News and Events

Ask a Citadel graduate to name the commandant of cadets during his years at the school, and he'll be able to tell you, even if it's been decades since he set foot on campus.  Cadets enrolled today will remember Col. Leo Mercado, an alumnus of the military college who spent the past 30 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. Mercado returned to The Citadel as commandant this year and is responsible for the military training, command and control of the 2,100 students in the Corps of Cadets.

Charleston, S.C. - After breaking several records Sunday afternoon, The Citadel soccer team (1-0) is ready for action as they travel up the highway to Orangeburg, S.C. to battle the South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

The Citadel women's soccer team set school records in routing Alabama State, 14-0, on Sunday at WLI Field on The Citadel's campus.  It was the first home season- opening win in team history.  The Citadel's Nicole Martinoli led the Bulldogs with her first four career goals to go along with two assists and six shots.

It's about 5 p.m. on a hot August afternoon, the 90-degree heat bouncing up off The Citadel's practice field. The Bulldogs are near the end of another grueling two-a-day practice when coach Kevin Higgins calls for the first-team defense to go live against the No. 1 offense.  While most of the players jog slowly to their positions, Terrence Reese -- 6-feet and 290 pounds of sweaty defensive tackle -- skips out on the field like a child through a field of daisies.

Former Citadel basketball player John Brown plans to transfer to Roane State Community College, where he will play for ex-Bulldogs coach Randy Nesbit.  Citadel coach Ed Conroy said Brown will be eligible immediately to play this season for Roane State, a junior college in Harriman, Tenn.

The screaming wouldn’t stop. The physical rigor grew worse. Products of The Citadel are used to both, but this was bad. Dark thunderclouds shook the sky. Back strain set in. The screaming continued. Enlarge photo Nancy Mace, the first woman Citadel graduate, says parenthood rivals the rigors of "knob year" there.  But Nancy Mace is not one to give up. She entered the military college of South Carolina with the world watching and plenty of cadets determined to run her off. Her father, a Citadel man who would return as its commandant, tried to talk her out of the school where morning starts in the dark and ends after hours of punishing mental and physical stress.

Raleigh, N.C. – The Citadel Volleyball team split their matches in the final day of the Hilton RTP/North Carolina Central University Tournament. The Bulldogs won their opening match of the afternoon, downing host North Carolina Central, 3-1. In the late afternoon contest, UNC Asheville defeated The Citadel in a hard-fought 3-2 match.

Raleigh, N.C. - The Bulldog Volleyball team dropped their first two games of the season on Friday against Georgia State and High Point in the first day of the Hilton RTP/North Carolina Central University Tournament.  The Citadel dropped their morning contest to Georgia State, 3-0. Junior Tatum Jestila led the Bulldogs with 15 kills and five digs.

Brenton Sadreameli isn’t much of a wine drinker, but he has his favorite labels — and isn’t above picking through recycling bins to find them.  The Columbia entrepreneur uses the necks from castoff bottles to make guitar slides in what he’s tagged “a green company that supports the blues.”  Now 25, Sadreameli began making slides by happenstance when he was a history student at The Citadel.

"After discussing it with coach Conroy and my family, I have decided to pursue my education and collegiate basketball career at another school," Brown said in a statement released through the school.

Not everybody is meant to be a Citadel cadet.  When classes started Wednesday at the state's military college, 659 freshmen, known as knobs for their extremely short haircuts, stepped into classrooms. That's 62 fewer than showed up earlier this month for the rigorous military training that precedes the first day of class. That number, 8.6 percent of the class, is up 1.7 percentage points from last year, when 49 cadets, or 6.9 percent of the class, decided to leave.

Bulldogs basketball player John Brown, a sparkplug of last season's 20-win team, has resigned from The Citadel and will transfer to another school, coach Ed Conroy said Thursday.

Education: B.S., elementary education, with certification in elementary education, middle school science and middle school social studies; M.Ed. in administration and supervision, The Citadel; finishing Ed.S. in educational leadership at The Citadel.

At the start of preseason practice, Citadel football coach Kevin Higgins was hoping for a running back to step up.  Now, he's hoping for a running back to take a step without getting hurt.  The Bulldogs lost their top two running backs to broken bones during practice Monday, continuing a remarkable run of bad fortune at the position for The Citadel.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — The Citadel is scrambling to fill its backfield after two of its running backs suffered broken bones at practice this week.  The school said sophomore Rickey Anderson broke his leg while freshman Van Dyke Jones broke his hand. Citadel coach Kevin Higgins told The (Charleston) Post and Courier he wasn't sure how long Anderson would miss. Jones has a cast on his left hand and will return in a week or two.

Charleston, S.C. - The Bulldog Volleyball team begins the 2009 season against Georgia State, High Point, North Carolina Central and UNC Asheville in the Hilton RTP/North Carolina Central University Tournament Aug. 28-29 in Raleigh, N.C. The Citadel enters the 2009 season ranked 6th in the South Division of the Southern Conference Preseason Poll.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Baseball team will welcome back former Bulldog Zach Brown as a volunteer assistant coach. Brown, a 2007 graduate, returns to The Citadel after a two and half year stint in the minor leagues with the San Diego Padres organization.  "We are excited for his return in our volunteer coaching position," said Head Coach Fred Jordan. "Zach will be a great asset in all areas, especially with defensive work at first base."

Danville, Va. - Former Bulldog Matt Crim has been named Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year. The left-hander sits at 10-0 on the year with a 2.61 ERA.  The 21st round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves had shattered the franchise record for most wins in a season with 10. He has 45 strikeouts to go along with only eight walks in 62 innings pitched this season. He has a 2.52 ERA as a starter and left-handed batters are hitting only .077 against the southpaw.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Baseball team will welcome back former Bulldog Zach Brown as a volunteer assistant coach. Brown, a 2007 graduate, returns to The Citadel after a two and half year stint in the minor leagues with the San Diego Padres organization.

The Citadel's already dicey situation at running back took a major hit Monday when the Bulldogs' top two backs suffered broken bones.  Redshirt sophomore Rickey Anderson was diagnosed with a broken leg and true freshman Van Dyke Jones suffered a broken hand.  It was not immediately clear how long the two running backs will be out.

Spartanburg, S.C. - The Citadel men's and women's cross country teams were chosen to finish 10th at the 2009 Southern Conference Championships, the conference announced Tuesday. With 28 points for the women and 21 points for the men, this preseason balloting was conducted by the league's head coaches.

Thousands of Lowcountry homeowners soon will be paying more for flood insurance.  Despite the cost increase, Allison Dean Love of the South Carolina Insurance News Service said flood insurance costs are relatively affordable.  "We've all seen that homeowners have to assume more risk in order to keep insurance affordable and available for all, but I would say it's still a bargain," she said.

Lefty hitting Richard Jones was the first catcher selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 2009 draft this past June. Drafted in the ninth round from The Citadel, Jones made a name for himself with the bat early on, slugging seven home runs in 12 games in the Arizona Rookie League before being assigned to Class Low-A Boise of the Northwest League.

Following back-to-back winning seasons inside the Southern Conference, The Citadel Bulldogs took a step back in 2008. 
Coach Kevin Higgins watched his team struggle on both sides of the football as it posted a 4-8 overall and 2-6 league record.  Higgins and the remainder of the Bulldog football staff took steps to insure there is no repeat of 2008, however, by recruiting hard and making sure those already on campus are prepared to hit the ground running.

Commentary peice by  Mike Blackwell, vice president for enrollment management and corporate communications at Columbia International University. He is a 1969 graduate of The Citadel and the author of the book Remember Now Thy Creator in Thy Days of Thy Youth; The Religious Heritage of The Citadel.

Charleston, S.C. - The Bulldog Football team returned to action this afternoon for day fifteen of fall camp at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field. The Bulldogs worked out for three hours in hot and humid conditions.

By Brad Nettles/The Post and Courier
Citadel knobs have some fun during a football open scrimmage Saturday. The freshman are finishing up their first week at the military college and will be heading to The Citadel beach house on Isle of Palms today.

The name Biakabutuka still strikes fear and loathing in the hearts of Ohio State fans. Loyal Buckeyes vividly recall that Saturday in 1995 when Tim Biakabutuka ran 37 times for 313 yards to lead Michigan to a 31-23 upset of an Ohio State team that was 11-0 and ranked No. 2 in the nation. The name Biakabutuka lives on in college football these days at The Citadel, where Tim's younger brother, Remi, is a walk-on freshman running back for the Bulldogs. No Citadel coach is comparing Remi to his brother, who went on to a six-year NFL career with the Carolina Panthers. But the 5-10, 180-pounder from Montreal has a chance to be a solid contributor at the military school, which could find itself in dire need of running backs this season. "When you evaluate tape from Canada, you are not sure what you are getting," Citadel coach Kevin Higgins said.

Chris McGuiness, a rookie first baseman, was promoted to Class A Greenville by the Red Sox last week after hitting .263 with six homers and 34 RBIs in 46 games with Lowell in the New York-Penn League.

The University of South Carolina wasn’t the only college or university crowing about its position in a broad set of rankings recently released by U.S. News and World Report magazine. Claflin University, Clemson University, USC-Aiken, The Citadel, Southern Wesleyan University, Coker College and Winthrop University joined USC in touting a spot in the magazine’s rankings.

The Citadel held its fourth and final two-a-day on Friday, hitting the field at 8 a.m. to work out for two hours before returning at 3:15 p.m. No injuries were reported.

The name Biakabutuka still strikes fear and loathing in the hearts of Ohio State fans. Loyal Buckeyes vividly recall that Saturday in 1995 when Tim Biakabutuka ran 37 times for 313 yards to lead Michigan to a 31-23 upset of an Ohio State team that was 11-0 and ranked No. 2 in the nation. The name Biakabutuka lives on in college football these days at The Citadel, where Tim's younger brother, Remi, is a walk-on freshman running back for the Bulldogs.

Charleston, S.C. - Over a thousand people lined the field at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field on Saturday for the annual "Meet the Bulldogs."  The Citadel Football team scrimmaged for two hours as fans looked on to get a peak of the Bulldog program as they prepare to open the season in two weeks. The class of 2013 outlined the field and cheered on their fellow Cadets as fans looked on and cheered from nearby bleachers. Refreshments were available and players gathered in McAlister Field House following the scrimmage for an autograph session.

The Citadel Grayline, the hour-long talk show devoted to all things Bulldog and hosted by Jon Rawl (Class of '93), returns to the airwaves next week. And for the first time, it will be heard on the air in Charleston. WSPO, 99.3-FM and 1390-AM, plans to air The Citadel Grayline at 7 p.m. Wednesdays, and possibly again on Saturdays mornings. That gives the Grayline a total of 13 stations throughout the state and the Southeast.

Charleston, S.C. - Bulldog fans are invited to come out and "Meet the Bulldogs" on Saturday, Aug. 22 at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at the Willson Field Complex. The event will kickoff at 1 p.m. and it is free and open to the public.  Saturday's "Meet the Bulldogs" is an opportunity for Bulldog fans to enjoy some refreshments while watching a scrimmage of the 2009 football squad. A meet-and-greet and autograph session will immediately follow the scrimmage. Bulldog schedule magnets, posters and cards will be on hand, as well as the 2009 Football Media Guides.

The Citadel football team was on the field for Day 11 of fall camp on Wednesday at the Maybank Triplets practice facility at Willson Field.  The Bulldogs worked out for three hours.  No injuries were reported.  "We did another short yardage and goal-line scrimmage and the offensive line really did a nice job stepping up in short-yardage situations," Citadel coach Kevin Higgins said.

ANESTIS Cameron Matthew, 21, Georgetown, KY, loving husband of Tiffany Elaine Anestis and father of Isabelle Skye Anestis, died Mon, Aug 17, 2009. Born in Manchester, NH, he was the son of Emmanuel John and Dawn Sidway Anestis of Lexington, KY. Cameron attended The Citadel Military College of South Carolina and served in the Iraq War for 8 months as a U.S. Marine.

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY — Clemson University kept its No. 22 ranking among national public universities in the 2010 U.S. News & World Report America’s Best Colleges publication

The Citadel and the College of Charleston ranked No. 5 and No. 10, respectively, among the best master’s universities in the South. Charleston Southern University and Francis Marion University both ranked as Tier 3 schools in that category

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Football was on the field for day 11 of fall camp on Wednesday at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field. The Bulldogs hit the field at 2:15 p.m. and worked out for three hours. No injuries were reported.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Football was on the field for day 12 of fall camp on Thursday at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field. The Bulldogs hit the field at 8 a.m. and worked out for three hours. No injuries were reported.

Former Northwestern High School quarterback Bart Blanchard has become somewhat of the focal point for The Citadel's football season.  An action photo of Blanchard graces the front of the school's Web site, CitadelSports.com, along with the phrase “The Citadel Football ‘09, One Vision,” and a telephone number for ticket information.  Blanchard and the Bulldogs will open the season at North Carolina, ranked No. 20 in preseason by The Associated Press, at 6 p.m. Sept. 5 in Kenan Stadium.

To view the article, click on this link: http://photo.citadel.edu/pao/newsclips/archive20092010/25283.pdf

Charleston, S.C. - Bulldog fans are invited to come out and "Meet the Bulldogs" on Saturday, Aug. 22 at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at the Willson Field Complex. The event will kickoff at 1 p.m. and it is free and open to the public.  Saturday's "Meet the Bulldogs" is an opportunity for Bulldog fans to enjoy some refreshments while watching a scrimmage of the 2009 football squad. A meet-and-greet and autograph session will immediately follow the scrimmage. Bulldog schedule magnets, posters and cards will be on hand, as well as the 2009 Football Media Guides.

The Citadel is the No. 1 best value among master’s degree-granting colleges in the South, according to the 2010 best college rankings released by U.S. News & World Report.  In the category of institutions that award up to a master’s degree, The Citadel is the only public college in South Carolina and one of two public institutions in the nation recognized in the “Great Schools, Great Prices” category. “The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal,” U.S. News said.

--Francis Marion shut out The Citadel 1-0 in a women's exhibition soccer match at Florence.  The Citadel's defense held the Patriots scoreless for 86 minutes before Francis Marion's Angela Salem scored five yards from the net to avoid overtime.

The distance between Hollywood, S.C., and The Citadel got a little shorter this summer when seven math, science, and biology teachers from Baptist Hill High School participated in the GEAR UP STEM Summer Camp co-sponsored by The Citadel’s School of Education and School of Engineering. This is the third year for the summer camp and it has evolved each year.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Football was on the field twice on Tuesday for their third two-a-day of fall camp. The Bulldogs worked out at 8 a.m. and then again at 3:15 p.m. for two hours each on day 10 at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field.

Near the end of his fourth practice with The Citadel's first-team offense Tuesday afternoon, quarterback Miguel Starks faked a handoff, dropped back and unfurled a perfect spiral down the middle of the field.  Citadel backup quarterback Miguel Starks is working with the first team with starter Bart Blanchard sidelined by injury.  At the other end, receiver Scott Harward made a diving catch to cheers from his teammates.

But this has always stopped him: On Oct. 26, 1985, in the first quarter of a game between The Citadel and East Tennessee State at the Mini-Dome in Johnson City, Tenn., Citadel linebacker Marc Buoniconti hurtled headfirst at the Buccaneers' upended tailback, his helmet colliding with Herman Jacobs's lower back. Buoniconti rolled over, his neck dislocated at the third and fourth cervical vertebrae, his spinal cord hacked as if by a dull hatchet.

Devin Gilliard is known in some circles as the "Palmetto State Sleeper" because he puts up big numbers at a small school, and isn't a household name across the state. ... Brown said Gilliard is a quality player and person, and he has an impressive list of schools looking at him. The list includes South Carolina, Clemson, Newberry and The Citadel he said.

Charleston, S.C. - With the 2009 season-opener only two weeks away, The Citadel soccer team will make its way to Florence, S.C. to battle the Francis Marion Patriots in an exhibition game on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 1 p.m. at FMU Soccer Field.

Kyle Anderson was the top defensive tackle on The Citadel's recruiting board three years ago. And with good reason. At 6-3 and 260 pounds, Anderson had earned all-state honors while playing for Jefferson High School in Bloomington, Minn., and then had a year of seasoning at Hargrave Military Academy.  But Bulldogs coaches knew they had a tough recruiting fight on their hands.

Aug. 26 - JOB SEARCH TIPS: The Center for Women job search workshop. 9 a.m.-noon. 129 Cannon St., Charleston. $20. Registration required. Speakers are Dorothy Perrin Moore, professor emeritus of business at The Citadel, and Cathy Liska, a coach, trainer and mediator. Call 763-7333 or e-mail info@c4women.org for more information.

Steve Nida has been named associate provost for graduate and professional education and dean of The Citadel Graduate College. He has been a professor of psychology and head of the psychology department at The Citadel since 2002.

Also, Mark Bebensee of The Citadel School of Business Administration has been named associate provost for academic affairs. He succeeds Isaac "Spike" Metts, who returns to teaching in the mathematics department. Bebensee has been with The Citadel since 1977.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Football returned to the practice field for day nine of fall camp on Monday after having Sunday off. The Bulldogs worked out for three hours and were greeted again by a morning overcast.

I didn’t attend Woodstock — I was in ROTC summer camp at Ft. Bragg — but there was a time in my life when I considered myself a citizen of the Woodstock Nation. Recently, looking over my faded and dog-eared copy of one of the Whole Earth Catalog editions that came out in the late ’60s and early ’70s, I reflected on what the hippies got right.  ...
I came to hippiedom long after the funeral for the movement had been held in San Francisco, and five years after Woodstock. I had been a Citadel cadet during the Summer of Love and an Army officer until 1974.

Citadel starting quarterback Bart Blanchard sprained his right ankle during practice Saturday morning, but the injury should keep him out for only a few days.  X-rays revealed no broken bones, football coach Kevin Higgins said after the Bulldogs' second practice Saturday afternoon.

Few pitchers have gotten their professional careers off to a better start than ex-Citadel standout Matt Crim.  Crim, a left-hander from Stratford High School, is 9-0 with a 2.89 ERA in his rookie season with Danville, the Braves' Class A team in the Appalachian League.

It's one thing to read a Pat Conroy novel. It's quite another to be a character, walking and talking among the inmates in his masterful work of literature. ... The author sprinkles names throughout the book, many of which local readers will recognize. Names like Henry Berlin of Berlin's Men's Store on King Street, former Citadel coaches Chal Port and Red Parker, our distinguished Mayor Joe Riley, former Citadel presidents Bud Watts and James Grimsley, local photographer Tommy Ford and TV anchors Bill Sharpe and Debi Chard.

The Sertoma Football Classic will be held Thursday and Friday, and officials are hoping for a huge turnout and an infusion of teen spirit for the unofficial kickoff to the high school football season.  Sertoma president Michael Herlocker expects the Classic to make money even though there is no primary sponsor for this year's event, which will be held at The Citadel's Johnson Hagood Stadium.

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- More than 700 incoming freshmen are expected to report this weekend to The Military College of South Carolina. The Citadel says students in the Class of 2013 and their families are arriving Saturday to check into the barracks and start academic orientation.

Charleston, S.C. - The Bulldog Football team returned to action this morning for day eight of fall camp and the second installment of two-a-day practices at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field. The Bulldogs worked out for two and half hours in cooler temperatures and will practice again this afternoon at 3:15 p.m.

Amy Ethridge looks fit and healthy. The pictures along the bubbly 44-year-old's wall in the Camp Happy Days' Ashley Hall Road building give off the same youthful vibe. Smiling children splash in rainstorm puddles, jump into a lake, play dress-up with fancy gowns and makeup.  But look closer and you might notice something about the children -- while they are smiling...

If it seems like The Citadel has been running out of running backs for a while, that's because it has.  The departure of last year's leading rusher, Asheton Jordan, as well as the loss of Cody Wilson and Ryan Williams, a career-ending knee injury to transfer John Shaw and an injured knee suffered by Terrell Dallas in last year's season finale against Florida, all seriously thinned the ranks.

To celebrate its 13th year The Citadel’s Daniel Library Friends will donate all contributions to its fall books and lecture series to the Daniel Library renovation project, adding to a $1.6 million gift from Bill (’65) and Lyndra Daniel of Birmingham, Ala.
The renovation will add elegance and atmosphere to the library, and cure some long-standing functional problems,” said Library Director Angie LeClercq. “Thanks to the incredible generosity of the Daniels and the Daniel Foundation, we begin this process with nearly half our goal of $3.4 million already in hand. “

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Football returned to the field for day seven and the third day in full pads of fall camp on Friday morning at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field. The Bulldogs worked out for three-hours in wet conditions; however no injuries reported.

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) held a change of command ceremony Aug. 13 at the National Museum of Naval Aviation on board Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola.  Rear Adm. Gary R. Jones turned over command to Rear Adm. Joseph F. Kilkenny ('77).  The training command is the largest shore command in the U.S. Navy and provides training for all Sailors, as well as personnel from the Marine Corps, Army, Air Force and students from allied nations.

The race for governor in South Carolina may still be a blip below the radar for a lot of people, but Republican U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett is banking on hitting the ground early and hard to help him stick out in an increasingly crowded field of potential and confirmed candidates.  Barrett began the "Barrett means Business" bus tour this week, which is taking him around the state to talk business and economy to small business owners and the state's unemployed workers. The bus stopped in Socastee and Pawleys Island on Thursday.

LEXINGTON, Va. (August 14, 2009) - There’s no way around it: Blood will be drawn in a head-to-head competition between Virginia Military Institute and the Citadel.  This fall, two donor centers from the Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) are issuing a challenge to cadets from the two long-time rivals to see which school will donate the most blood.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Volleyball team began preparations for the 2009 season this week at McAlister Field House. 
The Bulldogs kicked off the week with two-a-days for weights and conditioning. "The team is working hard and preparing for our season which starts in a little over two weeks.

Charleston, S.C. - Two former Bulldogs are garnering attention after producing solid numbers in the Minor Leagues following their 2009 season at The Citadel.  Chris McGuiness, first baseman for the Lowell Spinners (Class-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox), has been selected as a NY-Penn League All-Star.

Sgt. 1st Class Michael Wilkins of the Citadel's Army ROTC unti has been named the 2009 Senior Military College Brigade NCO of the Year.

Wofford College topped the list of S.C. schools, coming in at No. 71 out of 600 schools. The Citadel and the College of Charleston were near the middle of the pack, at Nos. 268 and 347, respectively. Coastal Carolina University barely squeaked into the list, taking the last spot, No. 600. See the complete list.

• Operation Homefront-South Carolina will be held today from 3 to 6 p.m. at The Citadel, 171 Moultrie St. Volunteers will distribute 100 backpacks filled with school supplies to local military children.

What do barbeque, presidential impeachments and The Citadel post World War II have in common? Three of the nation’s leading historians and authors will bring those topics to The Citadel for discussion this fall as part of the Fulghum Lecture Series.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Football returned to the field for day five and the first day of full pads in fall camp on Wednesday at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field. The Bulldogs worked out for three-hours-and-thirty minutes for a total of 40 periods. There were no injuries reported.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Football returned to the gridiron for day six of fall camp on Thursday at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field.  The Bulldogs were welcomed by cooler temperatures and an overcast for their first of four two-a-days. Each session went for two hours, the first at 8 a.m. and the second at 3:15, and there were no reported injuries.

It's not all playtime for Chuck Stokes anymore.  When the Baltimore native opened HobbyTown USA 10 years ago off S.C. Highway 61, it was a humble outfit, so Stokes had plenty of time to interact with customers, learn about new hobbies and tool around with the different toys that lined the shelves. In the ensuing decade, HobbyTown has doubled the size of its inventory. It opened in a new, much larger location on Sam Rittenberg Boulevard about two weeks ago.

All it takes is the mention of the words "Georgia Southern" to bring a grimace to the face of Citadel kicker Sam Keeler.  The Bulldogs' 44-41 overtime loss to the Eagles last season at Johnson Hagood Stadium was one of the most painful moments in a difficult 4-8 season.  But it is a particularly nightmarish memory for Keeler, who on that day missed two field goals, had a third blocked and was yanked from the game for the 32-yarder that could have won it with 29 seconds left in regulation (The Citadel missed that one, too).

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Director of Athletics Larry Leckonby named Geoff Von Dollen as the new Associate Athletics Director for Business and Operations, announced Wednesday by the athletics department. Von Dollen is currently the Associate Athletics Director for Administration at Delaware State University. He will replace Ray Whiteman who retired over the summer after having held the position for 24 years.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Sports Network, a division of Kirkman Broadcasting, Inc. announces its largest statewide network in over a decade. All told, 12 stations throughout South Carolina will broadcast the 2009 football season making The Citadel Sports Network the third largest network in the Southern Conference, the premier FCS league.

The journey toward principled leadership will begin on Saturday, Aug. 15, for more than 700 young men and women who are expected to report to The Military College of South Carolina for academic orientation and military training.  Around 720 students are expected to matriculate by midday on Saturday. The Class of 2013 could be among the record setters for the largest freshman class since the mid 1970s.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - The Citadel has announced a new administrator to oversee the athletic department's business and operations.  Athletic director Larry Leckonby announced Thursday that Geoff Von Dollen would become the school's associate athletic director for business and operations.

The Citadel returned to the field for the fourth day of football practice and the second day of split sessions on Tuesday. The Bulldogs worked out for 3 1/2 hours without report of an injury.  With the veterans out first followed by the rookies, Higgins said this split routine allowed the coaches to get a better evaluation of the younger players. Both groups completed two sessions of pass skeleton followed by four periods of team thud.

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - The grand mansions along Charleston's famous battery set the stage for the tale that unfolds inside Pat Conroy's newest novel, "South of Broad."  For Conroy, "'South of Broad' is a presence... it defines that city." And there's a reason Conroy feels so strongly about the Holy City.Charleston had an extraordinary impact on Conroy as a young man. His years at the Citadel, South Carolina's military college, influenced his earlier books, but his high school experiences served as inspiration for Conroy's most recent book.

Lowcountry schools will welcome students back from their summer break next week, and parents can find free school supplies at a number of community events.

• Operation Homefront-South Carolina will be held Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. at The Citadel, 171 Moultrie St. Volunteers will distribute 100 backpacks filled with school supplies to local military children.

Bill Thomas-Moore, a James Islander and professional model shipwright, maritime historian and lecturer, will present "Ships in Scale: The Fine Art of Model Ship Building and the Maritime History of Charleston" on Thursday at the Low Country Senior Center, and Sept. 23 at The Citadel for the Senior Scholars Program.

In other board business:

• The board also approved a partnership with The Citadel to train district faculty members for principal and other leadership positions.

Operation Homefront-South Carolina is giving away 100 backpacks filled with school supplies to children of military families in the Charleston area to start them off right for the new school year.  Volunteers will hand out the new backpacks Thursday, August 13 from 3 pm to 6 pm at The Citadel in downtown Charleston.

Retired Army Lt. Gen. W. Michael Steele of Seabrook Island, S.C., has been elected to The Citadel Board of Visitors.  Steele replaces retired Maj. Gen. Arthur H. Baiden III as the alumni-elected representative on the college’s governing board. Baiden’s six-year term expired in June. Steele’s term runs through June 2015.

'South of Broad' Ends Pat Conroy's Hiatus - 14 years after his last novel, the author talks about his most ambitious work.

DUE WEST -- Serving students and making a difference, Robyn Agnew has spent almost 30 years on college campuses. 
“I try to think what I would have done if I hadn’t gone into education, but I couldn’t come up with anything,” the educator said. “I can’t imagine not being on a college campus.”  On July 1, Agnew became vice president for Student Services at Erskine College — the first female vice president in the institution’s history. She has already begun shaking up the department.

The Citadel has been showing interest in OL Dylan Bostic (6-6, 280) of Neptune, Fla. "Their coach told me I'm at the top of their board," Bostic said. He has offers from Middle Tennessee, Iowa State, Indiana, Florida Atlantic and Central Florida.

FRIPP ISLAND — If "South of Broad" is a love letter to Charleston, it is from an admirer whose ardor is tempered by the recognition of his paramour's flaws, her eccentricities and darker impulses. For all his gentle, and not-so-gentle, eviscerations of the city's gentry — some "fictitious" characters fare better than others — Pat Conroy's affection for the city is palpable, and he delights in sharing with the uninitiated.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Football returned to the field for day four and the second day of split practice of fall camp on Tuesday at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field. The Bulldogs worked out for three-hours-and-thirty minutes for a total of 40 periods. There were no injuries reported.

Former Citadel running back Asheton Jordan, forced to leave the military school after being found guilty of an honors violation, will transfer to South Carolina State.  Jordan, who was the Bulldogs' top rusher as a freshman last season with 711 yards and four touchdowns, will sit out the 2009 season and have three years to play for S.C. State.  Jordan, 6-0 and 206 pounds, said he also had considered Charleston Southern and Georgia Southern.

The ones and twos took to the field first at 8 a.m. as the remainder of the team came out approximately 80 minutes into practice for the Bulldogs' first day of helmets and pads.  According to head head Kevin Higgins, the split practice gives the coaching staff an opportunity to get a better evaluation of the younger players.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel at Western Carolina football game set to take place in Cullowhee, N.C. on Oct. 17 will be televised on My Network 40/WMYA out of Asheville, N.C. As a result, the game time has changed to 4 p.m.  The broadcast will now be the first live television appearance for the Bulldogs during the 2009 season. They will also appear before a regional audience on SportSouth for the 2009 Homecoming matchup against Wofford on Nov. 7.

On the listing of best colleges, Wofford College ranked 71st, Converse College was 147th, North Greenville University was 154th and Furman University was 170th.  Presbyterian College ranked 227th, Claflin University ranked 233rd, Erskine College ranked 245th, The Citadel ranked 268th, Bob Jones University ranked 279th and the College of Charleston ranked 347th.

Fitz Johnson appears to be a sharp Marietta entrepreneur who scored big when he sold his family’s defense contracting business to Lockheed Martin last year. Revenue for his Eagle Group International was in the $175 million range at the time.  Now, however, Johnson has taken a leap way beyond youth soccer. He’s no stranger to challenges as an African-American who experienced racism at The Citadel. After graduating, he served in the U.S. Army for 10 years, followed by 11 years in the Reserves.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Football returned to the field for a split practice on Monday morning for day three of fall camp at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field.  The ones and twos took to the field first at 8 a.m. as the remainder of the team came out approximately one-hour-and-twenty-minutes into practice for the first day of helmets and pads. According to Higgins, the split practice gives the coaching staff an opportunity to get a better evaluation of the younger players.

Banking - Greg A. Lapointe has been named senior vice president responsible for statewide business development at South Carolina Bank and Trust. Previously, he was the Midlands market president for Wachovia Bank and has 24 years of industry experience. He has a bachelor's degree from The Citadel.

Steve Nida, professor of psychology and head of that department since 2002, has been named associate provost for graduate and professional education and dean of The Citadel Graduate College.  In addition, Mark Bebensee of the School of Business Administration has been named associate provost for academic affairs. Bebensee replaces Isaac “Spike” Metts who is returning to teaching in the Department of Mathematics.

Citadel football players divided up by position groups to have their pictures taken Sunday during the Bulldogs' annual preseason media day at Johnson Hagood Stadium.  All-American Andre Roberts stood with the receivers, of course. His school-record 95 catches for 1,334 yards and 14 touchdowns last season made him one of the most decorated wide receivers in the Football Championship Subdivision, and perhaps the top NFL prospect in the Southern Conference in 2009.

Pat Conroy is a voluptuary of language. Some readers of "South of Broad," his first novel in 14 years, will want to reach for the red pen, but more of us will lean back and luxuriate in Conroy's large-hearted story and smoldering prose.  Conroy knows how to write page-turning entertainment. Before page 10, he's teased readers with the inexplicable death of a golden teenage boy, the mental illness of the golden boy's morbid brother, the breakdown of a family, and something decisive having to do with orphans, a drug bust on East Bay Street and new neighbors. Add to these teasers the promise that "fate comes at you cat-footed, unavoidable, and bloodthirsty," and the helpless, plot-thirsty reader is snared.

SOUTH OF BROAD

By Pat Conroy. Nan A. Talese/

Doubleday. 514 pages. $29.95.

“Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in,” says the farmer in Robert Frost’s “The Death of the Hired Man.” That’s the main theme of Pat Conroy’s new novel, and the proof that it’s true is in the publication of this uneven book.

Quite an honor, the Charleston Baseball Hall of Fame. How many tickets have you requested for the induction and game Friday night?  "(Charleston Baseball Hall of Fame Chairman) Andy (Solomon) told me I can get 10 but I think I'm going to have to come up with about 25 or so."

What does the Hall of Fame election mean to you?  "It's obviously a tremendous honor to be linked with the people elected before me and with the people going in with me this year. But more importantly, it's a reflection of the teams I played with at The Citadel and how we had such good teams during that time."

The Citadel football team returned to the field for a nearly three-hour practice on Saturday for Day 2 of fall camp at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field. "Today was a good practice," said Bulldogs head coach Kevin Higgins. "We did a nice job working our special teams today. We worked specifically on our punt, and our backup punter Alexander Wall really came back to camp a much better punter. His leg looks stronger and his technique is better."

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Football returned to the field for a two-hour-and fifty-minute practice on Saturday morning for day two of fall camp at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field.  It was a typical day of fall practice, starting off with an urgency period which gives all specialists, punt and kickoff returners, punters and holders, an opportunity to work on their skills getting specialize work at that time.

The president of The Citadel visited Sumter this week to talk and eat with area alumni.  Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa is a three-star general and was commander of the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base from 1995 to 1997.  "On all the assignments we had, I think we made the best, the closest friends on this assignment," he said, referring to his time at Shaw.

Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Football kicked off fall camp with the first official practice at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field on Friday at 8 a.m.  Bulldog fans came out to get an early look at what many anticipate to be an exciting season for Bulldog Football. The squad, led by fifth-year head coach Kevin Higgins, returns 33 lettermen, including 15 starters, and 19 freshmen.

The Citadel Brigadier Foundation's Official Electronic Newsletter - Friday, August 7, 2009

As Citadel football coach Kevin Higgins opens his fifth fall practice with the Bulldogs today, he's got a lot of things going for him.  All-America receiver Andre Roberts is back for his senior season, along with junior quarterback Bart Blanchard. The offensive line, Higgins said, is "the biggest and strongest that we've had." And with some new coaches and a switch back to a 4-3 alignment, the defense should improve.

... Fastbreak almost three full centuries, beyond the founding of the College of Charleston and our nation (in that chronological order), turn right at James Naismith's first peach basket, take a left at the birth of Bobby Cremins and you have this little nugget on the 2009-2010 Cougars' basketball schedule... Not even Duke in its Christian Laettner/Grant Hill/Bobby Hurley prime of the 1990-91 season playing at The Citadel created this much buzz, or demand.

The Charleston Baseball Hall of Fame, which is jointly coordinated and operated by the Charleston RiverDogs and The Post and Courier, will induct four new members Aug. 14.  John Dodds Jr., W.S. "Bull" Durham, Donald Morillo and Doug Pounder were elected to the hall after more than 1,200 fans voted online and through the mail. They will be inducted at Riley Park prior to a RiverDogs game, which starts at 7 p.m.

GAINESVILLE - Major Kevin Jarrard has been named commandant at Riverside Military Academy (RMA)... one of three new appointments at the school. A native of Gainesville, Maj. Jarrard has been employed at Riverside since 2001 as a faculty member teaching various classes and serving in various advisory positions. In addition, Jarrard currently commands Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment. He has served overseas on several occasions... including tours from Asia and Europe to Africa and the Middle East, including two tours of duty in Iraq.

John Arthur Tuten, Jr., 81, a retired banker and husband of Rebecca Hooper Tuten of Mt. Pleasant, SC passed away on Monday, August 3, 2009. The relatives and friends of Arthur Tuten are invited to attend his Memorial Service on Thursday, August 6, 2009 in Christ Episcopal Church, Mt. Pleasant at 2:00 p.m. Arrangements by J. HENRY STUHR, MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL.

Hydrogen fuel, health care, middle school ROTC programs: A $28 million chunk of the $636 billion defense appropriations bill just passed by the U.S. House is earmarked to be spent in South Carolina and not just on the military. ... The earmarks "all seem to be pretty standard," said Jack Porter, an assistant political science professor at The Citadel. "They are all either supporting defense contractors or military units here.

Terry M. Mays of the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice has completed the highest level of formal certification offered in the field of United Nations Peace Support Operations.  Terry M. Mays of the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice has completed the highest level of formal certification offered in the field of United Nations Peace Support Operations.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Four individuals whose playing careers span from the 1930s to the 1990s – two of them former Bulldogs – highlight the Charleston Baseball Hall of Fame’s Induction Class of 2009.  More than 1,200 baseball fans voted online and through the mail and chose former Mt. Pleasant mayor John Dodds, Jr., American Legion legend W.S. “Bull” Durham and former Citadel standouts Donald Morillo and Doug Pounder. Morillo and Pounder are former standout cadet-student-athletes at The Citadel.

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel wide receiver Andre Roberts has been named for the second consecutive season to the Walter Payton watch list announced by The Sports Network. The award is bestowed annually upon the top player in the FCS. Roberts, a finalist in 2008, finished 13th overall.

People attending the dedication of the South Carolina National Guard Charleston Readiness Center read a plaque Sunday after the ceremony. The Readiness Center was dedicated to the founding organizations of the South Carolina National Guard, The Washington Light Infantry and the Sumter Guards, and will be the new headquarters of the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. The center adjoins the Citadel's Johnson Hagood Stadium on Hagood Avenue.

People attending the dedication of the South Carolina National Guard Charleston Readiness Center read a plaque Sunday after the ceremony. The Readiness Center was dedicated to the founding organizations of the South Carolina National Guard, The Washington Light Infantry and the Sumter Guards, and will be the new headquarters of the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. The center adjoins the Citadel's Johnson Hagood Stadium on Hagood Avenue.

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — At the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum's annual Board of Directors meeting last week, Dr. Harvey W. Schiller, a Citadel graduate, was elected to the Board, bringing the total number of directors to 19 for the non-profit educational institution.  "The board has added a leader with great character and experience, whose passion for the game is reflected in his grand body of work," said Jane Forbes Clark, chair of the board of directors. "His energy, vision and diverse experiences will add new perspectives to our leadership team."

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel Football team will officially return to the gridiron for the 2009 season as they kick-off fall camp at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field on Friday, Aug. 7 at 8 a.m.  Head Coach Kevin Higgins will begin preparations for the upcoming season which starts on Saturday, Sept. 5 at North Carolina against the Tarheels at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN360.

The Citadel

Andre Roberts is worth a few wins himself, but the Bulldogs are more than one player.

They are "One Vision," their official '09 slogan).

They were one play away (three times) from three more wins in 2008, but finished 4-8.

Record: 5-6.

Wadmalaw Island — Forty-two sailboats, including all eight existing Sea Island One Designs, gathered in Bohicket Creek on Saturday for the start of the 119th Rockville Regatta hosted by Sea Island Yacht Club.  Evan Minshew, a rising junior at The Citadel, has skippered Privateer this season and entered Saturday's race with a small points lead in the Ellis Trophy standings. "I don't think I'm still in the lead," Minshew said after scores of DSQ-4-4.

An inning with ...  Richard Jones - The Chicago Cubs selected the catcher in the ninth round of this year's amateur draft. Jones, who is from Sumter, S.C., went to school at The Citadel, which is known as the military college of South Carolina.

Why did you decide to forgo your senior year at The Citadel to play professional baseball?

"It was about 50-50 for me, really. Obviously, everybody wants to play for the Cubs. They are one of those teams — Yankees, Red Sox and Cubs — that are the traditional teams. Once my roommate, and the guy that hit right behind me, Chris McGuiness, who went 13th to Boston, said he was going, I kinda had to go because he was my protection."

What is a common misnomer about The Citadel?

"A lot of people think we all have to go into the military, but we don't. Only about a third of us do. Over half the school is business majors, and I was as well. It is more like a super-charged fraternity than a military school."

You're getting a business degree from The Citadel in the next month. What's that process been like? "It's been hard lately to concentrate in class or when you're studying knowing everything that's still left to do as far as the team is concerned. It'll be a huge relief to finally have this thing completed. It has taken longer than I hoped, but that was my fault because when I was young I focused on hockey. I probably spent 90 percent of my time on hockey and took an odd class here and there."

As a player, Noonan led Sumter to a state championship and was selected to play in the Shrine Bowl. He played at The Citadel and graduated in 1992. He was a graduate coach for two years under coach Charlie Taaffe, and the landed an assistant's job at Spring Valley in '94.