University of Minnesota Athletics Director Joel Maturi confirmed KSTP’s report that the AD will retire from his role as head of the Gopher athletic department.
University of Minnesota Athletics Director Joel Maturi confirmed KSTP’s report that the AD will retire from his role as head of the Gopher athletic department. In an e-mail to Student-Athletes, Coaches, Staff and Friends of Gopher Athletics, Maturi wrote:
“It is with mixed emotions that I share with you that today at 11:00am President Kaler and I will announce my retirement as the Director of Athletics at the University of Minnesota effective June 30th. There is sadness because I have enjoyed every day of this 10 year journey. There is excitement because President Kaler has asked me to remain next year as a Special Assistant to the President.
There will be time over the next 5 months for Lois and I to express our thanks and appreciation to each of you. We have been truly blessed. Go Gophers!”
Maturi leaves the head of the athletic department in better condition than when he inherited it. During his tenure he merged two departments into one, no major scandals happened, the amazing TCF Bank Stadium was built, and Gophers teams won several national championships in his tenure: wrestling (2007), men’s golf (2002), men’s hockey (2003), and women’s hockey (2004, 2005).
However, his resume also includes the Tim Brewster era in which Maturi said his job was on the line 3.5 years before he fired him mid-season, it included extensions to Dan Monson and Glen Mason shortly before firing them, and it included an era where the three major sports struggled mightily with the men’s basketball program recording zero NCAA tournament wins, the football program suffered way too many loses and the men’s hockey team has a streak of three consecutive years with no NCAA tournament appearances. Minnesota has also struggled to get funding for a new Gopher baseball stadium (though ground may finally be broken this spring) and the need for a basketball practice facility appears to have made no significant ground, despite most of the Big Ten opening new ones.
Maturi’s heart was always in the right spot and few questioned his work ethic, but the news of his departure likely greets Gophers fans with excitement and long-overdue sighs of relief. Big decisions need to be made with regards to facilities, the women’s basketball program has issues, Tubby Smith’s contract is up in the air and while the men’s hockey team is leading the WCHA, it is still on the bubble for the NCAA tournament and four consecutive years without going to the NCAA tournament should not be acceptable at Minnesota.
President Kaler will have an opportunity to put his fingerprints on the athletic department and will make his first high profile hire since he took over last year as President. Gopher fans can only hope that Kaler has a vision and is willing to hire an AD with an equally big vision, ability to fundraise and make tough decisions.