Who would your candidates be for AD?

[adman]

The UTSA AD - Lynn Hickey has some pretty serious skins and absolutely knows a thing or two about basketball 

 

Lynn Hickey has made student-athlete welfare one of her top priorities while leading the UTSA Athletics Department to new heights.

Under Hickey’s direction since 2000, UTSA has captured three conference commissioner’s cups and a pair of league all-sports trophies while consistently winning both team and individual academic and athletics awards in all 17 sports sponsored by the university.

One of Hickey’s dreams to lead UTSA to the upper echelon of Division I Athletics was realized on Nov. 11, 2010, when the university received and accepted an invitation to join the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The department claimed the 2012-13 WAC Commissioner’s Cup on the strength of league championships by the men’s indoor track & field and baseball teams in its first and only year in the conference.

Hickey’s long-term goal of placing UTSA in a major conference was reached when Conference USA extended an invitation on May 4, 2012. The Roadrunners moved all 17 sports into that league on July 1, 2013.

Hickey has overseen the addition of three sports during her tenure. Women’s golf and women’s soccer were added in 2005 and 2006, respectively, and both programs have emerged as annual league championship contenders. On Dec. 18, 2008, UTSA’s Athletics Initiative Business Plan was approved by the UT System Board of Regents, granting permission to start a football program.

Hickey made a splash with the hiring of the first-ever head football coach, as two-time National Coach of the Year Larry Coker was introduced on March 6, 2009. The program kicked off its first season against Northeastern State on Sept. 3, 2011, to resounding success. The Roadrunners set NCAA start-up program records for inaugural game (56,743) and average home attendance (35,521) in six contests at the 65,000-seat Alamodome. In year two, UTSA posted an 8-4 overall record and finished fourth in the WAC with a 3-3 mark while averaging more than 29,000 fans. The third season saw the football team post a 7-5 overall record and finish second in the West Division of C-USA with a 6-2 mark while again topping the 29,000-mark in average home attendance.

The 2010-11 academic year will go down in history as arguably the most successful in school annals, as the Roadrunners claimed the Southland Commissioner’s Cup and Women’s All-Sports Trophy, five championships and the first-ever NCAA postseason victory. UTSA followed that with four more league titles during the 2011-12 campaign, closing out two decades in the Southland with 58 team championships, a pair of Commissioner’s Cups and two All-Sports Trophies.

Hickey has led the charge for UTSA and its hosting of numerous NCAA Championship events. Since her arrival on campus, UTSA has served as host institution for the 2001 NCAA Men’s Basketball Midwest Regional, 2002 Women’s Final Four, 2003 Men’s Basketball South Regional, 2004 Men’s Final Four, 2005 Women’s Volleyball Championship, 2006 Women’s Basketball South Regional, 2007 Men’s Basketball South Regional, 2008 Men’s Final Four, 2010 Women’s Final Four, 2011 Men’s Basketball Southwest Regional, 2011 Women’s Volleyball Championship, 2014 Men’s Basketball Second & Third Rounds, 2014 Men’s Golf San Antonio Regional and 2015 Women’s Golf San Antonio Regional. In November 2014, the NCAA announced that UTSA once again will serve as the host institution for the Men's Final Four, this time in 2018.

In 2007, Hickey was named to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, one of the most prestigious appointments in all of collegiate athletics. The 10-member committee oversees administration of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, including the selection and seeding of teams for the tournament. Hickey, whose five-year term expired in 2012, became just the second female ever selected to the committee, joining Charlotte Athletics Director Judy Rose, who served from 1999-2003.

Hickey has been honored nationally and locally for her hard work at UTSA.

She was named the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators 2005 Division I-AAA Administrator of the Year. Hickey earned her second national award in June 2006 as the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics/GeneralSports TURF Systems Division I-AAA West Region AD of the Year. The San Antonio Express-News tabbed her as its 2010 Sportswoman of the Year and she also was selected to and completed the Masters Leadership Program of San Antonio and Bexar County. In September 2011, she received the ATHENA Leadership from the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. Hickey also was selected as National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators President-Elect and Executive Committee member for 2014-15.

“UTSA is very fortunate to have an athletic leader with both the administrative and coaching experience of Lynn Hickey,” UTSA President Dr. Ricardo Romo said. “Lynn not only is a leader who can take our athletic program to the next level, but she is also well respected nationally and serves as an excellent role model for all student-athletes at this university.”

In serving as the fourth athletics director in UTSA history, Hickey assumed the lead athletics role at one of the youngest NCAA Division I universities in the country (UTSA began athletics competition in 1981). The only female Division I athletics director that oversees both men’s and women’s sports in the state of Texas, she served as President of the Southland from 2002-04 and as the league’s representative to the NCAA Championship/Competition Cabinet. Hickey also was a member of the Women’s Basketball Rules Committee from 2003-06, spending the last two years as chair.

Hickey came to San Antonio from Texas A&M University, where she served as senior associate athletics director/senior woman administrator from 1994-2000. At Texas A&M, her responsibilities included event management and marketing and promotions for 16 of the university’s 19 Division I sports. She also represented the Big 12 Conference as a member of the NCAA Championship Cabinet.

From 1984-94, Hickey served as head women’s basketball coach for Texas A&M. She directed the 1993-94 Aggies basketball team to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, becoming the lowest-seeded team to ever reach that milestone. Texas A&M finished the year ranked No. 19 in the CNN/USA Today Top 25 poll. Following the season, Hickey relinquished her coaching duties to accept the promotion to senior associate athletics director. She finished her coaching career with an overall mark of 279-167 in 15 years of collegiate coaching.

Before her stint at A&M, Hickey was head women’s basketball coach at Kansas State University from 1979-84. She averaged more than 23 wins per season in posting a 125-39 (.762) record over five years and led the Wildcats to five consecutive national tournament berths. She was inducted into the Kansas State Athletics Hall of Fame in September 2004.

A native of Welch, Okla., Hickey graduated summa cum laude from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., with a bachelor’s degree in education. She was an All-American for OBU’s nationally-ranked basketball team and a member of the USA National Team in 1973. Hickey and her husband, Bill, have a daughter, Lauren Nicole.

[EagleMBA]

The UTSA AD - Lynn Hickey has some pretty serious skins and absolutely knows a thing or two about basketball 

 

Lynn Hickey has made student-athlete welfare one of her top priorities while leading the UTSA Athletics Department to new heights.

Under Hickey’s direction since 2000, UTSA has captured three conference commissioner’s cups and a pair of league all-sports trophies while consistently winning both team and individual academic and athletics awards in all 17 sports sponsored by the university.

One of Hickey’s dreams to lead UTSA to the upper echelon of Division I Athletics was realized on Nov. 11, 2010, when the university received and accepted an invitation to join the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The department claimed the 2012-13 WAC Commissioner’s Cup on the strength of league championships by the men’s indoor track & field and baseball teams in its first and only year in the conference.

Hickey’s long-term goal of placing UTSA in a major conference was reached when Conference USA extended an invitation on May 4, 2012. The Roadrunners moved all 17 sports into that league on July 1, 2013.

Hickey has overseen the addition of three sports during her tenure. Women’s golf and women’s soccer were added in 2005 and 2006, respectively, and both programs have emerged as annual league championship contenders. On Dec. 18, 2008, UTSA’s Athletics Initiative Business Plan was approved by the UT System Board of Regents, granting permission to start a football program.

Hickey made a splash with the hiring of the first-ever head football coach, as two-time National Coach of the Year Larry Coker was introduced on March 6, 2009. The program kicked off its first season against Northeastern State on Sept. 3, 2011, to resounding success. The Roadrunners set NCAA start-up program records for inaugural game (56,743) and average home attendance (35,521) in six contests at the 65,000-seat Alamodome. In year two, UTSA posted an 8-4 overall record and finished fourth in the WAC with a 3-3 mark while averaging more than 29,000 fans. The third season saw the football team post a 7-5 overall record and finish second in the West Division of C-USA with a 6-2 mark while again topping the 29,000-mark in average home attendance.

The 2010-11 academic year will go down in history as arguably the most successful in school annals, as the Roadrunners claimed the Southland Commissioner’s Cup and Women’s All-Sports Trophy, five championships and the first-ever NCAA postseason victory. UTSA followed that with four more league titles during the 2011-12 campaign, closing out two decades in the Southland with 58 team championships, a pair of Commissioner’s Cups and two All-Sports Trophies.

Hickey has led the charge for UTSA and its hosting of numerous NCAA Championship events. Since her arrival on campus, UTSA has served as host institution for the 2001 NCAA Men’s Basketball Midwest Regional, 2002 Women’s Final Four, 2003 Men’s Basketball South Regional, 2004 Men’s Final Four, 2005 Women’s Volleyball Championship, 2006 Women’s Basketball South Regional, 2007 Men’s Basketball South Regional, 2008 Men’s Final Four, 2010 Women’s Final Four, 2011 Men’s Basketball Southwest Regional, 2011 Women’s Volleyball Championship, 2014 Men’s Basketball Second & Third Rounds, 2014 Men’s Golf San Antonio Regional and 2015 Women’s Golf San Antonio Regional. In November 2014, the NCAA announced that UTSA once again will serve as the host institution for the Men's Final Four, this time in 2018.

In 2007, Hickey was named to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, one of the most prestigious appointments in all of collegiate athletics. The 10-member committee oversees administration of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, including the selection and seeding of teams for the tournament. Hickey, whose five-year term expired in 2012, became just the second female ever selected to the committee, joining Charlotte Athletics Director Judy Rose, who served from 1999-2003.

Hickey has been honored nationally and locally for her hard work at UTSA.

She was named the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators 2005 Division I-AAA Administrator of the Year. Hickey earned her second national award in June 2006 as the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics/GeneralSports TURF Systems Division I-AAA West Region AD of the Year. The San Antonio Express-News tabbed her as its 2010 Sportswoman of the Year and she also was selected to and completed the Masters Leadership Program of San Antonio and Bexar County. In September 2011, she received the ATHENA Leadership from the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. Hickey also was selected as National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators President-Elect and Executive Committee member for 2014-15.

“UTSA is very fortunate to have an athletic leader with both the administrative and coaching experience of Lynn Hickey,” UTSA President Dr. Ricardo Romo said. “Lynn not only is a leader who can take our athletic program to the next level, but she is also well respected nationally and serves as an excellent role model for all student-athletes at this university.”

In serving as the fourth athletics director in UTSA history, Hickey assumed the lead athletics role at one of the youngest NCAA Division I universities in the country (UTSA began athletics competition in 1981). The only female Division I athletics director that oversees both men’s and women’s sports in the state of Texas, she served as President of the Southland from 2002-04 and as the league’s representative to the NCAA Championship/Competition Cabinet. Hickey also was a member of the Women’s Basketball Rules Committee from 2003-06, spending the last two years as chair.

Hickey came to San Antonio from Texas A&M University, where she served as senior associate athletics director/senior woman administrator from 1994-2000. At Texas A&M, her responsibilities included event management and marketing and promotions for 16 of the university’s 19 Division I sports. She also represented the Big 12 Conference as a member of the NCAA Championship Cabinet.

From 1984-94, Hickey served as head women’s basketball coach for Texas A&M. She directed the 1993-94 Aggies basketball team to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, becoming the lowest-seeded team to ever reach that milestone. Texas A&M finished the year ranked No. 19 in the CNN/USA Today Top 25 poll. Following the season, Hickey relinquished her coaching duties to accept the promotion to senior associate athletics director. She finished her coaching career with an overall mark of 279-167 in 15 years of collegiate coaching.

Before her stint at A&M, Hickey was head women’s basketball coach at Kansas State University from 1979-84. She averaged more than 23 wins per season in posting a 125-39 (.762) record over five years and led the Wildcats to five consecutive national tournament berths. She was inducted into the Kansas State Athletics Hall of Fame in September 2004.

A native of Welch, Okla., Hickey graduated summa cum laude from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., with a bachelor’s degree in education. She was an All-American for OBU’s nationally-ranked basketball team and a member of the USA National Team in 1973. Hickey and her husband, Bill, have a daughter, Lauren Nicole.

Yessir! Now that's the kind of resume I would like to see on the table.

[meanrob]

Here's what I do hope does happen IF we were to ever get to the point of hiring our next AD.  What I hope and pray for is that once the final candidates are narrowed down to, say...a final three, that those finalists are given a mandatory, in-depth  "Behind The Scenes" view of our university and its unusual culture,...including all of our warts that has hampered this athletic program and the university. 

Just to list a few examples.......

1. The extreme loyal 8 to 10,000 fans who would show up rain or shine, extreme heat or cold in the shittiest football stadium in the U.S., only to be rewarded with incarnet word and 5 home games in one of the nicest stadiums in the U.S....then expected to still buy in..donate their time and money..shut up and go back home then repeat all over again just because.

2.  Despite their loyalty the fans and donors have had to suffer through coaches fighting AD's behind closed doors to coaches fighting fans in the stands,.....one ticket dispersal fiasco after another ticket dispersal fiasco, ....matching donation programs turning into fiascos for donors,...running out of water at halftime on a 106 degree kickoff to hosting tennis tournaments on 90 degree days and having nothing to serve the 600 or so who showed up to watch in the sun.

3. I want them to be made aware of how poorly big ticket donors have been treated,..fighting donors over various situations to the point they turn away,..leaving them at the airport with no ride to the Bowl game in New Orleans,...lack of timely recognition and follow thru after agreements and donations were made for facilities, labor and equipment,...

3. Perceived and real road blocks cultivating donors and the oddities the university has gone thru to cultivate donors for itself and athletics.  For instance...the university had to hire an outside agency to find a naming rights donor for the stadium, then the agency that is hired simply points to the company that was already on campus working right under everyone's noses all along...Apogee.

4. The extremely odd culture and at often times negative outlook the university's many departments have towards athletics....ie...The marketing and relations dept along with the micromanaging asshat of a chancellor dictating to athletics what looks good and what doesn't look good on uniforms,......the disfunctional relationship between various departments and the AD concerning logos and word marks that counter many moves the athletic department has attempted to make...the journalism dept fighting the stadium at every turn,...the local neighborhood fighting the stadium at every turn...employees of the university and their spouses fighting the stadium at every turn.....the music department fighting Athletics over spirit items over use of the cannon and model A....the band refusing to implement a true college game day performance when marching into and out of performances like every other marching band does....

5. Recruiting battles for athletes won and lost.....every aspect of the way we are percieved by recruits.

This and much much more is what I want pointed out to the next person who thinks they want our job so they know EXACTLY what they're getting into.

 

Rick

I hear what you're saying Rick but I think a very good AD solves a lot of the first issues just by being good at his job and delegating to others to fix such problems.I  don't want the AD dealing with Boomer, ticket issues, or band problems. All that should be handled by an Asst AD reporting to the AD. We need our guy dealing with bigger issues.

Secondly, there will always be some acrimony between athletics and academics, You can't get everyone to buy in.

Lastly, we need a Prez and AD completely in sync with each other. They can't be on separate islands. 

He should know the culture here though. This place is a different animal. 

[UNT90]

I hear what you're saying Rick but I think a very good AD solves a lot of the first issues just by being good at his job and delegating to others to fix such problems, AND HOLDING THOSE PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE IF THOSE PROBLEKS ARE NOT FIXED. I  don't want the AD dealing with Boomer, ticket issues, or band problems. All that should be handled by an Asst AD reporting to the AD. We need our guy dealing with bigger issues.

Secondly, there will always be some acrimony between athletics and academics, You can't get everyone to buy in.

Lastly, we need a Prez and AD completely in sync with each other. They can't be on separate islands. 

He should know the culture here though. This place is a different animal. 

Fixed

Edited October 3, 2015 by UNT90

[meanrob]

Fixed

Didn't need to be fixed. A good AD/leader would do that. 

I know you want change and I completely agree with you but if/when there is a change I hope you let the new person do their job and not harp and sins of the past. This is a mess and will take a little time and a lot of effort to fix it. 

[Rudy]

Here's what I do hope does happen IF we were to ever get to the point of hiring our next AD.  What I hope and pray for is that once the final candidates are narrowed down to, say...a final three, that those finalists are given a mandatory, in-depth  "Behind The Scenes" view of our university and its unusual culture,...including all of our warts that has hampered this athletic program and the university. 

Just to list a few examples.......

1. The extreme loyal 8 to 10,000 fans who would show up rain or shine, extreme heat or cold in the shittiest football stadium in the U.S., only to be rewarded with incarnet word and 5 home games in one of the nicest stadiums in the U.S....then expected to still buy in..donate their time and money..shut up and go back home then repeat all over again just because.

2.  Despite their loyalty the fans and donors have had to suffer through coaches fighting AD's behind closed doors to coaches fighting fans in the stands,.....one ticket dispersal fiasco after another ticket dispersal fiasco, ....matching donation programs turning into fiascos for donors,...running out of water at halftime on a 106 degree kickoff to hosting tennis tournaments on 90 degree days and having nothing to serve the 600 or so who showed up to watch in the sun.

3. I want them to be made aware of how poorly big ticket donors have been treated,..fighting donors over various situations to the point they turn away,..leaving them at the airport with no ride to the Bowl game in New Orleans,...lack of timely recognition and follow thru after agreements and donations were made for facilities, labor and equipment,...

3. Perceived and real road blocks cultivating donors and the oddities the university has gone thru to cultivate donors for itself and athletics.  For instance...the university had to hire an outside agency to find a naming rights donor for the stadium, then the agency that is hired simply points to the company that was already on campus working right under everyone's noses all along...Apogee.

4. The extremely odd culture and at often times negative outlook the university's many departments have towards athletics....ie...The marketing and relations dept along with the micromanaging asshat of a chancellor dictating to athletics what looks good and what doesn't look good on uniforms,......the disfunctional relationship between various departments and the AD concerning logos and word marks that counter many moves the athletic department has attempted to make...the journalism dept fighting the stadium at every turn,...the local neighborhood fighting the stadium at every turn...employees of the university and their spouses fighting the stadium at every turn.....the music department fighting Athletics over spirit items over use of the cannon and model A....the band refusing to implement a true college game day performance when marching into and out of performances like every other marching band does....

5. Recruiting battles for athletes won and lost.....every aspect of the way we are percieved by recruits.

This and much much more is what I want pointed out to the next person who thinks they want our job so they know EXACTLY what they're getting into.

 

Rick

The worst run, most disorganized, shittiest athletic department in America?

[UNT90]

Didn't need to be fixed. A good AD/leader would do that. 

I know you want change and I completely agree with you but if/when there is a change I hope you let the new person do their job and not harp and sins of the past. This is a mess and will take a little time and a lot of effort to fix it. 

As long as past patterns aren't repeated, of course I'll give the next AD time. 

I didn't start posting for RV to be fired until be refused to fire Benford after year one (may have even been year 2). 

I also know the history of some previous bad ADs and a BOR that historically craps all over UNT athletics. I know there is a about a 10% chance of UNT hiring a competent AD that knows how to address UNT's problems.

I'm willing to take that chance because it has become very clear to me that we have 0% chance of consistent winning in major sports with the current AD at the helm.

10% > 0%

[meanrob]

As long as past patterns aren't repeated, of course I'll give the next AD time. 

I didn't start posting for RV to be fired until be refused to fire Benford after year one (may have even been year 2). 

I also know the history of some previous bad ADs and a BOR that historically craps all over UNT athletics. I know there is a about a 10% chance of UNT hiring a competent AD that knows how to address UNT's problems.

I'm willing to take that chance because it has become very clear to me that we have 0% chance of consistent winning in major sports with the current AD at the helm.

10% > 0%

I'm hopeful, I give it 50%  

[UNT90]

I'm hopeful, I give it 50%  

Because I have been so vocal on here about getting rid of RV, I think people forget that pre-Benford non-firing and ridiculous excuse making, I was against firing RV, mainly because I thought he had done an average job and I was/still am scared about who UNT would hire to replace RV. That changed with the Benford situation, the impending 2015 schedule debacle, and RV's consistent and pathological lying to this fan base via the podcast appearances and other statements to Vito.

He really has become a caricature of what the UNT AD should be.  

I'm no Ben Gooding. These aren't reactionary posts. 

[James329]

How about one of the finalists Texas doesn't hire. Seems to have worked out well that way for the QBs they haven't picked. 

[greenminer]

I think what Rick is saying, first and foremost, is that the next guy needs to dig deep and see what he is really stepping into.

If/when that day comes, and all I read is more "WHY NOT NORTH TEXAS" mantra in the press, I will be worried.  There seem to be more hurdles in place that are not recognizable if campus location and alumni size is all you care about.

[FirefightnRick]

I think what Rick is saying, first and foremost, is that the next guy needs to dig deep and see what he is really stepping into.

 

Yes.  

 

Rick

Edited October 5, 2015 by FirefightnRick

[man-up UNT]

First, they would go through a recruiter here locally in Dallas, go after an assistant at a big named school, hell no "Hank Dickerson" he's an ass and negative towards alumni. Fresh start, clean house and this should help tremendously! 

[untbowler]

I would fear this feckless BOR would bring back Alan Ward, please for the love of GOD no, clean house and hire someone without times to current administration

[ColoradoEagle]

First, they would go through a recruiter here locally in Dallas, go after an assistant at a big named school, hell no "Hank Dickerson" he's an ass and negative towards alumni. Fresh start, clean house and this should help tremendously! 

This is my feeling as well. This entire athletic department has been subpar ever since I've known UNT athletics. You've got marketing people who can't market, ticket sales who don't follow up on phone calls all the way down to video production turning out products that look like freshman level semester projects and concessions selling stale tortilla chips and hot dogs that taste 6 months past their expiration.

There are a handful of people doing excellent jobs, but the vast majority of the department is either clueless, incompetent, unmotivated or some combination of the three.

[untjim1995]

The worst run, most disorganized, shittiest athletic department in America.

FIFY--its not a question, its a truth.

 

After reading FFR's post--which was dead-on btw, it almost makes you wonder why we even try to have a football program. If so many people loathe it or just won't even try to support it, both inside and outside the university, how are you ever going to fix that enough to make football become a sustainable winner that can garner even decent support financially and thru attendance? It almost seems impossible at this point...

[Harry]

Some good candidates to consider here.