You are here: Home / Archives for Blue Raider athletics

Raiders battle but fall short to Louisville in NCAA 1st round

March 25, 2013 By

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Middle Tennessee trimmed a big first-half deficit to one midway through the second half, but Louisville used its pressure defense to stymie the Blue Raiders and collect a 74-49 win in the first round of the NCAA tournament on March 24 at the KFC Yum! Center.

Despite falling behind 20-3, the Blue Raiders battled back to trim the lead to one with 11:56 left to play in the game. Louisville, however, made use of a 24-4 run to expand the lead and clinch the victory.

The Blue Raiders closed out an excellent 25-8 season that saw the team collect its seventh Sun Belt Tournament title and its fifth consecutive regular season title. Middle Tennessee also made a school-record fifth straight NCAA tournament appearance.

Junior forward Ebony Rowe, left, and senior guard Kortni Jones listen to media questions at a post-game press conference in Louisville, Ky., on March 24 after the MTSU Blue Raiders lost to Louisville in the first round of NCAA 2013 tournament play. (MTSU Athletics photo)

Junior forward Ebony Rowe, left, and senior guard Kortni Jones listen to media questions at a postgame press conference in Louisville, Ky., on March 24 after the MTSU Blue Raiders lost to Louisville in the first round of NCAA 2013 tournament play. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

Senior guard Kortni Jones finished with a team-high 14 points and three assists. Her two three-pointers moved her into the all-time leader of the shots at Middle Tennessee with 259, surpassing Brandi Brown.

For the sixth consecutive game, Ebony Rowe recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Rowe moved her double-double total to 21 this season, good enough for second all-time for the Blue Raiders.

Rowe’s five grabs off the defensive glass moved her into a single-season record with 189 defensive boards, passing the previous record of 187 rebounds set by Alysha Clark in 2010. The Lexington, Ky., native also shot five out of six from the field with two blocks, an assist and a steal.

Icelyn Elie of Lebanon, Tenn., totaled 13 points and picked up seven rebounds. Her four successful three-pointers tied for the third best performance in MTSU history.

Also having an impressive day was Laken Leonard. The junior hit three out of six shots from the field with eight points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 33 minutes.

Louisville used a 16-0 run to open a 20-3 lead while holding the Blue Raiders scoreless for nearly seven minutes during that stretch.

Faced with a daunting comeback, Middle Tennessee battled back bit by bit, using two separate five-point runs over a span of four to pull within 11 points. The Cardinals pulled back ahead by 13.

Middle Tennessee would not go away, however, as Rowe hit a jumper and Elie nailed a three-pointer on consecutive possessions, putting the game within eight-point reach. MTSU used a big three-pointer by Jones with 25 seconds remaining in the half to cut the lead to seven at intermission, 34-27.

Out of the break, MTSU rattled off a pair of three-pointers to cut the lead to one, 34-33. The Blue Raiders would bring it within a point two more times before Louisville used a 24-to-4 run to pull away.

Louisville had four players reach double figures with Shoni Schimmel leading the way with 20.

The Blue Raiders closed out a remarkable season that saw the team complete a 25-8 overall record and a 17-3 mark in Sun Belt play.

Several Blue Raiders had record-setting years, including three 1,000-point scorers: Elie, Rowe and Jones. Coach Rick Insell also became the school’s all-time winningest coach for the women’s program.

Middle Tennessee’s women’s basketball team closed out its final year in the Sun Belt with a regular season and tournament title.

You can find more details on the Blue Raiders’ 2013 NCAA efforts here.

— MT Athletics (GoBlueRaiders.com)

Filed Under: Campus Community Tagged With: , , , , ,

Blue Raiders fall 67-54 to Saint Mary’s in NCAA First Four

March 19, 2013 By

DAYTON, Ohio — In their first NCAA Championship appearance in 24 years, Middle Tennessee’s men fell 67-54 in the first round of the 2013 tournament Tuesday night to Saint Mary’s before a crowd of 12,027 at Dayton Arena.

Junior Kerry Hammonds scored 10 points in Middle Tennessee's first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Saint Mary's on Tuesday night. (MTSU Athletics photo)

Junior Kerry Hammonds scored 10 points in Middle Tennessee’s first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Saint Mary’s on Tuesday night. (MTSU Athletics photo)

The Blue Raiders, who are the regular season champions of the Sun Belt Conference, finished the year with a 28-6 record. They were making their seventh appearance in the NCAA tournament and first since 1989.

Marcos Knight led the Blue Raiders in double figures with 16 points, while Kerry Hammonds and Neiko Hunter added 10 each. Knight also added six assists and six rebounds to go with his 27th double-figure scoring game of the year.

Middle Tennessee was a No. 11 seed for this year’s NCAA tournament, matching the best seed in program history. MT was also the No. 11 seed in the 1982 Mideast Regional, the same year the Blue Raiders won their first NCAA tournament game against No. 6 seed Kentucky. The Blue Raiders captured a 50-44 win over the No. 6 Wildcats in Nashville, Tenn., before falling 81-56 to third-seeded Louisville in the second round.

As a team, the Blue Raiders struggled in shooting the basketball against Saint Mary’s, making just 22 of 52 attempts for a 42 percent effort, and had a hard time getting to the free throw line.

NCAA 2013 basketball logoSaint Mary’s attempted 25 free throws to seven by the Blue Raiders. That marked the fewest attempts by Middle Tennessee all season, and the Raiders’ 54 points were their fewest since registering just 45 against Florida on Nov. 18.

After a back-and-forth first half, the Blue Raiders went cold from the field as Saint Mary’s ended the first stanza on an 11-2 run to take a 29-20 lead into the locker room. Middle Tennessee shot just 32 percent from the field, while the Gaels owned a 10-2 advantage in points off turnovers.

The Blue Raiders came out of the locker room a different team offensively. After trading baskets, MT went on a 7-0 run to trim the Gaels’ lead to 41-38 at the 12:36 mark. A Hammonds three-pointer keyed the run.

The Gaels answered right back, going on a 13-4 run to grab their biggest lead of the night, 54-42, with 5:48 to play. The Blue Raiders would not threaten again as the Gaels advanced to the second round to face Memphis.

Read more game details, notes and an interview with head coach Kermit Davis and senior guard Knight here.

— MT Athletics (GoBlueRaiders.com)

Filed Under: Campus Community Tagged With: , , , , ,

MTSU Welcomes Conference USA Commissioner (video)

February 14, 2013 By

Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky visited Nashville on Feb. 13 to meet with MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and the university’s athletic officials. Banowsky addressed Middle Tennessee sports media during the luncheon at the Country Music Hall of Fame, where he touted the benefits of expanding C-USA, including the addition of MTSU in July 2013. For more details on the visit, visit mtsunews.com/conference-usa-commissioner.

Filed Under: Featured Videos Tagged With: , , , ,

MTSU gives True Blue welcome to C-USA commissioner (w/video)

February 13, 2013 By

NASHVILLE — Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky got his first taste of Middle Tennessee hospitality Wednesday with a luncheon and press event at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to introduce him to Music City USA.

MTSU accepted an invitation to join the conference last November, then announced last month that it would officially leave the Sun Belt Conference and join C-USA on July 1, 2013.

Representatives from the two of Music City’s iconic institutions — the Grand Ole Opry and the Hall of Fame — were on hand to welcome the commissioner, along with representatives from Nashville Sports Council and the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau.

MTSU alumnus Pete Fisher, vice president and general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, presented Banowsky with a framed Opry appearance poster welcoming the commissioner to Middle Tennessee.

Fisher, a 1987 recording industry management graduate, said the poster reflects an Opry tradition and that “Britton Banowsky is our star today.”

“The Grand Ole Opry is synonymous with Nashville and Middle Tennessee,” Fisher said after the presentation.

“This (move to C-USA) is obviously a great step of growth and affirmation for everything that’s going on in this area. Conference USA obviously recognizes that. This rising tide raises all ships.”

Britton Banowsky, left, commissioner of Conference USA, receives a gift from MTSU alumnus Pete Fisher, vice president and general manager or the Grand Ole Opry, during an MTSU-Conference USA media luncheon hosted at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

Britton Banowsky, left, commissioner of Conference USA, receives a gift from MTSU alumnus Pete Fisher, vice president and general manager or the Grand Ole Opry, during an MTSU-Conference USA media luncheon Feb. 13 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

Banowsky applauded the university’s leadership, pointing to the importance of infrastructure improvements on campus as well as MTSU’s emphasis on academic excellence.

“It’s a great university, and what makes great universities are great leaders. Academically, they do a great job not only for their students but their student-athletes,” Banowsky said. “We think the university is absolutely a perfect fit for what we’re trying accomplish going forward in Conference USA.”

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, along with Athletics Director Chris Massaro and Football Coach Rick Stockstill, led the university’s delegation at the Nashville event.

“On behalf of our 100,000 alumni, our outstanding faculty, staff, administrators and students, I want to offer a true Blue Raider welcome to Commissioner Britton Banowsky,” McPhee said.

“Our university alumni, friends and supporters are truly excited about MTSU being a part of the largest FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) conference in the NCAA.”

MTSU officials say the move to C-USA is expected to enhance the university’s national profile athletically and academically as it joins a conference featuring member schools such as Rice, Tulane and Marshall.

McPhee noted that C-USA’s partnerships with television networks CBS, Fox and ESPN will raise the profile of the university’s programs and its student-athletes.

“We have made it a point, as a university, to align ourselves academically and athletically with entities that will continue this university on the explosive growth pattern over the past 10 years, and certainly Conference USA does just that,” McPhee said.

Banowsky traveled to Murfreesboro after the Nashville event to tour the MTSU campus and appear at a Business After Hours event of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce held Wednesday night at MTSU’s Kennon Sports Hall of Fame.

— Jimmy Hart (jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu)

Filed Under: Campus Community Tagged With: , , , , ,

MTSU Joins Conference USA (video)

January 22, 2013 By

Middle Tennessee State University President Sidney A. McPhee announced Nov. 29 that the university had entered into a membership agreement to join Conference USA for intecollegiate athletics beginning no later than July 1, 2014. Director of Athletics Chris Massaro joined McPhee in making the announcement during a news conference in the lobby of the university’s new Student Union Building. On Jan. 22, the university announced that MTSU will become a part of C-USA in July 2013. For more information, visit mtsunews.com/mtsu-conference-usa-july2013.

Filed Under: Featured Videos Tagged With: , , , ,

MTSU to begin Conference USA competition in July 2013

January 22, 2013 By

Middle Tennessee State University will become a full member of Conference USA on July 1, 2013, after agreeing today to separate early from the Sun Belt Conference.

MTSU announced Nov. 29, 2012, that it would join C-USA no later than July 1, 2014. However, the university decided recently to negotiate with C-USA and the Sun Belt to make the change effective with the 2013-14 academic year.

“While we have been proud members of the Sun Belt Conference, it was felt that it was in the best interest of the university, our student-athletes and supporters to accelerate our move to Conference USA,” said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee.

“C-USA’s television partnerships, increased bowl tie-ins and larger national footprint will provide better and stronger platforms for our athletics program and our university,” he said.

The university has spent the last 12-plus years in the Sun Belt, where it has won eight All-Sports trophies and 54 conference championships.

MTSU, which joined the Sun Belt on July 1, 2000, will leave the SBC with a league-best 50 conference football wins, while also ranking first in victories over automatic qualifying conferences.

Other notable milestones in the MTSU-Sun Belt partnership include:

  • MTSU’s four Sun Belt Athletes of the Year and 38 Coach of the Year winners;
  • Men’s Basketball Head Coach Kermit Davis status as just seven wins shy of becoming the SBC’s all-time winningest coach, while the women’s basketball program has won 80 percent of its conference games; and
  • the Blue Raiders’ 43 national television appearances since 2004.

“We have enjoyed a great partnership with the Sun Belt Conference, which has provided us many avenues to further improve our athletic program,” said Director of Athletics Chris Massaro.

MTSU cheerleaders join Director of Athletics Chris Massaro, center left, and President Sidney A. McPhee, center right, to celebrate the Nov. 29 announcement of the university’s new affiliation with Conference USA. (MTSU file photo by Andy Heidt)

“We look forward to our future in Conference USA and are excited about developing new relationships with its member schools. I am really eager to see how our 2013 home football schedule shapes up.”

McPhee said the university will pay the Sun Belt Conference $700,000 to leave the league by June 30. MTSU will use funds from private donations to the athletics department to cover the $700,000, McPhee said, rather than tapping into state funding or other revenues.

MTSU agreed to pay the SBC half the sum within 30 days and the rest by June 30, the day before it joins Conference USA.

McPhee said MTSU will quickly recoup the money through higher returns from revenue sharing in C-USA.

In addition to Middle Tennessee, beginning July 1, 2013, the C-USA membership will include Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida International, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, North Texas, Old Dominion, Rice, Southern Miss, Tulane, Tulsa, Alabama-Birmingham, Texas-El Paso and Texas-San Antonio.

C-USA’s existing media contracts include television partnerships with Fox Sports Media Group, CBS Sports Network and ESPN.

“Middle Tennessee has been one of the amazing growth stories in higher education and intercollegiate athletics,” said C-USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky. “We are delighted to have them with us next year. The university has great leadership and will definitely contribute to our plan for the conference.”

The Blue Raiders will begin their quest for C-USA titles in August with eight available for men and nine for women.

The men will compete in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field. The women will take part in basketball, cross country, golf, tennis, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, volleyball, soccer and softball.

MTSU will not field teams in men’s soccer, women’s rowing and women’s swimming and diving.

For more details, visit www.GoBlueRaiders.com. You can read the original announcement story here.

— MT Athletics (GoBlueRaiders.com)

Filed Under: Campus Community Tagged With: , , , ,

Hoops rivalry with WKU highlights ‘True Blue Week’

January 22, 2013 By

Show your True Blue colors this week as the MTSU Blue Raiders men’s and women’s basketball teams prepare to take on Sun Belt Conference archrival Western Kentucky at Murphy Center.

The entire week — which began Monday, Jan. 21, and culminates with the hardwood battles on Saturday, Jan. 26, and Sunday, Jan. 27 — has been proclaimed “True Blue Week.”

Rutherford County Commissioner Jeff Phillips, center, reads a proclamation at a Jan. 17 County Commission meeting inside the County Courthouse denoting Jan. 21-27 as “€œTrue Blue Week.” Accepting the proclamation are, from left, MTSU representatives Diane Turnham, associate athletic director, and Coby Sherlock, Student Government Association president. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

MTSU representatives Diane Turnham, associate athletic director, and Coby Sherlock, president of the Student Government Association, accepted an official mayoral proclamation for “True Blue Week” Thursday night at the Rutherford County Commission meeting. The city of Murfreesboro has also made a proclamation.

Spearheaded by the MTSU Athletics Department, the week’s aim is to build fan support and turnout for the WKU games, which feature a men’s contest tip-off at 3 p.m. Jan. 26 for a national broadcast audience on ESPN2. The women’s contest will start at 2 p.m. Jan. 27.

“The goal is to get as many people as possible to the basketball games on Saturday and Sunday against Western Kentucky,” said Marco Born, MTSU assistant athletic director for ticketing and marketing.

Blue Raider fans should wear blue throughout the week and fly their MTSU car flags. Staffs of local businesses and restaurants around town are encouraged to wear blue, and businesses with marquees outside are asked to promote the games.

“This is possibly the last time or one of the last times we’re going to play Western as a conference rival with our pending move to Conference USA,” Born said. “That rivalry has always been great because of the proximity of the campuses, about 100 miles apart, which has made for great basketball and a great atmosphere.”

As announced in late November, MTSU athletics will be leaving the Sun Belt Conference no later than July 2014 to join Conference USA.

“I think it’s important for our fans to come out to support these games this week,” said Born, who pointed out the “Plus 1” promotional push for season ticket holders to bring one extra fan with them to the games. “If every fan does that, we’ll fill the arena up pretty quickly.”

Tickets for the games are $10. For ticket information, call 1-888-YES-MTSU or 615-898-5261. You can also visit www.goblueraiders.com and click on the “Tickets” tab at the top of the page.

But “True Blue Week” isn’t just about hoops.

Click on the image to learn more about being “True Blue.”

The week also highlights the university’s beliefs expressed in its True Blue Pledge, which spells out four core values: honesty and integrity; respect for diversity; engagement in the community; and a commitment to reason, not violence. You can learn more at www.mtsu.edu/trueblue.

All of those values were in focus Jan. 21, when MTSU’s Center for Student Involvement and Leadership and the Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs presented the Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration Program in the Keathley University Center Theater.

Members of the MTSU community gathered to honor King’s life and legacy. The theme for this year’s celebration, like the university’s upcoming Black History Month celebration in February, is “At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington.”

Other events scheduled this week by the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership that reflect the “True Blue” spirit include:

• A Student Organization Fair
, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, in the Student Union ballroom. Students are being encouraged to visit with all of the registered student organizations on hand and learn how they can be more involved in the campus community; and

• An International Welcome Reception, which is scheduled on Friday, Jan. 25, from 4 to 6 p.m. in Student Union Room 330. New and returning international students will be the guests of honor at this gathering.

— Jimmy Hart (jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu)

Filed Under: Campus Community Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Game, experiments bring ‘100 percent fun’ to city schools students

December 4, 2012 By

Murfreesboro City Schools€™ coordinators Caresa Brooks, front left, and Kristina Maddux celebrate successful “€œBalloon Kabobs” during Education Day Dec. 4 in Murphy Center. (MTSU photos by Andy Heidt)

Above the noise of thousands of children talking and doing what youngsters do at a college basketball game, Cameron Burke said he was having “100 percent fun.”

Burke, 9, a fourth-grade student at John Pittard Elementary School in Murfreesboro, was having a grand time inside Murphy Center Tuesday morning.

A first-time visitor to the 11,000-plus-seat facility, Burke said he was having “lots of fun watching the basketball” on Education Day, a partnership between the Murfreesboro City Schools and MT Athletics, where the MTSU Lady Raiders met in-state rival Austin Peay in a basketball game and the students attended on a field trip.

Minutes earlier, Burke, his fellow students and their teachers in grades K-6 and administrators from 10 city schools witnessed science, technology, engineering and mathematics in action in two science experiments, “Balloon Kabob” and “Alka-Seltzer Bottle Rockets.”

“It was cool. I wish I could do that,” Burke said after watching both experiments.

The first pushed a wooden stick completely through a balloon without bursting it, and the second brought Alka-Seltzer tablets and water together in a small film canister to create a gas. With the lid on tight and canister turned upside down, the combustion blows the canister into the air.

All of the children were amazed by the STEM activity led by Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, an MTSU chemistry professor and director of the MTSU WISTEM Center.

College of Basic and Applied Sciences Dean Bud Fischer and chemistry department chair Dr. Greg Van Patten assisted Iriarte-Gross with the experiments, along with senior anthropology major Kellum Everett and freshmen Sierra Shipley, a criminal justice major, and biology major Caleb Hough.

Students from two sixth-grade classes at Siegel Elementary and students from Scales Elementary also participated in the on-the-court exercises.

Later, Murfreesboro City Schools’ personnel performed math and letter-writing drills for the estimated 7,500 students in attendance.

Members of the Scales girls’ basketball team and their coaches also were part of the high-five tunnel for the Lady Raiders as the university team ran onto the floor of Hale Arena. Other fun activities during the game included a “chicken toss,” mummy game, musical chairs and dizzy bat race.

Other schools attending included Black Fox, Bradley and Cason Lane academies, Hobgood, Mitchell-Neilson, Northfield and the Discovery School at Reeves-Rogers.

Josh Calbaugh, MT Athletics director of marketing, said he hopes this will be the first of many Educational Days to bring area schools’ students to campus.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)

MTSU freshmen Sierra Shipley and Caleb Hough perform the “Balloon Kabob” science experiment in front of several thousand Murfreesboro City Schools students Dec. 4 during the Education Day basketball game between the Lady Raiders and Austin Peay.

Nearly 7,500 Murfreesboro City Schools students enjoy a field trip to MTSU’€™s Murphy Center for the Lady Raiders’ Dec. 4 Education Day game against Austin Peay.

Filed Under: Special Events Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Massaro provides insight into bowl omission, C-USA move

December 3, 2012 By

The following is an open letter from MTSU Director of Athletics Chris Massaro to supporters of Blue Raider Athletics.

To our supporters of Blue Raider Athletics,

As our stakeholders, I wanted to reach out and provide some background on the events of the last few days, so you can have a better understanding of what transpired.

I know you, as Blue Raider faithful, share in my disappointment that our football team was not extended an invitation to compete in a post-season bowl game — despite our 8-4 overall record and the distinction of having the biggest year-over-year win improvement in the country in 2012.

However, this emotional low point on Sunday came just days after we celebrated last Thursday our invitation into Conference USA, an affiliation that will elevate the standing, competitiveness and stature of Middle Tennessee State University’s athletics program. As I said at the press conference, “the invitation was a validation of the labor and progress we have made at Middle Tennessee athletically and academically.”

The lingering frustration will not overshadow the tremendous season our football program enjoyed. We upset ACC Coastal Division Champion Georgia Tech on the road by 21 points, went 5-2 on the road, and finished second in the conference with a 6-2 mark.

MTSU Director of Athletics Chris Massaro wrote an open letter to Blue Raider Athletics supporters following MTSU’s omission from any bowl invitation following an 8-4 season in 2012. (Photo courtesy of GoBluRraiders.com)

We all remember the excitement generated by Coach Rick Stockstill and his team’s victory over Western Kentucky on Nov. 1. Our Blue Raiders were 10-point underdogs going into this nationally-televised road game, yet we pulled out a thrilling victory that demonstrated the tenacity and spirit of our team. While we had been touting our potential to bowl committees before the WKU game, our efforts ramped up after we became bowl eligible with the win in Bowling Green.

Within a few days of that win, it became evident that the conference landscape was about to change yet again, when Maryland and Rutgers announced a move to the Big Ten. The domino effect eventually led to Conference USA talks to re-engage, and discussions moved quickly at that time.

As you know, President McPhee and I have been quietly and deliberately looking for ways to raise the level of athletic competition and success for Blue Raiders athletics. We have long admired Conference USA as the next logical step in our program’s evolution — and the conference publicly and privately made it known that MTSU would be an excellent addition to its ranks.

On Nov. 25, two days before it was announced that East Carolina and Tulane would leave C-USA, the conference reached out to us, asking informally if we would be interested in joining. After careful consideration, President McPhee agreed that this move would be in the best interest of our university, and we began serious and immediate discussions on joining C-USA.

We had hoped that the announcement of the realignment could have waited until after our Sun Belt football championship game with Arkansas State on Saturday. However, as word emerged that both MTSU and fellow Sun Belt member Florida Atlantic University were being courted by C-USA, the Sun Belt scheduled a board meeting on Nov. 28 to discuss the departure of member schools. One of the proposals we heard from a reliable source was increasing exit fees to a sum as high as $10 million.

Knowing this, President McPhee and I agreed the university should tender its withdrawal from the Sun Belt before the meeting convened. Upon notice of our withdrawal, the Sun Belt cancelled its meeting. But after this point, it became clear that the news of MTSU and FAU’s movements were not going to wait until after Saturday’s game. As such, both MTSU and FAU held press conferences on Nov. 29 to announce that the two universities were going to join C-USA.

Against the backdrop of conference realignment, we continued to make our case for a bowl invitation. We were assured by the Sun Belt that our decision to move to C-USA would not affect how it negotiated on our behalf for bowl placement. When the dust settled on Sunday, we learned that despite playing for the Sun Belt Championship, we would not be among the teams heading for post-season play.

As Coach Rick Stockstill said Sunday about the football team and the bowl omission, “they did what they had to do on the football field and were not rewarded.”

Personally, I am frustrated with decisions made in board rooms and not on the football field. Our team and fans deserve better. I think it is clear that the bowl system needs improvement and should be better than this. However, this incredibly frustrating turn of events will not define us or our season.

As President McPhee said Sunday night, when we say “I am True Blue,” we are speaking about character and commitment. I am so proud of the character and commitment put forth by this football team, what they have accomplished this season and the turnaround they have made. I believe in this football team, the momentum we have built — and the future is bright.

Thank you for your continued support of Blue Raiders athletics and please join me in congratulating Coach Stockstill and his team for an exciting and memorable football season.

I invite you to make the next move with us.

Follow MTSU athletics anytime at www.goblueraiders.com.

Filed Under: Campus Community Tagged With: , , , , ,

Blue Raiders enter membership agreement with C-USA (w/video)

November 29, 2012 By

Middle Tennessee President Sidney A. McPhee announced Nov. 29 that the university has entered into a membership agreement to join Conference USA for intercollegiate athletics beginning no later than July 1, 2014.

A happy crowd cheers at the news that MTSU athletics will move from the Sun Belt Conference to Conference USA at a special Nov. 29 press conference held in the Student Union Building. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

Conference USA is an established, nationally recognized FBS conference that sponsors 20 sport championships.

“We have worked at many levels to advance the quality of our athletics program and this invitation recognizes the hard work and excellent results of our athletes, coaches and administrators,” McPhee said at a 10 a.m. announcement event inside MTSU’s new Student Union Building.

“Our affiliation with C-USA will build upon the strong results we enjoyed as a proud member of the Sun Belt Conference and position us for even greater success.”

The C-USA membership beginning July 1, 2013, will include Charlotte, East Carolina, FIU, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, North Texas, Old Dominion, Rice, Southern Miss, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, UTEP and UTSA. The league office is located in Irving, Texas. ECU will be leaving for the Big EAST Conference in football beginning with the 2014 season, and Tulane will be leaving for all sports for the 2014-15 campaign.

“This tremendous opportunity is the result of effort from many, especially Dr. McPhee,” said Director of Athletics Chris Massaro.

“I would particularly like to acknowledge the work of our student-athletes, coaches and, most importantly, our former student-athletes and coaches. They are the ones who truly built our foundation for this launching point. This invitation is a validation of their labor and the progress we have made at Middle Tennessee athletically and academically.”

C-USA teams and individuals have made nearly 700 NCAA championship appearances since the league’s inception in 1995-96. Sixty-seven football programs have earned bowl bids, 90 men’s basketball teams have participated in NCAA and NIT postseason play, 47 women’s basketball squads have appeared in the NCAA Tournament and 53 baseball programs have made NCAA tournament appearances, including 12 College World Series and a national crown for Rice in 2003. Additionally, 61 men’s and women’s soccer squads have participated in NCAA tournaments, with Charlotte competing for the men’s College Cup crown in 2011.

Conference USA members also enjoy significant national and regional television exposure and revenue sharing through a multi-tiered package that includes partnerships with CBS Sports Network, Fox Sports Media Group and ESPN. During 2011-12, C-USA football teams appeared on television more than 70 times, while 65 men’s basketball games were featured, and more than 40 baseball, softball and women’s basketball games and conference championships were broadcast.

Middle Tennessee has spent the last 12-plus years as a member of the Sun Belt Conference, where it has won eight All-Sports trophies and 54 conference championships and had four Athletes of the Year and 38 Coach of the Year winners. The Blue Raiders officially made their announcement to the SBC on November 4, 1999, with the effective date of July 1, 2000.

MTSU cheerleaders join Director of Athletics Chris Massaro, center left, and President Sidney A. McPhee, center right, to celebrate the Nov. 29 announcement of the university’s new affiliation with Conference USA. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

Prior to the Sun Belt affiliation, Middle Tennessee spent two years as an independent and the previous 47 years as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, where it won 11 league titles in football, made six NCAA Playoffs and appeared in four bowl games.

The Blue Raiders amassed an overall OVC mark of 192-115-4 (.624) during their 47 seasons of football competition, while having 15 Players of the Year and 177 first team all-OVC selections. In basketball, the women registered 11 OVC titles and the men garnered five. In all, the Blue Raider athletic program has accumulated 102 OVC Championships and nine All-Sports trophies.

The Blue Raiders will begin their quest for C-USA titles no later than 2014-15 with eight being available for men and nine for women. The men will compete in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field. The women will take part in basketball, cross country, golf, tennis, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, volleyball, soccer and softball. Middle Tennessee will not field teams in men’s soccer, women’s rowing and women’s swimming and diving.

“We have been impressed by the continued success at Middle Tennessee, which is a direct reflection of the outstanding leadership at that institution,” said Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky. “They fit very well within the footprint of our conference.”

For more on the story, including comments from Middle Tennessee’s head coaches, visit www.goblueraiders.com/content.cfm/id/64239. You can watch a video from the event below.

— MT Athletics (goblueraiders.com)

Filed Under: Campus Community Tagged With: , , , ,
« Older Posts