Tommy Bell Newsletter — November Edition
11/29/2016 | 9:57:00 | General
Monthly Newsletter - November, 2016 Edition
Greetings, Saluki Nation!
Today is Giving Tuesday, and Athletics is participating in this philanthropic endeavor for the first time. Saluki Athletic Scholarship Fund members are asked to consider increasing their gift by 10 percent, and non-members are encouraged to join. Read all the details here.
We're in the process of mailing the updated SASF brochure to all of our current members. Along with the brochure, you'll receive a year-end statement that includes your giving level for this year. If you would like to make your 2017 gift, and count it on your 2016 taxes, it must be post-marked December 31 or before to receive credit. If you are not a member of the SASF, I strongly encourage you to join. Here is a link to our brochure. The money you contribute to the fund goes directly to offsetting the costs of scholarships for our student-athletes. There is no better way to say "Thank You" to a Saluki student-athlete than to help pay for their scholarship! Speaking on their behalf, we are incredibly grateful for the generosity of our donors.
We recently announced our 2017 Saluki Hall of Fame class, and I'd like to congratulate our six, new inductees Gwen Berry (Track & Field), Hubie Dunn (Gymnastics), Jason Frasor (Baseball), Alexis Moreland (Football), Bianca Stuart (Track & Field) and Ray Tabacchi (Baseball), who will formally enter the Hall on January 27, 2017. This is the highest honor the Athletic Department can bestow, and one my favorite jobs of being the AD is making that phone call to inform an inductee of their inclusion in the Hall of Fame. This marks the 39th year of the Saluki Hall of Fame, as we continue to recognize greatness among our many successful alums. We'll introduce our Hall of Fame inductees at halftime of the men's basketball game versus Missouri State on Jan. 28.
Speaking of Hall of Fames, I just learned that SIU's Carl Mauck will be enshrined in the 2017 St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame. The McLeansboro native is already a Saluki Hall of Famer, of course, and is one of the most distinguished football players (and coaches) in school history. No one has more passion for Saluki Football than Coach Mauck! Congratulations on this great honor.
The NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee has produced an officiating video they asked us to share with our fans. The goal is to help fans understand the emphasis on enforcing rules to reduce physicality in the game, particularly in the areas of post play and rebounding. It's about 20 minutes long and worth a look if you have some time.
Troy wrote in to Ask the AD with a question about the ticket-buying experience on game day at SIU Arena last season. He pointed out how long the lines were at times, and how many mouse clicks it took to make a simple purchase. Believe me, we were well aware of the problem, and I'm happy to announce we've switched to a new ticketing software system this year. It is one of the top systems in the country for college athletics and we are excited to make the switch. We have also started opening all available sales windows at the ticket office, except for one that is not functional. When we expect larger crowds, we do create a cash-only line, as well as pre-print some tickets to sell quickly at the windows.
Another question came in regarding trouble parking in the tailgate lot for football games, because some patrons take up multiple spaces to tailgate. We recognize that there are issues in Lots U/C and are taking steps to fix the problem next season. Our policy, as stated on the back of the parking pass, is that the pass entitles the bearer to one space. We are working with staff to enforce these rules. We do tend to let this slide on days where the lots are not close to full. We did struggle to enforce this rule on Homecoming. We should have directed folks to park on the edge of the lot and use the grassy area for their tailgate. For high-interest games, these spots fill up quickly.
A final question came in about why we have seven basketball games on Wednesday night this season, which is church night for many of our area churches. Good question. We are cognizant of the fact that many of our fans worship on Wednesday evenings. Unfortunately, game dates are mostly beyond our control. For ease of scheduling, the Missouri Valley Conference is typically a Wednesday-Saturday league. There are exceptions, of course, but most likely you will see a slate of games every Wednesday during January and February. We have a bit more control over non-conference games in November and December, but sometimes the only date that will work with an opponent falls on a Wednesday.
On behalf of Saluki Athletics, I hope everyone enjoyed a Happy Thanksgiving and I look forward to seeing you at the games!
With Saluki Pride,
