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North Carolina

UNC announces restructured administrative sports staff

Jul 19, 2012

Chapel Hill, N.C. — University of North Carolina director of athletics Bubba Cunningham has initiated a restructuring of the administrative staff, the centerpiece of which is an expansion of the management of the Tar Heels’ 28 varsity sports.

Previously, supervision for all 28 sports has been the responsibility of the director of athletics and senior associate AD Beth Miller. Beginning with the 2012-13 school year, those duties will be managed by Cunningham, Miller, Larry Gallo and four other primary administrators and 16 additional staff members. More Info     More UNC Stories

“The previous format has undoubtedly worked very well for a long period of time – Carolina’s success at both the national and ACC level is a direct reflection of that,” says Cunningham. “However, the complexities and responsibilities associated with managing each program has grown exponentially over the years. In addition, there are a number of administrators whose careers would benefit from those duties and there are many coaches who would benefit from expanded administrative support.”

Cunningham has tabbed Miller and Gallo to be the lead sports administrators to ensure consistency in how the individual programs are being managed and evaluated. The day-to-day oversight of the programs will be the responsibility of the individual sport administrators.

“Beth and Larry have a wealth of experience in college athletics and they will be outstanding mentors to our coaches and administrative staff,” says Cunningham.

Miller will oversee 13 programs (men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s fencing, women’s golf, gymnastics, rowing, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field and volleyball) and Gallo six (baseball, field hockey, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming and diving and wrestling). Senior associate ADs Clint Gwaltney (women’s tennis), Vince Ille (softball and men’s tennis), John Montgomery (men’s golf and men’s lacrosse) and Rick Steinbacher (women’s lacrosse) will also serve as primary sport administrators.

Cunningham is the primary administrator for men’s and women’s basketball and football.

“The people that make up the Carolina athletics department have done and continue to do many things incredibly well,” says Cunningham. “My objective is to put us in a position to support our student-athletes and coaches even better than we’ve ever done before.”

Gallo is being promoted to executive associate director of athletics. Gwaltney, Steinbacher and Steve Kirschner are being promoted from associate to senior associate directors of athletics. Karlton Creech, a member of the Rams Club staff, has also been named a senior associate AD and will serve as the department’s chief of staff.

Ken Mack and Matt Terrell are now associate ADs; and Ken Cleary, Mike Perkins, Tim Sabo and Tim Smith arebeing promoted to assistant ADs.

The restructuring also includes changes in the oversight responsibilities in a number of the department’s administrative units.

Gwaltney will assume oversight of the sports medicine, strength and conditioning and technology divisions; Kirschner will coordinate strategic communications and continue to direct men’s basketball communications; Montgomery will oversee ticket operations; Steinbacher will direct external communications including marketing, sports information and communications, new media, GoHeels.com and game day customer relations.

Cunningham has established a nine-person executive staff that includes Larry Gallo and senior associate ADs Martina Ballen, Karlton Creech, Clint Gwaltney, Vince Ille, Steve Kirschner, Beth Miller, John Montgomery and Rick Steinbacher.

Cunningham also expanded the senior staff to include senior associate ADs John Blanchard and Willie Scroggs, associate ADs Amy Herman, Corey Holliday, Ken Mack, Paul Pogge and Matt Terrell, assistant ADs Michael Beale, Kevin Best, Mike Bunting, Ken Cleary, Ellen Culler, Cricket Lane, Mike Perkins, Tim Sabo and Tim Smith, and directors Angie Bitting and John Brunner.