Latest news with #McNeeseState
American Press
4 days ago
- Sport
- American Press
Cowboys to scrimmage under lights
The Cowboys will be going primetime Saturday night inside Navarre Stadium. McNeese State will hold its second and final scrimmage of camp starting at 6 p.m. Following, the players and coaches have a Fan Fest on the field, letting their faithful get a close look at this year's Cowboys. 'We are progressing pretty good,' said McNeese head coach Matt Viator. 'The goal tomorrow is to get into a lot of situations. It might be boring to watch, but that's the way it is. 'Most of it will be pre-scripted. We like to make sure we get the number of situations we want to see.' The Cowboys will work Saturday night as if it is a regular game to get them ready for the season, which opens in two weeks at home against Louisiana Christian. He gave the players Friday afternoon and Saturday morning off. While Viator says he will likely have a working depth chart after the scrimmage, it will not be set in stone. 'That's always been the intent,' said Viator. 'Not that you are 100 percent settled on all 22, but that you have a pretty good idea who the one and two guys are, so you are not working four or five guys as much. There will probably not be a final decision on the quarterback position as junior Alex Flores missed his second practice Friday with a hand injury. Flores hit his right throwing hand on a helmet during his follow-through through Tuesday. X-rays were negative, and he is expected to be back fully at practice on Monday. 'It is swollen up, so it is hard to get a grip on the ball,' said Viator. The main thing the Cowboys want, especially on offense, is consistency. 'We want to see the plays better executed and crisper,' said Viator. Jake Strong and Delvin Lippold, both in the QB battle, had solid Friday workouts. Strong especially looked good during the final two-minute drill portion of the practice. Strong came over from Texas Tech in the offseason, while Lippold is a redshirt freshman who had some solid moments for the Cowboys at the end of last season. Flores spent most of last year as McNeese's No. 3 QB but had a nice game in the season finale against Lamar. Tight end Logan Mauldin, in his second year with the Cowboys since coming over from Coastal Carolina, said camp this summer has been different. 'The sense of urgency around the team, not only the players, but the coaches, is different,' Mauldin said. 'The sense of urgency to get better every day has led to us getting better every day.' Mauldin believes that the tight ends will be used more this year, both in the passing and running game. He had 15 catches for 167 yards and a touchdown last season. 'We are getting utilized a lot in this playbook,' said Mauldin. 'We are going to have a lot of big plays this season.' He has also noticed an increase in physical play during this camp. 'There is a little bit of wear and tear on the body, but it gets you ready for the season,' Mauldin said. As for the scrimmage, Mauldin wants the Cowboys to show what kind of team they are going to be. 'I want to see us playing fast, come out strong, have fun, and have each other's backs,' he said. 'I want to see how we respond when somebody might mess up and respond the right way.' After this weekend, the Cowboys will transition from camp mode to preparing for the season as the season opener nears.
American Press
07-08-2025
- Sport
- American Press
BREAKING: McNeese athletic director named to Landry's NIL taskforce
Heath Schroyer has another big portion on his every crowded plate. Governor Jeff Landry's office announced that the McNeese State Athletic Director has been appointed to serve on the Louisiana Governor's NIL Task Force Committee. HR 15 of the 2025 Louisiana Legislature Regular Session established the task force to examine aspects of the name, image, and likeness (NIL) of student-athletes in Louisiana, according to a release put out Thursday. 'I applaud Governor Landry and his team for being proactive in forming this task force, and it's an honor to have been chosen to serve,' said Schroyer. 'NIL and revenue sharing have changed the landscape of college athletics, and things will continue to evolve. I'm looking forward to playing a role in developing future policy that keeps Louisiana leading the way in this space.' Schroyer is one of 22 members appointed to the task force by Gov. Landry that includes state legislators, university athletic directors, student-athletes, compliance and Title IX coordinators, business leaders, and high school personnel. The task force will meet once a month through December, except for November, and will submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the House Committee on Education by January 23, 2026. Just 14 months ago, Schroyer, who has transformed the McNeese athletic department after COVID and the hurricanes of 2020, was named to the Division I Council and Men's Basketball Oversight Committee. 'It is important that we stay ahead of the curve on this as the landscape of college athletics continues to change,' Schroyer said. 'We want to take a look and see where we think this is all going and do what is best for the schools of our state to compete on the national level with other institutions. It is good for us to work together as a group on this.'
American Press
07-08-2025
- Business
- American Press
Jim Gazzolo column: Rising like a phoenix
It is the crowning jewel of the rebirth, one that towers over the newly named stadium, which now serves as a link between the past and present. At the end of this month, McNeese State will debut its fresh, new football stadium press box and luxury suites. The three-story, $32 million plot of land above the home grandstands will open five years and three days after the old one was destroyed by Hurricane Laura in 2020. That seems symbolic if nothing else. It is nothing seen in the Southland Conference before and will compare with any on the Football Championship Subdivision level. Frankly, it's better than most Group of Five programs have to offer. But this wasn't built for the present; it was built for the future. It is to showcase to all those who matter in college football not where McNeese is or even from where it has risen, but rather where it wants to go. It signals that the administration is willing to invest in not only the school's athletic future but its enrollment. What exactly can such a build do? Well, it has helped secure a $5 million naming rights deal. It also gives the McNeese brand another feather in its cap as it continues to try to grow. The 23 luxury suites sold won't hurt the bottom line either. The first level, which is officially known as the second because we are counting the ground floor as one, is for working media. That is also where the coaches will be sitting. There is plenty of room for the media group that will gather this year for Cowboy games. Make that more than enough. Again, it was built in preparation for greater things. The party starts on the third level. There is a large meeting area in the middle where suite holders can step out and talk before games and at halftime. It is a mini-LSU type of place. And, of course, Athletic Director Heath Schroyer sold the naming rights to that area. The man doesn't pass up any chance to make a sale where he can. The suites have inside and outside seating, making for more than just a corporate feel. On the top floor, there is the large president's suite, which is just about the athletic director's box. A large patio is off to its side. It all makes a huge splash, especially on the FCS level. 'I wanted to build something that people would come here in 10 years and still say 'Wow,' ' Schroyer said. It seems he has done that. Let's also be fair. Besides the honorary first shovels he put in the ground, I don't think the AD's hands got too dirty. However, he should get credit for having the vision of what he wants. Which brings us back to why this is all important. What the McNeese program lacked before 2020 was a vision and direction. It was wandering aimlessly in the wilderness, hoping to survive on its past as the rest of college athletics raced into the future. This new project, along with the $40 million basketball facility, and the other on-campus upgrades, has shown that hoping for better times just doesn't work. Either invest or be put to rest. One look upward on opening night, if you happen to go to the game, and you will see McNeese isn't resting. • Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers McNeese State athletics for the American Press. Email him at jimgazzolo@
Miami Herald
21-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Memphis' Sincere Parker arrested over assault charge
Guard Sincere Parker, expected to a major contributor for the Memphis Tigers as an offseason acquisition from McNeese State, was arrested on Saturday on a domestic violence charge. Parker, 22, was arrested and held without bond in Shelby County Jail, before his bond was set at $120,000 on Sunday, per The Commercial-Appeal. A woman filed a police report with the Memphis police department on June 12, stemming from an incident on May 27. The woman alleged that Parker pushed her, slapped her and choked her before smashing her phone, leading to a vandalism charge as well as aggravated assault. Parker averaged 12.2 points over 34 games coming off the bench for the Cowboys in 2024-25. The season prior to that, he averaged an even more robust 15.9 points per game for Saint Louis in the Atlantic 10. The Memphis athletic department issued a short statement in response. "The University of Memphis is aware of the situation and cannot comment on an active investigation." The Tigers went 29-6 (16-2 American Athletic Conference) with a first-round NCAA Tournament exit at the hands of Colorado State, 78-70, last season. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
Reuters
21-07-2025
- Reuters
Memphis' Sincere Parker arrested over assault charge- got from FLM
July 21 - Guard Sincere Parker, expected to a major contributor for the Memphis Tigers as an offseason acquisition from McNeese State, was arrested on Saturday on a domestic violence charge. Parker, 22, was arrested and held without bond in Shelby County Jail, before his bond was set at $120,000 on Sunday, per The Commercial-Appeal. A woman filed a police report with the Memphis police department on June 12, stemming from an incident on May 27. The woman alleged that Parker pushed her, slapped her and choked her before smashing her phone, leading to a vandalism charge as well as aggravated assault. Parker averaged 12.2 points over 34 games coming off the bench for the Cowboys in 2024-25. The season prior to that, he averaged an even more robust 15.9 points per game for Saint Louis in the Atlantic 10. The Memphis athletic department issued a short statement in response. "The University of Memphis is aware of the situation and cannot comment on an active investigation." The Tigers went 29-6 (16-2 American Athletic Conference) with a first-round NCAA Tournament exit at the hands of Colorado State, 78-70, last season. --Field Level Media
