zippy-claws Posted November 8 Report Share Posted November 8 No longer AD! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AkronAlumnus Posted November 9 Report Share Posted November 9 Wow, mixed but mostly good feelings on him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted November 9 Report Share Posted November 9 Here's the memo that went to staff- The University of Akron and Director of Athletics Charles Guthrie have mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately, to allow Guthrie to pursue another opportunity. “Today is bittersweet but, after extensive soul-searching and a lot of prayer, we have decided that it is in the best interest of both my UA family and my own family to part now,” Guthrie said. “We have treasured our time with Zips Nation and eagerly look forward to our next chapter. It has been a true honor to serve alongside an extraordinary team of coaches, athletic staff and administrators who prioritize the student-athlete experience, operate with unwavering integrity and have a tireless work ethic. Thank you to our dedicated alumni, donors and fans. Go Zips!” Guthrie has led UA Athletics since July 2021, managing the department’s 18 NCAA Division I programs with a steadfast commitment to the safety and continued positive experience of the University’s student-athletes. To ensure the health and well-being of all 500 Zips student-athletes, Guthrie spearheaded a 10-year partnership with Akron Children’s Hospital, now Akron Athletics’ sole health care provider. During Guthrie’s tenure as AD, Akron Athletics won 11 MAC championships, including Men’s Basketball’s advancement to the NCAA Tournament in 2022 and 2024. In 2022, Guthrie helped secure affiliate membership for Akron Men’s Soccer in the BIG EAST Conference. This season, the team captured the program's first-ever BIG EAST regular season title. Additionally, the University has appreciated Guthrie’s fundraising efforts that secured the two largest individual cash gifts in department history. He initiated the creation of the department’s inaugural major giving society - the Summit Circle. He also prioritized transformational enhancements to Akron’s athletics facilities with the opening of the Wentz Financial Group Basketball Player Development Center, and other improvements including new artificial turf and a new state-of-the-art video board at InfoCision Stadium and an overhaul of the Lee R. Jackson Track and Field Complex. President R.J. Nemer states, “On behalf of The University of Akron, I extend thanks to Charles for his three-year tenure and for the dedication he showed for the advancement of our UA student-athletes and Akron Athletics.” The Office of the President, led by Chief Strategy Officer Matt Juravich, is collaborating with colleagues in Akron Athletics to ensure a smooth transitionary period. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exit322 Posted Monday at 07:18 PM Report Share Posted Monday at 07:18 PM He's going to Fordham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper Posted Monday at 07:25 PM Report Share Posted Monday at 07:25 PM Charles is a class guy. Glad he is able to head home with the new job. His wife is also from that area. Good luck to whoever succeeds him at Akron. They are going to need it with what is coming down the line for the athletic department and university as a whole. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper Posted Tuesday at 01:21 AM Report Share Posted Tuesday at 01:21 AM (edited) Whoever is hired as the new AD is going to have his hands full. Big budget cuts are coming and the new AD will be viewed as a a hatchet man. Charles did the best he could with the cards that were dealt to him. Over the last 3 years the athletic department budget has been reduced by $6 million. We went from a marketing department of four down to one. Every sport had it's budget cut. Even with that obstacle he still managed to get many significant projects accomplished. New turf at Infocision, new scoreboard at Infocision, complete renovation of Lee Jackson field just to mention a few. The overall condition of all our venues improved. He worked hard to retain our best coaches, men's basketball, men's soccer and swimming. If they were unhappy with him they would have left for many of the lucrative offers they recieved during his tenure. We won 11 MAC championships and one BE championship. Did he probably miss on hiring Joe Mooehead? Maybe, but at the time is was a wildly applauded move. I'm not sure short of a miracle, anyone can turn around Zips football. As far as him being an outsider, you could say that about every AD we have had since Jim Dennison. He did miss on the logo change. He misread how much our fan base liked the logos we had. He also missed on the baseball coaching hire that put us back a few steps. Since he is a NY native and has worked in that market before(Columbia) I think be successful at Fordham. This is what happens at major institutions when there is a leadership change. The new leader wants to bring in his guys to execute his vision. Edited Tuesday at 01:22 AM by Hilltopper 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
330Buchtelite Posted Tuesday at 02:08 AM Report Share Posted Tuesday at 02:08 AM Can anyone verify the George Van Horne replacement rumblings that have been out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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