Director of Athletics Kevin Saal

[Shocker82/85]

Saal said a couple things that I have not heard. Armchair has $500,000 from donations/pledges/monthly commitments. Armchair will be offering players $25,000 yearly marketing contracts paid monthly as long as they are competing for WSU. I think this is primarily to make men’s basketball competitive. I may need to listen again.

[WuDrWu]

Really is a great listen. He wasn't crystal clear on the NIL but I read the same thing into it. 25K baseline for men's basketball.

I didn't hear an update on the Alston Grants/Scholarships and where we stand on that and funding.

https://www.jmco.com/articles/collegiate-athletics/alston-decision-what-does-it-mean-for-student-athletes-universities/

There is a lot to unpack there.

Here's South Carolina's statement regarding awarding $2990 per semester to every single student athlete, regardless of scholarship or walk on status.

https://gamecocksonline.com/news/2022/01/20/featured-south-carolina-athletics-provides-alston-funds-to-all-student-athletes/

How is this funded? From the school? At the school's discretion? Are we making headway here?

[WuDrWu]

Oh, and not to dive too deep into hyperbole, but it's becoming abundantly clear that President Muma hit a home run with the Kevin Saal hire, and probably equally so that he's unlikely to be here a long time unless we REALLY make it worth his time. He's good.


Kind of torched FADDB, while apologizing for it at the same time. Also seems like a reason we've gone through some staff in the first year, and imho, are likely to go through some more staff in the not so distant future.

[Shocker82/85]

From where WSU was with NIL a year ago to this is a big step forward. Good work by Armchair and Saal.

[BostonWu]

Oh, and not to dive too deep into hyperbole, but it's becoming abundantly clear that President Muma hit a home run with the Kevin Saal hire, and probably equally so that he's unlikely to be here a long time unless we REALLY make it worth his time. He's good.


Kind of torched FADDB, while apologizing for it at the same time. Also seems like a reason we've gone through some staff in the first year, and imho, are likely to go through some more staff in the not so distant future.

Hopefully gets baseball back on track while he's here.

[WstateU]

I believe KS hired the person he wanted; the guy that checked the most boxes and fit his model. He basically said PM was his number one target; they ruled out anyone that didn’t have previous head coaching experience. A big swing and miss for ole WstateU, who thought Kellen Sampson might be the choice. Guess I need to have a ‘heart-to-heart’ talk with good ole Ross (“Talk to me Ross”).

That was an excellent interview and a good listen for anyone still on the fence about this hire. I was even impressed with Jacob Albright… he did a nice job interviewing KS. Can’t recall his sidekick, but he seemed to know KS previously?

Again, take the time to listen to the interview… definitely worth 12 minutes of your life.

[1972Shocker]

https://www.audacy.com/podcast/sport...vin-saal-3b368

Sports Daily

What an easy interview for local media. ADKS obviously know his stuff. I don't know if you could have hired anyone who would have been a bigger contrast to his predecessor. As WuDrWu pointed out WSU and the boosters need to take care of ADKS and make sure he is a around for a good number of years.

[Kel Varnsen]

Oh, and not to dive too deep into hyperbole, but it's becoming abundantly clear that President Muma hit a home run with the Kevin Saal hire, and probably equally so that he's unlikely to be here a long time unless we REALLY make it worth his time. He's good.


Kind of torched FADDB, while apologizing for it at the same time. Also seems like a reason we've gone through some staff in the first year, and imho, are likely to go through some more staff in the not so distant future.

Hard not to overstate this.

[ventichai]

Saal strikes me as the type of guy that loves his job and wants to be a leader in this community. Big heart like that usually comes through in the quality of one’s work, and it shows.

[pogo]

I agree with the sentiment of making it worth his while to keep ADKS around for quite awhile. We have seen what devastation a weak AD has wrought.

[AZ Shocker]

ADKS totally works for Wichita St.!!! Very impressive leadership in listening to his interviews. The synergy is there....captivate it...and let it roll ShockerNation!!!! Go SHOCKS!!!

[Veritas]

On KFH B&J show yesterday

https://www.audacy.com/podcast/bob-and-jeff-35264/episodes/the-latest-from-the-shocker-sports-universe-e5534

[1972Shocker]

Previously posted about the Shocker Caravan in Hutchinson on June 5th here: https://shockernet.net/forum/wichita...77#post1396077

Now I see that this is 1 of 4 such events. MBB HCPM and WBB HCTN will be at all four with 1 of 2 other Shocker coaches from others sports joining them.

Is this something new being implemented by ADKS? It will be interesting to see how this is received in these various communities and what the goal is with these "Shocker Caravans"?

[SubGod22]

I suppose he gets some of the credit for this since it's his department.

Go Shockers - Shocker Student-Athletes Set GPA Record

Wichita State student-athletes set a school record with a 3.406 cumulative grade-point average for the Spring 2023 semester. It was also the 36^th-consecutive semester of earning higher than a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average.

In August of 2022, Wichita State Athletics established a bold and aggressive set of five-year strategic objectives. Academically - beginning the Fall of 2022 semester and concluding the Spring of 2027 semester - Wichita State Athletics aspires to achieve a department-wide 3.0 GPA all 10 semesters, a department-wide 3.30 GPA five out of the next 10 semesters and a department-wide 3.40 GPA once out of the next 10 semesters. The Spring of 2023 accomplished all three of these objectives, after achieving a "never been done before" department-wide GPA of 3.406.

"Today's record-breaking announcement, achieving a 'first ever' department-wide GPA above a 3.4, brings great joy to our department, University and community," said Director of Athletics Kevin Saal. "Our student-athletes, coaches, support staff and administration have consistently prioritized elite academic performance. Over half of our student-athletes identify as first-generation college students, so these results represent generational and transformational change not only within their families but also collectively within our athletics department family."

Of the 198 student-athletes on the honor roll (above a 3.0), 45 earned a perfect 4.0 GPA, while 124 were named to the Dean's List (3.5 GPA) and 182 were named Shocker Scholars (3.2 GPA). Eighty-six percent of student-athlete grades were either an A or a B.

[Atxshoxfan]

I suppose he gets some of the credit for this since it's his department.

Go Shockers - Shocker Student-Athletes Set GPA Record

That should be a great recruiting tool when dealing with parents.