ASU football, rugby receive praise from city in mayor's proclamations
JONESBORO, Ark. — Two Arkansas State University sports received recognition and accolades from the city Monday evening when Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin read proclamations honoring the Red Wolf football and rugby teams at the weekly City Council meeting.
Cristian Murdock, vice chancellor for Advancement at Arkansas State, accepted the football award on behalf of the football program that was preparing for National Signing Day Feb. 6.
Murdock thanked Mayor Perrin and the council and invited the crowd to Wednesday’s Recruiting Roundup in the Convocation Center. The 5:30 p.m. event chronicles the signing of ASU’s 2013 football recruiting class.
First-year head coach Alex Houser and a representative group of four players were on hand to receive the rugby award.
The rugby squad was honored for winning the men’s college 7s national championship in December 2012. The proclamation read:
HONORING THE ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY MEN’S RUGBY 7’s TEAM NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
WHEREAS: Jonesboro is blessed to be home to Arkansas State University; where ASU has an abundance of talented student athletes who succeed in their studies as well as on the collegiate playing field; and
WHEREAS: Among these student athletes stands an elite group of young men; and
WHEREAS: The Arkansas State University Men’s Rugby may now add the 2012 Collegiate Men’s 7’s National Championship in 2012 to the list of accomplishments received by this outstanding program; and
WHEREAS: The ASU 7’s team carried a 2012 record of 21 wins and only 1 loss; they outscored their opponents 180-31 in the National Championship Series; and had 5 players named to the All-Tournament Team; and
NOW, THEREFORE, I Harold Perrin Mayor, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the laws of the State of Arkansas and the citizens of Jonesboro do hereby recognize and honor the
ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY MENS RUGBY 7’s TEAM
For their 2012 Men’s Collegiate Rugby 7’s National Championship and their success both on and off the field.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the City of Jonesboro this 5th day of February in the year of our Lord 2013.
Player Dylan Carrion, a junior from Plano, Texas, thanked the mayor and council members, noting the program’s appreciation of the support provided by the city of Jonesboro and its residents. “The rugby program not only represents ASU, but the city and state as well,” he said.
The 2012 Red Wolf football team proclamation follows:
HONORING THE ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY RED WOLVES 2013 GODADDY.COM BOWL CHAMPIONS
WHEREAS, the Arkansas State University Red Wolves won the 2012 Sun Belt Conference Championship for a second straight year with a 45-0 victory over Middle Tennessee State University at Liberty Bank Stadium in Jonesboro, Ark., on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012, in front of stadium-record 31,243 fans; and
WHEREAS, the Red Wolves won the 2011 and 2012 Sun Belt Conference championships with a combined 15-1 league record over the last two seasons; and
WHEREAS, Arkansas State defeated 25th ranked Kent State 17-13 in the 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl on Jan. 6, beating a team that was ranked No. 25 in the Associated Press rankings; and
WHEREAS, the team ended the 2012 season on an eight-game winning streak that is tied for 2nd longest in the nation for a 10-3 record; and
WHEREAS, the Red Wolves became the first team in the history of the Sun Belt Conference to win 10 games in two consecutive seasons; and
WHEREAS, Arkansas State led the Sun Belt Conference in both scoring offense and scoring defense in 2012. In the last 11 years the Red Wolves football team has won the Sun Belt Conference Team Academic Award; and
WHEREAS, Arkansas State’s average home game attendance of 26,398 for the 2012 season was a school record; and
WHEREAS, Bryan Harsin became the 29th head football coach of Arkansas State on Dec. 12, 2012, following a distinguished career as offensive coordinator at two nationally prominent universities; and
THEREFORE, I, Harold Perrin, by the authority duly invested in my by the citizens of Jonesboro and the State of Arkansas do hereby and honor the
ASU RED WOLVES FOOTBALL TEAM GoDADDY.COM BOWL CHAMPIONSHIPS
IN TESTIMONY, WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the City of Jonesboro this 5h day of February in the year of our Lord 2013.
(Left) Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin and ASU vice chancellor for Advancement Cristian Murdock.
ASU rugby players (from left) Dean Gericke, Head Coach Alex Houser, Dylan Carrion, Zinzan Elan-Puttick, Zac Mizell.
