and Cowgirl sports.

First, I’d like to thank you for helping us set another record for football season ticket sales. At press time, sales have topped the 44,000 mark , with the potential for more records due to fall with student sales. Your support has made the current era of OSU athletics one of the most successful in the history of the university.

Your contributions to facilities have made a profound and immediate impact on recruiting. Your willingness to endow scholarship funds has allowed us to better support some of our Olympic sports, like track and field and tennis .

This year looks to be as exciting as the last. Our football team is ranked in the preseason top 25 poll , and the soccer team , which was ranked 5th in the country before the season began, is already off to another good start. Our men’s basketball team fared well in an exhibition tour in Spain, giving them valuable preseason experience.

We talk about it a lot, but season ticket sales are the lifeblood of the athletic department. Season tickets pay for the future of our student-athletes, which makes you directly responsible for the opportunities they receive. Without you, much of what we do would not be possible.

We hit a record this year in football. Let’s break records in soccer, basketball, baseball, softball and all our other sports as well.

As always, thank you for your continued support of OSU athletics. I hope to see you at the games.

MIKE HOLDER Director of intercollegiate athletics Former OSU Men’s Golf Coach OSU Class of 1973

40 THE ISLANDERS

No man is an island ... unless you’re a cornerback ...

SEPTEMBER