Teams including the Texas A&M women’s equestrian team, Pennsylvania State University’s women’s rugby team, and the University of Washington’s women’s rowing team gathered around the White House grounds to be recognized for their championships.
Trump posed for photos with the players throughout the Rose Garden, South Lawn and inside the White House and then sent them off to the Oval Office for a quick tour. At one point, the president playfully got into a wrestling pose with members of the Penn State men’s team. Chatting with the Ohio State men’s volleyball team, he popped a colorful volleyball into the air.
When Trump spotted Maryland lacrosse attacker Dylan Maltz wearing a blue Trump ’16 tie, he pumped his hand and brought him to the front of the team’s riser near the South Lawn. “Look at that, folks,” Trump said, holding up the tie to journalists.
In the Red Room of the White House, the NRA-backed Trump greeted the West Virginia’s co-ed rifle team by saying, “We saved the Second Amendment!” Then he asked, “So who is the best shot?” At another point, joined by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Trump bowed his head in prayer along with members of the Oklahoma softball team.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said after her team won the NCAA title in April that it would go to the White House if invited because “it’s what it stands for. It’s what national champions do.” She told The Associated Press in late September that she hadn’t received an invite and “that spoke volumes.”
In a statement Thursday night, Staley said the team did end up hearing from the White House but chose not to attend.
“As I’ve been saying since our practices for this season started, all of our focus is on the season ahead,” she said. “The only invitation we are thinking about is to the 2018 NCAA Tournament.”
Trump sparred with professional athletes earlier this year when NBA star Stephen Curry said his championship-winning Golden State Warriors didn’t wish to meet with Trump. The feud erupted as Trump was lambasting NFL athletes for kneeling in protest during the national anthem.
North Carolina’s men’s basketball team said earlier this year it could not agree on a date for a visit. Trump hosted the Air Force Academy football team at the White House for a Commander-in-Chief’s trophy ceremony in May and the champion Clemson Tigers football team in June.
Other champion schools at the White House on Friday included: the University of Oklahoma’s men’s golf, women’s and men’s gymnastics, the University of Maryland women’s lacrosse, the University of Virginia’s men’s tennis, Arizona State University women’s triathlon, McKendree University’s women’s bowling, Texas A&M men’s indoor track and field, and University of Utah skiing.
My sympathy’s to those coaches and players for having to endure that.
What an honor. Absolute thrill of a lifetime!!
BBQ. Honor to be invited to the White House. Just bad timing for these athletes.
Little Ricky not a Trump guy. Figures.
Yes, Zippy, I can figure. Therefore, not a Trump supporter.
And Zippy, based on your juvenile posts on here, I can fully understand your support of Trump.
Maybe Trump will take all of them, along with his buddy Putin, elephant hunting next, as the orange man and his son think elephants need to be hunted for their own protection, just like thinning out rats and such.
Ahhh. A liberal. Explains everything Mr. Gilmore.
BBQ. Ahhhh….assumptions make you something as well. I supported Kasich for President. And, yes, I can neither stand for nor tolerate Donald Trump as president based on who he is as a human being. Period. Has nothing to do with politics. And, ahhhhh by the way, how about me coming over this afternoon with my hunting buddies and track down your favorite pet, which does not have anywhere near the emotions or intelligence of an elephant.
Where did my comment have anything to do with supporting elephant hunting? Which Trump has put on hold by the way. Try to keep up. More illiberal thinking.
Regarding my cat, you boys okay with return fire?
Little Ricky you are showing your true liberal colors. You assume things about others just because they disagree with you. You have ZERO clue who I may support or not. And by the way, I am thinking your “hunting buddies” are of the ilk of those from Deliverance.
Little Ricky G, some may take your above comment as a threat. More evidence of your low IQ. Resort to physical violence when disagreeing with someone.
Obviously Little Ricky has never tasted elephant. It’s actually very good. And yes, one bite at a time.
Zippy. Juvenile post.
Little Ricky – one could argue your entire history of posting is juvenile.
And my sympathy to the nation for the previous 8 years.
Good on the USC women’s b-ball team for declining. Not sure why the other women’s teams (or any teams period) would go. Eliminating the stink of this presidency on the hallowed White House will take some time – the swamp waters have risen to the 2nd floor already. No use pretending that all is normal and ok. Thank God for Mueller and team – hopefully the GOP will grow a spine and some morals soon (oh the hypocrisy!)
But yes – what a great CWS run it was! The best…Go Gators!
The real War On Women seems to be Hollywood and New York associated. Aren’t they mostly liberal? Very interesting.
BBQ. The mistreatment and abuse of women (not a war) is known to all ideologies in society and not limited to one. But especially the realms of the powerful. And yes, presidents, senators, and Hollywood executives are powerful people, regardless of their politics. And women are abused by them, regardless of their politics.
And message boards are abused by mooks like you with idiotic droning that goes on and on.
G-Gator. The truth. We do not want to know the truth!
I assume Ms Lewinsky was finding out the truth during her time in the Oral, I mean Oval office.
What a honor to meet the potus go Gators maga
what a great championship that was!
A once I need a lifetime chance to visit the White House! Proud of you all! Go Gators!
Rick Gilmore……I’m very proud of you and what you posted. Trump supporters are just haters and vote against anything decent. I’m an old white male who lived through many many U.S. presidents. This one is truly a nightmare. Rick, lets feel sorry for those who continuously vote against their own best interests and have no clue they are doing harm to themselves.
Thanks, Jasper. Well said. I distain Trump because I love this great country. We should be smarter. Better than this.
Maybe you two should get a room.