From the Director's Desk - A Letter from Shawn Heilbron

1/25/2022 12:00:00 PM

To the Stony Brook Athletics family:

From our launch in 1957 to our ascension as one of the nation's leading research institutions, Stony Brook University has experienced transformational growth academically and athletically. With equal parts ambition and determination, we have continued to soar by taking the bold steps necessary to advance the university's mission.

The strong foundation of intercollegiate athletics at Stony Brook took shape under the banner of Patriots at the Division III level and continued as we entered Division I in 1999 as Seawolves. Throughout our journey, we have reached historic heights while keeping our sights stretched far across the horizon.

Today, we take the next step in our journey as we announce our move to the Colonial Athletic Association in all sports.

The decision to leave our longtime home in the America East was not an easy one. I have tremendous respect for Commissioner Brad Walker and my athletic director friends within the league. As the Chair of our AD group, I was on the search committee that led to Brad's hire over the summer, and I believe that the future of the America East under his leadership is extremely bright. Ultimately this decision came down to what we believed was best for Stony Brook and its future. Our trajectory under the leadership of President Maurie McInnis rises higher each day, and I am grateful for her involvement and support throughout this process.

In joining the CAA, a league that has been the home of Stony Brook Football since 2013, we align ourselves with a highly-regarded group of academic institutions within our immediate geographic footprint while expanding our reach into the mid-Atlantic region. I am very excited to share a conference home with our Long Island neighbor (and, yes, rival) Hofstra while expanding upon our existing football rivalries with Delaware, Elon, Towson, and William and Mary.

Our vision to positively transform the life of each student-athlete is the guiding force of our department, and that will never change. The achievements of our past and current student-athletes in the classroom and in competition have powered Stony Brook Athletics to new heights, and I am excited for future Seawolves to add their own accolades as representatives of the CAA. This means embracing the challenges that competing against our new conference partners will present - both academically and athletically.

As we move forward, we will be asking for the support of our extended Stony Brook Athletics family that has been so instrumental to our success to this point. Our goal is to win CAA championships, and donor investment will be critical in order to raise funds necessary to supplement sport operating budgets that are higher on average among our new conference peers. I promise that your present investment will pave the way to a future filled with prominence for Stony Brook University.

The ambition that has carried us throughout our history has only gained strength over time, and today's announcement is a result of that. We look forward to finishing strong as a member of the America East before beginning the next chapter in our history as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association.

Thank you for your continued support of our Seawolves. Keep believing!

Shawn Heilbron

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