Roller Coaster Season Moving Forward
NEWS Volume 2 • Issue 11
• March 25, 2013 •
Roller Coaster Season
Moving Forward
In the world of coaching, there’s a saying that exists, “The first year is always the hardest”. Taking a look at Bryan Weakley’s first year as Head Coach of the TAMIU men’s basketball team, its hard to argue its validity.
In her first season as coach of the Texas A&M International women’s basketball team, Michelle Bento-Jackson and the Dustdevils came up just a bit short.
Not only did Weakley have to replace the top 11 scorers from last season’s Heartland Conference Championship team, he had to deal with a handful of other major obstacles along the way. The Dustdevils saw two of its top performers deal with MCL tears through the year in Matthew Culliver and Jordan Clark. They also lost two big men before the season including center Curtis Trotter (torn ACL) and the departure of Cedric Jones leaving for personal reasons. Finally, the team also lost three players during the year including guard Felipe Vezaro (broken thumb) and the transfers of Derico Dandridge and Randell Jones. Still, the Dustdevils finished the season at 15-12 with an 8-6 league record.They won four of their final six games to make their fourth straight postseason. Unlike last year, the Dustdevils are expecting a much smoother transition into next season as they are losing just two seniors: Jayvin Reynolds and Louis Ilton. The team will return its top six scorers, including Heartland Conference Newcomer and second-team All-Conference point guard Matthew Culliver and leading scorer and honorable mention AllConference guard Johnel Gray. TAMIU also returns athletic forward Jordan Clark and guards Kevin Jefferson and Felipe Vezaro. The team will also receive a boost with the return of Trotter. The 6-foot-6, 266 pound forward from Toronto was expected to shoulder a heavy workload this season but was lost to an ACL tear in a preseason exhibition game.
The Dustdevils (10-16, 5-7) finished one game back of Newman (1115, 6-6) and St. Edward’s (13-13, 6-6) of qualifying for one of the four spots in the league’s postseason tournament. They had a chance to clinch a spot in the season finale but fell 69-67 in the final seconds against St. Mary’s. It was only the third time in program history the team has finished with double-digit wins. The Dustdevils started the year losing their first three and finishing 3-7 in non-conference play. As the season went on, however, TAMIU began to improve. In conference play, after losing the first game to a league opponent, the Dustdevils went 2-2 in their rematch later in the year. The two losses were to the top two teams in the Heartland Conference with a matchup against first place Texas of the Permian Basin (196, 11-1 Heartland) going to overtime on the road before losing to second place St. Mary’s (20-6, 10-2) by two. Among the areas that the Dustdevils improved was limiting their opponents at the free-throw line. In TAMIU’s first 15 games, it put its opponents on the line more than 25 times in 10 games. In the last 11, however, the Dustdevils’ opponents went to the line more than 25 occasions just two times, and were held under 25 in the last seven contests. Among the players returning are TAMIU’s top three scorers in Tina Dang (13.8 ppg), Samantha Chacon (12.7) and Malika Jackson (10.6). Dang led the team in 3-pointers per game (3.04) while Chacon led in assists (4.04) and Jackson led in rebounds (7.2).
www.godustdevils.com
Athletic Director’s Corner Dr. Leonard Nardone
Peaks and Valleys
While all of us strive for consistency that steadily moves us to perfection in our ultimate goals in life, there are many peaks and valleys along the way. One day we are on top of the world and can do nothing wrong. Then the next day it feels as though the sky is falling and nothing we do is right. It’s how each of us handles these peaks and valleys in our life that define who we are as a person. Athletics teaches young men and women to have humility and be humble in their success, and in defeat to never quit and try harder no matter how difficult the obstacles may be. It’s at these valley times that we must remember that a peak is right around the corner, as we continue to climb ever upward to achieve our quest for a consistent and perfect life. GO DUSTDEVILS!!
Softball Drops Doubleheader Ninth ranked Oklahoma City University (NAIA) racked up 25 total hits and outscored TAMIU 21-3, as the Stars grabbed a doubleheader sweep over the Dustdevils Thursday afternoon at Dustdevil Field. The Stars got a solid performance from starting pitcher Jamie Rateliff and scored 10 runs over the final two innings to take game one 122. OCU then belted five home runs in the first inning of game two, completing the sweep with a 9-1 win. The pair of losses dropped TAMIU to 16-25 on the season, while OCU improved to 26-6. The Dustdevils will take a two week break before returning to action, hosting Incarnate Word for a doubleheader on April 3.
Home Event Schedule • 4/2 Baseball vs. TAMU-Kingsville 6 p.m. Uni-Trade • 4/3 Softball vs. Incarnate Word (DH) 1 p.m. • 4/5 Softball vs. St. Mary’s (DH) 1 p.m. • 4/6 Softball vs. St. Mary’s 12 p.m. • 4/5 Baseball vs. UAFS (DH) 3 p.m. Uni-Trade • 4/6 Baseball vs. UAFS 1 p.m. Uni-Trade • 4/19 Softball vs. Ok. Christian (DH) 1 p.m. • 4/20 Softball vs. Ok. Christian 12 p.m. • 4/19 Baseball vs. McMurry (DH) 12 p.m. JHF • 4/20 Baseball vs. McMurry 12 p.m. JHF • 4/26 Baseball vs. St. Mary’s (DH) 12 p.m. JHF • 4/27 Baseball vs. St. Mary’s 12 p.m. JHF
Baseball Bounces Back From Skid Following six straight losses, the Texas A&M International baseball team is starting to get back into the win column. The Dustdevils won their second straight game taking the series against UT Permian Basin with a 3-2 victory in the rubber match on Sautrday. The win brought their road record to 6-8 on the season. The victory brought TAMIU to 18-12 on the season with a 13-8 record in the Heartland Conference. No. 20 St. Mary’s (19-9, 15-5 Heartland) leads the league 2.5 games ahead of the Dustdevils and are followed by No. 22 St. Edward’s (18-7, 13-5) 1.5 games up and Arkansas-Fort Smith (14-9, 12-6) a half-game ahead. TAMIU will get a bye from their typical Tuesday game and head to Goodwell next weekend for its first series of the season against last place Oklahoma Panhandle State who has just a 1-23 record on the season and is winless in 18 conference games. The series takes place with a doubleheader on Friday before the series finale Saturday, both of which begin at 1 p.m.
Student Athlete’s Corner Name: Alex McKeon Sophomore / East Fishkill, New York
McKeon is batting .323 on the season with 17 doubles and a team-leading 17 RBI.
Name: Mariena Gallardo Sophomore / Corpus Christi, Texas
Gallardo leads the pitching staff with a 4-2 record and a 4.38 ERA. She is also batting .276 with 17 RBI.
Meet The Coaches Name: Chad Porter Head Coach Baseball Chad Porter returns for his fifth season as head baseball coach at Texas A&M International University. In his four seasons in Laredo, Porter has compiled an 80-130 overall record for the Dustdevils, with a 61-103 mark in Heartland Conference play. His career record as a head coach through seven seasons stands at 178-277
Dustdevil Platinum Club Sponsors
Thank You
On behalf of the student-athletes, coaching staff, athletic administration and the University, we wish to sincerely thank all of the members of the Dustdevil Platinum Club. Your continued support is what keeps our student-athletes successful both academically and athletically
Laredo Airport 7220 Bob Bullock | 956.724.7222
Killam Family Foundation City of Laredo Convention and Visitors Bureau 956.795.2200
Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust 5118 McPherson Rd 956.729.1190
Jorge Haynes Family Be a part of the team... Join the Dustdevil Club at GoDustdevils.com
• March 25, 2013 •
Roller Coaster Season
Moving Forward
In the world of coaching, there’s a saying that exists, “The first year is always the hardest”. Taking a look at Bryan Weakley’s first year as Head Coach of the TAMIU men’s basketball team, its hard to argue its validity.
In her first season as coach of the Texas A&M International women’s basketball team, Michelle Bento-Jackson and the Dustdevils came up just a bit short.
Not only did Weakley have to replace the top 11 scorers from last season’s Heartland Conference Championship team, he had to deal with a handful of other major obstacles along the way. The Dustdevils saw two of its top performers deal with MCL tears through the year in Matthew Culliver and Jordan Clark. They also lost two big men before the season including center Curtis Trotter (torn ACL) and the departure of Cedric Jones leaving for personal reasons. Finally, the team also lost three players during the year including guard Felipe Vezaro (broken thumb) and the transfers of Derico Dandridge and Randell Jones. Still, the Dustdevils finished the season at 15-12 with an 8-6 league record.They won four of their final six games to make their fourth straight postseason. Unlike last year, the Dustdevils are expecting a much smoother transition into next season as they are losing just two seniors: Jayvin Reynolds and Louis Ilton. The team will return its top six scorers, including Heartland Conference Newcomer and second-team All-Conference point guard Matthew Culliver and leading scorer and honorable mention AllConference guard Johnel Gray. TAMIU also returns athletic forward Jordan Clark and guards Kevin Jefferson and Felipe Vezaro. The team will also receive a boost with the return of Trotter. The 6-foot-6, 266 pound forward from Toronto was expected to shoulder a heavy workload this season but was lost to an ACL tear in a preseason exhibition game.
The Dustdevils (10-16, 5-7) finished one game back of Newman (1115, 6-6) and St. Edward’s (13-13, 6-6) of qualifying for one of the four spots in the league’s postseason tournament. They had a chance to clinch a spot in the season finale but fell 69-67 in the final seconds against St. Mary’s. It was only the third time in program history the team has finished with double-digit wins. The Dustdevils started the year losing their first three and finishing 3-7 in non-conference play. As the season went on, however, TAMIU began to improve. In conference play, after losing the first game to a league opponent, the Dustdevils went 2-2 in their rematch later in the year. The two losses were to the top two teams in the Heartland Conference with a matchup against first place Texas of the Permian Basin (196, 11-1 Heartland) going to overtime on the road before losing to second place St. Mary’s (20-6, 10-2) by two. Among the areas that the Dustdevils improved was limiting their opponents at the free-throw line. In TAMIU’s first 15 games, it put its opponents on the line more than 25 times in 10 games. In the last 11, however, the Dustdevils’ opponents went to the line more than 25 occasions just two times, and were held under 25 in the last seven contests. Among the players returning are TAMIU’s top three scorers in Tina Dang (13.8 ppg), Samantha Chacon (12.7) and Malika Jackson (10.6). Dang led the team in 3-pointers per game (3.04) while Chacon led in assists (4.04) and Jackson led in rebounds (7.2).
www.godustdevils.com
Athletic Director’s Corner Dr. Leonard Nardone
Peaks and Valleys
While all of us strive for consistency that steadily moves us to perfection in our ultimate goals in life, there are many peaks and valleys along the way. One day we are on top of the world and can do nothing wrong. Then the next day it feels as though the sky is falling and nothing we do is right. It’s how each of us handles these peaks and valleys in our life that define who we are as a person. Athletics teaches young men and women to have humility and be humble in their success, and in defeat to never quit and try harder no matter how difficult the obstacles may be. It’s at these valley times that we must remember that a peak is right around the corner, as we continue to climb ever upward to achieve our quest for a consistent and perfect life. GO DUSTDEVILS!!
Softball Drops Doubleheader Ninth ranked Oklahoma City University (NAIA) racked up 25 total hits and outscored TAMIU 21-3, as the Stars grabbed a doubleheader sweep over the Dustdevils Thursday afternoon at Dustdevil Field. The Stars got a solid performance from starting pitcher Jamie Rateliff and scored 10 runs over the final two innings to take game one 122. OCU then belted five home runs in the first inning of game two, completing the sweep with a 9-1 win. The pair of losses dropped TAMIU to 16-25 on the season, while OCU improved to 26-6. The Dustdevils will take a two week break before returning to action, hosting Incarnate Word for a doubleheader on April 3.
Home Event Schedule • 4/2 Baseball vs. TAMU-Kingsville 6 p.m. Uni-Trade • 4/3 Softball vs. Incarnate Word (DH) 1 p.m. • 4/5 Softball vs. St. Mary’s (DH) 1 p.m. • 4/6 Softball vs. St. Mary’s 12 p.m. • 4/5 Baseball vs. UAFS (DH) 3 p.m. Uni-Trade • 4/6 Baseball vs. UAFS 1 p.m. Uni-Trade • 4/19 Softball vs. Ok. Christian (DH) 1 p.m. • 4/20 Softball vs. Ok. Christian 12 p.m. • 4/19 Baseball vs. McMurry (DH) 12 p.m. JHF • 4/20 Baseball vs. McMurry 12 p.m. JHF • 4/26 Baseball vs. St. Mary’s (DH) 12 p.m. JHF • 4/27 Baseball vs. St. Mary’s 12 p.m. JHF
Baseball Bounces Back From Skid Following six straight losses, the Texas A&M International baseball team is starting to get back into the win column. The Dustdevils won their second straight game taking the series against UT Permian Basin with a 3-2 victory in the rubber match on Sautrday. The win brought their road record to 6-8 on the season. The victory brought TAMIU to 18-12 on the season with a 13-8 record in the Heartland Conference. No. 20 St. Mary’s (19-9, 15-5 Heartland) leads the league 2.5 games ahead of the Dustdevils and are followed by No. 22 St. Edward’s (18-7, 13-5) 1.5 games up and Arkansas-Fort Smith (14-9, 12-6) a half-game ahead. TAMIU will get a bye from their typical Tuesday game and head to Goodwell next weekend for its first series of the season against last place Oklahoma Panhandle State who has just a 1-23 record on the season and is winless in 18 conference games. The series takes place with a doubleheader on Friday before the series finale Saturday, both of which begin at 1 p.m.
Student Athlete’s Corner Name: Alex McKeon Sophomore / East Fishkill, New York
McKeon is batting .323 on the season with 17 doubles and a team-leading 17 RBI.
Name: Mariena Gallardo Sophomore / Corpus Christi, Texas
Gallardo leads the pitching staff with a 4-2 record and a 4.38 ERA. She is also batting .276 with 17 RBI.
Meet The Coaches Name: Chad Porter Head Coach Baseball Chad Porter returns for his fifth season as head baseball coach at Texas A&M International University. In his four seasons in Laredo, Porter has compiled an 80-130 overall record for the Dustdevils, with a 61-103 mark in Heartland Conference play. His career record as a head coach through seven seasons stands at 178-277
Dustdevil Platinum Club Sponsors
Thank You
On behalf of the student-athletes, coaching staff, athletic administration and the University, we wish to sincerely thank all of the members of the Dustdevil Platinum Club. Your continued support is what keeps our student-athletes successful both academically and athletically
Laredo Airport 7220 Bob Bullock | 956.724.7222
Killam Family Foundation City of Laredo Convention and Visitors Bureau 956.795.2200
Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust 5118 McPherson Rd 956.729.1190
Jorge Haynes Family Be a part of the team... Join the Dustdevil Club at GoDustdevils.com
