A New Kind of Competition

By David Rung, director of athletics media relations

Like so many other areas, sports saw its world rapidly changed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Athletics shut down with the rest of the country in mid-March, canceling the remainder of the Spring 2020 season and cutting short the postseason opportunities for winter sports. The effects continued through the summer, with the PSAC postponing fall sports until after the new year, and the NCAA canceling its Division II fall championship events.

Gannon made the best of an imperfect situation though, crafting a Return-to-Play plan and looking at multiple avenues to provide a positive, healthy and meaningful experience during the fall semester. Student-athletes began returning to campus in late July, and all 24 Golden Knight teams were able to engage in practices, workouts and team activities. In addition, the men’s and women’s golf teams were able to compete in a combined six tournaments in September and October.

Director of Athletics Lisa Goddard McGuirk sat down for a wide-ranging interview that covered not only the impact of COVID-19, but also the continuing growth of the athletics department and its future goals.

Q: These past months have looked different, not just in athletics, but across the campus. What have you learned about the department, the staff and Gannon University as a whole?

A: I don’t know if it was something new that I learned, but instead just confirmed everything I already knew and felt about this University. I’ve had people reach out and share some kind words, and I always respond that truly everyone plays a vital role in making us successful, just like it does in a non-COVID year. It’s the collective good work of our department and the university as a whole. Adversity can do a few things. For us, it brought us together, stronger and more focused.

Q: How important is it to have the student population on campus and student-athletes able to practice — and in some cases compete — as close to normal?

A: Everyone is appreciative to be able to practice and participate in a sport that they love, which is so much a part of themselves that they’ve dedicated years of their life to hone their craft. To get to continue to engage in that is huge. To be able to do that – and be able to be in person for class – that’s so important to our student-athletes. Our student-athletes are being vigilant, they’re holding each other accountable, and lifting each other up. There is a deep appreciation for the opportunity that we’ve been afforded, and we need to preserve that, and we continue to build on that.

Q: The past three full seasons — Winter 2019-20, Fall 2019 and Spring 2019 — have seen incredible success, not only in competition, but academically and in community service. How did it get there, and where are things going from here?

A: The mindset of our coaches and student-athletes is that we’re not sacrificing excellence in one area for another. No, we’re going to move forward in all those aspects — academic, community and athletics — because they’re all impactful. The amazing thing is we’ve gone from 399 student-athletes (in 2011-12) and now we are at 691. We’re recruiting and enrolling student-athletes from all over the country and across the globe. That’s a testament to the excellent work of everyone in our department. To continue to expand and grow as a department while simultaneously continuing to elevate our performance in all three of those aspects is truly remarkable.

Q: Gannon Athletics got to make an exciting announcement in October with the launch of Knight Nation, a reimagining of the Golden Knight Booster Club. How will Knight Nation tie into the direction the department is heading?

A: The supporters of Gannon Athletics have always been incredible. Similar to all of our athletic programs, we continue to look for opportunities to build, grow, expand and strive for excellence, and Knight Nation goes right along with that. We’re looking to expand in ways from the overall structure, to giving levels, to more ways to engage, and have people feel like they’re truly a part of the remarkable things we’re doing here. There’s a real connectivity between the excellent work that Knight Nation does and with the overall success of the department.

Lisa Goddard McGuirk, director of Athletics