Rice signee averages double-double at international competition
HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 8, 2009) Serving as captain for Iran's FIBA Under 19 World Championship team, Rice University basketball signee Arsalan Kazemi averaged 16.6 points and 12.2 rebounds during five games at the championship being played in Auckland, New Zealand.
Iran closed out competition at the world championship on Tuesday with a 93-53 win over Syria. Kazemi scored 23 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had four steals in the victory.
Iran went 1-4 in preliminary round and consolation play at the tournament. The world championship continues through Sunday.
Through Tuesday's games, Kazemi was leading the tournament with his 20 steals (4.0 pg). His 12.2 rebounds per game ranks second among players at the tournament. His scoring, blocked shot and free throw shooting numbers also rank among the top 10 at the tournament which features the top teen basketball players from throughout the world.
In addition to averaging a double-double, Kazemi averaged 3.0 assists, 2.0 blocks, shot 81.6 percent from the line and 48.1 percent from the field in five games.
Kazemi's 20 rebounds against Angola ties for a world championship game high this summer while his 19 boards against Egypt ranks third among tournament performances. He had a tournament-high seven steals in Iran?s loss to Team USA in preliminary round play.
Kazemi, a native of Esfahan, Iran, is one of five incoming Rice University freshmen who make up one of Conference USA's top signing classes.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Sunday, July 05, 2009
UH's Schwenidenwein Places In 50 Butterfly at WUG
By Robert H. KellyCopyright 2009 TexSport Publications
BELGRADE, SERBIA (July 5, 2009) Former University of Houston swimmer Sasha Schwenidenwein finished in 22nd place in the 50-meter butterfly at the 25th World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia today.
Schwenidenwein, who was an NCAA Championships qualifier for the Cougars earlier this year in the women's 200-yard butterfly is competing for Austria in the Games.
Her time of 28.17 seconds was good enough to win her heat, but did not qualify her for the finals.
The former Cougar swim team captain is competing in six events at the Games, including the 100, 200 and 400-meter freestyle and 50, 100 and 200-meter butterfly.
Her next event will be the preliminaries of the 100-meter freestyle on Monday, July 6.
The swimming competition is taking place in the swimming pools of Sports & Recreational Center “Tasmajdan" in Belgrade.
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Joey Chestnut Wins 2009 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
CONEY ISLAND, NEW YORK (July 4, 2009) Joey Chestnut has won the 2009 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest for the third consecutive year. He was a small favorite to win over Takeu Kobayashi.
Chestnut pulled far ahead of Kobayashi. An average of 7 hot dogs were eaten per minute. Chestnut set an all time record, gulping down 68 hot dogs.
Kobayashi's 64 hot dogs were the most he has ever eaten in the competition.
The IFOCE Nathan's International July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest is an annual competitive eating competition held at Nathan's Famous Corporation's original and best-known restaurant at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. The event is held on July 4, and is regarded as the world's most famous hot dog eating contest and a colorful tradition of Independence Day in the United States. An average 1.5 million households watch it live on ESPN.
Chestnut and Kobayashi are considered two of the best competitive eaters to ever walk the face of the Earth.
Celebration followed with a playing of the U.S. National Anthem.
Chestnut pulled far ahead of Kobayashi. An average of 7 hot dogs were eaten per minute. Chestnut set an all time record, gulping down 68 hot dogs.
Kobayashi's 64 hot dogs were the most he has ever eaten in the competition.
The IFOCE Nathan's International July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest is an annual competitive eating competition held at Nathan's Famous Corporation's original and best-known restaurant at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. The event is held on July 4, and is regarded as the world's most famous hot dog eating contest and a colorful tradition of Independence Day in the United States. An average 1.5 million households watch it live on ESPN.
Chestnut and Kobayashi are considered two of the best competitive eaters to ever walk the face of the Earth.
Celebration followed with a playing of the U.S. National Anthem.
Friday, July 03, 2009
Texas Gymnasts to Compete in Japan Cup
By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications
HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 3, 2009) Houston's Jonathan Horton and Flower Mount's Steven Legendre have been named to the USA Gymnastics squad that will compete in the 2009 Japan Cup.
The Japan Cup will be held July 18-19 at the Makuhari Event Hall in Chiba, Japan. Jonathan Horton was a 2008 Olympic silver-medalist and Legendre was the 2008 NCAA all-around, vault and floor exercise champion.
Horton and Legendre will to joined on the team by Kyle Bunthuwong (U.S. junior parallel bars champion), Danell Leyva (gold medalist on the parallel bars at 2009 Winter Cup and the high bar at the 2008 PAGU Individual Event Championships), Tim McNeill (2009 Winter Cup horizontal bar champ) and Sho Nakamori (2009 NCAA team champion).
Horton was also a member of the USA’s Olympic bronze-medal team and won the weighted all-around at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
The team competition will take place July 18 with the all-around competition on July 19. The all-around will feature 12 gymnasts, with a maximum of two per country.
In the team competition, three gymnasts compete on each apparatus and all three scores count toward the team score.
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications
HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 3, 2009) Houston's Jonathan Horton and Flower Mount's Steven Legendre have been named to the USA Gymnastics squad that will compete in the 2009 Japan Cup.
The Japan Cup will be held July 18-19 at the Makuhari Event Hall in Chiba, Japan. Jonathan Horton was a 2008 Olympic silver-medalist and Legendre was the 2008 NCAA all-around, vault and floor exercise champion.
Horton and Legendre will to joined on the team by Kyle Bunthuwong (U.S. junior parallel bars champion), Danell Leyva (gold medalist on the parallel bars at 2009 Winter Cup and the high bar at the 2008 PAGU Individual Event Championships), Tim McNeill (2009 Winter Cup horizontal bar champ) and Sho Nakamori (2009 NCAA team champion).
Horton was also a member of the USA’s Olympic bronze-medal team and won the weighted all-around at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
The team competition will take place July 18 with the all-around competition on July 19. The all-around will feature 12 gymnasts, with a maximum of two per country.
In the team competition, three gymnasts compete on each apparatus and all three scores count toward the team score.
Thursday, July 02, 2009
McNeese State Announces 2010 Softball Signees
LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA (July 2, 2009) McNeese State’s softball program signed nine recruits for the 2010 season as announced by second year head coach Natalie Poole. Of the nine recruits, four are junior college transfers.
The transfers include catcher Jessica Wilson from Paris Junior College, pitcher Kayla Shepherd from Temple Junior College, pitcher Kelsey McClain from San Jacinto College and second base/utility Holly Lawrence from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
The high school signees include catcher/outfielder Hayleigh Maisel from Klein Oak High, utility Alex Corbello from Sam Houston High, shortstop Kourtney Kober from St. Louis High, shortstop Marissa Koetting from Ferris High, and pitcher Meagan Bond from Presbyterian Christian High.
Wilson, a native of Irving, Tx., hit 12 homeruns and was a first team all-region last year. She helped Paris Junior College to the 2009 Region XIV Conference Champions and a second place finish in the Region XIV Regional Tournament. As a freshman, she was a second team all-region as a utility player.
Shepherd is a native of Baytown, Tx., who posted a 20-10 record with a 1.8 ERA in her final season at Temple JC. She was a member of the 2009 Conference Championship team and earned first team all-conference honors as well as all-conference and all-America academic honors.
McClain is a native of Pasadena, Tx., where she pitched 201.33 innings and posted a .364 batting average in 2008 and earned NFCA all-American (second team) and first team Midwest Region in her freshman season at San Jacinto JC.
Lawrence, a native of Biloxi, MS., was a member of the 2009 NJCAA Region 23 championship team and the sixth ranked team in the NJCAA polls. Lawrence was a member of the NJCAA all-state, all-region and all-American team. She was awarded the MGCCC highest batting average award.
Maisel is a native of Spring, Tx., where she was a member of the topped ranked team in the nation in 2009. Klein Oak picked up their first loss of the season in the playoffs. The four-year starter who was a member of two district championship teams and earned second team all-district honors twice.
Corbello hails from Moss Bluff, La. And is the younger sister of current Cowgirl Whitney Corbello. Corbello batted .448 in her finals season at Sam Houston High and helped the Broncos win three district championship titles, one regional championship and reached the quarterfinals in 2009. Corbello is a three-time all-district selection at three different positions. She is a two time all-state selection and was named to the All-Southwest Louisiana team in 2008. She was a member of the 2009 Louisiana All-Star game.
Kober is from Lake Charles and attended St. Louis High where she was a four-year letterwinner and two-time district MVP. She was a three-time all-district, two-time all-state and all-Southwest Louisiana selection. Kober was also named all-Southwest Louisiaana MVP once.
Koetting is a native of Ferris, Tx. Who was a four sport letterwinner for Ferris High. In softball, Koetting was a member of three district championship teams and produced a .544 batting average as a junior and a .463 batting average with 11 homeruns as a sophomore. She was a second team all-state selection and earned Newcomer of the Year honors.
Bond is a native of Lumberton, Tx. And was a six-year softball letterwinner for Presbyterian Christian High. She is a six time MVP, all-district selection and was named to the all-star team in 2008.
2010 McNeese State Softball Reccruits
Jessica Wilson (catcher, Paris JC, Irving, TX)
Kayla Shepherd (pitcher, Temple JC, Baytown, TX)
Kelsey McClain (pitcher, San Jacinto College, Pasadena, TX)
Holly Lawrence (2B/utility, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Biloxi, MS)
Hayleigh Maisel (c/outfield, Klein Oak HS, Spring, TX)
Alex Corbello (utility, Sam Houston HS, Moss Bluff, LA)
Kourtney Kober (shortstop, St. Louis HS, Lake Charles, LA)
Marissa Koetting (shortstop, Ferris HS, Ferris, TX)
Megan Bond (pitcher, Presbyterian Christian HS, Lumberton, TX)
The transfers include catcher Jessica Wilson from Paris Junior College, pitcher Kayla Shepherd from Temple Junior College, pitcher Kelsey McClain from San Jacinto College and second base/utility Holly Lawrence from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
The high school signees include catcher/outfielder Hayleigh Maisel from Klein Oak High, utility Alex Corbello from Sam Houston High, shortstop Kourtney Kober from St. Louis High, shortstop Marissa Koetting from Ferris High, and pitcher Meagan Bond from Presbyterian Christian High.
Wilson, a native of Irving, Tx., hit 12 homeruns and was a first team all-region last year. She helped Paris Junior College to the 2009 Region XIV Conference Champions and a second place finish in the Region XIV Regional Tournament. As a freshman, she was a second team all-region as a utility player.
Shepherd is a native of Baytown, Tx., who posted a 20-10 record with a 1.8 ERA in her final season at Temple JC. She was a member of the 2009 Conference Championship team and earned first team all-conference honors as well as all-conference and all-America academic honors.
McClain is a native of Pasadena, Tx., where she pitched 201.33 innings and posted a .364 batting average in 2008 and earned NFCA all-American (second team) and first team Midwest Region in her freshman season at San Jacinto JC.
Lawrence, a native of Biloxi, MS., was a member of the 2009 NJCAA Region 23 championship team and the sixth ranked team in the NJCAA polls. Lawrence was a member of the NJCAA all-state, all-region and all-American team. She was awarded the MGCCC highest batting average award.
Maisel is a native of Spring, Tx., where she was a member of the topped ranked team in the nation in 2009. Klein Oak picked up their first loss of the season in the playoffs. The four-year starter who was a member of two district championship teams and earned second team all-district honors twice.
Corbello hails from Moss Bluff, La. And is the younger sister of current Cowgirl Whitney Corbello. Corbello batted .448 in her finals season at Sam Houston High and helped the Broncos win three district championship titles, one regional championship and reached the quarterfinals in 2009. Corbello is a three-time all-district selection at three different positions. She is a two time all-state selection and was named to the All-Southwest Louisiana team in 2008. She was a member of the 2009 Louisiana All-Star game.
Kober is from Lake Charles and attended St. Louis High where she was a four-year letterwinner and two-time district MVP. She was a three-time all-district, two-time all-state and all-Southwest Louisiana selection. Kober was also named all-Southwest Louisiaana MVP once.
Koetting is a native of Ferris, Tx. Who was a four sport letterwinner for Ferris High. In softball, Koetting was a member of three district championship teams and produced a .544 batting average as a junior and a .463 batting average with 11 homeruns as a sophomore. She was a second team all-state selection and earned Newcomer of the Year honors.
Bond is a native of Lumberton, Tx. And was a six-year softball letterwinner for Presbyterian Christian High. She is a six time MVP, all-district selection and was named to the all-star team in 2008.
2010 McNeese State Softball Reccruits
Jessica Wilson (catcher, Paris JC, Irving, TX)
Kayla Shepherd (pitcher, Temple JC, Baytown, TX)
Kelsey McClain (pitcher, San Jacinto College, Pasadena, TX)
Holly Lawrence (2B/utility, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Biloxi, MS)
Hayleigh Maisel (c/outfield, Klein Oak HS, Spring, TX)
Alex Corbello (utility, Sam Houston HS, Moss Bluff, LA)
Kourtney Kober (shortstop, St. Louis HS, Lake Charles, LA)
Marissa Koetting (shortstop, Ferris HS, Ferris, TX)
Megan Bond (pitcher, Presbyterian Christian HS, Lumberton, TX)
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Rice's Colwick Named Conference USA Athlete of the Year
By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications
HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 1, 2009) Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky made the announcement today of the 2008-2009 C-USA Male and Female Athletes of the Year.
Rice pole vaulter Jason Colwick was the recipient of the Male Athlete of the Year, while East Carolina softball pitcher Toni Paisley and Tulane volleyball player Sara Radosevic were selected as the Female Co-Athletes of the Year.
Colwick became the first Conference USA track and field athlete to win national titles in the pole vault at the both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships.
Jon Warren, Rice's head men's track and field coach was quoted saying "Just looking at the athletes at Rice with the (Jarett) Dillard and (James) Casey, and Chase Clement in football and with Anthony Rendon in baseball and what they accomplished it is very impressive for Jason to receive this award especially with the strength of this conference.'
"I am a firm believer that anyone can achieve what they want, athletically or not, if they believe and work hard. To win this award is awesome,' Colwick stated when he was notified of the award.
The San Marcos, Texas, native placed sixth at the USA National Outdoor Track & Field Championships when he cleared 18 feet 6.5 inched. He also captured his first NCAA crown by clearing 18 feet 4.5 inched, then followed up with a gold medal performance of 18 feet 8.25 inches at the outdoor championship. He was the only pole vaulter to surpass the 18-foot mark at nationals and is the only C-USA athlete to ever clear 18-feet indoors and outdoors.
Colwick will spend part of the summer competing in the international track circuit in Europe before returning to Rice for his senior year.
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications
HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 1, 2009) Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky made the announcement today of the 2008-2009 C-USA Male and Female Athletes of the Year.
Rice pole vaulter Jason Colwick was the recipient of the Male Athlete of the Year, while East Carolina softball pitcher Toni Paisley and Tulane volleyball player Sara Radosevic were selected as the Female Co-Athletes of the Year.
Colwick became the first Conference USA track and field athlete to win national titles in the pole vault at the both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships.
Jon Warren, Rice's head men's track and field coach was quoted saying "Just looking at the athletes at Rice with the (Jarett) Dillard and (James) Casey, and Chase Clement in football and with Anthony Rendon in baseball and what they accomplished it is very impressive for Jason to receive this award especially with the strength of this conference.'
"I am a firm believer that anyone can achieve what they want, athletically or not, if they believe and work hard. To win this award is awesome,' Colwick stated when he was notified of the award.
The San Marcos, Texas, native placed sixth at the USA National Outdoor Track & Field Championships when he cleared 18 feet 6.5 inched. He also captured his first NCAA crown by clearing 18 feet 4.5 inched, then followed up with a gold medal performance of 18 feet 8.25 inches at the outdoor championship. He was the only pole vaulter to surpass the 18-foot mark at nationals and is the only C-USA athlete to ever clear 18-feet indoors and outdoors.
Colwick will spend part of the summer competing in the international track circuit in Europe before returning to Rice for his senior year.
Dynamo begin Open Cup on road Wednesday against in-state foe Austin
HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 1, 2009) -- The Houston Dynamo begin their campaign in the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tonight with a road game against the Austin Aztex at Nelson Field in Austin.
The third-round game can be heard live in the Houston area on 790 The Sports Animal and can be seen on the internet at USLLive.com. Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. The winner of this game will travel to take on the Charleston Battery on Tuesday, July 7, at 6:30 p.m. CT.
The Dynamo and Aztex met in a pre-season friendly at Nelson Field and tied 2-2, but this will be the first competitive meeting between the teams. The Aztex, from the United Soccer Leagues First Division, the tier directly below Major League Soccer, advanced to the third round with 2-0 wins over PDL teams Mississippi Brilla (2-0) and El Paso Patriots (2-0). The Dynamo qualified directly as one of the top six teams in Major League Soccer last season.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest soccer competition in the United States. It is a single-elimination tournament open to any team in the country, often pitting regional rivals against each other.
The Dynamo reached the U.S. Open Cup semifinals in their first season in 2006 but have been eliminated on the road to USL1 opposition in each of the last two years, falling to the Charleston Battery in overtime (2007) and on penalty kicks (2008). Both of those games came just two days before scheduled league contests.
After Wednesday’s game, the Dynamo will continue their road trip with a Saturday night contest against the Kansas City Wizards at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, kicking off at 8 p.m. Houston’s next home game is scheduled for Saturday, July 25, against the New England Revolution.
The third-round game can be heard live in the Houston area on 790 The Sports Animal and can be seen on the internet at USLLive.com. Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. The winner of this game will travel to take on the Charleston Battery on Tuesday, July 7, at 6:30 p.m. CT.
The Dynamo and Aztex met in a pre-season friendly at Nelson Field and tied 2-2, but this will be the first competitive meeting between the teams. The Aztex, from the United Soccer Leagues First Division, the tier directly below Major League Soccer, advanced to the third round with 2-0 wins over PDL teams Mississippi Brilla (2-0) and El Paso Patriots (2-0). The Dynamo qualified directly as one of the top six teams in Major League Soccer last season.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest soccer competition in the United States. It is a single-elimination tournament open to any team in the country, often pitting regional rivals against each other.
The Dynamo reached the U.S. Open Cup semifinals in their first season in 2006 but have been eliminated on the road to USL1 opposition in each of the last two years, falling to the Charleston Battery in overtime (2007) and on penalty kicks (2008). Both of those games came just two days before scheduled league contests.
After Wednesday’s game, the Dynamo will continue their road trip with a Saturday night contest against the Kansas City Wizards at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, kicking off at 8 p.m. Houston’s next home game is scheduled for Saturday, July 25, against the New England Revolution.
Texas State’s Tyler Sibley Named Second-Team Freshman All-American by Baseball America
SAN MARCOS, TEXAS (July 1, 2009)Texas State freshman outfielder Tyler Sibley has been named a Second-Team Freshman All-American by Baseball America after helping the Bobcats win their first outright Southland Conference championship and earn a NCAA Tournament berth in 2009.
This marks the second time this season that Sibley has been selected as a Freshman All-American after he set a Texas State and Southland Conference single season record for most runs scored in a single season with 77. He broke the old school record of 66 that was set by Thomas Field in 2008, while the previous SLC record was held by Ben Broussard of McNeese State in 1999.
A native of Frisco, Texas, Sibley also earned All-Southland Conference Second Team honors after finishing the 2009 campaign with a .367 batting average, 10 home runs and 38 RBI’s. He also hit for 13 doubles and stole 14 bases for the Bobcats.
Baseball America Freshman All-America Team
Pos. FIRST TEAM
C Jeremy Schaffer, Tulane
1B Preston Tucker, Florida
2B Matt Jensen, Cal Poly
3B Anthony Rendon, Rice
SS A.J. Pettersen, Minnesota
OF Jackie Bradley Jr., South Carolina
OF George Springer, Connecticut
OF Kolten Wong, Hawaii
DH Troy Channing, St. Mary's
UT Danny Hultzen, Virginia
SP Trevor Bauer, UCLA
SP Sean Gilmartin, Florida State
SP Taylor Jungmann, Texas
SP Noe Ramirez, Cal State Fullerton
RP Matty Ott, Louisiana State
UT Danny Hultzen, Virginia
Pos. SECOND TEAM
C C.J. Cron, Utah
1B Todd Brazeal, South Florida
2B Ross Heffley, Western Carolina
3B Matt Skole, Georgia Tech
SS Sam Mende, South Florida
OF Kameron Brunty, Southern Miss
OF Dusty Robinson, Fresno State
OF Tyler Sibley, Texas State
DH Alex Dickerson, Indiana
UT Nick Ramirez, Cal State Fullerton
SP Jordan Cooper, Wichita State
SP Sam Gaviglio, Oregon State
SP Anthony Meo, Coastal Carolina
SP Tyler Pill, Cal State Fullerton
RP Mitchell Lambson, Arizona State
UT Nick Ramirez, Cal State Fullerton
This marks the second time this season that Sibley has been selected as a Freshman All-American after he set a Texas State and Southland Conference single season record for most runs scored in a single season with 77. He broke the old school record of 66 that was set by Thomas Field in 2008, while the previous SLC record was held by Ben Broussard of McNeese State in 1999.
A native of Frisco, Texas, Sibley also earned All-Southland Conference Second Team honors after finishing the 2009 campaign with a .367 batting average, 10 home runs and 38 RBI’s. He also hit for 13 doubles and stole 14 bases for the Bobcats.
Baseball America Freshman All-America Team
Pos. FIRST TEAM
C Jeremy Schaffer, Tulane
1B Preston Tucker, Florida
2B Matt Jensen, Cal Poly
3B Anthony Rendon, Rice
SS A.J. Pettersen, Minnesota
OF Jackie Bradley Jr., South Carolina
OF George Springer, Connecticut
OF Kolten Wong, Hawaii
DH Troy Channing, St. Mary's
UT Danny Hultzen, Virginia
SP Trevor Bauer, UCLA
SP Sean Gilmartin, Florida State
SP Taylor Jungmann, Texas
SP Noe Ramirez, Cal State Fullerton
RP Matty Ott, Louisiana State
UT Danny Hultzen, Virginia
Pos. SECOND TEAM
C C.J. Cron, Utah
1B Todd Brazeal, South Florida
2B Ross Heffley, Western Carolina
3B Matt Skole, Georgia Tech
SS Sam Mende, South Florida
OF Kameron Brunty, Southern Miss
OF Dusty Robinson, Fresno State
OF Tyler Sibley, Texas State
DH Alex Dickerson, Indiana
UT Nick Ramirez, Cal State Fullerton
SP Jordan Cooper, Wichita State
SP Sam Gaviglio, Oregon State
SP Anthony Meo, Coastal Carolina
SP Tyler Pill, Cal State Fullerton
RP Mitchell Lambson, Arizona State
UT Nick Ramirez, Cal State Fullerton
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M SOCCER INKS 12 RECRUITS FOR THE 2009 SEASON
PRAIRIE VIEW, TEXAS (June 30, 2009)Prairie View A&M women’s soccer coach Abe Garcia has announced his inaugural recruiting class for the 2009 campaign.
Garcia, who begins his second year in charge of the Lady Panther soccer program, summed up his 2009 recruiting class in two words, “new feel”, and believes his newcomers will raise the team to a higher level with their intensity.
The core group of recruits for Garcia’s 2009 class include Yosselyn Aguilar, Vero`nica Aguirre, Genevieve Devany, Cynthia Diaz, Navyd Diaz, Abigail Escobar, Holland Maples, Crystal San Martin, Leslie Salazar, Candice Sion, Megan Vlam and Marissa Woods.
These talented players bring a sense of high precedence and pride to the Lady Panther soccer team as several were all-district players of the year, defensive players of the year, team captains and four-year letterman.
Garcia definitely wants to stress team unity and the new recruits have already received the chance to meet their teammates during recruiting visits.
“I make them interact on their recruiting visits to get a better feel for each other,” said Garcia.
With the news class on board, Garcia expects a better season than last year and believes each girl will motivate one another; however he understands it takes time to build a championship caliber club.
“The team is in better shape than when I took over the head coaching position midway through last season as the commitment of the players has changed,” said Garcia. “We are more focused on our goals.”
The 2009 campaign is guaranteed to prove what the Lady Panther soccer team is made of considering they begin the season with a very challenging preseason schedule that should have them prepared for conference play.
“I don’t want to make any preseason predictions,” stated Garcia. “I’d rather pick myself last because underdogs can fly below the radar.”
A new coach with a fresh perspective coupled with dedicated players should ensure the Lady Panthers will not be considered underdogs for long.
Garcia, who begins his second year in charge of the Lady Panther soccer program, summed up his 2009 recruiting class in two words, “new feel”, and believes his newcomers will raise the team to a higher level with their intensity.
The core group of recruits for Garcia’s 2009 class include Yosselyn Aguilar, Vero`nica Aguirre, Genevieve Devany, Cynthia Diaz, Navyd Diaz, Abigail Escobar, Holland Maples, Crystal San Martin, Leslie Salazar, Candice Sion, Megan Vlam and Marissa Woods.
These talented players bring a sense of high precedence and pride to the Lady Panther soccer team as several were all-district players of the year, defensive players of the year, team captains and four-year letterman.
Garcia definitely wants to stress team unity and the new recruits have already received the chance to meet their teammates during recruiting visits.
“I make them interact on their recruiting visits to get a better feel for each other,” said Garcia.
With the news class on board, Garcia expects a better season than last year and believes each girl will motivate one another; however he understands it takes time to build a championship caliber club.
“The team is in better shape than when I took over the head coaching position midway through last season as the commitment of the players has changed,” said Garcia. “We are more focused on our goals.”
The 2009 campaign is guaranteed to prove what the Lady Panther soccer team is made of considering they begin the season with a very challenging preseason schedule that should have them prepared for conference play.
“I don’t want to make any preseason predictions,” stated Garcia. “I’d rather pick myself last because underdogs can fly below the radar.”
A new coach with a fresh perspective coupled with dedicated players should ensure the Lady Panthers will not be considered underdogs for long.
19th Houston Int’l Jazz Festival Set Rachelle Ferrell, Grupo Niche, Hiroshima To Appear
HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 30, 2009) Jazz will fill the air in downtown Houston Saturday and Sunday, August 1st and 2nd as the 19th Annual Houston Int’l Jazz Festival kicks off August Jazz Month. The event will be held at the Discovery Green Park, 4:00 to 10:00 PM each day. An all-star lineup is scheduled including: “Rachelle Ferrell,” “Grupo Niche,” “Hiroshima,” “Texas Brass Band,” “Summer Jazz Workshop All-Stars,” and many more.
“The Houston Int’l Jazz Festival represents a rich tradition of excellence through musical expression. The Festival is the primary fundraiser for Jazz Education Inc., which is a non-profit organization committed to the mission of providing worthwhile education activities for school-aged youth,” stated Houston City Council Member Jarvis Johnson, Chairman of the Festival.
“The Houston Int’l Jazz Festival represents a rich tradition of excellence through musical expression. The Festival is the primary fundraiser for Jazz Education Inc., which is a non-profit organization committed to the mission of providing worthwhile education activities for school-aged youth,” stated Houston City Council Member Jarvis Johnson, Chairman of the Festival.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
SHSU Names Dave Self Head Track Coach
HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS (June 27, 2009) Sam Houston State Director of Athletics Bobby Williams has announced Dave Self as the new head coach of the Bearkat track and field program. Self has served as the assistant coach for the past five years.
“I am excited about it,” Self said. “I have been working with the program for five years and I am looking forward to the challenges that are going to come. The goal is to get us back to the SLC championship.”
In his five years, the Bearkats have known nothing but success. The SHSU track and field program dominated the outdoor competition for two straight years, with both the men and women capturing Southland Conference crowns in 2005 and 2006. The two seasons after that, Self has coached the women to a pair of Southland Conference Indoor Championships as well as an Outdoor title in 2008.
“We are excited about him being our coach,” Williams said. “We did go though a national search and in the end felt our head coach was on our current staff which is a great feeling to know.”
Self has already started the evaluation process on where the program is headed, and said he is not planning many changes as he slides into the position held by Curtis Collier who now works in administration with the department.
“Knowing I am the final decision on things will be different,” Self said. “We are not going to make a lot of changes. There are a few things I want to do, but we have been very successful over the last few years, so I don’t want to start making mass changes. I am looking forward to finalizing my staff and get going with the process.”
Self, who is in charge of sprinters and hurdlers and also serves as the recruiting coordinator, has watched as his runners have produced 24 school records on 58 different occasions. Also, his athletes have racked up a total of 207 all-conference honors along with 31 individual or relay Southland Conference first-place finishes.
In 2008 he was named the Southland Conference Indoor Coach of the Year, becoming the first assistant coach in the conference to earn such an honor.
Self previously served as head track and field coach at Garden City Community College from 1996-2002. There he coached 123 athletes who earned National Junior College Athletic Association All America honors. He also produced 21 national individual champions and one of his athletes was a member of the 2004 United States Olympic Track and Field team.
“I am excited about it,” Self said. “I have been working with the program for five years and I am looking forward to the challenges that are going to come. The goal is to get us back to the SLC championship.”
In his five years, the Bearkats have known nothing but success. The SHSU track and field program dominated the outdoor competition for two straight years, with both the men and women capturing Southland Conference crowns in 2005 and 2006. The two seasons after that, Self has coached the women to a pair of Southland Conference Indoor Championships as well as an Outdoor title in 2008.
“We are excited about him being our coach,” Williams said. “We did go though a national search and in the end felt our head coach was on our current staff which is a great feeling to know.”
Self has already started the evaluation process on where the program is headed, and said he is not planning many changes as he slides into the position held by Curtis Collier who now works in administration with the department.
“Knowing I am the final decision on things will be different,” Self said. “We are not going to make a lot of changes. There are a few things I want to do, but we have been very successful over the last few years, so I don’t want to start making mass changes. I am looking forward to finalizing my staff and get going with the process.”
Self, who is in charge of sprinters and hurdlers and also serves as the recruiting coordinator, has watched as his runners have produced 24 school records on 58 different occasions. Also, his athletes have racked up a total of 207 all-conference honors along with 31 individual or relay Southland Conference first-place finishes.
In 2008 he was named the Southland Conference Indoor Coach of the Year, becoming the first assistant coach in the conference to earn such an honor.
Self previously served as head track and field coach at Garden City Community College from 1996-2002. There he coached 123 athletes who earned National Junior College Athletic Association All America honors. He also produced 21 national individual champions and one of his athletes was a member of the 2004 United States Olympic Track and Field team.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Texas State Relief Pitcher Tyler Brundridge Signs With The Seattle Mariners
SAN MARCOS, TEXAS (June 26, 2009) After helping the Texas State baseball team win its first outright Southland Conference championship and play in the NCAA Tournament in 2009, Bobcat relief pitcher Tyler Brundridge was signed as a free agent by the Seattle Mariners.
“This came as a surprise to me,” Brundridge said. “I received a call from a scout with the Mariners and he told me ‘they wanted to sign me.’ It has been a dream of mine since I was a kid to play professional baseball and it’s just crazy how hit all came true.”
As a senior, Brundridge helped Texas State finish the 2009 season with a 41-16 overall record. He also was named to the Southland Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll in 2009.
“There is no doubt in my mind that we would not have had enjoyed the success we had without Tyler Brundridge,” Texas State head coach Ty Harrington said. “He pitched to his abilities and exceeded my expectations heading into the year. He is very deserving to have the opportunity to play professional baseball.”
Last season, Brundridge pitched in 33 games for the Bobcats and compiled a 3-1 record with a 3.86 ERA. He had 44 strikeouts in 53.2 innings. Brundridge pitched in 16 games as a junior and finished the season with 18 strikeouts in 16 relief appearances.
A native of Fredericksburg, Texas, Brundridge came to Texas State from Navarro College and also lettered three seasons at Fredericksburg High School as a pitcher and third baseman. He earned All-District First-Team and All-State honors as a high school senior.
“I was a starter my entire life until I came to Texas State when they had me pitching in relief,” Brundridge said. “I struggled a little as a junior, but worked on some things that coach Harrington wanted me to improve on last summer. I was able to correct some things, had a great fall and threw well in the spring.”
Brundridge has reported to the AZL (Arizona League) Mariners and could pitch as early as Friday for the team.
“This came as a surprise to me,” Brundridge said. “I received a call from a scout with the Mariners and he told me ‘they wanted to sign me.’ It has been a dream of mine since I was a kid to play professional baseball and it’s just crazy how hit all came true.”
As a senior, Brundridge helped Texas State finish the 2009 season with a 41-16 overall record. He also was named to the Southland Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll in 2009.
“There is no doubt in my mind that we would not have had enjoyed the success we had without Tyler Brundridge,” Texas State head coach Ty Harrington said. “He pitched to his abilities and exceeded my expectations heading into the year. He is very deserving to have the opportunity to play professional baseball.”
Last season, Brundridge pitched in 33 games for the Bobcats and compiled a 3-1 record with a 3.86 ERA. He had 44 strikeouts in 53.2 innings. Brundridge pitched in 16 games as a junior and finished the season with 18 strikeouts in 16 relief appearances.
A native of Fredericksburg, Texas, Brundridge came to Texas State from Navarro College and also lettered three seasons at Fredericksburg High School as a pitcher and third baseman. He earned All-District First-Team and All-State honors as a high school senior.
“I was a starter my entire life until I came to Texas State when they had me pitching in relief,” Brundridge said. “I struggled a little as a junior, but worked on some things that coach Harrington wanted me to improve on last summer. I was able to correct some things, had a great fall and threw well in the spring.”
Brundridge has reported to the AZL (Arizona League) Mariners and could pitch as early as Friday for the team.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Dynamo to face Austin Aztex in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on July 1
HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 25, 2009) -- The Houston Dynamo will take on the Austin Aztex (United Soccer Leagues First Division) in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup third round game on Wednesday, July 1, at 7:30 p.m. at Nelson Field in Austin.
The game can be heard live in the Houston area on 790 AM The Sports Animal and can be seen live on the internet at USLlive.com.
The winner of the game will travel to face either Chivas USA or the Charleston Battery in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, July 7.
The game can be heard live in the Houston area on 790 AM The Sports Animal and can be seen live on the internet at USLlive.com.
The winner of the game will travel to face either Chivas USA or the Charleston Battery in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, July 7.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Colwick Jumps at USA Track & Field National Championships
(photo courtesy of the Rice University Sports Information Department)HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 24, 2009) Even though NCAA competition has concluded Jason Colwick will don his Rice jersey this weekend.
The pole vaulter extraordinaire competes this weekend at the USA Track & Field National Championships in Eugene, Ore., at Hayward Field. On the line is a trip to compete at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany (Aug. 15-23).
The pole vault event begins on Saturday at 4:55 p.m. (Central). If he were to place in the top three, then he will represent Team USA and jump in Berlin's Olympic Stadium, which will host its first major international track and field event since the 1936 Olympic Games.
The San Marcos, Texas, native will be vaulting for the first time since winning the 2009 NCAA Outdoor title in Fayetteville, Ark. on June 12. He also won the 2009 NCAA Indoor championship (5.60m/18-4.5) and is now the only Conference USA athlete to win both indoor and outdoor championships in the same event.
He enters Saturday's competition with a personal-best mark of 5.72m/18-9.25, which ranks as the seventh-best height in the world for 2009.
The University of Oregon's Hayward Field has been the site of the 1972, 1976, 1980, and the 2008 US Olympic Trials. Colwick is quite familiar with Hayward Field as he competed there last summer during the Olympic Trials. He cleared 5.40m/17-8.50 in the prelims but did not advance to the final round.
During the 2009 outdoor season, Colwick has been a consistent performer by clearing the 18-foot mark on seven occasions.
The USA Track & Field National Championships can be seen on ESPN, Fri., June 26, 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. ET; ESPN, Sat., June 27, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. ET; and on NBC, Sun., June 28, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. ET.
FREEDOM OVER TEXAS WITH FIREWORKS PRESENTED BY SHELL CELEBRATES AMERICA’S BIRTHDAY WITH COUNTRY MUSIC SENSATION CLAY WALKER
Mayor Bill White Invites Texans to Houston’s Official Fourth of July Celebration Featuring the Largest Land-Based Fireworks Show in the Nation and a Schedule Full of Family Fun
HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 24, 2009) Fireworks will fly and tunes will fill the air at Houston’s star-spangled Fourth of July celebration, Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell. This year’s event, saluting Houston’s military heroes and honoring the 40th anniversary of NASA’s Apollo XI Lunar Landing, will feature the largest land-based fireworks show in the nation, unbeatable entertainment and a lively outdoor festival. Admission is FREE. On Saturday, July 4, Clay Walker will ignite the stage and the concert will be followed by the largest land-based fireworks show in the nation, presented by Shell Oil Company and produced by the world-renowned fireworks artists from Pyro Spectaculars North by Souza. Both the concert and the fireworks will be televised live on KTRK-TV (ABC), Ch.13 from Eleanor Tinsley Park.
"I want to invite our fellow Texans to Houston's All - American Fourth of July celebration" said Mayor Bill White. "This year we salute Houston's Heroes. This includes the men and women serving our armed forces today and in years past. It also includes NASA's iconic space program on the 40th Anniversary of the historic Apollo XI Lunar Landing. Thanks to our Anchor Sponsors, the city is able to bring in an unbeatable headliner and a host of other entertainment. For the fourth year in a row, Shell is on board to underwrite a spectacular fireworks show, making Houston the number one Fourth of July destination in the country."
Texas-native Clay Walker will take the Freedom Stage at 8:00 p.m. to perform a selection of his chart-topping hits. Walker fell in love with country music at an early age and started to pursue his musical career after high school. He toured across the South, Midwest and Canada while taking courses about the music business and eventually became the house singer at the Neon Armadillo bar in his hometown Beaumont, where he then signed a contract with Giant Records. Walker’s first two singles “What’s It To You” and “Live Until I Die” released in 1993 reached No. 1. By the end of 1998 he had a dozen Top 5 hits and his first four studio albums were certified platinum. Walker’s Greatest Hits and album Live, Laugh, Love were certified gold.
When the concert comes to a close at 9:30 p.m., eyes will turn skyward for an extraordinary fireworks spectacular perfectly set to a selection of America’s favorite tunes, from patriotic songs to rock ‘n’ roll hits to classic bestsellers.
Dick Williams, President of Shell WindEnergy Inc. says, "For more than 80 years, Shell has been a strong supporter of the Houston community and our nation. As a country, we have much to celebrate, and we at Shell are thrilled to participate in the festivities this year."
All the excitement for Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell will begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday July 4. In addition to this year’s entertainment headliner, the festival will also spotlight a top-notch selection of local and regional music. Throughout the day, three stages will keep toes tapping with music ranging from country western and rock 'n' roll to Latin, pop and oldies. Festival-goers will enjoy a variety of activities throughout the site. Liberty Park will showcase displays of military artifacts and vehicles including representation from all five military branches and more. The branches and the Houston Police Department will also offer recruiting opportunities on site. Guests will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the Shell-sponsored NASCAR, Kevin Harvick’s car and the Tire Change Challenge. Children will stay entertained with free rides, games, face painting, jugglers and more in the Fiesta All American Kids Zone. Event patrons visiting the Gexa Energy booths will have the opportunity to take advantage of special offers on 100% wind-powered, 100% pollution-free electricity plans, learn more about renewable energy solutions, and discover actions they can take to pay less for electricity.
Visitors can kick back and relax at the Budweiser Beer Garden, offering a selection of Craft and Import Beers with a prime view of the fourth annual Bud Light Texas Volleyball Championship. The preliminary men’s and women’s semi-pro statewide championship tournaments are being held in Houston, Galveston, San Antonio and Dallas. The winners of each prelim will vie for the “Texas Title” at Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell.
Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell will be simulcast on KTRK-TV (ABC), Ch.13 from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, and will be syndicated statewide on KTRE-TV (ABC) in Lufkin/Nacogdoches, KLTV-TV (ABC) in Tyler/Longview/Jacksonville, KTVT-TV (CBS) in Dallas/Ft. Worth, KJTV-DT2 (FOX) in Lubbock/Albuquerque, NM/Hobbs, NM, and KXTS-TV (MYTV) in Victoria. In addition, Clear Channel radio station, Classic Rock 93.7, The Arrow/KKRW-FM will simulcast the music medley specially choreographed for the fireworks spectacular.
Admission for the event is FREE. And, new this year, Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell is going green, providing recycling receptacles and encouraging all patrons to recycle.
Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell sponsors include: Fireworks sponsor Shell Oil Company; Anchor Sponsors Budweiser/Silver Eagle Distributors, LP, Gexa Energy, and KBR, Inc.; and Clear Channel Radio-Houston (Classic Rock 93.7, The Arrow/KKRW-FM, 94.5 The Buzz/KTBZ-FM, Sunny 99.1/KODA-FM, NewsRadio 740/KTRH-AM, 790 The Sports Animal/KBME-AM, The 9-5-0 Radio Mojo/ KPRC-AM), Doubletree Hotel Houston Downtown, and Fiesta Mart, Inc.
Shell Oil Company, including its consolidated companies and its share in equity companies, is one of America’s leading oil and natural gas producers, natural gas marketers, gasoline marketers and petrochemical manufacturers. Shell, a leading oil and gas producer in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, is a recognized pioneer in oil and gas exploration and production technology. Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of the Shell Group, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies, employing approximately 102,000 people and operating in more than 100 countries and territories. More information about Shell Oil Company can be found at www.shell.com.
HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 24, 2009) Fireworks will fly and tunes will fill the air at Houston’s star-spangled Fourth of July celebration, Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell. This year’s event, saluting Houston’s military heroes and honoring the 40th anniversary of NASA’s Apollo XI Lunar Landing, will feature the largest land-based fireworks show in the nation, unbeatable entertainment and a lively outdoor festival. Admission is FREE. On Saturday, July 4, Clay Walker will ignite the stage and the concert will be followed by the largest land-based fireworks show in the nation, presented by Shell Oil Company and produced by the world-renowned fireworks artists from Pyro Spectaculars North by Souza. Both the concert and the fireworks will be televised live on KTRK-TV (ABC), Ch.13 from Eleanor Tinsley Park.
"I want to invite our fellow Texans to Houston's All - American Fourth of July celebration" said Mayor Bill White. "This year we salute Houston's Heroes. This includes the men and women serving our armed forces today and in years past. It also includes NASA's iconic space program on the 40th Anniversary of the historic Apollo XI Lunar Landing. Thanks to our Anchor Sponsors, the city is able to bring in an unbeatable headliner and a host of other entertainment. For the fourth year in a row, Shell is on board to underwrite a spectacular fireworks show, making Houston the number one Fourth of July destination in the country."
Texas-native Clay Walker will take the Freedom Stage at 8:00 p.m. to perform a selection of his chart-topping hits. Walker fell in love with country music at an early age and started to pursue his musical career after high school. He toured across the South, Midwest and Canada while taking courses about the music business and eventually became the house singer at the Neon Armadillo bar in his hometown Beaumont, where he then signed a contract with Giant Records. Walker’s first two singles “What’s It To You” and “Live Until I Die” released in 1993 reached No. 1. By the end of 1998 he had a dozen Top 5 hits and his first four studio albums were certified platinum. Walker’s Greatest Hits and album Live, Laugh, Love were certified gold.
When the concert comes to a close at 9:30 p.m., eyes will turn skyward for an extraordinary fireworks spectacular perfectly set to a selection of America’s favorite tunes, from patriotic songs to rock ‘n’ roll hits to classic bestsellers.
Dick Williams, President of Shell WindEnergy Inc. says, "For more than 80 years, Shell has been a strong supporter of the Houston community and our nation. As a country, we have much to celebrate, and we at Shell are thrilled to participate in the festivities this year."
All the excitement for Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell will begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday July 4. In addition to this year’s entertainment headliner, the festival will also spotlight a top-notch selection of local and regional music. Throughout the day, three stages will keep toes tapping with music ranging from country western and rock 'n' roll to Latin, pop and oldies. Festival-goers will enjoy a variety of activities throughout the site. Liberty Park will showcase displays of military artifacts and vehicles including representation from all five military branches and more. The branches and the Houston Police Department will also offer recruiting opportunities on site. Guests will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the Shell-sponsored NASCAR, Kevin Harvick’s car and the Tire Change Challenge. Children will stay entertained with free rides, games, face painting, jugglers and more in the Fiesta All American Kids Zone. Event patrons visiting the Gexa Energy booths will have the opportunity to take advantage of special offers on 100% wind-powered, 100% pollution-free electricity plans, learn more about renewable energy solutions, and discover actions they can take to pay less for electricity.
Visitors can kick back and relax at the Budweiser Beer Garden, offering a selection of Craft and Import Beers with a prime view of the fourth annual Bud Light Texas Volleyball Championship. The preliminary men’s and women’s semi-pro statewide championship tournaments are being held in Houston, Galveston, San Antonio and Dallas. The winners of each prelim will vie for the “Texas Title” at Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell.
Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell will be simulcast on KTRK-TV (ABC), Ch.13 from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, and will be syndicated statewide on KTRE-TV (ABC) in Lufkin/Nacogdoches, KLTV-TV (ABC) in Tyler/Longview/Jacksonville, KTVT-TV (CBS) in Dallas/Ft. Worth, KJTV-DT2 (FOX) in Lubbock/Albuquerque, NM/Hobbs, NM, and KXTS-TV (MYTV) in Victoria. In addition, Clear Channel radio station, Classic Rock 93.7, The Arrow/KKRW-FM will simulcast the music medley specially choreographed for the fireworks spectacular.
Admission for the event is FREE. And, new this year, Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell is going green, providing recycling receptacles and encouraging all patrons to recycle.
Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell sponsors include: Fireworks sponsor Shell Oil Company; Anchor Sponsors Budweiser/Silver Eagle Distributors, LP, Gexa Energy, and KBR, Inc.; and Clear Channel Radio-Houston (Classic Rock 93.7, The Arrow/KKRW-FM, 94.5 The Buzz/KTBZ-FM, Sunny 99.1/KODA-FM, NewsRadio 740/KTRH-AM, 790 The Sports Animal/KBME-AM, The 9-5-0 Radio Mojo/ KPRC-AM), Doubletree Hotel Houston Downtown, and Fiesta Mart, Inc.
Shell Oil Company, including its consolidated companies and its share in equity companies, is one of America’s leading oil and natural gas producers, natural gas marketers, gasoline marketers and petrochemical manufacturers. Shell, a leading oil and gas producer in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, is a recognized pioneer in oil and gas exploration and production technology. Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of the Shell Group, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies, employing approximately 102,000 people and operating in more than 100 countries and territories. More information about Shell Oil Company can be found at www.shell.com.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M WOMEN’S TRACK LOADS UP WITH THE ADDITION OF 12 STANDOUT ATHLETES
PRAIRIE VIEW, TEXAS (June 23, 2009) Angela Williams, head women’s track coach at Prairie View A&M, is primed to take her Lady Panther track & field squad to new heights over the next four seasons after bringing in a stellar signing class that includes 12 recruits for the 2009-10 campaign.
The class includes:
Margret Harris-Lancaster, Texas (Lancaster)
Terracia Moody-Longview, Texas (Longview)
Tanika Birch-Houston, Texas (Mayde Creek)
Guadalupe Bustamante-Cameron, Texas (Cameron)
Latecia Bustamante-Cameron, Texas (Cameron)
Angel Brooks-El Campo, Texas (El Campo)
Raven Turner-Rockwall, Texas (Rockwall)
Lakeisha Johnson-Odessa, Texas (Permian)
Brandi Wade-El Paso, Texas (Hanks)
Paris Collins-Port Arthur, Texas (Memorial)
Frinthia Clay-Austin, Texas (Reagan)
Genevieve Devany-Houston, Texas (Stratford)
There’s an old saying that there’s ‘nothing like some good old home cooking’. In the case of the incoming class for the Lady Panthers, that’s exactly the case. The state of Texas boasts some of the best high school track talent in the country and Williams took full advantage of that as each recruit hails from the Lone Star state.
The PVAMU women’s track team is coming off a successful season that saw senior Alexis Tanner qualify for the 2009 NCAA Midwest Regional in the triple jump. Signees Tanika Birch and Brandi Wade will look to follow Tanner as the next high profile jumpers in the program. Birch ranked No. 8 in the state in the high jump and also was a regional qualifier in the event. Wade ranks No. 3 in the state in the 300-meter hurdles and was a regional qualifier in the high jump and long jump.
“Wade is a great hurdler and an outstanding overall athlete who has a bright future ahead of her at PV,” stated Williams.
The cross country season is right around the corner and the prospects for an outstanding fall will be better than ever with the additions of the Bustamante (Guadalupe & Latecia) twins, Angel Brooks and Genevieve Devany. Guadalupe was a Class 3A state cross country top performer and regional qualifier in the 800-meter run and 4x400-meter relay while Latecia was a Class 3A state cross country top performer and regional qualifier in the 4x400-meter relay. Angel Brooks is a cross country state qualifier and regional qualifier in the 200, 4x200-meter and 4x400-meter relays while Devany will see dual action in the fall as a member of the cross country and soccer squads.
The PVAMU 4x400-meter relay team also has a promising future with the additions of Margaret Harris, Frinthia Clay and Lakeisha Johnson.
“Harris is an outstanding sprinter and long jumper who should have a memorable career at PV,” noted Williams.
Harris held the No. 4 ranking in the state in the 100-meter dash and ran on the 4x400-meter relay team that placed third at the UIL Class 4A State Championship while Clay was a regional qualifier in the 4x400-meter relay. Johnson’s accolades include participating in the Texas Cross Country state championship, regional qualifier in the 4x400-meter relay and a top 15 ranking in the 800-meter dash.
It gets even better as coach Williams also touts signees the likes of Terracia Moody, Raven Turner and LeAndrea’ Pryor as each posted significant accomplishments in the 200-meter dash. Moody ranked No. 2 in the state in the 200-meter dash and was a regional qualifier in the 200-meter dash and 4x100-meter relay, while Turner was a regional qualifier in the 200-meter dash. Pryor was a regional qualifier in the 4x100-meter relay, 4x200-meter relay and 200-meter dash.
“Moody is an awesome sprinter who should have immediate success,” added Coach Williams.
Paris Collins joins Wade as the only other hurdler in the signing class and was a regional qualifier in the 100-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles.
“This is my largest class since I’ve been here and this class is going to take the program to the next level and I feel confident going into my third season that I’ve finally brought in the recruits that will put this program on the map,” said Williams. “I have some 2012 Olympic prospects in this class and some of these young ladies are highly- touted recruits that chose Prairie View over the likes of Texas, Oklahoma, Houston, USC, LSU and Baylor among others.”
The class includes:
Margret Harris-Lancaster, Texas (Lancaster)
Terracia Moody-Longview, Texas (Longview)
Tanika Birch-Houston, Texas (Mayde Creek)
Guadalupe Bustamante-Cameron, Texas (Cameron)
Latecia Bustamante-Cameron, Texas (Cameron)
Angel Brooks-El Campo, Texas (El Campo)
Raven Turner-Rockwall, Texas (Rockwall)
Lakeisha Johnson-Odessa, Texas (Permian)
Brandi Wade-El Paso, Texas (Hanks)
Paris Collins-Port Arthur, Texas (Memorial)
Frinthia Clay-Austin, Texas (Reagan)
Genevieve Devany-Houston, Texas (Stratford)
There’s an old saying that there’s ‘nothing like some good old home cooking’. In the case of the incoming class for the Lady Panthers, that’s exactly the case. The state of Texas boasts some of the best high school track talent in the country and Williams took full advantage of that as each recruit hails from the Lone Star state.
The PVAMU women’s track team is coming off a successful season that saw senior Alexis Tanner qualify for the 2009 NCAA Midwest Regional in the triple jump. Signees Tanika Birch and Brandi Wade will look to follow Tanner as the next high profile jumpers in the program. Birch ranked No. 8 in the state in the high jump and also was a regional qualifier in the event. Wade ranks No. 3 in the state in the 300-meter hurdles and was a regional qualifier in the high jump and long jump.
“Wade is a great hurdler and an outstanding overall athlete who has a bright future ahead of her at PV,” stated Williams.
The cross country season is right around the corner and the prospects for an outstanding fall will be better than ever with the additions of the Bustamante (Guadalupe & Latecia) twins, Angel Brooks and Genevieve Devany. Guadalupe was a Class 3A state cross country top performer and regional qualifier in the 800-meter run and 4x400-meter relay while Latecia was a Class 3A state cross country top performer and regional qualifier in the 4x400-meter relay. Angel Brooks is a cross country state qualifier and regional qualifier in the 200, 4x200-meter and 4x400-meter relays while Devany will see dual action in the fall as a member of the cross country and soccer squads.
The PVAMU 4x400-meter relay team also has a promising future with the additions of Margaret Harris, Frinthia Clay and Lakeisha Johnson.
“Harris is an outstanding sprinter and long jumper who should have a memorable career at PV,” noted Williams.
Harris held the No. 4 ranking in the state in the 100-meter dash and ran on the 4x400-meter relay team that placed third at the UIL Class 4A State Championship while Clay was a regional qualifier in the 4x400-meter relay. Johnson’s accolades include participating in the Texas Cross Country state championship, regional qualifier in the 4x400-meter relay and a top 15 ranking in the 800-meter dash.
It gets even better as coach Williams also touts signees the likes of Terracia Moody, Raven Turner and LeAndrea’ Pryor as each posted significant accomplishments in the 200-meter dash. Moody ranked No. 2 in the state in the 200-meter dash and was a regional qualifier in the 200-meter dash and 4x100-meter relay, while Turner was a regional qualifier in the 200-meter dash. Pryor was a regional qualifier in the 4x100-meter relay, 4x200-meter relay and 200-meter dash.
“Moody is an awesome sprinter who should have immediate success,” added Coach Williams.
Paris Collins joins Wade as the only other hurdler in the signing class and was a regional qualifier in the 100-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles.
“This is my largest class since I’ve been here and this class is going to take the program to the next level and I feel confident going into my third season that I’ve finally brought in the recruits that will put this program on the map,” said Williams. “I have some 2012 Olympic prospects in this class and some of these young ladies are highly- touted recruits that chose Prairie View over the likes of Texas, Oklahoma, Houston, USC, LSU and Baylor among others.”
Monday, June 22, 2009
Dynamo defender Hainault called to Canadian squad for Gold Cup
HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 22, 2009) Houston Dynamo defender Andrew Hainault was named to Canada’s 23-man roster for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Canadian Soccer Association announced today.
Hainault, 23, joined the Dynamo early this season from Czech club SIAD Most and has been a regular at outside back over the last nine games, including eight starts, alternating between left and right back. He has also contributed two assists.
Hainault will join Canada on Wednesday for a training camp prior to their tournament opener against Jamaica on July 3. Canada will also face El Salvador (July 7) and Costa Rica (July 10). Hainault is expected to miss at least four Dynamo games, including Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Galaxy.
“It’s great to be called up,” Hainault said. “I’ve changed leagues, I’ve changed teams, so you never know what’s going to happen, but it was great to be called up again.”
The Hudson, Québec native has already been capped 14 times for Canada, making his debut in 2006 at age 20. He helped Canada to the semifinals of the 2007 Gold Cup, along with Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad, and scored his first international goal in a 3-1 World Cup Qualifying loss at Honduras on October 11, 2008.
“If we come together and play like we should, we should be a top team in CONCACAF, but sometimes we don’t come out the right way,” Hainault said. “It’s frustrating. We reached the semifinals two years ago, and even though we’ve got a tougher group this time, I don’t see why we can’t get out of it.”
The Dynamo will face the Los Angeles Galaxy on the road Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. CT in a game nationally televised on ESPN2 before traveling to face the Austin Aztex in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, July 1.
Hainault, 23, joined the Dynamo early this season from Czech club SIAD Most and has been a regular at outside back over the last nine games, including eight starts, alternating between left and right back. He has also contributed two assists.
Hainault will join Canada on Wednesday for a training camp prior to their tournament opener against Jamaica on July 3. Canada will also face El Salvador (July 7) and Costa Rica (July 10). Hainault is expected to miss at least four Dynamo games, including Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Galaxy.
“It’s great to be called up,” Hainault said. “I’ve changed leagues, I’ve changed teams, so you never know what’s going to happen, but it was great to be called up again.”
The Hudson, Québec native has already been capped 14 times for Canada, making his debut in 2006 at age 20. He helped Canada to the semifinals of the 2007 Gold Cup, along with Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad, and scored his first international goal in a 3-1 World Cup Qualifying loss at Honduras on October 11, 2008.
“If we come together and play like we should, we should be a top team in CONCACAF, but sometimes we don’t come out the right way,” Hainault said. “It’s frustrating. We reached the semifinals two years ago, and even though we’ve got a tougher group this time, I don’t see why we can’t get out of it.”
The Dynamo will face the Los Angeles Galaxy on the road Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. CT in a game nationally televised on ESPN2 before traveling to face the Austin Aztex in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, July 1.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM OVERCOMES INCREDIBLE ODDS TO ADVANCE TO SEMIFINALS OF 2009 CONFEDERATIONS CUP
RUSTENBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (June 21, 2009) Needing to score at least three goals and on the verge of elimination, the U.S. Men’s National Team overcame incredible odds and advanced to the semifinals of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup this evening with a 3-0 victory against Egypt in their final Group B match at Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, South Africa. Combined with Brazil’s 3-0 victory against Italy, the U.S. moved from last to second place in the group and will face Spain in the semifinals on Wednesday, June 24.
Playing in by far the most difficult group, the U.S. lost their first two games to world champions Italy and Brazil, finishing tied with Italy on points (three) and goal differential (minus two), but advanced to the semifinals by virtue of more goals scored. Along with the goals against Egypt, Landon Donovan’s penalty kick against Italy provided the U.S. with four total goals. Italy only tallied three goals during the tournament, all against the U.S.
Getting his first start since the USA’s 2009 opener on Jan. 24, forward Charlie Davies scored the opening goal of the match with a dogged determination during a scramble in front of the net. With Brazil leading Italy by three goals at halftime, the U.S. was in position to make what seemed improbable at the start of the day a reality. In the second half, the U.S. took full advantage with goals from Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey that put the U.S. into the semifinals.
The U.S. will face Spain at Free State Stadium in Mangaung/Bloemfontein at 2:25 p.m. ET. The match will be live on ESPN and TeleFutura, while fans can also follow along on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker or at twitter.com/ussoccer. Spain, ranked No. 1 in the FIFA World Rankings, won Group A with three victories against New Zealand, Iraq and South Africa. The reigning European champions are currently on a world record-setting run of 15 consecutive victories, while tying the record of most consecutive matches without a defeat (35), originally set by Brazil.
“Without a doubt, we were focused on all three games knowing it was a tough group,” U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley said. “We knew that in the last game that we need to get after it in a way that would give us a chance. We started the game with a lot of energy. Getting the first goal becomes important. At halftime, we felt that if we were smart, and we continued to press in a good way that there would be chances and that we would get two more goals. In that regard, credit to the players for the push they made throughout the game. We’re excited to move on.”
After disappointing results and being forced to a play a man down for long stretches in their first two matches in the tournament, the U.S. came out inspired and played a much more controlled and offensive game against the Egyptians. Bradley called upon goalkeeper Brad Guzan and Davies for the first time in the tournament, while also plugging Ricardo Clark back into his central midfield role with Michael Bradley after serving his one-game suspension for a red card in the opening match.
Davies put the U.S. in the lead in the 21st minute by chasing down a scramble near the left post. The half-chance started with Jonathan Bornstein’s throw-in from the left sideline deep in Egypt’s defensive half which found Altidore near the endline. Altidore did well to hold off his defender, turn and hit a driven cross toward Davies at the six-yard box. Essam El Hadary came off his line to snag it, but lost control after colliding with defender Ahmed Fathi. The ball deflected behind El Hadary toward the left post and as he reached back for the ball, and another collision occurred as Davies and defender Hani Said also tried to win the loose ball. The ball once again squirted free and was going toward the endline a foot wide of the left post, but Davies stayed with it, and with a stunningly quick move, pulled the ball off the endline with his left and then from an improbable angle hit a shot with his right foot that went off El Hadary’s hands and into the net.
After the goal, play was halted for about five minutes as El Hadary was treated right in front of the left post for a cut to the top of his head. The ‘keeper received the injury during the scramble in front of the box when Fathi’s knee struck him in the head.
The U.S. was unfortunate not to score another goal before halftime, but knowing Brazil was taking care of business in Tshwane/Pretoria provided even more incentive for the U.S. to score the required two goals in the second half. The U.S. were denied a goal when a Jozy Altidore shot was saved off the line by the arm of Egyptian defender Hani Said, but no penalty was called. Nonetheless, the U.S. stayed focused and got the needed goals during a nine-minute span.
Bradley got the U.S. one goal closer to the semifinals in the 63rd minute due to a nice combination with Donovan. Clark won a header in the U.S. defensive half, nodding it to Donovan inside the center circle. With one touch, Donovan played it across to Bradley and they both streaked forward towards goal. About 25 yards out Bradley played it back for Donovan who was running alongside his left, putting him into the penalty area. Bradley continued his run into the box and Donovan slipped it across to the penalty spot where Bradley hit his one-timer into the right side of the goal past El Hadary.
Looking for the all-important third goal, Bob Bradley brought in Benny Feilhaber in to replace Altidore in the 69th minute and moved Dempsey up to forward. The U.S. finally broke free two minutes later. Michael Bradley found defender Jonathan Spector who had found space along the right flank. Spector took a settling touch and looked up to see even numbers along Egypt’s backline, with four U.S. players converging towards the penalty area. He whipped in a curling service that found Dempsey, who held off Wael Gomaa and directed a perfectly-placed header just inside the left post.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” said Dempsey. “The odds were against us and the chances of us going through were slim. All we could control was ourselves. Credit to all the guys and the coaching staff. We worked hard this whole tournament so far and believed in ourselves. Now it’s time to refocus and get ready for Spain.”
The three-goal performance marked the second most goals the U.S. has scored in a single FIFA Confederations Cup match since a 5-2 victory against Ivory Coast on Oct. 19, 1992, when the tournament was called the King Fahd Cup.
During the first 15 minutes of the match, Egypt had a handful of dangerous chances, but the U.S. defense did well to keep Egypt off the board and on the other end, didn’t shy away from taking opportunities from outside the box with Dempsey hitting a free kick on target and Clark unleashing two shots that missed the frame.
In the 13th minute, an Egyptian free kick created some hairy moments as the ball deflected off Michael Bradley and fell to Ahmed Eid at the back post. Eid touched it square for Ahmed Abdelghani, but the forward couldn’t get a clean shot off with Jay DeMerit defending, and the ball bounced around the top of the six-yard box before being cleared out of danger.
Less than a minute later, Dempsey collected a poor Egyptian clearance near the edge of the center circle and after patiently dribbling forward he slipped a well-timed ball through for a streaking Bradley into the right side of the penalty area. Bradley hit a hard one-timer towards the far post, but El Hadary came up with an impressive one-handed diving save to keep the game scoreless.
Dempsey once again provided a fantastic service in the 16th minute when he hit a long ball to Donovan who was streaking down the left flank. Donovan chested it down in stride and blew by Said with his next touch to get him into the penalty area with just Hadary to beat. Spotting Altidore charging into the area, he tried to play a square pass across the box but the two failed to connect.
As the half went on, the U.S. started taking control of the game and continued to produce dangerous chances. Donovan was the catalyst for a number of the attacks, including a great dribbling run in the 29th minute. The U.S. captain won the ball near the midfield stripe on the left sideline, pushing the ball around Ahmed Al Muhamadi and streaking towards goal. As he neared the penalty area he feinted to his right, catching Said flat-footed but El Hadary was able to snatch the ball off Donovan’s foot, losing the bandage wrap he received just moments before.
During the next 10 minutes, Egypt created two good chances with strikes from outside the penalty area. In the 31st minute, a good combination by Egypt provided Mohamed Aboutrika with a shot on frame, but Guzan dove to his right to make the save. Eight minutes later, Hosni Abde Rabbou uncorked a 25-yard strike that was just high, skimming the top of the crossbar.
The U.S. came close to taking a two-goal lead into halftime when Bradley started a quick counter by slipping a through ball for Davies right at the start of first-half extra time. With his defenders beat, Davies’ first touch into the box didn’t give him the best angle, but he still struck a hard shot on goal that was saved by El Hadary.
In the second half, the U.S. continued to stymie Egypt’s attack and push forward on offense. In the 51st minute, Egypt defender Said appeared to handle the ball on the goal line, but no penalty was awarded.
The play started when Oguchi Onyewu stole the ball in the U.S. defensive half and started the attack with an uncharacteristic 35-yard dribbling run down the middle of the field. The 6-foot-4-inch centerback found Dempsey to his right and the midfielder touched it into the right side of the penalty area for a streaking Davies. Using his speed to chase the ball down, Davies hit a low one-timer across the goalmouth where Onyewu left it for Altidore, who was unmarked in the middle of the box. Altidore took a settling touch before hitting a strike that El Hadary got a hand on but continued towards goal where it deflected off Said’s right thigh and then his right arm as he stood on the goal line. The ball was eventually cleared out and despite the USA’s objections for a handling call, referee Michael Hester did not give the U.S. a penalty kick.
Bradley had another opportunity five minutes later when a cleared ball fell to him at the top of the box, but his left-footed strike was saved well by a sprawling El Hadary.
Egypt almost spoiled the USA’s unbelievable comeback in the 90th minute with a fantastic opportunity on net. Pushing up the left flank, Wahid received the ball and curled in an early ball to the back post. Gomaa situated himself perfectly behind Onyewu and in front of Bornstein, but his driven header went just over the bar.
This was the first time the U.S. had ever defeated Egypt, falling 3-1 to the African champions in their only other meeting in Seoul, South Korea, on June 8, 1987.
With his start today, Donovan passed Claudio Reyna and moved into fourth all-time on the U.S. cap list with 113 appearances. Cobi Jones tops the list with 164 caps.
In group A action on Saturday, Spain won their third straight match with a 2-0 victory against South Africa. Despite the loss, the hosts advanced to the semifinals along with Spain as Iraq and New Zealand played to a scoreless draw. South Africa will face Brazil on Thursday, June 25 in the other semifinal live on ESPN and TeleFutura.
Playing in by far the most difficult group, the U.S. lost their first two games to world champions Italy and Brazil, finishing tied with Italy on points (three) and goal differential (minus two), but advanced to the semifinals by virtue of more goals scored. Along with the goals against Egypt, Landon Donovan’s penalty kick against Italy provided the U.S. with four total goals. Italy only tallied three goals during the tournament, all against the U.S.
Getting his first start since the USA’s 2009 opener on Jan. 24, forward Charlie Davies scored the opening goal of the match with a dogged determination during a scramble in front of the net. With Brazil leading Italy by three goals at halftime, the U.S. was in position to make what seemed improbable at the start of the day a reality. In the second half, the U.S. took full advantage with goals from Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey that put the U.S. into the semifinals.
The U.S. will face Spain at Free State Stadium in Mangaung/Bloemfontein at 2:25 p.m. ET. The match will be live on ESPN and TeleFutura, while fans can also follow along on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker or at twitter.com/ussoccer. Spain, ranked No. 1 in the FIFA World Rankings, won Group A with three victories against New Zealand, Iraq and South Africa. The reigning European champions are currently on a world record-setting run of 15 consecutive victories, while tying the record of most consecutive matches without a defeat (35), originally set by Brazil.
“Without a doubt, we were focused on all three games knowing it was a tough group,” U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley said. “We knew that in the last game that we need to get after it in a way that would give us a chance. We started the game with a lot of energy. Getting the first goal becomes important. At halftime, we felt that if we were smart, and we continued to press in a good way that there would be chances and that we would get two more goals. In that regard, credit to the players for the push they made throughout the game. We’re excited to move on.”
After disappointing results and being forced to a play a man down for long stretches in their first two matches in the tournament, the U.S. came out inspired and played a much more controlled and offensive game against the Egyptians. Bradley called upon goalkeeper Brad Guzan and Davies for the first time in the tournament, while also plugging Ricardo Clark back into his central midfield role with Michael Bradley after serving his one-game suspension for a red card in the opening match.
Davies put the U.S. in the lead in the 21st minute by chasing down a scramble near the left post. The half-chance started with Jonathan Bornstein’s throw-in from the left sideline deep in Egypt’s defensive half which found Altidore near the endline. Altidore did well to hold off his defender, turn and hit a driven cross toward Davies at the six-yard box. Essam El Hadary came off his line to snag it, but lost control after colliding with defender Ahmed Fathi. The ball deflected behind El Hadary toward the left post and as he reached back for the ball, and another collision occurred as Davies and defender Hani Said also tried to win the loose ball. The ball once again squirted free and was going toward the endline a foot wide of the left post, but Davies stayed with it, and with a stunningly quick move, pulled the ball off the endline with his left and then from an improbable angle hit a shot with his right foot that went off El Hadary’s hands and into the net.
After the goal, play was halted for about five minutes as El Hadary was treated right in front of the left post for a cut to the top of his head. The ‘keeper received the injury during the scramble in front of the box when Fathi’s knee struck him in the head.
The U.S. was unfortunate not to score another goal before halftime, but knowing Brazil was taking care of business in Tshwane/Pretoria provided even more incentive for the U.S. to score the required two goals in the second half. The U.S. were denied a goal when a Jozy Altidore shot was saved off the line by the arm of Egyptian defender Hani Said, but no penalty was called. Nonetheless, the U.S. stayed focused and got the needed goals during a nine-minute span.
Bradley got the U.S. one goal closer to the semifinals in the 63rd minute due to a nice combination with Donovan. Clark won a header in the U.S. defensive half, nodding it to Donovan inside the center circle. With one touch, Donovan played it across to Bradley and they both streaked forward towards goal. About 25 yards out Bradley played it back for Donovan who was running alongside his left, putting him into the penalty area. Bradley continued his run into the box and Donovan slipped it across to the penalty spot where Bradley hit his one-timer into the right side of the goal past El Hadary.
Looking for the all-important third goal, Bob Bradley brought in Benny Feilhaber in to replace Altidore in the 69th minute and moved Dempsey up to forward. The U.S. finally broke free two minutes later. Michael Bradley found defender Jonathan Spector who had found space along the right flank. Spector took a settling touch and looked up to see even numbers along Egypt’s backline, with four U.S. players converging towards the penalty area. He whipped in a curling service that found Dempsey, who held off Wael Gomaa and directed a perfectly-placed header just inside the left post.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” said Dempsey. “The odds were against us and the chances of us going through were slim. All we could control was ourselves. Credit to all the guys and the coaching staff. We worked hard this whole tournament so far and believed in ourselves. Now it’s time to refocus and get ready for Spain.”
The three-goal performance marked the second most goals the U.S. has scored in a single FIFA Confederations Cup match since a 5-2 victory against Ivory Coast on Oct. 19, 1992, when the tournament was called the King Fahd Cup.
During the first 15 minutes of the match, Egypt had a handful of dangerous chances, but the U.S. defense did well to keep Egypt off the board and on the other end, didn’t shy away from taking opportunities from outside the box with Dempsey hitting a free kick on target and Clark unleashing two shots that missed the frame.
In the 13th minute, an Egyptian free kick created some hairy moments as the ball deflected off Michael Bradley and fell to Ahmed Eid at the back post. Eid touched it square for Ahmed Abdelghani, but the forward couldn’t get a clean shot off with Jay DeMerit defending, and the ball bounced around the top of the six-yard box before being cleared out of danger.
Less than a minute later, Dempsey collected a poor Egyptian clearance near the edge of the center circle and after patiently dribbling forward he slipped a well-timed ball through for a streaking Bradley into the right side of the penalty area. Bradley hit a hard one-timer towards the far post, but El Hadary came up with an impressive one-handed diving save to keep the game scoreless.
Dempsey once again provided a fantastic service in the 16th minute when he hit a long ball to Donovan who was streaking down the left flank. Donovan chested it down in stride and blew by Said with his next touch to get him into the penalty area with just Hadary to beat. Spotting Altidore charging into the area, he tried to play a square pass across the box but the two failed to connect.
As the half went on, the U.S. started taking control of the game and continued to produce dangerous chances. Donovan was the catalyst for a number of the attacks, including a great dribbling run in the 29th minute. The U.S. captain won the ball near the midfield stripe on the left sideline, pushing the ball around Ahmed Al Muhamadi and streaking towards goal. As he neared the penalty area he feinted to his right, catching Said flat-footed but El Hadary was able to snatch the ball off Donovan’s foot, losing the bandage wrap he received just moments before.
During the next 10 minutes, Egypt created two good chances with strikes from outside the penalty area. In the 31st minute, a good combination by Egypt provided Mohamed Aboutrika with a shot on frame, but Guzan dove to his right to make the save. Eight minutes later, Hosni Abde Rabbou uncorked a 25-yard strike that was just high, skimming the top of the crossbar.
The U.S. came close to taking a two-goal lead into halftime when Bradley started a quick counter by slipping a through ball for Davies right at the start of first-half extra time. With his defenders beat, Davies’ first touch into the box didn’t give him the best angle, but he still struck a hard shot on goal that was saved by El Hadary.
In the second half, the U.S. continued to stymie Egypt’s attack and push forward on offense. In the 51st minute, Egypt defender Said appeared to handle the ball on the goal line, but no penalty was awarded.
The play started when Oguchi Onyewu stole the ball in the U.S. defensive half and started the attack with an uncharacteristic 35-yard dribbling run down the middle of the field. The 6-foot-4-inch centerback found Dempsey to his right and the midfielder touched it into the right side of the penalty area for a streaking Davies. Using his speed to chase the ball down, Davies hit a low one-timer across the goalmouth where Onyewu left it for Altidore, who was unmarked in the middle of the box. Altidore took a settling touch before hitting a strike that El Hadary got a hand on but continued towards goal where it deflected off Said’s right thigh and then his right arm as he stood on the goal line. The ball was eventually cleared out and despite the USA’s objections for a handling call, referee Michael Hester did not give the U.S. a penalty kick.
Bradley had another opportunity five minutes later when a cleared ball fell to him at the top of the box, but his left-footed strike was saved well by a sprawling El Hadary.
Egypt almost spoiled the USA’s unbelievable comeback in the 90th minute with a fantastic opportunity on net. Pushing up the left flank, Wahid received the ball and curled in an early ball to the back post. Gomaa situated himself perfectly behind Onyewu and in front of Bornstein, but his driven header went just over the bar.
This was the first time the U.S. had ever defeated Egypt, falling 3-1 to the African champions in their only other meeting in Seoul, South Korea, on June 8, 1987.
With his start today, Donovan passed Claudio Reyna and moved into fourth all-time on the U.S. cap list with 113 appearances. Cobi Jones tops the list with 164 caps.
In group A action on Saturday, Spain won their third straight match with a 2-0 victory against South Africa. Despite the loss, the hosts advanced to the semifinals along with Spain as Iraq and New Zealand played to a scoreless draw. South Africa will face Brazil on Thursday, June 25 in the other semifinal live on ESPN and TeleFutura.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
OLYMPIC RINGS TO BE DISPLAYED OUTSIDE INTERNATIONAL TRAINING AND RESEARCH CENTER
ARLINGTON, TEXAS (June 16, 2009) The U.S. Olympic Committee has given the United States Bowling Congress and the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America permission to display the Olympic rings on the outside of the International Training and Research Center, which is currently under construction at the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, Texas.
"It is an honor for USBC to be a part of representing the Olympic efforts of the
United States," USBC Vice President-National Governing Body Neil Stremmel said.
"The USOC understands the significance of this training center and the fact that
we will be utilizing new technologies in the training arena as well as designing
bowling specific exercise regimes that will impact the future of our sport."
The USOC decision gives the International Training and Research Center - a joint
venture between the USBC and BPAA - the distinction of being the lone testing
and athlete-development facility in the sport of bowling to feature the Olympic
rings.
"This further validates the vision of bringing together the efficiencies of BPAA
and the USBC under one roof to promote the sport," BPAA President Jim Sturm
said. "With bowling's history and worldwide appeal, hanging the Olympic rings in
Arlington can only enhance the bowling industry and its partners within the
international community."
The new training facility in Arlington adds to the city's already-impressive
collection of elite sporting venues, which include the Rangers Ballpark in
Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers, and Cowboys Stadium, the new $1.15 billion
home of the Dallas Cowboys.
"The City of Arlington is extremely proud to welcome the U.S. Bowling Congress
and the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America to our community," Arlington
Mayor Robert Cluck said. "Both organizations are very important additions to our
sports-oriented community."
Upon completion, which is forecast for fall 2009, the International Training and
Research Center will include 14 lanes for training and six for research and
testing of bowling equipment. Four lanes will be specially designed and equipped
for broadcast television finals. High-tech tools in the test center's research
area will include a robotic ball thrower, C.A.T.S. (computer-aided tracking
system) and state-of-the-art biomechanics technology that includes grip
pressure, foot pressure and motion capture, which uses a sensor array and
computer system to precisely track a bowler's bodily movements.
Plans call for USBC coaches to use the test center lanes to coach Team USA,
Junior Team USA, national teams from World Tenpin Bowling Association countries
as well as other coaches who want to train in the facility. In addition, the
center will host International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association and
BPAA seminars and be available for a fee to bowlers who want to take high-tech
coaching lessons.
"It is an honor for USBC to be a part of representing the Olympic efforts of the
United States," USBC Vice President-National Governing Body Neil Stremmel said.
"The USOC understands the significance of this training center and the fact that
we will be utilizing new technologies in the training arena as well as designing
bowling specific exercise regimes that will impact the future of our sport."
The USOC decision gives the International Training and Research Center - a joint
venture between the USBC and BPAA - the distinction of being the lone testing
and athlete-development facility in the sport of bowling to feature the Olympic
rings.
"This further validates the vision of bringing together the efficiencies of BPAA
and the USBC under one roof to promote the sport," BPAA President Jim Sturm
said. "With bowling's history and worldwide appeal, hanging the Olympic rings in
Arlington can only enhance the bowling industry and its partners within the
international community."
The new training facility in Arlington adds to the city's already-impressive
collection of elite sporting venues, which include the Rangers Ballpark in
Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers, and Cowboys Stadium, the new $1.15 billion
home of the Dallas Cowboys.
"The City of Arlington is extremely proud to welcome the U.S. Bowling Congress
and the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America to our community," Arlington
Mayor Robert Cluck said. "Both organizations are very important additions to our
sports-oriented community."
Upon completion, which is forecast for fall 2009, the International Training and
Research Center will include 14 lanes for training and six for research and
testing of bowling equipment. Four lanes will be specially designed and equipped
for broadcast television finals. High-tech tools in the test center's research
area will include a robotic ball thrower, C.A.T.S. (computer-aided tracking
system) and state-of-the-art biomechanics technology that includes grip
pressure, foot pressure and motion capture, which uses a sensor array and
computer system to precisely track a bowler's bodily movements.
Plans call for USBC coaches to use the test center lanes to coach Team USA,
Junior Team USA, national teams from World Tenpin Bowling Association countries
as well as other coaches who want to train in the facility. In addition, the
center will host International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association and
BPAA seminars and be available for a fee to bowlers who want to take high-tech
coaching lessons.
Monday, June 15, 2009
DeScenza Wins 08-09 USA Swimming Grand Prix
By Robert H. KellyCopyright 2009 TexSport Publications
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA (June 15, 2009) Mary DeScenza, representing the Athens Bulldog Swim Club, won the 2008-2009 USA Swimming Grand Prix at the Santa Clara International Invitational.
After winning her final event of the meet, the 200-meter butterfly, she received the $20,000 award, which is bestowed on the overall champion as determined by points from the result of the six Grand Prix Series meets.
DeScenza competed in all six meets (Minneapolis, Long Beach, Columbia, Missouri, Austin, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Santa Clara) winning a total of 20 gold medals, nine silver, and two bronze medals for a total of 129 points.
Narrowly missing a spot on the 2008 Olympic team in the 200-meter backstroke and 200-meter butterfly, DeScenza established a new American record in the 200-meter butterfly at the 2008 Short Course World Championships.
She will be an odd-on favorite for a sport on the 2012 Olympic team.
This is the second year that prize money has been offered to the winner of the Grand Prix Series. Last year, Michael Phelps took home the prize and DeScenza was the runner-up.
Swimmers earned points for each medal earned at a Grand Prix meet. Gold medals are worth five points, silver medals are worth three points, and bronze medals are worth one point.
The standings combine men and women competitors to determine the final champion.
Mark Schubert, USA Swimming’s National Team Head Coach and General Manager Mark Schubert, was quoted after DeScenza received the award, “We are happy to have had another successful Grand Prix Series this year. Mary did a fabulous job and proved that she’s a strong competitor in multiple events.”
DeScenza was ecstatic after her win.
“Winning the Grand Prix Series is one of my top accomplishments. I’d like to thank my family, friends, coaches, and sponsors. I planned to go to most of the Grand Prix meets this year, but it wasn’t until after the first few stops that I realized I had the opportunity to win.”
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