McNeese State 2007-08 Basketball Pre-Season Information Quick Facts School: McNeese State Location: Lake Charles, LA Founded: 1939 Enrollment: 8,800 Nickname: Cowboys Colors: Blue and Gold Affiliation: NCAA I History First year of basketball: 1946 Overall record: 938-757 Years in NCAA tournament: 2 (2001-02: Mississippi State 70, McNeese 58; 1988-89: Illinois 77, McNeese 70) Years in NIT: 2 (2001: UTEP 84, McNeese 74; 1986: McNeese 86, Dayton 76; Louisiana Tech 77, McNeese 61) Most famous alum: Joe Dumars (all-american, all-pro for Detroit Pistons,now president of Detroit Pistons) Conference: Southland Commissioner: Tom Burnett Members: (Eastern Divison) McNeese State, Lamar, Nicholls State, Northwestern State, Southeastern Louisiana, Cenral Arkansas (Western Division) UTAM- Corpus Christi, UT Arlington, UT San Antonio, Stephen F. Austin, Texas State, Sam Houston State Sports Information Director: Louis Bonnette, Louisiana Tech 63 Assistant Director: Pam LaFosse, McNeese State 87 Phone: 337-475-5207 Fax: 337-475-5202 Home: 337-477-4182 Cell: 337-802-7127 Email: lbonnette@mcneese.edu Web Page: www.mcneesesports.com Mailing Address: Box 92735, McNeese State, La. 70609; (overnight) 700 E.McNeese St., Lake Charles, LA 70607 Record Overall: 15-17 (10-3 home, 4-11 away, 1-3 neutral) Conference: 9-6 (6-2 home, 3-5 away) Player Information Lettermen returning/lost: 10/2 Starters returning/lost: 4/1 Starters back: John Ford (5-10, Sr, G), John Pichon (6-5, Jr, F), Kleon Penn (6-11, Sr, C), Jarvis Bradley (6-6, Sr, F) Top scorers back: Jarvis Bradley (15.1 ppg, ), John Ford (11.9 ppg) Top rebounders back: Jarvis Bradley (7.3 pg), John Pichon (6.3 pg) Assist leader back: John Ford (3.1 pg) President: Dr. Robert Hebert, Louisiana-Lafayette 59 Athletic Director: Tommy McClelland(interim), Northwestern State 04 Coliseum: Burton (8,000 cap.) Location: Common St, Lake Charles, LA First year: 1986 McNeese record there: 163-100 Courtside phone: 337-562-4061 Coaching Staff Head Coach: Dave Simmons, Louisiana Tech 81 (1 year, 15-17; overall 42-47) Assistant Coach: David Dumars, La-Monroe 80 Assistant Coach: T. J. Marcus, Texas A&M 00 Assistant Coach: Edward Garriet, McNeese 06 Basketball Office Phone: 337-475-5480
2007-08 Roster No. Player Post. Hgt. Wgt. Cl-Exp Hometown (School) 0 Diego Kapelan G 6-2 185 So-HS Vancouver, British Columbia (King George) 1 Rorey Lawrence F 6-6 185 Sr-1L Memphis,TN (SW Illinois JC) 2 Charlie Saulnier G 5-10 160 So-1L Starks, LA (Starks HS) 3 Jarvis Bradley F 6-6 205 Sr-2L Dallas, TX (Jacksonville JC) 10 John Ford G 5-10 152 Sr-3L Alexandria, LA (Peabody HS) 11 Kevis Anderson G 6-1 200 So-HS New Orleans, LA (DeLaSalle HS) 15 Kleon Penn C 6-11 285 Sr-1L Tortola, British Virgin Islands (Lavity Stoutt CC) 20 Bobby Holland G 6-3 200 Fr-HS Lake Charles, LA (Barbe HS) 22 Stephan Martin G 6-1 180 Fr-HS Lacassine, LA (Lacassine HS) 24 John Pichon F 6-5 212 Jr-2L Slidell, LA (Slidell HS) 25 Kedrick Hogans F 6-7 215 Fr-HS New Orleans, LA (Ednar Karr HS) 30 Aldryan Wardell F 6-6 209 Sr-3L Shreveport, LA (Huntington HS) 32 Anthony Robinson G/F 6-3 195 Jr-1L Houston, TX (Elsik HS) 43 P. J. Alowaya F 6-7 215 Fr-HS Houston, TX (Alief Hastings HS) 54 Daniel Richard F 6-9 210 Fr-HS Lake Charles, LA (Barbe HS) Starters Returning Post. Hgt. Wgt. Cl PPG RPG Other 3 Jarvis Bradley F 6-6 205 Sr 15.1 7.3 first team all-southland 10 John Ford PG 5-10 152 Sr 11.9 3.6 third team all-southland 15 Kleon Penn C 6-11 285 Sr 2.1 2.9 led team with 48 blocks 24 John Pichon F 6-5 212 Jr 6.5 6.3 second on team with 28 blocks Other Returnees 1 Rorey Lawrence F 6-6 185 Sr 5.2 2.8 second on team with 41 steals 2 Charlie Saulnier G 5-10 160 So 1.0 0.2 30 Aldryan Wardell F 6-6 209 Sr 4.8 3.7 started 10 games 32 Anthony Robinson G/F 6-3 195 Jr missed season with injury
McNeese State 2007-08 Schedule November Opponent Location Time 1 TBA (exhibition) Burton Coliseum 7 p.m. 9 Texas A&M College Station, TX TBA 14 LSU Baton Rouge, LA TBA 16 Louisiana College Burton Coliseum 7:30 p.m. 20 UT-Tyler Burton Coliseum 7 p.m. 24 Coastal Carolina Burton Coliseum 3 p.m. 29 Lipscomb University Nashville, TN TBA December 1 Florida Atlantic Boca Rotan, FL TBA 4 Dillard University Burton Coliseum 7 p.m. 13 Louisiana-Lafayette Lafayette, LA TBA 15 Missouri Columbia, MO TBA 19 Lipscomb University Lake Charles Civic Center 7 p.m. 22 Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS 4 p.m. 29 Louisiana Tech Ruston, LA 3 p.m. January 12 TAMU-Corpus Christi Burton Coliseum 3 p.m. 17 Sam Houston State Burton Coliseum 7 p.m. 19 Stephen F. Austin Nacogdoches, TX TBA 24 Northwestern State Burton Coliseum 7 p.m. 26 Central Arkansas Conway, AR TBA February 2 Lamar Beaumont, TX TBA 7 Southeastern Louisiana Hammond, LA TBA 9 Nicholls State Burton Coliseum 3 p.m. 14 Texas State Burton Coliseum 7 p.m. 16 Texas-Arlington Arlington, TX 4 p.m. 21 Northwestern State Natchitoches, LA TBA 23 Central Arkansas Burton Coliseum 3 p.m. 28 Texas-San Antonio San Antonio, TX TBA March 1 Lamar Burton Coliseum 3 p.m. 5 Southeastern Louisiana Burton Coliseum 7 p.m. 8 Nicholls State Thibodaux, LA TBA 13-16 SLC Tournament Houston, TX TBA
HEAD COACH Dave Simmons Coach Simmons with wife Elaine and son Deon. Dave Simmons, now in his second season as head coach at McNeese State, has been around winning athletic programs at every turn. This past season he helped the Cowboys get back on track in his first year as the McNeese head coach. The team finished 15-17 overall, but won six of its final eight games and got as far as the semifinals (lost to champion UTAM-Corpus Christi) in the Southland Conference tournament. Simmons had served as an assistant coach at McNeese, Northwestern State and Louisiana Tech when they won league titles. He was an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech when that unversity went to the NIT Final Four and made two NCAA appearances, he was an assistant at McNeese when the Cowboys He s helped four different teams win conference championships. won the league title and appeared in the NCAA, he was an assistant at Delta State when it won 24 games and appeared in the Division II Final Four and he was an assistant at Northwestern State when the Demons won back to back league titles, participated in the NCAA and gave the Southland Conference a first round NCAA victory for the first time since the 1980s. During a 21 year career he s coached more than 20 players who have gone on to play in the professional ranks including Karl Malone. Dave knows what it takes to be successful, said the all-pro standout.
Simmons Career COACHING 2006 - named head coach at McNeese State University 1999-2006 - assistant coach Northwestern State 1994-1996 - head coach Edward Waters College 1987-1994 - assistant coach McNeese State 1986-1987 - assistant coach Delta State 1985-1986 - assistant coach Louisiana Tech 2005-2006 assistant coach Northwestern State (26-8, SLC Champion, SLC tournament champion, won first game of NCAA tournament) 2004-2005 assistant coach Northwestern State (SLC Champion) 2000-2001 assistant coach Northwestern State (SLC tournament champion, NCAA tournament; 1-0 as interim head coach) 1994-1995 head coach Edward Waters College (27-29 overall; EIAC semifinals) 1988-1989 assistant coach McNeese State (SLC tournament champions, NCAA tournament) 1986-1987 assistant coach Delta State (Division II Final Four) 1985-1986 assistant coach Louisiana Tech (NIT Final Four) 1984-1985 assistant coach Louisiana Tech (SLC champion, NCAA second round) 1983-1984 assistant coach Louisiana Tech (NCAA second round) PLAYING 1977-1981 Louisiana Tech University (team captain, team MVP, 5th in nation in free throw shooting in 1981; holds Simmons Notes When you get a guy of Dave s work ethics and beliefs, you ve made an excellent choice. Dave knows what it takes to be successful. - Karl Malone to Ruston Daily Leader sports editor Buddy Davis He has been such a hugh part of the success in our program over the past seven years. Coach Simmons is a man who will care for his players and everybody associated with the McNeese Cowboy basketball program. He s a positive thinker whose attitude is contagious and he s a guy who loves to teach the game and compete and win. He makes an impact on everybody around him. - Mike McConathy, Northwestern State head coach Bio Date of Birth July 24.1959 Hometown DeRidder, LA Married wife Elaine Marie Children Desmond, David, Deon Education 1977-1985 Louisiana Tech University (M.S., Health and Physical Education) (B.S., Health and Physical Education) (Minor, Business Education) Collegiate Career Coaching Record Year W L Place 94-95 16 13 Edward Waters College 95-96 11 16 Edward Waters College 06-07 15 17 McNeese State school record for free throw accuracy in single season and for career free throw accuracy; three time all-slc; scored 1,563 career points) 2006 Named to the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame as a player
2006-07 Season Results