April 8, 2005
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee President Sidney McPhee announced today the hiring of Chris Massaro as the Blue Raiders’ sixth athletic director. Massaro replaces Boots Donnelly who stepped down from the position in January.
“Chris Massaro has played an important role in helping to make South Carolina athletics a very visible player in one of the nation’s premier conferences (SEC)”, said McPhee. “He brings well-rounded expertise to the position and has developed a tremendous wealth of contacts during his time in Columbia (S.C.). Like all of our finalists for the position, he has outstanding vision for Middle Tennessee athletics now, and the direction we need to be headed. This is a new era for Blue Raider athletics and we are excited to have Chris Massaro on board and leading the charge.”
McPhee noted that more than 60 candidates who applied or were contacted for the position. He said he was very pleased with the strong credentials all brought to the table. He said the decision of naming a new athletic director was as difficult as trimming the entire pool to four finalists because of their strong backgrounds and success in collegiate athletics.
The president commended the search firm of Baker-Parker Associates for its thorough work and background checks of all applicants for the position and for assisting in accumulating a strong pool of candidates. McPhee also pointed out the thorough work turned in by members of the Advisory Committee, headed by Steve Smith, during this difficult process.
“The quality of the applicants made it necessary for our Advisory Committee to spend several tireless hours making some tough recommendations regarding the future of who would lead our athletic department,” McPhee said. “I can’t say enough about the professional manner in which the committee handled this responsibility. I also want to thank our athletic staff for its thoughtful feedback and evaluation of each candidate.”
A veteran in collegiate athletics, Massaro makes his way to Murfreesboro after spending the past 20 years in the South Carolina athletic department. As Senior Associate Athletic Director, he provided significant leadership to the department. Massaro became a senior staff member in 1994.
At South Carolina, Massaro oversaw the men’s basketball program, all aspects of the department’s ticket operations and group sales, helped coordinate the department’s marketing efforts, involved in all aspects surrounding the planning, building, marketing, and opening of the $60 million 18,000-seat Carolina Center. Massaro also was responsible for football scheduling and negotiating game contracts.
The Glenwood Springs, Co., native joined the Gamecock staff under the Ohio University sport administration program in 1985. Following a one-year internship in the Gamecock Club office, Massaro was named Assistant Ticket Manager in 1986, a position he held for nearly two years. He then moved to the business office as Assistant Business Manager in May 1988, a position he held until his promotion to Ticket Manager in 1992.
Massaro, 44, earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Northern Colorado in 1983 and his Master’s degree in Sport Administration from Ohio University in 1986. At UNC, Massaro was a five-year football team member and a three-time letterwinner.
A 1994 graduate of the Sports Management Institute, Massaro has had experience in developing SMI’s class programming on different occasions while also serving on the Executive Committee. The SMI is a cooperative educational effort between the Schools of Business and the Athletic Departments from Notre Dame, Texas, Michigan, Southern California, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Massaro and his wife, Cindy, have four children: Hank (10), Lainey (8), Rachel (6) and Ben (5).
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT CHRIS MASSARO
Dr. Mike McGee (South Carolina Athletics Director)
“Chris Massaro is a wonderful representative of this university who will be sorely missed by all in this department and I am sure by those on campus and the Gamecock faithful. We are extremely happy for Chris, his wife Cindy and their family that Chris has been named the Athletic Director at Division I-A Middle Tennessee. I applaud the selection committee on their foresight in their choice of Chris Massaro.”
South Carolina Head Basketball Coach Dave Odom:
“Chris Massaro is a top flight administrator who possesses all the qualities necessary to run a high level collegiate athletics program. He is highly organized, has good ideas and imagination, a fine understanding of fiscal matters, and a real appreciation of the central objective of every athletics department – the welfare of its student-athletes. For three years he has worked day to day in helping me build our basketball program to one of respectability. I will miss my daily contact with him. Middle Tennessee as a university, their coaching staff and their fans are getting a man with great human qualities, including integrity, honesty and loyalty. We wish Chris, his wife Cindy and their family all the best.”
South Carolina Head Baseball Coach Ray Tanner:
“Chris Massaro will truly be an asset to Middle Tennessee and the Department of Athletics. His experience and knowledge in all facets of athletic administration are unsurpassed. The integrity and passion that Chris exudes in intercollegiate athletics will propel Blue Raider Athletics to new heights. As they get to know him, the players and coaches are going to embrace their new athletics director with great pride and admiration.”
Auburn Head Basketball Coach Jeff Lebo:
“When you talk about Chris Massaro the words integrity, class, and work ethic come to mind. Middle Tennessee got a rising star in Chris.”
Western Kentucky Athletic Director Wood Selig:
“Chris Massaro embodies everything one could wish for in an athletic administrator. He is introspective and analytical while also being a terrific consensus builder and leader. His experiences across the spectrum of college athletics, both internally and externally, make him exceptionally qualified to lead a program the stature of MTSU. If there is one individual in the country prepared to help MTSU take the next step in its intercollegiate athletic transformation, that person is without a doubt Chris Massaro. MTSU is very fortunate to be getting such a rising star to continue the wonderful evolution of the Blue Raider athletic program.”
South Carolina Head Football Coach Steve Spurrier:
“I am excited for Chris to become the athletic director at Middle Tennessee. He is a very worthy person for the job and we wish him all the best.”
South Carolina Radio Play-by-Play Personality Todd Ellis:
“I am excited for Middle Tennessee, but Carolina is losing what I consider one of the foundations of the Carolina program. The Blue Raiders are getting a great one.”
