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Y! MyWebKissell known for his loyalty to UD
Fellow ADs say the Flyers' retiring athletic director offered keen insights.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
DAYTON — Xavier Athletic Director Mike Bobinski knew it would be beneficial to have a good rapport with the AD from the University of Dayton after being hired in 1998, but he wasn't sure how feasible that was during their initial contact.
Although the two have a close relationship now, Bobinski had some trouble at first warming up to Ted Kissell.
"I've found him to be very much of an acquired taste," Bobinski said. "Early on, I thought he could be very aggressive, very forthright, but I really came to appreciate that in him. He has a great sense of humor, and we've had a lot of laughs for 10 years."
Although Kissell, who is ending a 16-year career at UD on Dec. 31, also is liked and respected by his other colleagues in the Atlantic 10, they've come to expect strong opinions and a dogged style from him in league meetings.
"He's fiercely loyal to the UD program," Bobinski said. "The rest of the room always knew, no matter how well thought out it was or how good a presentation Ted might have made, it always had a UD slant to it somewhere. That's OK. We knew that. He was always looking out for the best interests of UD's program and did it very, very well."
While Kissell has been lauded for the impact he's had at UD, former NCAA Executive Director Cedric Dempsey believes his protege deserves kudos simply for staying put.
Before coming to Dayton, Kissell worked in the University of Arizona athletic department under Dempsey, who was an AD for 27 years before taking the NCAA's top job in 1993.
"What I appreciated about him was he found a place he felt was a good home for him and his family and, despite having some opportunities at times to move on, he elected to stay there and make a career," Dempsey said.
"Unfortunately, we don't have enough people who stay the course. They're looking to move. Part of that is it's a difficult job to stay in over a long period of time. The fact that he completed a career of 16 years there is rather unusual in athletic administration."
Dempsey, who was succeeded by current NCAA President Myles Brand in 2002, saw great promise in Kissell during their time in Tucson.
"Ted is extremely bright," Dempsey said. "I watched him work with people, and he had the real potential to be a good administrator. I recall how well he was able to relate to the staff, having been a coach himself, and he understood the field and developed a strong philosophy of what sports is all about."
Kissell is currently the fourth-longest-serving AD in the 14-school Atlantic 10 Conference and has been a mentor for those who have come along after him.
"Any time I needed advice regarding an issue in my athletic department, Ted was one of the first people I would call," Duquesne's Greg Amodio said. "He was always supportive and would provide detailed insight to help overcome any challenges I might be facing."
The two years Steve Watson spent under Kissell at UD in the late 1990s prepared him for his role as St. Bonaventure's AD.
"Ted has done amazing things at Dayton during his tenure," Watson said. "The facility improvements are impressive, and Dayton's teams are competitive across the board. Most importantly, their student-athletes are performing at a very high level."
Richmond AD Jim Miller does see one positive about Kissell's departure, though.
"With Ted's retirement, the A-10 loses an insightful perspective. However, the good news is our meetings will be significantly shorter," he joked.
What other ADs are saying
University of Dayton athletic programs have improved competitively and in the classroom in 16 years under Ted Kissell, and he earned the respect of other Atlantic 10 ADs for his work.
Fordham's Frank McLaughlin: "I was shocked and sorry to hear of Ted's retirement. ... Ted always went out of his way to make you feel welcome. He was always excited when others achieved success at their respective institutions. Ted's retirement will be a great loss to the league."
La Salle's Tom Brennan: "Ted is a very bright and engaging individual who is highly respected as an athletic director. He has provided a good deal of leadership in Atlantic 10 Conference matters and will always be remembered as someone possessing both vision and aspiration."
Saint Louis' Chris May: "Ted has represented Dayton with great passion and class as the athletic program has grown to unprecedented levels under his leadership. As the new AD in the league, Ted has been unbelievably supportive of me in my transition. Ted's creative perspective is something I will truly miss."
Don DiJulia of Saint Joseph's: "A wonderful colleague, always among the first to congratulate or celebrate other institutional successes. ... (He) understands what being part of a conference means: the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or at dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.
