New Kensington

David Murray named athletic director at New Kensington campus

David Murray, an accomplished soccer coach, was named athletic director at Penn State New Kensington, Kevin Snider, chancellor of the campus, announced today.

Murray, who replaces Ron Nichols, is the fifth athletic director in the 50-year history of the campus. He will be responsible for overall management of the athletic program and the recreational facilities.

Additional duties will involve recruiting and fundraising. According to Snider, Murray's charge is three-fold: increase the rosters of each team; develop additional sports; and expand athletic facilities.

"David will be at the forefront of a comprehensive recruitment and retention program that maintains high academic standards for our intercollegiate sports teams," said Snider, who assumed the campus leadership post last year. "In addition to managing the athletics and outdoor recreational facilities, he will develop fundraising projects to expand the facilities."

A longtime soccer coach at Geneva College, Murray takes over a program that sponsors seven intercollegiate sports--baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, coed cheerleading, men's and women's golf, softball, and women's volleyball—and rosters of 46 student-athletes. The campus competes in the Penn State University Athletic Conference of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association.

"I am excited about the new challenge and look forward to ramping up the athletic program," said Murray, who is married with four children."The campus is poised to build a program that can sustain 10 sports and 100 student-athletes."

The Murray era begins March 15 and the Sewickly resident will pursue the challenge aggressively. His first priority is to work with current coaches to increase the recruitment of athletes to existing programs. By the 2010-11 season, Murray hopes to add two more sports, men's and women's soccer.

"There are 60,000 soccer players in western Pennsylvania, and it makes sense to offer a program where they can continue their success," said Murray. "It's an ambitious goal but a challenge that appeals to me."

Finding a home field for the soccer team will not be at the top of the new athletic director's priority list. The campus already has a full-size regulation soccer field that is located adjacent to the Athletics Center. The area serves as an outlet for intramural activities and as a field for local youth soccer leagues.

A native of Glenshaw, Pa., and a product of Shaler High School, Murray earned his bachelor's degree in education from Geneva. He is president of DBM Properties and Land Development, a company he founded in 2003 to manage housing construction.

In addition to running his company, he is a consultant to numerous colleges and high schools on the development of athletic fields and dormitories, two areas of interest for the campus. Murray's construction expertise complements the chancellor's vision for maximizing the use of current campus buildings and open spaces and developing new facilities.

"His track record as a winning soccer coach, in building the largest residential soccer camp in western Pennsylvania, and his experience in fundraising is what we are looking for in taking us to a new level," said Snider.

Murray, who holds a United State Soccer Federation "A" license, presided over the Geneva soccer program for 16 years. The capstone of his coaching career was winning the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association championship in 1994; it remains the only national title in the 160-year history of the Beaver Falls-based private school in Pennsylvania.

For more about campus athletics, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/41674.htm#NEWS41674
 

 

Last Updated March 19, 2009

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