Charles Sims stiff-arms a would be tackler.

Update: Charles Sims releases a statement to CougarsDen.com

“It is with regret and deep humbling, that I am ending my playing career at the University of Houston. I have a lot of great memories that I will carry with me forever. I want to thank the University of Houston for allowing the opportunity to be a part of its football program.

I have worked extremely hard while I have been here at U of H and made every attempt to carry myself in a manner that would reflect the utmost integrity upon the school and this program.

I don’t know what my next step will be. I have one more year of eligibility, therefore I may look to play (1) more year of college football or I may enter the NFL Supplemental Draft later this year.

My family and I will continue to discuss my options and we will make a decision in the near future.”

The Cougars’ leading rusher senior Charles Sims is weighing his options about his football future, the University announced.

Rivals.com reports that Sims is leaving the program.

“We congratulate Charles on receiving his degree last week and becoming a Cougar for life. He has been a leader for our program both on and off the field with a number of accomplishments,” said UH head coach Tony Levine.

Sims, a potential first or second round pick, rushed for 851 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He missed five games and the Cougars compiled a 1-4 record in his absences.

UH had no further comment.

sports@thedailycougar.com

The Cougars nabbed a victory with a 7-5 win against Army, but dropped an elimination contest against South Carolina.

 “Only one team can end the season without a loss,” said head coach Kyla Holas in a statement. “It’s one of those things that is hard to take, but we’ve got a great group returning and we’re really excited for them. I’m really going to miss those seniors — Reina, Holly and Julia. They’ve been fantastic to work with and I’m disappointed for them that the season is ending today.”

Although the Cougars season is now finished, they reached the 40-win mark, which only four UH softball teams have accomplished, as they posted a 41-20 record.

“We still had another 40-plus win season with 20 losses or less,” Holas said. “As long as we keep doing what we’re known for and what we take pride in, hopefully this next class will be rewarded and go even farther. We’ll build off this season and be better next year because of this.”

sports@thedailycougar.com

Chadwell

On June 1, UH will have a leader for its women’s golf program, the University announced Monday.

Gerrod Chadwell, currently the assistant coach for the women’s golf team at Oklahoma, will be the first UH women’s golf head coach.

UH Athletics Director Mack Rhoades said he wanted to bring in someone who had the experience to build a quality program. Rhoades said Chadwell rose to the top of his mind during the selection process.

“When we began the search process, we focused on selecting an individual who is highly regarded in the industry, an exceptional fit with our core values and operating principles, created a dynamic vision for building a nationally competitive program and has experienced great success as a coach, recruiter and mentor of student-athletes,” Rhoades said in a statement.

Jonathan Dismuke, director of golf, said he is glad to have Chadwell because of the trail of success that has followed him and his ability to push his athletes to make them a great group.

“Everywhere he has coached, his student-athletes have developed and matured as competitors and as young women, and that translates into overwhelming team success at the highest level,” Dismuke said.

During his time at Oklahoma, he was a part of teams that advanced to three consecutive NCAA Regionals from 2011-2013. In 2012, he mentored Oklahoma’s first NCAA national champion in Chirapat Jao-Javanil, who won the title by four strokes with a 6-under-par effort.

At UH, Chadwell will work with incoming freshmen Emily Gilbreth and Kelli Rollo during the 2013-2014 season before the program competes with full team membership in 2014-2015.

“When you look at the history of the men’s program, it also can be done on the women’s side, and I am looking forward to getting started,” Chadwell said.

sports@thedailycougar.com

The final three holes really seemed to plague the No. 5 seed Cougars, as they posted a combined score of 8-over-par during that stretch.

This was the Cougars’ second consecutive appearance at the NCAA Regionals. Last season, they finished ninth at the NCAA Athens Regional.

Tying for 12th overall, junior Curtis Reed. Reed posted an overall score of 5-over-par, at The University Club. Sophomore Kyle Pilgrim posted the team’s lowest round of the day with a 74 and tied for 14th at 222. It was Pilgrim’s first NCAA Regional appearance.

Sophomore Roman Robledo, the reigning Conference USA individual champion tied for 45th at 231.

sports@thedailycougar.com

With the seeding set in the Conference USA tournament, the Cougars sit at No. 6 with a 13-11 conference record and a 35-20 overall record — a 17-win turnaround from last season.

Though the Cougars dropped a 6-5 decision in the final game of the series, head coach Todd Whitting said he liked what he saw from the club.

“We played hard today. I am proud of the way we settled down on the bump, and kept playing hard,” Whitting said after Saturday’s game. ”We never quit and played until the final out. We made it really interesting in the last inning and were one swing away from winning the game.”

“That’s what I love about this team. They always play hard, and that’s going to pay dividends for them (in the conference tournament).”

On the mound, senior righthander Austin Pruitt got his ninth win of the season and junior righthander Chase Wellbrock notched his 11th save on Friday during a 7-5 victory.

Junior righthander Daniel Poncedeleon notched his seventh win of the season during a 3-2 victory on Thursday. Poncedeleon pitched into the eighth inning, giving up seven hits and two earned runs.

“I was able to get a good sink on my cutter and fastball tonight.” Poncedeleon said on Thursday. “I was able to get a lot of ground balls, and my defense played great behind me.”

The Cougars’ pitching staff has stepped up as the season has wound down. The starters have often sang the praises for the bullpen’s strong outings sometimes over long relief periods. Wellbrock has been described as a “tough as nails” closer, and senior lefthander Matt Hernandez has played an important role as a long-reliever.

As for the batters, UH put up 15 runs in the three games. Junior shortstop Frankie Ratcliff tripled for the eighth time to tie for the national lead. He chalked up his success to hitting behind freshman infielder Josh Vidales and freshman outfielder Kyle Survance.

“When those guys are ripping you want to do the same, and join in on the hit parade.” Ratcliff said. “When they get on early in the game it makes my job easier.”

With the regular season now officially behind them, the Cougars look now to the C-USA Championship at Rice University’s Reckling Park. Their first game will be against ECU on May 23 followed by games against Southern Mississippi and Tulane. The Cougars are 7-2 against the members of their pool.

“It’s a wide open field. It’s one of those tournaments that anybody who is in has the ability to win it,” Whitting said. “To me it doesn’t matter if we play the way we’ve been playing, we’ll win it.”

According to C-USA tournament format, the top eight teams make the tournament and are split into two pools dictated by seed. Each team is guaranteed three games in their pool. The team with the best composite record in each pod will advance for a single-elimination championship game.

sports@thedailycougar.com

UH announced that its final game of the season on Nov. 29 against SMU will be played at Reliant Stadium. Three home games against Southern (Aug. 30), BYU (Oct 19), South Florida (Oct. 31) and the annual Bayou Bucket against Rice (Sept. 21) were already planned to be played at Reliant Stadium.

The only two remaining games to schedule are against Memphis (Oct. 12) and Cincinnati (Nov. 23).

To rent Rice Stadium, UH would have to pay $115,000 per game, while the price for BBVA Compass Stadium is approximately $130,000 per game plus a $1.50-$3 ticket fee, according to the agenda for Monday’s board of regents meeting.

The financial terms of playing at Reliant Stadium were also released. UH will be charged a $75,000 license fee and a $85,000 facility fee based on an attendance of 30,000, both per game. There is an additional $2 fee for each attendee when attendance is more than 30,000.

Here are the other terms to the deal:

• UH will keep all ticket revenue except for suites.
• 1,250 parking spots will be provided for donor parking. All additional spots are $10.
• All parking and concession revenue will go to Reliant.
• 20 percent of merchandise sales will be paid to Reliant.
• SMG and Texans will promote game dates to respective fan bases to increase ticket sales.

• “Quick turn-around” field conversion for USF and SMU game will be determined.

sports@thedailycougar.com

The Cougars shot a 7-under-par 857 to claim first place at the Conference USA golf championships in Texarkana Ark. It is the first time UH has won since 2001. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

After being chosen as a no. 5 seed, UH heads to Baton Rouge to compete in the NCAA Regionals on May 16, where the Cougars will compete against the top two teams in the country, Alabama and Florida, respectively.

“It’s a different kind of golf,” said junior Curtis Reed. “This is like the basketball or football playoffs to us. There’s a lot at stake, and we’ll be required to perform at a higher level.”

This is the first time that the Cougars will compete in the NCAA Regionals since 2001. The team’s recent successes — including a victory at the Conference USA Championship in April — have motivated them to continue making progress. Men’s associate head coach, Chris Hill, said that after taking some time off for final exams, the guys were ready to get back on the green.

“This is an opportunity for us to show some college golf,” said Hill. “We’ve been playing a lot of golf and having fun during practice. This is just another round.”

Junior Wesley McClain, said that he’s taken some time to analyze areas that he needs to improve on, and is looking forward to making those changes while in Baton Rouge.

“After Conference USA, I sat down and figured out what I did and didn’t do well,” McClain said. “I putted really well, I just didn’t make very many. What I need to do is make more putts.”

The tournament kicks off on May 16, with 18 holes scheduled each day through May 18.

“We have a strong Regional with a lot of Southeastern Conference teams there,” said head coach, Jonathan Dismuke in a press release. “We are going to have to show up and play good golf if we want to advance.”

sports@thedailycougar.com

The athletics department will propose a $77 million expansion and renovation of Hofheinz Pavilion. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

The UH Board of Regents gave the University approval to begin the design phase for the expansion and renovation of Hofheinz Pavilion on Monday.

Mack Rhoades, UH vice president for intercollegiate athletics, said he was excited for the University to move in the right direction on this process.

“It’s a first step, but it’s a big step,” Rhoades said to the Houston Chronicle. “It’s a great day if you are a basketball fan.”

Rhoades also said they will present the findings to UH’s finance committee later this summer, and construction may begin before the year ends and anticipates the the project to be finalized in 2015.

With the project designed to be done in two phases, Rhoades said he prefers to build a practice facility first, which will include two basketball courts, locker rooms and other amenities, and then continue the renovation of Hofheinz.

The renovation and expansion of Hofheinz will likely cause the Cougars to use a different venue for home games.

“Hopefully we can break ground soon,” Rhoades said.

sports@thedailycougar.com

Sophomore shortstop Frankie Ratcliff had back-to-back three hit games against UAB this weekend. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

UH has 33 wins and a dose of the all-important momentum after taking two of three games against UAB.

Offense propelled the Cougars to win their penultimate series of the regular season — the Cougars scored 28 runs in their three games against UAB and managed a 14-hit game on Saturday during a 11-2 win.

The squad now stands at 33-19 for the season with an 11-10 record in Conference USA play.

“This is a big series win for us,” said sophomore righthander Aaron Garza, who was the winning pitcher in Sunday’s 9-4 victory. “We want to have a solid week of practice, and come out ready for Southern Miss.”

Freshman outfielder Kyle Survance had one of the best games of his young Cougar career with a four-hit, two-RBI game on Saturday. He followed it up on Sunday with a two-hit game. For the entire series, he had eight hits and was able to reach base for the 20th consecutive time on Sunday.

Junior outfielder Landon Appling also stood out in the batter’s box as he went 2-3 on Saturday then drove in two runs on Sunday. Sophomore shortstop Frankie Ratcliff had back-to-back three hit games on Saturday and Sunday.

“Coach and I have been working on getting pitches to hit,” Ratcliff said. “I’ve been trying to take what the pitchers give me and hitting the ball where it’s pitched. Luckily it’s been working for me and I feel good at the plate.”

The pitching also kept Blazer batters at a safe distance throughout the series. Senior righthander Austin Pruitt got his eighth win of the season on Saturday and Garza picked up his fifth win in the series finale. Sophomore righthander Tyler Ford got his second save of the season in relief of Pruitt on Saturday. Cougar pitchers struck out 22 UAB batters through the course of the series.

In the first game of the series, the Cougars lost 8-7 after surrendering two runs in the ninth inning.

“We came out playing hard on Friday, but they were able to come back and get a win,” Ratcliff said. “That happening really fired us up, and we came out the next couple of days to get two big wins.”

With the postseason approaching and the magnitude of each game heightening, head coach Todd Whitting voiced confidence in his team.

“Two out of three, you can’t complain about winning a series.” said Whitting. “There’s still a lot of season left; we’ve got three games against next weekend and at least three games in the Conference tournament, so we’ve got a ton of baseball to play. We’ve just got to keep playing.”

Instead of the normal Friday through Sunday series, the Cougars will take on the Golden Eagles of Southern Mississippi this Thursday through Saturday at Cougar Field.

sports@thedailycougar.com

The athletics department will propose a $77 million expansion and renovation of Hofheinz Pavillion. Courtesy of UH Athletics

The UH Athletics Department will propose a $77,450,000 plan to expand and renovate Hofheinz Pavillion to the Board of Regents during its May 14 meeting.

“The proposed renovation and expansion will also help the University compete to recruit top-rated athletes and introduce additional revenue markets by improving perception of its facilities,” according to the proposal. “Moreover, the renovation of the existing facility will increase the operational functionality of the facility by providing a comprehensive asbestos abatement and infrastructure improvements.”

The renovation and expansion would be carried out in two phases. The arena’s renovations will take 14 months to design and 15 months for construction and demolition. The expansion portion will take 12 months of construction.

The Cougars would add two new practice courts, treatment, film, weight room and laundry areas. The old scoreboard would be replaced with four smaller video boards, including two at each baseline.

The new facility would seat 8,609 and have a total of 45,514 square feet. The proposal would also improve premium seating at Hofheinz.

sports@thedailycougar.com

The UH lacrosse team went 8-5 and finished second in its conference. | Courtesy of Turner Harris

These days, the phrase “for the love of the game” doesn’t apply to all aspects of sports. Luckily for the University, it has one of the few remaining bastions that are worthy of this description.

The 21 players and four coaches of UH men’s lacrosse team play without scholarships or financial backing of the athletics department. The team can only practice twice a week from 8-10 p.m., because that’s the only time the crew can meet up at the same time.

While not an NCAA sport here at UH, they compete against other squads from the Lone Star Alliance Conference of the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association, which includes Big 12 schools like the University of Texas and Texas Tech University.

“The city of Houston is a hotbed for excellent lacrosse teams,” said freshman attacker Steven Hartshorn, “and a lot of them don’t want to have to go or have to leave Texas.”

Hartshorn is one of seven Cougars who were first or second team Lone Star all conference selections. 

While not having the same prestige, at least not yet said senior midfielder McCay Dickinson, lacrosse is played at a number of large high schools in the Houston area. UH’s move to a new conference gives the team hope that perhaps they won’t always labor in the shadow of the more established sports.

“There’s some hope that — a light at the end of the tunnel — that if this thing keeps rolling, things might be different ten years down the line,” Dickinson said.

The team said they hope UH joining the American Athletics Conference, which has connections to the Northeast — long a haven for lacrosse at all levels — the team will have a chance to move beyond intramural status. With the efforts to form a women’s lacrosse team as well, the players said that their future is on a good path. 

“Once we can get women’s lacrosse going, the NCAA isn’t too far out,” Hartshorn said.

The 21 players have different lives, majors and classifications — some are freshmen and others have advanced as far as graduate school — but they still came together to have a 8-5 season. They lost in the Division II Conference Finals against Sam Houston State University.

“It’s a fun group,” Dickson said. “It’s not a fraternity, it’s not a scholarship sport, we’re not as cutthroat, but we take it seriously. We’re getting better every day and we have a lot of fun,” said Dickson.

sports@thedailycougar.com

Former quarterback Case Keenum is the leader in many passing categories in the UH record books. He now has a chance to showcase his skills for the Houston Texans. | File Photo/The Daily Cougar

A year after becoming the most prolific passer in NCAA history at UH, former quarterback Case Keenum is beginning to impress his NFL coaches.

“He’s got an excellent chance to be a fine player in this league. This (offseason program) is very important for him,” said Texans head coach Gary Kubiak to the Houston Chronicle.

“I’ve been watching him every day — we’re in phase two (of the offseason conditioning program) and I see how far he’s come. He knows what we’re doing now. That stuff (playbook) comes a lot easier. You can see his talent take over.”

Keenum will compete in the Houston Texans’ rookie mini camp this weekend because he was on the practice squad last season. After a year in the system carrying the clipboard behind starting quarterback Matt Schaub, Keenum has learned a lot, Kubiak said. So much so, that his 6-foot-1 209 pound frame is not much of a factor anymore.

“We’ve talked about his size, but I think that’ll go out the window now,” Kubiak said. “I really like what he’s done. I plan on playing him a lot in preseason, and we’ll see how he does.”

sports@thedailycougar.com

The Cougars improved to 39-17 after defeating Memphis in the first round of the Conference USA championship. | Courtesy of UH Athletics.

Two explosive innings allowed UH to advance to the second round of the Conference USA Championships with a 9-1 victory against Memphis.

The Cougars scored four runs in the first and third innings sandwiched between a score in the second. Junior pitcher Diedre Outon threw a complete game allowing only one earned run. She not only had three strikeouts but contributed from the plate going 1-for-1 and scoring a  run.

“I think energy wise we’re doing well. I know we’re coming together as a team… and having each other’s backs,” Outon said. “If one thing is struggling like the pitching or the hitting, we’ve got each other’s backs.”

After freshman outfielder Katie St. Pierre scored on a double steal and junior shortstop Kendra Cullum came home on senior third baseman Holly Anderson’s 15th double of the season, sophomore infielders Jaime Edwards and Kyla Holland knocked in RBI singles to give UH a 4-0 lead.

The Cougars batted around in the first inning, setting the tone for the game.

“We came out and we wanted to score first and keep getting runs every inning. Coming out here and getting nine runs is not expected of us, so I think getting those runs set the tone, Outon said.”

St. Pierre struck again in the second inning. After leading off the inning with a single, she scored on junior catcher Haley Outon’s double.

Cullum supplied the big blast in the third inning. Her second grand slam of the season gave the Cougars their 9-1 margin of victory. Cullum scored two runs Wednesday, leaving her one shy of the school record for runs in a single season. She has 50 runs this season.

“I’m just really excited for our team,” said head coach Kyla Holas. “This is that first one, so you’ve got the nerves you’ve been sitting for a little bit and traveling. It felt good to get out on the field and get some good weather to get it in and working really fast—we’re proud of that.”

UH will take the field for the second round to face Tulsa Friday at 2 p.m.

sports@thedailycougar.com

After defeating UAB this weekend, the Cougars finished second in the Conference USA standings. | Catherine Lara/ The Daily Cougar

Coming into a weekend series against University of Alabama at Birmingham, first place in Conference USA was on the line. The Cougars needed a sweep to win the C-USA regular season crown but fell just short.

UH won the series, winning two of three, but UAB captured the final game 7-3 on Sunday at Cougar Softball Field.

Senior infielder Holly Anderson said getting a series sweep against good teams is hard to accomplish.

“I view it as a successful weekend because we took two out of three,” Anderson said. “It’s not really supposed to happen, a sweep, against a good team. We’re still in second place with a chance to go to the conference tournament and kick butt.”

Both teams scored a run in the first inning, but the Blazers took a 5-1 lead in the third when they scored four runs and knocked junior starting pitcher Deidre Outon out of the game. The Blazers would add two insurance runs in the sixth inning.

The Cougars didn’t threaten their opponents again until the final inning, when the team scored two runs.

In a Saturday doubleheader, the Cougars held the Blazers to two runs in as many games. They won both games 4-1 by overcoming the emotions and distractions of senior day.

“It’s such an emotional day for them,” said head coach Kyla Holas. ”For them to be able to play, participate and keep focused with everything that is going on around them today, that’s just a testament to what type of girls we have here. I’m going to miss all three of them very much, but luckily, we still have a lot of softball left to be played.”

In the first Saturday contest, Outon held the Blazers to two hits through six innings and navigated through trouble in the final two. With the win, Outon has 10 victories on the season.

The Cougars scored four runs in the bottom of the first after junior shortstop Kendra Cullum came up with the bases loaded. She hit a grounder to third base and three runs to crossed the plate after an error. Anderson doubled on the next pitch to score Cullum and give UH the commanding 4-0 lead.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Outon got the Cougars’ scoring started with a solo home run. The blast to deep right field tied the game and set the Cougars up to take the lead later in the inning.

After bunt singles by freshman outfielder Katie St. Pierre and Cullum, Anderson walked to load the bases for junior catcher Haley Outon. Haley Outon reached safely on a fielder’s choice and St. Pierre beat out a throw home.

Senior outfielder Reina Gaber doubled in the sixth inning moving into a tie for second place in school history with 35 career doubles. She scored later that inning on Diedre Outon’s two-out single.

Redshirt junior pitcher Bailey Watts found a rhythm after giving up a run in the first inning. She held the Blazers scoreless the rest of the way.

Holas said she likes the way that the team is playing.

“I’m glad of the softball we’re playing heading into the post season and Conference USA championships,” Holas said. “This is just the beginning and that’s one of the things we told this team.”

sports@thedailycougar.com

The renovation of Hofheinz Pavilion, the financing for Phase II of the football stadium and the lease to play football games at Reliant Stadium in the fall will all be up for approval at the meeting.

sports@thedailycougar.com

With Phillip Steward no. 42 and Everett Daniels no. 54 leaving the linebacking corp due to graduation, Derrick Mathews is expected to step into the foreground as a leader. | File photo/ The Daily Cougar

Three UH players will have a chance to make an NFL roster after signing as undrafted free agents.

Phillip Steward, who was a leader on the defense from the middle linebacker position, signed with the St. Louis Rams. Steward was 14th nationally with 11 sacks. He also forced five fumbles in 2012. During his junior year in 2011, Steward led all linebackers with seven interceptions.

Lineman Jacolby Ashworth, a four-year starter, signed with the Washington Redskins. Long snapper Brandon Hartson will get an opportunity with the Chicago Bears.

sports@thedailycougar.com

UH defensive back D.J. Hayden is the second highest draft pick in Conference USA history. | File photo/The Daily Cougar

When head coach Tony Levine saw D.J. Hayden run the 40-yard dash at the UH pro day, it was an emotional moment. Levine was brought to tears because of how far Hayden came in five months.

Hayden went from near death after a collision in practice tore the main valve that carries blood to the heart to running the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds, which solidified his draft status.

“When he passed the the 10-yard mark, it was clear that he was running faster than he ever had. When he crossed the 40-yard mark, I knew he had run a really good time,” Levine said. “He’s an inspiration to everyone on the team. That includes players, coaches — everyone.”

Now, Hayden has a chance give NFL offensive coordinators emotional fits with his blend of size and speed. He was selected by the Oakland Raiders with the 12th pick of the NFL Draft.

At pro day, Hayden said he would be happy for any opportunity given to him.

“It’s something that i’ve been trying to do since I was a kid. I’ve watched the draft every year since I was in like fourth grade,” Hayden said. “So for that to happen to me, it’s just a blessing to be named.”

After being selected by the Raiders, Hayden said he was ready to get back on the field.

“I came a long way. For me to be here right now is just a blessing. I’m just happy to have the opportunity to accomplish some of my goals. I’m truly thankful,” Hayden said to the Houston Chronicle after learning where he would be drafted.

Hayden is the 12th first-round pick in Houston history and the first ever UH defensive back to be selected in the first round. Hayden is the first UH player to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since running back Antowain Smith was selected 23rd overall by the Buffalo Bills. He is the highest UH draft pick since quarterback David Klinger was selected sixth overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1992.

Hayden lost nearly 30 pounds after the injury and at times thought he would be without football, too. Becoming the second defensive back taken off the board seemed impossible.

Hayden doesn’t have to survive another injury that kills 95 percent of those who receive it, he can just play football again.

“I can’t wait to put on that black and silver,” he said. “When I get up there I’m ready to play.”

sports@thedailycougar.com

Hayden was selected by the Oakland Raiders with the 12th pick of the first round of the NFL draft. He skyrocketed up NFL draft boards after running a 4.33 40-yard dash during UH’s pro day.

“I came a long way from where I was. This is a blessing,” Hayden said in a press conference after being selected. “I’m going to Cali, baby.”

With two meets this weekend, physical and mental strength is imperative to winning.

Senior thrower Richard Fenton has set the school record in the hammer toss | Courtesy of UH Athletics

Redshirt senior thrower Richard Fenton will compete in the Texas State Bobcat Classic for the fourth time.

While he hasn’t competed in the Penn State Invitational, as the team usually runs in the Mt. Sack Relays instead, he is trying to prepare his team.

“It’s a little colder out there (in Pennsylvania), and it’s a big meet. A lot of people get kind of hyped up and there’s just a lot of energy in the air. You just have to really keep calm and race within your own race,” Fenton said. “Try to race someone else’s race, and you’re just going to fail. You have to pace yourself, know where you are and harness the energy instead of letting it take over.”

Fenton will be working on technique and helping everyone get to their regional marks. For him, the Texas State Invitational is a relaxed meet and will allow the team to tune-up on its weaknesses and have fun.

“If you’re out there having fun, big throws happen. It’s less pressure, so you can kind of figure out where your niche is and really work those things. That’s what I like about that meet,” Fenton said.

Of his numerous accomplishments at UH, Fenton is most proud of holding the school record in the hammer throw. It was something he worked on for four years and always had on his list of things to do before he graduated. Now, he’s working on completing his next goal.

“I want to make Top 8 at NC’s, which is an all-American honors. Top 8 has been my goal since day one, and I’ve been going up the list. I feel like this year I can finally do it,” Fenton said.

As a senior, Fenton’s teammates look up to him for support in every aspect of the race. He said it’s hard to be a role model when his team is comprised of individuals from across the world, who sometimes think they’re unstoppable, but he does his best to keep a humble environment.

“I tell them where they are and keep everyone in place because if you try to rogue off and do your own thing, you can’t work as a team. I try to make sure everybody is within the team and is still working together,” Fenton said.

sports@thedailycougar.com

UH Athletics Director Mack Rhoades has hired 10 coaches during his tenure. | courtesy of UH Athletics.

UH Athletics Director Mack Rhoades sat down with The Daily Cougar to discuss the past, present and future of the program.

The Daily Cougar: How do you balance the long term with the short term goals that you have?

Mack Rhoades: I’m not sure I do a good job of balancing them. You can ask my staff. I want them all done all at once. It’s difficult because we’ve got to get a lot of things done and there’s not a lot of time to do them. You try to keep perspective, but I want the short term goals done immediately and the long term goals done pretty quickly.

TDC: Was it a goal of yours to have a commitment to more than the revenue generating sports?

MR: Of our original foundation certainly a part of that was gender equality and making sure we were really treating all of our sports the way that they should be treated. Everyone of our student athletes deserves to have a great experience here. The only way that you can do that is to be committed to all our sports programs. I think we’ve done a good job of that. The thing I’m really proud of is that all of our sports programs are getting better.

TDC: How important is it for you that athletes be students too.

MR: It’s non negotiable. One of the first things that I did was at a back to school orientation where we had all of our students athletes there. There were close to 400. They were seated in tables of 10 and I had one table stand up. My comment to the entire student athlete body was that those 10 right there standing, that’s how many of all of you that will earn a living in athletics competing and playing. So what are the rest of you 390 going to do? We said from the beginning, we’re not here to use young people. We’re here to help develop them.

TDC: What qualities do you look for in a head coach?

MR: Obviously we look at the technical aspects of it.The ability to coach in practice. The ability to coach in games. The ability to develop talent. Those things are all non negotiable. Passion. Energy.

This insatiable appetite to strive for excellence and win at the highest level. The commitment to doing it the right way, and just a great ability to communicate with young people. I think the special coaches are the coaches that coach beyond just the two dimensional.

There are three dimensional coaches meaning that they really connect with the student athletes — that the student athlete understands that that coach really cares about them off the court or off the field as much as they do on. And they’ve got this great balance of being able to be tough on a student athlete, hold them accountable and at the same time put their arm around them.

We’ve hired 10 new coaches since I’ve been here and I think you can ask the staff that’s involved here that’s involved in the hiring process — it’s pretty exhausting. We talk to so many different people. We take our time.

TDC: What would you do differently if given the chance?

MR: I think I could certainly do a better job of communicating with the masses of people. I’m not a big social media person. I don’t have a twitter account. I don’t have a Facebook. So maybe in those areas I could do a better job.

TDC: What was your vision for the athletics department when you first got here?

MR: We needed to start in terms of the infrastructure and put together a foundation, in doing that we reorganized the entire department. We developed some areas that weren’t developed and we really focused on student athlete well being.

Specifically you look at the different elements but one was certainly academically. We look back to last fall and what happened in the classroom.

Also, starting a leadership academy, making sure our student athletes get a well rounded experience. Not just in competition, but making sure that they graduate and that they’re prepared for life.

We started the philosophy building champions for life so student athlete development was a primary focus.Revenue generation: making sure that we built and organized an infrastructure to generate additional revenues. We restructured the IMG contract and sold more season tickets. One year we had the largest percentage increase in the country, raising scholarship money for Cougar Pride.

We raised more money than we ever have there. We also started some restricted fundraising in terms of fundraising for individual sports programs. Then really trying to get our arms wrapped around facilities. Our facilities are certainly not in great condition and they needed immediate attention. We put a plan together and with the (football) stadium we can begin to focus on Hofheinz and the practice stadium.

There’s been a lot of coaching changes. I really like where all of the programs are headed. You had a program like men’s golf that had won 16 national championships and disappeared. We hired a new coach. Jonathan (Dismuke) came in and did a good job and they won the conference championship.

Compliance was a huge area that needed to be addressed. We’ve implemented new software, new education for not just our head coaches, but for our entire staff. We’ve got a whole different monitoring process. We’re very comprehensive, so really we took every area of the athletic department and really analyzed it.

TDC:  Who’s your NBA Finals pick?

MR: When I lived in Akron, I literally lived a half mile away from LeBron (James). My head says the Miami Heat. My heart say San Antonio. I think (Spurs coach Gregg) Popovich and that group of people do it the right way.