William & Mary Athletics is launching the next phase of strategic planning after more than 16 months of comprehensive review. The goal is to achieve a new level of excellence, raising school spirit, increasing national exposure, improving the student-athlete experience, setting national standards in performance analytics, and achieving bold goals for competitive success while sustaining high academic and ethical standards. The plan, expected to be released in early fall, will build on the university's strategic focus to advance William & Mary's distinctive excellence while strengthening its long-term financial sustainability in a rapidly changing environment.
 
This effort builds upon decades of prior plans and reports undertaken by W&M Athletics, and a comprehensive planning website has been launched sharing the historical context providing the foundation for current planning.
 
Beginning in the spring of 2018, the Department of Athletics engaged nationally respected experts, the PICTOR Group, to help guide a review of the entire program and to support further analysis and discussion, drawing on strategic reviews conducted in 2006 and 2015. This summative review received input from more than 1,400 student-athletes, coaches, athletics and university staff, donors and alumni, and includes a comprehensive self-analysis and peer benchmarking.
 
As a result of the collaborative work, the Department of Athletics established a new vision and mission statement, along with a core set of values and goals, which were presented to the Board of Visitors in September 2018 and the William & Mary Foundation's Athletics Sub-Committee in October 2018.
 
"The review process has been extremely thorough," said Director of Athletics Samantha K. Huge. "We've learned from past efforts and listened intently to our community in arriving at a shared vision and clear expectations for the future. Now we move into a phase of planning and implementation toward that vision of boldly pursuing excellence."
 
That pursuit will require addressing several challenges documented during data-intensive benchmarking of W&M Athletics. While varsity sports have performed well in some areas, the review found significant action is needed to achieve and elevate the level of excellence across the entire athletics program. As a Division I institution, William & Mary is committed to achieving the same level of excellence in athletics as it does in academics – and in every aspect of university life. The PICTOR Group's report gives renewed impetus for William & Mary to hold itself accountable to reaching its goals in all sports and to ensuring that athletes are able to compete at the highest level, perform at their personal best and realize their full potential.
 
W&M Athletics has already taken steps forward in some areas, including student-athlete high performance. Erik Korem, hired in 2018, is charged with leading a team of professionals, including a coordinator of data science, dedicated to an integrated, holistic approach to training and wellness. Korem holds a doctorate in exercise science and brings experience training Olympic champions, professional athletes, and elite level college athletes to his role at the university.
 
"Ultimately, we want every student-athlete to graduate knowing they reached their full potential in the classroom and in competition," Huge said. "Enhancing our approach incorporating the latest research is vital to allowing our student-athletes to achieve their optimal level of performance."
 
To achieve W&M Athletics' identified goals of competitive excellence, greater resources will be required and a more careful targeting of those resources will be necessary, Huge said. At present, William & Mary supports 38 percent more student-athletes than its Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) peers, even while those CAA peers spend, on average, 32 percent more per student-athletes. Therefore, in its next phase of strategic planning, over the summer and beyond, W&M Athletics will be pursuing a combination of increased athletics-generated revenues and private support, while aligning resources with priorities. Together, these strategies will ensure W&M Athletics flourishes well into the future.
 
"Athletics is a valuable asset to William & Mary," said President Katherine A. Rowe, "and we must ensure that our program achieves the same level of excellence that we expect of all of our academic units. A vibrant athletics program advances the university's mission, enhances its visibility and reputation, extends its outreach, and builds great pride within the community. We all benefit when athletics is successful, and we will do what we can to ensure its success."