News Summary
Keli Zinn has officially been named the athletic director at Rutgers University, succeeding Pat Hobbs. With a five-year contract and a focus on enhancing the university’s NIL program, Zinn aims to elevate Rutgers athletics. Her extensive experience, including her tenure at LSU, equips her to tackle challenges in recruitment and fundraising for the athletic department. Zinn emphasizes the importance of integrity and teamwork to foster a successful environment for Rutgers athletes.
New Brunswick, NJ – Keli Zinn has been named the new athletic director at Rutgers University, officially taking over the role on August 6, following a year-long vacancy in the position. She succeeds Pat Hobbs, who resigned in August 2022 due to health concerns and an investigation related to an inappropriate relationship with a gymnastics coach. Ryan Pisarri and Matthew Colagiovanni temporarily filled the role before Zinn’s appointment.
The Rutgers Board of Governors approved Zinn’s five-year contract, which features an initial salary of $1.35 million with annual increases of $50,000. Additionally, Zinn is set to receive a $150,000 retention bonus every two years as part of her compensation package.
As the former deputy athletic director and chief operating officer at Louisiana State University (LSU), Zinn comes to Rutgers with a wealth of experience. During her tenure at LSU, she played a crucial role in contributing to the university’s success, which included winning four national championships. Prior to her time at LSU, Zinn held significant positions at West Virginia University and the University of Maryland, as well as serving in a compliance role for the Big East Conference.
Zinn’s immediate focus will be on bolstering Rutgers’ name, image, and likeness (NIL) program, which has been a challenge for the Scarlet Knights, particularly in generating revenue in high-profile sports. She aims to attract elite athletes by enhancing this program and is also exploring new revenue streams while improving traditional fundraising efforts to bolster the athletic department as well as capital projects.
The Rutgers athletic department has faced challenges in recent years, with the vacancy of a full-time athletic director impacting the overall direction of the program. Zinn’s appointment marks the beginning of what she envisions as a new era for Rutgers athletics, with goals that include competing for and winning both conference and national championships. Central to her strategy is the recruitment and retention of top-tier talent among student-athletes, coaches, and staff.
Zinn emphasizes the importance of creating a culture of integrity, teamwork, and discipline within the athletic department. These values, she believes, are essential to fostering success and elevating Rutgers’ athletics to new heights.
In accepting the role, Zinn expressed appreciation for the opportunity to lead Rutgers athletes and indicated her intention to work collaboratively with university leaders, donors, and fans. This collective effort, she noted, is crucial for developing a supportive environment for athletic programs at Rutgers, thus ensuring their competitive viability.
Overall, Zinn has a robust background in athletics and administration, having served as deputy athletic director at West Virginia from 2016 to 2022, and as assistant athletic director at Maryland from 2005 to 2010. Her experiences have equipped her with a strong skill set to address the challenges awaiting her at Rutgers.
With Zinn’s track record of success and a clear vision for the future, the Rutgers athletic community looks forward to the possibilities that her leadership will bring. As she prepares to transition into this role, there is optimism surrounding the potential advancements in athletics at one of New Jersey’s flagship universities.
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Additional Resources
- ESPN: Rutgers Hires Keli Zinn as Athletic Director
- Wikipedia: Rutgers University
- NJ.com: Rutgers to Make Keli Zinn Highest Paid AD
- Google Search: Keli Zinn Rutgers Athletic Director
- On3: Keli Zinn Introduced as Athletic Director
- Encyclopedia Britannica: College Sports
- 247Sports: Watch Keli Zinn Introduced as AD
- Google News: Rutgers Athletic Director
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