June 19, 2012
Dear Knights Fans:
As the old cliché goes, time flies when you're having fun. It's hard for me to believe this past Friday (June 15) marked my 100-day anniversary on campus here at UCF. While it has been a very busy time, it has also been extremely rewarding and enjoyable for me and my wife Karen, as we have immersed ourselves in everything UCF.
As I returned on a flight from Washington after meeting with the D.C. Alumni Chapter Friday night, I had some time to reflect on the last 100 days.
I have enjoyed meeting with alums, supporters, faculty and staff, students, our athletics staff and student-athletes to gain even more perspective on what makes UCF a truly special place. The travel to all those meetings and events has been extensive. I have driven 7,500 miles in just more than 100 days - and I only have a 12,000-mile-a-year lease. But all those miles have been worth it.
Karen and I have truly enjoyed getting out and meeting those of you who came out to the UKNIGHT Tour stops or a Share the Knight with President Hitt event during the spring.
I thought my 100-day anniversary would be a good opportunity to share some of my observations with you, our most ardent supporters.
First of all, UCF is not the "sleeping giant" everyone talked about when I was looking at this opportunity. During my first week on the job, our women's track and field team placed 8th at the NCAA Indoor Championships. That performance set the tone for the rest of the spring, during which seven of our programs advanced to postseason play.
Prior to my arrival, there were postseason appearances for both our soccer programs, including a run to the Elite Eight for the women with victories over Florida and North Carolina in the process. Men's basketball put together its second consecutive 20-plus win season. Women's basketball has two C-USA Tournament Championships under its belt. Should the Knights win their third C-USA football title in 2012, UCF would be the only program in the history of the conference to do so.
All this tells me UCF is no sleeping giant, this giant is fully awake. Our story is one of accomplishment, not merely potential or promise.
Victories over schools which only have longer histories than ours should no longer be viewed as upsets or anomalies in the natural order of college athletics. UCF boasts a broad-based athletics program and is competing successfully at the highest level.
In addition to athletic success, our student-athletes earned a department-wide grade-point average of 3.0 or greater for a ninth consecutive semester. Our young people also clocked more than 100,000 hours of community service in the past year.
I believe intercollegiate athletics is the United States' greatest leadership development program outside of the military. Thanks to their participation in athletics, we are able to push our student-athletes to become more than even they think is possible. We can teach life lessons that will serve them throughout their lives and develop them into this country's future leaders. I like to say there are two places in America still keeping score; one is athletics and the other is real life.
My second observation is the reason our successes are more often viewed as isolated accomplishments, as opposed to people seeing our program-wide success. Simply put, the three letters on our uniforms are still unfamiliar to many because we are relatively new. As the new kids on the block, not everyone has gotten to know UCF yet. But that is about to change.
With our entrance into the BIG EAST Conference in July of 2013, we will have a national platform to introduce UCF and our accomplishments to the rest of the nation. Having spent the past nine years on the west coast, I had almost forgotten the opportunity presented by access to the power of the northeast media. It didn't take long to recognize the potential we have for exposure when I was in New York City during the Big East Basketball Tournament in Madison Square Garden. With 25 million televisions in the Big East footprint, there will be a lot of eyeballs on UCF in the future.
My third observation: There is only one degree of separation between UCF and the people, businesses and community of Central Florida. I have yet to meet one person in this region who does not have a direct tie to this institution.
There are more than 150,000 alums in the State of Florida. That is only the tip of the iceberg. There are many others who are connected to UCF and affected by the educational opportunities it provides and its economic impact on the state. There are many UCF fans and alums out there who simply aren't engaged. We need them to flex their collective muscle, so that UCF can be fully recognized for the impact of its alumni in the community. Athletics provides an opportunity for UCF to tell its story. How that story is received by a national audience can be affected by images of sold-out stadiums and arenas. It is very important that our fans are present and enthusiastic in their support.
Finally, through my travels over the past 100 days it is apparent that we have a very vibrant, passionate, young fan base. While most universities are trying to figure out ways to engage their young alums, it is apparent this is not an issue for UCF. These talented young people who are doing so many exciting things and representing the UCF brand bodes extremely well for the future of our institution. Meeting many of these people has, quite frankly, been very inspiring.
But because we are unlike our older and more established brethren, our strength and support must come from our numbers.
We have some unfinished business to take care of in C-USA over the next year, while we prepare to take our place on a stage many of you have been looking forward to for a long time. Thank you for your unbelievable support and congratulations on the part you have played in getting the program to this point in our history.
Our 500-plus student-athletes couldn't do it without you.
As we move toward the 2012-13 school year, it is important that you - our "shareholders" - and I have a consistent dialogue. I look forward to developing that relationship with you.
Go Knights!
Todd Stansbury
Vice President and Director of Athletics
UCF