NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
M A G A Z I N E
C O M M E M O R AT I V E I S S U E , S P R I N G 2 0 1 2
Welcome, Norse Fans, to
THE DAWNING OF A SUPPLEMENT TO NORTHERN MAGAZINE
INSIDE NKU’S TRANSITION TO D-I AN ATLANTIC SUN PRIMER Q&A WITH ATHLETIC DIRECTOR SCOTT EATON AND FORMER A.D. JANE MEIER
DIVISION I
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N O RT H E R N
GAME ON HOW THE D-I DREAM BECAME REALITY
3 It began as an audacious whisper. In small, cramped offices connected to what has been generously called a “glorified high school gymnasium,” it wasn’t so much a plan as a concept. Or a dream. The year was 1997, and those two seemingly harmless words—“Division One”—couldn’t be spoken aloud for fear that their mere utterance could somehow extinguish THE FRAGILE SPARK OF THE IDEA.
But this was Northern Kentucky University, where audacity is encouraged, persistence is rewarded, and dreamers have always been welcome. For years, NKU’s intercollegiate athletics program had been steadily outgrowing its Division II status. Even by the mid-1990s, enrollment was significantly greater than most Division II schools. A couple of years later the men’s basketball team made back-toback appearances in the Division II national title game. In competition, the Norse had never been stronger. But “going D-I” remained a long shot in the eyes of many. Regents Hall’s gymnasium was small and outdated; the tennis courts were broken; the softball team played on an oft– flooded intramural field with no scoreboard; and the soccer teams competed on a pitch that was in such rough shape you could sprain an ankle just walking on it. But in 2000, the same year the women’s basketball team would bring home the national title, NKU unveiled a long-range plan to slowly build out its athletics
program and facilities with an eye to eventual reclassification. The catchphrase became: “Let’s do it the right way.” That year the university opened the Frank Ignatius Grein Softball Field. Five years later, a comprehensive Division I feasibility study concluded that much still needed to be done, including additional facility upgrades. Then in 2007, the NCAA announced a four-year moratorium on accepting new Division I schools. The timing of the announcement was ideal—four years was just long enough for NKU to upgrade its facilities. In 2007 the university opened the Joyce E. Yeager Tennis Complex. The following year, the 9,400-seat The Bank of Kentucky Center opened. In 2010, in collaboration with the city of Highland Heights, NKU built one of the finest college soccer facilities in the country. During the moratorium, Norse teams won two more Division II national championships—a second women’s basketball title in 2008, and a men’s soccer crown in 2010. As the moratorium approached expiration, it was time to again take
a serious look at reclassification. A second feasibility study noted that the university’s size, academic programs, and location were all a good fit for Division I. Surveys of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members also showed broad support. All that was needed to make the transition feasible was additional funding for scholarships and staffing. In spring 2010, Dr. Votruba recommended that the Board of Regents take no action but continue to explore Division I. Progress was occurring at two levels. The first was very public: across numerous sports, NKU racked up team and individual accolades at a staggering pace. But while nets were being cut and trophies were filling the David Lee Holt NKU Athletics Hall of Fame, equally important progress was being made behind the scenes. Operating budgets increased; scholarships expanded; and coaches and administrators were hired to fully support a major intercollegiate athletics program. What had once been an audacious whisper was quickly becoming a roar. There remained only one piece of the Division I puzzle: finding a conference. The 2010 study named four conferences as potential matches for NKU: the Atlantic Sun Conference, the Horizon League, the Ohio Valley Conference, and the Summit League. NKU explored all four conferences thoroughly. Ultimately, university administrators invited the A-Sun for a campus visit. Their conclusion came quickly: the Norse would contribute greatly to the A-Sun. SPRING 2012
WHY THIS MATTERS
Division I: A studentathlete’s perspective
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League presidents voted unanimously to extend an invitation, and it came with a special bonus. Belmont University would be leaving the league in July, and the conference offered to fill the vacancy immediately with NKU. “We can’t really overemphasize the importance of that,” NKU Athletic Director Scott Eaton says. “To have a full conference schedule for all of our sports right out of the gate will make the transition so much easier. There is a lot of excitement building around our A-Sun and nonconference schedules.” And so on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, the NKU Board of Regents met before a standing-room-only crowd and enthusiastically voted to accept the invitation from the A-Sun. A dream that was decades in the making had finally come to fruition. NKU was Division I. That same afternoon, President Votruba made the announcement to a pumped-up crowd of thousands of students and Norse fans—a sea of gold inside The Bank of Kentucky Center. After the chants and cheers had faded and the fans had filed away, a few NKU administrators huddled together. “I can’t believe it’s actually done,” one said. “I had started to accept that maybe this just wasn’t going to happen.” The group was quiet for a moment, smiling, stunned by the magnitude of what had just taken place. Another senior staffer glanced around to see who might be standing nearby and said, quietly, “You know, this might sound crazy, but I think we’ll be competitive—very competitive—a lot quicker than people think.”
AND SO IT BEGINS WITH AN AUDACIOUS WHISPER––
N O RT H E R N
Competing in college is part of every athlete’s dream. It is the chance to showcase talents in a new place to new people and represent a university. It requires commitment, work, and dedication. It’s a lifestyle that I chose and loved at NKU. The 5 a.m. team punishment runs and preseason three-a-days were worthwhile, even before we won the national championship, because that is what it takes to improve. With this mentality comes the need to challenge oneself to compete at the highest level possible. Athletics at NKU have consistently performed at the highest level in Division II, and now it is time for the university to challenge itself and move up. NKU has earned the right to compete in Division I and will continue to succeed. As an athlete, of course I am excited to see how we can compete among the best. I am so grateful to be a part of the impressive Norse tradition. But this move means so much more than higher competition. It benefits the whole NKU family and entire northern Kentucky region. NKU continues to expand, and moving to Division I is another accomplishment to be proud of. What comes next is going to be amazing to watch. It is a step forward in creating a foundation of support for the university. Other Division I institutions have large fan bases that connect communities beyond athletics. I see NKU rising to that level: a black and gold region that rivals any school around. Go, Norse! —Kevin Donnelly ’12
THE TRANSITION TEAM Together they have 35 years of experience in NKU athletics. During their tenure, retired NKU director of athletics Jane Meier and current director Scott Eaton have racked up three NCAA Division II national championships, a couple dozen regional titles, and scores of GLVC regular-season and tournament championships. They have protected and nurtured the NKU athletics program through good years and bad. And now, well, now it’s all paying off. With NKU beginning a transition to NCAA Division I this year, we thought it the perfect time to sit down with both Meier and Eaton—to reflect on the past, and ponder the future. NORTHERN MAGAZINE: So here we go. It’s 2012, and it’s official: NKU is going D-I. To paraphrase the great David Byrne, how did we get here? SCOTT EATON: Well we have been planning this move for a number of years. We did a feasibility study back in 2005 to see what we needed in order to make it work, and we made the decision that at that time we really weren’t ready to make the move. We did another feasibility back in 2010, and we found out that we were a lot closer. Obviously, The Bank of Kentucky Center had been built, the Soccer Complex was about finished, the Yeager tennis courts had been complete—there were a lot of changes that had occurred since the original feasibility study. But the big, changing moment was when Dr. Votruba came out during convocation and stated that the time is now. NM: Did the success that athletics had here during the 1990s bring about greater pressure to make the transition to D-I? JANE MEIER: Well, I think both of us can answer that—yes. But it was because of the evolution of the university on the academic side and not just the athletics program. NM: Scott, can you talk a little bit about how our ability to do this now is a reflection of Jane’s accomplishments here? SE: Well, that’s easy! JM: (laughter) I’m going to leave, please. SE: Jane laid the foundation for everything that goes on in the athletic department. I mean, she has struggled through tough times when the program was almost
eliminated—and that happened on more than one occasion. How they managed through those years in the ’70s and ’80s is just remarkable. Dr. Votruba understands the importance of intercollegiate athletics on a college campus, and he has helped our athletic department immensely. But none of this would be possible if it had not been for Jane’s leadership. JM: I had the pleasure of hiring Scott and picking him up at the airport in Louisville and him surviving my driving coming back. (laughter) From my standpoint, Scott is the right person because he’s invested 13 years and has experienced so much. You know, an athletics program is not static. There are a lot of personalities involved; you’re talking about coaches; you’re talking about management, players. Everyone sees what the end result is today, but none except those who sat where we sat could see what went on to get to where we are today. NM: What does this move mean as far as the larger picture for the university and the community? SE: Well, I think that obviously it’s taking the athletic department to the next level. I mean, it’s going to put us on the level playing field with the Xaviers, the UCs—the local ones. We are going to be broadbasing our recruiting. We’re going to be traveling all over the place, and it’s going to help NKU get its name out there. Not to mention the free publicity. ESPN, CNN—seeing Northern Kentucky University up there, you can’t put a dollar amount on something like that. JM: Personally, I think it’s instant credibility. Scott alluded to the fact that we already recruit Division
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I-level athletes and we’ve had a pretty solid program, but I think it’s public perception—that instant credibility, not just for the athletic program but for the university. I’m sure you’ve heard Dr. Votruba say it many times: it’s not an athletic decision; it’s an institutional decision. To me, that’s right on. We will extend even further into our community because we have a lot of kids in our community that go to other places and come back. Now their first choice will be NKU as opposed to exploring. We’ll get them right away. SE: Jane’s created a family environment for our athletic department, and I’ve tried to continue that. We want to make sure that we’re recruiting kids who are going to be good representatives of our institution. That is not going to change; I can guarantee you. JM: You know, other institutions that are very similar to us have made this transition and have done quite well. North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Oakland University, Florida Gulf Coast—there’s just a plethora of them that have a solid base going in. They’ve done it, and I know we can do it. I just know we can do it. SPRING 2012
AN A-SUN PRIMER 6
A look at our new conference, school by school Dear Norse fans everywhere, we’d like to introduce you to your new NCAA Division I conference, the Atlantic Sun. Northern Kentucky University will join the A-Sun effective July 1, 2012, with competition to begin in all sports for the 2012-13 academic year. For those unfamiliar, the Atlantic Sun Conference operates in the Southeastern United States and is composed of 10 public and private universities. NKU represents the first expansion for the A-Sun since 2007 when Florida Gulf Coast University and the University of South Carolina Upstate joined the league. In a major coup, NKU was able to secure a full conference schedule for the regular season this year and will be eligible for individual awards and regular season team titles immediately. It’s time to have some fun. Welcome to the A-Sun!
EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY The fourth-largest university in Tennessee, ETS sponsors 17 NCAA Division I teams. The Buccaneers have been busy since joining the A-Sun in 2005, winning the Bill Bibb Trophy for the best overall Atlantic Sun athletics program the last five years. On the hard court, the Buccaneers have won two of the last three A-Sun tournament titles, while the Lady Bucs have claimed three of the last four. In tennis, the ETSU men have won five straight A-Sun championships while the women have made the finals for the last six years and won two of the last three. The Bucs can also run, winning four of the last six indoor and four of the last five outdoor track and field championships. The A-Sun’s individual champion in men’s golf has been a Buc in four of the last five seasons, and ETSU’s men’s team claimed two titles during that stretch.
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FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY FGCU was established in 1997 and currently has an enrollment of nearly 13,000. Despite FGCU’s youth, U.S. News ranks it as first-tier among regional universities in the South. Athletically the Eagles have been on the rise since joining the A-Sun in 2007. In 2008, women’s basketball became the first team in the NCAA to qualify for the WNIT in its first season of Division I competition. Since moving to NCAA Division I in 2007, FGCU’s women’s basketball has won two regular season titles and tallied at least 22 wins per season. After claiming back-to-back regular season championships in 2010 and 2011, FGCU men’s and women’s soccer teams each claimed a conference championship in 2011—their first season of postseason eligibility. The Eagles also claimed regular-season championships in baseball in 2008, 2009, and 2010.
JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY With an enrollment of nearly 3,700, Jacksonville University sponsors 20 sports. The Dolphins have dominated the A-Sun tracks by winning the last six women’s indoor and outdoor track and field championships. On the diamond, the Dolphins were one of three A-Sun postseason participants that advanced in the 2011 NCAA Baseball Tournament. Under veteran coach Terry Alexander, JU is a two-time tournament champ (2007, 2009) and runner-up (2010) in baseball in the last five years. JU softball enters 2012 as the defending regular season and tournament champions. On the parquet, the JU men’s basketball team was regular season champ in 2009, while the Dolphins’ women’s hoops team has fallen in the championship game of the tournament in three of the last four years. Twice in the last five years the JU’s men’s soccer team has played for the tournament title, losing in 2007 and winning in 2008.
KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY Founded in 1963, Kennesaw State University is the thirdlargest university in Georgia. With more than 24,100 undergraduate and graduate students KSU is also the A-Sun’s largest institution and has been a member since 2005. In 2009, the KSU Owls completed its reclassification from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I. During the transition from 2005 to 2009, KSU teams won six Atlantic Sun Conference crowns in five sports, including men’s indoor and outdoor track, women’s soccer, softball, and cross country. The Owls have competed for the last four outdoor track and field championships—winning three—along with claiming two of the last three men’s cross country championships. Regular season champs in 2006, 2007, and 2009, KSU’s women’s soccer also claimed the tournament title in 2007 and 2009.
LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY Including Lipscomb’s ranking in the top 18 of best regional universities (South category) by the U.S. News and World Report’s 2011 America’s Best Colleges guidebook, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching selected LU as one of 196 colleges and universities nationwide to earn its 2010 Community Engagement Classification. Lipscomb joined the A-Sun in 2003 and has come on strong in several sports. Lady Bison volleyball has won four of the last five volleyball championships. In softball, LU has been a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the last four championships, including an A-Sun championship in 2010 and advancement to a regional final, losing to top-ranked Alabama. The Bison claimed a baseball championship in 2008, defeating eventual runner-up Georgia in a regional contest. Along with volleyball, the Lady Bison cross country team claimed an A-Sun championship in 2011.
NKU
HI GH LA ND HEI G HT S
ETSU
JOHNSON C I T Y
LIPSCOMB NA S H V I L L E
USC UPSTATE SPARTANBURG
KENNESAW STATE KENNESAW
MERCER MACON
JACKSONVILLE JACKSONVILLE
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NORTH FLORIDA JACKSONVILLE
STETSON D ELAND
FLORIDA GULF COAST FORT MYERS
MERCER UNIVERSITY Mercer was a charter member of the A-Sun when it began in 1978. The largest of the conference’s private schools, Mercer has more than 8,200 students on three campuses (Macon, Savannah, and Atlanta). Mercer’s athletic success of late has come in women’s soccer, baseball, and this year in men’s basketball. The Bears’ women’s soccer team has played for the A-Sun championship in four of the last five years, winning in 2010. In four of the last six years, Mercer baseball has earned the No. 2 seed in the conference championship, winning in 2010 and finishing as runner-up in 2011. On the hard court, Mercer is enjoying its best season since 2002–03, when the Bears were 23-6 (14-2 in the A-Sun) and conference champs. Highlights from the season include beating in-state rival Georgia Tech and being tied for first with Belmont with just a few games remaining.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY The newest of the Atlantic Sun’s member institutions and the youngest public university in Kentucky, NKU enrolls nearly 16,000 students and sponsors 17 NCAA Division I sports. The Norse previously participated at the NCAA Division II level and had been a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference since 1985. NKU served as a national powerhouse in Division II for the past two decades, racking up three national championships since 2000. The women’s basketball team won the school’s first national title in 2000 behind the play of two-time national player of the year Michelle Cottrell. In 2008, they repeated the feat. The men’s soccer team won the first men’s national championship in 2010 behind two-time national player of the year Steven Beattie. The men’s basketball team advanced to back-to-back national title games in 1996 and 1997. The Norse earned 22 regional titles and 71 GLVC regular-season or tournament championships. They have won either the GLVC All-Sports Trophy or Commissioner’s Cup in 12 of the past 13 years.
STETSON UNIVERSITY The smallest of the A-Sun’s member institutions, Stetson joined the conference in 1985. Stetson’s strong academic quality has earned it the No. 3 ranking among the South’s top regional universities in U.S. News & World Report’s 2012 edition of “Best Colleges.” Consistently strong in baseball, the Hatters begin this season ranked No. 1 in the preseason College Baseball Daily mid-major poll. In 2011, the Hatters advanced to the NCAA regional championship game before falling to eventual national champion South Carolina. Also consistently formidable, Stetson’s softball program has been the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in four of the last six A-Sun softball championships. It claimed it’s last title in 2007. Rounding out Stetson’s success in spring sports, the Hatters have won three consecutive women’s golf tournament titles along with finishing as runnerup in the last six men’s tennis championships.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA Forbes magazine named the University of North Florida—an A-Sun member since 2005—the No. 19 Best College Buy, a Best College in America, and a Best College in the South. In men’s golf, the Ospreys won the A-Sun championship in 2008, and golfer Sean Dale was recently named to the Ben Hogan Watch List. In fall 2011, the UNF women’s soccer team notched its first postseason win before falling to eventual A-Sun champ FGCU. On the parquet, the Ospreys men’s team finished as championship runner-up last season, and the women’s team lost 63-62 to ETSU in the championship game in it’s first year of postseason eligibility (2009–10). UNF also boasts the 9,400-seat Hodges Stadium, a state-of-the-art Olympic quality track and field stadium that is home to both track and field and soccer. UNF will host one of two preliminary rounds for the 2012 NCAA Division I Track and Field Outdoor Championships May 24–26.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA UPSTATE USC Upstate currently has an enrollment of 5,500 students, which represents the secondhighest enrollment of South Carolina undergraduate students among the state’s 10 comprehensive universities. USC Upstate is often referred to as one of the leading “metropolitan” universities in the Southeast. The Upstate Spartans field 17 varsity sports, and since joining the A-Sun in 2007, the Spartans have won four A-Sun Conference Regular Season Championships: 2008 women’s tennis, 2008 softball (co-champions), 2009 men’s tennis, and 2011 men’s cross country. Additionally, Upstate student-athletes have claimed 17 individual A-Sun championships in cross country and track and field in the last five years. Spartan student-athletes have earned 554 conference, regional, or national athletic or academic awards in Division I, including 111 A-Sun All-Conference, 32 A-Sun All-Freshman, eight A-Sun Player of the Year, 10 A-Sun Freshman of the Year, and three A-Sun Coach of the Year selections. SPRING 2012
Transitioning to Division I athletics will take a lot of hard work and dedication. Here are 10 things you can do to make it successful:
GET
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PARTICIPATE IN
BUY NKU BASKETBALL
BLACK & GOLD
SEASON TICKETS. EMAIL
FRIDAYS WHEREVER
LAWRENCEAL@NKU.EDU
YOU ARE
SWAP YOUR OLD COLLEGE GEAR FOR
BECOME A
NKU APPAREL
MEMBER OF THE NORSE ATHLETICS
NKU.EDU/~BOOKSTORE
CLUB OR GET YOUR COMPANY TO SPONSOR
FOLLOW @NKUNORSE ON TWITTER AND
NKU ATHLETICS! EMAIL
FACEBOOK.COM/NKUNORSE ON FACEBOOK
MOELLERK@nku.edu
BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH OUR NEW ATLANTIC
DOWNLOAD THE NKU IPHONE APP ITUNES.APPLE.COM/US/APP/INKU/ID313837856?MT=8
SUN FOES
ATLANTICSUN.ORG
DOWNLOAD THE ALUMNI
ASSOCIATION’S SCREENSAVER ON YOUR COMPUTER AT WORK
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