The Battle Plan presented by Mercedes-Benz
8/27/2016 2:57:00 PM | General
I am privileged to start my fourth academic year serving as your Director of Athletics. I love to see and feel the energy of our coaches and players as they come in and out of our weight room (which needs a name for any of you interested in making a contribution!), Coleman Coliseum, Mal Moore Athletic Facility, and Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Action starts early every morning and continues until late in the evening. I can't see the activity that goes on every day in our Academic Center, and our Career Leadership and Development Center from my office, but I go there enough to see there is productive work going on there as well.
As we start a new school year, it really begins with a clean slate. What we did last year, good or bad, doesn't count much. We must be focused on what we are doing now to ensure that when this school year is done next June, we will all be proud of the progress we have made toward carrying out our Mission: To recruit and develop student-athletes to compete at the highest levels in intercollegiate athletics, to educate and prepare our student-athletes to compete at the highest levels in life after graduation, and to accomplish both with honor and integrity.
I have met with most of our coaches and am excited and optimistic about the coming year. Football, cross country, swimming & diving, volleyball, and soccer are our fall sports and they are preparing, and beginning their respective seasons. They are all in synch with our Mission and our quest to compete for championships and to build champions for life.
I cannot stress enough the difference that your support makes for our program. Your presence at our athletic events, following our team on radio, television, and social media, coupled with your generosity of time, money, and passion is what makes Alabama Athletics nationally preeminent. We are all teammates in this effort, and it is a competition that is never-ending. I know I speak for all of our students, coaches and staff in thanking you for that support. This dynamic period of achievement in Athletics has mirrored that of our University as a whole. It is indeed an exciting time to be a part of the Crimson Tide Nation!
We are excited about playing another game in AT&T Stadium against the Southern Cal Trojans. These two teams represent the finest in college football tradition. Playing on the largest stage in the opening week of college football is both an honor and a privilege in which our players, coaches and staff all take great pride. It will be a difficult challenge to play this talented team, but our players have prepared well and our coaches are the best in the business. We look forward to seeing you in Arlington!
Reminder: NFL Bag Policy in Effect for USC Game
As in years past for our trips to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, a National Football League (NFL) venue, requires that all fans entering the facility abide by the NFL's bag policy. Please be aware that prohibited bags include, but are not limited to, the following: all purses, bags or containers larger than a small clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, luggage of any kind, computer bags, camera bags, binocular cases (binoculars may be worn around the neck), diaper bags and seat cushions. Stadium approved bags/purses must be clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and cannot exceed 12 inches x 6 inches x 12 inches in size. Small, one-compartment clutch bags that do not exceed 8 1/2" by 5 1/2" with or without a handle or strap are also permitted. All bags are subject to inspection upon entry and are subject to additional inspections within the stadium. Exceptions will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection within the stadium. Please learn more.
New Bag Policy for Bryant-Denny Stadium
Earlier this summer, we announced the implementation this fall of a new clear bag policy for our football games at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The University has modified its security policy by limiting the size and style of bags allowed into the stadium, all done in the interest of improved safety for everyone entering the facility.
Just as a reminder, here's the message from our press release: Prohibited bags include, but are not limited to, the following: all purses, bags or containers larger than a small clutch purse (4 1/2" x 6 1/2"), coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, luggage of any kind, computer bags, camera bags, binocular cases (binoculars may be worn around the neck), diaper bags and seat cushions with pockets zippers or compartments.
To be approved for entry into the stadium, bags or purses must be clear plastic, vinyl or PVC, and cannot exceed 12 inches x 6 inches x 12 inches in size. Small, one-compartment, clutch purses that do not exceed 4 1/2 inches by 6 1/2 inches (with or without a handle or strap) also will be permitted. All bags will be subject to inspection at the gate and may be subject to additional inspection inside the stadium.
An exception will be made for medical necessary items after proper inspection at specified stadium gates. All ticketed guests (except North/South Zone, North/South Field Suite, & students) needing medical bag exceptions must enter through Gate 8 or Gate 44. If you have a medical bag exception and have a North Zone/North Field Suite ticket, you must enter at Gate 3. If you have a medical bag exception and have a South Zone/South Field Suite, or student ticket, you must enter at Gate 27.
Fulfilling the Mission
350 Tide Scholar-Athletes Recognized on SEC Academic Honor Roll
Each year, the Southeastern Conference honors student-athletes for their prowess in the classroom through their Academic Honor Roll program. As in years past, we had a strong showing in this honor during the 2015-16 academic year, earning 350 accolades with 82, 59 and 126 student-athletes named to the SEC Fall, Winter and Spring Academic Honor Rolls, respectively, and 83 named to the First-Year Academic Honor Roll. Not only is this year's tally impressive in its own right, it marked a jump of 50 honorees from last year.
24 Grads in August Raises 2015-16 Total over 125
In early August, 24 of our student-athletes earned diplomas giving the Crimson Tide more than 125 graduates during the 2015-16 academic year. A total of five earned Master's degrees this summer, including All-Americans Lauren Beers (gymnastics) and Nia Barnes (track and field), as well as Jake Hubbard (baseball), Nura Hussein (rowing) and Kryssi Daniels (volleyball). Steven Gayle (track and field) also earned All-America honors during his Alabama career. In addition, Lauren, Nia and Sydney Littlejohn all earned Academic All-America honors during their Alabama careers, while fellow summer graduate Katelyn Greenleaf (track and field) was named Academic All-District. Graduation is the bedrock of our mission and we are extremely proud of all our student-athletes who leave the Capstone with a diploma (or two) in hand.
Crimson Tide Foundation Update
You Can Directly Affect Our Success
With students starting the fall semester, we welcome our student-athletes back to campus and our athletics facilities. Excitement is building for the new competitive year ahead. Watching our teams practice, train and begin their fall semester of studies, reminds me of the many ways that donors to the Crimson Tide Foundation have come together to enable our young people to reach their potential as student-athletes. Financial support from our donors is vital to our program. That generosity sets Alabama Athletics apart from so many other programs. It gives us the resources to build and maintain our facilities, keep all of our programs nationally competitive, provide the best equipment – and employ the finest coaches and staff. If you want to get directly involved in helping our young people succeed, I encourage you to become active with the Crimson Tide Foundation.
Tide Totals Priority Points
Gifts to the Crimson Tide Foundation support scholarships, facilities, athletics programs, equipment and other priority areas of need. Donors who contribute to the Foundation receive 3 Tide Totals Priority Points for every $100 they contribute. The Ticket Office will recalculate points on September 1 and use those new totals for post-season ticket priority. If you are interested in increasing your points, a gift to the Crimson Tide Scholarship Fund will do just that while providing needed annual scholarship support.
Anyone on our development team would be happy to describe the areas of support and ways you can help Alabama Athletics stay at the top. Please visit www.crimsontidefoundation.org to learn about the Crimson Tide Foundation, its mission and ways you can help keep the Tide rising! or call 205-348-9727.
Sports Updates
Baseball
Our new head coach, Greg Goff, has been making an impressive impact on the recruiting trail in his first summer on the job. This summer, 10 of the Tide's 11 first-year players (either freshmen or junior college transfers) achieved grade-point averages (GPA) of 3.5 or better while six of our players finished with a 4.0 GPA in their first semester at UA. Coach Goff had his first official team meeting this past Sunday evening to formally start his first season with the players. Last Saturday night, Greg visited the Montgomery Biscuits to throw out the opening pitch, then on Monday he was an honored guest of the Birmingham Barons and threw out the first pitch there. So, he's definitely getting to know our fan base and the state while promoting the program.
Men's Basketball
Our head coach Avery Johnson, a native of New Orleans, has jumped in to actively help his Southern Louisiana hometown that has been devastated by the recent flooding. A 1988 graduate of Southern University, Avery rented and filled a semi-truck full of supplies, including water, soap, towels, clothes and more, to help the victims of the floods. The truck departed Tuscaloosa at 1 a.m. Thursday and arrived in Baton Rouge Thursday afternoon. Reports are that as many as 400 flood victims evacuated from their homes sought shelter on Avery Johnson Court at the F.G. Clark Activity Center at Southern University, which is currently serving as an official shelter run by the American Red Cross. Johnson is asking for people in Tuscaloosa and the state of Alabama to please support and donate to the Southern University Flood Relief Fund or through the American Red Cross. In other news, two former Alabama standouts, Retin Obasohan and Levi Randolph, will be teammates once again. Both recently signed professional contracts to play for S.S. Felice Scandone in Italy's Serie A (first division). Retin and Levi both departed for Italy last week, both arrived at the Capstone in the fall of 2011 and both have left a lasting impact on our program.
Women's Basketball
We are excited about the return of our program to Coleman Coliseum for the 2016-17 season. Our women's basketball team split time between Foster Auditorium and Coleman Coliseum from 1974-81 before taking up full-time residence in the coliseum from 1981-2011. The Crimson Tide reopened Foster in February 2011. Since then, our women's basketball team played all but four of its home games at Foster. Season ticket sales have increased more than 50 percent since Kristy Curry took over as head coach in 2013. Each season a new single-game attendance record has been set, the most recent coming on Jan. 17, 2016, when 3,732 were on hand for our win over Georgia. That figure ranks 13th among all Alabama women's basketball attendance figures, which includes games at Coleman Coliseum. Alabama's average attendance has continued to grow and is up an average of 1,506 per game since Kristy's arrival (1,145 in 2012-13; 1,992 in 2013-14; 2,550 in 2014-15; 2,651 in 2015-16).
Men's Golf
Rising sophomore Davis Riley carded a course record 7-under par 63 during Tuesday's second round of stroke play at the 116th U.S. Amateur Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club's North course. That vaulted Davis to a fourth-place finish in stroke play with a 36-hole total of 4-under par 136 and advanced him to the match-play round of 64, which began Wednesday. His 63 tied the competitive record on the North Course and tied for the third-lowest stroke-play round in U.S. Amateur history. It also matched PGA professional and recent Olympic bronze medalist Matt Kuchar, which he set during the 2007 Open Championship qualifying round. Head Coach Jay Seawell was by Davis' side, serving as his caddy throughout the championships. Davis has been playing well during the last month, reaching the semifinals of match play at the 2016 Western Amateur championship earlier this month.
Women's Golf
Three members of head coach Mic Potter's team competed in the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship in Pennsylvania earlier this month and I'm pleased to report they all reached the match play round of the tournament. Sophomore Cheyenne Knight and incoming freshman Kristen Gillman reached the Round of 32, while Lauren Stephenson (joining us this year after attending Clemson as a freshman) advanced to the Round of 64. Actually, Kristen is a former U.S. Amateur champion. She won the event in 2014 – as a 16-year-old! Earlier this month, one of our women's golf alums, Stephanie Meadow, was down in Rio competing in the first women's golf tournament in Olympic history.
Gymnastics
In late June, the National Association of College Gymnastics Coaches announced that Alabama gymnastics earned the highest team grade point average among all SEC gymnastics teams and was fifth among all NCAA Division I gymnastics programs. The Tide was the only team to advance to April's NCAA Super Six Team Final and rank among the top 40 academically after posting a 3.64 team grade point average (GPA) on the way to its 23rd top-three national finish. The 2016 season marked the 11th consecutive year that our gymnasts have posted a team GPA of 3.4 or better. Head coach Dana Duckworth's team also tied the program record, originally set in 2011, with 14 gymnasts earning Scholastic All-American this year.
Rowing
Following the 2015-16 season, the College Rowing Coaches Association announced its Scholar-Athlete list with head coach Larry Davis' team placing a program-best 17 student-athletes, exceeding the previous school record of 12 set last season. Alabama's 17 representatives was the second-highest total for any Division-I program, trailing only Ohio State's 23. To qualify for the list, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.5 cumulative career GPA and compete in a minimum of 75 percent of the team's spring races or in the school's regional conference event.
Soccer
Coach Wes Hart's team has opened the 2016 season with three home victories, taking wins over Sam Houston State (5-0 last Friday night), Murray State (4-2 last Sunday evening) and Campbell (4-0 last night). Last weekend marked the first time since the 2012 season the Tide has recorded victories in each of its first two matches to begin a season. Alabama has scored 13 goals in its first three contests. Alabama's nine goals in the first two games is the most goals to begin a campaign since scoring 11 goals to start the 2004 season. Alabama leads the SEC in six major categories: shots (62), goals (9), assists (8), points (26), goals per game (4.50) and assists per game (4.0). Senior Celia Jimenez Delgado and sophomore Emma Welch were selected as players to watch in this year's SEC coaches' preseason list, the SEC Office announced recently. Celia, a native of Spain, led the team in points (10), goals (4), game-winning goals (2), shots (55) and shots on goal (18) last season. Emma enters her sophomore season after a successful rookie year when she led the Tide in assists (4) and tied for fourth with shots (24), scoring a game-winning goal with a pair of assists in a 3-2 double-overtime victory against LSU. She made the 2015 SEC All-Freshman team, the first Tide freshman to earn that honor since 2012. Next, Alabama hits the road for games at Chattanooga on Sunday at Noon, at South Florida on Thursday, Sept. 1, at 6 p.m. CT in Tampa before taking on Florida Gulf Coast in Fort Meyers on Sunday, Sept. 4, at 12 p.m. CT.
Softball
Rhoads Stadium, the national leader in softball attendance over the last nine years, played host to the 2016 National Pro Fastpitch Championship last weekend. The event featured the top post- collegiate softball players in the country. Many names familiar to softball fans throughout the years competed, but the return to Rhoads Stadium was particularly special for four Alabama alums: Kelly Kretschman (1998-2002), Kelley Montalvo (2006-09), Jaclyn Traina (2011-14) and Haylie McCleney (2013-16). Honors continued for Haylie following her final season with the Crimson Tide. While competing at the Women's College World Series in June, Haylie won the Senior CLASS Award, given each year to the senior student-athlete that best exemplifies the four areas of excellence in the community, classroom, character and competition. Following a successful summer competing with Team USA, she was also selected as the SEC's nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
Swimming and Diving
Our swimmers and divers had a very busy summer. There were seven past and present Alabama student-athletes competing this month in the Rio Olympics. Three-time NCAA champion Kristian Gkolomeev, representing Greece in his second Olympics, earned a spot in the semifinals of the 50-meter freestyle, taking 13th overall. Christopher Reid, who begins his junior year at Alabama this week, also earned a semifinal finish, taking 10th in the 100-meter backstroke for his native South Africa. In the 200-meter breaststroke, upcoming senior Anton McKee, competing at his second Olympics for Iceland, finished 18th overall. Kristel Vourna, a 2015 senior swimming in her second Olympics for Greece, earned another top-25 finish in the 100-meter butterfly. Also swimming in Rio were 2016 senior Abbas Qali (Kuwait), rising senior Jack Hadjiconstantinou (Cyprus) and 2013 senior BJ Hornikel (Germany). Earlier in the summer, junior Mia Nonnenberg led the Tide at the 2016 USA Olympic Swimming Trials with a 13th place finish in the 400-meter individual medley. She was one 18 swimmers with Crimson Tide ties at the USA Trials, the most at that pivotal in quite a while. Mia also earned a bronze medal at the recent U.S. Open in the 400-meter individual medley. Former UA All-American Aaron Fleshner earned pair of top-10 finishes at his third USA Olympic Diving Trials. Also this summer, our long-time diving coach Pat Greenwell retired after 29 years at the Capstone. During his Alabama tenure his divers earned two individual NCAA championships, 69 All-America honors and 21 individual SEC titles. Pat, who started with us in the fall of 1987, was named SEC Diving Coach of the Year six times and coached our divers to eight SEC Diver of the Year honors. In late July, swimming and diving head coach Dennis Pursley named Chuck Wade as our new diving coach. Please join me in welcoming Chuck, an 11-year member of the United States National Team and multiple U.S. national champion, to our outstanding coaching staff.
Track and Field
Several current and former track athletes competed in the Summer Olympics recently. Leading off, Kirani James of Grenada captured a silver medal in the men's 400 meters. Kirani, as you'll recall, won the Olympic gold medal in the event in 2012. Fellow alumni Alex Amankwah and Ahmed Ali ran in the 800 meters and 200 meters earlier. Alex represented Ghana while Ahmed represented Sudan. Current Tide junior Jereem Richards ran for Trinidad and Tobago in the 4x400-meter relay. Alabama alum Akeem Haynes earned a bronze medal as part of Canada's 4x100-meter relay team. Akeem was an All-American on our track team in 2013 and 2014 and was a member of our school record-setting 4x100-meter relay squad while he was here. Congratulations to both Kirani and Akeem!
Volleyball
Head Coach Ed Allen's team is opening its season this weekend in Tulsa, Okla., at the Hurricane Invitational, facing South Dakota, Tulsa and Incarnate Word. Eight returning letter winners from last season will join eight newcomers on the roster. Action began Friday morning with a hard-fought four set win over South Dakota, rallying from a late deficit in the fourth set to win, 3-1. Redshirt senior Krystal Rivers led with 24 kills, hitting .333 with nine digs and a pair of block assists. Junior Leah Lawrence hit .500 with a career-high 15 kills on 24 swings while redshirt freshman Shannon Mikesky notched a double-double in her collegiate debut, finishing the match with 47 assists and 14 digs. Junior Abolanle Onipede and freshman Hayley McSparin also made their Alabama debuts, combining for eight kills. The Tide continued action at the Hurricane Classic last night, facing tournament host Tulsa and losing a close one, 3-2. The Tide makes its home debut at Foster Auditorium next week, hosting Samford on Tuesday, August 30, at 7 p.m. CT. Senior captain and three-time All-Region honoree Krystal Rivers was named to the Preseason All-SEC Team for the third consecutive season. Last year, Krystal led the Tide with 410 kills and a .300 hitting percentage while her 4.06 kills-per-set ranked second in the SEC. Alabama earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2015-16 season, recognizing teams that displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team GPA (on a 4.0 scale). It marked the second consecutive season in which Alabama won the award and the Tide was one of four SEC teams on the 2015-16 list, joined by Missouri, South Carolina and Kentucky.
Upcoming Action
Here's a summary of athletic events over the next several days (times listed are for the location of the event: CT is Central Time. ET in Eastern Time):
Saturday, August 27
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 a.m. CT | Volleyball | vs. Incarnate Word | Tulsa, Okla. |
Sunday, August 28
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 p.m. CT | Soccer | at Chattanooga | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
Tuesday, August 30
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 p.m. CT | Volleyball | vs. Samford | Foster Auditorium |
Thursday, September 1
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 p.m. CT | Soccer | at South Florida | Tampa, Fla. |
Friday, September 2
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4:30 p.m. CT | Volleyball | vs. Florida State | Puerto Rico |
Saturday, September 3
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 p.m. CT | Volleyball | vs. Temple | Puerto Rico |
| 7 p.m. CT | Football | vs. Southern California | Arlington, Texas |
| 9:20 p.m. CT | Men's & Women's Cross Country | at Brooks Twilight Classic | Memphis, Tenn. |
Sunday, September 4
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 p.m. CT | Soccer | at Florida Gulf Coast | Fort Myers, Fla. |
Friday, September 9
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 a.m. CT | Volleyball | vs. Northwestern State | Foster Auditorium |
| 4 p.m. CT | Swimming & Diving | vs. Delta State | Alabama Aquatic Center |
| 4:45 p.m. CT | Men's & Women's Cross Country | at Chattanooga Powerade Invitational | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 6 p.m. CT | Soccer | at Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. |
| 7 p.m. CT | Volleyball | vs. Southern Mississippi | Foster Auditorium |
Where to See, Listen and Follow Alabama Sports
Here's how to follow Crimson Tide teams via TV, radio, rolltide.com, Twitter and Facebook:
Soccer
Gametracker: Friday – www.rolltide.com | Sunday – www.GoMocs.com
Watch: Friday – SEC Network + | Sunday - N/A
Radio: Friday – N/A | Sunday – N/A
Twitter: @AlabamaSoccer
Volleyball
Gametracker: www.rolltide.com
Twitter: @AlabamaVBall
Catch Alabama Athletics on the SEC Network
Here's a summary of our athletic events to be televised over the next week on The SEC Network and its platforms. Read this schedule closely as some events can be seen via SEC Network +, which is available online via ESPN3 here. If you can't make it to our games in person, catch us on radio or TV. (All times listed are Central Time)
Saturday, August 27
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 4 p.m. | REPLAY: 2016 Golden Flake Alabama Spring Football Game | SEC Network |
Sunday, August 28
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 1 a.m. | REPLAY: 2015 Football – SEC Championship Game vs. Florida | SEC Network |
| 4 a.m. | REPLAY: 2015 Football – College Football Playoff Semifinal vs. Michigan State | SEC Network |
| 1:30 p.m. | Alabama Football Preview | SEC Network |
Monday, August 29
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 12 a.m. | REPLAY: 1989 Football vs. Auburn | SEC Network |
| 2 a.m. | SEC Storied: In Search of Derrick Thomas | SEC Network |
| 8 p.m. | Alabama Football Preview | SEC Network |
Tuesday, August 30
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 2 a.m. | REPLAY: 1985 Football vs. Auburn | SEC Network |
| 7 p.m. | Volleyball vs. Samford | SEC Network + |
Thursday, September 1
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 12 a.m. | REPLAY: 2010 Football at South Carolina | SEC Network |
Sunday, September 4
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 8 p.m. | REPLAY: 2015 Football vs. USC | SEC Network |
Our teams need your support, so please plan to attend to do your part! A rising tide lifts all boats and it's up to all of us to Keep the Tide Rising!
Roll Tide!
