Strategic Plan

Core Values and Objectives

• Culture

  OBJECTIVE	PROGRESS
  Measure the success of a changed culture through qualitative and quantitative metrics on how we are working together as a team and operating with respect toward one another.

• Leadership

  OBJECTIVE	PROGRESS
  Measure the success of a changed culture through qualitative and quantitative metrics (problem-solving, solution-oriented focused metrics)

• Fiscal responsibility

  OBJECTIVES	PROGRESS
  Maximize external revenue streams that enhance Athletics’ overall position
  Establish tangible benchmarks and goals for future growth and reinvestment	New Shoe and Apparel Partner (BSN SPORTS / NIKE) - Secured a five-year partnership and we are a NIKE team school Facilities Improvements: SRC Arena (New bleachers and chairback seats), new Athletics branding, acoustic paneling, lighting, scoreboard fixes, etc.) Soccer Stadium (New scoreboard, new turf, matches airing on ESPN+, capacity crowds) Softball and Baseball (Field enhancements and beautification) New weights, plates, benches, and bars Sports Medicine / Mental Health - In compliance (NCAA) with appropriate number of sports medicine staff  Nutrition - Reallocating existing resources to ensure student-athlete nutritional needs are met
  Work with University Advancement’s Development team to ensure we have an appropriate and growth-focused fundraising strategy in place annually	We are projected to close FY24 with the highest fundraising total for Athletics in the past 10 years. September 2023 was the first Weekend of Giving.

• Competitive excellence

  OBJECTIVES	PROGRESS
  Academic Excellence: Continue to graduate our student-athletes and maintain a GPA for the cumulative group that is on par or higher than the general student body Achieve GSR goal of 90% and APR above 980 Achieve a significant number of our student-athletes on The Big West conference (Commissioner’s Honor Roll), and national academic honors and recognition	Student-athletes achieved a cumulative GPA of just under a 3.2 (FY23) Our 2023 graduating senior student-athlete class boasted a 3.3 GPA All 17 teams had a team GPA of 3.0 or higher and as a program UCR Athletics earned a 985 APR (academic progress rate) and earned the NCAA APR award in FY22 and in FY 23 with a 991 APR 180 student-athletes earned Big West Commissioner’s Honor Roll recognition 82 student-athletes earn Big West All-Academic Honors in the 2022-23 academic year
  Athletic Excellence: Compete for championships in The Big West Conference, post-season NCAA (NIT, WNIT, NISC and other post-season tournaments) berths and achieve regional and national recognition (individual and team) Work to fully fund scholarships across all sports Provide first-class facilities and resources	Conference Champions and NCAA Tournament Qualifiers - Men's Soccer: 2022 Big West Conference regular season and tournament champions, 2022 NCAA College Cup participant (Second NCAA tournament in four years trip and Second Big West Tournament title in four years: 2018, 2022) - Track & Field: 2023 Big West Champions (2 individuals, 1 relay team), 2023 NCAA West Prelims, USA Track & Field U20 Championships - Women’s Golf: 2023 Tiffany Le (Number 2 in The Big West and Top 15 NCAA Championships) Big West Conference Coaches of the Year (2022-23): Men’s Basketball and Men’s Soccer Big West Conference Players of the Year (2022-23): Men's Soccer: Carlos Gonzalez (Goalkeeper of the Year); Women’s Golf: Tiffany Le (also top 15 in the NCAA); Men’s Basketball: Jamal Hartwell (6th Man of the Year) and Lachlan Olbrich (Freshman of the Year)

• Student-Athlete experience, student success and campus integration

  OBJECTIVES	PROGRESS
  Create opportunities for our students on campus further in meeting their needs and paving the way for future career opportunities following graduation by providing opportunities for them to engage with Athletics in multiple ways (e.g., internship program in sports marketing, video, communications, facilities management, etc.)	Two of our teams took international trips in 2022-23 where they competed against world-class and professional level competition: - Men's Basketball spent the beginning of September 2022 in Australia on a very successful 10-day tour where they played four professional teams and visited several cities. - Men's Soccer visited Mexico City in June/July 2023 as part of a UC partnership with AlianzaMX and UNAM on a seven-day trip where they competed against one pro and two university teams.
  Mentorship and development of our student-athletes: Our coaches and our support staff will engage with our student-athletes in a healthy and productive manner and continue to build them academically, athletically and professionally. Through innovative approaches, professional development, and utilizing modern resources/technology, we will support student-athlete needs

• Diversity, equity and inclusion

  OBJECTIVES	PROGRESS
  Integrate DEI goals and metrics into our performance evaluations, programming and planning
  As UCR is #1 in Social Mobility, Athletics will be #1 in aiding in the transformation of a student-athlete's life and use sport as a vehicle to provide opportunities into higher education

• Social justice and human rights advocacy

  OBJECTIVES	PROGRESS
  Leverage the unique platform Athletics provides to further student voices advocating for social justice and equality
  Provide freedom of opportunity to express oneself within the Athletics arena and proudly represent our UCR Athletics brand in the process

• Campus and community engagement

  OBJECTIVES	PROGRESS
  Continue to build on existing partnerships designed to enhance our student-athletes well-being and mental health
  Further establish current working partnerships (and identify new partnerships) within academic units on campus for research and internship opportunities
  Continue to pursue the creation of a graduate program option in sports medicine, management and marketing/communications
  Celebrate campus achievements on-location in our venues and through our platforms
  Student-athletes across all sports to participate in 200 total hours of community service each academic year
  Further develop our youth Athletics fan base (Cub Club) and local groups through group rates and staff/faculty through our All Sports Pass
  Further develop and integrate our student fan base for Athletics
  Market and promote summer camps