https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1549846594891177987
(Mods can move this over to the News forum or merge with the other AD thread)
https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1549846594891177987
(Mods can move this over to the News forum or merge with the other AD thread)
Leonard made $280,000 in 2019. He was the AD at Towson for eight years. Left Towson for "other opportunities".
I looked at towsonfans.com and it looks like they hadn't had a lot of success in football or basketball lately and had a new president. His contract was up in March and it sounds like the new president wanted to bring someone else in so he stepped away. I didn't see a lot of negative remarks toward him. Sounds like a guy that may deserve another chance.
I looked at towsonfans.com and it looks like they hadn't had a lot of success in football or basketball lately and had a new president. His contract was up in March and it sounds like the new president wanted to bring someone else in so he stepped away. I didn't see a lot of negative remarks toward him. Sounds like a guy that may deserve another chance.
Their basketball team had some nice success this year but their coach seems to have been hired before he got there. Ditto their football coach. They've had a ton of lacrosse success lately but he was also hired before he got there. Seems like good news for the current group of coaches that their coaches at Towson have been in place for a decade.
Hope SIU made the right choice. Appreciate the work the interim AD has done. Seemed like he was doing a good job. SIU can't afford to screw up this hire. In addition to continuing success on the field for some sports, others need to pick up the pace. There's also several new coaches. Securing program donations and navigating what will continue to be a fast changing landscape in D1 athletics (and not for the better) will be paramount. That being said, I wish the new AD nothing but the best. GO DAWGS!!
I was sort of hoping for a younger, energetic, highly-motivated candidate. I assume Leonard wasn't extremely well-liked at Towson otherwise he'd probably still be there, he at least looks to be a pretty good fundraiser.
Kupec did what appears to be a very good job with coaching hires while he was interim AD; bringing back Fetcho for golf and bringing in Bond-White for WBB. I feel pretty good about our coaches across the board right now.
An early key for me for Leonard will be whether he can find money to keep Rhodes around, assuming baseball keeps having success. Same goes for Hill and his staff, but I think that staff still has a little bit more to prove.
His first priorities should be to implement a good NIL program and also establish himself with the alumni and community in order to continue to raise money for the athletic program.
Couldn't get Paul Kowalczyk out of retirement. At least we'll be good in Lacrosse.
Couldn't get Paul Kowalczyk out of retirement. At least we'll be good in Lacrosse.
All we would need is a Lacrosse team.
“True terror is waking up one morning and discovering your high school class is running the country.” —Kurt Vonnegut
It's obvious fundraising was at the top of the skill priority list for the new AD and Leonard definitely fits that bill. He needs to get to work on the NIL program. On paper it looks to be a quality hire.
Athletics just sent out a letter from Kupec highlighting the department's achievements since he took over as interim AD. It does seem like the last year was productive.
One of the achievements was renegotiating the contracts of three head coaches (swimming, football, and baseball). Does anyone know if they publicized these? I don't remember seeing anyway. I'm curious about the updates for Hill and Rhodes.
https://twitter.com/mikereissiu/status/1618284472407035904?s=46&t=yK-D2k6KYJ_RM8AbUAXdlw
Really good interview here
https://twitter.com/mikereissiu/status/1618284472407035904?s=46&t=yK-D2k6KYJ_RM8AbUAXdlw
Really good interview here
Not sure how he is at the AD stuff, but I really like Leonard.
