FRISCO, Texas – The 2025 Southland Conference Opening Drive – also referred to as SLC Media Day – will once again be in the Alamo City beginning Sunday July 20^th and run through the 21^st. The event will run in conjunction with the Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) Coaching School and Convention at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio.
 
The SLC Opening Drive will consist of the head coach and two players from all 10 of league representatives. Joining Lamar University head coach Pete Rossomando will be local standouts Kristian Pugh (Sr., DB, Beaumont, Texas) and Kyndon Fuselier (WR, Sr., Nederland Texas).
 
Viewed as the official start to the new season, the event will consist of one-on-one media interviews, live on-set interviews and social media engagement as we inch closer to the start of preseason camp. The event will also be streamed live on the Southland's YouTube Channel.
 
Pugh and Fuselier are both returning from all-conference seasons. Pugh received second-team honors after starting all 12 games last season. He finished third on the team with 72 total tackles, 44 of which were unassisted, seven pass breakups and an interception. Fuselier also garnered second team honors after leading the team with 31 catches for 513 yards and two touchdowns. Between the two, they have combined for 51 career starts.
 
Entering his third year with the program, Rossomando has guided a historic turnaround in the Golden Triangle. After recording the nation's fourth-best single-season turnaround during his first season, the Cardinals posted a 7-5 mark last year to record back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1966 and 1967. Rossomando enters his third season on staff sporting a roster that consists of 45 returning letterwinners and 14 starters (8 offense, 3 defense and 3 special teams). The 2024 squad also landed in the nation's top 25 for the first time in program history and ended the year with eight all-conference selections, five of which return for 2025.
 
The Cardinals also return the services of two-year starter Robert Coleman at quarterback. The California native has made 22 career starts and has completed 288-of-511 (.564) passes for 3,703 yards and 31 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 433 yards and seven scores.