After Guthrie left, UWGB committed itself to the “Division I sustainable sports program”

GREEN BAY – The search for a new Sporting Director is now beginning for the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Charles Guthrie was named the new AD on Tuesday at the University of Akron, an NCAA Division I school in Ohio.

His contract with Akron begins July 1st.

The move brings him closer to his family and friends in his hometown of Albany, New York, and reunites him with former UWGB Chancellor Gary L. Miller, who departed in 2019 to become president of Akron.

Guthrie replaces Larry Williams at Akron. He joined the school in 2015 but decided not to renew when his contract expires this summer.

UWGB will immediately begin a national search for Guthrie’s replacement. Jermaine Rolle, the School of Athletics’ deputy director, will serve as interim AD.

The schedule for a hiring is roughly six weeks, although UWGB is more concerned with finding the right person than meeting a deadline.

“I am both enthusiastic about Charles and sad for us,” said UWGB Chancellor Michael Alexander. “I think he did a great job here. But we will continue to move forward. I think that’s the most important thing here. We are on the right track and are very much looking forward to the future. “

Alexander wants to make it clear that UWGB continues to advocate staying at DI level.

“It seems like at one of these events the inevitable questions arise: ‘Does that mean you are staying in Division I? “And the other things that keep popping up,” he said. “I want to make sure we’re really clear. We find 100% the right way forward.

“Making sure we had a sustainable, competitive Division I sports program was one of our six strategic priorities for the entire university.”

Guthrie became the ninth AD in UWGB history – he introduced the sport in 1969 – when he was hired to replace Mary Ellen Gillespie in October 2017.

At the time, he was signing a four-year contract with a base salary of $ 160,000 per year and was entitled to multiple annual performance awards.

He arrived after working as an AD at DII San Francisco State University for three years. Guthrie spent three years as an AD at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington.

He has worked in athletic and promotion roles at Cal State LA, California in San Marcos, UC in San Diego, Columbia University, Colgate University, and the Eastern College Athletic Conference

He has raised more than $ 1.2 million annually through the Phoenix Fund and special events, according to UWGB.

The athletic programs continued to be successful in the classroom during Guthrie’s tenure. Last spring, student athletes had the highest combined grade point average in school history for a semester with a GPA of 3.57.

He was also involved in the opening of the Aldo Santaga football stadium in 2019 and the completion of the King Park softball complex in 2020, and led the sports programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guthrie found itself at the center of an eventful time last May after the men’s basketball coach Linc Darner was fired and had six seasons left on his contract.

Darner and the school agreed on a settlement package that guaranteed him at least $ 720,000.

Guthrie was instrumental in finding Darner’s replacement. He named Will Ryan as the new coach in June and gave him a six-year contract.

In February 2018, he also rewarded women’s basketball coach Kevin Borseth with an extension for the 2024-25 season.

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with Chancellor Alexander, the leadership team and the campus community,” Guthrie said in a statement released by the school. “Green Bay is unwavering in its commitment to academic and competitive excellence, as evidenced by the department’s 42 consecutive semesters above a GPA of 3.0.

“I will miss this huge community of athletes, coaches, staff and teachers. I want to thank all Phoenix fans near and far for accepting our program and supporting our exceptional student athletes. Your support is the driving force behind athletics in Green Bay. “

Mark Murphy, President and CEO of Green Bay Packers, who is friends with Guthrie, is confident that he will succeed at his new school.

“I’ve known Charles since we worked together at Colgate in the mid-1990s,” Murphy said in a statement. “We’ve kept in touch over the years and it was great to get in touch with him again here in Green Bay. The University of Akron’s student athletes and coaches will love working with Charles. He has an infectious passion for athletics. He will make Akron University a powerhouse in the MAC. “