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Administration SENIOR STAFF
DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
In May of 2006, Thomas introduced his vision for Bearcats Athletics, aptly titled CATAPULT. Thomas's five-year vision for UC's 18-sport intercollegiate program was launched on the six-month anniversary of his hiring. The plan focuses on three main initiatives: winning BIG EAST team championships, high-level academic achievement, and a comprehensive integration with the UC Campus and Greater Cincinnati Community. CATAPULT - an acronym for championships, academics, and together - sets a goal that in the next five years UC will win a BIG EAST championship in every sport; UC's student-athletes will lead the general student body in graduation rate and grade-point average; and UC's student-athletes and coaches will engage the UC campus and the Cincinnati community in service. By the end of 2008-09, the third year under the CATAPULT plan, UC's sports teams continue to excel in academics as 11 of the 18 sports programs achieved a grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher and the student-athletes continued to graduate at a rate of 16 percent higher than the overall student body. Those numbers will continue to grow as more and more students receive the benefits of the recently expanded and redefined academic services office and the NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills program. In 2007-08, Cincinnati was second in the 16-member BIG EAST with five teams garnering BIG EAST Academic Excellence Awards for posting the highest grade-point average in their respective sports (football, men's cross country, women's golf, women's swimming and diving, and indoor track and field). "It is exciting to see our student-athletes and staff working together and making significant progress in so many areas, so quickly," says Thomas. "We will continue to progress as we work towards our collective goals in the three components of our CATAPULT vision." The football team made program history in head coach Brian Kelly's third season at the helm. Kelly led UC to a school-record 11 wins in 2008, along with the school's first BIG EAST Conference Championship, and an appearance in the 75th FedEx Orange Bowl, the first Bowl Championship Series appearance by Cincinnati. The Bearcats' 21 wins since 2007-08 marks the best two-year stretch in school history, and the first time UC has won 10 or more games in back-to-back seasons. The UC volleyball team also posted a historic year in the fall as it claimed its first BIG EAST title since joining the league and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in program history. Four Bearcats earned conference honors, including Jessie Nevitt, who became the first player in UC volleyball history to earn first-team all-conference honors four times in a career. All told, UC Athletics produced five all-Americans, one all-Region selection, and 28 all-BIG EAST honorees in 2008-09. "Spreading the Bearcats' message is vital to our continued brand building efforts and our charge to reach out to our fans, alumni, and Greater Cincinnati Community and share the excitement of being a Bearcat," says Thomas. "I am very proud of the strides that we are making in all areas of UC Athletics. Our achievement is coming as a result of working together as a team. Our student-athletes and staff are setting the bar high and then reaching their goals, which are fun to be a part of." In March 2007 UC Athletics was recognized in the 2006-07 Diversity in Athletics Award, presented by the Laboratory for Diversity in Sport at Texas A&M; University. The award recognizes the NCAA Division I athletics departments that excel in various areas of diversity. UC was one of just 10 programs nationwide to earn the Diversity in Athletics Award for the graduation of African American male student-athletes. On the external side, the University of Cincinnati is growing at a tremendous rate. UC established single-season attendance records for football in each of the past two years, as it has posted eight of the Top-12 crowds in Nippert Stadium history. In just four years at UC, Thomas has seen the average attendance in football skyrocket as it has almost doubled (16,016 to 31,965). In terms of donor development, the UCATS office has reached all-time highs for participation with over 3,800 donors joining the club in 2008-09 (double its total two years ago) and annual donations exceeding $5 million. Thomas' work on the multi-phase "Raising the Bar" capital campaign, which will fund various initiatives for the football program, was crucial in program raising its first $5 million over a six-week period. Fundraising and major gifts are on-going processes at UC with plans to build a new outdoor sports complex with a bubble which will serve as a practice venue for football and a competition site for lacrosse. The department is also studying the potential renovations and or expansions of Nippert Stadium and Fifth Third Arena. Those renovations are import because two months before the first football game of 2009, season ticket sales for UC football broke the all-time record (11,500) and were approaching 14,500 season ticket holders before the start of the 2009 season. Beginning in the fall of 2008, all UC teams were outfitted exclusively in adidas footwear, uniforms, training apparel, and accessories as the department signed its first across-the-board shoe and apparel contract. The four-year, $14.5 million contract aligns UC with other adidas marketing partners such as the NFL, MLS, and an 11-year exclusive all-league partnership with the NBA. Later in 2008-09, Thomas reached an agreement with IMG College, a division of IMG Worldwide, for a new 12-year multimedia rights partnership worth more than $30 million in guaranteed payments to the University. Prior to coming to UC, Thomas spent five years as the Director of Athletics at the University of Akron and seven years as associate athletic director at the University of Virginia, an institution known for achieving impressive success both academically and athletically, before bringing that model to Akron. Virginia finished in the top 25 in the Director's Cup in each year of Thomas' tenure there while at the same time was in the top ten nationally in student-athlete graduation rates. Under Thomas' direction, Akron rose from last place to second among Mid-American Conference schools in the Director's Cup annual rankings. Simultaneously, Akron vaulted from last to second place in the MAC Academic Achievement Awards. Thomas increased the financial base of the Akron athletics program through increasing corporate sponsorship levels by 500 percent and boosted annual giving to athletics to its highest level in the school's history. Community support was rallied, with marked increases shown in football and basketball attendance. During this time period, the Zips won their first MAC football championship and the hiring of men's basketball coach Keith Dambrot has led to unparalleled success on the hardwood. Support services and facilities for academic support for student-athletes were significantly increased, which resulted in a significant improvement in grade point averages and graduation rates of UA student-athletes. Thomas coordinated over $140 million in facility construction and renovation, including $25 million in capital improvements at Akron, including a new indoor fieldhouse, a football practice complex, and a softball facility. He also spearheaded the new football stadium and was instrumental in the initial fundraising and planning stages of the facility which is currently under construction on the Akron campus and set to open in the fall of 2009. Recognized for his administrative acumen by his peers, Thomas presently serves on several national and conference committees, including the NCAA Division I Championship/Sports Management Cabinet (where he also serves as the NCAA men's basketball liaison to the cabinet), the NCAA Men's Basketball Issues Committee, and he also chairs the BIG EAST Championship and Competition Committee. Thomas has also previously served as a member of the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet, the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Issues Committee, the NCAA Division I Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet, the NCAA Postseason Bowl Licensing Subcommittee, and the Division 1A Athletics Director's Association Legislative Review Committee. Twice during his career, Thomas has received distinction for his efforts and dedication as a director of athletics, garnering the General Robert R. Neyland Outstanding Athletics Director Award in 2005 at Akron and then again in April of 2008 at Cincinnati. Prior to his experience at Virginia, Thomas spent seven years at the University of Denver as assistant athletic director for internal operations, and one year at the University of Iowa in marketing and promotions. Thomas, 49, received his B.S. degree in Business Administration from Colorado State University in 1983, and his M.S. degree in Athletic Administration from Western Illinois University in 1986. He and his wife, Jenifer, have four children: Vince, Joey, Mick, and Meredith. Deputy Director of Athletics Bob Arkeilpane joined the University of Cincinnati as Deputy Director of Athletics in December of 2005. He is the No. 2 administrator in charge of UC's 18-sport intercollegiate athletics program and oversees the daily operations of the athletics department. Arkeilpane has three decades of Division I experience as a student-athlete, coach, and administrator. He joined the Bearcats Department of Athletics in 2005 after serving for three years as Associate Vice President of the UC Foundation, the private sector fund-raising entity for the University of Cincinnati and its campuses, colleges, departments, and units. Arkeilpane previously had worked for the UC Foundation as college director of development and alumni affairs from 1987-91. Arkeilpane made his return to UC after five successful years as Director of Athletics at the University of Buffalo. Arkeilpane was named officer-in-charge in UB's Division of Athletics and then served as interim athletics director for 10 months prior to being named director in February 1999. He was promoted to the helm of the Bulls' department of athletics after spending three years as Associate Athletics Director of Development at UB starting in 1995. A native of Amherst, N.Y. and a standout high school football player at Sweet Home High School, he earned an athletics scholarship to Syracuse, where he was a starting defensive back for three seasons. He played with future NFL stars Art Monk, Joe Morris, and Gary Anderson - and against such big-name players as Warren Moon, Dan Marino, and Jim Kelly. Arkeilpane earned his bachelor`s degree in 1981 from Syracuse. He earned his master's degree from Ohio University while serving as a graduate assistant football coach. Senior Associate Director of Athletics/External Relations Mike Waddell joined the UC athletics family as senior associate director of athletics in March, 2006. His duties include oversight of the revenue generating areas of the department: marketing/fan development, ticketing/customer service, sports communications, information technology, the CAT TRACKS Wheels of Support program, and UC's profitable athletics licensing and merchandising efforts. He also directs UC's fundraising efforts with UC's Men's Track & Field/Cross-Country / Men's Swimming & Diving teams and serves as a member of UC's Campus Communications Cabinet. Waddell has sport oversight over the UC men's soccer, men's and women's golf, and men's and women's swimming/diving teams. He also serves as the department's liaison with adidas, IMG College, ESPN and FS Ohio and is a member of the BIG EAST Golf Committee. The North Carolina native came to UC from The University of Akron, where he served as the associate athletics director for external relations. UA's sports marketing revenues increased more than five-fold during Waddell's tenure via the creation of the TEAM AKRON corporate patron program. A 1991 graduate of Guilford College (NC) where he was a two-time football letterman, Waddell is an active member of NACDA, and BCA, and serves on the American Cancer Society Board in Cincinnati and is a founding member of the Cincinnati Sports Professionals Network (CSPN). Waddell also is a coach with the Glen Este Youth Basketball Association and donates time to work with the Aubrey Rose Foundation, benefitting seriously ill children in the Tri-State Area. ANDY HURLEYSenior Associate Director of Athletics/Development Andy Hurley joined the University of Cincinnati in March of 2006 to head the Athletics Development office. His primary duties are centered on managing efforts to generate private, philanthropic support to assist UC's student-athletes and coaches in building championship caliber programs in the BIG EAST. He came to UC after seven years at the University at Buffalo, where he served as UB's Director of Athletics Development since September of 1998 before being appointed an assistant athletics director of development in July of 2003. Hurley earned his bachelor's degree from UB in 1984 and starred on the football team at defensive back, earning ECAC and Pizza Hut All-America honors in 1984. He received his master's degree in sports administration from the University of Massachusetts in 1987. Associate Director of Athletics/Chief Business Officer Derrick Magee joined the UC Department of Athletics in October of 2008 as the chief business officer. He develops and monitors the budget performance and strategic planning for the department of athletics and Fifth Third Arena, which encompasses UC's 18 sports and 15 administrative and support areas. In addition, he oversees and coordinates the department's business, personnel, payroll, and ticket operations. Magee is also responsible for preparing all University, BIG EAST Conference, NCAA, and public financial reports for the department. He joined UC from the University of the Pacific where he was the assistant director of athletics for finance and internal affairs since 2006. In June 2009, he graduated from the NCAA Leadership Institute for Ethnic Minority Males and Females and was named vice president of the Collegiate Athletic Business Management Association (CABMA). Magee graduated in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in physical education/sport management from Florida A&M; University and was a member of the basketball team. He went on to earn his M.B.A. from California State University Stanislaus in August of 2005 and is currently working on his doctorate in higher education administration through the University of the Pacific. Associate Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator Robin Martin, who has three years of experience as a director of athletics at two institutions, and over 15 years of experience in the field of athletics, took over as UC's Associate AD and Senior Woman Administrator in August, 2007. Martin currently manages 10 of the 18 intercollegiate sport programs and provides supervision for compliance, academics, and CHAMPS/Life Skills. Prior to coming to UC, Martin was the Director of Athletics at Holy Names University, where she was the first African-American woman to ever hold the position. There, she was the oversight of 10 intercollegiate sports programs, intramurals and recreation, and served as the facilities manager. Under her leadership, the HNU athletics department produced four conference championships, four conference MVP's, and three regional championship appearances. Prior to HNU, Martin served as the Director of Athletics and head women's basketball coach at Dillard University in New Orleans. Under her direction the department garnered one of the highest student-athlete graduation rates in the nation. Martin is an integral part of the UC community as well as in Greater Cincinnati, serving in various leadership roles on local boards and committees. A former basketball coach for 10 years and a Division I basketball player at the University of New Orleans, Martin received a bachelor of arts degree in English and a master's degree in education. Martin was recently accepted into the Urban Education Leadership PhD. program at UC. Assistant Director of Athletics/Facilities and Operations Dan Krone joined the University of Cincinnati as the Assistant Director of Athletics for Facilities and Operations in May of 2007. Krone is responsible for the staff which operates all of the athletics facilities, including Nippert Stadium and Fifth Third Arena. He is involved with security, parking, ushers, and all aspects of game-day operations for UC events. His duties also include oversight of the strength and conditioning facility/program, the equipment room, as well as any new construction and renovations involving athletics. Krone comes to Cincinnati after spending four years at the University of Akron where he was the director of the athletics fieldhouse and building services. There, he oversaw all aspects of Akron's 157,000-square foot, state-of-the-art field house which includes a 120-yard football field, a 300-meter track, four batting cages, 8,000-square foot strength and conditioning room, and locker rooms. A former college basketball player at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kan., Krone earned his bachelor's degree from there in 1983 in recreational sports administration. He went on to pick up his master's degree from Eastern Michigan in 1990. Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Communications Michael Harris joined the University of Cincinnati as Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Communications in April of 2007. Harris' responsibilities include directing Cincinnati's sports communications department and assisting with the continued development of UC Athletics multimedia, most notably GoBEARCATS.com. He will also serve as a media contact for the Bearcats basketball program. No stranger to the Cincinnati media, Harris, a native of Springboro, Ohio, worked at Miami University (Ohio) for six years (2001-2007) as an assistant director of athletics, overseeing various media relations and marketing roles. Harris helped the RedHawks realize unprecedented growth in season ticket and attendance numbers, doubling the season ticket base and setting all-time highs for ticket revenue. Harris is a 1995 graduate of Miami where he earned a bachelor of science degree in organizational behavior. Faculty Athletics Representative President Nancy L. Zimpher appointed Dr. Fritz Russ, Professor of Marketing, as the faculty athletics representative for the Cincinnati Department of Athletics, effective February 1, 2007. Academic integrity, institutional control of the athletics program, and promotion of student-athlete welfare are a FAR's major focus. The position's duties include being a liaison between academics and athletics; serving on UC's Athletics Advisory Council; assisting in institutional certification processes; participating in compliance reviews; monitoring student-athletes' academic performance and their welfare; assessing and advising on NCAA and conference policies; and attending conference and NCAA meetings. Russ, who joined the UC faculty in 1989, has previously served the university as Senior Vice Provost, as Dean of the College of Business and as Marketing Department Head. He currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in international marketing and in marketing research. An active researcher, he is also involved in the business community through consulting and corporate boards. Before coming to the University of Cincinnati, he was a chaired professor at the University of North Carolina, where he also participated for four years on the university's faculty athletics committee. Russ earned a bachelor's degree from Eckerd College and a master's and doctorate from Carnegie-Mellon University.
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