Question for NDSU, Sam Houston and fans of other successful FCS programs?

[Catatonic]

It's been well documented that highly successful FBS programs witness an increase in student applications, incoming SAT/ACT scores, donations from alumni, and diversity on campus. This phenomenon is known as the "Flutie effect, " or, more recently, "Mariota Magic." Makes sense. Sports are the primary advertising medium for most universities and successful programs bring lots of attention.

I'm not finding much research about whether this same correlation exists at schools outside of power conferences. While highly successful FCS programs receive increased attention, it is nothing like the media attention generated by an Orgegon or Alabama. This begs the question of whether the Flutie Effect applies to our level of play?

So, fans from highly successful programs, does winning an FCS championship or making it deep into the playoffs result in increased enrollment demand or alumni donations, or is this phenomenon limited to the big boys?

[Cocky]

UATs enrollment has increase since the hiring of Saban. The increase in mainly due to lowering the admission standards to the lowest in the state. Now if you cant get into troy you go to UAT.

Most times things happen for more than one reason but I do believe the free advertising and good vibes help universities.

[DFW HOYA]

It's been well documented that highly successful FBS programs witness an increase in student applications, incoming SAT/ACT scores, donations from alumni, and diversity on campus. This phenomenon is known as the "Flutie effect, " or, more recently, "Mariota Magic." Makes sense. Sports are the primary advertising medium for most universities and successful programs bring lots of attention.

I'm not finding much research about whether this same correlation exists at schools outside of power conferences. While highly successful FCS programs receive increased attention, it is nothing like the media attention generated by an Orgegon or Alabama. This begs the question of whether the Flutie Effect applies to our level of play?

So, fans from highly successful programs, does winning an FCS championship or making it deep into the playoffs result in increased enrollment demand or alumni donations, or is this phenomenon limited to the big boys?

It also depends on the admissions model. State and private schools have different admissions drivers, some of which are not driven on media attention. Example: some like to point to basketball as as a driver in Georgetown's admissions but the evidence does not support this, especially since its undergraduate enrollment has been capped by the District of Columbia for many years (long story).

[HailSzczur]

Successful program at a school that doesn't care about football here. Football success has had 0 impact on admissions. Had some impact on donations though. Don't have the stats to back it up, but after winning the NC we announced endowed coaching positions, completely gutted and redid the current weight room, renovated the locker room, had a temporary video board for a year or two, and now recently broke ground on a new locker room/football house in the end zone.

All that in the last 6 years for a school who never spends anything on football. The money has to be coming from somewhere

[HailSzczur]

It also depends on the admissions model. State and private schools have different admissions drivers, some of which are not driven on media attention. Example: some like to point to basketball as as a driver in Georgetown's admissions but the evidence does not support this, especially since its undergraduate enrollment has been capped by the District of Columbia for many years (long story).

Does it ever cause a peak in applications though? We had about 4-5k more after the '09 FF run. Our enrollment size is also for all intents and purposes capped as well

[CasualFan]

CCU got a nice bump two years ago when we went to Montana and won, then lost in Fargo. However, we also put a scare into Virginia during March madness as a 1 vs. 16 in the same academic year. Did the athletic exposure cause it? If it did, which one? We don't know. It was enough of a bump that even though we plan for growth, we had to put freshmen in hotels. I just don't know that we can say athletics caused it.

[RootinFerDukes]

This is just my opinion and I have no real study or facts to back up my statement.

I'm going to say that the "flutie effect", as you describe it, is exclusive to the big boys in the Power conferences, and even more specifically exclusive to FBS programs only. The reality in college football is that the national media, most notably ESPN, is doing everything in their power to marginalize the FCS level of Division 1 football. Yes, it actually is Division 1 football. A single commentator can't just say the team's name, they have to say FCS James Madison. Just say James Madison dammit.

I can't speak for NDSU or App State, who have won multiple titles consecutively and it got more attention from ESPN as a result, but I know that after JMU's one title in 2004, we received a one minute highlight the night of on sportscenter, and that was about the extent of the "considerable" press coverage. Outside of sources that extensively cover I-AA football, we didn't see any additional press coverage or significant gains.

What JMU did see, and is not the case for most I-AA/FCS single time champions, is that our fan base absolutely boomed. What we didn't get from the national media, our alumni, fans, students and immediate community DEFINITELY noticed. We saw and still see school record crowds. We maintained that successfull play from 2004-2008, IMO. We had so many sell outs at 15k that we expanded our stadium (albeit incompletely) to 25k. In 2011, we average 25k and sold out 4 of our 5 games. We are a rural VA school that most alumni live at least 2 hours away from and the local metro area only contains 110-120k people in it. Most are even your "anti-college, except for UVA or Tech" run of the mill rednecks who hate JMU with every fiber of their being... for some reason.

So nationally, FCS teams don't get respect, even as champions. Your immediate fan base MAY take notice and start to boom, but it looks like most FCS teams aren't that fortunate. When UD and JMU boomed post-championship, UR and VU fans quite literally didn't even notice. It was kind of pathetic to be honest. That's what happens when you're a "basketball school" in the A10/Big East. The basketball fans view the FCS team as "division 2" and choose to not care.

[Daytripper]

I have actually spoken with admission counselors from Sam Houston State on this very subject. What they told me, which surprised me, was the there wasn't really a significant increase in total applications (although there was an increase). But they stated they were receiving higher quality applicants. I think a lot of that comes from students in the areas around Huntsville. Many of those students may have considered Texas A&M, etc., as their choice, but the national profile that SHSU received made them take a closer look Sam Houston. I don't necessarily think they chose the school because of the football program specifically, but more because it was in a national conversation (however limited by FCS exposure compared to FBS).

[OSBF]

Hasn't worked out at all for the EIU panthers. Romo, Garapalo. Having a ceremony this Saturday to add Mike Shanahan to their version of the "ring of honor"

Enrollment hovering around 9,000 and laying off support staff in mass numbers

At least some of that stems from the current dismal condition of State Government in Illinois, but it hasn't seemed to hit the other state schools the way it has EIU

[McNeese75]

IMO if the FCS program has a strong football fan base then I think the trickle down from a Natty would be greater. No facts, just opinion.

[Bisonator]

I'm not sure about applications but enrollment hasn't increased much at NDSU. I think enrollment has increased a few hundred maybe over the last 4 years. I'd say the biggest increase is from moving to D1. I think enrollment went up a few thousand since 2004. I'd say donations are up over the last 4 years but I don't have the numbers.

[gotts]

I might be making this up, but I thought there was an article in 2010 or so that showed a bump in applications at NDSU after their appearance against Kansas in the 2009 NCAA tournament. I tried looking for the article, unsuccessfully, so I'm likely just imagining things.

EDIT: not the article I'm thinking of, but I did uncover another. Take it for what it's worth: http://www.310tofargo.net/football-success-influences-enrollment-recruiting/

[Mattymc727]

Its hard to tell the reasoning. But UNH's enrollment has grown over 2500 students since 2006. Although thats a long enough time to attribute it to general growth. They didnt post data from before 2006.

While football may not have increased enrollment itself, it has bolstered the athletic program entirely over the last 10 years of success. Before 2004, it was a pretty unknown program. While it had its success over 100 years, it never got much coverage in New England, let alone nation wide. Now the local news covers it almost daily, both the football stadium and hockey arena are being upgraded, and UNH had its best fundraising year ever, a couple years back. Its pretty clear that as the term "sex sells" applies to everything, "Football sells" when it comes to universities.

http://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2013/07/historic-fundraising

[Sycamore62]

Hasn't worked out at all for the EIU panthers. Romo, Garapalo. Having a ceremony this Saturday to add Mike Shanahan to their version of the "ring of honor"

Enrollment hovering around 9,000 and laying off support staff in mass numbers

At least some of that stems from the current dismal condition of State Government in Illinois, but it hasn't seemed to hit the other state schools the way it has EIU

The University has done a lot to make it a less attractive school.

[BEAR]

UCA has changed administration in several departments and increased the admissions scores and G.P.A. For a couple of years that kept admissions levels the same but now they are increasing and graduation rates are increasing too. So much that Student Services had to change graduation application days from a semester BEFORE graduation to a year BEFORE graduation. Since our universities get paid on retention and graduation rates MANY factors had to be changed including entrance g.p.a.s and scores. Plus with new administration in the Alumni Association there have been countless calls and emails and letters going out to alumni to raise funds. UCA went from being $1 million in the hole in funds to over $50 million in the green and that doesn't count what the new Alumni association director has raised since he's only been on the job a few months! Now UCA is building an ONLINE program for degrees the attendance will shoot up! Which means more money..and hopefully more fans!

[Sycamore62]

I heard that after Florida Gulf Coast made the final 4 their apps went up 500%. i have nothing to verify this. On the other hand, I also immediately looked to see if they had any instructor openings for my wife so I could have the opportunity to never see snow again, so maybe there were other dynamics involved.

There are a lot of schools that dropped football that restarted it years later. I assume those people have to have seen that it is a negative to not have football.

[McNeese75]

Any lurkers from ASU can chime in but when we were on the campus in Boone after their 3 year run we were told the capital expenditures and enrollment had exploded.

[Catbooster]

There are probably a ton of factors besides football success, but here are the historical enrollment figures for MSU http://www.montana.edu/opa/facts/headhist.html and UM http://www.umt.edu/plan/documents/2014-15TotalEnrollment.pdf

Both schools had big increases during the recent recession. This year isn't included, but MSU grew and UM shrunk. I don't remember the year WA-Griz was built, but a quick scan, it looks like UM grew faster than MSU during the streak. I think in a place like this, the football success helps because we aren't competing for exposure with P5 schools or pros. But I suspect it has a bigger effect on donations, particularly to athletics, than on enrollment.

[tomq04]

This is just my opinion and I have no real study or facts to back up my statement.

I'm going to say that the "flutie effect", as you describe it, is exclusive to the big boys in the Power conferences, and even more specifically exclusive to FBS programs only. The reality in college football is that the national media, most notably ESPN, is doing everything in their power to marginalize the FCS level of Division 1 football. Yes, it actually is Division 1 football. A single commentator can't just say the team's name, they have to say FCS James Madison. Just say James Madison dammit.

I can't speak for NDSU or App State, who have won multiple titles consecutively and it got more attention from ESPN as a result, but I know that after JMU's one title in 2004, we received a one minute highlight the night of on sportscenter, and that was about the extent of the "considerable" press coverage. Outside of sources that extensively cover I-AA football, we didn't see any additional press coverage or significant gains.

What JMU did see, and is not the case for most I-AA/FCS single time champions, is that our fan base absolutely boomed. What we didn't get from the national media, our alumni, fans, students and immediate community DEFINITELY noticed. We saw and still see school record crowds. We maintained that successfully play from 2004-2008, IMO. We had so many sell outs at 15k that we expanded our stadium (albeit incompletely) to 25k. In 2011, we average 25k and sold out 4 of our 5 games. We are a rural VA school that most alumni live at least 2 hours away from and the local metro area only contains 110-120k people in it. Most are even your "anti-college, except for UVA or Tech" run of the mill rednecks who hate JMU with every fiber of their being... for some reason.

So nationally, FCS teams don't get respect, even as champions. Your immediate fan base MAY take notice and start to boom, but it looks like most FCS teams aren't that fortunate. When UD and JMU boomed post-championship, UR and VU fans quite literally didn't even notice. It was kind of pathetic to be honest. That's what happens when you're a "basketball school" in the A10/Big East. The basketball fans view the FCS team as "division 2" and choose to not care.


EWU has experienced this exact thing since 2010, although we can't get the cash to expand the stadium... Games have been sold out for a couple of years now, sports stores are carrying Eagle gear, and the general populace feels they would rather watch EWU win a game than go down to Moscow/Pullman and watch the Vandals/Cougs lose. I am not sure if it's due to success, or the total failure of Idaho/WSU. I do believe that if WSU would start winning their close games they would bring the fans back.

Side note, attendance has been growing steadily since 2006, so I'm not certain that football made a difference, but we continue to hit all time highs each year.

[Sycamore62]

EWU has experienced this exact thing since 2010, although we can't get the cash to expand the stadium... Games have been sold out for a couple of years now, sports stores are carrying Eagle gear, and the general populace feels they would rather watch EWU win a game than go down to Moscow/Pullman and watch the Vandals/Cougs lose. I am not sure if it's due to success, or the total failure of Idaho/WSU. I do believe that if WSU would start winning their close games they would bring the fans back.

Side note, attendance has been growing steadily since 2006, so I'm not certain that football made a difference, but we continue to hit all time highs each year.

ISUb is the same way with the stadium. enrollment is up to an all time high around 13,500, though the school has done so much to improve campus they arent able to build a much needed stadium on campus.

[Nickels]

SHSU has been growing at a fast rate and will likely hit 20k this fall. Football success has little to do with it. Overall school spirit has definitely increased but I wouldn't say more students are coming because of football success.

[eiu1999]

EIU's enrollment has been dropping. The undergrad # is down to 8500.

[RootinFerDukes]

To the EWU and IN State fans, have you seen increases in donations to your school's donor club? I'm assuming most schools have those. If EWU wants to build a stadium, they could use a combination of state bonds and donations to help foot some of that bill. I know student fees are unpopular, but I'd be lying if I said that at least part of Bridgeforth isn't being paid for by students.
It's been a pretty controversial topic.

[RabidRabbit]

SDSU has grown it's endowments and research grants dramatically since moving up to D-1. While that hasn't translated into substantially more undergraduate applications, SDSU is getting better SAT applicants, especially student-athletes.

[blueballs]

It absolutely does at the 1-AA/FCS level and here's proof.

From the day Georgia Southern hired the legendary Erk Russell in 1981 to present the enrollment has tripled from +/- 7k to +/- 21k. "The Georgia Southern Miracle" put the college on the map and made it interesting. The school achieved full university status in the early 90's (right after Erk retired) and hasn't stopped growing since.

I've never heard it called the "Flutie effect," it ought to be called the "Erk effect."

[Catatonic]

It absolutely does at the 1-AA/FCS level and here's proof.

From the day Georgia Southern hired the legendary Erk Russell in 1981 to present the enrollment has tripled from +/- 7k to +/- 21k. "The Georgia Southern Miracle" put the college on the map and made it interesting. The school achieved full university status in the early 90's (right after Erk retired) and hasn't stopped growing since.

I've never heard it called the "Flutie effect," it ought to be called the "Erk effect."

Flutie effect...history

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/12/would-colleges-be-better-off-without-football/250691/

I agree that Erk put Georgia Southern on the map and was responsible for much of its growth. Zell Miller helped out as well. The Hope Scholarship placed enrollment pressure on research universities such as UGA. Students applications soared after Hope. UGA capped its freshman enrollment. Ga Southern benefited by accepting students who could no longer get into UGA or Tech.

[AshevilleApp2]

Any lurkers from ASU can chime in but when we were on the campus in Boone after their 3 year run we were told the capital expenditures and enrollment had exploded.

1981 (The year I dropped in for the first time) enrollment was 9,690
2007 was 14,482
2015 is 17,931

Some of that is football related of course. But Appalachian's academic reputation has improved as well. (No way I could be accepted today, based on my stellar High School performance. :) ) It consistently gets named on the lists of Top Regional Universities. Tuition is more reasonable than many other schools, though overpriced for sure. That hasn't changed. I knew people who paid less for out of state tuition than they would for in state tuition where they came from.

But a big factor is the population growth in North Carolina. In 1981 the state had roughly 5.88 million people, now it has roughly 9.53 million.

[Sitting Bull]

I think it's about winning and exciting the fanbase - not about whether you are FBS, FCS, etc.

The uptick after 2004 at W&M, which featured a banner season, two showcase playoff games on ESPN, one a dramatic 2OT comeback against Delaware - still lives. It put the program on a higher level - fans, interest, athletic wear, stadium upgrades. W&M was also noted as the hottest small national public university in the 2005 edition of Newsweek - one of the pictures they showed were students rushing the field in the 2004 2OT Delaware game.

Just win.

[Sycamore62]

is there any stat on average university enrollment increases. Im wondering how much it would take to just keep up with what is happening regardless.

[Bisonoline]

It's been well documented that highly successful FBS programs witness an increase in student applications, incoming SAT/ACT scores, donations from alumni, and diversity on campus. This phenomenon is known as the "Flutie effect, " or, more recently, "Mariota Magic." Makes sense. Sports are the primary advertising medium for most universities and successful programs bring lots of attention.

I'm not finding much research about whether this same correlation exists at schools outside of power conferences. While highly successful FCS programs receive increased attention, it is nothing like the media attention generated by an Orgegon or Alabama. This begs the question of whether the Flutie Effect applies to our level of play?

So, fans from highly successful programs, does winning an FCS championship or making it deep into the playoffs result in increased enrollment demand or alumni donations, or is this phenomenon limited to the big boys?

NDSU experienced a rise in apps when they beat Minnesota in football and Wisconsin and Marquette in basketball. This years freshman class had the highest ACT/SAT scores in its history. The Bison athletes have a combined GPA of 3.0 or better and the student body has a combined GPA of something like 2.3.

[ST_Lawson]

is there any stat on average university enrollment increases. Im wondering how much it would take to just keep up with what is happening regardless.

Can't speak for other states, but in Illinois, the "flagship" and urban schools (U of I, UI-Chicago, ISUr, SIU-Edwardsville) are all up a few percentage points. The "directional" universities (Southern, Northern, Western, and especially Eastern) are all down a few percentage points. At this point, it looks like students in or around Illinois are choosing to stay close to home (urban) or pick the "big name" schools.

[Hammerhead]

I've given money to various funds at NDSU for over 20 years and didn't make any donations specifically to the athletic department until 2013.

[tomq04]

To the EWU and IN State fans, have you seen increases in donations to your school's donor club? I'm assuming most schools have those. If EWU wants to build a stadium, they could use a combination of state bonds and donations to help foot some of that bill. I know student fees are unpopular, but I'd be lying if I said that at least part of Bridgeforth isn't being paid for by students.
It's been a pretty controversial topic.

EWU finally started pushing the EAF (eagle athletic fund) last season, encouraging monthly donations $10/month on up to $100's. I believe they are even trying to implement a minimum membership for the one little section of premium season ticket seating for football. I'm sure that there is more donor money coming in, but I doubt the coffers are very deep at this point.

[Daytripper]

EWU finally started pushing the EAF (eagle athletic fund) last season, encouraging monthly donations $10/month on up to $100's. I believe they are even trying to implement a minimum membership for the one little section of premium season ticket seating for football. I'm sure that there is more donor money coming in, but I doubt the coffers are very deep at this point.

I've been saying for years that a small monthly donation from alum would increase total donations. But SHSU hasn't done it. I would be much more likely to donate (over and above my season tickets and required Champions Fund donation) $20 per month than write a check for $240 once a year. Especially if it was automatically withdrawn.

[RootinFerDukes]

We have a monthly payment option for donations and you still receive full benefits as long as you're paying it in at least 1/12 increments each month. It helps to pay a little each month and not the entire chunk at once.

[fmrbearkat]

When I enrolled in SHSU in 2001 the school had 12,000. that was kinda the start of us being good but we had several mediocre years between 2005 and 2011 but those 2 really good years changed the culture significantly....still has a heck of a long ways to go but believe it or not it's better!! My dad was the first person to EVER bring a motorhome and set up a tailgate. Before him there was maybe 2 guys that would set up a grill but nothing else. Enrollment is now near 20k and it would be considerably more but Huntsville doesn't have the housing accommodations for more students and SHSU doesn't have the class space. They are building constantlyaround campus and as soon as a building opens up they fill it up.

[Twentysix]

It's been well documented that highly successful FBS programs witness an increase in student applications, incoming SAT/ACT scores, donations from alumni, and diversity on campus. This phenomenon is known as the "Flutie effect, " or, more recently, "Mariota Magic." Makes sense. Sports are the primary advertising medium for most universities and successful programs bring lots of attention.

I'm not finding much research about whether this same correlation exists at schools outside of power conferences. While highly successful FCS programs receive increased attention, it is nothing like the media attention generated by an Orgegon or Alabama. This begs the question of whether the Flutie Effect applies to our level of play?

So, fans from highly successful programs, does winning an FCS championship or making it deep into the playoffs result in increased enrollment demand or alumni donations, or is this phenomenon limited to the big boys?

This was NDSU's highest scoring incoming class ever (with an average ACT composite score of 25). But NDSU is also going through a massive academic overhaul to become a stronger Regional/National research institute. I'm sure it has some to do with football, but more to do with the overall push for higher academic requirements (which are still really low).

[Twentysix]

I'm not sure about applications but enrollment hasn't increased much at NDSU. I think enrollment has increased a few hundred maybe over the last 4 years. I'd say the biggest increase is from moving to D1. I think enrollment went up a few thousand since 2004. I'd say donations are up over the last 4 years but I don't have the numbers.

Between 2004 and 2007 enrollment increased a few hundred. And in the last 4-5 years it also has only increased a few hundred. In 2008 and 2009 it increased nearly 2,000 though.

NDSU has grown by 2,700 since 2004 (a very substantial amount of this growth is reflected in Graduate student numbers).
2004: 12026
2014: 14747

The 2015 numbers should be out in a week or so.

5,800 applications this time around (84% acceptance rate)

[FUBeAR]

It's been well documented that highly successful FBS programs witness an increase in student applications, incoming SAT/ACT scores, donations from alumni, and diversity on campus. This phenomenon is known as the "Flutie effect, " or, more recently, "Mariota Magic." Makes sense. Sports are the primary advertising medium for most universities and successful programs bring lots of attention.

I'm not finding much research about whether this same correlation exists at schools outside of power conferences. While highly successful FCS programs receive increased attention, it is nothing like the media attention generated by an Orgegon or Alabama. This begs the question of whether the Flutie Effect applies to our level of play?

So, fans from highly successful programs, does winning an FCS championship or making it deep into the playoffs result in increased enrollment demand or alumni donations, or is this phenomenon limited to the big boys?

Way, way, way too early to put Mercer in the class of Teams you mentioned, and probably even too early to call them a 'successful program,' but I do know a little about what football has done for the school and the area. Applications and Enrollment statistics have skyrocketed, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Each successive class since football was re-born in 2012 (practice year) has seen record numbers. New dorms are under construction to house these new students, and in what is definitely the "Mercer Way," partnerships have been forged with private firms to build apartments (as part of mixed use - retail, entertainment, office - developments) all around campus. These apartments are for Mercer students only and they can choose them as housing options thru the University's systems, but they are privately owned and operated. Also, all of these developments have been in areas that were formerly in blight or near-blight conditions. The city of Macon (Georgia's 3rd largest city) is completely behind the Football Team. Every home game (except one played in a near-monsoon) has been a sellout. There are Mercer Football posters in many, many businesses and the Players (always wearing that SWAG) are greeted in stores and restaurants like Rock Stars (no Free Shoes U stuff going on though). South and Middle Georgia is like Texas when it comes to High School Football - might as well roll up the sidewalks on Friday night because everyone is at the BIG GAME. But, the HS Teams in the immediate Macon area don't have that same kind of following (too urban of an area for that, I think), so the residents, who don't care to and/or can't afford to get over to Athens (UGa) on Saturday have adopted the Bears as their Team and they are ALL IN! In terms of donations to the school and Mercer Athletic Foundation, I don't know the numbers, but I have been told they are FABULOUS. The Executive Director of the Mercer Athletic Foundation (who very well may be one of the best in the business...ssshhhh...don't tell anyone) has been promoted a couple of times, I believe, since he came on board the same year that Football started, so I'm thinking the results must be pretty darn good in his department.

So, at Mercer, I would call it the "Football Effect" and it has been a beautiful thing to watch. IF (from my keyboard to the Football Gods' screens), Mercer can somehow get incredibly lucky and find a way to back into the Playoffs this year and they have a chance to 'bid' for a game, I would be surprised to see them outbid...and I would expect the Macon Fire Marshall to, finally, turn some people away from the walk-up ticket booths.

It's a very unique situation there and not duplicate-able for most existing schools; I get that, but you know what WOULD make sense...all of the FCS Conferences should 'chip in' substantially to hire a World-Class Sports Marketing Firm to work on a National and Regional basis, by Conference, and on a school-by-school basis to DRIVE publicity for the GREAT PRODUCT that is FCS Football - the highest level of College Football that is played by true Student Athletes, increase partnerships / sponsorships for each school and increase ticket sales and attendance. I would imagine I'm not the 1st FCS Fan to think of this and I too well know how hard it is to get even 2 schools to cooperate on anything, but I also know a rising tide lifts all boats. The rising of all those boats would be another beautiful thing that I would love to watch!

[proasu89]

Any lurkers from ASU can chime in but when we were on the campus in Boone after their 3 year run we were told the capital expenditures and enrollment had exploded.

The win at Michigan was a bigger influence than the 3 in a row.

[REALBird]

While Illinois St. is far from being consistent enough to be called "successful", there were what I consider to be the "dog days"!of ISU Athletics. From about 2000-2005/06 there was a strong push to increase the academic profile of the University, which meant increasing academic standards. A kid like me admitted in the late 80's early 90's who was in the upper half of his class and a 21 ACT was about the norm.

Then the powers that be decided to become the "Second Choice" school to the University of Illinois. We saw enrollment dip down to a little over 16,900 and at one point the University was renting dorm space to kids from Lincoln College (Normal Campus).

The sports programs were probably some of the worst, as the University made very few exceptions for marginal student athletes during that time, and our success in sports showed as some of our football and basketball programs sucked!!!!

Ultimately we started recruiting kids with a higher academic profile which led to a significant bump in academics (US News and World Report, Kiplinger's, etc.) Today, the average profile of an incoming kid is top 25%. Avg GPA 3.2 - 3.5 for incoming Frosh. Avg. ACT 24-25 range. Enrollment up to a little under 22,000. The only school outside of the University of Illinois in the State that's growing.

We are now finally seeing some of the sports programs recruit at the level of our academics and both the University and Athletic Department has reaped benefits.

We have seen renovations to our Football, Baseball, Tennis, Softball and T&F stadiums, and gifts of $10M for Men's Golf and increased donations for Football. With plans to fund raise for an indoor practice facility for football.

I can say I had no desire to recruit kids with better academics when some of our conference peers were taking athletes with lower academic standards. But it seems we've figured out a formula to get quality athletes and keep our academics in order.