Matt Harmon: On this episode of mammoth weekly university, president Patrick Lehe, and I are joined by vice president and director of athletics, Dr. Marilyn McNeil. Who's almost 30 year run at Monmouth comes to a close with her retirement. At the end of June. This is faculty member, Matt Harmon, it's episode 30, one of Mammouth weekly. Thanks as always for listening, Matt Harmon: April 15th, 1994. Started an era in Monmouth university athletics that will officially dare I say, end on June 30th, 2021. The announcement that university vice president director of athletics, Dr. Marilyn McNeil will be stepping down. Uh, she is good enough to join myself university president Patrick Lehe on this week's episode of Monmouth weekly, president Lehi. A good morning to you, Dr. McNeil, a good morning to you. Um, you know, funny as we were, we were talking before we hit the record button and getting up and going, um, Dr. McNeil, I, I, I, I did ask you off the record, which I'll now ask you on the record. Are you ready for June 30th? And, um, not really, to my surprise, you kind of hemmed and hot a little bit, whether or not you're actually ready for this day to come. Marilyn McNeil: That's good morning. Good morning. Both Dr. Lay and, and Matt. Nice to see you this morning, hear from you this morning. Um, you know, I, uh, have said a couple of times that I told the president that it was kind of unfair to have me announce my retirement in January and then hang out for another four months to get battered and battered out around and beaten up. But in some ways, maybe I need to say thank you because it's been a slow, um, dis disengagement. And in some ways that's good. As, as people start to ignore me, don't care what I say, walk by my office line up to see Jeff. Um, you know, it's, I'm beginning to understand that, uh, what I say and what I think about things is not as important and that's, that's healthy, I think in a lot of ways, but I've often said too, that come July one, I'm gonna wake up in the morning and no one's gonna care where I am, what I'm doing and what my opinion is. And if I can get through July 1st, then I might be okay with this retirement. Matt Harmon: Well, listen, I think, I think some of that is overstated. I would say that walking into the athletic office, uh, and I hadn't been in, in the last little while and not thinking to go right, to make sure that you say hello to Dr. McNeil before maybe you pass along the office, the line going straight, when you come in now, instead of going right, would probably be, um, interesting to see president Lehe. You know, it, it was funny right before you had hopped on, um, Dr. MC Dr. McNeil had said, as we were talking about some things and I, I, I think I made the comment. It's not really your problem anymore. And she kind of chuckled to that right now. It's not, it's things, aren't her problem anymore. They're your problem. They are Jeff Stapleton's problem. And I say problem with a smile on my face as she had a smile on her face as well. Uh, but this is a really interesting change of the guard. When you think from 1994 to 2021, all of the accomplishments, um, that mama athletics have had under the watch of Dr. McNeil. Patrick Leahy: Well, uh, Marilyn spent, uh, 28 years here solving problems, uh, not only at, in athletics, of course, but, but also, um, you know, helping to guide the university from the top senior administrative level. And so, uh, you know, we, we, I think focused so much on the way athletics has developed during her tenure, but, um, I think we can't miss the contributions she's made to helping to develop this entire university over that, that period of time. I mean, Marilyn is, uh, has always felt strongly that athletics should, should be present, uh, at the table when the big university decisions are being made. And, um, I think she's right in that. And, uh, of course her successor will, will, uh, occupy a seat at that table with that same, uh, concept in mind that, uh, we wanna make sure the student athletes and athletics in general is represented in all the decisions that we make. But also that, that wisdom that comes from athletics, uh, is present at even decisions that are not directly athletic in nature. So, um, yeah, she overstates that, uh, it's not her problem anymore. There aren't a lot of problems in athletics, thanks to her great leadership. Uh, so this should make the transition a little bit easier. I hope Matt Harmon: How, how many times Dr. McNeil, I mean, thinking most recent first before, maybe we go back and talk about things, uh, over the course of, of the past almost 30 years. I, I mean the way that the year from 20 20th of March and everything being shut down to then coming back, um, you know, a fall that was certainly filled with uncertainty, but then getting through a winter season and a spring season, like no other, because fall sports played in the spring, spring sports played in the spring and everything was kind of lumped together. But, but, um, from a, from a standpoint of student athletes, coaches taking responsibility to make sure that in, in essence, COVID did not run rampant at all through the athletic department and then the success that the teams had during the course of the spring. I mean, if there was ever a year to go out on top, uh, as the athletic director, this was it because the success that the programs had fall sports, spring sports was completely, um, I, I, I would say unheralded across the country. Marilyn McNeil: Yeah, Matt, that's so true. And please call me Marilyn. Um, you know, I, my very last home game that I watched here at Monmouth was a walk off grand slam home, run by the baseball team to win the game. And I thought, okay, that can't be any better. So that's the memory that I will have for a long, long time. You know, we, um, we started the September, the 21 or 2021 academic year. Not very good. We were, uh, kind of the Guinea pigs, uh, for figuring out this, uh, uh, virus and we didn't, uh, handle ourselves well at all. Our student athletes, um, just felt that they could just go on and do what they needed to do and what they usually did. And we got shut down probably more than more than we should have, but then our student athletes figured it out and they became quite responsible and quite resilient. And the spring was, um, remarkable, um, for us to have, I think there were 6,000 tests done over the spring semester and we only had three positives, um, was a tribute to our sports medicine staff, obviously, but our student athletes and the coaches, they figured it out, they got it together. And they realized as one of the football athletes said, you know, we used to kind of dread practice games were the thing to go to, but practice really. And he said after this, um, pandemic year glue into practice was a real highlight the opportunity, just go out and be with your teammates and, and play the game that you love and I've spent so much time for. So I think what you saw on the playing field and the competitive playing field was this true love of athletics, true love of the spirit of the game. And that, that was just really important to me because I, I still believe that that's what athletics should be about. And we're, we're kind of heading down this business model world and I need, I, I really hope we get back a little bit to the education of it and the life lessons we learn on the playing field and the chance to get an education. And so these, these students proved to me that it was what was important and, and they, they came through in a big way, hats off to the coaches too, cuz they had to stay positive. Everybody was on edge. The testing comes in, you test on Wednesday, the results come in on Thursday, you're hoping your play on Friday. Um, and it happened. And so it worked Matt Harmon: President Lehe, you know, you think of it and, and, and I, I can't do it quite yet. So I'm still gonna go with Dr. McNeil, maybe at the end, I'll I'll transfer over in there somewhere. Um, when, when you hear Dr. McNeil talk about the student athletes, the coaches and you and I have talked about this on, on other episodes that we've had the, you know, is, is sacrifice the right word to use because it is a, it is something that, um, student athletes love the coaches love to do. So sacrifice might be a, a strong word to use, but commitment maybe is the right word to making sure that you, you were able to get through, um, a, a season on the field. Patrick Leahy: I think, um, I think that comment that Marilyn made about, um, uh, appreciating, uh, the opportunity to practice is so insightful. I mean, I think that turns as you point out Matt, what used to be thought of as a sacrifice, you know, dreading , you know, the, the, the, the practices and the, the training and the workout and everything else, so that you might get to the, you know, the real fun, uh, competition among schools, maybe that's changed a little bit. And, uh, and, and with that, our vernacular should change and, and not call it a sacrifice anymore, but, but, uh, I don't know a privilege, uh, you know, an opportunity, um, to be together and to, uh, develop that, uh, those, those bonds that last a lifetime, uh, among teens, uh, that really is a privilege. And I'm so appreciative of Maryland talking about, uh, that is really what we strive for in our athletics program is that, uh, we can use athletics, the 23 different sports that we offer at the varsity level, but not to say nothing of all the other athletic opportunities that we offer here, but to use those as tools, you know, uh, to develop men and women who can go on, uh, post graduation and, uh, live lives of significance. I mean, that's what we're really after as educators. Now, it is a ton of fun when we have the season that we had, of course, this spring. Um, you know, cuz there's no better way to create, uh, a first rate experience for our student athletes than to offer all of those opportunities and then have a culminate in being very successful. I mean, that's the best way to offer, uh, you know, a life transforming experience so much so that, I don't know if you know this, but I'm petitioning the NCAA that we move all fall sports to the spring and just play one spring season. Uh, I think that would bode well for us, uh, for the years to come Matt Harmon: Well then if that, if that ever went through and I know you say that, uh, joking, if that ever went through, I'm sure Dr. McNeil would be happy that she is retired because of the logistical issues, uh, that, that, that does cause you, you, you know, when, when you think of the athletic program as a whole, um, the mention of the coaches, the, the coaching staffs that you have everyone from top to bottom, or in this case, I should say maybe bottom to, to top the assistant coaches, for sure. But Dr. McNeil, some of the head coaches that you have had while you've been at, momed have essentially been there with you during this entire run of, of 28 years. I mean, that's, that's special for an athletic director, I would think. Marilyn McNeil: Yeah. And I couldn't be more fortunate, uh, because they're all such good people. Um, and they're, they're just quality folk and it it's so important to the success of, of any program, you know, even, even the academic programs or, or other programs, if you have good people leading the way and they remain with you, you, you don't have to reteach culture, you don't have to reteach morale, um, because they help each other out. And I didn't hire Kevin Callahan. Um, as a matter of fact, I think Jeff was on the search committee to, to hire Kevin, but Kevin has been, um, just a force for us and his office is just across the hall. And I see all the young coaches going in into him asking him questions and he's mentoring them so that, you know, he, he, they, he understands what you need to do to be successful. He understands what's important in the department. I'm grateful that his wife was a student athlete. So he also understands all the title IX concerns. There's a lot of football coaches that don't even know what title IX is, but he gets it. And, uh, he, he cares. He he's a fan. And so you, you can't be successful without good people. And, uh, I, I would go to bat for every one of these folks. They're just, just good upstart, good citizens, good mammoth folks and athletics. I've always said, this should be the most fun place on campus. We are getting ready for the next game. We're not, we need to understand our loss. We need to mope for 24 hours and then we need to get going and we need to get ready. So if someone says, oh my gosh, you have to go work in athletics. That's such a dower place. Then, then we we've done a wrong, the wrong thing. We should be the most upbeat, positive place to be. And I, and I think all our coaches, uh, believe in that, Patrick Leahy: Matt, let me just add too, if I may, that not only the tenure of our coaching staff under Maryland's leadership, but, um, the number of opportunities that she's provided for women in coaching. I mean, I think we are an a rated institution if you will, by the Tucker center for, uh, research on, uh, women in sports. Uh, and that's a, I think part, a measure of how many female head coaches we have and how many females we have among our coaching staff. And I know it's always been a commitment of Maryland's to try to have at the very least our women's teams coached by women, maybe who knows some days, some of our men's teams may be coached, uh, by women. But, um, that's an important part. I think, of Maryland's legacy. She, she may not raise it to allow me Matt Harmon: Well, I'll, I'll follow that up with, um, Dr. McNeils, you know, you starting in college athletics when you did essentially back in the, in the late seventies and now running through, uh, um, a year of 2021. So in there you're, you're talking 50 plus years of experience is, is title IX, gender issues. Is, is that still something that, um, for you, you, you wanna still have a pulse on that you still still feel like is a, is a major issue in college, college athletics. Marilyn McNeil: Oh, wow. First of all, thank you, Matt. Um, actually I started my collegiate athletics career in the mid sixties, so , but I appreciate the 10 years you just gave me, um, you know, well, there's no better example than the NCAA final four. Um, the title IX is still alive, uh, necessary needs to kick harder. Um, I think that you've seen some problems just with the college world series for softball versus baseball. Um, and we are still struggling. I, I, I truly believe that women need women. Um, as leaders, they need to see them. They need to understand them. They bring something different to the table. Um, but we still haven't figured out how to help women who have children, um, because it doesn't matter, uh, how supportive your spouse is. Um, women are primary caregivers and so they they'll stop anything in, in order to look after their children and their children are oftentimes they're, they're a team. So I think they're a very nurturing group and we are all better off just listening to both sides, but, uh, we, title IX still needs to be so strong. And so, so in your face, and for many, many years, I made it a point of getting in someone's face to try and point it out. Um, and I think we, we became a little bit more subtle and I think right now we need to get back in everybody's face and say, you need to do something about this. It's, um, it's a group of people that are research will tell you, or the, uh, women are your, um, purchase power. They are making all the purchasing power and you don't look in your own households and see who's, who's buying everything. Um, and so when our marketers, uh, start, uh, pushing their ads towards women, we're all gonna be better off. So, so many parts of society would be better off if we understand the power of women and it is there, Matt Harmon: You know, so, so interesting in that, um, answer that you gave and, and a lot to unpack because in, in the ever changing world of college athletics to still have gender issues, title IX, still kind of being in the forefront, you know, just the other day, I read a, a great article from the New York times that talked about the differences of the college world series for baseball and for softball. And, and you would've thought after all of the attention that the final four got between the men and the women that somewhere, it would've, it would've clicked, but it didn't click for the NCAA when it, when it even comes to big fall and softball. Um, you know, when I think Dr. McNeil, how, how do you in retirement, which, which will come up at the end of the month for you, how do you still stay involved with issues like that that are important to you? Or do you say I I've done my time. I've done my years. I've, I've tried to make change. I've tried to implement things, as you said, I've tried to be in people's faces, and now it's time for other people to kind of pick up the Baton and run with it. Marilyn McNeil: You know, I was, um, interviewed by the group, that's doing the, um, gender assessment at the NCAA. And I, um, told them that I was the chair of the committee on women's athletics in the early two thousands. And we made a very similar report about gender inequities in the NCAA. And I suggested that when they present their report to the, uh, board of directors of the NCAA, that they first out, they, the first thing they should do is pass out hearing aids because the NCAA has completely been deaf for way too many years. And I find it, uh, I so totally irresponsible that they didn't sort of go bend over backwards to make sure that the softball baseball series were even, um, after what they went through on the basketball. So, yeah, I think, I, I don't think I can ever leave this alone. Um, I think that one of the things I would like to do in retirement is probably teach. Um, and, and some of it might be the history of title IX. It might be the emphasis of title IX. It, it might be what we need to do. Um, you know, my, my terminal will agree was in the sociology of sports. So, you know, I I'm tempted to do that. I, I, I, I do wanna make sure that our female athletes understand the, the journey, but I also want to make sure that they understand the challenge too. And so that they just take it and our male student athletes understand it as well. Patrick Leahy: Let me jump into Matt, if I may, and, and, uh, mention a little bit about one, one of Marilyn's legacies, of course, will be the, the, um, culture that she leaves here at Monmouth. And, uh, I think we've talked about this at a previous episode that her successor will be Jeff Stapleton, who preceded Marilyn here, at, uh, at Monmouth, but, um, at the risk of embarrassing, Jeff, I, I asked him during the interview process about his commitment to title IX and his answer was, was very simple. He said, well, I can give you a long elaborate answer as to how we'll comply with title IX, but he said, the bottom line is here at Monmouth. We'll offer our female student athletes the same opportunities we offer our male student athletes. And is there anything else you need to know? And I just said, that was good enough for me. And, and this is a, you know, a, a male longtime male athletics administrator who has learned that he is himself, the father of four, four daughters, I believe. So he feels this, uh, all of whom I think are athletes, right? Marilyn or many of whom are athletes. So, um, he understands this, um, in a, in a very deep, uh, uh, real way. And, uh, I have to believe he learned that, uh, you know, serving as, uh, Marilyn's deputy athletic director. So I do hope Marilyn, you stay actively involved either as a teacher or in, in, in, in other ways, maybe writing or speaking out on, on these issues. Um, but I, I hope you know, that your, uh, influence, um, has been felt by so Many people, They will carry on your commitments as well. Matt Harmon: You know, when you think of it, um, on, on so many levels and, and Dr. McNeil, you and I have spoke about this before today, but as, as, um, soon as bef right before we hit the record button, I mentioned it to you as well. You've had a really unique position at Monmouth because not only in addition to being a vice president, you were also a member of the faculty. Uh, so, so you were able to dare I say, connect the dots, the way that a lot of athletic directors probably were not sitting in faculty meetings, being involved with academic type decisions to help shape, you know, dare I say, a, a term that maybe gets thrown around a little bit, too much student athletes, because not only were you on the athlete side, you were on the student side as well. Marilyn McNeil: Yeah, I, I was extremely fortunate and I'm, I'm grateful that I did receive a faculty appointment because it did, uh, it did allow me to speak with faculty, but, and to sort of understand them, um, without, and I did teach a few courses here. So I understand the work ethic and, and how hard it is to stay on top of teaching, um, and preparing. Um, but, you know, my, my terminal degree was the best academic experience I ever had. Um, I really grew, and so I think I became so much more respectful of the academic enterprise having done that. And, um, my research still resonates with me today. It was, it's so valuable. Um, so I, I really, I think I have a not unique, but, um, perhaps in the athletics world, an opportunity to understand the whole of an institution, as opposed to just the part. And I think Dr. Lehe said this earlier, and it's so important to me, to me, it's just a subtle difference that athletics needs to be a part of not apart from an institution. And when an institution decides that athletics is an important piece, then everybody is going to gain everybody. It will get better, um, because you're not gonna be fighting about it. It's a, it's an experience that enhances the institution. It enhances our student athletic experience, I think. And I've heard from so many faculty student athletes that we put in the classroom, not all of them, but a majority of them are some of their finest students and they have that work ethic that they bring to the classroom. So we're all better off if we just embrace and become more inclusive as, as opposed to exclusive Matt Harmon: Well, as someone who is a faculty member, I can speak to that without question that, that some of the student athletes I've had in over 20 years of teaching a Monmouth have, have been the, the best, uh, that I've had within the class. And presently, I know that's something that's really important to you as well. The, the meshing and the connection that athletics has with the rest of the university community on campus. Patrick Leahy: I mean, athletics administrators, and I always say this about coaches. They are educators, and they're a unique brand of educators. Uh, the amount of time that our coaches spend with our student athletes. I mean, um, it's an unbelievable opportunity, uh, and responsibility to, uh, to, uh, to develop students, uh, in that way. And I feel very strongly about this. It's one of the reasons I'm so proud of the fact, uh, that our, this spring we've been talking about the on-field performance of all of our student athletes, but, uh, what, what shouldn't be lost is the in class experience and how well they, they, uh, they performed there as well. I, I, I don't remember exactly offhand, Maryland, but something like 10 of our, uh, 17 or half or so of our, of our teams had a 3.0 average grade point average across the team. And 10 of them had a, a 3.5 or higher, or a grade point average just, just killed it in the classroom as well as on the field of play. And, um, that makes a, a university president, uh, extremely proud as well. And, um, that is what we're, we're all about here. And, uh, kudos to our athletics administration, our coaching staff and their collaborators across our faculty. You know, our, our faculty have to be, uh, very flexible with our student athletes, given their travel schedules and everything else. And I think for, you know, uh, in large part, uh, our faculty are very supportive of our student athletes, uh, mostly because they outperform, you know, our other students, uh, in the classroom, generally speaking. And, uh, why not have, uh, more student athletes here if that's the case and why not try to be supportive of them if that's the case Matt Harmon: Few more minutes with, uh, university vice president director, athletic athletics, uh, Dr. Marilyn McNeil with university president Patrick Lehe, I'm Matt Harmon. Um, Dr. McNeil, we, we spoke earlier about your successor, who is a longtime colleague, has been your right hand man, for, for the better part of your entirety at Monmouth as your, your deputy athletic director, Jeff Stapleton, who will take over in the, in the position of the athletics director on July 1st. Um, and, and I know this about you that even if you wanted to, there is no way that you would leave if you were not confident in the direction that the athletic program was going to head under his direction. Marilyn McNeil: Yeah, I was, I was delighted to see his appointment. Um, he's just a really good person, uh, kind, um, intelligent. He has the trust of all the coaches. And to me, that was the most important thing. Um, I, you know, I'm, I'm proud of the fact that that Dr. Lehe says that athletics, isn't a problem area on the campus. Um, and so we need to, we need to continue not being a problem area. And I think when you have a leader that, uh, the coaches trust and they believe in, uh, then we can just keep going forward and doing what we do very well, which is get our student athletes on the field of play, be successful, and then graduate them at an unbelievably high rate. So Jeff's, Jeff's got all the qualities to make this work, and I couldn't be prouder. And obviously you spend 28 years at something you don't wanna see it turn around and fail in the next six months. And I have no doubt that, uh, we're just gonna go forward and, and upwards, I'm excited about the strategic plan. I'm excited about what things in there will, will benefit our student athletes as well as our students. So I can't see anything but an upward trend and, and I'll walk away thinking great. Now I get to come back in five years and, and applaud all the good things that Jeff and and the group have done. Matt Harmon: Speaking of, of coming back, I would imagine your plans in retirement will be continuing to spend as much time as you can with your grandchildren. Um, maybe every once in a while, going out and doing some fashion consulting for your husband, Hank, see if we can find him a couple of new sweaters that are always fun at, at, at modest sporting events. Um, and, and, and, and probably just trying, trying to enjoy life a little bit. Right. Marilyn McNeil: Well, the only real decision I've made is I'm not spending anymore winters in New Jersey, so that's done. Um, but yes, my grandkids, I really don't care much about my kids, but my grandkids are the, uh, apple of my eye. And so, yes, I need to be here to see them grow and, and, um, grow up. Uh, so I'll be around, obviously, it's gonna, it's gonna be impossible for me not to come back and watch our athletes compete. That was my favorite part of my job. Why anybody wouldn't go watch them compete? Um, I don't know. So I'm gonna come back. Um, I'll come incognito. I might dress up and one of Hank sweaters, and so no one will know who I am, but trust his fashion sense to get into every interview. Sad, Patrick Leahy: That'll be a dead giveaway if you wear sweaters, Marilyn . Matt Harmon: Yeah. You know, I, I, your, your last comment there was, was, was funny because I can remember, um, my dad always telling me even to the, to the day that he had, uh, passed away, the best part of being a parent is, is knowing that at some point you'll be a grandparent. So you saying, I, I could take or leave my kids. It's my grandchildren now. And I know how important they are, um, to you for sure. And, and, you know, I, as we're kind of winding down here, um, I, I, I was waiting to do this, but I cannot thank you. Um, as someone who is a faculty member on campus, you have been for me, a invaluable resource, um, in what was a 11 year journey to finish my terminal degree. You allowed me, um, under your direction and under Jeff's direction to do a mentorship on campus in which I was involved with schedule planning, um, sat on hiring committees. And I, and I knew that I could always pop in and bounce ideas off of you for, uh, my own research, which I was fortunate enough to complete in October of, of 2020. So, um, O other than saying, thank you. I don't really know what else to say. Um, uh, being, being a part of the staff from a broadcast side of things and, and seeing the athletic department grow so much as someone who has been at Monmouth, uh, since 1993, um, ha has been nothing short of fantastic. Marilyn McNeil: Well, I know I've said congratulations to you before, but yes, absolute congratulations. I'm, I'm proud of you as I am of anybody that finishes a degree, but I think the terminal degree is, is something pretty special and something that is always academic, really challenging, but makes you a better person in the end. Um, so I congratulate you and I'm happy. I mean, our, our success is built on the people that we surround ourselves with. It has nothing to do with any one individual it's all of us working together. And, um, I would be, I would be disappointed if I heard anything differently than our cooperation to make sure this all works for everybody. Matt Harmon: Let, let let's finish with, um, this, you, you mentioned the, essentially the last win that you saw in person, which was the baseball walk off grand slam at home. Think back over 28 years in Monmouth, what what's, what's a game that to this day, you remember win loss, draw that you can think, wow. I, I, I don't believe that I was either at that game. I was part of that game. I was so proud of the way that my teams played. Marilyn McNeil: Uh, I would have to say the basketball game, uh, against Villanova at the, in Philadelphia, not sure where, but that still is a memory as we were, um, about to tie them with not a lot of time left, um, missed a three point that went in the basket and fell back out. Uh, I think that is a, a memory that I'll never forget. Um, there are so many highlights, uh, I think beating in men's soccer, beating St. John's on Hess field has gotta be another one. Um, women's soccer, just, okay. Let's just keep winning, you know, it's almost, maybe I'll, I'll remember the disappointments because there was such an expectation and of course, field hockey doing what they do so well, beating Stanford and Cal. Okay. That's all right. Watching Shannon Salberg coach softball, which is just a joy. I, you know, there are so many memories, you put me on the spot and I've left some people out and, and I know I'll feel bad for that, but, um, yeah, I could go on Matt Harmon: Well, and, and you think about it too. Um, you know, that, that Monmouth game I'm I'm, if I'm remembering correctly, you're talking about the 2006 NCAA tournament, the, the one 16 game that, that Monmouth was right in, um, till the end that I think was, was down at the Wells. Well, it's now the Wells Fargo center. I don't remember what it was back then, but I think it's the Wells Fargo center now. Right. Um, you know, and, and you think of how, how things have changed in your time. The addition of lacrosse, the addition of the, I, I shouldn't say the addition, the reemergence of swimming, the addition of programs, the change in buildings, uh, the football stadium transformation, the ocean first bank center. I mean, there's, there's been so many even off field moments. Um, and I, and I will now say it instead of Dr. McNeil, there's been so many off field moments, Marilyn, that have happened that are, are just so, so big for the university moving forward. Marilyn McNeil: Yes. And, and as I said before, you know, we are thankful for so much support that we had both from the institution and from our donors, just really people that stepped up and, and wanted to, I think because they loved, um, loved the, the experience of watching our student athletes compete hard with the pride at Monmouth, but they become friends as well. And so many wonderful donors, so many wonderful fans and supporters and friends of the program. They're gonna be the hard ones to, to walk away from, but we couldn't have done any of this. We couldn't have gotten any better without everybody else just working hard, um, to make that experience for our student athletes or students and mammoth so much better Matt Harmon: President Lehe. I will give you, um, final, final comment before I wrap it up. Patrick Leahy: Yeah. I'll just say this at the end of our, uh, episode here, you know, there will be other opportunities for us to, to recognize, uh, Dr. McNeil, but, uh, in this context, uh, let me join you, Matt, in thanking, uh, you Marilyn for your incredible service to this institution. I mean, I don't, I only had the great privilege of working with you for two years, uh, of those 28, but I'm so glad that, uh, our paths crossed and, uh, I've learned so much in the two years, uh, working with you. And then if I may say at a previous institution spent seven years working with a, a first class female athletic director there as well. So I've learned so much from, uh, you female, uh, ADSS. And, um, I, I just want you to know that we will continue, uh, the fights that you started, the positive fights that you started, um, around, uh, uh, gender equity, uh, going forward. It was an incredible career. And if I may say at one point, you, you mentioned that your parents were wondering why you chose a running and jumping, uh, uh, industry, or what have you. And, uh, I think they would be incredibly proud of, uh, the 50 plus year career that you put into that running and jumping, um, uh, career. So, um, congratulations to you on your well deserved retirement. And I do look forward in the weeks, uh, to come to recognizing you, uh, around the Monmouth university community, Matt Harmon: Without question the university, um, will have a, a, a different feel to it. Come July 1st university, vice president, director of athletics, Dr. Marilyn McNeil with university president Patrick Lehe. Um, as we wrap up Dr. McNeil, you mentioned teaching, I will say our sports communication program could use a history of title IX class. So by all means when you're ready to do that, um, just, just let us know. And I would, I would run to put that on the schedule. Marilyn McNeil: Well, thank you. Um, I would, I would wanna say, um, Matt you've become my top broadcaster and in my, um, memoirs about serving five different presidents, uh, your kind remarks, pat might move you up in that, uh, list of, of presidents. Patrick Leahy: Just try to call my way Marilyn McNeil: Up a little bit. Well, both of you have been extremely kind and I, and I really appreciate Matt Harmon: That Dr. McNeil, again, thanks so much for your time. Uh, this morning, congratulations on an amazing career and impending retirement, look forward to talking to you, uh, down the line. And, and as you said, your connection to the university will, uh, continue at at infant item president Le, thanks for, for putting this one together. Um, certainly well deserved, much needed. We will talk again in, uh, couple of weeks for another, another episode of Monmouth weekly, continue to wind down the 20, 20, 20, 21 academic year. Look ahead to 2122. We'll do it in two weeks on Monmouth weekly. Thanks as always for joining us.