Develop, graduate and inspire champions through athletics.
University of Massachusets Athletics
Massachusetts Athletics Strategic Vision
MASSACHUSETTS ATHLETICS
Strategic Vision
Building champions and instilling pride through excellence in the classroom, community and competition.
Build champions and instill pride through excellence in the classroom, community and competition.
OUR CORE VALUES
FLAGSHIP
FLAGSHIP
FAMILY
Foster and promote an inclusive environment; 21 sports = 1 team
LEADERSHIP
Inspire and educate others
AUTHENTICITY
Be true to yourself
GRIT
Perseverance and resolve to achieve
SERVICE
We before me
HEART
Unwavering courage
INTEGRITY
Uncompromised strength of character
PASSION
Desire to be the best
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
Educate
Through a student-athlete centered approach, develop strong individuals who will achieve academic excellence, career and personal development and holistic wellness.
OBJECTIVE 1Academic Excellence
- Foster a supportive environment focused on academic excellence through growth mindset practices in all academic support interactions ensuring student-athlete eligibility and continued persistence toward graduation.
- Achieve and document department NCAA standards relative to the Academic Progress Rate (APR) and meet or exceed the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for the university.
- Invest in initiatives that provide an optimal academic experience for student-athletes using peer comparisons and industry best practices.
- Collaborate with campus partners to review and enhance processes, policies and technologies, to more effectively evaluate progress and support student-athlete academic success.
- Every five years, have a professional association conduct a comprehensive review of academic and developmental support for student-athletes, to include staffing, policy implementation and services.
- Collaborate with on-campus admissions to enhance recruitment of first-year, transfer and international student-athletes, ensuring competitiveness with peer institutions.
- Strengthen the relationship with the Office of the Provost through regularly-scheduled meetings to collaboratively review University policies and assess the impact on athletics, ensuring alignment with the evolving landscape of collegiate sports.
OBJECTIVE 2Personal Development
- Create career planning programming, including alumni/ae mentorship to support student-athletes in the development and implementation of a post-graduation plan, including resume building, LinkedIn etiquette, interview preparation and networking.
- Partner with coaches to identify high-potential student-athletes for the Leadership Academy, where they will strengthen leadership qualities, refine communication skills and pursue personal growth to positively impact their teams.
- Foster meaningful connections between student-athletes and campus partners by encouraging shared experiences that integrate into the wider campus community.
- Develop and strengthen partnerships with community organizations to identify, coordinate and promote opportunities for student-athletes to engage in community service and outreach activities.
- Curate and provide comprehensive resources that nurture the personal development of student-athletes and empower them to thrive on and off the field.
- Utilize campus and community partnerships to design personal development programs offered during the summer and winter to equip all incoming student-athletes for a successful transition to UMass.
- Create spaces where student-athletes from underrepresented populations can connect, share experiences and develop a supportive community to foster a sense of belonging.
OBJECTIVE 3Emphasize and Maintain a Culture of Compliance
- Maintain a positive and proactive rapport with coaching staff, encouraging dialogue around compliance.
- Adopt a solution-focused mindset that adapts to the evolving landscape, emphasizing effective communication and exceptional customer service for coaches, student-athletes and staff.
- Continue to grow the rules education program to ensure student-athletes, coaches, non- coaching staff, campus partners and external constituents are receiving regularly-scheduled rules education.
- Collaborate with campus partners to review and verify that all interdepartmental policies and procedures are in accordance with NCAA and sport specific conference rules and regulations.
- Effectively communicate on a regular basis NCAA modernization updates, including the College Sports Commission rules and regulations.
- Perform external audits of athletic financial aid, additional benefits and NIL distribution payments on an annual basis and conduct a full compliance unit external review every five years.
- Cultivate and sustain strong partnerships with campus offices such as Admissions, Auxiliary Services, Bursar, Financial Aid, Global Affairs and Registrar, to ensure seamless support and resources for student-athletes through regular meetings each semester.
Win
Create universal athletic excellence measured in championships, conference finishes, bowl appearances and national rankings.
OBJECTIVE 1Achieve Athletic Excellence
- Commitment to integrity in all aspects of program operation.
- Define and communicate sport-specific competitive expectations that vary across the department based on resource allocation and sport-specific opportunities for success.
- Review and assess current scheduling practices/philosophy and develop sport-specific non-conference schedules that support selection to national postseason participation.
- Develop a plan for all eligible sports to host conference and postseason championships on a regular basis.
- Win at least five conference regular season and/or postseason conference championships annually.
- Win the Jacoby (women’s), Reese (men’s) and Cartwright (overall) awards annually representing overall athletic achievement in the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
OBJECTIVE 2Recruit, Develop and Retain Coaching Talent
- Provide program resources that place UMass as leaders among non-autonomy Division I conferences.
- Top 3 conference standing in coaching staff compensation for each respective sport.
- Recruit head and assistant coaches through national searches with focused effort on diverse candidate pools.
- Grow the administrative infrastructure and impact, allowing coaches to focus on competitive excellence.
- Encourage and facilitate collaborative interactions amongst the coaching staff to share best practices.
- Provide professional development for the coaching staff on culture, values and leadership.
OBJECTIVE 3Recruit, Develop and Retain Talented Student-Athletes
- Attract elite student-athletes by creating a welcoming environment and distinction in all that we do.
- Recruit student-athletes who display a strong work ethic, high athletic skill, proven academic success and great character references.
- Develop and implement sport specific recruiting strategies to attract top talent regionally, nationally and internationally by identifying high impact scholastic and transfer student-athletes.
- Rank in the top 10% of financial aid and additional benefit resources for Division I non- autonomy athletic departments.
- Intentional NIL strategy development for football, M/W basketball and ice hockey.
- Gathering student-athlete feedback through anonymous communication and post-season surveys to analyze, reflect and improve student-athlete experiences.
OBJECTIVE 4Provide Peak Performance, Health and Wellness Services for All
- Prioritize mental and physical health to positively influence performance.
- Recruit and develop energetic and high performing full-time staff in the sports medicine and sports performance units to provide a high standard of health care and fitness.
- Collaborate with our partners at University Health Services and the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health (CCPH) to provide best-in-class care to our student-athletes and identify best practices for health and wellness.
- Design and implement sport-specific injury prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programs to achieve peak performance.
- Invest in team technology to enhance competitive success and streamline injury communication and rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE 5Football Program Success and Sustainability in Football Bowl Subdivision
- Maintain growth in annual operating expenditures to keep pace with FBS non-autonomy peers.
- Lead Mid-American Conference in staffing compensation, support structure and additional benefits and NIL opportunities for student-athletes.
- Raise $1 million+ annually for the Gridiron Club and Script U Scholarship Society.
- Maintain a rolling five-year master plan and execute annual infrastructure improvements to the Jacobson Football Performance Center, McGuirk Alumni Stadium and other spaces that impact academic and competitive success.
- Reorganize future non-conference scheduling to maintain regional rivalries, create home/away balance and meet revenue goals.
- Continue university and department initiatives supporting comprehensive student engagement that will build awareness and grow affinity for the football program.
Inspire
Celebrate Massachusetts Athletics by engaging our campus, community and alumni, fostering school spirit and pride in the Commonwealth’s flagship institution.
OBJECTIVE 1Unify and Strengthen Brand Presence in the Campus Community, Regionally and Nationally
- Further develop and implement a consistent brand voice and visual identity by standardizing messaging across all our platforms, including digital/social communications, traditional press releases and public relations, recruiting materials, donor communications, broadcasts and all aspects of in-venue production.
- Strengthen brand presence in our athletic facilities and across campus by redefining and further distributing guidelines for logo use, signage approval and uniform design. Update wayfinding and signage on campus in relation to athletic facilities and key campus routes.
- Collaborate with Student Affairs & Housing on visible, systematic branding initiatives (e.g., residence hall displays, banners, student giveaways).
- Expand retail development and licensing by launching an e-commerce platform featuring Adidas sideline apparel and UMass Athletics gear, increasing merchandise offerings and enhancing the team store presence.
- Add points of sale at athletic events and strengthen collaboration with the campus bookstore to align products and promotions.
OBJECTIVE 2Support and Enhance Alumni Relations
- Strengthen partnerships with UMass Amherst Foundation and Alumni Association (UMAAA), while collaborating on athletic events with Advancement to align goals and maximize alumni attendance and engagement, including when visiting new MAC markets.
- Hold organized and purposeful alumni events with intended goals, messaging and measured outcomes.
- Expand and activate the alumni network by building a broader database of former student-athletes and alumni supporters while also focusing on reciprocal communication in regards to listening to alumni feedback, sharing updates and creating regular touchpoints.
- Identify and establish new regional markets encompassing all conference affiliations while designing alumni events that include targeted messaging, defined objectives and measurable results. Establish regular regional and MAC market touch points.
- Leverage UMAAA and regional alumni affinity groups to help amplify unified athletics messaging and increase attendance/engagement.
- Build out specific, targeted strategies to engage young alumni (e.g. specific ticket packages).
- Provide meaningful networking, social and career development opportunities to keep young alumni engaged with UMass Athletics.
- Establish mentoring opportunities to connect alumni with current student-athletes.
OBJECTIVE 3Engage Campus Constituents
- Strengthen the relationship between Massachusetts Athletics and the broader campus community by creating meaningful connections to foster pride in the flagship institution and drive attendance at athletic events.
- Facilitate and promote participation of student-athletes, coaches and administrators in traditional campus events (e.g. Founders Day) to build authentic connections with faculty, staff and students.
- Utilize new and refined strategies to increase student engagement, including student section leadership with a focus on energizing our student fan base.
- Engage student organization partnerships, with emphasis on Student Government Association-led initiatives and collaborations.
- Increase recognition and visibility of our students by highlighting campus groups, programs and majors during home contests to reinforce the connection between academics, student life and athletics.
- Develop a comprehensive engagement and communications plan for faculty and staff to foster consistent involvement and support by identifying key stakeholders who can serve as ambassadors and advocates for UMass Athletics across campus.
- Leverage events such as “MACtion” and Faculty/Staff Appreciation events as opportunities to strengthen ties between athletics and campus units.
OBJECTIVE 4External Engagement & Outreach
- Strengthen connections locally, regionally and nationally to grow UMass Athletics visibility, support, revenue streams and attendance growth.
- Establish year-by-year revenue growth goals for ticket sales, sponsorships, licensing royalties and other revenue sources for the department.
- Grow group ticket sales through school, business and community organizations.
- Focus on youth and family engagement by expanding initiatives (e.g. Kids Club, camps, clinics, gameday Kids Zone) and offering exclusive opportunities for local youth to interact with our coaches, student-athletes, band and cheerleaders.
- Develop a structured community outreach plan for coaches and players, with systematic follow-up to drive game attendance by working with campus on proactive communication surrounding the community appearances.
- Leverage positive public relations opportunities to highlight student-athletes and staF beyond competition. Engage with local media to elevate coverage of service projects, clinics and campus/community involvement.
OBJECTIVE 5Create a Memorable Game-Day Experience for Fans
- Deliver an engaging, tradition-rich and modernized gameday environment, leaving a lasting impression on fans, students and community members alike.
- Elevate a customer service first approach through comprehensive gameday staff training to provide frontline staff with tools and resources to improve efficiency and fan interactions and to allow frontline staff to be proactive in communication regarding ticketing, parking and gameday policies.
- Continue investing in in-venue technology to create dynamic game day atmospheres, including an upgraded sound system and adding LED technology at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.
- Innovate in-game entertainment offerings through creative promotions, interactive social media engagement and impactful giveaways while preserving or creating UMass traditions. Engage student-athletes in fan-facing promotions, storytelling and community connections.
- Develop signature in-venue traditions and cornerstone game scripting.
- Utilize a Fan Experience Council to gather feedback, test ideas and serve as a think tank for enhancing the gameday atmosphere. Conduct regular fan surveys to guide data-driven decisions on entertainment, amenities and service while then benchmarking against peer and best-in-class programs.
- Implement a reinvestment model where ticket revenue growth directly funds enhancements for promotions, giveaways, halftime acts and fan zone upgrades.
Invest
Grow additional revenues and maximize operations to support current staff, strengthen human resources, enhance infrastructures, increase student-athlete investment in a new landscape and adequately fund a championship caliber athletic program.
OBJECTIVE 1Increase Revenue Generation
- Leverage internal and external partnerships to maximize revenue.
- Evaluate and grow our multi-media rights agreement by examining the scope, structure and effectiveness.
- Retain, connect and recruit ticket holders by building meaningful relationships through various forms of communication and engagement.
- Enhance current corporate level sponsorships, cultivate new partnerships, expand regionally and collaborate with existing university constituents in key categories.
- Identify and evaluate high-value, visible, non-branded locations at campus and athletic venues.
- Expand and improve external revenue events that can be monetized such as golf outings. Assign staff to lead events and be accountable to revenue and operational goals.
- Explore new revenue generating opportunities through unique athletic facility rentals.
- Evaluate and implement strategies to support revenue and recruiting opportunities for coaching staffs while meeting higher revenue targets for external rentals.
OBJECTIVE 2Increase Philanthropic Support
- Achieve annual fundraising targets as established by UMAF.
- Ensure philanthropic goals align with and directly support the department’s strategic priorities (e.g., scholarships, additional benefits, facilities).
- Raise $1,000,000 in year one of Script U Scholarship Society fundraising supporting athletic scholarships and additional benefits. Achieve annual growth of at least 25% year-over-year.
- Identify and secure naming opportunities within athletic footprint.
- Establish or grow sport-specific endowments supporting coaching, scholarships/additional benefits and operational budgets to ensure long-term financial stability and competitive success.
- Develop a comprehensive donor engagement plan encompassing donor segmentation (e.g., major gifts, annual fund, lapsed donors), annual solicitation/event calendar and intentional stewardship strategies.
- Grow the major gift pipeline through individual engagement utilizing UMAF prospect research and CRM and athletic ticketing information.
- Utilize UMass Gives to support sport program priorities, expand donor participation and identify new leadership annual giving and major gift prospects.
- Expand the donor base with campaigns targeting new contributors, lapsed donors and student-athlete parents.
OBJECTIVE 3Support current staff and enhance human resources
- Develop a recruitment plan to attract the most qualified staff and coaches to our department.
- Explore opportunities to increase staff retention.
- Promote personal and professional growth of staff and coaches through performance management and professional development opportunities.
- Create an environment where community building, personal wellness and professional relationships are fostered.
- Cultivate an inclusive and welcoming culture by providing opportunities for department engagement both within athletics and campus wide.
- Continue to enhance regular facilitated trainings on various topics providing resources and education for employees to effectively meet goals and improve competitive performance.
- Conduct an annual market peer analysis of our department, to identify and implement proper staffing levels, salaries and human resource allocations.
OBJECTIVE 4Enhance infrastructure and Facilities
- Update master facilities plan to outline short-term (1-3 years), mid-term (4-7 years) and long-term (8+ years) priorities, costs, use and implementation strategies in the areas of capital improvements.
- Renovate McGuirk Stadium to modernize the facility aesthetic, expand stadium events and programming, enhance the fan experience and advance revenue opportunities.
- Strategize and create premium club opportunities in the Mullins Center.
- Expand the infrastructure at Sortino, Rudd and the Track and Field facilities to better support game operations, broadcast capabilities, video replay review, fan experience and help recruit/retain top athletic talent.
- Create a preventative maintenance plan to extend the life of facilities and equipment and ensure that we are proactively replacing equipment and critical infrastructure to avoid facility/operations issues.
- Reinforce relationships across campus (Alterations/ DCM/ Custodial/ Chancellors Office/Student Affairs/Stockbridge School of Agriculture) to improve communication, service and efficiencies, and ensure that we are a key driver in future campus planning and infrastructure initiatives.
- Create a system to update department branding for all current and future athletic facilities and confirm annual updates (accomplishments, logos, conference members, etc.) are completed.
- Create and implement a technology master plan to provide cutting-edge assets across the department.
OBJECTIVE 5Improve Operational Systems
- Annually review and update policies and procedures to ensure consistency and transparency throughout the department.
- Optimize usage of software and databases to enhance operational efficiency.
- Review operational processes for travel, scheduling and budget management to improve department wide understanding and communication.
- Review and implement security, access and event management protocols to prioritize user safety and standardize systems.
OBJECTIVE 6Improve Financial Stewardship/Accountability
- Develop sport-specific and unit plans that outline priorities leading to improved performance, achievement of department goals and initiatives that directly impact competitive success.
- Create and distribute monthly budget reports to capture real-time fiscal accountability.
- Prioritize expenses and create pathways to increase financial benefits and support systems for student-athletes.
- Strategize and benchmark future growth opportunities through peer and market analysis.