Maintaining Momentum
 
It is one of the most overused words in sports, but when you have it on your side it's a beautiful thing. You can feel it, and it's infectious in a way that sweeps through like a force of nature.
 
I'm talking about momentum, which I believe is created through intentional action and behavior in the relentless pursuit of a successful outcome. When you have it, it is important to understand what led to it and do everything within your power to maintain it.
 
The current wave was conceived in March as our men's and women's basketball teams finished the season strong, both reaching the championship game at the CAA Tournament in just our second year in the league. That boost from basketball has propelled us into April, and our plan is to hold onto it as long as we can.
 
Last weekend, our Seawolves won every contest in which we competed. This has certainly happened before, but the results further validate the energy that is building inside of our department:

• Baseball swept a home series against Elon, outscoring the Phoenix by a combined score of 33-6 over the three games at Joe Nathan Field.
• Softball took a three-game series at Monmouth to extend the team's winning streak to six.
• Women's Lacrosse dominated Delaware, 17-4, at home to extend the nation's longest conference winning streak in any sport.
• Men's Lacrosse defeated Drexel, 13-8, at LaValle Stadium to cap off the Saturday lacrosse doubleheader.

On top of the outstanding team success, several Seawolves were honored for their work over the weekend.

•  Eddie Smink – Baseball: CAA Co-Pitcher of the Week
• Kyra McFarland – Softball: CAA Player of the Week
• Avery Hines – Women's Lacrosse: IWLCA National Defensive Player of the Week and CAA Co-Defensive Player of the Week
• Kailyn Hart – Women's Lacrosse: CAA Player of the Week
• Dylan Pallonetti – Men's Lacrosse: CAA Co-Offensive Player of the Week
• George Franks – Track and Field: MVP at the Colonial Relays

Let's keep the momentum rolling!
 
Women's Basketball Head Coach Search
 
With success often comes opportunity, which was the case for Ashley Langford as she was offered the head coaching job at Tulane. I knew when we hired Ashley three years ago that she was a winner, and she proved me right by leading us to a 69-24 overall record and the program's first CAA regular season championship this past season.
 
I wish Ashley all the success in the world as she returns to her alma mater. For us, the search for her successor is already moving at a rapid pace. We had a very strong candidate pool three years ago and, as I expected with our move to the CAA and sustained record of success, an even stronger one this time around. I'm beyond excited about the candidates that we have and am confident that we will soon identify the right person to lead our women forward.
 
We are at the final stages of our search with the hope of announcing our new head coach next week.
 
Spring Football Brings New Energy
 
The Billy Cosh era got off to a tremendous start during winter workouts and has transferred to field throughout spring practice, which started on March 24. For anyone who has attended one of the practices, the tempo and urgency are evident in everything that the team does.   
 
The level of accountability is extremely high on and off the field, which is a critical piece of the foundation that Billy has brought to Stony Brook. Since he and the new staff arrived, we have gotten better each day in everything that we do. It's exciting to see the progress that our guys are making.
 
Please make plans to join us for the Spring Showcase, which will take place under the lights at LaValle Stadium on Friday, April 26. You will have an opportunity to watch our team in action and participate in fan-friendly activities. I'll see you there!
 
Giving Day
 
I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who participated in our annual Giving Day, which took place on March 27.
 
Thanks to the generosity of so many across our extended Seawolves family, almost $70,000 was raised to support various initiatives. As you know, we rely heavily on the financial contributions from our donors so please continue to keep us in mind when the charitable mood strikes!
 
I am also hoping to be able to share news very soon regarding the first stages of work for our comprehensive revitalization project at Joe Nathan Field and University Field. Please stay tuned for that and so much more as we look to finish the 2023-24 academic year strong and continue straight into 2024-25!
 
Keep believing!


 
Shawn