TexasTerror
July 1st, 2006, 08:57 AM
Articles from around the SLC about the entrance of A&M-Corpus Christi and the University of Central Arkansas into the SLC. Welcome to these two schools as they join a conference that top to bottom is an exciting conference, not just in football, but across the board from basketball to softball to baseball. We're looking forward to competing against you folks!
Isles will make quiet entrance into Southland
By Lee Goddard Caller-Times
July 1, 2006
There will be no parties or celebrations - the celebrating already has been done - as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi formally joins the Southland Conference today, ending seven seasons as an independent.
The Islanders will enter the conference in a low-key manner for two reasons - there is no athletic director in place, and the school already has been treated like a conference member.
A&M-Corpus Christi has had voting privileges and representation at conference meetings since the September announcement that it would enter the conference. The Islanders even landed the rights to host the 2007 conference cross country championships - the first time they will host a conference championship - at the Southland spring meetings.
http://www.caller.com/ccct/islanders/article/0,1641,CCCT_820_4816303,00.html
------------------
SLC strangers
By Jeff Matthews
[email protected]
The Islanders have finally found a home outside their island.
Texas A&M Corpus Christi has come a long way since the school started its athletic programs nine years ago, winning games, championships and respect. The one achievement that consistently eluded the Islanders was finding a conference to welcome them.
The wait ended today, when TAMUCC and Central Arkansas officially became members of the Southland Conference.
"When I took this job I truly felt we would be in a conference within three years," said Ronnie Arrow, who has coached the Islanders' men's basketball team since the program's first season of 1998-99. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would take this long. But we're in now and that's what matters."
http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060701/SPORTS/607010339/1006
------------
sles' short list for AD gets shorter
North Texas' Dickenson no longer pursuing job
By Lee Goddard Caller-Times
July 1, 2006
The list for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's new athletic director just got trimmed as candidate Hank Dickenson withdrew from contention Friday morning.
Dickenson cited a few reasons in deciding to remain as a senior associate athletic director at North Texas, including support from his colleagues in Denton and the time it has taken for A&M-Corpus Christi to make a final decision.
"I think it was a culmination of factors," Dickenson said. "The bottom line is I've been here a long time, and there have been a lot of people lobbying to keep me here. I'm in a good situation here with great people."
http://www.caller.com/ccct/islanders/article/0,1641,CCCT_820_4816305,00.html
-----------------
Official Release from A&M-CC:
http://www.goislanders.com/press_release.cfm?pass_num=1530
----------------
Letter to Log Cabin Democrat from SLC Commish
Letters: Welcome extended to UCA
Tom Burnett,
Frisco, Texas
On behalf of the member institutions of the Southland Conference, and with great anticipation and enthusiasm, I extend a warm welcome to the University of Central Arkansas as the institution officially joins our successful and tradition-rich athletic organization this week.
As the Southland began its exploration into membership expansion almost two years ago, our institutional presidents were only interested in identifying prospective members that met the highest standards of athletic and academic achievement.
From the beginning, it was evident that under the dynamic, visionary leadership of President Lu Hardin and the extraordinary work of other administrators, UCA was poised for greatness, whether it was in the classroom or on the athletic fields. The Southland was drawn to UCA due to its commitment to athletics success at the Division I level, its continued academic accomplishments, its fan and community support, and strong media coverage.
For over four decades, the Southland Conference has represented these same ideals, and through strong presidential direction and a unified commitment to success, the league has maintained itself as a viable and competitive entity through the years. The addition of UCA strengthens the Southland in every way possible, and we look forward to assisting the university through the challenge of gaining full Division I status in the near future.
We are very excited to work with President Hardin, as well as athletic director John Thompson, the administrators, coaches, student-athletes and the entire UCA community. The city of Conway has been overwhelmingly gracious as we have visited in recent months, and we look forward to returning to the area frequently.
Also coming to Conway on a regular basis will be competitive groups of Cowboys, Demons, Bobcats, Lumberjacks, Roadrunners, Mavericks, Colonels, Lions, Cardinals, Bearkats and Islanders. We can assure you that UCA s new competitors will develop quickly into intense rivals, and will also help the Bears and Sugar Bears develop their Division I credentials in the coming years.
Again, we are thrilled to welcome UCA to the Southland Conference! Thank you.
(EDITOR's NOTE: Tom Burnett is a commissioner for the Southland Conference)
http://www.thecabin.net/stories/070106/opi_0701060024.shtml
Isles will make quiet entrance into Southland
By Lee Goddard Caller-Times
July 1, 2006
There will be no parties or celebrations - the celebrating already has been done - as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi formally joins the Southland Conference today, ending seven seasons as an independent.
The Islanders will enter the conference in a low-key manner for two reasons - there is no athletic director in place, and the school already has been treated like a conference member.
A&M-Corpus Christi has had voting privileges and representation at conference meetings since the September announcement that it would enter the conference. The Islanders even landed the rights to host the 2007 conference cross country championships - the first time they will host a conference championship - at the Southland spring meetings.
http://www.caller.com/ccct/islanders/article/0,1641,CCCT_820_4816303,00.html
------------------
SLC strangers
By Jeff Matthews
[email protected]
The Islanders have finally found a home outside their island.
Texas A&M Corpus Christi has come a long way since the school started its athletic programs nine years ago, winning games, championships and respect. The one achievement that consistently eluded the Islanders was finding a conference to welcome them.
The wait ended today, when TAMUCC and Central Arkansas officially became members of the Southland Conference.
"When I took this job I truly felt we would be in a conference within three years," said Ronnie Arrow, who has coached the Islanders' men's basketball team since the program's first season of 1998-99. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would take this long. But we're in now and that's what matters."
http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060701/SPORTS/607010339/1006
------------
sles' short list for AD gets shorter
North Texas' Dickenson no longer pursuing job
By Lee Goddard Caller-Times
July 1, 2006
The list for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's new athletic director just got trimmed as candidate Hank Dickenson withdrew from contention Friday morning.
Dickenson cited a few reasons in deciding to remain as a senior associate athletic director at North Texas, including support from his colleagues in Denton and the time it has taken for A&M-Corpus Christi to make a final decision.
"I think it was a culmination of factors," Dickenson said. "The bottom line is I've been here a long time, and there have been a lot of people lobbying to keep me here. I'm in a good situation here with great people."
http://www.caller.com/ccct/islanders/article/0,1641,CCCT_820_4816305,00.html
-----------------
Official Release from A&M-CC:
http://www.goislanders.com/press_release.cfm?pass_num=1530
----------------
Letter to Log Cabin Democrat from SLC Commish
Letters: Welcome extended to UCA
Tom Burnett,
Frisco, Texas
On behalf of the member institutions of the Southland Conference, and with great anticipation and enthusiasm, I extend a warm welcome to the University of Central Arkansas as the institution officially joins our successful and tradition-rich athletic organization this week.
As the Southland began its exploration into membership expansion almost two years ago, our institutional presidents were only interested in identifying prospective members that met the highest standards of athletic and academic achievement.
From the beginning, it was evident that under the dynamic, visionary leadership of President Lu Hardin and the extraordinary work of other administrators, UCA was poised for greatness, whether it was in the classroom or on the athletic fields. The Southland was drawn to UCA due to its commitment to athletics success at the Division I level, its continued academic accomplishments, its fan and community support, and strong media coverage.
For over four decades, the Southland Conference has represented these same ideals, and through strong presidential direction and a unified commitment to success, the league has maintained itself as a viable and competitive entity through the years. The addition of UCA strengthens the Southland in every way possible, and we look forward to assisting the university through the challenge of gaining full Division I status in the near future.
We are very excited to work with President Hardin, as well as athletic director John Thompson, the administrators, coaches, student-athletes and the entire UCA community. The city of Conway has been overwhelmingly gracious as we have visited in recent months, and we look forward to returning to the area frequently.
Also coming to Conway on a regular basis will be competitive groups of Cowboys, Demons, Bobcats, Lumberjacks, Roadrunners, Mavericks, Colonels, Lions, Cardinals, Bearkats and Islanders. We can assure you that UCA s new competitors will develop quickly into intense rivals, and will also help the Bears and Sugar Bears develop their Division I credentials in the coming years.
Again, we are thrilled to welcome UCA to the Southland Conference! Thank you.
(EDITOR's NOTE: Tom Burnett is a commissioner for the Southland Conference)
http://www.thecabin.net/stories/070106/opi_0701060024.shtml