CENTRAL MICHIGAN ATHLETICS2009-10 ANNUAL REPORT

CARTWRIGHT AWARDCMU EARNED INAUGURAL AWARD

CARTWRIGHT AWARDCMU EARNED INAUGURAL AWARD

The 2009-10 academic year was one of the most successful campaigns in recent history for the Central Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Department. In the classroom, in competition and in the community, Chippewa student-athletes truly portrayed our Championship Culture.

As our department’s primary objective is graduating student-athletes, I am proud to report that 49 percent of our student-athletes earned a 3.0 or better grade-point average, one-fourth carried at least a 3.5 GPA and the department as a whole recorded its 13th consecutive year with a cumulative average above 3.0. More importantly, 82 percent of CMU student-athletes who completed their eligibility have graduated, according to the NCAA’s most recent Graduation Success Rate findings. That percentage ranks above the national average and among the top-third of schools in our conference.

Speaking of our conference, an astounding five Chippewa teams brought home Mid-American Conference titles in 2009-10. We added three conference tournament championships and sent representatives from five sports to NCAA postseason competition. Not only did we compete for conference titles, but we were recognized on a national stage as three programs reached the top-25 national rankings. We closed out the year by finishing among the top three in the MAC’s male and female all-sports award standings, coming in as the runner-up for the second straight season in the men’s standings and placing third in the women’s race.

Our Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the Central Athletes Reaching Everyone (C.A.R.E.) Program have continued to expand their presence in Mount Pleasant and the surrounding communities, providing student-athletes with countless opportunities for personal and social growth.

All three aspects – academics, athletics and citizenship – are equally important as our department seeks to transform young student-athletes into young adults. Our classrooms may look a little different than those with desks and chalkboards, but we are among the primary learning centers of Central Michigan University.

These learning opportunities would not be possible without the support of our loyal contributors, who donated more than $1 million for the third consecutive year. Our privately-funded revenues, which have increased by nearly 200 percent in the last five years, have had a direct impact on the success of our sport programs. As we reflect on the successes of 2009-10, I trust you will be proud of the part you played and consider the impact of your future contributions.

Fire Up Chips!

Dave HeekeAthletics Director

DEAR CHIPPEWA FANS,

ATHLETIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS

MAC champions: soccer, football, wrestling,

gymnastics, baseball

MAC Divisional champions: football, men’s

basketball, baseball

Football won the GMAC Bowl in front of a TV

audience of 3.5 million viewers

teams ended their seasons nationally-ranked:

football, wrestling, gymnastics

All-MAC student honorees

MAC Players of the Year

MAC Coaches of the Year

All-Americans

Margo Jonker won her 1,000th game as

CMU’s head softball coach

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3.53 1,000

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NCAA postseason participants:

• Soccer (defeated nationally-ranked Purdue)

• Wrestling (the first team in MAC history to send a

representative of every weight class to nationals)

• Gymnastics

• Indoor track (Erika Schroll, high jump)

• Outdoor track (Alex Rose & Greg Pilling, discus)

2009-10 Final Reese (Men’s) Standings

School Sports Points Avg.Kent State 7 72.5 10.35Central Michigan 6 60.5 10.08Eastern Michigan 8 63.0 7.87Ohio 6 43.5 7.25Akron 7 50.0 7.14Buffalo 9 63.5 7.05Western Michigan 5 33.0 6.60Miami 7 43.0 6.14Ball State 6 36.8 6.12Toledo 6 33.8 5.62Northern Illinois 7 37.3 5.32Bowling Green 6 28.8 4.79

2009-10 Final Jacoby (Women’s) Standings

School Sports Points Avg.Kent State 9 92.3 10.25Miami 9 87.5 9.72Central Michigan 8 77.0 9.63Toledo 9 76.8 8.52Akron 9 71.3 7.93Ohio 9 69.8 7.76Eastern Michigan 10 72.5 7.25Western Michigan 9 56.8 6.31Ball State 11 58.3 5.29Buffalo 8 36.3 4.54Bowling Green 10 45.3 4.53Northern Illinois 9 37.6 4.18

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ACADEMIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• All 16 sport programs exceeded the benchmark score in the NCAA’s 2010 Academic Progress Rate report. Men’s cross country scored a perfect 1,000.

• The department posted an NCAA Graduation Success Rate of 82%.

• Its graduation rates rank in the top 25% of all Division I programs.

• Soccer posted the nation’s top team GPA (3.73) for the fifth consecutive season.

• Softball’s GPA ranked 15th among all Division I teams

• 45 academic all-conference selections

• 9 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honorees

• 1 academic All-American

• Volleyball, women’s cross country, field hockey, gymnastics and women’s track and field also earned team academic awards.

2009 NCAA Division I Federal Graduation Rate Data: 2002-2003 Cohort

CMU’S four-class graduation rate is ranked third in the Mid-American Conference. CMU’s graduation rate is ranked among the top 25 percent of graduation rates for all Division I institutions in the country.

Category 1 2 3 4 5Miami 81 82 80 88 81Ohio 67 67 70 84 93CMU 57 62 69 82 88BGSU 58 73 68 86 95Akron 35 62 67 76 90Ball State 59 60 66 73 72NIU 51 70 66 82 93Temple 62 67 66 70 78WMU 55 75 66 77 87Buffalo 65 61 63 77 92Overall DI 62 64 63 79 87Kent State 49 59 62 77 94EMU 36 49 55 72 88Toledo 46 58 55 78 91

1 – All-Students Grad Rate (%)2 – S-A Grad Rate (%)3 – Four Class Grad (%)4 – S-A GSR Rate(%) 5 – S-A Grad Rate w/ Exhausted EligibilitySCHOLAR AWARD WINNERS

• (Top Left) Amanda Waugh was the 2009 Boyden Award winner. Waugh was a two-year varsity letterwinner as a forward in the CMU women’s soccer program.

• (Second from Top, Left) Track and field athlete Greg Pilling was named the 2009 recipient of the Dick Enberg Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award.

• (Left Bottom Two) The soccer and baseball programs were the 2009 recipients of the Dick Enberg Team Leadership Award.

• (Right) A total of 102 student-athletes were honored at the 18th annual Student-Athlete Academic Excellence Banquet for having at least a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average through the conclusion of the Fall 2009 semester.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

The Athletics Department prioritizes the importance of its student-athletes being involved in initiatives that give back to the community. The Athletics Department wants its coaches, administrators, and students to be seen as community leaders that understand the importance of community involvement:

• Fall: The football team visited five elementary schools throughout the Mount Pleasant community to provide leadership and mentoring to area youth.

• October: Student-athletes participated in a food drive for the American Red Cross, collecting more than 5,000 canned and dry food items.

• December: Student-athletes held activities to support the Isabella County Food Pantry and the Salvation Army’s Adopt-A-Family.

• February: Student-athletes, coaches, and administrators managed a number of different events to raise money for breast cancer research.

• April: Student-athletes raised over $1,500 for Kids In Distressed Situations, providing Haiti relief through their annual Jock Rock.

• Summer: Many student-athletes participated in Elementary School Field Days at area schools.

In addition, many student-athletes assisted local non-profit organizations and participated in reading programs at area schools throughout the entire year as part of the Central Athletes Reaching Everyone (C.A.R.E.) program.

FUNDRAISING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

CMU EVENTS CENTER GROUNDBREAKING

Annual Growth over Last Five Years

• 2005-06 Annual Fundraising Total ................. $616,878

• 2006-07 Annual Fundraising Total ................. $800,010

• 2007-08 Annual Fundraising Total .............. $1,081,520

• 2008-09 Annual Fundraising Total .............. $1,130,393

• 2009-10 Annual Fundraising Total .............. $1,206,499

During the University Annual Campaign the Athletics Department received awards for “Most dollars pledged by a department” and “Highest participation by a depart-ment.”

• In five years, revenues have increased by more than $500,000, accounting for a 79% growth, despite a significant decline in the state economy.

• The 1100 Club was launched in June 2007 with a goal of having 100 donors donate at least $1,100. Our current annual membership base is 180 strong and has been generating an additional $250,000 (on average) per year for our football program.

• Our annual donor base has grown by more than 800 donors over the past five years to a current count of 2,613. • The inaugural Chippewa Challenge Golf Outing and Dinner Celebration was held in June 2010, consolidating

eight individual fundraising golf events into one marquee outing. The even reached its goal of raising $100,000, due to 360 golfers, who participated on three courses, and 81 sponsors.

List of events:- Pre & Postgame functions for every home football game, and men’s and women’s basketball game- Signing Day football reception- Reunions/Special alumni events for a number of sport programs- Special events surrounding postseason competition (MAC Championship(s), Bowl Game and postseason

NCAA tournaments)- “Meet the donors and alumni” gatherings around the state for new football coaches

FACILITIES PROJECTS

The Athletics Department manages facilities that host approximately 965 annual events, including physical education classes, club sport program practices and competitions varsity sport practices, cheer and dance team practices, meetings, band practices, Special Olympics events, Pow Wow, Home Show, high school competitions, sport camps and clinics, and a host of other activities. Approximately 500,000 people use the department’s facilities through their attendance or participation. One of the Athletics Department’s primary goals is to increase the use of its facilities by external groups in the region and state.

The Athletics Department continues to prioritize the improvement of each facility’s aesthetics and functionality. Projects that were prioritized in 2009-2010 are as follows:

• Events Center construction – funded by raised dollars and University dollars• Softball field and bleacher renovation- – funded by a $300,000 capital

fundraising initiative • Field turf in Indoor Athletics Center’s (IAC) turf bay – funded by deferred

maintenance • IAC meeting room renovation – funded by $70,000 capital fundraising initiative• Baseball practice stadium

CMU EVENTS CENTEROPENS DECEMBER, 2010