This is a beautiful time to be on Long Island. Snow is on the ground while the sun shines in the sky. Our fall sports are hard at work preparing for the coming season and it is incredible to see the investment that our student-athletes are making. Although the competitive seasons for football, soccer, volleyball and cross country teams are still months away, I am confident that the work I see being put in now will pay tremendous dividends in the fall.

Nothing LAX about Lacrosse at Stony Brook



One of New York's greatest sons, Teddy Roosevelt, famously said "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."

For the members of the Stony Brook men's and women's lacrosse teams, they definitely have plans to carry big sticks and go far. Knowing our teams the way that I do, I don't expect them to speak softly. Our women's team has received significant national attention heading into the season and it has been rewarding to see how well they have handled success and the high expectations that come with that success. The home schedule kicks off with a top 10 matchup against Florida on March 6 at 1 p.m. in LaValle Stadium.

The men's team opens the 2016 season this coming Tuesday at home against Sacred Heart at 4 p.m. and there is a quiet confidence in this group that I really like. Every team needs strong leadership and this one has plenty of it. As I have said many times, we expect to be really good in lacrosse every year and I'm looking forward to "going far" in 2016.

An Enduring Legacy of Seawolf (and Patriot!) Success

Sunday promises to be a special day at Stony Brook as we welcome back a group that has helped to shape the legacy of our department.

Prior to the men's basketball game against New Hampshire, we will unveil the renovated Stony Brook Athletics Hall of Fame. The response from our Hall of Famers has been overwhelmingly positive and we are excited to have so many of them returning on Sunday. It is imperative that we honor our history. Of the four institutions where I have served, Stony Brook is unique in that our program has evolved from Division III to Division I within the past 25 years – not to mention the fact that we have had two mascots during that time!

Regardless of whether our accomplishments took place at Division I, II or III – or happened as Patriots or Seawolves – they all shape our legacy and should be celebrated. We'll do just that on Sunday!

Management Retreat



I am constantly thinking about the culture of our department. Establishing a culture that our coaches, staff and student-athletes embrace every day is essential, and it will help future employees and student-athletes better understand the values that Stony Brook Athletics stands for. Our vision is to positively transform the life of each student-athlete but what are our core values? That was one of the questions that I put to our management team at a staff retreat earlier this week.

I think it is important to be introspective and constantly self-analyze. This is especially true as we work toward achieving our aspirations in Together We Transform. Although time is a precious commodity, especially at this busy time of year, Tuesday's retreat helped us get closer to answering that all-important question about our department culture and our core values. We also talked about other successful companies and analyzed how their core values align with their vision statements. The day began with a great discussion on leadership while we also spent time tracking our progress on Together We Transform and discussing staffing needs in addition to other important topics.

If I could use one word to capture my feelings about Tuesday, it would be "confident." I am confident that we are going in the right direction, confident in the staff that we have to execute our vision, and confident that we are establishing the culture that will engender life-changing experiences for coaches, staff and – most importantly – student-athletes.

On the Horizon



Our men's basketball team is enjoying a phenomenal season and garnering national attention but if you haven't come to Island Federal Credit Union Arena to watch the women's team play then you are missing out. In her second season, Caroline McCombs has us one win away from matching last season's win total (17) with five games remaining as well as the America East Tournament. Next week, the women will host the only two teams that are currently above us in the America East standings. This is your chance to come and support the Seawolves women as they battle for the championship.

Get your tickets today for home games against Albany (Feb. 17) and Maine (Feb. 20). I promise that you will see a team that plays all 40 minutes with relentless determination, energy and intensity.

Together We Transform!

Warm regards,

Shawn