UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOISAT CHICAGO

Athletic Development839 W. Roosevelt Rd (MC 195)Chicago, Illinois 60608-1516

Nonprofit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDChicago, ILPermit No. 4860

2010Reunion andHall of Fame

Banquet

Friday, February 5, 2010UIC Forum6:00 p.m.

Join alumni and friends in honoring this year’s Hall of Fame inductees:

John Ellis (Men’s Basketball); Luke Reckamp (Football); Sasha Begovic (Men’s Soccer Coach); Cameron Astiazaran (Softball);

Jenni Goebel (Cross Country/Track & Field); Tim Grover (Lifetime Achievement)

Contact Lisa Meindl at 312-996-5874 or lisam@uic.edu for more information on this event

UIC Development Leadership Board

The UIC Development Leadership Board held its lat-est meeting Aug. 25 at Connie’s Pizza. The board, with Flames’ men’s basketball alumnus Bill Merchantz serv-ing as its chair, was created in March of 2009 to help serve the financial needs of the UIC athletic programs and their student-athletes.

The goals of the board are to enhance the visibility of UIC Athletics, increase funding for UIC Athletics, broaden the base of major donors and engage civic and community leaders.

“I’m a firm believer in the benefits of athletics, build-ing pride and visibility in UIC’s brand, grooming stu-dent-athlete competitors who perform on the field and in the classroom, and graduating leaders who become important contributors in the community,” Merchantz said. “I also feel that we’re supposed to give back, and give enthusiastically. This Board will help UIC Athlet-ics reach out to a wider audience of potential fans, do-nors, and influential players in Chicago. I consider it an

honor to be the first chairman of this Board. Jim [Schmidt]’s vision for athletics is ambitious, but real-istic. It will require creative effort and new funding sources to continue the upward trend that we’ve seen with the Flames’ rise in national prominence.”

Other members of the board include: Mark Donovan, Gus Mauro, Jerry Roberts, Al Ronan, Steve Smart, Mike Stolfe, Ed Swietek and John Winters. These members of the Athletic Development Leadership Board are suc-cessful business leaders in Chicago. They have been longtime, loyal supporters of Flames Athletics. With their help and their passion for athletics, we hope to en-hance the visibility and increase the fundraising for UIC Athletics.

Bill Merchantz, the chair of the UIC Development Leadership Board, as a UICC men’s basketball athlete.

Steve Smart, member of the newly-formed UIC Development Lead-ership Board, as a UIC hockey athlete in the early 1980’s.

Where are you now?

Where are they now?

e-mail lisam@uic.edu, or mail to: Development Office, UIC Athletics, 839. W. Roosevelt Rd. (MC 195), Chicago, IL 60608

Name: _________________________________________________________________

Address, City, State, Zip:_____________________________________________________

Contact Phone, e-mail address:_______________________________________________

Employer:_______________________________________________________________

New and Notable:_________________________________________________________

A:&QCURRENT FLAME

KATIE SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY

DRAGON’S ROARFALL 2009A publication of the Athletic Development Department at the University of Illinois at Chicago

Please submit items for publication to: Alice Tym, Assoc. AD/Dir.of AdvancementUIC Athletics839 W. Roosevelt Rd. (MC 195) Chicago, Ill. 60608

Development Office: (312) 996-2042e-mail: tymalice@uic.edu

Athletic Director: Jim SchmidtEditor: Jackie Paquette,Asst. Director of Media RelationsPhotography Credits: Steve Woltmann, UIC Archives, UIC Development Office

© 2009 UIC Athletic Development. All rights reserved.

Dragon’s Roar has a conversation with UIC-associated people

Thanks to all of you who helped make our special events this summer a huge success! The Cubs Rooftop, the UIC Athletics Golf Outing, the White Sox Outing and the UIC Athletics Scholarship Classic are very important events for us as they help provide funding for student-athlete scholarships and our athletic programs.

As we look ahead to the 2009-10 academic year, UIC embarks on another year of the Brilliant Futures campaign, the largest and most ambitious campaign in university history. The theme of the campaign is “what happens when you give someone a chance?” In athletics we have seen amazing results when we’ve given our student-athletes a chance to succeed. The mission of UIC Athletics is to build “Champions for Life” by providing student-athletes with opportunities for physical, intellectual and social growth.

Last year, our student-athletes achieved an 86 percent graduation rate (well above the national average of 78 percent for Division I schools). Having won six championships, UIC Athletics won second place overall for the McCafferty standings in the Horizon League. The McCafferty trophy is awarded based on the overall number of regular season and tournament championships.

Few realize that athletics receives less than one percent of our funding from the state. The majority of our athletics budget is self-generated and is heavily reliant on fundraising. Without your support, we would not be able to provide the scholarships, facilities, and support staff needed to provide our student-athletes with the best opportunity to succeed.

I hope that you are enjoying the fall and we look forward to seeing you at some Flames games and special events this year. Despite the current economic challenges for all of us, we expect great things both in the classroom and in victory!

Go Flames!

James W. Schmidt Director of Athletics

A message from UIC Director of Athletics,

Jim Schmidt

DR: What are the challenges you are facing/will face as a first-year coach?

KS-C: I welcome the many chal-lenges that come with being a first year head coach. The most important challenge, and the one I have been working on since taking leadership, is to build a foundation of volleyball success in which the entire UIC com-munity can be proud of.

DR: How will your local connec-tions assist you as UIC’s head vol-leyball coach?

KS-C: The Chicagoland area has some of the best volleyball in the country and I hope to get our local talent to stay and represent Chicago and Illinois.

Recruiting coordinator Ellen Hayes

has done an excellent job this spring in getting local talent on campus to show what UIC has to offer. We are looking forward to getting the best players to come join the UIC Flames.

DR: What is the next step for you, after winning a national champion-ship at Penn State and being induct-ed in the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame?

KS-C: I have been fortunate to be on some great teams and had the best experience on and off the court.

I want these players to have the opportunity to experience the ex-citement and energy that comes with success. Winning the Horizon League is not only a goal, but also an expectation.

DR: What is your relationship with program alumni?

KS-C: We have been working hard to bring the alumni back to the fore-front of this program.

I feel that alumni are the backbone

to any successful program. It is their support and involvement that will help us move this program forward.

Katie Schumacher-Cawley on the side-lines at the UIC Invitational, held at the Flames Athletic Center Sept. 11-12. The Flames went 2-1 at the tournament, giv-ing Schumacher-Cawley her first head coaching victory at home with a 3-0 win Sept. 11 against Georgia State.

In 2005, the UIC Athletics scholarship expense budget equaled $2.6 million. Due to increases in tuition, fees, books, and room and board, the 2009 cost to provide the same number of scholarships to student-athletes has grown to $3.8 million.

UIC ATHLETICSUPCOMING EVENTSFALL/WINTER 2009

OCT. 30

UIC Athletic Alumni Club Picnic

(soccer vs. Valpovolleyball vs. Wright State)

DEC. 19

UIC Athletic Alumni Club Fire Pit Party

(men’s basketball vs. NIU)

FEB. 5UIC Athletics Hall of Fame

Induction and Reunion Banquet

UIC Ticket Operations Welcomes Brian Forth

Brian Forth joins the UIC athletics staff after spending the previous four years as the Ticket Services Manager for the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League.

During his time with the Rush, Brian managed a staff that established record highs in ticket sales, customer reten-tion, revenue and attendance. The Rush maintained atten-dance of more than 90 percent of arena capacity for four con-secutive seasons, selling out 11 of their final 18 home games

and received the Arena Foot-ball League Commissioner’s Award recognizing the AFL’s Organization of the Year in 2007 and 2008.

Prior to working in Chicago, Brian spent three seasons as the Director of Ticket Sales with the Quad City Steamwheelers of arenafootball2. Under his guidance, the Steamwheelers ranked in the league’s top ten in ticket sales each season.

Brian is a December 2001 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where he earned a BBA in Marketing and Minor in Coaching.

While at Whitewater, he was a three-time varsity letter winner in football and played on a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championship team.

A native of Antioch, Ill., Bri-an currently resides in Cary, Ill.

Julie Popp, coordinator of corporate sales and events and a UIC volleyball alum, throws out the first pitch at the Sept. 18 White Sox game against the Kansas City Royals. In addition to her work at UIC, Popp was named queen of the 54th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade of Chicago.

Popp Throws First Pitch

GOLFERS FOR THE FLAMES: UIC Athletic Director Jim Schmidt and his four-some (LtoR: Doug Wilkins, Bob Hord, Jr., Schmidt, Bill Merchantz) at the 16th annual UIC Athletics Scholarship Classic. The outing, which was held at the Bolingbrook Golf Club Sept. 5, raises $100,000 annually for the UIC student-athlete scholarship fund.

16th Annual Scholarship Classic

FULL SEASON PLANS-Floor Seats: $475-Premium Lower Level Seats: $175

FULL SEASON PLAN PERKS-Season parking pass for Harrison St. garage -Invitation to preseason breakfast and scrimmage-Discounted, exclusive Flames adidas merchandise-Access to additional lower level tickets at a discount-Complimentary tickets to the Horizon League Tournament opening round game (if played at the UIC Pavilion)-Priority seating for any additional home or road post-season games

FLAMES FLEX PLAN-12 ticket vouchers redeemable in any combo you choose for $90-Best available lower level seats for any regular season game at the UIC Pavilion-Vouchers can be redeemed through the UIC athletic ticket office or at the Pavilion Box Office-Avoid individual game service fees-More than $30 in savings over the cost of 12 individual game tickets

ALL-SPORT SEASON TICKET-Entry to all regular-season home events for any team except men’s basketball during the 2009-10 seasons for $25

Flames Ticket Office Announces Revamped Season Ticket Plans

UNLV Softball Trip Headlines 2009-10 Athletic Alumni Club BIG TICKET Raffle

A g r a n d prize of a trip for two with the UIC softbal l t e a m to Las Vegas is on the line as t i c k e t s for the

UIC Athletic Alumni Club’s BIG TICKET raffle are now on sale.

The annual raffle, which benefits UIC Athletics general scholarship fund, will run through Feb. 6, 2010 with the top three prize winners being drawn at halftime of the UIC men’s basketball game against Youngstown State Feb. 6 at the UIC Pavilion.

The grand prize trip to Las Vegas includes airfare, hotel, tickets to the Flames softball games in the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic at UNLV, a meeting with Olympic Gold Medalist and Head Coach Michelle Venturella, an invitation to the UIC alumni post-game party, and tickets to a Las Vegas headline show.

Other prizes include items such as a Weber grill, gift certificates to outstanding Chicago area restaurants, and tickets to other sporting events such as the NCAA Final Four, Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks games.

Raffle tickets are $25 each, or five for $100. Tickets can be purchased from any Athletic Alumni Club member or by contacting Lisa Meindl at lisam@uic.edu

UIC Athletics Hall Of Fame To Induct Five

UIC Softball Head Coach Michelle Venturella

“Our restructured ticket plans for 2009-10 provide fans with options that we believe fit most anyone’s scheduling and financial interests. Whether you are a supporter of UIC or just a collegiate sports fan in general, we feel that we provide a great opportunity to enjoy a quality sports and entertainment experience.”

– Brian Forth, Asst. Athletic Director for Ticket Operations

For more information or to purchase your Flames season tickets, call (312) 413-UIC1, or visit uicflames.com.

The UIC Athletics Hall of Fame and the Athletic Alumni Club will welcome five inductees and announce one special recognition during its annual induction and reunion banquet on February 5 at the UIC Forum.

Cameron Astiazaran was the first UIC softball player to earn First Team All-American Honors, and that same season (2005) was Academic All-American. She holds single-season records for batting average, doubles and hits. She was on the conference champion and NCAA tourney teams in 2002 and 2004.

Sasha Begovic is the winningest soccer coach in UIC history with 136 victories in 14 seasons (1990-2004) as head coach. He led the Flames to their first ever NCAA tournament in 1999 and to the Sweet 16 the next year. He recruited and coached All-American Eric Lukin and U.S. National Team member Jay DeMerit.

John Ellis was a standout men’s basketball player from 1981-84, and is still the number 10 all-time leading scorer with 1,289 points, and eighth in field goals made. Ellis earned Newcomer of the Year and All Conference accolades, and was drafted by the Detroit Pistons.

Jenni Goebel ran away with five UIC cross country and track records in her tenure from 2000-2004. Her mark to beat is set in indoor 3,000 and 5,000 meter races and 1-mile, as well as outdoor records in 5,000 and 10,000 meters. Her honors were many, including being the first at UIC to earn All-Region accolades.

Luke Reckamp was an all-around athlete from 1957-61 starring in football, wrestling, and track and field. He rarely saw the bench as he played on both sides of the ball and special teams en route to being the 1959 football MVP. He was also 1959 UIC Athlete of the Year in track and field.

Tim Grover will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award for succeeding in athletics beyond UIC. Tim, who created Attack Athletics and played basketball for the Flames in the 1980’s, is recognized as one of the top trainers in the nation. His clientele include Michael Jordan, Dwyane Wade and Alex Rodriguez.

1960: Hired as

Assistant Base-ball & Basketball Coach at Illinois-

Navy Pier

1965: School renamed

University of Illinois at

Chicago Circle1983-1984: Associate Director ofAthletics

1985-1995: Director ofAthletics

1995-Present: Retired,

Advisor to Athletics, Member UIC Athletic

Alumni Club

2010: 50th Anniversary of

Russo’s hiring at UI-Navy Pier

The Campaign to Honor Tom Russo: UIC Athletic Director’s Suite to be named for UIC legendThe UIC athletic develop-

ment department will recognize a Flames legend with its latest campaign. The campaign caps off the 50th anniversary of Tom Russo’s commitment to UIC Athletics, and will name the UIC Athletic Director’s Suite in his honor.

In 2010, the Flames will celebrate 50 years of profes-sional association with Rus-so, who started as an assis-tant baseball and assistant basketball coach at then-Univer-sity of Illinois at Navy Pier in 1960. “I have great memories of so many things over the years,” Russo said of his time at UIC, “but

some accom-plishments that especially stand out include obtaining membership for the men’s and women’s teams in the Mid-Continent, Horizon League and Central Colle-giate Hockey conferences, facility enhancements such

as the Port Academic Cen-ter, athletic fields, and the Pavilion, the steady growth of scholarship support for all programs and the outstanding aca-demic achievements of UIC athletes.”

After the school became the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle, Rus-so remained head men’s basketball coach through 1971, before becoming the director of campus recre-ation for a decade.

“I have worked with outstanding coaches, ath-letic administrative staff and campus administra-

tors,” Russo said. “Teaching seven classes a se-mester plus coaching posed some serious time constraints. I remember, after an especially busy stretch of games and practices, I came home for dinner one evening to find my wife, Marilyn, and my sons wearing name tags to re-introduce themselves.”

Following a short stint as an associate director of athletics, Russo was named UIC’s athletic di-rector from 1985-1995. He retired in 1995. Rus-so to this day remains extremely active and instrumental in the suc-cess of UIC Athletics.

“While talking with Tom during a basket-ball game last season, he mentioned that he started coaching in 1960, and it struck me that 2010 represented 50 years with the program,” Rick Harrigan, senior associate athletic director, said. “His long and storied career which took him from Navy Pier, to Circle, to UIC is unprecedent-ed, so honoring him by naming the Athletic Director’s Suite after him seemed like a no-brainer.”

The campaign goal is to raise $100,000. Donations of any amount will be welcomed from former athletes, alumni, professional col-leagues, faculty and friends of Russo. UIC Ath-letics will use all donations to support the athletic director’s highest

priorities.“In my mind, Tom Russo is the ‘Father of UIC

athletics’,” Harrigan said. “For anyone who has been associated with UIC Ath-letics over the past 50-some years, be it athlete, parent, administrator, fan, whatever; Tom has probably had a positive effect on them.”

For more information on donating to The Campaign to Honor Tom Rus-so, please contact: Rick Harrigan (312) 996-5633, rickhar@uic.edu, or Alice Tym (312) 996-2042, tymalice@uic.edu.

Donors may also contribute by sending a check donation (made out to UIC Athlet-ics) to: Tom Russo Athletic Director Suite Campaign, UIC Athletics, 839 W. Roosevelt Rd.

(MC195), Chicago, IL 60608. Please note that all donations benefit UIC

Athletics and are tax deductible as permitted by federal law.

Donor RecognitionUIC Athletics will include

the names of any donors who give a minimum of $1,000 on a commemorative plaque that

will be displayed in the Russo Suite.

Giving LevelsThree-Pointer: One-time pay-

ment or multi-year pledge totaling a minimum of $10,000.

Free Throw: One-time pay-ment or multi-year pledge between $1,000 and $9,999.Lay-Up: One-time payment

or multi-year pledge between $100 and $999.

1996: Russo

inducted into UIC

Athletic Hall of Fame

1972-1982: Director of

Campus Recreation

1982: Merger of UICC and School of Medicine

creates the University of Illinois at Chicago

1962-1971: Head Men’s

Basketball Coach

TOM RUSSO UIC TIMELINE

1960 20101970 200019901980