Dear Friends of Tribe Athletics, 

I know this is a short week for many of you with the long holiday weekend just days away, so in the spirit of brevity, I will keep this message short, or relatively so!

Many of you know that today is the last day of our fiscal year and we are pulling out all the stops so that we can close the books at midnight on a high note!  We are incredibly grateful for all that you do for the Tribe and we are asking that you consider one more gift  as we near the finish line.  I can never say it enough, but you make all the difference when it comes to the success of our department.  When our student-athletes, coaches and teams win championships, you are there hoisting the trophy with them.  Your investment in the Green & Gold enables us to provide the best possible athletic experience for more than 500 young men and women.  

Advancement Leadership
After months of preparation and planning, we have added the last piece to the reorganization of the Advancement Department with the appointment of Kelley Crisci '94 as Executive Director of Athletics Advancement and team lead, and Michael Brown '03 as Senior Associate Athletics Director.  I can't tell you how excited I am to have both of these former student-athletes taking the helm of the department.  Kelley was a member of our Swimming team and later an assistant coach, while Michael was an All-American star on the baseball diamond. 

I'm sure many of you know both of them, and if so, you know that they and their development officers are literally counting how many hours are left until midnight tonight.  I'm positive that a gift today would bring a smile to both of their faces as they settle into their new positions! 

Welcome Fairfield! 
The CAA is expanding again; this time by welcoming the Fairfield University Stags to membership on July 1, 2027.  Fairfield is a private university located in Connecticut.  It has an enrollment of more than 5,400 and the school has been a CAA associate member since 2015 in men's lacrosse.  The school has won the MAAC Commissioner's Cup the last three academic years as well as the last five MAAC Commissioner's Cups for Women's Sports. The Stags have had six programs earn national rankings – Baseball, Women's Basketball, Field Hockey, Men's Lacrosse, Women's Lacrosse, and Women's Soccer – since 2021.   

Playing By the Rules
The NCAA has made a significant change to the rules for eligibility for student-athletes, moving from a model based on number of seasons of competition to one based on age, with student-athletes now having a five-year period of eligibility.  The NCAA has put together a terrific primer on all the aspects and nuances of the new rule for our coaching staffs and they are ready to help our student-athletes navigate the new legislation.

Lord Botetourt Tickets on Sale Soon!
Another reminder that tickets to the 2026 Lord Botetourt Affair go live on July 7! The funds raised from this annual event have provided vital support for thousands of student-athletes, helping to enhance both their academic and athletic experiences. Now entering its 37th year, the Lord Botetourt Affair (LBA) remains the premier fundraising event of the William & Mary Athletics Foundation. This year, the LBA will take place on Sept. 18 at the new, state-of-the-art Mackesy Sports Performance Center on the first night of Family Weekend. Please join us!

Summer Vacation
Here's hoping you have a wonderful Fourth of July as the nation celebrates its 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  The Mannuscript will also enter vacation mode for the next few weeks, but don't be surprised if we can't resist an update or two!

Go Tribe!




Brian D. Mann
Director of Athletics