Tom Jurich

Tom Jurich (born July 26, 1956) is the Director of Athletics for the University of Louisville. He was hired on October 21, 1997 after holding the same positions at Colorado State University and Northern Arizona University. On March 9, 1999, he signed a contract to stay the Director of Athletics until 2012, an unprecedented offer.[1] In 2007, Jurich was selected Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal/SportsBusiness Daily national athletic director of the year.[2][3]

Tom Jurich was born in Alhambra, California and played kicker at Arcadia High School, at Northern Arizona University, and in one game for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League, after being drafted in the 10th round of the 1978 NFL Draft.[4] [5]

Jurich had spent four years at Colorado State University, starting in early 1994, as athletics director. Previously, he had been the athletics director for Northern Arizona from 1988 to 1994. On October 10, 1997, he announced that he withdrew from consideration for the University of Louisville job, saying his wife had lived her life in nearby Wyoming, and that he liked living in Fort Collins, Colorado.[6][7]

Prior to Jurich, Bill Olsen was the athletics director of U of L. The initial deal from U of L was five years.[8][9]

One of his first actions was to replace Ron Cooper with John L. Smith as football coach, in an attempt to boost fan support before the move to the new Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.[10] One of his greatest accomplishments was bringing Rick Pitino, who had brought the rival University of Kentucky's basketball team to one NCAA championship, one NCAA Runner-up, and three Final Fours, to the University of Louisville on March 21, 2001.[11] Pitino was going to take the basketball coaching job at University of Michigan, but told the media, "I can't get on the phone and tell Tom no. I can't tell him this."[12] Pitino replaced Denny Crum.

He and his wife, Terrilynn, have four children.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Jurich Signs Unprecedented 13-Year Extension As Cards' AD
  2. ↑ A Bad Sign?, Pete Thamel, The Quad, New York Times, September 11, 2007
  3. ↑ Jurich Receives Top Honor by Sports Business Journal
  4. ↑ Player profile at NFL.com
  5. ↑ Carroll, Bob. Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (Harper Collins, 1999) p.966
  6. ↑ Benton, Jim. Ad Hopeful Says Big-money Games Not Worth It Rocky Mountain News February 4, 1994
  7. ↑ Hernandez, Angel Jurich Withdraws Bid At Louisville Denver Rocky Mountain News October 10, 1997
  8. ↑ Jurich takes over as Louisville's AD Milwaukee Journal Sentinel October 22, 1997
  9. ↑ Hernandez, Angel CSU PLANS TO MOVE QUICKLY TO REPLACE JURICH ATHLETIC DIRECTOR LEAVES FOR CHALLENGING POSITION AT UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE Denver Rocky Mountain News October 22, 1997
  10. ↑ Bolus, Jim. Louisville Cardinals Football (Sports Publishing LLC, 1999) p.1969
  11. ↑ Vitale, Dick Dick Vitale's Living a Dream: Reflections on 25 Years Sitting in the Best (2006) p.29
  12. ↑ Goodstein, Raphael. Pitino changes his mind, goes to Louisville The Michigan Daily March 22, 2001
  13. ↑ Hernandez, Angel CSU'S JURICH TO CONSIDER LOUISVILLE JOB Denver Rocky Mountain News October 18, 1997


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