Tom Jurich
Encyclopedia
Tom Jurich is the Director of Athletics for the University of Louisville
. He was hired on October 21, 1997 after holding the same positions at Colorado State University
and Northern Arizona University
. On March 9, 1999, he signed a contract to stay the Director of Athletics until 2012, an unprecedented offer. In 2007, Jurich was selected Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal/SportsBusiness Daily national athletic director of the year.
Tom Jurich was born in Alhambra, California
and played kicker at Arcadia High School
, at Northern Arizona University, and in one game for the New Orleans Saints
of the National Football League
, after being drafted in the 10th round of the 1978 NFL Draft
.
Jurich had spent four years at Colorado State University
, starting in early 1994, as athletics director. Previously, he had been the athletics director for Northern Arizona from 1988 to 1994. On October 10, 1997, he announced that he withdrew from consideration for the University of Louisville job, saying his wife had lived her life in nearby Wyoming
, and that he liked living in Fort Collins, Colorado
.
Prior to Jurich, Bill Olsen was the athletics director of U of L. The initial deal from U of L was five years.
One of his first actions was to replace Ron Cooper with John L. Smith
as football coach, in an attempt to boost fan support before the move to the new Papa John's Cardinal Stadium
. One of his greatest accomplishments was bringing Rick Pitino
, who had brought the rival University of Kentucky
's basketball
team to one NCAA championship and three Final Fours, to the University of Louisville on March 21, 2001. Pitino was going to take the basketball coaching job at University of Michigan
, but told the media, "I can't get on the phone and tell Tom no. I can't tell him this." Pitino replaced Denny Crum
, who had brought two NCAA titles to Louisville in the 1980s.
He and his wife, Terrilynn, have four children.
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
. He was hired on October 21, 1997 after holding the same positions at Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
and Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University is a public university located in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and has 39 satellite campuses in the state of Arizona. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees.As of...
. On March 9, 1999, he signed a contract to stay the Director of Athletics until 2012, an unprecedented offer. In 2007, Jurich was selected Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal/SportsBusiness Daily national athletic director of the year.
Tom Jurich was born in Alhambra, California
Alhambra, California
Alhambra is a city located in the western San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States, which is approximately eight miles from the Downtown Los Angeles civic center. As of the 2010 census, the population was 83,089, down from 85,804 at the 2000 census. The city's...
and played kicker at Arcadia High School
Arcadia High School (Arcadia, California)
Arcadia High School is a part of the Arcadia Unified School District and is a four-year comprehensive secondary school located on a site in Arcadia, California. Their motto is"Our Caring Makes a Difference."...
, at Northern Arizona University, and in one game for the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, after being drafted in the 10th round of the 1978 NFL Draft
1978 NFL Draft
The 1978 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 2–3, 1978...
.
Jurich had spent four years at Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
, starting in early 1994, as athletics director. Previously, he had been the athletics director for Northern Arizona from 1988 to 1994. On October 10, 1997, he announced that he withdrew from consideration for the University of Louisville job, saying his wife had lived her life in nearby Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, and that he liked living in Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache La Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, and is the county seat and most populous city of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Fort Collins is located north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. With a 2010 census...
.
Prior to Jurich, Bill Olsen was the athletics director of U of L. The initial deal from U of L was five years.
One of his first actions was to replace Ron Cooper with John L. Smith
John L. Smith
John L. Smith is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the special teams coach at the University of Arkansas, under head coach Bobby Petrino...
as football coach, in an attempt to boost fan support before the move to the new Papa John's Cardinal Stadium
Papa John's Cardinal Stadium
Papa John's Cardinal Stadium is a football stadium located in Louisville, Kentucky, USA and serves as the home of the University of Louisville football program. It opened in 1998, making it the second-to-last football stadium in NCAA Division I-A to open in the 20th century, with SMU's Gerald J....
. One of his greatest accomplishments was bringing Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino is an American basketball coach. Since 2001, he has been the head coach at the University of Louisville. He has also served as head coach at Boston University, Providence College and the University of Kentucky, leading that program to the NCAA championship in 1996...
, who had brought the rival University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team to one NCAA championship and three Final Fours, to the University of Louisville on March 21, 2001. Pitino was going to take the basketball coaching job at University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, but told the media, "I can't get on the phone and tell Tom no. I can't tell him this." Pitino replaced Denny Crum
Denny Crum
Denzil E. "Denny" Crum is a former American men's college basketball coach at the University of Louisville from 1971 to 2001, compiling a 675–295 record. He guided the Cardinals to two NCAA championships and six Final Fours...
, who had brought two NCAA titles to Louisville in the 1980s.
He and his wife, Terrilynn, have four children.