Riding the Wave
Jun 27, 2005 | General
June 27, 2005
Below is a "Riding the Wave" e-mail from Tulane Athletic Director Rick Dickson, originally distributed just prior to the NCAA Baseball Regionals and recently updated for publication on www.TulaneGreenWave.com.
Dear Green Wave Fans;
We are approaching the end of the second year of Tulane Athletics' "Perpetual Wave" Campaign. The "Perpetual Wave" Campaign is a part of the University-wide "Promise and Distinction" Campaign. I am pleased to report that the "Perpetual Wave" Campaign has raised $40m of the total $52.5m "Promise and Distinction" Campaign goal. But this year's Tulane Athletics' Fund annual giving goal of $2.5m is far short.
Your participation as donors to TAF's annual giving fund, and game attendance are vital measures for the continued success of the program. The board set these annual benchmarks for financial success, during the Review of Tulane Athletics two years ago. Tulane's Board of Trustees monitors these requisite goals annually. We succeeded in meeting the first year's goal and it is imperative that we meet the $2.5 goal this year.
You told me to let you know when I need help, I'm telling you now. June 30th is the end of this fiscal year and the deadline for the annual giving fund. We are short of this year's $2.5m goal. Please either renew or make an additional donation to the Green Wave before June 30th.
Your annual gifts to the Tulane Athletics Fund - whether made through a mailing as part of the Promise & Distinction Campaign, through the secure giving link on the internet click here or by mailing your gift directly to Tulane Athletics (James Wilson Center, Ben Weiner Drive, New Orleans, LA 70118) - does count toward the annual TAF goal and toward the Promise & Distinction goal, as well. If you have any questions or want to give us a referral for the "2 for Tulane" membership campaign, please give the TAF Office a call at 504-865-5356.
Your gifts over the past two years have created a foundation for success for our student-athletes. Not only are they achieving in the classroom they have excelled in competition. I'd like to share with you some of the successes made possible by the solid foundation your generosity provides.
Of course, no recitation of our baseball team's accomplishments in 2005 is necessary. Rick Jones' team provided Green Wave fans and the entire city with a truly special season and with the program's second trip to Omaha, Neb. for the College World Series. Tulane fans turned out en masse for NCAA postseason action at Turchin Stadium, setting new stadium attendance records nearly every day. The university, the city and the state rallied behind this group of players and coaches, who made us proud whether on the field or off.
Overall, Green Wave teams, including women's swimming and diving, women's golf, women's tennis, men's tennis and baseball, earned FIVE Conference USA Championships this spring.
Six of our spring sports teams advanced to NCAA Regionals as a team, or sent multiple individuals to NCAA Regional competition, in men's golf and women's track and field. Women's tennis advanced to the "Sweet Sixteen" national championship round for the second consecutive year.
Sue Bower's women's golf team made the NCAA Championships for the first time in school history. And the men's golf team finished the season posting their best finish in school history. With a putting green and an endowed scholarship donated this year to the golf programs, it's easy to see how your support directly affects our success.
In April we all welcomed Dave Dickerson to the Tulane family as the new men's basketball coach. Coming from the University of Maryland where he played and coached, Dave is an outstanding person, with impeccable credentials and a great family. I feel strongly that he is the man to inspire a winning attitude in our men's basketball team and in our fans. Many of you met Dave during Tulane Athletics' Spring Tour and heard him express his conviction that the Green Wave will win next year with the up-tempo style game he believes in. With seven returning players next year and a renewed enthusiasm, Tulane Men's Basketball is positioned for success. I hope you will answer Dave's challenge and "make Fogelman Arena the toughest place in college basketball for a visiting team to play".
Over the five years of my tenure as Tulane's athletic director I have enjoyed the great rivalry between Tulane and LSU in baseball, volleyball, soccer, and tennis. The level of excitement, and passion that surround these competitions cannot be matched. Enjoying historic rivalries like this makes college athletics unique and so, last week Skip Bertman and I were pleased to announce the renewal of our football series with LSU beginning in 2006. We will play the Tigers on a home-and-home basis for 10 years, beginning in Tiger Stadium on Sept. 23, 2006. This is a great opportunity for Tulane, for LSU and for college football in this state.
I know that you are as proud of all of our more than 320 student athletes, as I am. They regularly compete and win in the classroom with a combined GPA higher than 3.0. They have enjoyed great success in athletic completion this year. Your determination to keep Tulane at the Division I level during the review laid the foundation for these successes. The continued growth in support from our donors will provide a quality education to these men and women, while allowing them to compete at the highest Division I-A level. Thank you for believing in the program and in these fine young people who represent Tulane University and you so well. I urge you to help us meet our financial obligations in the next few weeks.
Let the Green Wave Roll,
Rick Dickson
Director of Athletics
Tulane University
