D. Ryan Monceaux
SPORTS EDITOR
C-USA craze under way
Conference USA is hosting its annual football media day Wednesday. Head coaches, players and sports information directors are taking questions from the media that will undoubtedly be asked throughout the year.
Earlier this week, the conference's coaches released their picks as to who would win the conference. Southern Miss was picked to finish first, garnering seven of the eight first-place votes. East Carolina and Tulane tied for second in the balloting.
Cincinnati finished third, followed by Houston, Memphis, Louisville and Army. In the most surprising note to come out of the C-USA offices, Houston received the remaining first-place vote. People are shaking their heads in disbelief across the conference.
Also out are the C-USA preseason All-Conference awards. Running back Ketric Sanford was the only Cougar to be named to the list. In all, eight Tulane players made the list, including preseason Offensive Player of the Year, quarterback Shaun King. Southern Miss defensive end Adalius Thomas was named Defensive Player of the Year.
Only 45 days remain until the Cougars open the season against California in Berkeley, Calif.
Shane Nance is on fire
Houston left-handed pitcher Shane Nance is in Italy this week to compete for Team USA in the XXXIII World Championship Tournament.
The Houston native won again last week against Canada in Connecticut in 6 innings of strong work. He improved to a perfect 5-0 as a member of the national team. He did allow three earned runs, his highest total in international competition, but he fanned 10 in the 8-4 win.
Overall, Nance leads the team in ERA at 1.54 and ranks second in staff appearances (9), innings (35.0) and strikeouts (49). As the ace of the UH staff last season, Nance compiled a 9-4 record with an ERA of 2.95 in 106.2 innings of work. The former Dobie High School standout fanned 93 hitters and threw four complete games with two shut outs as a sophomore to earn First Team All-Conference USA honors.
Nance is scheduled to pitch this weekend in the tournament which concludes Aug. 2.
Renovation update
Renovations to Robertson Stadium are coming along nicely and should be finished by the end of August.
The steel beams which line the tops of both sides of the stadium are the structure on which the luxury suites will be situated. The press box located on the home side (west) is getting a much-needed facelift to go along with the renovations.
Also, a new elevator is being constructed as a way to get to the press box and luxury suites without walking through the stands.
The renovations to Hofheinz are on the back burner until construction is finished at Robertson. Tim Evans, athletics development manager, said the construction of luxury suites in Hofheinz will take much less time than those in Robertson and will be ready well in advance of the first basketball game of the season, a Nov. 13 women's game against Long Island.
It takes one to know one
Are you named after Bear Bryant? If so, you could be in for a treat.
The Paul W. Bryant Museum, located on the campus of the University of Alabama, is hosting the third annual Bryant reunion party. People from all over the country will converge on Tuscaloosa to celebrate the great coach to whom they all owe their names.
So if you are named Bryant, William, Paul or Bear, feel free to show Saturday, Sept. 5, just three hours before the Crimson Tide faces BYU. The Alabama icon will be honored, as everyone munches on Bryant's favorite dishes.
For last year's party, over 350 people showed up, ranging from as far as Tacoma, Wash. Rumor has it this is the reason Sybil "Bear" Todd is leaving for Tuscaloosa, so she may mingle among the Bears. Her tenure at Bama begins only three weeks before the honorable event.
If you need more information, call the director of the Bryant Museum at (205) 348-4668.