Ron Guenther
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Ron Guenther (born October 3, 1945) is the Director of Athletics for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Guenther is best known for the hiring of Fighting Illini athletics coaches, including coaches Ron Zook and Bruce Weber for football and basketball, the development of the men's tennis team into a national power (including a NCAA title in men's tennis in 2003), and the development of many athletics facilities, including the Atkins Tennis Center and the reconstruction of Memorial Stadium.
However, he has been criticized for the poor performance of the football team under his watch. Since becoming AD in 1992, the football team is 64-106-2. Under previous AD John Mackovic the team went to 4 straight bowl games. Since then, the team has gone to 4 bowl games in 15 seasons. The football team has had four straight last-place finishes in the Big 10 conference and is 2-30 in Big 10 games in the past four seasons. Mr. Guenther calls himself as a "football guy" but the program has been awful since he became athletic director.
He came under further fire when the University of Illinois Board of Trustees gave him a 20% raise and contract extension. He now makes $500,000, more than the University President & Chancellor. He has also been criticized for his hiring and refusal to fire women's basketball coach Theresa Grentz, who is highly paid but has seen numerous players transfer or quit the team since she became coach. Further, she has had only 1 NCAA tournament appearance in the past six seasons.
Guenther is a graduate of the University of Illinois, having earned a bachelor of science degree in physical education in 1967, and an M.S. in administration in 1968. Guenther also played football at Illinois. Lettering in 1965 and 1966 as an offensive lineman, he was named second-team All-Big Ten and the team MVP in 1966.
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