Hello Viking Fans!
The 2022-23 academic year has begun! Over the last few days we have moved students into the residence halls, welcomed new students to CSU with the traditional MagnusFest Pep Rally, and oriented our student-athletes with a Welcome Back program and reception. The energy our students bring to these early kickoff events is contagious and really brings life to our amazing campus.
Cleveland State University students, including our 365+ Viking student-athletes, started the fall semester today on their way to what promises to be a very successful year in the classroom and in competition.
Take a look at some department updates from this summer and things to look forward to in the semester ahead!
WELCOME TO NEW STAFF
Summer is normally the height of the hiring cycle in higher education, including intercollegiate athletics This year was no exception and we are excited to welcome the following new staff to CSU that joined us in June, July or August:
Men's Basketball – Steve Payne/Special Assistant to the Head Coach, Daniel Karliak/Assistant Director of Operations, Nate Michael/Player Development and Video Coordinator
Wrestling – Devin Schroder/Assistant Coach, Domenic Abounader/Assistant Coach
Sports Performance – Curt Johnsen/Director of Basketball Sports Performance, Ava Fagin/Asst. Director of Sports Performance (promoted from intern)
Swimming & Diving – Chalmers McGillivray/Assistant Coach (Diving), Noah Moran/Assistant Coach (Swimming)
Women's Basketball – Hanna Zerr/Special Assistant to the Head Coach
FALL SPORTS COMPETITIONS UNDERWAY
Our fall sports, including women's soccer, men's soccer, volleyball and cross country have been on campus since early August and are getting their competition seasons underway.
Women's soccer sports a 1-1-2 record with a shutout win against Saint Joseph's and draws against Kent State and St. Bonaventure. The team will return to Krenzler Field on Sunday, September 4 in a 2:00 p.m. matchup with Niagara. The team was picked to finish fourth in the Horizon League pre-season poll.
Men's soccer has started with a 1-0 record after picking up a 4-0 shutout against Canisius in the season opener. The team was picked second in the Horizon League pre-season poll as they look to return to the HL Championship game after last year's runner-up finish. They will be in action at home against Marshall on Wednesday, September 7 at 7:00 pm. To purchase tickets, click here.
Volleyball opened their 2022 campaign with a three-match tournament in Buffalo, and will return to Woodling Gymnasium for their home opener on Friday, September 9 with a matchup against Morgan State at 6:00 p.m. To purchase tickets, click here.
Cross Country gets started on Thursday, September 1 with an invitational run at Wooster.
BASKETBALL SCHEDULES/TICKETS
It seems that getting a basketball schedule finalized stretches later and later each year, so we were happy to share final men's and women's basketball schedules (including exhibitions, non-conference and Horizon League dates and opponents) a couple of weeks ago.
Basketball at the Wolstein Center is just around the corner and we are eagerly planning our basketball showcase scrimmage for late October. More info to come soon!
Season tickets for men's basketball are available and start at just $60 each. Information regarding individual game promotions and ticket availability will be shared over the next couple of weeks.
We hope to see you for home openers on Monday, November 7 when the men open versus Notre Dame College and on Saturday, November 12 when the women take on Hofstra!
VIKING FUND MEMBERSHIPS
2022-23 Viking Fund memberships are now available! We are proud of the continued growth of the Viking Fund, which supports all 19 of our sport programs (now including competitive e-sports!) and 365+ student-athletes.
With your support of the Viking Fund, donations to our individual sport programs, and to our ongoing campaigns including the Busbey Natatorium Enhancements, Wrestling Weight Class Champions and Woodling Gymnasium Improvements, CSU Athletics was able to raise a record $1 million+ in funding during the past academic year.
Continued growth of these programs moving forward fuels our sustainability as a competitive Division I athletics program, while allowing us to find strategic ways to enhance the day-to-day experience of our student-athletes.
For more information visit CSUVikings.com/VikingFund, or contact Brandon Longmeier/Assistant AD for the Viking Fund at b.longmeier@csuohio.edu.
SPORT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
In case you missed it, CSU recently announced a move of the Sport Management program into the Monte Ahuja College of Business and a focus on undergraduate enrollment growth in the program as outlined in the CSU 2.0 strategic plan. Sport management will be led by the highly regarded Jim Kahler, who we look forward to partnering with to help benefit the growth of the program and CSU Athletics by way of serving as an on-campus lab experience for current and future sport management students. Welcome Jim and our new sport management students!
DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PLAN
We continue to make great strides at implementing many of the strategies included in the CSU Athletics Strategic Plan.
We recently announced an extension of our Nike and BSN Sports apparel partnership and a new partnership with Teamworks.
On the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) front we are working with industry leader OpenDorse, via a Horizon League-wide partnership, to soon launch a CSU NIL marketplace and enhance our education and NIL opportunities for CSU student-athletes.
We look forward to sharing our continued progress on strategic plan initiatives throughout the 2022-23 year.
Thank you as always for your continued support of CSU Athletics and our 365+ student-athletes. Please feel free to send your feedback and questions to CSUDirectorOfAthletics@csuohio.edu.
Go Vikes!
