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Originally Posted by UACFlyer Prior to the arrival of Ted Kissell UD did not have an athletics "program". We had a successful football team having found the right level of play...and we had a basketball team that became a top tier program by way of the accidental hiring of Tom Blackburn and a competent assistant DD. Other than that Dayton had no teams or facilities that were at the Div I level....indeed, most wouldn't have been decent at Div III. Our futility was laid bare when we were discarded by the Great Midwest schools that went on to form the C-USA. At that point we were desperate. Kissell's arrival changed the UD athletics dynamic in much the same way Curran's arrival altered the big picture. Ted established and executed a strategic plan for UD athletics the result of which is apparent today in all aspects of our stellar program. We have facilities/fields named after the prominent people in UD's athletics history....but not (yet) for Ted, by far the most influential and successful person in the history of Dayton athletics. Ted has no peer.

Agree 100%. TK had to start from scratch, shame TF wasn't more effective late in his tenure. He did a good job of parlaying the NCAA run in 65-67 into the Arena though.

	Ted Kissell TED KISSELL Athletic Director at the University of Dayton from 1993-2008. Helped spearhead a renewed commitment to athletic excellence by hiring Oliver Purnell to resurrect the men's basketball program, and emphasized major non-revenue sports to raise UD's profile. Helped UD receive an invitation to the A10 Conference, developed new baseball, softball, soccer, football, and basketball facility upgrades, and achieved NCAA appearances in men's basketball, men's and women's soccer, and volleyball -- the latter three being program's firsts. Also served as UD's Vice President and improved overall academic performance among student athletes.