Damon Evans Appointed New Athletic Director at SMU
Dallas, TX — Damon Evans, the former athletic director at the University of Maryland, has been appointed as the new athletic director at Southern Methodist University (SMU). Evans, who has a rich history in athletic administration, including tenure at Georgia from 2004 to 2010, signed a six-year contract with the university.
In a statement expressing his enthusiasm for the role, Evans mentioned, “While it is never easy to leave an institution that has become part of your family, the opportunity to come to SMU was too great to pass up.” He highlighted the momentum in SMU’s athletics and aims to push the program to new heights.
Evans’ departure comes at a pivotal moment for Maryland, as the men’s basketball team gears up for an NCAA tournament matchup against Grand Canyon. The Terrapins are also in the process of negotiating a long-term deal for head coach Kevin Willard, who noted the challenges of securing a contract while Evans transitions to SMU.
Evans joined Maryland in 2014 as a senior associate athletic director and rose to the position of interim athletic director in 2017 before being officially appointed in 2018. He succeeds Rick Hart at SMU, who is set to leave by the year’s end. Hart played a critical role in SMU’s transition to the ACC, a move heavily backed by well-funded supporters.
The hiring of Evans is part of SMU’s strategic push into high-stakes college athletics, especially as the landscape of college sports may shift towards a more pronounced divide between invested programs and others. In making this change, SMU aims to secure its future in collegiate athletics amidst an evolving competitive environment.
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