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They’re baaack!

Brandt, Bucs leave last season’s struggles behind

Spring Football Game Notebook

Hoops Facility Gets Boost from Business Exec Rogers Clark & Family |N.C. Sports Hall to Induct Tolley # |Olympic Sports Roundup # | Pirate Club News & More

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T h e I n -D e p t h F e at u r e s Y o u W o n ’ t F i n d A n yw h e r e E l s e ... # Not for the Squeamish: A drop-in look at Camp Connors # Drastic Measures: Can Coach Mitchell fix what ails the Pirate D? # Attitudes Reflect History: One-on-One with Dominique Davis and Emanuel Davis # Moments in Time: The Voice of Pirate Football is etched in minds of fans when thinking about their favorite moments. Now learn which moments echo loudest for Jeff Charles. # Looking Back: Bonesville Recruiting guru Sammy Batten gives an accounting of the last 10 years of Pirate recruiting

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The New Pirates The Roster Breakdown Pirate Time Machine Peele’s Season to Remember & Much, much more...

Bonesville The Magazine is the fans’ guidebook to the past, present and future of the East Carolina Pirates. Approaching it’s ninth year of publication, the magazine has become an eagerly anticipated annual tradition for Pirate partisans everywhere.

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2009 E DITION

2010 E DITION

Under Wraps ‘Til August

# 2011 E DITION

Executive Committee Executive President Mr. Jim Creech

A Letter from Mark Wharton May 2011

Executive Vice President Dr. Emmett Floyd Immediate Past President Mr. Jerry L. Wilkins Board of Directors Mr. Donnie Bunn Mr. Douglas L. Gomes Mr. Harvey Lewis Mr. Rhett A. Raynor Mr. Henry Williamson Mr. Edwin L. Clark Mrs. Clara Darden Mr. Tyre H. Moore Mr. Jim Post Mr. Phillip Waugh Mr. Thomas A. Bennett Mr. Mike Rogers Mrs. Linda Tripp Mr. George C. Turner Mr. Carl Rogers ECU Chancellor Dr. Steven Ballard Director of Athletics Mr. Terry Holland Executive Treasurer Dr. Rick Niswander Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. David A. Dosser, Jr.

Dear Pirate Club Members: East Carolina University Athletics generates year-round excitement! Pirate Baseball and Softball are finishing strong and both teams are again in the running for post-season play. Success is indeed becoming a “tradition” for East Carolina University Athletics. I marvel at how our student-athletes meet the demands of academics while training and competing at home and on the road. Through the generous support of the Pirate Club, ECU Athletics continues to provide our young men and women with the necessary resources to reach their full potential, both on and off the field. Pirate Club members who participated in the 2011 Trade-Wilco Hess Pirate Armada experienced firsthand, the excitement surrounding Pirate Athletics. I want to thank all of our coaches and administrators for taking valuable time away from their families to share the “State of Pirate Athletics” with the Pirate Nation. One of the predominant themes of this year’s Armada has been the “Step up to the Highest Level” campaign. As I pen this article, I am pleased to report that the campaign has generated $9.7 million toward our goal of $15 million. It is amazing what we can accomplish collectively as a team! Although you may feel that your donation won’t make a difference, when we pool all of our resources, it makes a tremendous difference. I encourage you to join us in making this state-of-the-art facility a reality for our basketball programs, allowing us to recruit and compete at the highest levels. To learn more about the “Step up to the Highest Level” campaign, please visit ecupirateclub.com or contact the Pirate Club office at (252) 737-4540 for additional information. As we approach football season, I encourage you to visit ecupiratesfantravel.com for hotel and travel packages for the University of South Carolina football game in Charlotte, NC on September 3, and also for the October 22 Naval Academy football game in Annapolis, MD. The Pirate Club continues to answer the call, but we must continue to cultivate our membership in order to sustain growth. Encourage friends who are Pirate “fans” but not Pirate Club members, to officially join the team behind the teams. United we have accomplished, and will continue to accomplish great success! Thank you for all you do for East Carolina University and the Pirate Club! GO Pirates!

Sincerely,

Financial Director Mrs. Sherrilyn R. Johnson Director Emeritus Mr. Walter L. Williams Executive Director Mr. Mark T. Wharton Counsel Mr. Walter Hinson

Mark T. Wharton 93’ Executive Director

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Above: L - As head coach at Elon (Elon University Media Relations photo); R - Tolley with Dr. Leo Jenkins at the President’s Home

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• • •

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from 1967-77, winning 6 conference titles, qualifying for the national tournament 3 times and finishing runners-up once As head coach, from 1977-81, Elon posted an amazing 49-11-2 record (80.6% winning percentage) yielding 4 conference titles, 3 district titles, and played for 3 national titles, winning 2 (1980, 1981); In 24 games decided by 9 points or less, his teams were 22-2 and were 8-1 in national tournament games Named Head Coach Emeritus Became Major Gifts Officer in 1999, leading athletics fund-raising and spearheading campaigns that raised ~$45 million for the university programs Served in the capacity of Director of Major

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Giving until his retirement in 2010 Serves on the Elon Visitor’s Board Member of the Elon Athletics Hall of Fame Member of the South Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame Member of the NAIA Hall of Fame Lifetime Member of the AFCA Lifetime Member of the NAIA Coaches Association

Writing Career • •

Earned his Ph.D. from UNC-Greensboro Has authored 6 technical books on coaching which have been sold worldwide

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Performance Board Serves on the UNC-G Health and Human Performance Board Serves on the Elon Visitors Board Is currently in his fourth term as Mayor of Elon, NC (unprecedented in town history) Awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Awarded the Olde North State Award Awarded the NC Governor’s Laurel Wreath Award Established Dr. Ray Martinez Teaching Excellence Award for the ECU School of Health and Human Performance Endowed the Dr. William “Bill” Martin Scholarship for the ECU College of Education

Public Service •

Serves on the ECU Health and Human 7

Winning Recipe:

Hard Work & Solid Coaching Cook up Renewed Success for Kevin Brandt

By Al Myatt

Junior left-handed pitcher Kevin Brandt (ECU Media Relations photo)

If there was any doubt that Kevin Brandt had regained the form that made him a freshman All-American, it was eliminated with a complete game win by the junior left-hander from Fuquay-Varina against No. 21 Rice at Clark-LeClair Stadium on April 10. Brandt has had his ups and downs at East Carolina but he was obviously back on top after the victory over the Owls moved him to 4-0 on the 2011 season with a miniscule 1.02 earned run average. The southpaw was 9-2 as a freshman with a 3.64 ERA. Brandt slipped to 3-7 as a sophomore and the ERA puffed up to 5.21. “Kevin is having a great year,” said Pirates coach Billy Godwin. “There’s no doubt about it. The proof is in the numbers and his performance. He’s worked extremely hard. “Everybody was kind of alarmed because they looked at his numbers last year and said like, ‘What happened?’ ... He pitched some great games (last year). He probably was the benefactor of poor play behind him moreso than anyone last year and it kind of affected him a little bit. That’s easy to do for a pitcher, but he’s bounced back better and stronger. He’s been awesome.” Loss of some personnel and a lack of depth hindered ECU defensively during a 32-27 season in 2010. “The thing last year is we just had pieces in the puzzle that didn’t fit,” Godwin said. “No disrespect to anybody we had out there. It’s just that a lot of those kids weren’t recruited to play

the positions we were asking them to play. “This year, we’re young. We started four freshmen at North Carolina and they’re very talented. You’ve got to go through some growing pains with those young guys. You’ve got to keep lovin’ ‘em and keep kicking ‘em in the butt at the same time. The talent level is not even close (from 2010 to 2011).” Despite five errors that led to four unearned runs in a 5-3 loss in Chapel Hill on April 12, ECU’s fielding percentage for 2011 was .965 compared to .952 for 2010. Brandt in particular and the Pirates in general have been boosted by better defense this season. “I never personally thought Kevin was bad last year,” Godwin said. “ ... The quality of what he did was good. Sometimes the wins and losses for a pitching record don’t mean everything. What impressed me is that he just kept going out and pitching and pitching and pitching last year. He never backed down. He never quit. He never made excuses. He didn’t let that get him in a funk. He just came back and said, ‘Whatever I can do to help this team win,’ going into this year. “He did that and every time we’ve given him the ball, he’s been good.” Brandt began his junior season in the bullpen but has worked his way back to his earlier role at ECU as a weekend starter. The experience of coming on in relief has had its value. “There’s two different feelings,” Brandt said. “There’s a different feeling as a starter where you get to come out and set

the pace of the game. As a reliever there’s no other adrenalin rush like coming in in a tight situation and having to get fired up right then and there. I like both aspects of the game. I like starting better, but there’s no other feeling like having to come in in a relief situation. Being in the bullpen is always tough, too. “People are going to get in jams and I think having those situations from coming out of the bullpen under your belt kind of helps you relax and focus on the mound as a starter.” The arrival of first-year Pirates pitching coach Dan Rozelle from College of Charleston has helped Brandt boomerang back to his freshman form. “I’ve kind of bonded with him,” Brandt said. “I like the way that he coaches, just the way he goes about his business. He’s sort of pushed me and helped me work a lot harder and helped a lot of our pitchers work a lot harder. He’s made us want to get better and want to progress. That’s the main factor. I’ve just been trying to listen to him. I really haven’t done anything different with mechanics. I’ve tried to do what he says.” As Godwin says, the ECU approach is to attack the strke zone and think in terms of getting batters out in three pitches or less. “Coach Roszel has had a very positive impact,” Godwin said. “No knock on anything else we were doing as a coaching staff, but his mentality is an aggressive, attack mentality. He prepares those guys about as good as anybody I’ve been around.” The Pirates staff had seen its ERA drop from 5.25 in 2010 to 1.91 through the first 33 games of 2011. Part of that could be attributed to new NCAA regulations which have resulted in less lively bats. Part of that can be credited to more effective pitching, Brandt included, and with success, comes confidence. “I have a lot more confidence and, I guess, swagger, you could say up on the mound,” Brandt said. Team chemistry is better than it’s ever been, said Kevin Brandt (ECU Media Relations photo) Brandt, a recreation and park management major. “Everybody gets along well,” Brandt said. “We act the same way on the field as we do off the field. We all like a Super Regional as a freshman. There’s no better teacher than each other. If somebody’s better than you, you try to pick yourself experience. Certainly, he has that. up to push them. Trying to beat them, will help you get better as “He’s been in some big time situations and had a lot of well as making them better.” success.” Brandt feels the team in general has the potential to get Junior Kevin Brandt tossed his second career complete better during the remainder of the season. game and helped East Carolina (22-10, 4-5 C-USA) to a much “This team has all the potential in the world,” Brandt needed 7-3 win over No. 21 Rice (23-13, 6-3) on April 10 in said. “We get along. We’re the best team in any aspect I’ve seen Conference USA action at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair since I’ve been here. I really like how we act together and how Stadium. we are around each other. Brandt scattered seven hits in the contest allowing three “We really haven’t brought it all together yet, but I think runs (two earned) and struck out six Owls to improve to 4-0 on it’s coming soon.” the year. He retired 14 of the final 16 batters faced surrendering a Seth Maness, Michael Wright and Brandt in weekend single in the sixth and a leadoff home run to Shane Hoelscher in starting roles can create a significant degree of optimism. the ninth. The southpaw from Fuquay Varina, N.C. recorded mul“When you put three guys on the mound of that caliber, tiple punch outs in the first, third and eight frames and gave up it makes you feel good,” Godwin said. “Kevin is right in the thick just two extra base hits, including a double to Geoff Perrott in the of that. You look out there when we played Rice and you’ve got third frame. # a guy who has done some great things in your program and won some big games. He’s had poise. This guy pitched Game Two of 9

Pirates Look for Strong Finish on Diamond

The Inside Slant by Brian Bailey

The strength of this East Carolina baseball team going into the 2011 season was expected to be on the mound. The Pirate pitching staff has been even better than that. After 32 games, the Pirates had 22 victories, led by a pitching staff among the best in the entire nation. “We are 22-10,” said head coach Billy Godwin. “We have an RPI (Rating Percentage Index used for NCAA Tournament) around 25th in the country. It looks like to me that some 275 teams wouldn’t mind trading places with us. I feel good about where we are at. Can we play better? Yes. Do we have to play better if we want to accomplish what we want to accomplish? Yes. There are some areas that we are excelling in and some areas that we absolutely have to get better at.” Dan Roszel, in his first year as the ECU pitching coach, has taken a veteran staff and made them even better. The Pirates have consistently been among the nation’s leaders this season in ERA. Roszel knows he inherited a strong staff and he likes the group’s work ethic. “I have really enjoyed working with these guys,” said Roszel. “They work hard and they have done a good job.” Coach Godwin agrees. “I think Dan has done a great job,” said Godwin. “He has gotten these guys to buy into an attack mode on the mound. I have always said that when you can pitch, you are in every game. Outside our first Virginia game that has been the case in every 10

Above: Junior Zach Wright (ECU Media Relations photo)

game that we’ve played this year.” Godwin loves his team’s depth on the hill, but he knows that he’s got guys chomping at the bit to get a chance. “I always tell our players, let our depth be our strength,” said Godwin. “That’s a tough thing when you are player and you want to be out there all the time.” A month ago when I updated the Pirates in baseball, the team was 11-4. The team was pitching well, but struggling at the plate. As we go to press for this issue of The Pirates’ Chest, that theme remains the same. The Pirates were 22-10, and 4-5 in Conference USA. Southern Miss, Rice and UAB were the leaders in Conference USA after nine league games. The Pirates lost two out of three to both the Owls and the Blazers. ECU took two of three from Memphis. The offense struggled early and those struggles continued on into league play. Most of the offseason news was that offense would be down this season everywhere, because of the change in the bats that players are allowed to use. Several times this season Coach Godwin has talked about his team’s approach at the plate. Those questions really came to the forefront after a gut-wrenching 2-1 loss to Rice in the first game of that series. As a head coach I set forth our philosophy,” explained Godwin. “It hasn’t changed in the six years that I’ve been here. I am an attack-type person. Whether it’s pitching or defense or at the plate, we teach our players to attack and be aggressive. There is no drill to teach aggressiveness. We’ve just got to keep getting after it.” That lack of aggressiveness at the plate has certainly been frustrating for Godwin, his staff and for Pirate fans.

“We absolutely tell our guys to be aggressive,” said Godwin. “I can count on one hand how many times I have given the take sign at East Carolina.” But how many of the Pirates’ problems on offense have to do with the bats? “It’s hard to tell,” said Godwin. “Offense is down all across college baseball. We have so many new, unproven hitters in our lineup. But some of our freshmen are over .300. Zach Wright is having a great year. Some of our guys haven’t put it all together yet, but we know they can for sure.” There is plenty of baseball still to be played. The Pirates have five more series in Conference USA, with road trips set for Houston, Marshall and Tulane. The Pirates will host UCF and Southern Miss. Just past the halfway point, Godwin and the Pirates know that all of their goals are still within reach. “If your RPI is in the 20’s or 30’s, then you are a regional type team,” said Godwin. “If you get it in the teens, then you can host. We think we are right there. We know that we have 24 games left to get this team where we want to go this season.” Godwin concluded with this. “I’m looking for our team to be more consistent. I challenge them to put consistent play, consistent at bats together. We are trying to get guys to buy into the process, and not get so overwhelmed with the result.” The Pirates open play in the Conference USA tournament on May 25th in Pearl, Mississippi. The NCAA regionals begin on June 3rd. Read more from Brian Bailey at

Bonesville.net Assistant coach Dan Roszel (ECU Media Relations photo)

Pirate Baseball

A Fun Gig

A Visit with “The Voice” by Jeff Charles

As your humble servant, as the “Voice” of the Pirates, my work is enjoyable, but even more so if the teams are winning. The winningest team sport at ECU is baseball. Twenty-four NCAA regionals says a lot. Most programs would give anything to have that kind of resumé. So let’s play ball! Here is why I enjoy the national pastime in Greenville: Our booth — It’s spacious and right behind home plate — better than some major league booths in the old ballparks. Plus, the restroom is right next door. That’s important with ninety seconds between innings. Clark-LeClair Stadium — What a great place! Beautiful inside and out. The Fans — Right at the top in all of college baseball. 12

Devin Harris’ home run against the Gamecocks in the 2009 Regional is a moment vividly fixed in Pirate baseball memories (ECU Media Relations photo)

The big games are electric, and the spectators are very knowledgeable and creative., too. The Jungle — I go way back to the 1980s with The Jungle, when it truly was a “jungle” with all the trees. It was wild out there and still is. The Coaches — Gary Overton, Keith LeClair, Randy Mazey and Billy Godwin. Coach O works with me today on the radio broadcasts. Keith was an incredible man. Randy was an interesting guy to be around. Billy is first class in my book. The Players — Pat Watkins was the best. A FirstTeam All-American in 1993 and an ECU Hall of Famer. Pat hit an incredible 445 in ’93. He went on to play in the big leagues with Cincinnati and Colorado. The lefty, Sam Narron, had a great career, too. He’s still pitching in the minor leagues. He won 12 games in 2001. No one has ever won more. Three others also won 12 games in a season: Jay Peterson in 1986, Jonathan Jenkins in 1989, and Johnny Beck in 1994. Fun to Watch — Trent Whitehead. How many diving catches has the center fielder made in his career?

The Moment — The Devin Harris home run against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the 2009 Regional. The Gap in the Stands — No one says much about it anymore! There’s a reason why it’s there. I’ll tell you about it sometime. Hello Doris — Coach Godwin’s mother is one of our biggest listeners. She is sight-impaired and really depends on the radio. It’s great to know she’s in Rocky Mount listening to every game. Unsung Hero — Malcolm Gray in Media Relations does a great job. He runs a first class press box. Thanks, Malcolm. When It’s Really Fun — When the Pirates win and we can “Paint this one purple!” We’ll see you at the ball park.

Right: Pirate baseball fans populate “The Jungle” on gameday at Clark-LeClair Stadium; Below: Senior OF Trent Whitehead (ECU Media Relations photo)

The Record Breakers

The Bradsher Beat by Bethany Bradsher Curt Kraft should probably have an ECU track and field record book that’s written in pencil, with an eraser close at hand. In the five-and-a-half years that Kraft has been presiding over the Pirate track and field program, his athletes have broken no fewer than 30 school records. Five records fell in the last meet, the Florida Relays at the University of Florida. “We’ve been breaking records at a record pace, no pun intended,” said the head coach, who came to Greenville from the University of Nevada in the fall of 2005. “The kids couldn’t be more excited.” At the Florida Relays in early April, the record-breaking efforts came in sprints, relays, distance running and field events. It’s the kind of widespread reinvention that comes when a team of athletes subscribes to the coaches’ belief that they can compete at any level if they work hard and become the kind of team that cares more about group results than their own individual progress. 14

Above (From left to right): Senior Jordan Neil, freshman Aiesha Goggins and sophomore Tynita Butts (ECU Media Relations photo)

“These records are getting broken for a couple of reasons,” Craft said. “The biggest reason is bringing in better athletes through recruitment. Another reason is the philosophy we’ve established. These kids have bought into what we’re trying to do. They’re passionate, they love it, and they want to achieve at a high level.” Among the milestones reached just this spring:

Relays The women’s 4x200 relay team of Tania Minkins, Tyshonda Hawkins, Tiffany Harris and Aiesha Goggins broke the ECU record in their event two weekends in a row. The first time, at the Raleigh Relays, they ran the race in 1:35.91 to break the previous mark by nearly three seconds. Then at the Florida Relays the following week they topped that effort with a time of 1:31.05, trimming off another four seconds in just a week.

Tynita Butts Tynita Butts is only a sophomore, but she has already attained All-America status twice, last season in the outdoor season and this winter in indoor competition. A jumping specialist, Butts finished fourth in the nation in the high jump in the

NCAA Indoor Championships and came within .01 meter of topping her own outdoor record at the Raleigh Relays.

Jordan Neil Jordan Neil, a graduate student from Ireland who came to East Carolina in the fall from McNeese State, has found his stride in a big way, breaking the school record in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 3:43.43, his personal best and the second-fastest time in the nation this season. Neil was named the Conference USA Outdoor Athlete of the Week for his efforts.

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Aiesha Goggins

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Goggins, a freshman from Durham who runs on both the record-breaking 4x200 and 4x400 relay teams, also achieved an individual triumph at the Florida Relays when she broke the ECU record for the 400-meter run with a time of 53.47, good for sixth place in the big invitational meet. Her time in that event is the best in the East Region this season, Kraft said, and she is shattering expectations in her first season as a Pirate. “She is special,” he said. “She’s one of the elite.”

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Sophomore Aaron Zakula earned the school record in the pole vault with a leap of 4.67 meters that allowed him to finish 13th place overall. Also in the field events, senior Maegan Lewis and junior Nicole Tozzi each garnered 6th-place finishes in the hammer throw and the javelin, respectively. Neil, who only has one year of eligibility as a Pirate as he works toward his master’s in communications, said that his campaign at ECU ECU Media Relations photo has already been more successful than he dreamed, as he is running better than he ever did at McNeese State. Neil has been impressed with the unity of the ECU team, as throwers, hurdlers, sprinters and distance runners all encourage each other in an effort to reach new heights corporately. He is looking forward to the Carolina Invitational on April 16 in Chapel Hill, where he will race against Tar Heel Isaac Presson, who has the fastest 1,500-meter time in the country so far. “Hopefully I can beat him on his own turf, so to speak,” Neil said.

Read more from Bethany Bradsher at Bonesville.net.

$ 15

Taking Note of Progress

Notes, Quotes & Anecdotes by Al Myatt

What did the spring game tell us? East Carolina fans weren’t as abundant at this year’s spring game as last year. Attendance was down from 7,125 in 2010 to 3,107 this year. There was the threat of dangerous weather, which actually ripped through the region after the Pirates had run 100 plays on the well-manicured turf of DowdyFicklen Stadium on April 16. Numbers also may have been down from 2010 because last year there may have been more curiosity about the arrival of the Air Raid offense. Then, too, with gas approaching $4 a gallon, some folks might have viewed a trip to Greenville as an unnecessary luxury. Those on hand saw an effective performance by a revamped defense. The Pirates have gone from a 4-3 to a 3-4 alignment and moved some personnel, too. Emanuel Davis and Derek Blacknall should be an effective set of cornerbacks. 16

Pirate Football and Hoops Moving Ahead on Various Fronts Ground game leader, sophomore running back Michael Dobson, is brought down. (Al Myatt photo)

Dominique Davis is entrenched at quarterback. He got one series, directed a touchdown drive as scripted by offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley and then backups played the rest of the way, going 15 series without a score. Riley reduced the reps of Brad Wornick during the spring, so the real race for No. 2 on the depth chart appears to be between Rio Johnson and Shane Carden as true freshman Cody Keith is expected to redshirt. Johnson helped his cause by breaking the scoring draught with an 18yard scoring pass to Reese Wiggins. Johnson completed 10 of 18 for 111 yards. The boatload of quarterbacks combined to complete 33 of 60 passes for 257 yards on an extremely-breezy afternoon. “The wind grabbed a few passes,” Riley said. The Pirates were turnover- and penalty-free on offense. Those aspects pleased coach Ruffin McNeill with regard to his objective of becoming a smarter football team. Michael Dobson ran 16 times for 80 yards to lead the ground game. There were some problems snapping the ball as the top three centers were out and one of the converted O-lineman hiking the ball had a cast on his hand. Wornick had driven the offense to first-and-goal when a snap sailed several feet over his head and resulted in a loss of almost 40 yards. Fourteen different players caught passes as the talented

Dwayne Harris watched from the Murphy Center. “We won’t have a go-to guy this year,” Davis said. “Defenses won’t be able to key on one guy.” There were some spectacular punts with the wind gusting in advance of the front that produced a rash of tornadoes. Phillip McNaughton, a native of Australia averaged 50 yards per punt and Matt Millisor boomed one 58 yards. Redshirt freshman linebacker Jeremy Grove led the defense with seven tackles. Freshman defensive back Lamar Ivey had six stops. The defense was credited with six sacks. McNeill said the Pirates stuck to their new base defense all spring, with the exception of some nickel coverages. “Clear head, fast legs,” McNeill said. “Cloudy head, slow legs.” The defense allowed just 2.8 yards per play, a much better number than those the unit generated in a 6-7 season in 2010. “I think the biggest difference between this spring and last is we were able to hit the ground running,” McNeill said. “Once we return our injured players and throw in the guys we signed, I believe we can be a pretty good team.” The Pirates are a work in progress and Riley feels significant progress will be made.

A slimmer Ruffin McNeill on the headphones (Al Myatt photo)

“We improved a lot from the spring game to (the season opener) Tulsa last year,” Riley said. “It wasn’t about today. It was about preparing to beat South Carolina.” ECU opens the 2011 season against the Gamecocks in Charlotte on Sept. 3.

Ruff sheds pounds

Below: Jeff Connors with the defense during a timeout (Al Myatt photo)

McNeill was a long way from his playing shape for the Pirates when he had weight reduction surgery in January. That procedure was preliminary to McNeill undergoing a hip replacement April 29. A slimmer, fitter, more mobile McNeill should be guiding ECU in the 2011 season. He had already shed 90 pounds to get down to 298. “I’ve got a lot of work to do,” said the Pirates coach. “I’m pleased with where I am. I’m not satisfied and I know I’ve got a lot of things ahead of me, but I’m enjoying the journey.” McNeill is in the process of a change in lifestyle but he literally wasn’t the man he used to be as he directed spring practice. He was noticeably smaller. His efforts should make him feel better, give him more energy and that can only be a plus for him personally and in terms of the work load he can manage in directing the program. But he’s not going to get carried away — or run over. “Someone asked me if I’m going to run out there with 17

the team,” McNeill said. “I’m not going to run out there. I could trip over that state logo and get run over. I’ll walk. I may not be the smartest, but I am well-informed.”

It’s Connors’ time With the end of spring practice, strength and conditioning director Jeff Connors was primed to take over in terms of preparing the players for the upcoming season. “Jeff has been a blessing,” McNeill said. “When things happen, everybody wonders who’s coming in, who’s the next guy. I’ve been blessed that every time something happens, the move that’s made takes us to another level. I’m sure Mike (Golden, former strength coach) did a great job. Mike was part of two (Conference USA) championships but getting Jeff back helps us go to another level. “Jeff is at the top of his profession. He understands exactly what we want here, program wise, getting our guys stronger, in condition and powerful and explosive and speed training. I’m very excited about Jeff being back. It was great getting him to come back to being a Pirate (from a similar position at North Carolina). Jeff was a Pirate and then he left and then he came back. It’s been a blessing. Our kids love him, absolutely love, they call him Coach C. They absolutely love Coach C. I call him JC. “But they all say they absolutely love Coach C. He’s

done a great, great job. I’m looking forward to him putting his philosophy in place in a fashion when he’ll have them for a longer period of time but during the short period of time here I’ve seen the progress. I’ve seen his philosophy and the mindset he’s introduced to our team.”

Staff continuity McNeill’s staff remained intact through the spring and no changes were anticipated. “To me, the key to success in business, or in any sport, having staff continuity is the key to success,” McNeill said. “We have every guy back. I know I have a good staff. I know people will be coming after them. I know when you hire good people, they’ll come after ‘em but the loyalty part is one thing I was very serious about in hiring. “I know a lot of people questioned this guy or that guy, but loyalty was very key. Staff chemistry was very integral. The final part and maybe the most important part was trust and verification of trust. Loyalty, staff chemistry, trust and verification of trust were key factors. This staff, I appreciate ‘em sticking with the program. They love it here. They’ve bought homes and are buying homes. We plan on being here a long time.”

Brad Wornick passes under pressure (Al Myatt photo) 18

Pirates moving toward ‘Highest Level’ Fundraising efforts continue in the $15 million basketball practice facility project. ECU coach Jeff Lebo has been actively involved in those efforts even as he was leading the Pirates to their first winning season since 1996-97. “It’s vital for our program,” Lebo said. “It’s vital to give our student-athletes the resources and the facilities that they need to be successful in (Conference USA). I’ve had a chance to get around our league this year and see all the facilities of the people we’re competing with and we are behind right now, very far behind. “This facility, one, will give our kids a place that they will have access to 24 (hours a day)/seven (days a week), a place where we can have practice when we want to, a place where we can have individual work when we want to around their schedules, a place that they can have and be proud of. “Also, you put 15 million dollars into a basketball facility — that makes a statement that basketball is important at East Carolina. From a recruiting standpoint, that certainly is huge for us. We’re real excited. The Pirate Nation has stepped up. We’ve got nine million already committed. We’ve got six more to go. We’ve got the plans on it. We’ve got the sketches on it. It’ll be a great day when they put that shovel in the ground and start that project. “I know our players and coaches are excited about that, both the men and the women’s sides. We can’t get it here fast enough.”

Plans call for the proposed facility on the northeast side of Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum to be in place by 2013.

Lebo on Pirate Club circuit Lebo has been making appearances at Pirate Club functions this spring and has been getting a positive sense of anticipation from the fan base after ECU’s 18-16 season in 2010-11 that included a best ever 8-8 record in C-USA and the program’s first postseason berth (in the College Insider Tournament) since a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 1993. Lebo developed a sense of appreciation for the fans’ impact during his first season at ECU. “I haven’t been in a place in a long time that was as loud as Minges at the end of the year,” he said. “I was in the (Southeastern Conference, at Auburn) and went to Kentucky, went to Arkansas, and the Alabama-Auburn game on the road. The last time I remember that kind of noise and energy in a building was probably when I played (at North Carolina) and we went to Cameron (Indoor Stadium, at Duke). “When we went to Memphis, we were going to pump in crowd noise, which I’ve never done before, to be able to practice for when we played on the road at Memphis. At the end of the year, we were pumping in crowd noise for our home games. That’s amazing.

True freshman Cody Keith looks to pass. (Al Myatt photo) 19

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Opposite page: On the Pirate Club circuit, Coach Lebo explained the importance the fans play in taking the Pirate basketball program to the next level (ECU Media Relations archive photo)

“Our people came out. It was a tough place to play. The people came out and they were loud and involved in the game. Our students came out. The last three or four games in Minges, it was unbelievable. They were a factor in the games. At times, that energy rattled some people we played. That was a factor in us winning some games. We had a comeback against Houston where I think it rattled some people. Memphis, I think it rattled some people. “They’re right on top of you. They’re into the game. The students are wrapped around the court. We had some interesting things happen. Obviously, the Tim Floyd incident (Texas-El Paso coach’s ejection). They’ll talk about that for a long time. It was just a neat, fun place. It spread across the league a little bit that, ‘Hey, you go in there. You’re not going to run into 1,500 people at the game. You better bring it when you come to Greenville. You’re not going to have to beat 15 guys. You’re going to have to beat six-thousand, seven-thousand screaming Pirate fans. “ ... It was amazing to me to walk out through there. The energy of the game was unbelievable. Again, I think it was a big factor in how our team played. Our kids responded. They run out there and they see that place packed. Man, it’s amazing. What that does to their body language, what that does to their mindset, they’d like to keep that consistent. In order to do that they have to play consistent and they know that.” ECU has had some great wins on its home court against programs with significant tradition such as Louisville, Marquette

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and N.C. State. Fans would come out to see a name opponent, particularly in the initial stages of the Pirates’ C-USA membership. The difference this year seemed to be that the Pirate Nation was responding more to what ECU was accomplishing and the Pirates were much more competitive away from the supportive confines of Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.

Kemp joins Pirates Coach Lebo said after Wakefield Ellison was given his scholarship release in March that the Pirates would sign the best player available. That turned out to be Maurice Kemp, Jr., a 6-foot-6, 174-pound forward who helped Miami Dade College to a 21-11 record in 2010-11 as he averaged 16.7 points and 9.9 rebounds as a sophomore. He spent his freshman year at Alabama A&M where he averaged 5.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in 13.2 minutes per game for the Bulldogs. “He is a multi-dimensional player who will be able to play a lot of different positions for us.” Lebo said. Kemp joins fellow junior college transfer Shamarr Bowden of Chipola Junior College in Florida, Paris RobertsCampbell of United Faith Christian Academy in Charlotte and Paul Stone of Dan River (VA), who committed during the early signing period. Point guard Miguel Paul sat out the 2010-11 season after transferring from Missouri and will be eligible at ECU for 2011-12.

Read more from Al Myatt at Bonesville.net.

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2011 East Carolina Football Schedule

Sept. 3 vs. South Carolina (Charlotte, N.C.) Sept. 10 VIRGINIA TECH (Pirate Club Weekend) Sept. 24 *UAB (Family Weekend) Oct. 1 NORTH CAROLINA (Hall of Fame/Letterwinners Weekend) Oct. 8

*at Houston

Oct. 15 *at Memphis Oct. 22 at Navy Oct. 29 *TULANE (Homecoming) Nov. 5

*SOUTHERN MISS (Military Appreciation Weekend)

Nov. 12 *at UTEP Nov. 19 *UCF (Senior Day) Nov. 26 *at Marshall Dec. 3 C-USA Championship Game (at highest-seed campus site) Home games in ALL CAPS * Denotes Conference USA game 22

Stepping Up Third-Generation Entrepreneur Rogers Clark, Class of ‘59, Pledges Support to University for Hoops Facility Upgrades By Al Myatt Rogers Clark was approached by East Carolina representatives to support the “Step Up to the Highest Level” campaign to build a state-of-the-art basketball practice facility. The 75-year old president and CEO of Sampson-Bladen Oil Company, Waccamaw Transport and Han-Dee Hugo’s convenience stores stepped up with a $250,000 pledge. Clark has his office in Clinton and lives in White Lake. He graduated from East Carolina in 1959. “This company is owned by me and my four brothers,” Clark said. “My oldest brother is deceased but his family still holds his interests. I checked with them. Three of us graduated from East Carolina. We decided that we would support them and give them what they wanted.” Clark’s brothers, Giles R. Clark and David K. Clark, both graduated East Carolina in 1953. Giles went on to UNC and became a lawyer. He later became a Superior Court judge. Sampson-Bladen Oil started in 1936. It is a now a third generation business. Rogers Clark is second generation in the family business. His generation founded the Han-Dee Hugo’s chain. The corporation sponsors an annual golf tournament that has raised $844,000 over 17 years to fight muscular dystrophy. ECU athletics is another worthy cause for the family business. “I feel athletics is a very important part of a college or university system,” Rogers Clark said. “Nowadays, if you want to attract good athletes, you have to have good training facilities for them. They have worked hard on that. I made another contribution to them when they built the Murphy Center. “When they came out and told us what they were having and what they needed, I knew they needed those facilities to attract good athletes. That’s what led us to go ahead and participate.” Clark said he goes to most all of East Carolina’s home football games and some of the road games. “East Carolina has meant a lot to me,” he said. “Like I told somebody the other day, I don’t know whether I got an education or not but I got as nice a sheepskin as anybody. It meant a lot to me.” Clark was something of a pioneer in his days as a student at East Carolina. He was among a group that brought the first fraternities to campus and, eventually, he became a brother in Lambda Chi Alpha. “Dr. (John D.) Messick (then president of East Carolina) had said, ‘We’ll never have fraternities here,’ but we formed a little

Rogers Clark, President and CEO of Sampson-Bladen Oil Company, Waccamaw Transport and Han-Dee Hugo’s convenience stores (Submitted photo)

fraternity called Delta Sigma Rho. The offices on campus, we had them pretty well covered. When we got ready to go national, we went and talked to Dr. Messick and told him what we wanted to do. We said, ‘Now here’s our record. Here’s where we’ve got people. Here’s our (grade point average)’ and all that. 23

“And he looked at it and he said, ‘Well, I’m opposed to fraternities but with what y’all have done and the showing you’ve made, I can’t oppose you.’ And he let us come in.” Clark said his first contact with Lambda Chi was on the old campus of Wake Forest during summer school. He was disappointed that Lambda Chi was recently disbanded at ECU by the fraternity’s national office. A group of brothers still gets together each year. “Normally it’s weekend of the football game before Homecoming,” Clark said. “There are still right many of us. We’re not as young as we used to be but we come and we participate. We help out and we do what we can and we’re working to get another affiliation for the fraternity. I think that we’ve been a credit to the university.” Clinton native Terry Holland, ECU athletic director, has expressed the need for a basketball practice facility and coach Jeff

Lebo has worked diligently to develop support for the $15 million proposed structure which is to be built on the northeast side of Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum. Dennis Young, associate athletic director for major gifts, has said plans call for the new building to be in place by the fall of 2013. The Pirates went 18-16 in their first season under Lebo in 2010-11 for their first winning record since 1996-97. “He has done a great job quickly with the basketball program,” Clark said of Lebo. “I’m very pleased with that. I hope he will be there a long time.” The support of Pirates such as Clark in the “Step Up to the Highest Level” campaign should help Lebo continue to improve the ECU basketball program. Anyone interested in finding out more about the effort to build the basketball practice facility may call the Pirate Club at (252) 737-4540.

The Pirate Nation can make the proposed basketball practice facility a reality.

Proposed Basketball Practice Facility to be built to the north side of Minges Coliseum.

Step Up to the Highest Level Campaign For more information, contact the Pirate Club office at 252-737-4542 24

O l y m p i c

S p o r t s

R o u n d u p

Spring Sports Report By Bethany Bradsher

Winning Pitcher of the Week for Conference USA is a special honor, but it has to be a little routine for Toni Paisley by now. After the Lady Pirates swept Southern Miss in its first C-USA series o the year, Paisley won the award for the 16th time and her teammate Suzanne Riggs won Hitter of the Week for the first time. It was a C-USA awards sweep that helped elevate ECU on the national stage, as the Lady Pirates received votes in both major polls after taking sweeping their series against Southern Miss in early April. With a record of 28-11 through April 7, the Lady Pirates have been strong coming into conference play despite playing with 10 freshman and only two seniors. Riggs, a junior from Greenville who starred at D.H. Conley High, won the hitting award for a standout performance at Southern Miss that included six runs batted in and five hits, including two doubles. She batted .500 in the three-game series. Paisley, who now only needs one more weekly award to own the award for the most in a career, went 2-0 at Southern Miss and nearly threw a perfect game in the series opener, settling instead for a no-hitter.

Golf News The women’s golf team continued their winning ways with a victory at the UNCW Seahawk Invitational that marked

Above: Senior pitcher Toni Paisley (ECU Media Relations photo)

their third title this season. The golfers’ latest trophy came after the UNCW event had to be shortened after just two rounds because of inclement weather. ECU’s top performer was freshman Fanny Wolte, who shot a 73 and a 75 in the competition and ended up taking first place out of all golfers in a field of 10 teams. The Pirates (89-33-2) compete next at the Conference USA Championship tournament in Gulf Shores, Ala. Another Pirate was at the top of the leader board in Greenville, SC two weeks before Wolte won her trophy. Men’s golfer Harold Varner was the second-place winner at the 42nd annual Furman Intercollegiate. Varner shot a 2-under for two consecutive rounds to finish with a three-round score of 207. Varner carded birdies on five holes Sunday, but three bogeys gave the championship to Purdue’s William Sjaichudin. Two other men’s golfers – sophomore Zach Edmondson and junor David Watkins – also finished in the top 20 for the day. Both Pirates shot even par on the final day of the competition, with Edmondson totaling a 216 over three rounds and finishing tied for 15th and Watkins placing 20th with a composite score of 217. Continued on next page... 25

Tennis Update The Lady Pirates tennis team is proving to be formidable at home, where they are 8-2, and they are 16-7 overall after defeating Gardner-Webb at home on April 2. After two more regular-season matches, the ECU team will compete in the C-USA tournament in Orlando on April 21. The menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tennis team lost four matches in a row before prevailing against Southern Miss on the second day of the C-USA Shootout in Hattiesburg. The key to the victory for the Pirates was their doubles play, which they swept behind the efforts of Jaroslav Horvath and Joran Vliegen edging the Southern Miss team 8-6 at the No. 1 position. ECU split the singlesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; competition, with Vliegen, John Schmitt and Henrik Skalmerud taking home victories. The match improved the Pirates to 11-7 overall and 1-2 in CUSA. # Clockwise from top right: Tennis players, Belgian native Joran Vliegen and Slovakia native Jaroslav Horvath, and Junior golfer Harold Varner (ECU Media Relations photo)

Pirate Club News Update on Step Up To The Highest Level Campaign

The East Carolina University Educational Foundation is pleased to announce that as of Monday, April 11, 2011, over $9.5 million had been committed by Pirate Club members to the $15 million â&#x20AC;&#x153;Step Up To The Highest Level Campaignâ&#x20AC;?, a campaign initiative to provide private funding for a state-of-the art, basket-ball practice facility. At this time, the Educational Foundation wishes to acknowledge those individuals and businesses who as of April 11, 2011, had stepped forward in support of this important campaign on behalf of ECU Athletics and its basketball programs:

Leadership Gift Donors: BB&T

Tap Johnson

David Bond

Roddy Jones

The Harold H. Bate Foundation

Edwin Clark

Judy & Sam Lovelace

Paul & Sybil Trevisan

Rogers Clark

David & Connie Marshburn

George & Sue Turner

Jim & Debbie Creech

Tim Martin

Wells Fargo

E. M. & O. W. Edwards Foundation, Inc.

James & Connie Maynard

Don Whitaker

Minges Bottling Group

David Lee Williams

David & Mary Garrard

Don Parrott

Steve Williams

Craig Goess

Carl & Connie Rogers

Walter & Marie Williams

C. Felix Harvey

Mike & Janet Rogers

Henry & Nancy Williamson

John H. Hess

Harry & Tammy Smith

Sam Wornom

Lee, Fussell & Humphreys, P.A.

The Eddie & Jo Smith Family Foundation

Continued on next page... 27

Major Gift Donors: Woody & Rita Andrews Anonymous Charles & Tracey Allen Mike & Page Aman Tom & Carolyn Bennett Dr. Bill Bogey BoneyardBanter.Com Earl Boykin Steve & Joanne Brown Jim Buckman Ken & Kay Chalk Tom & Stella Chambliss Jim Chesnutt Wes Chesson Louis Collie, Jr. Mark & Tracy Copeland Vern Davenport Billy & Valerie Dunn Don & Judy Edwards

Dwight Flanagan Chris & Dana Gauland Mark & Alice Hatcher Marty Helms Jackson & Sons Steve Jones Max Ray Joyner, Sr. & Jr. Charles Lanier Jay & Jenny Loftin Tony Mallard Matt & Laurie Maloney David & Karen McDaniel Fielding Miller National Finance Company Danny & Beth Nichols Terry Nobles Kel & Parker Normann Jason Poole Jonathan Popkin

Richard & Elizabeth Rogers Billy Sewell Kieran Shanahan Southco Distributing Co. Tom & Mary Ann Southern Mike & Debbie Steadman Ed & Barbara Steed Mike Steele John Strickland Guy Swain T. A. Loving Company John Charles Thompson Jimmy Townsend Woody & Jennifer Tyner Bobby Vause Arnold & Kay Wallace Mark & Angela Wharton Henry & Mary Williamson Dennis & Ellen Young

Other Gift Donors: Herb Adams David & Ella Alexander Randall Alexander Tommy Alligood Jim Banks Mike Baynes Jimmy & Sarah Bass Brian Bauer Larry & Connie Boyte Skip Browder Tony & Pamela Brown Dave & Kathy Burns Ben Burton Thomas & Debra Cafferty Sheri Carter Thomas Cassell Charles & Sybil Chambliss John Chandler Charles Coble Terrance Copper Mick Crawford Carlester Crumpler, Sr. Jerry Cunningham Doug Daniels Ed & Lindy Daughtry Sean & Jennifer Epps Phoenix & Anna Evans Tommy & Ella Evans Mickey Fogelman Steve Fuller Mark & Gail Garner Doug Getsinger Frank & Charlene Gill Cliff Godwin Clarence Hardison Robert Harrison 28

Shay Hayes Ron & Madelyn Hight Joe Hodge Oscar Holloman Melvin & Lois Hoot John & Arminda Israel Jack & Rose Johnson Alan Jones Johnny Joyner, Jr. Joseph Joyner Herman Kight Dan Killebrew Fred Klutey Judith Lassiter Tom & Barbara Leake Scotty Lockamy Howard Margulies Gene & Sylvia McCreary Ruffin & Earline McNeill Larry Martin Kevin Moran Mike & Paula Morgan Skip & Nancy Morris Chad Nesbit Johnny & Kay Overby Anthony Parker William Parker William Phifer Tommy & Amanda Price Bryan Raithel Danny Rice George Rhodes Karlo Rodriquez Gary & Fonda Rosenbaum James & Joanne Salisbury Bob & Susan Sawyer

Sherald Sawyer, Jr. Waighty Scales Don Shumaker Matthew Slate Mac Sligh Bruce Smith Steve & Bonnie Smith Larry Snead John & Meredith Southern Tracy Stephenson Harry Stubbs Wade & Linda Sumerlin Wayland Sumerlin Billy Sutton Trudy Sutton Jon & Kristin Tart Michael Taylor Taylor Teague Dave Thomas David Turnage Robert & Donna Turnage John Vestal Joe & Judy Wallace Bill & Mollie Wallen Andrew Watkins Sarah Watts Delmar Weaver Michael Wheeler William A. White, Jr. John B. Williamson, Jr. Ken Windley Max Woodbury Ms. Harvey Sharp Wooten David Wright

Many thanks to those listed on the previous pages, who have stepped forward in their support of the “Step Up To The Highest Level Campaign”. In doing so, you have outwardly expressed your desire for Jeff Lebo and Heather Macy to have a long-needed, practice facility for them to recruit talented young men and women to their respective programs and while these young men and women are Pirate student-athletes, help them improve their skill sets. Even more importantly, the above individuals realize that success on the hardwood will give ECU Athletics a balanced athletics program, one that is deserving of competing at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics. To those Pirate Club members who have not yet stepped forward with their support of the “Step Up To The Highest Level Campaign”, please call Dennis Young or Matt Maloney of the Pirate Club Office at 252-737-4542, and let them answer any questions you may have concerning this most important capital campaign. Also, you can go on-line (www.ecupirateclub.com),

and view the campaign brochure. Keep in mind, the Educational Foundation has $5.5 million left to raise to meet the campaign’s $15 million goal. With 8,000 active Pirate Club members in 2010 (excludes 9,000 Student Pirate Club members), it’s only a matter of numbers to reach our $15 million campaign goal – i.e., one member committing $5.5 million over five years; five members committing $1.1 million over five years; fifty members committing $110,000 over five years; five hundred members committing $11,000 over five years; or 5,000 members committing $1,100 over a five-year pledge period. At the end of the day, the Educational Foundation hopes that you’ll be a member that can be counted on to provide financial support for this important athletics facility enhancement, a facility which will move Pirate men and women’s basketball and all of ECU Athletics forward in a competitive intercollegiate athletics environment.

Welcome, New Little Pirates!

Fiona Isabel Malone — Born to Lisa and Matthew (‘00) Malone on 2/24/11 at 5:10am. Fiona weighed 5lbs 13oz and was 18” long at birth. The attached photo shows her in one of her favorite outfits! This is our first child, and she has already enjoyed a baseball game. We live in Wilmington and we are looking forward to watching the Pirates beat UNCW whenever they come to town! She is looking forward to enjoying football in the fall as well.

Davis G. Brinkley — Justin and Leah Brinkley are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Davis G. Brinkley. Davis was born February 22, 2011. His birth weight was 8 lbs. and he measured 21” long. New daddy Justin is an ECU letterwinner in swimming. Both parents are ECU grads from the class of 2005.

Compliance Corner Q. Is it permissible for an athletic representative to bring to ECU’s attention outstanding prospects? A. Yes. An athletic representative may not, however, get involved in the actual evaluation of a prospect. Also, an athletic representative cannot contact the prospect for purposes of soliciting the prospect’s enrollment to ECU and participation in athletics. Q. Is it permissible to contact a prospective student-athlete or his/her parents or legal guardians? A. No. An athletic representative may not contact a prospect or his/her parents in person, by telephone, or in writing. This prohibition extends both on and off the ECU campus. Q. Is this contact rule applicable to “established family friends” or neighbors? A. No. However, it must be understood that such contacts cannot be made for recruiting purposes and cannot be initiated or arranged by ECU coaching staff members. In addition, the established relationship between the booster and the prospect must have occurred prior to the friend or neighbor becoming a prospect.

Questions & Answers for Pirate Club Members Q: May a student-athlete make a public appearance at a business establishment for any purpose such as signing autographs, etc.? A: No. Such appearances can be construed as a direct or indirect endorsement of the commercial establishment, thus jeopardizing the eligibility of the student-athlete. Q: If I have extra tickets to ECU sporting events, can I give them to student-athletes? Can I provide them with tickets to other events in the area (sporting or otherwise)? A: No it is not permissible for student-athletes to receive tickets from representatives of athletics interests to any ECU sporting event. Student-athletes must obtain their tickets in the same manner as all other students. Whether it is tickets to a movie, the cover charge at a club, or greens fees, providing such benefits to student-athletes would constitute a violation of NCAA regulations and jeopardize the student-athlete’s eligibility. Q: As a Pirate Club member, may I call or write a prospect to let him or her know they would be a good fit for ECU? A: No, only ECU’s coaches may call or write a prospect after specific dates established by the NCAA.

Q. How long is a prospective student-athlete considered to be a prospect?

Q: Is it permissible for a Pirate Club to provide summer employment for student-athletes?

A. A prospective student-athlete remains a prospect even after committing to or signing a National Letter of Intent with ECU or another institution. In fact, both the prospect and the institution continue to be governed by most NCAA recruiting regulations until the prospect reports for practice or attends his/her first day of classes.

A: Yes, it is permissible. Please remember that compensation must be paid only for work actually performed and at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality. Q: Is it permissible for Pirate Club members to provide enrolled student-athletes a home cooked meal?

Q: Can a representative of athletics interests be involved when a prospect is on an official or unofficial visit?

A: Yes, provided it is on an occasional basis and the meal is at the booster’s home, not at a restaurant. All requests must be received by the compliance office prior to the event.

A: No. Representatives of athletics interests are precluded from all recruiting activities, including face-to-face contacts with a prospect or his/her relatives.

Q: Is ECU’s athletics department responsible for the acts of its Pirate Club members?

Q: A classmate of my child has just signed with ECU, and I would like to take him to the next local Pirate Club meeting to introduce him to ECU supporters. Is this allowed? A: No, it is not. Please remember that most NCAA recruiting regulations still apply to a prospect, even after he or she signs a National Letter of Intent or financial aid agreement to attend ECU. This means that an athletic representative continue to be prohibited from having on- or off-campus contact with prospects until the academic year begins and the prospect is in classes.

A: Yes. The athletic department is responsible for ensuring that all ECU representatives of athletics interests follow NCAA regulations.

May Kids Club Birthdays Avery Allen

Gage Eli Smith

Dalton Britt

Teagan Smith

Gabriel Edwards

Isaac Sutton

Madelyn Ellis

Lucas Alexander Swartz

Kristen “Kikki” Fox

Ainsley Taylor

Carter Hall

Collier Taylor

Samantha Harrell Matthew E. Hicks

Happy Birthday, Kids!

Morgan Thompson Andrew Ryan Tyndall

Brock Humbles Maggie Johnson

Chadwick Thomas

Duncan Alexander Patrick

Emma Waddell

Colston J. Lyons

Mary Margaret Ricks

Michael Wells

Brooke Monroe

Virginia Riel

James Stephen Woolard III

Maximus “Max” Noonan

Lindsay Larkins Simonowich

Clayton Woolard

Natalie Simpson

ECU Pirate Club/ Pirates’ Chest Subscription Change of Address Form

Name

Old Address

New Address

City

State Zip

Phone

Please submit form to: East Carolina University Pirate Club 304 Ward Sports Medicine Bldg. Greenville, NC 27858-4353

You may also e-mail your change-of-address information to leblancleccej@ecu.edu or send via fax to (252) 737-4664. Both your Pirate Club mailing information, as well as your Pirates’ Chest subscription information will be updated with this form.

Are you getting married? Have you had a baby? Do you have employment advancements, changes, honors, publications, or are you retiring? Do you have any information that you would like to share with your fellow Pirate Club Members? We want to know about you, your family and news in your life that we can share with other Pirate Club members. Please mail information to: 32

East Carolina University Pirate Club 304 Ward Sports Medicine Bldg. Greenville, NC 27858-4353 Attn: Member’s Corner Or Fax to: (252) 737-4664 You can also e-mail us at: leblancleccej@ecu.edu Subject Line: Member’s Corner

2011 Pirate Baseball Schedule & Results Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result 02/18/11 vs. Youngstown St. Greenville, N.C. W, 11-3 02/19/11 vs. Youngstown St. Greenville, N.C. W, 1-0 02/20/11 vs. Youngstown St. Greenville, N.C. W, 10-0 02/25/11 at Virginia Charlottesville, Va. L, 10-1 02/26/11 at Virginia Charlottesville, Va. L, 4-3 02/27/11 at Virginia Charlottesville, Va. W, 4-3 03/01/11 vs. Campbell Greenville, N.C. W, 7-4 03/04/11 vs. Pepperdine Greenville, N.C. W, 2-0 03/05/11 vs. Pepperdine Greenville, N.C. L, 5-4 (11) vs. Pepperdine Greenville, N.C. W, 7-4 03/08/11 at Campbell Buies Creek, N.C. W, 3-2 03/09/11 vs. High Point Greenville, N.C. W, 4-3 Keith LeClair Classic W, 4-3 03/11/11 vs. Monmouth N.J. Greenville, N.C. 03/12/11 vs. Rutgers Greenville, N.C. W, 5-0 03/13/11 vs. Liberty Greenville, N.C. L, 2-0 03/15/11 at Elon Elon, N.C. W, 4-3 (10) 03/16/11 vs. Buffalo Greenville, N.C. W, 8-3 Greenville, N.C. W, 3-2 (11) 03/18/11 vs. Rutgers 03/19/11 vs. Rutgers Greenville, N.C. W, 6-3 Greenville, N.C. W, 6-0 03/20/11 vs. Rutgers 03/25/11 vs. Memphis * Greenville, N.C. W, 3-2 03/26/11 vs. Memphis * Greenville, N.C. L, 3-2 03/27/11 vs. Memphis * Greenville, N.C. W, 5-3 03/29/11 at UNC Wilmington Wilmington, N.C. W, 20-5 Birmingham, Ala. L, 4-1 04/01/11 at UAB * 04/02/11 at UAB * Birmingham, Ala. L, 5-3 04/03/11 at UAB Birmingham, Ala. W, 8-5 04/05/11 at N.C. State Raleigh, N.C. L, 4-2 04/06/11 vs. Elon Greenville, N.C. W, 7-0 Greenville, N.C. L, 2-1 04/08/11 vs. Rice * 04/09/11 vs. Rice * Greenville, N.C. L, 5-3 (10) 04/10/11 vs. Rice * Greenville, N.C. W, 7-3 04/12/11 at North Carolina Chapel Hill, N.C. L, 5-3 04/15/11 vs. UCF * Greenville, N.C. W, 12-6 Greenville, N.C. L, 3-2 04/16/11 vs. UCF * 04/17/11 vs. UCF * Greenville, N.C. W, 5-3 04/19/11 vs. UNC Wilmington Greenville, N.C. W, 17-13 04/21/11 at Houston * Houston, Texas W, 5-4 (12) 04/22/11 at Houston * Houston, Texas L, 4-2 Houston, Texas W, 12-2 (7) 04/23/11 at Houston * 04/26/11 at Old Dominion Norfolk, Va 6:00 p.m. ET 6:00 p.m. ET 04/27/11 vs. North Carolina Greenville, N.C. 04/29/11 vs. Southern Miss * Greenville, N.C. 6:00 p.m. ET 04/30/11 vs. Southern Miss * Greenville, N.C. 3:00 p.m. ET 05/01/11 vs. Southern Miss * Greenville, N.C. 1:00 p.m. ET 05/06/11 at Marshall * Charleston, W.Va. 7:00 p.m. ET 05/07/11 at Marshall * Charleston, W.Va. 7:00 p.m. ET 05/08/11 at Marshall * Charleston, W.Va. 1:00 p.m. ET 05/11/11 vs. Wake Forest Zebulon, N.C. 7:00 p.m. ET 05/13/11 vs. Delaware State Greenville, N.C. 6:00 p.m. ET 05/14/11 vs. Delaware State Greenville, N.C. 3:00 p.m. ET 05/15/11 vs. Delaware State Greenville, N.C. 1:00 p.m. ET 05/17/11 vs. Old Dominion Greenville, N.C. 6:00 p.m. ET 05/19/11 at Tulane * New Orleans, La. 7:30 p.m. ET 05/20/11 at Tulane * New Orleans, La. 7:30 p.m. ET 05/21/11 at Tulane * New Orleans, La. 2:00 p.m. ET 05/25/11 - 05/29/11 C-USA Tournament - Pearl, Miss. 06/03/11 - 06/05/11 NCAA Regional 06/10/11 - 06/12/11 NCAA Super Regional 06/18/11 - 06/29/11 College World Series * - denotes Conference Event Purple - denotes home game

2011 Pirate Softball Schedule & Results Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result Red & Black Showcase 02/11/11 vs. Lipscomb Athens, Ga. W, 1-0 vs. Illinois State Athens, Ga. L, 8-0 02/12/11 vs. Iowa Athens, Ga. W, 1-0 at Georgia Athens, Ga. L, 1-0 02/13/11 vs. Maryland Athens, Ga. L, 3-1 02/16/11 vs. UNC Wilmington Greenville, N.C. W, 8-0 (6) Pirate Classic Greenville, N.C. W, 3-0 02/18/11 vs. Virginia vs. St. John’s Greenville, N.C. L, 6-5 (9) 02/19/11 vs. Hofstra Greenville, N.C. W, 5-0 vs. Kent State Greenville, N.C. W, 3-1 02/20/11 vs. St. John’s Greenville, N.C. W, 8-0 (5) 02/21/11 vs. Hofstra Greenville, N.C. W, 5-4 Pirate Clash 02/25/11 vs. Towson Greenville, N.C. W, 6-5 02/26/11 vs. Fairfield Greenville, N.C. W, 9-0 (5) vs. Lehigh Greenville, N.C. W, 8-0 (6) Greenville, N.C. W, 6-0 02/27/11 vs. Campbell Wilson/DeMarini Invitational W, 8-5 03/04/11 vs. New Mexico State Tempe, Ariz. at Arizona State Tempe, Ariz. L, 11-0 (5) 03/05/11 vs. Creighton Tempe, Ariz. W, 2-0 vs. Northern Iowa Tempe, Ariz. W, 4-1 03/06/11 vs. North. Colorado Tempe, Ariz. W, 11-3 (5) College Park, Md. W, 3-2 03/09/11 at Maryland at Maryland College Park, Md. L, 4-2 03/10/11 vs. Maine Greenville, N.C. W, 2-0 03/12/11 vs. Memphis * Greenville, N.C. W, 4-1 vs. Memphis * Greenville, N.C. L, 2-1 Greenville, N.C. L, 1-0 03/13/11 vs. Memphis * 03/15/11 vs. Charleston South. Greenville, N.C. W, 4-0 vs. Charleston South. Greenville, N.C. W, 3-0 03/19/11 at Marshall * Huntington, W.Va. W, 10-1 (6) at Marshall * Huntington, W.Va. W, 3-2 (8) Huntington, W.Va. L, 3-2 03/20/11 at Marshall * 03/26/11 vs. Tulsa * Greenville, N.C. W, 1-0 (10) vs. Tulsa * Greenville, N.C. L, 5-3 03/27/11 vs. Tulsa * Greenville, N.C. W, 10-1 (5) 04/02/11 at Southern Miss * Hattiesburg, Miss. W, 6-0 at Southern Miss * Hattiesburg, Miss. W, 5-1 04/03/11 at Southern Miss * Hattiesburg, Miss. W, 8-1 04/06/11 at UNC Wilmington Wilmington, N.C. L, 2-1 04/09/11 vs. UCF * Greenville, N.C. L, 1-0 (11) vs. UCF * Greenville, N.C. L, 3-2 (8) 04/10/11 vs. UCF * Greenville, N.C. W, 1-0 04/13/11 vs. N.C. State Greenville, N.C. L, 2-1 vs. N.C. State Greenville, N.C. L, 5-4 (10) 04/16/11 at UAB * Birmingham, Ala. W, 3-2 (11) at UAB * Birmingham, Ala. L, 2-0 04/17/11 at UAB * Birmingham, Ala. W, 6-2 04/22/11 at UTEP * El Paso, Texas W, 1-0 at UTEP * El Paso, Texas W, 6-0 04/23/11 at UTEP * El Paso, Texas W, 6-2 04/30/11 vs. Houston * Greenville, N.C. 1:00 p.m. ET vs. Houston * Greenville, N.C. 3:00 p.m. ET 05/01/11 vs. Houston * Greenville, N.C. 11:00 a.m. ET 05/07/11 at Longwood Farmville, Va. 12:00 p.m. ET vs. UMBC Farmville, Va. 2:00 p.m. ET 05/08/11 at Longwood Farmville, Va. 1:00 p.m. ET 05/12/11 - 05/14/11 C-USA Tournament - Greenville, N.C. * - denotes Conference Event Purple - denotes home game

East Carolina University Educational Foundation, Inc. 304 Ward Sports Medicine Building East Carolina University Greenville, NC 27858

~Established in 1945 ~ hen we introduced the Diamond & Amethyst Pirate last year, we had no idea how popular it would become... or how fast. Now, because you asked, we have added three more brilliant pieces to our very own...

WPendant

East Carolina

Pirate

Collection Diamonds, Amethysts, and Gold in two tones make for a dazzling collection of exclusive East Carolina Pirate jewelry! The Pirate Collection Earrings 14kWhite Gold with 2/3 ct.total weight Diamonds & 1 ct. total weight Amethysts

The Pirate Saber Toothpick Pendant 14k Two-tone pendant on a 14k Gold chain.

The New Diamond Pirate Pendant 1 ct. total weight Diamonds with your choice of 14k Yellow or White Gold chain

The Original Diamond & Amethyst Pirate Pendant 3/4 ct. total weight Diamonds and 3/4 ct. total weight Amethysts set in an elegant 14K two-tone gold mounting. 14K gold wheat chain

An ideal gift for your East Carolina Girl ! Introducing the newest treasures from the exclusive East Carolina Pirate1 Collection ...Only at Buddy’s Jewelry

Call and reserve yours now. Ask about our Layaway program. We custom design Pirate jewelry upon request.

(888) 658-3258 A portion from all Pirate Jewelry sales goes to the Pirate Club.

Three Convenient Locations: 903 North Breazeale Avenue • Mount Olive, NC 409 N. Spence Ave. • Goldsboro, NC 1307 W. Cumberland St. • Dunn, NC