A regular column by Athletic Director Bill Husak.
Creating opportunities for student-athletes is one of the main goals for an Athletics program. At LMU, we recently added a men's and women's track program. There were many reasons for adding the program, but the primary one was to formally add a sport that many of our athletes were already competing in as part of their off season training program.
Our men's and women's cross country teams traditionally have participant numbers that range in the mid teens. This fall sport has become a very competitive and successful program under the direction of Head Coach Scott Guerrero with 2nd and 3rd place finishes in the WCC Championships this past fall. In order to become more competitive, other WCC schools have added track programs which run in the spring. By NCAA rules, in order for track to be declared a sport a minimum of 14 participants have to compete in a minimum of 6 meets. LMU's off-season training program consisted of running in 5 meets with typically a dozen or so participants on both the men's and women's sides. By adding one more meet and a few more participants, we were able to declare these two sports with a minimum of added expense.
What has and will be the effect of these two additional sports? First, we have created a championship opportunity for our top cross country runners. We hope to recruit and develop athletes who can meet the NCAA minimum times, especially in the long distance events, that will allow them to compete in the spring track championships that the NCAA offers. Adding this championship opportunity is exciting for those elite athletes that may excel in the spring.
The addition of track will have a middle and long distance emphasis at LMU. We have added these programs with the thought in mind that it will help us to win a conference championship in cross country. In order to do that, we need to be able to recruit the very best runners with outstanding potential. Prospective student-athletes, who would not have considered LMU in the past because we lacked a track program, are now becoming very interested to attend LMU and train under Coach Guerrero. It has already had an impact on recruiting.
The impression about LMU Athletics is one of a program on the rise. The addition of track adds to that very accurate perception. Not only has LMU had unprecedented athletic success since 2000, its future is becoming brighter and brighter. The enhanced facilities, growth in fundraising and fan attendance are all indicators of a "HOT" program. Our intention is to grow strategically while enhancing the number and quality of opportunities for our student-athletes.
College Athletics is a wonderful landscape. It allows for each of us to support an endeavor where people of all shapes and sizes, skills and abilities, as well as backgrounds that range from local to internationally gather to represent an institution. We cheer them on to success and watch them grow as people. The addition of track for LMU is another opportunity for that to occur.
Go Lions!
Bill Husak
