Fellow Setters-
 
As I walked around campus this weekend, I could not help but to marvel at the athletic activity I watched. I was struck by the significant contributions and sacrifices made by our community to create this opportunity for our students and their families. This letter is designed to publicly acknowledge and thank all of you for your efforts this semester.
 
To our student-athletes - I thank you for the incredible sacrifices you made this entire year that have allowed us to get to this point. I'm sure the safety protocols and numerous weekly nasal swabs were inconvenient and unpleasant, but your dedication to these and many other guidelines should be commended and your resolve throughout the year has made this spring possible for our community. I can't thank you enough for all you have done.
 
To our coaches and staff- On behalf of our institution and our students, I want to sincerely and genuinely thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your commitment to our students and our community was top notch and unlimited. You kept our students engaged in a socially distanced environment; you modified your practice plans and often held multiple sessions per day to allow for appropriate spacing. All of you took on additional responsibilities outside of your job description to assist with campus university testing among a host of other duties. Many of you have worked seven days a week for the entire semester to ensure that our community had athletic opportunities such as virtual fitness classes, intramural esports and the like. You reinvented recruiting on the fly and have done an amazing job with that as well.
 
I am humbled to be part of a team that prioritizes students and our community in the way that you do. I am in awe of your commitment and work ethic. I am overcome with appreciation for your tremendous dedication to our community.
 
Please know that I acknowledge and praise the efforts that you all have put forth. I am feeling particularly blessed to be a Setter today….
 
With gratitude,
 
Mark R. Brown
Director of Athletics and Recreation