UNCW hires Michael Oblinger from UConn as new athletic director
UNCW announced Monday morning that Michael Oblinger, from the University of Connecticut, will be its new athletic director, starting April 1.
Current AD Jimmy Bass previously announced his retirement after 13 years atop UNCW athletics.
Oblinger is the deputy director of athletics-external relations at UConn. He is also the athletic department's Chief Revenue Officer and a member of the athletic director executive team. In six years in Storrs, the department has increased revenue from fundraising and ticket revenue, and philanthropic giving to UConn athletics has totaled $71.4 million over the past three years.
Oblinger will hold his first press conference as a Seahawk at 2 p.m. Monday at the Golden Hawk Room on campus.
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“I am excited about the opportunity to lead UNCW Athletics during a pivotal time of growth and change across the collegiate sports landscape,” Oblinger said in a release from UNCW. “As a former college basketball player, I understand the unique responsibilities and challenges that student-athletes face while balancing academics and athletics. I am dedicated to teaming up with our coaches and staff, Chancellor Volety and UNCW supporters to enhance the Seahawk experience for our student-athletes, alumni, fans, the university and the community.”
Oblinger is a former basketball player at Division III Monmouth (Illinois) and has previous stops at Nevada, Memphis and Ohio State and was director of major gifts at LSU. He and his wife, Liz, are the parents of a daughter, Quinn, and a son, Miles.
“Michael Oblinger is a proven leader who is dedicated to supporting student-athletes in their journeys to pursue excellence in the classroom and in competition,” UNCW Chancellor Aswani K. Volety said in a release. “He understands the meaningful role that great athletics programs play in the life of a university. He looks forward to amplifying the winning environment already in place at UNCW, helping our Seahawks soar even higher in the years to come.”
Bass has been athletic director at UNCW since 2010, with Seahawks claiming 30 Colonial Athletic Association team titles. Oblinger will be the seventh athletic director in UNCW history. Volety thanked the search committee, chaired by Vice Chancellor for Advancement Eddie Stuart, for its efforts to find UNCW’s next AD.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: UNCW hires Michael Oblinger of UConn as new athletic director
