Tommy Bell monthly newsletter — March edition
03/30/2017 | 2:34:00 | General
Greetings, Saluki Nation!
A hot topic at Arch Madness earlier this month was Wichita State, and the school's rumored move from the MVC to the American Athletic Conference. The AAC, which has only been in existence since 2013, is looking for a 12th basketball member to complement the league's former Big East teams with historically strong basketball programs.
The discussion picked up again last week with a report in the Wichita Eagle that called the move "almost inevitable." A few days later, ESPN senior writer Andy Katz cited a source at the university that the Shockers "would accept an invitation to move" to the AAC, and that the invite could happen within weeks or months. There was some foreshadowing of these developments last spring, when CBS Sports reported that Wichita State expressed interest in joining the Mountain West Conference.
Speaking for SIU, we would be saddened if the Shockers elect to leave. They are the league's longest-running members, having joined the Valley in 1945. With six-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Final Four, their men's basketball program has provided a big boost to the MVC in the years following Creighton's departure. (I should point out that Wichita State is now tied with Southern Illinois for the longest streak of NCAA appearances in league history.) Wichita's programs are strong across the board, they have excellent facilities, and they have tremendous fan support.
My position on the subject of conference realignment is simple. The Missouri Valley Conference is a strong national brand and holds a unique and coveted place within the landscape of college athletics. The tradition and legacy of the MVC, which is the nation's second-oldest NCAA Division I conference, remains a compelling story. For example, our men's basketball conference tournament in St. Louis is among the best events in college basketball, as anyone who has attended Arch Madness would attest. Our teams have tremendous exposure through the league-negotiated ESPN3 television contract. We have great coaches, great players, great fans in the Valley. I could go on and on, but suffice to say, the Salukis are proud members of the MVC and will continue to preach that message.
On Wednesday, President Randy Dunn and Chancellor Brad Colwell shared information on what actions our University will need to take to reduce our state-supported budgets. Chancellor Colwell identified $19 million in permanent cuts, plus an $8.3 to $11 million repayment of funds we have used to maintain operations this year. Athletics is committed to doing our part to reduce expenses and help "ensure the long-term financial viability for all of SIU."
In light of the latest budget news, I would like to renew my appeal for help, urging readers to join the Saluki Athletic Scholarship Fund. Even a modest gift of $50 or $100 would be deeply appreciated. Our goal is to add another 1,000 members to our annual fund. You can make a difference by joining today.
I'd like to take a moment to introduce a new member of our development team, Mike Moore. Mike is our new Director of Philanthropy and will assist both Athletics and the SIU Foundation as a major gift officer. He has a strong athletic background, having served as the AD at IUPUI beginning in 1996. During his time at IUPUI, Mike worked in multiple leadership positions, both within The Summit League and the NCAA. He also has MVC ties with eight years in charge of development in Evansville's athletic department. He's a great addition to our staff.
From a customer service standpoint, we have a strong development team in Athletics that is eager to assist you in any way possible. Led by alums Jason Fairfield, Cristina Pisoni and Bryce Williams, don't hesitate to call on us when it comes to your SASF and season-ticket needs. Here is a directory of our development staff with names and faces.
Some great news to pass along from our development efforts. Athletics recently received an estate-plan gift valued at $3 million, which will be split evenly with the School of Engineering. The money will be used exclusively for scholarship endowments. We are incredibly grateful for this gift, and what an awesome way to create a legacy at SIU!
Continuing with the business side of Athletics, we're in the process of renewing our partnerships with Under Armour and Collegiate Licensing Company. As our official shoe and apparel sponsor, Under Armour will supply us with clothing, shoes and equipment each school year through 2022. CLC is our trademark licensing partner that helps us protect, promote and grow the Saluki brand through merchandising. These contract renewals are evidence that the Salukis remain a strong national brand.
As a reminder, Football season-ticket and SASF renewals, which were mailed in February, are due by April 15. If you'd like to use a payment plan, then you need to have that in place by April 1. You can also request a seat upgrade or add additional seats. The easiest way to conduct any of these transactions is on our new ticketing website. It's simple to activate an account. If you have any questions, you can call a member of our staff and they will walk you through it.
If you are not yet a Football season-ticket holder and would like to get on board, please call our ticket office at 877-SALUKIS and they will be happy to take a deposit for the 2017 season. You'll have an opportunity to pick your seats in May, after current season-ticket holders have had a chance to upgrade or relocate.
I attended the first Football scrimmage last Saturday and left excited about what I saw. Coach Hill and his staff will have a young, hungry and talented team this season. They will hold another scrimmage on Saturday at 10 a.m. and the Spring Game will be held on April 8 at 2 p.m. I encourage you to check them out.
On Tuesday night, we made our ESPN3 broadcast debut of a Saluki Baseball game. The capacity to broadcast, especially at this location, involves a great deal of teamwork behind the scenes. We are grateful for the contributions by the College of Mass Communications and Media Arts, the Office of Information Technology, as well as our video services staff in Athletics. I'd especially like to single out alum John Sprugel, who is the Executive Officer and Director at Niles Media Group, for loaning his expertise to our ESPN3 venture. His help has been indispensable.
We are just a few days away from The Big Event: A Saluki Day of Service. This will be the largest one-day, student-run service project in the history of SIU Carbondale. At last count, there were 998 volunteers signed up, including numerous members of the Athletic staff, as well as student-athletes.
As the weather warms up, our spring sports are in full swing. Softball is currently tied for first place in the MVC at 5-1. Baseball starts its league season on Friday night against Evansville. Our Men's Tennis team is 14-2, has won seven-straight matches, and has several nationally ranked players. We have a nationally competitive Men's Golf team that will be at Vanderbilt this weekend against a field that includes the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked programs in the country. Women's Golf just won the Saluki Invitational. Track & Field started its outdoor schedule last week and head coach Kathleen Raske tells me the team will be strong again this spring. For a full schedule of events, go to our website and I hope to see you in Carbondale this spring.
With Saluki Pride,
