Temple University Athletics

From The AD's Desk - April 2013

From The AD's Desk - April 2013
From The AD's Desk
A column from Temple University Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw
April 2013 

Spring is here and with the change of seasons comes exciting changes for Temple Athletics!

First, our winter sports season has come to a close and what a tremendous season for your Owls.

Fran Dunphy’s men’s basketball team knocked off one of the top ACC teams, North Carolina State, in the NCAA Tournament and then took the nation’s top-ranked team for most of the season, Indiana, to the wire before succumbing in the third round.  

Our men’s gymnastics team, ranked #13 in the nation, won the ECAC Championships for the 18th time under Hall of Fame coach Fred Turoff, who was named ECAC Coach of the Year.  His Owls will compete at the NCAA Championships hosted by Penn State on April 20-21.

The Temple Fencing team, under the direction of Hall of Fame coach Nikki Franke, sent four of its members to the NCAA Championship with the team finishing 10th overall.

The spring sports teams have picked up the mantle and are off to a terrific start, led by softball and golf which are look poised to contend for conference championships. 

The Football team, under new head coach Matt Rhule, is in full swing and preparing for its Cherry and White game that is being held at the Edberg-Olsen Football Complex on Saturday, April 20th at 1:00 pm. It is expected to be a great atmosphere for what promises to be an exciting season for the Owls.

The biggest change over this spring is the announcement of the name for our new league -- the American Athletic Conference. 

Temple is excited to be a member of such a strong conference as The American.  Our new conference allows Temple University and its athletic programs to reach a larger national audience than at any time in our history, while also aligning with like institutions in major cities. 

Playing in the sixth-ranked NCAA Bowl Sub-Division league as well as one of the top athletic conferences for all sports, Temple athletic teams will now be travelling to new cities such as Houston, Dallas, Memphis, New Orleans, Orlando and Tampa.  It is a far cry from the locations our programs visited when competing in previous conferences. Our television opportunities and bowl affiliations are a clear step upward as we prepare Philadelphia for big-time football on Saturdays.

When you consider The American’s new television deal, Temple Athletics will reach more homes than it ever has in its 118-year history of intercollegiate athletics.  Temple men’s basketball, which is one of eight programs to compete in the last six NCAA Tournaments, will now have a conference schedule to match its always strong non-conference one.   The team’s home schedule will arguably be its best-ever, with defending NCAA champion Louisville, UConn, Cincinnati and Memphis joining Big 5 rivals St. Joe’s and Villanova on the 2013-14 Liacouras Center slate.   Texas will also visit with a December date at the Wells Fargo Center.

Football will have another strong schedule, kicking off with an August 31 date at Notre Dame to open the season. Conference foes Louisville, UConn, Central Florida and Houston all will make appearances at The Linc in 2013.

Let’s not forget women’s basketball, which will play in arguably the toughest conference in the nation. Our Owls will welcome defending NCAA champion UConn as well as two other Final Four teams to Philadelphia in what clearly will be its toughest schedule.

The future has never been brighter for Temple Athletics, and it is with your continued support that we will be able to continue to compete at the highest level.  

Enjoy the rest of the spring and I look forward to seeing you at the Cherry and White game!!
 
Tickets, Get Your Tickets!!
Season tickets for the 2013 Temple Football season are now on sale starting at just $12.50 per game and include discounted seats for all six home games, priority access to purchase tickets for the August 31 match-up at Notre Dame, and additional savings for season tickets in 2014 (when Notre Dame comes to Philadelphia).  For more information and to order your season tickets, contact the Temple Athletics Ticket Sales Office at 215-204-8499 or via email at tixsales@temple.edu.
 
28th Annual Golf Classic
Save the date! On behalf of Temple Athletics and the Owl Club, I would like to invite you to the 28th Annual Golf Classic, sponsored by Sodexo Dining Services, on Monday, June 17th. This year’s event returns to White Manor Country Club in Malvern, PA. It promises to be an exciting day of golf festivities with all proceeds benefiting Temple’s more than 600 student-athletes! If you are interested in golfing or becoming a Golf Classic sponsor, please contact Chet Zukowski at (215) 204-6912.
 
Support Temple Athletics by June 30
Our student-athletes give 110% effort every day on the field, in the classroom and in the community. As we approach the close of Membership Year 2012-13 on June 30, I encourage you to match their commitment by supporting the Owl Club today! Make a first-time gift, renew or increase your giving online, or contact the Owl Club at 215-204-CLUB (2582) to make an immediate impact on Temple Athletics.

Temple Football vs. Notre Dame
Temple Football’s highly anticipated game at Notre Dame on Saturday, August 31 is quickly approaching. Make the journey to South Bend with other Owl fans by purchasing a travel package through the official travel partner of Temple Athletics, Anthony Travel. Packages include a hotel stay in Chicago, transportation to and from Notre Dame Stadium, pre-game tailgate, game ticket and much more! Remember, tickets will be assigned by Temple Athletics based on our new Priority Points Program.
PLAN YOUR TRIP NOW!