AD Report, 2012-13 #10
12/6/2012 12:00:00 AM | Pirate Blue
7/3/13
BIG EAST NAMES NEW COMMISSIONER
Last week, a significant announcement was made regarding the leadership of the newly reconstituted BIG EAST Conference. Val Ackerman, a pioneer with nearly 25 years of experience as a high-level sports executive, was named Commissioner and will guide our 10-school conference into a new era of athletics.
Ackerman’s vast expertise in the basketball arena runs deep, and her distinguished and accomplished career includes executive posts at the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association and USA Basketball.
A 2011 inductee into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and the current U.S. Representative to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), Ackerman is perhaps best known for her nine-year tenure as the founding President of the Women’s National Basketball Association, where she led the initial launch and presided over the rapid expansion of one of the most successful women’s professional sports leagues in history. She further solidified her status as a trailblazing and results-oriented sport executive during her subsequent four-year tenure as the first female President of USA Basketball, which culminated in Gold Medal performances by both the men’s and women’s basketball teams at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
On behalf of the Seton Hall Athletic Department, we are thrilled to welcome Val to the BIG EAST. We look forward to her leadership as the Conference embarks on this new chapter of its athletic tradition.
FOX SPORTS PARTNERSHIP WITH BIG EAST
FOX Sports welcomed the BIG EAST Athletic Directors and External Relations representatives for meetings at their studio in Los Angeles last week to discuss the landmark television partnership with the Conference. Executive Vice President Larry Jones and his team at FOX Sports hosted a terrific event where they presented the branding strategy and positioning for FOX Sports 1, the network’s new national cable channel that will serve as the home for the BIG EAST Conference.
FOX Sports 1 will make its debut on August 17 taking over the channel location currently occupied by SPEED. By its launch date, FOX Sports 1 will have distribution in over 90 million homes, making it a tremendous platform for the Seton Hall Athletic programs to gain national exposure. All BIG EAST men’s basketball games will be televised, as well as a package of women’s basketball games and some Olympic sports, which is still to be determined.
Our group toured the FOX Sports building and got an inside look at the construction of the FOX Sports Live set. FOX Sports Live will be the nightly news, opinion and highlight show on FOX Sports 1. I have included a picture of the set that is currently being built.
During our meetings, we discussed everything from scheduling to the talented staff FOX Sports has brought on board for this new venture. Exciting news broke at our meeting that one of our own, former men’s basketball head coach Bill Raftery signed with the network to serve as lead BIG EAST game analyst.
Raftery will team up with Gus Johnson as arguably one of the best announcing teams in college basketball. Raftery joins fellow Seton Hall alumnus Bardia Shah-Rais who recently returned to network as the Coordinating Producer for FOX Sports 1. Bardia was with FOX Sports for eight years before spending the last eight years at the NFL Network.
Overall, we saw firsthand that FOX Sports is committed to elevating the BIG EAST Conference to new heights through our partnership. I am confident Seton Hall fans will enjoy the coverage FOX Sports is going to deliver.
THE H.A.L.L. PROGRAM
Last week, after nearly two years of planning, we proudly unveiled our brand new H.A.L.L. (Helping Athletes Learn to be Leaders) Program.
This is an initiative that I personally am very invested in and I believe will greatly supplement our efforts as a department to provide our student-athletes with all the tools they need to succeed on and off the field of play.
The program encompasses all aspects of our student-athlete development initiatives and features a dedicated plan to provide a multitude of first-hand experiences in five major areas; Leadership Development, Student-Athlete Welfare Enhancement, Academic and Athletic Success Initiatives, Community Enrichment, and Spiritual Growth.
In the current landscape of collegiate athletics, the on-field results are often given precedence. While we at Seton Hall always have, and will continue to strive to compete on a national level in all 14 of our varsity programs, our foremost responsibility is to offer the young men and women who proudly wear the Seton Hall uniform the most complete preparation for life beyond The Hall that we can possibly assemble.
Through the H.A.L.L. Program, we aim to provide our student-athletes with the full benefits of having our committed staff and devoted alumni – two of the things that make being a Pirate a truly special experience – at their disposal while exposing them to outlets for personal and professional development that they may not have otherwise.
As with the facilities overhaul associated with the Pride & Excellence Campaign, this program is an example of our unwavering commitment to enriching the Seton Hall experience by enhancing the opportunities afforded to the all Pirates, past, present and future.
For more information on the H.A.L.L. Program, please CLICK HERE.
PIRATE BLUE RECORD SETTING YEAR
I am proud to announce that for the second consecutive year, the Pirate Blue Athletic Fund set a fundraising record in generating over $1.7 million for the Seton Hall University Athletic Department in fiscal year 2013 (July 1-June 30). I am so thankful for the generous support of our alumni, parents and friends to reach this new record. Pirate Blue also set a record of donors contributing with 2,032 donors. This is the first time Pirate Blue has surpassed 2,000 donors and marks a 43% increase from last year.
With this outstanding generosity and the creation of the new BIG EAST Conference, I feel Seton Hall is positioned as strongly as ever to be a national leader in collegiate athletics and student-athlete services.
BEEFSTEAK TIP-OFF DINNER
Mark your calendars for the Pirate Blue Athletic Fund’s 5th Annual Beefsteak Tip-Off Dinner that is set for Wednesday, September 25. This is truly one of my favorite events of the year as we enjoy a night of excellent food in historic Walsh Gymnasium with the friends and fans of our program. As you know, a key component that makes the Beefsteak Tip-Off Dinner a success year after year is our silent auction. I have been told we are still looking for a few more silent auction items, so if you may have something you are willing to donate, please contact Jay Judge at 973-275-2202.
All donations for the auction are greatly appreciated. We look forward to seeing you at the Beefsteak Tip-Off Dinner this fall!
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
I am pleased to share with you that the construction of a new state-of-the-art training room is nearing completion and will be fully functional by the time student-athletes return in August. This cutting-edge on-site medical facility will be exclusively for intercollegiate student-athletes and will feature a vast expansion of the old training room along with the addition of new fitness and medical equipment. Among the several enhancements is the addition of three 14-foot in-ground Hydro Worx tubs that will supplement and greatly enhance rehabilitation efforts.
We believe this newly enhanced and expanded facility will best prepare our student-athletes for success on the highest levels of NCAA competition.
Go Pirates and don’t forget to:
1. Join Pirate Blue
2. Wear your Pirate blue
3. Buy your 13-14 season tickets
4. Get others to do the same
6/5/13
BIG EAST Conference Update
We are less than a month away from the official launch of the new BIG EAST Conference on July 1. While there is still work to be done during this transition period, we are excited about the progress that has been made as the formation of our new conference is coming to fruition. Two weeks ago, administrators from the 10 member institutions convened in Florida for the first official conference meeting. We covered several high-priority action items, which included finalizing fall sports schedules, selecting conference championship sites and determining our branding strategy for the BIG EAST Basketball Championship at Madison Square Garden. Representatives from Fox Sports also made the trip to discuss the conference’s landmark television partnership. The countdown is on for the launch of Fox Sports 1, the network’s new national 24-hour cable channel that is set to debut on August 17. Fox Sports 1 will serve as the primary home to the new BIG EAST Conference. Discussions with Fox Sports will continue later this month in Los Angeles. Continuing on the digital front, be sure to follow the new conference’s official twitter account @BIGEASTConf . Also, keep www.BIGEAST.org in your favorites tab as it will remain the official web address for the BIG EAST Conference. We are all very excited about beginning this new chapter in Seton Hall Athletics history. As new information becomes available, we will keep you updated.
NCAA Academic Progress Rate Public Recognition
The annual NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR) Public Recognition Awards were announced today, which recognizes teams that posted a multi-year APR in the top-10 percent of their sport. I am very proud to report that five Seton Hall teams received this prestigious honor. This was the most teams we have ever had earn this award in a single year.
The men’s golf team was recognized for the fifth straight year, it was the fourth consecutive year for women’s volleyball and the second time the softball team received the award. Also, women’s golf and women’s tennis were honored for the first time in their program history. Our student-athletes have shown their commitment to the classroom, and truly deserve to be recognized. These awards are also a reflection of our academic support services and coaching staffs, so I would like to commend them for their hard work as well.
Basketball Season Ticket and Schedule Update
With the recent release of our men’s and women’s soccer schedules, and the near completion of schedules for our remaining fall sports teams, we now turn our attention to finalizing our winter sports’ schedules, most notably men’s and women’s basketball. The addition of three new BIG EAST conference foes – Butler, Creighton and Xavier – allows each of the 10 member institutions to play each other twice, once at home and once on the road, during the 2013-14 season.
We will welcome back to Prudential Center and Walsh Gymnasium traditional conference opponents such as Georgetown, St. John’s, Villanova and Marquette to name a few. A formal announcement regarding men’s and women’s basketball schedules will be made soon and more information regarding season ticket renewals will be available in a few weeks. If you have already placed a deposit for men’s basketball season tickets, I sincerely thank you for your support. Please continue to check SHUPirates.com for more information and with any questions about purchasing tickets, contact the Athletic Ticket Office at (973) 275-4255.
Baseball Wrap Up
Now that the 2013 season has come to a close, I want to take a quick moment to recognize the outstanding achievements of our baseball program. Although we are disappointed the team was not selected to participate in the NCAA Tournament, we are incredibly proud of their success on the diamond and the manner in which they represent the University.
After starting the season with losses in their first nine games, Rob Sheppard’s Pirates won 37 of their final 47 games to earn the #2 seed in the BIG EAST Championship. It’s the third-straight season that Seton Hall has won at least 34 games. This season, the Pirates earned a ranking in two national polls, and at one point, owned a 13-game win streak, the longest in the nation.
Six Pirates were named to All-BIG EAST Teams, including senior shortstop Giuseppe Papaccio, who recently earned Third Team All-America honors.
It is also important to note a significant award bestowed upon one of our softball players. Senior Brittany Hammer was named to the Academic All-America Second Team, becoming only the fourth player in program history to receive the prestigious honor.
Pirate Blue Closing in on Another Record Year – NEED YOUR HELP!
Last year, Pirate Blue had a record fundraising year. As the June 30 fiscal year end deadline looms, I am happy to report that we are on pace to surpass last year’s numbers and once again have a record year in Pirate Blue!
We entered the year with ambitious goals and I am extremely thankful to all of our supporters who have joined and renewed their Pirate Blue membership. One particular goal we set was to grow our membership and as of today we currently have 1,939 donors to Pirate Blue, which is already a 36% increase over last year.
Never before have we had 2,000 members to Pirate Blue and we only sit roughly 60 away! I’m calling on all of our Pirate faithful to renew your membership or join for the first time by the end of June. I’m excited and encouraged that our goal is very achievable as we close out the year.
If you haven’t already, please consider making a tax-deductible gift and help us reach our goal, allowing us to move forward with tremendous momentum as we enter the new BIG EAST Conference.
You can make your contribution online or by calling Pirate Blue: 973-275-6447
Five Pirate Greats to Enter the Hall of Fame
I know I have mentioned this event in previous reports, but I am looking forward to welcoming Andre Barrett ’04 (basketball), Rico Bellini ’75 (baseball), Joseph Burke ’95 (wrestling), Gerson Echeverry ’94 (soccer) and Jennifer Heider-Berenyi ’94 (swimming) for enshrinement into our Hall of Fame this coming Monday.
We have a great crowd planning to attend the Hall of Fame Golf Outing at Fairmount Country Club in Chatham, N.J. on Monday, June 10. The day begins with lunch at 11:00 a.m. and a shotgun tee time at 12:30 p.m. A cocktail reception will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner and inductions at 7:00 p.m. A few spots remain for both golf and dinner, please contact the Pirate Blue office to make your reservation: 973-275-6447 or pirateblue@shu.edu.
Go Pirates and Don't Forget To:
1. Join Pirate Blue
2. Wear your Pirate blue
3. 2013-2014 Season Ticket Deposits
5/2/13
April Fundraising Success with Donor Matching Day and Pirate Pride Challenge
Our first ever Donor Matching Day generated tremendous participation last year, which helped Pirate Blue raise more than $42,000 in a single day. This year, I am blown away by the overwhelming support we received. Thanks to the generosity of over 300 alumni, parents, friends and staff who made gifts on PriateBlue.com we raised over $71,000 for the Pirate Blue Athletic Fund. I am truly grateful to the friends of Pirate Blue and Seton Hall Baseball who served as anonymous donors and matched 30% of the total proceeds Tuesday that will support our student-athletes.
We also launched our first ever Pirate Pride Challenge this April, which resulted in over $25,000 of support. The spirited challenge was posed to current and former Pirate student-athletes who were encouraged to give back to their respective team. The program that received the most participation will be rewarded with a $5,000 gift, and the program with the highest increase in participation from last year to this year will also receive $5,000. While we don’t have the final results yet, I personally enjoyed seeing so many former athletes and current athletes giving back to their program and monitoring the standings on www.PiratePrideChallenge.com. The volleyball program stood in first place in the latest standings, with baseball and men’s and women’s golf not far behind. There were several gifts made on the last day of the competition, so our Pirate Blue staff is working hard to finalize the results that will be announced later this week.
Pirate Basketball Greats Reunite
It is always exciting to see the camaraderie between Seton Hall student-athletes. With that said, I wanted to share this fan photo submission of our men’s basketball alumni reconnecting in Lake Worth, Florida this April to talk about our Pride & Excellence Campaign. Thanks to the tremendous support of alumni and former student-athletes across the country, like these Pirate Basketball Greats, the recently launched Pride & Excellence Campaign is off to a strong start. This capital campaign will help build a new foundation for the future success of Seton Hall student-athletes through major facility improvements and provide additional resources to our athletic programs.
Photo Caption (left to right): Charles Lorenzo (Hall of Fame Class of 1979), Tom Collinson ‘50, Robert Wanzer (Hall of Fame Class of 1974), Arnold Ring (Hall of Fame Class of 1980), Frank “Pep” Saul (Hall of Fame Class of 1973)
Construction Update
On the construction front, the multitude of planned changes to our facilities continues to take shape on a daily basis. Several milestones have been reached in the Varsity Training Room as the extensive renovation and expansion to the dedicated space nears completion. With the installation of our three state-of-the-art hydrotherapy tubs and delivery of essentials such as rehab and taping tables scheduled for this week, the training room remains on track to be fully operational by early next month.
I would like to take this time to commend our dedicated athletic training staff for continuing to provide our student-athletes with first rate care throughout the construction process.
Over in the fitness center, much of the groundwork has been completed which has opened the door for structural modifications to commence. Perhaps most noticeably, the exterior wall of the fieldhouse has begun to come down, making way for the stylish glass façade that will be installed in its stead. Below, you can see a preview of the scenic view of the campus that will be available from the multi-level, modernized fitness facility upon completion.
Also on the horizon remain the many initiatives associated with our Pride & Excellence Campaign including the Charles W. Doehler Academic Center and dedicated spaces for the SHU Hall of Fame and locker rooms for each sport. All of these efforts are being made with the intention of honoring our storied tradition, enriching the experience of our student-athletes and pushing Seton Hall Athletics towards national prominence.
Baseball & Softball Success
With exciting improvements and enhancements occurring in and around Seton Hall Athletics off the field of play, I wanted to take a moment to highlight the success of two teams that are excelling on the diamond.
Our softball team, led by first-year Head Coach Paige Smith, has taken significant steps forward as the 2013 season has progressed. The team is currently in good position to make its first BIG EAST Championship since 2009. Seton Hall is 4-3 against its last three conference opponents and just won an exciting series over the University of Connecticut last weekend.
After beginning the season 0-9, our baseball team has won 27 of its last 34 games and is one of the hottest teams in the nation. Led by reigning BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week, Jon Prosinski, the Pirates are 10-5 in the BIG EAST and are very much in contention for a conference title. Seton Hall ranks amongst the BIG EAST’s top three in all major facets of the game: pitching, hitting and defense.
While the softball team has played its final home game this season, be sure to come out and support the baseball team at Owen T. Carroll Field for their final six home games. The Pirates will host USF, May 10-11, and will complete the regular season against St. John’s, May 16-18.
Pirates Meet a Golf Legend
Earlier this week, the Seton Hall men’s golf team had a wonderful opportunity to meet Arnold Palmer during their time in Reunion, Florida at the 2013 BIG EAST Championship. Talk about an experience of a lifetime for our student-athletes as they enjoyed the company of one of the most accomplished players the sport has ever seen.
Photo Caption (left to right): Freshman Cory Wilson, Junior Marc Kunesch, Sophomore JT Harper, Arnold Palmer, Junior Gary Dunne, Freshman David Cha, Head Coach Clay White
Go Pirates and don't forget to:
1. Join Pirate Blue
2. Wear your Pirate blue
3. 2013-2014 Season Ticket Deposits
4. Get others to do the same
4/4/13
THE NEW BIG EAST CONFERENCE
There have been great strides taken in recent weeks as we continue to form the new BIG EAST Conference. As you have already heard, we welcome three new conference members with rich athletics traditions in Butler, Creighton and Xavier that are set to join the seven basketball only schools in competition this fall. Additionally, the BIG EAST has secured a robust television deal with Fox Sports. This is a landmark partnership that will keep Seton Hall and the new BIG EAST on a national platform. As we are excited about the tremendous television exposure, we are also thrilled Madison Square Garden will remain the home to the BIG EAST Tournament. The progress we have made over the last month is terrific. We will continue to work feverishly as we look to make this a seamless transition to our new conference home.
PIRATE PRIDE CHALLENGE
We are very excited to launch our inaugural Pirate Pride Challenge. For the entire month of April we are asking former student-athletes to join Pirate Blue by making a tax-deductible donation of $25 or more.
The PPC is a fundraising contest between former Pirate student-athletes and their program. Each team is responsible for getting as many of their alumni as possible to give a donation to Pirate Blue. The sport with the highest percentage of participation will receive a $5,000 one-time gift towards their program. A second $5,000 one-time gift will be awarded to the sport with the highest increase of donors from last year to this year.
Within the month of April, we need all former student-athletes to make a minimum donation of $25 by visiting www.piratepridechallenge.com, or you can call in a donation to Pirate Blue. We also want our former letter winners to get their old teammates to do the same.
Our current student-athletes will take part in the PPC by making a $5 gift to participate and help their team win. The spirit of competition amongst our former and current student-athletes should make for a rewarding April for Pirate Blue and Seton Hall Athletics.
STUDENT-ATHLETES ARE CALLING YOU!
On Monday, April 8, many Seton Hall student-athletes have volunteered to be part of our annual Thank-A-Thon. These students will write letters, send cards, and make phone calls to those donors who have so graciously supported the Seton Hall athletics program.
This is not just a one-time event; it is an annual message to all our donors to thank them for the impact they have on our student-athletes and the success of all of our sports programs.
And what is important is the student-athletes will be the ones to initiate this communication. These are the individuals who see the direct impact of Pirate Blue donations.
I am a big fan of this program as I feel it’s important for our entire Pirate team to make sure that all students and donors are aware that every gift matters.
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
Our several facilities projects and enhancements continue to move forward at a significant pace. While progress continues in the construction of the student body’s new fitness center and the student-athlete training room, an enhancement made to Owen T. Carroll Field in the form of a new digital scoreboard was completed and fully operational by the baseball team’s first home game. The new, state-of-the-art LED scoreboard is larger than the old versions and has graphic and video capabilities. I encourage all Pirate fans and alumni to come out, support the baseball team and see the new addition for yourself.
Another exciting project that will surely enhance the learning experience for our student-athletes will be the construction of the Charles W. Doehler Academic Center for Excellence. With construction currently scheduled to begin later this spring, the new academic center, which is being funded by the Pride & Excellence Campaign for Athletics, will double the current academic space and add new private tutoring rooms, while fostering a positive environment for learning and development.
The process in getting projects like these started and completed is very exciting but can also be lengthy, but I am reminded each day I see the progress of how much they will dramatically enhance the experience for our student-athletes once completed.
For more photos and updates please click here.
HALL OF FAME SAVE THE DATE
Last month we announced our next class of Pirate legends to be inducted into the Seton Hall Athletic Hall of Fame. I hope you mark your calendars for our Hall of Fame Golf Outing at Fairmount Country Club in Chatham, NJ on Monday, June 10. The day begins with lunch at 11:00 a.m. and a shotgun tee time at 12:30 p.m. A cocktail reception will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner and inductions at 7:00 p.m.
A great way to support this event is through a sponsorship. Several opportunities are available for purchase by contacting the Pirate Blue Athletic Fund at 973-275-6447 or pirateblue@shu.edu. I hope you can join us on June 10 when we enshrine: Andre Barrett ’04 (basketball), Rico Bellini ’75 (baseball), Joseph Burke ’95 (wrestling), Gerson Echeverry ’94 (soccer) and Jennifer Heider-Berenyi ’94 (swimming).
30 PRIZES IN 30 DAYS
Our marketing and ticket staff have once again created another exciting 30 for 30 promotion. If you are a men’s basketball season ticket holder, you can renew your season tickets in April and be eligible for several really great prizes. If you don’t have season tickets, I strongly suggest you consider purchasing them on April 13 or 14 as part of our Lucky Ticket promotion weekend. You can purchase a full season ticket for $150! Your seat location will be determined by random selection and you could be the lucky recipient of center court seats!
For more information on the 30 for 30 promotion and the Lucky Seat deal, please click here.
Go Pirates and don't forget to:
1. Join Pirate Blue
2. Wear your Pirate blue
3. 2013-2014 Season Ticket Deposits
4. Get others to do the same
3/7/13
CONFERENCE UPDATE
Certainly by now you have seen or heard the latest news coverage regarding conference changes. As you know, as part of the seven basketball only schools, we are beginning to map out our new league. We are heading in a great direction for Seton Hall and the creation of our new league will be exciting for all Pirate fans.
HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCEMENT
I am happy to announce our next class of Pirate legends to be inducted into the Seton Hall Athletic Hall of Fame. Our Hall of Fame Golf Outing at Fairmount Country Club in Chatham, NJ will take place on Monday, June 10 where we will enshrine: Andre Barrett '04 (men's basketball), Rico Bellini '75 (baseball), Joseph Burke '95 (wrestling), Gerson Echeverry '94 (men's soccer) and Jennifer Heider-Berenyi '94 (women's swimming). This is a tremendous group of former student-athletes who represent Seton Hall Athletics at the highest level. Please click here to learn more about this impressive induction class and the Hall of Fame ceremony on June 10.
PRIDE & EXCELLENCE CAMPAIGN
When I arrived at Seton Hall I continually heard about Pirate Pride and what it meant to be a pirate. It was, and continues to be, that same pirate pride that guides us in our everyday activity now. To go along with that, we have made it our mission to achieve excellence in everything we do. I stated that during my first days as your athletic director and I continue to use it as our leading principle now in our everyday department activity. We will always strive to have Pirate Pride and Excellence in everything we do. Therefore, what we have now ahead of us is the "Pride and Excellence" campaign for Seton Hall Athletics.
The campaign will raise funds for essential ongoing student-athlete facility projects and renovations. Projects will include the new training room, student-athlete academic center, locker rooms for each sport, a hall of fame, enhancements to historic Walsh Gymnasium and a new team video room. We are currently in the middle of the training room project and with your help we hope to start renovating our student-athlete academic center this summer. We will name this project after former Pirate baseball student-athlete, coach, administrator and loyal supporter, Charles W. Doehler. Our dear friend, "Chuck" was a passionate believer in Seton Hall Athletics and the work of Pirate Blue. I can not think of a better name to place on this critical project.
Your generous support of the Pride & Excellence Campaign will play a key role in the continuing advancement of our entire athletic program. Please keep a look out this Friday for the official website to be available as well as other material at the men's basketball game vs. Rutgers.
NEW SCOREBOARD
The new scoreboard is here! Below is a photo of the new Owen T. Carroll Scoreboard that was just completed last week. The new board is state of the art and provides a huge upgrade for our baseball and soccer programs. The 10'x16' LED screen will be operational for baseball's opening day on Friday March 15th against the University of Massachusetts. A big thank you goes out to all of our supporters who made fiscal contributions to this project.
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
Below are construction photos of the training room and fitness center. Progress continues to be made on both projects and we eagerly await the opening of the new training room in May, 2013 and the fitness center later this year.
A major project milestone was accomplished last week when the holes were dug out for our three hydro-therapy pools (pictured below). The pools will supplement and greatly enhance rehabilitation efforts.
The process in getting projects like these started and completed is very exciting but can also be lengthy, but I am reminded each day I see the progress of how much they will dramatically enhance the experience for our student-athletes once completed.
For more photos and updates please click here.
BIG EAST TOURNAMENT EVENTS
Our conference tournament in Madison Square Garden is the best in the country and I always enjoy seeing our fans on the streets of Manhattan during the BIG EAST Tournament. Our pre-game event before our first round game is always a great time and I hope to see you there. This year's event is once again at Hudson Station Bar and Grille, which is only a few blocks from The Garden. You can RSVP for the Pirate Blue Pre-Game Party online by clicking here.
This year, we are also holding a special Pirate Blue fund-raiser with Coach Willard on Monday night. We will gather at the home of loyal Pirate Blue members, Gerard Touhey and Julie Kessler in their 5th Avenue apartment. This event requires a $500 Pirate Blue donation and is a great way to support the program. I will be in attendance and look forward to seeing you there. Click here for more information or call Jay Judge in the Pirate Blue office at 973-275-2202.
ROCK YOUR BLUE THIS FRIDAY!
Our men's basketball team ends their season this Friday at home against in-state rival, Rutgers and our women's team will play in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament in Hartford, CT. I urge you to wear you BLUE proudly on Friday as we look to get both victories!
If you are in need of a new BLUE Pirate shirt, we will be hosting a T-Shirt Swap at Prudential Center before our men's game. Bring a shirt from any other school (not Seton Hall!) and we'll trade you a new Pirate BLUE shirt!!! We'll donate all the used shirts to charity and hopefully have a sea of BLUE at the Pru Center Friday night.
Go Pirates and don't forget to:
1. Join Pirate Blue
2. Wear your Pirate blue
3. Purchase Single Game Tickets
4. Get others to do the same
2/1/13
ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
We are always pleased to celebrate the academic success of our student-athletes and I am proud to announce that 124 Seton Hall student-athletes earned Dean's List distinction for the fall 2012 semester. Approximately 52% of all student-athletes received this honor by posting a 3.4 grade-point average or higher.
The cumulative GPA for all student-athletes is now 3.243, the highest it has ever been!
All of our athletic teams had at least one member earn a spot on the BIG EAST All-Academic Team, achieving at least a 3.0 grade-point-average for the 2011-2012 academic year.
Additionally, our volleyball and softball teams earned the BIG EAST Team Excellence Award for the 2011-2012 academic year, which recognizes the team with the highest grade-point-average in each sport within the conference.
CONSTRUCTION OF NEW SCOREBOARD AND MORE
Construction continues throughout the department and from afar. Below is a photo of our new Owen T. Carroll Scoreboard being assembled in San Francisco, CA. The new board will be state of the art with a 10'x16' LED screen and will be installed before the start of the baseball season.
While it may not look like much, below are construction photos of the training room and fitness center. Progress continues to be made on both projects and we eagerly await the opening of the new training room in April, 2013. More projects are scheduled for this summer so stay tuned. For more construction photos please click here.
PIRATE BLUE NUMBERS
The first half of the current fiscal year closed on December 31, 2012 and we received some positive news in terms of fund-raising. Thanks to our many generous supporters, Pirate Blue is once again working towards another record year. We are so thankful for all our alumni, parents and friends who have made a gift to Pirate Blue in FY13. If you haven't contributed yet, our fiscal year ends on June 30, 2013 and your donation allows the athletic department to move forward and complete much needed facility projects, as well as maintain a growing operating budget. You can make a gift online by visiting: www.pirateblue.com
20th ANNIVERSARY 1992-1993 MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM
This Saturday when our men's basketball team takes to the court against Cincinnati at the Prudential Center, we will also celebrate the 20th anniversary of one of Seton Hall's greatest teams. The 1992-93 team was filled with remarkable players and coaches. I hope you will join us for the game and a special half-time ceremony when we honor a team that was the only one in our history to win the BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament Championship.
You can now take part in this celebration for just $20 and sit in lower level corner section seats. This is a savings of $8 off the Ticketmaster price. As well as a ticket special, be sure to take advantage of a special concessions deal. Because Seton Hall is celebrating its 20th anniversary of the 1992-93 team, hot dogs and popcorn will be 20% off!
To purchase tickets now, CLICK HERE and enter the code REUNION, or contact the Ticket Office at (973) 275-4255 for more information.
Former players; Terry Dehere, Jerry Walker, Luther Wright, Arturas Karnisovas, Bryan Caver, John Leahy and others will be joined by PJ Carlesimo and the rest of the coaching staff for what will be a special day for all Pirate faithful.
Remember the game is set for 11am on ESPNU and we'll need all of our students and fans in attendance early as we take on the 24th team in the country! Coach Willard has been making some calls to confirm fan support is in the building, take a look at this by clicking here. Hope to see you at the Prudential Center on Saturday!
GOLF OUTING DATES
After last week's arctic temperatures, we are excited for things to warm up and for the start of golf season! We have announced the dates for both of our annual Pirate Blue outings this year. Our Hall of Fame Golf Outing at Fairmount Country Club in Chatham, NJ will take place on Monday, June 10th, when we will induct the next class of Pirate legends. You should be seeing more information on this special event in the coming weeks.
Our other golf outing involves heading south towards the Jersey Shore. This year we have moved it to a new location after many amazing years at Spring Lake Golf Club. On August 5th we will hold the annual Pirate Blue Outing at Navesink Country Club in Middletown, NJ. More information will follow, and I hope you can join us for one or both of these events this year.
Go Pirates and don't forget to:
1. Join Pirate Blue
2. Wear your Pirate blue
3. Buy your season tickets
4. Get others to do the same
1/9/13
Happy New Year to all Pirate Fans! I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday!
CONFERENCE UPDATE
In my last report I updated you on the latest with our conference changes. Though there is not too much to report; I can tell you that the seven basketball only schools have moved forward in hiring the law firm of Proskauer Rose LLC as well as Pilson Communications Inc. as our media consultant. This is a large step towards the seven basketball only schools to be able to move on to begin to form our new league. I truly believe we are heading in the right direction for Seton Hall and we should all be very excited.
NICK THE QUICK
This Sunday is Nick Werkman Day at our men's basketball home game vs. Providence. I hope you will join us when we will honor one of Seton Hall's greatest with an on court ceremony and plenty of fanfare. I am very excited to welcome Nick and his family to the Prudential Center on Sunday and I know all of our alumni and fans will enjoy seeing "Nick the Quick" back on the hardwood! We are expecting a great crowd, so order your tickets now.
RAISING THE CURTAIN
On Saturday, February 16th our men's basketball program will host Syracuse at Prudential Center. As of today this game is already sold out. For the first time in our history at the Rock, we will open one section of the upper deck by raising the curtain between sections 125-134.
We want as many of our fans to be able to join us for this home game to witness the last conference battle between two founding members of the BIG EAST Conference. It should be a fantastic atmosphere and I want to see the stands filled with Pirate Blue. Additional tickets go on sale Thursday, January 10th at 10am through Ticketmaster. We will offer a special discount for these seats to Seton Hall alumni, so keep an eye on your email for a special discount code.
DEADLINE FOR BIG EAST BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT TICKETS
Each year these tickets are in high demand and this year will be no different. Purchasing BIG EAST tickets is an exclusive benefit of being a Pirate Blue member. We have extended the January 3rd deadline to January 16 in order to make sure all of our members have the opportunity to purchase tickets. The BIG EAST Tournament at MSG is a tremendous experience, so be sure to get your tickets today. Call the Seton Hall Athletic ticket office at 973-275-HALL.
TRAINING IN PUERTO RICO
Our swimming and diving program recently returned from their annual winter training trip to Ponce, Puerto Rico. Both teams had an impressive start to the winter season and enjoyed the beautiful weather in Puerto Rico.
The trip provides our team a tremendous opportunity to train in first class outdoor facilities and bond as a team. The team was also treated to a special evening of dinner in Ponce with alumnus, Felix Roman '92 who sent us this picture of the team after dinner:
The team will be back in the pool on January 26 when they host Marist College.
CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES/FUTURE PROJECTS
By far one of the most important things we have going on is the construction and master capital facility plan we have put in place for the future. I am happy to report that the latest construction, that of the training room and the fitness center, are moving along and each are making progress toward completion.
I talk often about the construction projects because I am a big believer in top notch facilities, combined with great coaching, will set the foundation for excellence in Pirate Athletics. In the near future you will hear about projects we have lined up as well as a capital campaign we are putting in place to help off-set the costs of these projects. Pirate fans should all know how important they are to the continued success of our teams and our future quest for excellence.
Finally, I am particularly excited about one of the projects that will be on tap as soon as this summer-The Seton Hall Student-Athlete Academic Center for Excellence. We are planning a special naming opportunity for the academic center which all Pirate fans will want to get behind. Stay tuned to hear more about this project as well as the other projects we have lined up. For updates click here.
Go Pirates and don't forget to:
1. Join Pirate Blue
2. Wear your Pirate blue
3. Buy your season tickets
4. Get others to do the same
12/05/12
CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT
I would like to begin this month's report with what is no doubt one of the hottest topics in college athletics at this time, conference realignment. Over the last 18 months we have seen a dramatic shift in the landscape of conference affiliations. While it is obvious that these changes have brought about a new set of challenges for Seton Hall University as well as the BIG EAST Conference, I can assure you that through all of this one constant remains; Seton Hall will always strive to compete at the highest level with our basketball programs.
I am a firm believer in that through adversity comes opportunity and I find this situation to be no different. While no one can predict when all this conference realignment will end we do know that we have an extremely passionate fan base and an athletic department and institution that are committed to competing at the highest level. We will not waiver in this quest for excellence and I am confident in our future.
Though some of the latest issues in college athletics remain out of our control there are certain factors that do in fact remain squarely on our shoulders. We have the ability to position our basketball programs to compete on the national landscape and will do just that. By increasing our resources, developing and completing a capital master facility plan for athletics, and building basketball programs that our community, alums and fans are proud of, we will never waiver in our commitment to excellence.
Our priority will always be to preserve the student-athlete experience of competing at the highest level in college athletics while at the same time providing a first class education for all of the young men and women who wear the Pirate uniform.
CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY
Every morning when I walk into the office I hear the sounds of construction and I couldn't be happier. In the last month we have begun what will be nearly 12 million dollars in new athletic facility projects. Currently work is being done to build a new state of the art Athletic Training Room, which will be one of the best training facilities in the conference.
Construction has also begun on a new fitness center that will dramatically improve the workout facilities for the entire Seton Hall community. These two projects are just the beginning of what we have on tap. We will install a new LED scoreboard on Owen T. Carroll Field in early 2013 and Pirate Blue will launch a dedicated campaign to construct new locker room facilities for Seton Hall's Olympic sports.
We will be adding a committed space for the Seton Hall Athletic Hall of Fame along with renovating and expanding the Academic Advising Center for Student Athletes. As our facility improvements continue we will be sharing a lot of updates with you on the construction taking place within the Athletic Department. Please visit our website to see updated photos of the wonderful progress we are making!
PIRATE FANS ON THE ROAD
I have said this several times in my first two years here at Seton Hall, but it still amazes me when I see so many of our fans at away games for our men's basketball team. Whether a pre-season tournament or a BIG EAST road game; our alumni across the country and traveling fans provide great Pirate Blue support on the road.
Several fans made the trip down to Baton Rouge, LA and we had a tremendous turnout for the Hall of Fame Tip Off Tournament at Mohegan Sun several weeks ago. Below is a photo from our Pirate Blue reception at Mohegan Sun with loyal supporters: John Swift '60, Sharon Swift '11 and the chairman of our Board of Regents, Patrick Murray '64 who made the trip from Dallas, TX for the weekend.
Send in your photos showing your Pirate Blue and I'll include them in the monthly report. Send your photos to us at pirateblue@shu.edu.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
This is my last report for the calendar year and on behalf of all of us in the Department of Athletics at Seton Hall University, we would like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We are thankful for the tremendous support we receive from all of our Pirate Blue members, alumni and friends. Enjoy the holidays with your family and I hope to see you at our men's and women's basketball games in the next few weeks.
Go Pirates and don't forget to:
1. Join Pirate Blue
2. Wear your Pirate blue
3. Buy your season tickets
4. Get others to do the same
