ATHLETICS BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERSHIP

ATHLETICS BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERSHIP

BOBCAT PRIDE Just like the Perfect Season Miami Dolphins, who called St. Thomas University home for over 20 years, Bobcat Athletics is Champion Athletics. St. Thomas University Athletics is the heart and spirit of the campus, and its courts, fields, and pitches are learning laboratories where our student-athletes develop the skills and attitudes to become leaders for life. Our student-athletes consistently earn national athletic and academic accolades as they maintain GPA s that typically exceed the University average. Through our Champions of Character programming, our student-athletes serve the community while building leadership skills for life. In partnership with the world renowned St. Thomas Sports Administration program, Bobcat Athletics offers internships for undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom are student-athletes as well. STU interns and alumni participated in the founding of the Miami Marlins, the Miami Heat, and the Florida Panthers. St. Thomas boasts more than 1,500 successful Sports Administration alumni, including over 50 college Athletic Directors and 100 executives with national sports franchises. Join the winning Bobcat pride and support St. Thomas student-athletes on their road to becoming Leaders for Life! 1

OUR HISTORY The NFL Miami Dolphins practiced at St Thomas University from 1970-1992. Bobcats baseball had 16 MLB Draft picks from 1984-2013 including Vinnie Chulk and Kiko Calero. Bobcat Hall of Famers include Marinka Bisceglia 89, a softball pitcher, who was first Team All-American with a.400 batting average and Buck Martinez 80, three-year Captain of the Baseball team and a top five nationally ranked hitter. More than 1,500 successful Sports Administration Alumni - over 50 Athletic Directors, 100 executives with national sports franchises. There are dozens of STU Sports Administration alumni currently working for the Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat, Miami Marlins, and Florida Panthers. 2

OUR SPORTS Our vision is to build a prominent college athletics program (including adding additional sports) that will create national champions on and off the field through championship facilities, leadership in sport, and access to key resources for success. STU currently fields 14 sports, all of which provide exceptional leadership opportunities for St. Thomas student-athletes: Baseball Men s & Women s Basketball Men s & Women s Soccer Softball Volleyball Men s & Women s Tennis Men s Golf Men s & Women s Cross Country Cheer & Dance Women s Sand Volleyball (new) Women s Golf (new) 3

OUR FOUNDATION Championship Facilities Campus stakeholders and visitors alike will enjoy championship facilities that reveal the outstanding quality of effort and achievement of the St. Thomas Bobcats. 4

TENNIS COURTS Relocation of Tennis Complex with 12 new Courts, Lights, Pavilion and Bleachers Windscreen and Artwork Showcasing Championships 5

SAND VOLLEYBALL COMPLEX Three Newly Constructed Sand Volleyball Courts to Support the Emerging Sand Volleyball Sport Championship Lighting 100 Seat Bleachers Equipment to Include Volleyball Nets, Uprights, Safety Pads, Netting, Official Stands and Protective Tarps 6

SOCCER COMPLEX Lighting 500 Seat Bleachers Dugouts/Press Box Scoreboard Resurfacing of Soccer Field Windscreen Artwork Showcasing Championships 7

BASEBALL STADIUM Bleachers & New Dugouts New Batting Cages with Roof Enclosure Resurfacing of Baseball Field Windscreen & Artwork Showcasing Championships 8

SOFTBALL STADIUM Lighting 500 Seat Bleachers & New Dugouts New Batting Cages with Roof Enclosure Scoreboard Resurfacing of Softball Field Windscreen Artwork Showcasing Championships 9

OUR STUDENT ATHLETES Building the Bobcats Team, STU is offering comprehensive development and support programs for our students and staff. Champions of Character Program Exemplifies Our Five Core Values: Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Sportsmanship, and Servant Leadership. As a Champions of Character University, STU is growing the program with leadership & athletics speakers; student-athlete volunteerism; and promotion of Champions of Character in the community. Scholarships for Student-Athletes Student Athlete Success Services & Leaders for Life Developmental Program Leaders for life programming including athletic advisors, career counseling and mentoring. 10

FERNANDEZ FAMILY CENTER BASKETBALL ARENA Hall of Fame Awards & Memorabilia Wall Gym Curtain A/V Improvements Court Equipment: Toss-Back Machines, Vertimax Trainer, Shoot-A-Way Machine CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD HOUSE Bathrooms Locker Rooms Storage Concession Stand & Virtual Museum of Minority Tennis History 11

BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERSHIP ATHLETICS ADVISORY BOARD CHAIRS Laura Courtley-Todd, MS 95 Director of Athletics Laura Courtley-Todd has been at St. Thomas since 1996. Courtley-Todd rose from Sports Information Director to Assistant Athletic Director to Associate Athletic Director before given the leadership to run the department. Courtley-Todd has been at the helm of the department as the Athletic Director since 2000. She has made her mark by showing a true commitment to make St. Thomas University a learning laboratory for the athletes and students. STU s student-athletes consistently achieve both athletically and academically with dozens of national student-athlete awards garnered each year during Courtley-Todd s tenure. Dominick Miniaci Chair-Athletics Advisory Board About the Director of Athletics In 2012, Courtley-Todd was honored by her peers when she was named Sun Conference Athletic Director of the Year. Other honors have included the 1999-2000 Florida Sun Conference Female Administrator of the Year and the 1999-2000 Region XIV Athletic Director of the Year by the NAIA. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 1994 at the Ohio State University in Recreation Education and a Master of Science in Sports Administration at STU in 1995. About the Chair Dominick F. Miniaci is a current member of St. Thomas University Board of Trustees and Co-Chairman of the STU Athletics Advisory Board. As a Florida Bar Board certified lawyer in immigration and naturalization law since 1995, he is CEO of the Law Offices of Dominick F. Miniaci, P.A. in Fort Lauderdale and Hamburg, Germany. Family businesses include Paramount Automated Food Services and Paramount Coffee Services, where he is Co-Founder and Director. He is President of Miniaci Investments and Officer and Director of the Alfred and Rose Miniaci Foundation. Mr. Miniaci graduated from Boston University with a BS and received a JD from New England Law Boston. He was named First Team High School All American while attending Iona Prep in New Rochelle, NY. Thereafter, he played football for Boston University. His long list of community involvement includes: current member of the Jack and Jill Children s Center Board of Directors; initiator and later President of the St. Anthony Foundation for Education in Fort Lauderdale; President of the Ft. Lauderdale Fraternal Order of Police Associates (FOP) for over 25 years; and recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Recognition from the FOP in 2011. 12

Building a Nationally Prominent Athletics Program Provides: Recruitment of superior students Development of distinguished leaders for life First-class athletic facilities Competitive graduation rates of student-athletes Community support and engagement Pride by students, staff, faculty and alumni Nationally recognized Champions of Character POCKET To make your gift to the Athletics Deptartment, contact bobcats@stu.edu

JOIN US IN BUILDING OUR FUTURE Building championship athletic facilities will create pride in the University, assist overall recruitment, enhance the community, and grow our Champions of Character program. Join us on the Road to National Prominence! Developing Leaders for Life, one play at a time! stubobcats.com