Introduction

Welcome to the Western New England Golden Bear Athletic Family!

We are committed to providing all of our student-athletes with a broad-based experience that is second to none and one that will help for the rest of their lives. Athletics at Western New England is committed to comprehensive excellence in three major areas: Academics, Athletics, and Leadership. We refer to this commitment as “The Western New England Way!” Student-athletes have tremendous support in learning life lessons from our athletic administration, our highly talented coaching staff, our faculty and staff, President Johnson and the rest of our College administration, our proud alumni, and our Board of Trustees. Student-athletes at Western New England represent the very best of our Institution.

Our student-centered approach has earned our athletic family national recognition and praise. This is an era of unprecedented excellence for athletics at Western New England. Student-athletes are challenged as adults to raise the level of commitment that is already associated with our family. Leadership groups such as our Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and our Captains’ Council have stepped forward to provide sound advice and peer leadership to ensure the future success of our program.

In closing, I call upon all of our Golden Bear family to rise to every challenge that they may face. Remember, being a student-athlete is a privilege, not a right. To excel, one must have the will to get it done in all areas. Everyone will face adversity. The following question needs to be answered: How will one handle adversity when it presents itself? The answer separates true champions from false champions. Our coaches, along with our athletic administrators, are great resources, during this journey of self-discovery.