SFA VARSITY CLUB 2017-18 MEMBERSHIP GUIDE sfajacks.com / 1
Thanks for your support of Stephen F. Austin State University Athletics. Your annual support provides critical resources to all our student-athletes across SFA s 17 teams. Regardless of gift designation or amount, the support from all of our donors is critical to the success and achievement of our student-athletes, coaches and staff. We are extremely proud of the success we have had in the Southland Conference, in the classroom and in the community. This success has been achieved thanks in large part to the continued generosity of donors, season ticket holders, alumni and friends who support SFA Athletics. Managing our resources is one of our biggest challenges as it relates to competing on the NCAA Division I level. Faced with increasing costs, our department must strive for more outside financial support in order to remain competitive. At the same time, we must make sure that we support the mission of the university and have a positive impact on the economy of the community. SFA student-athletes have been able to achieve academic and athletic success because of your generous support. By impacting the lives of those who proudly wear the purple and white, you can take pride in knowing your investment will help continue the success and traditions of SFA. Axe em! Robert Hill Director of SFA Athletics 2 / 2017-18 SFA Varsity Club
TABLE OF CONTENTS 04 Our Mission 04 Important Dates 06 Students Attend College to Learn and Get a Degree 07 Championships Begin with Scholarships 08 You re a Member of SFA s Team 09 Lend Your Support 10 SFA Athletics: The Pinnacle of the Southland Conference Three Years Running 11 Football: We Are One 12 Back the Home Team: Brick by Brick 14 The Touchdown Club 14 The SFA Varsity Club 15 SFA Varsity Club Membership Benefits 16 Recent Accomplishments 17 Ladyjack Soccer 18 Ticket Information 18 Ways to Give 19 Sports Venues and Parking Map sfajacks.com / 3
OUR MISSION The SFA Varsity Club provides the resources needed to enrich the lives of our student-athletes. Club assistance helps them strive to achieve excellence in the classroom and in the highest level of competition by serving and connecting the SFA community with unparalleled experiences and tradition. We are committed to operating with integrity and in the best interest of the university, the Southland Conference and the NCAA. IMPORTANT DATES AUG 01 Program Recognition Deadline 4 / 2017-18 SFA Varsity Club AUG 01 FOOTBALL Season Ticket Renewal Deadline
OCT 07 Battle of the Piney Woods NRG Stadium Houston, Texas OCT 21 HOMECOMING WEEKEND SFA Football vs. Houston Baptist University OCT 01 BASKETBALL Season Ticket Renewal Deadline FEB 01 BASEBALL Season Ticket Renewal Deadline sfajacks.com / 5
STUDENTS ATTEND COLLEGE TO LEARN AND GET A DEGREE. College would not be possible for thousands of students without the aid of scholarships. In particular, athletic scholarships help SFA s student-athletes achieve their dreams of a quality college education. Both inside and outside the classroom, SFA student-athletes excel. They are strong, disciplined achievers who know how to stay focused and lead. Football s Marlon Walls earned his share of academic honors during the 2016-17 academic year, being named a first-team Academic All- American by the College Sports Information Directors of America, the first in Lumberjack football program history. An engineering physics major with a 4.0 GPA, Walls also was named the Southland Conference s Student-Athlete of the Year for football, as well as a Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star, a finalist for the Football Championship Subdivision Doris Robinson Award and a nominee for the American Football Coaches Association Good Works team. KELSI ANDERSON / Ladyjack Bowling Health Science Junior / San Antonio, Texas I have wanted to bowl collegiately for as long as I can remember. Receiving this scholarship has helped me live my dream. HANNA BARKER / Ladyjack Soccer Kinesiology Junior / Farmers Branch, Texas I want to thank the athletic scholarship donors for their generosity. They have greatly contributed to my success as a student and as an athlete. I ve been able to compete and grow as a person while pursuing my academic goals in an atmosphere that feels like home. 6 / 2017-18 SFA Varsity Club
CHAMPIONSHIPS BEGIN WITH SCHOLARSHIPS. Your donation helps SFA s student-athletes achieve amazing things. Women s SLC Cross-Country 2016 Champions During the 2016-17 academic year, more than 350 student-athletes representing all 17 Lumberjack and Ladyjack sports teams were named to the Southland Conference Commissioner s Honor Roll. Lumberjack athletes are some of the most successful students on the field and in the classroom. As a group, SFA s student-athletes maintain almost a cumulative 3.0 GPA each semester with half of all athletes annually making the Athletic Director s Honor Roll. Women s SLC Outdoor Track and Field 2017 Champions SFA s athletics program has one of the highest six-year graduation success rates in the Southland Conference, and in the past year, more than 100 student-athletes have graduated, with many completing their degrees in fewer than four years and now pursuing graduate work at SFA. TY CHARLES / Lumberjack Basketball Kinesiology Junior / Kennedale, Texas Receiving a full athletic scholarship to SFA has been a blessing. Great teammates, who have become my brothers, and coaches, who truly care about me, push me to be my best. I love everything about being at SFA. AMBER LANDRY / Ladyjack Softball Kinesiology Junior / Ponchatoula, Louisiana As a transfer student-athlete coming from a small town in Louisiana to SFA, my scholarship is superimportant to me. It keeps me focused academically. I love SFA s campus and the hometown atmosphere of Nacogdoches. It feels like I never left home! sfajacks.com / 7
YOU RE A MEMBER OF SFA S TEAM. As tuition and program costs continue to increase, support from donors like you becomes even more critical to fund successful SFA athletic programs. When you factor in additional direct expenses such as travel, academic support and sports medicine needs for approximately 400 SFA student-athletes across 17 varsity sports, we must make every dollar count. Charles Mathenge, SLC Cross-Country Men s 8,000-Meter Individual Champion 2016 KENNEDY HARRIS / Ladyjack Basketball Biology Sophomore / Austin, Texas I came to SFA to continue playing the sport I love with a program known for its winning tradition. I also have been able to pursue my academic goals while working toward someday becoming a medical doctor. SFA provides the best of both worlds a superior education with professors who care about you and your success and coaches who want you to reach your full potential both on and off the court. 8 / 2017-18 SFA Varsity Club KAJA LJUBIC / Ladyjack Tennis Kinesiology Sophomore / Ljubljana, Slovenia I feel like I ve become part of a new family. The girls on the tennis team and my coaches have been very supportive and helpful in every way. I have gained confidence in my sport and as a student. Leaving my country and traveling so far away was scary. However, I feel absolutely at home here.
LEND YOUR SUPPORT. As the principal fundraising arm of SFA men s and women s athletics, the SFA Varsity Club enhances the operating budget for the university s athletic programs. Donations made by loyal and generous donors are invested in athletic scholarships and also support general operations, which benefit the student-athletes in the following areas: Academic counseling Tutoring and mentoring Study hall and computer centers Sports medicine staff and facilities Strength and conditioning Nutrition programs and facilities Life skills and career development activities Summer scholarships and programs. Supporting SFA s athletic department and its student-athletes with a donation to the SFA Varsity Club is the best way to directly impact the future of SFA Athletics. Our student-athletes do their part: hours spent studying and practicing, competing, striving for championships and acting as ambassadors for SFA. Please help them build on their academic and athletic success by making a contribution today! ERICA LAUTENSACK / Ladyjack Golf Business Management Sophomore / Arlington, Texas Being a member of the golf team has given me the opportunity to make lifelong friends and further my education. I love SFA because of the beautiful campus and the friendly Nacogdoches community. The coaches are great, and my teammates have made my college experience incredibly memorable. JORDAN WASHINGTON Lumberjack Track and Field Kinesiology Sophomore / Lufkin, Texas Since my junior year of high school, I knew I wanted to run collegiate track. During my senior year, I started receiving offers, so I had to start looking at schools. SFA stood out because everyone was kindhearted and welcoming. I also am thankful to the scholarship donors. Without my scholarship, I would be in tons of debt. sfajacks.com / 9
SFA ATHLETICS: THE PINNACLE OF THE SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE THREE YEARS RUNNING. Once again, SFA Athletics clinched the Southland Conference s Commissioner s Cup, a feat the program has repeated three consecutive years. The Commissioner s Cup is annually awarded to the university compiling the highest combined total of men s and women s all-sports points among the 13 schools that compete in the Southland Conference. For 2016-17, SFA bested its competitors with a combined men s and women s score of 125. QUINLIN MCGREGOR Lumberjack Track and Field and Cross-Country Kinesiology Senior / Amarillo, Texas I decided to attend SFA within hours of my first visit. There was something about the school that really pulled me in. Receiving my athletic scholarship has helped me focus exclusively on academics and sports. Without the scholarship, I wouldn t have been able to excel at both. I also have been blessed to meet other student-athletes who have become my brothers and sisters. PEYTON REDMOND / Ladyjack Volleyball Sports Business Sophomore / Liberty Hill, Texas SFA has felt like home to me since the first day I arrived. Every day, I am pushed to be better than I was before, and I m so grateful to have coaches and teammates at SFA who bring out the qualities in me that I didn t even know existed. I am proud to be a Ladyjack. 10 / 2017-18 SFA Varsity Club
FOOTBALL: WE ARE ONE MARLON WALLS / Lumberjack Football Engineering Physics Senior / Pearland, Texas If you want to be great at anything in life, it all comes down to one word: Consistency. This quote has helped keep me motivated and determined to reach my potential. My athletic scholarship has provided the funding to engage in athletic competition while pursing my degree in engineering physics. I have to put in a lot of study time to maintain my grades, and I am very appreciative to the scholarship donors for contributing to my success. This program means a great deal to a lot of people, and when you put on that Lumberjack uniform, there is a great deal of responsibility that comes along with that. You are playing for something bigger than you. We have a great tradition and legacy here, and we need to build upon that and stand on the shoulders of those who have come before us. Head Football Coach Clint Conque sfajacks.com / 11
BACK THE HOME TEAM: BRICK BY BRICK The SFA Lumberjack baseball team needs your support. The team s temporary facility at Jaycees Field is in need of replacement. Fundraising has been ongoing, and almost half of the total investment to build the new Robert Bob and Tyann Akins Clubhouse has been secured. However, $320,000 is still needed. In order to make this dream a reality, SFA is reaching out to alumni and friends to ask for your financial support by purchasing $1,000 engraved bricks that will become part of the new clubhouse. Donors also may consider purchasing additional bricks to honor family members, teammates and friends. In addition, donations of any amount are greatly appreciated. Once constructed, the new clubhouse will be named in honor of Bob and Tyann Akins. The facility will provide dressing and training rooms, office and storage space, and upgrade amenities to help the university continue to attract the best student-athletes. Bob Akins, a 1958 SFA alumnus and football letterman, was a highly successful high school baseball coach and member of the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He was an avid supporter of Lumberjack baseball. Akins volunteered many service hours overseeing the maintenance of the Lumberjack s baseball facility. Until his death in 2013, Akins, along with his son, Stacy, was a fixture in the stands, cheering the Lumberjacks on to victory. TYLER STARKS / Lumberjack Baseball Sports Business Sophomore / Mesquite, Texas My scholarship has allowed me to continue my dream of playing the game I love in this special program. 12 / 2017-18 SFA Varsity Club
PROPOSED CLUBHOUSE FLOOR PLAN A MESSAGE FROM THE COACH Thank you to our loyal alumni, friends and fans for considering this opportunity to support Lumberjack baseball. Your donations will help build a new clubhouse that will tremendously benefit our players by supplying them with a modern facility to train and prepare for games. In addition, it will assist the coaching staff in continuing to recruit the best Lumberjacks to SFA. - Johnny Cardenas, Lumberjack baseball head coach HELP US HIT A GRAND SLAM Make a secure online gift at sfasu.edu/give. All gifts are tax deductible. For more information, please contact Ted Smith, director of athletic development, at (936) 468-7105 or smithted@sfasu.edu. TIERRA WILSON / Ladyjack Track and Field Kinesiology Sophomore / Henderson, Texas Being a student-athlete at SFA not only challenges me physically but also mentally. The opportunities I have been given are beyond what I ever imagined. Traveling to other states, making friends and opening doors to opportunities outside of athletics have helped me grow as a person. None of this would have been possible without God, my coaches and the scholarship donors. ZACH SUDINSKY / Lumberjack Golf Sports Business Freshman / McKinney, Texas Golf is an expensive sport. Through the years, my parents have spent a lot of money so I could compete. Now that I m at SFA, my athletic scholarship supports my involvement with golf. I am forever grateful to the scholarship donors for their financial support. With my scholarship, my parents don t have to worry about paying for my education, and they know that I m kind of paying my on way now. It s a good feeling. sfajacks.com / 13
THE TOUCHDOWN CLUB Perks of membership in the Touchdown Club are extensive and include VIP reserved seating on the club level inside the Homer Bryce Stadium press box, complimentary buffet, beverages, access to a cash bar and home game-day programs. Additionally, for each seat purchased, club members receive a complimentary ticket to the Battle of the Piney Woods game held at NRG Stadium in Houston. Members also enjoy elite game-day parking and invitations to select athletic events. This is a non-tax-deductible level. For more information, contact Ted Smith, director of athletic development, at varsityclub@sfasu.edu or (936) 468-7105. THE SFA VARSITY CLUB Depending on your level of giving, you may receive complimentary season tickets to Lumberjack football, baseball and/or basketball games. As a member of the SFA Varsity Club, you ll also have the opportunity to purchase additional tickets at discounted rates. The enclosed form reflects those reduced rates. Football season ticket holders view games from reserved seats on the home team side between the 40-yard lines. Chairback seats are based on availability and reserved only for SFA Varsity Club members. Baseball fans have reserved chairback seats behind home plate, and basketball fans have their names noted all season on the backs of their reserved seats. CAELIDH ROSS Ladyjack Track and Field and Cross-Country Kinesiology Freshman / Nottinghamshire, England I am very grateful for my athletic scholarship. I wouldn t have been able to come to the United States and attend college without it. My professors and coaches have kept me motivated in the classroom and during athletic competitions. It has been an exciting experience so far and provided me with an opportunity not many student-athletes receive. Additionally, with a minimum level of giving (refer to chart), basketball fans receive admission to the Murray Shaw Championship Room, located in the William R. Johnson Coliseum, before select home games and during halftime. Here, you ll enjoy a complimentary hors d oeuvre buffet and drinks. All SFA Varsity Club members receive program recognition and invitations to special athletic events. Note: The deadline for football season ticket renewal for current members and for football program recognition for the SFA Varsity Club is Aug. 1. 14 / 2017-18 SFA Varsity Club
SFA VARSI TY CLUB MEMBERSHIP BENEFI TS Benefits Student Associate Jr. Varsity Varsity Purple & White Victory MVP All- American Conference Champion National Champion Hall of Fame Minimum Annual Gift Required: $50 $100 $250 $500 $1,000 $2,000 $3,000 $5,000 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 Tax Deduction «««««««««««Automobile Decal «««««««««««Football Program Recognition «««««««««««Invitation to Weekly Luncheons «««««««««««Invitation to Special Receptions «««««««««««Away Game Ticket Information «««««««««««Postseason Ticket Priority «««««««««««Game-Day Media Guides ««««««««««Special Basketball and Football Parking Reserved Football Chairback Seating* ««««««««««««««««««Reserved Season Tickets** ««««««««Access to Murray Shaw Room «««««««Elite Football Parking ««««««Annual Champions Dinner «««««Exclusive Events with Head Coaches Personalized Wall Plaque Two Tickets to Hall of Fame Dinner Travel with Team to D1 Game (two guests) ««««««««««SEASON TICKET ENTITLEMENT 0 0 0 2 2 4 4 6 8 10 12 *Based on availability; placed on waiting list **Please note: Season ticket holders may select from football, basketball, baseball or a combination. Battle of the Piney Woods does not apply. sfajacks.com / 15
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS Overall SLC Commissioner s Cup Champions 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017 Men s Basketball Regular-Season SLC Champions 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 SLC Tournament Champions 2014, 2015, 2016 NCAA Tournament appearance 2014, 2015, 2016 Advanced to round two of NCAA Tournament 2014, 2016 Women s Basketball Taylor Ross, SLC Women s Basketball Player of the Year 2017 Bowling Paige Kraushaar, NTCA All-American Honorable Mention 2015, 2017 Stephanie Schwartz, NTCA First-Team All-American, Second-Team USBC All-American, Member of Team USA and Junior Team USA 2017 NCAA National Champions (SFA s first at the Division I team level) 2016 Stephanie Schwartz, NTCA National Player of the Year, U.S. Amateur Champion and Team USA Member 2016 Kiara Grant, NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player 2016 Men s Cross-Country SLC Runner-Up 2016 Charles Mathenge, SLC Cross-Country Athlete of the Year, SLC Cross-Country Men s 8,000-Meter Individual Champion 2016 Brandt Preston, SLC Cross-Country Male Freshman of the Year 2016 Charles Mathenge, NCAA Nationals qualifier 2014, 2015 Women s Cross-Country SLC Women s Cross-Country Team Champions 2016 Taryn Surratt, SLC Cross-Country Female Freshman of the Year 2016 Cody Clark, SLC Cross-Country Women s Coach of the Year 2016 Football Marlon Walls, CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-American (first in program history), SLC Football Student-Athlete of the Year, FCS ADA All-Star and AFCA Good Works Team Nominee 2016 John Franklin, First-Team All-SLC and Academic All-SLC 2016 Kedrick Harrison, Josh Keith and Trae Hart, Second-Team All-SLC 2016 Zach Conque, NFL free agent signee with Houston Texans 2017 Men s Golf SLC Tournament Runner-Up 2017 Major Monzingo, SLC First-Team Selection, Academic All-SLC 2017 Baxter Ward, CoSIDA Academic All-District, Academic All-SLC 2017 Soccer Hanna Barker, SLC Soccer Midfielder of the Year 2016 Hanna Barker, Amanda Doyle, Brooke Dunnigan and Breanna Moore, SLC First-Team All-Conference 2016 Kelly Ann Craig and Lillie Ehlert, SLC Second-Team All-Conference 2016 Bailey Bosley, SLC Honorable Mention All-Conference 2016 Regular-Season SLC Champions 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Track and Field Women s Outdoor SLC Champions 2017 Will Gibson, Men s 400-Meter Dash Outdoor Champion 2017 Hunter Key, Men s Outdoor Decathlon Champion 2017 Isaiah Pittman, Men s Long Jump Outdoor Champion 2017 Men s Outdoor SLC Champions 2015, 2016 Men s and Women s Indoor and Outdoor Total SLC Championships 23 Volleyball SLC Regular-Season Runner-Up 2016 Justice Walker, All-SLC First-Team Selection 2016 Ann Holla, SLC Volleyball Freshman of the Year 2016 Lexus Cain, All-SLC Second-Team Selection 2016 16 / 2017-18 SFA Varsity Club
LADYJACK SOCCER FIVE-PEAT SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE REGULAR- SEASON CHAMPIONS 2011-15 sfajacks.com / 17
TICKET INFORMATION Tickets to all SFA athletic events are available for purchase through the SFA ticket office, located in the Baker Pattillo Student Center. Tickets also are available online at sfajacks.com. Ticket information and pricing are listed on the website. If you have questions concerning tickets to any Lumberjack or Ladyjack athletic event, please contact the ticket office by phone at (936) 468-5225 (JACK), toll free at (800) 775-3358 or by email at tickets@sfasu.edu. FOR MORE INFORMATION TYLER BOONE Director of Athletic Development sfajacks.com/varsityclub boonetc@sfasu.edu (936) 468-7105 WAYS TO GIVE There are many ways to give to the SFA Varsity Club. You also may designate which sport you would like your donation to benefit or have your entire contribution go to the department. Enclosed Self Mailer Simply fill out and return the enclosed self-mailer along with your check or credit card information. Online Log on to sfajacks.com, click on the Donate To SFA icon at the top center of the page and select "Athletics." Please detail in the note section to which sport you would like to donate along with special instructions. You may donate by using your Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover card. By Phone (936) 468-4540 Cash and/or Check Send a personal or certified check made payable to SFA Athletics to: SFA Intercollegiate Athletics SFA Varsity Club P.O. Box 13010, SFA Station Nacogdoches, TX 75962-3010 Give and Receive SFA offers numerous planned-giving options to make it possible for you to support the university while also enjoying tax benefits. Planned-giving options include securities, real estate, personal property, life insurance, wills and retirement assets. Contact SFA at (936) 468-4540 for additional information. Matching Gifts Many employers sponsor matching gift programs that will match charitable contributions made by their employees. Matching gifts can double or even triple your gift. Find out if your employer sponsors matching gifts. SFA can provide assistance with completing the necessary forms from your employer. Tax Information Disclaimer: The following information is not intended to constitute legal advice or other tax counsel and may not be relied on as such. Please consult a personal tax advisor concerning the deductibility of any contribution to the SFA Varsity Club. Under applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, the amount of a contribution that is deductible for federal income tax purposes is limited to the excess of the amount contributed over the value of any goods or services provided to the donor by the university. The athletic department will notify you as to the value of any such items. Under current IRC provisions, no more than 80 percent of an amount paid to or for the benefit of an institution of higher education may be treated as a charitable contribution if, as a result of the payment, the donor receives the right to purchase tickets for seating at an athletic event in an athletic stadium at the institution. You should consult your tax advisor to determine whether these provisions apply to you. If you choose to waive all applicable benefits, you must sign a written waiver at the time you make your donation. Gift-in-Kind We welcome the gifts of tangible property, such as products, services, equipment or merchandise, in place of a cash donation to the SFA Varsity Club. These gifts-in-kind provide budgetary assistance for the athletic department while often providing tax relief and other benefits to donors. Please call (936) 468-4540 to discuss a gift-in-kind donation. 18 / 2017-18 SFA Varsity Club
PECAN PECAN ELM BOWIE BEALL PINE NELSON DAVIS CALIFORNIA LLOYD RAGUET BLOUNT HAYTER WETTERMARK HAYTER SFA PINEYWOODS NATIVE PLANT CENTER SPORTS VENUES AND PARKING MAP ➋ ➊ ➊ ➋ ➋ ➊ ➐ TRACK AND FIELD AREA ➌ UNIVERSITY WOODFOREST CREST VIEW SPORTS VENUES ➊ Homer Bryce Stadium ➋ Press Box / Club Level and Suites ➌ William R. Johnson Coliseum ➍ Robert H. Shelton Gym ➎ Gerald and Candace Schlief Tennis Complex ➏ Soccer Field ➐ Fletcher Garner Track PINE CREST CHESTNUT NORTH VISTA GRIFFITH ALUMNI COLLEGE RAGUET RAGUET UNIVERSITY PARKING ➊ Elite Football Parking ➋ Special Football Parking ➌ Special Basketball Parking ➍ Tennis Parking ➎ Soccer Parking CLARK CARDINAL FEAZELL BAKER GARNER STARR CAROLYN NORTH STARR FREDONIA HORSESHOE MOUND ➍ WILSON ➎ INTRAMURAL FIELD 13 ➎ ➎ ➏ LANANA CREEK ➌ RUBY MIZE AZALEA GARDEN Hunts Woods Recreation Trails ➍ STARR ➎ STARR 0 250 500 1,000 1,500 Feet sfajacks.com / 19 September 29, 2011
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