UM names Dan Radakovich as AD; Radakovich, Frenk comment

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Stefan Adams

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One of the nation’s most well-respected athletics administrators is returning to the institution where nearly three decades ago he launched his career—the University of Miami. Dan Radakovich, who served as director of athletics at Clemson University for the past nine years, has been named vice president and director of athletics at Miami, President Julio Frenk announced today (Dec. 9). Radakovich will report directly to Frenk and serve as a member of his senior leadership team.

“I am so grateful to President Frenk and the University’s Board of Trustees for this incredible opportunity,” said Radakovich. “Their commitment to Miami Athletics’ comprehensive pursuit of excellence and championships is what brought me back to Miami. As a unified Hurricane family—students, alumni, donors, and fans—there is nothing that we cannot accomplish. We are going to set the bar high and jump over it.”

Radakovich’s distinguished career in athletics leadership spans more than 30 years. His tenure at Clemson was marked by student-athlete academic achievement; comprehensive competitive success, including two national championships in football; significant facility construction and enhancements; and notable increases in revenue and fundraising. He was named Athletic Director of the Year by Sports Business Daily in 2017 and served as a member of the College Football Playoff selection committee from 2014 to 2017.

“This is a significant moment for the future of athletics at the University of Miami,” said Frenk. “Dan is one of the most highly regarded athletics directors in the country. He knows Miami well, from his time at the U and at Clemson, an ACC peer. His proven success, and the success that Dan has helped enable for student-athletes in the classroom and in competition, is reflective of our values. He has the experience, the relationships, and the passion it takes to ignite and sustain excellence—the very core of our bold vision for the future of Hurricanes Athletics.”

“There is a unique opportunity at Miami, with the tremendous changes happening across our city and South Florida, to build something truly special,” said David Epstein, chair of the athletics committee of the Board of Trustees. “We sought out a proven leader who is aspirational, entrepreneurial, and visionary, and who will build a world-class athletics program at the U. Dan is that leader. His hire, and the extraordinary hire of Mario Cristobal as our next football head coach, puts Miami on a trajectory unmatched by any athletics program in the country.”

Radakovich took the helm at Clemson in late 2012 and during his tenure, Clemson won 15 Atlantic Coast Conference team titles. The Tigers football program won two national championships, made six College Football Playoff appearances, and captured six ACC titles. In the classroom, Clemson student-athletes recorded nine semesters with a 3.0 GPA or higher. The athletic department attained the school’s highest-ever NCAA Graduation Success Rate at 93 percent in 2020 and scored 91 percent or better for seven consecutive years.

Radakovich helped complete more than $200 million in facility construction and enhancements at Clemson, including the renovation of Littlejohn Coliseum and the construction of facilities for football, tennis, baseball, and softball. Department revenue nearly doubled under his leadership, and philanthropic contributions are at an all-time high.

Prior to Clemson, Radakovich served as director of athletics at Georgia Tech from 2006 to 2012 and as a senior associate athletics director at Louisiana State University. At LSU, he worked closely with then-head coach Nick Saban, including during the Tigers’ 2003 national championship season. He has also served as director of athletics at American University, as associate athletics director at the University of South Carolina, as associate athletics director at Long Beach State University, and as athletics business manager at Miami, the latter from 1983 to 1985.

Radakovich is a native of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1980, where he was a football letterman and student coach, and an MBA from the University of Miami in 1982. He is enshrined in the IUP and Beaver County sports halls of fame and was honored by IUP with a distinguished alumni award in 2009.

Born June 9, 1958, Radakovich and his wife, Marcie, are the parents of two sons—Christian, who graduated from Georgia Tech in 2012, and Grant, who graduated from Mercer in 2015—both of whom live and work in Atlanta.
 
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We're definitely at among the top 10 programs in the country who have shown this much commitment to sports and football. Bama, LSU, USC, Michigan, A&M, Georgia, Texas, Ohio State, Clemson, Miami.

And I would argue we are now positioned as high as we possibly could be against those other schools because we have arguably the best recruiter in the country working the best recruiting grounds in the country. If he gets the coordinators and staff he's hunting, I think we vault from top 10 to top 3-4 instantaneously in terms of potential.

Who else has that perfect storm? Bama will win recruits nationally, USC will lock down West Coas. After that ... Taint will get best Midwest/NE kids but that talent doesn't match ours. And LSU is a total unknown. Kelly has just as much chance of ****ting the bed as he does of displacing the other SEC powerhouses.

At the very least, we're playing in the ACCCG 4 out of 5 seasons once Mario fixes out talent issues.
 
It's my opinion based on the fact that none of their other programs are really anything to write home about.
They just finished in the mid-30s in the Sears Cup standings within the last year or so—which means they’re pretty solid across all sports.

Their men’s soccer is currently in the NCAA final 4; women’s made it to the ACC semis and to the ncaa tourney.

They just started up a women’s softball team a couple years ago and won the ACC and went to the tourney in their first full year.

Overall, their athletics are among the tops in the ACC.
 
This is significant in so many ways. Beyond any particular coach.

Having someone who is experienced in building winning programs, aligning boosters/investors and keeping eye on long-term business objectives for success is critical.

In many ways, this is the piece I think many of us have been looking for. A killer AD is how you keep investments aligned and strategic. Its how you dont get caught sitting on your *** when the landscape and the market moves.

Its how you don't get the Cokers, Golden, Shannons, Diaz's of the world.

When I think in terms of lost revenue, the negligence of UM Administration for the Football program borders on criminal.
 
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Epstein trying to steal some of that love lol. From all reports this guy was trying to sabotage the whole thing from the start. Then when he sees everyone celebrating he's trying to sneak back in the lime light. ***** that guy.
Epstein is a POS for all of miami
 
They just finished in the mid-30s in the Sears Cup standings within the last year or so—which means they’re pretty solid across all sports.

Their men’s soccer is currently in the NCAA final 4; women’s made it to the ACC semis and to the ncaa tourney.

They just started up a women’s softball team a couple years ago and won the ACC and went to the tourney in their first full year.

Overall, their athletics are among the tops in the ACC.
Was more so referring to the big 3 sports that most people watch. (Baseball, basketball and football)
 
This is significant in so many ways. Beyond any particular coach.

Having someone who is experienced in building winning programs, aligning boosters/investors and keeping eye on long-term business objectives for success is critical.

In many ways, this is the piece I think many of us have been looking for. A killer AD is how you keep investments aligned and strategic. Its how you dont get caught sitting on your *** when the landscape and the market moves.

Its how you don't get the Cokers, Golden, Shannons, Diaz's of the world.

When I think in terms of lost revenue, the negligence of UM Administration for the Football program borders on criminal.

This. Folks can nitpick all they want about Clemson's other sports programs but this man brings tons of great experience - we've sorely been lacking someone in the AD spot with experience, vision and passion. He has them and will be a huge upgrade over the last several dolts.
 
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Ok well that's not good. Hopefully he makes great changes for the other programs here
Agreed. I will second what the poster said. Clemson athletics in 3 major sports isn’t very impressive. We need mass improvement in baseball and football
 
This. Folks can nitpick all they want about Clemson's other sports programs but this man brings tons of great experience - we've sorely been lacking someone in the AD spot with experience, vision and passion. He has them and will be a huge upgrade over the last several dolts.
Yep.

And the critical piece, in my opinion, isn't whether those other sports are floundering or failing. Its whether there exists the necessary strategic vision, alignment and commitment from boosters and the requisite cash and resources to provide what is necessary to win. That is the AD in a nutshell.
 
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