'The Drive 2002' Reaches ,931 After Second Report Night

May 14, 2002

SAN DIEGO - Volunteers from around San Diego County met at the AztecAthletic Center to report their progress on "The Drive 2002" on Thursday,May 9th for Report Night II.

The second report night marks the halfway point of the AAF's 10-weekcampaign. At the event, AAF Director Pat Kreger announced the volunteershad raised $515,931 to date.

"The Drive 2002" is the AAF's annual campaign to raise funds forstudent-athlete scholarships at SDSU. Locally-based teams of volunteersfrom throughout San Diego and Orange Counties compete against eachother for the right to be the Aztecs' top fundraising group in 2002, as wellas great prizes for individual and team results.

This year's goal is to raise $1.1 million during the 10-week campaign,which would eclipse last year's record of $960,000.

"We feel we are right on pace to eclipse last year's record and attain ourgoal of $1.1 million," said The Drive 2002 Chairman Craig Nelson. "We'vehad a real solid start, and with season ticket renewals coming out for Aztecmen's basketball, we feel we will get a real boost heading into the secondhalf of the campaign."

In the team race, the defending champion Aztec Warriors from ScrippsRanch/Poway, led by Captain Ben Bagnas, jumped into first place with$66,515, 80 percent of their 2001 team total. The team champion isdetermined by the team with the greatest percentage increase over theirstarting amount.

Team results are as follows:
1. Aztec Warriors (from Scripps Ranch/Poway, captained by Ben Bagnas) - $66,515, 80 percent.
2. Monty's Beach Bums (from Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, and Point Loma, captained by Jim & Deborah Marshall) - $70,334, 76 percent.
3. Tierrasanta Titans (captained by Martin Imhof) - $89,366, 68 percent
4. Aztechnicians (from East County, captained by Todd Nielsen) - $57,246, 64 percent.
5. The Better Half (North County, captained by Larry Cook) - $25,107, 61 percent.
6. The Family Jewels (from La Mesa, captained by Bob McCray) - $53,626, 51 percent.
7. Monty's Border Patrol (South Bay, Chula Vista, Bonita, and Coronado, captained by David Youmans) $29,185, 41 percent.
8. East County Aztecs (captained by Rodney Winter) - $25,930, 37 percent.
9. Hi, I'm Tony Gwynn! (North County, captained by Marcus Matherly) - $21,401, 35 percent.

In the individual race, Jim & Deborah Marshall of Monty's Beach Bumscontinue in the lead at $38,749, followed closely by last year's defendingchampion, Ben Bagnas of the Aztec Warriors, at $38,170.

Top 10 individuals are as follows:
1. Jim & Deborah Marshall (Monty's Beach Bums) - $38,749
2. Ben Bagnas (Aztec Warriors) - $38,170
3. Bobbie Harkey (Tierrasanta Titans) - $37,264
4. Todd Nielsen (Aztechnicians) - $31,529
5. Sharon Burgreen (Aztechnicians) - $23,667
6. Kurt Cecconi (Tierrasanta Titans) - $19,350
7. Fred Conger (Monty's Beach Bums) - $19,234
8. Bob McCray (The Family Jewels) - $15,562
9. Matt Pohl (Monty's Border Patrol) - $14,515
10. Cliff Bee (Monty's Border Patrol) - $13,075

You can help the Aztecs and the AAF reach their ultimate goal of $3 millionsupport for student-athlete scholarships at SDSU, by far the biggestchallenge facing the athletic department.

Contact Pat Kreger at the AAF at (619) 594-6444 to get in contact with theteam in your area as a volunteer fundraiser, and find out more on how youcan become an integral part of building a successful Division I athleticsprogram at San Diego State University. It's a great way to get involvedwith the Aztecs, meet coaches, student-athletes, and athletic departmentpersonnel, and join other loyal Aztecs to help build a championship levelprogram in the Mountain West Conference. Be a part of the winning team atSDSU, as the AAF looks to build on the record-setting campaign in 2001, andthe momentum created by Steve Fisher's squad appearance in the 2002 NCAAMen's Basketball Tournament.