Indiana Hires Scott Dolson to be Next Athletic Director
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Longtime Indiana athletics administrator Scott Dolson has been hired to replace Fred Glass as Indiana's athletic director, according to a release from the school on Tuesday.
Dolson, a Michigan City, Ind., native and 1988 IU graduate, has been Glass' right-hand man for the past 11 years as the deputy director and chief operating officer, will take over later this summer, pending formal approval by the IU Board of Trustees at its April meeting.
"Given his background and experience in helping to oversee the recent growth and development of nearly every major area of IU's large athletics operation, Scott is extremely well-positioned to lead our intercollegiate athletics program and further its longstanding and storied traditions of excellence as well as build on Fred Glass' outstanding achievements of the last 10 years," Indiana president Michael A. McRobbie said. "For more than two decades at IU, he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to ensuring that our student-athletes achieve success both on and off the field, compete within the rules and represent IU with passion, integrity and distinction.
"Scott also fully understands that our athletics program must continue to be integrated into the university in all ways. He knows that our student athletes are, first and foremost, students, who are here to develop their athletics prowess while also earning a world-class education that will have an enormous impact on the rest of their lives."
Dolson was recommended to McRobbie by 14-member committee of faculty, administrators, alumni and athletics department representatives chaired by IU Vice President for Government Relations and Economic Engagement Bill Stephan. He said there were several highly qualified candidates from around the country, none of whom could offer what Dolson did.
"In the end, we found in Scott Dolson an individual who possessed the right combination of experience, integrity, drive and passion for IU sports to lead our athletics program toward a bright and banner-achieving future."
The move is a clear mandate that all that Glass and Dolson have accomplished together in the past 11 years has not gone unnoticed. Since Glass took over in late 2008, Indiana has set records for both athletic and academic success, including graduating students at unprecedented rates; made historic investments in facilities; delivered unprecedented fundraising dollars; and established nationally recognized programs and policies focused on holistic student development and welfare.
"I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to lead the Indiana University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, a place I have served for more than two decades and have long had a tremendous love and passion for," Dolson said. "I want to thank President McRobbie, search committee chair Bill Stephan and the entire search committee for the trust they have shown in me to lead the department into a very promising future.
"I'd also like to thank Fred Glass for the leadership and vision he has shown during his truly pivotal tenure as Indiana University's athletic director. In addition to the on-the-field successes, transformational facility projects and ground-breaking policies and initiatives that he has overseen and everyone is well aware of, he has integrated our department into the university and has also worked tirelessly on behalf of our students in support of their athletic, academic and holistic development throughout their time as Indiana University students. He's also been a tremendous mentor, and I'm excited to continue and build on the successes we have enjoyed during Fred's tenure."
Dolson has been directly involved with the many facility projects and renovations, and he also was instrumental in the athletic department renegotiating a new, 10-year multimedia rights agreement with Learfield Sports. He has helped IU dramatically increase student and general attendance at both football and men's basketball games. Recent years have seen IU football achieve record attendance and increase public season ticket sales. In men's basketball, IU continues to sell more student season tickets than any other program in the country and regularly ranks among the nation's leaders in attendance.
In addition to his role as deputy director of intercollegiate athletics, Dolson has maintained his leadership as the fourth director of the Varsity Club. As director, he manages the athletic department's overall fundraising program for scholarships, annual giving, endowments and athletic facilities.
Dolson was a student manager for the IU men's basketball team for four seasons, serving as the program's head manager in 1988. He joined the Varsity Club staff in December 1989.
