Matt Meltzer: Bilsky's hires are outdoing themselves

Penn's spring sports teams are in an unfamiliar position for this time of year. They are in contention for Ivy League titles. The women's lacrosse, tennis and softball teams, along with the men's tennis and baseball teams, all have legitimate shots at titles.

This is an incredible development for athletic director Steve Bilsky, who is now in his 13th year at that position.

Over that period Penn's spring sports teams have won just nine Ivy championships: The baseball, men's golf and men's tennis teams have each won one title while the women's tennis team has won two and the men's track team has taken home four Heptagonal championships.

The fact that the Quakers have struggled in warmer weather has always been curious, since Penn's teams do so well in other seasons.

Football, wrestling, and men's basketball have been extremely competitive during his tenure.

But more importantly, Bilsky has shown a desire to hold other sports to the same standard, bringing in new coaches to replace ones that hadn't seen the same success they had with the program earlier in their tenures.

Unfortunately, Bilsky could not be reached for comment on this article.

The change from Ivy losers or runners-up to potential champions does not have a singular cause. Penn has become a more prestigious, sexier university and brand; it no longer sits near the bottom of the U.S. News rankings compared to other Ivies. Penn has also committed financial resources to creating and maintaining better facilities, such as Meiklejohn Stadium, which was erected in 2000.

However, the change is largely due to the coaching decisions Bilsky has made over the last seven years. Of the five teams that are in position to win titles, four have coaches that were hired in that time span.

Coaches Karin Brower of the women's lacrosse team and Mark Riley of the men's tennis team were both hired in 2000. The women's lacrosse team has an Ivy record of 5-0 already and is are poised to make the NCAA Tournament - as an at-large or an automatic bid - for the first time since 1984.

This year the men's tennis team stands in first place at 5-0 in the Ivy League, having beaten traditional Ivy powers Brown and Harvard.

However, it is on the diamond where the coaching changes are making the most dramatic impact. Softball coach Leslie King, hired in 2004, and baseball coach John Cole, hired in 2006, have both led their teams to title contention for the first time in recent memory. The softball team last won before any of its current players were born, in 1981.

Bilsky deserves a lot of credit for bringing talented and committed coaches into the Penn community. Yet it is his job and his legacy that depend on these coaches. While these teams are finally on the cusp of winning the ultimate prize, it has taken Bilsky a long time to get here.

Penn Athletics should be more than just frequent championships on the hardwood and the gridiron. All 33 programs deserve attention and dedication. With the decisions that have been made lately, Bilsky has demonstrated that commitment.

The success Penn is witnessing this spring is not merely a flash in the pan. Bilsky has created a strong foundation through facilities, recruiting and coaches to ensure Penn's spring sports teams find success for many years to come.

Matt Meltzer is a senior political science major from Glen Rock, N.J. His e-mail address is meltzerm@sas.upenn.edu.

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