Greek News
Two Pikes are New Head Basketball Coaches
Since the end of the 2010 college basketball season, two alumni of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity have been named as head coaches. In early April, James Dickey, a Pike from the University of Central Arkansas, was appointed head coach at the University of Houston. He had been an assistant coach at Oklahoma State for six seasons and previously was head coach at Texas Tech University from 1991 to 2001. Recently, former NBA guard Fred Hoiberg was named to his first head coaching post at Iowa State, his alma mater, after working in the Minnesota Timberwolves front office since retiring as a player.
Greeks Chosen in NFL Draft
Three star college football players who were named to our 2009 NIC All-Fraternity All-American first team were among the first 16 players selected by National Football League teams. The 12th player picked in the first round was running back Ryan Mathews (Sigma Phi Epsilon) of Fresno State. Chosen as the 14th player was safety Earl Thomas (Kappa Alpha Psi) of Texas. Picked as the 16th player was defensive end Derrick Morgan (Kappa Alpha Psi) of Georgia Tech. Other players from NIC member fraternities are as follows: offensive tackle Jared Veldheer (Delta Sigma Phi), of Hillsdale, by the Oakland Raiders in the third round; offensive tackle Jason Fox (Pi Kappa Alpha), of Miami FL, by the Detroit Lions in the fourth round; safety Myron Rolle (Kappa Alpha Psi), of Florida State, by the Tennessee Titans in the sixth round; defensive back Marquis Johnson (Kappa Alpha Psi), of Alabama, by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round; defensive end George Selvie (Phi Beta Sigma), of South Florida, by the Rams in the seventh round; defensive tackle David Howard (Theta Delta Chi), of Brown by the Titans; and defensive end Erik Lorig (Delta Tau Delta), of Stanford, by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round.
SAE’s Bryan Twins Featured in Sports Illustrated
Featured in a six page profile in the April 26th Sports Illustated are pro tennis stars Bob and Mike Bryan, who joined Sigma Alpha Epsilon while undergraduates at Stanford University. Right out of college, the identical twins joined the ATP Tour in 1998 and have won 59 tournaments as doubles partners. The Bryans have now won eight Grand Slam doubles titles, the most recent being the 2010 Australian Open. Five times since 2003, they have finished the year as the ATP's top-ranked pro doubles team. In their spare time, they are the principals in the Bryan Bros Band, have a current CD ("Let It Rip") out and have performed with Counting Crows before 30,000 fans.
Greeks Win Big at Academy of Country Music Awards Show
Musicians from NIC member fraternities were prominent at the Sunday night Academy of Country Music awards show from Las Vegas. Lambda Chi Alpha's Charles Kelley and his two bandmates in Lady Antebellum had seven nominations and won for the Best Single "Need You Now" (co-produced by Paul Worley of Beta Theta Pi); Best Song ("Need You Now") and Vocal Group of the Year. Luke Bryan of Sigma Chi won for Best New Artist, Kenny Chesney of Lambda Chi Alpha was a nominee for Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. Nominated for Single Record of the Year was "Red Light", recorded by David Nail of Pi Kappa Alpha. Jack Ingram of Alpha Tau Omega was nominated in the Vocal Event of the Year category for his song "Seeing Stars". Performing on stage during the telecast were Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum (with Charles Kelley), Luke Bryan, Jack Ingram, Tim McGraw of Pi Kappa Alpha and Dierks Bentley of Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
