special supplement
[ L-R ]: MARK ORR , DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS | DR . ROBERT S . NELSEN , PRESIDENT OF SACRAMENTO STATE
SACRAMENTO STATE DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS
HORNET EXCELLENCE ON AND OFF THE PLAYING FIELD
Sacramento State ’ s Department of Athletics is powerful , formative and spirited . It ’ s also successful on many levels . About 550 Hornet athletes span 21 sports for both men and women , competing in NCAA Division I and against other universities throughout the state , including UC Davis , Cal Berkeley and Stanford .
“ Approximately 60 % of our student athletes are from the Sacramento area ,” says Director of Athletics Mark Orr . “ We recruit nationwide and even worldwide , but we focus primarily on regional athletes , committed to having a place for local youth athletes to pursue an academic degree and continue in sports .”
Countless Hornets have continued on to professional sports careers , including Rhys Hoskins , a baseball player with the Philadelphia Phillies , and Cody Demps , a basketball player with multiple NBA franchises including the Sacramento Kings . Ryan Coogler , a Sac State football player and graduate , shows the wide range of student abilities — he ’ s gone on to direct awardwinning films , including Black Panther .
“ Our student athletes are truly ambassadors of Sacramento State beyond what you see on the field , court or track ,” notes Orr . “ They are also excellent students academically , with an overall average GPA of above 3.0 collectively and a high graduation rate .”
Hornet athletes also participate in community service opportunities on campus and off , such as hosting youth camps , visiting hospitals and homeless shelters , and mentoring and tutoring in local schools . “ They ’ re great representatives of Sac State and Sacramento as a whole ,” says Orr .
This spirited and successful athletics program infuses the student body and the community with pride . Students and community members can don school colors to attend competitions and cheer on classmates , family members or community members in action . “ This is our region ’ s opportunity to enjoy the highest level of college sports right here on our beautiful campus at affordable prices ,” Orr says . “ The positive impact on students , staff and community is immeasurable .”
SPONSORED PROFILE
“ Our student athletes are truly ambassadors of Sacramento State beyond what you see on the field , court or track .”
— Mark Orr Director of Athletics
profile generously sponsored by
DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT
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