Q&A with Benedictine University Athletics administrative staff

What are your new roles?

Dave Swanson: I am the Assistant Director of Athletics. I focus on scheduling events and practices and coordinating those activities at the University. I also work with academic initiatives to provide more counseling and academic assistance for our student-athletes. I supervise personnel in the Rice Center and will continue to assist the baseball program, which I have been doing for about 29 years now. 

Keith Bunkenburg: I am also an Assistant Director of Athletics. I am directly responsible for football, baseball, track and field, soccer and sports information.

Kate Keller: I am an Assistant Director of Athletics responsible for the women's programs, mainly women's basketball, volleyball and cross country. I am also the Senior Women's Administrator and coordinate our athletic training program. 

John Morris: I am also an Assistant Director of Athletics responsible for the University's Eagle Club, a new athletic "booster" organization, and fundraising for various athletic department endeavors and capital improvement projects.

Mark McHorney	Keith Bunkenburg	Kate Keller	John Morris	Dave Swanson

What is your vision for this upcoming athletic year?

McHorney: The first thing we have done is brought everyone on staff together to help develop that vision. Ultimately, we want all of our programs to be very competitive, but to do that you have to recruit and retain outstanding students. That is going to be our focus for this first year. With that, the revenue piece and the external development come into play. We want to nurture our relationships with alumni and community members to keep them involved and enhance our relationship. Obviously, the Rice Center needs renovation, and that is going to be our other focus. We want to get that started right away. We are in the process of developing a strategic plan over the coming months that will be available for everyone to see.

Morris: I think awareness is a big part of it, and that's what Mark is talking about regarding recruitment, retention and revenue. We really want people to be aware of what Benedictine Athletics is all about and who we are. We are working to brand ourselves within the community.

Can you talk more about the Rice Center renovations?

Morris: It is a three-phase plan with the initial phase being the arena area. We want to put in an entirely new floor, bleacher systems and island scoreboards. Phase 2 involves relocating the fitness center and acquiring state-of-the-art equipment that will benefit student-athletes and the greater campus community. Phase 3 will be defining the entry with a modern look and reception center. Part of that includes what we are calling the new Eagle Legends Center which will house the Hall of Fame.

How can our alumni and friends get involved with Benedictine Athletics?

Morris: The Eagle Club is a great way for alumni and friends to get involved. It acts as the fundraising arm of the Athletic Department, and we are looking to provide social opportunities for our alumni who are geared toward helping our student-athletes. It's a board-based group of alumni volunteers who want to be a part of Eagle Athletics and see us progress. 

McHorney: In addition, our alumni can support Benedictine Athletics by coming back to campus. We want to draw our alumni and their families back to our campus to support team events, meets, games, etc. We want to include them in our family in any way we can. If any of our alumni want to help us do something or get more involved, just give us a call!

What is your favorite part of working with student-athletes?

Swanson: My favorite part is watching them grow throughout the years, when the light bulb goes on type of thing…teaching moments. I think it is cool to watch the transition from the wide-eyed wonder of a freshman who is trying to find his or her way to figuring out his or her career path and determining what he or she wants to do. I love seeing students as freshmen evolve to become doctors and professionals. It is always great to see that transformation when they come back to campus after graduating. Without question, that is the best part for me.