OWENSBORO, KY - In Mark Shook's first official 24 months, Kentucky Wesleyan Athletics has achieved more than two dozen record-breaking accomplishments that cover the span of academic success, athletic success, fundraising, facility enhancements, community service, sponsorships, and life skills programming. Academic records include all-time high GPA performances for our men's and women's teams, as well as the overall GPA above the campus population GPA. Along with those academic honors, Panther athletic programs have garnered many conference and national associations individual and team honors. Community engagement records include eclipsing 4,000 total hours for the past two academic years and winning the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Community Engagement Award in the first two years of the award's existence - highlighted by the SAAC record initiative in raising over $10,000 in 2022-23 and being able to grant a Make-A-Wish reveal on our campus in fall 2023. That record is expected to be broken again in 2024. Most recently, our student athletes and the Make-A-Wish initiative was a nominee for the NCAA Division II Award of Excellence. In life skills programming, Kentucky Wesleyan Athletics ranked #1 in the nation, in all NCAA divisions, in Game Plan e-module learning courses that spanned mental health, Title IX and safety, financial management, NIL education, and much more. 

"As my two year anniversary came and went on January 1, I've had time to reflect on my first two years and to think about our future. Much has happened in a relatively short amount of time that has been built towards creating a transformative student-athlete experience and in building my team of coaches to add to that experience," said Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Mark Shook. "Quite simply, I am so proud of how far we've come in so many areas in the past 24 months and how many records we've set as a department and as One Team. The best part is, we've only just begun."

Through his student-centered approach, Kentucky Wesleyan has improved several athletic facilities to benefit all Panthers' student-athletes in the short span of 24 months. Recent enhancements under Shook's direction include a new wrestling training facility, new locker rooms for men's soccer, women's soccer, wrestling, and softball, a renovated Jones Gym, a renovated Woodward Health & Recreation Center, re-surfaced tennis courts, golf training and team room, renovated weight room, and a new patio and picnic plaza for Panther Field – the home of men's and women's soccer. He also increased funding in renewed contracts with Adidas, Pepsi, Miller Transportation, and ABM Turf Management Specialists as well as formed new corporate partnerships across the city of Owensboro and tri-state region.

On the external side, KWC Athletics has taken big strides forward under Shook's leadership. During his first two years, the department has produced consecutive record "Giving Tuesday(s)" with increases in overall giving, increases in unique donors, increases in sponsorship revenue, increases in ticketing revenue, and increases in overall attendance. In October 2023, he led the re-branding of the Panther Athletic Fund to the W Club – which continues in consolidating internal and external efforts to support our teams but specifies the goal in building an annual giving membership base, that involves a volunteer advisory group, that helps meet the KWC Athletics fundraising goals.

Shook has also led KWC Athletics in partnership with Icon Suite; a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Solution for Panthers' student-athletes. Icon Suite is a set of tools that empowers colleges and universities with oversight of NIL activity, facilitates an exclusive NIL marketplace for athletes and engages local brands to participate in NIL opportunities -- all while allowing institutions to remain an arm's length away from facilitating deals. KWC was the first Great Midwest Athletic Conference institution to partner with an NIL Solution for their student-athletes.

SAAC President and Women's Basketball senior Corina Conley states "Over the past two years, I have seen growth in the relationships with administration and students. With the administration making decisions on the student's behalf, it is important to have a strong relationship with each other. As an athlete, I have felt the support and friendship with our administrators who fight for us. That's what's so unique about a small school like Kentucky Wesleyan, you get to cultivate those relationships."

One of his major initiatives early in his tenure at Kentucky Wesleyan was the creation and implementation of the "One Team Wesleyan" Athletics philosophy and programming model to honor the collective, daily efforts towards achieving the goals of each team and department as "One Team" in supporting success in scholarship, sport, service, and life. His model is focused on all programming that promotes the total student-athlete experience that includes mental health support, personal and professional development, leadership development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. In the past year, the concept has expanded to include the entire campus to include all students, faculty, staff, and alumni, donors, and corporate partners.

"Over the past two years, the thing that has really stuck out for me is the Wesleyan environment," said former Apollo graduate and current Men's Basketball senior Alex Gray. "It's a blessing to have all the equipment we need to succeed. Personally, I feel that the entire athletic department has benefited greatly since Mark Shook has taken over the athletic department. It's nice to know that the people making things happen behind the scenes really care about the athletes."
 
"Even with all of our success, it was not without difficult times," said Shook. "Last fall we discontinued our cross country and track and field teams, and moved our men's bowling and cheer teams to club status, as part of larger campus cuts. My heart is still broken for our students impacted. As we look to the future, there is still lots to be done in all areas of our department. Fundraising, facilities, and staffing are at the top of my list. We are preparing plans for our first special impact project for the W club (to be announced in February) that will benefit all of our teams, and quite simply make us bigger, faster, and stronger. Also, we are currently drafting plans for each of our outdoor facilities that will greatly improve the playing surfaces, safety, and longevity for our outdoor sports. These improvements will take significant financial commitments from our alumni, donors, and former athletes. We will also look to corporate sponsorships for naming opportunities to make our goals a reality. None of this will be possible without the continued efforts and hard work of our small team of administrators and coaches, and the support of our campus, our trustees, and both new and loyal longtime donors."

If you would like more information on how to join the W club and support our student athletes and programs, please visit the W Club page and become an annual member today.

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