The 12th Man Foundation

More than 2000 Aggies are headed to Albuquerque to support your Aggies in an important football win on Saturday afternoon. If you are headed that way, we welcome you to the Hyatt Tamaya for the official 12th Man Foundation welcome party on Friday night at 6PM. We hope to see you there!

The most recent issue of the award-winning 12th Man Magazine—as well as archived issues—is now available online in our new e-mag format for 12th Man Foundation members. PLEASE BE AWARE...YOU WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE YOUR PRINT VERSION OF THE MAGAZINE...THE E-MAG VERSION IS AN ADDED BENEFIT TO YOUR 12TH MAN FOUNDATION MEMBERSHIP. In January, you will have the opportunity to select your preferred method of magazine delivery (print or e-mag).

By clicking here you may log in using your donor number [business] and view the latest issue. If you have not logged in before or simply need help, click the “Password Help” link on the next page to establish your online account in the 12th Man Member’s Area. A temporary password will be emailed to this address and you can change it once inside the Member’s Area.

* FOOTBALL NEWS
*** BREAKING DOWN THE A&M-NEW MEXICO GAME: Saturday’s game will be the second meeting between the two schools with Coach D.X. Bible’s Aggies taking a 63-0 victory over New Mexico in College Station in 1926. In games against the Mountain West Conference since 2000, the Aggies are 5-1 with wins over Wyoming (3 times), TCU and Utah. This game marks Aggie football’s first-ever foray into the state of New Mexico. The game will be televised by Versus with Joe Beninati (play-by-play), Glenn Parker (analyst) and Tim Neverett (sideline) describing the action. It will be the second A&M game called by Versus, joining last season’s 34-10 victory over Baylor. The A&M-New Mexico game will be broadcast on the Texas A&M Sports Radio Network at 4PM Central Time and is available on Sirius Satellite Radio (Channel 127).

*** PRESS CONFERENCE ONLINE: A&M coaches and players met with the press on Monday at the weekly football media luncheon, held at the Bright Complex on the Texas A&M campus. For transcripts and audio files, visit:
http://www.aggieathletics.com/pressRelease.php?SID=MFB&PRID=14798

*** SHERMAN’S RADIO SHOW CHANGES FORMAT, LOCATION, AND DAY - AGAIN: The Mike Sherman Radio Show will air from 7-8 p.m., live from the Wings N More Party Room tonight (Thursday) in College Station and beginning next week moves back to the Wings and More location on University Drive on MONDAY nights. The show will air locally on WTAW-AM 1620 and throughout the state on the Texas A&M Sports Network. This season, fans must reserve their spot at the show. The cost is $15 and include an all-you-can-eat buffet provided by Wings N More. Doors will open at 6 p.m., food will be served until 7:45 p.m. and a cash bar will be available. Fans can reserve their spots now through an email to coach@athletics.tamu.edu. Those emailing in are asked to provide a name, phone number and the number of people in your party. Audience size will be limited and space will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Those in attendance are asked to arrive by 6:45 p.m. and encouraged to provide questions for Coach Sherman to answer on the air. Fans can also email questions for the coach to the address listed above.

***OKLAHOMA STATE GAME
There are only a limited number of hotel rooms still available for the Oklahoma State football game on Saturday, October 4th. Please take a moment to make your reservations with the hotels. Mention the 12th Man Rate at either hotels and you will get a $139.00 rate per night

* SOCCER NEWS
*** AGGIES HIT THE ROAD FOR THE FIRST TIME: The No. 11-ranked Texas A&M soccer team returns to action on Friday, traveling to Blacksburg, Va., for the Hawthorn Suites Invitational hosted by Virginia Tech. A&M faces Virginia Tech Friday, followed by No. 20 Wake Forest on Sunday. The Aggies bounced back from their first loss of the season by scoring two late goals last Sunday in a 3-1 victory over Indiana at the Aggie Soccer Stadium. Sophomores Whitney Hooper and Rachel Shipley both scored in the 77th minute to release the Aggies (3-1-0) from a 1-1 deadlock with Indiana (1-2-0) in the second period. Senior Laura Grace Robinson put A&M on the scoreboard with a first-half header. The Aggies dominated the offensive numbers outshooting the Hoosiers 22-4 and taking 12 corner kicks to Indiana’s one.
*** GNATZIG HONORED BY BIG 12: Texas A&M junior midfielder Amber Gnatzig was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, earning the honor for the first time in her career after an outstanding weekend against No. 2 North Carolina and Indiana. The Humble product scored two goals against the Tar Heels and set up the first goal in a win against the Hoosiers. She helped bring A&M back from a 2-0 deficit in the second half of the UNC game, becoming the first Aggie to put up two goals against the 19-time national champions. Gnatzig’s goals were a career high and also marked just the second time A&M has scored twice against North Carolina.

* VOLLEYBALL NEWS
*** AGGIES OPEN HOME SEASON THIS WEEKEND: The Texas A&M volleyball team begins its 2008 home season Friday as the Aggies face American at 6:30 p.m. on the first day of the Texas A&M Invitational at G. Rollie White Coliseum. Other participants are No. 20 BYU and Siena. All three of the visiting teams participated in the NCAA Championship last year. A&M is hoping to get on track after struggling last weekend in Omaha, Neb. A&M fell to host Creighton, 25-20, 25-21, 25-14, in the final match of the Bluejay Invitational at the Omaha Civic Auditorium, finishing 0-3 in the tournament. “The only thing good that can come out of this weekend is that we really figure out what is missing and fix it quick,” A&M coach Laurie Corbelli said. “It has definitely been a learning experience, and we must learn from it.”

After facing American on Friday, the Aggies will play Siena at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday and will then meet BYU at 6:30 on Saturday.

* CROSS COUNTRY NEWS
*** AGGIES TRAVEL TO SAN MARCOS: The Texas A&M cross country teams will compete in San Marcos this weekend, Sept. 6, at the Texas State Classic. Then on the following Saturday, Sept. 13, the Aggies will host the annual Texas A&M Invitational on campus. Last weekend on the campus of the University of Iowa, the Texas A&M cross country teams each placed second on the Ashton course. Kevin Ondrasek led a trio of Aggies placing among the top 10 in the men’s race. A&M scored 43 points behind the 18 points from Iowa as Wichita State finished third with 79 points. In the women’s race a pair of juniors from Texas A&M paced the team with top 10 performances. Christina Munoz, an NCAA qualifier last season, covered the 3,000-meter course in 10:35.52 to place third overall in a field of 34 runners.

* TRACK & FIELD NEWS
*** VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR INDOOR MEETS: As many of you may know, Texas A&M is the proud host of the 2009 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. This is not only a first for Aggieland but also for the state of Texas. With the addition of the McFerrin Athletic Center / Indoor Track, Texas A&M can boast one of the best facilities in the nation. We are now working on building a volunteer event staff equally astounding. We would like you to consider serving as a track official at our home meets and especially the championships in March. Training will be available for those without experience and will include a certification process coordinated through the Aggies’ track program and headed up by Coach Pat Henry. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or official, please contact Brian Bancroft at 979-845-5823 or e-mail him at bbancroft@athletics.tamu.edu

* GOLF NEWS
*** A&M MEN NO. 9 IN PRESEASON POLL: The Texas A&M men’s golf team is ranked No. 9 in Golf World’s preseason coaches’ poll. The Aggies return four starters and seven lettermen from last year’s team that finished 12th at the NCAA Championship, their best finish since 1984. The four returning starters each posted top six finishes in tournaments last spring. Sophomore Nacho Elvira earned All-America honors and won the Barona Collegiate Cup, while senior Bronson Burgoon and junior Andrea Pavan had runner-up performances. Senior Matt Van Zandt tied for sixth at the U.S. Collegiate Championship. The Aggies open their fall schedule at the Adams Cup Sept. 22-23 in Newport, R.I.

*** AGGIE WOMEN RANKED NO. 18: The Texas A&M women’s golf team is ranked No. 18 in Golf World’s preseason coaches’ poll. The Aggies return three starters from last year’s team that finished second in the Big 12 and tied for sixth at the NCAA Championship, their best finish since 1982. Sophomore Sarah Zwartynski and junior Ashley Freeman earned All-America honors while Zwartynski and senior Lauren Johnson were All-Big 12 picks. Senior Jodi Neal, who played in four events last year, also returns. The Aggies open their fall schedule at the Duramed Fall Preview Sept. 7-8 in Owings Mills, Md., the site of the 2009 NCAA Championship

* BASKETBALL NEWS
*** TOUGH NON-CONFERENCE SLATE AWAITS AGGIES: The Padre Island Invitational and games against Arizona, Alabama and LSU highlight Texas A&M's 2008-09 non-conference men's basketball schedule. The Aggies will open the regular-season at home against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Nov. 16) and Stephen F. Austin (Nov. 18) before playing host to the first two games of the Padre Island Invitational. A&M will play Jackson State in the first round game on Nov. 21 and North Carolina Wilmington in the second round on Nov. 25. The final two games of the Padre Island tournament will be played in South Padre Island. The Aggies will meet Tulsa on Nov. 28 and either Illinois or Kent State on Nov. 29. The Tulsa game will be televised by Fox College Sports. A&M returns home on Dec. 5 to meet Arizona in the Big 12/Pac 10 Hardwood Series in a nationally-televised game (ESPNU) before playing its first road game at Alabama on Dec. 13. After home games against Florida A&M (Dec. 15) and SMU (Dec. 17), the Aggies will meet LSU on Dec. 20 in a neutral site game at the Toyota Center in Houston. Following the Christmas break, A&M plays host to Sam Houston State on Dec. 28, then returns to Houston to play at Rice on Dec. 31. The Aggies close their non-conference slate with home games against McNeese State (Jan. 3) and North Dakota (Jan. 5). A&M plays Texas A&M Kingsville in a home exhibition game on Nov. 5.

*** FORMER PLAYER POUNDS JOINS WOMEN’S STAFF: After serving as a student assistant coach during a record-setting 2007-08 season for the Aggies, former Texas A&M women’s basketball player Katy Pounds has been promoted to athletic assistant by head coach Gary Blair. “This is just the next step and progression toward Katy’s future career in coaching,” Blair said. “Katy has been a great ambassador for our program over the last four years. She was too valuable to let go of with all of the strengths and skills that she brings to the table. Katy loves Texas A&M and this opportunity will give her the chance to explore every avenue of running a successful women’s basketball program.” Pounds’ day-to-day duties will include assisting the coaching staff with camps, community service projects and other team-related tasks. Last season, she served as a radio color analyst for the Texas A&M Sports Network as well as on-camera work for Fox Sports Southwest and Big 12 Conference Showcase.

* GENERAL ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT NEWS
*** JUNIOR AGGIE CLUB: Young A&M fans can now join the new “Junior Aggie Club.” $20 membership fee includes free admission to more than 100 athletic events, as well as many other benefits for kids. Go to http://www.junioraggieclub.com/ for more information. Send any questions about the club to JuniorAggieClub@athletics.tamu.edu.

* CAMPUS NEWS
*** FIRST 12TH MAN STUDENT FOUNDATION MEETING ON MONDAY: Something to pass along to any students you may know...Have you ever wondered what it's like to be recruited by Texas A&M? Ever wanted to travel with the football team? Come find out at the 12th Man Student Foundation's first meeting this Monday, 7 p.m. at the Bright Football Complex located at the South End of Kyle Field. Kirk Elder, former A&M offensive lineman, will be speaking what Texas A&M looks for in potential players. Shane Elder will be speaking on the behind the scenes operations for Aggie football. Pizza and drinks will also be served for everyone. Bring your friends, even if they are not members, to see what the 12th Man Student Foundation is all about.

*** COACH G'S CHARITY BASH BENFITTING ALEXIS VERZAL SMASHES GOAL: Alexis Verzal, the daughter of former 12th Man Productions workers Brandon and Tiffany Verzal, sustained serious injuries at her daycare facility in April. While she faces many months--and possible years--of rehabilitation, Texas A&M soccer coach G Guerrieri and the Aggie community have stepped up to help out. Coach G's charity organization hosted a fundraiser for the Verzal family during the soccer team's annual Maroon and White game in mid-August, and G is proud to report that contributions topped $35,000 by the end of the month. He expects the final tally to be somewhere around $50,000. You can learn more about Alexis and the Verzal family by clicking the "Charity" tab at www.coachg.com.

*** FIRST SILVER TAPS HELD TUESDAY: We would be remiss not to mention the school year's first Silver Taps, held Tuesday evening in the Academic Plaza. Six students were honored.
- Mary Elizabeth Farmer, a graduate student from College Station
- Spencer Bonham Knecht, a junior from Spring
- Whitley DeKoch Lowey, a sophomore from Kingsville
- Kyle Ross Rosebrock, a senior from Buda
- Olanrewaju (Lanre) Olusola Sanu, a senior from Houston
- Cassandra Jeannine Scott, a veterinary grad student from Sherman

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