July 6, 2005
COLUMBIA, SC – Former TCU Associate Athletics Director Kevin O’Connell has been named Executive Associate Athletics Director at the University of South Carolina, USC Athletics Director Eric Hyman announced today.
O’Connell, 52, will oversee the Gamecock athletics marketing and promotions, media relations, ticket operations and compliance departments, while supervising assigned sports. In addition, he will be the athletic department’s liaison with Gamecock Sports Properties (Learfield and ISP Sports) and Action Sports Media. He will begin his duties on August 15.
“I have known Kevin for over 15 years and have the utmost respect for him,” said Hyman. “We worked together at both Miami (Ohio) and at TCU and he is a trusted colleague and teammate. He already has a working relationship with several of our coaches and will be a wonderful addition to the department.”
“I have known Kevin O’Connell for a long time,” said USC baseball coach Ray Tanner. “He brings a wealth of experience in intercollegiate athletics to our department. He is extremely dedicated and concerned about the welfare of the student-athletes and the coaches.”
O’Connell joined the TCU staff in the spring of 1999 as the Associate Athletics Director of External Operations. He was responsible for the Frogs’ marketing and promotions, the TCU Sports Network, media relations, ticket operations, the community outreach program and served as the primary liaison with ESPN Regional Television. Additionally, he oversaw the TCU men’s and women’s golf, swimming & diving and track & field programs.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity for me to join the South Carolina athletics department,” said O’Connell. “Eric and I have a long history and I look forward to continuing that relationship. My family and I are very excited about re-establishing our roots in the Southeastern part of the country. TCU is a special place and we have truly enjoyed our time in Fort Worth,” continued O’Connell. “I have great respect for Danny Morrison and wish him and the Horned Frog family nothing but the best.”
During O’Connell’s tenure in Fort Worth, the Horned Frogs showed attendance growth in nearly every sport. Over the past five years, TCU posted three of the top six football season attendance totals in school history. The TCU women’s basketball program boasted the top-ranked home season attendance figure in Conference USA in each of the past four years and was ranked 32nd nationally in 2004-2005 with an average attendance of 3,462. TCU baseball averaged its highest attendance in school history during the 2005 campaign.
“I am sorry to see Kevin leave TCU, but I understand that this move gets him back to a part of the country with which he is very familiar,” said TCU Athletics Director Danny Morrison. “He was a valued member of our staff and we thank him for his many contributions and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
O’Connell came to TCU from Miami (Ohio) University, where he spent four years as an associate athletics director. Prior to his stint at Miami, O’Connell served as President and Chief Operating Officer of the ITG Travel Companies in Raleigh, N.C. Before assuming his duties with ITG in 1989, the Falls Church, Va., native served eight years at North Carolina State, with the last three as associate athletics director. O’Connell began his professional career with the Washington (D.C.) Diplomats of the North American Soccer League in 1977, working in various positions.
A 1975 graduate of Virginia Tech, O’Connell earned a master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University in 1977.
O’Connell and his wife, Becky, have three children: Shannon, a senior at Furman University, Brent, a freshman at South Carolina, and Becca, 13.
