Jay Mills

CSU head football coach Jay Mills has announced changes to his staff off assistants, including the resignation of defensive coordinator Thielen Smith and re-assignments for assistants Patrick Nix, Chuck Kelly and Gabe Giardina. Mills announced the moves on Monday.

Smith departs the CSU football program after four seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Buccaneers. He made an immediate impact, as the Bucs finished with the league’s second-best pass defense and scoring defense in 2008. They also boasted the third-best total defense in the Big South, allowing 345.7 yards per game. CSU also boasted the best pass defense efficiency in 2009 with a rating of 112.9, as well as the Big South’s top-ranked pass defense with 159.4 passing yards allowed per game. Under Smith’s tutelage defensive back Charles James developed into one of the league’s premier corners, garnering numerous national honors as well as All-Conference honors in 2010 and 2011. Linebackers Chris Patrick (2010), Andrew McKain (2009) and Chris Kuzdale (2009,2011), as well as defensive lineman Joel Walton (2009, 2010) earned Big South honors during Smith’s time at CSU.

The Buccaneers also announced some other moves among the coaching staff. Offensive Coordinator Patrick Nix will retain his title and work primarily with the offensive line, while former offensive line coach Chuck Kelly will focus on the running backs. Running backs and special teams coach Gabe Giardina will continue to work with the CSU special teams and will also coach the wide receivers as well.

“After our annual review of the state of the program and our situation regarding player personnel, we decided to start working on our plans for the 2012 season immediately following the 2011 season,” says Mills. “We will continue to make decisions that will support our opportunities for success both on and off the field.”

“Additionally, we would like to thank Coach Smith for four years of great service and tireless commitment to both Charleston Southern University and the Buccaneer football program,” adds Mills. “The young men who benefitted from his tutelage will continue to grow as his influence will surely continue to guide them.”

Charleston Southern will conduct a nation-wide search for a defensive coordinator starting immediately.

Jay Mills

CSU head football coach Jay Mills has announced changes to his staff off assistants, including the resignation of defensive coordinator Thielen Smith and re-assignments for assistants Patrick Nix, Chuck Kelly and Gabe Giardina. Mills announced the moves on Monday.

Smith departs the CSU football program after four seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Buccaneers. He made an immediate impact, as the Bucs finished with the league’s second-best pass defense and scoring defense in 2008. They also boasted the third-best total defense in the Big South, allowing 345.7 yards per game. CSU also boasted the best pass defense efficiency in 2009 with a rating of 112.9, as well as the Big South’s top-ranked pass defense with 159.4 passing yards allowed per game. Under Smith’s tutelage defensive back Charles James developed into one of the league’s premier corners, garnering numerous national honors as well as All-Conference honors in 2010 and 2011. Linebackers Chris Patrick (2010), Andrew McKain (2009) and Chris Kuzdale (2009,2011), as well as defensive lineman Joel Walton (2009, 2010) earned Big South honors during Smith’s time at CSU.

The Buccaneers also announced some other moves among the coaching staff. Offensive Coordinator Patrick Nix will retain his title and work primarily with the offensive line, while former offensive line coach Chuck Kelly will focus on the running backs. Running backs and special teams coach Gabe Giardina will continue to work with the CSU special teams and will also coach the wide receivers as well.

“After our annual review of the state of the program and our situation regarding player personnel, we decided to start working on our plans for the 2012 season immediately following the 2011 season,” says Mills. “We will continue to make decisions that will support our opportunities for success both on and off the field.”

“Additionally, we would like to thank Coach Smith for four years of great service and tireless commitment to both Charleston Southern University and the Buccaneer football program,” adds Mills. “The young men who benefitted from his tutelage will continue to grow as his influence will surely continue to guide them.”

Charleston Southern will conduct a nation-wide search for a defensive coordinator starting immediately.

A four-time Big South Conference indoor weight throw champion, Aydlette is the school record holder in both the weight throw and the indoor shot put. He posted the BSC’s best mark in the weight throw in 2000 and 2002. Aydlette, who competed for the Bucs from 1999-2002, is now the throws coach for his alma mater, guiding his athletes to five school records – many of which have been broken multiple times.

“I was very excited to hear that I was selected to be in the Athletic Hall of Fame,” said Aydlette. “It makes me feel good that all the hard work I put in as a Student Athlete at CSU didn’t go unnoticed. Great things are going on at CSU and I’m glad to be a part of them.”

Fellow track & field athlete Anthony Reed will also be inducted in 2011. In his time with the Buccaneers, Reed broke both the BSC Indoor Overall record in the triple jump (15.64m) as well as the BSC Championship meet record in the same event (15.31m). He is the CSU record holder in the long jump (7.36m) and the triple jump (15.64m). Reed was the Big South Outdoor Long Jump Champion in 1998, and earned indoor triple jump titles in both 1998 and 1999. He is a two-time BSC Outdoor Triple Jump (1998 & 1999), and holds the BSC outdoor record in the event at 15.63m. Reed ended his career as a two-time Big South Conference Most Outstanding Athlete (Indoors).

Football’s DeAngelo Dereef is the school record holder in both rushing attempts (485) and rushing yards (1,741). He also holds career records in kick off returns (75) as well as punt returns (69), and is in the top five in CSU history in total offense. Dereef ended his career with 1,741 rushing yards and 329 career receiving yards. A Buccaneer from 1991-94, Dereef is second all-time in single game rushing attempts and fifth in single game rushing yardage. He is second all-time in all-purpose yards with 278 after his record was broken in 2008, and also holds the eighth spot on the list as well. Dereef remains the all-time leader in all-purpose yards with 3,795 and is sixth in scoring with 108 points (18 touchdowns).

“I’m very excited to be inducted into the CSU Hall of Fame,” said Dereef. “It’s overwhelming and an honor to be recognized for something that I worked so hard for and love so much.”
Former quarterback Collin Drafts was the 2005 Big South Offensive Player of the Year and led the Buccaneers to their first-ever Big South Championship in that season. He led the league in pass completions in 2004, 2005 and 2006 and also led in pass completion percentage in 2004 and 2006. Drafts finished the 2004 and 2005 seasons as the BSC’s leader in passing yardage and passing touchdowns, and also led the conference in total offensive yards in 2005. The only quarterback in Big South history to throw for 400 yards in a game, Drafts did so twice. He ended his career with three all-conference selections, two of which were first team honors. Drafts, who played for the Bucs from 2003-2006, is CSU’s all-time leader in rushing attempts, touchdowns, pass attempts (BSC record), pass completions (BSC record), passing yardage (BSC record), passing touchdowns (BSC record), completions percentage (BSC record), total offensive yards (BSC record) and total offensive touchdowns (BSC record). He also holds numerous single-game and season records for the Buccaneers.

“It’s definitely an honor,” said Drafts. “When Hank called, I was taken aback. I didn’t realize that five years had passed. Looking back on those seasons, its great to see what myself and the rest of the team accomplished. I was fortunate to be surrounded by great teammates and coaches, and had the opportunity to play with a great support staff at a great university like CSU.”

Former volleyball player Priscilla Lauoletolo Moleni rounds out the Class of 2011. Moleni had two of the top seasons for kills in 446 in 1993 and 438 in 1992, and still holds two of the top four spots. She finished her career second in CSU history in attacks and is currently fifth all-time with 1,087. Moleni remains third in Buc history with 54 aces in the 1992 season, and is fourth with 420 digs in 1993. She is fifth on CSU’s all-time kills list with 884, despite playing just two seasons for the Bucs. Moleni, who competed from 1992-1993, is also in CSU’s all-time top four in hitting percentage.