Xavier University Athletics
Greg Christopher Selected Division I-AAA Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year
07.02.18 | Athletic Department
WASHINGTON - The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) selected Xavier Director of Athletics Greg Christopher as the 2017-18 Division I-AAA Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year on March 5. Christopher was presented the award at the 2018 NACDA Convention on Friday, June 29 in Washington, D.C.
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"I could not be more proud of Greg for this well deserved recognition by his peers," said Michael J. Graham, S.J., President of Xavier University. "Greg is the ultimate professional, committed to doing the right things the right way, everyday. He has set high standards for Xavier Athletics and has built a culture grounded in care and excellence that puts our students, and their success as both students and athletes, first."
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Greg Christopher began as Xavier's new Director of Athletics in May of 2013, taking over just as Xavier was preparing for its first season in the BIG EAST Conference. He developed Magis, Xavier Athletics' strategic plan, which launched in 2014 and has fueled a tremendous time of growth for the department.
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"We're extremely excited and proud to see Greg named as one of this year's NACDA Under Armour Athletics Directors of the Year," said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. "In his five years at Xavier, Greg has provided exceptional leadership to the Musketeers, along with his important work with the NCAA Committee on Infractions. We congratulate Greg on this honor and know that his contributions to college sports will continue in the years to come."
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Over the past year, Christopher has led the completion of phase one of the $30-million dollar capital improvement campaign of Cintas Center. The upgrades and enhancements to the 18-year-old facility completed in September 2017 focused first on student-athlete welfare with the completion of new academic support, athletic training and strength and conditioning areas, and improving the fan experience with premium seating improvements and hospitality area changes. The results have led to the sale of 8,000 men's basketball season tickets and reaching new heights in ticket and donor revenues.Â
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Christopher helped secure the long-term future by building the department's endowment starting with the endowment of three head coaching positions, including the Sedler Family Men's Head Basketball Coach.
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Xavier fared well in competition in 2017 as men's basketball reached the NCAA Elite Eight, baseball advanced to the NCAA Regional Final, women's soccer reached the postseason for the first time since 2003 and several individual competitors advanced to NCAA Championships. During Greg's tenure and since joining the BIG EAST, baseball has won three out of four BIG EAST Championships, women's tennis captured its first conference title and first-ever NCAA berth, men's swimming won three-straight league championships and men's soccer advanced to the 2014 NCAA Sweet Sixteen. In addition to the 2017 Elite Eight, men's basketball made the 2015 Sweet 16.
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Outside of athletic competition, Xavier posted a department record-high grade-point average for the entire student-athlete population with Xavier's 254 student-athletes posting a 3.318 GPA for the Spring 2017 semester. In addition to these accomplishments, Xavier student-athletes performed 3,500 hours of community service over the past year, affecting 32 organizations.
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Beyond Xavier, Greg continues to be involved on conference and national levels, chairing the Conference's strategic planning committee, and the Division I Committee on Infractions, one of the NCAA's most high-profile committees.
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Christopher, who came to Xavier after spending the previous six-and-a-half years as the Director of Athletics at Bowling Green State University, is the 11th athletic director in Xavier history. Christopher oversaw 18 athletic programs with over 400 student-athletes at BGSU. Christopher went to Bowling Green from Purdue University, where he worked from 1997-2006 as Associate A.D. for External Relations and John Purdue Club Director.
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Christopher earned a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from nearby Miami University in 1988 and earned his MBA from Miami in 1991.
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"I could not be more proud of Greg for this well deserved recognition by his peers," said Michael J. Graham, S.J., President of Xavier University. "Greg is the ultimate professional, committed to doing the right things the right way, everyday. He has set high standards for Xavier Athletics and has built a culture grounded in care and excellence that puts our students, and their success as both students and athletes, first."
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Greg Christopher began as Xavier's new Director of Athletics in May of 2013, taking over just as Xavier was preparing for its first season in the BIG EAST Conference. He developed Magis, Xavier Athletics' strategic plan, which launched in 2014 and has fueled a tremendous time of growth for the department.
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"We're extremely excited and proud to see Greg named as one of this year's NACDA Under Armour Athletics Directors of the Year," said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. "In his five years at Xavier, Greg has provided exceptional leadership to the Musketeers, along with his important work with the NCAA Committee on Infractions. We congratulate Greg on this honor and know that his contributions to college sports will continue in the years to come."
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Over the past year, Christopher has led the completion of phase one of the $30-million dollar capital improvement campaign of Cintas Center. The upgrades and enhancements to the 18-year-old facility completed in September 2017 focused first on student-athlete welfare with the completion of new academic support, athletic training and strength and conditioning areas, and improving the fan experience with premium seating improvements and hospitality area changes. The results have led to the sale of 8,000 men's basketball season tickets and reaching new heights in ticket and donor revenues.Â
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Christopher helped secure the long-term future by building the department's endowment starting with the endowment of three head coaching positions, including the Sedler Family Men's Head Basketball Coach.
Â
Xavier fared well in competition in 2017 as men's basketball reached the NCAA Elite Eight, baseball advanced to the NCAA Regional Final, women's soccer reached the postseason for the first time since 2003 and several individual competitors advanced to NCAA Championships. During Greg's tenure and since joining the BIG EAST, baseball has won three out of four BIG EAST Championships, women's tennis captured its first conference title and first-ever NCAA berth, men's swimming won three-straight league championships and men's soccer advanced to the 2014 NCAA Sweet Sixteen. In addition to the 2017 Elite Eight, men's basketball made the 2015 Sweet 16.
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Outside of athletic competition, Xavier posted a department record-high grade-point average for the entire student-athlete population with Xavier's 254 student-athletes posting a 3.318 GPA for the Spring 2017 semester. In addition to these accomplishments, Xavier student-athletes performed 3,500 hours of community service over the past year, affecting 32 organizations.
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Beyond Xavier, Greg continues to be involved on conference and national levels, chairing the Conference's strategic planning committee, and the Division I Committee on Infractions, one of the NCAA's most high-profile committees.
Â
Christopher, who came to Xavier after spending the previous six-and-a-half years as the Director of Athletics at Bowling Green State University, is the 11th athletic director in Xavier history. Christopher oversaw 18 athletic programs with over 400 student-athletes at BGSU. Christopher went to Bowling Green from Purdue University, where he worked from 1997-2006 as Associate A.D. for External Relations and John Purdue Club Director.
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Christopher earned a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from nearby Miami University in 1988 and earned his MBA from Miami in 1991.
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