Being ‘Bulldog Born: Bulldog Bred’ is a term often thrown around at Fresno State and while he only came to Fresno a mere 16 months ago, Director of Athletics Garrett Klassy has always had that Bulldog mentality.
“We’re putting that valley DNA, that grit, into everything we do and and we’re trying to do things here that really align us to the culture and the values of this community,” Klassy said.
That community is one that has become a safe haven for him. A lot has happened in his life since April of 2024, between uprooting his family for a dream job and losing both of his parents.
“It is tough anytime you go through transition,” Klassy said.
When he first moved to Fresno, several people in the community offered up their homes to help with that transition process, something that reminded him of his roots.
“The way that the community accepted me and my family, it’s special. And I can’t say that about every place I’ve worked at,” Klassy said. “This is a Midwestern town in the middle of California with much better weather, but the people are very much Midwestern like me, and this, this is home.”
Home indeed, the Klassy family has indulged in Yosemite and China Peak as well as trips to the ocean on occasion, but for the Fresno State Director of Athletics, he is more than content exactly where he’s at and enjoys exploring all of Fresno County.
The New Glaus, Wisconsin native is not unfamiliar to agriculture, though admittedly he hadn’t milked a cow in nearly 20 years, something he got to do last week along with the Jordan College of Agriculture.
“Turns out it’s like riding a bike,” Klassy said.
The future of Fresno State hoops and Vance Walberg
The Bulldogs men’s basketball team is coming off a season in which they went 6-26. With a historically bad season comes uproar and fans have on more than a few occasions called for the firing of Head Coach Vance Walberg.
Klassy for what it’s worth, did not hire the coach, having come to Fresno State 2.5 months after Walberg signed a three-year deal. No one would fault him for wanting to bring in his own guy. Klassy made it clear though that he is Walberg’s “biggest fan” and envisions him to be around for a while.
“Vance Walberg is our coach, and I expect he will be our coach for the foreseeable future. I’ve already seen improvement in this team from last year to this year, and it’s an exciting team to watch,” Klassy said.
Despite last season’s struggles, Walberg has been determined to win at Fresno State, even risking his personal fortune to do so in an initiative to try and reverse the fortunes. Walberg and his family donated $1 million to Valley Co-Op earlier this year, per the Fresno Bee. The money would largely be used for N.I.L. purposes as they aim to recruit and retain high-end talent.
The early results have been promising, with the Bulldogs at 6-2 to begin the 2025-26 season, already matching its win total from a year ago. Walberg, who has mentioned his hatred for losing on several occasions, cited the inverse following the team’s win over New Orleans on Nov. 21.
“Winning, I always tell you, ‘best drug in the world,’” Walberg said.
The joy on his face is much different this season, in a good way. Walberg was able to chuckle after a unique incident following the game against New Orleans.
Beyond the on-court results, Walberg’s dedication to winning and turning the program around has resonated with his Athletic Director.
“There’s no one that wants to win more for Fresno State basketball than Vance and his coaching staff. “He’s put his blood, sweat and tears and resources into this program, and we are supporting him with as much as we can,” Klassy said.
Oftentimes when a new athletic director comes in, they like to set a new standard and bring in new coaches. Klassy has certainly done that to an extent, though it should be noted that most of said hires were replacements rather than moving on due to performance.
Matt Entz (football) was hired to replace Interim head Coach Tim Skipper who stepped in for the retired Jeff Tedford, Ryan McCarthy (women’s basketball) was hired to replace Jaime White who retired, and Charlotte Morgan (softball) was hired to replace Stacy May-Johnson, who left in May to come the head coach at her alma mater (Iowa).
The only changes Klassy has made due to performance have been in women’s soccer (more on that later) and women’s golf.
“When you make tough decisions, people understand them, and as long as you’re transparent and authentic, they’ll support you,” Klassy said.
In Walberg’s case, he signed a unique three-year deal in April 2024 with an option for two more years. It included a guarantee that Fresno State would keep him under contract for at least the first two seasons.
Beginning in May of 2026, Fresno State would have the option to buy out the coach’s deal for $164,070. The university pays about 55% of his total annual salary, with the remainder covered by the Fresno State Athletic Corporation. Klassy is optimistic it won’t come to that though.
“I hope this fan base gets behind him and supports them, because not only does Vance deserve it, his coaching staff deserves it and the student athletes do as well,” Klassy said. “They’re working really hard. I like Vance. We have a great working relationship, and he’s doing everything possible to turn this team into a consistent winner.”
Future of Fresno State athletics
The Bulldogs are closing in on the end of its 6-year run with Adidas as the University’s official athletic footwear, apparel and accessory brand. The current deal is set to expire in June of 2026, meaning there’s a chance Fresno State athletics will have a new apparel partner this time next year.
Fresno State hasn’t ruled out a reunion with the Portland based company known for its three stripe logo.
“Adidas has been an incredible partner, but we’re still wrapping up some things on where we’re going,” Klassy said.
In addition to Adidas, the University has had discussions with both Nike and Under Armour. A new deal is expected to be made official before the new year, potentially in the next week or so.
The new deal will coincide with Fresno State joining the Pac-12, a move just a few months into Klassy’s tenure.
“This move not only elevates our national profile but also brings tremendous opportunities for our student-athletes to compete at the highest level. We are committed to upholding the values and traditions of both Fresno State and the Pac-12 while embracing the innovative future ahead,” Klassy said in a statement following the announcement in Sept. 2024.
With that, Fresno State will need to grow and improve internally (no intention of adding new sports anytime soon).
“We have to be great at what we’re currently doing before we can start looking at other ventures,” Klassy.
One area on the list of things to get done is renovating the current facilities, especially the football stadium.
Building a new tomorrow
Plans for a new or rather improved football venue has been a discussion for a long time at Fresno State. Bulldog Stadium, now called Valley Children’s Stadium, was built in 1980 and has seen moderate renovations over the years, mainly through field improvements and the addition of luxury boxes.
Wear and tear has caught up with it overall though. Unfortunately for the University and the Red Wave, the funds for said stadium improvements have not gotten to where they need to be in order to pursue a large-scale project.
Fans have already seen two different sets of plans, most recently with the Elevate campaign, only for the project to fall through, something Klassy says President Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval and himself are wanting to avoid.
“We’re actively exploring options, but we want to make sure that this is realistic before we move forward with any plans that we may have,” Klassy said.
Funding said project has been a difficult venture in itself but not one without efforts put in. Multiple campaigns for Measure-E, which would have included money towards athletics have failed.
The University also hosted its first ever concert at Valley Children’s Stadium in August, bringing Shakira to Fresno. Klassy envisions a future in which they can host 4-5 special events a year (in addition to football) at the stadium, bringing in money for Fresno State as well as providing the community with great entertainment.
“We think we’re a great market to have more shows, because the reality is we’re a completely separate market than Sacramento or San Francisco or Los Angeles, “Klassy said. “For us to be able to compete at the highest level in the Pac 12. We need that revenue source to continue to help us to invest it in our student athletes.”
The Shakira concert did well and wasn’t considered a failure but technical issues on Fresno State’s end in preparing for the concert has made it difficult to set up future events soon. Klassy is confident though that the appropriate adjustments have been made and they will be ready for the next opportunity.
Time for a change
The Bulldogs decided to part ways with former women’s soccer head coach Brian Zwaschka on Nov. 18, following 17 seasons under his tenure. While at Fresno State, Zwaschka compiled a 112-143-51 overall record and Western Athletic Conference Championship in 2010.
“I just want to wish him the best and thank him for his service to Fresno State,” Klassy said. “Coaching jobs aren’t easy, and anytime you’ve been in a job that long speaks volumes.”
In terms of replacing him, Klassy said they are looking for a head coach that is able to create an incredible student athlete experience, in a three-pronged approach: “obviously the competitive piece, but it also includes graduating student athletes and turning our student athletes into great citizens.”
Like with both McCarthy and Entz hires, Klassy values head coaching experience at the collegiate level. But he didn’t rule out other possible candidates.
“I don’t like backing myself into the corner, and I like to put a wide swath out there,” Klassy said. “We’ve talked to assistant coaches through every process. Also, if you’re a successful club coach that has sent a lot of student athletes to the Division I level, that’s intriguing or if you have a lot of local connections, there’s lots of very good soccer in the valley.”
The right guy for the job
Will there be challenges ahead? Yes, especially in regards to raising money. But Fresno State is headed in the right direction and they seem to have the right guy in the right place at the right time leading the charge.
Story written by Al Scott, photos courtesy of Fresno State Athletics