Dear Fighting Illini Students,

On behalf of the entire Division of Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Illinois, I would like to welcome you to campus for the beginning of another great school year! I’m very excited to see what 2014-2015 holds after the many successes of the past year.

I have learned in my time at Illinois that this is a terrific campus in many ways. This University is a national leader in academics, research, community engagement, and athletics. The key element in each of these areas is our bright and talented student body. From my perspective, I have the pleasure of witnessing the incredible student support our athletic teams receive from their classmates. No matter the sport or event, I see that Illinois students truly are diehard Fighting Illini Fans! I thank you for your enthusiasm and devotion. You provide a great home team advantage for our student-athletes and we greatly appreciate your energetic and passionate support!

As this new academic year begins, I hope to see more and more of you at our sporting events and around campus. A vibrant and engaged student body is critical to a university’s success both in the classroom and on the field of competition. The high caliber of our teams and the thrill of a Big Ten athletic environment is something you should promise yourself to experience during your time on campus. I enjoyed meeting many of you at our events last year and I’m looking forward to doing so again in 2014-2015. I wish you a happy, successful, and productive school year, and I look forward to seeing you cheer the Illini on to victory!

Go Illini!

Mike Thomas