Optimist
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Features
    • Book Review
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Police Log
  • Print Edition
  • Projects
  • Classifieds
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
You are here: Home / Sports / Junior varsity programs coming soon: Four sports to add JV teams in 03-04

Junior varsity programs coming soon: Four sports to add JV teams in 03-04

January 17, 2003 by Joel Weckerly

By Joel Weckerly, Sports Editor

Beginning with the 2003-04 school year, the athletic department will add junior varsity programs in four sports: football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball.

Director of athletics Shanon Hays made the official announcement to add the JV programs on Dec. 20, though he said the idea for the $80,000 project had been in works since the beginning of last semester.

“Dr. Money was looking for new ways to bring new students to ACU,” Hays said. “We had this idea before, and I discussed it with [athletics director emeritus] Wally Bullington and [assistant athletics director] Jared Mosley, and we made the collective decision.”

Hays said the varsity coaches would be in charge of selecting the JV coaches.

“It’s important to have guys running these programs who know what they’re doing,” he said. “It’s a win-win situation.”

Head varsity football coach Gary Gaines hasn’t yet named a coach for the JV football team, and the men’s and women’s JV basketball teams will be coached by graduate assistants to be named later. Varsity baseball coach Britt Bonneau named former player Brandon Stover the head JV coach, though he stays in his assistant coaching position on varsity.

“This should help the programs out quite a bit,” said Stover, who just completed a record-setting senior season. “It’ll help build kids for the future.”

Hays said that most of the players for the JV teams would be recruited, though scholarship money will not go toward potential JV players.

“The emphasis will be recruits,” Hays said. “There’s a lot of high school seniors who want a chance to further their career athletically. This allows coaches room to bring in more student-athletes who might’ve gone to another school that offers a JV program.”

Next year will mark the first time ACU has had JV programs since 1996, when the teams fizzled out because of NCAA technicalities that hindered recruiting abilities.

“We were only allowed one phone call per recruit,” women’s basketball coach Wayne Williams said. “Our hands were pretty much tied, but now we’ll be able to recruit better.”

“Other schools have had great responses to their JV programs,” Hays said. “Whenever you have something with the potential to bring in 100 students, it’s certainly a success.”

Hays said schedules for the JV teams, which will include fewer games and more local opponents, should be released late this spring.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: Athletics

Other Sports:

  • Wildcats face major struggles in first ever UAC matchup

  • ACU sweeps Seattle University in WAC opener

  • Wildcats look to bounce back in first-ever UAC game

About Joel Weckerly

You are here: Home / Sports / Junior varsity programs coming soon: Four sports to add JV teams in 03-04

Other Sports:

  • Wildcats face major struggles in first ever UAC matchup

  • ACU sweeps Seattle University in WAC opener

  • Wildcats look to bounce back in first-ever UAC game

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

Twitter feed is not available at the moment.

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

2 days ago

The Optimist
The student-run Hispanos Unidos club put together its annual Entra a La Plaza to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Attendees were able to experience authentic Hispanic traditions like traditional Hispanic food, dancing with live music and offered selections from local businesses like Mary’s Paleteria. For more media coverage for this event and others visit acuoptimist.com or click the link in our bio.-------------------------------------------------------------#acu #acunews #HispanicHeritageMonth #hispanosunidos ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

6 days ago

The Optimist
As the Student Government Association celebrates its 100th year of existence, 56 officials have been elected, including four presidents for each class. Read more about the officers and representatives at acuoptimist.com or by clicking the link in our bio.-------------------------------------------------------------#acu #acunews #acusga #abilenechristianuniversity #acuofficers ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 22, 2023

Our top stories this week include the passing of Dr. Bob Hunter, a new endowment ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 8, 2023
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 1, 2023
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 25, 2023

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • Podcasts

© 2023 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved