Archive for May, 2012

An image of the new Sports Arena.

Georgia State unveiled its $80 million facilities master plan today on its website with the purpose of providing its 19 varsity programs the best places to play and the best experience for fans, according to athletic director Cheryl Levick.

The cost to complete the plans, which include a renovation of the Sports Arena and new stadiums for baseball, softball, soccer and both volleyball teams, is expected to rise.

Money and land, which isn’t included in the cost, are the two biggest obstacles to completion.

Georgia State would like the stadiums to be as close to downtown as possible. Panthersville, where many of the outdoor sports play, is 15 miles from campus.

Finding suitable land at a price that doesn’t exceed the state-mandated appraised value, is the next step in the process.

Paying for the projects will come from different sources, but Georgia State would prefer to pay for it through donations. James Greenwell, executive senior associate …

Continue reading Georgia State’s Master Plan is out »

The Master Plan, something many of you have been waiting for, will go up on Georgia State’s website later today.

I’ll be speaking with James Greenwell at 11:30 a.m. about the plan.

I thought I’d give you the floor, in light of yesterday’s blog about donations, to let me know what you want to know about the plan. I’ll do my best to answer.

Please submit your questions below and don’t forget to follow me on twitter @ajcgsu

– Doug Roberson, AJC

Continue reading The Master Plan is coming out later today »

Donations to Georgia State’s Panther Athletic Club are projected to be significantly less this year than in three of the previous four fiscal years. However, Todd Reeser, senior associate athletics director, said skewing the health of this year’s total is the lack of “big gifts (donations of more than $25,000)” such as those made in years past.

The Panther Athletic Club has received $658,000 in restricted (earmarked for certain sports) and unrestricted donations through May 9, compared to the $3.1 million it received in fiscal year 2011, which runs from July 1 through June 30. Georgia State projects it will total $800,000 in donations. While that would be  less than was received in 2011, 2010 or 2008, Reeser points to the numbers behind the numbers as evidence of the financial health of Georgia State’s athletics department.

Reeser said donations and donors to the annual fund have grown steadily from $32,000 from 230 donors in the 2009 fiscal year, to a projected …

Continue reading GSU donations down, but PAC is growing »

Georgia State fans got two pieces of good news on Friday:

1. GSU mailed to the NCAA its application to reclassify from FCS to FBS. (The packet is thinner than a mortgage application and, after reading it, not nearly as convoluted).

2. GSU hopes to post on its website next week its master plan for athletics facilities. More on that below.

The FBS packet includes the invitation from the Sun Belt Conference, which GSU hopes to join next year, the actual application, a copy of the strategic plan, the strategic plan checklist responses, the diversity strategic plan, and a check for $5,000, which is required by the NCAA. Its dry reading.

An NCAA reclassification committee will meet in July to review the application. Georgia State hopes to receive approval by the end of July. Once it is approved, a conference call will be set up in which the NCAA will go over FBS orientation, which will explain the differences in rules and regulations between FCS and FBS. That’s also when GSU …

Continue reading The FBS application and The Master Plan…two things that go great together »

An improved first serve propelled Georgia State’s Abigail Tere-Apisah to the third round of the NCAA tennis tournament today with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Tennessee’s Kata Szekely.

The victory guaranteed her All-America status, making her the first men’s or women’s player in GSU’s history to earn that distinction.

She will face top-seeded Allie Will of Florida in Friday’s third round in Athens at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.

She credits the 45 minutes-1 hour she’s spent on her serve each day since the regular season ended for the victory.

“The last two matches, it is giving me an advantage to get points easily,” Tere-Apisah said. “During the season it wasn’t really a weapon.”

Tere-Apisah, who also uses a powerful baseline forehand, said she tried to push Szekely deep to her backhand side throughout the match.

“She was having difficulty getting them back,” Tere-Apisah said.

GSU coach Miha Lisac said Tere-Apisah’s focus is the reason for the improved …

Continue reading Tere-Apisah advances to third round in NCAA tennis tournament »

Former Kentucky defensive lineman Nermin Delic has signed a letter of intent with Georgia State. He said he will enroll for the summer semester.

Delic, from Tunnel Hill where he was a standout at Northwest Whitfield, said Georgia State was the only school he visited.

The 6-4, 265-pound Delic was attracted by coach Bill Curry, the bond he made with Anthony Midget and the defensive staff, the move to the FBS-level Sun Belt Conference and the fact that two of his former teammates, Donald Russell and Alex Smith, are on the team. He said he spoke to Smith before he made his decision, and that Russell showed him around the campus during his visit.

“I know Georgia State is pretty young football wise,” he said. “I ‘d like to become part of that, building up that program.”

Delic, whose family moved from Bosnia to the U.S. when he was 6 years old, was rated by ESPN as one of the better tight ends in the country, He originally committed to Maryland, but signed with Kentucky because it …

Continue reading GSU picks up former Kentucky defensive end »

Colonial Athletic Association commissioner Tom Yeager held a teleconference to discuss today’s news that Virginia Commonwealth is leaving for the Atlantic 10, effective immediately. Of course, Georgia State announced last month that is leaving the CAA for the Sun Belt, effective 2013-14.

Here’s a few of the salient points that I assume are of the most interest to you, the Georgia State fan:

1. He said there are still enough teams to host an 18-game conference schedule in men’s basketball. How that schedule will be put together will be discussed at the conference meetings, which be held June 2-7 in Hilton Head.

2. Other sports will likely fall short of having enough teams to complete a schedule.

3. GSU President Dr. Mark Becker has asked for the bylaw that excludes teams that are leaving from participating in conference tournaments to be reviewed. It will be reviewed at the president’s meeting, which be June 12. Yeager said he is fine with whatever the presidents decide, which …

Continue reading How VCU’s decision affects GSU and the CAA »

Former Georgia State linebacker Jake Muasau was invited to work out for the New York Giants and earned a contract that will give him a chance to make either the 53-man roster, or eight-man practice squad.

Muasau took some time to answer a few questions about his experience.

Oh, and look for a story in Sunday’s paper that will (hopefully) tell you where Muasau’s courage comes from.

Q: You and [Raiders draftee] Christo Bilukidi are trailblazers for Georgia State’s team as the first two players to make it to an NFL camp. Does that make you proud?

A: I’m very proud. During rookie camp, talking to rookies and veterans, meeting a lot of them, there are guys from the big schools all over the country, Virginia Tech, LSU, etc, and they see my sweats with Georgia State on them.

They would say, “Where’s that?”

I would say, “It’s a I-AA program in Atlanta.”

They would say, “They’re like Georgia Tech?”

I would say, “No, Georgia State.”

Talking with Christo last night we had already made …

Continue reading More from Jake Muasau on earning an NFL contract »

Georgia State men’s basketball coach Ron Hunter continues to load up on big men, adding 6-foot, 7-inch Markus Crider to his signing class.

Crider, who played small forward at Bridgton Academy in Bridgton, Maine, is the fifth player who is at least 6-7 in this signing class and will give Hunter more depth and choices in his push-the-pace style.

Crider is originally from Dayton, Ohio, Hunter’s hometown. Crider averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds at Bridgton. He will have three years of eligibility at GSU. He originally committed to Providence, but changed his mind after a coaching change.

Here are Georgia State’s signees:

G Cameron Solomon 6-4, 175 Hampton, Ga. Brevard CC/Lovejoy HS

G R.J. Hunter 6-6, 175 Indianapolis, Ind. Pike HS

G David Travers 6-1, 165 Carlsbad, Calif. La Costa Canyon HS

F T.J. Shipes …

Continue reading Hunter lands another big man; Muasau talks about the Giants »

Former Georgia State linebacker Jake Muasau has signed a contract with the New York Giants.

The Giants declined to comment. The contract means Muasau will have an opportunity to earn a spot on the 53-man roster or eight-man practice squad.

Panthertalk.com reported the deal late Saturday.

Muasau was invited to participate in the team’s mini-camp as an undrafted rookie free agent.

Muasau, 6-feet, 1-inch tall and 243 pounds, was one of the top playmakers for coach Bill Curry in the team’s first two seasons.

Muasau had 106 tackles with 16.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions. He also forced four fumbles and recovered four fumbles.

– Doug Roberson, AJC. Please follow me on twitter @ajcgsu

Continue reading Muasau expected to sign with New York Giants »