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June 2005

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06/30/05		Tiger duo aim high (Daily Helmsman)
		by Ben Cowens Staff Reporter June 30, 2005 In an NIT semifinal three months ago, Memphis basketball players Darius Washington Jr. and Rodney Carney wanted nothing more than to help the Tigers beat coach Phil Martelli and his St. Joseph's Hawks. But Martelli's Hawks prevailed 70-58 on their way to the NIT finals. Now, Carney and Washington will do everything they can to impress the man who helped end their season. The Tigers' duo represents two of the 21 players who hope to make Martelli's team at the USA Basketball Men's U21 National Team trials from July 21-23. Cuts will be made following the trials in Colorado Springs, Colo. A USA basketball committee, headed by Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, will make the first seven cuts. Martelli, who will be the head coach, will consult his staff and make the final two roster moves. In all, 12 players will make the team for the 2005 FIBA U21 World Championships in Mar de Plata, Argentina, from Aug. 5-14. In less than a month, the U.S. will have to put together a team to defend its world championship. "(The lack of time) is the biggest challenge," Martelli said. "I think there is a lot of opportunity to do great things, but I think it's going to take a lot of work." Count Washington as one player that is happy for the chance to play. "I'm excited about it," Washington said. "Out of all the players in the country, they could have picked anybody from any school...and they chose me. "It's not every day that you get chosen to represent the United States." While Washington has no prior experience at this level of international basketball, Carney has been here before. Last July, he was cut from the U21 team that competed at the FIBA Americas World Championship qualifying tournament -- the team that qualified for this year's tournament in Argentina. He said that experience will be invaluable this time around. "Last year, I just went in there and got a feel for everyone," Carney said. "Basically, I wasn't playing my best. This time, I know what I have to do." That includes, by Carney's own admission, a better effort defensively and on the glass. The team is loaded with guys that can shoot. Duke's J.J. Reddick, Connecticut's Marcus Williams and Gonzaga's Adam Morrison are just three that will be vying for perimeter positions. "Both guys are perimeter players," Martelli said of the Memphis pair. "Of the 21 that are invited, by my count there are 14 perimeter guys and we're going to have to find out which of them can play a little bit bigger." Martelli said both Washington and Carney will have a chance to play multiple positions at the trials. At Memphis, Washington plays point guard exclusively, but he was a shooting guard in high school. Carney, a versatile 6-foot-7 senior, has played a number of positions for the Tigers in his three seasons. Regardless, both players are ready to contribute in any way possible and get a chance to stand on the podium in August. "This is for a world championship," Martelli said. "I hope that they're excited because I'm certainly looking forward to it."

06/30/05		Bucewicz's potential realized in classroom and on tennis court (Daily Helmsman)
		by Matthew Laurie Staff Reporter June 30, 2005 Former University of Memphis tennis player Alex Bucewicz came to the United States from Melbourne, Australia, with a racket and some potential. He left with more than he could take back. A college tennis career later Bucewicz (pronounced BOO-ka-vich) leaves The U of M with a degree, memories, a national ranking, and a girlfriend. In the beginning, it was potential, academically and athletically for Bucewicz. "I knew he had the potential to have that type of career," said head coach Paul Goebel. "He was a good fit for us (when I recruited him)." However, the players he scouts have to have more than just great forehands, smooth backhands and powerful serves. "We want him to represent the school and the city on and off the court," he said. Anyone who's watched Bucewicz on the court may wonder how he packs that much heart into that 5-foot-7 frame. Moreover, if it weren't for that small stature Memphis may have never had the opportunity to recruit him. "My size was always an issue growing up in the juniors in Australia," said Bucewicz. "It was one of the major reasons why I wasn't selected for national and elite state training, because the selector thought that, with my size, I wasn't able to make it to the next level." In the classroom, his brain gets as much of a workout as that heart. A four-time letter winner, Bucewicz also has four Conference USA Academic Honor Rolls to go along with them. "He takes (each one, athletics and academics,) probably equal," said Goebel, whose program gives the more sedentary side of college life more than enough attention. "I think I am more proud of my results in the classroom. I knew I always had the potential to be successful on the tennis court, so it was just a question of me doing well in the classroom," said Bucewicz. Last year, the men's team was just one of 35 schools across the country to earn an Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team Award. It also had three players named TA Scholar Athletes. The award was given to Memphis because the team had a cumulative GPA higher than 3.2. It was the team's third straight honor. Taylor Lee Walker, Andrew Olswing and Bucewicz earned the Scholar Athlete awards for GPAs of 3.5 or higher. "Tennis is a big part of it, but it's not all of it," Goebel said. Numbers as impressive as those also came for Bucewicz on the court. He finished his career with an 89-41 record in singles, most often at the top of the playing rotation, a 63-34 record in doubles, the ranking of 124th in Division 1 Men's Tennis, and a team ranking of 73 during his senior season. Two of those singles victories stand out proudly in Bucewicz's mind. "The first was the 3-3 point against long-time rivals MTSU in which I defeated my long-time rival from Melbourne, Australia 7-6, 7-6. (That was) our only victory against that college. The second was this past year against Georgia State, where, once again, it was the 3-3 point. I came from 2-5 down in the third set and won 7-6 with the tie-break score of 13-11 and saved 6 match points along the way." A five-time C-USA player of the week winner, Bucewicz started early as he led the Tigers in singles victories in both his freshman and sophomore year. He tied for lead in singles victories the past two years. "It's nice to have your best player as your leader," Goebel said. Aside from success and good grades, Bucewicz also found a relationship. "It has really been great for me to have a girlfriend that was also on the women's team," he said. "We were able to understand and help each other on and off the tennis court, which really, in the end, made me to be the person that I am today. Let's just say if I hadn't met her, then my results in the classroom would not have been as good."

06/30/05		Collierville's Matt Yokely Signs with Memphis Baseball -- Yokely added to impressive list of 2006 signees (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Collierville High's standout pitcher Matt Yokely is the latest to become part of Daron Schoenrock's efforts to rebuild to Memphis baseball program as the 6-foot-4 right-hander signed a national letter-of-intent to attend the University of Memphis in 2006. Yokley, who was coached by former Memphis skipper Jeff Hopkins, joins prep teammate Marc Ashley, who signed with the Tigers in November of 2004. Yokely's stellar high school campaign was capped by a 36th round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians in the 2005 Major League First-Year Player Draft. The two-way star helped lead the Dragons to a 37-7 mark in 2005. He posted a 7-1 record on the hill, while hitting .435 with 44 RBI and three homers at the plate. Four of his seven victories on the mound were shutouts, including a two-hit, 11-strikeout performance against Murfreesboro Riverdale in the 2005 state tournament. He guided CHS to district, region and substate titles as a senior. As a senior, Yokley earned MVP honors in the USA Classic, after guiding Collierville to the field's first-ever championship in Millington, Tenn. The right-hander also was named a Commercial Appeal Best of Preps nominee along with garnering recognition in the CA as one of the top-25 players in West Tennessee. "Matt is one of the top pitchers in the state and we are honored to have him make the decision to become a Tiger," said Schoenrock "He comes from a tremendous high school program at Collierville and was a valuable contributor on the mound and at first base in the team's outstanding season. We are excited with Matt's decision to come to Memphis after being drafted by the Cleveland Indians." A two-sport athlete, Yokely also excelled on the hardwood, earning letters as a shooting guard on the CHS varsity basketball team.

06/30/05		Three Tigers Earn C-USA Scholar-Athlete Awards -- Gostkowski, Hyman and Watts each named their respective sport's award winners (GoTigersGo.com)
		IRVING, Texas - Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky named the recipients of the 2004-05 Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards Thursday. C-USA Scholar Athlete of the Year awards are presented to the top student-athletes in each conference-sponsored sport. The award is based on academic achievement (GPA), athletic achievement and service. Memphis, Tulane and UAB each produced three scholar athlete award winners, while Houston, Louisville, and USF each had two. DePaul men's basketball selection Drake Diener was the only unanimous selection among all the nominees. Twelve of C-USA's 14 institutions produced at least one scholar athlete winner. This is the third time the Tigers have had three student-athletes named the top scholar athletes in their respective sports. 2004-05 SCHOLAR ATHLETE AWARD WINNERS: Baseball Marc Maddox, Southern Miss Tommy Manzella, Tulane Men's Basketball Drake Diener, DePaul Women's Basketball JoAnn Overstreet, Houston Men's Cross Country Kyle MacKenzie, East Carolina Women's Cross Country Christa Benton, USF Football Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis Matt Traina, Tulane Men's Golf William Hanna, Louisville Women's Golf Brooke Mangan, UAB Men's Soccer Lucasz Kwapisz, UAB Women's Soccer Briana McCarty, UAB Softball Tiffany Stewart, USF Women's Swimming Azul Almazan, Houston Men's Tennis Jakob Gustafsson, Louisville Women's Tennis Jenny Kuehn, Tulane Men's Track and Field Charles Mashozhera, Marquette Women's Track and Field Cassie Ficken, Charlotte Lisa-Marie Hyman, Memphis Volleyball Julie DuPont, Cincinnati Heather Watts, Memphis

06/30/05		Tiger Basketball Notes (FedExForum seating, attendance, preseason ranking, Thiero surgery) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact June 30, 2005 Moves made to quell forum seating gripes -- Officials listen to longtime ticket holders Throughout last season, the complaints were constant and loud. Some longtime University of Memphis ticket holders were mad. They hated the upper level at FedExForum and vowed not to pay their annual Tiger Scholarship Fund dues again. Today at 5 p.m., all dues are due. For those old-timers with a sense of hesitation, Bill Lansden and staff have developed a plan they hope shows they listened and adjusted. "We've tried to find a way to move some of those people downstairs," said Lansden, a UofM associate athletic director. "So now we're going to have a loyalty section." The loyalty section will be in Sections 117 and 118. It is formerly part of the student section, which has now been cut to about 2,200 seats, a number still roughly 1,700 more than the average number of students who attended games last season. Here are the criteria to qualify for the loyalty section: Must be a Tiger Scholarship Fund member who was in the upper level last season. Must maintain his personal current donation level (minimum $250). Must have had season tickets every year dating back to the final year of the Mid South Coliseum (1990-91). "There are about 180 ticket accounts that qualify, including some people who have had season tickets for 38 years," Lansden said. "So far, we've had a positive response." Actual season tickets won't go on sale until at least August. But upper-level prices will drop significantly. Most upper-level season tickets will cost $195 rather than the $295 required last year. Additionally, the UofM will have a special section in the end zones of the upper level where season tickets will cost $100. Though the schedule isn't set, Memphis will play between 17 and 19 home games. Using 19 as the number, a $100 season ticket would translate to $5.26 per contest. Lower-level season tickets will remain at their 2004-05 prices of between $450 and $550, in addition to the necessary Tiger Scholarship Fund donation. Won't be fooled again Had Memphis reported a tickets-sold number to the NCAA instead of an actual attendance figure, the Tigers would've ranked in the top 10 for the fifth straight year in attendance, per NCAA standards. Instead, Memphis was 48th. The mixup came because rather than putting the tickets-sold number on its official box scores -- which is what it did in years past -- Memphis used an actual figure, one not required by the NCAA. Subsequently, that figure (9,586) was filed with the NCAA. Consequently, the Tigers, at least according to the official rankings, averaged fewer than 9,700 fans for the first time since before The Pyramid opened in 1991. It won't happen again. "Next year," said associate athletic director Bill Lofton, "we're going to go back to reporting tickets sold." That's awfully high Coach John Calipari hasn't been shy about expressing his optimism for this upcoming season. Apparently, others have high expectations for the Tigers, too. Sportsline.com is the latest to jump on the Memphis bandwagon. Greg Doyel has the Tigers ranked eighth in the country, just below Nevada and ahead of Texas Tech. According to Doyel, Duke is No. 1. The Tigers and Blue Devils could possibly meet in the title game of the preseason NIT on Nov. 25 at New York's Madison Square Garden. Thiero surgery next week Almamy Thiero will have surgery July 7 to repair the ACL in his right knee that he tore during a pickup game last month. The 6-10 forward is expected to miss the entire 2005-06 campaign. -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

06/29/05		Thiero To Undergo Surgery Next Week -- The Tigers' 6-foot-10 forward suffered a torn right ACL June 19 (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Almamy Thiero, a redshirt junior on the University of Memphis men's basketball team, is set to undergo surgery to repair his torn right ACL July 7. The surgery will take place at the Campbell Clinic Surgery Center. The 6-foot-10, 240-pound forward suffered the torn ACL in a pick-up game at the Finch Center June 19. Following the surgery, Thiero will go through six-to-eight months of rehabilitation and is expected to miss the 2005-06 campaign. The Mali, West Africa, native saw action in 23 games and averaged 0.5 points and 1.7 boards last year. Thiero has had an injury-plagued career at Memphis. As a freshman in 2002-03, he saw limited playing time early before undergoing surgery to place a metal rod in his lower leg as a result of a stress fracture to his tibia. He received a medical redshirt for that season. Thiero played in three games as a redshirt in 2003-04, but was sidelined in mid-December when an examination found blood clots near his lungs.

06/29/05		Wesley Smith Named to the Jim Thorpe Trophy Watch List -- Smith and USM's John Eubanks represent C-USA on prestigious list (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - Memphis safety Wesley Smith amd Southern Miss cornerback John Eubanks were among 36 Division I defensive backs named to the Jim Thorpe Trophy Watch List, in an announcement made by the Thorpe association on Wednesday. The Thorpe Award, presented annually to the nation's best college defensive back, is one of college football's most sought after and prestigious awards. Eubanks had his best year defensively as a junior in 2004, posting career-highs in several categories, including total tackles with 47 (31 solos, 16 assists), three interceptions and nine deflected passes. For his efforts, Eubanks earned first-team All-Conference USA honors. The Mound Bayou, Miss., native is the fifth Golden Eagle to be named to the Thorpe Watch List in school history. The rising senior was also named to the Bronko Nagurski Watch List earlier this week, which is awarded to the nation's best overall defensive player. Smith, a two-time All-C-USA first-team performer, enters his junior season with 187 career tackles and four interceptions. A native of Oxford, Miss., Smith has been a starter in the Tigers' defensive backfield since his true freshman season in 2003 when he registered a career-high 98 tackles, including 51 solo stops. The award is named after Jim Thorpe, who is considered to be one of the greatest all-around athletes in history. Thorpe excelled as a running back, passer and kicker on offense, and was also was a defensive back. Recognized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame simply as "The Legend", Thorpe also played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon. The watch list will be narrowed to 10 semi-finalists the first Monday in November and then to three finalists the Monday before Thanksgiving. The winner will be announced on ESPN's College Football Awards Show, telecast from Disney World on December 8. The official presentation of the award will be in Oklahoma City on February 7. The Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List is derived through a point system based on All-American teams and Honorable Mentions published in at least six pre-season football magazines. A candidate must be listed as a third-team All-American in at least one publication or as a fourth team or honorable mention in at least three of these publications. This list is not final and players not on the list, who have exceptional seasons, can be added at a later date. 2005 Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List: Muhammad Abdullah, Kentucky Jahmile Addae, West Virginia Jason Allen, Tennessee Jaxson Appel, Texas A&M Darnell Bing, USC Will Blackmon, Boston College Greg Blue, Georgia Darrell Brooks, Arizona Daniel Bullocks, Nebraska Antoine Cason, Arizona Antonio Cromartie, Florida State John Eubanks, Southern Miss Gabriel Fulbright, New Mexico Charles Gordon, Kansas Cedric Griffin, Texas Roman Harper, Alabama Michael Huff, Texas Darrell Hunter, Miami (Ohio) Kelly Jennings, Miami (Fla.) LaRon Landry, LSU Maurice Lane, Baylor Mike Lorello, West Virginia Donnie McClesky, California Jarrad Page, UCLA Charlie Peprah, Alabama Bernard Pollard, Purdue Nate Salley, Ohio State Ko Simpson, So. Carolina Anthony Smith, Syracuse Wesley Smith, Memphis Greg Threat, Miami (Fla.) Pat Watkins, Florida State Eric Weddle, Utah Ashton Youboty, Ohio State Jimmy Williams, Virginia Tech Alan Zemaitis, Penn St.

06/29/05		Ex-Tiger Banks goes undrafted -- Talented forward can't shake shady reputation (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact June 29, 2005 At 10:45 Tuesday night, NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granick walked to the microphone to announce the final pick of the 2005 NBA Draft. The name? Alex Acker. Of Pepperdine. Somewhere, Sean Banks must've been wondering how it came to this. "It's just sad," said University of Memphis coach John Calipari. "Once it got late in the second round, I really thought somebody would take a chance on him. But I imagine at the end of the day the question marks that were out there were too much." Consequently, Banks went undrafted. The former Tiger was forced to listen to the name of one inferior player after another be called while the checkered past and sketchy attitude that led to his demise at Memphis combined to cost him in a big way. Now, Banks -- who lost his eligibility at the UofM following one semester of his sophomore year -- will have to make the league as an undrafted free agent. Granted, it's possible. But it's certainly not the conventional path to success, nor the position in which the 6-7 forward ever expected to find himself. "But he can still make the league," Calipari said. "He just has to go look for somebody who needs somebody like him." Meanwhile, it wasn't all bad news for prospects with Memphis ties. Ricky Sanchez, a Tiger signee, was the 35th overall pick. The 6-11 forward was selected by Portland, then packaged with Linas Kleiza and shipped to Denver for the rights to Jarrett Jack. Later, Sanchez called his would-be college coach. "I just got off the phone with him," said Calipari, who advised Sanchez to enter the draft instead of reclassifying and spending another year at IMG Academy before potentially enrolling at Memphis. "He said, 'Coach, I just want to thank you for how you treated me.' He said, 'I'm sad I'm not coming to Memphis, but I want to stay in touch with you and stay friends.'" Calipari's response? "Absolutely," he said. "I just told him that I wanted tickets when he comes through Memphis." Three other players with Mid-South ties were also drafted in the second round. Mississippi State signee Monta Ellis went 40th to Golden State while Bulldog standout Lawrence Roberts went 55th to Seattle before having his rights traded to the Grizzlies. South Gwinnett (Ga.) High phenom Louis Williams, who grew up in Memphis, went 45th to Philadelphia. -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365 ------------------------------------------------ Draft picks with area ties Ricky Sanchez, 6-11, F, UofM signee, picked 35th overall by Portland, then traded to Denver. Monta Ellis, 6-3, G, Jackson (Miss.) Lanier, picked 40th overall by Golden State. Louis Williams, 6-2, G, Snellville (Ga.), originally from Memphis, picked 45th overall by Philadelphia. Lawrence Roberts, 6-9, F, Mississippi State, picked 55th overall by Seattle, then traded to Memphis. Sean Banks, 6-7, F, University of Memphis, undrafted.

06/28/05		Sky Suites Available For Tiger Football Season -- Each suite comes with 20 tickets, six premier parking passes and catering information (GoTigersGo.com)
		Athletic officials at the University of Memphis announced that a limited number of sky suites are available for rent for the Tigers' 2005 college football season. The suites, which will accommodate as many as 20 individuals, rent for $15,000 annually. With the rental of a sky suite, a fan will receive tickets and passes for 20 people, six premier parking passes and information about catering services at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. For further information, contact Lish Trice with the U of M at 901-678-3083.

06/28/05		Past will have effect on where Banks goes -- Former Tiger likely slipped out of first round of draft (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact June 28, 2005 John Calipari's phone rang about two weeks ago. He answered it, but didn't recognize the caller. So he asked for a name. This is Sean. "I said, 'Sean?,'" Calipari recalled. "'Wow, a blast from the past.'" The past. Funny words Calipari chose. Because is there anything more important/devastating to Sean Banks today -- on NBA Draft day -- than the past? His past. That checkered past. The one that features a stellar freshman season at the University of Memphis, but is mostly full of bad decisions that can cost a talented young prospect millions of dollars. Once upon a time, Banks was considered a potential lottery pick and believed to be on the verge of greatness. Now, nothing is guaranteed. "I just hope," Banks recently told The Commercial Appeal, "that I didn't turn people off." No doubt, he did turn people off. Just how much so will be determined tonight. Despite Banks having first-round ability and producing one of the best performances at the NBA pre-draft camp in Chicago, general managers remain leery of using a pick on and investing money in the 6-7 forward because of numerous on- and off-the-court issues. Banks was arrested three times in high school, and once more -- for marijuana possession -- in January not long after losing his academic eligibility at the UofM and drifting into anonymity. At the time, the New Jersey native insisted he'd enroll in classes and work toward regaining his college eligibility. But Calipari never believed it, and he was proved right when Banks instead landed at IMG Academy -- alongside UofM signee Ricky Sanchez, also available for tonight's draft -- to focus on preparing for life as a pro. "I would say Sean's going to go anywhere from 25 to 50," Calipari said. "You just never know." Though Calipari has talked to many franchises and believes some are seriously considering selecting Banks late in the first round, No. 25 could be wishful thinking for a couple of reasons. One, this draft is deep, and there will be plenty of other more-solid, less-risky prospects available at 25. Two, the 25th pick would require a guaranteed contract. Considering all of Banks's problems, why would any team invest that much in a person who has been arrested four times during the past three years? That, frankly, is what Banks is up against. That, mostly, is why the majority of mock drafts have him going no higher than the middle of the second round. "The greatest thing in this is that Sean accepts that he messed up," Calipari said. "The first step to getting better is being humbled enough to say, 'I didn't do right, but now I'm going to be fine.' And he's done that." But will he be fine? That's the question countless general managers are asking themselves today. Meanwhile, Banks will sit and wait, and learn their collective answer tonight. "He was great (as a freshman), then he went absolutely south (as a sophomore) and now he's back. What does that mean?" Calipari said. "Was he humbled by it? Does he understand? That's what these teams are weighing right now. But you know what? I think he's learned his lesson." -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

06/27/05		Lady Tiger track standout honored (Commercial Appeal)
		Two weeks after competing in her first NCAA Track and Field Championships, University of Memphis senior Lisa-Marie Hyman added another accolade to a long list of accomplishments, as she was named to the third team of the ESPN The Magazine Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Teams. Hyman, who was chosen to the magazine's Academic All-District first teams each of the past two seasons, was an honorable mention selection to the All-America Teams in 2004. She becomes the first U of M track and field athlete to be named to an Academic All-America team. The Kingston, Jamaica, native completed her master's degree in mathematical sciences in May after receiving her bachelor's degree in mathematical sciences in 2004. Besides competing in the National Championships, she is a three-time Conference USA Champion and three-time C-USA runnerup in the triple jump, is a two-time NCAA Mid-East Regional qualifier and holds Memphis records in both the indoor and outdoor triple jump.

06/27/05		Hyman Named to ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Third Team -- Senior becomes first Memphis track athlete ever to receive Academic All-America honors (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis, Tenn. - Two weeks after competing in her first NCAA Track and Field Championships, Lisa-Marie Hyman added another accolade to a long list of accomplishments, as the University of Memphis senior was selected as a third team honoree for the 2004-05 ESPN The Magazine Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Teams. Hyman, who was chosen to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Teams each of the past two seasons, was an honorable mention selection to the All-America Teams in 2004. With her third team honor for 2005, she becomes the first U of M track and field athlete ever to be named to an Academic All-America team. The Kingston, Jamaica, native completed her master's degree in mathematical sciences in May after receiving her bachelor's degree in mathematical sciences in 2004. She compiled a graduate GPA of 3.91 and an undergraduate GPA of 3.81. On the track, Hyman racked up the accomplishments as well. Aside from competing in the National Championships, she is a three-time Conference USA Champion and three-time C-USA runner-up in the triple jump, is a two-time NCAA Mid-East Regional qualifier and holds Memphis records in both the indoor and outdoor triple jump. After completing her eligibility as well as her two degrees, Hyman now plans to start work on her doctorate's degree in mathematics while also starting a career as a teacher.

06/25/05		Calipari To Be On Two National Television Sports Shows This Week -- Tiger mentor to appear on Best Damn Sports Show Period, Outside The Lines (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - University of Memphis head coach John Calipari will be making return engagements on two national sports television shows this week. The Tiger mentor will be a studio guest on Fox Sports Net's "Best Damn Sports Show Period" Monday, and will also appear on ESPN's "Outside The Lines" Wednesday. Check your local television listings for the air time in your area. In late May, Calipari was a studio guest host on the "Best Damn Sports Show Period" in California. This time, the show will be televised on location in Florida. Calipari will make his second appearance on "Outside The Lines" this month and will talk on the NBA's 19-year-old age limit. He was on the show earlier this month, and at the time, discussed the proposed 20-year-old age limit. Calipari will begin his sixth season as the Tigers' head coach in 2005-06. He has a 115-55 record at Memphis, and the 115 victories are the most by a Memphis head coach in his first five years. Calipari's overall record stands at 308-126, and he is one of six coaches to have 300 wins in his first 13 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Calipari joined that elite coaching group which also includes Roy Williams, Everett Case, Denny Crum, Jim Boeheim and Nolan Richardson.

06/25/05		Calipari puzzled by U of M attendance report to NCAA -- Use of actual figure causes big drop in ranking (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact June 25, 2005 When the NCAA recently released its final attendance figures for last basketball season, the University of Memphis ranked 48th nationally and out of the top 10 for the first time in five years. Why? In short, somebody messed up. "I don't know why we did this to ourselves," said Tiger coach John Calipari. "I'm dumbfounded." Calipari's frustration stems from the fact that UofM officials inexplicably reported "actual" attendance to the NCAA rather than tickets sold or paid attendance. The Tigers averaged 9,586 real people for home games at FedExForum last season. But the tickets-sold number -- the number most, if not all, other institutions use -- was closer to 15,000, meaning Memphis would've again ranked in the top 10 had it only reported the figure it's always reported in the past. Instead, the Tigers barely made the top 50, and were outdrawn -- at least according to the rankings -- by such schools as Creighton and Wichita State, something that isn't good for the national image Calipari is forever trying to establish. "Did any other school not report tickets sold? No," Calipari said. "So what are we trying to prove? Why would we do it this way? I have no idea. I just don't know why we wouldn't present the picture the best way we could, and the same way everybody else does." Asked if he'd try to rectify the situation, or talk to UofM officials about the mishap, Calipari was short. "No," he answered. "I (just) coach the basketball team." Still, Calipari did see some good that can potentially come out of this. "For this next year, when we do it the right way and report tickets sold, we will have the biggest increase in attendance in the nation," he said with a smile. "Maybe we did it like this for that reason. But I really don't know." -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365 --------------------------------------------------- Not as bad as it looks The University of Memphis's men's basketball attendance appears to have dropped dramatically last season. But, in reality, the decline was caused by the UofM reporting actual attendance to the NCAA in 2004-05, instead of tickets sold as it had in the past: Season / Attendance / Rank '00-01 / 17,110 / sixth '01-02 / 16,225 / 10th '02-03 / 16,643 / seventh '03-04 / 15,432 / 10th '04-05 / 9,586 / 48th

06/25/05		UofM Notes (fundraising, football, CSTV) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact June 25, 2005 Fund-raising near mark -- AD: Tigers have a shot at $5 million When the University of Memphis's fiscal year ends Thursday, athletic director R.C. Johnson said he'll take a few days and prepare for an announcement of a record-setting total. Johnson said the Tiger Scholarship Fund -- formerly the Tiger Clubs -- should top last year's record total of $4.6 million. Since being hired as AD in 1995, Johnson's fund-raising goal has been to reach $5 million on an annual basis. "The good news is we are at $4 million now and we have a shot at reaching $5 million," Johnson said. "The key, in the next seven days, is getting those people who pledged to fulfill those pledges. Overall, the response so far has been terrific." Money raised by the TSF goes to the general athletic fund and is applied to scholarships and day-to-day operations of a department whose budget will approach $24 million next fiscal year. Scholarship costs for the university's 350 student-athletes are approximately $6 million. When Johnson became AD, the department was raising about $1.1 million annually with limited staff resources. He said fund-raising efforts have improved dramatically with increased staffing. Bill Lansden, who joined the department last July, is in charge of the five-member fund-raising staff. Lansden said about $500,000 in new money will come from a combination of adding Tiger Scholarship Fund members and having existing members increase their donation levels. "In the past $5 million was a goal," Johnson said. "Now it's a realistic goal. What we really want to do is get to the point where donations offset the cost of scholarships. We're closing that gap." Johnson said while he's optimistic about reaching the $5 million plateau, his annual goal -- to borrow from the Jerry Lewis Labor Day telethon -- is to raise one more dollar than the previous year. "I've sensed now that more people are giving to the program to help the overall program," Johnson said. "In the past, people were giving in order to get a good seat at The Pyramid (when home basketball games were played there)." Lansden said Friday that basketball fans must send in their donation by Thursday or their seats will be made available during the basketball seat-selection process, which begins July 18. Williams on Maxwell list All-America running back DeAngelo Williams, who is expected to attract Heisman Trophy consideration this fall, is among 50 players selected to the initial 2005 Maxwell Award watch list. Williams, one of three Conference USA players on the watch list, has rushed for 4,062 yards in his career and helped the Tigers to consecutive bowl games for the first time in the program's history. Ten semifinalists will be announced in October, and that list will be trimmed to three finalists in November. The winner will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards show on ESPN in December. CSTV to visit in July College Sports Television (CSTV) will be making Memphis one of its stops this summer as it presents, for the third straight year, its series on preparing for the upcoming college football season. The series, called "Dog Days", is a 30-minute documentary that follows a team through its summer training and two-a-day practice sessions. Each year CSTV focuses on three football programs. In addition to Memphis, the network will visit Georgia and Navy. The CSTV crew is scheduled to be in Memphis in late July to gather footage of the team's yoga training sessions and strength coach Mike Stark's unique offseason workouts, which include flipping tractor tires. Odds and ends Johnson said the football team's Nov. 12 game at Tennessee will kick off at 3 p.m. (CST). UT officials informed Johnson of the time this week, but it is subject to change if the game is chosen for a national or regional telecast. ... Tiger football coach Tommy West said more than 200 attended his one-day camp last weekend. It represented a record attendance, breaking the previous mark of 123. West said among the group were campers from Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Tampa, Atlanta and Birmingham. He said a number of the out-of-town attendees admitted they became familiar with the program through its national television appearances last season. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

06/25/05		Pass-happy QB targets Tigers -- Hankins leaving Southeastern Louisiana (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact June 25, 2005 Quarterback Martin Hankins, who passed for 7,777 yards and 65 touchdowns in two seasons at 1-AA Southeastern Louisiana, is expected to continue his college football career at the University of Memphis. Danny Hankins, Martin's father, said Friday that Memphis is "at the top" of his son's list. Martin asked for his release from Southeastern Louisiana after coach Hal Mumme took the head coaching position at New Mexico State. Hankins would have to sit out the 2005 season per NCAA guidelines regarding transfers. He would have two years of eligibility remaining Hankins, 6-2 and 205 pounds, visited the UofM earlier this week with his father and mother, Judy. "I think he likes the university there and they are at the top of his list," Danny said. "He really likes it. He just likes the offense they run, the spread offense. "He played for coach Mumme for two years at Southeastern and they ran the spread, too." Hankins helped Southeastern to a 7-4 record by completing 66.1 percent of his passes and throwing for 4,240 yards and 35 touchdowns. He was intercepted 12 times. In a 51-3 win over Jacksonville last fall, Hankins completed 50-of-61 for 484 yards and four touchdowns. He had eight games in which he completed 30 or more passes. A native of Hattiesburg, Hankins considered Southern Miss, but was not enamored with the Golden Eagles offense. He did not want to follow Mumme to New Mexico State because of the distance from his home. "He also took some other visits to (NCAA) Division 1-AA and Division 2 schools because he would not have had to sit out," Danny said. "He basically told me he wanted to stay within seven hours (of Hattiesburg). We like the distance, about five hours, that Memphis is from us." As a freshman, Hankins passed for 3,537 yards and 30 touchdowns. He has thrown 57 touchdowns in his past 17 games. Danny said it was difficult decision for his son to leave Southeastern, but "Martin just felt he might want to move on."

06/24/05		New volleyball coaches bring decade of experience (Daily Helmsman)
		by Matthew Laurie Staff Reporter June 24, 2005 Anyone who's test driven a car, walked in a house, tried on shoes or jacket knows the feeling. That feeling of connectedness and that boost of self-confidence make you realize you have to have it, whatever it is. In the case of head volleyball coach Carrie Yerty, she knew she had to have Travis Filar as her assistant coach. "For the first time both of my assistants have had experience at different Division-1 schools for multiple years," Yerty said. When considering she will be entering her 10th season as head coach for the Tigers can the weight of that statement be understood. Filar joins existing assistant coach and former Tiger star April Harriman who excelled in the hitter position for the Tigers from 1997 - 2000. Harriman comes from an assistant position at Lamar University. Other than coaching, Harriman also brings experiences from academic success. While at Memphis, Harriman make eight dean's lists and received the 2000 Female Student-Athlete of the year award. Between the two assistants there is more than 10 years of coaching experience. However, Filar's isn't isolated to volleyball. He has coached both soccer and basketball at lower levels, and both helped prepare him for this position. Since both sports include an intense need for teamwork and game management, those skills can translate directly into volleyball, according to Filar. Filar describes himself as a player's coach as he utilizes a positive reinforcement style of coaching, which he says mixes very well with Yerty and Harriman. "I think players like to play for someone like that," he said. Filar will join the staff in Memphis' first season in the realigned Conference USA, which includes six new teams (Marshall, Rice, SMU, Tulsa, UCF and UTEP) to fill in for spots left by eight teams leaving (Louisville, Marquette, TCU, Cincinnati, Saint Louis, Charlotte, DePaul and South Florida). The good news for the Tigers is that four of the eight teams leaving occupied the top four records in C-USA last year leaving Memphis with the best record from last season. Filar said he believes that Memphis should be competing for a conference title every year and possibly a spot in the NCAA tournament. "I think that would be a huge stepping stone for this program," said Filar, who believes the Tigers should be in contention starting next year. In other volleyball business, the Tigers' first ever sand volleyball tournament is less than a month away. Although no teams have signed up, Harriman is optimistic that on July 16 the recreation center's sand volleyball court will be packed. "We've received a lot of interest," she said. "I think we can get all 10 teams."

06/23/05		Tiger Basketball Notes (Sanchez, Thiero, camp, Erwin, scheduling) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact June 23, 2005 Sanchez opting for pros -- Forward won't play for Tigers after declaring Everybody already knew Ricky Sanchez wouldn't play for the University of Memphis next season. Now, it's clear, he never will. Sanchez's name was on the final list of early entrants into next week's draft released on Wednesday by the NBA. The move is bold, yet one not against the advice of coach John Calipari, who signed the Puerto Rican last November out of Florida's IMG Academy. "I suggested he do it," Calipari said. "I think he'll be fine." On the surface, Sanchez turning pro seems like another misguided step by another misinformed project, especially because he's off the radar of most mock drafts. But perhaps there's a reason for his exclusion. By mistake, the NBA didn't list Sanchez among its early entrants when the deadline to file passed last month. Consequently, it's fair to assume most draft gurus weren't aware of Sanchez's professional intentions until Wednesday and thought, like most, that he would reclassify and spend another year in prep school. Calipari said the 6-10 forward is a legitimate prospect, one who has interested several NBA teams. "There are some people looking at him in the first round, and he could go in the second," Calipari said. "He's looking great in workouts, and he's one of those guys who can always go to Europe and play. So he'll be fine." Hard-luck Thiero When Almamy Thiero tore an ACL over the weekend, the UofM lost a reserve basketball player for the year. But did Tommy West take a hit, too? According to Calipari, yes. "Almamy was going to play football this year," Calipari said. "But now he's out. It's just sad." Though the injury is another blow to the hard-luck career of Thiero -- he has been on campus for three seasons, yet appeared in only 28 games -- it's not expected to affect the Tigers. The 6-10, 240-pound junior probably wouldn't have been in the normal rotation. Thiero appeared in 23 of the Tigers' 38 contests last season. In those games, he averaged 0.5 point and 1.7 rebounds in five minutes of action. Regardless, there is good news. "He's still going to get his college degree on May 29," Calipari said. "Then he can come back after that, play one more year of basketball or football -- or both -- and work on his masters. So he'll be OK." Miller lends a hand More than 200 aspiring basketball players showed up at the Finch Center Wednesday morning ready to take part in the latest installment of the John Calipari Basketball School. Darius Washington, Rodney Carney and other Tiger standouts helped on the first day of the three-day camp. But the star was Mike Miller, the former NBA Rookie of the Year who donated his time -- and tons of autographs -- to the cause. "We enjoy it," said Miller, a shooting guard for the Grizzlies. "There are a lot of kids out here. They enjoy themselves, and we enjoy doing it." Erwin off to Seattle Most people were excited to hear the NBA and its Players Association agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement Tuesday. Count former Tiger Duane Erwin among them. For Erwin, and other fringe NBA hopefuls, a July 1 lockout would've meant no summer league, which would've meant no opportunity to impress a franchise, which would've meant an uncertain few months. Now -- though it's unlikely he'll be drafted next week -- Erwin will probably receive an invitation to join some organization for the summer. He's working out for the Sonics on Monday in Seattle "With the deal done, there is the summer league," said Erwin. "That's the best thing that could've happened for me." Still scheduling While the UofM is still trying to finalize its 2005-06 basketball schedule, future games are already being discussed. Among the possibilities is Arizona. "That's one that's out there, but not for this year, for the next year," Calipari said. "There are a few of those kinds of games out there, ones like that, that CBS might be interested in." -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

06/23/05		Flexible thinking It's no stretch; yoga classes help Tigers (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact June 23, 2005 Mammoth offensive linemen find themselves in a variety of unorthodox positions on any given college football Saturday. A push from behind by a blocking fullback could be the culprit. Or a fast-charging linebacker coming on the blitz. But rarely do they find themselves balancing their weight on one foot, hands extended upward. Or steadily lifting themselves from a squatting position, on one leg, to an upright posture. Wednesday in the turf room at the Murphy Athletic Complex, the University of Memphis offensive linemen were going through the motions, albeit unique ones, during a voluntary off-season training session. Strength coach Mike Stark, searching for a fresh approach to the summer stretching workouts, has introduced the team to yoga classes. They haven't been limited to Tiger offensive linemen. There were quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, defensive linemen, linebackers, defensive backs and a two graduate assistant strength coaches joining the class Wednesday. "I have a new respect for yoga," Stark said. "I wanted to do something different. I was looking for something more in the flexibility-stretching area. So I tried it." Stark said the voluntary Wednesday yoga classes, which started earlier this month, provide an opportunity for the players to make off-season strides mentally and physically. Wednesday in a warm, but not quite sizzling, un-air-conditioned turf room, yoga instructor Mary Sudduth ran the group of about 40 through a 75-minute session. There were postures and positions that proved too challenging for several players, but most got through it with the help of Sudduth and assistants Tina Thomas, Cathy Thordarson and Delair Biava. "I tell people at school that, 'Yeah, I have to go to my yoga class,'" said offensive lineman Andy Smith. "They start laughing and say they wish they could be here to see it." Although several players were somewhat tepid to the idea initially, they have enjoyed the weekly sessions that will run through Aug. 3. Tiger all-America running back DeAngelo Williams participated and was able to execute most of the difficult postures. He also was adept in another area -- one at which he excels -- keeping the atmosphere loose and jovial. When Sudduth aided a seated stretch by gently pushing the base of his back with her heel, he shot back: "Oh my God! Can you ease up just a little bit?" Willliams, who is 5-10, also took playful exception to Sudduth's instruction to "relax and be tall" during another portion of the session. Overall, it's been well-received by the Tiger players, who were accustomed to attending Wednesday stretching sessions directed by Stark. "It's a different approach," Smith said. "But in this day and age, you have to take new approaches." Stark said that was his intention when he contacted Sudduth, a Lady Tiger basketball player in the late-1970s. Sudduth, who taught aerobics to the Tiger baseball players in the 1990s, told Stark the team could benefit from yoga training. "I told (Stark) they'd get more flexible through directing their strength," Sudduth said. "They have strength they don't know they have. "You learn to use your strength in different directions and then you gain flexibility and strengthen your joints. Yoga is about understanding your body and your muscles." Sudduth said numerous professional teams have benefited from yoga training. "It's evolving," she said. When she began the nine-week session earlier this month, Sudduth said she didn't know how the players would respond. Would they be skeptical? Would they be receptive? "They've been awesome," she said. "It's been unreal. I'm so shocked. "I thought they'd be (lukewarm) to it. But they check out (proper) alignment. They help each other get in the right alignment. They're trying hard. They don't goof off. I thought I'd need three or four sessions to get their attention, but right away they've tried hard." Stark said while he's convinced the program will be beneficial to every player, he said the linemen should particularly prosper. "I've already seen the transition from the first time they were out here to the third time with their balance," Stark said. "They were falling all over the place the first time. "There's no doubt they'll be much better from a balance and flexibility standpoint after nine weeks." Smith, expected to start on the offensive line this fall, said he's more limber. "It's helped stretch out my lower back and given me better flexibility," he said. "I can see where it will help us get down on the line and get in position better." Offensive tackle Willie Henderson, who is 6-7 and 325 pounds, appeared quite nimble going through the various balancing postures. "The big guys, we need something like this," he said. "We really need to keep our muscles loose." Before the sessions began quarterback Will Hudgens said there were players "who thought they were flexible." The yoga classes have convinced them otherwise. "It has made a big difference in my flexibility and balance," Hudgens said. "I'm not very flexible at all. Now I can stand and put my hands flat on the ground while bending over. I've never been able to do that before." Stark, a former Tiger offensive lineman, said he'd consider bringing the classes back next summer. "Absolutely," Stark said. "These kids are my (barometer). As long as they feel they are getting something out of it, I'll keep doing it." -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

06/23/05		Softball team's field a dream until 2007 season (Daily Helmsman)
		by Ben Cowens Staff Reporter June 23, 2005 With less than eight months before their inaugural season begins, the University of Memphis softball team is still in search of a temporary home. A new facility at South Campus should be in place for 2007, but play begins next spring, leaving head coach Windy Thees with the unenviable task of finding her team a place to play. "I just go from field to field to see if I want to rent them out," Thees said. "There are a lot of fields... It's just a matter of getting out and comparing them." Associate Athletic Director Lynn Parkes said there have been "preliminary talks" to find a facility and said she expects "to probably get moving on that in the next month." Thees, who will make a recommendation on her findings to the athletic department, isn't ruling out any part of the greater Memphis area. She mentioned Germantown, Collierville, Southaven and Bartlett as some possibilities. Wherever the Tigers take to the field in their first season, it will be a short-term solution. A new park, which Parkes estimates will cost $1.5 million, is in the final stages of design. "We have some initial drawings, we're pretty comfortable with where we are with that," Parkes said. "There are some minor changes that will require us to go back through the state." Parkes said the design changes should be resolved sometime in July. Bidding on construction will follow shortly after, with construction beginning at the South Campus site in late fall. "Any time you build something of this magnitude, it's a lengthy process," Parkes said. "We would have loved to have all of this in place and be ready for a team to walk on campus... but we're certainly not the first program to have started with a temporary facility." Those comments were directed toward the construction process, but they could easily be transferred to the development of the softball program in general. The new facility will cap a process that began in 1995, when softball was first discussed as a possible varsity sport at The U of M. The team was originally slated to start competition in 1999. That date was later moved to 2004, but budgetary constraints forced the delays. The 2006 squad has 14 commitments with a possibility of adding one to two more. Currently the roster features players from eight states, including three from California and two from Arizona. "I've logged a lot of miles," Thees said. Coach and team will add a few more numbers to the odometer when the season starts on Feb. 11, but Thees said the new park will be worth the wait. "I'm so excited for it," Thees said. "It's going to be amazing."

06/22/05		DeAngelo Williams Listed on 2005 Maxwell Award Watch List -- Memphis tailback is one of three Conference USA players on the list (GoTigersGo.com)
		KING OF PRUSSIA, PA - Maxwell Football Club President, Ron Jaworski, announced the 2005 Watch Lists for the 69th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year, and the 11th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. The respective watch lists include a field of fifty candidates for each of these awards as selected by the Maxwell Football Club Advisory Committee. Additions and subtractions to the lists, based on player performance, will be made through out the 2005 football season. Players selected to these initial watch lists have distinguished themselves as All-Conference or All-America selections from their respective universities in past years. Underclassmen are selected based on recommendations from the Maxwell Football Club Advisory Committee. Among the 50 players listed for the Maxwell Award was Memphis senior tailback DeAngelo Williams. A 2005 Heisman Trophy candidate, Williams rushed for 1,948 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2004, while leading the Memphis Tigers to their second consecutive bowl appearance. The two-time Conference USA Player of the Year has now amassed 4,062 career rushing yards and 41 total touchdowns in the last three years. Since the end of the 2004 campaign, Williams has been a finalist for the John Wooden Cup, was named a Player of Distinction by the Columbus (OH) Touchdown Club, was named the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Amateur Athlete of the Year and was selected the Tennessee Sports Writers Player of the Year. Additionally, he has been chosen to 2005 All-America teams by Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, Playboy, Street & Smith's and Lindy's Football Magazine. Williams is one of three football players from Conference USA that are included on the watch list for the Maxwell Award. He is joined by quarterbacks Kevin Kolb and Darrell Hackney of Houston and UAB, respectively. The Maxwell and Bednarik Award Watch Lists have been created as a reference to provide additional assistance to eligible voters and to the media when evaluating potential candidates for these awards. The watch lists are not intended to represent an all-inclusive listing of candidates for the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club of Philadelphia. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order with the player's position, class and university noted. Ten semi-finalists for each award will be announced in October 2005 and the field will be trimmed to three finalists in November 2005. The winners of the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show that will be broadcast on ESPN in December 2005. The formal presentation of the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will take place at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Banquet in February 2006. 2005 Maxwell Award Watch List Breaston, Steve Michigan WR JR Brohm, Brian Louisville QB SO Broussard, Alley LSU RB JR Brown, Thomas Georgia RB SO Bush, Michael Louisville RB JR Bush, Reggie USC RB JR Clemens, Kellen Oregon QB SR Cobbs, Patrick North Texas RB SR Croyle, Brodie Alabama QB SR Daniels, P. J. Georgia Tech RB SR Drew, Maurice UCLA RB JR Ginn, Ted Ohio State WR/ATH SO Gradkowski, Bruce Toledo QB SR Hackney, Darrell UAB QB SR Hart, Michael Michigan RB SO Henne, Chad Michigan QB SO Hodges, Cody Texas Tech QB SR Holmes, Santonio Ohio State WR JR Hunt, Tony Penn State RB JR Imoh, Mike Virginia Tech RB SR Jackson, Chad Florida WR JR Jacobs, Omar Bowling Green QB JR Jarrett, Dwayne USC WR SO Keller, Sam Arizona State QB JR Kolb, Kevin Houston QB JR Leak, Chris Florida QB JR Leinart, Matt USC QB SR Lundi, Wali Virginia RB SR Moss, Tyrone Miami WR JR Palko, Tyler Pitt QB JR Peterson, Adrian Oklahoma RB SO Pope, Leonard Georgia TE JR Quinn, Brady Notre Dame QB JR Rhodes, Damien Syracuse RB SR Riggs, Gerald Jr. Tennessee RB SR Robinson, Michael Penn State QB SR Russell, JaMarcus LSU QB SO Shockley, D.J. Georgia QB SR Smith, Steve USC WR JR Stanton, Drew Michigan State QB JR Tate, Drew Iowa QB JR Thomas, Jamario North Texas RB SO White, LenDale USC RB JR Whitehurst, Charlie Clemson QB SR Williams, DeAngelo Memphis RB SR Wolfe, Garrett Northern Illinois RB JR Wright, Kyle Miami QB SO Young, Vince Texas QB JR Zabransky, Jared Boise State QB JR

06/22/05		In the news: Tickets for Tigers-Vols on sale today (Commercial Appeal)
		Tickets for the University of Memphis football game at Tennessee on Nov. 12 go on sale today on the University of Memphis Web site and at the U of M ticket office. Super Tigers, Scholarship Tigers and Platinum Tigers can all purchase eight tickets. All other Tiger Scholarship Fund donors and all season ticket holders will be able to purchase up to four tickets. Cost of the tickets is $45 apiece. Tickets for the season-opening Ole Miss game are now on sale, also at a cost of $45 apiece. Season football tickets are also on sale at a cost of $75 for fun-zone seats or $160 for prime seats. They can be purchased either from the Tiger ticket office at 901-678-2331 or online at www.gotigersgo.com. Two more Vols in legal trouble Two more Tennessee football players have had brushes with the law and will miss a game this season as punishment, coach Phillip Fulmer announced Tuesday. Linebacker Daniel Brooks and defensive back Corey Campbell have been suspended for one game, and Fulmer revoked their scholarships for the second session of summer school and ordered them to get jobs for the term. Both players were issued traffic citations, but Fulmer did not say when the incidents happened or give any details in a release issued late Tuesday. Their citations brings to 13 the number of Tennessee players who have been either cited or arrested for crimes ranging from aggravated assault to underage drinking since February 2004. Brooks already was facing punishment for earlier incidents. Fulmer announced in April he was suspended for the first two games of the season against UAB on Sept. 3 and Florida on Sept. 17 and ordered to complete community service. Brooks also will miss Tennessee's game on Sept. 24 at LSU. Campbell, who will be a junior this fall, started in five games last season as a safety, had 21 tackles and led the team with four interceptions.

06/21/05		Football Tickets for Tennessee Game on Sale Wednesday -- Tickets are $45 apiece and will be on sale beginning Wednesday (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS - Tickets for the Tigers non-conference football game at Tennessee on Nov. 12th go on sale Wednesday on the University of Memphis website and at the Ticket Office. Super Tigers, Scholarship Tigers and Platinum Tigers can all purchase eight tickets. All other Tiger Scholarship Fund donors and all Season Ticket Holders will be able to purchase up to four tickets. Cost of the tickets is $45 apiece. Tickets for the season-opening Ole Miss game are now on sale, also at a cost of $45 apiece. Season football tickets are also on sale at a cost of $75 for funzone seats or $160 for prime seats. They can be purchased either from the Tiger ticket office at 901-678-2331 or online at www.gotigersgo.com.

06/21/05		Love of golf spurs Parkes U of M associate AD is a natural leader (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact June 21, 2005 As a 10-year-old growing up in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., a town of about 14,000 nestled 85 miles southwest of Nashville, Lynn Parkes began playing the sport that would shape her career. Tagging along with her grandfather and grandmother to a 9-hole course near her home, Parkes gained a love and appreciation for golf. Although it was a sport not as popular with girls her age in the early 1960s, it was one Parkes embraced. "It was a great way to grow up," Parkes said. The passion she displayed for golf carried her from her small, mid-state roots to a career in athletic administration, culminating in last year's reign as chairman of the NCAA women's basketball committee. This year Parkes, 53, is celebrating her 30th year in coaching/administration at the University of Memphis. An associate athletic director, she came to the school in 1975 to start the women's golf program. She had no idea that her decision to leave Lawrenceburg -- and a teaching job at nearby Loretto (Tenn.) High -- would result in a long, fulfilling career in college athletics. "My plan was to be here for a year," Parkes said. "They had given me a leave of absence from my teaching job, and I had full intention of going back to Lawrence County and teaching high school." Elma Roane, the former women's athletic director and a pioneer for women's sports at the school, wouldn't let her leave. "That first spring (Roane) had been teaching golf classes, and said she was moving into women's athletics full-time," Parkes said. "She said they needed somebody to teach the golf classes. "She approached me about accepting the teaching position here and continuing to try and develop a golf program here. It seemed like a great opportunity." Parkes said her first college job paid her about $9,000, or about $3,000 more than she was making at Loretto High. So she went about putting together a women's golf program, minus the advantages, facilities and talent so abundant in the sport today. Parkes said she couldn't recruit off campus. She couldn't offer scholarships, either. She recruited players through phone calls, letters and physical education classes. "Starting a program," she said, "is something you only want to do once in your life." Parkes is actually responsible for the inception of three programs. In addition to Memphis, it was her initiative that got a program started at her school, Lawrence County High. And when she attended the University of Alabama, she pushed men's coach Conrad Rehling into working with a women's team, providing Parkes put it together. "I actually went to the men's golf coach and said 'If I can get the players that have an interest in starting a golf program, will you coach it?' "He said he would. It was pretty presumptuous of me, wasn't it?" Looking back, it wasn't as much a presumption as it was a bit of foreshadowing. Her leadership skills were being honed as a college sophomore. A team was formed, Rehling assumed coaching duties of two programs, and the Alabama women participated in three straight national tournaments. Tiger athletic director R.C. Johnson said it is those leadership qualities that have made Parkes an invaluable member of the athletic department staff. "I rely on her a great deal for advice and counsel well beyond women's sports, in part because of her background at Alabama as a student-athlete and because of her time as a head coach," Johnson said. "And from the day I met her, she always views the bigger picture. She's more than an advocate for women's athletics. She acts more like an athletic director." Parkes has served on numerous coaching search committees during her tenure at the UofM, and Johnson said "while the buck still stops with me, I don't know if I've ever overruled a recommendation she gave me. And I would have if I thought there was a different path we needed to take." Johnson said Parkes's ascension to the chair of the NCAA women's basketball committee last spring was indicative "of how highly she is thought of around the country." Parkes said serving as chair was a career highlight, as was being selected earlier to serve on the women's basketball committee. But her passion has been guiding the women's athletic program at Memphis through an incredible growth period for women's sports. The UofM adds softball to its offerings for women beginning in 2006. Parkes was hired as an assistant athletic director for women's sports by former AD Charlie Cavagnaro in 1986. She relinquished her coaching job, which went to Sally Andrews, who's now an assistant compliance coordinator at the school. "I remember (Cavagnaro) saying, 'Lynn, we need you to do this for a couple of years until we get it off the ground, then we'll hire somebody to do it,'" she said. In her 21st year as senior women's administrator, Parkes is the athletic department's compliance director in addition to overseeing several sports, including volleyball, softball, men's and women's golf and men's and women's track. She's looking forward to the startup of softball. "Sometimes when I'm with people who have been in it as long as I have, we laugh and talk about how things have changed," she said. "We've come a long way in terms of opportunities for women and support. "You can't understand this job unless you've done it. It certainly has its challenges, but there's a lot more support structure in place now." -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

06/21/05		Energetic Eaton talks on Tiger ads -- Announcer fitting choice for nostalgia (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact June 21, 2005 Great Scott! Was that Jack Eaton's voice? It's likely a common reaction by longtime Memphians, and lifelong University of Memphis fans, to a 30-second television commercial for the upcoming Tiger football season that began airing last week. The spot, interspersed with historic film clips and newspaper headlines, features the unmistakable upbeat, enthusiastic voice of Eaton, who spent 28 seasons as the school's play-by-play voice but hasn't called a Tiger game since 1987. His Tiger play-by-play duties -- 22 years doing football and 28 doing basketball -- ended in 1987 when the broadcast rights were awarded to WGKX-FM (106) after a lengthy run at WMC-AM (790). Four years later, Eaton retired -- at age 62 -- after a 35-year career at WMC-TV (5), where he had become one of the city's most recognizable television personalties handling the station's sports broadcasts. While he's handled play-by-play responsibilities for several minor professional sports teams in Memphis over the past 18 years -- in addition to regular appearances on local sports talk radio -- Eaton hadn't lent his voice to anything related to Tiger athletics until this year. Eaton said he received a call from Jonathan Epstein, managing partner at Running Pony Productions, which produced the spot for Sossaman & Associates, the Memphis-based advertising firm the UofM athletic department uses. Epstein and Eaton worked together at WMC-TV in the late 1980s. "The (football) spot has a throwback, nostalgic feel to it capturing some great moments of the past," Epstein said. "So when we were talking about the right voice for the spot, Jack is so iconic when it comes to University of Memphis athletics, I said, 'What about Jack?' "They said if he would do it, that would be incredible." Epstein said it wasn't "a terribly difficult process." "Maybe people thought he'd be reluctant to do it given the fact he hasn't been closely associated with the university for a number of years," Epstein said. "But he wasn't. "To so many of us, even those relatively young, we associate some of the great moments in Tigers history with Jack. Anyone who has been a sports fan in Memphis for a while has heard that voice and knows that voice." Syra Thibault, the UofM athletic department's director of marketing and promotions, said the spots launched June 13 and will run through the first week of September. She said the early feedback from fans has been favorable. Tiger football coach Tommy West, who has led the program to back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time, said the school was "fortunate to get him back involved." "I know Jack, and I have a lot of respect for him," West said. Tiger associate athletic director Bob Winn said Eaton was involved in an athletic department auction fund-raiser that was televised earlier this spring. He said it was a natural choice to have Eaton do the football commercial, which kicks off the summer season-ticket drive. "I was happy to do it for them," Eaton said. "And if they want me to do one for the basketball season, I'm available." -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

06/21/05		Former Tiger QB with CFL's Calgary (Commercial Appeal)
		By The Commercial Appeal June 21, 2005 Former University of Memphis quarterback Danny Wimprine, signed last week by the Edmonton Eskimos, became a Calgary Stampeder Monday. Wimprine was released by the Eskimos Saturday, but signed a two-year contract Monday with the Stampeders. At Calgary, Wimprine will be the third-string quarterback. He was one of five quarterbacks in the Edmonton camp. Both teams are in the Canadian Football League. Wimprine, who holds most of the school's passing records, helped the Tigers to consecutive bowl games for the first time in their history. Memphis won the New Orleans Bowl in 2003 and lost to Bowling Green in last year's GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Wimprine passed for 10,215 yards and 81 touchdowns during his four-year career. While Wimprine landed on his feet, his ex-teammate, fullback Robert Douglas, suffered a fractured left fibula in the Tennessee Titans mini-camp and will be out for at least four weeks. Douglas, a free-agent signee, rushed for 62 yards and two touchdowns last season and caught seven passes, including two for TDs.

06/20/05		Carney and Washington Invited to USA U21 Trials -- Will participate in the tryouts July 21-23 in Colorado Springs, Colo. (GoTigersGo.com)
		Senior Rodney Carney and sophomore Darius Washington Jr., both members of the University of Memphis men's basketball team, have been invited to participate in the USA Basketball Men's U21 National Team Trials in late July. Twenty-two of the nation's top players will vie for 12 spots in Dallas, Texas, July 21-23. The 12-member squad will look to defend the USA's gold medal at the 2005 FIBA U21 World Championship in Mar de Plata, Argentina, Aug. 5-14. 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 lead 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. This past year, the 6-foot-7 forward became the 40th player in Tiger history to reach the 1,000-point milestone. He is now ranked among the top 25 scorers in Memphis basketball history. Carney also moved into the No. 2 spot on the Tiger career three-pointers made chart, and trails only former teammate Anthony Rice. Washington, the Conference USA's Freshman of the Year, was named to the CollegeInsider.com and Rivals.com National Freshman All-America teams. Also 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. 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, steals, scoring and three-point field goal percentage. Saint Joseph's University (Pa.) head coach Phil Martelli has been named as the USA team's head coach and acting as his assistants will be collegiate head coaches James `Bruiser' Flint from Drexel University (Pa.) and Dennis Felton from the University of Georgia. Trials will be conducted at the Dallas Mavericks practice facility inside the American Airlines Center and the first Trials session will be held on Thursday, July 21 at 10:00 a.m. (all times local), followed by a 5:00 p.m. session that night. July 22 and 23 will again feature two-a-days with starting times at 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Team finalists will remain in Dallas for the USA's July 24 - Aug. 1 training camp, which will feature a July 24 scrimmage against the Dallas Mavericks summer team at the Dr. Pepper Star Center in Frisco, Texas, near Dallas. The training camp will conclude with a pair of daily practices at the Dallas Mavericks practice facility at 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on July 25 and July 26. The U.S. squad will then compete in the July 27-31 Global Games at the Dr. Pepper Star Center. The eventual 12-member USA team will be announced during the training camp. Contested Aug. 5-14 in Cordoba and Mar del Plata, Argentina, the 2005 FIBA Men's U21 World Championship will consist of 12 national teams split into two groups for preliminary round-robin play. The top four teams in each group will advance to the medal quarterfinals, while the 5th and 6th place finishing teams in each group will compete for 9th-12th place.

06/19/05		Sound Off: DeAngelo has no chance at Heisman (Commercial Appeal)
		It may be a mistake to campaign DeAngelo Williams for the Heisman Trophy. Since he plays for a weak team in a weak conference (or a non-dominant team in a lesser conference?), he has no chance of winning. A preseason rating of fourth (behind Southern Miss, UAB and UTEP) in a non-premier conference isn't going to impress the voters, and operating with a new quarterback and offensive line isn't going to help, either. If he played for a USC, Oklahoma or Tennessee, for example, I think he would win it going away. I don't like the idea that he's being placed in a competition where he's probably the best athlete but has no chance of winning because of factors that have nothing to do with merit. Richard Massey Millington

06/18/05		Tiger Notes (football, tennis, volleyball) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact June 18, 2005 Wimprine signs deal with CFL's Eskimos -- Coach enthusiastic about quarterback's potential Former University of Memphis quarterback Danny Wimprine, who was not selected in April's NFL Draft, has signed with the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos. Wimprine spent several days in the Cleveland Browns mini-camp after the NFL Draft, but was released shortly after being signed to a free-agent deal. The Eskimos played a preseason game Thursday night, beating Winnipeg, 23-9, in Winnipeg. Wimprine, signed by the Eskimos earlier this week, attended the game but did not dress. "He was there as an observer," said Dave Jamieson, a spokesman for the Eskimos. Wimprine, who set numerous passing records at the UofM, had been on the CFL team's negotiation, or prospect, list. Edmonton coach Danny Maciocia told the Edmonton Sun that Wimprine was "a younger version of (former Florida State quarterback) Danny McManus. "He's got a quick release and he can definitely throw the ball downfield," Maciocia said. "He has got a bright future, and he's someone a lot of (CFL) teams have been taking a look at over the last couple of years." Wimprine is one of five Edmonton quarterbacks. The team's top two quarterbacks -- Ricky Ray and Jason Maas -- were slowed in preseason workouts by injury, but Maas played in the win over Winnipeg and completed 9-of-11 passes for 120 yards. Wimprine helped the U of M to back-to-back bowl games for the first time in the program's history. As a senior, he passed for 2,892 yards and 22 touchdowns. At Edmonton, he rejoins college teammate Chris Kelley, a receiver who also completed his UofM career last fall. Another honor Tiger running back DeAngelo Williams, whose summer awards have included making the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook All-America team and being named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Player of the Year, will be honored Monday by state resolution. Williams, a 2005 Heisman Trophy candidate, will be recognized with a resolution from the Tennessee General Assembly in a ceremony at the UofM's Administration Building. State Sen. Steve Cohen, who authored the resolution, will attend the ceremony, along with UofM president Shirley Raines, athletic director R.C. Johnson, football coach Tommy West and Williams. The resolution will recognize Williams for his successful college career and his "example-setting" decision to attain his college degree. Williams bypassed April's NFL Draft to return for his senior season. He has rushed for 4,062 yards and 41 touchdowns in three seasons and led the nation with 22 rushing TDs in 2004. Bucewicz earns dinstinction He barely made it, but UofM men's tennis player Alex Bucewicz finished the season ranked among the top 125 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings. Bucewicz, a senior, was 124th. It marked the second straight year a Tiger player finished in the top 125. Lee Taylor Walker, a current Tiger assistant coach, earned the No. 95 ranking in 2004 to become the first UofM player to land on the list. Bucewicz was 13-8 for the Tigers in 2005, including a 7-1 mark at No. 2 singles. Odds and ends Matches against NCAA Tournament participants Alabama A&M, Arkansas and Rice highlight the 33-match U of M volleyball schedule announced Friday. Memphis opens the season Aug. 26 at the University of Arkansas Invitational, the first of four tournaments preceding Conference USA play. ... The volleyball program will host the first Tiger Summer Slam Sand Volleyball Tournament July 23 at the U of M recreation center's sand volleyball courts. There is a 10-team minimum and entry fee is $100 per five-member team. For more information, call 678-2312. ... CSTV will carry two hours of live coverage of C-USA football media days from Memphis Aug. 2 at the Memphis Hilton. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

06/17/05		Volleyball Releases 2005 Schedule -- New C-USA format presents Tigers with challenging season (GoTigersGo.com)
		The University of Memphis volleyball program announced its 2005 schedule today. Matches with NCAA Tournament participants Alabama A&M, Arkansas and Rice highlight the 33-match slate. Memphis will also face a challenging 16-match Conference USA schedule, despite the loss of perennial league powers Louisville, Cincinnati and Marquette. The Tigers will open the season in the first of four preseason tournaments--at the University of Arkansas Invitational. Memphis will take on Belmont, who was a 20-win team in 2004, in the season-opener. A matchup with North Texas will follow, before the U of M rounds out the tournament against 2004 SEC West champion Arkansas. "We have a competitive preseason schedule," said head coach Carrie Yerty. "I'm excited to play Arkansas in their tournament. Our preseason schedule has a solid mix of opponents from diff conferences." Memphis will come home for its annual preseason tournament, Sept. 2-3. This year's field includes SWAC champs Alabama A&M, Arkansas-Little Rock, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and UT-Martin. The Tigers will open their 13-match home schedule against UAPB on Friday, Sept. 2. The U of M will also host AAMU on Sept. 2. Matches versus UT-Martin and UALR on Saturday, Sept. 3 will decide the tournament title. After the Tiger Invitational, Memphis will hit the road for eight straight matches away from home. Included in those eight matches are a pair of tournaments. The Tigers will travel to Macon, Ga. for the Mercer Tournament, Sept 8-9, where they will face UNC-Asheville, Florida International, Mercer and Louisiana Tech. From Macon, Memphis will travel Morgantown, W.V. to participate in West Virginia's tournament on Sept. 16-17. The Tigers will take on Duquesne and Buffalo before facing the home team Mountaineers to round out the preseason line up. Midweek play will open on Sept. 27 at Arkansas State, who went 25-8 in 2004 and handed the Tigers a 3-1 loss at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. A rematch with Belmont, in Nashville, on Oct. 11 and a meeting with Ole Miss, at home, on Oct. 26 will wrap up non-conference action for the Tigers. The Tigers' conference schedule will be a challenging one as Memphis will split its opening C-USA weekend, beginning play at Houston on Sept. 23, before hosting the Rice Owls on Sept. 25. Rice finished the 2004 season with a 25-5 mark and made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2004. The Tigers will make trips to Southern Miss and UCF on Sept. 30 and Oct 2, respectively before splitting the next C-USA weekend with UAB. Memphis will host the Blazers on Oct. 7 and then travel to Birmingham, Ala. for a Sunday match on Oct. 9. "We are excited about playing in Conference USA with its new alignment," Yerty said. "The teams that are coming in are matching the skill level of the teams exiting in terms of experience and NCAA exposure. We are excited to have the opportunity to play new teams. This will be a challenging season." The Tigers will then host their first league weekend when ECU and C-USA newcomer Marshall come to town on Oct. 14 and 16, respectively. Marshall, who completed the 2004 season with a 22-11 record, is one of five Memphis opponents that posted at least 20 wins last year. Following conference matches at Tulsa on Oct. 21, and SMU on Oct 23, the U of M will come home for a five-match homestand, including four league matches. Rematches with Southern Miss and UCF are slated for the Oct. 28 and 30 weekend. Memphis will round out its home schedule with C-USA matches versus UTEP and Tulane. The Tigers will travel to ECU and Marshall to wrap up regular season action on Nov. 4 and 6. Memphis will then prepare for the C-USA Tournament in Houston, hosted by league newcomer Rice University. All 12 teams will participate in the post-season tournament. The 2005 Memphis Volleyball schedule is as follows: August Arkansas Invitational Fri. 26 vs. Belmont! Fayetteville, Ark. 5 p.m. Sat. 27 vs. North Texas! Fayetteville, Ark. 2 p.m. at Arkansas! Fayetteville, Ark. 7 p.m. September Tiger Invitational Fri. 2 UALR vs. UAPB Memphis, Tenn. 9 a.m. UT-Martin vs. Alabama A&M Memphis, Tenn. 11:30 a.m. Memphis vs. UAPB# Memphis, Tenn. 2 p.m. UALR vs. UT-Martin Memphis, Tenn. 4:30 p.m. Memphis vs. Alabama A&M# Memphis, Tenn. 7 p.m. Sat. 3 Alabama A&M vs. UAPB Memphis, Tenn. 9 a.m. Memphis vs. UT-Martin# Memphis, Tenn. 11:30 a.m. Alabama A&M vs. UALR Memphis, Tenn. 2 p.m. UAPB vs. UT-Martin Memphis, Tenn. 4:30 p.m. Memphis vs. UALR# Memphis, Tenn. 7 p.m. Mercer Tournament Fri. 9 vs. UNC-Asheville$ Macon, Ga. 11 a.m. vs. Florida International$ Macon, Ga. 3 p.m. Sat. 10 at Mercer$ Macon, Ga. 1 p.m. vs. Louisiana Tech Macon, Ga. 5 p.m. West Virginia Tournament Fri. 16 vs. Duquesne% Morgantown, W.V. 5 p.m. Sat. 17 vs. Buffalo% Morgantown, W.V. 2:30 p.m. at West Virginia% Morgantown, W.V. 8 p.m. Fri. 23 at HOUSTON* Houston, Texas 7 p.m. Sun. 25 RICE* Memphis, Tenn. 2 p.m. Tues. 27 at Arkansas State Jonesboro, Ark. 7 p.m. Fri. 30 at SOUTHERN MISS* Hattiesburg, Miss. 7 p.m. October Sun. 2 at UCF* Orlando, Fla. 2 p.m. Fri. 7 UAB* Memphis, Tenn. 7 p.m. Sun. 9 at UAB* Birmingham, Ala. 2 p.m. Tues. 11 at Belmont Nashville, Tenn. 6:30 p.m. Fri. 14 ECU* Memphis, Tenn. 7 p.m. Sun. 16 MARSHALL* Memphis, Tenn. 2 p.m. Fri. 21 at TULSA* Tulsa, Okla. 7 p.m. Sun. 23 at SMU* Dallas, Texas 2 p.m. Wed. 26 Ole Miss Memphis, Tenn. 7 p.m. Fri. 28 SOUTHERN MISS* Memphis, Tenn. 7 p.m. Sun. 30 UCF* Memphis, Tenn. 2 p.m. November Fri. 4 UTEP* Memphis, Tenn. 7 p.m. Sun. 6 TULANE* Memphis, Tenn. 2 p.m. Fri. 11 at ECU* Greenville, N.C. 7 p.m. Sun. 13 at MARSHALL* Huntington, W.V. 2 p.m. 18-21 at C-USA Championships Houston, Texas TBA * Denotes C-USA match Home matches in BOLD (played at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse) ! Arkansas Invitational (Fayetteville, Ark.) # Tiger Invitational (Memphis, Tenn.) $ Mercer Tournament (Macon, Ga.) % West Virginia Tournament (Morgantown, W.V.)

06/17/05		Senator Steve Cohen to Present Resolution to DeAngelo Williams -- Heisman candidate to be honored for his success and for serving as a positive role model (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - DeAngelo Williams, the University of Memphis's star tailback who is a candidate for the 2005 Heisman Trophy, will be honored on June 20th with a state resolution from the Tennessee General Assembly. State Senator Steve Cohen, of Memphis, authored the resolution designed to recognize Williams for his outstanding collegiate football success and for his example-setting decision to attain his college degree. The ceremony will be held at 3:30 p.m. on June 20th in the Atrium of the Administration Building on the Memphis campus. Expected to be in attendance are Dr. Shirley C. Raines, President of the U of M, Athletic Director R.C. Johnson, Head Football Coach Tommy West, as well as Williams and Senator Cohen. Williams, who has been named to numerous All-America teams for 2005, rushed for 1,948 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2004, while leading the Memphis Tigers to their second consecutive bowl appearance. The two-time Conference USA Player of the Year has now amassed 4,062 career rushing yards and 41 total touchdowns in the last three years. Since the end of the 2004 campaign, Williams has been a finalist for the John Wooden Cup, was named a Player of Distinction by the Columbus (OH) Touchdown Club, was named the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Amateur Athlete of the Year and the Tennessee Sports Writers Player of the Year. Additionally, he was selected to the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook All-America Team, the 2005 Playboy All-America Team, Street & Smith's All-America Team and Lindy's Football Magazine's All-America squad.

06/17/05		Future Tigers, Vols join forces -- All-Stars bond before game against Kentucky (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact June 17, 2005 They've spent the week enjoying their first days as future teammates. University of Memphis signees Brian Hall of Collierville, Carlos Singleton and Steve Turner of Haywood High in Brownsville and Paul Edwards of McKenzie (Tenn.) High have traded playful jabs and sincere compliments. And they've joked with an eight-member contingent that's headed to the University of Tennessee, a group that includes Memphians Dan Williams of East High and Darius Myers of Cordova. Tonight, the Uof M and UT signees will play as one, leading the Tennessee squad in the 22nd Tennessee-Kentucky All-Star Football Classic at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville. Kickoff is 6 p.m. (CDT). Kentucky has won three straight. "I was walking into Neyland Stadium (practice site for the Tennessee all-stars) with Carlos earlier this week and we saw three Tennessee (signees)," Edwards said. "I turned to Carlos and said, 'Hey, let's jump 'em.' He said 'No, no.' It's been fun getting to know everybody. There was even one player (lineman Zane Bruhin of Powell) who's going to Marshall who was already talking about the Marshall-Memphis game. He said, 'I'll see you on the field in November.'" Marshall joins Conference USA this fall and will play the UofM Nov. 26 in the regular-season finale at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Tonight, the Tennessee all-stars will be pulling for one another and, in several instances, playing behind one another. Singleton, 6-8 and 195 pounds, will start at split end for Tennessee and Hall will back him up. Edwards (6-6, 305) will start at left tackle and Myers will be at left guard. On defense, Turner (6-3, 235) is listed as a starter at defensive tackle and Williams is his backup. Other Memphis-area players on the squad are ECS receiver Casey Hill (a Wake Forest signee), Cordova lineman Marty Shisler (UT-Martin) and Houston end Jeremy Jarman (Kentucky). Jarman will have the distinction of playing against 10 future teammates. Hall, Singleton, Turner and Edwards are as enthusiastic about participating in tonight's all-star game as they are about to begin their college careers. Singleton said he's looking forward to joining the Memphis program for several reasons, perhaps none more alluring than UofM's high-scoring offense. "In high school, I'd say we ran the ball about 75 percent of the time," Singleton said. "I like the (Memphis spread offense). "I also like they've been to bowl games the past two seasons and they've got (all-America) running back DeAngelo (Williams) coming back." Williams, a Heisman Trophy candidate, opted to return for his senior season and bypass the NFL Draft. He helped the UofM average 35.8 points and 460 yards per game. "I look forward to being with DeAngelo for one year," said Edwards, who allowed one sack in four years at McKenzie. "I was going to be disappointed if he hadn't come back." Edwards, whose high school team won 36 games during his four seasons, said Vanderbilt made a strong, late push for his signature, but he felt comfortable with the Memphis coaches and captivated by the program's recent turnaround. "It's been great hanging around my future teammates and becoming friends before we've stepped foot on campus," Edwards said. Not only have they got to know one another, they've gained a respect for each other's talents. "I went up against (Edwards) in a practice and he's a good player," Turner said. "He's a big guy, too. If he puts his hands on you, it's pretty much over." Hall, who rushed for 1,199 yards and passed for 891 more at Collierville, will become a slot receiver at Memphis after playing quarterback the past two seasons and running back as a sophomore. He said Turner is quick and aggressive on the defensive front and should be a factor tonight and at the UofM. "It seems like all the Memphis recruits are great athletes," said Hall. "They are going to help us down the line." -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543 ----------------------------------------- Tennessee-Kentucky All-Star Classic What: A football game pitting a team of Tennessee prep all-stars against Kentucky all-stars. When, where: Today, 6 p.m. CDT, at Louisville, Ky. Shelby County players Pos. / Player / School WR-FS / Brian Hall / Collierville WR-DB / Casey Hill / ECS OT-DT / Marty Shisler / Cordova OG-DT / Dan Williams / East OG-DT / Darius Myers / Cordova TE-DE / Jeremy Jarman / Houston

06/15/05		Tournament raises $85K for Finch -- Outpouring of support leads to nonprofit group named for coach (Commercial Appeal)
		By The Commercial Appeal June 15, 2005 The new motorized wheelchair was personally delivered last week by a Tiger basketball fan living in Dallas, and, in the next few weeks, a customized van should be ready for Larry Finch and his family. The outpouring of support for Finch, the man many consider to be the most important figure in the history of University of Memphis athletics, has continued for more than a month after a benefit golf tournament, and Ken Moody, one of the event's organizers, said about $85,000 was raised. With the wheelchair donated, that leaves more than enough for the van, and Moody said the success of the Larry Finch Benefit Golf Tournament on April 29 has inspired the establishment of a new nonprofit called The Larry Finch Foundation. Finch led the Tigers to the 1973 national title game and remains as the school's all-time winningest men's basketball coach. "Mrs. Finch has asked us to partner with the Diabetes Foundation, the Heart Association and the Stroke Foundation, since those are the illnesses that have affected Coach," said Moody, a former player for Finch who now works in city government. "We want to establish this so that we can continue helping Coach and make some donations in his honor." The Board of Directors will include five former Tiger players -- Moody, Rodney Douglas, Elliot Perry, Steve Ballard and Dwight Boyd -- along with former Tiger assistant coach John Prince, longtime Finch friend Leonard Draper and a member of the Finch family. Preliminary plans include making the golf tournament an annual event that will also include a pairings party and roast, and Moody said Finch's wife, Vickie, liked one idea -- a high school basketball tournament with teams from across the country visiting Memphis. "The biggest thing that struck me was Mrs. Finch's realization of how much this city loves her husband," Moody said. And, said Moody, his former coach still has the power to bring together old ballplayers to accomplish something larger than themselves. "This is going to give his former players a chance to fellowship," Moody said. "That has been really big for us."

06/13/05		Bucewicz Finishes Year in National Singles Rankings -- Team ranks 73rd in the country at year-end (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis men's tennis team had a player in the year-end national singles rankings for the second straight year, as senior Alex Bucewicz capped his Tiger career ranked No. 124 in the country in singles. Current assistant coach Lee Taylor Walker was the first-ever Tiger to finish the year in the national rankings last season, when he capped his playing career with a ranking of No. 95 last spring. Bucewicz was a four-year letterwinner and a four-time member of the Conference USA Academic Honor Roll for the Tigers. He led the team in singles victories as a freshman and sophomore and tied with Walker for singles victories as a junior. In 2005, Bucewicz tied with James Spence with 13 singles victories, finishing with a career mark of 89-41 in singles and a 63-34 mark in doubles. Bucewicz was 6-9 at No. 1 for Memphis in the spring, and was 7-1 at No. 2. He teamed with fellow senior Marten Tamla at No. 2 doubles, posting a 9-7 record and was named the M-Club Male Student-Athlete of the Year in April. A five-time C-USA Player of the Week honoree, Bucewicz graduated with a degree in Exercise Science and is planning on attending graduate school. Memphis capped the year the No. 73 ranked team in the country following a 12-11 season. With the new conference alignment in place for next season, the Tigers will lose two ranked opponents (No. 33 Louisville, No. 49 TCU), but will gain three more ranked opponents (No. 38 Rice, No. 43 SMU and No. 48 Tulsa) in addition to No. 20 Tulane and No. 73 Memphis. The Tigers lose five letterwinners for the 2005-06 season, and return rising seniors James Spence and Alex Jago and rising junior Garrison Pilant. Pilant will also be joined in the junior class by Sam Withell, who is expected to rejoin the team following back surgery in his native Australia. Sophomore Bryan Bankester will round of the five returnees for Head Coach Paul Goebel in 2005-06. Also announced Monday was that the Conference USA Men's Tennis Championships will be hosted April 20-23, 2006 in Tulsa, Okla. Memphis will again host the ITA Southeast Regional at The Racquet Club of Memphis, Oct. 13-16, 2005.

06/12/05		Banks's shot -- Ex-Tiger says he's learned from past, but old flaws flickered at NBA camp (Commercial Appeal)
		By Ronald Tillery Contact June 12, 2005 CHICAGO -- Famed activist/ comedian Dick Gregory once used a thought-provoking phrase, albeit in jest, to sum up legendary pop artist Michael Jackson. Gregory unleashed a quip, suggesting that only in America can a poor little black boy grow up to be a rich white man. Take away the racial undertone and former University of Memphis forward Sean Banks's plight comes into clear focus with this analogy: A talented yet troubled child needs to grow up quickly and prove he's no longer as checkered as his past if he's going to become a rich basketball player. "I just hope," Banks said, sheepishly, "that I didn't turn people off." Following a litany of devil-made-me-do-it actions that led to arrests and a failed college career, Banks landed last week on a basketball court in a downtown Chicago gymnasium on the campus of Moody Bible Institute. Banks, 20, had to leave with a righteous showing on and off the floor at the NBA's pre-draft camp to take a big step toward proving his professional hoop dream is no laughing matter. And why should anyone believe that this Sean Banks is any different from the person who became a disruption for the Tigers' basketball program and an eventual academic casualty midway through his sophomore season? "I guess you could say I'm taking things more seriously," Banks said. "I've learned that I need to be a professional and carry myself better off the court. You don't have grades in the professional ranks. But I'm going to have to carry myself well. When it's time to be on time, I've got to be on time. I have to be there early for practices. When I go out, I can't embarrass anybody. "I have to carry myself in a way that won't embarrass people that support me. The university supported me, so I'm not bitter. They didn't do anything to me. I had more good times than bad times. Memphis was good for me. It was a great experience, and I wouldn't take that away for anything. There are no hard feelings." Banks doesn't have time for resentment. Too much repair work to be done. The 6-7, 206-pound forward (his measurements by the NBA) has emerged from a four-month period of obscurity to the difficult challenge of convincing one of 30 NBA teams to take a chance on him. Banks, most NBA talent evaluators recognize, is extremely talented. He remained on the NBA's radar because the pre-draft camp is an invitation-only affair. Off-court trouble hurt his stock, and Banks now is at best a second-round prospect, projected to go 58th to Toronto in a mock draft on NBADraft.net –- a popular Web site devoted to the league's annual recruitment process. "The committee thought he had enough skills, and a lot of people didn't have an opportunity to see him," said Marty Blake, the NBA's longtime director of scouting. "This is a good way to evaluate what his future could be. He has great basketball skills. He needs polish." Smoothing out the rough edges Banks's college coach, John Calipari, still has faith in his former prize recruit. Calipari last saw Banks while on a recruiting trip to Florida. Banks spent the past few months working out at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., following the direction of his agent. Having hired an agent means Banks no longer has college eligibility. He never intended to return to school, despite saying, "I am going to take classes somewhere and hopefully get eligible again" following a semester of skipping and failing classes at Memphis. IMG may prove to be the perfect transition from a college coach known for getting players to the pros. The campus used to be a professional tennis institute, but now agents take their players there for training with strength and individual skills coaches. "I thought physically he looked good," Calipari said. "The question now is 'Will someone take a flier on him?' He has a chance to recover from this. I'm hoping he'll make it. I've had a couple of teams call and I've said to them, 'Look at his tapes from freshman year. That's what he was.' He's a terrific player. He knows he screwed up. He just has to ask himself 'What did I learn?' And the answer has to be 'It's not about me.' " Banks's head and poor attitude grew out of control long before those well-chronicled incidents his final season with Memphis. Before the Tigers' coaching staff criticized Banks for poor practice habits in the preseason, before Banks was suspended for a game, before he fought with teammate Arthur Barclay after a defeat at Texas and before he was relegated to the bench preceding an announcement that he was ineligible for the second semester, Calipari didn't like the vibe. Sure, Banks had a tremendous freshman season. He won Conference USA Freshman of the Year after averaging 20.3 points per game in league play. He finished his first season at Memphis by averaging 17.4 points and 6.5 rebounds in 30 games. But Banks wasn't the lottery pick so many outsiders tried to paint him as. He would have been a late first-round selection at best, yet Banks acted as though he'd arrived. Calipari eventually went to Banks's New Jersey home and encouraged him to turn pro. Banks had already failed to show up for a tryout with a national all-star team that summer and clearly lost focus on his college career. Banks's family, Calipari says, pleaded for a second chance in Memphis. "He was on the right path his freshman year, and came back on a different road," Calipari said. "I don't have the answer. I don't know what happened before he came back for his sophomore season. I asked him before he left. At that point he was numb. I feel bad for him." A successful finish to his sophomore year would have almost certainly resulted in a lottery selection. Banks, though, allowed his disinterest in learning and playing team basketball result in a disappointing performance -- 14.5 points per game on 34.7 percent shooting. Soon after he left Memphis, Banks appeared in court for possession of marijuana. "I'm just sorry that I let everybody down," Banks said at the time of his Memphis departure. Even so, a bit of defiance still resides in Banks when asked if part of his motivation is to prove the naysayers wrong. "I can't care what people think about me," Banks said, a stone-cold expression taking over his face. "It wasn't like I got kicked off the team. I failed a couple of classes. It happens. It had nothing to do with basketball, so my confidence wasn't shaken. If anything I'm more confident than ever." Although his Memphis scars haven't faded completely, Banks is quick to point out that the pain has subsided. He routinely communicates with former teammates, especially Barclay. Banks and Calipari don't talk as much. "He always tells me if I need him, call him," Banks said of his relationship with Calipari. "If I need him, I'll call him. Right now, I'm just trying to find my way on my own." Making good on another opportunity NBA coaches and executives avoided commenting publicly on individual prospects during the Chicago pre-draft camp. Off the record, the consensus was that Banks -- a proven scorer -- needed to show that he had a feel for the game, could play defense and perform as though he wore the same jersey as his teammates. Banks displayed great body control. Observers saw a gifted player with range on his jump shot. Banks's best outing was a 19-point performance in his first game. Those points came on 8-of-12 shooting that included three 3-pointers in six attempts. But Banks sometimes reverted to a familiar and maddening style of play throughout the camp. He'd follow a good play with a horrible one. Perhaps most consistent is that he settled for jump shots and did little to dispel concern about a lack of effort and desire on defense. In one game, Banks scored with ease but allowed prep star Brandon Rush to bury 3-pointers in his face and blow past him off the dribble -- once for a reverse dunk. In another game, a coach appeared to admonish Banks for jacking up a 3-pointer even though Banks appeared determined to show his passing ability and a semblance of selflessness. Add to that uninspiring performances during the one-on-one drills and the overall experience rated average. He didn't hurt himself because the potential and skill shined through. Banks didn't wow anyone, either, because he showed little patience and consistency. "I definitely got a feel for what I need to bring to the table," Banks said. "I know I had to be here, not for the scouts but for myself. I haven't had a chance to play against this level of competition. After this, I'll let the chips fall." Having already visited Washington, Orlando and Los Angeles (Lakers and Clippers) for workouts, Banks is scheduled to meet with Miami, Indiana, Seattle and San Antonio in the days leading up to the draft. It's clear, too, that he is already a long way from his malaise on the Mississippi. "I've had worse things happen to me," Banks said of his Memphis stint. "I dealt with it and moved on. Something good will come out of it." One may argue that something positive already has come from it, with Banks's future again colored with promise. -- Ronald Tillery: 529-2353

06/11/05		Hyman Closes Out Career in Prelims at NCAA Championships -- Senior struggles on first three attempts and fails to advance to finals (GoTigersGo.com)
		Sacramento, Calif. - After an illustrious career at the University of Memphis, the road has finally come to an end for Lisa-Marie Hyman, as the senior failed to advance past the preliminary rounds of the triple jump Friday at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Sacramento State University. Hyman struggled slightly, by her standards, on each of three jumps in prelims, and was only able to muster a leap of 40-00.50" (12.20m). The effort left the Kingston, Jamaica native in 27th place after prelims and kept her out of the Saturday's triple-jump finals. Hyman ends her career as the most accomplished Lady Tiger jumper in history, with three Conference USA Championships, six All-Conference honors, and two NCAA Regional appearances to go along with her NCAA Championship appearance. "Lisa has been the backbone of the women's track and field team for a long time," said Coach Kevin Robinson. "She will be greatly missed, but making it to NCAA Championships was a remarkable way to close out her career." Hyman will now return to Memphis and plans to start work on her Doctorate's Degree in mathematics, while looking for a teaching position.

06/10/05		Volleyball to Host Sand Volleyball Tournament -- Pre-register for 10-team tournament by July 1 (GoTigersGo.com)
		The University of Memphis of Memphis volleyball program will host its first Tiger Summer Slam Sand Volleyball Tournament on Saturday, July 23. The tournament will be held at the U of M Recreation Center's sand volleyball courts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is a 10-team maximum for the tournament and the entry fee is $100 per team. All teams must pre-register for participation by July 1. Proceeds will go the Memphis volleyball booster club. Teams can hold up to five members, two of which must be female. Competition is four-on-four. Cash prizes, Memphis Tiger apparel and more will be presented to the winning squads. Concessions will be available. Alcohol is not permitted. For more information, call Tiger volleyball assistant and Tiger Summer Slam director Travis Filar at (901) 678-2312.

06/10/05		Williams hard at work -- Tiger collects award, focuses on senior year (Commercial Appeal)
		By Ron Higgins Contact June 10, 2005 NASHVILLE -- It was appropriate that a magician performing at the Tennessee Sports Writers Association awards dinner on Thursday briefly played the theme music from "The Twilight Zone." Because that's where University of Memphis rising senior running back DeAngelo Williams, who accepted his award as the TSWA's 2004 College Football Player of the Year, must feel he's visiting sometimes. Just when Williams would like to move on to the '05 season, the finale of his storied Tiger career, the awards from his record-setting performance of last year just keep on coming. "It's OK, though," said Williams, with an easy chuckle and flashing his charming smile. "Any award shows how far Memphis has come from the down years." Instead of heading to the NFL after a junior season in which he was second nationally in rushing with 1,948 yards and first in rushing touchdowns with 22, Williams rehabbed the broken right leg he suffered in the GMAC Bowl. He has enjoyed an off-season and spring with the peace of mind that come from his decision to stay for his final season. "This is probably the best year of my life," Williams said. "They always say the college years are the best years of your life, and I'm not even talking about on the field." The only tough time Williams has had since last season was not being able to participate in contact during the spring. "You go through practice because you want to play, and I'm a huge competitor," Williams said. "You get those guys on your defense when they stuff the runs a couple of times, and they start saying, 'Put DeAngelo out there, we want him.' "Coach (Tommy West) would put me out there and snatch me back. He was kind of playing with me, but it just made me more hungry for the game." As the UofM prepares to crank up its Heisman Trophy campaign, featuring the toy NASCAR cars it plans to send voters and other key national media, Williams has been quietly preparing for the most challenging season of his career. Four of five starting offensive linemen, record-setting quarterback Danny Wimprine and two of the top three receivers have been lost to graduation. It has made Williams work all that much harder. His days this summer start with a 5:30 a.m. wakeup call, followed by two-hour workout at 6 a.m. He has made it a point to be one of the four skill position players to work out with the offensive and defensive line members. After breakfast, Williams has class from 10:50 a.m. to 12:55 p.m. "Then, I sleep pretty much the rest of the day," he said. Williams said if the offense rides on his shoulders, he'll accept the challenge to get the Tigers to a third straight bowl. He looks at what happened at Tennessee last year when the Vols decided to use two true freshmen quarterbacks to start the season. "All that was talked about at Tennessee before the season was they didn't have a quarterback, they had lost some key offensive linemen and some key wideouts," Williams said. "Then they go 10-3. "I believe we have a great recruiter in Coach West. He and his staff are going to put players in positions so we can win. I definitely think if defenses stack the line against us to stop me, whatever quarterback we have in there is going to have a big day." One of the most important aspects of Williams's summer is bonding with the O-line. "I don't talk to them just at practice," Williams said. "I call them and ask them what can I do better to make them better. And they call me to ask me what they can do to make me better."

06/10/05		Tiger Notes (baseball, track, softball, football, volleyball, soccer) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact June 10, 2005 Michael Murray hasn't taken an at-bat or fielded a sizzling groundball up the middle, but the University of Memphis baseball signee is off to an encouraging start. Murray, who attended Meridian (Miss.) Community College, was named the American Baseball Coaches Association NJCAA Division 1 Player of the Year. He earned the national honor by hitting .519 with eight home runs and 61 runs batted in. He stole 13 bases in 15 attempts and helped Meridian to a 42-12 finish. "I don't care what league you play in," said UofM coach Daron Schoenrock. "If you hit .500, that takes some doing. "It's certainly a tremendous honor, and it's tremendous for the University of Memphis to be (getting) someone who has earned this kind of recognition." Murray, a shortstop, signed with LSU out of Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic High, but spent his first two seasons at Meridian. He hit .419 as a freshman. Meridian coach Chad Caillet said he wasn't surprised by Murray's selection. "He did tremendous things for us," Caillet said. "He was our team captain, he hit over .500 and he made only seven errors the entire year. They are getting a tremendous player." NCAA track After failing to qualify in 2002 and 2003, Lisa-Marie Hyman will represent the University of Memphis in the NCAA Track & Field Championships today in Sacramento, Calif. Hyman, a triple-jumper, earned a spot in the NCAA Championships with a leap of 41 feet, 73/4 inches at the NCAA Mid-East Regionals last month in Bloomington, Ind. Qualifying rounds for the triple jump begin at 9:30 (CDT) tonight. The finals are set for 8:30 p.m. (CDT) Saturday. Hyman is one of 28 competing for the title and is ranked 21st nationally in the event. "I'm so proud of what she's done," said UofM field events coach Kevin Robinson. "The hard part is getting here." A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Hyman sat out 2004 as a redshirt after failing to qualify for the NCAA Championships the previous two years. Tiger jumper Brandon Winbush also qualified for the NCAA Championships, but will not participate because of a pers