Chris Del Conte named Sports Business Journal's athletic director of the year
Texas vice president and Lois and Richard Folger athletics director Chris Del Conte was named Athletic Director of the Year by the Sports Business Journal at its 17th Annual Sports Business Awards ceremony in New York City on Wednesday night, the school and organization announced.
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Del Conte topped current Texas A&M and former Nebraska AD Trev Alberts, James Madison’s Jeff Bourne, former Missouri and current Arizona athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois, and Virginia’s Carla Williams.
The winner was selected by the SBJ staff, per release.
According to the university, the Longhorns have eclipsed their own Big 12 season record with 15 conference championships during the program’s final year in the league. The total is more than the rest of the Big 12 schools combined (14) and by far the most of any Power Conference program in the 2023-24 academic year.
Texas won the national title in volleyball and were national runners-up in women’s swimming and men’s tennis. A resurgent Longhorn football program under Steve Sarkisian reached the College Football Playoff semifinals after winning the Big 12. Women’s basketball reached the Elite Eight. Soccer, women’s tennis, and softball all reached the round of 16. Softball plays in the Austin super regional this weekend and can advance to the Women’s College World Series.
Pending baseball’s likely selection to the NCAA Tournament, every one of Texas’ 19 eligible sports will have made the postseason during the 2023-24 season. Five teams have recorded top-five finishes, 10 earned top-10 final rankings, and 14 were in the end-of-year top-20.
Since Del Conte succeeded Mike Perrin in 2017, Texas has won 12 NCAA team titles and has 46 top-five finishes. Seventy-three conference titles have been brought back to Austin. Plus, Del Conte along with UT president Jay Hartzell helped usher the Longhorns into the future of college athletics in the SEC.
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Currently in his 7th year as Longhorn athletic director, Del Conte has almost two decades of experience atop an athletic department with previous experience at TCU and Rice.
