This time of year is always marked by optimism and opportunity. The start of the spring semester never fails to deliver a renewed sense of energy as classes begin and our student population flocks back to campus. That feeling of promise that accompanies a new semester is one of the truly invigorating aspects of working in higher education.
 
There is no question, however, that as I enter my 10^th spring at Stony Brook the energy feels different. In many ways it feels like a renaissance. This is a time of evolution and uncertainty across the vast landscape of the Division I universe. Hardly a day goes by without news of another legal challenge facing the NCAA (the latest being the states of Tennessee and Virginia filing an antitrust lawsuit challenging NIL rules); yet despite the chaos surrounding us, I've never felt more confident about our present position, not to mention our future at Stony Brook.
 
I recently returned from two days of joint meetings with the CAA Board of Directors and the ADs. Not that I needed further reason to believe that moving to the CAA was the right move for us, but after talking with the presidents and my fellow ADs, it is incredibly heartening to know that we are united by our aspirational mindset. If the past few months have revealed anything it's that we must remain committed to our core values and focus on what we can control.
 
There is no question that our student-athletes are thriving in the classroom and in competition, and our plan is to ride the current wave of momentum all the way through the remainder of the year. I'd like to share a few highlights with you as we ramp up our efforts for a successful spring:
 

• Our student-athletes achieved a 3.23 GPA for the fall semester with 336 (of our nearly 480) earning at least a 3.0. Tennis led the way with a 3.72 followed by women's soccer (3.53) and softball (3.5). This was the second-highest full-term GPA in program history after last spring's 3.26.
• Stony Brook student-athletes Edmond Kaiser (Men's Soccer) and Grace Weigele (Women's Cross Country) were named SUNY Scholar-Athletes of the Year in recognition of their combined academic and athletic achievements.
• Under the leadership of Ashley Langford, who was recently one of 10 head coaches named to the watch list for the 2024 Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award, our women's basketball team is 16-2 and in first place in the CAA.
• Our men's basketball team, which has already matched last season's win total, has made four national television appearances this year, the most recent being an 86-78 overtime victory at Island Federal Arena over UNC Wilmington on Saturday night that was featured on CBS Sports Network.
• Our men's lacrosse team, which in our first CAA campaign reached the conference championship game for the first time since 2015, opens its season on Sunday at Sacred Heart. Graduate Dylan Pallonetti was named CAA Preseason Co-Player of the Year and was honored as a USA Lacrosse Division I Preseason All-American Honorable Mention.
• Winners of 10 straight conference championships, our women's lacrosse team was once again the unanimous pick to defend its CAA title while senior Ellie Masera was named CAA Preseason Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
• On the day that we unveiled the new Coach David Alexander Record Board inside of University Pool, freshman Sylvia Walker added her name to it by breaking two pool records in a dual meet win over Wagner on Saturday.
• Just around the corner are our baseball, softball, tennis and outdoor track and field seasons… and more opportunities to create memorable moments.

Finally, it has also been exciting to witness the impact that Billy Cosh has had on our department since his hire as our new football coach. His first few weeks on the job have been a whirlwind between hiring a staff, getting to know our current student-athletes, recruiting future Seawolves, and building relationships with alumni and members of our campus and local community… all while trying to figure out where to live! (I'm happy to report that he has found a place and will soon be permanently joined by his wife Kelsey and daughter Charli.)
 
Billy has been everything that I had hoped for and then some. His attention to detail and culture of accountability have been wholeheartedly embraced by our student-athletes. As he likes to say, he hasn't won a game yet but – with the foundation that he is establishing – we're well on our way.
 
While the positive energy in the department is at a high-level, we know that success isn't possible without the support of our extended Seawolves family. Thank you for your encouragement and support. It means everything to me. Let's make this a spring semester to remember!
 
Optimism and opportunity. We must maintain the former to properly seize the latter.
 
Keep believing!

 

Shawn