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Catching Up With A&M-Commerce Athletics

ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME—Five new members were inducted into the Univeristy's Athletic Hall of Fame recently. Pictured from the left are F. H. “Bub” McDowell, former quarterback and President Emeritus of A&M-Commerce; Alice Fortes, volleyball all-American (1987) and basketball All-LSC; Larry McGhee, basketball All-American (1976-77); and Carolyn Brown Burt, coach and historian. Johnny Garrison, who played football (1935-38) and was the first Lion to win national recognition when he was named an honorable mention on the 1936 Associated Press Little All-American team, was also inducted. He passed away in 1972.

Lions Play In
All-Star Games

Lion senior offensive linemen Tait Afualo and Paul Simmons will play in post-season all-star football games in January.
Afualo, the Lions left tackle, will play for the West team in the Hula Bowl, one of just six NCAA Division II players invited to the affair on Jan. 20 at Maui, Hawaii.

Simmons, who started the year at center then moved to right tackle, will play center for the West in the Cactus Bowl, the Division II all-star game, on Jan. 12 in Kingsville.

Lions Make All-LSC Team,
Best Record In Years

Four A&M-Commerce football Lions were named to the 2000 All-Lone Star Conference South First Team. Eight other Lions were chosen second team and honorable mention on the squad selected by the head coaches of the LSC.

Offensive tackle Tait Afualo, fullback Adrian Barnes, defensive end Bryan Smith and linebacker Jessie Brooks were chosen to first-team All-LSC South.
“I am so proud of these young men,” said Lion head coach Eddie Brister. “They did a great job for us this season. They all have brought honor to our University.”
The Lions finished the season with a 5-6 record, their best in four years.

Volleyball Lions Have Four
On All-LSC North Squads

Seniors Melissa Staiger and Cindy Gunn were selected to the All-LSC North first team by the division’s coaches, while sophomores Christy Alvillar and Sara Wedberg were chosen to the second team.

Melissa, a 5-7 setter from Houston/Kingwood, led the Lions with 1,180 assists this season and was named the LSC North Setter of the Week four times in 2000. She averaged 9.4 assists per game, shared the team lead with 36 service aces and recorded 53 blocks on the season.

Cindy, a 5-10 outside hitter from Houston/Cypress Creek, led the Lions with 469 kills on the year, an average of 3.50 per game. She also chalked up 29 service aces and was second on the team with 423 digs, an average of 3.2 per game. She also recorded 57 blocks.
The volleyball Lions finished at 24-13, their best season since 1988.

Soccer Has Five Tabbed All-
Conference

Led by freshman forward Emily Brueggemann, the soccer Lions placed five players on the 2000 All-LSC team.

Emily was the lone Lion named to the first team as selected by the LSC coaches. Defender Lynette Bass and midfielder Toni Catchings were chosen to the second team, while forward Stacy Carr and goalkeeper Sarah Fagan were honorable mentions to the squad.

A 5-7 freshman from Wichita, Kan./North, Emily made Lion history by setting a new school and Lone Star Conference record and tying the NCAA Division II record with six goals in the final game of the season against Southwestern Oklahoma State. She set a new school record for goals in a season with 17 and led the Lions with 38 points, third in the LSC.
The Lions finished the season with a 9-6-1 record.

Lions Basketball
Hoops Update

The Lion men finished first semester play at 5-3, and had three of the first four LSC South Players of the Week. The Lions Carl Hawkins, a 6-4 forward, was twice named LSC South Player of the Week and went into the break averaging 22.4 points a game. Tyrone Palmer, a 6-9 swingman, was named the Player of the Week once and sported a 20.4 average at the break.

The Lion women were 2-5 near the break with Summer Sparnon, a 5-9 forward, leading the way with 15.6 points a game.

Five Added To Athletic
Association Hall Of Fame

One of the largest classes in recent history was inducted into the A&M-Commerce Athletic Hall of Fame during the induction banquet that highlighted Athletic Association Weekend.

Football All-American Johnny Garrison, administrator F.H. “Bub” McDowell, coach and historian Carolyn Brown Burt, basketball all American Larry McGhee and volleyball All-American and basketball All-LSC selection Alice Fortes were presented with the University’s highest athletic honor for their contributions to the athletic history of A&M-Commerce.

Johnny Garrison was the first Lion to win national recognition when he was an honorable mention on the 1936 Associated Press Little All-America team. The halfback also won All-Lone Star Conference honors.

Under the direction of Coach Bob Berry, the Lions posted a 30-7-1 record during Johnny’s career, winning or sharing three LSC titles. A sprinter on the Lion track team, he is best remembered for returning opening kickoffs for touchdowns in back-to-back games against Northwestern (La.) State University and Northeast Missouri State University in 1937. The Locust yearbook described him as “hard running.”

Coach Bob Berry brought F.H. “Bub” McDowell to A&M-Commerce as a quarterback, and he left as the president. Yep. He called the signals from the beginning, helping the Lions to an 8-2-0 LSC championship season in 1937.
With a degree in physical education in hand, he planned to coach in the public schools, but the University’s business manager, L.I. Smith, made a better offer and McDowell settled in as Smith’s assistant. In this position, he became more involved with the athletic program—selling tickets, arranging team travel, etc.

When Smith retired, McDowell became business manager. Among the new duties was serving on the University’s Athletic Council. In 1963, he became chairman of the council, making him a member of the Lone Star Conference executive committee. He
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