University of Houston Athletics
Check in with Yurachek - Sept. 22, 2015
9/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | General
The Houston Cougars Fall season is off to a great start and I am so excited about the success that our student-athletes are experiencing.
It was an incredible celebration in the locker room in Louisville, following the football team's 34-31 win over the Cardinals to move to 2-0 early in the season. The week that followed the win was filled with accolades from media across the country for our program, which is an exciting by-product of the early success. However, I assure you that Coach Herman and his staff, as well as our student-athletes, have moved on from the win at Louisville and have their focus clearly on their next opponent, as we host Texas State Saturday night and look to go 1-0 this week.
Our Volleyball team, off to their best start since 1989 (10-2 overall), swept through the Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup this weekend, claiming the tournament title and extending their winning streak to four matches. Coach Platt has our team playing at a high level as they enter American Athletic Conference play later this week with matches at home on Friday (SMU â€" 7 p.m.) and Sunday (Tulsa â€" 1 p.m.).
The Houston Soccer program, not to be outdone by their fall sport counterparts, have won three straight and four of their last five matches, including an exciting 2-0 win over Louisiana Sunday afternoon. Coach Pfau has done a great job of meshing a talented group of freshmen and sophomores with his upper classmen and the Coogs are playing their best soccer of the season heading into American play later this week we host ECU on Thursday night at 7 p.m. and Cincinnati Sunday at 1 p.m.
I would be remiss if I didn't also mention the early season success of our men's and women's cross country teams. Each team won their season-opening meet and then followed it up with a very respectable third (Men) and fourth (Women) place finish at the Rice Invitational that included junior Brian Barraza claiming medalist honors on the men's side.
I am off to Dallas this week for the 1A Director of Athletic meetings, where my colleagues and I will continue to discuss and strategize about staying ahead of the continually changing landscape of college athletics and how we can continue to keep the focus on our student-athletes and their success, athletically, academically and as members of our community.
It will be a busy end of the week with home events on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Please join me and come out and support each of our Fall Sports Programs.
Go Coogs,
Click here to follow Hunter Yurachek on Twitter.
August, 2015 Ask the AD answers
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
News & Notes from Houston Athletics
If you are joining us at TDECU Stadium this Saturday, you'll want to check out our Game Day Central. Read more...
Game time for Houston's Oct. 3 game at Tulsa has been set for an 11 a.m. kickoff and the game will air on CBS Sports Network. If you are part of the #HTownTakeover hitting the road to Tulsa, you'll want to check out our Road Game Central with information including UHAA Tailgate and Friday night reception. Read more...
If you aren't hitting the road to Tulsa, we hope you'll join fellow Houston fans at watch parties in Houston at Brooklyn Athletic Club, Lucky's Pub, Ragin Cajun Sugar Land and 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...
Baseball released its 2016 schedule that includes 32 home games, 38 in the city of Houston, a neutral site matchup against the University of Texas, home contests against Texas A&M and Baylor and three first-time opponents. Hope to see you back out at Cougar Field again in 2016 as our strong home crowds help contribute to NCAA postseason hosting opportunities. Read more...
A big congratulations to men's golfer Michael Perras as he set a course record and tied a school record with a dazzling 63 in the First Round of the HBU Husky Intercollegiate at Quail Valley Golf Club. Michael and our men's golf team are gunning for third straight trip to the NCAA Championships and we are excited to follow their progress throughout the year. Read more...
Congratulations to soccer's Desiree Bowen who was named The American's Rookie of the Week for her performance in the team's 2-0 win over Louisiana. In addition to Desiree's honor, keeper Jordan Brown was named to the league's honor roll. Read more...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Compliance Tip of the Week
With the political campaign season in full swing, it is important to know that student-athletes can endorse a political candidate without jeopardizing their eligibility. In order to do so they must be acting as citizens of the state and not receive payment for their involvement.
Staff Interpretation
Student-athlete endorsement of political candidate
Date Published: December 30, 1987
Item Ref: k
Interpretation:
Reaffirmed that enrolled student-athletes could be involved in the endorsement of a political candidate provided the student-athletes receive no remuneration for their involvement and are not obligated to make any time commitments; suggested that the following disclaimer be utilized in any press releases containing their names:
"The student-athletes are acting as citizens of the state, and do not necessarily represent the views of their institutions of higher education or the NCAA."
