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5/9/2019 8:25:00 AM | General
SEC Champions!
Our softball team won its sixth Southeastern Conference Regular Season Championship last weekend during the series at LSU, which ended in a sweep! Great way to close out and head into postseason play. Congratulations to all of our student-athletes, coaches and staff on an excellent season thus far. I know we all look forward to cheering you on to some more wins!
Softball Wins Several SEC Postseason Awards
Following last weekend's final regular season series, several members of our softball squad were recognized with individual postseason awards from the SEC. Sarah Cornell garnered league Pitcher of the Year honors and Montana Fouts the Freshman of the Year award, while head coach Patrick Murphy was named Coach of the Year. In addition, Cornell, Fouts, Bailey Hemphill, Maddie Morgan and Elissa Brown were each named all-conference performers. Well-done and well-deserved!
Graduation Weekend
We had 80 student-athletes earn degrees last weekend, including 15 that earned master's degrees. It is a moment of great pride when a member of the Crimson Tide earns their diploma and the culmination of years of dedication and determination for everyone involved. What is also really special is when we see former student-athletes like Marlon Humphrey and Josh Rutledge return to earn their degrees years after leaving early to pursue professional careers in sport.
For many, this milestone would not have been possible without scholarship support. The University of Alabama Department of Athletics and our student-athletes are grateful for every supporter who contributes to our endowed or annual scholarship funds. We hope you will take pride in knowing that your gifts to the Crimson Tide Foundation are helping deserving student-athletes realize their dreams of competing for the Crimson Tide and earning a degree from The University of Alabama. On behalf of our graduates, thank you for your loyalty and generosity!
Remember, your contribution to the Crimson Tide Scholarship Fund (CTSF) provides annual scholarship support for Alabama's student-athletes. If you haven't supported the CTSF this year, you can make your gift at http://crimsontidefoundation.org/Donate.aspx.
University Spotlight
While we're on the subject of commencement, it would be remiss of me not to mention the honorary doctoral degree awarded to Autherine Lucy Foster on Friday evening. Mrs. Foster was the first African American to enroll and attend the University and was instrumental in desegregating UA. In addition to being listed as a UA Legend, she is also a UA Student Life Fall of Famer, and has two endowed scholarships and two landmarks on campus bearing her name. A well-deserved honor for Mrs. Foster!
Final Home Games on Deck for Baseball
Our baseball team will play its final four home games of the season over the next few days, welcoming Texas A&M in for a weekend series before closing out with Samford on Tuesday. Friday's game against the Aggies begins at 6 p.m., while Saturday's and Sunday's first pitches are scheduled for 2 p.m. Our seniors will be recognized on Saturday, and Sunday's game will feature a Mother's Day mug giveaway. Tuesday's contest versus the Bulldogs is slated for a 6 p.m. start.
Welcome Head Swimming and Diving Coach Coley Stickels
Please join us in welcoming Coley Stickels as our new head swimming and diving coach. Coach Stickels comes to Alabama after two very successful years at Indiana, where he was the associate head sprint coach. He steps in for Dennis Pursley who retired following a season that saw our men earn their fourth national top-10 finish in the past five years and sixth straight in the top-15. We are thrilled to welcome Coley, his wife Lindsay, and their son, Cal, to Tuscaloosa, and we look forward to continued growth and success for our swimming and diving programs under his watch.
Postseason Play Underway for Several Sports
Several of our spring sports are in the midst of postseason play. Here is a look at what is happening around the region:
- Women's golf wrapped up NCAA Regional play on Wednesday, posting its best team total of the season. Sophomore Angelica Moresco qualified as one of 12 individuals to compete at next week's championships, which will be played at Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Ark.
- Track and field begins competition at the SEC Outdoor Championships Thursday in Fayetteville, Ark. at John McDonnell Field. Both the men's and women's teams head into the postseason ranked in the top 10.
- Softball plays its first game of the SEC Tournament on Thursday at 8 p.m. in College Station, Texas. As the top seed, the Tide faces the winner of the No. 9 Arkansas vs. No. 8 Georgia game.
- Men's golf will compete in NCAA Regionals May 13-15 in Athens, Ga. It is the team's 15th consecutive NCAA appearance under head coach Jay Seawell and its 23rd overall.
- Rowing heads to Oak Ridge, Tenn. for the Big 12 Conference Championships, which will take place May 18-19.
- Men's and women's tennis will send representatives to the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships in Orlando, Fla., May 20-25. Mazen Osama and Patrick Kaukovalta will represent the men with Osama in singles and the two together in doubles, while Andie Daniell will participate in the women's singles draw.
Alabama and Auburn Team up for Day of Service in Lee County
Members of the Alabama and Auburn Athletics Departments came together on April 27 to help out the people of Lee County, who were affected by the tornado that hit the area in March. Nearly 120 wall frames were put together by volunteers, which were then used to build three houses in Beauregard. The day also happened to fall on the eighth anniversary of the tornado that devastated Tuscaloosa. A big thanks to all of the student-athletes, coaches and staff that came out to lend a hand for those in need.
Latest NCAA Academic Progress Rate Numbers Released
The NCAA released its Academic Progress Rate (APR) numbers this week, and we continue to score well in this important metric. We had five teams – men's basketball, gymnastics, softball, women's golf and volleyball – that earned public recognition from the NCAA for their APR scores figuring in the top-10 percentile nationally among teams in those sports, and 12 that earned a 990 or better out of a 1,000. These numbers are indicators of the importance that we place on The University of Alabama's overarching mission to provide a first-rate education that serves as a strong foundation for the future.
Emerging Tide Leaders Academy
Our Emerging Tide Leaders Academy wrapped up its year recently with an interesting and enlightening end-of-the-semester seminar on bolstering a leader's toolbox that was led by our volleyball coach Lindsey Devine. Part of our Student-Athlete Enhancement program, the Emerging Tide Leaders Academy is designed to cultivate and strengthen crucial leadership skills in select student-athlete, giving them the chance to utilize and share those skills with their respective teams as well as carry them forward into their future endeavors. It is just another way that we try and help our student-athletes get the most out of their time at Alabama.
#RollTideFriday
We've headed over the Atlantic with this week's #RollTideFriday selections. First stop is London with Jimmy Buford and family. And secondly, we have Michael Schwartz checking in from Dubai.
Jimmy Buford and family
Michael Schwartz
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.
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