Latest news with #HeathSchroyer
American Press
6 days ago
- Business
- American Press
Jim Gazzolo: A break from musical conferences
McNeese Athletic Director Heath Schroyer. (American Press Archives) Texas State's surprising jump from the Sun Belt Conference to the Pac-12 won't lead to a flood of changes this summer in the college sports landscape. At best, it was a trickle with Louisiana Tech following this week, leaving Conference USA for the Mean Green's spot in the Sun Belt. No other major moves are expected this offseason, though stranger things have happened. Both the Sun Belt and C-USA say they are good for now. This summer's moves won't take effect until the 2026 fall season. By then, schools and leagues will have a better understanding of what the future holds. They will at least have some financial numbers to base any decisions on moving forward. C-USA is at 10, with the Sun Belt holding at 16 after this round is complete. Schools don't seem willing to share the revenue pie with more schools. Even the Southland Conference has said it is not looking to expand at present. There were schools interested in joining the SLC, but when you are a one-bid league, it makes no sense to further dilute that NCAA money. With all the movement that has transpired over the last few years, this summer has been relatively calm. Consider it the calm before the storm. One is led to believe that next summer could resemble the Wild West when it comes to league expansions, realignments and mergers. In other words, talk of McNeese State moving up and out of the Southland is, well, premature at best. 'We are not in any talks with anybody at this time,' said McNeese Athletic Director Heath Schroyer. 'We continue to work to put ourselves in the best position to do what is in the best interest of our school, department, and student-athletes as we move forward. 'We still have work to do.' Schroyer might not be in active talks with anyone, but you have to think he has a few league commissioners on speed dial. Along with others, Schroyer said he believes that most parties will play the waiting game this year. With all the new questions surrounding name, image and likeness deals, and the recent House Settlement, it may be best for most programs to see how the first year unfolds. There are still questions about the future of Title IX and the potential for new lawsuits that could impact the finances of schools. Additionally, there is the elephant in the room, as the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten continue to discuss leaving the NCAA when it comes to football. This time next year, many things could look different, and that could lead to moves all over the place. That is the moment McNeese could be on the move. Of course, Schroyer is right, the program still has a lot of work to do. However, it is off to a good start. Already this summer, McNeese says ticket sales are up almost 70 percent, which is a good sign. The football team is coming off its best season since 2019 — 6-6 — and has new facilities to boot. A new press box is scheduled to open this fall, providing the program with a visual boost and featuring 26 luxury suites. All 23 up for sale have been sold, Schroyer said. Stadium naming rights should be completed sooner rather than later, which will boost revenue. More naming rights to facilities may also be on the way. None of that means the Cowboys will get an invitation when the next round of realignment comes, but all of it helps. While fans debate what is in the best interest of the program, with more than a few wanting to stay in the Southland and on the Football Championship Subdivision level, money will determine McNeese's fate. If the Cowboys make sense for a conference like C-USA to invite, then it will. And if it makes financial sense for McNeese to move up, then it should. The important thing right now is to ensure McNeese is part of the conversations when conference leaders debate their futures. a Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers McNeese State athletics for the American Press. Email him at jimgazzolo@
American Press
26-06-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Jim Gazzolo column: FBS or bust for Schroyer
McNeese A.D. Heath Schroyer stands atop the basketball revival at his school and the league. (PJ Mitchell/McNeese Athletics) There is no question that Heath Schroyer has accomplished amazing things in his five years at the head of McNeese State athletics. He has brought the department back from the brink of collapse, restored the facilities from destruction, and transformed the program's finances from a debacle to a profitable venture. All of this was accomplished while rebuilding from hurricane devastation, addressing academic issues in football, and navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. No person in the nation has done this much in such a short period of time. He's steadied a ship in rough seas. It's been said — in this column, to be exact — that nobody has done more to rebuild the community since those 2020 storms than Schroyer. The school's athletic future has never been brighter, and interest — nationally and locally — has never been greater. Both have been led by Schroyer's vision, drive and ability to persuade people to believe in and invest with him. However, this is no time for pats on the back or a victory lap. As of today, Schroyer's impact has been great but somewhat temporary. If the next athletic director doesn't follow suit — and one day there will be a next athletic director — then this might all go away. For Schroyer to have a lasting impact on McNeese, one final move remains to be made. It will be his grand finale, the big one, the pièce de résistance, and perhaps the hardest to accomplish. And now might be the perfect time for Schroyer to try and pull it off. If he is going to have a lasting impact on the university, he must elevate the athletic program to the next level, that of the Football Bowl Subdivision. That's where the money is, that's where the future must be. Schroyer has to do all he can, work all his magic, and find a way to convince an FBS league — are you listening, Conference USA? — that McNeese is a perfect fit. If not now, it might never happen. Without such a move, the rest that's taken place on and around campus is nothing but pretty window dressing and will disappear as quickly as a hurricane blew away the old press box above Cowboy Stadium. You get the feeling this is Schroyer's final big prize. Now that the $2.8 billion House vs. NCAA settlement is complete, and there is some direction as to where college sports are headed, this seems like the best time for the Cowboys to make the big move. It will be the correction of a missed opportunity from two decades ago. Cleaning up that mistake is McNeese's final and Schroyer's last piece to the puzzle. If you don't think it's a big deal, look at Monroe. The school's president and AD doubled down last week, saying, despite its financial woes, the athletic program had no intention of moving down. That came even after Louisiana-Monroe announced last week it was dropping its women's tennis program for financial reasons. ULM officials said they could not afford to revert to the Football Championship Subdivision level. The same goes for McNeese, and Schroyer is aware of it. With the future of smaller schools in greater question than ever, the Cowboy AD must do everything he can to find a path upward. As for why now? Simple: Everything is in place. The major programs are in good shape, the school president is on board and willing to move forward, and facilities have been upgraded to the point where they align with those of the larger schools. Now it's up to Schroyer to sell his vision to the right people. He's done it before. He's sold his ideas to the Southland Conference. He has garnered area business and community support for his programs. Given everything he has done, it might be harsh to say Schroyer's long-term legacy depends on this final move, but it does. It's the one that, above all others, will have lasting effects on the athletic program. It's also the hardest to accomplish. • Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers McNeese State athletics for the American Press. Email him at jimgazzolo@
American Press
20-06-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Jim Gazzolo column: McNeese keeps travel bag handy
Matt Viator will return to the McNeese Cowboys. (American Press Archives) The bosses at McNeese have made it clear: if asked, the school is ready to jump at the next opportunity toward the Football Bowl Subdivision level. Having missed one if not two chances, time might be running out. Facing the hard truth, McNeese, a Football Championship Subdivision school, wasn't ready to move up over the last five years despite what it had talked about. The facilities were a mess, the football program was in disarray and, although funding was improving, it was far from ready to compete at that level. Many of those issues have been corrected or addressed. The hurricanes of 2020 forced the fixing and modernization of all sports facilities. Most of the work has been completed, but there are still projects on the board that need to be finished. The fact that things have been fixed and improved, though, does show that any league looking at it would see that the commitment from the administration is there. There has also been significant growth in funding, and McNeese is a leader at its level in the work of the name, image, and likeness department. Credit Athletic Director Heath Schroyer and his crew for thinking ahead of the curve the past few years. That, however, doesn't mean leagues will be fighting over the Cowboys. The truth is that it's a buyer's market with numerous teams looking for invitations. And while it has greatly improved its financial situation over the last half decade, McNeese's sports budget is still well behind that of places like Tarleton State, for example. That is still an uphill climb. As for the McNeese programs, it is clear that men's basketball has demonstrated its ability to compete at higher levels. Baseball and softball have also experienced similar trends over the years. Women's basketball and football need work, with a lot of eyes on the gridiron this fall. One thing McNeese has over many schools looking to move is its football tradition. Recently, that has not been the case; however, this year the Cowboys went back in time to change the direction of their future, rehiring Matt Viator as head football coach. Still, there is a lot of politicking and positioning behind the scenes that will be done if any movement is to follow for McNeese or the rest. Schroyer is, of course, good at this. While he said this week he doesn't expect an invitation to be extended, he will make a few calls just to let people know the Cowboys are interested if there is a good fit. That is why a lot is riding on this football season. And, while those games will be played out in public, there will also be a lot of talks behind the scenes that could lead to much more for McNeese. • Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers McNeese State athletics for the American Press. Email him at jimgazzolo@
American Press
02-06-2025
- Sport
- American Press
McNeese sets times for home games
An architectural rendering of McNeese's new press box. (Special to the American Press) McNeese State is reverting to its pre-hurricane start times for its football games. Before hurricanes Laura and Delta disrupted the athletic department in the fall of 2020, the Cowboys started all home games at 6 p.m. For two seasons, they were forced to play at noon under the blazing sun while Cowboy Stadium was being renovated and a new lighting system was installed. Then, for two seasons, they played at 7 p.m. Now, with a new press box set to open and six home games scheduled for this season, McNeese is moving its games back to a 6 p.m. kickoff. 'After a lot of thought and discussion with a number of people that included season ticket holders, staff, campus employees, students and community members, it was the consensus that a 6 o'clock kick-off will allow our fans with children as well as those coming to games from the surrounding parishes, to get home at a reasonable time, and those tailgating will still be able to enjoy a full day of pregame gathering, one that will start the night before at our Friday Night Block Parties,' said Director of Athletics Heath Schroyer. Starting times for football have been a big talk in the league of late with many schools pushing for afternoon games. Some of that is for travel purposes. With the addition of Texas-Rio Grande Valley playing football this fall, the travel distance for teams has greatly increased. Some in the league wanted day games so players would get home earlier after long bus trips. There was even a push for the entire league to have start times no later than 4 p.m. Schroyer said at the time that McNeese would never go for that, stating that Saturday night games were a part of the football program's long history. The 6 p.m. start time will mean that fans on the east side of the stadium will have to deal with the sun more, especially early in the season. However, it also provides a different window in the ESPN+ schedule if most of the conference games are scheduled for the afternoon. McNeese will open its season on August 30 with a home game against Louisiana Christian, marking the return of Matt Viator as head coach. Viator is currently tied for most wins as a McNeese head coach after 10 seasons leading the Cowboys. He returns after nine seasons away from the program in hopes of turning the Cowboys around. They have not had a winning season since 2019, before the hurricanes. McNeese managed to achieve a 6-6 record last year, the second-largest turnaround in NCAA Division I football, behind only Indiana after a disastrous 0-11 season in 2023, the worst in school history. When the Cowboys open play, they will also unveil their new press box and suites, which replace the old one destroyed by Laura. In addition to the opener, McNeese will host Weber State on September 13, Southeastern on October 4, HCU for Homecoming on October 18, Northwestern State on November 1, and UTRGV on November 15. The Cowboys will not play Incarnate Word this season. McNeese players will be checking in for summer workouts and school starting this weekend, before practices begin next week.
