PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — UW-Green Bay’s athletics department is currently under an NCAA probation that will be in effect through 2031. Despite the university’s probation status, there are no plans to change the division one status of the 14 teams that have competed at that level for over 40 years.
“The people who brought us into division one did that for a reason,” UW-Green Bay Chancellor Mike Alexander said. “They believed that the university was going to be competitive in it, and we need to make sure we are making that a reality always.”
Alexander said this isn’t new, as the probationary period started just as he began his stint as Chancellor in 2020. But he only just informed faculty about it on Wednesday.
“It just shows that we, our sports sponsorship – the amount we’re giving to each sport – fell below the minimum amount for division one.”
Alexander did not specify which sports were underfunded, or how much they were underfunded. He did say those issues have since been addressed.
“That’s been fixed, that’s been fixed for the last three years now basically, and it’s going to stay fixed,” Alexander said.
Alexander address how it’s been fixed…
“With additional investment, so the university’s put additional investment to make sure we meet the threshold of division one athletics,” Alexander said.
Alexander said the reason he shared this information with faculty was to be transparent with the university’s spending. He also said there aren’t any lasting consequences.
“We’ve been on probation the last three years now and no one’s noticed- so it’s not going to mean anything,” Alexander said. “What matters is that we are making progress and improving our athletic department.”
UW Green Bay officials believe getting men’s basketball attendance up is key to help getting athletics back on track. Last year attendance was down on average about three thousand people per game compared to 20 years ago.
“As the program I think starts to reemerge so to speak, we’re gonna see a lot more attendance,” Alexander said. “We believe in our community and we want our community to believe in us.”
The move to new head coach Sundance Wicks could be the spark needed to revitalize the program, as the team has combined to go 16-71 over its last three seasons. Four of the last five seasons have seen a drop in attendance. Alexander believes that’s about to change.
“The perfect way to know we are succeeding is that when I walk around Green Bay, I see people wearing UW Green Bay Phoenix t-shirts, that it’s something the community is proud of- that they’re investing in,” Alexander said.
The men’s basketball team tips off with its new campaign on October 30th. The women’s team’s season begins on October 25th.
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