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Ian McCaw Director of Athletics
2006-07 Baylor Athletics Annual Report
Ian McCaw was named Director of Athletics of Baylor's 18-sport, Big 12 intercollegiate athletics program Sept. 8, 2003. Under McCaw's leadership, the department has achieved unprecedented academic, athletics and administrative success. Since 2003, Baylor has enjoyed its most competitively successful period in the history of its intercollegiate athletics program. During that time, Baylor has captured two NCAA national championships, 16 Big 12 conference championships and recorded its three highest finishes in the NACDA Directors' Cup standings. In 2006-07, Baylor had a school-record tying 13 teams advance to postseason competition and won five Big 12 championships. Softball reached the Women's College World Series and captured the Big 12 regular-season title for the first time, men's track won national indoor and outdoor titles in the 4x400-meter relay, and men's and women's tennis captured Big 12 regular season and tournament championships. Baylor finished 38th in the NACDA Directors' Cup standings. In 2005-06, a school-record 13 teams advanced to postseason competition while eight teams finished the year ranked in the Top 20 nationally. Men's and women's tennis both captured Big 12 regular season championships with the women adding a tournament title. Baylor recorded its second-highest finish ever in the NACDA Directors' Cup standings ranking 32nd nationally and fifth in the Big 12. Baylor had its most successful year ever in 2004-05 which included winning the national championship in women's basketball, being national runner-up in men's tennis and finishing third in baseball at the College World Series. Baylor eclipsed the previous school record of two conference championships in one year by winning Big 12 regular season championships in baseball, women's basketball, men's tennis and women's tennis. BU added Big 12 tournament titles in women's basketball and men's tennis. Baylor finished third in the Big 12 and 25th in the nation in the 2005 NACDA Directors' Cup, its highest ranking ever. At the same time, Baylor student-athletes led the Big 12 with a NCAA graduate rate of 78 percent, eight points higher than the school's general student population. In 2003-04, Baylor had a highly successful year that included winning the first NCAA team championship in school history in men's tennis along with five NCAA individual titles. While Baylor athletics enjoyed extraordinary academic and athletics success, the department has made dramatic strides administratively, too. A five-year strategic plan for intercollegiate athletics, Above and Beyond, was developed and implemented inclusive of department goals and objectives. An outgrowth of this plan was the creation of the five-year, $90 million development campaign Victory with Integrity which was initiated in February 2005. Improved athletics development success has followed, leading to the funding and construction of the Grant Teaff and Letterwinners Plazas at Floyd Casey Stadium; the Lt. Jack Whetsel Jr. Basketball Practice Facility; the Willis Family Equestrian Center; and the Highers Athletics Complex and the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center. The athletics endowment has grown to more than $22 million while the Baylor Bear Foundation has set new annual fund records in three consecutive years. Baylor successfully completed the NCAA certification process being cited as one of only two institutions in the certification program's history to have no issues raised in its self-study. An expanded compliance staff, improved financial services area and enhanced Student Athlete Services/Life Skills unit are among the most significant internal improvements. Record revenues in ticket sales, corporate sponsorship, television, licensing and expanded media exposure underscore the growth in external support for Baylor Athletics. McCaw is Baylor's 12th athletic director and arrived from the University of Massachusetts, where he spent the previous year as director of athletics. McCaw was responsible for a 23-sport program and helped develop and implement a five-year strategic plan for UMass athletics, along with overseeing a $2 million facility renovation. McCaw previously served as director of intercollegiate athletics and campus recreation at Northeastern University from 1997-2002. He implemented a five-year strategic plan for Northeastern athletics inclusive of department goals and objectives.
A $4 million renovation of Northeastern's Cabot Center, which included a refurbishment of the main gymnasium, an expanded speed, strength and conditioning center, a new sports medicine center, expanded and renovated locker rooms, was also completed under his direction. Northeastern graduated 65 percent of its student-athletes during McCaw's final year at the Boston institution, 14 points higher than the institutional average. Husky student-athletes also gave back to the community, as each team was required to participate in at least one community service project annually. The success of the Northeastern athletics program on McCaw's watch extended beyond the classroom, as the program captured a school-record six America East conference titles in 2001-2002, and five teams finished among the nation's top 20. McCaw went to Northeastern from Tulane University, where he served as senior associate athletic director for development and associate athletic director for external affairs from 1992-1997, being named Tulane's co-interim director of athletics in 1996. Prior to his years at Tulane, McCaw worked in a variety of athletic administrative posts at the University of Maine from 1986 to 1992 including sports information, marketing and external affairs. Recognized as a national leader in intercollegiate athletics, McCaw serves on the NCAA Championships Cabinet and its nominating committee. He is the chair of the Big 12 championship and awards committee; a member of the television, and game management and officiating committees. He also serves on NACDA's Executive Committee. McCaw earned his master's degree in sport management from Massachusetts in 1987, after receiving a bachelor's degree in sports administration at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, in 1985. McCaw and his wife, Heather, are members of First Baptist Church of Woodway where he serves as a deacon. They are the parents of four children: Christy, Paul, Callie and Corinne. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Waco's Live Oak Classical School.
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