A regular column by Athletic Director Bill Husak.
Every year, I believe LMU Athletics has three goals: To win championships, to graduate our student-athletes in four years, and to have them leave LMU as better people than when they arrived because of their experience in LMU Athletics. I would like to highlight some of our success in these areas this past year and share a look toward the future.
For the first time in program history, LMU Athletics was named the 2006 WCC Commissioner's Cup Champions. Awarded to the top overall athletic department in the conference, the Commissioner's Cup recognizes excellence across all teams and is an award that each and every one of our teams, coaches, student-athletes, and donors can feel pride in their role to reach this record accomplishment. Among our teams, Men's Water Polo once again repeated as conference champions and advanced to the NCAA Final Four. Women's Crew won their first-ever WCC Championship, while Men's Golf not only went from last to first in the WCC to win their first-ever WCC Title, but also advanced to the NCAA Regionals and Finals to finish among the nation's best. Men's Basketball enjoyed a comeback year with their best WCC finish in 17 years and advancing to an exciting WCC Championship Tournament Final. So many of our teams accomplished so much that it would take me pages to list all their success in this past year, but for a full summary I invite you to visit our website.
The success that we have experienced this past year, culminating in our first WCC Commissioner's Cup Championship, has not quenched any of our appetites for continuing to improve. We have visions for this coming year of making an even bigger splash on the national scene with our Athletics success. One of our first and biggest opportunities will occur in early December, when LMU will serve as the host institution for the NCAA Men's Water Polo National Championship for our second time in 4 years. Once again, we will have the eyes of national community on LMU and another chance to bring the University the recognition that it deserves.
Our graduation rates remain extremely high with an NCAA calculation of 74% for those athletes on scholarship and 81% for all athletes who complete their eligibility at LMU. Our service and leadership programs allow our student-athletes to develop as people so they may share their talents with the rest of the world after they graduate.
So what does the future hold for us? I am excited to tell you that, for the fifth straight year, I believe that we will have the very best overall athletic entering class in history both in terms of their sport prowess and their academic potential. Six weeks ago, we graduated a senior class that set many all-time marks for success in LMU Athletics, set us on this path to capturing the Commissioner's Cup, and set high expectations for our future student-athletes. But this year's incoming class of Lions student-athletes is extremely exciting across all our sports, and the largest overall in our school's history. Their talents will combine with a strong core of returning student-athletes to continue to make us better, and I believe our prospects for each and every team are even better than they were at this same time last year.
For the coming year we will also continue to emphasize a first-class experience for our fans and athletes. A few projects that have been recently completed, are currently underway, or will be carried out this year, include the following:
- The refinishing of the main court in Gersten Pavilion with a great new LMU look.
- The addition of a new sound system to Gersten Pavilion, to be installed this next month, to create clearer, cleaner audio for our home games.
- The addition of a brand new LMU Tennis Scoreboard to help spectators follow the action on the court.
- Exterior gates leading to the LMU outdoor Athletics complex, including the LMU Tennis Center, Smith Softball Field, Page Stadium, and Thomas Higgins, S.J. Short Game Center.
- Safety netting between Smith Softball Field and the LMU Tennis Center to protect the courts from long home runs.
- A new paved walkway along Sullivan Soccer Field.
- A new repainting of the Jane Browne Bove Boathouse.
One of the athletes I have come to enjoy the most has been Carlos Malet, a 2006 graduate of our Men's Tennis program, from Barcelona, Spain. Carlos sent me an email recently that truly exemplifies the growing Lion spirit on campus and around the world. Let me share with you a portion of his email:
Congratulations for winning the Commissioner's Cup!!! Every day I am more proud of being a Lion and when I read all these great achievements on the website I wish I still had a couple more years at LMU to experience more wins and see how our athletic program keeps growing and growing. I was walking on the "Ramblas" (famous street in Barcelona ) today and suddenly I see this guy wearing an LMU Basketball t-shirt (I promise!). So I was also wearing an LMU t-shirt, and as soon as we both looked at each other we both screamed "Go Lions!" raising our fist! It was unbelievable! Who would say that in the streets of Barcelona I would run into another LMU student and the best part was seeing that he was also so proud of being a Lion. It made my day! There's nothing in this world like being an LMU Lion!!
GO LIONNNNSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!
Carlos Malet `06 - Men's tennis
I continue to believe that we are in a special time for LMU Athletics, and one that is only the beginning to even greater accomplishments. We win games and championships, graduate our athletes, and create experiences that allow them to grow as people. We ask that they not just become the best in their world, but the best for our world. Through their success we wish to bring pride and spirit to the campus and for you - our fans, supporters, families, and alumni.
Go Lions!
Bill Husak
