* May 29th (3:45 pm)
- Congratulations to Bobcats to-be junior outside hitter Ellen Herman. As you may remember, she was competing in Atlanta the last few days on a national team she was selected for a while back. Her USA A2 Red team won the USA Adult Open Championship, and Herman was named the MVP. She absolutely blew away the field at a very competitive event. Click Here to read more.
- I’m admittedly not a volleyball genius, but new Ohio volleyball head coach Ryan Theis was extremely pleased about the prestigious accomplishment. Hopefully Theis and the girls can keep the winning atmosphere going in Athens next fall. Having a standout in Herman definitely won’t hurt their chances.
- More to come on this, but “The SportsFan” will have one heck of a week next week. Peter King will join the program on Wednesday, June 4th. Ohio A.D. Jim Schaus will be making his third appearance on the program on Thursday, June 5th. And finally, Friday June 6th will be the 100th show for Jimmy and me.
* May 29th (9 am)
- Ohio University head volleyball coach Ryan Theis has promised me some exciting news coming out of the program in regards to standout outside hitter Ellen Herman. Stay tuned to TroopSports.com and OhioBobcats.com for more.
* May 27th (7:10 pm)
- Back from a wet Memorial Day weekend in St. Louis. It’s time to start back up the blog.
- Ohio University basketball coach Tim O’Shea is in Chicago for the MAC basketball meetings today. He is being joined by new Ohio A.D. Jim Schaus.
- The Providence Journal reported last week that Brown University is looking at four in their coaching search, all of which are expected to come to campus this week for an interview.
- O’Shea is not going to Brown this week. He said he has no expected plans for an on campus interview with Brown or any school for that matter.
- I like the idea by the O-Zone to kind of revamp itself, starting with a new logo. Hopefully it can continue to grow. Now all we need is its own members to stay for the 3rd and 4th quarter at Peden Stadium.
- Thanks to everyone who listened live or to the podcast of the Frank Solich interview we had last week on “The SportsFan”. Without a doubt it was the most listened to show in the history of “The SportsFan”.
- I hope many, including Carbone, find my column in today’s Athens NEWS to be a fair and accurate description of the 2008 baseball season. It was one heck of a ride for the ‘Cats.
- As for those three 9 am games Ohio had to play? Carbone said a restructuring of the tournament schedule next year needs to be in order, and he’s going to try to make sure no team has to go through what Ohio did in this year’s MAC Tournament.
- The following is my guess right now of what the 2009 starting lineup would look like:
1. Jeremie Rehak-CF
2. Zach Keen-SS
3. Marc Krauss-RF
4. Brandon Besl-3B
5. Robert Maddox III-1B
6. Chris Klimko-C
7. Gauntlett Eldemire-LF
8. Tyler Chadwell-2B
9. Hayden Johnston-DH
Starters:
Chris Rigo
Zach Elmer
Jason Moulton
Zach Fairbanks
TBA
- I don’t know about Keen in the number two spot, but I’d love to see Rehak take over the top of the lineup with his speed (7-11 in SB attempts) and his ability to put the ball in play. Rehak was one of three ‘Cats hitters (Krauss, Stiffler) to have more walks than strike outs. Rehak was also tied with Zach Hartle in sacrifice bunts this season with seven.
- Eldemire has plenty of speed and a nice amount of pop to be put in the number two spot, but he struck out nearly once per game on average.
- I love Chadwell defensively for the ‘Cats at second base if Keen makes the move to short, but his offense will need to catch up. I admittedly have no idea at this point who could fit in at that DH role as well. Rehak could, be he needs to be on the field.
- More to come on O’Shea and other news bits as it happens.
* May 20th (10:15 pm)
- Be sure to tune in to 970 WATH-AM bright and early tomorrow morning for the Bobcats MAC Tournament game against Bowling Green. Yours truly and Brian Boesch will have the call, with coverage beginning at 8:50. First pitch is at 9 AM.
- Our buddy “Big Jim” set up a wonderful in-studio visit with Frank Solich earlier tonight on “The SportsFan”. Click Here to Listen to the Interview.
- Solich had a great response when asked about a potential indoor practice facility.
- Solich also that the 2008 recruiting class is his best since he has been to Ohio.
- It truly is worth a listen. Enjoy.
* May 18th (12:30 pm)
Waters to Sign with ‘Cats
The departure of Allen Hester opened up a scholarship for Bobcats head basketball coach Tim O’Shea. Enter Frankie Dobbs.
The departure of Hester’s teammate and best friend Bert Whittington IV opened up yet another scholarship for O’Shea. Enter Stacey Waters.
Rated as a Rivals.com three-star recruit and Scout.com two-star recruit, the 6-4, 180-pound shooting guard said he will soon become a member of the Ohio hoops program.
“I will be signing with Ohio University this week when I take my visit (on Wednesday),” Waters said.
Waters played three seasons at Renaissance High School in Detroit, Michigan, and was a member of the 2006 state title squad as a sophomore. In his junior season Waters reportedly averaged 14 points and five rebounds per contest. He shot nearly 40% from beyond the arc as well.
For his senior season, Waters transferred to Bridgton Academy in Maine. The Wolverines went 18-15 this past season under head coach Whit Lesure. Waters said he averaged roughly 17 ppg this season. His roommate, Cardell McFarland (Missouri State), is one of several Division I players expected to come from the program this season.
“I just wanted to get a head start on the college experience and being away from home,” said Waters of his decision to transfer to Bridgton.
Waters will turn down offers from Central Michigan, Providence and Western Kentucky to play for O’Shea. But he said it was ‘Cats assistant coach Bakari Alexander who played an influential role in recruiting him to Ohio.
“Me and Bakari Alexander go way back,” Waters said. “He’s been watching me since I was in like seventh grade.”
Waters is still available in the late signing period primarily because of one poorly timed injury. A pulled hamstring while running track last summer slowed Waters down on the AAU circuit for the Michigan Mustangs. Before the injury, schools such as Oklahoma, Penn State, Dayton, Cincinnati, Bradley and VCU were all flocking to see the athlete play. According to Waters, the Chippewas currently had Waters as a backup option for their recruiting class.
Waters said he plans to major in sports management at Ohio and is excited to head down the university this week to see the campus and meet the players. NewEnglandRecruitingReport.com lists Waters as the fourth best player in the 2008 class from Maine.
This isn’t the first player O’Shea will coach from Bridgton Academy. Former ‘Cats forward Delvar Barrett was a 1999 graduate of the prep school before coming to Ohio. Click Here to read the inspiring story about Barrett
Check out Monday’s edition of The Athens NEWS for more insight and opinion regarding the Waters signing. Photo courtesy of Scout.com.
More on Waters:
New England Recruiting Website
* May 17th (6 pm)
- ‘Cats volleyball coach Ryan Theis said outside hitter Ellen Herman leaves tomorrow for Atlanta to begin play for the U.S. Women's Senior A2 National Team.
- Ohio University has hired Cory Walton to replace Jason Cunningham in the athletic media relations department. Walton comes from the University of Florida where he served as the assistant sports information director and covered the volleyball team for which Theis was an assistant coach at the time.
- Not to tease too much, but stay tuned to TroopSports.com over the next 24 hours or so for some breaking news.
* May 16th (4:10 pm)
- A great read passed on from Jason Corriher today regarding a few of the incoming football recruits from Altoona High School in Pennsylvania: Click Here to Read
- The Altoona men’s track team won a district event recently, and incoming Bobcats DE Neil Huynh (pronounced Win) and CB Tyler Futrell were on the squad. The third Altoona recruit, LB Alphonso Lewis, left the team earlier in the season.
- From the article we learn not only how to say Huynh’s last name, but they also list him as 6-4, 250-pounds. The Ohio release from signing day has Huynh at 6-3, 230. Huynh won events in the shot put and javelin and finished second to a teammate in the discus. Futrell is a member of the four-by-100 team that is expected to compete for a state title. Good to see.
- More to come.
* May 15th (4:10 pm)
- In his most recent “Monday Morning Quarterback” column, Ohio University alumnus Peter King makes a reference to his upcoming commencement speech in Athens. Click Here to Read
- The Bobcats and Wyoming Cowboys’ August 30th season opening contest will be the 999th game in Wyoming football history.
- Staying with history and Wyoming, did you know the Pokes have seven home games this season for just the second time in the history of the program?
- I recently found this article on the now absent ‘Cats reliever John Angelicchi, who was released from Joe Carbone’s squad last weekend for an unspecified reason.
- Chillicothe High School forward Ray Chambers, who was long sought to be a Tim O’Shea recruit, is off to one of the best JUCO hoops programs in the nation, Cowley College in Kansas. "He had to be recommended by four Division-I schools just to get there,” Chambers’ coach at CHS, Gary Kellough, told the Chillicothe Gazette.
- Added Chambers: "It's a two-year school, but if you go in as a mid-major (recruit), you most likely will leave as a major (recruit).”
- Be sure to listen to the Jim Schaus interview from this past Monday on “The SportsFan”. The new Ohio A.D. had a lot of important things to say regarding Frank Solich, an indoor practice facility and much more.
* May 11th (1:10 pm)
- Former Ohio basketball great Gary Trent confirmed to me earlier this week that he is taking the necessary steps to graduate from Ohio University. “Yes, I am in the early stages of trying to finish my degree with Ohio,” Trent said in an e-mail. “Now that I’m back home in Columbus and I’m more settled and retired, I have the time to focus on the situation. So I’ll take it slow and enjoy it.”
- Again, new Ohio Director of Athletics Jim Schaus will be on “The SportsFan” with me this Monday from 6:06 to 6:30 p.m. You can listen live online by clicking here, or you can tune in afterwards to the podcast. Feel free to e-mail me your questions for the new AD.
- Surprise, surprise—a women’s athletic team at Ohio University succeeding. Congrats to Jill Maytuch and the softball team for advancing to the MAC Tournament championship game. The ladies lost in the title game to number one seed Kent State, 5-0. ‘Bout time for the men’s teams to start stepping up, isn’t it?
- It was a great Saturday afternoon of baseball at Bob Wren yesterday. Twenty innings of baseball and three victories over the rival Miami Redhawks all in one day—it doesn’t get much better than that.
- On the down side, Brandon Besl was drilled with an 0-2 pitch in the jaw during the 4th inning of game two. He went down and actually twisted his ankle on the pitch as well. Coach Carbone said after the game that Besl had a big laceration on his jaw that required 20 stitches. Besl did stay with the team during the afternoon. Carbone did not specify Besl’s availability for the rest of this season. The junior third baseman has a team-leading .383 batting average in the cleanup spot for the ‘Cats.
- Also absent from Bob Wren yesterday on Senior Day was pitcher John Angelicchi. The righty last pitched on Wednesday in a rain-shortened 12-3 victory over Dayton. The senior went four innings and got his first win of the season. According to Ohio Media Relations Director Jason Corriher, “Angelicchi is suspended for the rest of the season due to a violation of team rules.”
- Several members of the 1968 MAC championship baseball team were in attendance on Saturday. The team was honored between game two and game three in a nice ceremony on the field.
- A list of those taking in some baseball on Saturday: Dr. Vernon Alden, men’s basketball coach Tim O’Shea and assistant coach Kevin Kuwik, volleyball coach Ryan Theis and assistant coach Kyle Weindel, Schaus, and many more.
* May 9th (2:45 pm)
Notes on the Semeka Randall Hiring
- As rumored, Semeka Randall, 29, was introduced as the new head women’s basketball coach at Ohio University earlier this afternoon.
- I’ll have more opinion and insight on the hire in Monday’s The Athens NEWS, but I’ll go ahead and share a few tidbits on the hire right now.
- Some interesting facts: Simone Redd, who has already played her last game in a Bobcat uniform, has known Randall since she was a kid. The two had the same high school coach, Pat Diules, and Redd told me she grew up idolizing Randall. Redd played for Diules at Regina High School in Cleveland while Randall played for Diules at Trinity High School in Cleveland several years before.
- It’s safe to say Redd wishes she had at least one more year at Ohio.
- In talking with Redd and a couple of other players, I really get the sense that the returning players really like Randall and will be able to relate to her as much if not more than Sylvia Crawley.
- Ohio A.D. Jim Schaus, who will be a guest on “The SportsFan” this coming Monday, said he actually had Randall picked out a few days ago. So, in reality, that is about a seven to eight day hire from the day Crawley left. Wow.
- Randall has already talked with her former coach and mentor, Tennessee coach Pat Summit. “I talk to her every day. The biggest thing she said was to surround yourself with good people and you will be successful in this business.”
- When asked if Randall would try and get the Vols on the schedule, Randall laughed and said, “We’ll work on that one.”
- Randall signed a five year contract that will pay her $142,000 annually. According to The Post, Crawley’s yearly salary was $123,600 at Ohio.
- I really hope Randall can keep all five of the incoming recruits in the 2009 class. According to Schaus, Randall really has a grasp on the recruiting in Ohio. Crawley was a great recruiter, but I don’t think there will be a step down in the talent level with Randall.
- "We hit a winning half court shot at the buzzer in hiring Semeka Randall," said Ohio Director of Athletics Jim Schaus. I know Schaus may receive a bit of flack for all these interesting quotes, but personally I love it. It’s about time we have someone who will shake the often stale earth in Athens.
- Randall was an assistant at Michigan State when junior guard Jennifer Poff was also a member of the Spartans during the 2005-2006 season.
- Off to Bob Wren for the first of a “must win” weekend series with Miami. Jimmy is expected to have Randall on “The SportsFan” tonight at roughly 6:06. Send questions for the interview to sports@970WATH.com.
* May 7th
- Ohio University has set a press conference for Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. to announce the Bobcats new head women’s basketball coach.
- More to come shortly.
* May 6th
Bobcats Fare Well in APR Numbers
- The Academic Progress Rates were released today, and it looks like Ohio has fared pretty well over the last four academic years (2003-2007).
- According to a document obtained from Ohio University Media Relations Director Jason Corriher, not one team at Ohio fell below the minimum 925 APR. Teams below the 925 cutoff line are subject to scholarship penalties and a variety of other sanctions from the NCAA.
- The lowest were 931 scores in women’s basketball and 935 scores in wrestling.
- The two highest were volleyball at 1,000 and men’s golf at 997.
- The Bobcats football program (944 APR) will not lose any of the 85 scholarships in 2009; however, five of the 13 Mid-American Conference teams will. Central Michigan and Buffalo will both lose two scholarships, Temple loses four, Akron loses five and Toledo loses six. Temple also will be limited to 16 hours of practice on a weekly basis. The allotment is 20 hours of practice time per week.
- The following are the APR scores for the rest of Ohio University sports, according to the document: Baseball: 969; Men’s Basketball: 956; Men’s Cross Country: 973; Women’s Cross Country: 981; Field Hockey: 961; Softball: 989; Women’s Soccer: 971; Women’s Golf: 993; Swimming and Diving: 979; Track and Field: 953.
- For more on the numbers and implications nationwide, check out the article on Rivals.com: Click Here to Read.
* May 5th
- Just some not-so-pretty looking stats to throw out from this weekend at Bob Wren Stadium:
- The Ohio baseball team has now lost seven straight contests after a weekend sweep by Bowling Green. Last season, Joe Carbone’s squad lost nine straight from March 20 to April 3.
- Get this: Bowling Green’s bullpen went 8.1 innings in all three games this weekend. They allowed zero runs, two hits, and just one walk.
- The ‘Cats had just nine extra base hits in the series, compared to 18 by the Falcons.
- Sophomore right fielder Marc Krauss went 1-for-15 against BG, including 0-for-10 on Sunday. The ‘Cats need Krauss to produce down the stretch if they are going to get into the MAC Tournament. It looks like he needs to shorten up his swing a little bit and possibly level it off as evidenced by his seven fly ball outs this weekend.
- All in all, the 1-2-3 hitters for the ‘Cats this weekend went a combined 3-for-27.
- On the bright side, clean-up hitter Brandon Besl went 6-for-11 this weekend with a pair of RBIs and three runs to get that team-leading average up to .373.
- I continue to wonder why people just put all of the blame on Carbone. I don’t get it. Despite seven walks in the first game on Sunday, Zach Elmer pitched into the seventh inning with his lone costly mistake coming on a cheap, opposite field three-run shot in the top of the first that proved to be the game winner. In game two, starter Matt Smith pitched admirably out of a jam in the fourth inning. Of the six runs allowed by Smith, three were unearned after Besl and Robert Maddox III errors.
- The fact is that the ‘Cats had a chance to win both games on Sunday and—in reality—they probably should have. It’s not Carbone’s fault that one day the offense is on fire and the bullpen is terrible and the next game his offense is nowhere to be found but his pitchers are getting it done.
- It’s easy to blame Carbone, and I understand that it happens in college and professional baseball all the time. But dig deeper instead of looking for a goat to explain a seven game losing streak.
* May 3rd
- A special thanks to all of you who have visited TroopSports.com in the last month. April was the most popular month in the history of the site. Hopefully I'll keep giving you a reason to come back every day.
- New Ohio Director of Athletics Jim Schaus will be on “The SportsFan” twice in the near future. We will have Schaus on the show Tuesday, May 13th and Thursday, June 5th.
- I don’t know about you, but I’m on board the “Bobcat Express”. There will undoubtedly be criticisms of the show by many, but the more coverage the merrier. Hopefully the train keeps running on a consistent basis.
- If given the minutes, incoming Ohio shooting guard Steven Coleman could quickly become one of the best freshmen in the Mid-American Conference next season. In reality, the departure of Bert Whittington IV might be a plus for the ‘Cats if it means more minutes for Coleman and Tommy Freeman.
- Many are saying Coleman is the most talented player Ohio has recruited in Tim O’Shea’s tenure in Athens.
- O’Shea said he won’t rush to sign anyone in the near future. To be honest, he might be better off just saving the scholarship. If he does find someone to fill the open scholarship, don’t be surprised if Ohio goes out of the country to get another player.
- The first of many 2009 football recruiting updates: Wide Receiver Josh Jones (6-1, 205) from Elder High School in Cincinnati is leaning towards Cincinnati, according to Rivals.com. He has already been offered from Indiana and Ohio, with interest starting to come from some big name schools.
- More to come.