AU Athletics hosts welcome-back event, as women's golf opens at Clemson
By Anna Biondolillo | Sports writer
With a new academic and athletic year starting up, the Augusta University athletic department is excited as ever to get started, under new athletic director Brent McMillian.
All AY student-athletes came together on Aug. 17 at the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre for their welcome-back event with tMcMillan, President Russell Keen and Jaguar coaches speaking to the student-athletes.
Like other kickoff events at AU this month, the event was themed Ignite the Light as everyone in attendance was encouraged by Keen to ignite the passion within themselves and others.
With each team training for their upcoming seasons, the message pushed gave many student-athletes more excitement and hope, especially with the changes in the department.
McMillan, the former senior associate athletic director at Lipscomb University, brought high energy and encouragement to the welcome-back event. He spoke about representing the university well while also discussing future ideas about changes to be made to the athletics department.
McMillan’s message and liveliness made a great impression on the people in attendance at the event.
Maria Biondolillo, a senior cross country runner, said she was impressed with McMillian.
“I thought the new AD seemed passionate about bettering the program, and the welcome-back event encapsulated the idea of community and full student body engagement,” she said.
Sara Adams, in her fifth year on the women’s golf team, was also delighted with the new AD’s talk.
“Mr. McMillan has a great winning mindset, and that’s what we need to make all athletics great,” Adams said.
After the talks were made, the sports teams adjourned to the Christenberry Fieldhouse, where they had field-day activities to bond with one another.
Adams and her women’s golf teammates kick off the fall season in the Tiger Classic at Clemson on Aug. 24.
Then the Jaguar volleyball team will begin its season next weekend at Emmanuel, and the cross-country teams will start Sept. 4 in Spartanburg, S.C. Also playing in the fall are men’s golf and men’s and women’s basketball. Hoops begins late in the semester.
Contact Anna Biondolillo at abiondolillo@augusta.edu.
Assistant women’s basketball coach Mone Florence and coach Celeste Stewart do a little dancing during the athletics welcome-back event at the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre. At the top of the page, men’s coach Dip Metress fires a T-shirt into the crowd. (photos by Paula Toole/AU Athletics)
