Hocutt heads south as 'Cats search for new athletic director
By Britton Dove, Staff Writer
February 20, 2008 | 6 p.m.
As Ohio University athletic director Kirby Hocutt prepares to leave for his new position at the University of Miami (Fla.), “commitment” is the one word that Hocutt used to describe his time with the Bobcats.
His commitment from Ohio University President Roderick McDavis to get Hocutt to come to Ohio, his commitment from the staff, student-athletes and coaches to propel Ohio to one of the premier programs in the Mid-American Conference and also the commitment to make the right decisions in his time rather than the easy ones, was why “commitment” was the word to describe his time here.
“Winner” was the word Mark Pray, Miami (Fla.) assistant athletic director for communications, used to describe his new athletic director in Hocutt.
“The University of Miami is a national brand from coast to coast,” Hocutt said. “Wherever you go and you see the “U” you know it’s the Miami Hurricanes and one of the handfuls of [Division] I-A programs that have the national presence. They have a long tradition of success. They have won 21 national championships.”
Miami first heard of Hocutt through DHR, a search firm that has a division specializing in the sports industry. Hocutt will replace Paul Dee, who retired from his position after 16 years at Miami.
Hocutt officially begins his time at Miami on June 1, 2008.
Hocutt was not the only candidate considered for the Hurricanes' opening but the Ohio athletic director possessed the qualities Miami desired.
“We interviewed a diverse group of candidates in the broadest sense of the word [including] gender, ethnicity, experience, sitting athletic directors and senior associates, and ultimately felt that Kirby was the perfect fit for this job, at this time, at the University of Miami,” Pray said in an e-mail.
There were specific selling points that led Miami to look at a "mid-major conference" athletic director, and there were several that led to their new hire.
“A combination of factors [led us to hire Hocutt including being a] quality person with solid experience and a proven track record as a student-athlete, marketer, fundraiser, business manager, etc., at the NCAA, University of Oklahoma and Ohio University,” Pray said.
Hocutt has done a lot for Ohio University in his two-year stay in Athens including being a part of winning the 2006-2007 Jacoby Trophy for the most successful women’s program in the MAC, attending the first Ohio football bowl game in 38 years and also externally putting this program in a good position with corporations, marketing, concessions and merchandise.
Hocutt said that he loves this campus, but this opportunity was too hard to pass up.
“Ohio University is a great place,” Hocutt said. “Dr. McDavis is a tremendous leader. I will always be appreciative of the opportunity that he gave me to lead this program and I have a great deal of respect and admiration for the coaches, staff and athletes. I want to leave on as good of terms as possible. We have a current number of projects that are ongoing and I want to take care of them before I leave, whether it be the search for the new head volleyball coach, doing whatever it takes to handle the (baseball) gambling investigation and doing all the work possible to prepare the NCAA certification report to be initially submitted May 1,” he said.
The search for a new athletic director to lead the Bobcats will be headed by President McDavis, and Hocutt will have no part in the hiring process.
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