Skip to main content

Long Beach State University

From The Desk Of Ted Kadowaki

From The Desk Of Ted Kadowaki

3/28/2023 10:00:00 AM | General

The Interim Executive Director of Athletics has an exciting update regarding the future of Long Beach State Athletics.

I hope everyone is doing well despite the cold and wet start to spring. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we had to modify, postpone, and even cancel some of our outdoor events due to the weather conditions.

I'd like to congratulate our women's basketball program on a fantastic season finishing second in Big West play and making the post season Women's NIT. Many of our teams are fully engaged in their spring seasons with LB Nation enjoying our home events cheering on our student-athletes.

At the start of the calendar year, we conducted the Sustain Beach Athletics survey to gather student and community feedback on the value of Beach Athletics and the possibility of increasing a student fee to provide additional resources. The survey results were overwhelmingly positive, with an impressive majority of respondents expressing their unwavering support for Athletics to remain an integral part of the University's fabric, highlighting the invaluable role it plays in fostering a strong sense of community and promoting a culture of excellence. I know that many of you completed the survey.  Thank you for taking the time to do so and for your valuable feedback.

President Conoley has decided to implement the increased fee starting Fall 2023, generating approximately $4.5 million in additional resources for Athletics. This will make a long-lasting difference and secure our ability to maintain a safe, competitive, and respected intercollegiate athletics program at the Beach.  We are very fortunate that campus leadership supports and values Beach Athletics and continues to work with us on sustainable solutions to our fiscal challenges.

With this wind in our sails, I encourage you now more than ever to make your first gift to the Beach Athletic Fund of $49 dollars or renew your gift today. Our campus is investing in athletics, and we need your philanthropic support to add fuel to our future success.

A quick word on another important development. A campus search committee has been formed and a reputable search firm secured, as we begin the recruitment of the new Executive Director for Athletics. Soon, we will outline the process, timeline, and opportunities for involvement. We are committed to recruiting the best and the brightest candidates to lead our vibrant University's athletics program.

I close with this - Our fiscal foundation is about to get much stronger, and we are committed to continued growth and excellence in Beach Athletics for 2023 and beyond.

Thank you for your support and Go Beach!
Interim Executive Director of Athletics Ted Kadowaki