The Search Party is an ongoing series that breaks down athletic director vacancies at schools like Utah State, Arkansas State, and more.
Another surprise in the college athletics carousel, this time in Athens. No, not Georgia — Athens, Ohio. Julie Cromer, one of the industry’s most respected administrators, is leaving Ohio University to take on a new role as Executive Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer at LSU.
Cromer departs after nearly six years of leading the Bobcats, a tenure marked by success both in and out of the classroom.
Cromer’s Legacy in Athens
Since her appointment in 2019, Cromer quickly set a tone of collaboration and ambition. Ohio athletics enjoyed banner years under her watch, highlighted by three MAC titles in football (2024), men’s basketball (2021), and women’s soccer (2023). Football hit unprecedented heights, notching three straight 10-win seasons and a program-record 11 victories in 2024. The Bobcats are 17-1 at home over the past three years, turning Frank Solich Field into one of the MAC’s most difficult venues.
Her impact wasn’t just competitive. Cromer also pushed forward facility upgrades and donor engagement, securing seven-figure gifts (including the largest ever for women’s athletics at Ohio) and leading renovations across football, basketball, and Olympic sport infrastructure.
That blend of on-field success and steady fundraising earned Cromer national recognition. She was named the 2024 NACDA Athletics Director of the Year, the 2023 Nike Executive of the Year by Women Leaders in College Sports, and was part of the 2022 Sports Business Journal Game Changers class.
The Search is On
Ohio isn’t wasting any time. Within 24 hours of Cromer’s departure, Parker Search was retained to lead the process. There’s no hard deadline, but industry expectations point to an announcement by mid-September.
President Lori Stewart Gonzalez, who arrived in July 2023, will make her first major hire in Athens. She’s no stranger to AD decisions — as interim president at Louisville, she removed the interim tag from Josh Heird. While she didn’t hire Cromer, Gonzalez now faces the responsibility of shaping Ohio’s next athletic chapter.
A Realignment Reality Check
Also on the table for the next athletic director? You guessed it — conference realignment.
Multiple reports have surfaced suggesting Ohio, the lone remaining charter member of the Mid-American Conference, has put out feelers about a potential move to the Sun Belt Conference. Those reports indicate preliminary discussions have taken place, though the university has denied them. Still, it’s no secret that uncertainty hovers over the MAC. Predictions about Northern Illinois leaving, combined with whispers of other ADs shopping for jobs, only amplify the instability in the MAC.
For Ohio’s next leader, that means navigating the realignment rumor mill will be an early and unavoidable task. The Bobcats’ future in the MAC — or potentially elsewhere — is something that can’t be ignored.
Athens Advantage (and Challenges)
At first glance, Ohio may not look like a heavyweight job. It competes for attention and dollars in a state dominated by Ohio State. But dig deeper, and the Bobcats present a compelling case.
The university is a R1 public research institution with approximately 25,000 students in Athens and nearly 30,000 overall, including satellite campuses. Academically, it boasts the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism — one of the country’s most decorated programs — and the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, the state’s only osteopathic medical school.
Most notable for athletics, Ohio is home to one of the world’s top sport management programs, with more than 1,900 alumni working across the industry. That network forms an invaluable pipeline of expertise and support for the university and athletics department. Cromer leveraged those partnerships; her successor will need to do the same.
But Athens also presents some unique hurdles. Like many mid-sized towns, it faces a massive housing crunch, particularly in middle-class options. That reality has forced some coaches and staff to live outside the area, complicating work-life balance and the day-to-day operations of the department.
Even fan engagement requires some creativity. Ohio basketball has traditionally relied on general admission seating to fill the Convocation Center, but in a push for revenue, the department introduced more reserved seating options for season ticket holders earlier this summer.
Facilities Snapshot
Ohio doesn’t have a shiny new arena on the horizon, but steady investment has kept its infrastructure up to date. Since 2021, the university has rolled out a series of targeted upgrades:
The Convocation Center is in the midst of a $15.3 million electrical, HVAC, and fire system improvement project, which is expected to be completed in 2026. Women’s basketball saw a locker room renovation completed in 2024, and Peden Stadium finished a $411,000 Phase 2 athletic training room renovation that same year. Bird Arena, home to hockey and skating programs, benefited from a $1.9 million floor system replacement, while golf training facilities and irrigation upgrades are targeted for later this year.
“The Convo,” itself, a 13,000-seat arena opened in 1969, remains functional and in good condition but is increasingly outdated in premium seating and amenities — a looming challenge for the next AD.
Historically, Ohio has been able to mobilize donors for athletics. The $7 million Perry and Sandy Sook Academic Center, completed in 2017, was part of the school’s $450 million “Promise Lives” campaign, which allocated $22 million to athletics. That kind of project shows what’s possible, even in Athens. However, the timing of the next fundraising campaign for athletics needs to be considered.
Contracts for Coaches
Facilities are one part of the picture; coaching contracts are another. The next athletic director won’t be starting from scratch — they’ll inherit several long-term deals that shape both stability and flexibility.
After a highly successful four-year run under Tim Albin, during which Ohio went 33–19 overall and 23–9 in conference play, with multiple bowl victories, the Bobcats turned to offensive coordinator Brian Smith to take over the role. The move for Albin to Charlotte was seen as somewhat lateral, despite his success; however, the jump to a bigger conference and a $200,000 pay bump, along with unmet resource requests, factored in.
Smith signed a five-year deal through December 31, 2029, with an annual average value of $850,000, including base salary, supplemental salary, and retention bonus, plus an automatic one-year extension if the team records eight wins in a season. In other words, the next athletic director will inherit a long-term commitment to Smith.
On the women’s basketball side, Bob Boldon is in the midst of a four-year contract through April 2028, paying $314,000 annually with $30,000 tied to marketing and external engagement. Boldon, who has led the Bobcats since 2014, produced four 20-win seasons in his first six years, including a 30-win campaign in 2018–19, but has averaged fewer than eight wins over the past three seasons. His buyout drops to $150,000 in 2026, making his future an early decision for the next athletic director.
On the men’s side, Jeff Boals earns a base salary of $695,000, inclusive of his $100,000 for marketing and external engagement, placing him in the top third of MAC men’s basketball salaries. His contract, also running through April 2028, has included two 20-win seasons and a span of four straight MAC semifinal appearances since he took over in 2019. Most notably, Boals guided Ohio to the 2021 MAC Championship and a memorable NCAA Tournament upset over Virginia, a run fueled by breakout star Jason Preston. An Ohio alum and former team captain, Boals remains in a solid position, though the new athletic director will be watching to see if he can push the program to the next level.
Why This Job Matters
Ohio has had only two athletic directors since 2008 — Cromer and Jim Schaus. The Bobcats may not have the budget of a Power Four program, but they offer unique assets: a loyal fan base, steady donor support, elite academic partnerships, and a football program that is as competitive as any in the Group of Five.
Yes, the fundraising ceiling is lower in Athens. Yes, it competes for attention in a Buckeye-heavy state. However, the tradeoff is a job with stability, access to creative resources, and a national reputation in sports management.
The next athletic director will face challenges in navigating questions about realignment, addressing housing realities for staff, reevaluating revenue strategies, managing long-term coaching contracts, and shaping a potential “front office” for the Bobcats. For the right candidate, this is more than a MAC job. It’s an opportunity to innovate.
