News and Events

I’M patriotic and always wanted to serve my country, war or not. I enlisted in the Marines four years ago, when I was 22, and was based at Camp LeJeune, N.C. Eventually, I would have two tours in Iraq. I officially became a civilian again last month, though I started thinking about job-hunting in October.  ... At the Citadel in South Carolina, I was in the honors college. I started as a political science major and switched to physics my sophomore year. I was a member of two honor societies and served as a research fellow for two summers. I was also accepted into Officer Candidate School, and became a company commander in the Marines in two years. Both in college and in the military, I made it a point to acquire leadership skills that would serve me well in a management job.

U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham and S.C. Chief Justice Jean Toal will be speakers for three days of Corps Day events at The Citadel. The military college will celebrate the 166th birthday of the S.C. Corps of Cadets March 12-15.

Editor's Note: Author Pat Conroy, whose novel "The Lords of Discipline" and memoir "My Losing Season" were based on his experiences as a Citadel cadet and basketball player, writes about his cousin and Bulldogs coach Ed Conroy, a former Citadel player who has led The Citadel to the greatest turnaround season in Southern Conference history.

Southern Conference coaches could not predict The Citadel's remarkable turnaround season this year. They picked the Bulldogs to finish last in the SoCon South Division. So it's hard to blame the SoCon suits for not being able to see this coming, either.

The Citadel's Odie Delaney, who competes at 197 pounds, was named Southern Conference wrestler of the week.  The freshman earned a 5-4 decision over UNC Greensboro's Jeremy Cannon on Saturday. Tuesday, he pinned Gardner-Webb's Randall Herring in 1:01 in a 42-3 dual match victory. It was his 13th pin of the season. He is the third Bulldog to earn the weekly honor this season.

Saturday: Seventh annual Pipe Major Sandy Jones Invitational Bagpipe Competition. 6:30 p.m. Regimental Commanders Riverview Room, Coward Hall, The Citadel. $13 in advance. $15 at the door. Reception includes light hors d'oeuvres and cash bar. 270-0903.

Talk and signing - Former Post and Courier editor Robert J. Cox, who is the subject of the book "Dirty Secrets, Dirty War: The Exile of Robert J. Cox," will give a talk at The Citadel at 6:30 p.m. March 4 in Bond Hall 165.  The talk, which is open to the public, will be followed by a book signing. Books will be available for purchase.

"Next play" is the mantra of Citadel basketball coach Ed Conroy, and the players have been faithful in trotting out the "one game at a time" cliche after each victory.  But even inside what Conroy calls the "gated community" of The Citadel, the Bulldogs can't help but be aware of the possibilities that await them over the next two weeks.

Alvin Henry "Buddy" Luden, Jr., 83, passed peacefully into eternal rest on the morning of February 24, 2009 at the Hospice Center of Charleston. The relatives and friends of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Henry Luden, Jr. are invited to attend the funeral services of the former, Friday, February 27, 2009 at eleven o'clock in St. John's Lutheran Church. Interment, Live Oak Memorial Gardens.

But while the Tigers, Gamecocks and Cougars have been impressive, The Citadel Bulldogs have been downright amazing. 
After going 13-47 in Ed Conroy's first two years as Citadel coach, including a 1-19 Southern Conference record last year, the Bulldogs are 18-10 overall and 13-4 in the league. They're riding a 10-game winning streak that includes two victories over crosstown rival C of C and, in their last outing, a 64-46 road thrashing of Davidson.

Sonny Meade hit a two-out double off the left field wall to score Nick Orvin from first as The Citadel clinched its first win of the season in dramatic fashion with a victory in 12 innings.  The Bulldogs' victory prevented a series sweep at the hands of Indiana State at Riley Park.

BOB WINCH'S CHARLESTON SOCCER TRAINING AT THE CITADEL: Spring Break Camp on April 6-10 for boys and girls ages 4-12. Full and Half day programs available. Go to www.citadelsoccercamp.com or call 843-953-5844.

I first met John Zeigler at a meeting of the Poetry Society of South Carolina, where he was introduced to me as "the oldest living member of the organization."  At 97, Zeigler knew many of the society's founding members, such as John Bennett and Josephine Pinckney. He'd met W.H. Auden and Lang-ston Hughes, among others. ...  Born in Manning in 1912, Ziegler attended The Citadel, where he founded and edited the school's literary magazine, The Shako. He moved to Washington, D.C., when he graduated from college and became the editor of a literary magazine called Foothills. He also joined the Navy in 1943 and was stationed in Yakutat Bay, Alaska.

How did you become the guy in charge of General and Boo? "When we got the dogs in 2003, the cadets were taking care of them. Their hearts were in the right place, but they were not always here to do it. I had a lab that rode around in my golf cart, and my boss said, 'Mike Groshon would be a great guy to take care of the dogs.' I actually turned it down three times, because I already had two dogs and a cat.

During The Citadel basketball team's historic 10-game winning steak, coach Ed Conroy has made a habit of rewarding his players with ice cream after road victories.  But if the Bulldogs keep winning, through the final three games of the regular season and into the Southern Conference Tournament, there may be something better than Heath Bar Crunch awaiting them.

I recently had open-heart surgery at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Hospital.  The day of my surgery a group of Citadel cadets came to my room and thanked me for my service to my country. These are the fine young men and women of our country who could be in harm's way soon. It brought tears to my eyes, but not a little anger about the situation we find ourselves in as a country.

The Citadel has added a 19th player to its 2009 football recruiting class in Shrine Bowl place-kicker Grant Clayton.  Clayton's signing was confirmed by his high school coach, Robin Bacon of A.C. Flora High School in Columbia.  Clayton, 5-8 and 160 pounds, made 11 of 15 field goals for A.C. Flora last season, including a long of 53 yards. He kicked a 43-yarder with 40 seconds left to give his team a win over Brookland-Cayce, and booted a 46-yarder in the Shrine Bowl, his coach said.

... He earned a master's degree from Columbia University and studied at the University of Wisconsin, Wayne State University, the College of Charleston and The Citadel. ...

The Citadel kicks off the 2008 season on Friday, Feb. 20 when the Bulldogs host Indiana State at 5 p.m. That game is the first of a four-game series against the Sycamores as the Bulldogs begin their 12th season at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. Riley Park is affectionately known as “The Joe” and named after current and long-time Charleston mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. ’64, who is currently in an unprecedented eighth term as mayor of the Holy City.

Charleston, S.C. – Bulldog soccer will compete in the Wofford Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. in Spartanburg, S.C. This is the second week of competition for the 2009 spring season.

Charleston, S.C. – Bulldog track and field will head to Clemson, S.C. to compete in the Tiger Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21 at the Clemson Indoor Track and Field Complex.

Meanwhile, The Citadel opens its season with a four-game set against Indiana State at Riley Park, and Clemson is at home for three games against Charlotte.

--When The Citadel's Demetrius Nelson was named SoCon player of the week last week, he became the first Bulldog to win the honor since Warren McLendon in week four of the 2004-05 season. When Bulldogs guard Cameron Wells won it this week, The Citadel won two in the same season for the first time since Cliff Washburn and Alan Puckett in 2000-01.  And the Bulldogs won two in a row for the first time Regan Truesdale won two straight in 1984-85.

The Pipe Major Sandy Jones Invitational is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Riverview Room, Coward Hall, The Citadel. 
This major bagpiping competition features five of the best amateur bagpipers in the Eastern U.S. and Canada.  Admission is $15. Call 270-0903 or go to sjinvitational@sc.rr.com.  The Charleston Indoor Games also will be held 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on the same day at The Citadel at Grimsley Hall. The competition is open to all amateur bagpipers; admission is free.

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel tennis team (1-1) will match up against Coastal Carolina (7-0, 1-0 Big South) on Friday, Feb. 20 at 1 p.m. in Conway, S.C. at the Billy Nichols Tennis Center.  The Citadel trails the series, 6-5, with the last meeting in 2007. The Bulldogs suffered a tough, 4-3, loss.

DAVIDSON, N.C. — As Stephen Curry shot baskets at one end of Belk Arena about an hour before game time Wednesday night, Citadel players watched and wondered. DAVIDSON, N.C. — As Stephen Curry shot baskets at one end of Belk Arena about an hour before game time Wednesday night, Citadel players watched and wondered.  "I actually thought he was going to play," Bulldogs center Demetrius Nelson said. "I mean, he was out there shooting before the game."

DAVIDSON, N.C. — Just another double-digit body slam of Davidson.  Nothing these crazy Citadel cadets do should surprise us anymore, not until they breeze through a few NCAA Tournament games in a row. Hopefully, they don't get sent too far out West.  But sometimes the best perspective on rapid progress — and a virtually unprecedented 10-game win streak capped Wednesday night by a 64-46 romp at Davidson's Belk Arena certainly qualifies — comes through the eyes of esteemed others.

Charleston, S.C. – Head coach Jody Huddleston and the track and field program announce the signing of eight men and three women to The Citadel roster for the 2009-10 season. This signing class consists of region champions and has several all-state accolades.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel wrestling team will host the UNCG Spartans Feb. 21 in McAlister Field House at 2 p.m. The Bulldog grapplers are going into the meet with momentum after defeating Southern Conference rivals Appalachian State 17-15 and Davidson 22-16 on Feb. 15.

DAVIDSON, N.C. - Demetrius Nelson scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead The Citadel past Davidson, 64-46, in college basketball Wednesday night.  The Citadel won its 10th straight game to improve to 18-10 overall and 13-4 in the Southern Conference.

Fairbanks, Alaska – The Bulldogs fell to the 2008 National Champions from Alaska Feb. 15 in Fairbanks, Alaska.  The shooters from Alaska took match honors with a total score of 2,327 points in air rifle. The Bulldogs followed with a team score of 2,224 points. The top shooter from Alaska, Patrik Sartz scored 593 points.

February: 20-Indiana State, 5 p.m.; 21-Indiana State (DH), noon; 22-Indiana State, noon; 27-28 Citadel Memorial Challenge. ...

CHARLESTON, S.C.(AP) The Citadel is enjoying a basketball revival under the unlikeliest of leaders - a Conroy.  With third-year coach Ed Conroy at the helm, the Bulldogs (17-10, 12-4 Southern Conference) have posted their most victories in seven years. Their 12 conference wins are the most ever by a Citadel team.  As they head into Wednesday's game at first-place Davidson, the Bulldogs are on a nine-game winning streak, their longest since they won 13 in a row in 1927.

Pat Conroy has spent decades giving literary pieces of the Lowcountry to the world, and now the Palmetto State is giving something back to the best-selling author.  Acclaimed novelist and Citadel graduate Pat Conroy will be inducted into the Official South Carolina Hall of Fame in March.  Conroy, 63, of Fripp Island, will be inducted into the Official South Carolina Hall of Fame in March, officials announced Monday.

Author Pat Conroy and 18th-century Catawba Indian leader King Hagler have been chosen as this year’s new members for the South Carolina Hall of Fame.  The Myrtle Beach-based Hall of Fame on Monday announced that Conroy would be the living inductee this year. Conroy has written a number of books, including “Prince of Tides,“ “Lords of Discipline” and “Beach Music.“

The Citadel announced kickoff times for its five home football games on Monday, with the home opener against Presbyterian on Sept. 26 the only night game.  Kickoff for that game at Johnson Hagood Stadium is 7 p.m.  The rest of the Bulldogs' home games have afternoon kickoffs, with the Oct. 3 game against Appalachian State and the Oct. 31 game against Samford starting at 1 p.m.

Sonny Meade has spent all of fall baseball and spring practice standing in against The Citadel's pitching staff. So he knows what Southern Conference hitters will face this season.  "It looks pretty clear that we have a lot of guys with a lot of experience, especially our starting pitching," the Bulldogs' all-SoCon right fielder said recently. "They are really pretty solid, I think."

Valentine's Day. Victory Day. Validation Day.  What a sweetheart of a two-touchdown win for The Citadel.  The Bulldogs' upset of the College of Charleston on Jan. 24 a few miles up the Ashley River was good for a lopsided "rivalry." It snapped the Cougars' 13-game series streak. The 72-58 stunner Saturday at The House John Kresse Built was almost too good for the series. The Citadel's first two-game series sweep since the 1932-33 season also was their ninth straight victory this magical season.

Bob Inglett, Jim Jeffrey, Dana Love and Cliff Poole have been close friends since their days at The Citadel (Class of '59), but they haven't experienced anything like what happened in their regular golf game Thursday at Redbank Plantation. 

Several hundred fans turned out to Riley Park on Sunday for The Citadel baseball team's annual Meet the Bulldogs day and stayed to watch the White team top the Blue team, 8-2, in the team's final major scrimmage before the regular season kicks off Friday.

The precious Southern Conference Tournament bye so probable a few weeks ago suddenly requires a College of Charleston road rally starting tonight at Appalachian State, and help. The Cougars (10-5 in SoCon play) after a 72-58 loss to The Citadel on Saturday at Carolina First Arena are a game and a half behind the second-place Bulldogs (12-4) and four back of first-place Davidson (15-1).

The Citadel's basketball game at Davidson on Wednesday carries much more import than anyone could have imagined a month ago — and it's uncertain if Wildcats superstar Stephen Curry will be able to play.

Donald Sparks, professor of international economics at The Citadel, has been elected president of the Fulbright Association's South Carolina chapter.

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel Athletics Department released the game times for all home games for the 2009 Bulldog Football season on Monday.  The Bulldogs’ home-opener against Presbyterian on Sept. 26 will be the only night game of the season. Kickoff against the Blue Hose is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Johnson Hagood Stadium.

Will be conducting soccer educational programs on a weekly basis for boys and girls ages 4-12. All participants will receive a full uniform, soccer ball, soccer bag, water bottle and lunch. Please go to www.citadelsoccercamp.com for all info and applications. Apply online for no additional cost.

Davidson, N.C. – The Bulldogs went 2-0 in Southern Conference action against the teams from Appalachian State and Davidson Feb. 15.  The Citadel’s first meet took place in Boone, N.C. as they faced SoCon rival the Appalachian State Mountaineers. It was a very close meet with each team winning five matches a piece.

The Cougars already were walking off the court when Citadel senior Demetrius Nelson got his hands on the ball near midcourt.  As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Nelson cupped the ball in one hand and hurled it toward the ceiling of the Carolina First Arena, celebrating an event that comes around every 76 years or so.

The Citadel beats the College of Charleston for the second time this season during their game Saturday at the Carolina First Arena.

Charleston, S.C. – Several hundred people turned out to Riley Park for The Citadel Baseball’s annual Meet the Bulldogs day to get autographs and receive several free promotional items while watching the White team top the Blue team, 8-2, in the team’s final major scrimmage before the regular season kicks off on Friday, Feb. 20.

The wilder the better.  Growing up on the Isle of Palms when Wild Dunes was literally that, Dr. John Walters did not have to seek out the natural world. It was as close as his backyard, or the first floor of the family home.  "We always had some sort of weird animal at the house," says the local emergency-room physician. "Back then, it was very different than it is today. It was nothing but woods and dunes, and it was not uncommon for my brothers and I to drive right down the island on the beach to go crabbing."

Ladson, S.C. – The Citadel soccer team fell to Charleston Southern, 1-0 and College of Charleston, 1-0, in a double-header at Buccaneer Field on Saturday, Feb. 14. TRhe Bulldogs held the Buccaneers until the final two minutes and the Cougars scored with 15 minutes left in the game. “Overall, we played well,” states head coach Bob Winch. “Our fitness for the spring was good. We played some good soccer out there, but we just couldn’t connect.”

John Brown scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Cameron Wells added 18 points as The Citadel basketball team took a season sweep of College of Charleston, winning 72-58 Saturday before a sell-out crowd of 5,168 at Carolina First Arena.  The Bulldogs (17-10, 12-4 in the Southern Conference) won their ninth straight game and took a 1½-game lead on the Cougars (18-7, 10-5) for second place in the SoCon South Division.

The Citadel baseball team will hold its annual "Meet the Bulldogs" scrimmage at noon Sunday at Riley Park.  An autograph session will precede the final preseason scrimmage before the Bulldogs open their season Feb. 20 against visiting Indiana State. Complimentary food will be provided by the RiverDogs and Costco and admission is free.

Let's face it. A college basketball rivalry that dates back to 1901 had turned into something of a yawner in recent years.  That's what happens when one team — in this case, College of Charleston — wins 13 in a row and 32 of 36 over its reputed rival, The Citadel.

In an effort to save money in the 2009-10 academic year, the Southern Conference announced Friday it will cancel football and basketball media days, reduce the number of teams in most league tournaments and cut weekend baseball series from three days to two.  Those moves, and others, will save the SoCon about $120,000 and also save money for member schools, commissioner John Iamarino said. As of now, the changes are for 2009-10 seasons only.

Q: How did you become the first voting female member of The Citadel's Board of Visitors?

A: I graduated from The Citadel Graduate College with a master's degree in business administration in 1993. I loved the school and wanted to give something back, so I stayed involved. I still keep in touch with my first professor. ...

There were a lot of new faces among the 2,178 fans who turned out at McAlister Field House on Thursday night to see what all the buzz on Citadel basketball is about.  They found out.  Sophomore guard Cameron Wells scored 26 of his 30 points after halftime and turned in a series of sensational plays as the Bulldogs rallied from 15 points down to beat Appalachian State 78-73 in overtime.

College of Charleston was picked to finish second and The Citadel fourth in the Southern Conference's preseason baseball media poll released Thursday. In the coaches' poll, the Cougars placed third and the Bulldogs fourth. Elon was picked to win the league in both polls.

The percentage of board chairs who are women increased to 18 percent from 10 percent.   But at some of South Carolina's largest colleges and universities, the picture for female trustees is even more grim. Only one woman sits on Clemson University's 13-member board, and just two of the University of South Carolina's 20 trustees are women.

The Citadel beat Appalachian State on Thursday at McAlister Field House 78-73 in overtime.

Charleston, S.C. – Head coach Bob Winch and The Citadel soccer program released their 2009 schedule on Thursday. The slate consists of four Big South heavyweights and four first-time non-conference opponents beginning with Alabama State on Aug. 30 at 1 p.m. at Washington Light Infantry Field.

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel Track and Field team will compete in the Carolina Invitational in Chapel Hill, N.C. on Friday, Feb. 13.  Three Times a Charm - This is The Citadel’s third visit this season to Chapel Hill. The Citadel had their season-opener at the UNC Classic on Jan. 24. Emily Green, Quintin Turner, Aaron Overton, Zach Johnson, Brian Baize, Jamel Brown and Matt Earls all had top 10 finishes.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel Bulldogs came from 15 points down to stay alive, earning their eighth consecutive win with a 78-73 overtime victory over Appalachian State Thursday night in McAlister Field House. The Bulldogs rode on the shoulders of Cameron Wells, who scored a career-high 30 points and dished seven assists to match his career-high.

There's one rather obscure statistic in which The Citadel's Demetrius Nelson ranks right up there with Tyler Hansbrough, Blake Griffin, Stephen Curry and some of the best players in college basketball.  That stat is "fouls drawn per 40 minutes," in which Nelson ranks 12th in the nation, drawing 7.2 fouls for every 40 minutes of game time.  In other words, Nelson, a 6-8 senior, is getting hacked more often that just any player in the country, just behind North Carolina's rugged Hansbrough (No. 1 at 8.6 fouls) and Oklahoma star

The Citadel's Tyler Sim, who competes at 125 pounds, has been named Southern Conference wrestler of the week.  Sim, a junior, went 4-0 overall, including a 3-0 record and individual title in the All-Academy Championships at VMI; he won two matches by decision and one by fall. In the final, he decisioned No. 1 seed Prescott Garner of Navy, 7-5. The Bulldogs placed third out of eight teams.

Want a fun, physical challenge that's a bit out of the ordinary? The Bulldog Challenge is just that. The event, to be held at The Citadel on March 7, involves negotiating obstacles over a six-mile course that covers the school campus. We discussed the event with Staff Sgt. Melchizedech "Zeke" Cunningham, an active-duty Marine attending The Citadel who is organizing the 13th annual challenge:

Feb. 28: Seventh annual Pipe Major Sandy Jones Invitational Bagpipe Competition. 6:30 p.m. Regimental Commanders Riverview Room, Coward Hall, The Citadel. $13 in advance, $15 at the door. Reception in-cludes light hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar.

--When he was named SoCon player of the week this week, The Citadel's Demetrius Nelson became just the fifth player not named Stephen Curry to win the award this season. The others: Andrew Goudelock (College of Charleston), Brett James (Elon), Stephen McDowell (Chattanooga) and Harouna Mutombo (Western Carolina).

Here is a way to save money for a cash-strapped state and perhaps stimulate the economy.  This simple plan also eliminates pork.  Beef, chicken and brownies, too.  Yet, more or less, Clemson, South Carolina, The Citadel and the College of Charleston allow journalists (and semi-journalists) to pig out while education budgets dwindle.

Spartanburg, S.C. – Sonny Meade was named First Team Preseason All-Southern Conference while Chris McGuiness and Wes Wrenn were named Second Team Preseason All-SoCon as selected in a vote of the league’s 11 coaches Thursday. Meade has been named All-SoCon all three years he has played collegiate baseball and will be aiming for a fourth consecutive year as an All-SoCon honoree.

Spartanburg, S.C. – Sonny Meade was named First Team Preseason All-Southern Conference while Chris McGuiness and Wes Wrenn were named Second Team Preseason All-SoCon as selected in a vote of the league’s 11 coaches Thursday. Meade has been named All-SoCon all three years he has played collegiate baseball and will be aiming for a fourth consecutive year as an All-SoCon honoree.

Spartanburg, S.C. - Bulldog grappler 125-pound Tyler Sim was named Southern Conference Wrestler of the Week for all matches from Feb. 4 -10, the league office announced early Wednesday. The award is selected by the Southern Conference’s wrestling sports information directors. 

For first time in a month and just the fifth time this season, someone other than Stephen Curry of Davidson is the Southern Conference men’s basketball player of the week.  That someone is senior center Demetrius Nelson of The Citadel.

In most instances, tonight's 7 p.m. meeting with Western Carolina at Carolina First Arena would be considered a "trap" game for the College of Charleston.  The Cougars are coming off a thrilling 77-75 road win over Southern Conference powerhouse Davidson last Saturday. This Saturday they play host to The Citadel in a game that could have huge implications as the crosstown rivals gun for a first-round bye in next month's Southern Conference Tournament.

The cutline reads, "Jerry Raedeke paints during a demonstration Tuesday for Citadel cadets in Tiffany Silverman's aft appreciation class. Raedeke has been a participating artist at the Southeastern Wildlife Expo since its start.  For a complete schedule of this weekend's festival, go to Charleston.net/sewe2009."

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - The head of South Carolina’s Transportation Department is attending a meeting in Washington where the nation’s transportation needs are on the agenda.  Transportation Secretary Buck Limehouse accepted an invitation to Wednesday’s forum called by White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.  State transportation officials from across the nation were invited to the meeting to discuss critical transportation issues.

Citadel center Demetrius Nelson, who averaged 25.5 points in two Bulldogs conference road wins, was named Southern Conference men's basketball player of the week.  Nelson, a senior out of St. John's High School, scored a career-high 29 points in a win over Western Carolina after posting 22 at Appalachian State. He had nine rebounds in both victories, and was a combined 16-of-27 from the field and hit 83 percent at the foul line.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Bulldog Basketball team looks to continue their winning streak when Appalachian State travels to McAlister Field House on Thursday, Feb. 12 to face The Citadel for the second time in a week. The Mountaineers and the Bulldogs will meet for the 70th time. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m.

The Citadel's athletic teams posted a grade-point average of 2.86 for the 2008 fall semester, the school announced Monday. The baseball team had a 3.05, football a 2.81 and basketball a 2.79.  The average for the entire Corps of Cadets was 2.82.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – After leading his team to their seventh-straight victory, redshirt senior Demetrius Nelson has been named the Southern Conference Player of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday. It is the first time this season that The Citadel has earned the honor and the first honor for Nelson. The award is voted on by the league’s basketball sports information directors.

Bob Fello was the first assistant coach Kevin Higgins hired at The Citadel, and Fello's been by the side of the Bulldogs' head coach every step of the way as Higgins rebuilt Citadel football.  On Monday, Higgins lost his right-hand man when Marshall University announced it had hired Fello as the Thundering Herd's defensive line coach. Fello was assistant head coach, linebackers coach and special teams coordinator for the Bulldogs.

Former Citadel basketball coach Mel Thompson, immortalized by author Pat Conroy in the book, "My Losing Season," died last Thursday in Indianapolis. Thompson was 76.  Thompson played basketball for legendary coach Everett Case at North Carolina State, is a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, was drafted by the NBA and even pitched in the Chicago Cubs organization.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Rifle team defeated Southeastern Air Rifle Conference (SEARC) foes UAB and Wofford as well as the team from VMI in the Inouye Marksmanship Center Feb. 6-7.

William E. Crowe Jr., has been named the 2009 John S. Grinalds Leader-in-Residence at The Citadel's School of Business Administration. A 1974 graduate of The Citadel and a retired Air Force officer, he is a partner, president and chief operating officer of government-contracting consultancy Aretec Inc.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Bob Fello has been named defensive line coach at Marshall.  Coach Mark Snyder said Monday that Fello will replace Jerry Azzinaro, who left after one season for an assistant coaching position at Oregon.  Fello spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach at The Citadel. He also had stints at Kansas State, SMU, TCU, James Madison, Kansas and Kent State.

CHARLESTON, SC - Former Citadel Head Basketball Coach Mel Thompson, 76, of Indianapolis, Ind., died Feb. 5, following several years of declining health. Thompson succeeded Norm Sloan as the  head basketball coach at The Citadel in 1960 and guided the Bulldogs for seven seasons (1961-67) marking a career record of 67-96.   His Citadel career was immortalized in the 2002 book, My Losing Season, written by his former player, Pat Conroy. 

Col. Allison Dean Love, daughter of Norman and Amelia Dean of Columbia, was recently elected chairperson of the Lowcountry Graduate Center in Charleston, S.C.  The LGC was developed in 2001 to expand the opportunities for graduate education. It is a partnership of The Citadel, the College of Charleston, the Medical University of South Carolina, Clemson University and the University of South Carolina.

Orangeburg, SC - The Orangeburg Massacre had its 41st anniversary on Sunday, February 8th. The tragedy took place at South Carolina State University campus.  In the bloody aftermath, three black students were dead and 27 others were injured. The tragic events were triggered when students were not allowed to enter the town bowling alley.

Asher Wojciechowski was tabbed as a preseason All-Conference pitcher by Rivals.com.

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Bulldogs continue to stride, earning their seventh-straight win with a 75-66 victory over Western Carolina at the Ramsey Center Saturday night. Demetrius Nelson recorded a career-high 29 points with 15 of those points coming from the foul line. Cameron Wells and Austin Dahn also scored in double-figures with 15 and 10 points, respectively.

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel’s cadet-student-athletes posted impressive stats in the classroom for the 2008 fall semester as the 16 teams and 314 athletes collectively earned an overall grade point average higher than that of the Corps of Cadets. The Bulldog teams collected a cumulative average of 2.86, while the Corps averaged 2.82.

The Citadel's Emily Green finished second in the 20-pound weight throw and fourth in the shot put at the VMI Winter Relays in Lexington, Va. ... For the Bulldogs men, Matt Earls' 35-pound weight throw of 47- 1/4 was good for third place, and sixth on the Citadel career list. ... 

CULLOWHEE, N.C. — It's official. The Citadel has the hottest basketball team in the Southern Conference.  The Bulldogs extended their winning streak to seven games with a 75-66 victory at Western Carolina on Saturday night. With Davidson's loss to College of Charleston snapping the Wildcats' SoCon streak at 43 straight wins, The Citadel now can claim the longest current winning streak in the league.

... Charles W. Groetsch, a mathematician who holds the Traubert Chair in Science and Mathematics at The Citadel and is hosting a Darwin Week lecture Thursday, said the discovery of mechanisms of change often is controversial, even if it results in a rethinking of established ideas. ...

Dr. George Benson and Lt. Gen. John Rosa sat down recently to discuss a touchy subject when it comes to their respective schools, the College of Charleston and The Citadel.  As college presidents during tough economic times, they share the same problems while looking for similar solutions.

Ed Conroy at The Citadel, the most surprising team in the Southern Conference.

"Ed has a lot of guts. He not only is very bright and understands the game and understands kids and understands where he is, but he was willing to take on that challenge. He's handled it so well. Ed is not only a really good coach, there's no way he'll ever be as good a coach as he is a person, and he's a hell of a coach."

Lexington, Va. – The Bulldog track and field throwers competed at the VMI Winter Relays on Feb. 7 in Lexington, Va. Emily Green, Kasandra Polson, Mia Trevino, Theresa Johansen and Matt Earls all threw to break The Citadel's all-time records.

Lexington, Va. – The Citadel wrestling team placed third as well as having seven individual placers at the 15th Annual All-Academy Championships held in Lexington, Va. Feb. 7.  The Bulldogs captured third place overall with a total of 69.5 points.

The Citadel basketball team finds itself in some unusual places these days — like second place in the Southern Conference South Division and celebrating victories on the road.  With four victories in six SoCon road games this season, the Bulldogs already have won more league road games than they did in the previous three years combined (three).

Lexington, Va. – The Citadel wrestling team defeated the grapplers from VMI 21-9 in a dual meet held in Lexington, Va. Feb. 5.   Sophomore Bulldog 165-pound Derek Sickel fought back from an early deficit to score a 10-4 win to start the Bulldog’s momentum. Fellow Bulldog J.C. Oddo followed Sickel with a 4-0 decision over the Keydet’s Andrew Szymborski. 197-pound grappler Odie Delaney was the next Bulldog to earn a victory over Ronald Ellsworth 7-4.

BOONE, N.C. – The Citadel Bulldogs continue to surprise, keeping their winning streak alive with a 74-72 victory over Appalachian State in the Holmes Center Thursday night, where they snapped their 17-game losing streak against the Mountaineers. For the first time in Bulldog Basketball history, The Citadel has won six straight conference games and their continued success has earned them second place in the South Division.

BOONE -- The Citadel Bulldogs continue to surprise, keeping their winning streak alive with a 74-72 victory over Appalachian State in the Holmes Center Thursday night, where they snapped their 17-game losing streak against the Mountaineers. For the first time in Bulldog Basketball history, The Citadel has won six straight conference games and their continued success has earned them second place in the South Division.

UNION, SC-- Mr. Edward John Arthur, age 80, husband of Mary Bailey Langley Arthur of North Pinckey Street, Union, passed away Wednesday afternoon, February 4, 2009 at his home. He was a graduate of Union High School and a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War. Following his military service he attended the Citadel.

Army Reserve Lt. Col. Gregory T. Elpers has been activated for deployment overseas to a forward operating base in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  Elpers graduated in 1984 from Boiling Springs High School and received a bachelor's degree in 1988 from the Citadel Military College of South Carolina in Charleston.

Andy Solomon gave up a full-time job as sports information director at Charleston Southern University to come to Winthrop College in the summer of 1978. He came to Rock Hill to take a graduate assistant job as SID as the school was introducing men's sports to the athletics program.  That decision launched his career and gained him many lifelong friendships. He spent six years at Winthrop. He said they were some of the best times of his life.  Solomon, 53, will be inducted into the Winthrop Athletics Hall of Fame in a ceremony to be held Feb. 27 at the West Center on campus.

BOONE, N.C. — The Citadel basketball team took over second place in the Southern Conference South Division and made some history Thursday night with a 74-72 victory at Appalachian State.  Against App State's 6-10, 280-pound Isaac Butts, Citadel center Demetrius Nelson scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Bulldogs won their sixth straight SoCon game, the longest such streak in school history.

BOONE, N.C. -- Demetrius Nelson scored 22 points and had nine rebounds in The Citadel's 74-72 win over Appalachian State on Thursday night.  The Bulldogs (14-10, 9-4 Southern Conference) led 61-55 with 7:29 to play on two free throws by Zach Urbanus. But the Mountaineers (9-12, 6-7) closed within two with under a minute left. Marcus Wright hit two free throws with 44 seconds remaining, cutting Appalachian State's deficit to 74-72.

Charleston, S.C. – Bulldog throwers will look to break records as they travel to Lexington, Va., to participate in Virginia Military Institute’s Winter Relays on Feb. 7 at 8:30 a.m. at the Cormack Field House.

SUMMERTON — Thomas Irby Walker, 79, beloved husband of Norvelle Plowden Walker, died at his home in Summerton, February 5, 2009. Born in Summerton, August 24, 1929, he was the son of Claude Townes Walker and Norma Wilkins Walker of Summerton. ... The family will receive visitors from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Rankin Chapel of Summerton Presbyterian Church, 16 Cantey St., on Saturday, February 7. The memorial service will be at 2 p.m. in the sanctuary, with burial to follow in Summerton Evergreen Cemetery. Memorials may be given to the Summerton Presbyterian Church Building Fund, 16 S. Cantey Street, Summerton, SC 29148. ...

The Citadel Brigadier Foundation’s Official Electronic Newsletter - Fridayl, 6 Feb 2009

Greenville, S.C. – In 2009, Fluor Field will once again be the site of an abundance of collegiate baseball games, including the Southern Conference Baseball Tournament. The SoCon Tournament has been held in Charleston for the past 19 years, and will be making its debut at Fluor Field from May 20-24.

Charleston, S.C. – Head coach Bob Winch and The Citadel women’s soccer team announced the signing of Cassie Leigh Palmacci to the Bulldog roster for the 2009 season.  Born Oct. 15, 1990, this Park City, Utah native attends Park City High School where she is a three-year letterman in soccer and one-year letterman in track and field. Coached by Chip Cook and Matt Evans, Park City’s varsity soccer team is the 2005 State Champions, 2006 State Semifinalists and the 2008 State Finalists. Palmacci is a 2009 first team all-state player and has been a member of several successful soccer programs.

... FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY: Driving through downtown Charleston with my father in his 1966 Thunderbird convertible. He was a Citadel graduate, so we would yell at Citadel cadets knowing they couldn't do anything back. ...

Saturday: Dynamic Mushroom Workshop. 9-11 a.m. 101 Duckett Hall Biology Auditorium, The Citadel. Free. Tradd Cotter, Owner of Mushroom Mountain and project manager for Earth Design Environmental Landscape Architecture, talks about the benefits of native fungi and how to create high-energy compost to increase planting yields. www.mushroommountain.com.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Bulldog grappler 157-pound Keith Koziel was named Southern Conference Wrestler of the Week for all matches from Jan. 27-Feb. 3, the league office announced Wednesday. The award is selected by the league’s wrestling sports information directors.

Before Appalachian State's game with Furman last Saturday night, Mountaineers basketball coach Houston Fancher suspended indefinitely two of his top players, guards Eduardo Bermudez and Ryann Abraham. After his team eked out a 77-75 win over Furman, Fancher said, "We had some things festering within our bench for a while now, and it was time for me to get it operated on. So I stepped in and I made a move and we'll find out if people have learned lessons from it, or if we move on."

... Bishop England had two players sign with The Citadel: defensive end/linebacker Bay Amrhein and kicker Thomas Warren. ...

Citadel football coach Kevin Higgins sent his assistants on the recruiting trail with these walking orders — size matters.  The result was a signing class of 18 recruits, including seven from Florida and five from South Carolina, with seven players who stand 6-2 or taller and five who weigh at least 275 pounds

... In a nutshell, it's a new policy in effect since the fall that requires organizers of "special events" to hire off-duty officers for a minimum of four hours at rates ranging from $20 to $38 per hour. (Special events are defined as not routine city services or events. Some include Citadel football games, the Charleston Farmers Market, and races, walks and parades.) A special events committee determines the number of officers needed, based on the impact of the event. ...

BOONE, N.C. (AP) — Demetrius Nelson scored 22 points and had nine rebounds in The Citadel's 74-72 win over Appalachian State on Thursday night.  The Bulldogs (14-10, 9-4 Southern Conference) led 61-55 with 7:29 to play on two free throws by Zach Urbanus. But the Mountaineers (9-12, 6-7) closed within two with under a minute left. Marcus Wright hit two free throws with 44 seconds remaining, cutting Appalachian State's deficit to 74-72.

There's nothing like a cold night to end a hot streak.  Appalachian State cooled off in a big way last night — misfiring to the tune of 2 of 17 from 3-point range — and saw its recent surge squelched in a 74-72 loss to The Citadel.  And The Citadel kept rolling on a frigid night in Boone, winning a sixth straight game for the first time since the 1978-79 season. It was also the Bulldogs' first victory over ASU in 18 games, and their first in Boone since 1993.

LEXINGTON, Va. – It was a night of narrow, hard-fought matches, as The Citadel defeated VMI 21-9 in Southern Conference action on Thursday evening at the Thunderdome.  The Keydets (0-8, 0-3 SoCon) cut the advantage to 12-9 with three matches remaining, only to see the Bulldogs (7-4-1, 1-1 SoCon) pull out each of the final three bouts.

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel Athletics Department and head football coach Kevin Higgins released the names of 18 athletes who will join the Bulldogs as members of the 2009 recruiting class during a press conference held at the Pearson Club Level of the West Side Tower at Johnson Hagood Stadium on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. The 2009 class is the fourth recruiting class for Higgins since joining the Bulldog staff in 2005.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The Citadel 157-pound wrestler Keith Koziel has been named this week’s Southern Conference Wrestler of the Week for all matches from Jan. 27-Feb. 3, the league office announced Wednesday. The award is selected by the league’s wrestling sports information directors.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel basketball team will continue conference play when they head to the mountains of North Carolina to face Appalachian State on Thursday, Feb. 5. The Bulldogs and the Mountaineers will meet for the 69th time. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Brigadier Foundation is now accepting registrations for the 11th Annual Sporting Clay Fun Shoot at Broxton Bridge Plantation on Feb. 21, 2009. The Fun Shoot is a one-day event held at Broxton Bridge Plantation, six miles south of Ehrhardt, SC on Highway 601 that raises money for the Jerry Varn, Jr. '53 Basketball Scholarship.

The Citadel's football rivalry with Virginia Military Institute, put on hold after the 2007 season, will resume in 2011, the schools announced Tuesday.  The six-year agreement calls for "The Military Classic of the South" to be staged three times at The Citadel and three times in Lexington, Va., starting at the Bulldogs' Johnson Hagood Stadium in 2011.

Macon, Ga. – The Citadel shooters took first in the fourth Southeastern Air Rifle Conference (SEARC) match of the season Jan. 24 in Macon, Ga.  The Citadel men had an overall score of 2,222 and The Citadel’s overall SEARC scored was 2,236. John Charlton was the top shooter for the Bulldogs with a score of 568 followed by Lewis Herndon with 561 points. The shooters from BSC took second with a score of 2188.

A Charleston native and Citadel graduate has died in a parachute training exercise near MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla.  Army Col. James L. Merchant III, of Velrico, Fla., a paratrooper, was killed Thursday morning in a jump when he missed his landing zone and dropped into a retention pond adjacent to the base perimeter fence. It was not clear if he died from the impact or drowned, said Ken McGraw, base deputy public affairs officer. A Tampa Police Department rescue diver found him about 45 minutes after he landed.

What irrelevant story made you shake your head and roll your eyes in disgust?

Scramble bands from Yale and Princeton were reprimanded for being sort of lame. The Yale Precision Marching Band was offensive at the Harvard/Yale game, while Princeton made no friends at the Citadel. (They broke my clarinet!)

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- The "Military Classic of the South" is back.  Both The Citadel and VMI said Tuesday they had agreed to resume their dormant football series in 2011 at Johnson Hagood Stadium in Charleston. The new deal calls for the two military colleges to play six times, three in Charleston and three in Lexington, Va.

CHARLOTTE -- Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who wrestled a crippled US Airways jetliner to an emergency landing in New York City's Hudson River last month, got thanks and embraces from about 50 of his passengers Monday in Charlotte. ... Hood said he told Sullenberger he was returning to his alma mater, the Citadel, this week to speak to cadets about leadership. Sullenberger, he said, offered this observation: "Always lead from the front. And leadership is a two-way street, with respect running both ways."

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel and Virginia Military Institute athletics departments have agreed to bring back the “Military Classic of the South.” The agreement, released on Tuesday by both schools, is for their teams to meet on the gridiron for six years, three in Charleston and three in Lexington, alternating seasons with the first at Johnson Hagood Stadium in 2011.

Charleston, SC - Jon Brick has been through it all at the Citadel. Plenty of losing seasons for the Senior Guard from Baltimore, and now, finally, a very successful year. The Citadel is on a five game winning streak and Brick is enjoying every minute of it. But, it's bittersweet for Brick--it's the first time in his career that he is seeing more of the bench, than the court.

Charleston, S.C. – The Bulldog rifle team fell to the shooters from USAFA in an air rifle and smallbore match held in the Inouye Marksmanship Center on The Citadel’s campus Jan. 31-Feb. 1.  The shooters from USAFA won in both the air rifle and smallbore competitions over the weekend. In air rifle the Falcons shot a total of 2,296 and in smallbore finished with a score of 2,285.

Macon, Ga. – The Citadel shooters took first in the fourth Southeastern Air Rifle Conference (SEARC) match of the season Jan. 24 in Macon, Ga.  The Citadel men had an overall score of 2,222 and The Citadel’s overall SEARC scored was 2,236. John Charlton was the top shooter for the Bulldogs with a score of 568 followed by Lewis Herndon with 561 points. The shooters from BSC took second with a score of 2188.

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel Athletics Director Larry Leckonby announced the hiring of John McAleer as the department’s first associate director for development on Monday. McAleer, the former director of development for The Citadel Foundation’s stadium campaign and major gift fundraising for athletics, will start the new position on Monday, Feb. 2.

Will be conducting soccer educational programs on a weekly basis for boys and girls ages 4-12. All participants will receive a full uniform, soccer ball, soccer bag, water bottle and lunch. Please go to www.citadelsoccercamp.com for all info and applications. Apply online for no additional cost.

Art Musselman, who had his jersey No. 33 hung in the rafters at McAlister Field House on Saturday night, played for Citadel teams that had one of the great nicknames in college basketball history — the "Blitz Kids."  If the current Bulldogs keep it up, they may deserve a nickname of their own. The Citadel gutted out its fifth straight win and sixth in seven games, holding UNC Greensboro scoreless for the final 3:50 en route to a 66-60 victory before 1,640 fans.

Chapel Hill, N.C. – The Citadel Track and Field team participated in the Carolina Classic on Jan. 30-31 in Chapel Hill, N.C. 
The Bulldogs were strong contenders in the 600m as James Sanyi placed second with a time of 1:27.05 and Zach Harten placed fifth with his time of 1:27.84.  Zach Yereb also had a second place finish with his time of 16:55.94 in the 5000m run. Zach Johnson ran successfully with a time of 1:55.85 in the 800m for fifth place.

I was a passenger in seat 2A on flight 1549. I cannot express my immeasurable gratitude for Capt. Chesley Sullenberger's heroic actions on Jan. 15 when he landed US Airways flight 1549 in the Hudson River. In a time when heroes are defined by their ability to run, catch or pass, he reset the bar on real selfless actions.