University of Houston Athletics
Check in with Yurachek - Sept. 10, 2015
9/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | General
Last week was an exciting and hurried week as we prepared for the #HTownTakeover season opener and the beginning of the Tom Herman era at TDECU Stadium. Our football team played extremely hard, very physical and with a demonstrated new approach and passion for the game of football. The result was a convincing 52-24 win over Tennessee Tech, thus accomplishing Coach Herman's goal of finishing the week 1-0. It is now off to Louisville and our next challenge. However the goal remains the same... to finish the week 1-0.
A few takeaways and comments from Saturday:
UH Students Set the Tone
- Over 5,000 energetic and red-clad UH students were in attendance at the game and helped to create a dynamic atmosphere within TDECU stadium. As Coach Herman has said "We Play for You!" the students, and you can have a positive impact on the outcome of the game. It is our hope this section will continue to grow in numbers and enthusiasm. Thank you, students, for setting a tone at our first game.
A Sea of Red
- Overall, our announced game attendance of 30,049 was positive considering the holiday weekend and the other sporting-event options in and around the city of Houston on Saturday night. The majority of fans were dressed in Houston red, creating amazing imagery throughout the stadium. To put the attendance in perspective, Saturday's attendance ranks in the Top 20 of all-time attended games in on-campus football venues at the University of Houston. While 30,049 is a positive, it is still short of our goal, which is to have TDECU Stadium filled to capacity for every game.
Game Experience Rising
- Saturday marked one year, one week and one day, since TDECU Stadium officially opened. While we have a year under our belts in the stadium, we continue to work diligently in improving the overall fan experience. We have come a long way and I was pleased with a number of changes that were made to improve the fan experience. The Alumni Association tailgate's move adjacent to the student tailgate in Shasta Square increased the pre-game energy level around the stadium. The Spirit of Houston did a phenomenal job in their on-field performances and interaction in the stands. Our team's pregame Cage Sway with UH students, higher-end premium giveaways and pre and post-game fireworks are just a few of the initiatives implemented to ensure an enhanced fan experience. There is more to come as the season progresses that you will miss if you are not at TDECU Stadium.
All-in-all, it was a great weekend for UH Athletics. Our football, volleyball, women's soccer and men and women's cross country teams were a combined 7-1, while our men and women's basketball programs received a combined seven commitments from prospective student-athletes during their official visits to UH. The #H-TownTakeover is not just a phrase. It is an action that is occurring across the Department of Athletics at the University of Houston. If you have not joined our team yet, what are you waiting for?
Go Coogs,
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August, 2015 Ask the AD answers
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News & Notes from Houston Athletics
If you are joining us on the road this weekend in Louisville, you'll want to check out Road Game Central for information on UHAA tailgate and party, ticket information and more. Read more...
If you aren't hitting the road Saturday, we hope you'll join fellow Houston fans at watch parties in Houston. Saturday's spotlight watch party is at Brooklyn Athletic Club with our official student watch party at Calhoun's Rooftop Bar and Grill. Read more...
Single-game tickets for the 2015 Houston Football home season are on sale. Although I hope if you are reading this, you either live far outside of Houston or you live in Houston and have friends from out of town coming in for a single game. If you live within driving distance of Houston, why wouldn't you purchase season tickets for as low as $99 for our six remaining home games at UHCougars.com/2015. Read more...
The Men's Basketball 2015-16 schedule has been released and we are looking forward to our fans packing Hofheinz Pavilion with season tickets as low as $99. With the new $99 Anytime tickets, fans can watch all 18 regular-season home games for as low as $5.50 per game. Read more...
We hope you'll join us at Carl Lewis Field this weekend for a pair of home soccer matches. Our women take on McNeese State at 7 p.m. on Friday and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Read more...
As a part of the Houston AthleticsWomen Empoweredinitiative, several of the women's programs completed a leadership development and team-building event hosted by THE PROGRAM in late August. THE PROGRAM's Judgment Day activity and experienced a customized, two-day intensive program that pushed the student-athletes outside of their mental and physical comfort zones and trained them to achieve success through improved leadership and coordinated team effort.. Read more...
Our cross country programs got off to a strong start to open the season last weekend by sweeping the Houston Baptist Invitational. Junior Maddy Brown was named The American's Athlete of the Week after winning the individual title. Read more...
Our volleyball program has recorded its best start since 2013 with a 5-1 record to open the season through the first two weeks after winning the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classiclast week. This weekend the program travels north to Denton, Texas for three matches in the North Texas Invitational. Read more...
Senior Olivia O'Dell has been a major catalyst in the hot start for volleyball and she was rewarded for her efforts last week by The American as she was named The American Defensive Player of the Week. Olivia had strong performances at the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic, tying a career high with 29 digs in two matches. Read more...
In soccer, true freshman Hayley Hubbard also earned a Defensive Player of the Week honor from The American after her performance in Houston's weekend matchups versus Incarnate Word and North Texas. Hayley helped the UH defense to its first shutout of the season and picked up an assist when she played a role in sophomore Selena Peters' goal in the 67th minute in our win over Incarnate Word. Read more...
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Compliance Tip of the Week
A PSA is allowed to take five paid official visits and not more than one paid official visit to any single institution. On October 15, after the completion of the PSA senior year of high school, the limitation on official visits resets, therefore a PSA may take five additional paid official visits and not more than one paid official visit to any single institution.
13.6.2.2 Number of Official Visits- Prospective Student-athletes
A prospective student-athlete may take a maximum of five expense-paid visits to Division I institutions, with not more than one permitted to any single institution. This restriction applies regardless of the number of sports in which the prospective student-athlete is involved.
13.6.2.3 Post- High School Visits
The one-visit limitation and the limitations on total official visits apply separately to the period before October 15 following the prospective student-athlete's completion of high school and to the period beginning October 15 following the prospective student-athlete's completion of high school. Thus, a prospective student-athlete may be provided a maximum of 10 official visits -- five before October 15 following his or her completion of high school and five beginning October 15 following his or her completion of high school. A prospective student-athlete is not required to graduate from high school in order to receive a permissible post-high school visit.
