From the Desk of the Director
3/24/2026 4:45:00 PM | General, Banana Slugs Recreation
| Dear Banana Slugs, I trust this message finds you well and that 2026 is off to a great start. As we move into the spring quarter, I want to take a moment to reflect on the growth, achievements, and momentum across our department and campus community.  The Hall of Fame In January, we announced our inaugural class of Hall of Fame inductees. This newly established Hall of Fame will recognize and celebrate those who built the foundation of excellence that continues to shape our programs today. This milestone is particularly meaningful to me; in my first year as director of Athletics and Recreation, I quickly came to understand just how special it is to be a Banana Slug. It is an honor and a privilege to recognize the outstanding alumni student-athletes, coaches, and administrators who have helped define who we are. Our inaugural induction ceremony will take place on Friday, April 24, 2026, at La Bahia in Santa Cruz. We will honor individuals who distinguished themselves in competition while exemplifying the spirit, integrity, and values of UC Santa Cruz. We sincerely hope you will join us for this special celebration. Purchase tickets online. This Is Home If you've visited Upper East Field recently, you've likely seen hundreds of students, staff, and community members enjoying the field and jogging path each day. It is inspiring to see this space serve as a gathering place for our community. I am pleased to share that the running path will undergo a full renovation this summer to enhance the experience for all users. At the completion of this project, this iconic half-mile jogging path will have an all-weather surface, which will not only allow for best- in-class experience for our campus community members, but will also create an enhanced opportunity for our student-athletes to train on campus. Additionally, we are excited to announce that East Tennis Courts, where our NCAA DIII leading 7 National Championships were forged, will undergo a renovation to restore their ability to host practices, competitions, camps, intramural, and club activities for years to come. These projects honor our history while positioning us for continued growth. Together, they reflect our commitment to creating spaces that support health, connection, and community. This is just a small step forward as we continue to advance our campus and make this a space people can call home. Athletics updates The fall and winter seasons produced many memorable moments for our Banana Slugs. Luke Holland earned All-American honors with a 25th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships, becoming just the third in program history. Helena Janku became the first four-time NCAA qualifier in women's cross country and earned the NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award, the first in UC Santa Cruz history. Both the men's and women's cross country teams captured their fifth consecutive Coast-to-Coast Conference Championships as we proudly hosted the event in Sunnyvale, CA. Men's soccer enjoyed a strong season, with Soren Groessl, Michael Braun, Jackson Chandler, and Lawyer Mamaril earning United Soccer Coaches All-Region honors. Our swim and dive programs also excelled. The men captured their second consecutive PCSC Championship with a record-setting performance, while the women earned their highest finish in program history, finishing as the conference runner up. Together, the teams recorded 25 podium finishes and set two meet records along with the men's team setting the meet record in points with 1917.5 points. Speaking to the high level of their performances all season, the program will be sending 11 student-athletes to compete at the National Championship later this month, the most combined athletes between the men's and women's teams in program history. In December, men's basketball made history by competing against the University of Southern California in the program's first NCAA Division I vs. Division III regular-season matchup. The program saw senior Joseph Espy become the 12th player in history to surpass the 1,000 career point milestone and just the seventh player in history to pass 500 career rebounds. On the women's basketball side, the Banana Slugs saw sophomore Emilie Ngo take down the single-season assists record, recording 134 assists in the regular season. We've also seen great success with our track and field programs and men's volleyball programs with both teams just getting started with their seasons in January. Banana Slugs men's and women's track and field have taken down six program records with Evan Hofstetter, Nia Kim, and Elena Stanciu dropping top 15 marks in the country in the heptathlon, pentathlon, and mile. Stanciu, Kim, and Hofstetter all earned NCAA All-American honors in their respective events at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships. Men's volleyball has had a stellar season so far, defeating top-ranked opponents in Vassar College, NYU, Misericordia University, and most recently, No. 3 Carthage College. The women's golf team hosted the Inaugural Hollins Cup at Pasatiempo and begins their season this spring while the men's and women's tennis teams have already begun their 2026 spring campaigns. In the classroom Academically, our student-athletes continue to excel. We've seen many Banana Slugs achieve incredible honors so far this year.
Recreation and student engagement Adventure Recreation continues to foster leadership, resilience, and connection in the outdoors. This year's eight-day Sierra Rec Leader Training in Yosemite prepared 16 student leaders in facilitation, decision-making, Leave No Trace ethics, and wilderness living skills while embracing the wind and snow with laughter and learning. Our trip offerings continue to evolve, balancing high-challenge experiences like the Big Sur High Peaks and Yosemite backpacking programs with more reflective opportunities such as Campus to Coast and Big Sur coastline hikes. Access remains a priority, and we've seen hundreds of students utilize Rec Rental to fuel their own adventures into the outdoors. Furthermore, to continue to create accessible opportunities, earlier this month Adventure Rec hosted the 35th annual Banff Mountain Film Festival at the Rio Theatre, welcoming more than 1,200 attendees and raising over $18,000 to offset student trip costs. This year Intramural Sports has engaged more than 1,200 participants while providing meaningful student employment opportunities. And our 32 student-led Sport Clubs continue to thrive, highlighted by Men's Club Soccer capturing the USCCS NorCal Division title with a 4-1 victory over UC Davis, Ultimate hosting 17 teams at the Sean Ryan Tournament, and Ballroom Dance holding its first home competition. The UCSC Men's and Women's Club Rugby teams had an outstanding season, marked by strong competitive results and remarkable program growth. Both programs fielded two competitive sides. On the national stage, the UCSC women earned an invitation to the Collegiate Rugby Association of America (CRAA) Division I National 7s Championship (April 2026) while the men will make their second consecutive appearance in the CRAA D1A National Challenger Cup. Campus wellness continues to see record participation. The Fitness Center has recorded nearly 194,000 visits from 9,900 members since the start of the fall quarter, with group exercise participation up 20% year-over-year. The second annual Run Like a Slug 5K returns May 15, 2026, following a 685-participant debut last year, and this spring, boating will launch a new fleet of keelboats, expanding programming and opportunities on the water like only we can do here at UC Santa Cruz! Personal reflection To say it has been a busy academic year would be an understatement, and through it all, I remain grateful for the passion, commitment, and hard work that make UC Santa Cruz such a special place. Seeing the loyal support that our community gives us day in and day out is noticed and appreciated, and I personally want to thank you all for what you do for our Banana Slugs. Together, we continue to grow, compete, and celebrate what makes UCSC special. I sincerely hope you will join us at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and at one of our many competitions this spring, and I again want to thank you for being part of our journey.  Go Slugs! C.S. |
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