show. Brad, in town for a visit, decided to go out to the car and listen. "So they ask him for a scouting report, you know, what he does well," Brad said. "He tells them that he pretty much does everything average but he does it consistently. "I let him have it. 'Pat, that's too humble! You gotta do better than that!'" Byrne shrugged. A few days earlier, Byrne wrapped up his final day of work at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He had a summer job in the sports marketing department. A typical sweet deal, you're thinking. Jobs for football players. Life is unfair. Except Pat Ramirez, the head of sports marketing, didn't even know Byrne played football until halfway through the summer. "It's not on my resume," said Byrne. No? "Well, I have Coach West as a reference but that's it." So how are people going to know who you are? How are they going to know that you're a near lock to be the starting quarterback for the hometown team? Byrne pondered this. "I guess when they see me play." ----------------------------------------- When Memphis plays Ole Miss on Labor Day, and when Patrick Byrne runs out to take the first snap, you would do well to point him out to your kids. Tell them his story. Tell them there's another way. It's not all about flash and talent and strutting arrogance. Diligence still matters. Thoughtfulness doesn't get in the way of success. And if you truly believe you can do something -- even if nobody else does -- there's a reasonable chance you might be right. "Did I think he would ever be the starting quarterback at Memphis?" said head coach Tommy West. "Honestly? No." Could he be the starting kicker? Sure. Anyone could see that. Southern Miss wanted him to kick and Alabama wanted him to kick and so did everyone else. Except Byrne. He wanted to play quarterback. Because -- he knows this sounds campy -- "I wanted to be part of the team." That's what drew him to football, after all. The brotherhood, the camaraderie, the whole all-for-one deal. He used to have everyone over to his house after his high school games in Brewton, Ala. Could a kicker do that? "Patrick plays football for other people," said Jamie Riggs, his high school coach. "Not everyone understands that. Terrell Owens doesn't understand that. But Patrick does." So Byrne quickly winnowed his list to those schools that would give him a shot at quarterback. It came down to Memphis and West Virginia and Memphis won out because -- might as well be straight -- they had Danny Wimprine and not much else. Even then, though, it's not like Memphis was promising much. "I thought he could be the third quarterback," West said. "If he could kick and be the third quarterback, that would save us a spot." Sure enough, the first spring practice, Byrne proved he didn't have it. The Tigers let Maurice Avery and Byrne both take a turn at quarterback. "Mo did everything wrong and moved the ball right down the field and scored," said Randy Fichtner, the Tigers' offensive coordinator. "Patrick did everything right but couldn't move the ball 10 yards." Which is where the dream would end, normally. With resignation and a position change. Byrne should have recognized his future was at kicker. Either that, or at another school. Except that's not how Byrne is built. This is a kid who taught himself to kick by reading the Jan Stenerud instruction book. "We had a tree with a crook in the side yard," said Byrne's father, another Brad, who's a Circuit Judge in Brewton. "Patrick kicked all the time. I mean, all the time." Byrne poured that same energy into becoming the Memphis quarterback. He worked on his strength. He worked on his arm. He spent so much time with Danny Wimprine, they decided to share a house. "He'd stay out here at practice and throw balls," West said. "I always had to come get him to send him over to kick because he'd be hiding out with the quarterbacks." Sure enough, Byrne got better. Funny how that works. And while the Tigers kept recruiting new quarterbacks, when the position was thrown open this spring practice, Byrne played better than anyone. "I was shocked this spring by how comfortable he looked," West said. "He's by far the leader. The only reason I wouldn't have him No. 1 is that I want the other guys to keep competing." Not that they'd begrudge him, really. Because here's the other reason you should tell your kids about Byrne: He's as nice, as well-rounded a guy as you could ever hope to find. He's two classes away from a degree in marketing. By the end of this year -- his fourth at Memphis -- Byrne will have degrees in marketing and real estate. Not long ago, Jennifer Rodrigues got a voice message from Byrne. Rodrigues is in charge of football media relations for Memphis and dreamed up the DeAngelo Williams race car. Anyway, there was a story in USA Today on Rodrigues and the car. Byrne called to thank her for doing such a great job. "That's Patrick," said Rodrigues. "I play the message when I want to remember why I do what I do." There's no end of stories like this. Riggs, Byrne's high school coach, said he likes to talk to Byrne when he's feeling down. When he's feeling down. "He just makes you feel better," Riggs said. Erin Byrne is Patrick's younger sister. Back in June, she was having boyfriend trouble. "I know it sounds girly, but Patrick was a big help," she said. "He sat down and went over it with me and it made a lot more sense." At St. Jude, Byrne didn't spend the summer throwing a Nerf football around the office. He helped conceive a new fund-raising strategy. "It's called Field of Dreams," said Ramirez, Byrne's boss. "It's a concept that involves getting kids onto the field with their favorite football players. We have to test it, but it shows what Patrick is capable of. I hope he comes to work for us one day." Before that, of course, Byrne has a life-long dream to live out. The guy can be the finest individual ever to play for Memphis and it won't matter if he stinks up the joint. It's easy for fans to build up expectations about quarterbacks they've never seen. Remember the hopes that surrounded Ole Miss quarterback Micheal Spurlock coming into last year? Remember how that turned out? Byrne isn't going to be the first option for the Tigers. There's a certain Heisman candidate who has that role. But Memphis isn't going to overhaul its offense for a new quarterback. "We throw deep balls, that's what we are," West said. "When the time comes, he'll have to make plays." Byrne understands this. But the man who has spent the last four years surprising people might have a few surprises left. For instance, what Memphis quarterback holds the all-time record for the 40-yard dash? Any guesses? Coach West? "Patrick?" Yep. "Really?" He ran a 4.52 this summer. "I didn't know that," said the coach. "I'll be danged." To reach Geoff Calkins, call him at 529-2364 or send an e-mail.

08/14/05		Tiger 'D' aware of '04 mistakes -- Unit doesn't want to let coach Dunn down (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 14, 2005 Marcus West admits University of Memphis defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn issued the warning before preseason camp began last week. Mindful of his unit's lackluster performance last season, Dunn gathered the defense together and told it this year's results were going to be more indicative of past Tiger, and Dunn-coached, defenses. He told the players improvement would come at a price, a physically demanding one. "He tells us every day this camp is going to be harder than before," said West, a starting defensive end. "And it has. This is only our second day and it feels like our 10th or 11th day. But coach Dunn knows we have to be a better defense." The Tiger defense struggled a year ago, finishing seventh in an 11-team league in total defense and allowing 418 yards per game. Memphis also surrendered a league-high 29 touchdown passes. Three opponents scored 49 or more points against the U of M. Tiger coach Tommy West, who served as the team's defensive coordinator in 2000 before taking over as head coach, said he hopes the unit is driven -- perhaps by pride -- to avoid a similar letdown. "I think our defense realizes they didn't play well enough a year ago," West said. "As you continue to move on, you want to see them with a 'chip-on-your-shoulder' attitude about wanting to improve. That's one of the keys to our team: that we're better defensively." Two years ago -- in Dunn's first season as the U of M's defensive coordinator -- the Tigers finished ninth nationally in total defense. Their 295.8 yards allowed per game ranked first in Conference USA. "We played really good defense two years ago," West said. "But we also played our defense well. We didn't have a lot of errors. Last year we didn't play well anywhere." West said one of the biggest breakdowns was as a run defense. The Tigers yielded 142 yards per game in 2004, or about 32 more than in 2003. There were huge breakaway runs like the 30-yard touchdown scamper by UAB's Corey White in the closing seconds to lift the Blazers past the Tigers. Louisville's Eric Shelton had a 78-yard TD in the Cardinals' wild 56-49 victory. And P.J. Pope broke off a 29-yard run early in Bowling Green's 52-35 win in the GMAC Bowl. "(Pope) broke a 30-yard run (in the GMAC Bowl) because we ran out of the gap," West said. "To be honest a year ago, when things like that would happen, we'd drop eight and play zone and they'd complete (passes). Then we'd come back and blitz and they'd complete 'em. We just weren't good anywhere. "If you can get people one dimensional, there's a lot of different things you can do as a defense." For several reasons, West expects better results. There's an infusion of defensive personnel, including junior college linebacker Donald Thornton and JC defensive backs LaKeitharun Ford and Brandon McDonald. Redshirt freshman Ryan Williams is coming off a solid spring at noseguard. "Thornton should compete for a job," West said. "McDonald has shown flashes. He's got really good speed and good hands. "But what I really want to see is some of the guys that have been around get better. That's what I'd love to see because they know what we are doing." It's a returning group that includes each of the starting linebackers -- Tim Goodwell, Quinton McCrary and Carlton Baker -- and backups Greg Hinds and Heath Grant. The defense also returns Marcus West, a preseason all-league selection, and defensive back Wesley Smith. also a first-team pick. Coach West also is encouraged by the maturity of senior noseguard LaVale Washington and defensive tackle Rubio Phillips. "I think if that linebacker bunch could get better and make something happen when they blitz, it would really help," coach West said. "We have enough ability up front to be pretty good." Goodwell said the unit is aware of where it fell short a year ago. Out of respect for coach Dunn, it's intent on not repeating those mistakes. "Last year it was us not finishing out plays," Goodwell said. "Right now it's all about doing our assignments the right way the first time. When you play for coach Dunn, with his reputation, you don't want to let him down."

08/14/05		UofM Notebook (Highland Hundred, practice, freshmen) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 14, 2005 Highland Hundred gaining in popularity Highland Hundred president Jim Pennington, who attended Saturday's practice, said Friday's kickoff banquet at the school's on-campus Holiday Inn attracted a record crowd of more than 700. Pennington said last year's event drew about 600. He also said membership has increased, although he didn't have an exact count. "One indication is we have sold over 800 parking passes (for home games at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium) and that is the most we've ever sold," he said. "And we have more Coaching Circle members, more corporate members and more new members than we've had in the last 3-to-4 years combined." A productive outing Coach Tommy West had a favorable impression of the team's second preseason workout, one conducted in shorts and helmets Saturday at the Murphy Athletic Complex. "I believe we know how to come out and improve in a shorts practice," West said. "You just have to be able to push yourself mentally. And we're getting there." West said the Tigers will add shoulder pads for today's practice session. "To be honest, we can do everything but scrimmage," he said. "And we have scrimmaged in shorts and shoulder pads because our guys know how to stay on their feet (an NCAA requirement in a shorts and shoulder pads practice). But we know how to practice against each other and get good work in. "But my goal is not to try and split the atom in one day. It's to be prepared to play a football game on Sept. 5 (against Ole Miss). I have an idea in my head where we need to be at a certain time." By invitation only After the varsity went through its morning workout, the coaching staff took nearly a three-hour break and worked out with the newcomers. It was not a physical workout, but more of an instructive one "to get them to a point they can compete for a job." "It's new to them," West said. "I've always said one of the biggest differences in the high school to college move is you don't see many high schoolers come in who are at the (proper) conditioning level." West said he placed the newcomers with varsity on the first day of practice "because I wanted them to see the tempo of a practice, of a college practice." Then he added Saturday's session. "To be honest, I wasn't going to bring my freshmen out by themselves until I read where some other people were doing it," West said, referring to similar sessions conducted by Ole Miss and Kentucky. "I got to thinking, I wouldn't want to work with them all the time by themselves, but I think that's a good idea on Day 2. (Today) we'll be back all together." West said if his staff determines another such individual session is beneficial, he'll schedule another on Monday and "then that'll be it."

08/13/05		Tigers Split Practice for Day Two -- Veterans worked out early and newcomers came in during afternoon heat (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The Tiger Football team got an early start in the second day of practice but, compared to yesterday, it was like sleeping in. For the second practice of the season, the guys worked out without pads. The veterans took to the field at 6:30 a.m. at the Murphy Athletic Complex and worked in individual groups for 18 periods. Following that session, the special teams unit took to the field for an additional 30-minute workout. Around 9 a.m., the newcomers started arriving at the complex for position meetings and then took the field at 11 a.m. in what was considerably warmer temperatures compared to the early morning session. While the newest Tigers worked in smaller groups and underwent more personal instruction from their coaches, the returning players had their photos taken for the game program and for the various national television entities. A little over an hour after beginning their session, the newcomers had their photos taken. "I wanted the new guys to work day one with the varsity because I wanted them to see the tempo of a college practice," said Head Coach Tommy West. "Now, they have seen the speed of the practice and they have seen our drills. This afternoon, they will come back out and we will spend some time with them, almost individually. It will be more of a teaching-type practice, working on drill work and footwork." The Tigers will strap on shoulder pads on Sunday and will work against each other in the late afternoon. "Tomorrow will be a lot different," said West. "To be honest, we can do everything but scrimmage, and we have scrimmaged in just shoulder pads because our guys know how to stay on their feet. "We have a long time, added West. "My goal is not to split the atom in one day. It is to get these guys ready to play a football game on Sept. 5th. I have an idea in my head of where we need to be at certain times and we are going to move in that direction."

08/13/05		Coaching continuity starts to pay off for U of M -- Good communication, few errors brighten early workout (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 13, 2005 His team's first preseason practice -- which kicked off before sunrise Friday at the Murphy Athletic Complex -- had ended about two hours, and 10 degrees, later. It was at that moment, while basking in the early morning sun, that University of Memphis coach Tommy West shed some light on what he had seen. As first practices go, this one had run efficiently, purring along like, well, a DeAngelo Williams race car. It wasn't an error-free session -- there were some fumbled center-quarterback exchanges -- but the mistakes were minimal. ''What was impressive about (Friday's workout) was we are so much further along than like last year and the year before and the year before that,'' West said. ''It's just a (reflection) of doing the same things over and over. ''We've got a new offensive line (four new starters), but we can run our offense right now from a mental standpoint. They know what we are doing. They know what to expect from a tempo standpoint when they get out here.'' West, beginning his fifth year as head coach at the UofM and sixth overall, said being able to retain his coaching staff -- including no changes since last year's GMAC Bowl team -- contributed to Friday's smooth opening. West looks around and sees familiar faces. Assistant coach Clay Helton, offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner and offensive line coach Rick Mallory have been with West since he was named head coach. Defensive assistants Tim Keane and Craig Boller are in their fourth seasons. And Williams, the all-America candidate and Heisman Trophy hopeful, is returning for his fourth season after resisting the temptation to enter the NFL Draft. ''With the retention of players and coaches we've had in this program, it just makes it easier to get started,'' West said. ''(Friday) didn't look like a first practice to me, other than the fumbled snaps on the center-quarterback exchange. That was the only thing I thought that was really poor.'' Three years ago, West made what he called one of the most significant hires of his coaching career when he named Joe Lee Dunn defensive coordinator. Dunn, outside linebackers coach Chris Rumph and running backs coach Jeep Hunter are in their third seasons at the UofM. ''You learn at every stop,'' West said. ''When I was at Clemson (from 1993 to '98), I had three offensive coordinators in five years. Part of that was because I really didn't know what I wanted. So I never was happy with what we were doing. ''Here I knew exactly what I wanted before we even started. It just makes it easier when you've done this before. It's easier to get everyone on the same page. I can't emphasize enough how important it is that you keep coaches, that you don't start over.'' West said the impact of staff retention was evident from the moment the practice began. Without the benefit of a pre-practice team meeting, West said the players and coaches went through drills as if they'd met several times. ''It makes it easier when we've been together as long as we have,'' Fichtner said. ''What I say to my players, (the other coaches) are reciting. And what (the other coaches are saying to them), I'm reciting. It's continuous, and that can't be bad. It's consistency.'' Fichtner said working with a selfless group of assistants has led to the program's recent success -- back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history -- and to efficient workouts like Friday. ''With Clay and I, it's easy to flow in and out of each other's meetings,'' Fichtner said. ''We'll take the quarterbacks in with the wideouts a bunch and vice versa. They're consistently being told the same thing. It's just a good feeling knowing we are all pulling in the same direction. I don't know if that's the case everywhere.'' West said members of his staff have been approached by other schools. Helton turned down an offer to join the Oklahoma State staff last winter. ''We've been able to keep our guys and pay them a little more money to where someone's going to have to go up pretty good to get them,'' West said. ''When I came in here (as defensive coordinator) coach (Rip) Scherer had had four offensive line coaches in the previous four years. That makes it really, really difficult.'' -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543 ------------------------------------------ Familiar faces The 2005 U of M football coaching staff is unchanged from last season. Here's how long each coach has served as an assistant under West: Coach Position Season Tommy West Head Coach Fifth Craig Boller Defensive Line Fourth Joe Lee Dunn Defensive Coordinator Third Randy Fichtner Offensive Coordinator Fifth Clay Helton Asst. Head Coach/Receivers Fifth Tyson Helton Special Teams/Tight Ends Second Jeep Hunter Running Backs Third Tim Keane Secondary Fourth Rick Mallory Offensive Line Fifth Chris Rumph Linebackers Third

08/13/05		U of M NOTEBOOK -- football (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 13, 2005 Tigers are early-risers on first day The University of Memphis football team is accustomed to early-morning training sessions, but Friday's workout was a bit earlier than most. Memphis opened its camp with a practice that began at 5:45 a.m. under the Murphy Athletic Complex lights. For some, it was only a slight adjustment to their daily routines. For others, it was a bit more disruptive. ''My alarm clock was going off, (roommate) Maurice (Avery's) alarm clock was going off and my phone was ringing, so I didn't get a chance to hit my snooze button,'' running back DeAngelo Williams said. ''I'm used to getting up at 5:30 in the morning for those 6 (a.m.) summer workouts. Those (extra) 30 minutes (to wake up at 5) were kind of rough on me today.'' Williams said it took about a half hour to get going once he hit the field. ''Coach (Tommy) West wakes us up mentally from the beginning,'' Williams said. ''But, physically, sometimes we don't wake up until about 35 or 40 minutes into it.'' West said players involved in second summer session classes had finals Friday, and the early start to practice allowed them time to get to class. ''It wasn't too bad,'' West said. ''It needs to get light a little quicker if we're going to do this. Outside of that, we got through this thing and got in some great work, and it wasn't overly hot. It shouldn't have taken a whole lot out of them.'' Still going strong Murray Armstrong, a former Tiger assistant coach and the coordinator of the Murphy Complex, said Friday marked the beginning of his 43rd year with the Tiger football program. Armstrong, 68, has been involved at several different levels, serving as a position coach, freshman head coach, special teams coach, academic advisor and administrative aide since joining the program in 1962. He is serving under his eighth Tiger football coach. As he rested in the seat of his trademark golf cart Friday, Armstrong talked about how invigorating it was to be in better health. Last summer, doctors found a cancerous spot on his right lung and removed it. In October, he had knee replacement surgery. ''I feel like I've had a rebirth,'' said Armstrong, revered by current and former Tiger players. ''I started feeling really good again back in March. I'm walking four and five miles a day (during the course of his workday). My strength is slowly coming back.'' Checking the list Senior kicker Stephen Gostkowski has been named one of 30 candidates on the preseason watch list for the Lou Groza Award, given annually to the nation's top college placekicker. Gostkowski, who earned first-team all-CUSA honors last season, is the school's career leader in points scored (268). He was a semifinalist for the Groza Award last season.

08/12/05		Back to Work for Men's Soccer Team -- Tigers Aim for Loftier Goals in 2005 (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- With a midnight run on Wednesday, Aug. 17, the No. 27 University of Memphis men's soccer team will kick off its training for the 2005 season. The Tigers will then hold practice on Thursday and Friday from 9-11 a.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m. before taking on cross-town rival Christian Brothers University in an exhibition match. Memphis will play CBU on Saturday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex. The Tigers open the season at home on Saturday, Sept. 3 as they host the seventh annual Memphis Diadora Tournament. Participating schools in the tournament include Oral Roberts, Centenary and Belmont. Not much has changed from last year for the Tigers. Although the program is coming off its best season in school history, the team's approach remains the same. "Last year we played with the purpose to prove that we are a really good team," said Memphis head coach Richie Grant. "It was a team that was highly motivated and achieved a taste of success as a result. Our players want to continue with those experiences. They want to advance the program to a higher level than where we currently are. We're well aware that there is a lot more for us to do." After winning both the Conference USA regular and tournament championships in 2004, Memphis plans to build on its success with an experienced and talented team in a competitive realigned conference. In 2004, Grant took a team comprised of 14 freshmen and turned it into the 10th-most improved team in the nation from 2003. This year the Tigers again have a large freshman group with 10 signees joining the squad in the fall, but the team returns several sophomores with championship-playing experience and six upperclassmen with proven leadership abilities. "The quality and maturity of the players will ultimately determine the success of the team," Grant said. "We have a great balance of experienced veteran players mixed in with young players that played last year and got to experience winning a conference tournament." COACHES Richie Grant enters his seventh season as the head coach at Memphis. In 2004, the Ireland native received his second C-USA Coach of the Year Award. Grant is 61-45-6 with the Tigers and his .571 winning percentage is the highest ever at the U of M. The former Lambuth head coach has a 118-80-8 overall record through 10 seasons. Returning to the coaching staff is Robert Nicholson, who enters his third year at Memphis, and Carl Schmitt, who is in his second year. Remco de Jong joins the staff this year as a volunteer goalkeeper coach. "The coaching staff has taken on some consistency now that we've been together for a full campaign last year," Grant said. "The players are very comfortable with the staff. They know the expectations that we have for them. All the coaches know our roles within the program." FORWARDS After successful junior campaigns, All-American senior Dayton O'Brien and All-Conference senior Andy Metcalf provide a dangerous duo for the Tigers the forward position. O'Brien set Memphis single season and career records for assists as a forward and midfielder last year with 14 assists as well as scoring eight goals. Metcalf led the team in 2004 with 12 goals, including four-game winners in conference play. Also proving he could be a potent threat up front, sophomore Marcus McCarty began and ended the season strong, scoring eight goals while missing the middle of the season due to a broken ankle. Senior Cormac McArdle played the forward position for the Tigers in the spring and has the potential to put up big numbers as well. Freshman Kyle Minter will also be given the opportunity to play with the group. "As a coach, you try to make sure you have good options," Grant said. "There's tremendous competition at the forward position this year, which was the foundation of our success last year. Up front we feel like we have options, and we have the ability to move some of those players into other positions as well." MIDFIELDERS Memphis lost two of its four starting midfielders in team captain Daniel Dobson and John Reilly, but return sophomore Adam Montgomery, a C-USA All-Freshman Team selection in 2004. Also returning is senior Stephen Cooling, who played 16 games in the center of the park and scored three goals with two assists. Wide on the left, Grant will look to McArdle, who played well at the position when healthy last year. However, O'Brien and McCarty are also an option at the spot. The departure of Reilly has left a wide hole on the right, but sophomore Jared Britcher has been impressive in the position during the spring. Freshmen Tripp Parkins, Patrick Elkins, Brian Dooley, Robert Sausaman and Grant Wise will also compete for playing time in the midfield, creating plenty of competition for the four positions. DEFENDERS The defense returns two of the four starters from last year in sophomore Michael Coburn at right fullback and senior All-Conference USA player Gary Connolly anchoring the defense. Memphis loses an experienced center defender in Justin Dyer, but Grant believes he will have several options to fill the void. Coburn has the potential to move to the center to replace Dyer and freshmen Thomas Hyland, Jordan Lynn, Frank Judice and Tomo Koyano as well as sophomore Patrick Ahern, who transferred from Evansville, will all be given chances to step into the opening voids. GOALKEEPERS The Tigers' most unproven area is at goalkeeper with two sophomores fighting for the starting job after the departure of last year's C-USA Defender of the Year Sebastian Vecchio. Gavin McInerney saw time in four games last year as a freshman and has yet to allow a goal through 130 minutes of play. Six-foot-five sophomore Tyler Strom saw time in three games last year with two starts. Strom compiled a 1-0-1 record with 1.13 goals against average in 239 minutes of action with nine saves. "We have two good goalkeepers who will have tremendous competition for the starting job," Grant said. "That decision will be made on a week-to-week basis, but we believe they are both capable of helping us win a championship. They've come in and done well in the spring, and they are anchored by a good defense. "It's a great time to be a goalkeeper here," Grant Added. "Our team defending is quite well. But we will still need them to come up big for us the way Sebastian did for us last year." SCHEDULE A new alignment of C-USA in 2005 has created one of the best soccer conferences in the nation. The conference has a new look with only Memphis, UAB and East Carolina remaining from last year. Added are five schools who competed in the 2004 NCAA Tournament in Tulsa, SMU, UCF and new affiliate members South Carolina and FIU. Marshall and affiliate member Kentucky also make up the 10-team conference. "We're really pleased about the strength of our schedule this year and the variety of schools that we play in and out of conference," Grant said. "As the conference changed, you're always hoping you maintain a good schedule. We were very fortunate that the schools that merged in the new C-USA brought about a very exciting men's soccer league."

08/12/05		Ten Student-Athletes To Receive Diplomas At Summer Commencement Sunday -- Ceremonies to take place at FedExForum on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. (CT) (GoTigersGo.com)
		Ten University of Memphis student-athletes are set to participate in summer commencement ceremonies on Sunday, Aug. 14, pending the successful completion of exams. Commencement exercises are scheduled for Sunday at 3:00 p.m. (CT) at FedExForum. The summer session exam period concluded on Friday, Aug. 12. Daniel Byram, Covington, Tenn./Covington HS Daniel Byram transferred to Memphis from Lambuth College in the spring of 2003 and worked as a receiver for the Tiger offense the past two seasons (2003 and 2004). The Covington, Tenn., native saw action in two games versus Chattanooga and Tulane in the 2004 campaign. Byram is graduating with a bachelor's degree in English. Andrew Christie/Collierville, Tenn./University of North Alabama/Collierville HS Andrew Christie saw limited action in his two seasons on the Tiger baseball team. A transfer from North Alabama, the southpaw gave Memphis six innings of work in nine outings as a reliever in 2003-04. As a senior, the Collierville, Tenn., native held opponents to a .143 batting average. He is receiving his bachelor's degree in Management. Jason Johnson, St. Louis, Mo./Pattonville HS A four-year letterman on the Tiger offensive line, Jason Johnson started 11 of 12 games in 2004. He was a member of the 2004 Memphis offensive line that allowed only five sacks and helped Danny Wimprine throw for 2,892 yards and All-American DeAngelo Williams rush for 1,948 yards. The St. Louis, Mo., native played in 21 career games - missing four games with an MCL tear in 2003 - and saw action on 1,101 of 1,906 plays in his time as a Tiger. Johnson, who lettered as a tight end in 2001 and 2002, is receiving his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. Jason Matthews, Muscle Shoals, Ala./Northeast Mississippi C.C./Muscle Shoals HS The two-year letterwinner started all 25 games as a Tiger after transferring to Memphis from Northeast Mississippi Community College in 2003. The Muscle Shoals, Ala., native played 1,533 of 1,906 career snaps, and was a member of the 2004 offensive line that allowed only five sacks and helped Danny Wimprine throw for 2,892 yards and All-American DeAngelo Williams rush for 1,948 yards. Matthews earned his bachelor's degree in Management. Leanne McGee, North Shields, England/Lindsey Wilson College A member of the Lady Tiger soccer team the final three seasons, Leanne McGee transferred to Memphis from Lindsey Wilson College. The North Shields, England, native played in 55 career games, starting 51 as a defender. From her defensive backfield position, she scored seven points on two goals and three assists in her career. An All-Conference USA first team pick in 2004, McGee earned All-Central Region second team accolades from both Soccer Buzz and NSCAA. She helped lead the Lady Tigers to an 11-8 overall record and a Conference USA Tournament berth in 2004. McGee is receiving a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. Simplice Njoya, Yaoundé, Cameroon/Duquesne University/The Masters (N.Y.) School A transfer from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pa., Simplice Njoya played his first full season with the Tigers in 2004-05. He saw action in 31 games and averaged 1.0 points and 1.1 rebounds. His best game as a Tiger came in a win over USF in which he had nine points and five boards. He scored all nine of his points in the final seven minutes on 9-of-10 free throws. He could not suit up for Memphis in 2003-04 due to NCAA transfer rules, but was able to practice with the squad. Njoya earned his bachelor's degree in International Business, and will continue to take courses at Memphis while playing his final season of collegiate basketball in 2005-06. Lionel Pieh, Cordova, Tenn./Cordova HS A four-year letterwinner, Lionel Pieh played 34 of 36 career games in his first three years in the Tiger secondary. The Cordova, Tenn., saw limited action due to injuries in 2004. He had two tackles in five appearances last season. For his career, Pieh had 26 total tackles (16 solo, 10 assists). Pieh, who also saw extensive duty on the Tiger special teams, is receiving his bachelor's degree in Marketing Management. Jocelyn Raine, Sunderland, England/Lindsey Wilson College A transfer from Lindsey Wilson College, Jocelyn Raine played her final three years of collegiate soccer at Memphis. The Sunderland, England, native played a key role on the 2004 Lady Tiger defense that set a school record for goals-against average at 1.19. She also scored five career points on two goals and one assist. Raine played in 18 of 19 games as a senior and appeared in 54 career games. She is receiving her bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. Sebastian Vecchio/Buenos Aires, Argentina/Mid-Continent College (Ky.) A two-year letterwinner as goalkeeper for the men's soccer team, Vecchio was named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2004. He captured the Tigers' season goals-against average (GAA) record with a 0.69 mark his senior year in helping the U of M win both the C-USA regular season and tournament championships. His 1.02 career GAA at Memphis also ranks first in the program's history. The Buenos Aires, Argentina, native is graduating with a degree in Marketing, and this fall, joins the Memphis women's soccer staff as an assistant coach in charge of goalkeeping. Danny Wimprine, River Ridge, La./John T. Curtis HS A four-year letterman who broke virtually every U of M passing and total offense record, Wimprine is the only quarterback in Memphis history to throw for more than 10,000 yards. He ranked fourth nationally with 74 career touchdown passes and was named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week twice in his career. The MVP of the New Orleans Bowl, Wimprine is a member of the Canadian Football League's (CFL) Calgary Stampeders. He earned his degree in Interdisciplinary Studies.

08/12/05		Lou Groza Award Watch List Announced -- Tiger kicker Stephen Gostkowski is one of 30 kickers listed for prestigious award (GoTigersGo.com)
		WEST PALM BEACH, FL - One of last year's top three finalist and kickers from some of the top-ranked teams in the country highlight the 2005 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Preseason Watch List. The Preseason Watch List is comprised of the top 30 preliminary candidates for the 14th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the FedEx Orange Bowl. The top three finalists are recognized during the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet and Silent Auction on Tuesday, December 6, 2005, at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott and the winner is announced on Thursday, December 8, 2005 during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Award Show in Orlando, Florida. Among kickers named to the Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List is a Lou Groza Award finalist from last year, Andrew Wellock of Eastern Michigan University. Also making the list are the place-kickers from some of the top rated teams this season. They include Jesse Ainsworth, Arizona State University; John Vaughn, Auburn University; Kyle Schilcher, University of Iowa; Arthur Carmody, University of Louisville; Stephen Gostkowski, University of Memphis; Garrett Rivas, University of Michigan; Josh Cummings, University of Pittsburgh; Ben Jones, Purdue University ; James Wilhoit, University of Tennessee; and Brandon Pace, Virginia Tech. A brief biography of each player on the Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List can be found at www.lougrozaaward.com beginning August 31, 2005. Kickers on the Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List were chosen based on statistics from the 2004 season and 2005 preseason expectations. However, all Division I-A kickers are eligible for consideration for the award. A panel of over 300 experts vote on the award, including Division I-A head coaches, sports writers and sportscasters, conference representatives, professional kickers and all previous Groza Award finalists. The 20 semi-finalists for the Lou Groza Award are announced on Monday, October 31, 2005, followed with the naming of the three finalists two weeks later on Monday, November 14, 2005. The award, now in its 14th year, is named for National Football League (NFL) Hall-of-Fame kicker Lou Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954. Nicknamed "The Toe," Groza was one of the first people to truly make kicking an art form, and he helped usher in to football the idea that a player could be used exclusively for kicking. The Lou Groza Award is also sponsored by BankAtlantic, The Breakers, Continental Airlines, ESPN Radio 760, ESPN Regional Television, Florida Coca-Cola Bottling, JBS Destination Solutions, Palm Beach Kennel Club, The Palm Beach Post, Parallax Productions, Rooney's Public House and WPEC News Channel 12. 2005 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Preseason Watch List Jesse Ainsworth, Arizona St., Jr. John Vaughn, Auburn, Jr. Justin Medlock, UCLA, Jr. Mason Crosby, Colorado, Jr. Matt Nuzie, Connecticut, Jr. Andrew Wellock, Eastern Michigan, Jr. Travis Bell, Georgia Tech, So. Kyle Schlicher, Iowa, Jr. Sean Comiskey, Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr. Danny Horwedel, Louisiana Tech, So. Arthur Carmody, Louisville, So. Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis, Sr. Jon Peattie, Miami, Jr. Garrett Rivas, Michigan, Jr. Colby Smith, Middle Tennessee, Jr. Connor Barth, North Carolina, So. Nick Bazaldua, North Texas, Sr. D.J. Fitzpatrick, Notre Dame, Sr. Alexis Serna, Oregon State, So. Josh Cummings, Pittsburgh, Sr. Ben Jones, Purdue, Sr. Josh Brown, South Carolina, Sr. Darren McCaleb, USM, Jr. James Wilhoit, Tennessee, Jr. David Pino, Texas, Sr. Todd Pegram, Texas A&M, Sr. Reagan Schneider, UTEP, Jr. Connor Hughes, Virginia, Sr. Brandon Pace, Virginia Tech, Jr. Deric Yaussi, Wyoming, Sr.

08/12/05		Tigers Hold First Practice of 2005 Season -- Newcomers to be introduced at Highland Hundred Banquet tonight (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The University of Memphis Tiger football team had its first official practice of the 2005 season Friday morning at 5:45 a.m. at the Murphy Athletic Complex. The squad worked out in shorts under the lights during the early morning hours. Despite cooler temperatures, humidity was still a factor, but the well-conditioned Tigers never seemed to be affected. The practice session, which lasted under an hour and a half, concentrated primarily on drills that the newcomers will be required to participate in along with the varsity. The special teams unit remained on the field for an additional session following the team practice. "The thing that impressed me the most today was that we are so much further along than we were the last couple of years at this time," said Coach Tommy West. "A lot of that has to do with the retention of coaches and players in this program. That makes it easier to get going right away." The newcomers will go through academic orientation later this afternoon and will be featured guests at tonight's annual Highland Hundred Kickoff Banquet at the Holiday Inn-University of Memphis. The event is slated for a 7 p.m. start and is open to the public for an admission of $10.

08/12/05		Tiger line doesn't buy skepticism -- Players, coach agree unit has ability to duplicate past success (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 12, 2005 University of Memphis offensive lineman Andy Smith was having lunch recently at a campus-area deli and enjoying, or at least attempting to enjoy, his sandwich. He had no problem with the food. It was a conversation about the UofM offense he was having trouble digesting. The discussion had to do with a patron's view of the Tiger offensive line, one that is replacing four starters from last year's GMAC Bowl team. The customer didn't think the new starting group would be able to match last year's line, which was stingy with its sacks allowed (five) and effective in opening holes for running back DeAngelo Williams, who set a school-record with 1,948 yards. ''We were at this place called Juicy Jim's,'' Smith said. ''We were asked five times about the offensive line and if we were going to be any good this year. ''I said we were going to be as good, if not better, than last year. And the guy said, 'Nah, what about the offensive line?''' It seems few outside the Tiger camp are confident the offensive line can survive the loss of all-Conference USA performers Gene Frederic and Jeremy Rone. But when the Tigers open fall camp today at the Murphy Athletic Complex, Smith and offensive line coach Rick Mallory are convinced it can. ''The kids we are counting (on) have all been in the system for at least three years and we (as a staff) have been doing the same stuff going on five years,'' Mallory said. ''We haven't changed from last spring. We do what we do. ''You can't discount that. You can't discount the fact that these kids have had so many repetitions. They have repped it and repped it and repped it and heard it and heard it. Now I think 95 percent of my (players) could sit in a chair and teach me the whys, the hows and the wheres of what they are doing.'' Junior Blake Butler (6-3 290) will be the only starter returning, but he'll move to center, a position he spent last spring perfecting. Smith, who appeared in nine games last year, will play right guard. Former prep all-America Willie Henderson (6-7, 335) is a junior and the ex-Ridgeway High standout begins camp at left tackle. And senior left guard Andrew Handy (6-2, 306), a starter in 2002 and '03, is back after spending last season recovering from a broken leg. Tackle Abraham Holloway (6-4, 301) is a redshirt sophomore. Mallory said there's considerable depth. Former Kentucky offensive lineman Jared McGowan (6-4, 305) is poised to be a contributor at right guard. Redshirt freshman Brandon Pearce (6-6, 270) from Christian Brothers High is an intriguing addition to the mix as a reserve tackle, and junior college transfer Michael Denning (6-4, 270) is expected to make an early impression with his competitive nature. ''We're recruiting a better kid to work on the offensive line,'' Mallory said. ''If you look at what we have now on the field compared to two, three or four years ago, it's two different things.'' Butler, whose father Keith is a former Tiger linebacker, assistant coach and NFL standout, opened last season at tackle, but moved to guard and became a fixture. He has started a total of 15 games his first two seasons and, at 290 pounds, he ''runs like a deer'' according to Mallory. ''Blake understands the game,'' Mallory said. ''He's been around it his whole life. He understands why we do what we do. So for him to go from guard to tackle to center ... there's really no adjustment.'' Mallory said in the Tiger spread offense it's necessary for the line to be ''fundamentally sound.'' ''We don't have to be a bunch of superstars,'' he said. That designation belongs to Williams, a Heisman Trophy candidate who will benefit from an offensive line playing as Mallory expects it will. Handy's return could give the offensive line an all-star candidate. Handy could have played last season, but the coaching staff decided to give him additional time to heal and return as the unit's leader. ''Physically, he's as good as he's ever been,'' Mallory said. ''He's a very balanced offensive lineman. He can strike and not fall over. And he's matured into a nice young man. I think he's ready to assume a leadership responsibility.'' -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

08/12/05		Tiger Football Notes (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 12, 2005 Tiger ticket sales near AD's goal -- Johnson hopes to sell 20,000 season tickets University of Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson said Thursday that season-ticket sales for football are approaching the 20,000 mark. Johnson said more than 18,500 season tickets -- a total that includes faculty and staff tickets -- have been sold with slightly more than three weeks until the Sept. 5 opener against Ole Miss at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. ''I'm hoping we can get to that 20,000 figure,'' Johnson said. ''I'll be disappointed if we don't hit 20,000.'' Memphis ticket sales haven't approached 20,000 since 1992, when the Tigers' total reached 19,807 on the strength of a home schedule that included Mississippi State, Arkansas and Tennessee. ''There is still not that sense of urgency (because the Tigers play in a 60,000-seat facility),'' Johnson said. ''But there is this sense of urgency developing that I need to buy a season ticket to get a better seat.'' The Tigers enter this season having been to back-to-back bowl games under coach Tommy West and returning All-America running back DeAngelo Williams. Memphis sold 14,219 season tickets in 2004, with faculty and staff tickets pushing the total to 16,200 according to Johnson. ''Our numbers are up certainly because of what Tommy had done, and some credit goes to the city of Memphis for what it has done improving the stadium,'' Johnson said, referring to several upgrades, among them installation of an artificial playing surface. ''But the bottom line for the increase is what Tommy has done with this program and No. 20 (Williams).'' Featured speakers Williams and former UofM defensive lineman Albert Means are scheduled to speak at the third Guide Right Motivational Symposium Saturday at the National Civil Rights Museum. The symposium is open to 11th- and 12th-grade student-athletes from Memphis and Shelby County high schools and is a forum for community leaders and NFL professionals to address important issues affecting local youth. In addition to Williams and Means, speakers will include former Tiger receiver Earnest Gray, who played in the NFL from 1978-85, and Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton. The program begins at 10 a.m. With all precincts reporting Tiger director of football operations John Flowers said 105 players reported Thursday. The team officially reported in the morning, attended a compliance meeting in the afternoon and underwent physical exams in the evening. Memphis conducts its first practice today beginning at 5:45 a.m. The team will go through five single-session workouts through Tuesday before being allowed to conduct, per NCAA rules, its first two-a-day session Wednesday. The Wednesday morning workout will be the team's first at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium since the installation of a $900,000 artificial surface.

08/12/05		More funds needed for Liberty Bowl -- $30 million upgrade would add 40 years to city-owned stadium's life (Commercial Appeal)
		By David Williams Contact August 12, 2005 Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, in the midst of a three-year, $15 million upgrade, could require up to $15 million more to conform to the Americans with Disabilities Act. With that $30 million total investment, any debate about a new football stadium could be left for another generation, said city architect Mel Scheuerman: "We will then have extended the life of the stadium another 40 years." But City Council member Tom Marshall balked Thursday at a possible doubling of the bill for the 40-year-old, city-owned facility. "The Liberty Bowl represents a venue for a state school, the University of Memphis, to play ball there," he said. "I want to understand why the state feels that it's right that Memphis taxpayers should handle this burden." Council member Scott McCormick, parks committee chairman, embraced the idea of state funding. "I'm certainly not opposed to finding other funds," he said. "I'm a little surprised there's not even some federal (funds), since it's a federal mandate with all this ADA stuff. But they don't offer you any help." Marshall's idea wasn't received as well at the University of Memphis, the stadium's primary tenant, with the Southern Heritage Classic and AutoZone Liberty Bowl games also taking place there. "I understand where Tom is coming from, but I think it's highly unrealistic," U of M athletic director R.C. Johnson said of potential state funds. "We're paying rent. It's not like we're part owners, as we were at The Pyramid. "The other thing is, you know how state funding is these days. It's just diminishing every year." The ADA work, which would add ramps and increase wheelchair seating, would reduce the capacity from its current 62,380. A reduction would suit the U of M, which could use a smaller seating bowl to create more urgency for fans to buy season tickets. "I think we'll end up with more than 50,000," Johnson said. "But we're liable to lose 8,000 to 10,000 seats. Officials of the Southern Heritage Classic and AutoZone Liberty Bowl prefer a large capacity, Scheuerman said. "We're going to keep the maximum number of seats we can keep," he said, adding that it could be six months before those numbers are known. SHC producer Fred Jones, whose game has regularly drawn crowds of 50,000-plus, said, "I know if there are going to be less seats, it's going to impact me. How much, I don't know until I get that number." Scheuerman said the stadium has 65 wheelchair spaces and that 600 are required. But, he added, "The Justice Department has acknowledged that they know we're not going to get 600 wheelchair spaces in there. ... We're going to get as many as we can." Scheuerman said some ADA requirements would be met by projects in the current three-year, $15 million improvement plan. The current plan includes a $4 million project to convert a storage facility into locker room and media space. Other planned projects include improvements to concession areas and restrooms. The stadium opened in 1965. Scheuerman said it could last another 40 years, given the planned upgrades and ADA work. But to make stadiums last that long, he said, "You've got to invest in them every year." Which raises other questions, McCormick said: "There's a point where you say, 'How much do you want to keep putting in this stadium?' versus, should we consider building a new stadium? Which you know how well that would go over right now. "Versus, then, what? Do we just say say we don't want a stadium and we tell the University of Memphis to build their own facility?" -- David Williams: 529-2310 LONG LIFE FOR LIBERTY? Given planned and potential improvements, a properly maintained Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium could last another 40 years, says city architect Mel Scheuerman. A look at some other old-timers of the college football world: Rose Bowl Stadium: opened in 1922 with a capacity of 57,000. Michigan Stadium: opened in 1927 with a capacity of 84,401. Notre Dame Stadium: opened in 1930 with capacity of 54,000.

08/11/05		Tiger Athletics 101 (Daily Helmsman)
		by Matthew Laurie Staff Reporter August 11, 2005 Congratulations. Any freshman reading this now has the equivalent of season tickets to all the sporting events they can handle, granted they have paid the $44 activity fee. It’s not a bad deal, especially for ramen-eating college students. Ten different sports and 14 teams will welcome anyone with a student ID to watch them play their game or match. Freshman orientation is all about becoming acclimated to The U of M. It’s the place many freshmen will spend the next four years, or seven if professional student is their career of choice. Let the orientation of Tiger athletics begin. •Football Head coach: Tommy West Regular season record: 8-4 Fall season start: Sept. 5 It’s a good time to be a fan of the gridiron Tigers. Coming off two straight bowls, the first more successful than the last (Memphis lost to Bowling Green 52-35 in the GMAC Bowl last December), the Tigers are set to begin the 2005-06 campaign against rival Ole Miss on Labor Day. The game is on ESPN, one of three U of M games on either ESPN or ESPN2. Five other games are set to appear on College Sports Television (CSTV). Memphis also renews its intrastate rivalry with the Volunteers of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville on Nov. 12. The team should be exciting to watch as they’ll run a wide-open offense. However, the quarterback is yet to be determined. Most eyes will be on DeAngelo Williams as he races for the Heisman Trophy as the first legitimate candidate in the school’s history. Memphis opponents won’t be familar to fans this year as Tulsa, UTEP, Central Florida and Marshall have joined Conference-USA and will play Memphis in 2005. SMU and Rice are also newcomers but won’t go up against Memphis in 2005-06. •Men’s Basketball Head coach: John Calipari Regular season record: 22-16 Fall season start: Early November Last season’s tournaments did not end well for the Tigers. A heartbreaking one-point loss to Louisville on two missed free throws by freshman Darius Washington prevented an NCAA berth. In the National Invitation Tournament, Memphis was bounced out by Saint Joseph’s in the semifinals 70-58. The Tigers lose leaders and seniors Anthony Rice, Duane Irwin and Arthur Barclay but gain freshmen Antonio Anderson, Kareem Cooper, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Robert Dozier and Shawne Williams. Sophomore Andre Allen will also play for the Tigers. The team also welcomes assistant coach John Robic to replace two-year assistant Ed Schilling who decided to pursue other opportunities. •Women’s Basketball Head coach: Blair Savage Regular season record: 18-16 Fall season start: Early November The Lady Tigers reached the quarterfinals of the C-USA tournament last year but ran into 12th ranked DePaul and lost 78-55. Memphis loses Victoria Crawford, Jennifer Sullivan, Raven Rogers and Kaneshi Hart to expiring eligibility. The only starter left from last season is guard Tamika Butler. Freshmen who will join the Lady Tigers include Ashley Howard, Sherika Montgomery, Paris Leonard and Birdie Campbell. Reproducing a better-than-.500 record isn’t going to be easy for Savage. •Men’s Soccer Head coach: Richie Grant Regular season record: 14-3-1 Fall season start: Aug. 20 The other kind of football team had arguably a more successful season than the American football team. Coming off their best season in school history, the Tigers are ranked the 10th most improved team in the nation. Memphis won both the regular season and tournament titles and earned a berth in the NCAA tournament. They were beaten in the first round by Ohio St. 1-0. The Tigers lost star senior Daniel Dobson who was drafted by the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer. Two returning starters who may take a leadership role are Andy Metcalf and Dayton O’Brien. Metcalf led the team in goals scored (12) and O’Brien was the team’s leading assist man (14). The Tigers will also need someone to step up at goalkeeper to fill the void left by Sebastian Vecchio, C-USA Defender of the Year. •Women’s Soccer Head coach: Brooks Monaghan Regular season record: 11-7 Fall season start: Aug. 19 The women’s soccer team also enjoyed one of the best seasons in school history. Tying the school record with 11 wins, the team finished the 2004-2005 season at 11-7. They exited the C-USA tournament early when they fell to UAB in the first round. However, a strong spring and a nationally ranked recruiting class could make first-round exits a thing of the past. Soccerbuzz.com ranked Monaghan’s 2005-2006 class 27th in the country. Shoko Mikami put on a spectacular performance in the spring scoring nine goals in eight games. Mikami netted a hat trick against the Japanese All Stars in February. The Lady Tigers finished the spring with a 5-1-3 mark. Although C-USA regular season champion St. Louis has moved on in the conference realignment, Rice and SMU — which both have very good soccer teams — join the conference. This most recent recruiting class is deep and talented. Freshmen to join the Lady Tigers include Arkansas Player of the Year Caroline Allen; Aika Young, a member of the Guam national team; and Chloe James, a high school All-American. •Men’s Tennis Head coach: Paul Goebel Regular season record: 12-10 Fall season start: Middle of September With the loss of Alex Bucewicz, seniors James Spence and Alex Jago will have to play solid at the first and second position on the team. Spence is a good fit. He was awarded third-team all conference honors last season. Going into the C-USA tournament last year the fourth-seeded Tigers looked to make a run, but their chances were crushed by sixth-seeded South Florida 4-1. So far, this off-season Goebel has recruited Matt Brewer who was ranked fourth in the Southern Sectional. He’s only been playing in that zone for four months. Compared to last year, this year could be somewhat of a rebuilding year as the team loses five seniors. However, the possible return of Sam Withell with a healthy back will help the cause. •Women’s Tennis Head coach: Charlotte Peterson Regular season record: 4-12 Fall season start: Mid to late September On the women’s side of the tennis court, the Lady Tigers will also have to cope with the loss of their best player Marlene Dirnstorfer. Returnees Andrea Feichtinger, Brooke Cowie, Kristen Noble, Christina Wieser and Alex Tjioe will all likely move up one spot, meaning tougher competition. Newcomers Flavia Russo, Ekin Zafir and Katerina Kuznetsova will provide depth to a team that had only six players healthy late last year. •Men’s Golf Head coach: Grant Robbins Event wins: 3 Fall season start: Sept. 11 Momentum going into the fall season is high and if they can keep it going, they may have as good a start as they did last year. Winning their first three tournaments of the year, Memphis seemed primed for one of its best seasons yet led by freshman phenom Keven Fortin-Simard. However, The U of M never won another and finished seventh in the C-USA Championship tournament. Team leader Allan Thomas is no longer on the team, but there are plenty to take over the role. Almost any non-freshman can step up at any tournament to carry the Tigers. Last year’s stand-out freshman was Fortin-Simard and this year’s break-out freshman could be Josh Ray. Ray qualified for the U.S. Amateur in the Lubbock, Texas division as one of the youngest to compete. •Women’s Golf Head coach: Jenny Bruun Event wins: 0 (Highest finish — 3rd) Fall season start: Late September The Lady Tigers couldn’t put together a championship win but came close a few times. The team’s leader on the course is Junior Stacey Tate. Tate came along strong at the end of the fall season last year with second, third and fifth place finishes in the last four tournaments. The spring season was abysmal for the Lady Tigers. Out of four tournaments, the team finished 15th twice and 16th once out of 18 teams. However, in the Southern Mississippi Invitational, Memphis finished in sixth place. The Lady Tigers placed seventh in the C-USA Championship tournament. •Volleyball Head coach: Carrie Yerty Regular season record: 25-9 Fall season start: Aug. 26 Success is nothing new to The U of M volleyball team. A 29-win season is great, but the team is struggling to find that elusive NCAA tournament berth. Last year the Tigers went 30-6 and also missed the NCAA tournament. They were only the second volleyball team in C-USA history to reach the 30-win plateau. The team has lost two players who have played key roles in the success of the team the past two years. Tiara Gilkey and Heather Watts are gone and senior Fehi Tuivai and sophomore Ashley Liford will have to pick up the slack. The Tigers play in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse, which lets any fan get as close to the action as they can get without a jersey on. •Rifle Head coach: Butch Woolbright Event wins: 0 (Highest finish — 2nd four times) Fall season start: Late September This is a sport that allows both genders to compete on the same team, and two women carry this team, Beth Tidmore and Katie Benjamin. Tidmore won the national championship in the air rifle category as well as being named a first-team All-American. Benjamin was a second-team selection. •Track and Field Head coach: Glenn Hays Fall season start: Early December Five athletes went to the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships in May without great success and the team is losing its best triple-jumpers, Lisa-Marie Hyman and Janon Busby. Both were among the five that made it to the Mideast Regional. Gary Nemeth and Daniel Kiss will also be lost to expiring eligibility. Returnees who made it to the Mideast Regional include Chen Edri, Norbert Gulyas and Brandon Winbush. •Softball Head coach: Windy Thees Fall season start: Oct. 8 The UT Fall Softball Tournament in early October will be the first softball pitch thrown by Memphis. Their regular season doesn’t start until Feb. 11 and the first home pitch will be thrown Feb. 18. •Baseball Head coach: Daron Schoenrock Regular season record: 13-42 Season starts in spring The first season for new head coach Daron Schoenrock was full of growing pains. The offense and pitching couldn’t find many days to work together. The low-point of the season came against ECU’s Ricky Brooks who threw the C-USA’s first nine-inning no hitter in history. Brooks had 14 strikeouts and faced only one batter over the minimum. Much more will be known about the team after the fall instructional league.

08/11/05		Tigers Report to Camp -- 105 Tigers set to begin practice Friday morning (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - Football season has officially started for the University of Memphis Tigers as 105 players checked in today and will be begin practice on Friday at 5:45 a.m. at the Murphy Athletic Complex. Included in the 105 Tigers who reported today were 30 members of the U of M's 2005 signing class. Three of those signees, freshman Billy Barefield and junior college transfers Brandon McDonald and Michael Gibson, spent the spring working with the Tigers. All of the players will undergo physicals Thursday night in preparation for the first practice. "I am ready to get out there on the field and get after it," said Head Coach Tommy West. "It has been hard reading about all of the other teams in the area already practicing. Everybody on our staff is anxious to get started tomorrow. This is what we love to do." The squad will take to the field for the very first practice of the season at 5:45 a.m. on Friday. They will have five single practice days before their first two-a-day session which is slated for Wednesday, Aug. 17.

08/11/05		Men's Soccer to Hold Open Tryouts -- Hopefuls can tryout on Tuesday, Sept. 6 at South Campus (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz (wkolditz@memphis.edu) MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- University of Memphis men's head soccer coach, Richie Grant, has announced open soccer tryouts for people interested in becoming members of the Tigers men's soccer team. The tryouts will take place at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 6 at the Murphy Athletic Complex at South Campus. All players interested in trying out must sign up by placing their name on a tryout sheet at the Athletic Office Building, Room 207. Players must arrive by 2:15 p.m. for a physical held in the athletic training room at the Athletic Complex. Interested individuals must be a current student at the University of Memphis and be enrolled full-time with a minimum of 12 credit hours. Players must bring a current student identification card. Shin guards are also required and will not be provided. The tryout will last approximately 90 minutes and will consist of an assessment on speed and agility, an assessment on technical ability, an assessment in playing up to 8v8 and an assessment on stamina. For further information, contact assistant coach Robert Nicholson at (901) 678-5949. Items Required to Tryout 1. Be a current student of the University of Memphis with a current identification 2. Be a full-time enrolled student with a minimum of 12 credit hours 3. Have passed a physical by Memphis head athletic trainer Amos Mansfield prior to the tryout 4. Signed a medical waiver release form 5. Bring your own shin guards

08/11/05		Tiger-MTSU series back -- Arkansas State also returns to schedule starting in 2006 (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 11, 2005 The University of Memphis and Middle Tennessee State, two football programs who have not played one another since 1954, will resume their series beginning in 2007. Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson said Wednesday that the Tigers and MTSU have agreed on a five-game series that will include games at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in 2007, 2008 and 2010. The Tigers will play at 31,000-seat Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro in 2009 and 2011. Johnson also said the Tigers will resume another Mid-South series, bringing back Arkansas State. ASU is not on the 2005 Memphis schedule, but the Indians and Tigers played in 2000, 2003 and 2004 and throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Memphis leads the series, 27-20-5. The Tigers and Indians will play at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in 2006 and 2008 and in Jonesboro in 2007 and 2012. Johnson said the addition of MTSU and ASU ensures the Tigers will have seven home games in 2006, 2007 and 2008. The NCAA recently approved a 12-game regular-season schedule beginning in 2006, giving Johnson the impetus to create a seven-game home schedule. Johnson said contracts with ASU and MTSU have not been signed, but he expects them to be shortly. ''Of the next five years, we'll have four years with seven home games,'' Johnson said. ''That was our objective. I think it's going to take six wins to be bowl eligible, and we want to make sure we have an opportunity to be bowl eligible every year.'' Johnson said the additions of ASU and MTSU, coupled with having 1-AA Chattanooga tentatively playing in Memphis annually through 2010, makes a seven-game home schedule possible. The series with MTSU adds another in-state school and gives the program a presence in middle Tennessee. ''Tommy and I talked about that,'' Johnson said. ''We like the fact the series will be in state and that they'll bring fans and it's a bus trip for us. And we want to have a presence in the Nashville area. Our alumni base there is getting larger. ''The key to that series was them helping us out in the early years (with games in Memphis in 2007 and '08) so we'd have enough home games.'' Sun Belt Conference member MTSU, which has Louisville, Maryland and Virginia or its upcoming schedules, was excited about adding Memphis. "It is so important to develop an in-state rival, which we really have not had in the 1-A era," said MTSU coach Andy McCollum. "This is a step in that direction. More importantly this is something our fans have wanted for a very long time." Memphis and MTSU met 20 times between 1925 and 1954. MTSU owns a 12-7-1 advantage. Johnson said the series with MTSU and ASU are games ''that make sense from a financial standpoint because we don't have to fly all over the country.'' -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543 ---------------------------------------------------------- FUTURE U of M NON-CONFERENCE FOES Barring any changes, the U of M's non-Conference USA football schedules are set through 2010: 2006: Home -- Tennessee, Chattanooga, Arkansas State; Road -- at Ole Miss. 2007: Home -- Ole Miss, Chattanooga, Middle Tennessee; Road -- at Arkansas State 2008: Home -- Middle Tennessee, Arkansas State, Chattanooga; Road -- at Ole Miss 2009: Home -- Ole Miss, Chattanooga; Road -- at Tennessee, at Middle Tennessee 2010: Home -- Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, Chattanooga; Road -- at Ole Miss

08/11/05		U of M notebook - Football (Commercial Appeal)
		Players report today University of Memphis football players will report today and begin practice early Friday morning at the Murphy Athletic Complex. Memphis is starting later than most other Mid-South area schools because practice is tied into when classes begin, and the UofM starts classes about a week later than most Mid-South schools. Two-a-day workouts are not allowed once classes begin on Aug. 29. The Tigers will have the same 29 practice opportunities as other schools before their season-opener Sept. 5 against Ole Miss at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Freshmen update Two signees from February's class will not report today. Defensive back Traye Simmons of Marietta, Ga., and defensive lineman Steven Turner of Brownsville, Tenn., did not meet the NCAA's initial eligibility requirements. Simmons will not enroll, but Turner is expected to enroll and attend classes. Coach Tommy West said the UofM freshmen reporting today will be off limits to the media during camp. The class includes Gainesville, Ga., running back T.J. Pitts, who chose the Tigers over Virginia and defensive back Deante' Lamar of Atlanta. Pitts rushed for 2,422 yards and had 29 touchdowns in leading North Hall High to the Class AAA state quarterfinals. Lamar considered Wisconsin and Ole Miss before choosing Memphis. West calls Lamar "a big-time corner." Kickoff banquet set The Highland Hundred, the football program's booster club, will hold its annual kickoff banquet Friday night at the on-campus Holiday Inn on Central. The event, which is open to the public, begins with a social hour at 6 p.m. and is followed by a dinner at 7 Cost is $10. West will be the featured speaker. - Phil Stukenborg

08/11/05		Tigers, Vols need a date -- Teams trying to find suitable day for game (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact August 11, 2005 Fans of the University of Memphis and Tennessee rarely agree on anything. Now, the two schools' administrations are in a similar scenario, unable to settle on a date to renew their basketball rivalry this upcoming season. "We're still trying to get that date worked out," said University of Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson. "But it's not like we're out there just floundering around. We have a signed contract to play, and we have every intention of playing. We just have to find a date suitable for both of us." Which, at this point, is the problem. Memphis and Tennessee originally discussed Dec. 17 as a date for the two schools to play for the first time since 2001. But then UT signed an agreement with ESPN to play at Texas, rendering that Saturday unusable. Subsequently, multiple dates have been examined, but none were suitable to both programs. And with the Grizzlies schedule now official and non-negotiable, the possibilities have dwindled. "We're coming down to crunch time," Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton told the Knoxville News Sentinel on Wednesday. "We're at a point where we need to make one of those dates we've proposed work, or delay the series." Asked if it was realistic the series could be delayed, Johnson seemed confident it wouldn't come to that. He insisted Memphis wants to play the game. "We have a signed contract, and we have every intention of playing the game," Johnson said. "We just have to settle on a date. But I think we will."

08/10/05		U of M Football Signs Deal With Middle Tennessee -- Squads to meet five times from 2007-2011 (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The University of Memphis has reached a five-year deal to play Middle Tennessee in football beginning with the 2007 season. The contract calls for the 2007 and 2008 meetings to be played in Memphis, and the 2009 contest slated for Murfreesboro. The squads will face each other in 2010 in Memphis and in 2011 in Murfreesboro. "We are very pleased to announce that we have signed a contract with Middle Tennessee to continue a football rivalry that began in the 1920s," said Memphis Athletic Director R.C. Johnson. "This will be a good series for fans of both institutions in that the two schools are located in close proximity." The two squads faced each other 20 times between 1925 and 1954, and MTSU leads the series 12-7-1. The Tigers' last meeting with the Blue Raiders was in 1954 when the U of M picked up the 27-7 victory in Memphis. "I have always enjoyed competing against teams within the state of Tennessee," said Memphis Head Coach Tommy West. "We have Tennessee and Chattanooga on our schedule this year and I feel this is a good time to add MTSU. I am really excited about beginning our relationship with MTSU."

08/10/05		Wooden list has 2 Tigers -- UofM 1 of 8 schools with dual nominees (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact August 10, 2005 Ask John Calipari if he'll have a good team this season, and the University of Memphis coach almost always offers the same response. "I think we can be good," he'll say. "We're going to have good players." With Tuesday's release of the John R. Wooden Award All-American Team preseason list, the latter part of that statement was confirmed. Two Tigers -- sophomore point guard Darius Washington and senior forward Rodney Carney -- were among the 50 players honored, making Memphis just one of eight schools to be twice represented. The others are Boston College, Connecticut, Duke, Michigan State, Stanford, Texas and Wake Forest. "With so many players jumping to the next level and so many standout athletes from last year, the committee had a tough time nominating these candidates from such a wide selection of tremendous players," said Duke Llewellyn, Wooden Award chairman. "These preseason selections represent the elite of college basketball." Though Memphis has a rich basketball history, the school has never had a Wooden Award winner. But one good sign for the Tigers is that the past two winners -- Saint Joseph's Jameer Nelson and Utah's Andrew Bogut -- came from mid-major leagues. Duke, a possible Tiger opponent in November's Preseason NIT, leads the nation with four past winners, among them Shane Battier and Elton Brand. In mid-January, the Wooden Award committee will narrow its field to 30 student-athletes, and on March 28, the 10-player Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced. The 2006 Award ceremony will be held at The Los Angeles Athletic Club on April 8 and be televised by CBS. -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365 ------------------------------------------------------- 2005-06 WOODEN AWARD CANDIDATES Conference USA Rodney Carney, 6-7, Sr., U of M Darius Washington, 6-2, So., U of M Southeastern Conference Ronnie Brewer, 6-7, Jr. Arkansas Chuck Davis, 6-7, Sr., Alabama Glen Davis, 6-9, So., LSU Rajon Rondo, 6-1, So., Kentucky

08/09/05		2005 Women's Soccer Outlook (GoTigersGo.com)
		The 2004 season went down as a record-setting year for the Memphis women's soccer program. The Lady Tigers tied a school record for victories with 11 and also set a school record for goals-against average in a season. Memphis and its individual players also garnered numerous awards over the season, the most in any one season in school history. Memphis compiled an overall record of 11-8-0 and a 5-5-0 mark in Conference USA, which included a 4-1 start to the conference schedule. The Tigers also started the season strong, putting up a 7-2 mark in the month of September. However, for all of the good things that happened in early 2004, the season did not end as Memphis had hoped. The Tigers had to win their final game of the regular season in double overtime to assure themselves of a Conference USA Tournament berth. The Tigers then lost to eventual conference champion UAB in the quarterfinals. The Tigers will be looking to use the 2005 season to continue building on the positive aspects of the 2004 campaign and to advance further in the postseason. To do so, they will need to replace five of their top six point producers, a goalkeeper that started 15 of 19 games, and two starting defenders. Memphis returns 10 players from last year's team as well as a former all-conference player that redshirted last year. The Tigers add 15 newcomers to the team, including 14 freshmen and a sophomore transfer that was an NAIA All-American last year as a freshman. The talented recruiting class of 2005 was ranked the 27th best in the country by Soccer Buzz. Memphis will also be faced with the challenge of playing in a much-improved Conference USA, which welcomes six new members for the 2005-06 school year. Three of those new members qualified for the NCAA Tournament last year, giving the conference four NCAA participants from 2004 in its ranks. Forwards Although the Tigers lost five of their top six point scorers and four of their five top goal scorers, scoring goals might not be as much of a problem as might be expected from a team that was hit with such heavy losses on the offensive end. This is because of the expected contributions from both veterans and newcomers. Junior Shoko Mikami, who transfered to Memphis last year after leading Division II in goals, goals per game, and points per game in 2003 at Christian Brothers University, injured her knee in spring workouts last year and was forced to miss the first eight games last fall. She returned in time for the conference season, but never was able to play at 100 percent and recorded just one goal and one assist while starting just three games. After having a tremendous spring this year (nine goals in nine exhibition games), Mikami looks to have a full healthy season and recapture her 2003 form. "We have high expectations for Shoko this year," said head coach Brooks Monaghan. "It was not that realistic to have high expectations for her last year with her coming off her injury. However, she had a great spring and proved to be the type of player we thought we were getting when she came here. She will only get better, and we expect her to contribute a lot more and be a big factor in our offense." Another native of Japan that put up lofty offensive numbers in her previous collegiate stop should also figure heavily into the Tiger offensive attack. Asuka Kubota, a sophomore transfer from NAIA Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tenn., was an NAIA All-American last year after scoring 18 goals and recording 22 assists in just 15 games. She will also figure to play a major role in the offense. "Asuka is an all-around talented player who we expect to contribute immediately," said Monghan. "She can play forward or midfield, and she brings international experience with her. She has a knack for scoring goals and we expect her to be a big part of our offense." Another player that had a strong spring exhibition season and will be looking to extend that play to the fall is sophomore Candace Halvorson, who is in her third year in the program. She saw her first season of action last year after redshirting with a knee injury in 2003 and played in 11 games, starting six and scoring one goal. This spring, she recorded three goals and a pair of assists. She will be looked upon to increase her production and will likely see much more playing time than last season. "Candace is a very versatile player in that she can play anywhere up front or in the midfield so we feel comfortable putting her anywhere" Monaghan explained. "If she plays with confidence she can be a fantastic player." Sophomore Caroline Barrett, who rotated between the forward and midfield positions last year, is the lone returnee from last season that scored more than one goal. She also figures to see time at both forward and midfield this year. She played in 18 games and started 13 last year, but did not record a point after Memphis' fifth game of the year. The Tigers will look to her to increase her production as she returns from an injury that kept her sidelined for much of the spring season. "We expect bigger and better things from Caroline this year. She was nursing a knee injury for most of the year last season and we are yet to see her play at 100 percent," Monaghan remarked. "Her main goal in the offseason was to get back to 100 percent and we expect a different, more consistent player in Caroline now that she is back to full strength." Also figuring to see some action up front will be freshman Kylie Hayes, who comes to Memphis with some extraordinary high school credentials. The Piqua, Ohio, native scored 141 goals and recorded 37 assists in her scholastic career, which included a state-leading 47 goals as a senior. Her 141 goals rank third all-time in Ohio State High School Athletic Association history. The Tiger coaching staff is counting on her to bring some of that scoring prowess with her to Memphis. "Kylie is very athletic and extremely fast. She has scored a lot of goals in her prep career and we expect her to come in and score goals here as well," Monaghan commented. "We recruited her as a goal scorer." Midfielders Although the midfield will probably have the most amount of newcomers seeing playing time, it still has a chance to be one of the strongest areas for the Tigers this year as two former all-conference picks are expected to start and provide solid leadership from the middle of the field. Perhaps the most significant addition to the Tigers for 2005 is entering her fourth year in the Lady Tiger soccer program. Redshirt junior Nicky McLeod returns to Tiger lineup for 2005 after missing the entire 2004 season with a knee injury. A 2003 All-Conference USA first team selection, McLeod recorded two goals and four assists in 2003 as a sophomore and was the only Memphis player to start all 18 games while anchoring the U of M midfield. "Nicky proved this past spring that she is back to the all-conference form she played at in 2003 and adding a proven player like her to the mix may be our biggest addition of the year," said Monaghan. Also returning is another All-C-USA honoree in junior Melissa Savage, who played center-midfield last year and was named third team All-C-USA. She played in all 19 games last year, starting 17. Although she recorded just one goal on the year, her importance to the team goes beyond the scoring column, as her aggressive style of play and challenging of every ball can be counted on to give the Tigers a lift. "Melissa was a big contributor to the midfield last year and we expect the same from her this year," said Monaghan. "We also expect her to take on more of a leadership role this year as a junior and to continue being a general in the middle of the field." The remainder of the playing time in the Tiger midfield will be divided up among a slew of newcomers, all of whom have the potential to see lots of time on the field. Also figuring into the midfield picture are freshmen Laura Pfeffer, Katy Booth, Emiko Schwab, Lindsey Joseph, Sarah MacGregor, Lauren Everhart and Aika Young. Additionally, forwards Halvorson, Hayes, Barrett and Kubota could also see time in the midfield. With the amount of players that have the ability to play in the midfield but also elsewhere, not only does it look to be the deepest position on the team, but the midfielders are also versatile. Booth, Everhart, Joseph, Schwab and Young also have the ability to play forward. Young also brings international experience with her to Memphis as the Guam native is a member of the Guam National Team and has played in several international competitions. Defenders Though it usually cannot be measured in numbers aside from the team's goals-against average, the Tigers heaviest losses may have come in the defensive backfield as starters Leanne McGee, Jocelyn Raine and Mary Shelton all graduated. All three helped the Tigers set a school record for goals-against average last year, and McGee was named first team All-C-USA. Luckily for the Tigers, their two most experienced players on the team reside on defense in their two lone seniors, Courtnee Melton and Robyn Smart. Melton is another of the aforementioned additions from within. She played in the first 11 games last year, starting nine at right defensive back before sustaining a season-ending knee injury. Memphis had a 0.63 goals-against average before Melton was injured and a 1.96 GAA after her injury, which shows the importance of experienced defenders. Smart, who was moved to defense from midfield last year, tallied a goal and four assists. She was second on the team in assists, and is the leading returning point scorer for the Tigers. She was one of just four players that played in every game last season. In addition to Melton's and Smart's exploits and leadership on the field, both are also leaders in the classroom, as both received academic accolades last season as well. "Courtnee was somewhat limited in the spring as she continued her recovery from her injury, but she is one of our most consistent defenders and we expect from her what she has given us in each of her first three years," Monaghan explained. "We will also look to her to increase her leadership role both on and off the field as a senior. "Robyn officially found her position on the team last year as a defender after playing both forward and midfield in her first two years," Monaghan continued. "She was a consistent defender last year and we expect her to step up her leadership role this year as well. She has matured and established herself as someone we look to for leadership." The only other returnee on defense that also played in the backfield last year is sophomore Elaine Sedgewick. One of two natives of England on the team, she spent last year behind veterans McGee, Raine and Shelton but still played in 14 games, starting three and recording a pair of assists. Her role will almost certainly increase this year. "We have high expectations for Elaine this year," Monaghan said. "It was no secret that she was going to be learning last year, and now that she has begun the transition to playing to our style and the way we want her to play, she is going to be one of the people that is going to try to help fill Leanne McGee's shoes." A pair of returnees that saw playing time mostly in the midfield last year will be shifted to defense this year. Junior Beth Keating and sophomore Halley Jo Sullivan will move to the backfield. Keating saw action in 12 games last year, starting three, and scored one goal, while Sullivan played in nine games, starting two. "Beth had a good spring and did well at back and was very effective," Monaghan observed. "She has showed us consistency from that position and we are comfortable having her there." "Halley has also made the transition to the backfield and was fantastic over the spring, proving to be someone that can be a consistent contributor," Monaghan continued. "She will only get better as she gets more comfortable playing on defense." The remainder of the defense will be made up of newcomers. Kate Murphy, the second member from Alaska to come to the Tigers in the last two seasons, joins her fellow Alaskan, Sullivan, on the roster. She has the ability to play defense or midfield. A pair of Canadians from Ontario also figure to get some minutes in the backfield. Both Alexandra Atkinson and Joanna Alexopulos hail from Mississauga and join Keating as members of the Tigers from North of the Border. Chloe James is a very versatile player that was named a Girls' High School All-American last year as a senior in the Cincinnati area. She will most likely see quite a bit of time on defense, but has played every other position in her prep career as well except for goalie. Finally, Maggie Leone is the lone recruit to join the Tigers this year from the Memphis area, and her gritty style of play figures to earn her some minutes on defense as well. Goalkeepers Natalie Haerens, who set three single-season school records last year as a freshman, elected not to return to Memphis, leaving the Tigers with one returnee and one newcomer to compete for the position between the pipes. Isabel Briones is in her third year in the program after redshirting with an injury her first season. She saw action in five games last year, starting four, and compiled a 1.23 goals-against average in just over 365 minutes, helping contribute to the Tigers' all-time low team GAA. She also had one shutout. She showed a great deal of improvement during the spring exhibition season, recording five shutouts. "Isabel will only be a sophomore eligibility-wise, but she now has the maturity of an upperclassman, having sat out her first year here," explained Monaghan. "She has matured tremendously since she first got here and had a great spring. As of the end of the spring, she has earned the goalkeeper spot and has proven that she has the ability to take on a starting role. However, she will have to keep a hold on it because it will be a competition once practice starts." Incoming freshman Caroline Allen will compete with Briones for the starting role, and she comes to Memphis with some impressive credentials. The Gatorade Player of the Year in Arkansas last year, the Little Rock native has been a member of the Olympic Development Program Region III team the last four years. Schedule In addition to the tougher Conference USA schedule featuring three NCAA Tournament teams from last year, Memphis will also once again play a schedule that includes a heavy regional flavor. The schedule includes 10 home games, all of which will be played at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex, seven road games and one neutral field game. The non-conference slate features four opponents from the Ohio Valley Conference, two from the Missouri Valley, two from the Southeastern and one from the Sun Belt. The Tigers open up on the last Sunday of August at home against Tennessee Tech, a team the Tigers defeated last year at home. They will then travel to Birmingham, Ala., the next weekend for a tournament being hosted by Samford. There, Memphis will take on the host Bulldogs as well as Evansville. The Tigers will then return home for a four-game homestand, beginning on September 7 against Tennessee-Martin. The homestand will also see Missouri State (formerly Southwest Missouri State) come to Memphis as well as Ole Miss and Mississippi State. The Tigers then embark on a two-game road trip, at Middle Tennessee on September 18 and at Southeast Missouri State on the 25 before beginning conference play. Conference USA play opens up on the last day of September, as Tulane comes to Memphis for a Friday night tilt. The Tigers then welcome new conference member UTEP to Mike Rose on October 2. A trip to East Carolina and Marshall awaits the Tigers on the second conference weekend. Memphis then returns home for a three-game homestand beginning Friday, October 14 against defending C-USA champion UAB. The second-straight NCAA team from a year ago comes to Memphis the following weekend when UCF kicks off a conference weekend that also features Southern Miss on Sunday. Memphis wraps up the regular season with a trip to Tulsa and SMU, which also qualified for the NCAA Tournament last year. This year's Conference USA Tournament will be held in Houston and is being hosted by new conference member, Rice University. The tournament runs from Wednesday through Sunday, November 2-6 at the Rice Track/Soccer Stadium. The top eight teams qualify for the league tournament with the quarterfinals being held on Wednesday, the semifinals on Friday and the final on Sunday.

08/09/05		Dave Majeski Hired to U of M Softball Staff -- Former University of Florida assistant rounds out inaugural staff (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - Former University of Florida assistant softball coach Dave Majeski has been added to the University of Memphis softball staff for the squad's inaugural season. He joins head coach Windy Thees and assistant coach Marla Pinkston who have spent the last couple of months building their first Lady Tiger squad. Majeski spent three years, 2001-03, as an assistant coach for the Gators. In his first season at Florida, Majeski was a volunteer assistant for half of the 2001 season, and was promoted to a full-time assistant coach later in the year. While at Florida, he was primarily responsible for instructing the Gators in hitting and fielding and also served as the recruiting coordinator. "We are very excited that Dave is joining our staff," said Thees. "He brings with him experience in the SEC and is a strong recruiter and hitting coach. He has such energy when it comes to recruiting and will be an asset in that area." A UF baseball alumnus, Majeski played in the outfield for the Gators from 1989-92. He was a member of the 1991 team that won the Southeastern Conference Tournament and took third in the College World Series. He was drafted in the 34th round by the Cleveland Indians after his junior season, but remained at UF for his senior season. As a senior, he was named to the All-SEC and SEC All-Tournament teams, and was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers. He finished his career with a .322 batting average and still ranks in the top 10 in five career offensive categories while also ranking second all-time in games played with 242. A native of Plantsville, Conn., Majeski graduated from Florida in 1994 with a bachelor's of science degree in exercise and sports science. He began his coaching career shortly after graduation as the head baseball coach at Eastside High School in Gainesville, Fla. He coached at Eastside for three years (1995-98) before becoming the head baseball coach at Santa Fe High School in nearby Alachua, Fla., in 1998. From 1998-2001, Majeski led Santa Fe to four consecutive district championships and was named the Gainesville Sun's Coach of the Year in 1998. He also served as the director and head coach of the North Central Florida Fall Showcase and All-Star teams from 1998-2002. Majeski and his wife Deanna have twin daughters, Hope and Meghan, who are seven years old. The Lady Tigers open their regular season on Feb. 11-12 in Lafayette, La., at the UL-Lafayette tournament. They will open their home slate on Feb. 18 with the Lady Tiger Classic which will be hosted at Greenbrook Park in Southaven, Miss. That will be the home field this season while the Lady Tigers' field is being constructed on the U of M's south campus.

08/09/05		Carney, Washington Jr. Named To Wooden Award All-America Team Preseason Top 50 List -- Memphis is one of eight schools with two preseason candidates (GoTigersGo.com)
		LOS ANGELES, Calif. - University of Memphis senior Rodney Carney and sophomore Darius Washington Jr. have been named to the 2005-06 John R. Wooden Award All-America Team Preseason Top 50 List, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced late Monday. Memphis is one of only eight schools to have two players among the top 50 preseason candidates. The other seven institutions are Boston College, Connecticut, Duke, Michigan State, Stanford, Texas and Wake Forest. A 2005 All-Conference USA second team pick, Carney led the Tigers in scoring with a 16.0 average and was third on the squad with a 5.0 rebounding average. The Indianapolis, Ind., native finished second on the team with 76 three-pointers made and shot 77.3 percent from the free throw line. He was ranked among the Conference USA leaders in scoring (5th), free throw percentage (15th) and three-pointers made per game (13th). Last year, the 6-foot-7 forward became the 40th player in Tiger history to reach the 1,000-point milestone. He is No. 16 on the Memphis career scoring chart with 1,265 points. Carney also moved into the No. 2 spot on the Tiger career three-pointers made chart with 185 treys, and trails only former teammate Anthony Rice on that list. Carney, who was named to the 2003 Conference USA All-Freshman Team, also earned NABC All-District 7, Coaches vs. Cancer Classic All-Tournament Team and Coaches vs. Cancer Classic Regional MVP honors last season. Washington, the 2005 Conference USA Freshman of the Year, was named to the CollegeInsider.com, Rivals.com and The Sporting News National Freshman All-America teams. Selected Conference USA's Diaper Dandy of the Year by ESPN.com/Dick Vitale, Washington earned All-C-USA third team honors, and was the only freshman in Conference USA to be on one of the league's three postseason teams. He also was named to the USBWA All-District 4 Team. The 6-foot-2 guard finished the 2004-05 season as the team's second-leading scorer with a 15.4 average, and led the squad with 144 assists and 63 steals. He shot 46 percent from the field, 39.5 percent from the arc and 73.3 percent from the foul line. The Winter Park, Fla., native was ranked among the Conference USA leaders in assists (8th), steals (10th), scoring (9th) and three-point field goal percentage (9th). In mid-January, the Wooden Award committee will release the midseason top 30 on CBS Sports, and on Mar. 28, the 10-player Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced. The 2006 Award ceremony, which will include the presentation of the Men's and Women's Wooden Award, the Wooden Award All-American Teams and the Legends of Coaching Award, will be held at The Los Angeles Athletic Club on Apr. 8, 2006, and will be broadcast live on a national CBS telecast. Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is awarded to the nation's best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Previous winners include such notables as Michael Jordan (1984), Larry Bird (1979), Tim Duncan (1997) and last year's recipient, Andrew Bogut (2005). As a part of the John R. Wooden Award Scholarship Fund, the top five male and female finalists will receive a contribution from the John R. Wooden Award for their university's general scholarship fund. The Wooden Award Scholarship Fund was established in 2002.

08/09/05		Official of SEC says Liberty an option (Commercial Appeal)
		By Ron Higgins Contact August 9, 2005 A Southeastern Conference official said Monday that the AutoZone Liberty Bowl has received a lot of support from SEC athletic directors about becoming one of the league's bowl tie-ins in 2006. SEC executive associate commissioner Mark Womack said the league is primarily talking to the Liberty Bowl and the ev1.net Bowl in Houston about its remaining opening. The bowl in Houston is in the final year of a three-year contract with the SEC, and the league has yet to have a team qualify for the bowl. "The athletic directors in our league have been very complimentary about Memphis and the AutoZone Liberty Bowl," Womack said. "If you look at the history of the SEC in Memphis, we've had a lot of different teams participate in the game. "Memphis certainly fits in the geographical footprint of our league, for not only Western Division teams but also for the Eastern Division. It's a bowl trip that's driveable for most of the fans in our league, and it's a good, rewarding trip for our student-athletes. Memphis has a lot of positives." Womack said he, SEC commissioner Mike Slive and AutoZone Liberty Bowl executive director Steve Ehrhart will resume talks this week. Slive and Womack were on vacation last week. Womack said he and Slive hope to have all the information they need from Memphis and Houston when the SEC athletic directors hold a regularly scheduled meeting Aug. 25 at the league office in Birmingham. Last week during Conference USA media day, Ehrhart and the bowl's board heard a presentation from Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky about the future of the league as it expands to 12 teams this season and adds a championship game. Memphis football coach Tommy West also spoke. The Conference USA contract with the Liberty Bowl expires after the season. Ehrhart said he might leave this year's spot opposite C-USA open for the Dec. 31 game, although he has had discussions with the Mountain West, Western Athletic Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference for a one-year deal. "We haven't made any deals with anybody," Ehrhart said Monday, referring to the '06 contract. "But I'm hoping to get something done by the time football season starts. I think what has happened with other bowls has accelerated the process." The ACC already has contracts with eight bowls starting in '06, including a Music City Bowl tie-in with the SEC. The Big 12 already has seven bowls for '06, and hopes to add one. The Big East is far from setting its bowl lineup, and the SEC has one spot available, so that could be the probable bowl matchup starting in '06. Slive said two weeks ago that he wants the SEC to play only fellow BCS conference teams in bowl games. Ehrhart said he is aware that possibly choosing the SEC over Conference USA is an emotional, hot-button issue. "To have this much passion about our bowl is good," Ehrhart said. "We're getting input from our sponsor AutoZone, from our network TV partner ESPN and from many of the people who locally have contributed their help for the 40 previous years we've had the bowl in Memphis." While Ehrhart said that Banowsky and West delivered "excellent presentations" last week, he's also faced with what he can do to keep the bowl game competitive in today's marketplace. "The bowl business is much more competitive than it was 10 years ago," Ehrhart said. "Ten years ago, you didn't have a Music City or a Houston Bowl, and both are now held in state-of-the-art NFL stadiums. Each year, more cities apply for bowls, and most of them are in new stadiums." Womack said some of the remaining points of negotiation with Memphis and Houston include the selection process within the framework of the other SEC bowl tie-ins, what conference will be the likely opponent, payouts per team and ticket guarantees. -- Ron Higgins: 529-2525

08/08/05		Tiger Volleyball Picked to Finish Third in C-USA Preseason Poll -- Memphis returns eight letterwinners from 2004 (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis volleyball squad has been selected by the Conference USA coaches to finish third in the 2005 preseason poll. The Tigers, who went 27-10 in 2004, return eight letterwinners and six starters for this season. League newcomer Rice was tabbed as the preseason favorite. Marshall's Kelly-Anne Billingy received the C-USA Preseason Player of the Year honors. Billingy earned All-American honorable mention and 2004 MAC Freshman of the Year accolades last year. Memphis finished fourth in 2004 after being tabbed for a sixth-place finish in the preseason poll. The Tigers return a solid core of players from a year ago, headlined by senior outside hitter Nancy Nellans. Nellans paced the squad in kills in C-USA play and reached the 1,000-kill milestone as a junior. The South Bend, Ind., native is just 12 digs shy of becoming just the 17th Tiger to record 1,000 kills and digs in a career. Nellans is joined by junior middle blocker Melissa Nance and sophomore outside hitter Ashley Liford. Nance and Liford downed 306 and 305 kills, respectively in 2005. Liford wrapped up her rookie campaign with the fifth-most kills ever to be recorded by a Tiger freshman. Also returning are middle blockers senior Fehi Tuivai and sophomore Shelby Burton. Tuivai led the team with 98 total blocks, while Burton led the team and ranked third in Conference USA with a .336 hitting percentage. That clip is the highest ever posted by a Memphis freshman. In addition, Burton slammed 154 kills--14th on the Tiger's freshman kills list. Rounding out the list of core returnees are the Tiger liberos Christen Clayton and Emily Steckel. The duo combined for 772 digs in 2005. Clayton led the league with 76 service aces. Preseason No. 1 Rice returns six letterwinners, including four starters. The Owls posted a 25-5 mark last year and made the program's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Rice went 11-0 at home in 2004 and will host the 2005 Conference USA Tournament, Nov. 17-20. Marshall was picked to finish second after a 22-11 finish in 2004--the Thundering Herd's third straight 20-plus win campaign. Marshall returns all six starters and every player on scholarship from 2004. Billingy set numerous records for Marshall in her freshman season. Her 694 kills crushed the former record of 502. It was also the third-highest total in the nation last year. She also set a new mark for kills in a single match with 34. The Trincity, Trinidad native led the team and the MAC with 65 service aces. SMU and Houston tied for fourth. The Mustangs retain three starters, while five Cougar regulars return, including Jaci Gonzalez, 2004 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year. Tulane, who underwent a coaching change in the off-season, is sixth in the poll. The Green Wave went 17-12 last year, with a 6-7 mark in league action. Newcomers Tulsa, UCF and UTEP take the seventh, eighth and ninth spots in the poll. The Golden Hurricane went 17-10 last year. The Golden Knights return three starters from a year ago. Memphis handed UCF a 3-1 loss at the BYU-Mizuno Classic in Provo, Utah last season. The Miners return five regulars. Southern Miss, East Carolina and UAB wrap up the final three spots of the poll. USM returns six letterwinners. UAB welcomes seven newcomers and returns four starters after a 1-24 finish in 2004. The 2005 C-USA Preseason Poll is as follows: 2005 CONFERENCE USA PRESEASON POLL 1. Rice (25-5, 12-1 WAC in 2005) 2. Marshall (22-11, 11-5 MAC) 3. Memphis (27-10, 9-4 C-USA) T4. Houston (11-21, 5-8 C-USA) T4. SMU (14-14, 5-8 WAC) 6. Tulane (17-12, 6-7 C-USA) 7. Tulsa (17-10, 5-8 WAC) 8. UCF (8-15, 5-5 Atlantic Sun) 9. UTEP (10-15, 2-11 WAC) 10. Southern Miss (7-20, 2-11 C-USA) 11. East Carolina (11-18, 5-8 C-USA) 12. UAB (1-24, 0-13 C-USA) PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR Kelly-Anne Billingy, Marshall

08/08/05		Volleyball Set to Open Preseason Workouts on Tuesday -- Tigers look to post third-straight 20-win season (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Coming off its second-straight 25-win season, the Memphis volleyball program embarks on a new challenge--life in the realigned Conference USA. Although some of the teams have changed, the goals remain the same for the 2005 Tigers squad. However, this year's team has a different make-up. The Tigers will be a young squad at the setter position, but with core contributors at other positions returning, Memphis should have an opportunity to compete for wins both at home and on the road. Memphis had a solid spring with several players gaining experience, and the Tigers are looking to build on that this fall. In addition, the Tigers return a veteran core that made critical contributions and developed solid team chemistry en route to a 27-10 record in 2004. Memphis will need both as it enters play in the new Conference USA. Despite the loss of perennial league powers Louisville, Cincinnati and Marquette, Conference USA should remain equally as strong in volleyball as it has been in the past. With the addition of Rice, Marshall and SMU, Memphis still faces a tough task in its quest for a league title. The Tiger program, which has been picked to finish third overall in the C-USA preseason poll, has worked hard to establish itself as a team to beat in Conference USA. Although given such high respect, Yerty and her staff know that what the preseason polls say has little to do with where everyone finishes the year. A critical measure of the success of this year's team is how it recovers from the losses of seniors Heather Watts and Tiara Gilkey. Over the course of the spring workouts, several players showed the ability to step into the huge footsteps of Watts. Although Watts will be difficult to replace, expect the Tiger offense to run smoothly and the court leadership to be at the same level. Most of the same can be said for Gilkey's loss. Gilkey, who was a dynamic attacker that provided crunch-time points, was Memphis's "go-to" player last season, so the Tigers will be more diverse offensively in 2005. Junior Melissa Nance, sophomore Ashley Liford and senior Fehi Tuivai will take on more attacking responsibilities. In addition, COLETTE RAMIREZ, a transfer from Virginia Tech, will challenge for playing time. The 2005 "quick-attack" Tiger offense will also benefit from a stable passing game with veterans Christen Clayton and Emily Steckel at the libero spot. Leadership from the senior class has helped guide Memphis to 57 wins over the past two seasons and the 2005 campaign brings no exceptions. The Tigers will look to seniors Kristen Hardee, Nancy Nellans and Tuivai to provide guidance both on and off the court. Nellans returns for her final season after being a starter for each of the last three campaigns. The South Bend, Ind., native has the ability to be a dynamic outside hitter and has matured on the court in terms of her ability to handle any set given to her. Tuivai has grown the most in terms of leadership. Look for the senior middle hitter to take on more of a leadership role. Yerty and her staff are hoping she will become more involved in the offense. Hardee had a great spring and emerged as a passer and a defender. One of the most explosive attackers on the team, Hardee is exciting to watch and is expected to make a sizeable contribution this year. Liberos The strongest position on the court for the Tigers will be the libero. With veterans Clayton and Steckel returning for their third season, Memphis's passing game and defense will be stable at all times. Clayton and Steckel have improved in both areas defensively and a passer as well as a defender. They will be looked on to provide court leadership. Outside Hitters Memphis returns everyone on the outside, led by Nellans. As one of the team's leading defenders, Nellans looks to take on more passing responsibilities in 2005. Liford, who returns for her sophomore season, has worked hard to improve her volleyball skills, and has trained, played and worked out all summer. After downing 305 kills as a freshman, expect her to be a major part of the offense. Also look for Ramirez to step in and contribute early. The Virginia Tech transfer will play either outside or right side for the Tigers. Middle Hitters The Memphis middle hitters may be the surprise group of the team this year. With Tuivai and sophomore Shelby Burton returning, Yerty expects a larger contribution from the middle. Tuivai led the 2004 team in blocks, and with her becoming more comfortable with the offense, she will be looked to do the same in 2005. According to Yerty, Burton could be one of Conference USA's middles in terms of attacking ability. Extensive contributions are also expected from Nance, who will serve as team captain for the second-consecutive year. Setters The setter position is perhaps the most uncertain for Memphis. Hristina Slancheva, who has served as Watts's backup the past two seasons, has the opportunity to come in and earn the starting position as setter. But for the Tigers to excel under Slancheva's leadership, the Bulgarian native must focus and come ready to play 110 percent everyday. Coaching Staff Along with entering a realigned C-USA, the Memphis volleyball program welcomes a new coaching staff. Former Tiger standout April Harriman returns to her alma mater, and Travis Filar also comes aboard as an assistant.

08/08/05		Mark Finnegan Named Lady Tiger Assistant Tennis Coach -- Former Tiger player moves into coaching ranks (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Former Tiger men's tennis player Mark Finnegan becomes the second Tiger in as many years to make a move to the coaching ranks, as Finnegan has taken on the assistant women's tennis coaching position at the University of Memphis it was announced by Lady Tiger head coach Charlotte Peterson, Monday. Finnegan graduated from Memphis in May with a degree in finance and has been teaching tennis at Leftwich Tennis Center. He will continue teaching at Leftwich while serving as the part-time assistant coach for Peterson. Finnegan capped his two-year Tiger career in 2005 with a 28-21 mark in singles and a 12-6 mark in doubles after battling a shoulder injury after transferring to Memphis from Georgia Southern following his sophomore year. He was named the Conference USA Men's Tennis Player of the Week on Mar. 22nd of last year after helping Memphis to an upset win at South Alabama. That win propelled the Tigers back into the national rankings for the first time on the season. Finnegan and junior Alex Jago would finish the year with a 12-6 record at No. 3 doubles after starting the season winning seven of their first eight doubles matches. Prior to his Tiger career, Finnegan was the No. 1 singles player at Georgia Southern. He was the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year in his first collegiate season and was named Team MVP and to the All-Southern Conference team after going 8-2 at No. 3 singles as a freshman. A graduate of the Institute of Education in Dublin, Ireland, Finnegan competed in the Irish Indoor Tennis Championships in the U 18, U16 and U 12 age groups and was ranked the No. 1 junior in Ireland at ages 12, 14, 16 and 17. Finnegan is the second Tiger in as many years to make the move into coaching. Former teammate Lee Taylor Walker is currently the Tiger assistant coach with the men's tennis program. Walker completed his first season in coaching earlier this spring.

08/08/05		Seven Added to Tiger Scholarship Fund Advisory Board of Directors -- TSF fund awards 350 scholarships a year to over 400 student-athletes (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Seven Memphis-area businessmen were added to the University of Memphis Tiger Scholarship Fund Advisory Board of Directors it was announced by R.C. Johnson, Monday. Kenny Armstrong, a Memphis-area attorney; Pete Aviotti, an assistant to the Mayor of Memphis; John Dunavant, of Dunavant Enterprises, Inc.; Willie Gregory, of Nike, Inc.; Fred Hodges of the Consulting Services Group; Chuck Roberts, of Chuck Roberts Real Estate; and Jim Strickland, of Kustoff & Strickland, join the board beginning with the 2005-06 season. The Tiger Scholarship Fund is the fundraising body of the University of Memphis athletic department. Headed by Associate Athletic Director Bill Lansden, the TSF has over 3,000 Tiger supporters, who all have a long-standing goal of helping Memphis reach the $5 million mark in gifts. The U of M awards 350 athletic scholarships each year to 400 student-athletes in 19 varsity sports. Memphis added softball beginning with the 2005-06 season, which will play at Greenbrook Park in Southaven, Miss., for this upcoming season before playing in an on-campus facility on the U of M's South Campus.

08/07/05		Q(B)uandaries -- Keeping up with the area's quarterback competitions (Commercial Appeal)
		Memphis The favorite: Patrick Byrne, 6-1 junior. The challengers: Will Hudgens, 6-4 redshirt freshman, Billy Barefield, 5-10 freshman. Phil Stukenborg's take: When the UofM camp opens Friday at the Murphy Athletic Complex, Byrne will begin as the No. 1 quarterback. But coach Tommy West said he hasn't named Byrne, the MVP of the spring game, the starter in fairness to freshmen Will Hudgens and Billy Barefield. Hudgens and Barefield spent the spring acclimating themselves to the nuances of the offense, and West wants to get an extended look at how they've progressed. From spending two seasons on the field handling kickoffs -- and getting reps at quarterback in practices and spring scrimmages the past three seasons -- Byrne, a redshirt junior, has the edge in experience and a grasp of the offense.

08/07/05		Sound off: UofM vs. the SEC (Commercial Appeal)
		As a Louisville fan, I have plenty of experience with the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Four appearances in the last 12 seasons put us in a quarter of the games since the bowl's resurgence. That said, I would love to see our relationship continue with the game in the Big East. If the Liberty were to align itself with the Big East and SEC, the third-place finisher from the Big East would be a viable bowl opponent for the SEC No. 6, and needless to say would be an outstanding event for bowl organizers. As for the University of Memphis, it's nobody's fault but their own that they have never played in the game and just decided in the last five or so years that investing in their football program was something worth while. It is not the responsibility of a bowl game to try to keep a desperate conference afloat. New C-USA, whether Memphians like it or not, is a severely weakened league in terms of national-market appeal, and the Liberty Bowl must do what is in its best interest for its short- and long-term survival. Patrick Flynn Louisville, Ky. I was amused by the outrage expressed in a recent column by Geoff Calkins concerning the SEC's preference not to sign an agreement for one of its teams to play in the Liberty Bowl unless their opponent would be a member of another BCS conference. Mr. Calkins did not express similar outrage when Memphis Tiger basketball coach John Calipari said that he didn't want to schedule SEC schools in basketball. College athletics is a business, and the leaders of these athletic programs are responsible for making decisions that are in the best interest of their programs. Schools in one conference have no obligation to play teams in any other conference. Mike Slive is now employed by the SEC as its commissioner and is obligated to serve his current employer, and his former status as commissioner of Conference USA is irrelevant. Mr. Calkins should strive to be more consistent and objective in his analysis of the local sports scene. Don Dearen Cordova The University of Memphis should discontinue playing SEC schools. The recruitment of Memphis-area high school players by SEC schools only gets stronger with every game played between the UofM and SEC schools. Players recruited by Ole Miss, Tennessee and Alabama, etc. should not look down their respective school schedules and see a home game vs. Memphis. Memphis should start to schedule games in other areas of the country to open up a recruiting base. If Memphis players want to play before a home crowd in Memphis, maybe they should be wearing a Memphis uniform. Al Lamar Fairfax, Va. Want to Sound off about a sports issue of the day? Send your E-mails to sports@commercialappeal.com. Please include your name and where you live.

08/06/05		Die-cast model followed by full-size DeAngelo car (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 6, 2005 The mid-May press conference unveiling the minature DeAngelo Williams stock car, the one the University of Memphis is using to promote the All-America running back's Heisman Trophy campaign had ended, but a question remained. As Sandra Hill, Williams's mother, held the tiny die-cast car -- affixed with her son's No. 20 jersey number and awash in a Tiger blue-and-gray paint scheme -- in her hands, she turned and asked: "Is someone going to make a full-sized car like this?" Well, yes, Mrs. Hill, they are. And, yes, Mrs. Hill, they have. Longtime UofM football fan Marty Young, 44, whose fondest childhood memories are of attending Tiger games at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in the 1960s, provided the car from his Backyard Burgers Racing team. Spectacular Signs in Memphis made the wrap, and members of the Highland Hundred, the Tiger football booster group, helped with the expenses. Friday, Williams got his first look at the car. Although he covered his ears, at times, as Marty's son, Ty, revved the engine, Williams was impressed by the nearly finished product. "They did a great job," Williams said. "It looks just like the actual (die-cast) car." Young, who met Williams for the first time Friday, called being involved in the project "a thrill of a lifetime for us." "It's better than being (parked) next to the trailer for Jeff Gordon," Young said. It was a rather expensive project, but Young said the Highland Hundred stepped in. Bobby Wharton, a former Highland Hundred president, said the booster club has raised more than $5,500 to cover the costs that could reach between $8,000 and $10,000. He said $500 and $1,000 sponsorships are being sold. The promotional car will make its debut at the UofM FanFest Aug. 27 at the Murphy Athletic Complex, and it is scheduled to be on display at each of the six Tiger home games. "We'd sure like to have it on the (Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium) field, like we do with Tom II (the Bengal Tiger mascot)," Wharton said. "We hope to park it in one of the alcoves." Wharton said while he has enjoyed bringing the project to fruition, most of the credit belongs to Young. "Marty was the instigator," Wharton said. "He is a Tiger supporter and a great guy. He offered his services and because of my relationship with Marty and the university, it got me in the middle." Young said he was inspired by the Heisman Trophy promotional piece conceived by UofM sports information director Jennifer Rodrigues. He also was driven, so to speak, by Williams's talent and class. "Anything we can do to provide more excitement to promote DeAngelo and the university," Young said. "This is pulling the town together for one cause. And DeAngelo is such a talented player. We know (winning) the Heisman is going to be difficult, but you have to promote this kid because he is such a special player who's going to have a long career in the NFL." Young said his racing team spent approximately "120 man-hours" on the project. "We spent several nights working to 2 and 3 in the morning," he said. "The whole crew pitched in, even though one of 'em is a (University of Tennessee) fan." The Tennessee fan, racing crew chief Bubba McClain, said he had no problem putting aside his allegiance to the Vols to contribute his expertise. "Now had it been for a (Heisman hopeful) from Auburn, or Alabama or the (Florida) Gators, I couldn't have done it," McClain said. "I would have had to tell Marty 'I quit.'" Before he proceeded with the project, Young wanted "a complete understanding" of NCAA rules and regulations regarding such an undertaking. Every step was taken with approval from the university's NCAA compliance staff. NCAA rules limit the number of appearances the car can make. Behind Williams, who has rushed for a school-record 4,062 yards, the Tigers have been to back-to-back bowl games for the first time in their history. When he decided to bypass the NFL Draft after his junior season, Williams gave the Tigers hope for a third straight postseason trip. His return led to a Heisman Trophy campaign, which resulted in the small-scale model NASCAR and, now, the logical evolution: a full-size replica. "It is absolutely spectacular," said Scott Forman, the 2004-05 Highland Hundred president. "It is amazing how they've been able to put it together. It is identical to the little one." Young said the car "has some history to it." "It was Matt Kenseth's old No. 99," Young said. "We bought from a team in North Carolina. Me and the boys back at the shop (in Collierville) took every part off the car, maintenanced the car and went over it. It looks really nice. The university and DeAngelo deserve a first-class car." Young, whose 19-year-old son, Ty, is a professional on the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series, said it has been a rewarding experience being involved in promoting Williams. Young said when the car was returned to his shop last week after getting the wrap applied, Forman was among the first to see it. "He just kept walking around the car," Young said. "And he kept saying 'This is unreal, this is unreal.'" -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

08/06/05		Tiger Notes (softball, tennis, TSF, soccer, golf, baseball) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact August 6, 2005 The first-year University of Memphis softball team has found a temporary home. Coach Windy Thees said this week that the Lady Tigers will play the 2006 season at Greenbrook Park in Southaven. Thees said a $1.6 million on-campus facility, which will be built on the UofM south campus, is scheduled to be completed by the start of the 2007 campaign. Thees said Greenbrook Park will be an ideal first-year home. The facility has hosted numerous national events and was used the past three years as the site for the TSSAA high school softball championships. Several Memphis sites were explored, but Thees said Greenbrook Park got the nod for several reasons, among them the facility being ''new and aesthetically pleasing.'' She said the park is also relatively close to campus, about a 15-minute trip. ''It's a really nice complex,'' she said. ''We'll make it work for a year.'' Thees said her team's first fall practice will be in mid-September, and the Lady Tigers will travel to Knoxville Oct. 8 and 9 to participate in an exhibition tournament featuring about six schools. ''That will be a good measuring stick,'' Thees said. ''We will have only practiced for about two or three weeks.'' Thees also said a second and final assistant, David Majeski, has been added. Majeski, 35, is a former All-Southeastern Conference outfielder at Florida (1992) and a Gators assistant softball coach. He'll work with the hitters and be involved in recruiting. Brewer steps up Incoming UofM freshman tennis player Matt Brewer steps onto a high-profile stage beginning this weekend when he plays in the USTA Boys 18 National Championships at Kalamazoo, Mich. Brewer, who won a warm-up event in the Chicago area last week, is not seeded in the prestigious event that draws the top-ranked juniors throughout the country. Heralded 16-year-old Donald Young, a lefthanded-hitting prodigy from Atlanta, is the event's No. 1 seed. UofM assistant tennis coach Lee Taylor Walker, who is attending the tournament, said how Brewer fares likely will depend on his draw. ''But, then again, maybe not because he is playing so well,'' Walker said. ''It should be fun for him because he might be a sleeper. All the top juniors are coming, even those that have been playing (as amateurs) on the pro circuit. Matt's got nothing to lose.'' Brewer, who moved to Memphis from Houston last year, won the Midwest Open last week in Evanston, Ill. He won his opening-round match Friday over Gabriel Mattos, 6-2, 6-1. New TSF members The Tiger Scholarship Fund, the fund-raising arm of the athletic department, has added seven new board members. Attorney Kenny Armstrong and Southaven's Chuck Roberts, who owns Chuck Roberts Commercial Real Estate, join Pete Aviotti, assistant to Memphis mayor Willie Herenton; John Dunavant of Dunavant Enterprises; Willie Gregory of NIKE; Fred Hodges of Consulting Services Group and Jim Strickland of Kustoff & Strickland. Odds and ends The men's soccer team will enter the fall with a preseason national ranking for the first time in the program's history. The Tigers are ranked 27th in College Soccer News's Top 30 poll after going 16-4-1 last year and appearing in the NCAA Tournament. . . .The men's golf program's 2005-06 schedule opens Sept. 17-18 at the Minnesota Collegiate Invitational in Wayzata, Minn. Among the 11 tournaments during the 2005-06 season will be the Memphis Intercollegiate, which will be held Oct. 3-4 at Colonial Country Club's South Course. ... Tiger first baseman Adam Amar, one of several UofM players in summer wooden bat leagues, earned back-to-back Valley League player-of-the-week honors in Virginia while playing for the Luray Wranglers. Amar had three home runs and 10 RBI during the final week of the regular season. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

08/05/05		Men's Soccer Tabbed No. 27 in CSN Top 30 Preseason Poll -- Tigers one of six C-USA teams receiving recognition (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz (wkolditz@memphis.edu) MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The University of Memphis men's soccer team enters the 2005 season ranked nationally for the first time in the program's history. College Soccer News tabbed the Tigers in the No. 27 spot of its Top 30 Preseason Poll. Memphis had arguably its best season ever in 2004 winning both the Conference USA regular season and tournament championship titles. The team finished a school best 16-4-1 and entered the NCAA tournament ranked 10th in the nation. Head coach Richie Grant helped Memphis turn from an 8-8-2 underachieved season in 2003 into the 10th most improved team in the nation in 2004. As a result, the Ireland native picked up his second C-USA Coach of the Year award. The Tigers return seven of its 11 starts from last season including All-American senior Dayton O'Brien (8 goals, 14 assists) and All-Conference forward Andy Metcalf (12 g, 3 a). All-Conference defender Gary Connolly and All-Freshman midfielder Adam Montgomery also return for the 2005 season. Six C-USA men's soccer teams received preseason recognition from College Soccer News. Joining Memphis in CSN's Top 30 Preseason Poll are SMU (No. 10) and Tulsa (No. 15). C-USA runner-up UAB, along with new affiliate members Kentucky and Florida International also received votes in the polling. The Tigers open their preseason schedule on Saturday, August 20 at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex against cross-town rival Christian Brothers University at 7 p.m. Memphis will begin the season by hosting the annual Memphis Diadora Tournament on September 3 and 5 with Oral Roberts, Centenary and Belmont participating in the event. 2005 College Soccer News Preseason Poll 1. Indiana 2. Duke 3. Maryland 4. UCLA 5. St. John's 6. New Mexico 7. UC Santa Barbara 8. Creighton 9. Connecticut 10. SMU 11. Virginia 12. VCU 13. UNC-Greensboro 14. Wake Forest 15. TULSA 16. San Francisco 17. Northwestern 18. James Madison 19. Notre Dame 20. Saint Louis 21. Boston College 22. California 23. Seton Hall 24. Ohio State 25. Santa Clara 26. Washington 27. MEMPHIS 28. Loyola Marymount 29. Michigan 30. Cal State Northridge Others Receiving Votes: North Carolina, Boston University, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Old Dominion, Hartwick, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, UAB, Denver, Lehigh, Dartmouth, USF, KENTUCKY, Fairleigh Dickinson, George Washington, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL, Akron, Portland, Hofstra, Princeton

08/05/05		Lady Tiger/Fastbreak Club Golf Tournament Scheduled -- Will take place Oct. 21st at the Glen Eagle Golf Course in Millington (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Lady Tiger basketball program will host its second annual Lady Tiger Fastbreak Club Golf Tournament, Oct. 21st, as part of Homecoming Weekend. The tournament will be played at Glen Eagle Golf Course in Millington and the registration cost is $75.00 per player if payment is made by October 10th ($85.00 after Oct. 10th). That cost includes cart, greens fees, and a catfish lunch. Registration begins at 11 a.m., with a shotgun start at noon. To register, email Gaylon Hall, Fastbreak Club President, at GHall65068@aol.com or call 901-372-4677. Lady Tiger head coach Blair Savage, in her second year at the helm of the program, has targeted Mid-South talent since taking over the program in June of last year, increasing the number of Memphis-area and Mid-South talent to four student-athletes, the highest number of Mid-South talent on a Lady Tiger roster since 1993-94.

08/05/05		Tiger Basketball Notes (Earl Barron, Dajuan Wagner, Andre Turner) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact August 5, 2005 Barron earns job with Heat -- Calipari happily surprised with ex-player's success John Calipari heard the news Thursday afternoon, that Earl Barron had agreed to terms with the Miami Heat and thus made it to the NBA. His reactions, in order, went like this: Surprise. Joy. Humility. "He proved me wrong," said the University of Memphis coach. "My first thought was for him to go overseas, make $5 or $6 million over his career, then come home and do whatever he wants. But he chose the unconventional way, the NBDL, which is hard. But he did it. "He's worked his way into the league," Calipari added with a smile. "I'm just so happy for him." Barron, a former Tiger, was scheduled to spend Thursday as a counselor at Calipari's camp. Instead, the 7-0 center boarded a plane for Miami, having signed a one-year, partly-guaranteed contract that was offered less than a month after his standout role with the Heat in the Southern California Summer Pro League. That impressive stint -- Heat president Pat Riley, in the Miami Herald, called Barron "the best kid in all of the summer league at center" -- was the culmination of two years of work since graduating from the UofM in May 2003. Prior to this deal with Miami, Barron had spent time in Turkey and with the NBDL's Huntsville Flight. "I really admire people who persevere, never complain, never ask questions and just stay true to the task," said Barron's agent, Kyle Rote Jr. "Earl is one of those people. He's done all the extra stuff necessary to make this happen, and he deserves it." Wagner healthy, able again Speaking of former Tigers, another trying to find a home in the NBA is Dajuan Wagner, whose career has been in a downward spiral ever since the Cleveland Cavaliers selected him with the sixth pick in the 2002 NBA Draft. In three years in the NBA, Wagner hasn't played more than 47 games in any season, the result of various injuries and illnesses. Consequently, Cleveland opted not to exercise its option on his contract, and the one-year-of-college wonder is now searching for a team. "But he's healthy now, and that's what's important," said Milt Wagner, Dajuan's father and the UofM's director of basketball operations. "As long as he's healthy, he can prove himself in every other way." Calipari wants to help. "I would like to get him down here for two weeks before he goes to camp, and just really work him out and get him ready," Calipari said. "He could work with (director of performance enhancement) Richard (Hogans) in the mornings, then I could work with him and then he could play with our guys in the afternoons. "I hope he takes me up on the offer because I just want to help him build himself back up. It's been a tough few years." Little general, the coach? Since taking over the Memphis program, Calipari has reached out to former players like Larry Finch and Keith Lee. Now, he'd like to add a Tiger great to his staff. "Right now, we're in the process of seeing how far Andre Turner is from earning his degree," Calipari said. "We've talked. And what I think he's going to do is play one more year of professional basketball (overseas) and then retire from that and get into coaching, and I'd like him to join our program." If all goes as planned, Calipari said Turner -- who helped the Tigers advance to the 1985 Final Four -- could be on his staff in some capacity as early as the 2006-07 season. "Andre is a good guy, and he's always been good to us," Calipari said. "He knows how much he benefited from going to school here, and he's an unbelievable role model, what you want all the kids from the city to be." -- Gary P