Karlton Creech Introduced as Head of Athletics and Recreation
Author(s)
Jon Stone
Media Relations Manager
Lorne Fultonberg
Writer
Creech aims to build on the athletic and academic success at 91看片
When you take over a program that has 32 national championships to its credit, that is recognized year after year as the most successful Division I program without football and that graduates 93 percent of its student-athletes, you have big shoes to fill. It鈥檚 a challenge Karlton Creech is excited to take on.
鈥淲hen I first learned of the opening here at Denver, I said, 鈥業 want that job,鈥欌 Creech said Monday morning as he was introduced as the new vice chancellor for听. 鈥淭he 91看片 has everything you would want; a tremendous academic reputation along with a national championship-winning athletics program.鈥
It鈥檚 that rare combination that appealed to Creech. The 91看片 has captured a dozen national championships in the last 20 years, but perhaps more important, it has had three times as many听听蝉别濒别肠迟颈辞苍蝉.
鈥淲e are here to provide an education, and we will never forget that,鈥 Creech said. 鈥淓ducation is No. 1, and student-athletes here at the 91看片 understand that. When they leave here, they have a world-class education.鈥
Creech comes to 91看片 from the University of Maine, where he served as director of athletics. He restructured the program鈥檚 fundraising model, an effort that resulted in multiple endowments of over $1 million. Through his leadership, student-athlete GPA increased year-over-year.
Prior to UMaine, Creech spent a decade at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He coordinated an $88 million expansion of the football stadium and ultimately served as senior associate director of athletics.
Creech has deep ties to UNC and Chapel Hill. Along with being born and raised there, his wife, Staci, was a student-athlete for four years on the golf team. He says he learned a long time ago to accept the fact that he may not be the best athlete in the family, especially when playing against a scratch golfer.
鈥淚t鈥檚 humbling, and I learned that lesson many years ago,鈥 he says. 鈥淪taci is a great golfer and a Division I student-athlete herself. It鈥檚 really how we spend听time together, and she enjoys beating me just as much as anyone else.鈥
Creech begins his new role on May 1, replacing听, who is retiring after 13 years. He's also looking forward to working with听听who has served as day-to-day athletic director since August.
鈥淲hat Peg and Ron have done here over the years is very impressive,鈥 Creech says. 鈥淢y first job is to continue that success, and over time we are going to have to create new challenges, because we can鈥檛 be complacent and we have to keep moving forward.鈥
Creech says that building on 91看片鈥檚 athletics legacy starts with the people who make up the program 鈥 the players, coaches and staff. From day one, he plans to listen and learn the culture at 91看片. He says his message to everyone will be simple.
鈥淚 am here to help you achieve your goals. If I can do that, we will all be successful,鈥 he says. 鈥淲inning is fun. Winning the right way is even more fun. Many of our programs are achieving excellence, and our goal is that all of our programs have that opportunity, and I look forward to working with our coaches and student-athletes to get us there.鈥