Dec. 11, 2017

The Chippewas are headed to Idaho!

We are thankful for the opportunity to showcase our program at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. As I've spoken with my colleagues around the country, I have heard nothing but great things about the organization surrounding this game as well as the city of Boise itself.

A postseason bowl game provides myriad benefits to a football program and an athletics department. Additional practices to develop underclassmen, national exposure and the chance to build momentum heading into next season are no doubt important.

The best thing about the experience in my mind, is that our football team has earned the right for our 23 seniors to strap it up one more time for the maroon and gold and end their careers with a bowl championship.

As those aforementioned seniors have laid a figurative foundation for future CMU football success, our donors are working to lay a literal foundation for a game-changing facility in the north end zone of Kelly/Shorts Stadium -- The Champions Center. Already we have nearly $2.5 million committed to this project, and we are in discussions with an architect.

In the weeks and months ahead, we look forward to sharing the stories of the folks who have invested in this project, and I sincerely hope you will consider joining them. We are excited to not only ask you for your support financially, but to ask for your partnership in taking CMU to the next level with this facility.

The shared vision I have often referenced in our Fire Up Chats is rapidly coming together. At the same time, I have solicited your thoughts, I have also met with every member of our department. The three key takeaways from these interactions were:

There is an unmistakable passion for CMU, our staff bleeds maroon and gold.

We have a hungry group that genuinely wants to improve each day.

Our team recognizes the need to go above and beyond in engaging the extended CMU community.

While I enjoy building game-changing facilities and planning for bowl games and meeting with our best friends, there is still one thing that trumps all of that--interacting with our student-athletes.

The quality of student-athlete that we have at CMU is really exciting. It is the highlight of my day when one of them stops by my office to share ideas and we discuss their future and the future of CMU. Investing in their success is the reason I'm in this business.

I hope to see some of you out in Boise, but I know I will see many more of you in McGuirk Arena to watch our red-hot Chippewa basketball teams, our nationally ranked wrestling team and, in the near future, our gymnastics team.

Have a safe and joyous holiday season with your family and friends. Fire Up Chips!