Fundraising next on Cusack's agenda
Apr 3, 2008 18:15:54 GMT -5
Post by Raider Country on Apr 3, 2008 18:15:54 GMT -5
Fundraising next on Cusack's agenda
By Marc Katz
the Dayton Daily News
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Mike Cusack's march to retirement as Wright State athletic director has only passed its first week, but the way he talks, it sounds more like a semi-retirement.
He expects to be part of fundraising activities to complete a sports facilities complex that would help track, soccer, baseball and tennis. He also hopes to attend several men's basketball games next season with Brad Brownell as coach, even though he knows Brownell is a hot commodity in the profession.
Cusack is the guy who moved the men's basketball team from Division II to D-I, initiated the Nutter Center, the move to the Horizon League, the Setzer Pavilion/Mills-Morgan Center and has just a couple of regrets.
"Well, the attendance at men's (basketball) games could be better," Cusack said. "We could put a good face on it and say we're second in the league in attendance, but we'd like to see more people here. I think it will eventually happen. I hope so. People buy the tickets. We want them to come. We want this to be a go-to event."
Another goal Cusack wants to reach is winning the Horizon League's all-sports trophy — and maybe this is the season if spring sports do well.
"We won a couple in our old league," Cusack said, "but not in this league. We might be a year or so away. At least we have the right coaches in place."
Wright State operates with about an $8 million athletics budget, running 15 sports, including men's and women's soccer, swimming, cross country and basketball; softball, baseball, volleyball, women's track and men's golf.
In the last five years, only men's soccer, golf and women's basketball have not changed head coaches.
"If I were retiring and didn't think we were in good shape, I wouldn't feel good," Cusack said. "I wasn't doing it for a personal monument, anyway."
Projects on the drawing boards, which include turf fields for baseball and soccer and some enclosed venues, including for tennis, will cost about $6 million. About $1 million already has been raised.
"I'll be able to help with that," Cusack said. "I couldn't care less who gets credit for it."
www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/college/wsu/2008/04/03/ddn040308spinside.html
By Marc Katz
the Dayton Daily News
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Mike Cusack's march to retirement as Wright State athletic director has only passed its first week, but the way he talks, it sounds more like a semi-retirement.
He expects to be part of fundraising activities to complete a sports facilities complex that would help track, soccer, baseball and tennis. He also hopes to attend several men's basketball games next season with Brad Brownell as coach, even though he knows Brownell is a hot commodity in the profession.
Cusack is the guy who moved the men's basketball team from Division II to D-I, initiated the Nutter Center, the move to the Horizon League, the Setzer Pavilion/Mills-Morgan Center and has just a couple of regrets.
"Well, the attendance at men's (basketball) games could be better," Cusack said. "We could put a good face on it and say we're second in the league in attendance, but we'd like to see more people here. I think it will eventually happen. I hope so. People buy the tickets. We want them to come. We want this to be a go-to event."
Another goal Cusack wants to reach is winning the Horizon League's all-sports trophy — and maybe this is the season if spring sports do well.
"We won a couple in our old league," Cusack said, "but not in this league. We might be a year or so away. At least we have the right coaches in place."
Wright State operates with about an $8 million athletics budget, running 15 sports, including men's and women's soccer, swimming, cross country and basketball; softball, baseball, volleyball, women's track and men's golf.
In the last five years, only men's soccer, golf and women's basketball have not changed head coaches.
"If I were retiring and didn't think we were in good shape, I wouldn't feel good," Cusack said. "I wasn't doing it for a personal monument, anyway."
Projects on the drawing boards, which include turf fields for baseball and soccer and some enclosed venues, including for tennis, will cost about $6 million. About $1 million already has been raised.
"I'll be able to help with that," Cusack said. "I couldn't care less who gets credit for it."
www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/college/wsu/2008/04/03/ddn040308spinside.html
