Athletics Done Right A Strategic Foundation for Davidson College Athletics

MISSION

The purpose of Davidson College is to "assist students in developing humane instincts and disciplined and creative minds for lives of leadership and service." Davidson College students, faculty, staff and alumni seek to have disproportionate impact on the world. Davidson Athletics aims to further the institutional mission by embracing 'Athletics Done Right.'

What does ‘Athletics Done Right’ mean? It means competing at the highest level athletically while compromising nothing academically. It means that our students are true scholar-athletes. It means that our coaches and administrators are educators. It means we have a distinct advantage, especially amongst Davidson’s peers in higher education, participating at the Division I level. It means that we commit to and cultivate a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment within and beyond the athletic community. It means that we embrace a bold but attainable directive to become one of the best athletic programs in the country.

We will achieve this mission, in part, by:

1. Attracting the right scholar-athletes who are committed to the highest level of excellence, integrity and ethical standards

2. Developing programs that consistently compete to win championships

3. Establishing a comprehensive, thoughtful and inclusive approach to intercollegiate athletics that enhances the national reputation of Davidson Athletics and Davidson College

VALUES

CONSISTENCY

Focused approach, coherent process and standard of excellence

ACCOUNTABILITY

Embrace responsibility, act with integrity and share ownership

TEAMWORK

Work together, collaborate effectively and communicate better

SUCCESS

Academic distinction, athletic achievement and personal growth

PRIORITIES

SCHOLAR-ATHLETES

Develop and cultivate opportunities that lead to academic, athletic and personal success for our scholar-athletes

COACHES & ADMINISTRATION

Provide an inclusive environment within Davidson Athletics grounded in values, growth and a competitive culture

COMMUNITY

Engage students, faculty, staff, alumni, family and fans by highlighting the Davidson story, brand and commitment to a more just society

FACILITIES

Build, renovate and maintain facilities that support the mission and scholar-athlete experience

Scholar-Athletes

Scholarships

1. Attract the nation’s top scholar-athletes by increasing scholarship allocations across all programs and closing the gap with NCAA maximums

2. Establish creative pathways to secure more endowed scholarship funds

3. Bolster scholarship allocations through outside revenue generation

Academics

1. Promote and maintain the highest standards of academic excellence

2. Compete nationally for recognition across all academic metrics including APR and GSR

3. Ensure the highest quality of academic and educational support

Health & Wellness

1. Create greater alignment across sports performance silos – medical, strength and conditioning, nutrition and sports psychology

2. Enhance resources and programming to improve physical, mental and nutritional health

3. Promote a commitment to wellness through physical education and campus recreation for all students, faculty and staff

Scholar-Athlete & Career Development

1. Strengthen the relationship with S.A.A.C. to improve its outreach and impact as well as an ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion

2. Collaborate with the Assistant Director for Athlete Career Development to enhance the “Career Advantage” program including workshops, initiatives, databases and alumni engagement

3. Encourage greater awareness of graduate programs, fellowships and scholarships

Coaches & Administration

Championship Competitiveness

1. Build strong team cultures and establish clear goals, expectations and plans for success

2. Elevate recognition and rewards for coaches and staff through worthwhile incentives

Revenue Generation

1. Set and achieve aggressive fundraising goals and metrics

2. Maximize department revenue through partnerships, marketing, ticketing and concessions to create greater financial flexibility for budgets and compensation

3. Aim for a sustainable and balanced split of revenue – institution, philanthropy and marketing/partnerships

Development

1. Recruit and retain great people first and great, successful coaches and staff second within a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion

2. Provide leadership and professional development opportunities to build capacity

3. Grow the athletics support staff to provide a greater level of service for scholar-athletes in all phases

Community

Tell the Davidson Story

1. Implement a unique marketing strategy with consistent messaging to highlight the best of what we do

2. Leverage historical success as part of the present and future narrative

3. Establish “Cats Care” as a powerful platform demonstrating our commitment to leadership, service and inclusion in the community

Engagement & Experience

1. Increase ticket sales across all ticketed events and attendance across targeted events

2. Improve upon the game-day experiences

3. Develop stronger engagement with the immediate Town of Davidson and community as well as the greater Davidson community of alumni, family, friends and fans

Institutional Accountability & Alignment

1. Recognize the manifestations of racism, discrimination, bias, advantage and injustice in our community while actively working as a team – through education, culture, community outreach and sport – to dismantle the systems that support them.

2. Position athletics initiatives to support and advance Davidson College's strategic framework

3. Strengthen the relationship between athletics and the campus, specifically faculty

FACILITIES

Scholar-Athlete Experience

1. Understand the current and future needs associated with all athletics facilities as it pertains to enhancing the scholar-athlete experience

2. Develop strategies to build, renovate, improve and maintain facilities based upon timelines, funding momentum and program priorities

ATHLETICS DONE RIGHT

Appreciate