Together We Transform Thursday – October 14, 2021
On November 15, the NCAA will hold a special Convention to discuss recommendations from the Constitution Committee that will likely shift the landscape of college athletics as we have known it.
As a member of the Division I Council, I had an opportunity to receive an update last week from NCAA President Mark Emmert and members of the Constitution Committee. The objective, as President Emmert shared, is to provide as much flexibility as possible to conferences and member institutions. Bylaws that have governed Division I for many years will be changed and, in many cases, done away with entirely.
This is a pivotal moment for the NCAA as it seeks to reinvent itself. I can tell you that reading (and attempting to interpret) the NCAA manual and its many legislative policies can be frustrating. The push toward modernization is needed now more than ever.
Today's NCAA is vastly different than it was even three years ago. In the past year alone, legislation was enacted to permit student-athletes to profit financially off of their name, image and likeness as well as to allow a one-time transfer exemption in the sports of football and basketball.
While the "flexibility" that the Constitution Committee seeks to grant will possibly mean that different rules will apply from one campus to another, it is where we need to go. It will decentralize the legislative process and place a greater emphasis on local decision-making. I am excited to see where this takes us and look forward to learning more next month.
As always, stay tuned.
Looking Ahead at Facilities
Our vision to grow as a program is incumbent upon our teams to win, and one critical aspect of that is our need to upgrade several facilities.
As we return to the normal rhythm of our work this year, our fundraising team has been busy strategizing. My primary objective when I arrived was to build an indoor practice facility, which has been an absolute game-changer for us. We have also expanded LaValle Stadium and renovated University Pool. Other locker room and office projects have taken place but we must now turn our focus to raising money toward the renovation of Joe Nathan Field and University Field in addition to a new videoboard in LaValle Stadium.
We already have the master plans for the baseball/softball project and look forward to deploying our strategy to identify a lead donor and raise the necessary funds. The anticipated cost is $5 million.
The cost of a new videoboard is significantly less at $1.3 million but no less important. Our current videoboard has served us well but is in need of replacement. I'll have more to share as these campaigns come to life but we're excited to get back out and meet with supporters about these and other opportunities for investment in Stony Brook Athletics.
Busy Weekends Ahead
The next two weeks will be filled with competitions and ceremonies. Tonight starts a full weekend of events as Women's Soccer takes on Binghamton at LaValle Stadium and Volleyball returns home to Pritchard Gym for matches tomorrow (NJIT) and Sunday (Binghamton). Men's Soccer will also be in action at LaValle on Sunday against UMass Lowell.
Sandwiched between those events is Saturday's football game against Delaware at 3:30 p.m. Although I am disappointed in our record, I am extremely proud of our guys who continue to battle each day in practice and on Saturdays. We have walked off of the field in each of our last two games with the ball and the chance to win or tie on the road in the final seconds. The wins are coming! Please come out and support your Seawolves and cheer them on as they take on the Blue Hens.
Next week is Homecoming week, which always brings energy and excitement on campus. It also means the Stony Brook Athletics Hall of Fame induction as we welcome the 2020 and 2021 classes on Friday, October 22. I'm looking forward to FINALLY celebrating 2020 inductees Tommy Brenton (Men's Basketball), Michael Crooks (Men's Tennis), Bryan Dougher (Men's Basketball), Paul Dudzick (Coach/Administrator), Kathy Koshansky (Former Head Athletic Trainer), Jenny Payne (Women's XC/Track & Field) and Aden Smith (Football) in addition to our 2021 inductees Joe Castiglie (Head Coach, Men's Basketball) and William Carmona (Baseball).
Added to the excitement of Homecoming Saturday is the inauguration of President McInnis, which will take place at 11 a.m. inside of Island Federal Arena. I am extremely grateful to President McInnis for her leadership and support, and I look forward to honoring her next weekend.
I also look forward to capping off Homecoming with a big football win against Richmond!
Keep believing!
Shawn
