NEWS - Texas Southern University

Tiger Tidbitsfrom the Department of AthleticsThe Maroon & Gray Club hosted a poolsidemeet & greet for new head football coach SteveWilson and his staff; Maroon & Gray PresidentCharles O’Saw and fellow Tiger alums rolledout the red carpet for them. Familiar faces inthe crowd included TSU Associate Provost andcoach Robert Moreland; Ocean of Soul directorRichard Lee; TSU Athletics academic advisorRenea Steward; National Alumni PresidentChris LeBlanc; assistant athletic director RickHolden; Rosalind Thomas, assistant to theathletic director; and head athletic trainer JohnHarvey. TSU audio technician Lonzo Gileswas also in attendance, as well as bowlinghead coach Robert Powell, and NFL momsMary Taylor and Cleotha Aldridge, mothers toPhiladelphia Eagle Bobby Taylor and retiredHouston Texan Allen Aldridge, respectively.Athletic director Alois Blackwell introducedhead coach Steve Wilson and encouraged guestsand alumni to come out to the Spring Game andsee the new Tiger football team in action.The Maroon & Gray Spring Game, sponsoredby Bayway Lincoln-Mercury, was an enjoyableocassion. The game featured an end-zonepicnic, an automotive showcase and a footballtoss, the winner of which received 300 gallonsof free gasoline courtesy of Fred Hoyer and theBayway Lincoln-Mercury. Ralph Cooper andWoody Campbell of KCOH Radio 1430 providedcommentary on the team’s new pro styleoffense and defense; the Ocean of Soul’s drumline provided entertainment for the Tiger fans inattendance.Congratulations to head baseball coach CandyRobinson, assistant coach Brian White and theentire baseball team for clinching its first-everSouthwestern Conference title in May 2004, ina decisive 18-1 win over the Mississippi ValleyState Devils. Sophomore pitcher Jesus Guerrapitched nine innings, giving up only nine hitsfor one run and striking out six of 33 Devilsat bat. Candy Robinson was named Coach ofthe Year and Mario DeLeon was named MostValuable Player. The upset earned the Tigers aberth in the NCAA regional playoffs, held June4 and 5. The Tigers faced the 2003 defendingNCAA champs, the Rice Owls, beating them4-3 in the opener at Reckling Park. Despite astrong first day showing, the Tigers were bestedin the round robin tournament.Coach Candy Robinson and images of the Tigers’ 4-3 victory.TSU President Priscilla Slade hosted the AnnualAthletic Luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel inHouston. Congratulations go out to AnasthasiaJones, who, with a 3.90 GPA, was the winnerof the Spirit of Excellence Presidential Award.Julio Alvarez (3.69 GPA) and Orlena Evans(3.41 GPA) were recipients of the Above &Beyond the Rest Award.Scenes from the Annual Athletic LuncheonThe 2004 Texas Southern cheerleading squadbrought home first place honors from the 2004Southwestern Athletic Conference CheerleadingCompetition, held in Birmingham, Ala. March10-13. The tournamentwin, in the collegecoed category, grantedthe squad an automaticberth to the HBCUNational Cheerleading Championships inNashville, Tenn., March 20. In Tenn., the TigerCheerleaders placed second overall, narrowlyedged out by Langston University.34 Summer 2004 • GENERATIONS OF PRIDE