A regular column by Athletic Director Bill Husak.
May 2003
Every year in May I compose an annual report for the Board of Trustees reviewing the accomplishments and achievements of the athletics program. In this months Perspectives I would like to provide you with a synopsis of that report which includes an evaluation of this year's goals, next year's initiatives and for the first time I presented to the Board a "Scorecard" which compared the time periods of 1992-93, 1997-98 and this year.
It is important for any discussion about athletics to be framed within the context of our mission statement. Our mission statement underwent a one word change this past semester in which we no longer wished to field a "competitive" sports program, but rather a "championship" sports program. Our mission statement reads as follows:
The mission of the department is to provide an environment for student-athlete development that supports the pursuit of the highest level of success athletically and academically for the growth of the whole person in the tradition of the Jesuit and Marymount ideals. The purpose of the Intercollegiate Athletics Program at Loyola Marymount University is to support the overall mission, goals and objectives of the University by complimenting its primary academic pursuits with championship sports programs. Additionally, Loyola Marymount University Athletics supports "Pursuing Victory with Honor".
YESTERDAY
Listed below is a "Scorecard" that depicts the progress of LMU athletics in the last ten years, and in some cases longer. I analyzed the program from a number of different aspects including athletic success, academic achievement and University support. What is quite clear from this analysis is that the program is indeed headed in a positive direction and has not stablized as yet. The past five-year period has seen nearly every program achieve new benchmarks for success. It should be noted that the drastic change in the SAT scores from 1992-93 to the 1997-98 year can in part be attributed to the re-centering strategy that the SAT implemented. It is also important to acknowledge that every year begins with approximately 350 athletes in the Department, 200 of who receive some type of athletics aid. That means 150 student-athletes (40%) participate because of the love of the sport and they feel they can compete against the very best programs in the country. This non-athletics scholarship group of athletes contributes significantly to our athletic success as well as the academic record of the program.
| Item | 1992-93 | 1997-98 | 2002-03 |
| Athletics |
| Number of Teams | 16 | 18 | 17 |
| Number of Championships - In Previous 5 Year Period | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Winning Percentage | 37% | 44% | 54% |
| Post Season Appearances - In Previous 5 Year Period | 6 | 5 | 13 |
| Academics |
| Entering HS GPA for scholarship athletes | 2.97 | 3.22 | 3.23 |
| Entering HS SAT for scholarship athletes | 947 | 1059 | 1076 |
| Fall term Dept. GPA for all athletes | 2.87 | 2.67 | 2.91 |
| University Graduation Rate (6 year) | 68% | 71% | 70% |
| 4-year average | 67% | 74% | 72% |
| Athletic Scholarship Graduation Rate | 68% | 72% | 73% |
| 4-year average | 51% | 65% | 68% |
Athletes Exhausting Eligibility
Graduation Rate | 57% | 81% | 80+% |
| University Support |
| Scholarship/Dollars | $972,000 | $2,218,000 | $4,174,000 |
| Scholarship/Equivalence | 50 | 90 | 135 |
| Staffing/Salaries | $788,000 | $1,308,000 | $2,345,000 |
| Staffing Equivalence | 22.5 | 35 | 47 |
| Operating | $431,000 | $919,000 | $1,255,000 |
| Attendance |
| Students | N/A | 5,900 | 10,700 |
| Total | N/A | 26,000 | 45,000 |
| Annual Support - Lions Fund, Booster Clubs, Corporate | $100,000 | $200,000 | $600,000 |
Today
This year's initiatives focused on three areas. The first was to establish the groundwork for making the Athletics Capital Campaign a success. Finalizing facility plans, naming opportunities, identifying potential donors and making the case for the important role that athletics plays in campus life will serve as the foundation for the success of the campaign. This was accomplished as we formed the Athletic Director's Council and became a part of the University's Capital Campaign.
This coming year, LMU's Athletics program will come under NCAA scrutiny as we go through the self-study process for accreditation. We achieved the goal of finding a Chairman for this self-study, Rev. Al Koppes, O. Carm., and began the establishment of the committees and organizational structure for broad base involvement that will be critical to a successful outcome and certification without conditions.
Finally, we continued to increase our efforts to make the public more aware of LMU and its athletics program. This included:
- The development of the Lion Audio Network (Radio and Internet broadcasts) to include every men and women's basketball game and a total of 90 broadcasts throughout the 2002-2003 athletic year.
- We developed strategies for corporate involvement on these broadcasts and website. Our web site hits have grown from an average of 40,000 per month in the 2000-01 year to over 350,000 hits this current year. We anticipate averaging 400,000 hits per month next year.
- We were unable to bring to fruition a local television contract that would increase the visibility of the LMU Athletic Department and Loyola Marymount University as a whole. We did make significant progress as a Conference in negotiating television packages.
- Another initiative was to host the National Championships in Men's Water Polo. This event, through the dedication of so many at the University, came off flawlessly and gave the campus tremendous exposure. We have been asked by the NCAA to consider hosting a future championship.
Tomorrow
This coming year, we will focus on three areas. The first area will be to develop a belief system that we are truly champions and a culture for league and national titles to thrive. Every action we take will be evaluated in this light. The Scorecard depicts well our growth and pattern for success. We have gone from participants to competitors in the last ten years. It is now important to instill the mentality of being a champion throughout the program.
The second area will be to conduct our Department's accreditation with the NCAA. The process is lengthy, time and energy consuming and requires broad-base participation. Many will be involved with this process and the organization of it will entail great planning. As stated earlier in this report, the Rev. Al Koppes, O. Carm., will be leading this effort.
Finally, developing that Championship mentality requires that we achieve our Capital Campaign Goals. Facilities are critical to the future of LMU athletics and these need to be completed as soon as possible to maintain the momentum that the program has been able to achieve.
CONCLUSION
As was stated in this report last year, although much has been accomplished there is still a great deal to do. No one person or department can accomplish all that has been achieved. It takes a committed University community to raise a championship athletics program. We are truly grateful to our President The Rev. Robert Lawton, S.J. for his continued support in so many ways. In like manner, Vice Presidents Lane Bove, Joe Jabbra, Charles Rasberry and Lynn Scarboro, Interm Vice President Tom Fleming and retired Vice President Dave Trump have been integral in creating the momentum we now experience. The Department also recognizes the Board of Trustees, the Board of Regents, LionsFund members and Board and all associated with Loyola Marymount University for their staunch support of Lions Athletics. It is our hope that we continue to improve upon our mission, be a source of pride for students and alumni and be one vehicle to inform the populace about the values of this unique and outstanding University.
