New AD Hires Show There Is No Single Path to the Job

I was thinking the other day about the disparate ways athletic directors take to get to their eventual positions as leaders in higher education and thought it would be a fruitful enterprise to look at the backgrounds of a few new hires to see if any commonalities exist. This could help inform lower-level staff members looking to advance as well as generally build awareness around a job that is coveted by a great many people. These biographies are randomly selected from the past few months’ worth of hires in the college landscape.

Todd Stansbury, Georgia Tech

EDUCATION: B.S. in industrial management from Georgia Tech, masters in sports administration from Georgia State

COLLEGE ATHLETE: Yes, linebacker for Yellow Jackets

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Georgia Tech director of academics until 1995, Associate AD at Houston, AD at East Tennessee State, executive associate AD at Oregon State, AD at Central Florida, AD at Oregon State, AD at Georgia Tech

Matthew Roan, Nicholls State

EDUCATION: B.A. from Southern Utah, J.D. from Kentucky

COLLEGE ATHLETE: Yes, offensive line at Virginia Tech and Southern Utah

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Football Operations at Kentucky, Deputy AD at Southern Utah, Deputy AD at Eastern Kentucky, AD at Nicholls State

Mike Bobinski, Purdue

EDUCATION: B.A. in business administration from Notre Dame, certified professional accountant

COLLEGE ATHLETE: Yes, pitcher at Notre Dame

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Accountant with Deloitte, Haskins and Sell and Arthur Young & Company, Associate business manager at Notre Dame, Associate AD at Navy, AD at Akron, AD at Xavier, AD at Georgia Tech, AD at Purdue

Scott Stricklin, Florida

EDUCATION: Degree from Mississippi State

COLLEGE ATHLETE: No

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Assistant media relations director at Mississippi State, associate media relations director at Auburn, Assistant AD at Tulane, Assistant AD at Baylor, Associate AD at Kentucky, Senior Associate AD at Mississippi State, AD at Mississippi State, AD at Florida

John Wildhack, Syracuse

EDUCATION: B.A. in public communications from Syracuse

COLLEGE ATHLETE: No

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Producer and Executive at ESPN

Lynn Swann, USC

EDUCATION: B.A. in public relations from USC

COLLEGE ATHLETE: Yes, receiver at USC, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: NFL Hall of Fame receiver for Pittsburgh Steelers, corporate board member, broadcaster until 2006, Pennsylvania politician, AD at USC

Although a small sample size, the snapshot provided by these six bios indicates that while there is no single path to becoming an AD, there are some ways that are more obvious than others. Moreso than needing a particular degree or athletic background, a willingness to do the dirty work at the bottom of the food chain for a while then moving-up seems to be the way to go. That is, unless you’re a hall of famer.