New Owls AD White boasts strong family

BOCA RATON — New Florida Atlantic athletics director Brian White never has to leave the family when asking for job advice.

He has a strong support system that is only a phone call away. White, who was introduced at a news conference Wednesday at the Tom Oxley Athletic Center, comes from a family that has a lot of experience in college athletics and administration.

His father, Kevin, is the vice president and director of athletics at Duke. His brother, Mike, coaches the University of Florida basketball team while another sibling, Danny, is the vice president and director of athletics at UCF.

“It helped a lot, honestly,” White said. “We grew up around student-athletes, coaches, administrators, donors at events, at games, at practices. We kind of did grow up around it but also, I hate to admit but I do call family for advice on a very regular basis. It is a big resource for me.”

White is fortunate enough to have family members from all sides of athletics. If he’s having an issue with a coach, he can phone Mike. If there is an administration issue, he can ask his father or other brother.

“It’s one of those things that if you all work in the same business, you’re calling each other all the time,” White said. “I’m the younger brother so I tend to call my dad probably even more. As you figure it out, you learn on the job.”

White, who signed a fiveyear contract, is the sixth fulltime athletic director in school history. He replaced Pat Chun, who in January left for Washington State.

“You’re going to find that Brian White is a person who not only is a strong family man he is also a person who connects deeply with the community,” FAU president John Kelly said. “He’s a person who will be out there with you and he will take this university with him.”

White has already met with most Owls coaches individually, including football coach Lane Kiffin.

“I can tell you’re we’re going to have a vision in athletics,” White said.

“... But I want to spend some time getting here, and getting to know everybody here. I need to do a lot of listening and learning.”