SALT LAKE CITY — It was a letter out of nowhere that has Wade Rousse thinking of what McNeese State’s NCAA Tournament invitation could lead to.

It came addressed to the McNeese Athletic Foundation which Rousse not only helped start but also runs.

But it’s the origins of the note that means more.

It came from Anne Mitchell, a sixth-grader in South Carolina who had no previous ties to the university.

She stated the Cowboys’ play this year has turned her into a fan and that she will root for them now and in the future. She also stated her brother, a high schooler, now plans on applying to the school in Lake Charles that before this season nobody in his family had ever heard of.

“I don’t think that letter is an accident or a one-off,” said Rousse. “I think there is a lot more of that happening. You can’t put a value on that.”

The Cowboys have caught the attention and imagination of a lot of new fans. There has also been a boom both in interest in the school and its bank account.

“You see the excitement in the town and the community,” said Rousse. “We have certainly seen the revenue side get a boost. But it’s more than that.

“This is not about just the athletic department. This is about the entire university.”

Rousse has applied to be the next president of McNeese when Daryl Burckel leaves office this summer. He wants to add to what has already been started and Rousse believes athletics and successful sports teams can fuel the future.

“This season was to start a spark so we could burn down the past and truly rebuild our university and not just athletically,” said Rousse. “We want to have a school that develops the future workforce for our area. We need a revenue source to pay for it.”

Rousse, Burckel and McNeese Athletic Director Heath Schroyer have all said that sports is the front porch of any university. It is a way to get attention to the school and brand it nationally.

It seems to have worked this winter for McNeese, as the attention in the school is on an uptick.

“We have certainly seen more interest from all over, and not just Louisiana and Texas,” said Rousse. “But we also want to use this to increase our students’ experiences, which will also help us.

“It is about business and investing in our future. This is a great way to do it. Now we need to keep it going so we can use it to benefit the academic side, as well.”

Rousse spent time on the flight to Salt Lake City for the tournament not only working on MAF but also talking to students. He worked his way to the back of the plane, as did McNeese head coach Will Wade, to talk with everybody he could.

What he found was some of the students using the flying time to study.

“Our band, our kickers, our cheerleaders all have been a part of this,” Rousse said. “They have to be a part of this for it to work.

“For a lot of years we have talked about doing this but we didn’t embrace it. Now we are and this basketball team is showing what can be accomplished.”

Even to a sixth-grade girl in South Carolina.