A regular column by Athletic Director Bill Husak.
February 2002
It has been a busy two months since my last message to you. Let me share a little of what has been going on.
In early December, the Burns Recreation Center Pool was the site of the NCAA Men's Water Polo Final Four. The event was a sellout with over 5,000 fans attending both days of competition. For many, it was the first time to see the beauty of the LMU campus and indeed it left a favorable impression with all in attendance. This event proved to be a University event as people and departments across campus went above and beyond the call of duty to serve as gracious hosts. We are thankful to all who supported the first ever NCAA championship hosted by LMU.
Final exams for our athletes went well and they have maintained their grade point averages. The Department has adopted a policy where we require all student-athletes to be enrolled in 15 units every semester. This policy has resulted in more students completing a higher number of units than ever before. There are many dividends that accrue from such a policy, but let me share one with you. Kate Murray, our star senior women's basketball player, tore an ACL in the fifth game of the year and was forced to sit out the rest of her senior year of basketball. Kate will be graduating this spring, completing her degree in four years. Kate has made the decision to return next year under a medical provision that will grant her the extra year of eligibility to play for the Lions. While competing, she will be working on her masters degree in business. This is an absolutely wonderful benefit to maintaining a four-year schedule to graduate.
Over the break, our campus served as the site for the University of Oklahoma football team to practice for the Rose Bowl. The Department has signed a four-year agreement with the Rose Bowl to serve as a practice site for one of the participating teams. By all accounts, the Sooners were most impressed by our University and the staff that worked over the holidays to make this happen. No doubt, practicing at LMU contributed to their Rose Bowl victory.
Finally, this past Saturday was Homecoming at LMU. The highlight of the weekend was a basketball doubleheader against Pepperdine. Although we hoped for better outcomes, the two very close and highly competitive games were played in an environment that was full of life and energy. For those who were unable to attend, you hopefully watched the games on Fox Sports Net and felt the enthusiasm and excitement through your screen.
Our website continues to be a barometer for evaluating the interest level in our program. Let me state that the increase in page hits, unique viewers and those who tune into our broadcasts is growing by leaps and bounds. In the last four months, we have almost equaled the number of viewers from the previous 12 months. We can never say this often or loud enough, but we thank you for your support of LMU Athletics in all of the ways that make being a Lion so special.
Go Lions!
