Lew Perkins
Encyclopedia
Lew Perkins is a former Director of Athletics, most recently at the University of Kansas
. Perkins joined KU in June 2003, taking over for Al Bohl. Perkins previously held similar positions with the University of Connecticut
, University of Maryland, College Park
, Wichita State University
and University of South Carolina Aiken
where he gained a reputation for successfully cleaning up schools suffering under NCAA violations. Under Perkins direction, the athletics program at KU had several successful seasons, including winning the 2008 Orange Bowl
in football and the 2008 Men's Basketball Championship
.
, where he was inducted into the High School Athletics Hall of Fame. Following high school, Perkins played basketball at the University of Iowa
from 1965–67, where he was coached by former KU great Ralph Miller
, a member of the Naismith Hall of Fame. He also received an undergraduate degree in education from the institution.At Iowa Lew pledged and activated the Alpha Epsilon Pi
fraternity.
. In 2005, Perkins was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Education by USC-Aiken.
, managing the university's 28 varsity sports.
to replace Gene Smithson as head basketball coach and Ron Chismar
to replace Willie Jeffries
as head football coach.
revealed foul play within the organization. Perkins left the university following another NCAA investigation that took place after then basketball coach Bob Wade
revealed to him that him and his staff had been violating several NCAA rules. Before leaving he hired Gary Williams
to be the new head coach. Williams was previously the coach of Ohio State.
Perkins also brought drastic change to the athletics facilities. During Perkin's tenure, a $4 million dollar hockey arena, $14 million dollar student recreation center, a $2.5 million dollar addition of seating to Harry A. Gampel Pavilion
, a $3.5 million track and intramural facility, and the $90 million dollar Rentschler Field football complex were all constructed.
In 2000, he became the inaugural winner of the National Athletic Director of the Year Award.
During his tenure, Perkins hired Skip Holtz
as head football coach and Randy Edsall
after Holtz resigned to join his father at South Carolina.
from June 2003 to September 2010. While Perkins was AD, the football program won the 2008 Orange Bowl
, and Kansas basketball brought home the 2008 Men's Basketball Championship
. Upon arrival at KU, Perkins became aware of potential NCAA rules violations at KU and he initiated an internal investigation. After KU self-reported violations, the NCAA ruled in 2006 that KU demonstrated a "lack of institutional control" under its prior Athletic Director. As a result, Perkins added at least two new full-time compliance officers to the department.
Perkins brought many facilities upgrades to the campus, and raised KU's athletics budget from $27 million to over $55 million. $10 million dollars worth of renovations to Allen Fieldhouse
were completed in 2005-06, including a new videoboard. Another $15 million was approved for further upgrades to the facility. The Booth Family Hall of Athletics was added to the eastern side of the fieldhouse, at a cost of $5 million. The Anderson Family Football complex officially opened on July 30, 2008 adjacent to the football field at Memorial Stadium, at a cost of $31 million. In 2009, $42 million in improvements for a new basketball practice and training facility, locker rooms, donor atrium, new concourses and other upgrades to Allen Fieldhouse were completed. Additionally $8 million dollars were spent for improvement of student athlete housing. Other facilities upgrades during Perkin's tenure included new baseball and softball facilities, and a boathouse for the rowing team.
Several major deals were negotiated during Perkins tenure, including a $26.67 million deal with adidas
, a $40 million deal with ESPN
, and an $86 million deal with IMG.
In 2008, TIME magazine named Perkins one of the top-35 sports executives in the world, the only collegiate executive to make the list.
However, Perkins' time at KU concluded with scandal. In March 2010, KU announced that it was conducting an internal investigation into the Athletics Department ticket office. A separate investigation by the FBI and IRS ultimately resluted in federal charges against five employees of the Athletics Department and one consultant, alleging that they had stolen more than $2 million of KU tickets to be illegally resold during Perkins' tenure. Perkins was not implicated in the scheme, but many of the five employees charged with crimes were hired or promoted to their positions by Perkins. By February 2011, all five employees pleaded guilty to the charges. Separately, in May 2010, Perkins was accused by a former Athletic Department employee of personally accepting exercise equipment in exchange for giving premium basketball tickets. As a result, Perkins was eventually fined by the State of Kansas Ethics Commission for violating rules against accepting gifts.
On June 10, 2010, Perkins announced that he would retire after the 2010-2011 school year, effective September 4, 2011. However, Perkins soon accelerated this schedule, and one year early, on September 7, 2010, he announced his retirement would be effective immediately. KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little
named Associate Athletics Director Sean Lester as interim Director for Kansas Athletics. Despite the early retirement, KU agreed to pay Perkins the full $2 million salary he would have earned if he had stayed through September 2011, including a $600,000 retention bonus that he would have earned for working at KU through June 2011.
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
. Perkins joined KU in June 2003, taking over for Al Bohl. Perkins previously held similar positions with the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
, University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, Wichita State University
Wichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
and University of South Carolina Aiken
University of South Carolina Aiken
The University of South Carolina Aiken is a four-year, public coeducational university in Aiken, South Carolina. The school offers undergraduate degree programs as well as master's degrees in elementary education, educational technology and applied clinical psychology...
where he gained a reputation for successfully cleaning up schools suffering under NCAA violations. Under Perkins direction, the athletics program at KU had several successful seasons, including winning the 2008 Orange Bowl
2008 Orange Bowl
The 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Kansas Jayhawks on January 3, 2008, at Dolphins Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Spread bettors favored Virginia Tech by three points, but in a game dominated by defensive and...
in football and the 2008 Men's Basketball Championship
2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season...
.
Early life
Perkins is a native of Chelsea, MassachusettsChelsea, Massachusetts
Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. It is the smallest city in Massachusetts in land area, and the 26th most densely populated incorporated place in the country.-History:...
, where he was inducted into the High School Athletics Hall of Fame. Following high school, Perkins played basketball at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
from 1965–67, where he was coached by former KU great Ralph Miller
Ralph Miller
Ralph H. Miller was an American basketball coach. A native of Chanute, Kansas, Miller coached at the University of Wichita , the University of Iowa and Oregon State University , compiling a 657-382 overall record in 38 seasons combined...
, a member of the Naismith Hall of Fame. He also received an undergraduate degree in education from the institution.At Iowa Lew pledged and activated the Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi , the Global Jewish college fraternity, has 155 active chapters in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Israel with a membership of over 9,000 undergraduates...
fraternity.
South Carolina Aiken
Perkins served as Athletics Director at USC Aiken from 1969–80, overseeing the athletics department during the university's transition from a junior college to four year institution. He also served as the head basketball coach from 1969–79. In 1975 he received a Master's degree in education from the University of South CarolinaUniversity of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
. In 2005, Perkins was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Education by USC-Aiken.
Pennsylvania
From 1980–83, Perkins served as Associate Director of Athletics at the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, managing the university's 28 varsity sports.
Wichita State
Perkins served as Athletics Director at WSU from 1983–87. Perkins took over a program that was on NCAA probation. Two years later, the NCAA cited WSU as having an "exemplary program." During his tenure as AD, the WSU football program was ended, due to mounting budget issues. During his tenure, Perkins hired Eddie FoglerEddie Fogler
Eddie Fogler was a college basketball player from the University of North Carolina from 1967-1970 where he played as a point guard on two NCAA Final Four teams. Fogler was an All-City guard from Flushing High School in Flushing, New York....
to replace Gene Smithson as head basketball coach and Ron Chismar
Ron Chismar
Ronald F. Chismar was the 33rd and final head college football coachfor the Wichita State University Shockers located in Wichita, Kansas and he held that position for three seasons, from 1984 until 1986. His coaching record at Wichita State was 8 wins, 25 losses, and 0 ties...
to replace Willie Jeffries
Willie Jeffries
Willie Jeffries, was a college football coach. In his 29-year career, Jeffries compiled a 179-132-6 record. He coached 19 years at his alma mater South Carolina State University in two stints, five years at Wichita State University, and five years at Howard University...
as head football coach.
Maryland
Perkins served as Athletics Director at Maryland from 1987–90. Perkins was brought in by Maryland to clean up the program after the investigation into the death of basketball player Len BiasLen Bias
Leonard Kevin "Len" Bias was a first team All-American college basketball player at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Boston Celtics as the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft on June 17, but died two days later from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose...
revealed foul play within the organization. Perkins left the university following another NCAA investigation that took place after then basketball coach Bob Wade
Bob Wade (basketball coach)
Robert Pernell Wade is a former men's college basketball head coach for the University of Maryland , as well as an American football defensive back for the National Football League.-Football career:...
revealed to him that him and his staff had been violating several NCAA rules. Before leaving he hired Gary Williams
Gary Williams
Gary B. Williams is an American university administrator and former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland, Ohio State University, Boston College, and American University. In 2002, he led Maryland to the NCAA Tournament Championship...
to be the new head coach. Williams was previously the coach of Ohio State.
Connecticut
From 1990-2003, Perkins served as Athletic Director for UConn, earning nationwide recognition for his efforts. Under Perkins' watch, the program saw 6 NCAA national championships, including four in women's basketball, one in men's basketball, and one in men's soccer. Perkins was instrumental in bringing Division I football to the university. The football team joined Division I in 2000, and the Big East in 2004, after Perkins' departure.Perkins also brought drastic change to the athletics facilities. During Perkin's tenure, a $4 million dollar hockey arena, $14 million dollar student recreation center, a $2.5 million dollar addition of seating to Harry A. Gampel Pavilion
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion is a 10,167-seat multi-purpose arena in Storrs, Connecticut, United States. The arena opened on January 21, 1990, and is the largest on campus arena in New England. It was named after Harry A. Gampel, who donated one million dollars for the construction of the arena...
, a $3.5 million track and intramural facility, and the $90 million dollar Rentschler Field football complex were all constructed.
In 2000, he became the inaugural winner of the National Athletic Director of the Year Award.
During his tenure, Perkins hired Skip Holtz
Skip Holtz
Louis Leo "Skip" Holtz, Jr. is the head coach of the University of South Florida football team. For the previous five years, he served as the head coach of the East Carolina University football team...
as head football coach and Randy Edsall
Randy Edsall
Randy Douglas Edsall is an American college football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Maryland. Edsall was the head coach at the University of Connecticut from 1999 until the 2011 Fiesta Bowl, and oversaw the program's promotion from the NCAA Division I–AA level to...
after Holtz resigned to join his father at South Carolina.
Kansas
Perkins served as Athletic Director of the University of KansasUniversity of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
from June 2003 to September 2010. While Perkins was AD, the football program won the 2008 Orange Bowl
2008 Orange Bowl
The 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Kansas Jayhawks on January 3, 2008, at Dolphins Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Spread bettors favored Virginia Tech by three points, but in a game dominated by defensive and...
, and Kansas basketball brought home the 2008 Men's Basketball Championship
2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season...
. Upon arrival at KU, Perkins became aware of potential NCAA rules violations at KU and he initiated an internal investigation. After KU self-reported violations, the NCAA ruled in 2006 that KU demonstrated a "lack of institutional control" under its prior Athletic Director. As a result, Perkins added at least two new full-time compliance officers to the department.
Perkins brought many facilities upgrades to the campus, and raised KU's athletics budget from $27 million to over $55 million. $10 million dollars worth of renovations to Allen Fieldhouse
Allen Fieldhouse
Allen Fieldhouse is an indoor arena at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. The arena, named in honor of Dr. Forrest C. "Phog" Allen, who coached the university's men's basketball team for 39 years, is one of college basketball's most historically significant and prestigious buildings...
were completed in 2005-06, including a new videoboard. Another $15 million was approved for further upgrades to the facility. The Booth Family Hall of Athletics was added to the eastern side of the fieldhouse, at a cost of $5 million. The Anderson Family Football complex officially opened on July 30, 2008 adjacent to the football field at Memorial Stadium, at a cost of $31 million. In 2009, $42 million in improvements for a new basketball practice and training facility, locker rooms, donor atrium, new concourses and other upgrades to Allen Fieldhouse were completed. Additionally $8 million dollars were spent for improvement of student athlete housing. Other facilities upgrades during Perkin's tenure included new baseball and softball facilities, and a boathouse for the rowing team.
Several major deals were negotiated during Perkins tenure, including a $26.67 million deal with adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
, a $40 million deal with ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, and an $86 million deal with IMG.
In 2008, TIME magazine named Perkins one of the top-35 sports executives in the world, the only collegiate executive to make the list.
However, Perkins' time at KU concluded with scandal. In March 2010, KU announced that it was conducting an internal investigation into the Athletics Department ticket office. A separate investigation by the FBI and IRS ultimately resluted in federal charges against five employees of the Athletics Department and one consultant, alleging that they had stolen more than $2 million of KU tickets to be illegally resold during Perkins' tenure. Perkins was not implicated in the scheme, but many of the five employees charged with crimes were hired or promoted to their positions by Perkins. By February 2011, all five employees pleaded guilty to the charges. Separately, in May 2010, Perkins was accused by a former Athletic Department employee of personally accepting exercise equipment in exchange for giving premium basketball tickets. As a result, Perkins was eventually fined by the State of Kansas Ethics Commission for violating rules against accepting gifts.
On June 10, 2010, Perkins announced that he would retire after the 2010-2011 school year, effective September 4, 2011. However, Perkins soon accelerated this schedule, and one year early, on September 7, 2010, he announced his retirement would be effective immediately. KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little
Bernadette Gray-Little
Bernadette Gray-Little is the 17th chancellor of the University of Kansas. In this position she oversees the university’s main campus in Lawrence, its medical center campuses in Kansas City, Salina and Wichita, the Edwards Campus in Overland Park, and a number of other facilities around Kansas...
named Associate Athletics Director Sean Lester as interim Director for Kansas Athletics. Despite the early retirement, KU agreed to pay Perkins the full $2 million salary he would have earned if he had stayed through September 2011, including a $600,000 retention bonus that he would have earned for working at KU through June 2011.
Other Service
- Basketball Issues Committee
- Chair of the Big 12 Board of Athletics Directors
- Big 12 Television Committee
- Board of Directors of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
- Gatorade Board of Directors