A Message from the Director of Athletics

TU Nation:

Let me start by saying that I hope you had a joyous holiday season and were able to spend time with your loved ones, as my family and I were able to do. Let me, too, extend to each of you a prosperous and healthy New Year!

Our students returned to campus this week as classes for the spring semester began on Monday.

Before we look forward, let us review the fall season. Although our accomplishments on the playing field this past fall were not as numerous as our coaches and student-athletes have grown to expect, we still cannot lose sight of the fact that each of our teams had impressive moments.

Once again, our student-athletes excelled in the classroom as 225 of 375 recorded at least a 3.00 grade point average during the fall semester, including 46 with perfect 4.0 GPA's. Fourteen of our 17 teams had 3.00 GPA's or higher, while women's soccer garnered the highest cumulative GPA of 3.501

Our outstanding men's cross-country team captured an eighth straight conference title and fourth consecutive American Athletic Conference crown, while our women's team placed fourth in the league. We cannot forget our men's soccer team's 2-0 win over No. 1-ranked and eventual NCAA Champion Stanford on the Cardinal's home field. The injuries and youth of our football team were well-documented throughout the season, but the 45-17 win over Houston on Homecoming Weekend and five losses of under seven points gives our coaches confidence of a bright future. Another youthful team, volleyball, ended the season with an impressive 3-0 road victory over defending AAC Champion SMU.

We are pleased to announce that construction of the new $1.2 million football locker room began on January 2 with an expected completion date of late March.

Men's basketball began conference play in the rugged American Athletic Conference with a 3-0 record, while the women started out 2-1. I hope that we'll see a huge TU Nation turnout this Saturday at the Reynolds Center as our women's basketball team hosts Memphis at noon and later the men's team faces the nation's 5th-ranked Wichita State Shockers at 6:30 p.m. We're less than 1,100 tickets away from a SELLOUT, so please help us pack the Reynolds Center for what should be an exciting game!

Tennis and track begin their spring seasons this weekend, with men's tennis playing twice on Friday and hosting #19 California Sunday afternoon. The women face Oral Roberts Saturday afternoon at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center and our track team is running in Fayetteville on Friday. In total, the men's tennis team will play 10 of the ITA's preseason top 25 teams this year, and the women's team will face four.

Our reigning AAC Champion Softball team kicks off the season the second weekend of February, looking to capture yet another conference championship. If you haven't had a chance to see All-American Emily Watson, don't miss out on seeing the senior pitcher and her teammates this spring. You'll also be able to see our women's golf team in action at the Dale McNamara Invitational, April 9-10, at Tulsa Country Club, as the women will be looking to defend its tournament title from a year ago.

After finishing second in the American Athletic Conference the last three years, our women's rowing team will look to claim its first conference championship later this spring.

Please come out this semester to support our student-athletes in the winter/spring sports of basketball, women's golf, tennis, rowing, softball and track & field as they represent our university with pride and excellence.

Again, I would like to thank TU Nation for all of your support!

Go TU!
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Derrick L. Gragg, Ed. D.
Vice President & Director of Athletics
The University of Tulsa

A Message from the Director of Athletics

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