FOOTBALL
DR. JOHN C. HITT
PRESIDENT • 17TH YEAR AT UCF • AUSTIN COLLEGE, 1962 John C. Hi� became the fourth president of the University of Central Florida on March 1, 1992, a�er nineteen years of administra�ve experience and a dis�nguished academic career. A na�ve of Houston, Texas, he graduated cum laude in 1962 from Aus�n College in Sherman, Texas, earning a B.A. degree in psychology. He completed his M.S. degree in 1964 and his Ph.D. degree two years later, both in physiological psychology at Tulane University. His graduate study was supported by fellowships from the Danforth Founda�on and the Na�onal Science Founda�on. Dr. Hi� served as an assistant professor of psychology at Tulane before moving to Texas Chris�an University as an associate professor of psychology in 1969. Three years later, he became associate dean of the university. In 1974, he was appointed vice president of the Texas Chris�an University Research Founda�on and was named dean of the graduate school in 1975. In 1977, Dr. Hi� le� Texas Chris�an University to become provost and vice president for academic affairs and professor of psychology at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. In 1987, he moved to the University of Maine as vice president for academic affairs and professor of psychology. In 1991, Dr. Hi� was named Maine’s interim president.
FIVE GOALS
Early in his tenure, President Hi� outlined the following five major goals for UCF: • offer the best undergraduate educa�on in Florida • achieve interna�onal prominence in key programs of graduate study and research • provide an interna�onal focus to the curricula and research programs • become more inclusive and diverse • become America’s leading partnership university Under President Hi� ’s leadership, enrollment at UCF has more than doubled, the number of doctoral degrees awarded each year has increased sevenfold, and research funding has increased from $6.2 million to $121 million a year. President Hi� has conferred more than 130,000 degrees during his presidency. One of President Hi� ’s greatest achievements occurred when the Florida Board of Governors approved the UCF College of Medicine, and the Lake Nona Medical City was founded. This mul�-billion dollar development includes new facili�es for medical educa�on, hospital care, and biomedical research. The Lake Nona Medical City will be a principal driver of the central Florida economy for decades to come. President Hi� ’s current civic service includes membership on the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission Fundraising Campaign leadership cabinet and the MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando’s Council of Governors. He serves on the boards of the American Heart Associa�on, Central Florida Partnership, the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, SunTrust N.A., and United Arts. President Hi� is a member of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment Leadership Circle. He is also a member, vice-chair, and chair-elect of the Conference USA Board of Directors. President Hi� is two-term past-chair of the State University Presidents Associa�on, a member of the Florida Council of 100, and founder of the Florida High-Tech Corridor Council. He is a two-term past-president of the Florida Associa�on of Colleges and Universi�es. He chaired the Governor’s Select Task Force on Healthcare Professional Liability Insurance and was a member of the Florida Distance Learning Task Force. He was a member of the Orange County Chairman’s Transporta�on Commission, and in 2008, he co-chaired the Orange County Underage Drinking Task Force. President Hi� is a former member of the boards of the American Associa�on of State Colleges and Universi�es, EDUCAUSE, Orlando Health, and the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce. He is a former member of the NCAA President’s Commission and the former Chair of Board of the Atlan�c Sun Athle�cs Conference. In recent years, the Central Florida community has honored President Hi� with a number of pres�gious awards. He was the recipient of the 2008 Junior Achievement Spirit of Achievement Award. He has been listed for a number of years among the Orlando Sen�nel’s 25 Most Powerful People in Central Florida and the Orlando Magazine’s 50 Most Powerful People. He received the Seminole Chamber of Commerce Life�me Achievement award in 2007. In 2006, he received the Orlando Business Journal’s first-ever Legacy Award, and in 2005 he was named the Orlando Sen�nel’s Central Floridian of the Year. In 2002, he received the James B. Greene award from the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission; in 1999, he was awarded the Tree of Life from the Jewish Na�onal Fund and the Jack Halloway Star of Gra�tude from United Cerebral Palsy of Central Florida; and in 1998, he earned the John Young Award from the Greater Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce. President Hi� is an avid fisherman and golfer. He has been married to the former Martha Halsted for 47 years, and they have two children and two grandchildren.
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UCF KNIGHTS
KEITH TRIBBLE
DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS • FOURTH YEAR AT UCF • FLORIDA, 1977 The thread that has bridged together nearly three decades working in and around the collegiate community has been Keith Tribble’s history of building programs with strong founda�ons and dynamic structure. Since his start as Director of Athle�cs and Execu�ve Vice President for the University of Central Florida Athle�cs Associa�on on June 6, 2006, Tribble has quickly taken hold of the program’s blueprints and promised to lead with a principle that everyone associated with the program will also share - to “finish.”
Keith Tribble is commi�ed to the concept of the well-rounded studentathlete, emphasizing the importance of their academic prowess off the field as well as championship results on.
COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE In addi�on, the other focal point of his concentra�on is the oversight of the construc�on, expansion and comple�on of the noted UCF Athle�cs Facili�es Master Plan. When finished, the plan will touch all areas of the student-athletes’ well-being, including residen�al housing, academic and mentoring support facili�es and state-of-the-art performance venues where UCF fans and supporters can cheer on the Knights. To date, Tribble has overseen $150 million in new construc�on and improvements to UCF athle�c facili�es since his arrival. Through a renewed commitment, Tribble has been most proud of the record academic achievement of the UCF student-athletes during his first two years in Orlando. The Knights, for the second straight year in 2007-08, placed the highest number of student-athletes on the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll with 194 representa�ves maintaining a 3.0 grade-point average or be�er. Much of UCF Athle�cs went from transi�oning into Conference USA to compe�ng for its �tles in just a few short years. The football program has played for two C-USA �tles since 2005, winning the championship and coveted AutoZone Liberty Bowl berth in 2007. In 2007-08, other programs such as women’s soccer and so�ball, and members of women’s track and field, claimed C-USA �tles. In 2008-09, men’s golf reigned over the league, in addi�on to a big Conference USA Tournament championship from women’s basketball. Over half of the programs have competed in NCAA postseason tournaments the past two years. Successful student-athletes start with top-notch coaching and at UCF the commitment to coaching excellence has been evident. Among Tribble’s transac�ons so far has been the renewal of several successful veteran coaches, including Amanda Cromwell (women’s soccer), Renee Luers-Gillispie (so�ball), George O’Leary (football) and Kirk Speraw (men’s basketball). Addi�onally, Tribble was instrumental in the hiring of several new head coaches, including Becky Cramer (women’s rowing), Bryan Cunningham (men’s soccer), Todd Dagenais (women’s volleyball), Stephanie Nickitas (women’s tennis), Terry Rooney (baseball), Caryl Smith-Gilbert (women’s track and field/cross country), Courtney Trimble (women’s golf), Bryce Wallor (men’s golf) and Joi Williams (women’s basketball). Tribble a�ended the University of Florida where he played offensive guard for three bowl teams. He graduated in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism (public rela�ons and marke�ng). Tribble and his wife, Terri, have a daughter, Carlyn, and a son, Kyle. 150
FOOTBALL
DAVID CHAMBERS
EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR • FOURTH YEAR AT UCF • IOWA, 1983 David Chambers was named the executive associate athletics director for UCF Athle�cs on May 24, 2006. His primary responsibility with the UCFAA is the oversight of the Knights day-to-day organiza�onal opera�ons. In addi�on to serving as the staff administrator for the football program, Chambers also provides this role for men’s and women’s golf, so�ball, marke�ng and promotions, communications and the compliance department. Prior to joining UCF, Chambers worked eight years in the Virginia Tech athle�cs department, the last five years as the senior associate athle�cs director for external affairs. In his role with Virginia Tech, Chambers oversaw the Hokies’ marke�ng and promo�ons, sports informa�on and �cket opera�ons as well as hokiesports.com and hokiesports - the newspaper. He also acted as the department’s liaison with ISP Sports, the exclusive mul�-media and adver�sing rights holder for Virginia Tech athletics. In addi�on to his external du�es, Chambers worked with the Virginia Tech Athle�c Fund, the Hokies’ fund-raising arm, as well as assisting athle�cs director Jim Weaver with football scheduling. Prior to his tenure at Virginia Tech, Cham-
bers worked at UNLV for six years beginning as the Rebels as director of NCAA compliance in 1992 before his promo�on to associate director of athle�cs from 1993-98. In his later role with UNLV, Chambers oversaw the day-to-day opera�ons of football and men’s and women’s basketball. He also accounted for the scheduling of the football and basketball programs. In addi�on, he supervised the department’s three assistant athle�cs directors who oversaw UNLV’s internal affairs and 15 varsity sports. From 1990-92, Chambers was one of 12 legisla�ve assistants with the NCAA, providing wri�en and oral interpreta�ons of the organiza�on’s legisla�on for member ins�tu�ons. In this role, he also served as the NCAA liaison to the Big 10 Conference. He also provided ruleseduca�on seminars for various coaching organiza�ons, served as the primary administrator for waivers of NCAA legisla�on and prepared li�ga�on summaries for the na�onal office. Chambers was a former college quarterback at Iowa and later switched to the defensive side of the ball, le�ering as a strong safety in 1982 and was a starter in 1983. Under legendary head coach Hayden Fry, he was part of three post-season bowl squads: the Rose Bowl in January of 1982, as well as the Peach and the Gator Bowls in December of 1982 and ‘83. He received the Football Coaches Apprecia�on
JEFF ULMER
SR. ASSOCIATE AD/DEVELOPMENT Jeff Ulmer was hired as the senior associate athle�cs director for development this past July. Ulmer brings more than 20 years of ins�tu�onal advancement experience from tenures at three pres�gious Southeastern Conference schools. Most recently, Ulmer was at the University of Mississippi where he served as President of the UMAA Founda�on this past year. At UCF, is the senior administrator overseeing all areas of athle�cs development; major gi�s, fundraising and the Golden Knights Club, plus UCF’s athle�cs �cket sales opera�on. At Ole Miss, Ulmer oversaw the UMAA Founda�on’s development team, with a primary mission of reaching out to alumni, donors and fans across the state of Mississippi and around the country in an effort to secure private resources for capital projects and scholarship support. Ulmer’s goal as President of the UMAA Founda�on was to get out on the road and meet with the people who have supported Ole Miss throughout the years and develop a stronger network of partners, while raising the visibility of Rebel athle�cs throughout the state and beyond. In 2003, Ulmer was lured away from his previous employment at the University of Florida to become the Assistant Dean for Development for Vanderbilt University’s Law School where he guided the law school through a $28 million capital campaign. Three years later he was named Execu�ve Director of Development for Vanderbilt’s Na�onal Commodore Club, the fund raising arm of Vanderbilt athle�cs. Ulmer began his development career in 1989 at UF, where he served four colleges and par�cipated in two capital campaigns over a 15-year period. Ulmer, who grew up in Gainesville and graduated from UF, worked for one season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers strength and condi�oning staff a�er serving in a similar capacity as a student assistant in the Gator Strength Complex.
Award in 1981 and was named to Iowa’s AllTime Strength and Condi�oning Team, he played with current Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops and was not only coached by Fry, but also Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder and Barry Alvarez, the former Wisconsin Badgers head coach and the school’s current Director of Athle�cs. Chambers earned a bachelor’s of business administration in 1983, specializing in industrial rela�ons. He was named to the Big 10 All-Academic squad in 1983 and received the pres�gious Forest Evashevski Scholarship Achievement Award, as well as the R.E. Romey Memorial Scholarship and the Ben Trickey Memorial Scholarship. He then received a master’s of art in educa�onal measurement and sta�s�cs from Iowa in 1985 while working as a graduate assistant and spent the next year as an administra�ve assistant with the school’s athle�cs department, assis�ng with Big 10 and NCAA rules compliance and direc�ng the senior student-athlete employment program. An a�orney, Chambers entered law school at Wake Forest. He received his juris doctorate in 1989 and became licensed to prac�ce law in North Carolina.
DAVID HANSEN
SR. ASSOCIATE AD/INTERNAL RELATIONS David Hansen joined the UCF Athle�cs Associa�on as its senior associate athle�cs director for internal opera�ons in June 2006. Hansen’s primary duties include overseeing all facility development and home event opera�ons, while administering four Knights athle�cs teams. Hansen directs the athle�cs facility master planning process and serves on UCF’s Master Planning Commi�ee. Since 2006, UCF Athle�cs has completed building projects totaling over $63 million. The Athle�cs Facility Plan calls for another $28 million in construc�on during the next four to six years. He also serves as the sport administrator for the Knights’ men’s basketball, baseball and men’s and women’s soccer programs. Prior to joining the UCF staff, Hansen served as the deputy director of athle�cs at the University of Southern Mississippi. Hansen was the Golden Eagles’ chief opera�ng and financial officer and also directed all facility projects while overseeing the men’s basketball and baseball programs. Hansen arrived at Southern Miss in 1999 as the school’s associate athle�cs director for internal affairs. In 2003, he was promoted to senior associate athle�cs director and two years later became the Golden Eagles’ deputy director of athle�cs. Before moving to Southern Miss, Hansen worked at the University of Louisiana at Monroe as the assistant athle�cs director for internal opera�ons. He originally joined the ULM staff in 1994 as the director of facili�es & football opera�ons. A na�ve of Gainesville and a 1992 graduate of the University of Florida, he worked at his alma mater as assistant football equipment manager from 1992-94. In 1990, Hansen spent �me as an opera�ons/ sales assistant for the Blockbuster Bowl in South Florida. Hansen and his wife Trudy have three children, Kevin, Casey and Brian. 151
UCF KNIGHTS
JESSICA REO SR. ASSOCIATE AD STUDENT SERVICES
Jessica Reo was promoted to senior associate athle�cs director for student services in July of 2008. Addi�onally, Reo s�ll serves as senior woman administrator (SWA), a role she took over in the summer of 2006. The role of SWA is an important one in college athle�cs, especially in the governance
structure of Conference USA. In that role, Reo represents UCF in conference dealings pertaining to scheduling, championships and legisla�on. Reo also serves as UCF’s liaison for gender equity and Title IX issues. In addi�on, Reo serves as administrator of several UCF teams, including rowing, women’s cross country, men’s and women’s tennis, volleyball, women’s basketball and track and field. Prior to coming to UCF, she spent seven years at the University of Miami. There she served as a compliance coordinator for rules educa�on and documenta�on for three years and spent four years as a compliance coordinator for athle�c services. Reo graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English from Florida State in 1993. During her
undergraduate years she worked in the Seminoles’ Sports Informa�on Office and then completed a media rela�ons internship with the Atlan�c Coast Conference office a�er gradua�on. She spent two years as an assistant sports informa�on director at Clemson University before taking a job in compliance at Miami.
ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTORS
JOE HORNSTEIN Marke�ng and Communica�ons
JOE SIMON Facili�es
BRAD STRICKLIN Finance
PHIL ASHLER Ticket Opera�ons
LISA DANNER Compliance
RAELYNN MCAFEE Marke�ng and Promo�ons
MAURA MURPHY Development
BRIAN REED Human Resources and Risk Management
TOM SNYDER Event Opera�ons
ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTORS
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