Santa Clara Men's Basketball - Should We Expect Great Expectations?

 

                                                                                                                 

In 2013, SCU Athletic Director Dan Coonan declared with great enthusiasm a "new day" for Santa Clara Athletics when Fr. Michael Engh convened an elite panel to study and recommend the path forward for Athletics.  

In July 2014, the SCU Board of Trustees approved the President's Blue Ribbon Commission Plan for "national relevance" for Bronco Athletics and, in particular, Men's Basketball.  This became a piece of the SCU 2020 strategic plan.  The results for Men's Basketball during this seven year period was three winning seasons without any WCC titles, NIT or NCAA invites.  That's not national prominence.  The only National program was Women's Soccer with six NCAA appearances and, yes, a National Championship College Cup in 2020.

From 2021-2024 there was significant improvement in Men's Basketball.  Four consecutive winning seasons, three 20+ win seasons, two NBA first round draft picks, and two NIT invites.  Our NBA picks got us great national press and exposure; yet for all this improvement, we remain in 3rd and 4th place in the WCC.  

In January 2023, current President Julie Sullivan initiated the Impact 2030 strategic plan that mentions Women's Soccer and Men's Basketball as part of the "Belonging for all Broncos" strategic priority to engage and foster pride in our students.  This 2030 plan, I believe, will be the third time Men's Basketball is mentioned, but this plan is silent on the goal of national prominence.  

For Bronco season ticket holders and fans, we aren't sure if we're hoping for "third times a charm" or "playing the three card monte shell game?"  

No doubt, from 2020-2024, our athletics facilities and staff finally enjoyed the makeover  that the University academic areas have flourished from for the past 20 years.  But if you read the Impact 2030 recap of results from the 2020-2024 strategic plan under National Prominence, there is no mention of Athletics in the "University on the Rise" summary. 

We have been down this road before with Father Locatelli and Father Engh, and, now President Sullivan in addition to previous Athletic Directors Dan Coonan and Renee Baumgartner plus coaches Kerry Keating, Herb Sendek, and staff.  

It would be nice to see a set of Goals for Athletics and, in particular, Men's Basketball, that have specifics and accountability.  President Sullivan, The Trustees, and new A.D. Heather Owen are openly talking about and seem committed to rising another level to challenge Gonzaga and the other big five national Catholic Universities in Men's Basketball.  

It's a perfect time to "go for it" with NCAA sports and Men's Basketball becoming a free agent market - to go get more talent.  Find it and NIL it.  It works for Gonzaga, Creighton, Xavier, Villanova, and Marquette.  The thing is, many of our donors love having their names on a building.  How about a WCC championship or consistent NCAA invites instead?  That's unprecedented national PR exposure.  I love Rhodes Scholars, but I also love basketball All- Americans like we used to have.  Who gets more press for the University? 

Our coaches, while piling up consecutive 20 win seasons, come from conferences where four teams usually get NCAA invites due to the strength of the league competition.  Not the WCC.  Just not going to happen, unless you win the league or the conference tournament.  That's not going to change when Gonzaga bolts for the Pac 10 or 12 or whatever number of teams.  We will still have to deal with St.. Mary's, USF, and others that will challenge for that title and maybe only one NCAA ticket.

I think season ticket holders want either to be bold or fold.  Use this season of winning to build a war chest of what it takes to go to the next level.  We have the roster to make a statement this year.  

How?  Make the NCAA tournament this season.  Then, although the way above my pay grade, maybe SCU to the PAC 12 in 2026?  Sound crazy?  With Gonzaga moving to the PAC 12 they must have assurances the league will survive.  Washington State and Oregon State are moving from the WCC to the Pac 12 in 2026 as well.  

The upside is, it would help our scheduling with more selective non-conference games because the league competition would be much stronger.  It would signify a real commitment to this notion of rivaling Gonzaga and the other teams mentioned above.  Our coaches built their resumes in the PAC 12 type leagues, so it's not a foreign concept.  For recruiting, better players want better competition.  

The downside is we forego the possibility to win league titles or tournaments and qualify for NCAA's in a weakened WCC.  It's is definitely a cheaper solution.  The other risk is similar to our Achilles Heel of the past 30 years - money, commitment, and accountability.

If we want to be truly National, we need to earn it.  

If it all doesn't' work out, we can always go down to a level of recreational sports and continue to be a strong academic presence in Silicon Valley.

So, should we expect great expectations?  We hope so.  We would love to see the Broncos as a horse to ride into an NCAA tourney!

Next up.  My interview with our New Athletics Director - Heather Owen.