McNeese State University - Log Yearbook (Lake Charles, LA)

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Athletics are an Integral Part of Campus Life McNeese’s intercollegiate sports program forms an integral part of campus life, providing not only for students and resi- dents, but also giving outstanding high school graduates an opportunity to continue athletic endeavors. Football, basketball, baseball, cross country, track and field, golf, tennis and women’s athletics including basketball, vol- leyball, and tennis are the components of the athletic program under the direction of Dr. Jack Doland, who also serves as head football coach. The men’s athletic teams are members of the Southland Conference and the NCAA Division I-A. In the eight years that Doland has been athletic director, the Cowboy foot- bail team has played in two post season bowls (Independ- ence and Grantland Rice) and appeared on ABC-TV’s regional telecast. The Cowboys have sent athletics to the NCAA golf tour- nament and to the NCAA track and field championship. As a member of the Southland Conference, the Cow- boys are eligible each year to participate in numerous post season activities. The league’s football champion serves as host for the Independence Bowl game in Shreveport while the baseball champion has an automatic berth in the NCAA Southwest Regional playoffs. Since joining the Southland Conference six years ago, McNeese has claimed a total of nine league titles. The cross country team has won four (1973, 1975, 1976, 1978), the golf team two (1977, 1978), the basketball team two (1976, 1978) and the football team one (1976). Cross Country, basketball and golf were the winners this past season. In his first year as head coach, Glenn Duhon led his team to a 20-8 overall record and to a tie for the championship with Lamar University. In golf, Tim Graham won his second straight Southland Conference title and the Cowboys also repeated as the team champions. The Cowboy cross country team chalked up its fourth Southland Confer- ence championship with the Pokes’ David Kohrs winning the individual title in a time of 32:05. The Poke victory produced the largest margin of victory ever in SLC championship competition. The football and baseball teams, both in rebuilding years, placed fifth and sixth respectively, in the league while tennis finished fourth, and track and field fifth. In Spring Sports all conference honors went to Tim Graham, Larry Mar- shall and Beaver Pierrotti in golf; David Kohrs and Noel McCarron in track and field. Earning most valuable athlete awards were Peters (track), Graham (golf), Joey Armentor (baseball), Gustavo Rivera (tennis), Camille Soulier (wom- en's tennis), Lynette Viator (volleyball), and Etta Lampkin (women’s basketball). McNeese State's Richard’ Ellender, Don Stump and Charles Jefferson were all Southland Conference football leaders for the 1978 season. : The McNeese women's program, under the direction of Margie Hinton, posted respectable records in all three sports this season and also earned berths in both the state and regional basketball tournaments. Women's softball has been added to the McNeese program.