Eastern Michigan Athletics
Steve Watson Named Director of Athletics at St. Bonaventure University
12/8/2006 2:50:53 PM | General
(Courtesy of SBU Athletic Media Relations)
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. (SBU Sports Information)- Steve Watson is coming home.
The former Franklinville resident and Archbishop Walsh High School basketball star was named Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at St. Bonaventure University Friday afternoon, replacing Dr. Ronald Zwierlein, who is retiring Jan. 31 after three years at the helm of SBU athletics.
"I am obviously very, very excited for this opportunity. My family and I are grateful for the chance to come back home and work for the institution where I grew up," said Watson, whose father, Dr. John Watson, has taught in the School of Business since 1975, and whose mother, Suzanne, has been a computer science lecturer at SBU since 2001. John is the interim dean of the School of Business.
"Starting with Sr. Margaret and Dr. Fischer, there is great leadership at St. Bonaventure. There is a proven record of success both academically and in athletics, and I hope to be able to build upon that."
The University will officially introduce Watson, the associate athletic director at Eastern Michigan the last four years, to the media and campus community at an on-campus press conference Wednesday at 11 a.m. in the Reilly Center Hall of Fame.
"We welcome the record of accomplishment, demonstration of enthusiastic leadership and disciplined approach to problem-solving that Steve has amassed in his years at Eastern Michigan, the University of Dayton, and the University of Georgia," said Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., S.T.D., University president.
Dr. Michael Fischer, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, said, "Steve has a clear and compelling grasp of the mission and culture of St. Bonaventure University and can articulate his determination in a way that will focus and integrate athletic planning within the larger university vision and needs.
"But above all, Steve is committed to academic priorities for student-athletes. That's his most important credential."
Watson, 38, was also the assistant athletics director for facilities and operations at Eastern Michigan from July 2001 to August 2002. Prior to that, he worked at the University of Dayton from 1999-2001 as director of marketing and promotions; and at the University of Georgia as a marketing assistant from 1998-1999.
The 1986 Walsh graduate played college basketball at Rutgers for two years before transferring to Bowling Green in 1989. He also played from 1991 to 1997 professionally overseas, including three stops in France, one in Portugal and one in Taiwan.
Among his professional accomplishments, Watson quadrupled corporate sponsorships during his tenure at Dayton and enjoyed a 95 percent success rate in retaining corporate sponsors there; was responsible for administrative oversight for 12 of Eastern Michigan's 21 sports programs; and led a new external operations leadership group that coordinated media and financial support programs for EMU.
"Steve has a clear grasp of the financial needs of our program and excellent ideas about integrating marketing, promotions and fundraising for athletics," Fischer said.
Watson was chosen for the position from a group of three finalists, one that included former Rhode Island AD Tom McElroy, a 1974 Bonaventure alumnus. Matt Bassett, the third finalist, accepted the job as athletic director at LeMoyne College on Dec. 2.
"We had three fine candidates presented by our search committee so the choice required careful study and consultation," Sr. Margaret said. "At this time, the leadership style and management record of Steve Watson most suits our needs."
Watson holds a bachelor's degree in interpersonal and public communications from Bowling Green and a master's in sports administration from Ohio University.
Watson and his wife, Ann, have three children: Abby, 11, Allison, 8, and Jackson, 5.
Zwierlein will complete his term in January 2007. Zweirlein led the University through a period of sanctions imposed by the NCAA in December 2003 for violations that occurred in the spring of that year.
