NC State Athletics – Setting A New Status Quo

AD & Department General NC State8

Wow!!! It is amazing what happens when you combine leadership, vision, accountability, talent, hardwork, and incredible fan support:

Today, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics released the 2012 Directors’ Cup standings. In that national metric, which recognizes all-sports success in collegiate athletics, the Wolfpack stands at 37th – it’s highest mark in six years and a jump of 52 spots in just two years. That two-year jump is the biggest by an ACC school in the history of the Directors’ Cup.

When Debbie Yow was introduced as the new Director of Athletics on June 25, 2010, she told Wolfpack nation that moving forward, the department would “refuse to accept the status quo.” The literal interpretation of that Latin phrase, “status quo” is “the state in which.”

And Maryland fans told us she was going to ruin the athletic department’s budget during her tenure here.

Obviously, there is a new status quo in NC State athletics and a number of the promises of 2010 are now the realities of 2012. Sport budgets have been increased more than 22% in the past two years and improvements have been made to many of the Wolfpack’s facilities for training and competition. In the process, the department has also paid all of its bills, while also generating enough new revenue to add $500,000 to its operational reserve this year, thanks to a better than anticipated ACC payout.

While I am not sure Debbie Yow deserves all of the credit as there are many contributors to the drastic improvement over the last two seasons, she certainly deserves a large portion of the credit. With good to great seasons from Coach O’Brien, Coach Avent, and Coach Gottfried, the great news is that it is our major programs and two revenue sports leading the way(along with great seasons from some non-revenue programs as well). Success in basketball and football helps the other coaches succeed.

With anticipated strong seasons in basketball, football, and baseball again, then things should continue to get better in 2012!

We have been documenting some of these accomplishments and majors changes in the athletic department with recent entries that are worth reading:
–Yow establishes NC State Hall of Fame

–Upgrading men’s basketball scheduling

-New overall marketing plan: “This is our State”

–TOB recruiting momentum(most commitments ever at this date since he has been our coach)

The changes at NC State in the last two years are like night and day. This isn’t Lee Fowler’s NC State anymore.

AD & Department General NC State

8 Responses to NC State Athletics – Setting A New Status Quo

  1. old13 06/27/2012 at 2:13 PM #

    It is undoubtedly headed in the right direction – and well ahead of schedule in consideration of the Directors’ Cup goals DY set out two years ago! Credit certainly is deserved in many quarters for this. But atop that group has to be RW and DY for the leadership and support they have provided!

  2. GotNCState 06/27/2012 at 2:15 PM #

    The Pack is back on track! GREAT NEWS!

  3. graywolf 06/27/2012 at 4:26 PM #

    I am happy with the improvements made since Dr. Yow became our AD. She is a smart, she “gets it” and is as accessible as any AD we have ever had…….she deserves the credit and accolades that come her way.

    Thank you Dr. Yow for your service and love for NC State.

  4. MrPlywood 06/27/2012 at 5:58 PM #

    Well done DY and company.

  5. backnine 06/27/2012 at 6:41 PM #

    No doubt everything has changed for the better since Woodson and Yow arrived on campus. Yow stated her goal is to have a consistent top-20 athletics department. After just two years we are certainly on our way. I am proud of what has been accomplished and of the new culture of expectations and achievement that has been put in place. We appear to now have a stable of coaches that are winners and understand Yow’s vision for State going forward.

    Additionally and even more important, Woodson is executing on his plan to move State up the rankings and enhance the national brand of the university. State has for too long done a poor job of marketing itself and capitalizing on its strengths! Which are many. We are much better than some of the most recent USN&WR rankings indicate – simply because previous leadership refused to “play the game”. Woodson knows the value of branding and IS going to play the game which is the smart thing to do. I expect to see us shoot up the rankings very quickly much as Clemson did over the last 7-8 years. Clemson got serious about “playing the game” and have enhanced their national standing (despite some over aggressive tactics on their part) . In my mind we should be in the 50s – 60s range given we don’t have a med or law school and also must remain true to our land grant mission. It may take the better part of 10 years to accomplish that but I believe we’ll get there.

  6. motorhead 06/28/2012 at 6:48 PM #

    Not changing status quo – Paradigm shift! No more punching bag.

  7. blpack 06/28/2012 at 10:47 PM #

    Great start in just two years. I bet it was a big adjustment for most on the staff now that accountability is in vogue. Shape up or ship out. It takes time to change the culture, but State is starting to get that done!

  8. Wufpacker 06/29/2012 at 7:57 AM #

    A jump of 52 spots is amazing. More amazing to me is that we are still only 37th AFTER jumping 52 spots. I knew we had fallen far, but didn’t realize just how far.

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