CLASS NOTES

Class N�tes ’94 JOHN MCDONALD, B.A., history, has been appointed director of community development for the city of Pearland. In his new role, McDonald will oversee the city’s planning department, which includes zoning, land use planning, permitting and inspections as well as coordinating the Pearland Economic Development Corporation. McDonald previously served as a senior planner in San Antonio and director of community development in Dickinson. Most recently, he served as the director of development services for the city of Bellaire. ’97 CATHLEEN PETROFF, B.S., exercise and sports studies, has been named assistant ’74 VICKI BLACK, B.S., social work, was named administrator of Trail Lake Nursing and Rehabilitation in Fort Worth. Black’s responsibilities include overseeing day-to-day facility operations, principal for Royse City Middle School. Her educational working directly with employees, residents and the Fort experience includes instructional technologist, testing

Worth community. She worked as an activity director and intervention coordinator and, most recently, middle for 10 years before becoming a social worker. She has school assistant principal in neighboring Rockwall served in administrative capacities for the last decade. Independent School District. ’79 MEREDITH CHARBULA, B.S., criminal justice, has been appointed to the Duval ’00 SARA HILLIN, M.S., English, has been selected the 2017 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer at

County Court by Florida Gov. Rick Scott. Charbula, of Lamar University. Her lecture, “Flashpoints of Flight:

Jacksonville, is director of the Legal Division for the The Enduring Rhetorical Legacy of 20th Century Women

Office of the State Attorney for the 4th Judicial Circuit. Aviators” is the result of a decade of research to shed

She previously worked in private practice and as an light on the rhetorical legacy of early female aviators. assistant attorney general for the Department of Legal Hillin is the 31st recipient of the honor—one of the

Affairs in Tallahassee. highest accorded a Lamar faculty member. ’79 JOHANNA HICKS, B.S., home economics, earned the national Mary W. Wells Diversity ’01 JAMES BROWNLEE, B.A., theater arts, has been named head of the theater department

Award for her work as a Texas AgriLife Extension Agent at Weatherford College. Having worked as an actor in Hopkins County. The award, recognizing outstanding in theater, film and voice while completing his work by an individual agent, was presented at the undergraduate degree, he went on to study Shakespeare organization’s state conference in Round Rock. Hicks overseas in London and Stratford. His time in England won a total of five state and national awards at the was spent with actors from the Royal Shakespeare conference. Company and with scholars from the Shakespeare ’82 KATHRYN CARNES, B.S., home economics, retired in August from her position as Birthplace Trust. He also spent two weeks studying at The Globe Theater. an AgriLife extension agent for family and consumer sciences in Archer County. She served for 35 years. ’02 KELLY MADDEN, M.ED., education administration and leadership, was chosen ’86 JEFF TRUE, B.S., horse production, has been named president and general manager of principal at Kennedy-Powell Elementary School in Temple. Madden has been an assistant principal at Kennedy-Powell since 2012. Before that, she was a

All American Ruidoso Downs Racing. True is a 30-year principal in Midlothian Independent School District. veteran in the horse racing industry. After graduating from Tarleton, he spent four years in the Thoroughbred business in California and worked in group sales at ’03 RACHEL BURLESON, B.S., kinesiology and exercise science, was selected athletic

Santa Anita before serving as executive director of the director at Franklin Pierce University in Rindge,

Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association and then the N.H. Burleson coached softball and volleyball before

Texas Quarter Horse Association. transitioning to athletic administration positions, having ’91 BRADLEY KINNEY, B.S., exercise and sports studies, joined the administration at Bandera worked as an assistant or associate athletic director for three schools before FPU.

High School as its new assistant principal. A 25-year school veteran, Kinney has been at Comfort High School ’03 PACER BOURLAND, B.A., biology, was inducted into the Weatherford High School Athletic since 2005 as a science teacher, coach and assistant Hall of Fame in October. Bourland, a decorated pitcher principal. for the Texans, earned All-Lone Star Conference honors 18 three times and still holds three Tarleton career records as well as several single game marks. Currently a coach

and teacher at Poolville, he was a three-sport competitor at Weatherford High School, lettering in baseball, football and soccer, earning all-district and all-district academic honors all four years in baseball. ’06 ADRIAN SMITH, B.S., exercise and sports studies, was named head volleyball coach at Gregory-Portland High School. Smith, who played volleyball at Tarleton, previously worked at Henderson Independent School District, where she served as the girls’ athletic coordinator, head soccer coach and first-assistant volleyball coach. She also coached at New Caney High School, where she was the head volleyball coach, head tennis coach and first-assistant track coach, as well as in Cleburne and Bangs.

’07 RICHARD STRICKLER, M.S., human resource management, has been added to the East Central University faculty as a business administration instructor. He has taught for more than 15 years. His most recent experience was at Lindenwood University and Washington University in St. Louis. Previously, he was a full-time visiting professor at Baylor University and a fulltime business instructor at McLennan Community College. ’08 JOSH ASHLEY, B.S., exercise and sports sciences, joined the women’s basketball coaching staff at the University of North Alabama as an assistant. Ashley, a Kilgore native, worked for two seasons in a similar position at West Texas A&M, where the Buffs advanced to the Division II Elite Eight last season. He coached for three seasons at Eastern Oklahoma, and previously was a graduate assistant in the men’s basketball program at Tarleton. ’08 KEITH OWEN, M.ED., has been hired as principal at Linden-Kildare High School. Owen has served in education for more than 20 years and moves into his new position from Dublin Independent School District, where he filled many positions, including principal and athletic director.

’09 TABITHA RICHARDSON, M.S., educational administration, was promoted to assistant principal at Frisco Independent School District’s Spears Elementary School. Previously, Richardson was a teacher at Mooneyham Elementary in Frisco.

’09 LORRAINE CRUTCHER, B.B.A., marketing, has been named marketing and events manager for Weatherford’s James and Dorothy Doss Heritage and Culture Center. Crutcher brings 10 years of experience in marketing, event coordination, community activity planning and fundraising to the local Texas history museum and event center.

’09 MARLIN CLOUDY, B.S., kinesiology and exercise science, and ’15, M.Ed., kinesiology and exercise science, has accepted the position of head boys’ basketball coach at Oak Ridge High School. After graduating from Tarleton, Cloudy returned to his high school alma mater, Center, as an assistant varsity basketball coach. In his first year, Center went 14-0 in district play before losing to the eventual state runnerup Mexia in the second round. After four years at Center, Cloudy returned to Tarleton as an assistant coach in 2013.

’10 RACHEL PECHACEK, M.B.A., business administration, has been named senior vice president of the Woodway-Hewitt banking center of the First National Bank of Central Texas. She has 13 years of experience in commercial and real estate lending. In addition, she has served on the board of the Waco Family Abuse Center, was a member of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce’s 25th Leadership Waco class and took part in the chamber’s Total Resource Campaign.

’12 CLAUDE G. SAWNEY, M.S., management and leadership, co-authored “Improving the Chromatographic Method for Quantitative DTP (Determination of thiamine diphosphate)” published in the July-August issue of Medical Lab Management. Sawney is the quality manager at Sonic Reference Laboratory based in Austin and has been involved in several continuous improvement projects throughout his career.

’14 DR. BILLY ADAMS, ED.D., higher education leadership, has been named vice president of Instruction at Panola College. Adams’ duties include promoting excellence by providing innovative and dynamic leadership to support faculty in academic, scholarship and service activities. The position works closely with the president, deans and directors to establish institutional priorities, formulate policies, develop strategic plans and strengthen partnerships with business and industry, government and other institutions. ’15 JAMES BOYLE, M.S., athletic administration, has been named assistant coach for football and basketball at Lingleville High School, as well as the Cardinal’s head powerlifting coach. Boyle was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps and a champion discus thrower.

Contact us

Send your alumni and class updates to Tarleton State University Box T-0730, Stephenville, TX 76402 media@tarleton.edu | (254) 968-9460 To update your mailing address, contact Advancement Services ebouquet@tarleton.edu | (254) 968-9948

TEXANS 19

Bass Club brings national exposure to university

BY KURT MOGONYE

Tales of passion and glory, disappointment and determination.

You think banner athletic teams like football and basketball, right?

At Tarleton, add fishing to the list.

For a decade, the Tarleton Bass Club has been rising on the collegiate bass fishing circuit. Tarleton joins dozens of universities that are making competitive angling among the fastest-growing club sports in the country.

Boasting 55 members, the roster has doubled from last year, and the TBC routinely sends nearly a dozen two-person teams to fishing tournaments held across the state and throughout the southern U.S.

The national exposure—broadcast, television, webcast—is what attracted several TBC members to Tarleton, some from as far away as Arizona. That state’s high school champion angler and eventual national champion recently toured the campus after a day of fishing with club members at Lake Granbury.

The positive press reeled in club president Cason Kelly, a sophomore honors student from Lucas, Texas, who competed on his high school team.

“My personal goal is to win the national championship. Although the prize money is nice, it’s the exposure that we’re after,” said

Kelly, who, with partner Stetson Overton, finished 27th of 192 teams at the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship last May at Lake Pickwick near Florence, Ala. Among the four Tarleton teams qualifying for the twoday meet, two finished in the top 10: Dakota Ebare and Justin Seeton, fourth with 39.49 pounds—a mere 4.8 pounds off the winning mark set by the University of North Alabama—and Wyatt Young and Tucker Sargent with 34.92 pounds.

The top 10 finishes mark the best placings to date for Tarleton on college fishing’s biggest stage. Tarleton anglers routinely enjoy success in tournaments sanctioned by the Association of Collegiate Anglers, FLW and College Bass.

In December, Tarleton was ranked 13th in Cabela’s School of the Year standings after earning points in 10 sanctioned events dating to last spring. Only two Texas schools rank higher—East Texas Baptist and Dallas Baptist.

An average spring schedule consists of about 10 tournaments, with qualifiers advancing to championship events. Each weekend trip averages $1,200 for fuel, accommodations, food and entry fees, putting the sport beyond the reach of many college students. Members apply much of their prize winnings to future tournament costs.

Too, the students have honed their skills at hosting club tournaments to raise funds and securing sponsorships with fishing gear manufacturers—all welcome when the sport requires dozens of rod and reel combos, baits for every scenario imaginable, depth finders and the latest technology to outfit a bass boat.

“A lot of these guys fishing for Tarleton want to fish full time or join the professional ranks, and to do that you have to represent yourself well, represent the companies that believe in you,” Kelly explained.

“Traveling around to tournaments is a great way to start building relationships with industry folks as well as a reputation for yourself.” Getting to the big show is not easy, considering the approximately 9,000 college fishermen associated with more than 240 clubs on campuses nationwide. Being competitive requires having a bass boat and trailer, something TBC members must consider when pairing up to form a team.

The anglers also have to find time to practice and gain experience on the water. And don’t overlook the homework before venturing to a new lake, studying the depths, below-surface structures and fish feeding habits, and monitoring water clarity.

“When we have downtime, we’re usually fishing or preparing for a tournament. We spend a lot of time on the water, and that’s the only way you get better at fishing,” Kelly said. Several nearby lakes, such as Lake Leon and Squaw Creek, afford quality practice sessions.

“We definitely do our homework before we get to the lake, but once you’re on the water it’s a mental game. You have to believe in yourself and your ability to find fish and catch them consistently in order to win tournaments. There’s an acronym we live by: PMA, or positive mental attitude. It really is the biggest part of what we do.”

Justin Faterkowski, a freshman from Montgomery, Texas, agrees that the brain game can make or break a tournament. “I’ve gained valuable people skills and learned to deal with failure, because you fail a lot before you succeed in this sport.”

Boat engines die in the middle of a tournament. Lines snap while landing a lunker largemouth. Or, as in last May’s collegiate championships, an unannounced dam release drops the lake 2.5 feet overnight, forcing the teams to completely revamp their strategy.

The spot-on angler adapts and perseveres.

“There have been more tourneys than not, going through practice rounds with sunny skies and calm winds, then a cold front moves in overnight, the temps drop and the fish move,” Kelly said. “But on tournament day, your heart’s going a million miles an hour with the adrenaline rush, with the sun rising after going 70 mph across a lake in your boat, then the noise goes away when you stop for the first cast.

“It’s so exciting because you never know when the first bite’s going to come, and if it’s going to change your entire day with a big bass.”

Reel Life The

Club members Cason Kelly (left) and Stetson Overton at the BoatUS championship on Lake Pickwick near Florence, Ala., finished 27th among 192 teams, where two Tarleton teams placed in the top 10.