With the Cougars’ first season of competition in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) officially in the books, Athletic Director Joe Hull assesses the inaugural year and shares his expectations for the future.
Q: In making the initial case for the College’s move to the Colonial, you felt confident that we would be competitive from day one. How did your expectations match up with the reality?
A: The competition in the CAA is generally stronger, and we’ve had to adjust to that higher level in some sports. Overall, we competed very well – winning four championships (volleyball, men’s and women’s golf, and baseball) with three runner-up finishes (men’s and women’s tennis, softball). Going forward, we expect to do very well and compete effectively for championships in a broad range of sports.
RELATED: Baseball ends record-setting season with titles in CAA and NCAA Regional.
Q: What event or development most surprised you about the inaugural year of competition?
A: We expected the travel to be a challenge, but in some ways it was more challenging than we anticipated.
Q: Any disappointments or regrets in this first year of competition?
A: We struggled more in men’s basketball than expected. I fully expect us to improve and adjust to the new level of competition very quickly.
Q: Can you talk about some of the academic-related benefits that the College realized as a result of the move to the Colonial?
A: As a member of the CAA, we are now putting our teams in places such as Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, which exposes a number of our student-athletes to new areas of the nation. In addition, it provides opportunities for people in those areas to learn more about the College of Charleston.
RELATED: Read President George Benson’s column about the move to the Colonial.
Q: What are your hopes for next season, and are there any changes in the works?
A: We learned some lessons about how to best travel in these areas, such as where to stay and what contingencies to prepare for, such as weather issues. Overall, I expect our competitive level to continue to improve. This move will help our teams become more competitive nationally.
