The University of Akron Athletics
’s Wistrcill Named to NCAA Council
CLEVELAND —University of Akron Director of Athletics Tom Wistrcill has been selected as the Mid-American Conference's representative to the newly formed NCAA Council, the NCAA announced this week.
The 40-member council has one representative from each of the 32 conferences as well as two student-athletes, conference commissioners, and faculty athletics representatives. The Council is charged with conducting the day-to-day business of Division I. At its first meeting in January 2015, the Council will elect an athletics director to chair the group. That person will also serve on the board.
"I am honored to represent The University of Akron and the Mid-American Conference as the NCAA introduces this new governance structure," Wistrcill said. "I am particularly excited about this being the first opportunity for my colleagues and me to serve in this capacity directly alongside student-athletes, so together we can shape the future of college athletics at the Division I level."
In his five-plus years as Director of Athletics, Wistrcill has made an indelible impact on the Zips which achieved unprecedented comprehensive success in athletics and academics – while being recognized for effectively managing their budget.
In 2013-14, Akron captured for the first time the Reese Trophy as the Mid-American Conference's top overall men's athletics program, thanks to championship performances by men's soccer (regular season and tournament) as well as men's indoor track and field, and second-place finishes by baseball, men's cross country, men's golf, and men's outdoor track and field. Zips' women's programs also broke through last year, as both women's basketball and women's swimming and diving each won their first MAC championships in school history. Rifle secured a combined three team championships in its two leagues.
The Zips have earned 27 conference team titles over the last five years, and nine of Akron's 19 varsity programs contributing to that count during that time, which does not include men's soccer once again winning MAC regular season and tournament titles this fall.
Retention and graduation rates, as well as grade-point averages, have risen as the Athletics Learning Center provides UA student-athletes with a first-class academic support program. For the first time in school history, Akron won the Mid-American Conference's Institutional Academic Achievement Award with a 3.14 student-athlete GPA in 2010-11.
The Zips also earned national distinction by capturing the 2011 Excellence in Management Cup, which quantitatively evaluates the financial efficiency of all NCAA Division I athletic departments based on conference and national championships won compared to that department's budget.
Wistrcill is the fourth Zips' mentor to work on an NCAA Division I committee. He joins former ADs Michael Thomas (Compliance Cabinet), Michael Bobinski (Finance Cabinet), and Mack Rhoades IV (Sports Management Cabinet).
