The UT Tyler Sports Blog

Men's Soccer Blog #1

2009-09-09T21:36:00.002-05:00

Soccer so far has been a great ride. The incoming players came in
ready to learn and play the roles we were really needing. The
returners came back with priceless experience and knowledge. With the
balance of fresh, new players and knowledgeable returners, the team
has and is continuing to become more than just a competitive team.
I'm looking forward to continuing training and putting things together
for the season. Everyday of practice is a step towards another
successful season. I'm extremely excited for the season to begin
unfolding.

-Jared Taylor

Women's Soccer Blog #1

2009-09-02T10:28:00.001-05:00

Hello to all of you Patriots fans-

Pre-season finally begins on Friday the 21st at 7:00am with the welcome back Fitness Test. The best part to every player about the morning of the test is looking at each individual on the team knowing you feel the same way they do! So many think and ask themselves: "Is she nervous or even scared," "Is she really fit"? Oh don’t we all look forward to the Fitness Test every year!! Well I’m more than excited to share that every one of the athletes on the women’s soccer team went above and beyond her potential: We not only had returning players beat their previous time, but the freshman survived as well. Let’s just sum it up- "We love the fitness test and every year it starts us off right." Friday morning throughout Tuesday evening, all we do as a team was EAT, SLEEP and PLAY soccer. We have training and team meetings with our phenomenal coaches and discuss the goals we want to set together as a team for the upcoming season. We also read a book as a team this preseason, that we think will help us identify the principles that help student-athletes become the leaders they desire to be for their family, their jobs, and their lives. Our women’s soccer team and coaches recognize and agree that THIS is the standard we need to be holding each other accountable for, on and off the field, at all times: We’re here to play soccer and have fun, but we're also here to get a quality education and apply our learning/abilities to our daily lives. WE ARE UT TYLER! We have had an outstanding pre-season! We have been given so much useful information, mentally and physically, throughout the entire week and applied it to our practices. We have a lot of potential on the team and, most importantly, all the girls work hard with a good and positive attitude! We have a lot of fun in every practice but, then again, we know when to shut-up and get things done. We have no doubts about each other, and that’s what a team truly is to all of us. We could NOT have come this far without our coaches' help. They love our team, their family, and most importantly their job. They are the people who have such an affect and impact spiritually and emotionally in our lives. NOW, we are all here together to focus on the next step for this program! We have committed to do whatever it takes to go that extra mile/degree! 2009 is going to be a great year! Hope we see you guys at our games.

Alina Kilkenny-DeAvila

From the ASC... Conference-Wide No Tolerance Statement in Effect

2009-09-01T12:43:00.001-05:00

RICHARDSON, Texas –– The American Southwest Conference Council of Presidents, upon recommendation of its Faculty Athletics Representatives and Directors of Athletics, approved the following statement to be issued to the ASC student-athletes, coaches, game officials and administrators:

The American Southwest Conference recognizes no tolerancefor offensive language or offensive gestures and behaviors at all athletic venues.

The conference statement concerning conduct at institutional and conference athletic events is immediately effective.

“Concern about use of offensive language and tolerance of unsporting behaviors by persons involved in athletic contests – participants, officials and administrators – was raised by the FAR-AD group,” said ASC Commissioner Amy Carlton. “The statement was crafted to express to all parties that the Conference membership is serious in its efforts to improve sportsmanship and the atmosphere of the contests.

“Unsporting behavior, language and gestures do not add any value to the competition or the persons involved in the contest.”

Student-athletes, coaches and athletics administrators will be asked to sign the ASC Code of Conduct before the start of their respective playing and practice seasons. Educational materials through the NCAA "Respect: It's the Name of the Game" initiative will be utilized on campuses.

Game officials will be notified of the ASC statement through their respective game assignors. Printed materials outlining the ASC sportsmanship and conduct policies and procedures will also distributed to game officials through a program funded by the ASC/Division III Strategic Initiative Grant.

- From the ASC Media Relations Office

Listen to the Game!

2009-05-16T17:39:00.002-05:00

George Fox SID Blair Cash has informed me that their KFOX radio will be broadcasting via the Internet. You will need a Quicktime player to listen. So you can follow today's elimination game via the two links below.

Live Stats

KFOX Radio

Go Patriots!

2009-05-16T12:38:00.004-05:00

Well it is another day here in beautiful Oregon. We got up this morning and ate breakfast. During breakfast, I set up the laptop in the lobby and guys gathered around all morning to watch and cheer on softball as they took down the Polar Bears of Ohio Northern, 4-2.

After that I went walking again with our trainer, Jason Thomas, I just can't get enough of this fresh air.

We are leaving at 12:15 PDT to eat lunch, then head to the field to take on the Bruins. We will have more updates later. Stay tuned!

Stayin' Alive

2009-05-15T23:36:00.003-05:00

It was a big day for UT Tyler. The boys fought very hard and never gave up. We will play George Fox tomorrow, they looked very good against #1 Pomona day today, so I think we are in for quite a show tomorrow. A win tomorrow puts us playing on Sunday with the only question being whether we have to beat the same team twice or two different teams.

We just wrapped up dinner. We had pizza from a local place and ate it at the hotel. The pizza was pretty good, a little heavy on the oregano, but still good.

After the game, we ate at Panda Express or KFC, depending on your preference. Then they boys came back and showered and we went back to watch the games.

On the way back to the hotel, the General pointed out a spectacular sight. On this particular clear & sunny day, a chamber of commerce day if you will, Mt. Hood was visible. It was pretty awesome, the goal for tomorrow is to get a picture.

I really hope the guys have taken the time to appreciate the scenery here, because it really is spectacular and something totally different from what we are used to. Did I mention there is no humidity here? Because there isn't and it is awesome.

Well we have a metting at 10, so I better go. Good luck to softball & golf tomorrow!

Night!

A View from the Press Box

2009-05-15T18:23:00.007-05:00

Today's loss was tough to watch because the Patriots seemed in control for so much of the game. For 5 1/2 innings, it appeared that we were headed for another narrow victory - the type we got so used to during the West Regional tournament. When Gustavus loaded the bases with no outs, it was reminiscient of Linfield doing the same to us during the regional championship - and Stacy was able to work us out of that jam in route to the championship. But today the luck ran out, as it was bound to at some point.

The good news is that we're down but not out. Coach Reed and the girls will rest and regroup the rest of the day before heading back over in the morning to play Ohio Northern in an elimination game.

It was great to see so many UT Tyler fans here in New Jersey. We had a very sizable (and loud) contingent, and I know the team and coaches appreciate the support. John Vilade, the dad of baseball coach James Vilade, lives right down the road in Bedminster, N.J., and was the first fan in the ballpark this morning! Mr. Vilade was also nice enough to bring over some snacks and drinks for the team.

Finally, thanks to all the fans back in Texas who were listening to and watching the games. Keep those e-mails coming during the webcast. The radio broadcast on ESPN 1490 AM also went great - thanks to David Smoak and Jamie Lent for their help with this.

That's all for today. We're back at it at 10 a.m. CDT tomorrow. Go Patriots!

Here we go...

2009-05-15T09:35:00.003-05:00

The Softball Patriots are at the field and are about to take infield. The feeling is awesome and everyone is pumped. For fans back home, you can follow the action from New Jersey in several ways...

Radio - ESPN 1490 in Tyler.
Online - UT Tyler Broadcast or Live NCAA Webcast
Twitter - Tyler Paper's Phil Hicks or UT Tyler Patriots

Championship Eve

2009-05-14T23:00:00.006-05:00

All of today's activities centered around official championship functions and it was an early morning for the softball team as they took the short trip from the Fairfield LaQuinta to Montclair State for their official practice time. Each team is given an hour on the game field and an hour on the practice field, and the Patriots drew the first slot so their time began at 8 a.m. The girls looked good during practice, especially batting. There seems to be an air of quiet confidence about them.

The MSU Softball Stadium is very nice and features a turf outfield. It is tucked in the western part of the campus between a hockey arena, a major rail line and on-campus train station, and the Abbott and Costello Center...we have yet to determine what that is. Many of the tournament activities, including today's team barbeque (at least a New Jersey attempt at barbeque) are taking place at the Yogi Berra Museum which is part of the baseball complex here.

A little sports information update...in the pressbox we tested the broadcast equipment again because we confirmed today that all of our games will be on ESPN 1490AM in Tyler as well as our regular streaming broadcast on the web site. We are excited to offer the radio broadcast for the fans back home - thanks to David Smoak and Jamie Lent for their help with this.

As part of the championship activities, the softball team headed over to a local elementary school where they read to some of the youngsters and after that, it was back to the hotel to get ready for the evening's championship banquet.

At the banquet, the teams got to know eachother by sharing a few anecdotes about their seasons, but the highlight of the night was the announcement of the All-America teams which included Whitney and Roo - Whitney on the first team and Roo on the second team.

There was an "incident" after the banquet as a bus driver for one of the other teams stepped on our bus, announced he was a Houston native, and loudly proclaimed "Gig 'Em Aggies." For this he was jeered off the bus. Luckily, no one was hurt.

An eventful Thursday, but now it's time to rest before the big day. A lot of parents and fans have made the trip which is AWESOME and they'll head over with us in the morning. Check back tomorrow and be sure to listen online or on air beginning about 9:50 a.m. CDT. The countdown has begun...

UT Tyler vs. Chapman - NCAA Regional Game 1

2009-05-14T17:14:00.053-05:00

Follow with GameTracker

Top 6 - Semel strikes out. Ohail singles, Phillips doubles, runners at 2nd and 3rd. Barcelo strikes out. Hadzinsky flies out. End of 6th. Chapman 15, UT Tyler 1

Bot 5 - Skeen out. Ashley strikes out. Fox walks. Daleiden strikes out. Chapman 15, UT Tyler 1

T0p 5 - Chapman scores again, Alvarado gets out of inning. Chapman 15, UT Tyler 1

Bot 4 - Harding flies out, Hodes singles, Lemire flies out. Hood out. Chapman 14, UT Tyler 1

Top 4 - Hall homers again. Prechtl flies out to deep left center. Owens walks. Semel doubles, Owens to 3rd. Ohail out to pitcher.Phillips doubles, two score. Campbell out, Alvarado to pitch. Ground out to short, end of inning. Lemire strikes out to end inning. Chapman 14, UT Tyler 1

Bot 3 - Kitchens out, Matt Irsfeld now pitching. Newell walks. Ashley strikes out. Kendall strikes out. Daleiden strike out. After a slow start, Irsfeld strikes out the side. Chapman 11, UT Tyler 1

Top 3 - Hail homers. Holland out, Grant Campbell in. Prechtl singles through right side. Owens flies to left, Prechtl stays put; 1 down. Semel doubles, Prechtl scores. Semel to third on a wild pitch. Ohail takes a seat, 2 down. Phillips walks. Semel steals home. Barcelo singles through left side. Hadzinsky reaches on a double error, Barcelo to third, Phillips scores. Lehman flies out. Inning over. Chapman 11, UT Tyler 1

Bot 2 - Patriots on the board with Hodges homerun. Kitchens gets Lemire looking. Hood and Skeen ground out end the second. You have to start somewhere. Chapman 7, UT Tyler 1

Top 2 - Holland hits Hadzinsky to start the inning. Lehman walks, runners at 1st and 2nd no outs. Hall bunts for a single, bases loaded no outs. Prechtl hits a two-RBI double, still no outs. Owens hits a two-RBI single, still no outs. Semel flies out to center for out #1. Ohail hits a single. Phillips hits 8th Chapman hit to score one and put runners at the corners. Barcelo strikeout again. Hadzinsky bats again, singles to score another. Lehman grounds out to Chad for final out. Chapman 7, UT Tyler 0

Bot 1 - Kitchens gets Kendall looking for out one. Chad fouls out down the right field line for out two. Harding grounds out to the short stop for the end of the first inning. Chapman 1, UT Tyler 0

Top 1 - Chapman on the board first with a one-out homerun over the left center field wall by Ben Owens(355). With two outs, John Semel and Patrick Ohail hit back-to-back singles. Holland strikes out Barcelo to end the inning. Chapman 1, UT Tyler 0

Lineups being done now. All-American Wade Kitchens will be on the mound for Chapman, which is somewhat of a shock. Kitchens was injured mid-season and by most accounts was done for the year. That just shows you what these games mean. Looks like we will have the much anticipated Holland/Kitchens match-up that a lot had hoped to see.

Game On!

2009-05-14T15:43:00.003-05:00

UT Tyler will play today. Hendrix and Pomona are playing right now, Pomona is up 8-3 in the top of the 8th. Patriots and Panthers will follow at 3:30 PDT or 50 minutes following the conclusion of the current game. If we win we face the winner of the George Fox/Cal Lutheran game, if we do not win we take on the loser of the Hendrix/Pomona game.

Be back soon!

Game Day, Take 2

2009-05-14T11:28:00.006-05:00

We woke up this morning to sunny skies, so it appears as if we will definitely play today. I took a walk around the hotel that surrounds the hotel this morning and saw some of the beautiful flora & fauna that Oregon has to offer. It was nice to walk outside and not have to breathe in a gallon of water with every breath. There is zero humidity here and it is wonderful. I took pictures along the way, so you can enjoy as well.

We are leaving at 11 AM to for lunch and then to BP at the HS and then, finally, it will be game time. I will have in-game updates so stay tuned.

UFOs, Eggs on Hamburgers and Sheep

2009-05-13T22:09:00.007-05:00

So this weekend in McMinville they are having a UFO Festival. It is to commemorate a UFO sighting here in McMinville on May 11, 1950. Apparently, it is the second largest alien gathering in the U.S.

We ate dinner at the Hotel Oregon, it was pub-style food and it was very good. My burger had a friend egg on it...it was much better that it sounds. The hotel has been at the center of the McMinville downtown area since 1905 and was very cool. Some of the pictures were very creepy, but it looked like a cool place to stay with a lot of character.

Despite not being from from here (based out of Portland), our driver Dwayne (not near as cool as Gino) has done well navigating the mean streets of McMinville (there are not that many). Downtown looks like something out of a movie and everything, even in the heart of the city, is so green. We saw some sheep today in this incredibly green valley, I will try and get pictures tomorrow just so you can get an idea of how green it really is.

So tomorrow we will get up and try to play again if the weather holds, which it should. The first game is at Noon and the weather should clear up around then. Well that is all for now.

Take care.

New York, New York

2009-05-13T17:31:00.005-05:00

You knew we couldn't be kept away for long...so this morning began with a trip to New York City for the UT Tyler Softball team. Gino the bus driver (and amateur tour guide) brought us through the Lincoln Tunnel and into Manhattan about 10 a.m. and smartly went through the required attractions, including Fifth Avenue, Times Square, Central Park, Ground Zero, Rockefeller Plaza, Wall Street, the Empire State Building, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and others. Time only permitted a few stops, but even driving by most of these places was pretty exciting.

Note: What Gino lacked in tour guide skills, he more than made up for negotiating the NYC traffic - which is exactly how it appears on TV.

We headed back to Jersey for a late lunch, choosing the cuisine of one of the area's finest traditional American eateries. Then it was time to head to Montclair State for the first time where the team got in a quick workout at the school's football field.

Dinner will follow later on and it will be an early night as the Patriots get some much needed rest before going into full softball mode with an 8 a.m. Thursday practice at the softball stadium.

We'll have lots more as the week goes on, so check back often!

A final comment... Just as many people from New Jersey probably assume most Texans are cowboys because that's what they see in the movies, many of us were under the strong impression that everyone in New Jersey was in the mob (courtesy of the Sopranos). We have all been shocked and somewhat disappointed to find out this is not the case.

Rained Out!

2009-05-13T15:47:00.003-05:00

All games today have been rained out and we will play at the same time (3:30 PDT/5:30 CDT) tomorrow. The guys were on their way to lunch when the games were called off, so at least there was no long waiting in the rain.

We are going to eat about 5 PM then head to the mall.

Be back later.

Getting Ready for Game Day

2009-05-12T23:32:00.005-05:00

Well after a dinner at Ruby Tuesday, there was a coaches meeting where we went over the ground rules and important info for the tournament. Nothing ground breaking, other than that there might be some bad weather tomorrow. But we are hoping for the best.

Tomorrow, we will get up eat breakfast around 8:30 and then rest up until time for lunch (Izzy's again). After lunch we head to McMinnville HS for BP, then to the game. First pitch at approximately 3:30 PM against Chapman.

Also, for those wondering the infield at Linfield is indeed all turf except for the pitcher's mound.

I will be doing live updates throughout the game on this blog, once per inning. Live stats will also be available at the tournament web page.

P.S. Check out pictures here.

Softball: Wheels Down in the Garden State

2009-05-12T21:52:00.005-05:00

Just over 48-hours after the UT Tyler Softball team won the West Regional, the Patriots have safely arrived in New Jersey - a mere 2,909 miles from the Baseball team in Oregon.

We loaded up and left UT Tyler around 8:30 this morning and headed to DFW, picking up assistant coach Keith Bell along the way in Forney. Check-in and screening at the airport for 25+ players and staff was surprisingly easy (hats off to American Airlines and the TSA), and after a quick lunch at TGI Friday's, we made the 3-hour flight to Newark International, landing at 6:05 local time. Gino the bus driver, who will be with us for the duration of the trip, brought us to the LaQuinta Inn in Fairfield, N.J., where we met up with our host family, the Sickles. They are great people who have already been a tremendous help!

On their recommendation, we headed over to Frank's Pizza in Lincoln Park, N.J., for a late dinner. Food was great, but we were amused by the fact that the sodas came with a lemon and the iced tea didn't...who knew.

Tomorrow morning, the team will head to Manhattan for some sightseeing before returning to check out Montclair State for the first time and get in an afternoon practice. Check back for more!

Almost forgot...after we boarded the plane to Newark, the flight attendant announced that the UT Tyler Patriots Softball team was on board and on their way to play for a national championship - we got a BIG round of applause from all the passengers!

Day 1 in Oregeon

2009-05-12T16:23:00.004-05:00

Welcome to the Pacific Northwest. After a long day of travel with stops in El Paso and Phoenix we arrived in Portland sometime around 10 PM. After dinner, we took the hour bus ride to McMinville sometime around 1 AM Pacific.

After a good night's rest, we awoke to 50-degree weather with chances of rain all day. We ate lunch at a place called Izzy's. It had pizza and a full buffet, with lots of choices for the guys

Now we are at Linfield practicing. We were greeted by former Yankee/A's great and current Linfield head coach Scott Brosius.

After a light drizzle during warm ups, the sun is out once again. Check out more pictures at our Facebook page. Stay tuned for more detail

Women Excel

2008-11-15T12:26:00.002-06:00

Despite not having two of their usual top three runner, the women beat every ASC school but MC. A tremendous performance from the ladies. Expect an article on the main page soon. However we are far from over. I will be back the entire trip home and hopefully I can turn this over to some runners so they can give you their thoughts.

The Results Are In

2008-11-15T10:08:00.003-06:00

The men finished third for the second straight year. Emory will advance to the National Meet. The good news is Ben and Warren will go as Individuals. Congrats to the guys on a great season and we will be rooting for Warren and Ben next week. The girls are racing now, Sarah and Jules were the only two I could pick out and they were in the second pack. Back in a bit.

The Waiting Game

2008-11-15T09:21:00.001-06:00

Well, the men's race is over. Our top 5 was Ben, Warren, R.J., Philbert and Bojan. Most people are pretty certain that Ben and Warren have qualified individually for Nationals. As for the team, I am pretty sure Centre won. Hats off to the Colonels they had a great race. It should come down to us and Emory once agian. If I was a betting man, which I am not per NCAA regulations, I would say it will come down to less than five point. The women's race will be in about 20 minutes, with the men's results to be announced shorty after. Stay tuned.

Ross In the Lead Pack on Lap 1

2008-11-15T09:10:00.003-06:00

And They're Off..

2008-11-15T09:07:00.000-06:00

Race Day!

2008-11-15T08:07:00.002-06:00

We are here on the course, everyone looks pretty ready and rested. Racers report to the box in 32 minutes. More soon.

The Night Before

2008-11-14T22:19:00.002-06:00

I got to sit in on the guy's team meeting tonight. And man are these guys are awesome? They want to win but they don't want to to win for themselves they want to win for each other and for thier coaches. And they get it. They get that sports is just part of a bigger picture, but they also get that this is a once in a life time opportunity and they are cherishing every moment. So tomorrow, they will either celebrate a trip to the National Championships or celebrate the end of five brilliant careers. Either way every one on the team, from the men to the women to the coaches, and even me, will be a winner just for having been a part of this amazing group of people.

Have a great night, remember, the men race at 9, followed by the women at 10. Results will be as close to real time as possible.

See You in the Morning!

The Course, Literally & Figuratively

2008-11-14T16:39:00.003-06:00

Well we arrived in Seguin and immediately went to the course. The crew ran and then came back together and did some yoga. Somewhere between there and here, it hit me. This could be the last race ever for several Patriots tomorrow. This is equivalent to Game 7 of an LCS. Win you go to the big show, lose and its over. I can't imagine what that must feel like; being as the good Lord chose to bless my life in other ways than in athletics. To devote four years of your life to something and in less than 24 hours that chapter could be closed. This is the life of today's student-athlete. One could make the case that the four years the guys and gals run in college are minuscule in the game of life. It is the case that a lot of anti-athletic types make, that athletics only take away from the college experience. Well I beg to differ and I challenge those who would say that, to spend a weekend with any of our teams. The experience and lessons they learn in those four years form a building block for the rest of their lives. For some athletics in college aren't just something to do, they are an escape, a way out or a brief respite from a hectic life back home. In my opinion, if athletics makes a positive impact on even one life it is well worth everything put into it.

Viva La Capital!

2008-11-14T14:01:00.002-06:00

We are in Austin, so we are about one and a half hours away. Not much exciting going on. Although we did pass the Home of the Longhorns. As a non-Texan, I have to say that I appreciate the diversity of Texas a lot more than I did before I moved here. From small towns to big cities, it seems like Texas has something for everyone. Everyone is fine, except for Ben. Ben is mad that Subway put the veggies on the sandwich, instead of on the side, so it made the sandwich soggy. Now our driver is ranting about Texas seceding from the Union, great fun! More in a bit.

I Can Smell The Bakery From Here

2008-11-14T10:45:00.003-06:00

Well we are about 30 miles from Corsicana and the bus is pretty calm. The team seems not to be too nervous, but we shall see. As the day goes on, I will try and talk to some runners and get their thoughts on tomorrow. An interesting note, Bob had trouble finding a burrito with no meat this morning. It was quite funny.

'Till Next Time

So It Begins...

2008-11-14T09:20:00.005-06:00

Well we are on the bus or at least I am. Soon we will be taking off for Seguin. It will be about a five hour ride, so stay tuned for plenty o'updates. When we got here this morning we were greated by a band of faithful supporters. I'll be back with more in a bit.

Welcome Back!

2008-11-12T13:41:00.003-06:00

Well boys and girls, it is that time of year again. The time when I hit the road with our beloved Patriot cross country teams and head to the NCAA Regionals. This year we head to Seguin, Texas. So we will be without the drama of flying, but I am sure a five hours bus ride will provide plenty of entertainment. We leave at 9 a.m on Friday, so stay tuned. Until then, I remain your humble narrator.

- Parker

Men Finish 3rd

2007-11-10T11:27:00.000-06:00

Well RJ and Ben finished 1st and 2nd, respectively, but the team finished 3rd with 77 points behind Emory and Rhodes who tied for first with 76. Rhodes and Emory will automatically go to the Nationals, but we have to wait until tomorrow at 2 PM Central to see if we are one of 16 teams selected for an at-large bid. Regardless Ben and RJ have qualified to go to nationals, so there will be at least a small Patriot contingent, but hopefully the whole squad will go. Be back when we get to the hotel with a story.

Here they come...

2007-11-10T11:24:00.000-06:00

RJ wins, Ben grabs second.

Lap 3 - Final Lap

2007-11-10T11:19:00.000-06:00

RJ in the lead, Ben 6th, Warren 12th.

Lap 2 Pic

2007-11-10T11:15:00.000-06:00

Lap 2

2007-11-10T11:11:00.000-06:00

RJ 3rd, Ben 6th, Warren 8th.

Lap 1

2007-11-10T11:10:00.000-06:00

Warren is leading the pack. RJ is third. Ben is in the Top 10.

Men Underway

2007-11-10T11:02:00.001-06:00

The men are underway. The women came in 19th beating TLU and Dallas. Best time Lindsey Moore with 26:39 for 81st place, a little over three minutes behind the winner. Great race. Back with the men shortly.

The Men Getting Ready

2007-11-10T10:36:00.001-06:00

Another Pic

2007-11-10T10:33:00.000-06:00

Women's Finish

2007-11-10T10:30:00.000-06:00

Well our last girl, just crossed the finish line. We looked to be middle of the pack. This was a solid race and great finish to this season and good building block for next. Be back soon with final results. 30 minutes to the men's race.

Lap 1 Part 2

2007-11-10T10:15:00.000-06:00

Lap 1 Part 1

2007-11-10T10:13:00.000-06:00

And they're off...

2007-11-10T10:00:00.000-06:00

A View From A Hill

2007-11-10T09:47:00.000-06:00

Rachel Getting Ready

2007-11-10T09:30:00.000-06:00

Race Day!

2007-11-10T09:27:00.001-06:00

The women will report to the starting line in less than five minutes. It is very cold and windy. If the wind quit it would not be that bad. Be back as soon as the race starts.

That Morning Rain

2007-11-10T08:35:00.000-06:00

Well we woke up this morning, to the remnants of over night showers. It is kind of overcast, but if the sun comes out (which it should) the course should dry right up. Every one slept well and there is a steady stream of Patriots eating breakfast. Don't forget we will have live updates and photos from both races throughout the day. So keep it here and I will back soon.

Final Thoughts Before The Race

2007-11-09T22:51:00.000-06:00

So if you have not figured it out, I am not very familiar with cross country. I am sort of learning as I go, but you do not have to be a cross country person to realize a few thing about this team. First, these kids love to run. I saw a shirt today that said "Our Sport is What Your Sport Does For Punishment." It really is, but the kids who do it love it and our kids especially. They do it for the love of the sport and because they want to represent themselves, their university and everyone who has helped them get this far to the best of their abilities. Not only are they good runners, they are good people. They did not know me from Adam when we left yesterday and in that short time they have made me feel just as apart of the team as they are. The second thing you notice, is how well coached they are and how much the coaches want to see them do well. Would the coaches like for them to win? Well certainly, but wouldn't we all. The thing they want most from these teams is for them to do their best and if they do, that will be their reward. However, if we do win tomorrow you can rest assured they will be the last ones taking credit and giving it all to the runners. No matter the outcome tomorrow, these coaches deserve as much credit as the teams themselves. The last thing I noticed is that this is not just a team it is a family. They love each other, they love being around each other and they root for each other. They are each other's biggest fans and that, my friends, is a lesson a lot of professional teams could learn from these Patriots. It is ironic that the team name is the Patriots, because you will be hard pressed to find a group of coaches or players anywhere who have as much pride in themselves, their schools and their families as this crew. That is not something that is limited to the cross country team either, it is something I see in every Patriot team on campus. So if you ever find yourself disenfranchised by sports, just get on the Loop and come on down to the campus and you will find a group of coaches and student-athletes who embody what sport truly it. I know you might be busy tomorrow, but around 10 and 11 a.m. (CST, I took the liberty of doing the conversion for you) give a little cheer for these teams and for all the Patriots back home. I am not Nostradamus (scary guy, by the way) so I have no idea what the outcome tomorrow will be, but I know win or lose these teams will leave it all on the course and come back to Tyler with their heads held high. And, that is all you can ask for.

Well, I will step off my soap box now and hit the hay. We have a long day tomorrow, but even knowing as little about cross country as I do, I am really looking forward to it.

A Word With The Coaches

2007-11-09T22:27:00.000-06:00

Well we have talked with both teams, so now it was time to sit down with the coaches. Here is what Coach Bob Hepler and Assistant Coach Rich Dyer had to say.

Parker: How do you feel about the teams going into tomorrow?

Bob: This is really the most focused I have seen them in four seasons. I am really excited for R.J. because he has been with me for four years. He was here when things were not so good, so it has been real exciting to see all his hard work up to this point. He may or may not win tomorrow, but either way it will be great to see him cross the finish line with a great race behind him.

Parker: Do you think the course will lend itself well to our runners?

Bob: We have strong runners that can handle hills. They are in better shape now more than ever, so they should be able to handle any course well.

Parker: Bob, what had Rich brought to this team?

Bob: He brings technical experience with track and field background and the experience of a collegiate runner. Earlier tonight, was talking to the guys about specific parts of the race, particularly the last 400 meter. We have not been in a race yet, where people are crossing almost every second, so his expertise in helping them in the last 400 is very important.

Rich: Tomorrow although everyone will be important, the four and five runners will be especially important in the last 400 meters. But we know they are conditioned well from the work outs we gave them.

Parker: Rich, how have you enjoyed your first year with cross country?

Rich: It has been fun to watch their progression from the end of the last track and field season (The Patriots competed as a club team last year in T&F, but will compete as a varsity program for the first time ever this spring.) up until now. They have taken on a lot of responsibility and they have worked very hard since last spring to get to this point. They set a goal that they wanted to finish in the Top 10 in the country and we said this is what you need to do and this is how to do it. They took what we said and have worked hard towards that goal.

Parker: I guess you could sat they took the idea and...wait for it..."ran" with it.

OK, so the last line I just though of but it was pretty funny, at least it was in my head. Well that wraps up this interview. I promised you final thoughts, so I will grab some decaf and be back with them.

Q&A With The Patriots Women's Team

2007-11-09T21:41:00.000-06:00

This will kind of go like last night, but this time I will sit down with our women's team.

Parker: What are you looking forward to the most tomorrow?

(Crickets)

Sarah: We are looking forward to competing against some of the top teams in the region.

Rachel: Crossing the finish line.

Parker: What are your goals for tomorrow?

Jessica: To set personal records and to go out there and try our best.

Parker: Do you guys feel like you have come a long way since the beginning of the season?

Lindsey: Oh definitely.

Heidi: We have had great coaching.

Lindsey: We have really worked hard.

Rachel: And we love each other.

Parker: So is this race like a building block for next season?

Rachel: Definitely.

Jessica: We have not had a team that worked this hard.

Lindsey: At least not at the same time.

Heidi: We have a good attitude.

Sarah: We just work really well as a team.

Lindsey: The good attitudes will carry over to next season, hopefully.

Parker: Anything else?

Sarah: Jessica and I are sorry we got lost, Bob.

Melissa (XC Alum): (In a New Zealand accent) I am happy to be here and very proud of both teams.

Rachel: Bob makes everything better, whenever we have a bad race or a bad practice he cheers us up. He is like a father to all of us.

Heidi: Rich has added a lot to the team and we love him too.

Sarah: We also have the best dancers.

Rachel: And Deidre has helped us through all of our injuries.

Sarah: She is the big sister of the family!

Well another successful interview. Be back in a few with a few final thoughts.

Sal's

2007-11-09T20:30:00.000-06:00

The Italian food was great and a good time was had by all. The crew got carb loaded for tomorrow, not to mention a serenade by one awesome accordion player. Be back in a few with an interview with the women's team. Random quote of the night (from out of left field

) Corey- "You know what is unique about cross country? There's no half time." Truer words have never been spoken.

Dinner

2007-11-09T17:19:00.000-06:00

We are headed out to dinner. Later tonight I will talk with the women's team and maybe some final comments from Coach Hepler and the men. Since we are eating Italian, ciao until after dinner.

Texas Pride!

2007-11-09T11:30:00.001-06:00

Women's Course Map

2007-11-09T11:20:00.000-06:00

Men's Course Map

2007-11-09T11:18:00.001-06:00

Practice Run!

2007-11-09T11:03:00.000-06:00

Well we are at the campus of Eastern State, which as it turns out is a mental health facility. Apparently, Christopher Newport's (the host) course is closed and the race was relocated here. I think it was for the best thought, because the course is actually very pretty and we are just a few blocks away from downtown Williamsburg. I will be back after the teams get back, I am also going to post the course map to give you a better idea of what the Patriots are facing.

Mama Steve's

2007-11-09T09:41:00.000-06:00

Good morning! We got up this morning and decided to eat at one of of the numerous pancake shops here in town. We ended up at a place called Mama Steve's. I thought it was pretty good, but apparently one table had a problem with their service and Warren thought they put too much salsa on his omelet but other than that it was pretty good. Odd name, but decent food. Anyway, the teams are getting ready for the practice run. I will have updates from the course later today. Until then, stay tuned.

Q&A With The Patriot's Men's Cross Country Team

2007-11-08T21:16:00.000-06:00

So I am in of the rooms that is temporarily providing shelter to our men's cross country team and we are now joined by the rest of the team. I am just going to be asking a few questions, and posting their responses. Warning: These responses may be edited for time and content (but probably not, these are good people).

Parker G.: So this race is pretty big, what are you looking to forward the most?

All: Winning

Ben: Coming home with UT Tyler's 1st ever Regional championship, that would be pretty big.

PG: Do you think the weather will make a difference at all?

RJ: It will be conducive to fast times.

Chauncey: No matter the conditions, all the teams will have to run in them. So no matter the condition, it will come down to the strongest team that will win.

Corey: We kind of have an advantage being from Texas and always running in the heat. This will be a good change and a little easier to run in.

Parker: So how will it be running against teams you have never faced before?

Chauncey: It will be a little mysterious, but we do know there times so it won't be it a total mystery. We don't know there faces, but we know how they run so we know what we need to do. It won't be a total guessing game.

Corey: It will be nice to face some new teams. we run against the same teams in the regular season meets, so it will be nice to have some fresh competition.

RJ: We know other teams will be trying to prove themselves, but we want our chance to prove ourselves and show we belong here.

Parker: How big of a confidence boost was it to win the ASC Championships two weeks before this race?

RJ: We have done it before, but it was nice to do.

Ross: It was great to have a perfect score, considering we weren't that rested.

Ben: I'd say winning the Rhodes meet earlier in the season was bigger, just because there were more teams that will be here at Regionals in that race than were at the ASC meet.

Corey: The biggest confidence boost for me was setting a goal and doing it.

RJ: It's kind of the same thing we want to do at this meet. Obviously, coming in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 again would be great, but we are focusing on finishing 1, 2, 3, but another perfect score would be great too.

Parker: So anything else you guys want to say?

Warren: We had Memphis-style BBQ tonight and Texas is better.

(The interviewer, a Memphis native, strongly disagrees, although this BBQ was not the best he has ever had.)

Corey: C-A-T-S! CATS! CATS! CATS!

(The interviewer would like to remind Corey of last night's loss to Gardner Webb by his beloved 'Cats.)

Ben: We are glad [Parker] came, very glad. We like the blog.

RJ: Soul food, soul music and spandex tights make for a perfect night.

(The interviewer refuses to comment)

Well you heard it here first, the Blog is a success. Well at least to the team. But seriously, show your support for both Patriot teams by reading this blog and staying up to date on all the happenings to the weekend. I will start tomorrow after breakfast and continue through the practice run and on through the rest of the day. Saturday will be the big day and I will have several updates and pictures from the hotel until we arrive back at campus and everywhere in between. I am going to turn in now. Have a great night and Go Patriots!

Back To The Hotel

2007-11-08T17:44:00.000-06:00

Well we have arrived, and are getting settled. The hotel is very nice and we are getting ready to go eat. We were greeted by warm cookies and a fire (see picture). The woods here aren't as Piney (not to mention they are everywhere) but pretty nonetheless. Well I am going to get settled in and be back later.

In A Van...

2007-11-08T16:53:00.000-06:00

I am learning that runners have very interesting conversations, but are generally fun people. Coach Hepler seems relaxed and ready to get the team through their first NCAA meet. If you have any questions for me, the runners, or coaches (race related) feel free to post a comment and ask away. I will do my best to get it answered. Back in a few.

Safely In The Commonwealth

2007-11-08T16:38:00.000-06:00

We have arrived in the great Commonwealth of Virginia. All are safe and with luggage. The flight was good. I highly recommend AirTran if for nothing else than the free XM, they also ran very on schedule which is a plus. The mood is good and the team seems like they are ready to race. There will probably be just a couple more updates tonight. Later, I will try and get some runners on here either in the written form or on video. When we get to the hotel, I will be back. Until then enjoy Central time, since we are on Eastern.

Atlanta From The Sky

2007-11-08T14:12:00.000-06:00

Goodbye Atlanta

2007-11-08T14:10:00.000-06:00

They tell me I have to turn off my computer now. The next time I post we will be in Newport News.

We're Here... Kind Of

2007-11-08T14:04:00.000-06:00

Just landed in the ATL. The team grabbed lunch at Quizno's, I opted for Nathans, home of the most delicious hot dog on the whole planet. We will board shortly. Oh in Dallas, Deidre (our trainer) got detained by security. See picture. Be back soon.

Almost There...

2007-11-08T08:33:00.000-06:00

We are less than an hour from Dallas. Most everyone (Warren, Chauncey, Lindsey, Heidi, and RJ) are quiet, still early I guess. Here is a picture of Lindsey, it doesn't look like the stress of the meet has gotten to her. I am just here in the front listening to Crosby, Stills, Nash (and on some occasions Young and then sometimes just Young) and listening to Rich's tales from his days with the LAPD. For his last four years, he flew a helicopter. So every movie you have ever seen with a helicopter flying over LA, he actually go to do that. Awesome! Well, I'll write some more when we get to the airport. Stay tuned...

A Convertible in November?

2007-11-08T07:37:00.000-06:00

Why not. When Deidre and I went to find the rental cars we found that we had a silver Dodge Caravan (great for large groups), a silver Hyundai Entourage (also great for large groups and quite spiffy I might add) and a silver Chrysler PT Cruiser convertible (uh...what). Well I guess it was the luck of the draw. But just in case you are wondering, four grown adults and luggage for two and half can fit in there. I know my money (of course as an employee of an NCAA institution, no money was wagered) was on only three would fir, but once again out Cross team in shattering barriers and persevering. Well I think I will enjoy Rich's (assistant coach) 60's music, mostly I am not big on 60's music but it is nice mellow music for this early in the music. Wait...this just in, it dawned on me that I have been rude. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Parker and I am the assistant sports information director. Through me you will be able to take in all the sight and hopefully sounds (but not smells, still waiting on the technology) of the Patriot's first ever NCAA event. Well, I'll be back in a bit. 87 miles to Dallas.

Head 'Em Up...

2007-11-08T07:29:00.000-06:00

Well, according to the runners, it some sort of a tradition to leave late. Warren told me they have never left on-time for a meet in three years. With such a big meet, why change tradition. We didn't so mission accomplished. Anyway, we are loaded and headed to the airport. We all barely fit in the three vehicles (more on that later), but we are all in and close. which is good because it's cold. Well I'll be back later with more. Until then.

- Parker

Final Check

2007-11-07T15:16:00.000-06:00

Coach Hepler does a final check of the travel plans for the Patriots. The teams will leave UT Tyler at 7 a.m. Thursday for Dallas where they will catch a flight to Virginia. After a short layover in Atlanta, wheels down is set for 5 p.m. in Newport News, Va.

Regional Web Site

2007-10-23T11:25:00.001-05:00

For those interested, here is the official cross country regional meet web site, hosted by CNU: http://staff.users.cnu.edu/twingard/07sseregionalxc/home.html