TULANE TALK

December 20, 2013

Good Morning:

The holidays are here but right now the attention of the Green Wave Nation is focused on tomorrow night’s R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. But as excited as we are about the Green Wave’s first bowl appearance in more than a decade and the opening of Yulman Stadium next season, this is only part of our team’s success story.

Tulane was also awarded the American Football Coaches Association’s 2013 Academic Achievement Award for posting a 100 percent graduation rate for members of its freshman football class of 2006. This is the first time Tulane has received this prestigious national honor, which is based on a six-year graduation window and presented by the Touchdown Club of Memphis. Stanford, Rice and the University of Georgia are the only other NCAA schools to receive this year’s award.

Green Wave football is not the only Tulane sport to enjoy a turnaround season. The Green Wave volleyball team posted the NCAA’s biggest turnaround from the 2012 to the 2013 season, going 28-4 and advancing to the Conference USA Championship. The volleyball program was also awarded the Conference USA Sport Academic Award for the 2012-13 academic year.

Tulane football players, baseball players, basketball players, bowlers, track and field competitors, golfers, volleyball players, tennis players, swimmers and divers are truly worthy of the title student-athletes. They are continuing a long tradition of Tulane students excelling both academically and athletically and giving all of us a reason to cheer (especially tomorrow night).

Have a great holiday break,