ULM Athletic Foundation announces Kick-Off Event

The Warhawk Athletic Foundation Kick-Off Event is set for Thursday, August 20, 6:00 p.m., at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. The event is open to all donors of the ULM Athletic Foundation. This one-of-a-kind event includes a sampling of food from over 20 local restaurants, drink, and updates on Warhawk Athletics.

If you haven’t joined the ULM Athletic Foundation or renewed a lapsed contribution, it’s not too late. Online gifts are being accepted at www.gowarhawks.net or contact call Dan O’Dowd, Executive Director of the ULM Athletic Foundation at 318-342-5428 or odowd@ulm.edu.




Warhawk Fan Fest Weekend set for Aug 20 -22

ULM's annual Fan Fest Weekend is scheduled for Aug. 20-22. This three-day celebration opens with the Athletic Foundation Kickoff on Thursday, August 20 and festivities continue Friday at 6:00 p.m. at Malone Stadium.

Warhawk players will be signing autographs, the Kids Zone will be open, The Mason Grenade Band will be playing and fans can watch the Warhawks in action as they practice under the lights.

The weekend concludes on Saturday, August 22 with the team hosting a free clinic inside Malone Stadium at 10:00 a.m. Registration for the YMCA youth football league will take place prior to the clinic at 9:00 a.m. Following the clinic, Warhawk players and coaches will sign autographs and be available for pictures.

The ULM soccer team wraps up the weekend with its season opener at 4:00 p.m. against Belhaven College at the ULM Soccer Complex.

And don't forget to check out our FREE Warhawks Fan Guide! Just click here or click the Warhawk Fan Guide cover above!



ULM Athletic Foundation offers new membership programs

The ULM Athletic Foundation has added several new exciting membership programs: the "Young Grads" program and the "Jr. Warhawk" program.

The "Young Grad" program is for any ULM alum who has graduated in the last five (5) years and is an excellant way for young alumni to support ULM athletics at an entry level. Membership is $50.00 per year and includes:

• Warhawk Frequent Flyer Pass (all sport plan – general admission seating)
  
• Invitation to Annual Kick-Off Party
  
• Preferred football parking permit
  
• Athletic Foundation Car Decal

The "Jr. Warhawk" program is a special membership for Warhawk fans age 12 and younger! Membership is $20.00 and all Jr. Warhawk Club members receive:

• Season ticket to all home Warhawk athletic events
  
• Jr. Warhawk Club T-shirt and membership card
  
• Invitation to exclusive Jr. Warhawk Club events
  
• Name on Jr. Warhawk Club Web site
  
• Autographed picture of Ace
  
• E-Birthday card (sent to parent ’s email)

The ULM Athletic Foundation is the pillar of support for ULM Athletics. It is composed of individuals and businesses with a common mission, which is as follows:

The mission of the ULM Athletic foundation is to raise awareness and financial support for the Warhawk athletic programs, positively promote all athletic events, grow the Warhawk fan and donor base, and enhance the lives of over 300 student-athletes.

For more information about any of membership programs available from the ULM Athletic Foundation, contact Melissa Lawson at 318-342-5428 or lawson@ulm.edu.

Keep up with Warhawk men's basketball!
Scores, schedules and more at www.ULMWarhawks.com

ULM head coach Orlando Early overseas in support of American troops

While the upcoming season remains multiple months away, ULM men’s basketball head coach Orlando Early has found a way to maintain a busy summer schedule with recent recruiting trips to national tournaments in Las Vegas, Nev., and Orlando, Fla.

The leader of the Warhawks most recent destination will take on another form, however. In August Early boarded a plane and left the country with four other NCAA coaches as part of a 2009 College Basketball Tour.

Destination: Southwest Asia.

Over a 10-day stretch in mid-August, Early and his travel party will tour U.S. military bases, visit troops, conduct clinics, and spread goodwill for American soldiers serving their country.

Joining Early are Pittsburgh women’s head coach Agnus Berento, Murray State men’s head coach Billy Kennedy, Virginia Military Institute head coach Duggar Baucom, and Jacksonville State assistant coach Mike Smith.

"I'm very excited about it," Early said. "It's a once in a lifetime deal. Those guys over there are fighting for our country. If I can do anything to help, I would like to lend a helping hand — try to lift some spirits."

Sponsoring and coordinating the tour is Koeberle and Associates, a Pittsburgh-based sports marketing agency. The organization has sent a variety of different groups overseas ranging from a Major League Baseball Legends tour to a Survivor and American Idol tour to show troops support

Recent tours have included college football coaches, the New England Patriots cheerleaders, and coaches of the National Football League.

Although cell phone reception will be limited, Early will attempt to update his Twitter page (www.twitter.com/ulmcoachearly) from overseas. When he returns to Monroe, he will do a follow-up interview and share some of his stories at www.ulmwarhawks.com.



BLOG: Coach Orlando Early’s visit with U.S. troops

Sunday, August 9
I left Monroe on a 12:30 p.m. flight, arrived in Houston at 2:30 p.m. and met up with our guide Dave Roberts, a retired Air Force guy who now lives in Las Vegas. We boarded a flight at 8:30 pm to Doha, Qatar, and our flight arrived in Doha at 8:30 pm on Aug. 10.

We then met up with the four other coaches and our guides from the base in Qatar and it was on to the base. It was about a 30-minute drive from the airport to base. Once we arrived, we went to dinner and got to our rooms at about 1:00 a.m. to prepare for the next day.


Tuesday, August 11
I woke up at about 7:00 a.m. and went to the gym to workout. After that, we had breakfast, which the troops call chow, and then back to the room to prepare for the day. Our first stop was to tour the facility where they work on a military vehicle called a Striker, which is kind of like a souped up Hummer. We got a chance to take a ride in it and it is amazing what this vehicle can do.  

After the Striker experience it was off to see Colonel Maxine Girard who is in charge of the base in Qatar.  She told us a lot about our relationship with Qatar and a little about their culture. One thing that stood out to me was how much money the country of Qatar has. If you are a male in Qatar from the age of seven you get $9,000 dollars a month and if you are a female you get $7,000 a month. She told us about kids being 16 years old who own hotels (My first thought recruit a guy from Qatar).  It was quite an honor to meet Colonel Girard.

Our next stop was a meet and greet in the DFAC (in our terms the café). It was great that a lot of the soldiers showed up. They were very thankful for our visit and I met a soldier from Tallulah, La.  The temperature was about 115 degrees during the day and 99 degrees at night, very hot.


Wednesday, August 12

I woke up at 7:30 a.m. and went to the gym to workout. This was a travel day for us and it was an all-day affair. We left the base at about 11:00 a.m. to go to our Air Force base in Doha; the security was very high (if you guys have a problem with airport security, you have no idea). We didn't board a plane until about 5:15 p.m. We flew with a lot of soldiers on a C-17 and the seats where against the walls of the plane.  The pilot let us go into the cockpit; it was great, those guys were unbelievable. During the flight, I learned that we are not allowed to fly over Iran, which added about 90 minutes to our trip.

We stopped in Kuwait and let the other soldiers off and picked up two military vehicles called MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected). It's amazing how much weight these planes could carry. Those trucks where huge (and off course I weigh a lot). We landed in Kandahar, Afghanistan, about 12:00 a.m. Zulu time, which is nine-and-a-half hours ahead of Central time. When we landed I met a man from Florida who is married to a woman from Monroe. It was good to see him because it just so happened that I met him at the girls AAU tournament that we had on our campus.  We grabbed a bite to eat and it was off to bed.


Thursday, August 13
I woke up at 8:00 a.m. and went to the gym to workout. We had the morning off and then we went to lunch in the DFAC. After lunch we visited the motor pool where they work on the MRAP vehicles. We got a chance to meet a lot of different soldiers. They were great and were very pleased to have us visit.

After our visit to the motor pool we had the rest of the day to visit with troops.  Just walking around on base I got a chance to meet with a lot of different soldiers and visit different places on the base.

Be sure to check www.ULMWarhawks.com as Coach Early from more blog entries.






Back to Top

Keep up with Warhawk women's tennis!
Scores, schedules and more at www.ULMWarhawks.com

ULM tennis named to list of ITA’s All-Academic Teams

In recognition of their hard work inside the classroom, the ULM women’s tennis team was recently named to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s (ITA) list of All-Academic Teams, the program announced.

ULM women's tennis team.

“Being good in the classroom as well as on the tennis courts is something that we pride ourselves on as a program,” ULM tennis head coach Terrence De Jongh said. “We have always placed a particular emphasis on the ‘student’ aspect of being a student-athlete and recognition like this from one of our governing organizations is a great honor. I’m proud of the work and effort that our entire team has put forward in helping us to obtain this award.”

Burjaili

Clark

Leading the way for the Warhawks in the honor are juniors Ana Burjaili and Claire Clark who were named ITA Scholar Athletes. To garner scholar athlete recognition, the student must have a 3.50 or better grade point average, have lettered for her intuition for at least one season, and have completed at least two full-time semesters at her current school.

Burjaili, from Bebedouro, Brazil, has completed two seasons with the Warhawks and holds a 4.000 grade point average in Finance. Competing in the top half of the ULM line-up during the 2009 campaign, she helped ULM to an upset win over rival Louisiana-Lafayette in the opening round of the league tournament with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 win.

Clark, from Bossier City, La., put together one of the top on-court seasons in program history after going 30-3 on the campaign and holding the Warhawks first individual national ranking since joining the Sun Belt. Working her way up from number six singles at the beginning of the season to number two singles at the end, Clark was named All-Sun Belt Conference and All-Louisiana.

She adds the most recent award to a list of accomplishments from her break-out sophomore season that includes placement on the ESPN The Magazine All-America At Large Team in June.

To qualify for the team recognition, squads were required to have a cumulative 3.200 grade point average (on a 4.000 scale) following the conclusion of the current academic year. The Warhawks hit the mark with a combined 3.296 GPA for the 2008-09 campaign.

ULM and Northwestern State represent the only schools from the state of Louisiana to garner the team distinction. Sun Belt programs Arkansas State, UALR, and Troy were also included on the list of ITA All-Academic Teams.



ULM tennis’ Claire Clark competes on ITA Summer Tour

ULM tennis star Claire Clark hasn’t rested following a break-out sophomore campaign and recently completed her second tournament as part of the Intercollegiate Tennis Associations Summer Tour.

ULM tennis’ Claire Clark competes on ITA Summer Tour.

Playing at tournaments in Arlington, Texas, and College Station, Texas, the 2009 All-Sun Belt Conference honoree has put together a record of 8-2 in summer play while advancing to the finals of one tournament and the semifinals of another.  In both tournaments, Clark was defeated by the eventual champion while competing in the main draw bracket.

“We knew after the spring that we wanted to get Claire really involved in the ITA’s summer circuit,” ULM head coach Terrence De Jongh said. “Two tournaments in she has really helped turn some heads around the country and has really helped to solidify her national rankings for the regular season.”

Playing six matches as an unseeded athlete in Arlington, Clark advanced to the finals where she was defeated by Harvard’s Hideko Tachibana.

While advancing to the finals, the Bossier City, La., native downed five opponents in straight sets, including Texas-Tyler’s Sydni Hermsdort (6-0, 6-0) in the round of 16, 12th-seeded Ashley Turpin (6-4, 7-5) of Texas A&M in the quarterfinal round, and fourth-seeded Amy Zhang (6-4, 6-4) of Rutgers in the semifinal round.

Her strong performance in Clark’s opening event of the summer helped her enter the Texas A&M tournament as the fourth seed. She added three more victories to her summer ledger before bowing out of the tournament in the semifinals against top-seed Alda Rosalia of Tennessee.

Along the way, Clark defeated Kathryn Bonen (6-2, 6-1) of Michigan State, ninth-seeded Stephanie Davidson (6-3, 6-1) of Texas A&M, and fifth-seeded Christi Liles (6-1, 6-1) of Texas A&M.

“Playing in these summer tournaments has really helped us target the things we need to work on with Claire,” De Jongh said. “She has proved that she is capable of playing and volleying with anybody in the country. We will work on her ability to contend against players with big serves and have her in position to be one of the top tennis players in the nation.”

Clark and her Warhawk teammates will report back to the ULM campus for classes at the end of August before beginning the fall tournament season.






Back to Top

Keep up with Warhawk track & field!
Scores, schedules and more at www.ULMWarhawks.com

ULM Track and Field signs 10 student-athletes

Using the successes of the 2009 indoor and outdoor campaigns, ULM track and field head coach J.D. Malone announced the signing of 10 prep student-athletes to national letters of intent for the upcoming campaign.

Nefertiti Beckett, Jacqueline Berry, Mariko Beverly, Amanda Hatcher, Danielle O’Donnell, Celeste Rumphs, Alexis Smith and Jacobi Wilson will join the Warhawk women’s squad while Brian Blackwell and Beau Webb join the men’s team.

Beckett, a multi-event athlete from Memphis Central High School in Memphis, Tenn., has already cleared the bar in the high jump at 5’6.5”. Placing seventh in the pentathlon at the Tennessee State Championships as a senior, she comes to ULM after finishing ninth overall in the USATF Junior Olympics.

“Signing Nefertiti is a big deal for our program,” Malone said. “She is a very talented athlete who can come in and make an immediate impact. She is a good multi-event athlete and an excellent high jumper who has tremendous potential.”

Berry, a decorated athlete from Jennings High School, having won District 3A Championships in both the long jump and triple jump as a senior. At the 3A Louisiana State Championships, Berry finished fourth in the triple jump and fifth in the long jump.

For her prep career, she finished with a personal best distance of 39’3” in the triple jump and 17’7” in the long jump.

“Jackie is a talented young lady that we feel will be an immediate contributor in the triple jump,” Malone said. “We are excited to add her to our program.”

Beverly joins the Warhawks from Southwood High School in Shreveport, La., where she finished as the 5A Louisiana runner-up in the 200-meter dash. Her time of 24.79 was one of the top times in the state during her senior season.

“Mariko is going to be a big part of our sprint crew next year,” Malone said. “She was one of the state’s top sprinters and we are glad to have her joining our program.”

Hatcher makes the short trip to ULM from Winnfield High School in Winnfield, La., where she is coming off a 3A Louisiana runner-up finish in the javelin. Joining a Warhawk program known for strong throwers, Hatcher joins the team with a personal-best toss of 138’5” during her prep career.

Hatcher was also a stand-out softball player at Winfield HS.

“Amanda has a world of potential in the javelin,” Malone said. “She only practiced a few times and threw 138. That is just phenomenal. We are really looking forward to working with her and seeing just how good she becomes over the next four years.”

O’Donnell, a multi-sport athlete, travels the farthest to join the Warhawk program. A prep standout at Vincent Massey Collegiate High School in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, she has spent the summer competing in the Canadian Junior Nationals and Canada Summer Games.

The 2008 Provincial Champion in both the long jump and high jump and is a three-time VMCHS Female Athlete of the Year. Her career-best mark of 3082 points in the pentathlon would be the second-best mark in ULM history and her 1.66-meter high jump would have placed third in the Sun Belt Conference Championships last season.

“Our program is very excited about signing Danielle,” Malone said. “She brings some excellent marks in several events to the table. We think she will have an immediate impact in both the high jump and heptathlon.”

Rumphs comes to ULM from Garland High School in Garland, Texas, where she was a three-time regional qualifier and named Best Track and Best Female Athlete as a senior. Competing in the long jump and triple jump, she won a district championship and finished as runner-up, respectively.

Rumphs has posted a personal-best mark of 17’11” in the long jump and 37’8” in the triple jump during her prep career.

“Celeste will bring depth to our jumps program,” Malone said. “She has the potential to develop into a very good jumper for us.”

Smith, from Lyons High School in Lyons, N.Y., is another jumper who will join the Warhawks for the upcoming season. With a personal-best mark of 37’4.5” in the triple jump, she has advanced to the New York State Championships three straight years where she enjoyed a sixth-place finish each time.

Named the Female Athlete of the Year for LHS as a senior, Smith is a three-time Field Event Most Valuable Player for her prep program. Her career-best long jump distance is 17’4”.

“Alexis is a very good athlete and will complement our jumpers nicely,” Malone said. “She has the potential to develop into a very good triple jumper for us.”

Rounding out the women’s signees is Wilson, a letterwinner at East St. John High School in LaPlace, La. A sprinter, she finished fourth in the 5A Louisiana Championships in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.28 and sixth in the 400-meter run with a time of 57.10.

“Jacobi was team captain for her mom, Tiffanie Wilson, at East St. John and brings tremendous potential to our program in the long sprints,” Malone said.

On the men’s side, ULM lands one of the premier multi-sport athletes in Blackwell. Hailing from Destrehan High School in Destrehan, La., Blackwell finished as the 5A Louisiana State runner-up in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles to fellow ULM signee Chase Fulco.

Blackwell’s time in the event was 38.47.

“Brian is a multi-sport athlete who really hasn’t done a lot of hurdling,” Malone said. “He will be an athlete who I think will develop into a very good intermediate hurdler.”

Rounding out the signing class for the ULM men is Webb, a pole vaulter from New Iberia Senior High School in New Iberia, La. A former regional champion and the third-place finisher at the 5A Louisiana championships as a senior, Webb has posted a career-best 14’6” mark in the event.

“We are very excited to add Beau to our signing class,” Malone said. “He will complement our other vaulters very well.”

The 10 most recent signees will join ULM’s other additions and join the program for the 2009-10 campaign.



ULM Track and Field assistant coach selected to participate in elite camp

ULM track and field assistant coach Mark Winiarski was selected by the U.S. Track and Field/U.S. Olympic Committee to participate in the Emerging Elite Coaches Camp in Chula Vista, Calif., from July 18-23.

Designed with the intention of creating a deeper coaching pool in the United States to help in international competitions like the Olympics and World Championships, the event will presented topics on training considerations, sport psychology, strength training, physiology, biomechanics, periodization, and Dartfish Video Analysis.

“It was a great honor for Mark to be selected to attend this camp,” ULM head coach J.D. Malone said. “They are recognizing him for the work that he has done here over the last few years. It was a great experience for him and it will really help our program continue to produce strong athletes.”

Working primarily with the multi-event athletes and jumpers, Winiarski saw Heather Davis become one of the program’s elite female student-athletes. Davis advanced to three consecutive NCAA Championships and won six total Sun Belt Conference titles in the high jump while training under Winiarski.

During the 2009 campaign, Winiarski helped the Warhawk men’s track and field squad to a third place finish in both the Sun Belt Conference Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Three of Winiarski’s athletes were named All-Sun Belt Conference and three more earned All-Louisiana honors during the campaign, including the 2009 Louisiana Women’s Field Athlete of the Year in Davis.

ULM Track & Field’s Kyle Kent named All-Academic by USTFCCCA

For the second time in as many seasons, sophomore Kyle Kent of the ULM track and field team garnered Division I All-Academic honors from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, the organization announced.

Kent was joined by Troy sprinter Burke Leonce as the only male representatives from the Sun Belt Conference on the team. The Shreveport, La., native is one of only five male student-athletes from the state of Louisiana, joining a trio of performers from LSU and one from Southeastern Louisiana.

Fighting through an injury, Kent’s bid to repeat as Sun Belt Conference javelin champion came up short. His toss of 63.95 meters in the event finished second to Warhawk-teammate Richard McKay.

At the NCAA Mideast Regional Championship Kent posted a season-best throw of 65.81 meters, but just narrowly missed on reaching an automatic qualification spot. He was left on the outside looking in for an at-large spot at the NCAA Championships.

To qualify for a spot on the academic team, student-athletes must maintain a 3.25 grade point average during the season and have hit either the NCAA Indoor or NCAA Outdoor regional qualifying standard.

Kent, a 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships participant and All-American, ended his second competitive season with the Warhawks with a 3.642 GPA in nursing.






Back to Top

Keep up with Warhawk football!
Scores, schedules and more at www.ULMWarhawks.com

ULM Lands Four on Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Football Team

James

Jackson

Love

Morgan

Four ULM football players were named to the annual Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Football Team, the league office announced. The team was voted on by the league’s nine head coaches and members of the media.

Safety Greg James, linebacker Cardia Jackson, punter Scott Love and defensive end Aaron Morgan were the Warhawks’ representatives on the all-Sun Belt team – the conference only announces a first team. ULM’s three defensive selections were tied for the second most by an offensive or defensive unit behind Troy’s five defensive selections.

James and Love were both repeat selections to the preseason team after being two of three Warhawks selected last year.

The league also announced the Preseason Coaches Poll which tabbed ULM seventh. Troy was picked to repeat as conference champion followed by Arkansas State and Florida Atlantic.

“Where you start the race really doesn’t matter it is where you finish the race,” ULM head coach Charlie Weatherbie said. “I think that we have a heck of a team coming back with a lot of seniors and a lot of starters returning. This gives the guys something to shoot for.  It’s going to be an interesting season in the league and anybody can beat anybody on any given Saturday.”

James enters the 2009 season as the NCAA’s active leader in career interceptions with 13 over three seasons. The product of Monroe, La., is just one interception shy of tying former Warhawk Chris Harris for the Sun Belt record and two shy of tying Vic Minor for the ULM record. The senior was an all-Louisiana selection last year and an all-Sun Belt honoree following his sophomore season.

Jackson returns as the leading tackler in the conference after finishing eighth in the NCAA last year averaging 10.6 stops per game and fourth averaging 6.3 solo tackles per game. The senior from Monroe finished the year with 127 total tackles which were the most at ULM since Chris Harris had the same number in 2002 -- nobody had more since 1998.

This is Love’s third straight season to be on an all-Sun Belt team. The senior from West Monroe, La., was a first team all-conference selection following his sophomore season after breaking the school record for punts inside the 20-yard line with 23 and leading the conference with his 42.1 yard per kick average. He enters this season ranked fourth all-time in ULM history averaging 40.7 yards per punt.

Morgan had a breakout season last year earning second team all-league honors after garnering an honorable mention distinction as a sophomore. He led all ULM defensive linemen last season with 45 tackles. The senior from Amite, La., ranked third in the Sun Belt with six sacks and sixth with 13 tackles for loss. Morgan’s sack total was the most by a Warhawk player since 2005 and the second most in nine seasons.

Season tickets for ULM’s five home games at Malone Stadium and away game tickets are available by calling the ULM ticket office at 318-342-3ULM or online at www.ulmwarhawks.com. The Warhawks open the season on Sept. 5 at Texas.

2009 Sun Belt Conference preseason poll – voted on by Sun Belt head coaches
First Place Votes in Parenthesis

SCHOOL	POINTS
Troy (5)	75
Arkansas State	69
Florida Atlantic (1)	61
Middle Tennessee (1)	52
Florida International (1)	43
Louisiana-Lafayette (1)	39
ULM (1)	34
North Texas	18
Western Kentucky	17

 

ULM to Offer Fans and Media a New Virtual Fan Guide Online

With more and more people turning to the Internet for their daily information, the ULM athletic department has teamed up with ZMAG to offer fans and media an online interactive Fan Guide to replace the old printed media guide.

“This is an exciting new technology that will allow us to take the publications for our athletic teams to a whole new level,” ULM director of athletics Bobby Staub said. “Our relationship with ZMAG will allow our fans to receive a free copy of each publication sent directly to their e-mail inbox as well as experience a unique way to view publications online.”

The ZMAG software allows fans to download the guide as a PDF or print a copy to take and read anywhere. The online publications will give fans the feel of reading a magazine online with ZMAG's cutting-edge, page-turning software.

The fully interactive publications allows fans to get an even deeper inside look at all of ULM’s 16 NCAA Division I athletic teams.

Some of the exciting features include embedded video, links from photos and text back to ULM’s official Web site www.ulmwarhawks.com, where fans can get the most up-to-date information available and see videos in ULM’s Warhawks All*Access. Fans and media can view the new Fan Guides at www.ulmwarhawks.com.

Fans can sign up to receive each new Fan Guide in their e-mail by visiting www.ulmwarhawks.com and clicking on the Official E-News Button on the right hand side of the screen.



ULM fans can "Fly with the Warhawks" to away football games

ULM fans who want to travel to the Warhawks’ away football games as part of the official travel party can sign up to "Fly with the Warhawks" for all seven of the team’s road games this upcoming season.

The total package includes travel to and from the game, lodging in the team hotel and a ticket to the game in the ULM section. Flight travel is by charter plane from the Monroe Regional Airport and bus travel is by charter bus from Malone Stadium.

For more information or to register for any of the away packages contact Doug Mosley at 318-342-5442 or dmosley@ulm.edu.

Warhawk fans can also purchase tickets for any of ULM’s road games or season tickets for ULM’s five home games by visiting the ticket office in Malone Stadium, calling 318-342-3ULM or online at www.ulmwarhawks.com.

Bus Packages:
Texas, Troy, North Texas and Louisiana-Lafayette
Single Occupancy Hotel Room: $250 per person
Double Occupancy Hotel Room: $200 per person

Plane Packages:
Arizona State
Single Occupancy Hotel Room: $600 per person
Double Occupancy Hotel Room: $550 per person

Florida Atlantic and Kentucky
Single Occupancy Hotel Room: $500 per person
Double Occupancy Hotel Room: $450 per person

Away Game Ticket Prices:
Texas: $65
Arizona State: $40
Florida Atlantic: $25
Louisiana-Lafayette: $24
Kentucky: $35
Troy: $24
North Texas: $20



ULM football’s Marty Humphrey named wide receivers coach

Former four-year ULM letterwinner Marty Humphrey filled the final spot on head coach Charlie Weatherbie’s football staff when he was announced as the new wide receivers.   Humphrey’s hire is pending approval by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors.

“Marty came in here as a walk-on wide receiver and told us from the beginning that he wanted to play as long as he could and then start coaching,” Weatherbie said. “He learned everything he could about wide receiver and all the different positions while he was here and kept expanding his knowledge knowing that one day he was going to coach. On offense our system hasn’t changed a whole lot and with him knowing it so well, it was a natural fit. He is going to be a great addition to our staff.”

After a four-year career with the Warhawks, the Shreveport, La., native had joined the coaching ranks as a graduate assistant during the spring. He assumes the role vacated when John Wozniak accepted the special teams coordinator position at Memphis.

“I am looking forward to using the experiences I have gained from learning from guys like coach Leahy and [former ULM wide receiver] coach Wells to develop my own style,” Humphrey said. “I know that I am going to need to work harder and longer than I ever have before and I am happy to do it. It is something that I have been looking forward to and I am glad that I get that opportunity at my alma mater.”

Humphrey joined the Warhawks as a walk-on from Southwood High School and redshirted during the 2004 campaign. His work ethic and knowledge helped him earn a scholarship after his freshman campaign.

Debuting on the field with the Warhawks for the 2005 campaign, Humphrey finished his ULM career with 45 receptions and more than 600 yards. He had the best game of his career in arguably the biggest win in program history.

In ULM’s 21-14 win at Alabama, Humphrey caught three passes for 70 yards and pulled in the game-winning touchdown. For his efforts against the Crimson Tide, he was named Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week.

A 2009 graduate of ULM with a degree in kinesiology, he had begun work towards a master’s degree in exercise science before the promotion.

“There were a lot of great candidates out there, but to get a ULM guy who knows what we are doing and knows our players is so valuable,” Weatherbie said. “This is a great fit not only for Marty, but also for our program.”



ULM announces 2009 football broadcast team

ULM announced its 2009 football broadcast team for the Warhawk Radio Network with 34-year veteran Frank Hoffmann heading the group. ULM football games will be broadcast live on 104.1 FM in Northeast Louisiana and worldwide on the Internet at www.ulmwarhawks.com.

The 2009 Warhawk's Radio Team (from left): Frank Hoffmann, Amanda Joseph and Bruce Hanks.

Hoffmann, who is the State Representative for District 15, will handle the play-by-play duties and will be joined in the booth by analyst Bruce Hanks for the second straight season. Newcomer Amanda Joseph will handle the sideline reporting duties and host ULM's weekly Hawk Talk radio show. Joseph will also be bringing fans exclusive video interviews on ulmwarhawks.com after the Warhawks' practices during fall camp as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Hoffmann is the retired assistant superintendent of the Ouachita Parish School Board. The former president of the ULM Alumni Association received three degrees from ULM including his Doctorate. Hoffmann has received multiple awards from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association for his work in the radio booth.

Hanks returns for his sixth season with the Warhawk Radio Network. Hanks, ULM's director of athletics from 2001-04, served as the sideline reporter for the Warhawks from 2004-06. He filled in for Hoffmann as the play-by-play broadcaster during the 2007 season and just completed his fifth season as the "Voice of the Warhawks" for the ULM baseball team. Hanks has two degrees from ULM and is a financial consultant for Graham Bordelon and Company in addition to serving on the Board of Directors of CenturyLink.

Joseph, a recent graduate of LSU, was in charge of the Tigers' new media operations for its official website and hosted a weekly video segment, GameDay Xtra. The Pineville, La., native was named Miss Louisiana in 2007 and is currently working as a graduate assistant in the ULM athletics department.

The Warhawks open the 2009 season on Sept. 5 at No. 2 Texas in Austin, Texas. ULM's first home game is Sept. 12 against Texas Southern in Malone Stadium.

The first Hawk Talk will air on Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live from the Fieldhouse Bar & Grill on Hwy. 165 just north of ULM's campus.

Season tickets for ULM's five home games at Malone Stadium and tickets for all of ULM's away game are available by calling the ULM ticket office at 318-342-3ULM.

WARHAWK FOOTBALL 2009 Bold denotes Home Game - all dates and times subject to change * denotes Sun Belt Conference Games
Date	Opponent	Location	Time (CT)
Sat, Sept 5	Texas	at Austin, Tex.	6:00 p.m.
Sat. Sept 12	Texas Southern	Monroe, La.	6:00 p.m.
Sat. Sept 19	Arizona State	at Tempe, Ariz.	9:00 p.m
Sat. Sept 26	Florida Atlantic*	at Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.	3:00 p.m.
Sat. Oct 3	Florida International* (Homecoming)	Monroe, La.	2:30 p.m.
Tue. Oct 13	Arkansas State* (Broadcast on ESPN2)	Monroe, La.	7:00 p.m
Sat. Oct 24	Kentucky	at Lexington, Ky.	TBA
Sat. Oct 31	Troy*	at Troy, Ala.	6:00 p.m.
Sat. Nov 7	North Texas*	at Denton, Tex.	3:00 p.m
Sat. Nov 14	Western Kentucky*	Monroe, La.	6:00 p.m.
Sat. Nov 21	Lousiana - Lafayette*	at Lafayette, La.	6:00 p.m.
Sat. Nov 28	Middle Tennessee*	Monroe, La.	3:15 p.m.

Home Game Promotions
Saturday, September 12 – Alumni Association Shrimp Boil
Saturday, October 3 – HOMECOMING
Saturday, November 14 – Chili Cook-off

Away Tailgating Events
Saturday, November 7 – away tailgating in Denton, Tex. – Johnny’s Pizza party
Saturday, November 21 – away tailgating in Lafayette




Former ULM standout Chaz Williams drafted by UFL's Las Vegas Locomotives

Former ULM defensive back Chaz Williams was drafted by the Las Vegas Locomotives of the newly former United Football League (UFL). Williams, a three-year letterwinner for the Warhawks, was one of just 24 players selected by the Locomotives who are coached by former New York Giants head coach Jim Fassel.

The UFL's inaugural season starts in October with the league playing on Thursday and Friday nights. The four-team league (Las Vegas, Orlando, San Francisco, New York) will have its games broadcast live in high definition on VERSUS, a network which reaches more than 75 million homes.

Williams finished the 2006 season third on the team with 67 tackles, seven passes defended and two forced fumbles. He led the Warhawks with three fumble recoveries and five pass break ups and was fourth with a pair of interceptions.

The native of Lake Charles, La., played a key role in ULM's 2005 Sun Belt championship run intercepting a team-high five passes. Williams finished his junior season with 46 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

The Locomotives open the season on Oct. 8 against San Francisco.  For more information about the UFL, visit www.ufl-football.com.





Back to Top

Keep up with Warhawk soccer!
Scores, schedules and more at www.ULMWarhawks.com

ULM Soccer’s Kelly Browne Grabs Back-to-Back Club National Championships

For the second time in as many seasons sophomore Kelly Browne of the ULM soccer team has claimed a national championship while competing with her club team, the Colorado Rush Nike.

Browne, a starting central midfielder for a Rush team based out of Littleton, Colo. and loaded with some of the top young college talent in the nation, led her team to a regional championship earlier in the summer and an automatic berth into the national championship pool.

Playing at Citizens Bank Field at Progin Park in Lancaster, Mass., Browne helped her team claim back-to-back national championships with a 4-2 double-overtime win over Illinois Eclipse Select in the finals.

Kelly Browne in action.

“We are very proud of Kelly for representing herself and our program on the national stage,” ULM head coach Stacy Lamb said. “Last year she won a national championship with [Warhawk teammate] Emily LyBarger right before camp and that helped her begin her college career playing at a high level. Now entering her sophomore season, going back-to-back can only help her that much more.”

After winning the first game of pool play the Rush was defeated by Eclipse Select, 2-1, in their second game. Browne and her teammates advanced to the championship game after another win in pool play and avenged the loss to the Eclipse with the championship victory.

Browne becomes the first player in ULM history to boast a resume with two club national championships to her credit. Last season, the Fort Collins, Colo., native, and fellow sophomore LyBarger claimed the national championship with their U18 Rush squad. Senior Raydan Phillips also won a club national championship before joining the Warhawks for her freshman campaign.

“We can’t wait to get Kelly and her teammates back on campus and start preparing for the upcoming season,” Lamb said. “I really believe that she is going to elevate her play and emerge as one of the leaders on our team as a sophomore. She sets a good example with her hard work and discipline and will really help elevate the level of play of our team early.”



Super Bowl champion helps during ULM soccer training camp

Former high school All-American, Super Bowl Champion, and Grey Cup participant Leo Gray came to Monroe, La., and spent the first half of the past week working with ULM student-athletes.  But it wasn’t the Warhawk football team that Gray was on campus to work with.

Leo Gray with ULM soccer camp participants.

Acting as a guest during the opening week of soccer’s annual ‘boot camp,’ Gray conducted classroom sessions on team and confidence building and worked with on-field sessions focused on explosiveness and speed training as a special guest for head coach Stacy Lamb.

“We were very pleased that Coach Gray was able to come in and willing to help us with our preseason camp,” Lamb said. “His background and experiences make him the type of person that we as a program can learn a lot from. He has given us so much to take into the upcoming season.”

More than just a stand-out professional athlete, Gray’s professional resume includes a 2003 distinction as the “Salute to Champions” Role Model of the Year and is a former California Fundraiser of the Year after helping secure more than $20 million for the fight against cancer.

On the field, Gray uses a background in Martial Arts to help exercise and train both the mind and the body. A staunch believer and supporter in visualization – seeing and remembering yourself in successful situations – Gray used his past experiences as proof of the power of positive and confident thoughts and interactions.

“Some of the things that we have learned from Coach Gray are going to be included in the way we train in the future,” Lamb said. “Both in the classroom and on the field, our staff and team learned some very valuable lessons from him that we can continue to use throughout this season and even into the spring and next year.”

Having wrapped up the first week of practice, designated as the program’s ‘boot camp,’ the Warhawks will continue to train until the season opener against Belhaven on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the ULM Soccer Complex. First kick of the first home athletic competition of the season is scheduled for 4 p.m.






Back to Top

Home and Away Tailgating Schedule

September 12: Ouachita Parish Alumni Chapter Shrimp Boil
2:00 – 5:00 p.m. in The Grove. Tickets are $15.00 in advance / $20.00 at the door and are on sale now!
October 3: – Homecoming vs Florida International
October 13  - Tuesday night vs Arkansas State on ESPN2
November 7 - at Denton, Tex. vs the University of North Texas – Johnny’s Pizza tailgating party
November 14 – Chili Cook-off
November 21 - at Lafayette vs UL-Lafayette
November 28 – Middle Tennessee




Quarterback Club Luncheon

The weekly Quarterback Club luncheons will begin for the new season on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 12 noon in the Anna Gray Noe Alumni Center on the ULM campus.

Remember – you don’t have to be a quarterback or in the club to join us for lunch each week; Quarterback Club luncheons are open to the public.

Come hear Warhawks head coach Charlie Weatherbie, members of his coaching staff and student-athletes give the inside scoop on ULM football. Plus, enjoy a great lunch provided by Aramark, all for just $8.



Hawk Talk returns Sept. 7

Hawk Talk returns beginning on September 7th!  Join us on 104.1-FM each Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. or better yet, join us live at the Fieldhouse Bar and Grill located on U.S. 165 N.

 

ULM Athletics' Media Relations office contributed to these stories.

Photos courtesy ULM Athletics' Media Relations office and ULM's Office of University Relations.

---

© - The University of Louisiana at Monroe  and the ULM Alumni Association

700 University Avenue  •  Monroe, LA  71209  •  (318) 342-1000