Nicholls State University - La Pirogue Yearbook (Thibodaux, LA)

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And the fans, well the student fans hand over 3312.50 each semester to the department in their tuition fees. No person can predict how one championship year will affect the university or its people. To repeat the feats of 1975-76 would be hard to say the least. To uphold the visions many fans will have next year will be equally difficult. Some discontent has already risen over a decision which has temporarily put Nicholls out of the NCAA toot- baii playoffstor 1976. With the discussion of forming a Division 1-A from schools of Division 2 standings, the athletic department handed out 70 scholarships, 10 more than allowed in Divi- sion 2, but the number to be allowed in the proposed Divi- sion 1-A. At its spring convention, the NCAA decided to put off forming the division, which would have left Nicholls in recruiting trouble. However, the NCAA allowed Nicholls and several other schools who had jumped the gun to wait in a limbo state until a decision is made. While in the limbo state the Colonels will be unable to compete in post-season football competition. lf the division is never formed, then Nicholls would have to either go up to Division 1 and face major college pow- An NCAA decision not to create a football Division 1-A left Nicholls in limbo until a decision is reached. One of the results of a champion- ship year: a new sign, placed in the front of the campus. .agsigig , , is 4 1' I ' ' . 1 . ' N :lf g 3. fl if , x , xi, 1 ft 51 : 1 . rr-- 2. 1 1 f ,., ,- , ' Raymond Didier, athletic director, ' :i'i ,I who came to Nicholls from Louisi- ana State as a baseball coach, has overseen the growth of intercolle- giate athletics. ers or cancel 10 scholarships and go back to Division 2. Nicholls' championship year had brought publicity, rec- ognition and questions to the athletic system of the univer- sity. Many of these questions will be answered as it begins the defense of four titles under closer scrutiny. No longer will the Colonels be the sleeper waiting to surprise competition. The athletic program has put itself in the spotlight. lt has to carry its own ball from there. Following a championship year 143

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Four Gulf South Conference titles brought two NCAA playoff bids in basketball and baseball in the spring. 7975-76 analysis Following a Champi'on5hi,o year The 1975-76 intercollegiate athletic year was a turn around for the teams, coaches and fans of Nicholls. Beginning with the Gulf South Conference title in foot- ball, Colonel teams took three other GSC titles, in basket- ball, baseball and tennis to win the All-GSC sports trophy. Not only did area newspapers and television recognize the achievements of the teams, but the NCAA posted playoff bids in basketball, baseball and tennis for Nicholls, with the Thibodaux university hosting two regional tourna- ments Cbasketball and baseballj. Gary Barbaro became the first Colonel football player to be drafted in the pros, going in the sixth round to the Kan- sas City Chiefs. Terry Magee signed as a tree agent kicker with the Houston Oilers to give the athletic department two players to watch. Shelby l-lypolite, an honorable mention all-American, received an invitation to a tryout camp of the world famous Harlem Globetrotters. Other basketball stars, freshman Larry Wilson and freshman Michael Talbert joined Nicholls Coach Don Lan- dry as he led a 10-man GSC all-star team on a summer tour of Costa Rica and El Salvador. Athletics also saw a new beginning as Kaye McCann, daughter of Dr. Gary McCann, head of the foreign lan- guage department, became the first woman to sign an athletic scholarship to Nicholls. Other women's scholarships are expected in the future, but this was the first indication women's athletics, in its third year, might receive financial help similar to what has been put into men's intercollegiates. The financial question of college athletics has always been fuel for debate. When the Colonels finished their 1974 football season, the team had a 5-6 won-loss record, the best the team had posted. The athletic department requested in turn, a record request of EB567,000 for its 1975-76 fiscal budget. After the 1975 team finished 8-2 with the GSC champi- onship, it can only be guessed at how high the budget request will gog some estimate close to S700,000. A championship year makes everyone happy, adminis- trators, alumni and fans. The administrators know more students attend a university with a successful athletic pro- gram. The athletic department knows paying fans will attend games and buy the hats, programs and banners to sup- port their teams. David Percle l21 J backs up Gary Barbba- ro's interception to end the game for Northwestern Louisiana. Barbaro became the first Colonel to be drafted into the pro ranks Cuenca F llowinq 1 championship year

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NSU 311 315 10th 11th 4th 10th 5th 3rd NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU Teams listed in capital letters were the winners of the matches. means rain stopped the match without a conclusion or winner. Golf Opponent UNIV. OF NEW ORLEANS 307 University of New Orleans 322 Southwestern La. Tourney McNeese Invitational Nicholls Invitational La. Intercollegiate Tourney Southeastern La. Tourney Gulf South Conference Tournament Rifle Team C4-33 978 Loyola 1011 1037 Northwestern 873 992 Florida State 934 1034 Florida State 956 955 Loyola 997 1965 Loyola 2006 972 McNeese 956 144 Sports Statistics Women's Tennis Q1-51 NSU Opponent 3 NORTHWESTERN LA. 6 0 SOUTHWESTERN LA. 9 0 LOUISIANA STATE 7 0 LOUISIANA STATE 9 5 Southeastern La. 3 4 SOUTHWESTERN LA. 5 Men's Tennis Q8-83 NSU Opponents 2 NORTHWESTERN LA. 7 3 TULANE 6 9 Southeastern La. 0 0 So. Illinoisii 0 9 McNeese State 0 4 Wichita State 5 9 , Troy State 0 2 MINNESOTA 7 9 Eastern Michigan 0 3 NORTHEAST LA. 6 4 MISS. STATE 5 9 Grambling 0 7 McNeese State 2 2 NORTHWESTERN LA. 7 6 Sam Houston 3 6 Sam Houston 3 0 Southwestern La. 9 Tournaments Second place finish in Univ. ot Southern Mississippi Big Gold Tournament. First place finish in Gull South Confer- ence Tournament. Gulf South Conference Champions Intercollegiate Nicholls Nicholls Nicholls NICHOLLS Nicholls NICHOLLS Nicholls NICHOLLS NICHOLLS Nicholls NICHOLLS Nicholls Nicholls NICHOLLS NICHOLLS NICHOLLS NICHOLLS NICHOLLS NICHOLLS NICHOLLS NICHOLLS NICHOLLS NICHOLLS NICHOLLS Nicholls NICHOLLS Nicholls NICHOLLS Nicholls Nicholls NICHOLLS NICHOLLS NICHOLLS Nicholls NICHOLLS NICHOLLS NICHOLLS Nicholls NICHOLLS Baseball C27-145 2 SOUTHWESTERN LA. 9 2 SOUTHWESTERN LA. 5 4 MCNEESE 5 7 McNeese 5 1 LOUISIANA STATE 3 7 Louisiana State 6 4 SOUTHWESTERN LA. 12 2 Southwestern La. 1 6 Southeastern La. 4 4 SOUTHEASTERN LA. 5 4 Univ. ot New Orleans 3 3 UNIV. OF NEW ORLEANS 1 1 1 MCNEESE 4 4 McNeese 3 9 Delta State 8 1 1 Delta State 4 6 Princeton 5 13 North Park College 0 4 North Park College 0 6 Northwestern La. 1 7 Northwestern La. 5 4 Delta State 3 4 Delta State 0 6 Northwestern La. 5 5 NORTHWESTERN LA. 6 4 Sam Houston 1 6 SAM HOUSTON 9 12 Sam Houston 7 1 SAM HOUSTON 6 7 1 SOUTHERN UNIV. 3 6 Southern Univ. 4 12 Miss. College 7 9 Miss. College 8 2 SOUTHERN UNIV. 3 3 Southern Univ. 2 4 Southeastern La. 2 2 Southeastern La. 1 2 UNIV. OF NEW ORLEANS 4 9 Univ. of New Orleans 7 GSC Divisional Playoffs NICHOLLS 2 Jacksonville State 1 NICHOLLS 1 Jacksonville State 0 GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS NCAA SOUTH REGIONAL PLAYOFFS Nicholls 4 LIVINGSTON 7 Nicholls 0 JACKSONVILLE 6