Dear Tiger Nation,

I am sure many of you have reviewed the information that TU Athletics shared on Wednesday announcing that our men’s basketball team will not be participating in 2013 NCAA or CAA postseason play.  I met with the coaches and student-athletes following their workout yesterday at the Towson Center to share this news in person, and to a man, these student-athletes and staff reacted like champions.  These Tigers are ALL IN, ALL THE TIME!

While Towson University is solidly in support of the NCAA’s Academic Reform and the movement to raise the academic progress rate of all student-athletes, we remain deeply disappointed in the NCAA’s timing to implement a new immediate penalty structure to a set of multi-year metrics and the NCAA’s denial of our specific and detailed appeals.  There is no denying the lack of retention and graduation from 2007-08 through 2010-11 and those realities, regardless of the reasons for each individual case, will now adversely impact a group of young men, coaches and staff who played no hand in this deficient multi-year APR score.  While our current athletics collectively did not make the mess, we will most surely clean it up and make sure that we never face this type of issue again.

I do want to share with you some impressive news about how our men’s basketball team is achieving strong results in the classroom. Coach Skerry, his coaching staff, our newly enhanced academic achievement team and the current roster of men’s basketball student-athletes have made dramatic improvements in our team’s single-year APR - 800 in 2010-11 to a projected 938-minimum for the 2011-12 season.  The final APR will not be calculated by the NCAA until October 2012.  Add to that our rising team grade point average – from 2.725 in 2010-11 to a final posting of 2.852 for the just completed 2011-12 academic year.

This improvement is a result of Towson Athletics becoming more accountable, strategic and proactive via the implementation of a new level of high expectations for all of our student-athletes. The class attendance policy that was introduced in February 2011 is one of, if not the most demanding in the nation. This action plan places a strong value on developing critical life skills and personal accountability.  As a result, the cumulative department grade point average is now approaching 3.1 while 53 percent of our student-athletes earned higher than a 3.0 GPA.  Another 107 student-athletes earned Dean’s List recognition following the recently completed 2012 spring semester. Towson Athletics has made it a priority to build a solid academic track record, well beyond the minimum requirements set forth by the NCAA.  We EXPECT SUCCESS on and off the field and that will never change.

For everyone here at Towson, and throughout Tiger Nation, it is time for us to put this disappointing chapter behind us and focus on our very exciting men’s basketball future.  As you have probably seen in the last couple days, the national media even sees nothing but a bright future for Coach Skerry and our program (ESPN.com - Blog Feature; NBCSports.com - Blog Feature).  The proof will be in the results on the court and I encourage you to make plans to come to the final season of play in the Towson Center ready to cheer on the Tigers as we make this a very special season for this 2012-13 team.  Winning becomes a part of our immediate vernacular right now!

If you haven’t been through campus lately, I invite you to take a quick drive around Unitas Stadium, look up, and see how the new skyline of our athletics village is rising. As I write this letter the time is counting down to our first basketball games in the new facility, set for a doubleheader on the night of November 8, 2013. The final truss was installed last week (click here for latest arena update) and it is our hope that our hoops teams will be able to practice in the building shortly after the first of the year.  This building is truly emblematic of our two basketball programs – rising up from a solid foundation – built by a team of strong professionals (thanks Gilbane Building), and set to impress everyone upon opening night.

You are an integral part of the CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAM that we are building here at Towson and we all cannot thank you enough for your support. You are the team behind the team. THANK YOU!

With Black & Gold Pride...

Mike Waddell

Director of Athletics