WELCOME LETTER Dear Loyal Leathernecks: The 2011-12 academic and athletic year was marked by some very interesting, yet not surprising accomplishments as the coaches and staff within Western Illinois University’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics continue to outperform resources. Academically, student-athletes once again established high honors, exceeding the general student population in terms of semester grade point average and exceeding the general student population in terms of graduation rates. Fiscally, during the past several years, a common theme has been “these are difficult budgetary times.” With an ever changing NCAA Division I landscape, along with a reduction in state funding, financial challenges are constant. Yet, our coaches, staff and administration will continue to work very hard with a promise towards the advancement and stability of our intercollegiate athletics program. The future remains very promising for Western Illinois University Intercollegiate Athletics. Our ultimate goal is to create the very best possible NCAA Division I student-athlete experience, providing resources to remain competitive with our benchmark institutions within our two conferences. Each Leatherneck student-athlete should have a realistic expectation to leave Western Illinois University with a diploma and a championship ring. The mission statement of the Western Illinois Athletics Department is clear and concise, and it’s woven into the fabric of Western Illinois University’s Four Core Values: Academic Excellence, Educational Opportunity, Social Responsibility and Personal Growth. This philosophy will always be the cornerstone of the decision making process within the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics at Western Illinois University. Not every decision results in unanimous support, but the end result will always be focused on the best interest of our student-athletes; academically, athletically and in their personal development. Western has a highly respected athletics tradition, wherein several sport programs have been very successful at the conference, regional, and in some instances, the national level. Moreover, Western’s student-athletes have proven themselves in the classroom, earning superior grade-point averages and nationally competitive graduation rates. Our department has made a firm commitment to remain compliant with NCAA, Missouri Valley Football Conference and Summit League regulations. At the same time, there is a strong commitment to gender equity. A gender neutral athletic environment is critical and necessary. The Western Illinois Athletics Department is, and will remain, an honorable NCAA Division I Athletics department. Athletically, our goal is to compete at the highest possible level, which by definition describes all NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics programs. Indeed, the desired result of all Division I athletics competition is victory. It is an extremely intense challenge to be victorious in each and every competition. However, in the end, a Division I intercollegiate sports program is not expected to win on all occasions to be considered successful. Yet, we cannot and will not be successful if we do not intensely strive for victory. In juxtaposition to our Mission Statement, it is imperative that our victories are achieved fairly and with integrity: Honorable Victory! Please review the academic, athletic, and social successes of your 2011-12 Fighting Leathernecks. I trust you will share my pride in the remarkable accomplishments of all our coaches and student-athletes. Sincerely, Tim M. Van Alstine, Ph.D. 2 Assistant Vice-President and Director of Athletics TABLE OF CONTENTS DepArtMeNt ACADeMiC SuMMArY Individual ACADEMIC HONORS TEAM AND Individual ATHLETIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS TEAM AND Individual ATHLETIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS MARKETING/ Development FACILITIES FUTURE FACILITIES ProJECTS CoMMuNitY SerViCe FINANCIAL Information SuMMit LeAgue/MiSSouri VALLeY FootbALL CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT SuMMit LeAgue/MiSSouri VALLeY FootbALL CoNFereNCe SuMMArY MISSION STATMENT 3 DEPARTMENT ACADEMIC SUMMARY ► 3.14 Cumulative Student-Athlete Grade Point Average ► 50.9% Student-athletes with 3.00 GPA or above ► 21.2% Student-athletes earned University Honors (3.60 or above) ► 59 Student-athletes with 4.00 GPA ► Six of last Seven Semesters GPA above 3.00 ► Ten consecutive semesters with GPA above general student population GPA ► Volleyball’s Graduation Success Rate earned highest Summit League Honors, Fall 2011 ► Volleyball earns American Volleyball Coaches Academic Award, 1 of 92 nationally (327 teams) ► Softball earned NCAA recognition for high academic achievement, Top 10% nationally ► Softball earned Summit League Commissioner Academic Recognition ► Women’s Track/Cross Country earned Summit League Jimmy Holtschlag, Football Commissioner Academic Recognition ► 28 Football Student-Athletes earned Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Academic ► 4 Football Student-Athletes earned MVFC Presidents Council Academic Award (most in league) ► 161 Student-Athletes named to the Summit League Academic Team ► All 20 intercollegiate athletic teams earned APR scores above the NCAA minimum cut score ► 34 Perfect Scores of 1,000 in APR (Graduation and Retention) 4 INDIVIDUAL AcADEMIC HONORS ► Jenna Verity, track/Field, named as finalist ► Jimmy Holtschlag, Laura Lins, Sadie Webb for a Rhodes Scholarship named to CoSIDA All-Academic Team First student (student-athlete) from Western Illinois University selected as ► Six Leathernecks Qualified as Commencement Marshalls finalist Kyle Glazier, Football ► Laura Lins, Women’s Soccer, named as Amy byers, track and Field Western Illinois University 2011 Lincoln Kevin Ross, Men’s Soccer Laureate Jeffery Liles, Men’s Track and Field three of last five years, Lincoln Laureate Laura Lins, Women’s Soccer honorees have been student-athletes Laura Schahl, Football Staff Laura Lins, Women’s Soccer, 2011 ► Jessica Callahan, Tennis, Named as ITA All- Matt barr, Football, 2009 Academic Scholar Athlete Julia Remes, Women’s Soccer, 2007 ► Mitch Granger, Tennis, Named as ITA All- ► MVFC PRESIDENTS ACADEMIC AWARD (Most Academic Scholar Athlete honorees within the conference) Josh Gabelmann, Myers Hendrickson, ► Samantha Hainline, Golf, Named as National Kevin Palermo, Rick Richardson Golf Coaches Association All-America Scholar ► Jimmy Holtschlag, Football, named Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District ► Alexa Arent, Golf, Named as National Golf 1 of 8 from the MVFC Coaches Association All-America Scholar Finalist for Academic All-America ► Ashley Jeffers, Golf, Named as National Golf ► MVFC All-Academic Team, First Team Coaches Association All-America Scholar Jimmy Holtschlag, 4.00 GPA in Exercise Science and Agriculture ► Jessica Knepp, Golf, Named as National Golf Myers Hendrickson, 3.90 GPA in Supply Coaches Association All-America Scholar Chain Management Kevin Palermo, 3.51 GPA in Construction Management ► MVFC All-Academic Team, Second Team Mike Harmon, 3.87 GPA in Exercise Science ► MVFC All-Academic Team, Honorable Mention Jordan Valle, 3.52 GPA in Accounting ► Kevin Palermo and Jimmy Holtschlag, Named to FCS ADA’s All-Academic Team Jenna Verity, Track & Field 5 TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL ATHLETIC AccomPLISHMENTS ► Men’s Soccer Advances to NCAA Division I National Championship College Cup 5th NCAA appearance: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011 ► Men’s Soccer Wins 2011 Summit League Tournament ► Men’s Soccer Wins 2011 Summit League Regular Season Championship ► Charlie bales, Men’s Soccer, named Summit League Defensive player of the Year ► Charlie bales, Men’s Soccer, named 2011 Summit League tournament MVP ► Michael Castel, Cross Country, earned spot in NCAA Regional Championship ► Dr. eric Johnson, Men’s Soccer, Summit League Coach of the Year ► Ann Miller, Volleyball, named to Summit League All-Freshman team ► Terriun Crump, Football, named First Team All-Conference, MVFC ► Kevin Palermo, Football, named Second Team All-Conference, MVFC ► Dwight Harris, Jimmy Holtschlag, Kieron James, named Honorable Mention, MVFC ► Nikko Watson, Football, named to MVFC All-Newcomer Team ► Theon Dixon, Football, named to MVFC All-Newcomer Team ► Ceola Clark iii, basketball, named Defensive player of the Year Only Two-Time Winner in League History (2011 and 2012) ► Ceola Clark iii, basketball, named as National Mid-Major Defensive All-America Team ► Saule Kontautaite, basketball, named Summit League Newcomer of the Year 6 Ceola Clark III, Men’s Basketball TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL ATHLETIC AccomPLISHMENTS Men’s Basketball advance to Summit League Championship ► Terell Parks and Obi Emegano named to Summit League All-Newcomer Team ► Doug oglivie, named 2011 Summit League Diver of the Year and NCAA Zone Qualifier ► Sammy Marshall, Softball, NCAA Division i National Champion in Stolen bases ► Jim Molinari, basketball, Named as College insider.com Summit League Coach of the Year ► Four track/Field Student-Athletes qualified for NCAA outdoor track/Field Championships Nathaniel Marshall, Jamario Taylor, Dana LaRue, Nichole Manning ► Men’s basketball advanced to Summit League Championship game Finished season with 18-15 record, most victories since 1996-97 season Summit League Championship Game was broadcast on national television, ESPN2 Second best overall RPI improvement in NCAA Division I men’s basketball ► Men’s basketball participated first ever Division i post-season tournament (Cbi) College basketball invitational tournament Game was broadcast live on national television, HDNET 7 MARKETING/DEVeloPMENT