Coach Howell Receives RRAC Coach of Character Award
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LSUS PILOTS A Publication of the LSUS Athletics Department May 2014 DAIKOS Recognized with PILOTS SIGN Captain Numerous Accolades Shreve Standout McWright Page 3 Page 4 Coach Howell Receives RRAC Coach of Character Award WACO, Tex. – The Red River Athletic Conference has announced that LSU Shreveport Lady Pilots Head Coach Ronnie Howell has been named the recipient of the RRAC Coach of Character Award for the 2013-14 academic year as the coach who best exemplified the five core values: respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, servant leadership, and integrity. Representing the RRAC, Coach Howell is a nominee for the National Coach of Character Award that will be determined by a selection committee with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) later this summer. “It’s great to be recognized for this award. This is a reflection of how our teams have represented LSU Shreveport and the community, not only this year but in the years past,” said Coach Howell. “We strive to talk, play the game, and be examples of the five core values of Champions of Character every day and hopefully you can tell it by the way we conduct ourselves daily.” Athletic Director Chad McDowell, who was selected for this prestigious award during the 2010-11 season, had this to say about Coach Howell receiving the award: “Ronnie has experienced a great deal of success in the win-loss column at LSUS but is not merely defined by two numbers on either side of a dash. He attempts to live and promote the five core values on a daily basis. We are pleased he is being recognized for him and his team’s efforts through the years.” Coach Howell has been the Head Coach Outgoing senior forward Jenna Diakos, who was a key ingredient in the for the Lady Pilots since 2003, the year success of that the Lady Pilots, points to Coach Howell for the success. “I am proud the program was resurrected. During that I can call him Coach. He is the coach that demonstrates the type of character his 11 years, Howell has accumulated a we should have on and off the court. He encourages us to participate in community 194 – 137 overall record and has qualified service events and demands us to have good character and respect on the court. He for the NAIA National Tournament four is a great coach and person and I am happy he is getting the recognition he deserves,” times. “Ronnie is a tremendous asset to Diakos stated. LSUS and has been working for years promoting the Champions of Character program. It is wonderful that he has Every coach is different and there are many different ways that coaches around received this distinguished award from the the country exemplify the five core values to their teams but Coach Howell has a Red River Athletic Conference,” added unique approach for each of the values of the Champions of Character program. “It Coach McDowell. can be as simple as posting reminders on the white board in the locker room,” said Coach Howell who has consistently posted these reminders throughout the years. One reminder that Coach Howell likes to put on the white board in the locker room on occasion is RESPONSIBILITY. “They need to be reminded that they are responsible for what they do. They are here to get their degree first and foremost and they need to make sure that they get all of the work done both on the court and in the classroom. They have to learn how to balance the demands of being a student-athlete and make sure that they get everything done because it affects everybody if they don’t.” Pilots Basketball Davis and Nelson Named to All-Louisiana Team Post-season honors continued into April for two members of the LSUS men’s basketball team as they were recognized for outstanding seasons by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. Brandon Davis, a senior guard/forward from Pomona, CA, was named to the 2014 All-Louisiana Men’s College Basketball Second Team following a season in which he averaged 19.0 points, 12.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. Davis finished fourth in the voting for Louisiana Player of the Year. Port Allen’s Will Nelson, a senior forward, was named to the Third Team on the strength of a season in which he averaged 22.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Additionally, Nelson was recognized as the state’s Newcomer of the Year, having transferred to LSUS for the 2013-14 year from Texas A. & M.—Corpus Christi. Congratulations, Brandon and Will! Page 2 LSUS PILOTS Daikos Named RRAC Champions of Character Award Winner Respect, Responsibility, Sportsmanship, Servant Leadership, and Integrity are the five core values of the Champions of Character of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Those same characteristics define Jenna Diakos, an outgoing senior forward for the LSU Shreveport Lady Pilots. Diakos was chosen to represent the Red River Athletic Conference at the national level when she was selected as the conference’s Dr. Leroy Walker Champions of Character award winner. This award is given annually to the student/athlete who best exemplifies the five core values. A national committee will determine the award winner for the NAIA later this summer. “This definitely means a lot and I am extremely blessed. I definitely wouldn’t be who I am without Jesus Christ,” said Diakos who graduated with a 4.00 grade point average and still found time to participate in countless community service projects. “Jenna is a great example of what a true champion of character student-athlete is,” said LSU Shreveport Lady Pilots head Coach Ronnie Howell. “I am extremely proud of her. She is very deserving of this award.” Some players will do whatever it takes to win on the court but Diakos makes sure that she is a winner off the court as well and that has led her to be one of the greatest Lady Pilots to ever put on the uniform. While she will always be remembered as a true model of a Champion of Character, her name is also etched in the Lady Pilots’ record book. The NAIA All-American is LSUS’ career leader in scoring (1,531) and rebounding (845). Diakos is also listed fifth in career scoring average (13.3) and sixth in career steals (90). “Jenna epitomizes the five core values of NAIA’s Champions of Character Program - respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, servant-leadership, and integrity - on and off the floor. In the past 11 years, I believe Jenna has been one of the best, if not the best, example of a Champion of Character,” said LSUS Athletic Director, Coach Chad McDowell. Coach McDowell continued by pointing out a small part of why Diakos is deserving of this award. “After home basketball games, Jenna would not leave the gym immediately like everyone else. Instead, she would continue to give back by helping the housekeeping staff pick up trash in the gym. That is correct! The three-time all-conference performer and all-time leading scorer and rebounder would be the one who stays back and helps clean the gym. She displayed tremendous amounts of servant- leadership all throughout her career.” Daikos Recognized by Louisiana Sports Writers Jenna Diakos was named by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association to the Womens’ All-Louisiana Third Team for her performance during the 2013-14 basketball season. The senior forward from Ragley, LA led the Lady Pilots with averages of 14.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Well-deserved, Jenna. And Jenna is Smart, Too! Having been recognized as an All-Conference and All-Louisiana performer in women’s basketball, senior Jenna Diakos from Ragley, LA has also won acclaim for her performance in the classroom. In addition to being selected to the 2013-14 College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District Women’s Basketball Team for District 2, Jenna has been nationally recognized as an NAIA-Daktronics Scholar-Athlete for 2013-14. Her selection was obviously not a difficult task. Jenna will graduate in May with a B. S. degree in Community Health with an emphasis in Physical Activity. Jenna has been at LSU Shreveport for all four years of her college education and has been named to the Chancellor’s List (4.0 gpa) for every semester of attendance. She will complete her degree with an overall average of 4.0! Amazing, Jenna! You are the definition of a true scholar-athlete. LSUS PILOTS Page 3 Pilots Basketball Pilots Sign Captain Shreve Standout McWright The LSU Shreveport Pilots added a new kids and we are confident that Jesse will make the player to its roster for next season with the signing of transition to college basketball rather easily because Captain Shreve High School’s standout player, Jesse of how well he has been coached throughout his high McWright. school career.” “Jesse is a tremendous addition to our men’s McWright will add some local flavor to the basketball program. He was everything we were 2014-15 LSUS Pilots roster, a team that has thrived looking for in a high school signee, and we are with local players in the past with Derrick Parker, Greg absolutely thrilled that he has made the decision to Shyne, Tevin Hall and Joseph James just to name a come play for us at LSUS,” said LSU Shreveport Head few. Coach Kyle Blankenship. “We have had a lot of success with local kids McWright had an outstanding senior season who have chosen to come play for us, and we believe for the Captain Shreve Gators averaging 18.4 points Jesse will be another player to add to the list of per contest while grabbing 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 steals Louisiana high school standouts that have gone on to per game while dishing out 2.5 assists each night.