An Update From AD Jon Gilbert

Pirate Nation:

I have written this before and it will not be my last time.

Pirate Nation has exceeded all my expectations. As Coach Houston said a couple of weeks ago to our team, "It just means something different here." He could not have said it better. It isn't like this everywhere in the country. This is different. And it is inspiring.

We have a passionate fan base that shows unwavering support for the Pirates and invests wholeheartedly in our programs, unique traditions that have a storied history, an expectation of success and an unbridled enthusiasm for the Purple and Gold.

Make no mistake, the Pirates are a national brand, and it is because of YOU.

Once you get a taste of Pirate Nation, it becomes contagious.

We all witnessed the crowds during our baseball postseason run and that momentum has continued into the fall with football. YOU stepped up and purchased nearly 16,000 football season tickets and have made Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium a special place to be on Saturdays.

With two home football games remaining, the Pirates are leading the American Athletic Conference in attendance at 41,777 per game which is also the most by any non-Power 5 school in a conference. The 41,777 average is the highest for ECU since 2016 and 8,000 more than the 2019 season.

YOU have set the single-game record for attendance and student attendance at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. All suites, loge boxes and Trade Club seats are sold out in the TowneBank Tower for the first time and sales in Williams Clark Club are the highest since TowneBank Tower opened.

Let's not take this for granted. We have much to be proud of and it's because of YOU.

Again, thank YOU for making it happen.

Pirates Unite Campaign Off And Rolling
We are off to a terrific start with the Pirates Unite Campaign for Comprehensive Excellence thanks to our generous supporters. Our Pirate Club staff understood this was an ambitious goal and it would not be a sprint to the finish line. With nearly $12 million invested since May, we are incredibly thankful and look forward to more joining the journey.

Individuals and businesses have choices in how they spend their money. Every investment in the campaign is vital as we work to elevate our department and emphasize the student-athlete experience for our 400-plus student-athletes. I witness daily the impact our supporters have on our student-athletes and the projects in this campaign are going to allow transformational success. All sports have already been impacted in a positive manner during the campaign.

It has been inspirational to see the number of investments whether it is paid up front or a multi-year pledge. We will never take for granted an individual choosing to invest in ECU Athletics. Every investment matters. Our coaches are working diligently to recruit the next student-athlete that will make Pirate Nation proud.

We hope that you will make the choice to join us on this exciting journey and invest in our student-athletes in a meaningful way. For more information about the campaign, you can visit www.ecupirateclub.com.

Minges Madness And Tip-Off Luncheon Set For Next Week
We are little over two weeks away from our men's and women's basketball seasons tipping off. Several events are planned Wednesday, Oct. 26 to help our fans get better acquainted with our coaches, staff and student-athletes.

ECU's men's and women's basketball programs will host Minges Madness on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Williams Arena in Minges Coliseum. The event is free with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will get a free t-shirt and the first 100 will get free pizza courtesy of Pizza Hut.

Fans can also attend the 2022 Basketball Tip-Off Luncheon hosted by the Pirate Club on Wednesday in Harvey Hall from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. The event will feature a buffet from Parkers BBQ, raffle items, team posters, Q/A session with coaches, photos with PeeDee and autographs from coaches and student-athletes. Individual tickets are $20 and $200 for a table of 10 seats. You can sign up to attend the luncheon here or by calling the Pirate Club at 252-737-4540.

Minges Madness was the brainchild of our marketing staff and promises to be an exciting evening. The interactive event will feature a dunk contest, three-point contest and performances by the ECU Dance Team and the ECU Drumline. In addition, five ECU students will have the opportunity to make a half-court shot for a $1,000 scholarship.

Men's And Women's Basketball Season Tickets
Don't forget to purchase a season ticket for the upcoming basketball season. We expect season tickets to be sent late next week.

Men's basketball season tickets start as low as $125 for economy plans and Pirate Club Young Grad program members. Pirate Club priority seating is available for $250 (membership required for sections 201, 205-209, 213-216). ECU employees are also able to purchase season tickets in the aforementioned sections at a discounted rate of $205.

Women's basketball season tickets will start as low as $45 for general admission and $60 for reserved seats. Courtside tickets will be available starting at $100 (membership required). ECU employees are eligible for a discounted rate of $35 for general admission season tickets.

Fans interested in buying or renewing tickets for the upcoming season can visit ECU's Online Ticket Center or contact the ECU Ticket Office at (252) 737-4500.

Volleyball Hosts Two Conference Games
Make plans to see the Pirate volleyball team this weekend at Minges Coliseum. Admission is free. Head Coach Adler Augustin and his group host Memphis at 6 p.m. on Friday and SMU on Sunday at 12 noon in the annual Dig Pink Match. The first 150 fans in attendance will receive a free pink ECU t-shirt.

Soccer To Host Senior Night
It's hard to believe the Pirate soccer team regular season is winding down. ECU wraps up the regular season with Senior Night on Thursday, Oct. 27 against conference foe Cincinnati at 7 p.m. in Johnson Stadium. Admission is free. Head Coach Gary Higgins and the Pirates are battling for a spot in the postseason with the top six teams advancing to the AAC Women's Soccer Championship tournament.

Facility Update
The new auxiliary weight room behind Clark-LeClair Stadium is set to open in mid-November. The building will be utilized by all 18 sport programs and allows more resources to our student-athletes. One of the key issues we have with one weight room is scheduling with in-season teams and individual practices and offseason workouts. This new space will allow for more scheduling freedom.

The new space entails approximately 7,000 square feet of training space, a nutrition bar, indoor turf training area and additional strength coaches' offices. The facility is highlighted by 10 Olympic lifting platforms and rows of dumbbells as well as a cardio area with stairclimbers, ellipticals and treadmills. An additional 1,000-square foot will be utilized for maintenance, rehabilitation and other workouts.

Another Successful Pirate Invitational Hosted By The Overton's
ECU's cross country program hosted the Pirate Invitational last Friday at Lake Kristi in Grimesland. The Pirate men took third place while the women finished fourth. The event has been held for more than 20 years in partnership with longtime Pirate Club supporters Becky and Parker Overton. The Overtons spend countless hours preparing their property for the event and hosting the teams. Next up for the Pirates is the American Athletic Conference Championships on Oct. 28 in Tulsa, Okla.

Fall Seasons Wrapping Up

The men's and women's golf programs both won home tournaments earlier this month. The men rallied to claim the Ironwood Collegiate Classic at Ironwood Country Club. It marked the Pirates' first team win since March 2019. On the women's side, the Pirates earned their fifth consecutive Pirate Collegiate Classic title at the Greenville Country Club on Tuesday afternoon.
The women's swimming and diving team heads to Harrisonburg, Va. on Oct. 29 to compete against James Madison. The Pirates are off to a 4-1 start this fall after sweeping Barton, Campbell and Chowan in a quad-swimming meet and then Richmond on the same weekend.
Fans will have several opportunities to catch the baseball team in action this fall. The Pirates host Virginia on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 12 noon and the Purple-Gold World Series is set for Nov. 4-6 at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. Admission is free.
The softball team will close out its fall schedule with two home games this weekend. The Pirates will host Barton College today at 6 p.m. and NC State will visit Max R. Joyner Family Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Head Coach Kirsten Burgess and the Pirates women's tennis team will wrap up its fall schedule at the College of Charleston Invitational Oct. 28-30.

University Fall Open House
If you have someone interested in attending East Carolina, please have them come to the University Fall Open House on Saturday, Nov. 5. This is a wonderful opportunity for any prospective student to see campus, learn about the different academic programs and take the next step in becoming a Pirate. Those interested can register here.

If you have any questions regarding Pirate Athletics or need any assistance, please feel free to contact a member of our staff or visit our website at www.ecupirates.com. You can also visit www.ecupirateclub.com for more information or call (252) 737-4540 to help support our student-athletes.

See you on campus!

Go Pirates!

Jon

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