Littlepage looks for balance

Virginia director of athletics Craig Littlepage sat down with Daily Progress sports editor Jerry Ratcliffe this week for an annual question and answer session on various topics concerning the Cavaliers’ athletic program. Today is the first of a two-part series concluding in Monday’s edition.

Daily Progress: Craig, congratulations on another strong year for UVa athletics. It appears that Virginia will record another top 20 finish in the Director’s Cup, a finish that certainly must make you proud?

Littlepage: I think we were 16th or 17th, somewhere in that range in the next-to-last points standings, and it looks like we will probably finish ahead of Duke, which was ahead of us in early June. On the other hand, Florida State, which was behind us, will move ahead of us on the basis of a national championship in track and field and going to the College World Series.

Finishing in the top 20 is good. Our goal is to move up and be in the top 10 and be a consistently performing program in the top 10. In order to do that, you have to win a national championship or two along the way. I’m very pleased with the performances we had in some of our sports that we weren’t expecting, and a couple of sports are on the verge of breaking through and gaining us some points in the future, so, things are pretty solid.

Q: Cracking the top 10 and consistently remaining in that elite group is truly a challenge. Can Virginia reach that goal, considering the competition?

A: The schools that are above us in those standings, Stanford, Texas, Penn State, Nebraska, Georgia, are programs that have a great ability to generate resources. I think we’re doing a fantastic job in our own right. We don’t need quite what Ohio State needs to move its program along. We’ve been successful in terms of enhancing the level of support that we are generating for the program and we’ll continue to push forward.

Q: Let’s turn our attention to academics. There seems to be a substantial debate, or at least discussion out there among the fan base concerning Virginia’s great academic standards. Some view those standards as an advantage in recruiting athletes; some disagree and argue it’s a handicap. What are your feelings, having been a coach and administrator at UVa?

A: The answer to the question lies in one’s expectations and lies in one’s approach to how they do their business. If we wanted to look at reasons why we can’t achieve, we can look at something like academics as being something of a roadblock.

But, I think our coaches come to the University of Virginia with an understanding of what the academic situation is and will see value in the fact that we do have a competitive academic environment because it attracts prospective student-athletes that are looking for that sort of challenge, not only in the classroom but also of competing in the ACC. I am of the approach that having a competitive academic program is something that enhances our ability to be a competitive program.

Q: So, you don’t agree with those who view it as a handicap to recruiting athletes?

A: If you looked at the Who’s Who in Division I athletics, and you can look at the Director’s Cup standings as one measurement, but not the only one, you start with Stanford. I don’t think anyone questions its academics. Then there’s UCLA, North Carolina, Michigan, Southern California, Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Cal-Berkeley, Arizona State, Duke, Georgia, Virginia, Ohio State, Wisconsin. These are all schools that are comparable.

Now, we don’t have a 40,000-student body and hundreds of different academic programs and numbers of different options where athletes may be able to pre-select or identify themselves and connect with a specific academic program, but certainly any of these schools would be perceived as being a top 10 sort of program in their own right, and are excellent academic programs. You can just go down the list, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Penn State, Brigham Young and on and on. These are in the top 20 to 25. So, I don’t think that academics should be perceived as something that keeps us from being able to aspire from being a top 10 athletics program.

Q: But there’s an argument out there that Virginia’s coaches can’t get the same kids into school, particularly in some of the major sports, that many of its competitors can, making for an uneven playing field and perhaps putting more pressure on coaches. Would you agree?

A: The question is whether our pool of qualified prospective students is as vast as the pool that those with whom we compete, either in the ACC or those in terms of national, are the same. The quick answer is no. We have a somewhat limited pool on the basis of what it takes to be successful at the University of Virginia. I don’t think that anybody would question that statement.

As I mentioned before, our coaches come here with the realization that this is the way that it is and have a plan that in spite of these perceived roadblocks, to produce a competitive team. Once the students are here, is there the will to support or student-athletes, so they can be successful? I think the University and the athletic department have done a number of things to make sure that we are providing the necessary structure and resources for them to be successful.

Q: Some boosters, and even some former coaches have suggested that perhaps Virginia create a new, worthy curriculum in which athletes can thrive and benefit without devaluing a UVa diploma.

A: As it relates to the academic programming, I think the University, in an ongoing fashion, looks at the program and tries to adapt to the needs of the student body, to the leaders of the institution. A year or so ago, the development of the Batten Leadership program at the University is an example of the institution adapting to a particular need or the particular interests of students.

So, I would say yes, the University continually looks at academic programming and what it is students have an interest in. The athletic department can’t drive that conversation. That’s something that would take place at the Board of Visitors level, and the University educational policy committee would be part of that conversation. Something our student-athletes have an interest in over time, such as media studies, communication, journalism, those are the kinds of things I know students are generally interest in whether they’re thinking about future careers in broadcasting or some level of media. It’s something to talk about. I think the University continues to look at its program.

Q: Wasn’t one department that was popular with athletes, Rhetoric and Communications, done away with years ago?

A: Yes, probably in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s. There are still courses in media studies, but not a formal department as it was at that time. It was popular with athletes, but also with students generally. A lot of students talk about it now, or an enhancement.

Q: Let’s switch gears to another area. Virginia has some of the finest athletic facilities in the ACC, if not the nation. Anything juicy happening?

A: There are a number of things that would kind of be in the back of our minds, but we don’t have any capital projects now planned. But it would be great to have an indoor facility, the nature of a field house, that we could bring our field teams inside during December and January when it’s too cold or have ice and snow on the ground.

We continue to consider the possibilities of future enhancements of existing facilities, such as baseball and soccer, for example. We’re doing some work now with softball that will be completed in the fall in trying to bring that facility up to a standard that allows us to recruit and compete at a higher level. There’s been some talk about a diving tower, but no formal project. Those are the primary ones that are sitting out there on wish lists, but no concrete plans at this point and time.

Q: We are aware that donors could pledge, for example $1 million a year for a 10-year period toward the support of John Paul Jones Arena. But overall, is fundraising complete for that facility or ongoing?

A: It’s ongoing. We’ve raised $127 million or $128 million or so. That’s not all cash in hand. Some pledged, as you said, over a number of years. We continue to be out raising money for the arena.

MONDAY: Littlepage talks more about a field house, what’s up with University Hall, the controversial reseating policy of Scott Stadium and more.