The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Dodds named National Athletic Director of the Year
06.13.2005 | Texas Athletics
AUSTIN, Texas -- The University of Texas' men's athletics department is enjoying another tremendous year in 2004-05. As a result of providing the leadership behind that success, Men's Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds will be honored as Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal 2005 National Athletic Director of the Year, the magazine announced today. Dodds will officially receive the honor at the 40th Annual National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) convention's James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon on Thursday, June 16 at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
"This is a terrific honor in recognition of everything The University of Texas has accomplished on the playing field and in the classroom in 2004-05," Dodds said. "We have had success across the board and are really proud of what we've accomplished, but we're even more excited about our future.
"I'm extremely pleased with not only the accomplishments we've had in athletics, but also the achievements of our fine student-athletes in the classroom. All of the credit for the success goes to the student-athletes, coaches and staff that work with each of our sports. We have the best in the business."
In his 24th year as men's athletics director, Dodds has guided Texas through several special years and been a pivotal force in some of the most significant events in college athletics. During his tenure, the Longhorns have claimed 79 conference championships and nine National Championships. UT has earned 17 bowl berths, received 15 NCAA basketball tourney bids and played in the College World Series 11 times under Dodds' watch. The Horns also have won eight NCAA titles and 24 conference crowns in swimming and diving, made 13 straight trips to the national tournament in tennis (seven league titles) and been a regular among the nations best in golf (eight conference crowns) and track and field (13 conference indoor/outdoor titles).
A former Big Eight Champion in the 440-yard dash and head track coach at Kansas State, Dodds was a pivotal force in the development of the Big 12 Conference. He also has served on the NCAA Basketball Committee and is currently chairing the NCAA Football Issues Committee and serving on the NCAA Football Study Oversight Committee.
Dodds, who oversees a program with an $83 million budget, orchestrated the creation of the Longhorn Foundation, UT athletics fundraising organization that has grown to more than 12,000 members and raises $20 million a year. Texas' athletics director since 1981, Dodds has helped the Longhorns renovate or build $150 million in facilities in the last seven years and is in the process of looking at expanding on that. He set the stage for a $90 million expansion project at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium/Jamail Field that included nearly doubling the size of the Longhorn football training facility, the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Center. Dodds followed that by spearheading a $52 million renovation project at the Frank Erwin Center, which included the construction of the two-story, 44,000-square foot basketball training facility, the Denton A. Cooley Pavilion. He also paved the way for the building of UT's $4 million, 69,750-square foot indoor football training bubble.
Dodds also spearheaded the construction of the Dana X. Bible Academic center, the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletics Complex, Mike A. Myers Stadium and Soccer Field and the Penick Alison Tennis Center.
"We've put all the pieces together," Dodds said. "The money, the facilities, the foundation, the coaches. I think you could say it's not been this good in a long time."