table of contents/quick facts€¦ · the university of memphis 2015 memphis baseball media guide 1...

T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f M e m p h i s 2 0 1 5 M e m p h i s B a s e b a l l M e d i a G u i d e

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Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s / Q u i c k F a c t s

MEDIA

A look at media policies and guidelines, as well as information about FedExPark, AutoZone Park, the University of Memphis and the American Athletic Conference.

Quick Facts .................................................1 Media Information .....................................2 FedExPark ...................................................3 AutoZone Park ............................................4 Dr. M. David Rudd .......................................5 Tom Bowen .................................................6 University of Memphis ...............................7 City of Memphis .........................................8 Tigers Traditions .........................................9 American Athletic Conference ..................10

COACHES & STAFF

Bios of Head Coach Daron Schoenrock, his assistants and the Tigers baseball support staff.

Daron Schoenrock .............................. 12-14 Russ McNickle ..........................................15 Clay Greene ..............................................16 Lee Parks...................................................17 Support Staff.............................................18

MEET THE TIGERS

Rosters, bios, stats and inside information on this year’s Tigers squad.

2015 Roster ..............................................20 Pronunciation Guide .................................20 Player Profiles ..................................... 21-36

2014 REVIEW

Game-by-game statistics, final statistics, and box scores.

2014: Season in Review ............................38 2014: Statistics .........................................39 2014: AAC Only Statistics ..........................40 2014: Game Results ..................................41 2014: Games Summary ............................42 2014: Box Scores ................................ 43-57 2014: AAC Review ....................................58

RECORDS

Individual and team records.

Career Records .........................................60 Season Records................................... 60-61 Single Game Records ................................62 Multiple Game Records ............................63 Miscellaneous Records .............................64 Last Time ..................................................64 Yearly Statistics .........................................65 Season Leaders ................................... 66-67 Year-By-Year Coaching Breakdown ...........68

HISTORY

Facts and figures of Memphis’ baseball history.

Year-By-Year Results ........................... 70-76 All-Time Series Results ....................... 77-83 Tigers vs Ranked Opponents ....................84 Record vs Opponents by Conference .......85 All-Time Conference Standings.................86 All-Time Conference Tourn. Results.... 87-88 Tigers in the NCAAs ............................ 89-90 All-Time Roster ................................... 91-94 All-Time Roster by Number ................ 95-97 Retired Jerseys .................................... 98-99 Tigers in the Pros ....................................100 Honors & Awards............................ 101-102

UOM069-FY1415/1C Printing: EBSCO (Birmingham, Ala.)

The 2015 University of Memphis Baseball Media Guide is intend-ed for the editorial use of media organizations covering the Tigers. Any reprinting, reproduction or other use of the contents for any commercial use is prohibited.

EDITORS: Mark Taylor, Will Edwards

COVER DESIGN/LAYOUT: Brandon Kolditz

ASSISTANCE: Bob Winn, Ron Mears, Tammy DeGroff, Lamar Chance

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Joe Murphy

PHOTOGRAPHY: Joe Murphy, Joe Brown, Lindsey Lissau, Lance Murphey, Carolyn Andros, Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau.

CREDITS

The 2015 edition of the Tigers Baseball Media Guide is a comprehensive source of infor-mation with statistics and historical references for use by media covering Tigers baseball. For additional information about Tigers baseball please call the University of Memphis Athletics Communications Office at 901-678-2337.

T B A

BASEBALL CONTACTO: 901-678-5108

C: TBAPressbox: 901-678-1301

E-MAIL:TBA

Athletics Communications203 Athletic Office Bldg.

570 Normal StreetMemphis, TN 38152

Main Number: 901-678-2337Fax: 901-678-4134

ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS

General InformationSchool: ............The University of MemphisLocation: .......................... Memphis, Tenn.Founded: ...........................................1912Enrollment: .....................................22,139Affiliation: ......................... NCAA Division IConference: .................. American AthleticNickname: ....................................... TigersColors: ....................................Blue & GrayHome Field: .............................. FedExParkSurface:................................ Natural GrassDimensions: ..... L-R: 318-360-379-360-317Capacity: ...........................................2,000Pressbox Phone: ................. 901-678-1301President: .....................Dr. M. David RuddAthletics Director: ................... Tom BowenWeb Site: ............... www.GoTigersGo.com www.Memphis.edu

HistoryFirst Year of Baseball: ........................1913All-Time Record: ...1716-1305-16 (101 yrs)NCAA Tournaments/Last: .............. 5/2007Last Postseason Opponent: .... Austin PeayResult: .......... L, 7-18 (Vanderbilt Regional)

Coaching StaffHead Coach: .................Daron Schoenrock (Tennessee Tech, 1984)Overall Record (Yrs): .......298-357 (12 yrs)Record at Memphis (Yrs): 273-305 (10 yrs)Associate Head Coach: .............................. Russ McNickle (2nd Year)Assistant Coach: ...Clay Greene (4th year)Assistant Coach: .........Lee Parks (1st Year)

Team Information2014 Overall Record: ........................30-29Home: ...............................................18-12Away: ................................................10-14Neutral: ................................................2-32014 AAC Record/Finish: .............8-16/8thHome: ...................................................4-8Away: ....................................................4-8Final 2014 Rankings: ............................N/AFinal 2014 RPI: .....................................115Letterwinners Returning/Lost: ........ 19/13Pitchers Returning/Lost: ...................... 5/4Starters Returning/Lost: ...................... 8/5

Social MediaFacebook: ..................@MemphisBaseball @MemphisTigersTwitter: ......................@MemphisBaseball @TigersAthleticsYouTube: ............................ @SIDMemphisInstagram:..................@MemphisBaseball @MemphisAthleticsSnapchat: ........................ @TigersAthletics

QUICK FACTS

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M e d i a I n f o r m at i o n 2 0 1 5 S c h e d u l e

CREDENTIALS

Members of the media traveling with the team to FedExPark do not need a credential. Media not traveling with the team need to contact the University of Memphis Athletics Communications Office at (901) 678-5108 for press credentials. A pass list will be kept at the main gate area, which also serves as the media gate. Seating in the press area is limited and will be restricted to working press, radio and television representatives’ needs, according to NCAA regulations.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Photographers must have a working creden-tial for access to the field. Photographers will be granted a credential through the University of Memphis Athletic Communications Office. Photographers are not permitted to sell photos taken at U of M baseball games without the written con-sent of the Athletics Communications office. Freelance photographers will not receive credentials.

PARKING

Media parking is located in the lot adjacent to the stadium. No parking pass is required.

STATISTICS

The U of M Athletics Communications Office will provide game notes, statistics, rosters and media guides throughout the game to all members of the media. The U of M Athletics Communications Office will also provide complete game statistics to each media member shortly after each contest.

PRACTICE/INTERVIEWS

Memphis baseball practices are closed to the media. However, special arrangements may be made by contacting the Athletic Communications Office at least 24 hours before practice time. All interviews are coor-dinated with head coach Daron Schoenrock through the Athletics Communications Office. The office staff can also set up in-terviews throughout the season with the coaches as well as player interviews, which

will be scheduled around the players’ aca-demic and practice schedules. Coaches and players are available for postgame inter-views 10 minutes following the end of the game.

FEDEXPARK

Please note FedExPark is to be written as one word in all references of the ballpark. FedExPark is not FedEx Park, Fedex Park or any other combination.

TIGERS ON THE WEB

The official athletic website of the University of Memphis is www.gotigersgo.com. Media information, such as game notes, box scores, statistics, etc., are all available on the website. Most games will be broadcasted live, with U of M alum Jeff Brightwell calling the play-by-play action.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC WEBSITE

Additional information about the American Athletic Conference and its member insti-tutions can be obtained by logging on to www.theamerican.org. The conference site has up-to-date statistics and rankings of all league schools.

The primary mission of the De-partment of Athletics is to provide a successful athletic program at the highest level of competi-tion. Characterized by academic, athletic and moral excellence in a diverse collegiate environment, the program will abide by the spirit of the rules governing students and intercollegiate athletics and will be known for its good sportsmanship and integrity.

The U of M is an equal opportuni-ty/affirmative action university.

MISSION STATEMENT2/13 Fri at Oral Roberts Tulsa, Okla. 3:00 PM2/14 Sat at Oral Roberts Tulsa, Okla. 2:00 PM2/15 Sun. at Oral Roberts Tulsa, Okla. 1:00 PM2/20 Fri. vs. Eastern Illinois Conway, Ark. 1:00 PM2/21 Sat. vs. Eastern Illinois Conway, Ark. 1:00 PM2/21 Sat. at Central Arkansas Conway, Ark. 4:00 PM2/24 Tue. Mississippi Valley FedExPark 4:00 PM2/27 Fri. Saint Louis FedExPark 4:00 PM2/28 Sat. Saint Louis FedExPark 2:00 PM3/1 Sun. Saint Louis FedExPark 1:00 PM3/4 Wed. at Belmont Nashville, Tenn. 4:00 PM3/6 Fri. Samford FedExPark 6:30 PM3/7 Sat. Samford FedExPark 2:00 PM3/8 Sun. Samford FedExPark 1:00 PM3/10 Tue. Middle Tennessee FedExPark 6:30 PM3/11 Wed. vs. Middle Tennessee Jackson, Tenn. 6:30 PM3/13 Fri. Eastern Illinois FedExPark 6:30 PM3/14 Sat. Eastern Illinois FedExPark 2:00 PM3/15 Sun. Eastern Illinois FedExPark 1:00 PM3/17 Tue. Arkansas State FedExPark 6:30 PM3/20 Fri. Alcorn State FedExPark 6:30 PM3/21 Sat. Alcorn State FedExPark 2:00 PM3/22 Sun. Alcorn State FedExPark 1:00 PM3/24 Tue. vs. Arkansas North Little Rock, Ark. 6:30 PM3/25 Wed. Arkansas AutoZone Park 6:30 PM3/27 Fri. at East Carolina* Greenville, N.C. 5:30 PM3/28 Sat. at East Carolina* Greenville, N.C. 3:00 PM3/29 Sun. at East Carolina* Greenville, N.C. 12:00 PM3/31 Tue. Ole Miss AutoZone Park 6:30 PM4/2 Thu. Houston* FedExPark 6:30 PM4/3 Fri. Houston* FedExPark 6:30 PM4/4 Sat. Houston* FedExPark 12:00 PM4/7 Tue. Mississippi State AutoZone Park 6:30 PM4/10 Fri. at Cincinnati* Cincinnati, Ohio 5:00 PM4/11 Sat. at Cincinnati* Cincinnati, Ohio 5:00 PM4/12 Sun. at Cincinnati* Cincinnati, Ohio 12:00 PM4/14 Tue. at Austin Peay Clarksville, Tenn. 6:00 PM4/17 Fri. USF* FedExPark 6:30 PM4/18 Sat. USF* FedExPark 2:00 PM4/19 Sun. USF* FedExPark 1:00 PM4/21 Tue. Belmont FedExPark 5:30 PM4/22 Wed. at Ole Miss Oxford, Miss. 6:30 PM4/24 Fri. at Connecticut* Storrs, Conn. 2:00 PM4/25 Sat. at Connecticut* Storrs, Conn. 12:00 PM4/26 Sun. at Connecticut* Storrs, Conn. 11:00 AM4/28 Tue. at Arkansas State Jonesboro, Ark. 6:30 PM5/1 Fri. Cincinnati* FedExPark 6:30 PM5/2 Sat. Cincinnati* FedExPark 2:00 PM5/3 Sun. Cincinnati* FedExPark 1:00 PM5/8 Fri. at UCF* Orlando, Fla. 5:30 PM5/9 Sat. at UCF* Orlando, Fla. 3:00 PM5/10 Sun. at UCF* Orlando, Fla. 10:00 AM5/12 Tue. vs. UT Martin Millington, Tenn. 6:30 PM5/14 Thu. Tulane* FedExPark 6:30 PM5/15 Fri. Tulane* FedExPark 6:30 PM5/16 Sat. Tulane* FedExPark 1:00 PM5/20-24 Wed-Sun The American Championship Clearwater, Fla.

Home Games in Bold *All Times Central and Subject To Change* American Athletic Conference Game # - Denotes the Univ. of Memphis W.S. ‘Babe’ Howard Classic


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F e d E x P a r k

The 2010 season began a new era in the annals of University of Memphis baseball. After call-ing Nat Buring Stadium home for 36 seasons, construction and renovations were complete for Tigers baseball’s new home– FedExPark.

Thanks to a $3 million gift from FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX), con-struction redesigned the former Nat Buring Stadium that housed Memphis Tiger baseball since 1972.

In addition to the new score-board that was put in place in January 2008 (separate from the FedEx gift), the redesign includ-ed a new dressing facility, indoor practice facility, training room, players lounge, locker rooms, coaches offices, dugouts, grand-stand, concession areas, press box and a private suite which aids players, teams and fans with their game day experience.

The dressing facility includes locker rooms for both Tiger coach-es and players, office and meeting space, a player’s lounge, coaches conference room, indoor pitching and batting cages, as well as a di-rect entrance into the Tiger dug-out and field.

The grandstand area features an expanded press area for me-dia, as well as newly-constructed restrooms and concession stands. The press box contains private booths for both radio and televi-sion broadcasts, as well as work-ing media and event management

areas. A grand entrance way has been constructed at the main en-trance to the ballpark from the leftfield parking lots.

Construction setup began on Feb. 16–two days before 2009 Opening Day. Construction crews took over the Tigers’ home, forc-ing them to play the 2009 season at three different ballparks in the Memphis area. The Tigers called Millington’s USA Stadium its home for the season, but hosted games at AutoZone Park and Gagliano Stadium.

The stadium redesign is the latest of several upgrades to the Memphis baseball facility. On March 27, 1991, the Memphis Athletic Department ushered in a new era–night baseball. The Tigers hosted Mississippi State University in the program’s first-ever night game. The Tigers played three times under the lights in 1991.

While the ballpark’s surround-ings were renovated, the playing field remains the same. Noted for its cozy dimensions, it has often proved to be a pitchers’ park when the wind blows in from left field. However, when the wind blows out to left, hitters would think dif-ferently. The dimensions down the lines are 318 and 317 feet in left and right fields, respectively, 360 in the alleys and 379 to center.

Several renovations have taken place since the stadium

TIGERS YEARLY HOME RECORD

Year Overall Pct.1972 12-9 .5711973 15-9 .6251974 16-8 .6671975 23-1 .9581976 27-6 .8181977 26-5 .8391978 29-2 .9351979 15-5 .7501980 20-4 .8331981 32-1 .9701982 16-2 .8891983 22-4 .8461984 15-4 .7891985 26-3 .8971986 23-5 .8211987 21-8-1 .7171988 16-11 .5931989 22-6 .7861990 23-11 .6761991 22-7 .7591992 18-10 .6431993 28-7 .8001994 20-3 .8701995 16-12 .5711996 14-13 .5191997 16-13 .5521998 12-12 .5001999 15-13 .5362000 11-16 .4072001 20-9 .6892002 8-3 .7272003 12-10 .5452004 11-3 .7862005 4-20 .1672006 15-13 .5362007 16-7 .6962008 10-20 .333

Nat Buring 667-295-1 .693

2010 17-10 .6302011 21-14 .6002012 15-13 .5362013 21-13 .6182014 18-11 .621

FedExPark 92-61 .601TOTAL 759-356-1 .680

opened in 1972. Besides the 1991 addition of lights to the stadium, a new backstop was installed at the beginning of the 1994 season to allow better visibility for the fans. Chairback seats were also in-stalled in the grandstand area for better comfort and enjoyment of Tiger baseball games.

During the summer of 1994, the playing surface of the infield was overhauled, giving the stadi-um one of the best natural grass playing surfaces in the South. In the winter of 1999, new dugouts were constructed. In the spring of 2004, the playing field was lev-eled out and resurfaced for better playing conditions. A new wall was added to the list of improvements in the winter of 2005. Prior to the 2006 campaign, field turf was in-stalled around the batter’s circle to help maintain the field’s aes-thetic in the high-traffic area.

FedExPark replaced Nat Buring Stadium, where Memphis com-piled a 667-295-1 record in 36 seasons.

Following the 1971 season, the Tigers moved to the University’s Park Avenue Campus from Tobey Park, located at the corner of Hollywood and Central. The team also played games at Blues Stadium, which in now known as the former Tim McCarver Stadium.

Groundbreaking ............... Feb. 18, 2009Construction Start: .......... Feb. 18, 2009Seating Capacity: .......................... 2,000Surface: ............................ Natural GrassField Dimensions:

Left Field ...............................318 feetLeft-Center ............................360 feetCenter Field ..........................379 feetRight-Center .........................360 feetRight Field .............................317 feet

FEDEXPARK FACTS

First Game: ................. Feb. 19, 2010 vs. MTSUFirst Pitch: .. 4:06 p.m. (Brennon Martin -Strike)First MEM hit: ......... Tyler Huelsing 1B (Feb. 19)First MEM HR:................ Jacob Wilson (Feb. 20)First MEM Win: ..............Feb. 20 vs. MTSU (7-6)First Grand Slam: ...........Tyler Huelsing (Mar. 7)First Extra Inning: ...April 28 vs. ULM (11-10, W)First MEM Lineup:

CF Martinez, SS Zurcher, 2B McClain, 1B Wiedman, C Ablett, 3B Wilson, LF Huelsing, DH Hatfield, RF Thomas, P Martin

FEDEXPARK FIRSTS

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A u t o Z o n e P a r k

Home to the St. Louis Cardinals AAA-Affiliate Memphis Redbirds, AutoZone Park combines the feel of such parks as Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, and Camden Yards in a state-of-the-art facility with clas-sic, neo-traditional style.

Now in the 14th year of a special cooperative between the University of Memphis base-ball program and the Memphis Redbirds, the Tigers’ 2014 sched-ule at AutoZone Park will feature one game against Ole Miss on April 16.

The relationship began on August 20, 2001, when former Tiger head coach Dave Anderson and his squad gathered in front of AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis to reveal what U of M fans had anticipated for weeks. Tiger baseball would begin a re-lationship with the Memphis Redbirds that would allow the U of M to share the minor league sta-dium that many have deemed the best ballpark in all of minor league baseball.

Located in the heart of Downtown Memphis, AutoZone Park was named the 2009 Minor League Ballpark of the Year by Baseball America.

With all the comforts and in-novations of a ballpark for the future it still reminds fans of America’s pastime and its rich his-tory. Redbirds fans enjoy:

• An open concourse allowing them to never lose sight of the game

TIGERS YEARLY AUTOZONE PARK RECORD

Year Overall Pct.2001 1-0 1.0002002 3-10 .2312003 2-4 .3332004 2-3 .4002005 0-1 .0002006 0-2 .0002007 3-1 .7502008 1-0 1.0002009 1-4 .2002010 1-0 1.0002011 1-2 .3332012 1-0 1.0002013 1-1 .5002014 0-1 .000

TOTAL 17-29 .370

• The Picnic Pavilion hosting as many as 500 fans

• Lawn seating on the Bluff• Two upper Club levels with 48

Club suites• Club seats with access to an

air-conditioned atrium• A state-of-the-art press box

and HD videoboard• Two open-air party decks seat-

ing up to 175 fans each• Three party balconies• The Boardwalk - A family-ori-

ented games and amusement area including a playground

• Major League lighting

Ballpark Facts• Architects: Looney Ricks

Kiss Architects of Memphis was the lead architectural firm. Kansas City-based HOK Sports, designers of more major league baseball parks than any other architectural firm in the nation, was the consultant.

• Numbers: In building AutoZone Park, 17,586 cubic yards of concrete were used - enough to cover 11 acres. There are 125,738 square feet of brick wall surrounding the park, including 380,000 specially manufactured bricks. There are 3,400 tons of struc-tural steel and 227 miles of electrical wiring.

• Some 350 tons of clay and 5,000 tons of sand were used to build the playing field.

Named after Nat Buring, a generous donor to the University of Memphis athletic program and owner of Buring Food Packing, Nat Buring Stadium served as home for Memphis baseball for 36 years. Since its opening on March 14, 1972, the “Nat” provided a fan-tastic setting for top-notch NCAA Division I baseball.

Memphis called Nat Buring Stadium home for the next 36 seasons, racking up over 650 wins and averaging over 18 home wins per season.

The Tigers’ most successful string at “The Nat” was from 1975-78. Under former skipper Bobby Kilpatrick, Memphis won over 20 games in each of the four seasons.

The first game played at the former Nat Buring Stadium was on March 14, 1972, when the Tigers defeated Mississippi State 11-2 in game one of a doubleheader. Memphis went on to sweep the Bulldogs with a 4-2 victory in the evening game. The Tigers were also victorious in the final game at Nat Buring, outlasting ECU 7-5 on May 17, 2008.

Nat Buring Stadium hosted two Missouri Valley Conference Tournaments (1972, 1973), two Metro Conference Tournaments (1976, 1977) and the Great Midwest Conference Tournament in 1993. Memphis recorded win-ning records at home in 33 of its 36 seasons at “The Nat”, including posting a program-best 32-1 mark in 1981.

NAT BURING STADIUM

Completed: ...................March 14, 1972Opening Day: .................March 14, 1972 Memphis 11, Mississippi St. 2First Night Game: ...........March 27, 1991 Mississippi St. 5, Memphis 4Last Game: ........................ May 17, 2008 Memphis 7, ECU 5Games Played at Nat Buring: ............ 963Best Season at Nat Buring: .....981 (32-1)

• 94 All Conference Selections• 62 Tiger Pros played at Nat Buring• 9 Tiger All-Americans

NAT BURING FACTS

• 100,000 square feet of sod cover the outfield.

• The infield can drain one inch of rain per hour and still be playable. The average rainfall during and entire baseball season in Memphis is 22.18 inches or 4.44 inches each month, from April through August.

• Dimensions: Left field is 319 feet from home plate, center field 400 feet, and right field 322 feet. The power alleys are 360 feet in left and 373 in right.

• The left field wall is 15 feet, 8 inches high. A 7-foot-8-inch wall encloses the rest of AutoZone Park’s out field.

• AutoZone Park features the largest videoboard in Minor League Baseball: a 60-by-60 foot screen. The HD video-board weighs over 20 tons with 1,440,000 pixels and towers 127 feet (or 13 stories) above the playing field.


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U OF M PRESIDENTS

Years Name2014- Dr. M. David Rudd2013-14 R. Brad Martin (interim)2001-13 Dr. Shirley C. Raines2000-01 Dr. Ralph Faudree (interim)1991-00 Dr. V. Lane Rawlins1980-91 Dr. Thomas Carpenter1980 Dr. Jerry Boone (interim)1973-80 Dr. Billy M. Jones1972-73 Dr. John Richardson (interim)1960-72 Dr. C.C. Humphreys1950-60 Dr. J. Millard Smith1949-50 Lamar Newport (acting)1946-49 Dr. J. Millard Smith1943-46 Dr. Jennings B. Sanders1939-43 Dr. Richard C. Jones1924-39 Dr. John Willard “J.W.” Brister1918-24 Dr. Andrew A. Kincannon1913-18 Dr. John Willard “J.W.” Brister

U n i v e r s i t y P r e s i d e n t - D r . M . D av i d R u d d

Dr. M. David Rudd was named the 12th president of the University of Memphis on May 1, 2014, and took office on May 16, 2014. He previously served as the University’s provost and brings a distin-guished academic and research record to the position.

Dr. Rudd’s administrative and teaching experience spans almost 30 years in roles in Texas and Utah. Before being named provost at the U of M, he was dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Science at the University of Utah from 2009-13. He was also professor and chair of the Department of Psychology at Texas Tech from 2006-09. Prior to that, he was pro-fessor and chair of the Department of Psychology at Baylor University from 2004-05 and professor and director of Baylor’s doctoral program in Clinical Psychology from 2000-04. He also was a faculty mem-ber at Texas A&M College of Medicine.

Throughout his career, he has been responsible in part for more than $18 million in research grant funding, includ-ing more than $3 million for research to help military populations through the U.S. Army/Department of Defense Military Operational Medicine Research Program. He has continued his affiliation with the National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah as co-founder and scientific director, a role that has garnered much national attention. He has testified seven times before the U.S. Congress on issues related to veterans and suicide.

Dr. Rudd is a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology and a Fellow of three professional societies, including the American Psychological Association (Division 12 and Division 29), the International Association of Suicide Research, and the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. He was elected a Distinguished Practitioner and Scholar of the National Academies of Practice in Psychology.

He serves on a number of editori-al boards, and is past Chair of the Texas

State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, past President of the Texas Psychological Association, past President of Division 12 Section VII of the American Psychological Association, past Past-President of the American Association of Suicidology, a former member of the APA Council of Representatives, and recently served on an expert review committee for the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science.

Dr. Rudd earned the Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in psychology and holds a master’s degree in psychology from there as well. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University.

He and his wife, Dr. Loretta Rudd, an associate professor (clinical) at the University of Memphis, have two children, Nicholas and Emma.

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At h l e t i c S D i r e c t o r - T O M B O W E N

Tom Bowen took over as the University of Memphis Director of Athletics in June of 2012, and in his short time leading the department, has the Tigers roaring into a new and exciting era.

Bowen began his tenure with an athletics pro-gram poised to make a league move from Conference USA to the Big East. Despite the conference realign-ment carousel continuing to rotate nearly half-way into his first year, Bowen’s steady leadership helped Memphis become a charter member of The American Athletic Conference, which began its inau-gural year July 1, 2013.

The Memphis athletics leader played an inte-gral role in the formation of The American Athletic Conference and was instrumental in bringing the league’s first men’s basketball tournament to the Bluff City in March of 2014.

In addition to guiding Memphis through the con-ference move, Bowen placed his stamp on Tigers ath-letics. One of his first missions was to evaluate and restructure the athletics department.

Bowen developed a strategic plan to increase the athletic department’s fundraising efforts. Under his direction, the Elma Roane Fieldhouse -- home to Memphis women’s basketball and volleyball -- im-provements were completed with a state-of-the-art weight room, a four-lane training track, an elevated cardio platform, a players’ lounge and an enlarged training room with Grimm Tubs-hydroponic pools for injury rehabilitation.

In November of 2012, Bowen secured a multi-million dollar gift from the Helen and Jabie Hardin Charitable Trust to support women’s athlet-ics. The first phase of the generous gift was the de-sign and construction of a new track and field com-plex on the University’s Park Avenue campus. As part of the Hardin Charitable Trust gift, the second phase includes a clubhouse for the Tigers’ softball program. The new softball clubhouse plans include coaches’ offices, meeting and recruiting rooms, in-door pitching and batting areas, an athletic training room, equipment room and laundry room.

In December of 2013, Interim President Brad Martin and Tom Bowen announced that alumni Bill and Nancy Laurie had made a gift of $10 million to the capital campaign for athletic facilities. This is the single largest philanthropic gift in the history of the athletic department, and the second-largest gift in the history of the University of Memphis.

By securing the $10 million lead gift, the ath-letic department leadership reached a significant benchmark in a capital campaign goal of $40 mil-lion, less than 120 days after the plan was unveiled by President Martin. The capital campaign calls for a new men’s basketball practice and training facility and an indoor football practice complex. It will ad-ditionally fund comprehensive upgrades and renova-tions to existing facilities including FedExPark and the Hardin Family Sports Complex.

Bowen’s respect from his colleagues along with his experience and knowledge of football were piv-otal in landing him a position on the College Football Playoff organization’s Athletic Directors Advisory Council in early 2014. Previously he served on the Athletic Directors Advisory Board of the BCS in 2013.

In July, 2014, Bowen’s colleagues in the American Athletic Conference voted him to represent the league on the NCAA Division I Leadership Council.

In the competition arena, Bowen’s first two years have been rather successful.

The Memphis men’s basketball team advanced to the NCAA Tournament third round each of the last

two years. The 2012-13 season saw the Tigers post the sixth, 30-win season in school history as well as sweep the Conference USA regular season and tour-nament titles. The 2013-14 squad finished in a three-way tie for third place in the ultra-competitive new American Athletic Conference including two wins over defending national champion Louisville. The 2013-14 season also saw the basketball program rank in the top-10 in home attendance in NCAA Division I basketball for the fifth time in the last seven years.

Under Bowen’s administration, the groundwork for the future of the Tiger football program has been laid and it is well apparent the program is heading in the right direction with major strides made over the last two seasons.

Other athletic programs have enjoyed unprece-dented success during Bowen’s tenure heading the department.

The rifle team posted a third-place finish in small bore at the NCAA National Championship in 2014, the best finish in program history.

In 2014, men’s tennis advanced to the NCAA Championships for a third-consecutive year. In 2013, the Tigers won their first NCAA Regional with an up-set over Ole Miss and advanced to the program’s first NCAA Championships Sweet Sixteen. The women’s tennis team also made history with its first NCAA Championships appearance as a team in 2013.

The men’s golf squad earned an NCAA Regional berth for a fourth-straight year in 2014. During Bowen’s two-year tenure, the Memphis track and field squads have sent 14 student-athletes to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, with eight earning All-America honors.

In the classroom, Memphis continued its strong performance in Bowen’s first two years.

For 2014, all 19 Memphis athletics programs had APRs of 940 or higher, and the Tigers’ depart-ment-wide, four-year average (2009-10 through 2012-13) was 979. Four programs again earned NCAA Public Recognition for APR – baseball, men’s basketball, women’s golf and women’s tennis.

Of the school’s 375 student-athletes, 56 percent earned a grade point average of 3.0 or higher for the 2014 spring semester, including 31 percent that earned a 3.5 or higher GPA and institutional Dean’s List honors. Memphis’ cumulative student-athlete GPA was 3.06 and the school’s freshman student-ath-lete GPA was 3.04.

Memphis closed out the 2013-14 academic year by having ten student-athletes recognized at the spring honors ceremony.

Prior to taking his current post, Bowen served as the athletics director at San Jose State University from 2004-12. While at San Jose State, the core of Bowen’s mission was building a “Culture of Champions” aca-demically, athletically and in the community. He led the Spartan Foundation, the department’s fundrais-ing component, through consistently challenging and uncertain economic conditions to unprecedented fiscal heights. The Spartans produced annual budget surpluses four-straight years and re-invested their gains back into their student-athletes and teams.

Bowen’s proven administrative and manageri-al record at San Jose State resulted in national ap-pointments in college athletics. He served as one of eight Football Bowl Subdivision directors of athletics on the 24-member NCAA Division I Football Issues Committee, an appointment that ended in 2011. In 2009, Bowen was one of 12 named to serve as a mentor to aspiring women and ethnic minority ath-letics administrators in the NCAA Fellows Leadership Program. He was the Tournament Director for the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball Division I Championship first and second rounds games played in San Jose.

Bowen joined the staff at San Jose State after serving three years as the Director of Community Affairs and the executive director of the 49ers Foundation for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. His Division I experience at the collegiate level includes athletics administra-tion positions at the University of California and Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif.

The 1983 graduate of the University of Notre Dame majored in theology/sociology and spent time studying for the priesthood with the Holy Cross Fathers. Bowen went on to earn a master’s degree in administration/education from the University of San Francisco in 1990.

He is a Level 2 certified member of the College Athletic Business Management Association (CABMA) and has memberships in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

He and his wife, Mia, are the parents of three children: sons, Andrew and Peter, and daughter, McKenna.


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U n i v e r s i t y o f M e m p h i s

For over 100 years, the University of Memphis has been a catalyst for progress in the city of Memphis, the state of Tennessee and the sur-rounding Mid-South region. From its inception in 1912 as a normal school dedicated to the educa-tion of public school teachers to its role today as an educator of technologically savvy, socially con-scious graduates who face a complex world, the U of M has always been an integral component of the greater community.

Exceptional students from 50 states and 82 countries choose the University of Memphis as their collegiate home. Approximately 22,000 students attend the U of M, including more than 2,200 first-time freshmen and 2,500 students who live in university housing.

In 2013, U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of Memphis among the top 10 in the country for student internship placements and lauded it as one of the top 13 for its teacher preparation programs. Additionally, its graduate programs in audiology, speech-language patholo-gy and rehabilitation counseling are consistently ranked among the top 20 in the nation by U.S. News.

As a doctoral-granting metropolitan research university, the U of M is committed to excellence in undergraduate, graduate and professional ed-ucation; in the discovery and dissemination of knowledge; in engaged scholarship to the com-munity, state and nation; and in the preparation of a diverse student population for successful careers and meaningful participation in a global society.

Ever forward looking, the University of Memphis is poised to enter one of its most histor-ic and productive periods. Having celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2012, its faculty, staff, alumni and benefactors have never been more willing, able and generous in their efforts to build an academic environment that makes a lifelong impact.

Foremost among the university’s goals is to recruit outstanding faculty, enroll motivated stu-dents and provide distinctive learning experienc-es so its students are prepared for successful and meaningful participation in a diverse society.

Currently, the U of M offers 17 bachelor’s de-grees in more than 250 areas of study, master’s degrees in 54 subjects and doctoral degrees in 25 disciplines. It also offers a specialist’s degree in education and a juris doctorate in law. Degree programs at the University of Memphis are di-vided into 11 colleges and schools – College of Arts & Sciences, Fogelman College of Business & Economics, College of Communication and Fine Arts, College of Education, Health and Human Sciences, Herff College of Engineering, the School of Public Health, University College, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Loewenberg School of

Nursing, Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality and Resort Management and the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

For academically ambitious and talented students, the Helen Hardin Honors Program at the University of Memphis combines the best of a small liberal arts school with the wide-ranging opportunities of a large, nationally-recognized re-search university. With 2,104 students participat-ing in fall 2013, the honors program is the largest in the state of Tennessee.

In addition to the main campus in the heart of East Memphis, the University of Memphis opened a campus in Jackson, Tenn., in fall 2011 at what was formerly Lambuth University. It also has off-site campuses in Bartlett, Collierville, Covington, Dyersburg, Jackson, Millington and Humboldt.

One of the university’s strongest contribu-tions to the community is its alumni. Many have become nationally and internationally renowned in their fields as corporate executives, elected of-ficials, award-winning actors and best-selling au-thors. More than 66,000 U of M alumni live within a 40-mile radius of Memphis.

As a member of the American Athletic Conference, the Tigers compete at the highest level of NCAA collegiate athletics, and have gar-nered national attention for their work in the community, in the classroom and on the playing field. For two straight years, Tiger Athletics was recognized by the NCAA as having an Academic Progress Rate (APR) among the top 10 percent na-tionally for baseball, men’s basketball, women’s golf and women’s tennis.

As the university enters its second century, it will continue to build strong partnerships with alumni, friends and the community to empower the next generation of leaders.

For more information on the University of Memphis, visit www.memphis.edu.

NAME CHANGES

1994 University of Memphis1957 Memphis State University1941 Memphis State College1925 West Tennessee State Teachers College1912 West Tennessee State Normal School

FACTS AT A GLANCEPRESIDENTDr. M. David Rudd

FOUNDED1912 as West Tennessee State Normal School

CAMPUS SIZE239 buildings at eight sites, including the U of M Lambuth Campus

ENROLLMENT (FOR FALL 2014)TotalUndergraduateGraduateDoctoralLaw SchoolFull-timePart-timeMenWomen

21,05917,0682,6841,00633768%32%40%60%

ACCREDITATIONThe University of Memphis is fully accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

WORKFORCEApproximately 2,500 employees including 930 full-time faculty

COLLEGES & SCHOOLS• Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law• College of Arts & Sciences• College of Communication and Fine Arts• College of Education, Health and Human Sciences• Fogelman College of Business & Economics• Herff College of Engineering• Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality and Resort Mgmt• Loewenberg School of Nursing• School of Communication Sciences and Disorders• School of Public Health• University College

DEGREES• 17 bachelor’s degrees in more than 250 areas of study• Master’s degrees in 54 subjects• Doctoral degrees in 25 disciplines• Specialist degree in education• Juris Doctor (law degree)

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C i t y o f M e m p h i s

Considered the “Home of the Blues” and the “Birthplace of Rock ‘n Roll,” the city of Memphis’ musical roots run deep. However, music is just a chapter in the history as well as the future of the city located in the heart of Mid-America.

Memphis, named after the capital of ancient Egypt, has big city amenities with a small-town feel. Whether you are a hardcore sports enthu-siast, a history buff, a music aficionado, or you just like to relax and watch as boats travel the Mississippi River, Memphis has something for everyone.

Downtown Memphis has continued to grow and thrive, and two of the most visible projects have been the construction of AutoZone Park and FedExForum.

AutoZone Park is the home of the Memphis Redbirds, the St. Louis Cardinals’ Triple-A club. The 14,320-seat stadium includes 1,500 club seats, 48 luxury suites and is located at the cor-ner of Third Street and Union Avenue across from the world-famous Peabody Hotel. The Memphis Tigers baseball team also plays some of its more high-profile opponents in the top-notch facility.

The city’s newest downtown project is FedExForum, an entertainment arena that hous-es both the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association and the University of Memphis men’s basketball team. The $250 million state-of-the-art arena features a 35,000-square-foot outdoor plaza where fans of all ages can gath-er before an event. The arena has over 100 points of sale for concession stands and four full-service restaurants. FedExForum is located one block south of Beale Street.

Memphis’ musical roots can be traced to band leader W.C. Handy, who wrote the first blues song here in 1909, a campaign theme for Memphis mayor “Boss” Crump called “Boss Crump Blues” and later published as the “The Memphis Blues.” The sound soon caught on and blues bands filled the clubs along Beale. Young musicians who have performed along Beale include Muddy Waters, Furry Lewis, Albert King, Bobby “Blue” Bland and B.B. King.

Beale Street has rapidly become the enter-tainment center of Memphis, and visitors and lo-cals alike enjoy the food and music offered in the various nightclubs.

Where Beale Street meets the Mississippi River is Tom Lee Park, site of the annual Beale Street Music Festival. The weekend-long event is just a part of the month-long Memphis in May International Festival, which also includes the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest and the Sunset Symphony.

Located within a block of Beale is Gibson Guitar Memphis, which includes factory tours and cultural exhibits. Across the street is the Smithsonian’s Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum located at the FedExForum, which includes artifacts docu-menting music’s past.

Memphis’ musical roots also include Stax and Hi-Records as well as Sun Records recording stu-dio. Stax became known for “sweet soul music” through such artists as the MarKeys, Booker T.

and the MGs, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave and Isaac Hayes. The Stax Museum re-opened on its original location at McLemore and Crump in the summer of 2003 and offers visitors a complete history of “Soulsville USA.”

One of Hi-Records’ premier artists was Al Green. Sun Records’ most famous recording artist was Elvis Presley and also boasted Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash among its recording artists.

Elvis Presley’s Graceland is one of the five most-visited home tours in America and is the most famous home in the United States after the White House. In 1991, Graceland was placed on the National Register of Historical Places. Over 600,000 visitors tour Graceland each year. Also located downtown is the beautiful Orpheum Theater, which serves as a venue for performanc-es by Ballet Memphis, the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and traveling Broadway shows, as well as the Orpheum Classic Movies series and other concerts.

The city’s location makes Memphis a major distribution hub with two interstate highways intersecting the city. Memphis is also home of FedEx, the nation’s largest package carrier which makes Memphis International Airport the world’s busiest cargo airport. Over 500 commer-cial passenger flights originate from Memphis International each day.

Ranked by The Sporting News as one of the “Top 50 Sports Cities In the Country,” the city of Memphis is a large metropolitan city with a hometown feel. From its big-city industry such as FedEx and the Memphis International Airport to its family recreation areas such as Shelby Farms and the Memphis Zoo, the city boasts all the amenities one would expect in a city with over 1 million residents, while retaining the charm and down-to-earth feel of a small town.

• Named for its Egyptian sister city on the Nile

• The largest city in Tennessee & the 20th largest city in the United States

• Centered in the middle of the nation’s population

• The Pork BBQ Capital of the world

• Beale Street is a national historical land-mark

• The home of The Pyramid, the third-largest pyramid in the world

• Ranked by the travel industry as one of the top-20 destinations for an athletics event

• The nation’s largest spot cotton-trading market

• The hardwood capital of the world

• The home of the world’s largest cargo airport

• The third-largest rail center in the United States

• The fourth-largest inland port in the United States

• Home to the Memphis Zoo, one of only four zoos in the United States to exhibit giant pandas

• Top 35 Best Sports City according to The Sporting News.

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When the University of Memphis first fielded a football team in the fall of 1912, no one had se-lected a nickname for the squad.

Early references to the football team tabbed them only as the Blue and Gray Warriors of West Tennessee Normal School.

After the final game of the 1914 season, there was a student parade. During this event, several Normal students shouted, “We fight like Tigers.” The nickname was born.

More and more the nickname “Tigers” was used, particularly in campus publications. But, it did not catch on with the newspapers downtown. They continued to use “Normals” or the “Blue and Gray” when referring to the University.

In the late 1920s, student publications and downtown newspapers began referring to the football team as the “Teachers” or “Tutors.” The Tigers nickname would return, but not until 1939 was it finally adopted as the official nickname for the University of Memphis.

For over 40 years, the sideline mascot for the University of Memphis has been a Bengal Tiger named TOM. TOM attends all Tigers football home games, and he can also be found at many other University events throughout the year.

TOM travels in style in a custom-designed, cli-mate-controlled trailer and always with a sheriff patrol escort.

As one of only two universities in America with a live tiger mascot, The University of Memphis is unique in its tiger tradition. As a project of the Highland Hundred, no public or University funds are used to provide for TOM’s needs, and no University resources are required in his care.

TOM is a powerful and majestic symbol of the University of Memphis, and his presence pres-ents constant opportunities to educate Tigers fans young and old through the preservation of one of the world’s most recognizable endangered species.

The first Tiger, TOM, was procured by the Highland Hundred football boosters in 1972 and served the U of M faithfully for nearly 20 years until passing away in February of 1992. The Highland Hundred officially presented TOM

to the University in a ceremony at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on Nov. 11, 1972, during a football game against the University of Cincinnati.

TOM had initially been named ‘Shane’ at the suggestion of the breeder’s daughter. Once in Memphis, though, a contest was held to name the mascot. More than 2,500 entries were sub-mitted. The list was ultimately reduced to two choices, Shane and TOM, which stands for Tigers Of Memphis. TOM won.

In the fall of 1991, the Highland Hundred Tiger Guard received TOM II as a gift from Tom and Carolyn Atchison of Florence, Ala. TOM II served his university with pride for 17 years through 2008, passing away on Oct. 15 of that year.

Stand Firm, O Alma Mater Through All The Years To Come;

In Days Of Youth And Beauty Thy Halls Have Been Our Home.

In Time Of Preparation Great Lessons Didst Thou Teach

Till Now O Alma Mater, The Stars We’ll Strive To Reach.

Lead On, O Alma Mater They Sons To Highways,

Give Light And Truth Unto Them For All Their Coming Days.

To Thee We’ll Give All Honor, Our Hopes Abide In Thee, For Thou, O Alma Mater, Hast Made Us Ever Free.

U OF M ALMA MATER

Go Tigers Go, Go On To Victory, Be A Winner Thru And Thru;

Fight Tigers, Fight Cause We’re Going All The Way --

Fight, Fight For The Blue And Gray And Say --

Let’s Go Tigers Go, Go On To Victory.

See Our Colors Bright And True; It’s Fight Now Without A Fear, Fight Now Let’s Shout A Cheer,

Shout For Dear Memphis U. (Yell)

Go Tigers Go Go Tigers Go

Yea -- Tiger Go!

U OF M FIGHT SONG

The University of Memphis’ official school colors of Blue and Gray were selected in the early 1900s.

The colors were chosen in an effort to show unity in a nation that was still recovering from the effects of the Civil War. The student body thought that by picking the colors of the North and the South, the school would show a togetherness among all students.

SCHOOL COLORS

The University of Memphis’ official logo was redesigned by Craig Thompson, from Disciple Design in Memphis, Tenn.

The original logo was an MSU with a leaping Tiger coming out from behind the letter. The new logo is an “M” with a leaping Tiger coming up over the center of the “M.”

THE LOGO

Shortly after TOM II’s death, the Tiger Guard began the search for a new tiger to serve as TOM III, and a stroke of good luck was realized in a discussion with the Wisconsin Big Cat Rescue & Educational Center in Rock Springs, Wis. Faced with three new cubs born Aug. 31, 2008, after an unexpected pregnancy at their facility, founders Jeff Kozlowski and Jenny Meyer offered to donate one of their young tigers to serve as TOM III.

TOM III was introduced at a press conference on Nov. 17, 2008, and the Tiger Guard officially presented him to the University on Nov. 22 during a football game against the UCF.

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T H E A M E R I C A N AT H L E T I C C O N F E R E N C ET H E A M E R I C A N AT H L E T I C C O N F E R E N C E

Not entirely unlike the nation that provides its namesake, the American Athletic Conference was born from an ideal in which members with ambitious goals are provided with the means to succeed in their quests for excellence.

With roots that extend to three conferences, the American Athletic Conference membership in 2014-15 consists of 11 institutions: the University of Central Florida, the University of Cincinnati, East Carolina University, the University of Connecticut, the University of Houston, the University of Memphis, the University of South Florida Southern Methodist University, Temple University, Tulane University and the University of Tulsa.

The 2015-16 season sees the U.S. Naval Academy join the ranks in football only.

Under the leadership of commissioner Mike Aresco, The American, which operated as the Big East Conference from 1979 to 2013, has immediately tak-en a place at the forefront of Division I athletics, with schools that have played in four Bowl Championship Series games, won four NCAA men’s basketball titles since 1999, and won nine NCAA women’s basketball championships since 1995.

Two American Athletic Conference football teams were ranked in the top 15 of the final 2013 Associated Press poll. Five were selected for bowl games, including UCF, which won the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and finished the season ranked No. 10 national-ly. The conference produced 14 players who received All-America recognition by a major outlet.

The American had four players chosen in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, trailing only the SEC and the ACC among FBS conferences. UCF quarterback Blake Bortles highlighted a group of 12 American Athletic Conference players chosen when he was tak-en No. 3 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The success of The American in Year 1 was not limited to the gridiron. UConn won NCAA ti-tles in both men’s and women’s basketball. The conference had the best postseason winning per-centage of any league in men’s basketball, while The American produced top-10 teams in base-ball, men’s soccer and men’s golf and sent half of its participat-ing teams to the NCAA Softball Championship.

The American Athletic Conference holds television partnerships with ESPN and CBS Sports which will give the con-ference unprecedented national exposure. The football portion of the contract, which begins in the 2014 season, calls for nearly 90 percent of conference-controlled games on national broadcast or national cable platforms. The first American Athletic Conference Football Championship, which will be played in 2015, will be carried either on ABC or ESPN on Championship Saturday.

In men’s basketball, the television deal calls for all conference-controlled games to be televised, with more than 63 percent slotted for national broadcast or national cable — a minimum of 107 games. The entire postseason tournament will be televised, in-cluding the championship game, which will be either on ABC or ESPN. Sixty percent of the American’s women’s basketball games will be carried on either national cable, regional sports networks or ESPN3.

American Athletic Conference teams will have ac-cess to the pinnacle of college football’s postseason

structure. An American represen-tative would be chosen for the College Football Playoff semifinals if it is among the top four teams following the regular season. Otherwise, the league would place its champion in either the Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl or Peach Bowl if it is ranked higher than the champions of Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference and the Sun Belt Conference.

Additionally, The American has announced primary or sec-ondary partnerships with 12 bowls for the current six-year cycle, ensuring multiple annual matchups against the nation’s top

conferences and providing desirable postseason des-tinations to member institutions and their fans.

The American Athletic Conference administers to its membership from a state-of-the-art office locat-ed in Providence, R.I. The location of the conference headquarters — just steps from the city’s Amtrak station and 10 minutes from T.F. Green International Airport — gives the conference easy access to its member schools.

The conference headquarters is equipped with a complete video production studio, serving as the home of the American Digital Network, and small- and large-scale meeting rooms to accommodate the many coaches’ and administrators’ meetings held on-site each year

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