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It’s evident that Don Coryell loves sports. Texas State’s Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Operations shuffled into the Bobcat Softball Stadium press box on May 7 in the early innings of the maroon and gold’s game against UT Arlington. Coryell stayed and chatted with media members working the game, reminiscing on his playing days as the Bobcats worked to cut into the Mavericks’ 1-0 lead. “Donny” was a 6-foot-5 forward at Angelina Junior College for two years before transferring to Lamar in 1996. He averaged 7.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in two seasons with the Cardinals and finished his playing career spending a year with the Dungannon Flyers in Ireland. Three at-bats into the top of the third, senior outfielder Marisa Cruz sent an RBI single to right field, tying the game up at 1-1. Coryell cheered, breaking the biggest rule in the world of the objective press. “Sorry, forgot where I was,” the Beaumont native said with a thick east Texas twang in his voice as he showed himself the door. “I get kicked out of most press boxes I walk into.” It’s also evident that Coryell loves Texas State. The school announced nine days prior to the game that Dr. Larry Teis would be stepping down as Director of Athletics on Aug. 31. Texas State also stated that Coryell would serve a one-year term as the interim head of the department beginning Sept. 1. Then, in a statement released by University President Denise Trauth on Wednesday, the school removed the interim tag from Coryell’s title, making him the permanent athletics director at the start of next month. It’s a promotion that’s 17 years in the making and one that Coryell might not have been expecting. In an interview with the Daily Record on July 19, Coryell said he hadn’t had any conversations about what would happen at the end of his interim term — “I’m just gonna put my head down and work as hard as I can.” In the days since, Coryell traveled to New Orleans for the Sun Belt Conference Football Media Day, announced two home-and-home football series against North Texas and Army, unveiled a new court design inside Strahan Arena and hired a new track & field/cross country director in former UCLA coach John Frazier. read more: https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/sports/don-coryell-ready-lead-texas-state-permanent-ad