May 30, 2024

Dear CSU Community,

I’m writing today with an update on the leadership of CSU Athletics. The last few years have brought seismic changes to the world of intercollegiate athletics – NIL, conference realignment, the transfer portal and more. These shifts are coming so fast that they seem to reshape the landscape on an almost daily basis. Last week, for example, the NCAA entered into a multi-billion-dollar settlement of a class action lawsuit that will likely allow universities to directly pay athletes for playing sports. The magnitude of just that one change is staggering. What has become abundantly clear is that guiding CSU through this rapidly evolving environment is going to require a new style of leadership that operates with speed, creativity, the highest ethics and a strong business acumen.

With that in mind, I’m pleased to announce the appointment of John Weber as CSU’s next Director of Athletics. I’ve worked closely with John during his time as executive director of the Green and Gold Guard – CSU’s NIL collective – and as interim AD. I am confident that he has the vision, experience and skills necessary to lead Rams Athletics into the future. Over the last few months, John secured an agreement to retain Coach Niko Medved, who has led our men’s basketball program to the NCAA tournament two of the last three years. He has built strong relationships with coaches, student-athletes, staff, donors and fans. John is bringing a fresh approach to the way we provide support and resources to all our programs and student-athletes, has already implemented new revenue-generation initiatives so our programs are financially strong, and is thinking creatively about enhancements to our fan experiences and in-game activations.

John is a committed alum who started his engagement with CSU as an advisor to the College of Business, so he fully appreciates the importance of CSU’s teaching, research and service mission. He understands that a strong Department of Athletics and highly visible, competitive programs are among the best ways to burnish CSU’s national reputation and amplify the strength and excellence of our world-class academic and research activities. John states regularly his goal is to make CSU Athletics the “most loved and most watched” program in Colorado, the Mountain West Conference and beyond. I couldn’t agree more.

Recruiting and retaining a strong administrative team is also one of John’s top priorities. This week, he appointed Scott Sidwell as CSU’s next Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer. Scott comes to CSU with experience at some of the nation’s top athletic departments, including serving as the Deputy Athletic Director at Penn State University and Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director at Syracuse University. In addition, Scott served as AD at the University of San Francisco and has experience at Tulane University as an athlete, coach and administrator. He has long-time family ties to Colorado, and we’re thrilled that he will join CSU starting June 18.

Finally, John recognizes that all leaders need input and counsel from a range of voices. He is in the process of building and recruiting a new athletics advisory council that will be comprised of former athletes, business leaders, professional sports representatives and more to serve as a sounding board and deep source of expertise. This will help CSU navigate the many changes that are coming at us and will empower CSU to both honor the past and take the fullest advantage of future opportunities. I know John looks forward to sharing more about this new council in the coming weeks and months.

Despite all the uncertainty in intercollegiate sports, I’ve never been more excited or confident about the future of CSU Athletics. Please join me in welcoming both John and Scott into their new roles. Great things are ahead.

Thank you and Go Rams!

Sincerely,

Amy Parsons
President