The sixth month of the year was a busy one as six Division I institutions experienced AD turnover in June. In addition to the six schools undergoing AD turnover in June, the Southern Conference also named a new Commissioner.
Campbell University
Omar Banks has been named Campbell University’s director of athletics, overseeing 21 Division I programs and more than 400 student-athletes. Banks succeeds Bob Roller, who stepped down in December after eight years of leading Campbell Athletics to unprecedented growth.
Banks, a 2017 NEXT UP presented by adidas honoree, comes to Campbell from Virginia Tech where he had served as the Hokies’ executive associate athletics director.
University of California, Irvine
After completing a national search, Chancellor Howard Gillman has appointed Paula Smith as director of intercollegiate athletics at the University of California, Irvine. Smith has nearly 30 years of experience in college athletic administration, 14 of those at UCI. Twice UCI’s interim athletic director – first in 2007-08 and since July 2018 – she has served as deputy director of intercollegiate athletics since 2012.
Smith becomes one of 40 female Division I athletic directors nationally and the second at UCI, following Linda Dempsay (1977 to 1983), who was the country’s first female athletic director at an NCAA Division I school.
Ohio University
The Southern Conference named longtime Ohio University Director of Athletics Jim Schaus as the league’s new commissioner. Schaus is the ninth commissioner in league history and succeeds John Iamarino, who announced his retirement in March.
Schaus spent the last 11-years as the director of athletics at Ohio University. Ohio University President M. Duane Nellis has appointed Amy Dean to serve as the Bobcats interim AD. Dean began her interim role on July 1.
La Salle University
La Salle University President Colleen M. Hanycz, Ph.D., announced the appointment of Brian Baptiste as the University’s next Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation. Baptiste will officially assume his new position on Aug. 1.
Baptiste, a 2019 NEXT UP presented by adidas honoree, comes to La Salle after nearly seven years at Northwestern, where he served as Deputy Director of Athletics for Capital Projects and Operations since 2015. During his time at Northwestern, he also served as sport administrator for the men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and women’s cross country programs.
ULM
University of Louisiana Monroe President Nick J. Bruno, Ph.D., announced Scott McDonald as the new ULM Director of Athletics on Wednesday, June 12. McDonald joined the university in June 2018 as Chief Administrative Officer and in September 2018 he was appointed Interim Director of Athletics.
McDonald was a four-year letterman as an outfielder for ULM from 1980-83. Prior to his time at ULM, McDonald was the Executive Vice President and Chief Retail Officer with Ouachita Independent Bank, now Bancorp South.
Troy University
Brent Jones was introduced as Troy University’s new Director of Athletics following a two-year stint as Troy’s Deputy Director of Athletics for External Operations. In his role as Deputy Director of Athletics, Jones had oversight of marketing, communications, advertising, ticket sales, Troy Sports Properties, broadcasting, promotions, fan engagement, fan experience, branding, licensing and trademarks.