Greg Christopher

Position:
Asst. V.P./Director of Athletics
Class:
Redshirt Freshman

Greg Christopher is in his third year as Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs/Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Bowling Green State University, having accomplished a great deal in his first two years in Northwest Ohio. Christopher, the 12th full-time athletic director in school history, began his duties at BGSU in July of 2006. Christopher oversees an 18-sport program which has a budget of $16.5 million and 73 full-time employees. BGSU, which is a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), is one of 13 programs in the country which sponsor Division I-A football and compete in men[apos]s and women[apos]s basketball and men[apos]s ice hockey on the Division I level. A native of West Lafayette, Ind., Christopher has moved the BGSU athletic department forward in multiple areas in his first two years. The Sebo Athletic Center was completed in the fall of 2007, featuring expanded and state-of-the-art sports medicine and rehabilitation facilities as well as a strength and conditioning area for all University student-athletes. The new front entrance for Doyt L. Perry Stadium, the building also houses administrative offices as well as offices and meeting rooms for the football Falcons. The Sebo Athletic Center is part of $14 million in new or renovated athletics facilities completed during Christopher[apos]s tenure. That facilities list includes the new Keefe Tennis Complex, a renovation to Whittaker Track and the FieldTurf inside Perry Stadium. Additionally, more than $44 million are in the works, including an $8 million renovation to the BGSU Ice Arena and a $36 million convocation center. The Stroh Center, a brand-new arena for the Falcon basketball and volleyball programs, is scheduled to be completed in 2012. Incremental facility improvement plans are also underway for other BGSU athletics venues. Athletics highlights of Christopher[apos]s two years include three MAC championships, with two in women[apos]s basketball and one in baseball. The women[apos]s hoops Falcons became the first team in conference history to advance to the 'Sweet 16[apos] of the NCAA Championships in 2006-07, winning a MAC-record 31 games along the way. In 2007-08, the football program tied for the MAC[apos]s East Division title, being invited to the GMAC Bowl. The bowl bid was the program[apos]s third in five years. The women[apos]s basketball Falcons won the MAC regular-season title for an unprecedented fourth consecutive season, advancing to national postseason play - also for the fourth-straight year - with a trip to the WNIT. The baseball team tied for the MAC regular-season crown, while the women[apos]s soccer team advanced to the championship match of the MAC Tournament for the fourth time in five seasons. In the classroom, the Falcons have flourished, as the number of student-athletes with a GPA of 3.0 or above has increased in each of the last two years. In 2007-08, BGSU student-athletes cracked the 3.0 barrier for cumulative GPA as a group, and no fewer than 184 BG student-athletes had a GPA of at least 3.0. The student-athlete graduation rate is greater than the overall student body[apos]s graduation rate. Christopher implemented the Falcon Leadership Academy, a leadership development program for BGSU student-athletes. Christopher, along with several other administrators in the athletics department, serves as an instructor for the class, which represents each of the department[apos]s 18 varsity sports. Christopher[apos]s background in fundraising and development has been evident in his first two years at BGSU. There have been double-digit percentage increases in the external funding areas, including development, corporate marketing, licensing and concessions. Christopher has furthered the department[apos]s logo transition and integrated an external communications plan. Christopher came to BGSU after spending nearly a decade at Purdue University in his hometown. He served as Associate A.D. for External Relations and John Purdue Club Director at Purdue University. Christopher, who had been at the school since 1997, was a member of the department[apos]s senior staff. He served in that position since March of 2005 and was accountable for external and revenue-related areas for Purdue[apos]s $50 million department. In his role, he oversaw several areas, including development, marketing, promotions and advertising, athletic licensing and sports information. Under his leadership, Purdue raised $17.2 million in total giving for Athletics in his final year there. He also played a significant role in a seven-year campus-wide capital campaign which was on track to raise $111 million for Athletics during that period. Projects that came to fruition in that time frame include tripling the number of endowed athletic scholarships and several facility additions or renovations. Among the facility projects were an indoor golf training center, football stadium renovation, aquatic center, indoor tennis center, and basketball video board campaign. He also was the advisor for Purdue[apos]s chapter of Athletes-in-Action, and served a period of time as the sport administrator for Purdue[apos]s men[apos]s and women[apos]s tennis programs. He began his career on the Boilermaker staff as Assistant Director of the John Purdue Club, and was promoted to Director in 1999 and to Assistant A.D. in 2002. Christopher served as Executive Director for the Society of Professional Journalists in Greencastle, Ind., from 1994 to 1997 after joining the organization in 1991 as its Marketing and Development Director. During that time, he managed a staff of 15 and a $1.6-million budget for the nation[apos]s largest not-for-profit journalism organization. His tenure focused largely on external relations, fueling growth that doubled the net worth of the foundation and association. He also improved relations with SPJ[apos]s 250 local chapters and national volunteer leaders and negotiated contracts and corporate partnerships. Prior to joining SPJ, Christopher was an Account Executive at WWWV-FM in Charlottesville, Va., from 1988-90. In that capacity, he designed and managed station promotions, including partnerships with the athletics program at the University of Virginia. He also was part of the [quote]Page Program[quote] at NBC in New York in 1988 where he served as a research analyst, assisting the Manager of Sports Programming and Market Analysis in research of television sports. Christopher also produced network sports tracking reports and surveys of major league sports. He earned a bachelor[apos]s degree in Mass Communication from MAC-member Miami University in 1988 and earned his MBA from the institution in 1991. He played football for one season before the former linebacker[apos]s career was cut short due to injury. In 1987-88 and 1990-91, Christopher was involved as a television color commentator in football and play-by-play voice for men[apos]s ice hockey which aired on regional cable television and WPTD-TV in Dayton. He also served as a graduate assistant in the Office of Admissions at Miami in 1990-91. Christopher is a member of the Mid-American Conference[apos]s External Relations Committee, and is the women[apos]s basketball administrative chair. In the spring of 2008, he was appointed to the NCAA Division I Women[apos]s Basketball Committee. Christopher, 42, is married to the former Tina Smith of Leetonia, Ohio. The couple has a son, Zachary, 12, and two daughters, Megan and Allison, ages 10 and 8.