Del Conte Receives AD of the Year Award
5/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | General
May 12, 2015
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- TCU director of intercollegiate athletics Chris Del Conte has been named one of the recipients of a National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Under Armour FBS Athletics Director of the Year Award for 2014-15.Other FBS recipients were Kentucky's Mitch Barnhart, UConn's Warde Manuel and Baylor's Ian McCaw.
"Christopher Del Conte is a fantastic individual and a consummate professional who has been instrumental in advancing TCU Athletics," said TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini Jr. "He has secured donor funding for major athletic venues such as the football stadium and basketball arena, was instrumental in TCU's inclusion in the Big 12 Conference and continues to ensure strong graduation rates among our student-athletes. We are proud of Chris' accomplishments. This award is reflective of his tireless work on behalf of TCU."
Under Del Conte's leadership, TCU Athletics saw unprecedented success over the past year.
The football program captured its first Big 12 championship in just its third year in the conference. The Horned Frogs won the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and were ranked third in season-ending polls.
Football was one of five TCU sports to reach the top 10 nationally. Baseball, coming off a Big 12 championship and its second College World Series appearance in five seasons, reached No. 1 in the polls this season. Equestrian and rifle were second and third, respectively, in their rankings. Men's tennis, which just reached the Sweet 16 at the NCAA Championships, was ranked sixth.
While Del Conte and facility enhancements are synonymous with each other, what separates TCU is that these projects are all donor funded.
TCU is in the midst of a $72 million renovation to its basketball coliseum, while baseball saw the opening of the $3 million G. Malcolm Louden Performance Center. Other additions in the past year to enhance the student-athlete experience include the $200,000 Brad Cunningham Nutritional Fueling Station, a $1 million project for new bleachers at the Lowdon Track and Field Complex and $500,000 in improvements for equestrian at its facility.
Planning and fundraising are underway for enhancements at the Charlie and Marie Lupton Baseball Stadium as well as a remodel of the coaches' offices and gym in the Schollmaier Basketball Complex.
With the addition of a sand volleyball program in Spring 2015, facility improvements are en route for the indoor and outdoor student-athletes in that sport.
Overall fundraising has totaled over $250 million during Del Conte's five-year tenure at TCU, highlighted by the $164 million rebuild of Amon G. Carter Stadium. The Frog Club, the fundraising arm for TCU Athletics, now covers all costs for athletics scholarships.
Revenue generation is another Del Conte staple. Over the last year, record numbers were produced through donor solicitation, scholarship seating, ticket sales, third-tier television rights, licensing, concessions, soft goods, multi-media agreements and new contracts with Nike, Gatorade, Sodexo and Muscle Milk.
Through auxiliary revenue, ticket sales and annual giving, TCU produced $31 million in the 2013-14 fiscal year under Del Conte, nearly tripling the $12 million when he came on board in 2009.
Del Conte is a fixture at home events and provides a personal touch to the more than 500 student-athletes he serves. They are his top priority. He routinely visits with student-athletes while attending Student-Athlete Advisory Council meetings.
Through Del Conte's leadership, a high morale permeates throughout athletics staff. A highlight for employees each month is when Del Conte, out of his own pocket, presents a $100 cash prize to a staff member for displaying the Horned Frog Factor.
Another defining characteristic of Del Conte is his accessibility. He walks the parking lots before home football games to visit with fans. He doesn't screen his calls, returns all emails and speaks to anyone with an issue or complaint. He also holds regular Town Hall meetings and coffee sessions to hear from all TCU constituents.
NACDA Executive Director Bob Vecchione explains the ADOY Award is essential because it highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses and their surrounding communities.
"Since 1998, NACDA has been highlighting the notable contributions made by athletics directors across all divisions of our membership," said Vecchione. "These winners have been recognized by their peers for their outstanding work on campus, in their community and supporting their student-athletes. We look forward to recognizing their significant achievements at our 50th Anniversary Convention this June."
