Amid the stress, frustration and justified concern over the COVID-19 pandemic, the scarcity of smiles has been all too apparent.
 
Admittedly, I found reason to crack an ear to ear beam on March 19. It was on that evening that I participated in a web ex meeting with officers for our Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and to just see them, hear them and interact with them was invigorating. Those who work in intercollegiate athletics will acknowledge that student-athletes are the best part of their job. The many adjustments that have been instituted to combat spread of the virus definitely have created a bit of "separation anxiety" from not seeing our student-athletes on a regular basis.
 
NSU coaches and staff, like most others, are under the governor's "stay at home" directive. Practices and competitions may be indefinitely stopped but boredom has not set in for our coaches and staff!
 
Priority number one for the athletic department is the mental health of its student-athletes. The emergence of the coronavirus resulted in the majority of spring sports events being canceled, other sports were not permitted to meet/train, and for the seniors, May commencement exercises were canceled. Winter sports were also affected - Jasmyn Steels, the 2019 NCAA Division I Indoor Long Jump champion, was in Albuquerque preparing to defend her title when all activity was stopped. Coach Mike McConathy's basketball team, I am truly convinced, was poised to make a run in the Southland Conference tourney after winning their opening round game before the tournament was canceled. For all of our student-athlete, the disappointment and frustration of having what they work so hard for being taken away is not easy. It truly is our job to support them at this time.
 
With NSU going to all on-line classes and closing campus for the remainder of the semester, our compliance staff is assisting with out-boarding student-athletes in collaboration with the housing and dining services offices. The facilities staff is sanitizing all areas in the athletic footprint. Athletic trainers are still performing rehab for student-athletes who remain in town while communicating with those who are off-site, the external staff (marketing, development, media relations) is developing creative ideas to sustain social media presence (check your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts...you're going to like what you see!) and the academic staff is closely monitoring the academic progress of student-athletes, some who may need extra guidance in adjusting to a completely on-line course load. Finally, coaches are in constant contact with their team and recruits.
 
From the Athletic Director's chair, which is temporarily set up in the "man cave" at the Burke residence, I am excited to report that we were able to complete a search process and hire Jones College's Missy Bilderback  as NSU's new Head Women's Basketball Coach. Missy's win-loss record is incredible but what really impressed all who met her was her ability to engage and care for the student-athlete.

My time has also been consumed remaining in touch with our coaches and staff, as well as participating in conference calls to assess the current and future impact of COVID-19.
 
Finally, addressing the fallout that not just NSU Athletics, but the entire university, will be facing can be done in one word - "ominous." The NCAA lost $700 million as a result of the men's basketball tournament being canceled, an amount that reflects 70 percent of the national office's yearly revenue. There certainly will be a trickle-down effect in terms of funds the NCAA annually distributes to the membership. Closer to campus, it is likely that spring sports seniors who choose to do so will have the opportunity to regain their final year of eligibility in 2021. The result will be inflated roster sizes and a marked rise for athletic department scholarships budgets next year. With that said, I firmly believe that extending this opportunity to these student-athletes is the right thing to do.
 
In closing, I will note that these are indeed unprecedented times to which everyone is having to adjust. In addition to motivating myself every day, I normally glean energy from our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans. I miss seeing the whites of their eyes and pray that the time will soon come when we can again say to each other, in-person, "Fork 'Em, Demons."
 
Gregory S. Burke
Director of Athletics