SFA Announces Student Section Upgrade
11/7/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - With the 2014-15 season almost here, Stephen F. Austin Athletics has announced the official student section inside William R. Johnson Coliseum is moving to sections 105 and 106.
The students played a great role last season for both the men's and women's basketball teams during their banner seasons. SFA Athletics wants to reward the students for their support by putting them into some of the best seats available, while also building upon the energy and home court advantage of the coliseum.
In addition to the new student section, SFA will also modify its reserved and general admission seating. Reserved seating will be located in sections 107-108 and 118-120, while general admission will span sections 109-117 on the south side and sections 101-104 and 121-124 on the north side. Tickets are $10 for reserved seating and $7 for general admission.
In 2013-14, head coach Brad Underwood led the men's team to a school record 32-3 overall mark to become the first Southland school in the league's 51-year history to win 29 games in the regular season and first 30-game winner, passing the 1984-85 Louisiana Tech squad that went 29-3 and reached the Sweet 16 with Karl Malone.
Before upsetting fifth-seeded VCU in the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the program's first win in the big dance, SFA joined then top-ranked Florida and second-ranked Wichita State as the only schools to go undefeated in conference play, posting a unblemished 18-0 record. The `Jacks became just the 18th team all-time to do so at the Division I level in conference schedules of 18 games or more.
Underwood and SFA carry two winning streaks over into next season - consecutive home and true road wins. The `Jacks and Duke are tied for the nation's longest active home win streak at 33 straight games, while SFA and Wichita State sit tied with 12 consecutive wins when visiting the opponent on their home court.
Head coach Brandon Schneider also took the Ladyjacks to memorable heights last season. Under Schneider's guidance, SFA finished with a 23-13 record, claiming a share of the league title and posting a deep run in the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI).
After overcoming a five-game deficit in the SLC standings late in the season, the Ladyjacks won their final six games of the regular season to deliver on their preseason pick and claim a share of the regular season title. From there, Schneider advanced SFA to the championship game of the Southland Conference Tournament, and despite losing the title game, the Ladyjacks received an invitation to the WBI.
With a wave of momentum following the late-season run, SFA won three games in the WBI to reach the championship game, downing Texas State (59-51), Boise State (80-59) and College of Charleston (78-74). No team before in the storied success of the women's program had ever won three games in a postseason tournament.
Both the men's and women's teams open their seasons inside William R. Johnson Coliseum in mid November. The Lumberjacks open their season on Friday, Nov. 14, against Mississippi College, while the Ladyjacks open up on Saturday, Nov. 15, against Louisiana Tech.
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