Benedict Named Athletic Director of the Year by NACDA

[cellocgg]

did not see this posted anywhere on BY

UConn AD David Benedict Named Athletic Director Of The Year

UConn Athletic Director David Benedict has been named NACDA’s Athletic Director of the Year for his leadership in championship success, facility upgrades, and academic achievements.

buzzkue.com

 

[firstnline]

Congrats to AD Dave

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Well deserved.

Especially when you read that article and see his list of accomplishments.

 

[MTHusky]

a well-deserved award, congrats Dave

 

[JMick]

Still can't believe how many people dislike Dave. He's not perfect but hes obviously a very capable person and we're lucky to have him. With some better government and school leadership he'd probably be legendary

 

[maple]

Very well deserved.

 

[Hoophound]

He’s a great AD and at this point in our journey we’d be wise to match any offer he got from another school. He’s acutely aware of our needs and the path to get there.

 

[huskymedic]

He’s a great AD and at this point in our journey we’d be wise to match any offer he got from another school. He’s acutely aware of our needs and the path to get there.

People are sniffing around… the referenced link takes you to On3’s “On the Pony Express” Behind the Scenes premium site (it’s behind a paywall). This is the synopsis from D1Ticker:

 

[Hoophound]

I’m not sure SMU could lure Dave away. That’s not the kind of job that you can’t refuse. Frankly, he’s at an age where he might actually prefer to just stay put anyway. However, silly offers can sway anyone. My opinion is we should match those offers. He’s just too valuable and knowledgeable for us and we are at a crossroads. Letting him go over another 500k would be shortsighted. We are on the precipice of something, he needs 3-5 more years to finish his mission.

 

[ScottVib]

SMU has the money to lure him away, they also don't have a complex conference situation with opposing factions trying to counteract what he's trying to accomplish. Unless he's fallen in love with Connecticut and/or has (as you noted) decided his mission is to resolve the UConn conference situation, it's not hard to envision a settled program in the P4 (particularly if it was in the real power (P2) leagues) luring him away. Hopefully UConn can hang onto him

 

[Waquoit]

He deserves it. He's done a remarkable job.

 

[HCCForever]

Congratulations to Dave. Along with the accomplishments in football and basketball, baseball is having continued success and we are seeing new success for the hockey programs. I'm really happy for the men's hockey team making the tournament this season. Hats off to the other programs that I missed such as track and field. Always a great time to be a Husky but this year is even more special.

 

[ZooCougar]

I’m not sure SMU could lure Dave away. That’s not the kind of job that you can’t refuse. Frankly, he’s at an age where he might actually prefer to just stay put anyway. However, silly offers can sway anyone. My opinion is we should match those offers. He’s just too valuable and knowledgeable for us and we are at a crossroads. Letting him go over another 500k would be shortsighted. We are on the precipice of something, he needs 3-5 more years to finish his mission.

They have a bottomless pit of resources, a power conference and he interviewed for it. Of course he can lured away.

 

[Palatine]

SMU has more oil money than most countries.

 

[Stinger92860]

SMU has the money to lure him away, they also don't have a complex conference situation with opposing factions trying to counteract what he's trying to accomplish. Unless he's fallen in love with Connecticut and/or has (as you noted) decided his mission is to resolve the UConn conference situation, it's not hard to envision a settled program in the P4 (particularly if it was in the real power (P2) leagues) luring him away. Hopefully UConn can hang onto him

Gerald Ford will fund anything SMU needs for football, it’s play money for him

 

[JungleLobo]

SMU has the money to lure him away, they also don't have a complex conference situation with opposing factions trying to counteract what he's trying to accomplish. Unless he's fallen in love with Connecticut and/or has (as you noted) decided his mission is to resolve the UConn conference situation, it's not hard to envision a settled program in the P4 (particularly if it was in the real power (P2) leagues) luring him away. Hopefully UConn can hang onto him

He was at Auburn prior to UConn, right?

So why did he take a detour to the American/Big East only to go back?

 

[ScottVib]

He was at Auburn prior to UConn, right?

So why did he take a detour to the American/Big East only to go back?

It was a promotion..... he was "Chief Operating Officer" but not full Atheltic Director at Auburn

 

[DoctorWho85]

Still can't believe how many people dislike Dave. He's not perfect but hes obviously a very capable person and we're lucky to have him. With some better government and school leadership he'd probably be legendary

He's one or two massive donors to football away from being the best AD UConn has ever had. If he can get football back and rolling every year again in the age of NIL, that man deserves a statue somewhere on campus.

 

[superjohn]

Still can't believe how many people dislike Dave. He's not perfect but hes obviously a very capable person and we're lucky to have him. With some better government and school leadership he'd probably be legendary

There are UConn fans who don't like him? We're very lucky to have him.

 

[Patman]

It was a promotion..... he was "Chief Operating Officer" but not full Atheltic Director at Auburn

While i don't doubt he'd like to go back to the south he also has full control at uconn with no real issues other than structural ones. If he were 10 years younger I'm sure he'd bolt

 

[Waquoit]

While i don't doubt he'd like to go back to the south he also has full control at uconn with no real issues other than structural ones. If he were 10 years younger I'm sure he'd bolt

He's plenty young enough to move, I think. Why leave a place where you're on the road to legendary status for just another gig?

 

[CL82]

Now, go get a damn P4 invite.

 

[Palatine]

Nothing but trouble for us.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Nothing but trouble for us.

???

 

[Palatine]

???

There are dozens of schools that have deeper athletic pockets than UConn with worse ADs. Recognition doesn't help us because it either makes make him more attractive to those schools or it costs UConn more money just to keep him.