I hope this note finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy as we all adjust our lives to work together in the fight against the challenges of COVID-19. As I am sure you have seen in recent outreach from our University, this health crisis has had a significant impact on higher education, including our students and the entire campus community here at Loyola.

While the Loyola academic year progresses in an online learning format, the competitive aspect of the student-athlete experience has been put on pause. As universities, athletic conferences and ultimately the NCAA began cancelling competitive activities, I was devastated for our student-athletes who lost the opportunity to compete this spring, especially our seniors. During this difficult time, our coaches and sport administrators are utilizing digital platforms and creative communication channels to stay engaged with our Greyhounds student-athletes. Although they may be away from their teammates, their locker rooms, practices and weight room activities, we think it is more important than ever to celebrate their efforts and the pride they provide as representatives of the entire Loyola community.

Today is National Student-Athlete Day! This nationally-recognized day provides the perfect opportunity for us to share just how special the young men and women who wear the green and grey truly are. Each year, our student-athletes excel in competition and the classroom; they celebrate championships and break records - both as teams and individually - and this year was no exception. Additionally, we saw more student-athletes achieve a 4.0 grade-point average than ever before. And in their minimal free time, between Division I athletics and a full-time college education, the Hounds are active throughout the Baltimore community pitching in wherever and whenever they can. I invite you to visit our social media channels – Twitter,  Instagram and Facebook – to see the many accomplishments of our amazing student-athletes. Please join me today in spreading support for the Greyhounds with personal posts and messages. Let's all help make sure our Hounds know just how proud we are of all their hard work and commitment in representing our university.

Our student-athletes work vigorously to be leaders and champions in competition, the classroom and the community, and, we recognize the fact the Greyhounds would not be able to reach their full and unique potential without your support. We are grateful for the generosity and commitment of all our alumni, family and fans who make the Loyola student-athlete experience possible. Among the many cancelled competitions, events and campaigns that would have brought us all together this spring, we also made the decision not to hold this year's Loyola Athletics Giving Challenge. This annual philanthropy-based competition in support of Loyola student-athletes has provided an amazing opportunity over the past six years for our supporters to connect and contribute to the success of Loyola athletics. We will certainly miss seeing you in the stands this spring but are immensely grateful for the many other ways you show your support of the Loyola Greyhounds. If you would like to renew your philanthropic support today in celebration of Loyola student-athletes, you can do so by visiting loyolagreyhounds.com/support.

Please know that as we all navigate these new challenges, the Loyola athletics department is thinking about each and every member of our amazing #OneHoundFamily. We are eager for the day that our current situation comes to an end and we can all gather again to celebrate our incredible institution and dedicated student-athletes. In the meantime, let's stay connected and keep the amazing sense of community we all depend on in so many ways by celebrating National Student-Athlete Day and every one of our current Loyola Greyhounds student-athletes who continue to make us all so very proud!

I wish you and those close to you the very best. Thank you again for all you do in support of Loyola and the athletics department.

Go Hounds!
Donna M. Woodruff
Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics