Courtesy: UGA Sports Communications
Release: 06/21/2006
UGA letter winner and double degree holder Damon Evans was selected as Director of Athletics in December 2003, and assumed the duties officially on July 1, 2004. At the time he was just 34 years of age, and one of the youngest athletic directors in the country. However, he had already established himself as an up and coming athletic administrator. Evans has received several honors including the Street and Smith’s Sports Business Journal “40 Under 40 Award” for 2004, 2005, and 2007, the UGA Terry College of Business Award as the “Outstanding Young Alumnus”, and Sports Illustrated’s “101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports”.
Today, Evans oversees a nationally recognized program with 21 intercollegiate sports teams involving more than 600 student-athletes, an $84 million budget and a 260 person staff. He is a member of several Southeastern Conference and NCAA Committees, Chairman of the NCAA Division I Leadership Council, and is involved in volunteer and community service roles across the state of Georgia.
He was born in Nebraska, but spent much of his youth in Gainesville, Georgia where he graduated from Gainesville High School after a stellar career both athletically and academically. During his football career at Georgia (1988-92), Evans earned a starting assignment four consecutive seasons, played in three bowl games (‘89 Peach, ‘91 Independence, and ‘92 Citrus) and was a member of the ’91 and ’92 teams that won nine and ten games, respectively. He earned two degrees from the University of Georgia, receiving a bachelor’s degree in finance in 1992 and a master’s of education in sports management in 1994.
Evans joined the staff at the University of Missouri, serving as Director of Compliance and Operations (1994-95). After holding the positions as a Director and Assistant Commissioner for Eligibility and Compliance Services at the Southeastern Conference (1995-98), he returned to his alma mater. Before his appointment as UGA Director of Athletics, he held titles of Associate and Senior Associate A.D. for Internal Affairs.
He is married to the former Kerri Budd of Atlanta and they have two children, Cameron and Kennedy.
UGAA Highlights During Evans’ Tenure
2008-09 -2 National Championships (Gymnastics and Equestrian) -2 Conference Titles -Student-Athlete Graduation Rate of 70% -All 21 Sports Achieved Academic Progress Rate Requirements with Football, Men’s Golf, Women’s Basketball, and Women’s Cross Country Ranked 1st in the SEC. -Licensing Royalties Rose for the 13th Consecutive Year -Butts-Mehre Expansion Project Approved
2007-08 -3 National Championships (Equestrian, Gymnastics and Men’s Tennis) -5 Conference Titles -Grand Opening of the Coliseum Training Facility -Record Donations of $29.5 Million to the William C. Hartman, Jr Fund -Completion of a Comprehensive Facilities Master Plan
2006-07 -2 National Championships (Gymnastic and Men’s Tennis) -3 Conference Titles -Student-Athletes Earned the Highest Departmental GPA Ever Recorded -Ticket Priority Program Re-Named to Honor the late William C. Hartman, Jr -Surpassing the Association’s Capital Campaign Goal of $60 Million
2005-06 -1 National Championship (Gymnastics) -7 Conference Titles -Recognition as “Nation’s Most Profitable Intercollegiate Athletics Program” -UGAA Selected the Consortium of Sponsoring Institutions for The Sports Management Institute for professional development -UGAA Contributed $2 Million to the University’s Capital Campaign for Endowed Professorships and Scholarships
2004-05 -3 National Championships (Gymnastics, Men’s Golf, and Women’s Swimming) -Record Fundraising Total of Over $32 Million -New Marketing Rights Agreement with ISP Sports -Implemented On-line Ticket Sales and Contribution Option -Record Setting Logo Licensing Revenue
Courtesy: Georgia Sports Communications
