Benedict named AD at UConn

Manuel’s replacement has been Auburn COO

Storrs — David Benedict, the chief operating officer for athletics at Auburn University, has been named athletic director at UConn, the athletic department announced Monday night.

Benedict, who will be introduced during a Tuesday morning press conference on campus, succeeds Warde Manuel, who is leaving to become the AD at his alma mater, the University of Michigan.

Benedict has spent the last two years at Auburn after serving as the deputy athletic director at Minnesota (2012-14). He has also worked in the athletic departments at Virginia Commonwealth (201012), Long Beach State (2007-10), and Arizona State (1996-2006).

"We make this announcement with excitement, pride, and tremendous optimism about the future," UConn president Susan Herbst said in a statement released by the university Monday night. "Today's AD must be have the sophistication to manage and closely oversee finance, marketing, media contracts, fundraising and fan engagement, among many other things. And these responsibilities are all secondary to the traditional responsibilities of utmost import: taking care of our student athletes, supporting their academic success, and making sure that our coaches have what they need to compete successfully.

"We sought a leader whose grasp

grasp of the national landscape and relentless pursuit of excellence would be second-to-none. I am very happy to say that we found exactly what we were looking for in David Benedict."

Benedict directed the day-to-day operations of the Auburn athletic department and brings to UConn a reputation focused on — according to a release — student-athlete success in competition and academically, long-range strategic planning, donor development and fundraising and sound fiscal management.

"I am very excited to join UConn Nation as its director of athletics and am very grateful to President Herbst, Board of Trustees chairman Larry McHugh and the entire Board of Trustees and Search Committee," said Benedict. "The success of UConn from both an academic and athletic perspective is known around the country. UConn wins national championships and plays in bowl games and I wanted to be part of an elite program like this.

"I look forward to getting to know all of our coaches, student-athletes and administrators. My family and I can't wait to be part of this special university."

During his time at Auburn, Benedict led a feasibility study to make renovations to Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium that initiated a $150-$180 million project, and negotiated a nine-year extension with Under Armour that included both product, cash and $10 million worth of stock.

"David is an extremely talented administrator who brings a wealth of experience from Auburn and elsewhere to the job," Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said. "He helped us tremendously during his time at Auburn, and we are better for it."

Benedict graduated from Southern Utah in 1995, where he was a linebacker on the football team.

Benedict and his wife, the former Lisa Zeis, have 13-year old twin boys – Jake and Sam. Lisa was a four-time gymnastics All-American and twotime NCAA champion at Arizona State.