Page 224 - Toledo Football Media Guide - 2012

THE UNIVERSITY 225

tournament titles in the sports of football, men’s basket-ball, women’s basketball, women’s cross country, men’s golf, women’s soccer, women’s swimming and baseball. In that same span, UT has made fve bowl appearances in football, twoNIT appearances inmen’s basketball and four WNIT appearances in women’s basketball (includ-ing a WNIT championship crown in 2011). In addition, women’s soccer has advanced to theNCAATournament four times, while men’s golf has competed in the NCAA Championships twice. UTwomen have qualifed for the NCAA Championships in either track or cross country a total of 14 times and received All-America recognition nine times since 2002. In women’s swimming & diving, four Rockets have qualifed for the NCAAs, with one earning All-America honors on two occasions. In 2011-12, the Rockets took home the Jacoby Tro-phy as the MAC’s top women’s athletic program for the frst time in school history.

In the classroom, UT has produced overall depart-ment grade-point averages of above a 3.1 in each of the past seven semesters. In the 2012 spring semester, UT student-athletes achieved a combinedGPA of 3.266, the highest in school history. More than 41 percent of student-athletes received at least a 3.5 GPA, with nearly 71 percent earning a 3.0+ GPA, the 17th consecutive semester above the 50-percent mark. The UT men’s program has earned the Faculty Athletics Representa-tive (FAR) Academic Achievement Award for having the overall highest grade point average rank.

Among O’Brien’s other accomplishments are add-ing Ohio State, Miami (FL), Colorado, Purdue, Arizona, Missouri, Navy, Fresno State, Boise State,Wyoming and Cincinnati to the home football schedule; workingwith the Inverness Club to bring the 2009 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships to Toledo; and securing a multi-year

deal with Learfeld Sports to increase UT’s advertising revenue.

O’Brien has served as a mem-ber of the NCAA Division I Football Issues Committee, and chaired the Mid-American Conference Athletic Director’s Committee. He is also the conference’s athletic director repre-sentative to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS).

Previous to his appointment at UT, O’Brien had 15 years of experience in athletics administration at four uni-versities, Kansas State (associate A.D., 1997-2001), Lamar (athletic director, 1993-97), Pittsburgh (director of de-velopment 1989-93) and Ball State (marketing and development, 1986-89).

A native of Iowa City, IA, O’Brien earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Missouri Valley College in 1975, and has master’s degrees in educa-tion from Wisconsin-River Falls in 1982 and in sports management fromWestern Illinois in 1986. Prior to his administrative career, O’Brien was an assistant basket-ball coach at three diferent schools from 1982-1986. O’Brien and his wife Michelle have a son Jack (10).

Mike O’Brien speaks at the Fetterman Training Center dedication in 2010.

hletic Director

Mike O’Brien’s File

Age: 59 (born Dec. 31, 1952)

Education:

• Master’s Degree in Physical Education, Western Illinois ‘86 • Master’s Degree in Education, Wisconsin-River Falls ‘82 • Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, Missouri Valley College, ‘75

• Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts, Indian Hills (IA) C.C. ‘73

Administrative Experience:

2002- Vice President and Athletic Director, Toledo 1997-2001 Associate Athletic Director, Kansas State 1993-97 Athletic Director, Lamar

1990-93 Director of Development, Pittsburgh 1989-90 Assistant Director of Development, Pittsburgh 1988-89 Director of Development and Marketing, Ball State 1986-88 Administrative Asst.to the Athletic Director, Ball State

Coaching Experience:

1985-86 Assistant men’s basketball coach, Western Illinois 1984-85 Assistant men’s basketball coach, Wisconsin-Green Bay 1981-84 Assistant men’s basketball coach, Wisconsin-River Falls

College Playing Experience:

1973-75 Basketball, Missouri Valley College 1971-73 Basketball, Indian Hills Community College

Family:

Wife, Michelle, and son, Jack (10)