beast of the east
Active member
Not sure if this was posted already, from earlier this week:
Dear Red White Club Members,
I hope this note finds you and your loved ones in good health, sound mind, and caring for one another during this challenging and tumultuous period. It has been my absolute honor to serve as the Director of Athletics here at St. John’s for the past 18 months and to meet so many people (like you) with an unwavering passion for our University. For that fact alone, I am inspired every day to represent St. John’s in the best possible manner while helping to spread the good word of the amazing things going on across our campuses and particularly in our Athletic Department.
During these unprecedented times, we remain deeply committed to serving our 350-plus student-athletes on a daily basis and to help them reach their highest potential both on and off the fields of play. As our student-athletes are now home surrounded by family and loved ones, they are still working hard to finish the semester on a high note in the virtual classroom. I applaud the work of our academic support team that has been in overdrive since moving our studies online. Their incredible efforts have exemplified the culture of service to which we are committed.
It’s still hard to believe we are more than six weeks removed from an unforgettable ending to the college basketball season. St. John’s was the last team playing and it should be noted the last team leading when the final buzzer sounded against top-seeded Creighton in the BIG EAST Tournament. Unfortunately, the quarterfinal matchup did not end with pomp and circumstance, but rather a cruel reality that the virus was bringing our society as we know it to a halt. As you would expect, Head Coach Mike Anderson handled the situation masterfully by delivering a sincere message to a disappointed locker room, assuring our players of our commitment to health and safety. It was a proud moment for all of us.
Although several sport seasons were cut short, there were many notable achievements to celebrate as we reflect on this past year. In the fall, the men’s soccer team enjoyed a banner campaign by advancing to the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament and holding a top-10 ranking for the majority of the year. The women’s volleyball team took home the 2019 BIG EAST Championship after topping the tournament’s top two seeds in dominant fashion. In addition, our fencing program was on the verge of its 27th-straight top-10 finish in the NCAA Championships before the season was suspended.
These aforementioned accomplishments and many more from all of our athletic programs certainly brought our ‘Expect to Win’ mantra to life. I assure you these memorable moments could not have been achieved without your support of the Red White Club. Now more than ever we need your help to spread the word and help us increase participation in order to establish the championship level program for which we all strive.
THANK YOU for your unwavering commitment to St. John’s Athletics and our student-athletes! We can’t wait to all be together again. In the meantime, if there is anything we can do for you please don’t hesitate to ask as we continue to ask much of you and your support.
Best always,
Mike Cragg
Director of Athletics
St. John’s University
#ExpectToWin
Dear Red White Club Members,
I hope this note finds you and your loved ones in good health, sound mind, and caring for one another during this challenging and tumultuous period. It has been my absolute honor to serve as the Director of Athletics here at St. John’s for the past 18 months and to meet so many people (like you) with an unwavering passion for our University. For that fact alone, I am inspired every day to represent St. John’s in the best possible manner while helping to spread the good word of the amazing things going on across our campuses and particularly in our Athletic Department.
During these unprecedented times, we remain deeply committed to serving our 350-plus student-athletes on a daily basis and to help them reach their highest potential both on and off the fields of play. As our student-athletes are now home surrounded by family and loved ones, they are still working hard to finish the semester on a high note in the virtual classroom. I applaud the work of our academic support team that has been in overdrive since moving our studies online. Their incredible efforts have exemplified the culture of service to which we are committed.
It’s still hard to believe we are more than six weeks removed from an unforgettable ending to the college basketball season. St. John’s was the last team playing and it should be noted the last team leading when the final buzzer sounded against top-seeded Creighton in the BIG EAST Tournament. Unfortunately, the quarterfinal matchup did not end with pomp and circumstance, but rather a cruel reality that the virus was bringing our society as we know it to a halt. As you would expect, Head Coach Mike Anderson handled the situation masterfully by delivering a sincere message to a disappointed locker room, assuring our players of our commitment to health and safety. It was a proud moment for all of us.
Although several sport seasons were cut short, there were many notable achievements to celebrate as we reflect on this past year. In the fall, the men’s soccer team enjoyed a banner campaign by advancing to the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament and holding a top-10 ranking for the majority of the year. The women’s volleyball team took home the 2019 BIG EAST Championship after topping the tournament’s top two seeds in dominant fashion. In addition, our fencing program was on the verge of its 27th-straight top-10 finish in the NCAA Championships before the season was suspended.
These aforementioned accomplishments and many more from all of our athletic programs certainly brought our ‘Expect to Win’ mantra to life. I assure you these memorable moments could not have been achieved without your support of the Red White Club. Now more than ever we need your help to spread the word and help us increase participation in order to establish the championship level program for which we all strive.
THANK YOU for your unwavering commitment to St. John’s Athletics and our student-athletes! We can’t wait to all be together again. In the meantime, if there is anything we can do for you please don’t hesitate to ask as we continue to ask much of you and your support.
Best always,
Mike Cragg
Director of Athletics
St. John’s University
#ExpectToWin
