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11/22/2017 2:25:00 PM | General
Thankful for You
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the support you give week in, and week out to our programs. You play a huge role in what makes being part of the Crimson Tide so special, and for that, we are extremely grateful. I hope each and every one of you has a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Talk with Dr. G. Christine Taylor
Nearly 40 of us from the athletics department, including student-athletes and staff, came together Monday night for an open discussion on topics and ideas surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion. We were fortunate to be led by Dr. G. Christine Taylor, the University's Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, who did a masterful job engaging with the group and sharing ways we can make a difference. We are so fortunate to have her in Tuscaloosa and thank her for spending the evening with us to not only educate, but also to listen.
Cross Country Finishes 14th at NCAA Championships
Congratulations to our men's cross country team for an outstanding season, which culminated in a 14th-place finish at the NCAA championships last weekend. We had three student-athletes finish in the top 40, led by junior Gilbert Kigen, who placed fourth overall. Kigen, along with fellow juniors Vincent Kiprop and Alfred Chelanga also took home All-America honors to cap off the weekend.
Volleyball Regular-Season Finale
Our volleyball team wraps up its regular season on Saturday when it hosts Texas A&M, so if you're in town, come on by to cheer on the Tide. The match is scheduled for a 12 p.m. start at Foster Auditorium.
Men's and Women's Basketball Off to Strong Starts
For the first time since 2012, our men's and women's basketball teams are both off to 4-0 starts. In addition, Coach Avery Johnson's club is ranked in the top 25 of the AP poll, and our women's team, under the direction of Kristy Curry, is receiving votes in the poll. The men will be back in action at home next Wednesday when they host Louisiana Tech at 7 p.m., and the women return home on Dec. 10, following their four-game road swing, to host Grambling State at 2 p.m. See you there!
Rowing Christens Boats in Honor of Robert E. Witt and Bill Battle
Our rowing team christened two of its boats in honor of Dr. Witt and Coach Battle last Thursday with an official dedication ceremony at the UA Boathouse. Both boats have already won gold medals, so they're off to a great start! If you missed it, check out this video with highlights from the event.
Keep an Eye out for Free Tickets
On occasion, I will post ticket giveaways on my Twitter account, so be sure to follow me at @Greg_Byrne if you're interested. You could be the next lucky winner!
(We) Beat Auburn Beat Hunger
A record-high 260,453 pounds of food was collected in this year's Beat Auburn Beat Hunger food drive, benefitting the West Alabama Food Bank. Alabama's total was nearly 30,000 pounds higher than Auburn and over 100,000 pounds more than was collected in Tuscaloosa a year ago. Congratulations on a job well done!
SEC Career Tour
Two members of our Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (@UA_SAAC) will be taking part in the Southeastern Conference's Career Tour in Atlanta, Ga., the same weekend as the SEC Football Championship Game. Swimmer Knox Auerbach and soccer player Emma Welch were selected to take part in the tour, now in its second year. Knox and Emma are both part of The University of Alabama's Accelerated Master's Program, through which they are pursuing bachelor's and master's degrees simultaneously. The SEC Career Tour compliments several aspects of our Student-Athlete Enhancement initiative – including both our D.R.I.V.E. For Success (@TideDRIVE) and Life Skills (@BamaLifeSkills) programs – while working to help SAAC members prepare for the next steps in their lives.
Crimson Tide Foundation Thank-A-Thon
Last week, 118 student-athletes made approximately 1,200 phone calls to express their gratitude to Crimson Tide Foundation supporters. As we near Thanksgiving, it was important for our student-athletes to take time out of their busy schedules to reach out to some of the donors who have made their experiences here at Alabama possible. This is the third annual Thank-a-Thon where our student-athletes have made phone calls to show their appreciation to our donors and this is by far the largest level of participation by our student-athletes. I would like to join our students in sharing my thanks to this important group of Crimson Tide supporters. Thank you for your generosity, loyalty and support of Alabama Athletics through your gifts, regardless of size. We are exceedingly grateful for the generous support of each and every Crimson Tide Foundation donor as you have not only helped shape Alabama Athletics, but are vital to the future health of our program.
University Spotlight
The University of Alabama has so many degree options for people of all walks of life to choose from, including New College's LifeTrack program. This program offers an interdisciplinary bachelor's degree for adults who need the flexibility to complete course work on their own time. LifeTrack, which started back in 1973, has had nearly 3,000 graduates, including Joe Namath and Sgt. Shaun Castle, who you can read about in this article.
#RollTideFriday
In this week's #RollTideFriday feature, we've got Nick Ethridge from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, seen here with his pal Big Foot, along with a great group shot of the Crews family outside of Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Crews family outside of Bryant-Denny Stadium
Nick Ethridge from Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Remember to use the hashtag #RollTideFriday in your social posts and tweet your photos to me at @Greg_Byrne. We will select two photos to feature in each blog and add even more to our #RollTideFriday Fan Hub.
Upcoming Schedule of Events
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