The Sacramento State Hornets have had a successful run in the Big Sky Conference since head coach Kathleen Raske’s arrival on campus in 2004.

She’s led her program to 14 Big Sky Conference titles – 10 women’s and 4 men’s, including a complete sweep of the indoor and outdoor titles by both teams in 2011.

This was accomplished all without major scholarship funding.

The men’s team is not a fully-funded program, receiving only five scholarships to be distributed among 44 athletes, making it impossible for the program to offer full scholarships.

Title IX requires programs to fully fund sports based on the demographics of the campus. Because 57 percent of students at Sac State were women in 2013, women’s sports are fully funded.

“We always offer partial scholarships,” Raske said. “Sometimes the best we can do is offer a guaranteed roster spot.”

The small number of scholarships affect the team’s outlook from season to season and because funding is scarce, the coaching staff is often left with difficult decisions.

“I have to allocate how we spend our money,” Raske said. “Am I going to try to load up on an event group, or am I going to spread it out and have a well balanced team?”

The effects can also be felt by the student-athletes. Sophomore sprinter and hurdler Casey Wheeler receives a partial, half-tuition scholarship. The other half comes from his pockets.

“I have to work during the first semester and the second semester I take out loans,” Wheeler said. “This year, I had to work at a movie theater.”

Last year, other men’s programs on campus benefit from more funding including the football program, which was able to allocate a maximum of 60 scholarships.

But the lack of scholarships has not hindered any success during the last decade.

“Our success has nothing to do with scholarships,” Raske said. “I have to give great credit to my coaching staff.”

The foundation for the team’s success has also been built by a careful selection of athletes.

Raske said the program goes after athletes who feel they can gain something from the school.

“The people who choose our program do so for the right reasons,” Raske said. “They love our school, city and environment.”

Having a coach who cares about her athletes also makes a world of difference, said freshman hurdler Trever Sitch.

Sitch received offers to play football from private NAIA institutions, but decided to accept Sac State’s guaranteed roster spot because of the strong program led by Raske.

“Coach Raske was the only coach that saw me run,” Sitch said. “She emailed me about my potential and came out to one of my races.”

The men’s team has continued their success during the 2014 season. The team finished first at the Jacksons Invitational in January and finished second at the Big Sky Conference Championships in Pocatello, Idaho.

Up to this point in the outdoor season, the men have finished second at the Aggie Opener and the Hornet Invite, third at the Cal-Nevada Championships and first place at the Mondo Mid-Major Challenge at Hornet Stadium.

“It’s the total experience that brings people in,” Raske said. “People want to be apart of a championship team.”