Sports
The Battalion
Page IB • Thursday, March 25, 2004
Gillispie hired as new men’s basketball coach
^ Students react to Aggies’ new head coach
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By Jordan Meserole
THE BATTALION
About 175 fans filled seats in
Reed Arena Tuesday afternoon
;o welcome new Texas A&M
udentsjBnen’s basketball head coach
Billy Gillespie.
Gillispie received a standing
ovation from the crowd as he
walked under an arch of sabers
formed by the Ross Volunteers.
Sporting a new maroon blazer,
Gillispie acknowledged the
crowd with a wide smile and a
big thumbs-up “Gig ‘em” sign.
appreciate all the fans that
came out today,” Gillispie said.
“It shows support, hunger,
determination, dedication and
rill «{ passion for the University. I
nk it’s great.”
Gillespie fills the void left by
former head coach Melvin
Watkins, who resigned two
weeks ago after a dismal season
in which the Aggies didn't win a
conference game. Since Watkins’
resignation, fans have been spec
ulating who would take the reins
to the team. Gillispie’s name had
recently surfaced as the front
runner for the job. but Gillespie
wouldn’t comment in media
interviews on whether he was
considering moving. Many
Aggie fans said they expected
Gillispie’s hire, however.
“lobe honest. I always had a
feeling it was going to be him,”
said sophomore finance major
Ian Rudebusch. “He seemed to
be the logical choice.”
The fans' excitement was
apparent, as many of the stu
dents in attendance skipped
their afternoon classes to greet
the new coach. The one person
Evan O'Connell • THE BATTALION
Senior Aggie Band B-Battery commanding officer Rob McClelland
shakes hands with new Texas A&M men’s basketball head coach Billy
Gillispie at Reed Arena Wednesday.
who seemed to be smiling more
than Gillespie and Athletic
Director Bill Byrne was senior
business major Scott Blackwell,
president of the Reed Rowdies,
a student organization that
attends every home basketball
game and most away games to
support the Aggies.
“1 was more than happy to
hear the news,” Blackwell
said. “I'm going to miss
Melvin, but we definitely
needed a new coach.”
Senior chemistry major
Emily Brock, current co-cap-
tain of the Aggie dance team.
has seen many games in her
four years at A&M. Brock said
she was happy to hear the
news, but also felt a little sad
about the situation.
“I'm sorry that I'm not going
to be here to see the turnaround,”
Brock said. "But I know he is
somebody that everyone here
wanted, so it’s still good.”
Junior business major and
yell leader Ryan Bishop said he
hopes A&M's defensive prob
lems get solved. A&M ranked
See Students on page BB
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Byrne’s legacy rests on Gillispie’s success
In his first
year as Texas
A&M athlet
ic director,
Bill Byrne
has increased
revenue into
the Athletic
Department,
has begun a
marketing
campaign
that has increased attendance at
every A&M sporting event and
has put A&M back on the
national landscape.
Before Wednesday, Byrne
had also made two hires, foot
ball head coach Dennis
Franchione and women’s bas
ketball head coach Gary Blair.
Neither had stellar seasons by
any stretch of the imagination in
their first years, but with their
track records, it’s evident that a
turn-around is near.
Despite all that Byrne has
done in such a short time in
Aggieland, his legacy will lie
with the success, or failure, of his
third hire - new men’s basketball
head coach Billy Gillispie.
Men’s basketball is one of
two revenue sports, the other
being football, and by having a
miserable basketball team
A&M has lost out on millions
of revenue dollars.
Franchione and Blair are
two proven winners who have
exhibited the ability to turn
programs around successfully
during their decades of head
coaching experience.
Gillispie has a career record
of 30-32 from his two seasons
as head coach at the University
of Texas-El Paso. Not exactly
eye-popping.
Digging a little deeper,
though, it’s tough to argue with
what Gillispie accomplished at
UTEP. He took over a team that
hadn’t had a winning season in 12
years and turned it into Western
Athletic Conference co-champi
ons and an NCAA Tournament
team in just two seasons.
Gillispie also has ties to
Texas high schools, which make
up the largest hotbed of basket
ball talent in the country.
University of Texas head coach
Rick Barnes has been able to
tap into that talent. Former
A&M head coach Melvin
See Byrne on page 3B
New Texas A&M men’s basketball head coach Billy Gillispie shakes hands with Athletic Director Bill Byrne and
University President Robert M. Gates at a press conference in Reed Arena Wednesday announcing Gillispie
as A&M’s new men’s basketball head coach.
Student Leaders available to answe?
questions about the
Student Service Fee Referendum