Together We Transform Thursday - July 24, 2025

It is hard to beat summer on Long Island. There is a buoyant spirit that permeates our community, and it always makes me feel so fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of the country.

The summer is also a critical time for our department. It is a time of constant activity, which includes everything from budgeting, fundraising, recruiting, ticket selling, strategic planning and making facility improvements, in addition to offseason workouts for many of our student-athletes.

This has been a summer unlike any other given the recent finalization of the House settlement, and much of our work has centered around organizational effectiveness to help us manage the new era. Now that student-athletes can receive financial benefits in the form of revenue sharing, we have worked with our partners on campus to implement processes that will allow us to conduct these essential transactions.

I want to thank our donors who have answered the call at this pivotal time. When we moved to the CAA three years ago, we knew that meant ramping up our operational budgets to maximize our ability to compete for championships. Now, with the addition of revenue sharing, the need to generate revenue becomes more acute. The best way to support us in this endeavor is by making a gift to Seawolves United or to the sport of your choice.

Our opportunity to thrive in this new environment is right in front of us, so let's take the leap together and truly unleash the power of the pack!

Please enjoy the remainder of your summer – on Long Island or wherever you may be – and get ready for all of the excitement that the new year will bring!

Joe Nathan Field and University Field Revitalization Set to Begin
I'm excited to share that the revitalization project at Joe Nathan Field and University Field, the homes for our baseball and softball programs, is set to kick off in a matter of days. This long-awaited launch will start by delivering significant upgrades to the playing areas and infrastructure of each facility, including the outfield fences, warning tracks, bullpens, foul poles and additional enhancements to the playing surfaces and perimeters. We will also engage in work to upgrade power and utilities at the site, which will ultimately pave the way for new fan amenities as part of the project's second phase.

This project has been a long time coming, and we are actively engaged in raising money for the next phase that will address a plaza, expanded seating, modern press boxes and lights. 

Our plan is to have the initial phase completed in the fall with minimal disruption to our teams as they prepare for their respective 2026 campaigns.

Stony Brook Athletics Golf Classic Another Huge Success!
Thank you to everyone who came out and supported Monday's sold-out Stony Brook Athletics Golf Classic at St. George's Golf and Country Club.

The event, which was sold out for the third straight year, raised more than $100,000 in support of our department and the nearly 500 Seawolf student-athletes who represent Stony Brook. It was a great day to celebrate our extended Seawolves family while honoring the legacies of Deputy Chief Raymond Downey and Charles Gordon Heuser, whose named scholarships are also supported by the outing.

It was great to see so many alums and members of our community come out in a strong showing of support for our department. I am always blown away by the turnout and the positive energy that the day brings. We'll look forward to seeing you at next year's outing on July 20, 2026 at St. George's!

Football Season is (FINALLY) Here!
Monday marks the official start of year two of the Billy Cosh era as our football team reports for training camp.

The first day is largely filled with meetings with the initial practice taking place on Tuesday.

There is a great deal of anticipation coming off the success of last season, and our players have been working extremely hard all summer long to take the next step forward. Their commitment daily throughout the summer has been nothing short of inspiring. From early morning lifts to outdoor conditioning sessions, our guys are getting bigger, faster, stronger and, perhaps most importantly, more confident.

Coach Cosh and his staff have done an outstanding job of keeping our guys focused on everyday progress. For our players, last year was about adjusting to the new coaching staff and their expectations on and off of the field. Now it's about building upon the culture that has been established.

There is competition at every position, including quarterback where Casey Case and Hampton transfer Chris Zellous have both been impressive running the offense. Our depth is improved from a year ago, so the positional battles will be fun to watch throughout camp.

We kick off the season on Thursday, August 28, when we travel across the country to take on San Diego State. That will be a great test for us, but the bottom line is that we need to pack LaValle Stadium for our home opener against Rhode Island on September 6. Not only is it a conference game, but Rhode Island was picked to win the CAA in the preseason poll that was released yesterday.

Get your tickets now and help us set the tone at home!

We can't wait to make this an unforgettable year for our Seawolves family. Let's make it happen!

Keep believing,
 


Shawn