Director of Athletics updates Athletics Committee on the effect conference changes

Ryan Williams ’13 may be a varsity athlete at the College of William and Mary, but he does not tell prospective players to come to the school solely because of the athletics.

“You can’t beat the education,” Williams said. “You can play at the highest level of athletics but still get an amazing education.”

Williams was the guest speaker at the Board of Visitors Committee on Athletics, a joint meeting between the committee and the College of William and Mary Foundation Board Feb. 7. Following the conclusion of Williams’ speech, he answered questions from committee and foundation members.

Current members were then shown videos from http://www.TribeAthletics.com after it was introduced by Athletics Director Terry Driscoll. The site is trying to incorporate more interviews, preseason updates and postgame reviews on the website. In one review, Women’s tennis head coach Tyler Thompson discussed a recent victory over Mississippi State.

“You can’t show opponents any chinks in the armor, emotionally or physically,” Thompson said.

Driscoll introduced the most recent endowment figures.  Barbara Garrison, the parent of a former student of the College, gave $125,000 for men’s track and field in the name of her late husband, William Garrison. By Sept. 30, 2012, the College had received a total of $52,210,457 in endowments for the year.

The committee discussed conference changes that will take place next year. Georgia State University and Old Dominion University will leave the Colonial Athletic Association. The University of Albany and Stony Brook University will join the football conference, while the College of Charleston will join the all-sport conference.

“Losing ODU will be a revenue issue because we always sold-out that game and travel costs were low,” Driscoll said.

Before the meeting concluded, the members discussed upcoming events, including the Lord Botetourt Auction, the Celebration of Women in Athletics, the Scholarship Luncheon and the Athletic Hall of Fame Inductions.

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