News and Events

College of Charleston sophomore third baseman Cole Rakar was named a Southern Conference baseball co-player of the week and The Citadel's Drew Mahaffey earned the pitcher of the week honor.

This time last year, Nick Orvin was batting third and playing second base for Berkeley High School.  Tonight, Orvin will bat leadoff and play center field for The Citadel against South Carolina.  The 5-11, 180-pound freshman, a reluctant Bulldog at best, has handled unexpected leadoff and center field duties with aplomb rare for a rookie, and is a big reason The Citadel has won five straight and is off to one of its best offensive starts in years.

Historians Jack Bass of The Citadel and W. Scott Poole of the College of Charleston will make a presentation at 7 tonight at the Charleston County Public Library on their new book, "The Palmetto State: The Making of Modern South Carolina."  It is a featured book in the University of South Press spring and summer catalog. A book-signing will follow a question-and-answer period.

The cutline reads, "A squad of Citadel cadets in the school's Marine unit runs a course around the campus carrying a utility pole Monday.  The unit is made of junior and senior cadets preparing for Marine Corps Officers Candidate School."

MOUNT PLEASANT — Citadel Bulldogs mascot Jim Jeffrey decided that bringing the elephant at Channel 2 to the football stadium was a good way to fire up the crowd for the 1958 game with undefeated Virginia Military Institute.  Jeffrey and classmate Bobby Schwarze hatched a plan to get Suzie Q from Channel 2, then known as WUSN-TV. Under cover of night, they loaded her into a trailer hitched to a 1950 Ford convertible.

Long after the crowd had left Riley Park on Sunday afternoon, Citadel baseball coach Fred Jordan walked out to short right field with his wife, Debbie, and son, Bulldogs shortstop Kyle.  They posed for a family picture in front of the scoreboard with the words "600 WINS" in giant letters next to Jordan's photo.  It was a modest celebration for a huge achievement. The Citadel's 4-1 victory over Air Force gave Jordan his 600th career victory, making him just the second coach in Citadel and Southern Conference history to reach that milestone, behind only Bulldogs legend Chal Port, who had 641 wins in 27 seasons.

April 7 - Leadership Lecture: The Citadel School of Business Administration holds an installment of the South Carolina Bank and Trust Leadership Series. 5:45 p.m. Bond Hall, Room 165. Free and open to the public. Scheduled speaker is Madson, Va., attorney and law professor Edgar F. Puryear Jr., who discuss the role of character and success in business leadership. Over the past 40 years, Puryear has lectured at numerous military institutions and is the author of five books on character and leadership in the military.

Capt. Edward L. Hajduk, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at The Citadel, was named the 2009 Charleston Engineer of the Year by the Charleston Engineer's Joint Council.

Capt. Edward L. Hajduk, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at The Citadel, was named the 2009 Charleston Engineer of the Year by the Charleston Engineer's Joint Council.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Citadel’s Drew Mahaffey was named the Southern Conference Pitcher of the Week after dominating on the mound in three relief appearances. The accolade is the sophomore’s first and the team’s second Pitcher of the Week honor for the Bulldogs.

Statesboro, Ga. – Lauren Fleming and Brian Baize took first in the pole vault, Alex Anderson won the 10k and Zach Johnson won the 1500m as The Citadel competed in the Georgia Southern Invitational on Saturday, March 28 in Statesboro, Ga.

Students earning credits while still in high school...  In South Carolina, Clemson University has the highest graduation rate, with 78.3 percent of students graduating within six years. The Citadel comes in second, with a rate of 65.5 percent, and USC third, with a rate of 62.8 percent. The College of Charleston ranks fourth, with 59.5 percent of students graduating within six years.

With his approval ratings plummeting, the major political question in South Carolina these days focuses on whether Gov. Mark Sanford is leading the Republican Party into losing territory. Sanford's political posturing before the national media as a principled opponent of President Obama's stimulus package remains widely interpreted as aimed at becoming the Republican presidential nominee in 2012.

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel Golf team completed day one of the J. Ralph Hargett Memorial Invitational in 12th place with 363 on Monday, March 30 at the Olde Sycamore Golf Plantation in Charlotte, N.C.

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel Golf team will be back in action at the J. Ralph Hargett Memorial Invitational, hosted by Wingate at the Olde Sycamore Golf Plantation on Monday, March 30 in Charlotte, N.C. The two-day event will consist of 13 women’s and nine men’s teams.

BOB WINCH'S CHARLESTON SOCCER TRAINING CENTERS AT THE CITADEL

The Citadel is inviting several prominent politicians, strategists and journalists to speak to its students in April, and the public is invited.

U.S. Rep. and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn will speak at 6:30 p.m. April 6 in Bond Hall Room 165.

Author, commentator and geopolitical strategist Thomas P.M. Barnett will speak at 6:30 p.m. April 7 in Graham Copeland Auditorium in Grimsley Hall.

Former U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings will lecture at 6:30 p.m. April 9 in Bond Hall room 165.

Adam Nagourney, chief national political correspondent of The New York Times, will speak at 6:30 p.m. April 16 in the Graham Copeland Auditorium in Grimsley Hall.

Sonny Meade went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and Matt Crim struck out five batters and did not issue a walk in eight innings as The Citadel coasted to an 8-1 win over Air Force at Riley Park.  The Citadel (13-9) scored all eight runs over the first five innings as the Bulldogs sealed their season-best fourth win in a row. Most notably, the win gave head coach Fred Jordan his 599th career victory. A win over Air Force in the series finale today at noon would make Jordan the fastest coach to reach the 600-win plateau in school and Southern Conference history.

... Discussions are underway to move the 2010 tournament to Charlotte, Citadel athletic director Larry Leckonby acknowledged Sunday. ... Leckonby said a group from the SoCon, including league officials and athletic directors, made a site visit to Charlotte on Friday to check out Time Warner Cable Arena, home of the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats. ...

... Robert Dillon, associate professor of biology, wrote on a faculty and staff Listserv — an e-mail resource list — that the number of administrative officers has swelled by one-third, from 100 in 2000-01 to 133 in 2007-08... Benson spoke Thursday in support of a way to reduce administrative expense by centralizing some functions for The Citadel, Medical University of South Carolina and the College of Charleston, while speaking at the 2009 Economic Outlook Conference sponsored by the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Daniel Island resident Marty Fosberry drove upon the accident scene about 9 a.m. Saturday, moments after the wreck. He didn’t see the wreck happen, but he knew it was serious. ...  Fosberry found Teresa Leckie in the marsh on the other side of the vehicle. She, too, was dead, he said.  Fosberry, reluctant to share his story, said he did what anyone is expected to do. He credited his Citadel education for knowing how to react and how to perform CPR.

Citadel baseball coach Fred Jordan is well aware of how difficult it is to recruit to a military school. The pool of talented players who like to wear a uniform away from the ballpark is not deep.  Now add 42.7 inches of annual snowfall and a post-graduate military commitment of five years, and you have an idea of the challenge facing Air Force Academy coach Mike Hutcheon.

Richard Jones hit two home runs, including a two-run shot in the eighth inning that put the Bulldogs on top for good, as The Citadel rallied past Air Force, 13-11, at Riley Park.  The Citadel (12-9) was forced to rally for a win late in the game for the fourth time this season after the Bulldogs allowed Air Force (8-15) to score seven runs in the seventh inning to take the 11-9 lead.

"I wouldn't like it, either."  That's what Chattanooga coach John Shulman said when asked how he would like to play the Southern Conference basketball tournament on an opponent's home court.  "A mockery."

The Citadel 5, Air Force 2 - In Charleston, S.C., Nick Orvin went 3 for 5 with a run and two RBI as The Citadel defeated Air Force at Riley Park. Sonny Meade added two hits and two RBI for the Bulldogs (11-9). Trey Thomas went deep for The Citadel. Nathan Carter and Jon McMahon both had two hits for the Falcons (8-14). The Bulldogs scored single runs in the third, sixth and seventh before Air Force pulled to within one in the eighth. The Citadel added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the frame.

Nick Orvin went 3-for-5 and drove in two runs in the bottom of the eighth, while Drew Mahaffey struck out five of the final six Air Force batters he faced to seal the victory as The Citadel defeated Air Force, 5-2, at Riley Park.

COURVOISIE, Alfred II, 61, of Charleston, a geometry teacher, sports coach and husband of Shohreh Aghapour Courvoisie, died Wednesday. Arrangements by Stuhr's West Ashley Chapel.

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, April 14 when The Citadel's Regimental Band and Pipes will perform its annual spring concert at 6:45 p.m. in McAlister Field House on the school’s campus. The concert is free and open to the public.

Four national college basketball tournaments continue through busted brackets, and all our Palmetto State teams have to show for their participation are parting gifts. But what a season.  Surprises and slides. Streaks and peaks and sneak peeks.

The highlight show:

Play of the Year, The Bluegrass Blues Domino Theory, Best Upset Win, Freshman of the Year, Underrated Team,  and All-Underrated Players

Charleston, S.C. – The Bulldog track and field team will participate in the Georgia Southern Invitational on Saturday, March 28 in Statesboro, Ga., beginning with the men’s and women’s javelin and hammer at 10 a.m.

The Shako, the Literary Magazine of The Citadel, has selected two cadets as this year’s winners of its third annual creative writing awards that are named in honor of Citadel graduates and authors Pat Conroy and Robert Jordan.

The Shako, the Literary Magazine of The Citadel, has selected two cadets as this year’s winners of its third annual creative writing awards that are named in honor of Citadel graduates and authors Pat Conroy and Robert Jordan.

The Citadel Brigadier Foundation’s Official Electronic Newsletter

Charlotte, N.C. – The Citadel tennis team picked up their first road win of the season against the University of Queens Charlotte, 4-2, on Thursday, March 26 at the Ovens Athletic Facility in Charlotte, N.C. Due to inclement weather conditions, one doubles match was completed while all sets of singles finished.

Sonny Meade went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and Matt Talley pitched six innings for the win as The Citadel overcame an early deficit to defeat Charleston Southern, 13-3, at Buccaneer Ballpark on Wednesday.  The Bulldogs (10-9) scored all 13 runs in the final four innings after being held scoreless on two hits through the first five. CSU (10-13) lost its fourth straight meeting with The Citadel.

Junior Kim Brown recently won a contest for designing a T-shirt that will be worn by members and volunteers of the Charleston Miracle League at their Saturday games this spring.  The Miracle League gives disabled youths a chance to play baseball at its field on Playground Road. ... Students discussed information about their schools' offerings with representatives from the University of South Carolina College of Engineering and The Citadel School of Engineering.

Bronk worked for a decade as a journalist before changing careers to become an English teacher. She completed her undergraduate work at the University of West Florida and Ashland University and earned her master's from The Citadel.

Winkles earned her undergraduate degree at Clemson and her master's degree from The Citadel. She's taught for 20 years and feels her greatest accomplishment is "saving" students by mentoring them in a career on stage or by helping them to see their abilities. She encourages educators to build positive relationships.

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel tennis team will be on the road in North Carolina for their next three matches against Charlotte on Tuesday, March 24 at 2 p.m., Wingate on Wednesday, March 25 at 1 p.m. and Queens University of Charlotte on Thursday, March 26 at 2 p.m.

The John C. West Lecture Series at The Citadel will host two of South Carolina’s most prominent national politicians and the chief political correspondent from The New York Times in separate lecture events this April.  ...

The Bucs host The Citadel at 3 p.m. today.

Author, commentator and geopolitical strategist Thomas P.M. Barnett will discuss America's leadership role in the world in the wake of the Bush administration when he visits The Citadel in April.  Organized through a partnership between The Citadel and The Free Enterprise Foundation, and sponsored by the NEFA Foundation, Barnett’s lecture begins at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7 in Graham Copeland Auditorium in Grimsley Hall. It is free and open to the public.

The Citadel boxing club finished second overall in the collegiate regionals held last weekend at the University of West Virginia.  Eleven colleges competed in the three-day event, with the Naval Academy winning the team competition.

Charlotte, N.C. – The Citadel tennis team (7-6) was defeated by the Charlotte 49ers, 5-2, on Tuesday afternoon at the Phillips Tennis Complex in Charlotte, N.C.  The Bulldogs started off strong winning the doubles point as Alberto Diaz and Martin King paired up to swing pass Charlotte’s Brad Clinard and Chris Huynh, 8-6. Yufo Sutantio and Michael Kociecki rallied in a tiebreaker to defeat the 49ers’ Mortiz Bernhoerster and Jeff Archer, 9-7. Derek Dickey and Frederic Petrilli fell, 8-2, to Charlotte’s Michael Anders and Mirza Beciragic.

Columbia businessman James M. McQuilla has been appointed to The Citadel Board of Visitors by South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.  McQuilla graduated from The Citadel in 1988 with a bachelor of science in business administration and served as an admissions counselor. He received his MBA from Winthrop University in 1994.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Bulldog head coach Ed Conroy was named the 2009 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 22 Coach of the Year, announced Tuesday. The Division I All-District coaches of the year were selected by their peers.

Grant Philip Broggi, of Seabrook, is one of 61 juniors selected to be a member of the 2010 Summerall Guards at The Citadel.  The Summerall Guards is a silent precision drill platoon composed of seniors who go through a rigorous physical training and initiation process. Membership is considered an honor at the military college.  The 2010 Summerall Guards officially debuted during an exchange of rifles ceremony at a Corps Day celebration March 14.

The Citadel closes out its seven-game road trip Wednesday as the Bulldogs head to Ladson, S.C. to face Charleston Southern in a familiar match-up. The Buccaneers are led by former Bulldog assistant coach Stuart Lake in his first season. The action will be aired on SportsRadio 1450AM in Charleston and simulcast across the globe on Bulldog Insider at CitadelSports.com.

CHARLESTON -- The Citadel tennis team will be on the road in North Carolina for their next three matches against Charlotte on Tuesday, March 24 at 2 p.m., Wingate on Wednesday, March 25 at 1 p.m. and Queens University of Charlotte on Thursday, March 26 at 2 p.m.

The John C. West Lecture Series at The Citadel will host two of South Carolina’s most prominent national politicians and the chief political correspondent from The New York Times in separate lecture events this April. Talking about the state of politics and the economy will be U.S. Congressman James E. Clyburn, former U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings, and political journalist Adam Nagourney. Each lecture is free and open to the public. 

The Citadel graduate student Jamel Brown won the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 52.47 seconds and earned an automatic qualifier to the NCAA East Regional at this past weekend's Shamrock Invitational in Myrtle Beach. Brown also broke the school record set by Tony Brevard in 1990 (52.91). 

Brendan Kight won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:33.88.

Forget baby steps. The Citadel executed its improvement plan full-bore, going from a team that won just six games a season ago to one that won 20 this year. The Bulldogs went from a team that won just one game in the Southern Conference to a team that won 15, finished in second place in the South Division and earned one of the league's byes for the first round of the Southern Conference tournament. Sure, the Bulldogs lost their last two games of the year -- against Samford in the Southern Conference tournament and against Old Dominion in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament -- but the amount of growth was so fast that it's clear the Bulldogs have turned the corner.

CULLOWHEE, N.C. — Sonny Meade's grand slam in the eighth inning wasn't enough to pull the Bulldogs out of a five-run deficit as The Citadel dropped a 10-9 decision at Western Carolina. The Bulldogs (9-9, 5-4 SoCon) scored five runs during the first two innings but were held scoreless over the next five innings.

He sailed into Charleston in the fall of 1827, a young soldier serving under an assumed name, still trying to find his identity.  
For more than a year, he was stationed at Fort Moultrie, and some say he spent his free time walking the beach on Sullivan's Island, composing poetry to complement the small book he already had published anonymously as "A Bostonian." 

Wednesday is Edgar Allan Poe Day at the College of Charleston. Poe lived in the Lowcountry for a year.

• A panel discussion on Poe will be held at 3:15 p.m. in the Admissions Auditorium of the Robert Scott Small Library on campus. Panelists include Rick Zender (John Rivers Communications Museum), Jim Hutchisson (English, The Citadel), Hal Poe (Union University) and Scott Peeples (English, College of Charleston).

Charleston, SC - It has been 62 days since Barack Obama (web | news | bio) took office and the verdict is still out on the impact the first African American president has had on race relations in this country.  One generation is speaking out. The 20 something's are encouraged, motivated and hopeful.  Two men, distinctly different, but both encouraged by the election of the nation’s first black President

American air superiority has been so complete for so long that we take it for granted. For more than half a century, we’ve made only rare use of the aerial-combat skills of a man like Cesar Rodriguez, who retired two years ago with more air-to-air kills than any other active-duty fighter pilot. But our technological edge is eroding—Russia, China, India, North Korea, and Pakistan all now fly fighter jets with capabilities equal or superior to those of the F-15, the backbone of American air power since the Carter era. Now we have a choice. We can stock the Air Force with the expensive, cutting-edge F‑22—maintaining our technological superiority at great expense to our Treasury. Or we can go back to a time when the cost of air supremacy was paid in the blood of men like Rodriguez.

CULLOWHEE, N.C. — The Citadel dropped a 3-1 pitchers' duel at Western Carolina at Childress Field at Hennon Stadium. The teams will meet in the rubber game today at 2 p.m.  The Citadel (9-8, 5-3 Southern Conference) scored one run on six hits while committing two errors.  Western Carolina (14-5, 5-3 SoCon) scored three runs on seven hits and committed one error.

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Sonny Meade's grand slam in the eighth inning wasn't enough to pull the Bulldogs out of a five-run deficit as The Citadel dropped a 10-9 decision at Western Carolina Sunday afternoon in front of 528 at Childress Field at Hennon Stadium. Western Carolina claimed the series as the Bulldogs dropped their first Southern Conference series this season.

Dr. Harvey Schiller is trying to turn one of the greatest double plays in baseball history.  As president of the International Baseball Federation, the Citadel graduate essentially is presiding over a World Baseball Classic he hopes you embrace as much better than the inaugural WBC of 2006.  Schiller also wants to parlay the progress into getting baseball back into the Olympics for the 2016 games, ideally in Chicago or Tokyo.

TRACK AND FIELD - State athletes dominate meet - At Conway, USC and several other state schools dominated the Shamrock Invitational hosted by Coastal Carolina.  In the men’s meet, Johnathan Hancock won the 100 while the 400 relay team won, Elliott Haynie won the pole vault, David Zaycek the shot put and Mike Zajac won the discus. Clemson won the 3,200 relay while The Citadel’s Brendan Kight won the steeplechase and Coastal’s Chad Phillips won the long jump.

The Citadel announced a two-day furlough for all employees following a 2 percent cut in state appropriations, which amounted to $251,983 for the college.  The recent cut comes after a cumulative 22.65 percent, or $3.6 million, shortfall this fiscal year, said Lt. Gen. John Rosa, the school's president.  The deductions will be spread equally through paychecks from April 15 to June 30.  The unpaid leave may be taken with supervisor permission during that period.

BOONE, N.C. — Bryan Altman had five hits, including his sixth double of the season, to lead the Bulldogs in a Southern Conference 10-3 series-opening win over Western Carolina.  Citadel starter Wes Wrenn (2-1) earned the victory with nine strikeouts in a six-inning stint. Raymond Copenhaver picked up his first save of the year with three scoreless innings in relief.

The Citadel's Odie Delaney closed out his freshman season Thursday night in the second session of the NCAA Wrestling Championships at the ScottTrade Center in St. Louis. He lost a 197-pound first-round consolation matchup against Buffalo's James Hamel to end his nationals debut.

GREENWOOD — John Douglass Harrison, M.D., 90, resident of 1110 Marshall Road, widower of Dolores “Dolly” Riblet Harrison, died March 20, 2009, in Self Regional Medical Center. Born in Winnsboro, SC, he was a son of the late Dr. John Douglass Harrison and Elizabeth McMaster Harrison. Dr. Harrison attended the Greenwood County Schools and was a graduate of The Citadel and Johns Hopkins University Medical School.

The recent decision of President Barack Obama to rescind the restrictions on embryonic stem cell research imposed under the previous administration prompts me, as a professional scientist, to comment:  First, his statement "It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology," is patently false.

Citadel President Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa has appointed retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Mike Steele to lead the search for the military college’s next commandant of cadets.  Retired Army Col. Greg Stone has served as commandant since the 2005. He plans to step down May 29. Stone and his wife will return to his hometown of Seattle, Wash., where they will join the private sector.

NORFOLK, Va. — The first postseason appearance for Citadel basketball lasted just 40 minutes.  But it was fun getting there. "The whole season was fun," senior Demetrius Nelson said after he scored 25 points in his final college game, a 67-59 loss to Old Dominion in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.

James Island baseball player Austin Pritcher hoped for a signature season his senior year. But he will spend it on the sideline. He suffered a knee injury in the preseason and will undergo surgery on April 1 to repair a torn ACL. ... Pritcher heads to The Citadel almost every morning to strengthen his hamstring and quadricep muscles and to get some of his leg motion back. He talks to Bulldogs head coach Fred Jordan and assistant David Beckley, and their message is clear: He is still wanted.  In the meantime, he'll rehab and attempt to raise his GPA, which is currently 3.5.

 

For the men and women at Charleston Air Force Base, the sixth anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq is nothing to celebrate. ... BY THE NUMBERS 14 — Number of Citadel deaths in the war on terror

The Citadel and Old Dominion have only met once in basketball, the Monarchs taking a 78-70 win way back in 1967.  As it turns out, however, that single game carried some import. That victory was Old Dominion's first over an NCAA Division I team, and the first time the Monarchs had ever taken an airplane flight to a game.

Jewels Morris-Davis is a no-nonsense kind of girl. When the high school sophomore turned 16 recently, she didn't celebrate with any My Super Sweet 16 foolishness. Nor did she rush to get her driver's license and race around the back roads in this rural northwest corner of South Carolina. But Jewels did quietly revel in one achievement. "I am," she says a few weeks later, a proud smile spreading across her face, "the first person in my family to reach 16 without getting pregnant--or getting somebody pregnant."

The Great Depression: Viewing and Discussion Series. March 23 at 2 p.m. This week's video is "The Road to Rock Bottom" with lecture and discussion led by scholar Dr. John B. Bonds from the Citadel's history department.

Burke High School coach Earl Brown is working on a speech about all the good that has come from the peninsula's East Side.  A big part of it will be about Charles A. Brown High School, which served the East Side for 20 years through 1982, and its longtime principal, George D. Stanyard, who died Feb. 18. ...Stanyard earned a master's degree from Columbia University and studied at the University of Wisconsin, Wayne State University, College of Charleston and The Citadel. 

March Madness, aka the NCAA basketball tournament, starts today. Five months ago, it would have been October Madness to forecast that The Citadel would be playing in its first postseason tournament. Yet the Bulldogs will do just that tonight in Norfolk, Va. — a remarkable achievement epitomizing sports' capacity for stunning surprises.

The Citadel has 1,900 cadets from 46 states and 22 foreign countries, and several of those guys are surprisingly good basketball players. So talented, in fact, the 20-12 Bulldogs tonight in a CollegeInsider.com Tournament game at Old Dominion will make the first postseason basketball appearance in school history. Which means Ed Conroy deserves a big raise, either from his current employer or some larger school in search of a capable young coach.

The March 5 East Cooper section of The Post and Courier featured how SCORE helps small businesses. The article described a Summerville resident's quest to find a suitable online business.  His dilemma: How to get from his business idea to where he would like to be in the near future.

The war in Iraq will not be won on dusty roads or in bustling market places. The real battle is being fought on the moral high ground.  That's the message U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham shared Monday at The Citadel with cadets and a panel of military and law experts. The seminar on military legitimacy and leadership focused on U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Pat Conroy, a nationally acclaimed author and Citadel graduate, is one of two people to be inducted this week in the South Carolina Hall of Fame. The South Carolina Hall of Fame is sponsored by the state, city of Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. It was dedicated Feb. 11, 1973, by Gov. John C. West to recognize and honor those contemporary and past citizens who have made outstanding contributions to South Carolina’s heritage and progress.

Top leadership within the South Carolina Corps of Cadets has been announced for the 2009-2010 academic year. A change of command ceremony will be held later this spring.

South Carolina Corps of Cadets

Regimental Commander Zachary S. M. Holliday Wilson, NC Business Administration
Regimental Executive Officer Eugene A. Gardner IV Murrells Inlet, SC Political Science

(complete listing in the news release)

VMI and The Citadel celebrated two of the best basketball seasons in the histories of the rival military schools this year.  Virginia Military Institute won 24 games and boasted the highest scoring team in the nation, averaging 93.8 points per game, and got written up in Sports Illustrated. The Citadel posted just the second 20-win season in school history and the greatest turnaround season in Southern Conference history, and made the front page of the New York Times.

Really now, the College- Insider.com Tournament? ... --CollegeInsider.com: The Citadel at Drake in the championship game, sending the Bulldogs back to the roots of this glory trail, head coach Ed Conroy's home state of Iowa.

Ed Conroy sat behind his office desk Monday afternoon, a remote control in his right hand, a bag of Hall's cough drops to his left and a tape of Old Dominion on the big-screen TV in front of him.  The Citadel's basketball coach has been sick for more than a week, and on Monday couldn't stop coughing long enough to talk to TV reporters. But when March Madness sets in — even the CollegeInsider.Com version of it — there is no rest for the weary.

The College of Charleston's Jesse Simpson and The Citadel's Richard Jones and were named Southern Conference baseball pitcher and player of the week, respectively.

One reason Citadel football coach Kevin Higgins pushed back the start of spring practice is so that he could take a careful look at what happened to the Bulldogs last season.  "We wanted to go back and look with much more detail on the season, at our strengths and weaknesses," said Higgins, whose club went 4-8 last year with a 2-6 mark in the Southern Conference. "We wanted to do some research and make sure we knew exactly what the changes are we want to make going into next season."

Sixty-one juniors have been selected to become members of the 2010 Summerall Guards at The Citadel.  The Summerall Guards is a silent precision drill platoon made up of seniors who go through a rigorous physical training and initiation process and are chosen for their physical stamina and drill proficiency. Membership is considered a high honor by cadets at the military college.

The Citadel’s basketball game against Old Dominion University in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, originally set for Wednesday, has been moved to 7 p.m. Thursday.  The game will be played at the Ted Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk, Va. The Bulldogs (20-12) have never played in a postseason basketball tournament.

The war in Iraq will not be won on dusty roads or in busy market places. The real battle is fought on the moral high ground.  That's the message U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham shared Monday with cadets and a panel of military and law experts. The Citadel's seminar on military legitimacy and leadership focused on U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Citadel, ASU to play 2 - BOONE, N.C. — Saturday's scheduled game between The Citadel and Appalachian State was postponed by inclement weather.  The two teams will play a doubleheader today beginning at noon.  App State took the first game of the three-game Southern Conference series with a 10-6 win Friday.

Moonlight and magnolias? Lay that gauzy romantic image to rest, at least in any concise work of history, say Jack Bass and W. Scott Poole, authors of "The Palmetto State: The Making of Modern South Carolina."  Bass, director of The Citadel Alumni World War II Oral History Project and professor emeritus of humanities and social sciences at the College of Charleston, and Poole, associate professor of history and the director of the master's program in history at the College of Charleston, had more concrete goals in mind

The Citadel earned its first college basketball postseason bid Sunday night, taking one of the 16 spots in the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Tournament.  The Bulldogs (20-12) will play at Old Dominion (21-10) on Wednesday night. Game time has not yet been announced.

College of Charleston men's basketball coach Bobby Cremins said Friday he expects the Cougars will be playing on the road when postseason play begins next week, and they most likely will be competing in the College Basketball Invitational.   itadel athletic director Larry Leckonby said the Bulldogs "would be more than ecstatic" to play in the postseason. But there have been no discussions this week between the school and officials from either the CBI or CollegeInsider.com, he said.

--The Citadel (6-4) will be at home Tuesday against Jacksonville State at 1 p.m.

Tom Johnson, Director of Gardens at Magnolia Plantation, will speak about the planning for and care of the romantic gardens of Magnolia Plantation during the S.C. Native Plant Society Lecture at 6:30 p.m. March 17 in the Biology Auditorium, 101 Duckett Hall at The Citadel. A reception will follow the free lecture. For details, contact Lisa Lord at 937-8807, ext. 13, llord@tnc.org or www.scnps.org.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel will make their first postseason appearance this week when they head to Norfolk, Va. to face Old Dominion in the first round of the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. The Bulldogs will battle the Monarchs on Thursday, March 19 in the Ted Constant Convocation Center. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.

The High School League will hold its football Weekend of Champions at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia in 2009. The Class A championship games will still be played at South Carolina State.  The High School League is expected to sign a contract soon. Last year, the championship games were played at Clemson's Death Valley and the attendance was down by almost 10,000 fans for the four games.  The Colonial Life Arena will continue to host the state basketball championship games.   The Upper State championships will be contested at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville. The Lower State championships will be at The Citadel's McAlister Fieldhouse.

"The Palmetto State: The Making of Modern South Carolina" by Charlestonians Jack Bass and W. Scott Poole reflects Bass' assurance that "We believe telling a good story is telling the whole story."  ... We address the whole role of BMW, of Michelin Corp., of the State Ports (Authority) in economic development, as well as the role of political leadership and education in furthering the economy," says Bass, director of the Citadel Alumni World War II Oral History Project and professor emeritus of humanities and social sciences at the College of Charleston.

BOONE, N.C. — An Appalachian State six-run first inning put The Citadel at a strong disadvantage and the Bulldogs could not overcome the early deficit as the Mountaineers took the first game of the three-game Southern Conference series, 10-6, at Smith Stadium.

George Meagher, founder and director of the American Military Museum in downtown Charleston, died Wednesday morning at a local rehabilitation center.  Meagher, 76, of James Island, had been under doctors' care since back surgery Sept. 16, and he recently developed pneumonia, said his wife, Randi Meagher.

Three men who have distinguished themselves among the faculty, staff and the Corps of Cadets will receive the prestigious Palmetto Award on Saturday during Corps Day festivities at The Citadel.  ... This year’s Palmetto Award recipients are Cadet Lt. Col. Jade M.E. Roy, Director of Sports Medicine Andy Clawson and Director of Academic Leadership Programs Brig. Gen. Harrison S. Carter. The Palmetto Awards will be presented during Saturday’s military dress parade, which begins at 11 a.m. on Summerall Field.  

“The Palmetto State: The Making of Modern South Carolina” by Charlestonians Jack Bass and W. Scott Poole reflects Bass’ assurance that “We believe telling a good story is telling the whole story.”  ... “We address the whole role of BMW, of Michelin Corp., of the State Ports (Authority) in economic development, as well as the role of political leadership and education in furthering the economy,” says Bass, director of the Citadel Alumni World War II Oral History Project and professor emeritus of humanities and social sciences at the College of Charleston. “

Concise yet expansive, "The Palmetto State: The Making of Modern South Carolina" by Charlestonians Jack Bass and W. Scott Poole reflects Bass' assurance that "We believe telling a good story is telling the whole story."

Charleston - The Citadel is celebrating a great milestone. It's the 166the anniversary of the military school's founding, and it's being marked by four days of concerts, parades, speeches, and athletic events. Corps Day, as it is called, begins on Thursday. On Friday Senator Lindsey Graham (web | news | bio) is expected to deliver the keynote address at a symposium on principled leadership."The Citadel Story" will be presented on Saturday on Summerall Field. It is a musical narration of the military college's history.

The Citadel 9, Mercer 3 - The Citadel (6-6) rode a six-run first inning to a 9-3 victory over Mercer (5-8) at Riley Park.  David Greene and Trey Thomas each had two RBIs, Sid Fallaw added an RBI and Nick Orvin scored on en error as the Bulldogs jumped out to a 6-0 lead after one inning. ...

The Great Depression: Viewing and Discussion Series: March 16 at 2 p.m. Join group for the first of a seven-part video and lecture program that examines the event which dominated American society for a full decade, changing the way we looked at ourselves, our government and the country. This week's video is "A Job at Ford's" with lecture and discussion led by scholar Dr. John B. Bonds from The Citadel's history department.

- Coming Up This Week
The Citadel returns to non-conference action Wednesday night when the Bulldogs host Mercer at 6 p.m. The Citadel’s game against Mercer will conclude a five-game homestand as the Bulldogs look to avenge last year’s 9-5 loss at Mercer.

South Carolina's storied military college is celebrating another birthday.  The 166th anniversary of the founding of The Citadel is being marked by Corps Day — four days of athletic events, concerts, parades and speeches beginning Thursday.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina’s storied military college is celebrating another birthday. The 166th anniversary of the founding of The Citadel is being marked by Corps Day - four days of athletic events, concerts, parades and speeches beginning Thursday.  South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham delivers the keynote address at a symposium on principled leadership on Friday evening.  “The Citadel Story” - a musical narration of the history of the state military college - will be presented on Saturday on Summerall Field.

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel tennis team gained their first Southern Conference win when they defeated the Mocs of Chattanooga, 6-1, on Wednesday afternoon at the Earle Tennis Center in Charleston, S.C.

Clemson, SC – Citadel alumni will gather at 7 pm on March 20 for a muster formation to honor the 216 members of the Corps of Cadets who have died in the past year. The group will meet at the home of Chris Bowen, 201 Lakeside Court, Clemson, SC.  The first annual Citadel Alumni Muster was held in 1998. The muster formation is held each year on March 20, the anniversary of the founding of the Citadel, in a variety of locations worldwide. All graduates and former members of the Corps are expected to report to a muster formation.

CHARLESTON, S.C. --- Senior Pavel Vostrikov netted the Mocs lone win Wednesday afternoon as the UTC men’s tennis team fell 6-1 to The Citadel in Southern Conference action at the Earle Tennis Center in Charleston, S.C.

COLUMBIA — Lawmakers rejected efforts Tuesday to shield parents and students from college tuition increases. ... Rep. Chip Limehouse, R-Charleston, cited state spending for The Citadel as an example. In the 1995 fiscal year, the state put nearly $13 million into the military college and that's fallen to $12.6 million.

1. Bob Winch's Charleston Soccer Training Centers at The Citadel

2. Bob Winch's Charleston Soccer Training at The Citadel (during spring break)

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Zach Urbanus stood outside a devastated Citadel locker room in an empty McKenzie Arena late Saturday night, trying to find some middle ground between pain and pride.  "This is going to stick with us for a while," the Bulldogs sophomore guard said after a 76-67 loss to Samford knocked The Citadel out of the Southern Conference Tournament. "We came here to win this thing, not for any other reason. And to go out in the first game, that's tough."

Trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth, The Citadel rallied for six unanswered runs over two innings to defeat Elon, 8-5, in front of 702 fans at Riley Park.  Freshman David Greene led the Bulldogs offensively, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Nick Orvin and Richard Jones both posted 2-for-4 performances.

The Citadel is at home all week against James Madison and Case Reserve at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday, Chattanooga at 2 p.m. Wednesday and Appalachian State at 1 p.m. Thursday.

Nick Orvin hit 3-for-4 and stole a base, but he was only one of two Bulldogs to get multiple hits as Elon (5-3, 3-1 SoCon) posted a 17-5 rout of The Citadel at Riley Park.  The Bulldogs (3-6, 1-1) committed five errors and scored all five runs in the bottom of the ninth.

Citadel true freshman Odie Delaney claimed the Southern Conference title in the 197-pound weight class, and the host Bulldogs took fourth place in the Southern Conference Wrestling Championships on Saturday at McAlister Field House.  The Citadel totaled 55.5 points, and Chattanooga won with 104 points in the six-team field. UNC Greensboro (73) was second.

PLANT LECTURE: Tom Johnson, Director of Gardens at Magnolia Plantation, will speak about the planning for and care of the romantic gardens of Magnolia Plantation during the S.C. Native Plant Society Lecture at 6:30 p.m. March 17 in the Biology Auditorium, 101 Duckett Hall at The Citadel. A reception will follow the free lecture. For details, contact Lisa Lord at 937-8807 ext. 13, llord@tnc.org or www.scnps.org.

--The Daniel Library at The Citadel has received a 100 Books for Understanding Contemporary Japan grant from the Nippon Foundation of Tokyo, a program designed to provide American libraries with 100 books that are essential for understanding modern Japan.

CHATTANOOGA, TENN. — They practiced at McKenzie Arena at about 10:30 p.m. Thursday night, and their opening game in the Southern Conference Tournament did not tip off until after 9:30 p.m. Saturday.  So The Citadel Bulldogs had plenty of down time before actually playing basketball at the SoCon basketball tournament — in fact, seven teams were eliminated from the tournament before The Citadel took its first shot.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn — Dreams die hard, and few Citadel basketball teams have dreamed more than these Bulldogs did in the last few days.  That's why not even one Citadel player lifted his eyes from the floor when a fan shouted, "Good season!" as they trudged silently off the court at McKenzie Arena a few minutes before midnight Saturday.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Greetings from the River Journey exhibit here at the Tennessee Aquarium. Lots of otters, catfish and intriguing turtles. Me, I forked over for the "2-Day Big Fish Pass" thinking I might be here a while at the Southern Conference Tournament. Which shouldn't be here at all. ... But this SoCon Tournament more than any other belongs in Charleston. At the North Charleston Coliseum, at the College of Charleston's new Carolina First Arena, at The Citadel's McAlister Field House. At the outdoor public court on Sullivan's Island. ...

The Citadel head football coach Kevin Higgins has hired Florida graduate assistant coach Sean Cronin as the Bulldogs' new defensive line coach. Cronin replaces Eric Westerfield, who coached the defensive line the past three seasons.

Much has been written about Citadel basketball in recent weeks. Author Pat Conroy, himself a former Bulldogs point guard, reflected in these pages on the success of his cousin, head coach Ed Conroy. And the New York Times and ESPN.com weighed in with feature-length pieces on the Conroy family drama and The Citadel's equally dramatic turnaround season.

Bryan Altman belted a grand slam in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift the Bulldogs (3-5, 1-0)

E—Pritchard, Davis, Austin, Jones. DP—Elon 2. LOB—Elon 7; Citadel 13. 2B—C. Austin, Tarleton, Lobacz, Jones, Fallaw, Thomas, Jordan. HR—Harrilchak, Altman. SH—Tarleton, Altman, Thomas. SF—Orvin. SB—Stone, C. Austin.

WP—Wrenn. HBP—by Wrenn (Hilt); by Reyes (Thomas). BK—Kernodle.

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel soccer team will travel to Savannah, Ga., to take on the Atlantic Armstrong State Pirates on Saturday, March 7 at 2 p.m. at AT&T Field.  The Bulldogs picked up a 4-1 win against Limestone on Feb. 28. Nikki Mares scored two goals and Miranda Johnson and Nikkita Persaud scored one goal each. Laura Serafino played the full 90 minutes as goalkeeper.

Who can challenge Davidson? A quick rundown:

--The Citadel (20-11, 15-5) has the advantage of a first-round bye and 12 victories in its last 13 games heading into the tournament. But if they reach the semifinals, the Bulldogs will likely face one of the two SoCon teams it could not beat this season — Wofford, which beat them twice, or Chattanooga, which will be playing on its home floor. And The Citadel is the only team in the league that did not play at the Mocs' McKenzie Arena during the regular season.

While The Citadel basketball team is in Chattanooga, Tenn., trying to win a Southern Conference title, the Bulldogs' wrestling team will be gunning for the same thing at home at McAlister Field House.  The Citadel will host the SoCon Wrestling Championship on Saturday. The meet begins at 11 a.m. with first-round matches. The finals are set for 7 p.m.  Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for youths.

Sporting notes, compiled while welcoming Warren Peper to The Post and Courier starting lineup:

– The Citadel's Ed Conroy snagging Southern Conference Coach of the Year honors might be just the start of a Palmetto State basketball trifecta.

1995: Shannon Faulkner is the first woman to attend The Citadel in its 152-year history. She sued the all-male, state-supported school and was admitted under court order. In 1996, the Supreme Court ruled that the all-male policy at the Virginia Military Institute, also a state-funded military college, was unconstitutional. After that, The Citadel's board voted to open its doors to women, and four women enrolled in 1996.

Citadel basketball coach Ed Conroy was named the Southern Conference coach of the year today, while Bulldogs players Demetrius Nelson and Cameron Wells made the all-SoCon team along with College of Charleston’s Andrew Goudelock and Jermaine Johnson.

In July of 2007, The Citadel basketball coach Ed Conroy and assistant Doug Novak boarded an airplane bound for Texas.  Their destination was Denton, home of the Great American Shootout, a top AAU tournament. Their opportunity — a chance to build a college basketball program from scratch.

... "Look at The Citadel and see how important Demetrius Nelson has been to their success this season," the Bucs coach said. "Without Nelson's presence, they won six games last year. With him back, they win 20. They also were very young last year, and coach (Ed) Conroy was patient with them and he did a tremendous job with them. ...

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Bulldog Head Coach Ed Conroy has been named one of 12 finalists for the 2009 Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award, announced Thursday. A 21-member selection panel chose the 12 finalists from a group of 20 semi-finalists.
The Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award is given annually to the Division I head coach who best represents the high standards of the coaching profession, which is winning with integrity. The award is named in memory of former Wake Forest head coach Skip Prosser who passed away suddenly on July 26, 2007.

After leading The Citadel to the greatest turnaround season in league history, The Citadel's Ed Conroy was named the Southern Conference coach of the year Wednesday by the league's sports media association.  After going 6-24 overall and 1-19 in the league last year, the Bulldogs are 20-11 and 15-5 this season, winning 20 games for just the second time in school history and earning a first-round bye in the SoCon Tournament this week in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Tomorrow marks the second ribbon-cutting for North Charleston's Ashley Furniture outpost, located at 4950 Center Point Drive. Former owners Compass Furniture Group closed the store Dec. 31, but it has reopened under the ownership of Citadel graduate and Florence-based furniture merchant Burk Parrott.

- Coming Up This Weekend
The Citadel returns home to open up Southern Conference play as the Bulldogs host reigning SoCon Champ Elon in a three-game series starting Friday evening. Elon, which advanced to the NCAA Regionals last season, already hold a 2-0 mark in conference play while the Bulldogs will play their first SoCon games of the season. ...

U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett — South Carolina's first well-known Republican to officially enter the 2010 gubernatorial race —said if elected, he would put economic development at the top of his priority list.  "It's all about the economy. It's all about jobs," he said Wednesday. "Too many people think that government is the answer, that government can solve problems. They have forgotten about the hardware store in the middle of the block."

Citadel Cadets vs. Princeton Band

We hear about southern hospitality a lot here in Charleston, and rightfully so. Chucktown is arguably the friendliest city in America. But sometimes, it's not so pretty, and sometimes that not-so prettiness happens at the Citadel. When the Citadel Bulldogs faced off against the Princeton Tigers, the contest between the two teams was practically a lovefest compared to the face-off between the cadets and the band. Evidently, things got tense when the Princeton band made asses of themselves on the Avenue of Remembrance, angering up the blood of the cadets, who then reportedly began to rough up the band. Once it came time for halftime, the band was greeted with a hail of boos.

The Citadel's Tyler Sim, a junior who competes at 125 pounds, and Bulldogs 197-pounder Odie Delaney were named to the Southern Conference's all-conference wrestling team as picked by the league's coaches.  The Bulldogs and UNC Greensboro both had two selections, trailing Chattanooga, which led with five among the 11 picks.

...  And in the all-important RPI (ratings percentage index) rankings used by most committees to make their at-large picks, Charleston is No. 109. Davidson is No. 67, while The Citadel is No. 170.  ...

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Citadel, which like all military colleges has struggled both to find and to keep undergraduates willing to wear uniforms, stand at attention and march in parades, has never been much of a basketball power. The cadets are better known for attacking a Union steamer three months before the official start of the Civil War, and for bizarre hazing rituals like the one in which knobs, or first-year students, were dabbed with brass-polish remover and set on fire.

STATESBORO, Ga. – The Citadel clinched the No. 2 seed in the Southern Conference Tournament after defeating the Georgia Southern Eagles, 74-53, Monday night in Hanner Fieldhouse. Demetrius Nelson led the Bulldog attack after recording the ninth double-double of his career with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

STATESBORO, Ga. — The Citadel Bulldogs made history Monday night. But it's the future that burns brightest in the minds of the Bulldogs now.  A 74-53 victory over Georgia Southern at Hanner Fieldhouse made these Bulldogs just the second 20-win team in 98 seasons of Citadel basketball.  ...

COLUMBIA - Standing on the steps of the Statehouse, Orangeburg native Bill Connor officially announced he is running for lieutenant governor in 2010.  Connor, a Republican, spoke of his vision of limited government and economic freedom to a crowd of supporters gathered on a chilly Tuesday morning.  The Afghanistan war veteran pledged to adopt free market solutions to solve economic problems, keep taxes low and encourage businesses to locate in the Palmetto State.

Meaningful March Madness has come early for The Citadel basketball team. In the most important regular season game the Bulldogs have faced in years, The Citadel plays at Georgia Southern tonight with more at stake than a post-game trip to Statesboro's top ice-cream shop. With a win against the struggling Eagles, The Citadel can:

The Citadel hosts Wofford in their final home game of the season.

CHARLESTON. S.C. – Bulldog head coach Ed Conroy has been named one of 10 finalists for the 2009 Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year award, announced Monday. The Hugh Durham Award is given annually to the nation’s top mid-major coach, which is voted on by a 20-member...

-- Former Post and Courier editor Robert J. Cox, subject of "Dirty Secrets, Dirty War," will sign copies of the book at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Bond Hall, Room 165, at The Citadel.

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Pat Conroy's dad hit him after games. He hit him with fists, and with open palms, hit him until blood ran from Pat's nose or lip onto his basketball jersey. Don Conroy didn't hit his son only after games. He hit him for smiling at the wrong time, talking at the wrong time, crying at the wrong time, for trying to defend his battered mother at the wrong time. On occasion, he hit him just for the hell of it. Pat's first childhood memory is of sitting in a high chair watching his mother try to kill his father with a kitchen knife and then his dad laughing while beating her to the floor. There was only one place during the long night of Pat's childhood where his father's fury couldn't touch him. He felt safe on the basketball court.

Clemson — Citadel freshman Kevin Hardy won the men's long jump in the Southern Conference indoor track and field championships with a leap of 24 feet, 2 1/4 inches.  The Citadel (60 points) placed third in the men's team standings, and Bulldogs coach Jody Huddleston was named the SoCon men's indoor track and field coach of the year.

The Citadel's winning streak had to end sometime — unless, of course, the Bulldogs were going to win right through next week's Southern Conference Tournament and then march to the most unlikely national championship in history.

The Citadel dropped a 15-inning marathon to Tennessee Tech, 7-6, Saturday in a game that lasted 4 hours, 54 minutes at Riley Park in the Citadel Memorial Challenge.  The game was The Citadel's second longest in history.

--The C of C men (2-2) play at Princeton today, then travel to New York City for a Monday match against Columbia before playing at Richmond on Wednesday.  --The Citadel hosts Longwood on Friday at 2 p.m.

The Citadel Memorial Challenge presented by the Charleston Crab House had two games canceled by rain Saturday.   Today's games were moved up one hour with Radford facing Marshall at 10 a.m. The final game of the tournament pits The Citadel and Tennessee Tech around 1:30 p.m. or shortly after the conclusion of the first game.