On Monday evening, we gathered our more than 300 student-athletes, cheerleaders, and dance team members for our third annual Cougar Games. The night presented an opportunity on the first day of classes to get all of SIUE Athletics together to kick off the year, get to know each other, and become more united as a group.
Our group this year is talented, diverse, strong, and ready for success. They represent 26 different states, spanning from New Jersey and Virginia in the East to California, Montana, and Wyoming out west. We have 26 international student-athletes, representing 18 different countries and five continents. We have 19 student-athletes that already have a college degree, with seven young men and women that hold the distinction of being SIUE alumni.
This group of student-athletes is ready for a successful 2025-26 school year, excited to compete as Cougars for championships and accomplish big things in and out of competition. They're excited to build relationships, to overcome adversity, and to grow individually and as a group.
We know the year will bring uncontrollable factors that could negatively impact us, including injuries, bad luck, weather, and yes, officials.
However, it is my belief that our success will be dictated much more by things within our control, and most importantly our attitudes and our approach. A Stephen Covey quote resonated with me this summer, and I shared it with our student-athletes on Monday.
"What you see often depends on what you are looking for"
Our outcomes this year - what we see, what we find, what we experience, what we accomplish - will be a direct correlation to what we are looking for.
On the front of the t-shirt we handed out at the Cougar Games is the Cougar Head, faded slightly to be more focused on the Cougar's eyes. On the back is the Cougar Core – the core values of SIUE Athletics – Commitment, Optimism, Unity, Growth, Appreciation, and Resilience.
Our goal is to look for ways to live out the Cougar Core in 2025-26.
Let's look this year to Commit. Look to commit to your preparation. Look to commit to each other.
Let's look this year with Optimism. Look to be solution-oriented. Look for the positive in each other and in every situation. Look to believe in each other and what we can accomplish.
Let's look this year to be United. Look to bring people together and not divide. Look to help a situation, not hurt. Let's look to understand other's differences and perspectives.
Let's look this year for Growth. Look for ways to improve. Look to make progress. Look to become better versions of ourselves.
Let's look this year for Appreciation. I heard this weekend that gratitude is a superpower. Let's look to be grateful for what we have and not dwell on what we don't. Let's appreciate the opportunities to compete, to be around each other, and let's appreciate those who support us.
Let's look this year for Resilience. Let's look to overcome adversity. Let's look to bounce back quickly from defeat. Let's look to outwork our opponents.
Cougar Family – Join us this year as we look to live out the Cougar Core. Let's embark on an incredible 2025-26 together!
Roll Cougs!
Andrew Gavin
Vice Chancellor / Director of Athletics
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