It's will be five years since July 2015, when Santa Clara made what was considered by many a needed and somewhat controversial decision to hire Dr. Renee Baumgartner as our Athletics Director.
Needed in that our program, once one of the top in the WCC, was expected to try to compete for the past three decades with one of the lowest funding and scholarship levels in our league.
Controversial, that in prior stops, there were alleged program issues that came to light during her tenure. Some felt that other than the school's names beginning with the letter "S" there was little common ground.
During our interview Renee highlighted her strategy to "change the culture" and trajectory of Santa Clara Athletics.
Before mid 2015, coaches were not just coaches, but had to fundraise to make their program budgets work. The Bronco Bench did an outstanding job raising money, but when you're down 30 or so scholarships vs others at SCU tuition rates - well, you get the picture. In Men's Basketball, we caught some lightening in a bottle every 15 years or so, but never got traction as a top tier program in the WCC. We all watched as Gonzaga and St. Mary's put us, sadly, in the rear view mirror on their way to NCAA's and league titles. Then, along came BYU.
Prior to 2015, athletics was such an after thought that during his 11 years as A.D., Dan Coonan wasn't allowed to present his needs or plans to SCU Trustees. Fear of his sharing the dirty laundry of our athletics funding levels.
To Father Engh's credit, The President's Commission on Athletics was formed to study how could SCU get back in the "game" and what would a nationally competitive program mean to the University's reputation and, of course, fundraising. Long story short, they discovered what Gonzaga, Villanova, Marquette, etc. figured out 25 years before us - top tier Athletics, particularly in major sports, made Universities "winners" on and off the court.
Enter Renee Baumgartner. Backed by Fr. Engh and the Trustees she was given the mandate and, finally, the money to start a complete makeover. It was and is a tough resuscitation effort.
It was a program in limbo with little or no accountability. A strategic plan that amounted to win some games and a league title here and there, and a culture of mediocrity that to some was better than being pathetic. At SCU, you didn't get fired for mediocrity.
Fast forward five years. Under Renee, the culture of mediocrity is out, along with the coaches and staff that tried to win without the resources to do so. Ok, you get one scholarship, now go win a WCC title when your competition has 5 or 10. Not gonna happen...
Lots of changes. Top to bottom. Renee is not afraid to make decisions, like them or not, to raise our profile. Upgrades are everywhere to be seen: the new Leavey look, locker rooms, offices that look like a real department so when recruits come they don't see 15 year old carpet and paint, better fitness equipment and conditioning staff to develop D1 competitive bodies, branding from Nike is all over versus just a pair of shoes. The upgrades in the coaching staffs is laying the foundation for consistent long term success - not every 15 years or so. Keep going, Marketing, PR, Nutrition, Academic support, team rooms. On and on, it's happened or in the plan. Many sports now have fully funded scholarships and program funding so coaches can actually coach and not fundraise. What a concept.
On top of all that, the soon to be completed Athletic Excellence Center will be a no compromise facility that rivals the best in the country. Now, we need a team in that facility that can compete with the best.
Whatever you think of the process, a foundation is in place to get SCU to a national level in major sports. This investment has never happened in SCU's long, storied history. Think Women's Soccer level success in the other major sports, but first and foremost in Men's Basketball.
While the foundation has been laid and is undeniably much better, the winning has lagged.
Men's Basketball had a good last season with 20 wins, but is currently .500 in four seasons under Coach Sendek. Men's Baseball under new coach Rusty Filter is 50-71 and was off to a good start in 2020 at 12-5 before Covid-19. Women's Basketball and Softball have struggled to gain momentum under new coaches with sub .500 records. Men's Soccer under 18 year coach Cameron Rast has had a rough patch the past 4 years with their last NCAA tourney bid coming in 2015; to go along with 6 other earlier appearances. Women's Soccer is still the gold standard program at SCU under Coach Jerry Smith with 29 NCAA tourney's in 34 years, one NCAA tournament Championship and 10 WCC titles.
Make no mistake, undoing decades of a reputation for under performance isn't easy. Why would superior athletes want to come to Santa Clara? Even a campus nicknamed "Claradise" doesn't cut it.
When the student body prefers beer pong instead of going to a USF rivalry basketball game on a Saturday - you have a problem...
Face it, current students at SCU didn't come for sports because we had little reputation for them. Great Campus - sports, not on the radar. Took Gonzaga 25 years to get to a level where they now have made 21 straight NCAA's. But we're Santa Clara, so we want it, now.
Right.
We'll know in the next five years if the makeover works. With Renee's new contract extended through 2024 most all the pieces are there and it comes down to winning. Winning games and winning over students and fans. She'll need help. The President's Commission on Athletics has gone silent for five years. Maybe they were the ultimate "one and done" study. Reports are nice but results are better.
Now is the time...it appears Fr. O'Brien gets it. It even seems he likes going to games. I hope he likes to win. Because we all win IF we committ to press on and follow through. I'm sure the University can think of a $billion reasons to achieve Athletic success similar to our Academic stature.
To be a major player, you have to think like a major player and not like just another school who had a plan five years ago.
We're literally on a "mission." Let's make it happen!
