Paw Prints E-Newsletter: Volume 72

6/19/2023 10:08:00 AM

From the Desk of the Director of Athletics...

Hello Wildcat Fans,

It's hard to believe that another academic year has come and gone. Allow me to offer one more congratulatory shout-out to our student-athlete graduates in the class of 2023! I had the distinct pleasure of playing a small role in our commencement ceremony last month, and it always brings great joy to see our student-athletes walk across the stage. We were able to additionally celebrate them at our annual luncheon for graduating seniors on campus, where they heard an important message from alumnus Matt Pokigo who emphasized that despite their journey as a student-athlete coming to a completion, their time here is not transactional and their relationship with Daemen is really only just beginning.

With commencement now in the rearview mirror, we've set our sights on the 2023-24 academic year. Recruit signings and schedules are being announced, events are being planned, and for me, discussions are being had about the future of college athletics. I'm actually writing this to you from Orlando where I'm attending the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention. As you might expect, many of the workshops here are focused on providing resources for administrators to enhance the student-athlete experience and provide support as they earn their degree while also helping to prepare them for life after college. It has been reiterated multiple times throughout the week that Division II continues to host and support a true collegiate model that maintains amateurism, and we're thrilled to be a part of that.

A major topic of discussion continues to center around student-athletes' mental health. Students from institutions all across the country seem to be dealing with some level of stress and anxiety that is making it more difficult for them to navigate emotions as well as daily academic and social activities.. Compound that with the additional pressures of being an athlete (i.e. performance anxiety, injury limitations/recovery, stress overload, lack of confidence, etc.) and you have a situation that needs to be addressed. Our discussions this week have addressed providing training for coaches and staff to identify player needs, opening lines of communication, continuing to destigmatize talking about their mental health, and identifying the resources available. Support services for student-athletes have been and will continue to be a priority for us at Daemen.

Part of my time here with my athletic director colleagues has also included reviewing what it means to be a model Division II athletics program.We just completed finalizing an updated draft of a document with that title, and it states "a model Division II athletics program shall ensure financial stability and maintain basic operating and travel expenses." Daemen University meets that minimum expectation. However, to truly provide student-athletes with the resources they need to be successful both academically and athletically, fundraising by Division II athletics departments becomes paramount. All Division II programs are alike in this way, and that's why you see us consistently making efforts to supplement our annual budget through fundraising initiatives such as Daemen Day of Giving which brought more than $50,000 to us just a few months ago. The vast majority of those donations went directly to our teams which will help each of them reach their specific goals for the 2023-24 season. We will continue to seek your support for the funding of things like athletic-specific mental health programming, counseling support, financial literacy training and resources related to name-image-likeness (NIL) education and access to opportunities.

While donations to our program can always be made by visiting daemen.edu/give, the next big opportunity to make an impact will be at our annual golf outing. The 11th Annual Wildcat Golf Classic is coming up on Friday, August 4 at the Buffalo Tournament Club. I hope you'll consider joining us on the golf course or even supporting the event through our wide array of sponsorship opportunities.

With that being said, I hope each and every one of you has a fruitful and enjoyable summer. I'll be back in touch as we get closer to opening the fall 2023 sports season. Go Wildcats!

Sincerely,