The Next AD - A Discussion Thread

[Dan]

From a outsiders perspective (yet a donor), it appears the new AD is starting with a blank slate for better or worse. I don't think DB had anything in the works. Or nothing that was important enough to tell your donor base about.

there have been rumblings that we need a better weight room for while. That's all I have heard.

[WstateU]

From a outsiders perspective (yet a donor), it appears the new AD is starting with a blank slate for better or worse. I don't think DB had anything in the works. Or nothing that was important enough to tell your donor base about.

DB's 'master plan' is in his "Book of Secrets" folder...

[WstateU]

Media invited to press conference introducing new WSU Athletic Director Kevin Saal | Wichita State News

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Expectations for next year:

1. Win VB National Championship
2. Win Mens and Women's Basketball National Championships
3. Win Indoor/Outdoor Track National Championships
4. Win Baseball/Softball National Championships
5. Get into SEC

Nothing else matters, and if he can't accomplish these in 2022-2023, then he should be fired. Is it too soon to start the "Fire Saal" thread?

[SubGod22]

Media invited to press conference introducing new WSU Athletic Director Kevin Saal | Wichita State News

So, 1pm tomorrow. I will be in transit to a funeral and won't be able to watch. So I'm expecting much talk on here about everything so I can check in afterwards and get a feel for it.

[ShockerFever]

Expectations for next year:

1. Win VB National Championship
2. Win Mens and Women's Basketball National Championships
3. Win Indoor/Outdoor Track National Championships
4. Win Baseball/Softball National Championships
5. Get into SEC

Nothing else matters, and if he can't accomplish these in 2022-2023, then he should be fired. Is it too soon to start the "Fire Saal" thread?

Interesting expectations after years of you allowing Todd Butler to bury that program into the ground.

[TrackSuitAndTie]

Though I also don't see the AAC falling off a cliff like some like to dramatize. We're not replacing Houston as they're currently one of the best programs in the country. But a number of the new adds are better than UCF and a couple of them have been better than Cincinnati lately. And that's while in CUSA. It may take a few years for some of them to get up to speed, but the AAC can still be pretty damn strong with what they'll have. And I've said it before, there are existing teams that are currently holding the conference back by not being what they can be, and that includes us. Temple has fallen. Tulsa hasn't gotten over the hump. Memphis in Memphis. Tulane is improving. SMU should be a team that competes for March. North Texas could be a top five team when they join, same for UAB.

If you look just at this year on Bart Torvik, the new AAC would have 6 teams in the preseason top 100 (Memphis, Tulane, Temple, UAB, North Texas, and FAU). I suspect the conference will average somewhere between 5-8 teams in the top 100 moving forward. I don't think the top end of the league will be an issue. The key in determining NCAAT bids will be keeping the floor of the conference out of the Q3-Q4 range as much as possible. This is what regularly plagues the resumes of MVC, CUSA, and A10 teams.

Side note: FAU has a surprisingly decent roster, and has been recruiting pretty well the past few years.

[SubGod22]

If you look just at this year on Bart Torvik, the new AAC would have 6 teams in the preseason top 100 (Memphis, Tulane, Temple, UAB, North Texas, and FAU). I suspect the conference will average somewhere between 5-8 teams in the top 100 moving forward. I don't think the top end of the league will be an issue. The key in determining NCAAT bids will be keeping the floor of the conference out of the Q3-Q4 range as much as possible. This is what regularly plagues the resumes of MVC, CUSA, and A10 teams.

Side note: FAU has a surprisingly decent roster, and has been recruiting pretty well the past few years.

That's encouraging, especially since FAU was an early concern. And none of those six are Wichita, Tulsa or SMU who should be in that picture more often than not.

[1972Shocker]

I was wondering how he pronounces his last name. Based on the audio version of the Eagle article about the 5 biggest challenges facing Kevin they are pronoucing it "Zall" or at least that's how I am hearing it.

[1972Shocker]

Question for those more involved in WSU athletics: what are the priorities if we can get the donations back up? Do we have facility projects lined up or upgrades needed?

As Stickboy46 said it looks like he probably will inherit a blank slate.

According to the Eagle article:

The good news is that Saal developed a “facilities master plan” at Murray State, which meticulously detailed goals to update and advance every athletic facility, that included an emphasis on improving the weight room and training spaces for the men’s basketball team.

Read more at: https://www.kansas.com/sports/colleg...#storylink=cpy

Unfortunatley, while he has a blank slate he is nowhere close to having a blank check. He will have to work hard on that aspect as well.

[1972Shocker]

‘The right choice’: What others are saying about Kevin Saal, Wichita State’s new AD

Read more at: https://www.kansas.com/sports/colleg...#storylink=cpy

Comments soliciited/received from Kentucky AD, Minnesota AD, Oregon AD, DePaul AD.

All very positive of course.

The full quotes are also in this goShocker.com press release if you do not have access to the Eagle:

https://goshockers.com/news/2022/6/1...athletics.aspx

Hope this isn't just hype:

Known for an exceptional work ethic, Saal has excelled in developing relationships with donors and has extensive experience in facilities growth under his leadership.

But ADKS can't do it by himself. Shocker Nation has to be engaged as well. ADKS's job will be to turn that engagement on.

[shock]

‘The right choice’: What others are saying about Kevin Saal, Wichita State’s new AD

Read more at: https://www.kansas.com/sports/colleg...#storylink=cpy

Comments soliciited/received from Kentucky AD, Minnesota AD, Oregon AD, DePaul AD.

All very positive of course.

The full quotes are also in this goShocker.com press release if you do not have access to the Eagle:

https://goshockers.com/news/2022/6/1...athletics.aspx

Hope this isn't just hype:



But ADKS can't do it by himself. Shocker Nation has to be engaged as well. ADKS's job will be to turn that engagement on.

At some point the product has to make sense. I ain’t going to a nice sit down restaurant and paying $50 for a bag of lays and a microwaved hamburger.

[WstateU]

I was wondering how he pronounces his last name. Based on the audio version of the Eagle article about the 5 biggest challenges facing Kevin they are pronoucing it "Zall" or at least that's how I am hearing it.

I immediately thought of this, but old (or young) ShockerPrez beat me to the punch...

[Kel Varnsen]

At some point the product has to make sense. I ain’t going to a nice sit down restaurant and paying $50 for a bag of lays and a microwaved hamburger.

The way inflation's going, you might be doing that soon.

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

Interesting tidbit: he was with UK during the infamous 2014 tourney game.