Kirby Hocutt
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Kirby Hocutt is the current Director of Athletics at Ohio University. On June 29, 2005, his hiring was announced by Ohio President Roderick J. McDavis. Prior to coming to Ohio, Hocutt had been at the University of Oklahoma for six years, serving most recently as associate athletics director for external operations and sports administration.
On June 29, 2005, Kirby Hocutt was named the new director of athletics at Ohio University by president Roderick J. McDavis. Hocutt, 33, had been at the University of Oklahoma for the previous six years, serving most recently as associate athletics director for external operations and sports administration.
Upon hiring Hocutt, McDais stated, "Kirby is the ideal person to lead the Ohio Bobcats athletics program to the next level. As a former college athlete, he views college athletics from a student-athlete's perspective and shares Ohio University's commitment to offering its student-athletes the best possible experience in the classroom and on the playing field." He added, "Kirby has the highest professional and personal qualities and possesses the commitment to excellence that is necessary to ensure our athletics program reflects the quality of the university as a whole. Ohio University remains committed to academic and athletic excellence."
Hocutt's duties at Oklahoma included supervision of the athletics development office, athletics ticket office, special events, stadium suite program, athletics endowment program, letter winners association and the department's facility use and rental program. He additionally was the primary administrator for football and the sport supervisor for baseball, men's and women's golf, as well as men's and women's tennis.
Hocutt led Oklahoma's athletics fundraising to an all-time high in annual giving and capital campaigns. From 1998 to 2005, Oklahoma's annual giving increased from $3.4 million to more than $17 million. That 400 percent increase in annual giving was one of the highest percentage increases in intercollegiate athletics history.
Beginning in 1999, Hocutt served a leadership position in the strategic planning for a $100 million capital campaign. The $120 million campaign was unique in that it focused on facility construction or improvements for each of Oklahoma's 20 sports.
"I've aspired to become a Division IA director of athletics at an institution that has the leadership I've seen at Ohio University," said Hocutt. "I cannot put into words the tremendous impression that President McDavis has made on me. I'm so excited to be a part of his team as well as the vision he has set for the university.
"As director of athletics, our student-athletes have to be the focal point in all that we do and this spirit must permeate the entire department of athletics. I am a firm believer that athletic competition is an integral part of a student-athlete's educational experience. The lessons you can learn in competition you can also apply not only to your education in the pursuit of your degree but also to your career aspirations."
Prior to joining the Oklahoma staff, Hocutt served as the assistant director of licensing at the NCAA. In that position, he worked with corporate partners and licensees to create new revenue producing initiatives to support and promote all 81 NCAA championships.
He began his career in sports administration as the assistant director of marketing and promotions at Kansas State University. While at Kansas State, he implemented revenue-producing activities for the athletics department, including corporate partner sponsorships and ticket sales.
A former student-athlete at Kansas State, Hocutt was a four-year letterman as a linebacker while leading the Big 8 Conference in tackles and being named to the All-Big 8 Conference team during his junior season. The Sporting News selected him in 1993 as one of the top 20 "underrated" players in the nation.
Hocutt earned a bachelor's degree in 1995 from Kansas State University, where he was an all-conference football player. Hocutt earned his master's of education from the University of Oklahoma in 2001. He and his wife, Diane, have two sons, Drew and Ryan.
On January 24, 2007, Ohio University Athletic Director Hocutt announced that the university was dropping long-standing varsity athletics programs in January 2007 - Men's Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field (almost 100 years of history at OU), Men's Swimming and Diving (72 years of history at OU), and Women's Lacrosse (recently reinstated in 1999). See Website devoted to reinstating dropped Ohio University Sports This decision was announced without any advance warning to the student athletes sparking a major controversy that continues. The Athletics Director explained that the money used for these teams would be "strategically reinvested." "Revenue" sports like football will apparently receive this money now freed by dropping 86 student athletes in various stages of their athletic careers at Ohio University.
EXTERNAL LINKS
Website with the full story on how Ohio University dropped three varsity sports.
