KSU honors champions
A celebration honoring the Kennesaw State University men’s basketball and cheerleading squads…
Georgia (Apr 7, 2004) — KSU honors champions
Rick Woodall
Abstract
Contact: Rick Woodall‚ 770−423−6203 or rwoodall@kennesaw.edu
A celebration honoring the Kennesaw State University men’s basketball and cheerleading
squads for their national championships was held Wednesday‚ April 7 on the patio of
the Carmichael Student Center.
The event featured music‚ balloons and refreshments‚ as well as a special program
recognizing the history−making achievements of these two teams.
Speakers included President Betty L. Siegel‚ Director of Athletics Dave Waples and
an emotional Tony Ingle‚ who was named the Molten/Division II Bulletin Men’s Basketball
Coach of the Year after leading the Owls to a 35−4 record and the first NCAA basketball
crown in Georgia history.
Ingle refused to take credit for the best season in KSU history‚ choosing instead
to laud his assistant coaches and players for the role they played in elevating Kennesaw
State to the pinnacle of Division II hoops.
“Only the innocent or the ignorant think that they do something by themselves‚” Ingle
said.
To his players‚ the fourth−year coach said‚ “Thanks for the memories‚ and thanks for
the love you have for each other and the university.”
The cheerleaders created similar memories for their head coach‚ Felecia Ingle‚ clinching
their first national title with a nearly flawless routine on the final day of competition
at the Chick−fil−A Cheer and Dance Collegiate Championship in Daytona Beach‚ Fla.
The title was made even sweeter by the fact that Ingle’s squad had finished second
in the competition the three previous years.
At Wednesday’s celebration‚ Waples made sure to thank the students in attendance for
the financial support they provide through their fees. “You pay our bills‚” he said‚
“and we appreciate very‚ very much what you do for us.”
These latest championships are nothing new for Kennesaw State. To the contrary‚ KSU
athletics has produced seven team championships in the last decade‚ starting with
an NAIA crown in baseball in 1994. The university became an official member of the
NCAA in the fall of that year‚ and since that time‚ team titles have been added in
softball (1995‚ 1996)‚ baseball (1996) and women’s soccer (2003).
This fall‚ a new era in KSU athletics will be inaugurated when the women’s soccer
and men’s golf teams make the jump to Division I.
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its approximately 38,000 students. With 13 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the third-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 92 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status, and one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
