Athletics Building Momentum with Each Success

Colorado State's athletic programs are gaining just the type of national visibility President Amy Parsons and Director of Athletics John Weber had hoped for following the October announcement of the move to the Pac-12.

Take the momentum, build off it and continue to climb. One team passes the baton to the next.

Two student-athletes qualify to represent the school at the NCAA Cross Country National Championships. Have the football team qualify for postseason play. The volleyball team wins the Mountain West title, then the tournament crown and advances to the NCAA Tournament.

This was what they both wanted. Expected, to be honest. To be on the grand stage.

Repeatedly.

"It creates an absolute virtuous cycle. We expect CSU to compete at a national level academically with our research portfolio and with athletics," Parsons said while watching coach Emily Kohan's team compete in Tempe, Ariz. "Anytime our teams compete on a national stage, like volleyball in the tournament and our cross country students going to the NCAA Championships and competing in a bowl game in football, this is what Ram fans expect from athletics. This is the momentum we're going to seize as we move into the Pac-12."

The timing for a resurgence is impeccable. Football opened the millennium with five consecutive bowl appearances, 11 in the first 17 seasons. Volleyball is back in the tournament after a five-year absence, which followed 25 consecutive trips. Men's basketball has qualified for the NCAA Tournament in two of the past three seasons and just picked up a win over Big 12 foe TCU over the fall break, which was the 200^th win of coach Niko Medved's career.

Coach Brian Bedard's track teams annually produce All-Americans, with Mya Lesnar winning a national indoor title in the shot put last year, while Gabi Morris was the national runner-up in the event during the outdoor season. The cross country team is currently on a five-year run of national representation by team and individuals.

Each event moves the needle.

"These are absolutely building moments, and as we look forward to how we're going to grow, I expect to see a lot more of these. We're doing a lot to step up the support of each of our programs; we're doing a lot to help our programs grow," Weber said. "I think in time you're going to see some really remarkable things at CSU. We've won eight games in football, only one of 16 teams to do that. We're going to a bowl game for the first time since 2017. The volleyball team is back in the NCAA Tournament once again. We've got to capitalize on these moments and capitalize on our moving to the Pac-12 and building in a way we go into the Pac-12 on fire and be able to compete at the absolute highest level.

"I'm immensely proud of our student-athletes; I'm immensely proud of our coaches and the job they've done this year. Each of these programs is building momentum we can all be proud of. I want this to continue, I want this to grow. This is absolutely the expectation going forward. I expect our programs to compete at the highest of levels, and that's a wonderful thing for Ram country to be excited about on a year-to-year basis."

The duo is just as encouraged by the feedback they receive from the fan base. Even more important, what they are seeing from the fans.

They are showing up in record numbers. Football set a per-game attendance record this season, exceeding 33,000 fans over the course of seven home dates, bolstered by a record-number of student tickets distributed. Volleyball broke it's attendance record, finishing 11^th nationally in per-game average. Parsons noted the sellout of a women's basketball game last season, and she expects to see another Sunday when Ryun Williams' team hosts Gonzaga.

"With the size of our alumni base, the size of our student enrollment, we're a powerhouse," said Weber, who is intent ono making Colorado State athletics the most watched, most loved and most innovative program in the West. "We're going to be able to capitalize on all of that."

As Parsons stood in the courtyard of the team hotel cheering on the volleyball team as they made their way to Desert Financial Arena, she was exactly where she expects to be as Rams build on their successes.

Supporting the university's athletic teams as they pursue dreams on a national stage, providing national attention for Colorado State. For the president, it's an expectation which should permeate all corners of the institution.

"We expect excellence in everything we do. Were a top-tier research institution playing on a big stage in what we're doing academically and through research, and we want athletics to be right there," she said. "We're well on our way. You look at the successes we're seeing across all of our sports; some of our track and field athletes were at the Olympic Trials. They are at the top of their game. We see that with the trajectory of football, and I couldn't be more excited about our volleyball team winning the Mountain West and being in the national tournament. Seeing them compete on the national stage, that's where we deserve to be."

These are the moments she and Weber expect to become the norm, opportunities they anticipate will continue to be produced by the athletic department.

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