Hello Patriots:
I can't believe it has been over a year since my announcement on April 19, 2023! Time has flown by and I am grateful for the opportunity to lead our athletics department and excited to reflect upon our accomplishments over the past 12-months. Let's take a moment to celebrate as it is truly a great time to be a Patriot!
Academic Success
• We boasted an overall departmental GPA of 3.35 and had 204 student-athletes on the Dean's List. Additionally, 21 of 22 athletic programs earned cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Set a department record with 68 Peter N. Stearns Provost Scholars, recognizing student-athletes with a cumulative 3.75 GPA or better.
• George Mason student-athletes posted higher cumulative GPAs than the general student body for the ninth (9) consecutive year.
• More than 100 student-athletes graduated in the spring, 2024.
Competitive Success
- Men's basketball won 20 regular season games for the first time since 2011-12 punctuated by a victory against No. 16 Dayton , marking the first win at home against a ranked opponent in program history.
- Celebrating its 50th year, women's basketball won a record 23 games, won a program-best 14 conference games and competed in the inaugural WBIT Tournament.
- Wrestling finished a program-best third place in the MAC and a record-tying three of our Patriots competed at the NCAA championships.
- Men's Volleyball went undefeated at home, finished the regular season second in the EIVA, and competed against Penn State in the conference championship.
- Women's lacrosse turned things around from their 2-13 season a year ago to this year finishing the regular season with a 10-7 record and sixth place conference finish - earning a spot in the A-10 Tournament.
- Men's indoor & outdoor track & field programs earned second place finishes at both the A-10 Championships this year.
Fundraising
George Mason Vision Day
We raised over $467,000 from more than 900 unique donors and recorded more than 1,200 total donations! That's an increase of more than $50,000 and over 330 donors than in 2023!
I want to express my sincere gratitude and thank 'Mason Nation' for their generosity as well as congratulate everyone on a successful George Mason Vision Day! It was truly a team effort and a perfect illustration of the community's commitment to our 500-plus student-athletes who proudly wear green and gold and continue to be outstanding ambassadors of our university.
Additionally, I would like to recognize Dan and Patty Wotring, Kathy McKay, Sumeet Shrivastava, Mike '03 and Tanya Ickowitz, Jay and Carolyn Marsh, Tony Skinn '06, Vanessa Blair-Lewis, Kara Mupo and Chris Coneeney for your generous challenge gifts. Our coaches and staff are always up for a great challenge and your kindness and generosity sparked fun and exciting competition amongst our athletic programs.
Blitz Week
It's hard to believe that the fiscal year is closing in just a matter of weeks and what a year it's been! Please join us in celebrating Blitz Week – June 23-30. Help us cross the finish line and put an exclamation point on this record-breaking giving season. We also have a donor challenge for our teams to win as they increase alumni-athlete participation, so be sure to support your Patriots! Let's work together to surpass last year's Blitz Week total of $20,000. More details to come in June from our coaches and social media!
University Branding
In April, we unveiled a redesigned university and athletics logo as a part of a
complete visual identity rebrand. The previous logo system within athletics and across the campus community was inconsistent and confusing, and we now have a consistent look that will unify and galvanize the entire campus community.
We are also the only 'GM' in Division I athletics! This truly aligns with our university's uniqueness and set us apart in the community as we aggressively recruit future student-athletes.
At George Mason, we will always celebrate and recognize our storied past -- but I am energized to chart new pathways with a fresh and innovative look that resemble our powerful story.
We are excited to showcase our new brand throughout the summer and fall – with dynamic team jersey revels as well as highlight new team issued and sideline apparel available to
purchase of your favorite George Mason teams.
Name Image & Likeness
The landscape of Division I intercollegiate athletics is constantly changing around us. We are experiencing a dynamic regulatory environment that presents new challenges and opportunities that must be carefully evaluated to advance George Mason Athletics and provide the best experience for our student-athletes.
To create a positive student-athlete experience, we must continue providing 1st class academic programs, high-level coaching and holistic development, quality competition and practice facilities, and wellness and mental health resources, etc. In addition, the need to identify and secure opportunities for student-athletes to monetize the use of their name, image and likeness (known as "NIL") has grown tremendously, especially in men's and women's basketball.
New NCAA regulations and Commonwealth of Virginia laws permit a clearer path for universities to provide NIL support services and education to student-athletes and further integrate third-party "collectives" into the athletics ecosystem.
Collectives are a form of "crowdfunding" for fans, donors, sponsors, etc. to invest and compensate players (separate from their institution) in return for legitimate services using their name, image and likeness. Universities and athletic departments have no formal control over these third-party entities but collectives serve as a mechanism to provide NIL related financial support to student-athletes.
In order for George Mason Athletics to remain competitive within the A-10 Conference and maintain our championship aspirations – it is critical that we support student-athletes NIL efforts and the George Mason Athletics official third-party collective, the Patriot Nation Collective (the "Collective"),
The Collective was established
for our student-athletes with assistance from local business leaders who are long-time supporters of our basketball programs. The mission is to create one of the most vibrant NIL markets in the country and to ensure student-athletes are involved in opportunities that benefit their personal, professional and financial growth.
The Collective is making meaningful impact on our basketball programs and needs your support to connect our student-athletes with valuable NIL opportunities. Therefore, I encourage you to learn more about the
Patriot Nation Collective (the "Collective") and consider supporting the NIL efforts of our student-athletes.
George Mason Athletics Strategic Plan
To ensure that George Mason Athletics is well positioned to take on the challenges ahead, we must develop and clearly outline our values, strategic priorities, and shared vision for the future.
Therefore, we launched the George Mason Athletics strategic planning process earlier this spring. We had over 800 individuals (54% external supporters) take our survey as well as many others having in-person discussions with our partner – Collegiate Sports Associates (CSA).
Throughout these informative exercises, your feedback emphasized a high importance on the education, holistic development, well-being, and academic success of student-athletes, as well as operating the department with a high degree of integrity and our high-profile programs competing for championships.
I want to extend my sincere appreciation to members of Mason Nation, our athletics staff, campus community and our many stakeholders who participated in our survey and focus group sessions to help shape the new direction of George Mason Athletics.
In closing, I want to express how very proud I am of our student-athletes, coaches and staff for their tireless work, boundless energy, and commitment to elevating our athletics programs and university. I truly believe that we've had one of the best 12-month periods in our athletics history and the best is yet to come!
I wish all of Mason Nation a wonderful summer and look forward to seeing you at events this summer and back on campus this fall!
Go Patriots!
Marvin
