For the third year in a row ���ϲ����� Athletics ranks in the top 10 among Power 5 schools’ Graduation Success Rate (GSR). ���ϲ�����’s 93% GSR is tied for the fifth highest score among Power 5 schools, and the Orange are one of 25 Power 5 schools nationally to score 93% or higher.

���ϲ�����’s GSR of 93% ties for the third-best score in program history, trailing only 95% in 2021 and 94% in 2020. It ties the mark set in 2019.

For the fifth time in the last six years, more than half of ���ϲ�����’s teams achieved a perfect 100% score. GSR measurement reflects Orange student-athletes who enrolled in 2015-16 and earned degrees within six years.

���ϲ�����’s 93% GSR is above the national GSR of 89%, and the Orange are one of eight Atlantic Coast Conference schools to achieve a 93% or better.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) started measuring GSR, which includes those who entered midyear, as well as student-athletes who transferred into the institution, in 2004.

���ϲ�����’s women’s tennis and women’s volleyball programs achieved a perfect 100% for the 11th consecutive year, the longest active streaks in the athletics department. The Orange men’s cross country and men’s track and field teams have scored a perfect 100% for nine years in a row, and the women’s rowing and men’s lacrosse teams have a five-year streak of perfect scores.

In addition to those teams, men’s and women’s soccer and women’s basketball all scored a perfect 100%.

“These excellent scores are a testament to the dedication of ���ϲ����� student-athletes to their academics and to their sport, an incredibly demanding balancing act,” says Faculty Athletic Representative , professor of sport management in the Falk College. “Student-athletes have amazing competitive experiences here, while at the same time earning degrees in a diverse array of majors that prepare them exceedingly well for their future endeavors. Congratulations to Athletics Director John Wildhack and his team, especially all of the talented coaches, academic support staff and, of course, our highly-regarded student-athletes. Well done.”

The volleyball program leads all ���ϲ����� programs with 13 perfect GSR scores, followed by the men’s cross country, men’s track and field, and women’s tennis programs, which have posted a perfect 100% GSR 11 times. Women’s soccer has each achieved a 100% GSR on 10 occasions.

“In the ever-changing world of higher education and collegiate athletics, one thing has remained constant: A degree from ���ϲ����� will set up our student-athletes for opportunities to thrive on a national and international level,” says Assistant Provost for Student-Athlete Academic Development . “I have had the privilege to see many of these graduates enter as first-year students and leave the University prepared to serve and contribute positively to our society.”

���ϲ�����’s GSR Success By the Numbers:

• Power Five Ranking: ���ϲ����� ties for fifth among Power 5 schools (93% GSR)
• Teams with a 100% GSR in 2022: nine (women’s tennis, women’s volleyball, men’s cross country, men’s track and field, men’s lacrosse, women’s rowing, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s basketball)
• Consecutive 100% GSR scores: 11 years (women’s tennis, women’s volleyball)
• Most 100% GSR scores: 13 (women’s volleyball)

The NCAA instituted the GSR to more accurately reflect the mobility of college students as compared to the Federal Graduation Rate. The federal rate counts any student who leaves a school as an academic failure, whether or not the student enrolls at another school. The federal rate also does not consider students who enter as transfer students. The GSR formula provides a more complete and accurate picture by removing from the rate student-athletes who leave school while academically eligible and including student-athletes who transfer to a school after being enrolled at another university.

The (ACCN) officially goes on the air today at 7 p.m. Owned and operated by ESPN in partnership with the Atlantic Coast Conference, the ACC Network is a new 24/7 national network dedicated to ACC sports. About 450 live contests—including��40 regular-season football games, 150 men’s and women’s basketball games, and 200 other regular-season competitions and tournament games from across the conference’s 27 sponsored sports—will be televised annually. In addition, the broadcast schedule includes a complement of news and information shows and original programming.

The ACC Network will provide greater exposure for all of ���ϲ�����’s teams and student-athletes and also offers all ���ϲ����� students the opportunity to gain professional experience in live event television production. The result for ���ϲ����� alumni and fans is more Orange coverage throughout the year.

The Orange women’s soccer team and first-year head coach Nicky Adams will make ���ϲ�����’s first appearance on the ACC Network when they open the season against Colgate at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 25, at the SU Soccer Stadium. The production will be historic in that it will be the first for the ACC Network that is produced out of a campus control room. Overall, the ACC Network will televise 20 field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball games in its inaugural year, which represents the most national coverage of ACC fall sports ever.

In addition, fans can watch several ���ϲ����� contests on the network’s digital platform, ACC Network Extra (ACCNX), which will air more than 400 ACC live events this fall. ACCN and ACCNX on the ESPN app will only be available to subscribers with access to ACCN through their TV providers. All ACCN games will also be available on the ESPN app to authenticated cable subscribers.

Carriage agreements are in place with the following TV providers: DIRECTV, Google Fiber, Hulu Live TV, Optimum, PlayStation Vue, Suddenlink, Spectrum TV, TVision, Verizon Fios, members of the NCTC, NRTC, Vivicast and YouTube TV, among others.

Fans interested in learning more about ACCN can visit��.

The Class of 2019 features more than 90 student-athletes.

“The Academic Progress Rate metric is a real-time look at the health of an athletics department,” says ���ϲ����� Assistant Provost Tommy Powell. “It assesses how well schools are keeping the student-athletes eligible and how well they are retaining them at the University. It also has real implications to the postseason. If a team were to drop below the NCAA cut score, that team would not have access to the postseason, bowl games or NCAA Championships.”

The APR score follows individual student and total program progression at each Division I institution, tracking student-athletes by assigning points for each semester they remain eligible and for staying enrolled or graduating. ���ϲ�����’s seven teams with a perfect four-year APR ranks fourth among the Power 5 conferences in sports that all schools offer. Notre Dame and Northwestern have nine and Duke has eight.

In addition to the multi-year average, the NCAA tracks one-year scores for every team. For 2017-18, 12 Orange teams posted a perfect one-year rate, which is the highest number of teams for ���ϲ����� to accomplish that in the same year. The programs to score a perfect 1,000 single-year score are men’s cross country, men’s soccer, men’s track and field, women’s basketball, women’s cross country, women’s rowing, field hockey, women’s ice hockey, women’s soccer, softball, women’s tennis and women’s volleyball.

“The success our programs are having with the APR goes back to a complete academic support system that begins the moment we recruit the student-athlete,” Powell says. “It is the commitment we make to a student-athlete that we are going to provide them with great support here in the athletics department from an academic standpoint, including tutorial, academic coordinating and advising, and the University making sure that each student-athlete is on a four-year plan to graduate. We start before they get here and then support them through graduation, making sure that they have the tools that they need when they leave ���ϲ�����. They graduate as a proud alum who has options for the future.”

Every ���ϲ����� team surpassed the minimum standard of 930 (a perfect score is 1,000) and, in combining the program numbers, the University earned the highest four-year average (.987) since APR began in 2006. The most recent APRs are multiyear rates based on scores from the 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 academic years.

“Our teams are succeeding in competition with 11 of our teams competing in the postseason already and four more with that opportunity ahead of them,” Powell says. “As teams are having athletic success, the focus of the student-athlete gets greater. A good analogy is we like to tap into their competitive nature in the classroom the same way our coaches tap into their competitive on the field. As they are focused and having success, that success often translates into their studies, into their workouts, everything for the total package of the student-athlete.”

An educational period for fans to learn about and adjust to the new Clear Bag Policy will begin with the first Orange football game on Sept. 8 and continue through the first three home games. The Clear Bag Policy will be in effect for all ���ϲ����� Athletics events and specified other special events at the Carrier Dome beginning Oct. 6, 2018.

Fans will be able to carry one of the following style and size bag at stadium gates:

• Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12” x 6” x 12”

— OR —

• One-gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc bag or similar).

In addition, small clutch bags for personal items, approximately the size of a hand (4.5” x 6.5”), with or without a handle or strap, diaper bags (with child) and medically necessary items may be carried into the stadium along with one of the clear bag options, after proper inspection. Seat cushions and seat back chairs are permitted; however, they cannot have pockets, zippers or be in their own carrying bag.

Prohibited items include, but are not limited to: backpacks, binocular cases, briefcases, camera cases, cinch bags, computer bags, fanny packs, printed pattern plastic bags, tinted plastic bags, oversize totes, mesh bags, large purses, or any bag larger than the permissible size. Prohibited items must be returned to the owner’s vehicle or discarded.

All season ticket holders for football, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s lacrosse will receive one approved clear plastic tote per two tickets. Approved clear tote bags will be available for purchase at all ���ϲ����� merchandise locations on the Shaw Quad and inside the Carrier Dome, as well as at the SU Bookstore for $3.

Walkthrough metal detectors will be in place at all Carrier Dome entry gates beginning with the Orange football game on Sept. 8. Fans will be asked to present cell phones, cameras and other large metal objects to the Carrier Dome Event Staff as they approach the front of the line. Fans will not need to remove keys, loose change, wallet, jackets or belts.

“We are committed to providing a secure environment for our fans,” says SU Director of Athletics John Wildhack. “The new Clear Bag Policy will enable us to deliver a better and quicker experience at the gates and also provide a safer environment. We appreciate our fans’ cooperation.”

“We’ve done a considerable amount of research looking at collegiate, professional sports and other public event venues across the country. Clear bags and walkthrough metal detectors are common safety practices,” says SU Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer Pete Sala. “We think after a relatively short period of adjustment, Dome visitors will embrace the use of the clear bags. And the metal detectors will be barely more noticeable than walking through a doorway.”

Working personnel, including media, will continue to enter the Carrier Dome through designated gates where they will be subject to screening and bag inspections already in effect.

For additional information, go to .

Football’s Annual Training Camp with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum. (Photos by Michael J. Okoniewski-SU Athletic Communications)

In 1946, ���ϲ����� welcomed more than 10,000 veterans to its campus, doubling enrollment among service men and women returning from World War II. Since then, ���ϲ����� has been a national leader in attracting, welcoming and empowering veterans and military families.

That longstanding tradition continues today as ���ϲ����� and the ���ϲ����� Football Program prepare to welcome children of Fort Drum military families to campus on Sunday, Aug. 13, for “Fort Drum Youth Football Day.” The youth football players, whose family members serve in the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division stationed at Fort Drum, will participate in a skills clinic and autograph session.

“���ϲ����� has deep admiration and respect for the members of our armed forces, our veterans and the families who support them,” says John Wildhack, director of athletics. “We are grateful for their service, their sacrifice and the many ways they make our community a better place. We are proud to welcome those families and their children to campus on Sunday.”

The event aligns with and supports Chancellor Kent Syverud’s commitment to make ���ϲ����� the best place in America for veterans. This effort has included a series of strategic initiatives, including the creation of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF).

The University will further that commitment with the forthcoming construction of the National Veterans Resource Complex, a first-of-its-kind multi-use facility dedicated to advancing academic research, programming and community-connected innovation serving the social, economic and wellness concerns of the nation’s veterans and families. It also follows a significant acknowledgement of the University’s commitment to veterans. In November, the Military Times’ Best for Vets: Colleges 2017 ranking listed ���ϲ����� as the #1 private school in the nation, #3 overall for service members, military veterans and their families.

“Under Chancellor Syverud’s leadership, ���ϲ����� has taken a number of important steps to enhance its offerings and expand academic opportunities for military-connected students and families,” says J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation. “I am proud of our Department of Athletics for continuing its commitment to this vision and am thankful to John and Coach Dino Babers for creating such a unique opportunity for the sons and daughters of Fort Drum service men and women.”

More recently, the football program has spent some of its preseason camp on post at Fort Drum and hosted soldiers for the “���ϲ����� Football-Fort Drum Combine” in 2015 and 2016 at the Ensley Athletic Center. The 10th Mountain Division has also entered teams in the Orange’s “Lift for Life” each of the past two years.

“The players, coaching staff and I are thrilled to welcome such a great group of kids to campus for a fun and educational football clinic,” says Babers. “Our program is proud of our partnership with our area’s veterans, service members and their family members. They do so much for our nation and our community and it is our honor to continue and extend our relationship with such selfless individuals.”

Campers will watch a portion of ���ϲ�����’s practice and hear presentations by senior linebacker Zaire Franklin (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and tight ends coach Reno Ferri. The players will also receive skill instruction from SU coaches and players.

The event continues a partnership between ���ϲ����� Athletics and the 10th Mountain Division that began in 2002 when the department hosted “A Hero’s Welcome” to pay tribute to the families and friends who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Sunday’s event is one piece of the overall ���ϲ����� Athletics Military Appreciation Program, presented by SEFCU, which includes a variety of military-themed recognitions across all SU sports throughout the academic year. One of those engagement initiatives is the “Cuse for the Troops” ticket program. For $20, fans can sponsor a ticket to the ���ϲ�����-Wake Forest football game on Veterans Day (Nov. 11) and send a member of our armed forces to the game for free. To sponsor a ticket, click����or call the Carrier Dome Box Office at 888-DOME-TIX.

���ϲ����� Athletics also offers the “Military Pass,” which grants active-duty military personnel and veterans two complimentary tickets to a home football game each month of the 2017 season. Complimentary tickets are available for SU’s Sept. 9 game against Middle Tennessee and the Oct. 7 game against Pittsburgh during Orange Central Weekend. On Nov. 11, veterans and active-duty military may receive up to four free tickets to the Wake Forest game on Military Appreciation Day, presented by SEFCU.

Complimentary tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and must be requested at least five (5) days prior to the game. Military personnel should register����with their Troop ID to reserve tickets.

The Orange open the 2017 season at the Carrier Dome Friday, Sept. 1, against Central Connecticut State.

For complete coverage of ���ϲ����� football, follow us on Twitter (), Instagram () and like us on Facebook ().

[Editor’s Note (Update Thursday, Aug. 10): Calling hours will be held today (Thursday, Aug. 10) from 5 to 8 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel. Parking will be available in Campus West lots (Standart, Fine, Stadium). A shuttle bus service will begin at 4:30 p.m. Hendricks Chapel will open at 5 p.m. The memorial service will be held Friday, Aug. 11, at 2 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel. Parking will be available in Campus West lots (Standart, Fine, Stadium) and at Manley Field House. A shuttle bus service will begin at noon. Hendricks Chapel will open at noon.]

The beloved “Coach Mac” arrived at ���ϲ����� in 1981 and built the football program into a national championship contender during his tenure. His teams produced a 66-46-4 (.586) record, including a 4-1 mark in bowl competition, and were ranked as high as fourth in the national polls.

MacPherson guided the second unbeaten squad in program history – the 1987 team posted an unblemished 11-0 regular-season record and tied Auburn, 16-16, in the Sugar Bowl. He was the consensus pick for national coach of the year that season, earning the recognition from 12 different groups including the American Football Coaches Association, the Football Writers Association of America, and the NCAA.

In his final five seasons with the Orange, MacPherson coached ���ϲ����� to a 36-10-3 record.

After the 1990 season, MacPherson was named head coach of the NFL New England Patriots.

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

Birth Of A Coaching Great

MacPherson was born on November 4, 1930, in Old Town, Maine, the second youngest of 12 children. At Old Town High School, he played high school football, basketball and baseball and graduated in 1948. He enrolled at Maine Maritime Academy and then served in the U.S. Air Force from 1950-54 during the Korean War.

MacPherson returned to school at Springfield College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1958. He was a center and linebacker on the football team, a member of the Chiefs’ undefeated 1956 squad, and served as team captain as a senior. It was at Springfield that he met his future wife, the former Sandra Jean Moffitt, when both were sophomores. His alma mater awarded him with induction into the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988.

MacPherson had earned entry into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 1985.

MacPherson’s Coaching Career

MacPherson’s first coaching stop was at Illinois where he was a graduate assistant coach with the freshman team while working on his master’s degree. He moved on to Massachusetts as freshman coach for two years and then took an assistant’s post at Cincinnati under Coach Chuck Studley.

Lou Saban hired MacPherson at Maryland in 1966 and then, when the Denver Broncos selected Saban as head coach, he brought MacPherson with him.

MacPherson returned to New England to lead the University of Massachusetts program in 1971. He led the Minutemen to a 45-27-1 record (.778), four Yankee Conference Championships, and was a two-time selection as the New England Coach of the Year.

He returned to the NFL as an assistant coach on the staff of Sam Rutigliano with the Cleveland Browns from 1978-80 before his hiring as the 25th head coach at ���ϲ����� by then-athletics director Jake Crouthamel. ���ϲ����� had made just one bowl appearance in the previous 14 years when Crouthamel turned to MacPherson, who he had worked against while the head coach at Dartmouth.

An Orange Rebuild

MacPherson helped orchestrate one of the most impressive re-construction jobs in college football history. Leading up to his hiring, ���ϲ����� had posted a 34-55 (.382) record during the most recent eight seasons. The Orange had not recorded an above .500 mark since a 7-5 record in 1979.

It was not an easy process for MacPherson and his staff. Consecutive seasons of 4-6-1 and 2-9 featured significant growing pains for the Orange without many positive results on the scoreboard. After two years of swimming against the tide, ���ϲ����� began to show signs of life. In 1983 the team won its last three games, including two against nationally ranked Boston College (#12) and West Virginia (#15), to finish 6-5.

One year later, MacPherson’s group sent a loud message to the college football world by defeating number- one Nebraska, 17-9. The Orange ended up 6-5 again but the program’s once-proud reputation had been restored.

MacPherson’s 1985 club earned an invitation to the Cherry Bowl, the school’s first bowl berth since 1979. ���ϲ����� started slow the following campaign before regrouping with wins in four-of-the-last-five games to end up 5-6 and set the table for the remarkable 1987 season.

The Year Of The Orange

Everything came together for MacPherson’s crew in 1987. The Orange opened with a 25-11 win against Maryland, the start of an 11-game winning streak. When ���ϲ����� won back-to-back encounters at Virginia Tech (35-21) and Missouri (24-13), the team improved to 5-0 and subsequently made its first appearance in both national polls since the start of the 1971 season.

The sixth game of the campaign put the Orange up against long-time rival Penn State before more than 50,000 fans in the Carrier Dome. The Nittany Lions had trounced ���ϲ����� the year before, 42-3, and came into the game ranked 10th nationally. Don McPherson opened the contest with an 80-yard touchdown pass to Rob Moore and the Orange jumped out to a 41-0 advantage before the game ended in a ���ϲ����� victory, 48-21.

The Penn State triumph put ���ϲ����� in the top 10, a position it had not held since 1968. Four more victories followed before a critical pairing with West Virginia to close the regular season. McPherson provided heroics again, connecting with Pat Kelly on a 17-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds left to pull the Orange within one, 31-30. Coach MacPherson instructed his club to play for the win and Michael Owens did just that, finding the end zone after taking a pitch from McPherson for the two-point conversion and a 32-31 triumph.

With the quest for an undefeated season and a national championship still alive, fourth-ranked ���ϲ����� was invited to the Sugar Bowl and a matchup with #6 Auburn. ���ϲ����� trailed 13-10 in the third quarter but two field goals from Tim Vesling put the Orange up, 16-13. MacPherson’s defensive charges kept the Tigers out of the end zone as time wound down and Auburn coach Pat Dye opted to play for a tie. Win Lyle converted a 30-yard field goal as time expired and the contest ended even, 16-16.

More Mac Success

The unbeaten season started the most successful run of Orange gridiron success. It was the first of 15 straight winning campaigns for ���ϲ�����. In 1988, MacPherson’s group overcame a loss at Ohio State in the second game of the season to finish 10-2, including a victory versus LSU in the Hall of Fame Bowl.

Bowl berths followed in 1989, when ���ϲ����� defeated Georgia in the Peach Bowl, 19-18, and the following season, which ended with the Orange beating Arizona in the Aloha Bowl, 28-0.

The run of prosperity earned MacPherson an offer to be head coach of the New England Patriots. He accepted the position and served for two years before completing his coaching career.

MacPherson The Mentor

During his tenure at ���ϲ�����, MacPherson put together some of the most talented coaching staffs in the country. He employed and mentored future college head coaches Gary Blackney (Bowling Green), Randy Edsall (Connecticut, Maryland), Jim Hofher (Cornell, Buffalo), Bill Maxwell (Hobart), George O’Leary (Georgia Tech, Central Florida), Paul Pasqualoni (���ϲ�����, Connecticut), and Jim Tressel (Youngstown State, Ohio State).

On-Air Orange

Following his retirement from coaching, MacPherson moved to the broadcast booth, working for BIG EAST TV. He was also a radio analyst for ���ϲ����� football games, first on game-day coverage for local station WSYR and later as part of the program’s official radio network. He teamed with Dave Pasch, the voice of the Arizona Cardinals and college football and basketball on ESPN, as well as current Voice of the Orange Matt Park.

The MacPherson Family

He survived by his wife, Sandra, his daughters Maureen and Janet, and four grandchildren (Richard “Macky,” Cameron and Susan MacPherson and Molly Sweeney). His grandsons, Macky and Cameron, played football at ���ϲ�����, where Macky is currently in his second season as a graduate assistant coach.

MacPherson’s Coaching History

1958 Illinois Assistant Freshman Coach
1959-60 Massachusetts Freshman Coach
1961-65 Cincinnati Assistant Coach
1966 Maryland Assistant Coach
1967-70 Denver Broncos Assistant Coach
1971-77 Massachusetts Head Coach
1978-80 Cleveland Browns Assistant Coach
1981-90 ���ϲ����� Head Coach
1991-92 New England Patriots Head Coach

The Military Pass is part of Chancellor Kent Syverud’s plan to make ���ϲ����� “the best place for veterans,” a commitment he verbalized during his 2014 inauguration remarks.

“We celebrate honoring all veterans and active duty military throughout the year,” says ���ϲ����� Director of Athletics John Wildhack. “The Military Pass is one way to demonstrate our respect and appreciation for those who defend our freedom. ���ϲ����� is a leader in supporting veterans and military families. The athletics department will continue to play an active role in this initiative.”

The Military Pass offers veterans two complimentary tickets to the Sept. 9 game against Middle Tennessee and the Oct. 7 game against Pittsburgh during Homecoming Weekend. On Nov. 11, veterans and active duty military can take advantage of four free tickets to the ���ϲ����� game against Wake Forest on Military Appreciation Day, presented by SEFCU. The event will celebrate all service members with activities prior to and throughout the game.

The Military Pass complimentary tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and must be requested at least five days prior to the game. Veterans and active duty military should register at to reserve tickets, and are encouraged to read the for more information on how the tickets will be delivered.

If the complimentary ticket allotment is exhausted at the time of request, veterans and active duty military will be offered discounted tickets ($10 per ticket; up to four tickets) for another section. The $10 ticket offer for veterans and active duty military is available for all home games in 2017. A valid military ID must be presented when purchasing these discounted tickets and can only be claimed once games open 90 minutes prior to kickoff.

All Orange fans are invited to show their support for veterans and active duty military through the ‘Cuse for the Troops program by sponsoring a military member’s ticket for Military Appreciation Day when ���ϲ����� hosts Wake Forest on Veterans Day (Nov. 11). The first 500 tickets for the ‘Cuse for the Troops program are sponsored by SEFCU. More details on how to donate tickets is available here: .

“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Bernie Custis,” said ���ϲ����� Director of Athletics John Wildhack. “Bernie was a true pioneer. Widely considered to be the first black quarterback in modern professional football, he opened doors and paved the way for countless others who may otherwise not have gotten an opportunity.

“At ���ϲ�����, he starred on Ben Schwartzwalder’s early teams, helping lay the foundation for one of the golden eras of Orange football. Bernie’s accomplishments and courage should be celebrated by all. ���ϲ����� extends its deepest condolences to the Custis family for their loss.”

Custis played for the Orange from 1948-50. During an era when teams predominantly ran the football, Custis became the first SU player to record a 1,000-yard passing season, throwing for 1,121 yards in 1949. He finished his three-year college career with 2,617 yards and 12 touchdown passes.

In 1951, Custis was drafted sixth overall by the Cleveland Browns, who wanted him to play safety. He instead signed with Hamilton and became the Tiger-Cats’ starting quarterback on Aug. 19, 1951. He started every game at quarterback that season. Custis moved to running back the following year and in 1953 helped the Tiger-Cats capture the Grey Cup. He ended his career with the Ottawa Rough Riders as a running back in 1955 and 1956.

Custis later became a coach, most notably with the Burlington Braves of the Canadian Junior Football League, where he won three Ontario championships and two Eastern Canadian titles.

A 1977 ���ϲ����� Letterwinner of Distinction, Custis was inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame in 1998.

For complete coverage of ���ϲ����� Athletics visit .

Fuller’s responsibilities will include oversight for marketing, athletics ticket sales, communications and the Orange Club. Jones Kolod will have oversight for all aspects of the athletics department financial operation, including budget, long-term financial planning, working in partnership with appropriate groups to identify incremental revenue opportunities and monitor expenses, and will be the athletics department direct liaison with the University’s budget office.

“Chris is recognized as one of the brightest and most creative leaders in Intercollegiate Athletics,” Wildhack says. “He will lead our external operations to further enhance our marketing efforts, engagement with donors in all respects and identify opportunities to grow our relationships and revenue.

“Kristen brings a wealth of expertise to our department. Her positions in the ���ϲ����� Division of Student Affairs Budget and Operations office will be an asset,” Wildhack says. “Kristen’s background at the University, coupled with her exceptional financial acumen, make her a perfect addition to our team.”

Chris Fuller

Fuller comes to ���ϲ����� from the University of Tennessee where he has worked for the past 12 years in leadership roles in sales and marketing and external operations. Since 2009, he has been the senior associate athletics director for external operations, responsible for all external operations of UT Athletics, including the Tennessee Fund Office, sales and marketing, ticket operations and broadcasting/VFL Films. Under Fuller’s leadership, the Tennessee Fund launched its $163 million Campaign for Comprehensive Excellence in 2013. The campaign made possible facility enhancements including Pat Summitt Plaza, the Joan Cronan Volleyball Center and the Ray & Lucy Hand Digital Studio, as well as a number of other significant upgrades.

Fuller served as the primary liaison with IMG College/The Vol Network. He negotiated an extension of the University’s agreement with IMG through 2022, valued at $132.9 million. Additionally, Fuller was the university’s lead negotiator with several key corporate clients and has served on several coaching search committees, including football, men’s basketball, baseball, and track and field. Fuller recently spearheaded the fundraising, design and construction of the Ray & Lucy Hand Digital Studio, a state-of-the-art broadcasting facility.

An active member of the Knoxville community, Fuller served as chair of the United Way Branding and Messaging Committee for the successful 2010 campaign, an effort that raised more than $12 million for the United Way of Greater Knoxville. He also played an integral role in the development of the OUTLIVE program that benefited the UT Cancer Institute and has been involved with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through its annual “Light the Night” Walk.

Before his arrival at Tennessee, Fuller served as a consultant for the Mid-American Conference and previously as vice president of collegiate marketing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, with responsibility for the formation and operation of Gund Sports Marketing (GSM). GSM clients included the Mid-American Conference, Bowling Green State University, Miami University and the Rock ‘n Roll Shootout. He also served as director of business operations and university services for ACC Properties from 1995-99. In this role, he was responsible for the ACC’s official corporate partner program, championship events, licensing, event merchandising, publications and the official ACC website.

Fuller began his career in collegiate athletics as the assistant sports marketing director at the University of North Carolina. He graduated from Shepherd College in 1988 (political science) and earned his master’s degree from West Virginia University (sports management) in 1992. He and his wife, Lori, were married in Knoxville in October 2005 and are the proud parents of two pugs, Rooney and Madigan.

Kristen Jones Kolod

Jones Kolod moves to the athletics department from the Division of Student Affairs. Since 2008, she has served as the executive director of budget and administrative operations for that division.����Prior to that, Jones Kolod served as director of budget and operations for Student Affairs.

In her role as executive director, she was responsible for the preparation, planning and management of the Student Affairs’ budget and financial matters, including the functional supervision of all departmental managers. In this role, she also oversaw Student Affairs Technical Services and served as the divisional contact for facility projects, space planning and human resource processes.

Jones Kolod has extensive experience in financial management and analysis, business process improvements and efficiencies, development and implementation of policies and procedures, and project management. As a member of the Student Affairs senior leadership team, she contributed to the organizational management, strategic direction and vision of the division.

Prior to joining ���ϲ�����, Jones Kolod worked as the manager of financial planning and analysis for the Commercial Systems and Services Division of United Technologies Corp., where she was responsible for monthly forecasting and annual financial plans. Previous positions included the manager of finance and accounting services at Carrier Corp., North American operations, and manager of corporate payroll at the Penn Traffic Co.

Jones Kolod earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting and a masters of business administration, both from Le Moyne College, where she also participated in the Study Abroad Program in Warsaw, Poland.

The ���ϲ����� Athletics Yard sale will still be held in Manley Field House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will feature men’s and women’s apparel and equipment, including brands such as Nike and STX. Shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, several sports jerseys, basketball warm-ups and shorts, running shoes, basketball shoes, turf shoes, sandals and lacrosse equipment will be available. Only cash and credit cards will be accepted (no checks). Items will not be sold to wholesalers or distributors and are not to be resold. Parking is free in the Manley North and South lots. Attendees should enter Manley Field House through the Simmons Coaches Wing entrance on Comstock Avenue.

Freshman Malachi Richardson tied his season high with 23 points, matching his total from the Jan. 24 contest in Charlottesville, and was named the Midwest Regional MVP. Graduate student Michael Gbinije added 11 points, extending his streak of consecutive double-digit scoring games to 34, and was named to the All-Region Team. Freshman Tyler Lydon also had 11 points, while Tyler Roberson had 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds. Graduate student Trevor Cooney added eight points and four steals.

Virginia led by 15, 54-39, with 9:32 remaining. Roberson’s dunk at the 9:16 mark started the Orange on the decisive scoring run, which featured 14 points from Richardson. He accounted for the last seven points of the offensive outburst that gave ���ϲ����� a 64-58 lead with 3:27 on the clock. The run also coincided with the Orange instituting the full-court press, which forced the Cavaliers to go at a pace they normally don’t play.

The Orange led by four when Virginia’s All-American Malcolm Brogdon went to the free throw line. He hit both of his attempts to cut ���ϲ�����’s advantage to two with 27 seconds remaining. The Cavaliers fouled Gbinije with 25 seconds remaining, sending him to the charity stripe. He went 1-for-2, putting the Orange up 65-62.

Virginia missed on a 3-point attempt on its next possession and Lydon grabbed the defensive rebound and was fouled with 9.2 seconds on the clock. He hit both free throws and senior DaJuan Coleman added a free throw in the closing seconds for the 68-62 final.

Anthony Gill’s dunk to start the second half gave Virginia a 16-point advantage, but the Orange responded with an 11-2 scoring run to cut the deficit to seven, 39-32 at the 15:02 mark. Richardson and Coleman each it a pair of free throws before Cooney scored two straight baskets. Lydon capped the run with a 3-pointer.

The Cavaliers pushed its lead back to double digits, but a 3-pointer by Richardson brought the Orange within eight, 45-37. Virginia built its lead back up to 15, but it was all ���ϲ����� after that.

���ϲ����� jumped out to a 6-2 lead thanks to a pair of Roberson baskets off offensive rebounds. London Perrantes hit a 3-pointer at the 14:14 mark for the Cavaliers’ first field goal, sparking Virginia on a 19-2 scoring run. Darius Thompson capped the run with a layup with 6:33 on the clock to give the Cavaliers a 21-10 advantage.

Cooney halted the run with a jumper in the lane before Gbinije stole an inbounds pass and went the length of the floor for a layup to cut the deficit to seven, 21-14. But Virginia continued to click on offense and Perrantes’ 3-pointer with 39 seconds remaining gave the Cavaliers their largest lead of the half. He hit five three’s in the first half for all of his game-high 15 points, helping Virginia to a 35-21 halftime advantage. The 21 points is the lowest total in the first half for the Orange this season.

The Orange will play in the national semifinals for the second time in four years next weekend in Houston and will face an ACC foe – either North Carolina or Notre Dame on Saturday, April 2.

The contest sets the program record for the most points scored in an NCAA Tournament game by the Orange with 89, while junior guard Alexis Peterson broke her own program record for points scored in an NCAA Tournament contest with 29 – her fourth-consecutive game with more than 20 points. Peterson contributed six assists, four rebounds and three steals as well in the effort, while senior guard Brianna Butler added 18 points of her own in the win.

Junior forward Isabella Slim knocked down the first points of the game for the Orange and back-to-back 3-pointers from senior guards Maggie Morrison and Butler allowed ���ϲ����� to take the lead at 10-9 for ���ϲ����� with 5:01 on the clock in the first quarter. However, Tennessee controlled much of the first quarter. The Lady Vols led by as much as seven with less than a minute left in the period but junior guard Alexis Peterson drilled a triple and a jumper to cut that lead to two, 22-20, as time ticked out in the first quarter.

Peterson came out ready to go in the second quarter, knocking down two more 3-pointers, forcing Tennessee to call a timeout as the Orange retook the lead, 28-26, with 6:05 left before halftime.

Momentum continued in ���ϲ�����’s favor as Butler got hot putting up two triples on back-to-back possessions for ���ϲ�����, extending the lead to 39-31 with 2:43 left in the quarter. The Orange went into the locker room with a 41-35 advantage at the end of the first half. The nine three pointers hit in the first half by the Orange ties the most the club has hit in a half this season.

���ϲ����� came into the second half hungry. Senior guard Cornelia Fondren but put up two lay-ups in the opening minutes and the Orange took a 49-38 lead at 7:08 in the third. Eleven points from Tennessee’s Diamond DeShields brought the score to 54-51 ���ϲ����� advantage with 3:18 on the clock in the third. Morrison put two more triples on target and the Orange finished out the first quarter, leading 63-56. Fondren couldn’t miss and went 6-for-6 from the field in the first three quarters of play.

Coming into the third quarter, Tennessee pulled back within four but Butler stepped back and hit two more triples to push the lead back to 10, 69-59 with 8:39 left in the contest. It was all Butler and Peterson, combining for 16 points in the first half of the final quarter and the Orange went up by 18 with five minutes left, 79-61.

From there, it was all celebration for ‘Cuse. The Orange defense once again came up big in the game, with 21 forced Tennessee turnovers. ���ϲ����� has forced 19-or-more turnovers in every NCAA Tournament game this season. SU took much better care of the ball offensively, only turning it over seven times in the win.

���ϲ����� finished the game shooting 46-percent from the field and 47-percent from behind the arc, sinking 14-of-30 attempts from long range.

Fondren, Butler and Peterson were named to the Sioux Falls Regional All-Tournament Team for their play this weekend.

The Orange dance again in the program’s first Final Four in Indianapolis next weekend, where they’ll face a familiar foe, seventh-seeded Washington, which ���ϲ����� defeated 66-62 in Las Vegas earlier this season.

For the latest news on the ���ϲ����� women’s basketball program, follow /���ϲ�����WBB on Facebook, @CuseWBB on Instagram, and @CuseWBB on Twitter.

Jean and Dick Thompson with Otto the Orange

���ϲ����� has announced a transformational gift of $1 million from ���ϲ����� Board of Trustees Chairman Dick Thompson and his wife, Jean, to advance SU athletics and celebrate the historic move to the Atlantic Coast Conference. The gift will be used to enhance the overall student-athlete experience and to continue to help build the competitive excellence of Orange athletic teams.

“We are overwhelmed with unbelievable gratitude and joy for the very thoughtful gift from Dick and Jean Thompson. They have been extremely supportive of ���ϲ����� athletics for many years and have given us the confidence to truly believe we can succeed in the future, especially as we enter the ACC. It’s this kind of commitment which makes ���ϲ����� university so great and intimate. Today we toast the Thompson family as they have helped ensure the continued success of our athletic program,” says ���ϲ����� Athletics Director Daryl Gross.

The gift is the largest of the ‘I’m In’ campaign for athletics to date, which encompasses a new push for involvement from all of Orange Nation to help provide the resources necessary to be competitive at the highest levels of the ACC.

“Athletics has been an integral part of the ���ϲ����� identity since its founding in 1870. We are pleased to announce the dedication of a $1 million pledge to these programs to launch ‘Cuse’s membership in the Atlantic Coast Conference. It is a great day for our University, the ���ϲ����� community, and intercollegiate sports,” says Board of Trustees Chairman Dick Thompson.

“We are very grateful to the University and especially the Athletic Department for their support of a variety of outstanding college teams for women and men,” says Jean Thompson. “My father, John F. Phelan, was a student-athlete and a proud member of the SU football team in 1940. We hope this gift will help sustain the University’s commitment to future generations of student athletes as it launches its membership in the Atlantic Coast Conference.”

“We are so thankful to Dick and Jean for this incredible, transformational gift to Athletics,” says SU Chancellor Nancy Cantor. “Their remarkable generosity will enable our student-athletes to continue to excel as we enter the ACC.”

The gift, which the Thompsons pledged as part of the Campaign for ���ϲ�����, came just hours after the formal announcement of SU’s inclusion into the ACC at a press conference in New York City attended by Gross and head basketball coach Jim Boeheim. Specific provisions of the gift will be announced in the coming months.

“I look forward to representing the hard-nosed city of ���ϲ����� and the great state of New York as the head coach of ���ϲ�����,” Shafer says. “We will go to work every day to put a quality product on the field as we storm our way into the Atlantic Coast Conference. We are very motivated to start preparing for the 2013 campaign with our current team and incoming student-athletes.”

Shafer’s ���ϲ����� defenses have ranked among the nation’s best in various categories during his four-year tenure, including the 2012 unit that ranked sixth nationally in tackles for a loss. In 2009, Shafer’s defense ranked 37th in the country after having been 114th in 2008. The unit also improved dramatically in first downs allowed, ranking 27th (from 104th), sacks (sixth from 100th), and third-down defense (28th from 117th). The next year the Orange defense was No. 7 in the nation and Shafer was nominated for the AFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year and the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach.

[quote style=”boxed” float=”right”]We will go to work every day to put a quality product on the field as we storm our way into the Atlantic Coast Conference.”[/quote]
Scott Shafer is an experienced, intelligent, motivating coach who has dedicated his life to coaching and developing college student-athletes,” says ���ϲ����� Director of Athletics Dr. Daryl Gross. “I can’t think of a coach in America who is more deserving of having an opportunity to be a head coach. His commitment to developing the total student-athlete is unmatched. We have all seen the attitude of his defense, which consists of unity, toughness and persistence. I know and trust Coach Shafer will enhance the momentum that has been created in the program. He is a brilliant coach, a tireless worker and a relentless recruiter who believes that we can create a sustainable championship culture. I am convinced Coach Shafer will successfully carry the torch of the ���ϲ����� football legacy.”

“Coach Scott Shafer has been an important factor in why the winning tradition has returned to our program,” says Chairman of the SU Board of Trustees Richard L. Thompson and SU Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor in a joint statement. “He has the vision, commitment and energy necessary for our team to be successful on the field and for our student-athletes to succeed off the field, both academically and personally. As we continue to strengthen the program, his outstanding abilities, developed over 20 years of coaching, make him the right leader to build on ���ϲ����� Football’s strong momentum in the years ahead. We congratulate Dr. Daryl Gross who undertook a swift, intensive search process that identified the right candidate—while ensuring stability, continuity and quality in our football program.”

Many of Shafer’s players have continued their careers in the National Football League, including ���ϲ����� standouts Chandler and Arthur Jones, Doug Hogue and Phillip Thomas, Western Michigan’s E.J. Biggers and Louis Delmas, Illinois’ Kelvin Hayden and Michgian’s Morgan Trent.

Prior to coming to ���ϲ�����, Shafer climbed the coaching ranks with stops at Indiana University (graduate assistant, 1991-92), the University of Rhode Island (secondary, 1993-95), Northern Illinois University (defensive coordinator/defensive backs, 1996-2003), the University of Illinois (defensive backs, 2004), Western Michigan(defensive coordinator/defensive backs, 2005-06), Stanford (assistant head coach/defensive coordinator, 2007), and the University of Michigan (defensive coordinator, 2008).

At Rhode Island, Shafer helped lead the Rams to the New England Division title. The success continued at Northern Illinois, where the Huskies ranked third nationally in interceptions (23). His 2002 unit led the MAC in every defensive category.

During Shafer’s two years at Western Michigan, he played a key role in one of the biggest turnarounds in Broncos history, as the team went from 1-11 the year prior to his arrival to 7-4 in 2005 and 8-4 in 2006. Shafer’s 2006 defensive group led the nation in interceptions (24) and sacks (46), and finished sixth in run defense, seventh in turnover margin, 11th in total defense and 14th in opponent third-down conversions. That unit also set a Mid-American Conference record for fewest rushing yards allowed per game (76.1 ypg). He was again nominated for the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach.

At Stanford, the Cardinal defense improved in every NCAA statistical defensive category from the previous season.

Shafer played quarterback and was a team captain at Baldwin-Wallace College from 1986-1989. He directed the Yellow Jackets offense that ranked 17th nationally in pass efficiency. He began his collegiate playing career at Ohio University in 1985.

A native of Painesville, Ohio, Shafer earned his undergraduate degree in education from Baldwin-Wallace in 1990 and his master’s degree from Indiana University in 1993. He and his wife, Missy, have a son, Wolfgang, and a daughter, Elsa.

The master of ceremonies for the evening will be Marv Albert ‘61, a classmate of Davis’ at ���ϲ�����.��The panel discussion, “Breaking Barriers, Building Dreams:��The Landmark Achievement of Ernie Davis,” will be moderated by sportscaster Len Berman.��Participants will include:��Dave Bing ‘66, mayor of Detroit and Basketball Hall of Fame inductee; Frank Deford, Hall of Fame sportswriter, author and commentator; Mike Garrett, the second African American to win the Heisman Trophy; Billy Hunter ’65, executive director of the NBA Players Association; Floyd Little ’67, College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee; and Art Monk ’80, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee.

Fifty years ago, the Civil Rights Act was three years from becoming a reality.��It would be four years until voting rights of all Americans were protected by federal law. But an unassuming sports hero was about to play an important, yet unintentional, role in the burgeoning civil rights movement. On Dec. 6, 1961, SU running back Davis was awarded the Heisman Trophy. It was the first time in history that an African American was honored as the best college football player in the country, even though blacks had participated in the game since the late 1800s.
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The panel will discuss what it took to reach that milestone and how far our society’s approach to diversity and equal rights has evolved since that landmark achievement, as SU commemorates and celebrates an event that helped shape the course of history.��

Len Berman ’68:��A native of Brooklyn and a fixture in New York City television for 30 years, Berman is currently seen on NBC’s “Today Show” with his popular feature “Spanning the World.” Berman was a weekday evening sports anchor for WNBC- TV (1982-2009), and was a popular sportscaster at NBC and ESPN.

Dave Bing ’66:��Mayor of Detroit and Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, Bing played 12 seasons in the NBA, primarily for the Detroit Pistons (1966-75).��He was a seven-time All-Star. A consensus All-American in 1966, Bing was the second overall selection in the 1967 NBA Draft. He established the Bing Group with four employees in 1980 and built it into a multi-million dollar conglomerate.

Frank Deford:��A senior contributing writer for Sports Illustrated, Deford is also an author and a commentator for National Public Radio and correspondent for Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel on HBO.��He is the recipient of numerous national awards for his work in sports journalism, including induction into the Sportswriters Hall of Fame.

Mike Garrett:��The 1965 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time All-American, Garrett was a tailback for the University of Southern California. He was the second African American in history to win the Heisman Trophy. Garrett played professional football for eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego Chargers and then served as athletics director at his alma mater from 1993–2010.

Billy Hunter ‘65:��Executive director of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), Hunter is a former wide receiver for the NFL’s Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins. He earned his law degree and became one of the youngest U.S. Attorneys in history. Since 1996, Hunter has been the executive director of the NBA Players Association.��While an undergraduate at ���ϲ�����, Hunter joined the Orange football team as a freshman when Ernie Davis was a senior. He helped organize the school’s boycott of southern schools whose stadiums were segregated. Hunter is an emeritus member of the ���ϲ����� Board of Trustees.

Floyd Little ’67: A College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee and three-time All-American, Little donned the hallowed No. 44 for the Orange, which was handed down from Jim Brown to Ernie Davis to Little. A first-round draft pick by the Denver Broncos in 1967, Little starred for the team for nine seasons and became one of the first players honored in the Broncos Hall of Fame. The recipient of more than 18 professional athletic achievement awards and more than 30 distinguished community service awards during his career, Little joined SU in July as the special assistant to the athletics director.

Art Monk ‘80: A Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Monk was a four-year ���ϲ����� letterwinner and still ranks in the top 10 on several school career record lists. The recipient of countless awards in pro football, Monk played for the Washington Redskins, the New York Jets and the Philadelphia Eagles.��He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008, recognizing his 16-year NFL career, which included three Super Bowl championships, three Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro honors. A current member of the ���ϲ����� Board of Trustees, Monk is a respected business leader and community service activist.