[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11784]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE TYLER JUNIOR COLLEGE APACHES' 2015 NJCAA DIVISION III 
                       WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. LOUIE GOHMERT

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 16, 2015

  Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, it is an extraordinary privilege of 
extending recognition to a team winning, not merely a state or 
conference championship, but a national title, not for the first time, 
but for the second year in a row. Once again, the Tyler Junior College 
Apaches Baseball Team has achieved national prominence by winning the 
2015 NJCAA Division III World Series baseball tournament.
  This back to back national title is the third national baseball 
championship title for Tyler Junior College, and marks the fifty-second 
national championship for TJC since athletics was first organized at 
the school back in the 1940s.
  The TJC Apaches traveled to Kinston, North Carolina along with a host 
of devoted Apache fans, where the doggedly tenacious team defeated 
Joliet (Illinois) Junior College with a final score of 10-9. They never 
lost sight of their unified goal of capturing another national title 
for TJC. The TJC Apaches pushed onward with unmitigated perseverance 
and determination, despite a season wrought with weather related delays 
and cancellations.
  A tremendously skilled coaching and administrative staff helped lead 
the Apaches to another consecutive victory. Those individuals include 
Head Baseball Coach Doug Wren (NJCAA Div. III Baseball Coach of the 
Year); Assistant Coaches Chad Sherman, Taylor White, and Trent 
Buchhorn.
  The exceptionally talented, resolute, relentless national 
championship team is comprised of Zane Ancell, Austin Ballew, Cody 
Brown (Tournament MVP), Landon Brune, Jace Campbell, Derek Clemons 
(Tournament Elite Hitter & All-Tournament Team), Aaron Clemons (All-
Tournament Team), Michael Crews, Manny Galvan, Jonathan Groff, Jacob 
Hickman, Chantz Holland, Tim Hunter, Jimmy Johnson, Garrett Johnston, 
Alex Masotto (All-Tournament Team), AJ Merkel, Chandler Muckleroy, 
Brady O'Borski, Zane Otten, Jared Pauley, Gunnar Quick, Reese Read, 
Taylor Rich, Drew Robertson, Adan Ross, Reid Russell, Sam Sitton, 
Weston Smart, Travis Smith, Brady Usherwood, Jace Vines, and Brandon 
Webb (All-Tournament Team). Of course, every great team needs 
assistance to round out and hold them together as a team and keep them 
physically on the field playing, and that help came in the very able 
assistance of Training Staff Eddy McGuire, Jeff Derrick, Spenser 
Deeken, Lynsee Jistel, and Nathan Tanaka; and Student Support Staff 
consisting of Chad Cunningham and Justin Doelitsch.
  Without question, there is a long legacy of academic and athletic 
achievement at Tyler Junior College, even as it continues to reach new 
levels of prestige under the meticulous leadership of TJC President Dr. 
L. Michael Metke; Athletic Director Dr. Tim Drain; Assistant Athletic 
Director Chuck Smith; Athletic Department Coordinator M. Angela 
Clemons; and Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student 
Affairs Dr. Juan Mejia.
  One must also recognize the unwavering support of the players' 
families, Tyler Junior College alumni, faculty, staff members, and the 
entire East Texas community. Without this remarkably loyal support 
system, the Apaches' road to back-to-back national championships would 
have been a much more difficult journey.
  It is with great pride that I join the constituents of the First 
District of Texas in congratulating the players and athletic staff of 
the 2015 NJCAA Division III World Series National Champions, the TJC 
Apaches Baseball Team, whose legacy is now recorded in the 
Congressional Record that will endure as long as there is a United 
States of America.

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