After 29 years, Gray to leave UA in July
The changes at the University of Arkansas athletics department have been drastic since Frank Broyles‘ retirement.
Add Bill Gray, the UA senior associate athletic director, to the list of the department’s departed.
The UA just sent out a press release alerting us that Gray will be stepping down from his role on July 31.
“There comes a time when even the good things in life have to come to an end,” Gray said. “That is the reason that I have made the decision to move on now. I know in my heart this is the time for me to end this wonderful experience.”
Here’s more on Gray’s accomplishments:
As a senior associate athletic director and executive associate athletic director, Gray supervised event management, football and basketball scheduling, post-season football and basketball, academics and compliance.
Gray has also been involved in numerous capital improvement projects over the years, including serving as the department’s point man for the renovation and expansion of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
He was also instrumental in the creation of the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor, now in its 19th year. He was chairman of the committee in charge of the details of Arkansas’ football centennial celebration.
Gray was also a team captain on Arkansas’ 1964 national championship team. He played quarterback and defensive back, and also played for the Razorbacks baseball team.
I’ve mentioned this before, and it’s worth throwing out there again. The last year and a half certainly has been one of sweeping changes at the UA athletics department, hasn’t it?
First it was Stan Heath’s firing, Dana Altman’s hiring and one-day tenure, John Pelphrey’s hiring as the men’s basketball coach, Frank Broyles’ departure, Jeff Long’s arrival, Houston Nutt’s removal of the “golden handcuffs,” the arrival of Bobby Petrino as the UA’s football coach, chancellor John White’s impending resignation, John McDonnell’s retirement after this weekend at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Chris Poole’s departure from the UA volleyball program and now Gray’s announcement.
Not to mention other small shake-ups inside the UA athletics department, including the hiring of Chris Wyrick as senior associate athletic director for external affairs. Most recently, Melissa Harwood-Rom was named the associate athletic director for academic support.
Oh, and then there was the combining of the men’s and women’s athletic departments.
That is a lot of change.
McDonnell may have summed the last year up best in January when he made a light-hearted remark after White announced his intentions in January to resign from the UA’s chancellor seat this June:
“It’s getting kind of scary, wondering who is going to be next,”McDonnell said with a laugh. “I better check to make sure the locks haven’t been changed on my door.
“As long as my key works, I’ll be OK.”
2 Responses to “After 29 years, Gray to leave UA in July”
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I just wonder when they are going to get our Director of Marketing!!!
some movement is good..
If it helps the PROGRAM