Southeastern NEWS
                    Southeastern Louisiana University
                    Public Information Office
                    SLU 10880, Hammond, LA 70402
                    504-549-2341/fax 504-549-2061

                    
   Date:  May 21, 2002
      Contact:      Rene Abadie  (Public Information - 985-549-2341)  
          Dart Volz (Sports Information - 985-549-2142)

SOUTHEASTERN ANNOUNCES RETURN OF FOOTBALL
     HAMMOND - Southeastern Louisiana University's football program will return to the
gridiron in the 2003 season, university officials announced Tuesday (May 21).
     At a ceremony in Strawberry Stadium, Southeastern President Randy Moffett and others
unveiled an oversized, football-shaped fund raising gauge showing that the university had
surpassed its $5 million fund raising goal. The campaign was initiated last year to enhance
Southeastern's overall athletics program, address gender equity issues, and - if successful -
reinstate football, which was the victim of cost-cutting measures in 1986.
     "We did it! I am pleased to report that our efforts have been successful," Moffett told a
cheering group of former football players and coaches, faculty, staff, students and community
leaders. "We not only met our $5 million goal, we exceeded it; and more money continues to
come in. With the 2003 season the Southeastern Lions will be back on this field, and our students
and the north shore community will once again enjoy collegiate football."
     Moffett said the university had raised $5.025 million, with much of the money coming
from new donors. This support, he said, will allow the university to launch its football program
without the use of state dollars. The fund raising plans call for the primary portion to go for
football operations and stadium renovations. Funds will also be used to improve other athletic
facilities and address gender equity issues with $1 million being held in reserve as a "rainy day"
endowment fund.
     "We pledged that we would not reduce our efforts to raise money for academic support
and cultural programs," he said. "In the last 12 months, we have raised funds for four new
professorships, $500,000 for the performing arts, and another $500,000 for student scholarships.
That brings our capital campaign to more than $17 million raised since 1995, far exceeding our
$10 million goal."
     In his comments, Moffett recognized his predecessor Sally Clausen, now the president of
the University of Louisiana System. "Her energy and vision were the backbone of this
campaign," he said. 
     "She had the courage to stand by her priorities of first improving the physical plant of this
campus. Through her leadership and through the support of our legislative delegation,
Southeastern is enjoying an overdue construction boom that totals approximately $70 million.
Once those priorities were met, she threw her enthusiastic support and considerable persuasive
sales skills into this athletics campaign."
     "Southeastern has taken the right approach in launching this venture without state funds,"
Clausen said. "I especially want to congratulate the university on surpassing its fund raising
target for men's and women's sports, yet not diluting its efforts to raise funds for academic and
cultural activities.  This is an exciting time for Southeastern, and the return of football sends a
strong message about the support of the university's alumni and extended community."
     Two alumni - one requesting to be anonymous, another being Denham Springs attorney
Calvin Fayard - made initial $1 million gifts, Moffett said.
      "No campaign can be successful without substantial lead gifts," he said. "Mr. Fayard
believed in our plan, and his and other contributions got us off to a strong start. When we first
announced this initiative last year, we already had $2.5 million in solid pledges. We successfully
obtained another $1 million gift from an anonymous donor, and more than 70 other donors
contributed $10,000 or more.
     "Much of the credit for this successful effort must also go to our late former head coaches
Stan Galloway and Pat Kenelly, their families and the members of the Southeastern Football
Players Association," Moffett added. "They would not let the dream of Southeastern football die,
and when we were ready to embark on this campaign, they showed their support. They made
their own contributions and helped to identify and recruit other contributors."
"This is the happiest day of my life," said Football Players Association President and retired
coach T.C. Calmes. "Many people have worked hard for many years to bring football back to this
stadium. There are going to be a lot of happy people in these seats in 2003."
     Southeastern Athletic Director Frank Pergolizzi explained that the Lions would play as an
independent for two years, with plans to enter the Southland Conference in the 2005 season. The
conference is made up mostly of Texas and Louisiana teams, including McNeese State in Lake
Charles, Northwestern State in Natchitoches and Nicholls State in Thibodaux. He said
Southeastern had already contacted a number of teams that are being penciled in for the first two
seasons and will soon be launching a season ticket campaign.
     "The search for a head coach has also been initiated," he added. "The search committee
has been formed and we've outlined the qualities and experience we are seeking in a head coach.
A number of potential candidates have already contacted us."
     Pergolizzi said the university hopes to have the head coach contracted by July 1. "We're
obviously operating on a very fast time schedule," he said, "but 2003 is not that far away when
you're building a program from the ground up."
     He said he has had good feedback from area high school coaches who see Southeastern as
a natural choice for many young athletes in south Louisiana.
     "The caliber of high school competition, just in this immediate area alone, is very high,"
he added. "We anticipate recruiting heavily in our own backyard. We want to recruit good
student athletes who are highly competitive and who want to succeed on the field and in the
classroom. We have a strong 82 percent graduation rate among our athletes and we expect to at
least maintain that level with the addition of football."
     Greg Sankey, commissioner of the Southland Athletic Conference of which Southeastern
is a member, welcomed the news of football's return at Southeastern. "For the Southland
Conference, this is one of the most positive steps for all of us in the last 10 years," he said. "I'm
excited for the university and the entire community. They will have the chance to be part of
college football in the near future, and I look forward to attending many games in Strawberry
Stadium."
     Southeastern's athletic program competes at the Division I level of the NCAA.
Approximately 200 student athletes compete in 15 varsity sports, including eight women's teams
and seven men's teams.
-SLU-
Press release available online at www.selu.edu/news/spring02.html