Howdy!
As my time as Interim Athletics Director comes to an end, I would like to thank President Young for this incredible honor. Special thanks to the coaches, staff and student-athletes for an amazing three months. This is an exciting time for Texas A&M Athletics. Attending a multitude of events and seeing our student-athletes graduate are two of my favorite highlights.
As we begin this new chapter of Texas A&M Athletics, I am pleased to welcome Ross Bjork as new Athletic Director. Ross has done a great job at Ole Miss. He understands the Southeastern Conference and knows what it takes to lead a premier athletics department like Texas A&M to a higher level of performance, both in competition and in the classroom.
Ross Bjork begins as Athletics Director July 8th.
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Ross Bjork Welcome Event
Last week, we welcomed Ross and his family to Aggieland with an event in the Ford Hall of Champions, which you can see here. The ceremony was attended by hundreds including coaches, student-athletes, university officials, business leaders and members of the Bryan-College Station community.
Ross was inspiring as he spoke of attitude and effort forming the foundation for what he hopes to accomplish at Texas A&M, which is to be number one academically and athletically. He was emphatic that all athletics staff members can be academic advisors, taking time to ask student-athletes how class is going, and emphasizing it is the job of all staff to act as compliance officers. We are all ambassadors of the brand, all having the ability to sell at ticket to an athletic event.
Following the Welcome Event, Ross met with members of the media. You can watch the press conference here.
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SEC Meetings
During the last week of May, Gary Blair, Jimbo Fisher, Buzz Williams, athletic department leadership staff and I attended the SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Fla. It is always great to see our colleagues from other member institutions. We were able to discuss multiple topics and pass regulations that will benefit Texas A&M and the Southeastern Conference as a whole.
Most notably, the SEC passed a proposal expanding the availability of alcohol at various venues including Kyle Field. While league-wide restrictions will apply, details on A&M's decision will soon be available through 12thMan.com and other media outlets.
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Amazing Academic Achievements
One of our primary objectives as an Athletics Department is to graduate student-athletes. I am so incredibly honored to announce that our student-athletes posted a 3.016 GPA during the spring semester, the highest ever.
Eleven of our teams including baseball, men's basketball, equestrian, men's golf, women's golf, soccer, men's and women's swimming and diving, women's tennis, women's track and field and volleyball earned a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Women's golf led all of our women's teams with a 3.439 GPA, and men's basketball recorded a 3.166, the highest among our men's sports. Sixty-one student-athletes earned 4.0 GPAs as twenty-seven were named to the Dean's Honor Roll. Eleven were named Distinguished Students. All three are record highs.
These accomplishments are proof of all the hard work that our student-athletes and academic support staff put in daily, and I couldn't be more proud of them.
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SEC All-Sports Trophy
A testament to the strengths of all of our programs, Texas A&M was named the overall winner of the GateHouse Media SEC All-Sports Trophy. The Aggies finished first in the men's sports, and third in women's sports, edging out Florida. The Gators had won the last twelve.
Points are awarded based on the number of competing teams in a sport. A program's point total is divided by the total number of teams competing in various sports fielded by the school. That formula determines overall team rank.
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MLB Draft
Four members of the Aggie Baseball team were selected in last week's Major League Baseball Draft. Braden Shewmake was selected with the 21st overall pick to the Atlanta Braves, becoming the first Aggie to be drafted in the first round since 2012.
John Doxakis, who was recently named an All-American by Baseball America, was drafted in the second round by the Tampa Bay Rays, Kasey Kalich was selected by the Braves in the fourth round and Mason Cole was picked by the Texas Rangers in the 27th round.
These young men represented Texas A&M in the true spirit of Aggieland, and I look forward to seeing how their careers unfold whether they decide to pursue professional baseball or choose to come back to College Station.
Congratulations to all four on this wonderful accomplishment!
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Selfless Service in the Dominican Republic
On May 11-18, thirty-seven of our student-athletes, led by Mikado Hinson and Tanna Burge, traveled to Santiago, Dominican Republic on a mission trip with the group Aggies in Haiti. Six different sports (women's basketball, equestrian, football, soccer, track and field and volleyball) were represented on the trip as student-athletes directed a sports clinic for young people. After the camps, our athletes had an opportunity to speak with the group about character and making wise choices. In addition, some gave personal testimonies about their faith.
The group visited ten different families in the community of Sosua in which the student-athletes engaged in conversation with the families and left a voucher at each home for them to go to the local church to redeem for a ten-pound bag of rice and a quart of cooking oil.
Lastly, they partnered with the International Justice Mission and assisted them in building a home that will house women who are rescued from the streets and from human trafficking. In what was described as a humbling, emotional, and an intense few hours, everyone on the trip wrote scriptures and words of encouragement on the walls of the safe house before it was painted.
Aggies for Haiti is an incredible organization that allows us to carry out one of our core values: Selfless Service. Thank you to Mikado, Tanna and all of our student-athletes who participated in this life-changing program!
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Diversity & Inclusion
On June 24th, we will launch Connecting Conversations, a place where Texas A&M Athletics Department staff members can come together to receive and provide support regarding inclusivity, diversity and difference in an accepting atmosphere.
We live in a complex and constantly evolving world that is filled with many triumphs, challenges and obstacles. One of the many ways we can navigate changes and cope with challenges is through providing and receiving support to and from others.
Our CARE (Culture, Awareness, Respect, Equity) Committee has done a marvelous job in promoting a positive environment and this is another example. Director of Counseling & Sport Psychology Services, Dr. Ryan Pittsinger, will facilitate all of our Connecting Conversations. I hope all our staff members will utilize this important program.
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Making a Difference
In a recent article in the Bryan-College Station Eagle, Texas A&M veteran student Aaron Smith was awarded a shopping spree at Academy Sports and Outdoors. Aaron's daughter, Emma, is a 12-year old ball girl for the women's basketball team and spoke highly of the relationship that she has with Coach Gary Blair and the team.
During the shopping spree, Emma received a new pair of basketball shoes and said that our women's basketball team has inspired her to play basketball. Emma currently plays for the Aggieland Homeschool Panthers.
What a perfect example and a great reminder of the impact our student-athletes and staff on this wonderful community. I look forward to seeing Emma at our home games this upcoming season!
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12th Man Foundation Update
Yesterday, season ticket renewals through the 12th Man Foundation became available for men's basketball, women's basketball, soccer and volleyball.
Season tickets begin as low as $50 for volleyball, $60 for soccer and $100 for men's and women's basketball. Annual per seat contributions are required for some seating areas.
Season ticket holders can renew their seats by logging into their account at 12thManFoundation.com and competing the renewal application. For assistance, or to speak with a representative about all of their ticketing options, fans are encouraged to call 979-846-8892.
Additionally, season ticket options consisting of unsold 2018-19 inventory are currently available for supporters wishing to purchase new basketball, soccer or volleyball season tickets in person, on the phone or at 12thMan.com/Tickets.
With the 2019 football campaign right around the corner, a wide variety of Aggie Football season ticket options are currently available through the 12th Man Foundation. Flex packs go on sale next week and single game tickets will be available for purchase in July. 12th Man Foundation donors will have the ability to purchase flex packs and single game tickets before they are made available to the general public.
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More Good Bull
While at the SEC Summer Meetings, track and field's Nathan Hite was presented with the McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of the Year, which comes with a $20,000 postgraduate scholarship ... Women's swimming and diving's Lisa Bratton, who is majoring in ocean engineering, was Texas A&M's female nominee ($10,000 postgraduate scholarship) ... Men's swimming and diving's Jake Gibbons spoke at the SEC Spring Meetings as the Chair of the SEC's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee ... At the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, our men's and women's 4x400 relays and long jumper Deborah Acquah broke school records. The last time Texas A&M swept the men's and women's NCAA Outdoor 4x400 relay titles was in 2011 when the Aggies claimed both team championships for the third consecutive year ... Congrats to Texas A&M legends Kelly Krauskopf, Shane Lechler and Jackie Sherrill as they were named to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame ballot for the Class of 2020 ... 12th Man Productions was nominated for three awards at the SVG College Sports Media Awards, including two for Outstanding Live Game Production and Outstanding Program Series ... Texas A&M Former Students Denne Freeman, a longtime Texas sports editor for the Associated Press and Charean Williams, a recipient of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Dick McCann Award, were selected to join the Texas Sports Hall of Fame ... Texas A&M was one of three schools named a finalist for the NACDA CDW-G Technology Innovation Award for our work on www.12thManLive.com during the football season. The award will be presented in the fall at an on-campus event hosted by the winning institution ... I look forward to seeing our donors at the annual 12th Man Foundation Summer Meeting at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa June 20-23 ... I was honored to be invited to President Young's Spring Retreat where I was able to connect with various leaders throughout campus.
Thanks and Gig 'Em!
R.C.
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