Fall 2016 In this issue
2016 Fall Reunion Recap
2016 Fall Reunion Includes Friends, Family, Old Teammates, and SMU Football
The 2016 Fall Reunion weekend took place on October 21-22 this year. The Lettermen’s Association welWomen’s Soccer Makes comed back many of our alums to the Hilltop as we recognized our honored NCAA Tournament teams: 1966 Football, and 1995-1996 Women’s Appearance Swimming & Diving. Following the traditional outdoor In Memoriam dinner at Ford Stadium on Friday evening, Letterwinners tailgated on the Boulevard and Ponies in the Press celebrated the huge win against #11 ranked University A Heritage Hall Moment of Houston. For more great photos of the Reunion weekend, visit us online. Upcoming dates and events
As we wrap up the calendar year, get ready for another exciting season of SMU sports in the Winter and Spring! Visit smumustangs.com for up-to-date schedule information for all sports.
Did you know? The SMU Lettermen’s Association is on Facebook! Follow us here to stay in touch!
President’s Corner Fellow Letterwinners, This is truly a great time to be a Mustang! With the continued enhancement of our facilities, including the Aquatics Center, Trinity Forest Golf Club, and the announcement of the Indoor Practice Facility, we have many reasons to be proud to call SMU our own.
As a former athlete at SMU, you’re a part of an elite group of former students who have had the privilege of wearing the Mustang logo on the field of play. Because of your commitment and accomplishments within your sport, you’ve earned the right to be a “member” of the SMU Lettermen’s Association. However, to take full advantage of all that membership has to offer, you must activate your membership each year.
As the holiday season approaches and we near the end of the Fall 2016 semester, it’s important to reflect upon some great moments in SMU Athletics that have occurred. Women’s Soccer made an NCCA tournament appearance and finished with their best record since 2006. Volleyball has won back-to-back American Athletic Conference Championships, and made an NCAA Tournament appearance with a first-round win against Texas A&M. They are the first team in AAC history to advance in the NCAA Tournament. Football beat an NCAA top 15 ranked opponent, and won the most games in a season since 2013. These are just a few examples of some of the great accomplishments in SMU Athletics this past Fall.
We sincerely hope that you’ll consider reactivating your membership in 2017, and continue to support our Association and take advantage of the opportunities that Lettermen’s provides to reconnect with your former teammates and this elite group of men and women. As an active member of the Lettermen’s Association, you can recapture proud moments of your past and further develop relationships when you return to campus for a reunion or special event.
Women’s Soccer Makes First NCAA Tournament Appearance Since 2006
First Team: Allie Thornton & Vanessa Valadez Second Team: Taylor Barg & Claire Oates Rookie Team: Allie Thornton & Jessica Cooley All-Tournament: Catie Brown, Claire Oates, Allie Thornton, Vanessa Valadez
We wish you a Happy Holidays, and look forward to seeing you back on campus in the New Year. Pony Up! Greg Gardner Football, ‘89-’91
The Mustangs appeared in their 13th NCAA tournament this past November. The last time SMU played in the NCAA tournament was 2006, where it advanced to the second round. The furthest SMU has advanced is to the College Cup (Final 4) in 1995, before being SMU finished the season with 48 goals and 45 assists. Allie knocked out by current head coach Chris Petrucelli, whom was at Thornton and Claire Oates finished the season as SMU's top goal the helm of the National Champions, Notre Dame. scorers, finishing with 10 apiece. Valadez was one goal shy (9) of joining the duo. Valadez, Haley Sadly, the SMU women's soccer team fell Thompson and Jessica Cooley led the to No. 25 Oklahoma, 1-0, in the opening team with eight assists each. Catie round of the 2016 NCAA DI Women's Brown recorded 53 saves in 1,986:56 Soccer tournament. However, the minutes of play, posting a 1.04 goal Mustangs finished their season with a against average. Senior Taylor Barg led 13-7-2 record, the best finish since 2006. position players with 1,936 minutes of work, logging 18 games with 90 or more "It's hard, but in order to win games like minutes played. this, you probably have to lose some," SMU head coach Chris Petrucelli said. SMU recently announced plans to "You have to go through the pain a little construct a new Indoor Performance bit -- we're feeling it now -- but we'll be Center, an outdoor natural grass football back, we'll be better and I think we will get practice field and a new soccer stadium, more opportunities in the years to come." another sign of the University's commitment to competing at the highest level of intercollegiate This was a great year for the SMU women's soccer team, as they athletics. These plans come on the heels of amazing success during earned runner-up honors in the American Athletic Conference. SMU SMU's Second Century Campaign, when SMU Athletics secured head coach Chris Petrucelli was also named the American Athletic more than $191 million in gift commitments, after 18 months of Conference Co-Coach of the Year, and five student-athletes were careful planning and design. The new soccer stadium, to be used by named to AAC All-Conference teams. Following the AAC SMU's men's and women's soccer teams, will be located on Championship, four members were named to the AAC Mockingbird Lane, the site of the current practice fields. The future is All-Tournament Team. looking very bright for SMU Women’s Soccer. Great season Mustangs!
In Memoriam
Join the Lettermen’s Association in offering our sympathies to the friends and families of the following Mustangs who have passed away:
Charles B. Arnold (Dec. 1936—Sept. 2016) Arnold played quarterback at Jesuit and was later named to their Hall of Fame. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business while playing football at Southern Methodist University. In 1956 he led the SMU Mustangs to a 19-13 victory at the Cotton Bowl over the 3rd ranked team in the nation, Notre Dame. Arnold’s career started in 1960 with Fieldcrest Cannon Inc. He retired as Vice President of Sales in 1999. Jack Lee Brown (Jan. 1929—Sept. 2016) Brown was a Basketball star at Crozier Tech and SMU. After his tenure at SMU, Brown toured with the Harlem Globetrotters. Although he was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers, Brown chose to join the army after several years in the Naval and Army Reserves. George W. Martin (July 1926—May 2016) Martin entered college at the age of 16 on a tennis scholarship to SMU while World War II was raging. After three semesters of college, he enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1944. After the war, he returned to college and finished his degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 1962 Martin was recruited by McDonnell Aircraft to work on their aerospace program. He and his engineering team worked on various NASA projects. William Alexander Mizell Jr. (Aug. 1928—Sept. 2016) - A stand-out football player at Ennis High School, Mizell attended Southern Methodist University on a football scholarship and played varsity football for the Mustangs from 1945 through 1948. He also played in two Southwest Conference Cotton Bowl games when SMU tied Penn State in 1948 and beat Oregon in 1949. After graduating from SMU in 1949 with a degree in business, he coached high school football in both Ennis and Borger. During the Korean War, he joined the army and graduated first in his class from Officers Candidate School at Fort Reilly, Kan., in 1952. After his army service, he worked for the Travelers Insurance Company and for insurance brokers Harlan INC., and Bayly, Martin and Fay, retiring in 1990. Dan Stansbury (June 1932—July 2016) Stansbury attended Southern Methodist University and graduated with a BBA in 1954 and a JD in 1959. While at SMU he was a three time letterman in Tennis and still holds the record for the highest alltime winning percentage in singles in 1953 going 14-0. While at SMU he served as President of his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta and is a member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. He was on active duty in the United States Air Force from 1955-1957. Stansbury was active in University Park where he served on the Board of Adjustment for fourteen years and the City Council where he was Mayor Pro-Tem.
Stay warm this Holiday season with a Lettermen’s Association insulated travel cup!
$35 Limited quantity available. Call the Lettermen’s Association at 214-768-4000 or email
[email protected] to order. Not dishwasher safe.
Celebrate the achievements of SMU student-athletes this quarter! Equestrian Team—Reached highest ranking in program history (4th) Sylvia de Toledo—United Equestrian Conference Rider of the Month (October) Football Justin Lawler, Darrion Millines, Horace Richardson and Courtland Sutton named First-Team All-American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Semi Ojeleye—2K Classic All-Tournament Team Semi Ojeleye—AAC Player of the Week (Nov. 14) Semi Ojeleye—AAC Player of the Week (Nov. 21) Men’s Golf Gray Townsend wins first college tournament Men’s Soccer Garret McLaughlin—American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year Mauro Cichero—All-American Athletic Conference Second Team Selection Jordan Cano—All-American Athletic Conference Second Team Selection Men’s Swimming and Diving Robin Andreasson, Julian Fletcher, Jonathan Gomez and Mindaugas Sadauskas invited to compete at the FINA World Swimming Championships (Dec. 6) Bryce Klein— American Athletic Conference Diver of the Week (Nov. 22) Bryce Klein— American Athletic Conference Diver of the Week (Nov. 8) Bryce Klein (Diver), Jonathan Gomez (Swimmer) earn American Athletic Conference weekly honors (Oct. 25) Bryce Klein— Qualifies for NCAA Zone Diving Championships on 1 and 3 meter (Oct. 19) Volleyball Team—Back-to-back American Athletic Conference Championships, NCAA Tournament first-round win against Texas A&M, received votes in the AVCA Top 25 poll for the third straight season, first team in AAC history to advance in NCAA Tournament Morgan Heise– American Athletic Conference Libero of the Year for the third straight season, All-American Athletic Conference First Team, AVCA All-Southeast Region Honorable Mention
Katie Hegarty—AVCA All-Southeast Region Team, All-American Athletic Conference First Team Janelle Giordano– All-American Athletic Conference First Team, AVCA All-Southeast Region Honorable Mention Kendall Patterson– American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year All-American Athletic Conference Second Team Kristen Stehling– All-American Athletic Conference Second Team Women’s Basketball Alicia Froling—Preseason All-American Athletic Conference Second Team Selection; 2x AAC Weekly Honor Roll (11/14/16 & 11/28/16) Women’s Golf Jeanne Sutherland—WGCA Founders Award (11/18) Lindsey McCurdy– Second place at Trinity Forest Invitational (11/17) Kenzie Wright—AJGA Junior All-American (10/20) Women’s Soccer Team—2015/16 NSCAA Academic Award, NCAA Tournament Appearance Chris Petrucelli—Co-Coach of the year Allie Thornton & Vanessa Valadez—All-AAC First Team Taylor Barg & Claire Oates—All-AAC Second Team Allie Thornton & Jessica Cooley—All-AAC Rookie Team Women’s Swimming and Diving Isabella Arcila, Nathalie Lindborg, Rachel Nicol, Nina Rangelova and Matea Samardzic invited to compete at the FINA World Swimming Championships (Dec. 6) Vicky Cunningham—American Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Week/ CollegeSwimming News AAC Swimmer of the Week (Dec. 6) Vicky Cunningham places sixth in the 100-yard freestyle and seventh in the 200-yard freestyle at the 2016 AT&T Winter National Championships (Dec. 3) Vicky Cunningham (Swimmer), Lauren Lamb (Diver) earn American Athletic Conference weekly honors. Cunningham also named CollegeSwimming News AAC Swimmer of the Week (Dec. 1) Matea Samardzic– American Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Week/ CollegeSwimming News AAC Swimmer of the Week (Oct. 18) Matea Samardzic—Wins High Point Award At SMU Classic – Swims fastest NCAA Division I time in 200-yard backstroke (Oct. 15 )
A Heritage Hall Moment In 1953 SMU Sports Information Director Lester Jordan sent a letter to ten veteran sports writers who covered the Southwest Conference and asked them what intersectional football game produced the greatest amount of national recognition for the Southwest Conference. Overall there were ten games that were mentioned and SMU played in six of the ten games. Number one on the list was SMU’s one-point loss to Army (14 to 13) in 1928 at West Point. The SMU-Army game was mentioned by nine out of the ten sportswriters and received and received 70.5 points out of a possible 100. The 1928 Mustangs went on to achieve a 6-3-1 record and also produced SMU’s first All-American in lineman Henry J. (Choc) Sanders. Gerry York SMU Heritage Hall
Do you know an outstanding Mustang doing great things in their community? A supporter who might as well have played on the team, their loyalty is so strong? An SMU athlete who constantly won titles, medals, or championships? Help us honor the best! Send your nominations for the Silver Anniversary Mustang Award, Honorary Letter Award, and SMU Athletics Hall of Fame to
[email protected].
Mark your Calendar for Remaining 2016 Events! December: 2nd:
Men’s Basketball vs. CSU Bakersfield @ 7 P.M., Moody Coliseum
4th:
Men’s Basketball vs. Delaware State @ 2 P.M, Moody Coliseum
5th:
Women’s Basketball vs. Texas A&M @ 7 P.M., Moody Coliseum
7th:
Men’s Basketball vs. TCU @ 7 P.M., Moody Coliseum
14th:
Men’s Basketball vs. McNeese State @ 7 P.M., Moody Coliseum
19th:
Women’s Basketball vs. Texas Southern U @ 4 P.M., Moody Coliseum
19th:
Men’s Basketball vs. Stanford @ 8 P.M., Moody Coliseum
20th:
Men’s Basketball vs. Albany @ 8 P.M., Moody Coliseum
21st:
Women’s Basketball vs. Seattle U @ 1 P.M., Moody Coliseum
31st:
Women’s Basketball vs. U of Cincinnati @ 1 P.M., Moody Coliseum
Contact us at (214) 768-4000 or
[email protected] with your suggestions, comments, and questions!