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On the Prowl: Building A Bigger UNI
Big changes in the way a school is viewed both nationally and in the state have a lot to do with the people in charge, and the people that they work for. In UNI's case, their position in the realm of athletics has been improving throughout the last few years, and Leon Costello is a man doing more than his part. Leon Costello is the Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Promotions at the University of Northern Iowa. It's a job whose importance can't be denied for an athletic department trying to achieve national recognition and become the next big thing in the NCAA.
"Our goal is to rise above the mid-major name tag... we want to see more success across the board and more notoriety, unlike a school like Gonzaga which is 'just basketball...' We want UNI to be mentioned in the same breath as Iowa State and Iowa, if not before them in certain matters," he says. The athletic department has done a terrific job of selling itself lately with the success in football and men's basketball, but there is still much more that can be done."
"Talk about UNI. Help sell season tickets. Try to bring a family to one of each of our events," he replies when asked what else the fans can do. Grassroots campaigning is something that the most dedicated UNI fans have excelled in over the years, and these efforts are what make UNI an attractive entity to fans of college sports.
As of the time of this writing, UNI has slightly over 3200 season tickets for basketball, which means that the efforts the marketing department have undertaken seem to be working. Of course, their job may have gotten a little easier with the McLeod Center being completed in time for the winter sports season. "We will be creating more of an atmosphere. We want to make it a fun event throughout the whole game," Leon says regarding the McLeod Center.
"The sky is the limit for this program."
Kelly Destival, the Director of the Panther Scholarship Club (formerly the Athletic Club), agrees. "It’s going to be a great feeling to see all the work from so many people and groups come together. I remember sitting at the Board of Regents meeting a few years ago with the McLeod Center project being proposed. I remember sitting there with some of the others on the project just crossing our fingers and hoping that they would approve everything. "
When asked about what excites her the most this season, she says "I’m looking forward to seeing the great teams this upcoming year. I would like to see the Panther football team get back to the National Championship game."
Her goals are much the same as Leon's: very high, but also very attainable. Her goal is to see the PSC funding to go up 10% this year, up to 1.1 million. She says that again, it takes the efforts of Panther fans to get these goals achieved. "Tell friends about the PSC and bring them up to the club room. Tell them that the goal of the PSC is to fund scholarships. It’s not just money for football or basketball, it’s for all sports. Actually, the other sports benefit the most, since they don’t generate much revenue. We would really like to see more alumni participation in the PSC."
It is these kinds of efforts that will all but guarantee continued success for UNI both today and in the future. The best part? If you're unsure how to get involved, there are plenty of helpful Panther fans that can tell you!
Big changes in the way a school is viewed both nationally and in the state have a lot to do with the people in charge, and the people that they work for. In UNI's case, their position in the realm of athletics has been improving throughout the last few years, and Leon Costello is a man doing more than his part. Leon Costello is the Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Promotions at the University of Northern Iowa. It's a job whose importance can't be denied for an athletic department trying to achieve national recognition and become the next big thing in the NCAA.
"Our goal is to rise above the mid-major name tag... we want to see more success across the board and more notoriety, unlike a school like Gonzaga which is 'just basketball...' We want UNI to be mentioned in the same breath as Iowa State and Iowa, if not before them in certain matters," he says. The athletic department has done a terrific job of selling itself lately with the success in football and men's basketball, but there is still much more that can be done."
"Talk about UNI. Help sell season tickets. Try to bring a family to one of each of our events," he replies when asked what else the fans can do. Grassroots campaigning is something that the most dedicated UNI fans have excelled in over the years, and these efforts are what make UNI an attractive entity to fans of college sports.
As of the time of this writing, UNI has slightly over 3200 season tickets for basketball, which means that the efforts the marketing department have undertaken seem to be working. Of course, their job may have gotten a little easier with the McLeod Center being completed in time for the winter sports season. "We will be creating more of an atmosphere. We want to make it a fun event throughout the whole game," Leon says regarding the McLeod Center.
"The sky is the limit for this program."
Kelly Destival, the Director of the Panther Scholarship Club (formerly the Athletic Club), agrees. "It’s going to be a great feeling to see all the work from so many people and groups come together. I remember sitting at the Board of Regents meeting a few years ago with the McLeod Center project being proposed. I remember sitting there with some of the others on the project just crossing our fingers and hoping that they would approve everything. "
When asked about what excites her the most this season, she says "I’m looking forward to seeing the great teams this upcoming year. I would like to see the Panther football team get back to the National Championship game."
Her goals are much the same as Leon's: very high, but also very attainable. Her goal is to see the PSC funding to go up 10% this year, up to 1.1 million. She says that again, it takes the efforts of Panther fans to get these goals achieved. "Tell friends about the PSC and bring them up to the club room. Tell them that the goal of the PSC is to fund scholarships. It’s not just money for football or basketball, it’s for all sports. Actually, the other sports benefit the most, since they don’t generate much revenue. We would really like to see more alumni participation in the PSC."
It is these kinds of efforts that will all but guarantee continued success for UNI both today and in the future. The best part? If you're unsure how to get involved, there are plenty of helpful Panther fans that can tell you!
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