Q & A:

Just as everyone else has done, I would like to compliment you on a fantastic job done with this website. A great way to get high school prospects interested is by the website, and if it is only mediocre, well we all know it won't have much success. So congratulations on a job well done. My question that I have for you is regarding attendance at all of the sporting events. I am currently an RA at Blanco Hall, and I enjoy walking to the soccer games on Friday and Sunday afternoons to see my residents perform. I was also a very big supporter of football, volleyball, and both basketball teams last year. I am interested in what kind of steps you are taking to improve the attendance at the sporting events? Our female soccer and volleyball teams are both outstanding this year, and they deserve more support. What are some steps to get that community more involved?

- Jason, San Marcos

First, thank you for your kind comments about the web site. It has in fact been very well received and should be a tremendous asset for our coaches, fans, and student-athletes. Regarding attendance, I will tell you that our following for volleyball and soccer is terrific. When we recently won the Southland Conference volleyball tournament in Beaumont, it was practically a home match for us. The same in the case in soccer, where we have tremendous home crowds. That being said, we do not rest on our laurels, as we continue to produce our marketing materials - "Cat Attack" posters, schedule cards, special group nights, and special events - that directly involve our students and community. Additionally, I was very pleased with the fact we had three football crowds this year at or above 13,000. That is also near the top of the Southland Conference in terms of support. I give major kudos to our fan base for their support of the Bobcats, but we have never sold out an event since I have been here, so let's make it happen!

I have been keeping "track" of the Track program for many years and wanted to hear what your view was on the entire track program. The coaching staff there has done a tremendous job over the past several years not only being a Conference powerhouse, but also being very competitive on the national level. I enjoy every time that they come to Houston for the indoor conference championship and the occasional outdoor meets. How have you gone about attracting such wonderful coaches? What are your goals for the Track team as well as the entire athletic department. Go BOBCATS and go Track!

- Track Fan, Pearland, Texas

You are right about our track and field program. I am so pleased with the job that Galina Bukharina, Blaine Wiley, and our entire coaching staff has done in developing our student-athletes. We have first-class facilities and are fully-funded in scholarships that provide our program with tremendous resources to compete. My goals for track and field are to continue to compete for conference championships annually and be competitive in the national meet. Thanks for your interest.

The new website looks great and I am pleased with your effort and enthusiasm in leading Bobcat athletics. However, I was very disappointed to read that Texas State was one of four colleges that failed to meet the standards for a football coach search as outlined by the Black Coaches Association ("BCA"). I will admit that the BCA system is not perfect, but I would like to know the reasons for the failing grade (TX State received an F) and how you intend to remedy those issues. Also, please address any concerns some of us might have regarding the athletic department's commitment to diversity.

- Ruben Moreno, San Antonio

Thank you for the comment on the web site. The failing grade from the BCA was an unfortunate situation. Our football search was a process where the top candidate came to light very early in the search. David Bailiff was selected as our football coach because of his reputation as one of the top defensive coordinators in college football and because of his familiarity with the Texas State program. He is an alum and played for the Bobcats and was later an assistant coach here. As I said when this report was released, David Bailiff's skin color aside, he would still be our football coach. The hire was not an issue of race, but rather an issue of the right fit. We found the right fit.

What's your opinion on improving the atmosphere with the cheerleaders, Strutters and PA announcer at home basketball games?

- Anthony, San Marcos

Before we discuss current improvements, I would say our basketball game atmosphere has improved over the two or three seasons. When I got here, the pep band would not even show up until after the Christmas break. Now, they are at virtually all of our regular season contests. Mark Hancock is the "Voice of the Bobcats", and he is very popular with our fans. Similarly, the Strutters formed a basketball pom squad two seasons ago and performances have increased. If there are other concerns, please let us know. Thanks for your interest in Bobcat hoops.

Why don't the Bobcats have a regional television and radio deal that insures that games not covered in the Southland television package for football and basketball? It seems like the effort has never been put into it.

- Henry, San Marcos

Thanks for the question. There are several factors that affect the answer to your question. The primary one being that there is not a dedicated network station in San Marcos. We have benefited tremendously, however, from News 8 Austin - a service of Time-Warner Cable - having a local branch in San Marcos. Time-Warner Cable airs the Texas State Sports Report, which airs three times a week and also is available on-demand with their digital cable products. I also want to give credit to our Southland Conference Commissioner, Tom Burnett, for his work on our multiple television broadcast agreements for football and men's and women's basketball that have been put in place over the last two years.

When ULM leaves the Southland Conference for full membership in the Sun Belt, the Southland will be down to 10 basketball playing schools. Most recognize that a 12 team conference is better for basketball. Would you encourage the President to support expansion of the conference and the inclusion of Texas A&M Corpus Christi and the University of Texas-Pan American as the two institutions to bring the number of basketball sponsoring institutions in the Southland up to 12?

- John, San Marcos

First of all, I am not sure that "most" recognize a 12-team conference is better for basketball. The Southland Conference Board of Directors (i.e., the Presidents) have discussed expansion, but there are no formal plans at this time. Additionally, President Trauth and I have not had any formal discussions about our philosophy on expansion. When there is something to report, we will certainly do so on our web site.

What is the status of Texas State's move to NCAA 1-A athletics?

- Frank, Dallas

I will use the family analogy to initiate this answer. If you have a family of four, chances are you do not need a five or six bedroom house. Right now, we are a family of four in a three bedroom house. We live comfortably, but have not prospered in our curxrent setting in terms of the most important barometer for distinguishing I-A and I-AA - football.

I do not make a habit of dealing with excuses, but with facts. The facts are that we have had limited success (three winning seasons in 22 years is limited) on the football field. Do I think the climate for our football program is progressively changing? Absolutely. Are we where we want to be yet in terms of success? Absolutely not.

A great start to the interest from our fan base was the Baylor game. We took 2,500 fans, had a great pre-game event, and played a Big 12 school within seven points. As Coach Bailiff said, there are no moral victories, but there are signs of encouragement.

The bottom line is we have a tremendous opportunity in front of us. I hope to become a consistent powerhouse in the Southland Conference in the coming years on the gridiron and continue our success in other sports. That needs to be our immediate goal before we do something we could regret. I believe we have begun to establish the resources for that to happen. Thanks again for your interest.