Intercollegiate athletics carr sports associates, inc

• 
  8^th place at 2004 Big South Conference Championship
  

Competitive Trends:

• 
  Average finish of 5.8 last five years
  
• 
  Has not finished higher than 5^th place in last five years
  
• 
  Advanced three runners to the NCAA regional meet in 2003
  

Conference Notables:

• 
  High Point, Liberty and Coastal Carolina maintain the three strongest programs in the Big South, although none are competitive on a national basis
  
• 
  Liberty’s roster includes an outstanding rising sophomore who is one of the nation’s premier distance runners
  

RU Opportunity for Future Competitive Success:

• 
  Limited opportunity to win team championship
  
• 
  May be limited to middle of conference standings, except in special circumstances/seasons, due to scholarship limitations
  
• 
  Good opportunity for individual team member(s) to win individual championship
  

• 
  Belmont has won the conference tournament the last three years by 20+ points
  
• 
  Belmont placed 9^th in the 2003 NCAA South Regional
  

• 
  Appalachian State and Chattanooga have been the top 2 programs in the conference for nearly 10 years
  

• 
  William & Mary won 4^th consecutive CAA title and made 8^th straight NCAA appearance. They finished the season ranked No. 27 nationally
  
• 
  James Madison, Delaware and VCU all have periodically fielded strong teams in recent years
  

• 
  The Big South Conference remains the right conference for RU in the sport of Cross Country and there is no benefit to a change in conference affiliation in the sport of Cross Country
  
• 
  Due to current budgeted scholarship limitations (RU 5.31 RU vs. BSC average of 6.43 and BSC max of 11.34), successfully competing for a conference championship is unlikely
  

• 
  Increase number of scholarship equivalencies offered in the sport of Track & Field/Cross Country to at least eight to become more competitive; increase to 11 if want to win championship
  

• 
  Maintain operating budgets which include funding for enhanced recruitment of student-athletes
  

• 
  Conduct an in-depth “SWOT” analysis of the Track & Field/Cross Country program. This analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats should, at a minimum, include a review of personnel, operating budgets, facilities, scheduling philosophy, recruiting and support services (e.g., strength and conditioning, athletic training, etc.)
  

• 
  Using the “SWOT” analysis as a foundation, develop a comprehensive, written strategic plan for the competitive advancement of the program
  

• 
  5^th place at 2005 Big South Conference Championship (just 12 strokes out of 2^nd place; 7 participating schools)
  

Competitive Trends:

• 
  Average finish at conference championship of 7.4 last five years, but has risen from 8^th place to 7^th to 5^th the last three years
  

Conference Notables:

• 
  Coastal Carolina won Big South Championship and earned a No. 11 seed in the NCAA regional (highest seed ever for a Big South institution)
  

RU Opportunity for Future Competitive Success

• 
  Limited opportunity to win team championship
  
• 
  May be limited to middle of conference standings, except in special circumstances/seasons, due to scholarship limitations and strength of Southern institutions
  
• 
  Good opportunity for individual team member(s) to win individual medalist honor
  

• 
  Georgia State won its 4^th consecutive conference championship in 2005 and finished 13^th at the 2005 NCAA Championship
  
• 
  Georgia State has participated in six of the last seven NCAA Regional tournaments
  
• 
  East Tennessee State, a well-funded national power for much of the last decade, and North Florida will be immediately competitive
  

• 
  With departure of East Tennessee State, Georgia Southern and College of Charleston will be two strongest programs in conference
  

• 
  Very good conference that has placed multiple teams in NCAA Regional Tournament (UNC-Wilmington and Towson in 2005)
  
• 
  UNC-Wilmington has finished in the top two of the conference tournament the past three years and has made three consecutive NCAA regional appearances
  
• 
  VCU has won seven of the last nine conference tournaments
  
• 
  Old Dominion has won or finished second in three of the last four conference tournaments
  

• 
  The Big South Conference remains the right conference for RU in the sport of men’s golf and there is no benefit to a change in conference affiliation
  
• 
  Due to current budgeted scholarship limitations (RU 2.27 vs. BSC average of 3.04 and BSC max of 4.46) , successfully competing for a conference championship is unlikely
  

• 
  Increase number of scholarship equivalencies offered in the sport of men’s golf to at least three to become more competitive; increase to 4.5 if want to win championship
  

• 
  Conduct an in-depth “SWOT” analysis of the men’s golf program. This analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats should, at a minimum, include a review of personnel, operating budgets, facilities, scheduling philosophy, recruiting and support services (e.g., strength and conditioning, athletic training, etc.) related to Men’s Golf
  

• 
  Using the “SWOT” analysis as a foundation, develop a comprehensive, written strategic plan for the competitive advancement of the program
  

• 
  7-6-4 overall record
  
• 
  3-3-1 conference record (5^th place)
  
• 
  0-1 conference tournament record
  

Competitive Trends:

• 
  Average conference regular-season finish of 5th over last five years
  
• 
  7-6-4 record in 2004 was first overall record above .500 since 2000
  
• 
  Has not had a conference record above .500 since 2000
  
• 
  Has not finished higher than 5^th in conference standings in last four years
  
• 
  Highest finish in last five years was 2^nd in 2000
  

Conference Notables:

• 
  Coastal Carolina (RPI of 45) has established itself as the dominant program in the league, winning eight conference championships; Coastal is now recognized as a national top 50 program
  
• 
  Birmingham Southern (RPI of 113) won the 2004 Big South regular season and has now emerged as the 2^nd best program in the conference
  

RU Opportunity for Future Competitive Success:

• 
  Limited opportunity
  
• 
  May be limited to middle of conference standings, except in special circumstances/seasons, due to scholarship limitations.
  

• 
  Traditionally a one-bid NCAA Tournament conference
  
• 
  Strength of conference will be diminished by loss of UCF, who won the last three conference tournament championships
  

• 
  Solid conference with chance to get multiple teams in NCAA Tournament
  
• 
  UNC-Greensboro (RPI of 9), ranked No. 1 nationally for part of 2004 season, has emerged as class of conference
  
• 
  College of Charleston, Furman and Appalachian State solid programs capable of going to NCAA Tournament
  
• 
  Furman won five straight conference championships prior to 2003
  

• 
  Very good conference with three teams ranked in Top 50 nationally in 2005 (Old Dominion – RPI of 12; VCU – RPI of 14; and Hofstra – RPI of 48)
  
• 
  All three earned NCAA Tournament bids and advanced to second round
  
• 
  VCU upset No. 1 seed Wake Forest to advance to quarterfinals
  

• 
  VCU has won two of the last three conference tournaments and the past three regular-season championships
  

• 
  Old Dominion has an average conference finish of 2.25 over the last four years
  

• 
  The Big South Conference remains the right conference for RU in the sport of Men’s Soccer
  
• 
  RU would have no greater opportunity for competitive success in either the Southern Conference or Colonial Athletic Association, and, in fact, would likely face an even greater competitive challenge
  
• 
  The opportunity that might exist for greater competitive success in the A-Sun is offset by increased travel expenses, loss of current rivalries, etc.
  
• 
  Due to the university’s outstanding soccer facility, and the significant recruiting and training benefits the facility can provide, greater competitive success can be achieved in this sport
  
• 
  Due to current budgeted scholarship limitations (RU 6.9 vs. BSC average 7.8 vs. BSC max 9.88) competing for a conference championship will be challenging
  

• 
  Increase number of scholarship equivalencies offered in the sport of Men’s Soccer to at least eight to become more competitive; increase to 9.9 if want to win championship
  

• 
  Initiate outdoor field improvements as described in Facilities Master Development Plan of June 2004 to include installation of a multi-purpose, artificial grass, field to be used by Field Hockey, intramurals and recreation, and to serve as an alternate practice facility for the Men’s and Women’s Soccer Teams
  
• 
  Initiate fill/drainage improvements to lower practice fields to reduce level of shared use, safety and quality of training facility
  

• 
  Conduct an in-depth “SWOT” analysis of the Men’s Soccer program. This analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats should, at a minimum, include a review of personnel, facilities, operating budgets, scheduling philosophy, recruiting, support services (e.g. strength and conditioning, athletic training, academics, etc.) and external financial and revenue-generating activities related to men’s soccer
  

• 
  Using the “SWOT” analysis as a foundation, develop a comprehensive, written strategic plan for the competitive advancement of the