Inside this August 2009 edition of the L Club Newsletter:

L Club Welcome

Welcome Letter Winners!

Welcome to the Fall 2009 edition of our L Club e-newsletter. Our first online newsletter, which debuted in 2007, was e-mailed to over 750 former letterwinners and today’s e-newsletter is reaching over 1,400 letterwinners - that’s quite an increase! Thanks!

Our goal is to re-engage all our former student athletes by hosting reunions, tailgating at home and away games, sponsoring the Hall of Fame Ceremony and more and we’re making great progress. I would like to invite you to come back and visit your university.

We’re hosting a reunion on September 12 and it would be great to have a packed house for our home opener football game against Texas Southern.

There are several other ways you can help your L-Club:

(1) please visit www.ULMWarhawks.com and click on the L-Club link on the left-hand sidebar. Here you can update information, join the L-Club, keep up with ULM Athletics and help us find lost teammates;

(2) when your dues card arrives in September, please take the time to mail in your check!

If we can assist you in anyway, let us know. Thanks for your support.

Lisa Colvin

Lisa Colvin
L-Club President
(318) 342-1036
lcolvin@ulm.edu





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Pessimist or Optimist, 2009 Warhawks Have Something For You

Whether you’re a pessimist or an optimist, ULM’s 2009 football team has something for you.

If you look at the dark side of things, the ULM coaching staff has to wear nametags because six of last year’s assistant coaches are gone to other jobs, leaving only Head Coach Charlie Weatherbie and three returning aides who don’t need introductions. The main reason for the exodus is that Coach Weatherbie is in the last year of his current contract. Also gone are two of the most important cogs in the Warhawks’ offensive machine—QB Kinsmon Lancaster and all-conference tight end Zeek Zacharie—and the Sun Belt Conference coaches and media recently picked the Maroon & Gold to finish seventh in the 9-team league race.

If you always see the glass as half full, not half empty, you can take comfort in the fact that ULM has the Sun Belt Conference’s second highest number of returning starters at 18—eight on both the offensive and defensive units and both kickers. Most SBC preview writers cited the absence of Lancaster as the main reason they are picking the Warhawks low but that problem is partially offset by the fact that new starter Trey Revell will have the league’s best group of receivers to throw to led by rangy LaGregory Sapp, back after missing 2008 because of grade problems.

Nobody is predicting a perfect season in Monroe but this will be a veteran squad (20 seniors) that was better than its 4-8 record indicated last year. The 2008 edition was the only SBC team to beat conference champion Troy and lost two games by one point—the first a heart-breaking last minute defeat at the hands of Arkansas—and another by three points. If the Warhawks could have nailed a last-second field goal attempt against the Razorbacks, it would have been their second win over a SEC opponent in two years. Weatherbie’s club pulled off a 21-14 stunner over Alabama in 2007.

OFFENSE

Lancaster will certainly be missed after passing for 2,040 yards, running for 614 and accounting for 22 touchdowns last year and ending his career as the university’s No. 3 all-time yardage maker ahead of such illustrious names as Stan Humphries, Bubby Brister and Doug Pederson—long-time NFL quarterbacks all. But Revell gave ULM fans what they hope was a glimpse of things to come by sparking the victory over Troy. The tall junior from Florida came on after Lancaster was injured to run four times for 29 yards and complete five straight passes for 44 yards, throwing a seven-yard strike to J.J. McCoy for the winning touchdown with 34 seconds to play.

Sapp should be one of Revell’s favorite targets after making second team all-SBC and catching 77 balls for 1,276 yards and a 16.6-yard average in his first three years. The 6-3 Ouachita High product has speed and soft hands that have made dozens of highlight-reel catches during his career.

Other stars among ULM’s wide receiver cast are the three “Macs”—Darrell McNeal, already sixth on the school’s career list with 130 catches, including 51 for 558 yards last fall; McCoy, 39 receptions for 423 yards; and Anthony McCall, who caught 28 for 406 yards, six touchdowns and a 14.5-yard average in a spectacular freshman season last fall. Most explosive of all is sophomore Luther Ambrose, the 10.38 sprinter who had 12 catches for 160 yards in 2008, including the squad’s longest reception of 69 yards.

Ambrose is also the Warhawks’ top kick returner, averaging 22.7 yards and running one back 91 yards for a touchdown in 2008. A high school running back, he will also be used at that position in special situations.

Other returning WRs are sophomores Julian Griffin (6-3, 197), who had one catch for seven yards last year, Tim Taylor (5-9, 173)¸ seldom-used senior Darrin Taylor (6-4, 214) and redshirt freshmen Brent Leonard (6-2, 176), Drew Martin (6-0, 179) and Zarrell Sanders (6-0, 173).

The Warhawks signed four high school wide receivers—Tavarese Maye (6-0, 170) from Petal, Miss., Otis Peterson (5-11, 155) of Belle Chasse, who has 4.4 speed, Jordan Selexman (6-2, 188) of Arlington, Tex., Bowie, and Brandon Williams (6-1, 185) of Ouachita in Monroe.

At the other receiver position, tight end, not only Zacharie is gone but Mitch Doyle, who has moved to tackle. That leaves two relatively inexperienced but promising young players—junior Alvin Jordan (6-2, 239) and redshirt freshman Keavon Milton (6-5, 246)—as the headliners. Jordan played in all 12 games last year and in nine contests as a freshman but he’s never caught a pass, being used primarily on special teams where he returned three kickoffs in 2008 and one in 2007. He was recruited as a linebacker but also was a star running back in high school. Milton is perhaps the most impressive physical specimen on the ULM squad and also has good speed for a big man with a 4.9 clocking in the 40. He played offensive tackle and defensive end in high school before moving to TE as a senior and catching 53 passes at Canton, Tex, HS.

Others in the mix at TE are sophomore Ty Kittle (6-2, 217), a special teams player last year, and recruits Emanuel Jefferies (6-3, 222) of Jackson, Miss., Forest Hill and Kevin Steed (6-3, 201) of Lithia Springs. G, HS.

Turning back to the quarterback situation, in addition to Revell, listed as 6-5 and 218, Weatherbie and company have four other quarterbacks in camp. Revell, however, is the only one who has played in a college game since Zach Rhodes, the SMU transfer who came out of spring practice as a strong No. 2, did not show up for fall practice.

“Trey is a big quarterback who can break tackles and has pretty good speed, says Coach Weatherbie. “As a passer, he has a cannon of an arm—he can really zip the ball.”

Behind Revell, there are a couple of redshirt freshmen, Cody Wells (6-0, 187) and Jonathan Morvant (6-2, 213), the former Lafayette Acadiana HS ace. Then there is the most heralded quarterback recruit ULM has had since Stan Humphries transferred from LSU back in the mid-1980’s, Kolton Browning (6-3, 190). The Mabank, Tex., lefthander is multi-talented—all-state in both football and basketball plus an all-district pitcher with an 88-mph fastball. On the gridiron, he threw for 3,156 yards and 28 scores and ran for an additional 790 yards in 10 games last fall.

Browning was ranked as the nation’s No. 71 prep quarterback by Scout.com and Aaron Munoz (6-0, 178) of Pace, Fla., is another promising recruit at the position. However, Weatherbie, like most coaches, prefers to redshirt his QB recruits and both are likely to sit on the sidelines this fall unless the more experienced signal callers are hit with an injury epidemic.

ULM has plenty of experience and talent at the running back position. Junior Frank Goodin (5-9, 200) returns as the starter after running for 783 yards, five TDs and a 4.3 average. Another junior, Rodney Lovett (5-11, 203) was Goodin’s top backup last fall and ran for 188 yards and a 4.8 average. Against one of the strongest teams on the 2008 schedule, Arkansas, he started since Goodin was injured and gained 66 yards.

Gary Frazier (5-8, 215) is ULM’s most experienced and biggest RB. The senior is used frequently as a blocker and short-yardage runner. Redshirt freshman Carl Elie (5-10, 198) is also available while ULM signed three running backs last spring, Jyruss Edwards (6-0, 180) of White Castle, Isaiah Newsome (5-11, 193) of Petal, Miss., and Montrell Washington (5-10, 195) of Bryan, Tex.

In addition to the wide receiver corps, ULM’s major offensive strength is in the line. Four members of last year’s front five, who made the blocks that enabled the 2008 team to score the most points of any Warhawk team since the move to 1-A in 1994—284, an average of 23.7 a game—are back. Senior Ryan Dercher (6-5, 305) returns at left tackle, junior Doug Stroud (6-6, 331), who made the Rivals all-Sun Belt team, at left guard, senior Brett Thompson (6-3, 285) at center, and sophomore Justin Roberts (6-5, 284) at right guard.

The new right tackle, replacing all-SBC second teamer Larry Shappley, is no stranger. He’s Mitch Doyle (6-4, 275), a senior who moves over after sharing the tight end duties with Zacharie for the last three years.

Juniors A.J. DeGroot (6-3, 276) and Josh Andrews (6-6, 304) are expected to be the backup tackles. Redshirt freshman Jonathan Gill (6-3, 328) and sophomore Cade Burks (6-4, 315) are slated to be the No. 2 guards and senior Emmanuel Lockett (6-1, 302) will be behind Thompson at center. Andrew Stout (6-3, 286) is a junior letterman at guard while other returning linemen available for duty are soph Anthony Montgomery (6-4, 304), and redshirt freshman Adam Bertrand (6-3, 348).

ULM signed three offensive linemen—Tyler, Tex., Community College transfer Fonda White (6-3, 327) and high school grads Nick Hawkins (6-3, 268) of Carrolton, Tex, Smith and Andrew Russell (6-3, 315) of Richardson, Tex., HS.

DEFENSE

The ULM offense has a new quarterback. That’s nothing—the defense has a new defense.

After utilizing a four-man defensive front in his previous six seasons at ULM, Coach Weatherbie and his staff have switched to a 3-3-5 alignment. Up front, the expected starters are senior Aaron Morgan and soph Troy Evans at the ends and senior Aaron Williams at the nose guard position.

Morgan (6-4, 245) was a first team all-Sun Belt Conference selection last fall by the Phil Steele magazine and a second team choice on the official SBC squad after leading all ULM linemen with 45 tackles (32-13) and ranking No. 3 in the Sun Belt with six sacks. He made this year’s pre-season all-SBC first team. Evans was a reserve for most of 2008 but started four games, including the final two against Ole Miss and Florida International, making a season-high five tackles against FIU. He finished with a total of 19 tackles (11-8). Williams (6-0, 296) was a starting tackle in his first season with the Warhawks last year. He was at his best in the upset victory over Sun Belt champion Troy, making a career high six tackles (3-3). He also had good games against two of the strongest opponents on the schedule with a total of four stops and a tackle for loss vs. Auburn and Arkansas including a sack against the Razorbacks.

Senior Jameson Jordan (6-5, 233) gives ULM an experienced reserve at defensive end behind Evans. He’s had starts spread over three seasons and made 16 tackles (11-5) last year. He’s made some very big plays for the Warhawks including a tackle for a safety in the one-point victory over Troy last year and forced a late fumble to preserve the victory over ULL in 2007. Sophomore Jordan Landry (6-3, 215) will back up Morgan. Depth at nose tackle is provided by senior Aaron Moore (5-11, 283), who had one start last fall, fellow senior Thomas Robinson (5-11, 275), redshirt junior Rahvi Smith (5-11, 314) and redshirt freshman Casey Narcisse (5-11, 287).

Recruits who might help are led by junior college transfer Quantez Hunter (6-4, 242) and incoming freshmen Chad Brown (6-3, 265) and Kevin White (6-1, 288).

To be successful with a three-man front, you gotta have good linebackers.

Fortunately, the Warhawks have several good ones, led by one of the best in ULM history, senior Cardia Jackson (6-2, 240). The former Wossman High all-star posted some super statistics in 2008 with 127 tackles, ranking No. 8 in the nation with an average of 10.6 per game. His tackle total was the highest since current Carolina Panther Chris Harris had the same number in 2002 and no Warhawk has had more since 1998. Jackson was a first team all-SBC and all-Louisiana choice last fall and was a second team all-conference pick as a sophomore.

Jackson has started for three years and Josh Thomas (6-2, 223) has started for two after walking on in the spring of 2006. The senior needs only 32 tackles to reach the 200 milestone after ranking fourth on the squad with 67 stops last year.

Slated to start at the new linebacker position and give ULM three stellar players to back up the front line is Theo Smith (5-11, 204). The junior was the No. 7 tackle leader last year with 49 despite playing a backup role.

The second set of linebackers going into the season will be sophomores C.C. Carpenter (5-11, 228) and Jason Edwards (5-11, 237) and redshirt freshman DaCorris Ford (6-3, 244).

Ken Dorsey (6-0, 257) had a great college debut with six tackles (4-2) against Tulsa as a true freshman in 2007 but suffered a broken leg later in the game and hasn’t played since. Lincston Jones (6-0, 228) is another sophomore LB after missing 2008 with injuries while Brock Pierce (6-0, 243) is a redshirt freshman.

Antonio Hoskins (6-0, 208), the 28th ranked prep linebacker in the country following his senior season at Water Valley, Miss., HS, and Ben Giles (6-0, 234) of Pace, Fla., are a pair of well regarded linebacker recruits.

Both of the starting cornerbacks return. Senior Otis Stamps (5-10, 191) had 39 tackles and an interception last year while sophomore Nate Brown (5-10, 175) had an outstanding debut season, ranking third on the team with 70 tackles, making the Phil Steele third team all-SBC team and being named LSWA Player of the Week for the Arkansas game after totaling 12 tackles and a sack. Their backups are expected to be sophomore Sean Hornberger (5-10, 166) and junior Alex Blake (5-11, 186).

ULM uses three safeties. Senior James Truxillo (6-2, 209) will play the Hawk position—a safety-linebacker hybrid—after missing most of last year with a torn ACL. Expected to be an all-conference candidate, he had 68 tackles and two interceptions as a sophomore in 2007. Another senior, Greg James (6-1, 210), will be back at free safety and enters the season as the NCAA’s leading active player in interceptions with 13. He needs two more steals to tie the ULM career record and just one to tie the all-time Sun Belt mark. Sophomore Darius Prelow (6-1, 197) earned the starting job at strong safety with a strong finish to the 2008 campaign.

Junior Troy Giddens (6-0, 207), a highly-rated prospect out of high school and then junior college, suffered a knee injury last year that limited him to only three games. He is slated to back up Prelow while sophomore Shaq Belson (5-9, 213) and Alex Ibe (6-3, 205) are behind Truxillo and James. Junior Preston Fuller (6-0, 206) has starting experience and is another capable safety.

Nick Baum (5-9, 175), Drew Bernhardy (6-0, 200), Zoe Bruce (5-10, 175), Dominique LeBlanc (5-11, 200) and Jonathan Price (5-11, 185) are returning players who could see action at the cornerback positions this fall.

Cameron Blakes (6-1, 205), Robert Nelson (5-10, 165) and Khairi Usher (5-10, 194) are incoming freshmen DBs from the 2009 recruiting class.

SPECIAL TEAMS

All-conference Scott Love (6-0, 204) returns for his final season as the Warhawk punter. He averaged 39.6 yards a kick last year and has a career average of 40.7—currently No. 4 on the all-time ULM list. Radi Jabour (6-0, 181) also returns as the ULM place kicker. The sophomore had field goals of 59 and 56 yards in high school and had a long of 45 as a Warhawk freshman in 2008.

ULM has three experienced kick returners. Darrell McNeal (6-0, 211) will return punts for the fourth year in a row after averaging 6.4 yards in 2008. Soph Luther Ambrose (5-10, 166) and junior Rodney Lovett (5-11, 203) will run back kickoffs. Ambrose averaged 22.7 yards last year with a 91-yarder for a touchdown vs. Arkansas State—ULM’s first such TD since 2003. Lovett averaged 14.0 yards on three returns last year.

SCHEDULE

ULM will play its highest ranking opening day opponent when it meets Texas—a solid top 5 team in all the pre-season rankings—on Sept. 5 in Austin. It will be the first meeting between the two teams. The Warhawks will play two other big name squads—Arizona State (5-7 last season) on Sept. 19 and Kentucky (7-6 and the Liberty Bowl champ) on Oct. 24. This will be ULM’s first trip to Tempe but fourth to Lexington. The Hawks usually play well vs. UK, beating the Wildcats in 1994 and almost beating them in 2006 in an offensive show, 40-42. Dennis Erickson has never had losing seasons back to back and Arizona State will be tough despite the fact that a weak UNLV eleven beat the Pac 10 team last year.

The Warhawks will open their home schedule Sept. 12 against SWAC member Texas Southern (4-8 in 2008). With Western Kentucky now a football member of the Sun Belt, ULM will play eight conference games, four at home—Florida International (Oct. 3) in the Homecoming contest, Arkansas State (Oct. 13) in a mid-week ESPN2 game, WKU Nov. 14 and Middle Tennessee Nov. 28. Road games are at Florida Atlantic Sept. 26, Troy Oct. 31, North Texas Nov. 7 and ULL Nov. 21. The Nov. 28 contest vs. Middle Tennessee is believed to be the latest regularly scheduled home game in ULM history although the 1987 national 1-AA championship team played home playoff contests as late as Dec. 12.




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Curtis Nichols

There is probably not a single member of a current ULM athletic team who has ever heard of Curtis Nichols. But they all owe him a debt of gratitude.

Nichols, who died August 6 at the age of 91, undoubtedly deserved the title of ULM’s No. 1 sports fan. And Curtis was a man who put his money where his mouth was. He was not the only man to begin what is now ULM’s chief support group for sports, the Warhawk Athletic Foundation, but he was the first president of a forerunner, the Quarterback Club of Northeast Louisiana State College, in 1953. Then in 1956, he was the first president of the Northeast Booster Club, which was eventually renamed the Athletic Foundation. He was also the first man to serve as Booster Club president twice, serving again in 1963-64. Even when he wasn’t president, Nichols was always a driving force in the club. In the club’s early years, one of the big incentives to join was the chance to win a beautiful new Ford Thunderbird, provided of course, by Curtis Nichols.

Mr. Nichols was a very successful business man, the owner of five businesses during his life, all of them auto dealerships or associated with cars in some way. He jump started his career after getting out of the Navy at the end of World War II with an idea that demonstrated his ingenuity and aggressiveness. This was a time when new cars were hard to find since the U.S. automakers were just starting to convert from building war equipment such as Jeeps and tanks to automobiles. Because of the scarcity, car buyers usually had to wait several weeks or months for their cars to be shipped in. Nichols cut this wait dramatically for his customers by loading up his car with several employees and friends and driving to Detroit, getting Fords fresh off the assembly line and driving them back home to Louisiana.

But Curtis always had time for ULM sports. He had a close personal association with Coach Lenny Fant, who played on one of Nichols’ many independent basketball teams in his younger days. He maintained that interest in ULM until his last days. I visited him a few weeks before his death and, as always, he asked about the Warhawk football and basketball teams.

In 2007, Nichols became the only person who was not a former ULM athlete or staff member to be inducted into the university’s Hall of Fame. He lived with his grandson, former ULM football player and strength coach Kurt Heidtman, and his family when he became ill in his later years.

He was a good man and a very great friend of ULM athletics. We’ll miss him.




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All About You

Curtis Nichols, a member of the ULM Hall of Fame and the first president of the Booster Club, later the Warhawk Athletic Foundation, died Aug. 6 at the age of 91.

Nichols was the only person ever selected to the Hall of Fame who was never a ULM athlete or staff member. He was inducted in 2007.

A successful auto dealer in Monroe, Rayville and Bastrop, Nichols was elected president of the Northeast Louisiana State College Quarterback Club in 1953 and in 1956 was elected president of the Booster Club, both organizations he helped found. He became the first man ever to serve a second term as president of the support organization in 1963-64.

Mr. Nichols remained active in the Athletic Foundation long after serving his terms as president. For many years, he provided a Ford Thunderbird which was given away as the main prize in the annual Foundation membership drive and he was a longtime season ticket holder for ULM football and basketball.

A Navy veteran of World War II, Nichols became a Ford car dealer after the war and won much recognition for his success, including more than 20 Ford Distinguished Dealer awards. He was also active in many civic and social activities, including the Boy Scouts of America, Monroe Pacesetters, the Rayville Kiwanis Club, Bayou DeSiard and Morehouse Country Clubs and the Lotus Club.

He is survived by his daughter Carol Nichols Johnston of Monroe, brother Jack Nichols of Pensacola, Fla., three grandsons including former ULM football player and strength coach Kurt Heidtman of Monroe and several great grandchildren.

After becoming ill late in his life, Mr. Nichols lived for 18 months in the home of Kurt Heidtman and wife Meg. He was a graduate of Rayville High School and played football at Marshall, Tex, Junior College.

 

It was good to run into former Indian Joe Kuhn (FB, 1975-79) in late July when we both stopped at a West Monroe service station. Joe was on his way from his home in Birmingham, AL, to Albuquerque, N.M., via his favorite mode of travel, a motorcycle.




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EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK: Intriguing Season Ahead

Bob Anderson

By Bob Anderson

ULM faces a most unusual and intriguing football season this fall.

The Warhawks have a football team that is promising and yet dubious at the same time.

ULM is the only Sun Belt Conference team to have defeated the SBC’s champion and New Orleans Bowl entry in both of the last two seasons—winning at Florida Atlantic in overtime in 2007 and knocking off Troy in Monroe this past season. The 2009 Warhawks also have one of the biggest groups of returning starters in the conference this fall with 16 regulars back, evenly divided between offense and defense, along with both kicking specialists from a team that went 4-8 with two losses by one point and another by three.

The returnees include two players who made various first team all-SBC squads (LB Cardia Jackson, and DE Aaron Morgan) plus five others who have been second or third team selections (WRs LaGregory Sapp and Darrell McNeal, RB Frank Goodin, and DBs Nate Brown and Greg James) while five others made the SBC all-Freshman squad.

But SBC coaches and media don’t think much of ULM’s chances this year, picking the Warhawks to finish seventh in the nine-team league.

One of the reasons for the low rating is that the Warhawks have the fewest returning coaches of any SBC team with only head coach Charlie Weatherbie, running backs coach Bob Leahy, QB mentor Jonas Weatherbie and cornerback coach Darrell Perkins back on the staff. The other six members of the 2008 staff are gone, the main reason being that Weatherbie is in the final year of his current contract.

Weatherbie has been in many ways an excellent head coach and could save his job with a big season in 2009. He came to ULM when football was at one of its lowest points with only six wins in the previous three seasons under two coaches. He is the first man to come to ULM with extensive head coaching experience at the 1-A level. He is a man of unquestioned Christian character who has been able to attract some outstanding assistant coaches as well as some of the university’s highest rated recruiting classes. For example, despite the mass turnover in assistant coaches this year, he brought in what is generally considered the second or third best group of recruits in the Sun Belt.

Weatherbie’s ULM squads have included two of the best of the school’s 1-A era, the 6-6 team of 2007 and the 2005 club that shared the Sun Belt title. The 2007 club won ULM’s biggest victory since the national 1-AA championship game of 1987, the 21-14 upset of Nick Saban’s Alabama team that won the Independence Bowl.

But on the other hand he has never been able to give ULM a winning season or a bowl invitation. His teams have also suffered some highly disappointing defeats, particularly in early-season home games against 1-AA teams like Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin—usually an attendance killer. Even in the year ULM shared the Sun Belt title, the Warhawks blew their chances for the undisputed title and the New Orleans Bowl by losing home games to lowly Florida International—which had never won a Sun Belt game before—and Louisiana Lafayette, being blown out by their traditional rival by 33 points in front of their own fans.

When ULM entered the Sun Belt Conference in 2001, most of the other teams, like the Warhawks, were fairly new to major league football after moving up from 1-AA. ULM, however, had enjoyed the greatest success in the lower division of any of the SBC members with the national championship in 1987 under Pat Collins and several powerful squads in the early 1990’s under Dave Roberts, including the 10-3 1993 team that was ranked No. 1 nationally following the regular season.

Despite the brutal schedules that came with 1-A independent status after the move upward in 1994, ULM remained fairly respectable, even knocking off a couple of Southeastern Conference schools and almost beating a nationally-ranked Auburn team.

The formation of the Sun Belt’s football league was seen by its fans as the breakthrough event for ULM, giving the team a chance to compete on more of a level playing field. But after eight years in the conference, the Warhawks’ SBC winning percentage of .444 (24-30) ranks ahead of only one current league member, Florida International, while Weatherbie’s won-loss record in SBC play is 20-21 (.488), ahead of two current league head coaches, Mario Cristobal of FIU (4-14, .286) and Todd Dodge of North Texas (1-13, .071).

During its 1-AA years, ULM was one of the bullies on the block. Its tradition, its enrollment, its attendance and other financial support gave it an edge over most of the other programs in its division. It still has some advantages but as the smallest state-supported university in 1-A football, it is no longer a bully but usually an underdog. Shaking that image is possible but not easy and will require more resources than are currently at the athletics department’s disposal.

As Weatherbie enters his seventh ULM season, his future is uncertain. The 2009 Warhawks have the potential to be good, good enough to save his job with a winning year, maybe even a championship. They could also be another big disappointment.

One thing is certain, however. ULM football is better today than it was the day Coach Weatherbie arrived in Monroe. But when you raise the bar, expectations always rise with it.



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All-Athletes Reunion Scheduled!

L Clubbers:

The L Club is excited to announce the date for our first and what we hope will become annual all-athletes reunion! Make your plans to join all former athletes in Monroe the weekend of ULM’s home opener in football, September 11-12. Here is our schedule:

Friday, September 11 – Social at the Sports City Grill in West Monroe, hosted by Gene Ponti. This is a Dutch treat event and it begins at 7:00 p.m. The Sports City Grill is located near West Monroe High School – www.sportscitygrill.net – 2105 N. 7th Street, West Monroe,318-387-1700

Saturday, September 12 – 2:00 p.m. – ULM Alumni Association Shrimp boil in The Grove

6:00 p.m. – kick-off for the ULM vs. Texas Southern football game – our location will be in the “Touchdown Terrace” which is set up in the south end zone (Grove side of Malone Stadium).

Click here for your All-Athlete Reunion ticket information / registration / hotel information form
(the All-Athlete Reunion form is in a Word document format.)

We’re excited about the possibilities for this first ever all-athletes reunion. Please make sure you return your reservation form by Friday, September 4. If you have any questions, e-mail Robert Williamson at rwilliamson@ulm.edu or 318-342-5427. Also, please try and reserve your hotel room asap – that information is included at the All-Athlete Reunion info form link above.



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ULM Athletic Foundation announces Kick-Off Event

The ULM Athletic FoundationThe 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.


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 ULM Athletic Foundation 'Young Grad' ProgramThe "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 ULM Athletic Foundation Jr. Warhawk PorgramThe "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.




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Show Your Warhawk Pride!

Celebrate the history and tradition of the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Make your purchases in style, while receiving rewarding benefits and world class service. Each purchase generates dollars for your ULM Alumni Association!

ULM Mastercard   ULM Mastercard
Apply today for the ULM Platinum Plus® MasterCard® with WorldPoints®Rewards from Bank of America.
   Apply today for the ULM American Express® Rewards Card from Bank of America.




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L Club Wrap Up From the L Club Executive Director

Dear L-Clubbers:

I first want to thank Mr. Anderson on another superb newsletter. You are the best!! I hope the summer was good for you and your family. As the school bells begin to ring in the next few days, I am hoping some of you will conger up pleasant memories of your time here along the bayou.

Think back to moving into the dorm for preseason camp, meeting new friends, getting reacquainted with old friends after summer break. This reacquainting and renewing can continue—all you have to do is come back. As I said last year at this time, it does not matter if you were an Indian or a Warhawk, your teammate have not changed.

Come back to your teammates!

Consider joining the L-Club this year. Consider a joint membership with the ULM Alumni Association at a discounted rate! This joint membership can save you a buck or two and that is real important now a days! Your dues mailer will arrive soon.

I hope to see you back on campus at the All-Athlete Reunion during the September 11-12 weekend.

If you have any questions or just want to talk, please contact me at 318-342-1316 or via email at rwilliamson@ulm.edu or rwilliamson@ulm.edu.

I look forward to an exciting year of Warhawk Athletics and an even more exciting year of getting reacquainted with you!

Go Warhawks!

Robert Williamson

Robert Williamson
L Club Executive Director
(318) 342-5428 /822-927-4295
rwilliamson@ulm.edu



Don’t forget to check out the “Lost Members” link located at the top of this newsletter – help us locate these lost teammates. Send any information to me at rwilliamson@ulm.edu.