Football ticket sales decrease

In the midst of difficult economic times, USF’s season football ticket sales are 8 percent lower than they were July 2008, USF Executive Associate Athletic Director Bill McGillis said.

The athletics department has sold 19,483 nonstudent season ticket packages and reserved 3,214 tickets for trade, staff, spirit squad and operations – a combined total of 22,697.

“We’ve got a beautiful challenge in front of us,” McGillis said. “Last year was a record year for us. We’ve got to keep going on that front.”

USF is banking on a bulked-up home schedule and an ad campaign that’s being launched soon to help it surpass last year’s mark of more than 27,000, McGillis said. Season tickets will be sold until the Bulls’ second home game against Charleston Southern on Sept. 19.

“We’ve got to keep being aggressive and reach out to our people,” he said. “We’ve got to work hard to close the (8 percent) gap.”

The Bulls host two I-AA team this year in Charleston Southern and Wofford, as well as Cincinnati, West Virginia and Miami.

McGillis said 12,501 tickets are being reserved for student season ticket sales, which should make up the largest student section in the Big East again next year.

“As we get closer to the season and people start realizing that you’ve got Miami on the schedule at home – you’ve got West Virginia at home – I think sales will perk up even more,” he said.

USF women named to Canada national team

USF sophomore Gina Pacheco and redshirt freshman Bahar Sansar earned one of their sport’s highest honors Wednesday, when they were selected to their home country’s national soccer team.

Both Pacheco and Sansar were chosen for the 24-player squad, which will participate in Canada’s exhibition matches against USA on July 19 and July 22. Both have played on Canada’s U-20 team, but this is their first call to the full national team.

“This is a tremendous honor for both Bahar and Gina,” said USF coach Denise Schilte-Brown. “They both have worked extremely hard and continue to make us proud. This is huge for not only them but for our soccer program.”

Selvie wins fraternity honor

USF senior defensive end George Selvie won the Emmitt Smith Athletic Achievement Award last week at the Phi Beta Sigma international bi-annual awards conference in New Orleans.

Named after one of the top NFL football players of all time, the award is given to a student-athlete who is a member of a fraternity and demonstrates athletic
achievement and academic success. It is only awarded to Phi Beta Sigma members.

Selvie will receive a monetary scholarship, medallion and certificate. He was honored with the Collegiate Hall of Fame award by the southern region of Phi Beta Sigma in June, which qualified him for the national award.