Sunbird Family,

The fall semester is underway, and there is a tremendous amount of energy surrounding Fresno Pacific Athletics. Our teams are competing, students are back on campus, and for the first time, we are officially competing as members of the CCAA. After more than a year of preparation, it has been exciting to finally see our student-athletes wearing Fresno Pacific across their chests and representing our university in one of the premier conferences in NCAA Division II.

We have already had plenty to celebrate. Volleyball has continued the momentum from last year's historic season and is currently ranked No. 4 in the nation, the highest NCAA Division II ranking in program history. Mikayla Weiss earned back-to-back CCAA Setter of the Week honors, men's soccer's Zion Vaughn was named both CCAA Offensive Player of the Week and National Player of the Week, and our men's cross country team opened the year by winning the Clovis Crush Invitational at Woodward Park, while the women finished second. Men's water polo also picked up two victories over conference opponents this past weekend during its trip to West Virginia. It has been a great start, but even more encouraging has been watching our student-athletes embrace the challenge of a new conference and represent FPU well.

This past week also brought news that will shape Fresno Pacific for generations. The university announced an extraordinary $60 million gift, the largest gift in FPU and Central Valley history. The impact will reach across the university through scholarships, healthcare and nursing programs, a new physician associate program, facilities, and a significant investment in track and field. For Athletics, it creates an opportunity to dream about a first-class track and field facility and continue building an environment worthy of the students we serve. We are incredibly grateful and humbled for this generosity and, more importantly, for the belief it represents in Fresno Pacific's mission and future.

Next week we begin our second annual Week of Giving, September 21-27. Last year's response was incredible, and every dollar raised through this effort goes directly back into the student-athlete experience. These gifts help fund equipment, travel, team rooms, facility improvements, technology, and many of the things our coaches and student-athletes use every day. Ultimately, this is about providing our nearly 400 student-athletes with an experience that helps them grow academically, athletically, spiritually, and personally. Whether a gift is $25 or $2,500, it makes a difference, and we are grateful for everyone who chooses to invest in our students.

I also hope you will join us on Saturday, October 3, for the return of the Fresno Pacific Athletics Hall of Fame. This will be our first induction ceremony since 2019, and we will have the privilege of honoring five individuals and five championship teams whose accomplishments helped build the tradition we enjoy today. The Hall of Fame Ceremony and Lunch begins at 10:00 a.m. in the Warkentine Culture and Arts Center as part of FPU's Friends & Family Weekend. You can RSVP at fpusunbirds.com/HOF2026. I would love to see a room filled with former student-athletes, alumni, donors, families, and friends as we celebrate some remarkable people and teams from our history.

There is a lot happening at Fresno Pacific right now, and it is easy to focus on rankings, facilities, gifts, conference transitions, and everything we hope to build next. But those things are only valuable if they serve our greater purpose. Jesus reminds us in John 15:5, "apart from me you can do nothing." That continues to challenge me personally. In a season with so much momentum, our calling is not simply to accomplish more, but to abide in Christ and faithfully steward whatever God places in front of us. Our hope is that everything being built at Fresno Pacific Athletics ultimately points beyond ourselves and is used for His glory.

Thank you for continuing to support our student-athletes, coaches, and Fresno Pacific University. I am excited about where we are headed and grateful to have you alongside us.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Kyle Ferguson