PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State Athletics has continued its drive to excellence with UNLEASH 2.0, the evolution in year two of the Cougar Athletics strategic plan. UNLEASH was unveiled in August of 2019 after a year-long process to create a comprehensive plan to advance WSU Athletics into the future.
 
"Regardless of our circumstances we will continue to deliver a transformational student-athlete experience, operate with fiscal accountability, and nurture a culture filled with a mix of creativity, innovation, and grit to persevere." said Pat Chun, Director of Athletic. "WSU Athletics is positioned for success amid our current opportunities and challenges – frankly, we are built for this!"
 
In year one, WSU Athletics was able to UNLEASH the excellence of the Cougars by:

• Accomplishing all of the TOP 10 2019-20 strategic plan priorities.
• Finishing with a Top 40 Director's Cup ranking, highlighted by soccer reaching the FINAL FOUR!
• Achieving the Highest GPA in athletic department history.
• Set new Fundraising and Ticket sales records, while honoring legends such as Klay Thompson and Coach George Raveling.

In UNLEASH 2.0, Cougar Athletics will build upon its successes in year one while maintaining focus on the core mission, vision and values of WSU Athletics.
 
"When we launched our plan last August, we had no idea what was in store for us in 2020," said Bryan Blair, the chair of the strategic planning committee and Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Operating Officer. "Fortunately, the core tenets of our plan are a servant-minded mission of unleashing the potential in all we encounter, and a vision of accomplishing feats otherwise deemed unimaginable using our togetherness. These core principles were applicable when we launched, and the last year has shown that they are even more appropriate. I'm extremely proud of our progress made to date, and believe the best is yet to come, together!"
 
Despite the current nationwide challenges, Cougar Athletics worked with campus and community partners to review the current plan's progress, re-examine the rapidly changing environment and discuss any necessary updates. Specifically, for the second consecutive year, WSU Athletics engaged in regular strategic planning meetings, including a day-long retreat featuring staff, coaches and campus partners. This annual process of review, revision and recommitment allows WSU Athletics to continue providing a transformational experience for over 450+ student-athletes and elevating the brand of WSU through competitive excellence, campus collaboration, and community engagement.
 
Spending countless hours in digital meetings, Cougar Athletics and its partners in and around each of WSU's six system campuses and community outlined the strategies to accomplish in year two of UNLEASH, including:

• Partner with brand consultant Jeremy Darlow, WSU's Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and the social media platform Socialie to ensure our student-athletes have the tools to thrive with the name, image, and likeness changes and beyond!
• Pursue new strategies to recruit, grow and retain members of the Cougar Athletic Fund.
• Utilize WSU Athletics to promote the university both nationally and abroad.

 
WSU Athletics' strategic plan works together with the University system's comprehensive strategic plan to guide the evolution of the WSU system over the next five years. At the core of Cougar Athletics' plan is a commitment to teamwork founded upon passion, resiliency, integrity, diversity and inclusion, and excellence. Together, we will achieve what was once defined as impossible!

The UNLEASH website can be found at wsucougars.com/UNLEASH.
 
 
"I deeply appreciate the leadership Pat Chun and his team have demonstrated in refining Cougar Athletics' strategic plan to complement our new WSU system strategic plan. We've made it clear since the beginning of our system strategic planning process that we would update our goals and objectives annually to address our current realities, and that step is more important now than ever given the current pandemic."
-   Kirk Schulz (WSU President)
 
"Creating a strategic plan is hugely impactful, although fruitless unless there is first a strategic vision. Athletics has such a vision, aligning strategies and focuses that truly serve the WSU system and foster a broader sense of community across the state. And, they are doing what they promised, refreshing their plan every year using an inclusive process across the WSU System. Convening our system of six campuses to evaluate progress and build a new set of strategies ensures that athletics is equipped to face and overcome the challenges ahead."
-   Sandra Haynes (Chancellor, Tri-Cities)
 
"As a participant in the second strategic planning retreat for WSU athletics, I was blown away by the depth of the plans and the inclusiveness of the process. WSU Athletics is serious about aiming for excellence for its student-athletes and is making great progress during trying times."
-   Chip Hunter (Dean, Carson College of Business)