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Whitney Martin - THE BATTALION
Sophomore petroleum engineering major Nick Schilling and sophomore computer engineering major Justin Watson perform a wildcat at the end of a yell Tuesday evening.

Students hold miniature yell practice for Gillispie

By: Adam Scharn

Posted: 3/28/07

He's the big man on campus, and on Monday evening, several Aggies asked him to stay.

At 6 p.m. in front of the John J. Koldus building, about 150 Aggies, including students, former students and children rallied together to hold a miniature yell practice in honor of Billy Gillispie, Texas A&M men's basketball head coach.

The idea for a rally started as a post on the texags.com message board, said Andrew Reichart, a freshman general studies major who attended.

Junior yell leaders James Mulvey and Eric Reed led the mini yell practice, which lasted about 10 minutes.

Mulvey said Gillispie has done more for A&M basketball than anyone he can remember, and he was there to show his support for Gillispie.

"This is just a random display of Aggie spirit," Mulvey said. "We just want to show him that we want him to stay."

There are rumors that Gillispie will leave A&M for a more basketball oriented school with a historically strong program, such as the University of Kentucky, but students and officials have each said this is largely speculation.

"I don't think this yell practice will sway his decision to stay, but I don't think he'll leave," said Jenny Jenkins, a member of Reed Rowdies and senior English major. "This rally is more of a 'thank you' for all he's done with the basketball program."

Bus 12 was also in attendance, parked on Houston in front of Koldus. Bus 12 is a school bus painted maroon and white that is fully loaded with Aggie props and slogans. At one point during the yell, the bus played the War Hymn, and many in attendance joined together in song.

Koldus was chosen as the site for the rally because Gillispie's office is in the building, said Shel Winkley, a senior meteorology major.

However, Gillispie did not make an appearance because he had left the office several hours earlier and did not know about the rally in time, said Colin Killian, associate media relations director of athletics. Killian said Gillispie's secretary had e-mailed him about the rally earlier in the day, but that he did not receive the notice in time.

"Coach Gillispie wanted everyone to know he is grateful for the rally and the support," Killian said to the crowd.

He also said that whether Gillispie is considering leaving is all speculation at this point.

The rally ended with two yells, "BTHO Arkansas" and "BTHO Kentucky," in opposition to the two schools speculated as possible threats to which A&M could lose its rock star coach.